Gathering

By Lazette Gifford

Prelude

Going somewhere else...

Tristan rested on the soft bed, feeling the ship around him and the power beyond it. The metal shell moved through the same space where he and Abby had traveled so often before, slipping from one reality to another, leaving friends behind at each turn.

Not this time.

Their quest had come at such a cost to them that sometimes he wondered if the Goddess really understood the needs of flesh and blood, whether human or elf. He wondered what she expected, in the end. Did she understand what she asked of her son, and that what he paid she could never give back?

Or could she? They were going... home this time.

He pushed the thought away as quickly as it came.

Tristan could feel the magic brushing against the craft, whispering through the walls and calling to him with a seductive offer of power he knew, from experience, he could not wholly control. Dangerous power, a dangerous place... he had never fully understood.

The one thing he did know, however, was that this was far less work. He could rest this time, he and Abby both, before they...

He shivered a little.

Tristan?

Abby, somewhere else on the ship, felt his worry surge up through the crowns.

I'm all right.

Abby, distracted by the lights and bustle of the control deck, barely tested those words. He knew Tristan wasn't telling the full truth, but he left the elf with a bit of privacy still. They shared so much, but sometimes Tristan liked to think he had a few worries and fears of his own still.

Did that explain his feelings now? Did he fear traveling in the ship rather than by his own power? Did he mistrust the mechanical functions he had never understood? But then he would have to mistrust the people as well, wouldn't he?

The people who so willingly leapt into this void just for them, taking the two home.

And there it was again, the word that truly sent him shivering. Home. The real fear. He quickly buried the feeling away again before it even reached a full thought. He had become more adept at keeping some of his most troubling moments to himself, though it didn't help when they echoed Abby's own fears and worries.

Going home meant different things to them. Tristan's world had been very different from Abby's. His friend's short sojourn into Ylant hadn't been nearly long enough to erase all the horrors of years in the hands of the humans -- or worse, really, what his mother had done to him.

Tristan didn't trust the Goddess. He wondered if she realized, and if such common emotions mattered not at all to her. He couldn't say. He had come to believe she might actually feel something akin to love for her son.

Tristan!

He smiled a little at Abby's frustration with him, but he also turned his thoughts away from the Goddess. They were going home, and that thought brought a new ache to his heart. They had been a long time away from Ylant, and they hadn't won their war yet. Perhaps that bothered him more... that they wouldn't be going home for good. He couldn't regret the chance, but just the same...

Oh no, no. He cut that thought off before Abby could answer. No, he had no real want to be home for good, not before they finished the war for good. He would not be left behind while Abby went on. Abby, wisely, did not even suggest it. They knew each other far too well to offer such suggestions now.

The battle is no longer just yours, Abby. If it ever really was. I must go on and see it to the end no less than you. I've seen too much, Aubreyan Altazar, to sit back now and let the worlds fall. I want to protect our friends no less than you do --

Peace, Tristan! Humor like that was rare from Abby when they discussed the war. Peace! I wasn't arguing with you. I've given that up. But I think you would have been far better off if you'd never met me.

And you, Abby?

I wouldn't have survived this long. I'd have, if nothing else, gone mad. I wonder what life would have been like for you if something, somewhere had gone differently.

Tristan knew what it would have been like because he had lived such a life before Abby came. He had lived in a place of darkness; a life without a cause, and among people who believed him incapable of anything more than the simplest tasks.

Nothing could dissuade him of the belief everything he had chosen since the moment he met Abby had been for the better. And with that calming thought, he closed his eyes and listened to the Janin whisper a soft song of home...

Part One

Chapter One

Abby couldn't rest and didn't understand how Tristan could as the elf slipped off into a warm, soft place in his mind. Abby wanted to follow. Instead, he stayed on the control deck, watching as the crew moved from one spot to another. Banning played with the ends of her long, blonde hair -- a totally uncharacteristic movement for the woman, who rarely showed emotion. She looked pensive. Seaton and Istanan, both sitting at the piloting controls, read out numbers that could as soon have been the chant of some arcane piece of magic.

He could feel the real magic though... the whisper of power against the ship, caressing them as they moved... somewhere. He could see the patterns of magic on the screen, oddly more clearly through the vidcams than he had ever seen it when he and Tristan traveled there without the protection of a ship. The colors moved and blurred, swirled in eddies of magical power he could feel, even with Tristan sleeping. He wanted to touch it, to make this more normal, in his own strange way. He had become used to traveling along those paths, with only the Kiya and Tristan to draw them from one place to another.

Now he had to trust to technology. He could watch the others for hours, but he still didn't know what they did. It didn't help that they didn't know themselves. None of them knew for certain... they could be lost forever out here, his fault --

Rqua looked back at him from the in-ship systems board. He frowned, obviously picking up some of Abby's worry. He tried to shut it down again, but something beeped, and he couldn't tell if that meant the ship had failed in some part. Banning seemed very interested.

"Abby --" Rqua began.

"I'm sorry," Abby said, drawing the worried glances of the others. Captain Crystal even came to stand by him, and he hated that they had to reassure him so much. He hated feeling this way, the growing panic that something would go wrong, and he had dragged all his friends into this –

"It's all right!" Rquana insisted, a little of the panic seeping through to him.

Abby tried to push it down again, but it seemed as though something rushed up through him, uncontrollable. He looked around at the ship's controls, at this alien machine which had never been meant to travel with magic --

And Tristan rushed into the room, looking bedraggled and still half asleep.

"It's all right," Tristan insisted, pausing for a moment at the doorway while he got a feel for the room through Abby's eyes. "It's all right. He and I have been feeding each other, I fear."

"You were asleep," Abby said. "I'm sorry."

"I wasn't sleeping very well, but you missed it," Tristan replied. He came over and dropped onto the bench by Abby, leaning back. Calm, calm. That came very clearly, though the emotions with it were not nearly as settling.

His thoughts wouldn't be calmed. He should leave the control deck, perhaps, but the thought of being elsewhere on the ship and waiting...

"What's really wrong?" Rquana finally asked. He signaled Talis over to his board and stood, stretching. "Do you really mistrust this ship that much?"

"I don't understand the ship. I am not a creature of your universe, you know. I have never felt quite safe traveling between the stars in your ships, and now taking this behemoth into this place makes me mistrust it all the more."

Crystal looked surprised by that statement. "Why would you mistrust the ship?"

"Because it is not a craft of magic," Tristan said.

"And that's what's wrong with it? I'm rather happy not to be traveling with nothing by magic to protect us. We seem to be doing well --"

"Are we?" Abby asked. "Can you know, Banning?"

Banning looked back. Abby had known she was listening to the conversation. The smile she gave, rare for her under any circumstances, lessened a great deal of Abby's immediate worries.

"I can't say we absolutely will get where I think we're going, but by all my calculations, this is going very well. I expect we'll have you home soon. Tell me you don't want to go there, Aubreyan. "

"I want to very much, but..."

"Abby?" Tristan asked, confused by the sudden chaos in his thoughts.

"How long have we been gone?"

"I don't know," he said, with a shrug.

"Ah elf, you don't understand, being what you are. My friends in Eltabar are mortal."

Tristan had not considered it. The thought that Carrick, Petra and Lord Indale might have long ago died suddenly overwhelmed him with such fear and sadness that it drove straight through Abby as well.

Rqua cried out and went to his knees.

"I'm sorry!" they chorused. Both reached, but Tristan pushed Abby back and went to kneel by Rqua instead.

"That was my fault. My stupidity, all the way around --" Tristan said.

"And I had no thought in it?" Abby asked, slightly annoyed.

"I should have realized your worries long before now, Abby. You kept thinking human. And I didn't put that together with mortal. The shock... no, Rquana, it's all right. It was a thought we both had to deal with, and I'm only sorry that you had to be part of that moment."

"It's not past," Rqua said, looking from one to the other. "You can't hide that from me, you know."

"I know," Tristan said. He stood and helped Rqua back up. The others, wisely, had kept to their work. "But we have always been good at accepting the inevitable, you know, even if it means traveling in huge strange craft that do not run by magic."

"I think there's every reason for you to be worried about this," Crystal said. He shook his head as Abby glanced at the boards, worried again. "No, not the ship. The ship is fine. But we are between realities, you know."

"Yes, we know," Abby said looking at him again.

"I would think that would worry you far more than have a ship to protect us in this strange place. And this is a strange place, you realize, right?"

"Yes," Tristan said.

"And it doesn't bother you to be here?"

"Abby and I do this all the time, and without a ship," Tristan reminded him. "It's the ship that makes it odd for us. The place out there, whatever it might be, has never been more than a passing problem, so to speak."

Damien laughed. Crystal just shook his head, looked back at the screen, and shrugged. "Fine. Banning, the control deck is in your hands. Would you to like to join me for dinner?"

He accepts too easily these days, Abby thought.

They all do. But Crystal -- Crystal throws himself into this insanity with a willingness that I sometimes wish even I could share.

He should not be so ready to --

"Hello. Dinner?" Crystal said. "And stop talking about me."

Abby blushed. They had been staring at him, and it must have been obvious where there thoughts had gone. "My apologies. We're both tired. Dinner would be very nice, Lord Captain Crystal."

"Excellent. I'm tired of watching these screens and being unable to do anything productive."

They started toward the large, open doorway -- but Abby stopped again and looked back. The screens showed swirls of color, moving past the ship... or did the ship move through them? That seemed a more reasonable assumption. After all, he and Tristan had moved through the path.

Computers clicked away, and the people all went about their work as if they thought they found nothing extraordinary about the situation. It startled Abby anew.

"Do none of you doubt?" he said aloud. People looked back at him in surprise -- Damian, Banning, Ist and Seaton. "Now that you are out here, haven't any of you reconsidered what you're doing?"

"We're flying a ship," Ist said with a wave of his hand toward the piloting controls. "We're flying in ways and places no one has flown before. That doesn't bother us, Abby. The magic makes it odd, but then we've all gotten used to oddness."

The others nodded.

"Tristan and I bring trouble wherever we pass," Abby said.

"You think we haven't noticed?" Banning replied. She leaned against the back of Seaton's chair and quite unexpectedly smiled at him. "But I'll tell you a secret, Prince Aubreyan Altazar. We were all in trouble long before you showed up, even Etric on his quiet little ship. Wes Ias hunted us all. So now we're here, doing something more than outrunning homicidal slavers. Trouble doesn't bother us."

"And at least it's interesting," Damien added. He grinned at Abby's look of disbelief. "Go have dinner. There's no telling when we might run into the next bit of trouble, right?"

Crystal finally caught hold of Abby's arm and forcibly escorted him away from the control deck. Tristan found it amusing, for some reason, and followed along without comment -- at least that others could hear.

The hall outside the control deck was longer and more brightly lit than the one of Freedom . Doors, almost always closed, led to offices for the captains and high-ranking officers, but as far as Abby could tell, they went unused. The crew of this ship was used to working in close quarters and had never seemed divided between officers and crew.

Tabor came around the corner just as they headed toward the cafeteria. He stepped back, and gave a quick nod. But Abby stared feeling an odd rush of new emotions rise through him.

"Is there a problem?" Tabor finally asked, looking worried.

"You're wearing ship's clothing." Abby waved a hand toward the suit.

Tabor looked down and brushed over the plain blue shirt. "Yes. I made the decision before we left Grant. I need to leave my old world behind."

"I don't understand," Abby said. Then he lifted his hand. "No, not about why you did it. I wonder why Tristan and I never thought to do the same. Why we cling so much to clothing that is, if not what we wore at home, at least close to it."

"Because you aren't desperate to leave your past behind and be something different."

"Maybe I just can't be anything else, and Tristan is caught with me. And all the others --"

Tabor shook his head, looking rather annoyed. "And no on else has the ability or the right to think for themselves? I suspect you don't often look outside yourself. I'm beginning to think you don't even know your elf very well. We all make choices, Abby. Or is that a part of being human you never figured out?"

"That and the part about eating," Crystal added. He had leaned against the wall. But he waved a hand when Abby started to say something. "Don't worry. The food will wait. Or Tabor could join us."

"I would be honored," Tabor said and Crystal looked pleased when they started on their way again already.

"You and I used to be alike in many ways," Abby said matching his step to Tabor's. "What happened?"

"I left the service of my father. I'm no a pawn in this game." He took a deeper breath. "Forgive me. That was unkind and unthinking."

"No, you're right. That is the big difference. You now come to this battle by choice."

"Choice and survival," Tabor said. "I wouldn't last very long without powerful friends and their odd craft. But then, neither would you."

"I --" Abby started to protest and then stopped. "Yes. You're right. And you can stop snickering, Tristan."

"I didn't."

"Not where anyone else could hear you," Abby said. "I think I realize some of the problem here. I'm used to jumping from one problem to another. When Tristan and I are in this space without a ship, it's far too distracting to think."

"We aren't going toward trouble this time," Tristan said aloud. "And we should accept this for the good it is. You need rest, Abby. You're very tired still. That's why everything seems so overwhelming."

"Your mother said that you would be weak. You need time to recover," Crystal added. "And don't glare at me. If the choice came between your disapproval and losing you, I'd still call your mother back again today."

"She's dangerous --"

"We know," Crystal said. "We've been part of this war long enough to have at least figured out nothing is simple or safe. But it doesn't change the fact that we did the right thing. Or would you rather not be here with us at all?"

"I would rather be with you anywhere but here. Or in hell."

Crystal started to speak. He stopped. "I know. I understand. But we all do what we have to in this war, Abby. Stop fighting it in your mind. That's the last place this particular battle will be won."

Abby --

"You don't need to add to it, Tristan. I know he's right."

"We won?" Tabor said, trying to look shocked. "I didn't think this day would come."

"I'm tired. I might argue more after I've rested."

Tabor grinned. Abby suddenly had the idea that Tabor rather liked the disagreements. And why not? They were more alike than any of the others. They could understand each other, the three of them -- because Tristan was as much --

"No," Tristan said. "You two can argue the semantics of all this as much as you like. Without me. And after dinner."

"Deal," Tabor said.

Abby had the feeling he no longer had any say in the matter. Odd. He didn't think he'd ever had something so neatly taken out of his hands and decided for him. But he didn't argue.

And they had a very nice, leisurely dinner. He might get the knack of this relaxing after all, given enough time...

Chapter Two

Tabor always found walking with Abby a strange experience. This was another such time.

"You really can't find your way around the ship?" Tabor asked as he and Abby headed back down the long corridors, heading for the suite Abby and Tristan shared.

"Tristan can most of the time. I'm lost."

"That's interesting," Tabor said. He looked around. "I can see the differences in every shape and color, in gradations of footwear on the deck plates, and even the scents of the different levels. I would think Tristan -- ah, but maybe not. It's not natural."

"Exactly. And it's huge," Abby said. Tabor slowed. The Godling looked worn -- something he didn't like to see. "Why do I make you so nervous?"

"You -- I --" He stopped the words before anything coherent escaped, not that it seemed likely with the jumble of thoughts in his brain. Truth seemed the best answer. "I've put a lot of faith in you, so to speak."

"And you don't want to find it unjustified?"

"I don't want to find myself unworthy."

The statement startled Abby. Then he smiled as they reached the door to the suite. "That's not something you have to worry about, Tabor. If I were you, I would be more worried that the Godling isn't all everyone expects him to be."

"Or maybe the Godling just expects too much of himself," Tabor countered. Abby shrugged.

"Get some rest, Abby," Tabor said, nodding to the door. "We have no idea when we're going to reach... home. It will be better there."

"Do you think so? Was it before?"

"If it wasn't, you wouldn't have leapt so quickly at the chance to go back, even for Tristan. Stop denying yourself any joy, Aubreyan Altazar. And go sleep for a while."

Abby bowed his head in agreement, thought likely only at the idea of sleep. Tabor watched him key the door open and slip inside, the door sliding shut a moment later. He had heard a whisper of song from the Janin in those few brief heartbeats, and the song unsettled him again.

He stood there for a long moment, feeling useless and knowing he could cause these people more harm than good now. He'd given over the Kiya. He should leave... but he liked being with this group.

"Damn every --" But he stopped himself before he continued that curse, especially with the amount of magic surging around the ship. Instead, he brushed a hand against the door where Abby had gone, and silently wished him a good sleep.

And turned to find Tamaris watching him.

"Gods all! Will you stop being so damned quiet!"

"I doubt it," Tam said. He looked at the door and then back at Tabor. "Is there a problem?"

"Problem? On no, of course not. Why would I think there could be a problem, what with us heading for my father's world and all?" Tabor stopped, ran a hand through his hair, and glanced nervously at Tam's hands.

Tamaris looked startled. "Do I make you nervous?"

"Of course. You nearly killed me, you know."

"Should I apologize for that?"

"No. But I would hate to have a misunderstanding with you now, Prince Tamaris."

"Misunderstanding... yes, that is the problem," Tam said. "People expect certain reactions from me, certain actions from you. And the two of us together tend to make everyone nervous, including each other."

"Well, I doubt there's much we can do about how the others view us," Tabor said with a shrug. "I would like it to be different, of course, but I am rather late to join, aren't I?"

"Are you? It seems to me you had done a few things back when we first encountered you that made your actions somewhat questionable even then. You left the crown. You gave Etric a chance to kill Braith. At the very least, you had Tristan captured and could have killed him or taken him with you."

Tabor said nothing this time. It was all true. He'd been lucky his father hadn't put it all together back then... but even Tabor hadn't been certain why he did certain things at that time.

"I should have joined you then," Tabor admitted. Tam didn't look surprised. "I had not quite reasoned it was possible yet, though. I still thought everything was black and white. Gods, demons -- Godling, demonling."

"Why don't you and I go some place quiet and discuss things that might help us have fewer misunderstandings?" Tam suggested.

The idea of going off somewhere alone with Tam...

But they both served on the same side now, right? He could trust this man. So he gave the prince a nod and walked away with him. They passed Ylin, Otaka and Zoe in the hall. Tabor wasn't certain how he and Tamaris managed not to laugh at the looks the two of them drew as they walked past.

They turned down another curve of the long, central path through the ship. Tam glanced over his shoulder and grinned. "You know, this could be fun."

"What, you don't make people nervous enough all on your own? You think you need me to help your reputation?"

"Nothing will help my reputation. I do, however, take enjoyment where it's offered. And you?"

"I'm still working on the idea of freedom. My enjoyments are far simpler."

Tamaris nodded. He turned down a short hall that brought them into a small room filled with plants, and a small waterfall against the wall. Tabor hadn't been here before.

"Does Tristan know about this room?" he asked. "I think he'd find this restful."

"I'm not sure. I'll let him know." Tam waved toward benches by the waterfall. He didn't seem at all worried about being here with the demonling, in a place where no one else likely knew to find them.

But then again, why should he? Considering Prince Tamaris's prodigious ability with weapons -- and Tabor know he had to be armed even now -- he probably had nothing to fear. Oh, Tabor could call on magic... but he didn't think he could call on it fast enough.

He sat on the bench and watched as Tam stretched out on the one opposite him. Time, Tabor decided, to start trusting -- even this unusual prince who had tried to kill him... in another place.

Chapter Three

He had not been asleep long, he didn't think, when Tristan came into the room and woke him. Purposely woke him, which seemed odd enough that worry surged in him as he sat up. The single light in the corner of the room seemed to glare, and his head pounded. His side shot a quick, single pain through an old wound --

Tristan gave a little sigh as he stepped over to the bed.

"Honestly, Abby -- don't you listen to me at all?" the elf said aloud. "I told you there's nothing wrong. I just want the crown."

"Oh, right. And I'm supposed to sleep through that."

"Ah well. I just realized that I can give them the language of home, the way we have taken language from them. I think it will make things easier when we get there."

"And what if it's changed?"

"There will be someone there, Abby. The elves of Ishan will be there, no matter what else might have happened."

"True," he said. He couldn't be sorry for the thought of seeing them, even if he did find his human friends no longer... there. "Do you think you can give them the language? I don't even remember --"

Tristan smiled and gave it back to him -- the words of their youth, the sounds associated with another place. He hadn't realized Tristan still had the words in him. He had felt so much a part of the Elf that it seemed odd to realize his companion still had compartments inside his head that Abby hadn't quite seen.

"Is that better?" Tristan asked.

"Yes. Thank you." He spoke in the language of home. Odd, the words made him feel more comfortable, as though he had regained a lost part of himself. Strange the feeling should come from a language associated with a world where he had rarely felt safe. Ah... "That comes from you, too, doesn't it?"

"I love Ylant and Ishan," Tristan said. "But it's not all just me. You loved Ishan as well, and I have even seen a longing for Eltabar in your thoughts now and then. You want to believe it's better than when you left."

"Yes, you're right."

"Go back to sleep, Abby. I'm taking the crown and gifting our friends with an easy way to enjoy the world and the people we meet. I suspect we aren't far from Ylant."

Abby settled back onto the soft bed, but sleep was not going to come back --

"Oh yes it will," Tristan said. He put a hand on Abby's forehead, and wished him into a deep, restful sleep. Abby could have fought the elf's magic away, but he had no reason to. Sleep beckoned him to peace that he seldom experienced.

He hardly noticed when Tristan took the crown from his head...

The dreams were odd. It had been far too long since he'd had his mind to himself, and faced the shadowy memories of his own life, not in the least bit mitigated by Tristan standing between him and them. Oddly, though, they were not as dark as he would have expected.

Altazar stood in them, a burly little man with haunted eyes. His father had been an evil man, beyond a doubt, but much of what Abby had blamed on him had been the work of the Kiya Chanda Andee. Strange that he never really saw her in his dreams.

Carrick, Petra, Lord Indale -- those three he saw far more clearly than anything else except the moment he met King Edra... and later Tristan. He could still see Tristan coming across the field, dozens of small animals dancing at his feet. How he must miss those small friends...

And yes, he did. Abby had felt it in him now and then. But Tristan also knew the work he did with Abby would save them. And they had seen wonders, after all. Even in his dreams, Abby felt a surge of awe at the thought of all the places they had been, and the friends they had met.

How could he be bitter? How could he fear?

He awoke with that last thought, feeling at ease at last. Accepting again. Maybe he needed to face his own inner demons more often. Being awake without the crown bothered him a bit more. He wasn't used to the silence.

By the time Tristan returned he had already showered and dressed again. Tristan frowned when he came into the room --

"I haven't been awake for long," he said. "And I feel much better. How did it go?"

"Oh, very well," Tristan said. He had the second crown in his hand. "I was able to tap the power outside and didn't even wear down with the exchanges. Fascinating, really. We have very... odd friends."

Abby laughed, which startled Tristan. Strange to see Tristan react to him like anyone else would.

"They would have to be odd to stick with us, Tristan. Give me the crown. This is far too strange, standing here looking at you and not knowing what you're thinking."

Tristan hastily handed it over. In a moment he had the crown back on, the green stone settling warm against his forehead. For a moment he saw only blackness -- Tristan still holding tight to the link in a way he would have needed so he didn't overwhelm their friends. Then they melded again.

And the crown brought the lingering memories of a dozen others -- the crew of the ship, there in his mind like ghosts flittering before the light. He couldn't touch them with the fullness that Tristan had, but he saw far more of them than he ever had before.

"We should have done this before," he said, sitting down.

"I know. I almost didn't want to quit."

Silence while they sorted through the thoughts, from Crystal's fear of sleep to Ylintri's dreams of dancing. Broken dreams... so many of them in this group, and yet even though those pains stayed in their minds, they did not live for them.

And so many things that linked them all, especially the need to help others as best they could. Abby had thought they only went on for the sake of his dream, but now he knew that he had badly misjudged his friends. They had the willingness and longing to help others as well. How could he have thought this only his chosen goal and no one else would ever share it?

"I think... I think they make me more human than I expected," Abby said, amazed. "I had thought everything that was not a part of you must have been from my mother, and I distrusted it."

"I didn't know myself," Tristan admitted. "I've only really shared with you and a bit with Tabor -- hardly good choices to decide what's human. I'm going to rest for a while. Think about this."

Abby waved him toward the bed, still ruffled from sleeping. Tristan gratefully went to it and curled up to sleep. Abby stayed sitting by the table, his own eyes closed, and watched Tristan's dreams for a little while. They were filled with the images and memories of their friends -- freely shared, because Tristan had taken nothing that hadn't been offered.

Abby belonged here. That was the final thought he had as Tristan slipped farther into sleep. He belonged with these people -- really little different from any of them. Human enough after all.

The thought came as such a surprising relief it nearly made him laugh aloud. Instead, he went to the computer and read through files for a little while, learning about Emperor Kadrien's empire, about how man had come to the stars, and even a few whispered hints about their great mages of the past.

A neat trick, to speak one language, to read another. Words. Words fascinated him these days.

Tristan had been sleeping for a couple hours when Kadrien and Rqua arrived. Abby let them in, seeing Tristan already sitting up and feeling his friend's willingness to have company.

"Did we wake you? Sorry," Kadrien said. He looked excited.

"I can understand her," Rqua said suddenly. He looked at the Janin, quietly singing in the corner of the room, holding herself up with her own magic. She'd seemed quite pleased since she realized they were going home. "It never occurred to me that I would understand her. What a lovely song."

And the Janin smiled at him. "Friends, friends, green fields, magic..."

Even Abby looked startled. "She's seldom so... sweet. Bloodthirsty is more her style. But it is nice to have her in a good mood for a change."

"And you as well?" Kadrien said, looking at Abby. "You must have slept well."

Abby thought about Kadrien's worry that he'd never actually be any help on this journey. He could see it in the man's eyes even now.

"I'm feeling much better," Abby said. He didn't need Tristan's admonishment not to address that kind of problem right now. He understood too well how Kadrien felt sometimes.

"Good," Kadrien said. "Banning thinks we're very near. She says the earlier fluctuations on the boards are settling, and she can read something solid ahead of us."

"Almost there?" Abby and Tristan chorused.

And they all laughed.

"Sorry. We try not to do that," Abby said. "But sometimes we really do think the same things at the same time."

"So was that worry or joy?" Kadrien asked.

"Yes," Abby said. "Sorry. Both."

Rqua grinned. He had a slightly better chance of understanding, since he obviously still caught most of what they were thinking. Right now those thoughts were as chaotic as Abby ever remembered.

Home. They were going home. He knew it. Maybe Tristan could even feel it, the pull of Ylant as they drew closer. Abby finally didn't doubt the location they would reach.

"Banning would like to know if you want to come up to the deck to watch us come in. She said we should pick you up on our way up if you're interested."

"Oh yes," Abby said, before even Tristan could. "I would very much like to be there."

"Then we'd better hurry," Kadrien said. "I get the feeling we're not going to have much longer to wait."

Tristan stood, brushed a hand through his hair, and headed for the door before the others. The elf was more than ready to see home again.

"See," Tristan said, pausing in the hall while Abby got the Janin. "What an odd concept for me, but you're right. I am ready to see home again. I am ready to stand on the land where all this madness began, because we've never been to another world with as much magic and wonder as Ylant."

"True," Abby said. "Brendan's world came closest, but there the magic was personal, and there were none of the creatures that thrive in Ishan. Not that we haven't seen wonders enough elsewhere. Slow down, Tristan!"

They'd reached the center corridor. Others were heading up as well, and Abby suspected everyone wanted to reach the control deck to watch this arrival. To be together if it went wrong -- though even he knew that wasn't their first thought.

"Talis and Damien are going to sit out the change in the engine room," Rqua said as they headed up behind Zoe and Otaka. "We think it should all go smoothly, but it's always best to have someone sitting over those controls in case of something... odd."

"Right," Otaka said, looking over her shoulder. "Like there's been anything on this trip that hasn't been odd."

"I do hope you don't expect someone to argue with you over that statement," Kadrien said.

"It's my test to make certain the rest of you are still somewhat sane," Otaka replied, and drew laughter from Zoe. "Yeah, like I'd be able to judge it any more."

Tristan smiled. Memories from Zoe and Otaka mingled in his thoughts... a moment of strange alieness, alike and different from sharing with all the men they'd had contact with. That part truly hadn't occurred to him... though he wondered if he would have understood Liora better if they'd --

"Well, that thought certainly turned cold," Rqua said, looking from one to the other.

"My fault," Tristan said. He shook his head, dispelling the memory of Liora from his thoughts. "I never trusted Liora."

"And I never should have," Abby said, but he felt the joy of the moment overtake him again. "She's not here. We don't have to worry about her."

They had nearly reached the control deck. People moved all around them now, many of them at the controls that were seldom manned -- back up boards, Abby thought. Secondary controls in case...

Tristan and Abby moved to the back of the room, taking their usual place along the bench by the wall. The Janin hummed in Abby's hand, unusually quiet, and pensive. For a moment she almost had thoughts drifting into his mind. She didn't love Ylant the way he and Tristan did -- for her it had been eons of bondage to an evil elf. But she still felt a tie here.

People read off the numbers on screens, reported fluctuations and acted as if they really knew what they were doing.

That brought an unexpected round of laughter from Rqua and Kamil, both of whom had picked up the thought. Abby and Tristan both smiled.

"You want to share the joke with the rest of us?" Crystal asked, moving back from the controls where Banning, Seaton and Istanan seemed to be doing most of the work.

"No, no," Tristan said. "I think we'll keep that one to ourselves."

But Kamil laughed again, which didn't help.

Banning looked back at them, shook her head and grinned. She turned back to her work, her fingers moving fast over the controls.

Abby looked up at the screen. The feel of magic had lessened somewhat. They were right. They were close to Ylant. He could almost see the world out there in the mists.

"I wonder why it takes us so much longer to travel here by ship."

"We don't know that it is longer," Tristan said. He leaned back, his eyes closed as he watched fully through Abby right now. "We've always wondered about the time. It's difficult to judge, moving through the magic without anything like this shell. For all I know, we've traveled far faster than we ever did before."

"I guess it's just my impatience," Abby said. Now that drew looks. "Yes, I'm anxious to get home."

Etric smiled. "Good. I've never actually heard you say it before."

"Well, you don't have to be impatient any longer," Banning announced. "We're there. Prepare to drop into normal space."

Chapter Four

There were aspects of this journey Crystal had not asked about. Now seemed like a bad time, but he couldn't stand it any longer.

"Banning, just exactly how do we come out of this magical slide into normal space?"

"We cut the engines," she said, and kept typing away at the boards as though it had been a perfectly normal statement.

"We what?" Etric said, startled.

"Cut engines," she said. "Hold on."

Etric looked at Crystal as though this latest madness was his fault.

"Hey," Crystal protested. "You're the magic person, remember? How was I supposed to know?"

"And she's your crew," Etric countered.

"Cutting engines now," Banning said.

And she did.

They dropped into real space. Crystal had caught hold of the wall nearest him and snagged Etric at the same time as his fellow Captain started to slip. His stomach seemed to reach his throat for half a moment before the ship's gravity cut back in.

Unfortunately, the ship's scanners didn't seem to have made the adjustment back to real space very well. All he could see was gray lines across all the screens. Not a reassuring sight.

"Have we arrived?" Crystal asked, moving toward boards. The others were all working steadily, but he really couldn't take in enough of the information in that moment to make a judgment. "Are we moving in real space again?"

No one answered.

"Banning, if you don't answer me, I'm calling Tam over to have a few words with you in private."

"I'm not sure," she admitted, and didn't sound particularly happy about saying it, either. "The drop unsettled the systems. Give me a minute or two."

"Do we have a minute or two?"

"Well, we'll find out if we don't," Ylin answered, hovering over other controls. "Nothing here is reading right, either."

The scanners came back on. He thought there might be something wrong still, until he realized they were looking straight down on a world -- and they were far too close, and traveling far too quickly.

"Ah yes. We are moving," he said. Etric had leapt at the controls. Istanan and Seaton, running the piloting controls, seemed to be very busy. Crystal just watched the screen for a moment, counting the peaks on the mountains...

"Cutting in secondary engines," Banning said. She still sounded remarkably calm. Crystal wondered what it would take to really worry her, and decided that he didn't want to know.

The secondary engines caught and the ship shuddered as they fought against the pull of the gravity well. They were still going down, but not quite so fast. Seaton cursed -- not a good sound to hear from the young man who was normally very quiet. The ship shuddered again. Istanan said something Crystal couldn't quite here. Seaton nodded. A moment later the entire ship seemed to scream, and the pull of gravity nearly put him to his knees. He had trouble keeping his eyes on the screen.

Going back up. The gravity eased back, and the Freedom and Fame slipped up out of the thin atmosphere and into space again. He could see the edge of the world, and for a brief moment the flash of sunlight before they ducked around to the dark side.

"Well," Banning said. "We're here."

Crystal went to her chair and batted her across the back of the head. Even she laughed.

"I suggest we do at least one orbit and check equipment," Crystal said. "We'd hate to go down and find out we can't get back up again."

"Excellent point," Etric said. He looked back toward the bench. "Do you mind?"

"Mind?" Abby said. He looked at the world, hardly more than a dark circle beneath them right now. "We're here. We can wait a while longer to go down. Besides, we'll have to find the right place. It never occurred to me that Ylant would be... a real world. A whole world. We really knew very little of it. It might take a while to find the proper area."

"I'll know it," Tristan said. He lifted his hand as though he could feel the world with his fingertips. "I'll know it. It's like a beacon calling to me from below."

"This world is incredibly alive," Ylin said from his post. He ran his finger over his computer screen, as though the words and codes there should mean something to the rest of them. "It's as though every inch of this world is alive."

"And magic," Etric added. He looked a little stunned, and his hand lifted much the way Tristan's had. "Even from up here I can tell --"

"That's it," Tristan said. "That's Ishan, just over the mountains."

"You're sure?" Crystal said, rather hoping for a settlement of some sort, if not an actual spaceport.

"That's it," Abby agreed. "I crossed those mountains when I came to Ishan looking for help. There -- the line is where the wall stood that I forced myself through."

"Find a place close to the foothills on the other side," Tristan said. "There are a few glades. Etric, we'll need to make sure nothing is beneath us."

"I'll do my best," Etric said. He still looked surprised. "I suppose I should have realized the amount of magic here, considering how much you two are used to. Magic swords, magic staffs, magic crowns."

"This is a damned big ship to bring down on land without a port," Istanan said. "We may need some magic to reinforce the inflow balance and keep us from tearing everything up for miles around."

"Etric --"

"I can handle it," he said. He sat down by Istanan, and then looked back at Tristan. "You'll have to send anything down there running, Tristan. I can't help."

"I can do it," he said. "And I have Abby to draw on if I need to."

"We have a glade that's nearly large enough," Banning said, tapping her screen.

"Bring the view up on the main screen. Can you focus on that, Tristan?"

"Yes." He put a hand on Abby's arm, already linking closer.

Crystal watched the scanners as he directed the landing. Everything panicked as the ship came downward, and with Etric's help controlling the destructive displacement of something so large, the creatures didn't even have to go far. The ship landed as though they had found a berth at the Royal docks on Grant. Even on this open ground, with no pad, it was as near a perfect landing as they could have done just about anywhere.

"Excellent," Etric said and clapped Crystal on the shoulder. "I think we took a few trees down along the edge, but that's the worst of it."

"We've done far worse coming into a world with just the two of us and a huge magical backlash," Tristan said aloud.

Abby stood, his hand on the Janin, and Crystal thought he looked worried again. "Now we come home because we wanted to. Tristan --"

"Calm. We're here. Even you and I are allowed some joys."

"The ship's engine is cycling down normally. All inboard systems read clear," Banning reported, and made it sound so much like a normal landing that Crystal laughed again.

"I'd say it's time to go out," Etric added. He looked at Abby. "We're heading out. I assume you want to join us, right?"

The Janin, quite unexpectedly sang out loudly and with such joy about life in Ishan that no one could have ignored that siren call.

"I would say that's a vote for going out," Crystal said. But then he looked again at Abby's face, and got another moment of worry. "What is it you fear here, Abby? Is there something dangerous --"

"There are very many things dangerous," Tristan said. He put a hand on Abby's shoulder, and the Godling shuddered at the touch. The Gods knew what passed in that moment, and Crystal didn't think he wanted to know. "But the enemies are not the things Abby fears. You know him that well, surely."

"Yes," Crystal said. "It's not what hurts you, but what you can hurt, that you fear the most."

Abby looked startled by those words, and then nodded.

"Time to go, Abby," Etric said. "Time to see this wondrous world, because we didn't make this journey just to see if we could. You need to go out there. You need, if nothing else, to face your past. And that's something you never thought you'd have to do, isn't it? Always moving on, never looking back."

"Very true," Abby agreed. "I had never thought of it that way. If I had, I never would have agreed to this journey --"

"In which case we would have headed to hell instead," Crystal said.

"Ah. Yes. My past or hell. Sometimes I'm not sure there is much of a difference. No, Tristan -- you're right. I can't judge Ishan by what happened in Eltabar. Time to go out. You're right."

"Everything look good, Banning?" Crystal asked.

"No problems. All the automatics have kicked in."

"Then let's clear the deck. I think we should all go out with Abby and Tristan."

"But --" she started protest, and then stopped. "Right. We're not likely to have to worry about another ship coming in and blowing the hell out of us, are we?"

"Right now the only things you need to worry about are magical," Tabor said. He stood by the door, and Crystal saw the way he looked toward the screen. It was not the same look Tristan and Abby gave this world. "And we'll have warning of anything that powerful. Your ship warnings won't do you any good, either."

"True," Etric said. "Shut down to full automatics. Don't tell me you're not interested in this world, Banning."

"You're right." She keyed some of the controls over and stood. It seemed as though her acceptance was a sign to everyone else, who followed her example.

Sometimes Crystal wondered who really ran this ship... but best not to consider it right now.

The walk seemed very long going back down the winding corridor, past the ten levels and the larger cargo bay, and finally to the airlock. Talis and Damien had already arrived, standing by the unopened door and looking anxious.

Etric gave a signal and Talis began the code. Crystal looked at Abby and Tristan standing behind him... and Tabor a little farther back. No, he was by no means anxious to go out there. But then, remembering his own history with this world, it began to make some sense. Maybe --

The doors opened. One side of the airlock, and then the other, and in that moment Crystal took a breath of air like none he had ever tasted before. Life came in that breath, and for a moment even he could feel the magic of the world.

Tristan started out, and Abby followed looking calmer than Crystal had seen in quite a while. Maybe it came with the air, he thought. Right then he would have believed just about anything.

He followed them with Etric at his side. No doubt the mage loved this world already. Crystal reminded himself that not everything had always been good here, though. There had been battles and wars. Elves had fought humans. Humans had fought everything.

"It doesn't matter what we find," Tristan said suddenly. "It doesn't matter how much time has passed. We're here. It's enough."

He'd stopped at the bottom of the ramp. Grass and flowers grew out away from the ship. The breeze smelled of spring... a sort of primordial rebirth. Crystal took another deep breath.

"You're right," Crystal said. He watched Abby take the first step out into the ground, the Janin in his hands. She seemed to brighten, but then, considering the amount of magic here, that didn't surprise him, either. Etric had stopped at the top of the ramp and looked as though he'd just been given the most wonderful toy in the world. And maybe he had. Crystal knew, through years of experience, how rare magic was in the universe... well, in their universe. In their reality. Here, different rules applied.

Tristan had followed Abby out into the grass. Crystal started down after them, the rest of the crew not far behind. This looked like the place they had all needed to go, and not even known it: A paradise in which they could all rest before they went to fight the final battle.

It all began to make sense --

Movement at the edge of the trees across the field. People had started to go for weapons, and stopped again. Rabbits? Squirrels? He seemed to know them from Tristan's link. Not dangerous, he thought, but still...

"Abby --" Crystal said.

Abby looked toward the woods. Tristan stood up straighter -- and then laughed. In a moment the little animals raced across the field like a band of demented puppets.

"They still remember me!" Tristan went down on his knees. The animals swarmed up around him and Abby, and even dared leap over Crystal's feet to reach them. "Abby, we can't have been gone that long if they still remember me!"

Etric came down into the grass and knelt. A rabbit even came and brushed its head against his hand, though quite obviously it was Tristan they wanted to see.

"The small animals have always been Tristan's friends," Abby said. He had pushed the Janin into the ground and sat down beside Tristan, who was still inundated, now by a few birds as well. "He was always their protector. We saw it even in your universe, on Taru, wasn't it? Though nothing like this."

"I will never, never eat meat again," Etric said. He looked up at Crystal. "You have no idea --"

"Oh, I have some," Crystal said. The rest of the crew started to go past, finally. "Even I can feel the touch of magic in the air here."

"It's like -- learning to breathe for the first time," Etric said. "Or finding that what I thought was magic was only a few tricks. But here... I can feel the life in them, Crystal. I can feel -- life everywhere. How could you two have ever left here?"

"The same way we will leave again," Tristan said. He held a rabbit in his arms. "Because if we don't go on, if we don't fight the war, than this is lost . I'm glad to be back, and I might find it hard to leave again -- but just the same, I would go anywhere -- even to hell -- to save this world."

"We have company," Otaka warned.

People moved at the edge of the woods. Crystal felt as though some shadow had fallen over the glade. He didn't want intrusions. He didn't want to know the pettiness of people who might not be as happy to see Abby and Tristan as much as the creatures had been.

Abby stood, and Tristan, too, but more slowly this time, a touch of reluctance obvious in his stance. And then the figures came out of the shadows.

"Grandfather!"

Elves. Very happy elves from the shouts Crystal heard. And he suspected they did not often race across open fields, especially not the tall, thin elf with the long silver hair who came straight to Tristan and grabbed him into an embrace with one arm, and snagged Abby with the others.

"I should have known such a wonder as this flying building could only have been brought by you two!"

"We didn't know what we would find," Tristan said. "I'm glad to find you so well, Grandfather."

"And I'm glad to find the two of you at all."

The other elves had gathered around, many of them grabbing up rabbits and raccoons, all of which still seemed intent on reaching Tristan. Laughter sang everywhere around them. Crystal felt as though he had walked into some strange, wonderful vid program he somehow was able to experience.

"Forgive me," Tristan said, finally pulling away from the older elf. "These people come from a place where such ships as these fly between the stars, grandfather. To hundreds of worlds with people and creatures so strange you would not know what to make of them. This is Captain Etric and Captain Crystal. This is King Edra of the Ishan Elves."

"I'm honored to meet you, sir," Etric said. "I'm honored to be here at all."

"One might suppose, from your voice, that you're a bit dismayed as well."

"Not dismayed. Amazed. This is like no place I have ever been. In my own place I know some magic, but it's rare. Here --"

"Here it is the air we breathe," King Edra said. "Truly, it is. Since my grandson and his friend left, I've spent time studying the old books, looking with my magic into other places to see if I might spy where they had gone -- where they had gone, might I add, without ever saying good-bye."

"I'm sorry," Abby said. "That's my fault --"

"As though Tristan never had a mind of his own," Edra said, shaking his head. "Well, you haven't changed much at all, have you? Always ready to take the blame for any wrong."

"We had to go when we did, Grandfather. I couldn't come back here again. I don't think Abby could have stood it either. So we went on... to other work."

Edra looked from one to the other and a little of his joy passed this time. "And you're not done, are you?"

"No, we aren't," Tristan answered. "We came to rest a while, Grandfather. We still have a final battle to fight, against Gix in his own hell. But we need rest first. We need to find our strength again."

"And remember everything that we started this fight for," Abby added.

Edra nodded. The others had gone quiet for a moment, but then the King smiled again. "Well, it's a wonder to see you again at all, isn't it? You've traveled to strange places and... and... and that's Tabor standing up there."

"Ah. Tabor. Yes. He's left his father's side and come to help us."

Edra looked up at the demonling. Crystal glanced that way as well and saw Tabor look as nervous as he ever remembered. He did not look likely to come any closer, especially when the elves pressed in around Abby and Tristan like a wall to protect them. Crystal liked the elves for that, even if they made a mistake in mistrusting Tabor.

"You can trust him, King Edra," Abby said softly.

"Ah. I would guess so, if you vouch for him," Edra said. He smiled again, and looked back at Abby. "You always were inclined to miracles."

Even Tabor made a sound of amusement. But then he went back into the ship, and Crystal regretted it. He thought Abby did as well.

"How long have we been gone, grandfather?"

"Five long years," Edra said. "And the only thing that gave me hope was that I knew the demons had not won."

"Only five years," Abby said. "Then my friends --"

"Carrick, Rice and Petra are at the camp. We left them there, since they're magicless, when we came to see what trouble --"

"Here? Here in Ishan?" Abby said, startled.

"Oh yes. They come every spring and stay awhile, bringing us news from the human lands. And to escape the duties there, I think. Since Lord Indale remarried and had a son, I think they also want to make certain there's no question about heirs --"

"There have been some changes in the world!" Tristan said with another laugh.

"Oh yes, a few. Hettena now lives in the ruins Ynyr left behind, and she and her followers are rebuilding the city. I went to see it not long ago. Lovely. It was time to be reclaimed for the evil Ynyr -- what happened to the curse?"

"Just remembered that, did you?" Tristan said, laughing again. He put the rabbit down, finally -- but like all the other creatures, it didn't go far. "Tabor removed it."

"I'm sure his father was quite unhappy," Edra said, amazed.

"Very," Abby agreed. "And you can trust him, sire."

"It takes some getting used to. But come. Bring your friends -- all your friends -- to the camp. We shall feast tonight. It isn't often that we're given such chances as these."

"I doubt Tabor will feel comfortable enough to leave the ship," Etric said. "Not yet, anyway. And maybe just Abby and Tristan --"

"All of you who need to come," Tristan said. "We don't know how long we'll be here. This is a place of wonder, my friends. You've shared with us your world for a long time. Let us at least share ours for a little while. And the ship will be safe, you know. We'll know of any danger, even if Tabor doesn't warn us first."

"I wish he would come and join us," Abby said, glancing back at the doorway.

"Give him a little time," Tristan answered. "Remember how you felt when you first arrived here. It can't be any easier for him."

"The Janin?" Crystal said, waving toward her.

"She can stay there," Abby said. "She seems quite content for a change. No one will take her."

So they started off toward the camp, elves and men. Crystal wasn't certain how many of the crew had chosen to come along since they spread out along the trail and he couldn't see past the trees. However, he was glad to see Otaka heading back into the ship, if for no other reason than knowing Tabor wouldn't be alone. He hoped all the people who stayed behind would have a chance to enjoy themselves later.

They walked through the woods -- wild woods, where deer came bounding out of the brush at Tristan. He sent them away at last when it became impossible for anyone to get past. And then a swarm of flying lights descended on him -- small laughing voices. Tiny, winged people lighted in his hair, tugged at his ears, and even playfully tormented Edra and Abby.

It wasn't a long walk. They came out into another glade, this one on the side of a hill. Colorful tents sat beneath the edge of the trees, and more people came out to see what had happened. It took Crystal a moment to find the three humans among them. They looked as though they belonged here as much as the elves.

As much as Abby did, now that he saw the Godling in this place. He would like to have seen Tabor welcomed as well, because he thought it might be nice to see Tabor so much at ease.

"You found the trouble?" someone said.

"Oh yes, Carrick. We found the trouble," one of the elves said with a laugh. "We should have known, considering the wonder of it."

Carrick saw Abby and Tristan. There was no doubt. He rushed forward so fast that Tristan put a restraining hand on Tam's arm when he started to move out of instinct.

"Abby!" He grabbed Aubreyan by both shoulders and looked into his face. "Gods all -- oh sorry, never mind. By the Gods -- oh hell. Aubreyan Altazar, why did you leave like that!"

"Because I never learned how to say good-bye properly," Abby said. "It's good to see you, Carrick, Petra, Rice."

"Time for a feast," Edra said. Elves went running at those words, and laughter followed everywhere. "And time for tales I think. Time for a good many tales. And proper introductions. And the tale of how Tabor came to be fighting on your side --"

"Tabor?" Carrick and Petra chorused.

"We have things to talk about," Abby said. He put an arm over each of their shoulders. They looked quite shocked, and Crystal had to admit, it was a bit more openness than even he had expected from their Godling.

But why not? There was magic in the air. And this seemed a good place for miracles.

Interlude One

Gix sat with the scattered pieces of mirror on the table before him, watching the flashes of scenes walking through the fragments. He would have to remake the mirror, but that would take time and power, and he hadn't any to waste. He would need his power for portals once he tracked down his treacherous son and those whom he had turned to.

Anger gave him power. He used it, lighting more fragments and watching a mosaic of worlds, shifting through them for a link to...

And found it in a place he hadn't really expected. They had gone to Eltabar.

Not just Tabor -- he also found the godling and the elf and all their followers, along with the huge craft that had no right to be so far from its home.

The sight stunned him. Surprised him and worried him in ways he had not considered in an eternity -- not since the first battles for hierarchy among the demons, and he had won one of the much coveted connections to the humans. Humans were malleable, adaptable -- and inventive. They presented opportunities for subversion at every turn.

"Why... why would they go to Eltabar?" he said, finally. Perplexed. He couldn't decide if he should be annoyed or intrigued. And when Braith came close enough to stare into the mirror, he even held himself from sending the bothersome human crashing against the wall, just on the chance it might have an answer.

Braith stared, then bowed his head to his master -- but not before Gix saw the glint of expectation in its eyes.

"I think I understand, master," he said. He sounded amused, hopeful... it grated on Gix, and he drew back his lips, fangs showing. "Forgive me, but it is such a human thing that it amused me. Your pardon."

"Human? Amused?"

Braith heard the threat in his tone this time. He knelt, but still dared to look up at Gix before the demon gave him leave to do so. It was daring -- but Gix read something far more interesting in it. Braith had clearly made some connection that he had not.

"Do you know why your son went to them, great lord? I suspect you do not, because it is a very human thing, this weakness which sent them back to Eltabar. It's called friendship. Love. And we can use that, great lord Gix. We can easily use this emotion against them because it is a weakness easily manipulated."

Friendship. Love. He knew the concepts, but he had never known what directed them. It drove the group back to Eltabar?

"What has friendship to do with where they are?" he finally asked, admitting at least a little weakness in not understanding.

"Look at the picture, my great lord. They are with the elves. They feast. They are happy with each other's company. It gives them strength, but it also gives us a key to take that strength away. We just need to remove the friends."

Gix looked back at the sliver of glass, frowning. The thought of wasting power to destroy those outside the true battle --

But then he saw Abby laugh. He'd never seen such a thing. Elves passed Tristan and him food. He did not see Tabor, but he had no doubt his son shared in this strength to some degree.

Braith was right. They could use this. If nothing else, they might well catch Aubreyan and the elf off guard this time.

"We know this world," Gix said. He brushed a long, thin claw over the glass. "We can manipulate it."

"Yes, my lord," Braith said. "There are gargoyles still, left behind by Ynyr. I believe they have taken to caves in the mountains, and the elves have not yet hunted them all out."

"Gargoyles. Excellent. They are my favorite creations," Gix said. He leaned back in his chair, feeling puzzle pieces falling into place. "So amoral. So capable of killing without remorse, and yet intelligent enough to understand the enemy could plan their own demise. Yes, they'll do quite well. But you understand it will not simply end here, Braith. No single attack will win this battle, no matter what we do. If Aubreyan himself should fall, his people would still go on."

Braith stood and looked back at the glass, shivering a little. Then he nodded again and met Gix's look without flinching. "Then we shall use the gargoyles elsewhere as well, Lord Gix."

"Other places," Gix said. He looked again at the scattering of worlds shown on the table. "His other... friends."

"Yes, sire. And we shall tell him what we are going to do," Braith said. He almost laughed. "Other worlds, other friends. There are very many potential victims, Lord Gix."

He nodded. "The Goddess still spreads her grace to those who followed her half-breed son. But even she cannot stretch herself through so many realities. We can, at least, wear her down. And if she fails... they lose faith and the power which protects them. If we threaten his friends, he might give over the Kiya."

"Even Aubreyan might give in to such a threat," Braith said, waving a hand toward the feast again. "Friendship is strong with humans. It contains all the elements of love, without the bodily desire that can so easily be warped."

Gix put a hand on Braith's shoulder, his long claw brushing lightly against the taut skin of the neck. Braith froze. Good. Not so far gone he didn't understand the true dangers still.

"You will go to Eltabar. You will do two things, Braith. First is to draw the Gargoyles to you and prepare the majority of them for travel to other places. I shall set a spell to put them in the void and hold them there as we need them. But you first you will take them to join this feast."

"A pleasure, my great lord," he said, and his eyes brightened.

"I do not expect you to win, Braith," he said. Braith frowned. "I realize that we are all moving on a single course, and there will only be a single battle to be fought in the end. I have been slothful, Braith. I have wallowed in my pleasures, and moved my toys against the Godling as though he were only another toy. We will do battle here, Braith, in my world, at the end. But the weaker Aubreyan, Tristan and Tabor are before they reach here, the better. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Braith said and nodded. Good. He needed this almost-still-human thing to make such observances as he had just moments before. Gix could manipulate humans willing to fall to evil, but he could not do the same with Aubreyan and his followers.

He began to cast a portal. "Be quick, Braith. Do what you can with them and prepare to move on. Time is not on our side any longer."

He could feel the gods watching. Not much longer at all...

Chapter Five

Aubreyan had left the feast behind, a silent exchange with Tristan to let him know what he planned. It was good that the others allowed him a few moments of peace here in these woods. He walked back toward the ship, watching fairies flitter among the trees, many with food stolen from the feast. Others seemed to dance in the air, and he could hear tiny bell-like music. Celebrations spread everywhere tonight.

It was time to go get Tabor and let him have a taste of home before they went... somewhere else.

They had explained about Tabor to the elves. King Edra was anxious to meet the demonling. It would be good for Tabor, he thought. He remembered how the acceptance of the Elves had changed his own attitude toward so many things. And even now, he would rather be here than in the lands of men.

It helped that Petra and Carrick were here, of course.

He took a deep breath of the fresh air. He only now realized how different it tasted from the air aboard the ship, filtered mechanically, tasting of metal and technology. And other worlds... he'd visited so many others, and none of them had been like this. Crystal said even he could feel the magic here. Ylant was a precious world, for very many reasons.

Fairies swept across in front of him, bells ringing and their high-pitched laughter making him smile again.

He heard a noise behind and spun around. A moment later Tamaris stepped into the faint moonlight. He looked rather... embarrassed.

"Tam?" Abby said.

"I tried to make noise," Tam said. "It's not as easy as it looks."

Abby laughed, which startled Tam. "I do hope you aren't here to protect me."

"No. I just wanted to go back to the ship and talk to Tabor, and I assumed that's what you had in mind," Tam said. The two of them went on, Tam giving the little fairies a quick, nervous glance.

"You don't need to fear them."

"I tend to mistrust anything I don't understand," Tam said. He shrugged. "But they seem harmless enough. In fact, so far as I can tell, there's really not anything dangerous on this entire world -- and that makes me mistrust it all the more. Nothing can be this perfect."

"There are dangers," Abby said. "I doubt those who are trouble would dare challenge the powers of the elves, though. In spite of how they look, they can be quite fierce in battle if need be."

"I've seen Tristan in battle. I believe you."

Abby nodded. "The truth is that most of the dangers in this world are not in Ishan. They lie beyond the mountains, in the lands of men where such evils belong."

"I suppose that means something, but being of that race myself..." Tam said.

"My apologies," Abby replied with a shake of his head. "It's this world. It brings back such memories --"

"Abby, that was a joke," Tam said. He shook his head. They could see the ship ahead, and Tabor sitting on the ramp, obviously enjoying the night. "Though how would you know? Being what I am, everyone takes me too seriously."

"I understand," Abby said. "Being a prince myself, I see the reaction far too often."

That won a startled laugh from Tamaris -- a rare, bright sound that surprised poor Tabor. They were probably lucky he didn't ward against them, thinking they had to be enemies come in the shape of his friends. He had that look just then.

"Relax," Tam said. "I am allowed to laugh now and then. Well, as long as I'm not on the job."

That didn't seem to reassure him, nor the fact that Tam dropped down and sat beside him on the ramp.

"It's going well?" Tabor asked, waving a hand back toward the woods.

"Very well," Abby said. He brushed a hand over the Janin. She seemed surprisingly pleased just to sit here without him. Maybe it was just the chance to be out of the ship, which she likely didn't feel very comfortable in, either. Two of a kind, he and his Janin -- made by the Gods for the long war. He looked away from her and found the other two starring at him, looking concerned. "What's wrong?"

"You looked troubled."

"Considering my life, considering what is yet to come... Yes, troubled is likely a good word. But right now... Tabor, you should come to the feast."

"Me? To a feast with elves?" He shook his head. "No, no. I really don't think that's a good idea, Abby."

"King Edra would like you to attend."

"What is it you fear from them?" Tam asked. "They aren't your enemies, not so long as you side with Abby. And if it makes you feel any better, I'll stay at your side and protect you."

"Ah --" Tabor said, his eyes gone wide, shaking his head in nearly mute shock at the idea. "My own assassin guard to protect me at the feast? Somehow, I don't think that's a very good idea."

"Tabor --" Abby began.

But Tabor lifted his hand. The movement sent his arm trembling, and he lowered it again. "No, it's all right. I'm still weak from my fight with Gix. But this place makes it better, Abby. Just to sit here in the moonlight of Ylant is a moment of peace I never thought I would have. It's not quite home for me... but it's close."

"Home?" Tamaris said.

"I was born on Ylant, but in the southern lands along the sea and the sand." He leaned back on his elbow. "Warmer lands, drier lands. We had no winters there. This is pleasant, though."

"It's where we all needed to be," Abby said.

"Etric is very pleased," Tamaris added. "He's amazed by the amount of magic here."

"Even I can feel it, on my own and without Tristan as a filter," Abby said, lifting a hand.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt you to learn some magic," Tabor said. "I keep forgetting all your power comes from your mother's blood. If I only relied on what I got from Gix, I wouldn't be here now."

"I've just not had the time," Abby said. "A shame that elf magic is inborn and not something Tristan can teach me. Perhaps I should see if one of the mages would like to share the crown with me for a little while and see what I can pick up."

"Not a bad idea," Tabor said. "Now go on back to your friends and let me rest."

"You should come back with us, Tabor," Tam said. "You really should."

Tabor shook his head, still looking uneasy at the thought.

"You need to trust," Abby said.

And that won an unexpected laugh from Tabor. "Fine advice from you!"

"I'm learning. I suspect you can as well, no matter how stubborn you may be. Now come on. King Edra wants to meet you, Tabor. If you don't come to the feast, I'll go back and have the elves move the feast here. And I'll have Tam seal up the ship and make sure you can't escape inside."

Tabor started to argue. He stopped and shook his head, but he stood. "Fine. We'll go feast with your elves, Abby."

Tam looked delighted. Abby wasn't entirely certain why, except he seemed to like the demonling. Good. Tabor needed a friend, and one as dangerous as the assassin prince suited him.

At least they got Tabor heading for the feast, no matter how reluctantly. Tristan, whispering through his mind, was delighted. He wasn't sure why the elves felt such a need to bring Tabor into the fold, except that... it was good to find they had won a friend over to their side.

"I forgot there are fairies in this area," Tabor said. He looked up into a tree where a dozen hung over a small branch, looking down at them. "They can be troublesome little pests, but I always rather liked their pranks. I don't think my mother understood."

"Your mother," Abby said, startled. "Is she --"

"Dead many years before I came to Eltabar. I have suspected for many years that Braith did it at Gix's order. I think he felt she might hold me back."

"I'm sorry," Tam said.

"I am, too. I hadn't really thought much about it at the time. I had the army at my hands, and we were winning the world. I was already preparing to invade the fabled lands of Eltabar and take Mindeneh. Such simple wants back then."

"You knew your father was a demon," Abby said.

"Yes. I knew no more of what that meant than you did when your mother told you that you were the son of a goddess. Only words, Abby. But he taught me when I came into his hands."

"Will we defeat him?" Tam asked.

The question startled them both. They stopped and looked at Tam with what must have been equal stares of shock.

"If you doubt we're going to win, what are you doing in this war?" Tabor finally asked.

"You obviously haven't noticed, but I've been fighting a long losing war of my own. I've done it because it is right. I never expected to win. I'm surprised I've gone undetected this long. I'm surprised I've survived this long."

"I am not taking my friends to battle in a lost cause. I have to believe we will win, or else I would have to stop here and now."

"Abby's right," Tabor said. "I couldn't even go on with this if I thought there wasn't a chance we'd win."

"Good," Tam said. "I hoped you two would tell me the truth if we were out here alone. Not that I wouldn't have gone on either way... but then, like I said, I'm rather known for fighting anyway."

"Tam, we need to talk," Tabor said, and put a hand on the assassin's shoulder. Daring move, even at a time like this.

But then Tabor stopped, he looked up. His hand lifted toward the light --

And Abby heard it as well. Wings on the wind. Large --

"Gargoyles!" Tabor shouted. "We need to get to cover. Warn Tristan!"

Abby already had, and sensed the clamor at the feast as the elves and the others got word. What he hadn't expected was for Tabor to turn around and run back toward the ship. Tam stood there, looking frantically from him to Tabor.

Abby turned and ran back toward the ship as well.

Abby! Stay out of the glade! You don't even have the sword!

But I can get to the Janin.

Frantic, worried acceptance. The elves and their guests were all heading into the woods since the trees would at least slow the creatures. They could hear them but not see --

But then Abby looked up as they filled the sky, blocking out the moonlight, casting the world in utter darkness. He stumbled and went to his knees, lost for a moment -- until the fairies swarmed down.

"Path," one said at his ear. "Follow the path we make! Go! Tabor in danger!"

They knew Tabor. How odd. But he got back to his feet. Tam either had been told by the fairies as well, or else he realized they illuminated the path. He slowed, staying at Abby's side. They could still see Tabor ahead, though, at least.

We're coming to the ship, Abby. Get Tabor and Tam there. Guard the entrance!

"The others are coming for the ship," he said, panting a little at the run. He had a hand to his side already, and the battle hadn't even begun. "We need to guard the entrance."

"Yes," Tam said. "Good. We can hold them off there."

Tabor was out into the open. They knew it because a gargoyle swept straight down at him, but he killed it without much work, a knife through the throat. But before they could reach the opening, another two had leapt down at him.

"Here!" Tam said, pushing a knife into Abby's hand.

"I need to get to the Janin," Abby said. But he slowed and faltered when they reached the glade. The open ground was thick with Gargoyles. He could hardly even hear the Janin above their screeching as they saw him.

"Well, this isn't good," Tam said.

And threw himself right out in front of both Tabor and Abby.

Tabor shouted and cast such a powerful spell that a dozen gargoyles died twitching, and several more fell to their knees. Tam made quick work of killing them while others pressed in.

"I need the Janin!" Abby shouted, wielding the knife well enough to keep the enemy from doing more than scratching his arm. Tabor stayed at his back. He wished Tam had someone at his back as well, but he and Tabor stayed as close to their friend as they could, inching their way forward. Tristan, frantic, stayed in his mind, but didn't distract him. The elves weren't far away.

Tam was damned good with his knives, even when he began to take wounds. Frantic to help, Tabor cast again, but Abby could feel him shudder at the loss of power this time. He wanted to warn the demonling to be careful, but he didn't.

For a moment he felt only Tristan's frantic worry as gargoyles broke in through the tree cover around the elves and began to descend on that group as well. He felt Tristan sense the enemy and attack with his own magic.

Darkness tried to take him as Tristan's power and emotions surged up. Abby had to fight it back.

"Abby!" Tam shouted, and shoved a knife into the back of a gargoyle which had come close enough it likely would have taken his head if Tam hadn't been so quick.

Abby!

"I have to take off the crown!" he said, for the sake of both Tabor and Tam, as well as for Tristan. "They're under attack too. It's too strong. I keep getting pulled there."

Do it!

He did. The quick, intense pain surged through his head, and he might have gone down if Tabor hadn't grabbed his arm. He gasped, shoving the crown inside his shirt, and then threw himself back into the battle with more control. He wanted the Janin. He wanted her in his hands, to destroy this evil that dared to walk this perfect land.

Tam staggered. Abby pulled free of Tabor and pushed the assassin into the demonling's hands. They kept fighting. And they were getting closer to the ship. He wondered if they could get inside.

The gargoyles were, in fact, hampering themselves by coming in such numbers. They couldn't fight past their own kind to get to Abby, Tabor, and Tam. Abby and his companions left a path of death behind them, and inched closer to the Janin.

A few of the gargoyles were still in the air, though. Those proved to be the most dangerous. One grabbed Tabor's shoulder and nearly got him away before he and Tam killed it.

Abby felt a moment of despair -- right before a group of elves broke out of the woods and into the glade. The magic they brought with them lit the night. The righteous anger with which they fought drove the gargoyles away in a heartbeat of panic -- which was all Abby needed. He saw the Janin between a line of half a dozen gargoyles. He leapt at her. One drove claws down his back, but Abby pulled the Janin from the ground and swung around.

She sang loud and bright, and killed without remorse or even much trouble. One to the right, one to the left -- he swept back behind him as well, and the gargoyles had started to realize they didn't want to be near him and the staff. It took him less time to get back to Tam and Tabor.

He could see the elves now, many of them wounded. Tristan was with them. Abby pulled out the crown and put it back on quickly, and saw Tristan stumble with surprise.

Sorry! But you're here. We do better when we're together like this!

I worried. I could feel you, but I didn't know if you realized we were here.

He made only a wordless answer. The Janin took on any gargoyle that dared to come close enough for her to touch. He didn't try to hold her back. Right then, if he'd had the ability, he would have killed them with his bare hands. He had never, in all the battles he'd fought, felt quite this rage. It came from having a nearly perfect night invaded by evil. He had too few nights that he could enjoy.

Tabor went to his knees, and Tam stood over him -- but Tam wasn't going to last long. A gargoyle cut deep into his side. He staggered --

Tristan!

Sending help!

Magic swept in around the two -- a ward that protected them just as Tam went down as well. Abby could see the ward flickering as the gargoyles threw themselves at it, and knew it wouldn't last long. More elves arrived, forming up around them even as the ward failed. Abby dared to kneel and grab hold of Tabor to help him up, hoping Tam could stand on his own. They had to get to the ship.

Tam lifted his head -- and then lifted his arm and threw his dagger. A gargoyle fell dead, nearly toppling Abby when it fell on him. An elf hauled it off and grabbed Tam by the arm, pulling him up.

They had a long way back to the ship, but Tristan urged them that way.

"We need to get to the ship, get the door open and secured," Abby said. "The others aren't far behind in the woods. Once we get the door open, they'll make a full fledged attack to reach us."

"Good," Tabor said, breathless and wincing at every step. "I like that we have a goal. Tam?"

"Yes," he said. But he winced when he pulled free of the elf who had been helping him. Other elves were holding back the enemy for the moment. Abby had a chance to see the field at last, littered with so many dead gargoyles he didn't want to count them. He couldn't imagine how they had survived the initial attack.

Too many; you were right in that, Abby. They couldn't win by sheer numbers, but they didn't know it. We're lucky this wasn't better done. None of us were ready for it. Something hid them until they were quite close.

He nodded, a moment's calm in this mass of insanity. The elves got them back to the ship. A gargoyle fought his way through, but Tabor grabbed and killed it before the creature slit the neck of an elf who had gotten in the way. They fought side-by-side, demonling, human, godling and elves -- and reached the ramp at last. Abby tripped on the metal ramp and went down, but the others kept him safe in that moment of weakness.

"I'll stand guard," Abby said, grabbing Tam and pushing him onward. "Get the door open."

Tam nodded, and didn't even think of arguing. He and Tabor went up the last few steps to the door. Elves stood with Abby, and kept guard down each side of the ramp. The gargoyles were not going to get past them.

And, in fact, the gargoyles seemed to realize it. They began, finally, to retreat. Abby didn't relax his guard, but he was damned glad when he saw Tristan and his companions make it safely to the ramp without any farther attacks. Tam had the door open behind them. The two groups retreated quickly into the ship.

Safe.

Abby leaned against the wall, gasping at a pain in his back and knowing he left blood on the surface, but right then he didn't care at all. Tabor had gone down to his knees again, and then looked up, startled, when an elf put a hand on his shoulder and cast a little magic that obviously healed some wounds.

"Allies," the elf said.

Tabor nodded. "Thank you."

Tristan put a hand on Abby's shoulder and cast while someone else helped Tam. He could tell none of them had much magic to spare, but it helped.

"They're still out there," Dytela said. The elf looked out the opening, and then back at the interior of the ship with a glance of worry for it as well. Abby knew the feeling; he remembered the first days he and Tristan had spent on a much smaller, but equally bewildering, ship. He still felt it sometimes as well, but right now he was glad for the safety. "The gargoyles have pulled back to the far edge of the glade. I'm going to go back to the woods and help the others now that we have this place safe."

"Good idea," Tristan said. "I'm going with you."

"Tristan --" Abby began to protest.

"It's better this way, Abby," Tristan said. He took a deeper breath again, trying to regain some of his own lost strength. "We can stay in touch and you'll know if we fall into any more trouble."

Abby stopped arguing. He had no right to hold Tristan back at a time like this just for his own feelings.

"Did I draw the gargoyles here?" Tabor suddenly asked.

"No," Dytela said. "We sensed the magic that kept them hidden coming from the mountains. I suspect Gix sent them, and I doubt it was just for you."

"Go, get the others here. We need them safe," Abby said. He wanted to go as well, but Tristan had made a good argument.

Tristan patted his arm and darted back out with Dytela and three other elves who looked capable of running. Abby moved back to the opening, and Tam struggled to follow. Tabor joined the two a moment later.

Silence, except for the rustling of gargoyle wings up in the air. He didn't like that he couldn't see them, and moved out into the opening a little farther. Tam started to protest, and stopped.

It seemed far too long of a wait.

"We're going to have to leave," Abby said, looking at the two. "I'm glad I had a chance to see my friends here, and as much as I would like to take a quick journey to see Lord Indale -- I can't do it. I won't bring this danger elsewhere."

"I know," Tabor said. "I'm sorry to see it end this way... but in other ways, Gix made a mistake. He reminded us of the war at entirely the wrong time, you know. We are too close to knowing what we protect again."

"True," Abby said. He glanced at the elves who had stayed behind, but they were starting to look better now. He noted that some had made certain they sat in the spot of moonlight, and used the power to help heal the others as well.

"I had hoped to see Mindineh again," Tabor admitted. "It was quite beautiful."

"I've no desire to go there at all," Abby replied and shivered a little. "I don't care how pretty it is."

"People say the palace at Grant is lovely," Tam said. He leaned against the hull, deceptively at rest. "But any pretty place can be marred by the memory of evil."

"True," Abby agreed. He looked to the gargoyles when they seemed to grow agitated for a moment. A check confirmed their friends were coming closer, though not yet to the edge of the woods. "They're getting closer. I may have to go back out there with the Janin again."

Tabor nodded. "I'm sorry for everything that happened at Mindeneh, Abby. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes. And you only came at the end, Tabor. You had to know, when they dragged me up from the cell, that my life could not have been all that great before then. Not as Altazar's son."

"True. But still, I regret many things in my past." He reached out and touched Abby's side. Blood showed there again, of course. "That's one of them."

Abby nodded. "And if I can forgive you, I can forgive a castle for the deeds of a human who did not even create it. Sometimes anger is unreasoning."

"What was your father like?" Tam asked, looking away from the gargoyles again.

"Much like Kadrien's father, but with fewer social restraints and no manners."

"Well, that can't be good," Tam said and shook his head. "And he is dead?"

"Oh yes," Tabor said. "That I did do right, at least. I gave him to the Kiya myself, and that's one act I do not regret. I had already seen the villages along the coast where he let his men have free run. I never approved of animals in human shape, and that's all those barbarians had become. I doubt even the Kiya had created that part of them."

"From all I know, Altazar won his position by being just what he was in the end," Abby said. "He learned nothing. Here comes the first group."

Crystal had an arm around Ylin's waist, but they weren't slowed. And they had lasers. When one of the creatures came toward them, Crystal fired and it fell. The others held back and Abby, who had started down the ramp, stepped back into the cover of safety again.

Crystal, Ylin, Zoe, Kadrien, Talis and Damien arrived with a dozen elves and moved into the ship. Zoe, Ylin and Talis headed inward along the corridor, while Crystal stayed by the door.

"They're going for some real weapons," Crystal said. He wiped a line of blood away from his forehead. "Damn annoying creatures. But they're in for a surprise as soon as they bring a laser cannon and power supply down here."

"Ah yes," Tam agreed. "Not subtle, but certainly effective. I'm all for effective at this moment."

We're on our way. Last group.

"They're nearly here," Abby said, waving a hand toward the woods.

"Tell him to hold back," Crystal said. "We'll have the cannon here in a few minutes. If we can keep the gargoyles from attacking before then, we might have a chance at killing most of them in one attack."

Good plan. Etric agrees. We'll wait.

"They're waiting," Abby said. He leaned against the wall, feeling the weight of his exhaustion as well as Tristan's. For a moment the world seemed to tilt a little. He leaned against the shell of the ship, hoping he didn't go down.

"You need to go inside, Abby," Crystal said.

"No. I have the Janin. It's good protection if they try to swarm us again."

"We have lasers," Crystal protested.

"And if our friends are too close to use them? No. I'll wait until the others get there."

Stop arguing, Abby. Just go inside. We'll be there --

I don't think -- What's that?

"Something's wrong," Tabor said. He stepped out onto the ramp as though he had forgotten the gargoyles even existed. A breeze blew, but not a natural one. It felt hot and dry, and tingled with power. Tabor shivered.

And Abby knew why. He could feel it as well... something darker in the air now, something powerful and evil. There was magic coming, and he knew what it was even before he saw the portal starting to form.

"Oh hell," Tabor said. "We need the mages. We need all the protection we can get, Abby."

"In the ship," Crystal urged and took hold of Tabor's arm.

Tabor shook him off. "No. No -- we need wards, and I don't have the strength to do it myself."

Abby!

Tell the mages!

"You'll have better cover --" Crystal said, sounding frantic now. A portal had almost fully formed, a circle of dark red light against the shadows, just a few steps away from the ship. Abby considered trying to throw the Janin at it, but stopped even before Tristan's frantic reminder of what had set them on this journey. They didn't want to go hunt her down... or find she had fallen to Gix.

"Without wards, Gix could shatter that ship," Tabor said and pulled free. "No matter what else happens, you don't want him hunting us through the ship!"

Crystal drew his laser, shaking his head, but waiting with them.

Abby had urged the others inside, though, and they went with no argument. Abby heard shouts inside the ship. They wanted the laser cannon, and they wanted it now. Abby agreed. If they could not have magical power, he wanted --

The circle became whole, nearly solid. Abby could see another world beyond it, a place he did not want to go... yet would, and soon. He held his breath as a figure stepped through into the glade.

Not Gix.

That stilled them all for a moment. They had expected the demon, not his hireling.

"Braith," Tabor said. He put a hand on Abby's arm, holding him back. A sign, surely, that Tabor wanted to deal with this one himself. Abby didn't argue, hoping Tabor might even have some secrets he could use.

And besides, from the look of disdain on Braith's face, and the look of barely controlled rage on Tabor's, these two had some history together. It might be wise to stay out of the way as they worked it out. Being far away would have been even wiser. Unfortunate that none of them had that choice.

"What is it you think you can gain here, Braith?" Tabor said. His voice sounded deceptively calm, and seemed to surprise Braith. "We've already defeated your creatures. Surely you don't think you could do better."

"The gargoyles were but an entertainment, traitor. We did not expect them to win. They're just the first step of many."

Nearly to the glade, Abby!

Stay where you are!

Abby felt an almost overpowering wave of frustration from Tristan, laced with more than a little anger this time. It surprised him, and it took a moment before he could even reach through to the elf again. He couldn't even follow what Tabor and Braith said, though it seemed to be a round of mutual insults and little more.

Tristan --

I am not helpless! You have got to stop trying to protect me, especially in the war we're going into!

Tristan, listen to me! You're behind him! He doesn't seem to know you're there! Stay where you are -- you and your companions -- and be ready to move when we can best use you!

A moment of appalled silence.

Oh. Good idea. I'm sorry, Abby! We're ready. The gargoyles may notice us here at the edge of the woods first, though.

I suspect Braith is not going to go on with this for long. Be ready. Rqua, if you can hear us, prepare to ward the people around Tristan. They may be in danger if we have to attack. Warn the others!

And he heard an odd, unexpected answer -- a faint agreement from Kamil. Ready.

Braith had no idea what he really faced. Abby could tell that just by looking at the man who stood there smugly telling Tabor how he would soon be back in his father's hands.

"We'll see who falls into whose hands, Braith," Tabor said. He didn't look as though he felt any of his bleeding wounds just then. Anger helped, no doubt.

"We found you," Braith said, waving his hand toward the ship with such a dismissive gesture that Abby wondered if he understood the power in the craft at their back.

"And I always knew where to find you. We'll be there when we're ready, Braith," Tabor said.

"I am here for the pieces of the Kiya. Give them over now, or you will not be happy with what happens next."

"And you expect that I'll give it over?" Abby said, joining the conversation for the first time. Braith gave him a look of disdain. "I won't, you know. We all understand that far more is at risk than just our lives."

"Oh, so noble, Godling -- you and your followers. But you may soon change your name."

"We aren't helpless." Abby brought the Janin forward. She sang louder this time, and Braith backed up a step at the sight of her. Then he held his place again, the portal close at his back. He didn't look ready to leave. Abby couldn't imagine what he expected here. Surely not surrender.

Tamaris moved up beside Abby, and in the next moment he proved they were far from helpless. His hand moved -- a perfect throw. The blade that flew from his fingertips drove straight into the chest of this not-quite-human creature who stood before them. It was in that moment that Abby realized its inhumanity. The knife would have killed a human, or anything with a heart.

Braith went to his knees, but his head lifted, eyes flashing red with anger. The wind grew around them in that moment, and the gargoyles screeched and took to the sky. Tristan and his people began to take them down -- they seemed oblivious to that attack as they flew toward the ship.

Braith's hand rose, but if he intended to cast, Tabor put an end to it very quickly. A blast of light sent Braith sprawling, though he surged back to his feet all too quickly.

"I will have my revenge," he said, glaring at Tam as he drew the knife back out. Whatever came from that wound, it was not blood. "That human is mine. "

"No," Abby said, stepping in front of Tam, despite the Assassin's hiss of worry and anger. "Tamaris is mine."

"You'd fight me for him?" Braith said, a feral grin on his face.

"There is no fight," Abby said and waved that away with a flick of his hand. "You are only a servant of demons. I am a Godling. Tam is mine, and you haven't the power to claim him."

Surprise from Tristan swept through him. They both felt the power in those words -- a power he could see Braith believed.

Braith stood straighter again, a hand to his chest and his eyes blazing. The gargoyles that had survived their impetuous flight had taken to the ground again. Had there been tests? Did they show something to Braith they should not have? Abby hated to play this game. He wondered what kept the mages from attacking Braith and destroying him, but the fact that even Tabor had held back must mean something.

Strong magic protecting him from other magic. Etric is trying to find a way through. Surprised that Tam's knife got through, but it does show us a weakness in his powers. He's not used to dealing with un-enchanted weapons.

Laser pistol?

Doesn't seem wise, with all that power around. Wait and see. So far he's done very little to make him a threat.

"We knew it would not be this easy," Braith said. His hand toyed with the knife still, as something almost black leaked from the wound and across his chest. "I came with an offer, little Godling: Trade the Kiya for the lives of your friends. This is your chance to save them. If you refuse, we will kill a few, and then we will come back and offer you the same choice."

Abby fought down the surge of panic. It wouldn't help.

"We've stopped you already," Tabor said, shaking his head at the threat.

"Stopped, but not beat, traitor."

"Traitor, perhaps, but a free one, at least. You'll never be the same."

"You overestimate the joys of freedom. In another century... well, you won't last that long to know, will you? But that's hardly the matter now. Right now, you and this godling have the humans' lives in your hands. And you are about to throw them away."

"We have our friends in our protection," Tabor said.

"Here, yes, and for the moment. But this is hardly the only place where the godling has passed and left behind his followers to fend for themselves in his war. Oh, we know about all of them, don't we? How many will fall, Aubreyan Altazar?"

"All of them, unless I remain strong," Abby answered.

Braith stepped closer, but stopped when Abby raised the Janin again. Tristan, he knew, still stood in the woods. The gargoyles watched that group warily, but there seemed to be some impasse in the air, and Abby couldn't quite decide what was expected now.

"You have slowed us here," Braith said. He gave a little shrug of unconcern that didn't look faked. "But we are already preparing to send more of our gargoyles to other places. And without you there to protect them, Aubreyan, they fall."

He waved his hand. The portal behind him split into four pieces and each of the new ones blurred and changed and showed...

Somewhere Abby knew, as he looked on worlds where he had been. He could even see glimpses of old friends.

He could feel Tristan's surge of worry at the sight. I fear we inadvertently showed Gix a way to --

We can't let him use this against us, Tristan.

"The Kiya for their safety," Braith said with a wave of his hand that sent the portals back to a single circle again. "And I will repeat the warning, Aubreyan. If you refuse, then we shall go and kill a few of your friends, and then we will come back and offer you the chance again. You can save them all by giving over the staff now."

"Save them for the moment," Abby said. He fought to keep his words steady, and not to show the panic that grew, fed by Tristan's own worry. "If I give over the staff, then you win the war."

"No one wins the war," Braith said. For a moment Abby thought he saw something almost bitter in the red eyes of that white-faced monster. "Haven't you figured that much out yet? The war goes on forever. This will, it is true, win us the upper hand, but the war will go on. This generation will fall to us, but the balance will not always be lost."

"And this generation includes the friends whom I already fight to protect," Abby said.

"Is that what you are protecting? And I thought you were far nobler," Braith said. But he laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. "Give me the staff."

"No."

"Good. I had hoped it would not be so easy. I feared your nobility would get the better of you."

Abby, Gods, we can't just --

"Abby," Tabor said, looking back at him, fear in the demonling's eyes this time. He hadn't expected it from Tabor, but he put a hand on his friend's shoulder, reassurance for the moment.

"They made their choices, Tabor." Listen to me, Tristan. "And we aren't given any real choices here, you know. If we lose, then they fall. If we give over the Kiya, then Gix wins and no one has a chance to fight back. I know my friends and the choices they would all make if they were here."

Ah, Abby. You're right. We can't make this choice for them to save their lives, especially when it means they and everyone else will be lost. It's no safety, after all. In fact, it would only make it worse. Abby, we're in trouble.

I know.

He looked back at Braith without doubt of his choice. "No deal, Braith. You can tell that to your master."

Tabor bowed his head, and then turned back to Braith. "He's telling you to go to hell, Braith. I suggest you do so, quickly."

Braith snorted. His hand waved toward the portal, and it moved toward him. "Oh, I do intend to go back now. But not without you."

Abby grabbed Tabor, but Braith had moved more quickly, drawing power from the portal and using it to snare Tabor in a shell of fire-red power. Abby threw himself at it, but someone dragged him away -- one of his own people protecting him.

"No!" Tristan!

Braith already had one foot in the portal, but he was having some trouble pulling Tabor to him. Abby couldn't decide if that came from the demonling's magic, or work from the others. Tristan was frantic in his mind, coming at a run, but fearing they would not get there soon enough. Abby brought the Janin up and tried to get past Tabor to use the staff against Braith. He feared her --

Gods, don't be a fool. He'll grab you, too. And we don't dare let both of you go!

Save Tabor! We can't fail him!

But he saw the look on Tabor's sweat bathed face as he looked back. Acceptance.

No. Abby wasn't going to accept this loss. Even if it meant he had to go to hell with Tabor to help him --

Abby! No!

He started forward, and happened to see Tamaris. He had a knife in his hand, and he moved slightly to the left, his eyes narrowed. He would have to make the throw past Tabor...

Abby held his breath. He was aware of Tristan and his companions pausing close by, holding back while Tam took his chance without startling Braith at the wrong time. He almost had Tabor to the portal. Tam brought the blade to his lips and kissed the metal, and threw.

Braith saw the move, lifted a hand -- but not fast enough, not with everything else he had to control. The blade embedded itself in his upraised hand.

He yelled, and cursed as the power holding Tabor failed, and the demonling fell to the ground, obviously stunned.

"Damn you all!" Braith shouted, taking the step back out of the portal and reaching for Tabor, who crawled away, still panting and obviously unable to get to his feet. "I had him! What does it mean to you, this demonling --"

"Someone who made the choice, Braith," Abby said, stepping closer to Tabor. "Get used to it. That's what you face."

"Fools!" He reached for Tabor once more, but backed up when Abby brought the Janin around.

Tristan arrived as well, and helped Tabor to his feet while the others began to encircle Braith. He looked around, frantic for a moment, before he stepped closer to the portal.

"You made your choice," Braith said. "And you'll live with it."

He pulled the blade from his hand and threw it, and the other he had been holding as well.

Tabor grabbed one from the air and Abby tried to knock the other aside, but it swerved away from the Janin and kept on. To Tam, driving into his chest -- Gods, not the heart!

Tristan cast, Etric as well -- Edra came at a run. Abby barely even noticed when Braith left, the portal closing behind him. The gargoyles took to the sky, and several dropped again to the shots of laser pistols.

Tabor grabbed Abby's arm as he went past, his fingers too tight, his face pale, though Abby knew it wasn't for his own weakness. Tristan had darted straight to Tam and drawn the knife out, a hand to the wound. Etric whispered a spell, frantic quick words as magic danced from his hands.

"Poison," King Edra said as he stood over Tam and the two who fought to save his life. "The blood of that dark creature poisoned him. It's very strong."

"I can help," Tabor said. He knelt and put his hand over Tristan's. Power surged through that touch, startling even King Edra from the look in his face. "I won't let him go. Not for me."

"Abby?" Crystal said at his side. The others were going past into the ship. "Are you all right?"

"He's the first," Abby said softly. "He's the first, and there will be so many others I can't help --"

"Why not?" Crystal demanded. "Why can't you help them?"

"I haven't the power to save them, Crystal," he said, shaking his head. "I know there was no choice but --"

"We aren't giving up anyone without a fight," Crystal answered. "No one. They're going to save Tam -- I find I believe in magic more than I ever have since I came to your world, and these people are damned powerful, Abby. We aren't going to lose Tam. And the others --"

"I know, I know. They made their choices," he said. He felt a little hope from Tristan and grabbed at it. They had Tam's heart beating on its own again, but the poison still ravaged his body. "I just wish..."

Crystal caught hold of his arm and turned him away from the others. "Listen to me, Abby. We don't have a lot of time, not from all that I saw. All your friends, in all those places that you've been -- they chose to fight with you."

"Yes. I know --"

"Listen to me!"

Crystal so rarely raised his voice that it not only stilled Abby, but Istanan and Rquana as well as they started to go past. It did win Aubreyan's undivided attention.

"Your friends are already warriors in the battle," Crystal said, sounding calmer already. "And they are in danger for it. But if any of us are going to fight against Gix, then I think it should be those of us who have already made the choice in the battle. We need to fight this war on our own terms, not his."

"We should go to him now," Abby said, nodding.

"No," Crystal said. "We need an army before we go to hell, Abby. And we have the way to collect one, and the people already willing to fight with you."

Abby looked at the ship, shocked -- and even Tristan looked up at that moment, startled by the idea. Abby could feel Tamaris's life beneath Tristan's hands, the weave of magic fighting to keep him alive, and which had begun to win the battle.

Others, drawn into hell with him --

"Abby," Rqua said, a hand on his arm. "Give us all a chance to make this last battle count. All of these people are going to fight anyway, and despite what you think, it is still better to fight at your side rather than fighting alone."

Abby looked back at Crystal. Decisions. Choices.

Right and wrong.

"Get the ship ready to leave," Abby said. "We have a long ways to go, and not much time to save the others."

Crystal bowed his head and went straight for the airlock, crewmembers following and already heading for their jobs.

"You made the right choice, Aubreyan Altazar," King Edra said as he stood. "You don't need me to tell you that any more, do you?"

"It still helps," Abby admitted. He looked out at the field where gargoyles lay dead everywhere. "I didn't expect this. I wouldn't have brought it --"

"You didn't bring it," King Edra said. He reached down and pulled Tristan to his feet when the elf started to stand. "Your friend will recover, though he is likely to be ill and weak for a while. Be careful of him. He seems rather too daring for his own good."

"We have to go, Grandfather," Tristan said.

"I know. I think it both wise and wonderful -- and brave. You'll come back again when you can. Go find your friends. Thwart Gix in his plans. You know what is right, both of you."

"We could... not go to his domain," Abby said. "We could just travel on, taking the parts of the Kiya with us."

"And how long would you travel? How far would you go that he could not reach you? Can you always be on guard, Aubreyan? There will be no peace until the matter of the Kiya is settled. If you ran, he would follow, and you would still have to face him for it one day. Do it while you are powerful. Do it while you have Tabor, because Gix will try to kill the demonling, you know. And if you run long enough without confronting him, he will win in that as well."

Abby looked down at Tabor, who glanced up and nodded.

"Yes, you're right. We'll go to this war. Running now is no answer."

Crystal, Banning and Etric carefully lifted Tam and carried him inside. All the others had already entered, though Otaka, Talis, Rqua and Zoe stayed by the door, guarding.

"Go in peace, children. And come back again when you can." King Edra reached down and pulled Tabor to his feet, startling him. "Go in peace, Tabor. And return when you can, as well. There are many wonders I would like to show you. You and Abby. Neither of you really knew the world as well as you should."

"Someday," Tabor said, looking out at the trees with a little frown. "Someday I'd like to walk here."

Edra nodded and stepped back. The other elves bade quick farewells, and started back across the field, though they destroyed the bodies of the gargoyles as they moved through. Abby was glad to see that horror disappearing.

Time to go already. He wasn't ready...

And when he turned to the door, he found Carrick and Petra waiting there.

"We've sent Rice back to Lord Indale to tell him we're going with you," Petra said.

Abby looked at them, from face to face. Tristan offered nothing this time.

"Come aboard," Abby said at last. Choices, warriors, and battles to fight -- he could not turn away any who chose this path. "Come aboard, and I shall show you such wonders as you can't imagine."

They went inside. Otaka sealed the door behind them, and he could already feel the ship starting to gain power. Tabor walked to his right and Tristan to his left, with Carrick and Petra behind.

The time of rest was over, but Abby didn't seem to mind as much as he thought he would. They were going back to the war. They were going to fight for their friends. He was ready.

Interlude Two

Gix had watched through the portal, though he didn't take part in this particular encounter. He wanted to observe their reactions, and test their powers. It had worked well, though Braith likely didn't think so. No matter. He had learned what he needed from that encounter. He had measured power and weakness... and what might look like a weakness to Braith suddenly did not seem quite the same to Gix.

Gix looked into the mirrors and marked the locations of those worlds where he would be moving his own players against Aubreyan's followers. He mapped the paths the craft would take -- he could use the ship's own power to transport his own minions along the same paths. Granted, he might do better to get there far ahead of the craft, but such an action would take more power than he wanted to waste just now.

And this would be a waste. There was no doubt the plan to attack Aubreyan's followers would fail on one level. He would do his best to kill as many as he could, and hope the knowledge of those deaths weighed on the godling and weakened him.

But if it didn't, then killing them would still succeed on another level. There would be fewer of them to his domain.

Braith stood behind him, silent except for an occasional gasp of not quite covered pain. Clearly, he did not want to draw Gix's attention to him, and dared not use magic to heal himself for fear of the demon's reaction. Gix didn't look at him, though his lips pulled back in a feral smile that showed fangs -- he could see them in a few of the pieces of mirror that did not show other places instead. Not human, not at all. Braith had been, and though he had long ago left behind his human soul -- and even his human heart and blood -- humanity still lingered in his thoughts.

"I should not have listened to you," Gix said. He heard Braith's breath catch; he felt a moment of heady fear that swept through the room like a wind. It took much to make Braith fear, but the moment was always worth it. At another time, he would have lingered over that feeling a while longer, but this time he needed to move on to other matters. The Godling was already moving and they hadn't time to linger here over such pleasantries. "You are still human, Braith."

Gix ran a claw along the side of Braith's face, drawing dark blood against the pale skin. Braith shuddered. Gix drank that in, and then drew his hand back. Then he turned toward the table and the glass.

"Great Lord?" Braith asked, obviously realizing that this was not going the way he feared.

"I have watched, Braith. I have watched while you and my half-breed son did the work. But you are both tainted."

"Tainted?"

"By your humanness, Braith. Oh, less so with you than him, but it's still there. And I let that humanness control what we did. It was my mistake." He stopped and looked at Braith, sweating and trembling. His hand lifted and the creature shuddered, but in the next moment Gix healed his wounds, and with hardly a sting of pain at all. It confused Braith again. No matter. He needed the strength of the body, even if he could not trust the mind.

"Thank you, Great Lord," Braith said. He came and knelt by his feet. Odd, odd creature. He felt almost as much fear now as he had before. "How can I serve you?"

"Tabor should never have been allowed the freedom I gave him," Gix said. "I never considered that his human side could win out over the power manifest in being a demon. It is not a mistake I will make again."

"No, sire."

"You are my tool, Braith. You will do my bidding. For now, it is to stand and await my orders."

Braith stood and walked to the wall and stood, there to wait for however long it took. He knew his place. Tabor should have served here longer. Tabor should have understood what was expected of him.

Too late to change anything with his treacherous son. Time, instead, to move against Tabor and the Godling.

Time to deal with the matter and be done with it forever.

The gargoyles were ready. He could see them in the magical place where he had put them to prepare for this journey, just a step away from that world where Tabor and Aubreyan had been bred. They shifted restlessly, ready to kill at his bidding, because they had no other use in life. It helped in many ways, because he was not prepared to send any of the creatures from his own world off to this war -- not when he would need them here. They would have battles here to fight as well.

He would spread them out across the realities, an evil that would stay even after the battle was won... or lost. They would thrive on every world where he sent them, because such killers always did. The worlds would know his touch, and they would always remember that the Demon Gix had looked upon them.

He waited, watching the ship. It lifted from the land, but remained close by the world. Gix grew almost too anxious for them to move. That, too, was the result of working in the mind frame of humans. What did time mean to him?

And when Godling moved, he caught the path the ship created and pushed a group of the gargoyles on ahead of it, as well as spells of his own that would draw power from whatever world they settled upon. The craft moved slowly and gave him the time he needed, without wasting his own power.

The first move had been made.

Part Two

Chapter One

The wind turned cold, an icy blast down from the mountains.

Unnatural.

Dacey quickly turned and looked up the mountainside. He had enjoyed the silence, sitting in the sunlight and listening to the birds -- but the peace was obviously past. He stood, lifting his hand. The wind whispered of trouble, and magic like he hadn't felt in years.

This couldn't be good.

He spun and headed back toward the trail and the place where he had last seen Silver, who had headed farther up the hills, looking for some plants for their potions. Silver enjoyed the time alone as Dacey did, and they had learned to take advantage of the time they could get here, away from Dodano.

The wind blew again. He shivered at the touch and tried to hurry faster.

"Dacey!"

He spun, surprised to find Micah coming up the trail. Dacey looked past his brother and the single guard who walked with him, although a few more stood farther down the trail. Had something happened, and he missed it? Dodano stretched out in uneven ridges and winding roads below, a serpentine look, as though the buildings snaked their way along the shoreline.

He could see nothing wrong. The trouble, whatever it might be, seemed to come from behind.

"Glad I caught up with you, Dacey," Micah said, breathless for a moment as he leaned down, hands on his knees. He did not wear more than a single knife made of metal, and carefully kept it beneath his vest, where it would least bother Dacey. "I was just up here making the rounds when the storm --"

The guard came up beside Prince Micah, and from the look on his face, Dacey could tell that he purposely moved closer, making certain that the metal of his helmet caught the light.

Dacey backed away, gasping in sudden pain.

Micah spun on the man, shoving him back so quickly that the guard nearly fell. "Damn you, don't ever do that again!"

"Sire --" the man said, his eyes gone wide. And well they should. Dacey didn't think he had ever seen his quiet, older brother raise his voice before. But Micah still came after the guard, until Dacey grabbed his brother's arm to stop him from striking the man.

"Micah, please. It's all right."

"It's not all right, and I have gotten damned tired of these fools and their moronic attitudes."

The guard backed up several more paces, his face white. He probably saw his career gone just then. Dacey kept Micah from following. "You can't expect them to change so quickly, Micah."

"It's been two years. That's long enough for the guards to realize they are treading a thin line."

Dacey started to argue, but he stopped when the wind blew against his back again. Something wrong , and it went far beyond the guards. He just shook his head, and tried to get his thoughts settled again. He didn't need the old trouble; not when something new was obviously coming their way.

"Dacey? Are you all right? The metal --"

"Not the metal," he said softly. He purposely turned away from the guard and lowered his voice. The guard did not have to hear this. "There's something in the wind, Micah."

"In the wind... you mean that literally, don't you?" Micah ran a hand through his hair and glanced back at the city. "I came up here to remind you and Silver that Mother has come back to the town to pray at the temple for the late king on his birthday. We wanted to make certain you avoided her and her people."

"Oh yes. I would not want to be anywhere near them," Dacey said and nodded quickly. "Thank him for the reminder. Gods, this trouble is bad timing, though. She's already started a crusade against me in the outlands --"

"You know about it?" Micah asked softly. "We had hoped that we could bury it before it got to you."

"I keep track of my enemies these days, Micah. And she is one, you know. She cannot accept what she did to me... but no matter. That's not the problem. I'm going up the mountain to find Silver. He'll have realized there's trouble as well. It's best if we are together for it."

"You'll be careful?"

"As much as I can." Micah looked worried at those words, and Dacey appreciated that he feared for his younger brother's safety. But he should also know by now that Dacey did what he had to when it came to keeping magic at bay. Many things had been awakened in the last two years. "It's still too long until the sun goes down and I can call on the People. Let's hope that whatever has brought this danger is something we can hold back, if not destroy, before then. Go back to the city. Warn Tain and the others. This can't be good, Micah."

Micah glanced up the hillside and nodded. He clapped Dacey on the shoulder, and turned away, signaling the sullen, worried guard to go with him.

The wind blew again, cold against his face, as he started back up the mountain. He pushed his hair back and squinted up toward the high ground. Silver could have gone a long way since midmorning when they came up here, intent on escaping the city, knowing the Queen would arrive today. The Queen blamed Dacey for her husband's death, even thought the current King, Tain, had been the one to actually do the deed. And it had needed doing, though she never would understand that fact. She didn't understand the war, even though she had cast him out to fight it for her, a child given into the hands of an insane mage.

He really tried not to be bitter.

"Silver!"

He wasn't used to shouting -- wasn't used to speaking much at all, though he wasn't as reticent about it these days as he had been even half a year ago. However, as it happened, the wind blew so hard he knew Silver wouldn't hear him anyway. He would likely have to use magic, but at the moment, he held back, still getting the feel for whatever might be in the air. He didn't worry -- too much -- about Silver. His friend, and fellow mage, was far from helpless.

Something stung his face and he looked up from the trail to find the air filled with ice crystals, and the Horns of the Demons, the tall peaks above them, suddenly enshrouded in darkness.

No, this could not be good at all. Clouds so dark they looked like the fall of night began to push past the Horns. Lightning sparked across the sky, bright and dangerous.

He could imagine the panic in the city already, and Dacey knew he dared not let this go on. With his mother and her followers down there, he would be a perfect target for their unreasoning anger. He lifted his hand to begin to cast, but then stopped again. No. He needed to find Silver so they could face this together. He could sense something more than just a dark, dangerous storm in this mass of magic.

The wind blew again. Cold! The ice seemed to catch in his hair, to coat his hands. He had no cloak, not on such a fine, warm spring day. Dacey started to chant a protection spell, but the moment he whispered the first bit of magic he became aware of....

Aware that his magic had drawn the attention of something that instantly came seeking for him in the swirl of ice and wind that made it hard for him to even see the trail now.

Was something awakening out there that had been banned from this land before humans turned on their own mages? The People of the Night often helped him to send the worst of those creatures to other places where they could live their lives in calm and peace. The Evin were gone to an island far out to sea where they would never see or deal with humans again. He missed them sometimes.

But he would not miss whatever pulled this storm to them and hunted him in the maelstrom. Very many of the magical creatures had powers of their own, but these seemed by far the worst.

"Silver!" he shouted again, fear and frustration giving his voice strength this time. Silver might be in more danger than even Dacey since he had only begun to hone his own skills. Dacey pushed up along the trail, which was icy now and dangerous. He slipped on the rocks, and scrambled upward on his hands and knees. He thought something passed over the top of him -- a dark shape he could not quite make out, but like nothing he had seen before.

I'm going to need your help, Phaedra, he thought, but it was too early to call for her. Instead he shouted for Silver again.

And this time he thought he heard Silver call back in return. It gave him a little more hope as he got back to his feet and tried to follow the sound, distorted as it was by the wind.

"Dacey!"

"Here!"

Closer than he expected -- or maybe not. He tried to reach Silver, but the wind grew worse, and he lost his footing again, sliding back down the trail before he caught hold of a boulder again. He held tight.

The wind -- and whatever controlled it -- didn't want him to reach Silver, which meant something intelligent in the storm, and not just the casting of a storm to trouble them. This had a hand behind each wind.

Another mage? He feared so, which meant no good for the people of Dodano. And no good for him, either, since he and Silver appeared to be the first ones under attack. If they failed here... well, the city people would likely finally learn the difference between good and evil, and where magic fell in that endless war. The art had never been any better or worse than the people who wielded it.

"Dacey!"

He forced himself to his feet again and fought up against the wind one more time. Up the trail, digging fingers into the ice and dirt, and going on hands and knees --

Lightning flashed over his head, and in that moment he saw four large, winged creatures standing on boulders to the side of the trail.

Dacey let go and slid back downward, though that didn't help. They had seen him, and he heard them screech as they took to flight and sailed downward toward him.

He only hoped they were as blind in the storm as he -- believed it, in fact, since he suspected one of them had flown right over him earlier. Now he scrambled into the nearest brushes to the side of the trail, heedless of the thorns that scratched at him. He knelt there, silent and still. He had learned that, at least, from Mage Gregor. He knew how best not to draw attention.

He saw all four of the creatures land nearby. They turned -- black faces, red eyes, mouths of dagger-like teeth. He thought they sniffed at the air, and he realized that he sat upwind of them. Fool. But he stayed there, even as they came closer --

He threw fire into their faces.

They howled louder than the storm and scrambled away, animal-like in their fear.

Silver found him and came running straight in to help, heedless of the strange enemy. One of the creatures growled and swiped at Silver, who barely ducked out of the way and didn't pause when Dacey grabbed his arm and they both ran.

They would not get far. Dacey just wanted better ground, and a few yards farther down the trail it flattened out. He would not have to worry so much about falling and being helpless before these... things.

"Get behind me, Silver," Dacey ordered. They'd worked together too often in the past for Silver to argue. "Be ready for the second attack. Here they come! They don't like fire!"

"Likely not, considering they came in this wave of ice. Gods all, it's cold up here!"

Dacey agreed as he and Silver ducked out of the way of the gliding figures. They went overhead and landed.

They spun as the creatures attacked and fought them back the first round, though both had taken cuts this time. They had, however, taken one of the creatures down already.

And then another cry on the wind...

"Dacey!"

"Hell, it's Prince Micah!" Silver said. He held a wooden dagger, made extraordinarily sharp and strong by magic. "Stay back, Prince Micah!"

The warning didn't stop the prince, however turned out that was for the better. Micah came with a half dozen guards who rushed in to help, despite the strangeness of the enemy. Maybe they were all getting too used to this --

One of the things tried for Micah. Dacey dissuaded it from that attack with a spear of power that went through the creature's back. It went down and Micah decapitated it in the next blow. His brother smiled at him, and then he started to shout --

Something grabbed Dacey from behind, claws in his side. He tried to pull free but it was the attack of the others that kept it from killing him. They dragged it back, and fought the other away as well -- trained soldiers who knew how to use their weapons.

And that attack proved to be another problem.

Soldiers were all around him, battling back the last two creatures -- metal swords, metal daggers, metal helmets. He couldn't breathe. He heard Silver cry out in sudden pain, but his friend did not back away. Instead he grabbed hold of Dacey and tried to get him free of both the enemy and the soldiers. It didn't work. The second creature caught Dacey from behind, and the soldiers pressed in again.

The last of the things died, its fanged mouth only inches from Dacey's throat. He could feel its dying breath on his face as it went down. The guards, taking no chances, decapitated the last one as well.

And Dacey went down to his knees, unable to breathe. The wind blew harder and he felt the cold on his face as the world started to go dark around him. He feared it. He fought it away, at least for the moment.

"Dacey, please --" Micah said. He had been speaking for a little while, Dacey thought. He hadn't heard it. "Dacey, we need to get you back down to the city."

"Mother will think that I --" he said softly, looking into his brother's face.

"Damn Mother," Micah said. That startled even Silver. "No, I mean it. She doesn't want to understand, Dacey. She wants you and everything that happened to just go away. It won't, even if you did. Now careful. You're bleeding, brother. Can you do something, Silver?"

Silver nodded and laid a hand on Dacey's side. The pain of the wound eased. It helped more when Micah warned the soldiers to move back, though he wisely didn't send them far.

"Silver -- can you help ward?" Dacey said. He lifted an arm, but it shook. Burns showed on his hand. He had come far too close to the metal.

"They're dead, Dacey," Silver said, reaching for his friend's hand.

"Dead... but the storm is still here," Dacey said. He shook his head and pulled away from Silver. "Keep your power, Silver. We need to get off the mountain. We need to get away from here and to cover."

"He's right," Silver said. He stood. "The storm is magic as well, and not good, if it hid those creatures. Let's get away from here before something else comes out of the storm."

Micah looked up at the clouds. Then he reached and helped Dacey to his feet. They had a long ways to go back down, but the soldiers kept guard.

He wanted answers, but for now he would be content to be safe.

Chapter Two

Silver looked back at the mountain when they reached the edge of the city. He could see nothing but shadows and the hint of ice that flashed when lightning lit the sky.

The winds grew again, and he felt the magic in the air, swirling around them and growing. Now it struck with a fierceness that began to tear roofs from the outer buildings.

"No!" Dacey shouted. He pulled free of Silver and spun back to face the storm. Silver didn't know how Dacey stayed to his feet just then, or where he drew on that magic he used. But he threw it back at the storm that had hounded them all the way down the mountain, and drove back the clouds, scattering them.

And then he went down, unconscious. The storm had already begun to reform, but Silver scattered it again, and he could tell by the lessening of the magic in the air that it would take longer to come back again.

"Well done, Silver," Hanrel said.

They'd been guards together a few short years ago, before he fell in with the apprentice that everyone wanted to kill, and found that simple answers no longer worked in his universe.

"Thank you," Silver said with a quick bow of his head. He still felt uncomfortable with old friends, and it had nothing to do with the barrier of metal that magic put between them. He'd changed far more than just with the knowledge of a forbidden art.

Micah handed all of his belt knives over to another soldier and helped to lift Dacey. He looked worried, which Silver found reassuring again. He shouldn't have needed it lately, but it still helped to know that Dacey's brothers still stood by him in this madness.

"Let's get him to cover," Micah said. "I think the storm is going to blow up again --"

"We need to get to the sea," Silver said. Micah shook his head, and as much as Silver disliked arguing with the next man in line for the throne, he still did. "We need to get there. We need to be close when the moons rise and the People of the Night arrive. The sooner we can speak with them about this, the better. It's not good, Prince Micah. You know that, right?"

"The storm is --"

"The storm, the creatures that attacked us, the very feel in the air: There is trouble coming. Trouble, in fact, already here, and more on the way. We need help. And I can't keep him safe, sire. I don't have that much power."

"To the ocean," Micah agreed. "I'd send for horses... but I don't think we'd have much of a chance riding them in this storm."

"Safer to walk," Silver agreed. He helped to get Dacey back on his feet. His friends seemed a little more awake again.

Surprisingly, the townspeople seemed to be less panicked than Silver had expected. In fact, they were far less antagonistic when they came out of their buildings, asking questions. A few even dared to walk with them for a short way, asking what they could do.

They went past the temple because it was along the shortest route to the sea. That might have been a mistake; Micah's guards came between the Queen's guards when they started toward them. Dacey lifted his head in shock at the shouts and the sounds of weapons pulled. And when he saw the temple, he went pale.

Or maybe it wasn't the temple and the guards, but the sight of the woman standing just inside the door, a priest at her back. Dacey's mother, and even from here, Silver could tell that she was angry.

And she hadn't the right. It drew an unexpected rage from Silver, and it was just as well that Micah kept them moving, even when she called his name.

"Micah --" Dacey whispered.

"No, I'm not going to her. She's not important at the moment. You are. We're going to the ocean. Does that suit you?"

He looked up at the sky. Good thing that they were both holding him. He would have fallen over.

"Yes, good," he said. "We need the People."

"That's what Silver said, and convinced me. The storm is blowing up again."

"Get to the sea," Dacey said. He tried to walk, but it was obvious he had pushed himself too far again.

Silver heard the clash of swords behind them and looked back to see the groups of guards in battle. "Hell!"

"Damn them. We need to hurry and get to the palace and the guard. It's not your fault, Dacey. Don't give me that look. They're being idiots if they think fighting each other now is a good idea."

Silver nodded agreement, but he knew they wouldn't convince Dacey. It didn't matter. The temple wasn't far from the palace, and by the time they reached the gate, the other three princes had already come out, with a few guards of their own --

Or rather the two princes -- Clarion and Zev -- and King Tain. Sometimes he still had trouble remembering that Tain had taken the throne, but at a time like this he was very grateful.

"Trouble back at the temple," Micah said. "And at the mountain, but that was something different."

"Julin --"

"On my way," Julin said, signaling a quarter of the guard to him. "Only a few minutes to sunset. You'll be safe here?"

He looked, surprisingly, at Dacey for the answer.

"I'll do the best I can," Dacey said.

Julin nodded and left with the guards. Micah took Dacey in through the gate and Silver followed, half stumbling, and grateful when Clarion put a hand on his shoulder.

"Looks like you two went through hell," Clarion said.

"Close to it," Dacey admitted. He didn't even argue about going into the palace, even though he didn't live there with the others. Silver shared a small apartment with him not far away, but right now he felt grateful for the safety of the palace and the strong ward around it.

They made it to the main hall, and he sat in the first place Clarion indicated, leaned back and closed his eyes...

"Moonrise, Silver," Dacey said.

He sat up with a start. He'd slept -- or maybe he had been unconscious. He had certainly felt weak enough for it. He stood slowly, feeling aches, cuts, and pains that reminded him of the trouble as much as the storm that raged outside.

"The storm is keeping Mother and her people indoors, at least," Clarion was saying. He dripped rainwater on the floor, and Silver could already see servants hovering nearby, ready to step in and clean up the mess. "But the wind has taken down a few buildings. We need to do something quickly, if we can."

"The People," Dacey said. He started toward the door, and the others fell in around him.

They went out into the storm again, and across the courtyard. Wind battered the world and drove rain into their faces. Silver thought about making a ward, and discarded the idea as quickly. They would need all the magic he could bring to them tonight. Wasting it now would not help.

Zev pushed the gate open, looking nervously at his brother the mage. Dacey had been known to do crazy things when he thought others in danger, and Silver knew the others worried about what he would do now.

They weren't far from the shore, but even so, the People of the Night nearly beat them there. Phaedra arrived first, looking frantically around. It did not calm anyone to see her so worried.

"We've felt this trouble since it started. Praise the Gods that you and Silver are still all right. I worried."

"What's brought this?" Dacey asked, grabbing at her arm when the wind tried to push him into the sea.

"I don't know. I don't recognize it. But it uses this world to fuel the spell, and I can work to weaken that link."

She lifted her hands and shouted into the wind -- and the wind listened to her. Silver smiled as he watched the clouds scatter and the winds die. The storm disappeared back into the sky, and he didn't think it would be back this time.

By then Brother had arrived as well, along with half a dozen other of the People. Brother put a hand on Silver's shoulder, frowned, and then healed his wounds in a quick wave of warmth. It helped in some ways, but made him very tired.

"Thank you," Silver said. "Dacey --"

But Phaedra already had Dacey in her hold. She looked a little pale -- it could not have been simple to destroy that storm, no matter how easily she appeared to do it. But Dacey looked better when she let go.

"Zev and I are going to go check for people trapped in collapsed buildings," Clarion said. "We're taking some of the guard with us, so the rest of you had better get to cover. There's no telling what the fallout from this might be."

"I'll go with --" Dacey began.

"No," Phaedra said. "We need to talk, Dacey."

Some of the People did go off to help Clarion and Zev, though. Silver was glad to see it. They could do some good.

"I'm going back inside. I have councilors arriving already," Tain said. He didn't look happy. "Be careful. Do you need a room where you can meet?"

"Not in the palace," Dacey said. "Not this time. There are too many people worried about what brought the magic. I think it best if we go out somewhere more public."

"Good idea," Brother said. "I think a local tavern would be a good plan, if we can find any with the doors unbarred to us."

Phaedra gave him a very odd look, and Brother turned away from her. Silver wondered what story went unsaid in that look, but he didn't ask. Instead, he lead them a little ways into the city and to the Green Ale House, a place he had liked to frequent back when he'd been a guard.

The door came open at his touch. People inside looked, and then looked again as the group stepped in. They drew silence, but Silver hoped that would pass quickly.

"Welcome, Prince Micah, Prince Dacey... and friends. Silver. I haven't seen you in too long."

Silver smiled, grateful for the acceptance that the owner and barkeep, Femar, showed them. He led the group to a table across the room and made very little of the unusual character of some of the people.

They settled at the table, but suddenly Phaedra reached across and put a hand on Brother's arm. She looked concerned. "This can't be easy for you."

He shrugged. Silver had never seen such a reaction from him before. But then he put his hands on the table and glanced around the room. "I used to spend time in a place much like this... eons ago, and with my human friends. It's not easy, but like Silver -- I needed to come back here."

Silver nodded. He hadn't expected that reaction, to feel akin to Brother in this.

"We could feel the storm," Phaedra said, drawing everyone's attention back to the trouble. "And we could feel other things, searching out Dacey. I don't know why, and I could not guess what they were --"

"I know them," Silver suddenly said. "I didn't realize but... I know what they are. Gargoyles. They come from Abby's world. I remember them from my contact with the Kiya."

"Ah," Phaedra said. She didn't look at all happy.

"Does that mean Abby lost?" Micah asked. He looked shocked at the idea.

"No," Dacey said. "No, if Abby had lost, I don't think anything would bother to hunt for me. I think what we have is another piece of the same battle. And if I am still fighting in Abby's cause, then I'm glad to be back in the war."

Phaedra nodded and looked relieved. "You're right, Dacey. If Gix had won against Abby, it would be petty for him to move against you like this, and with so obviously little success. Instead, he makes it apparent you are still an important player in this war, which gives us reason to protect you."

"I don't want to put you in danger --" he began, but he lifted his hand before any of them could really speak, "-- so I will do my best to stay out of as much trouble as I can."

Phaedra smiled and put a hand on Dacey's arm. "You are a wonder, my friend. I still regret things I did in my past, you know -- such things as have made life so difficult for you. If I could undo it, I would. But since I can't, I will instead protect you as best I can. And I am honored to be counted as your friend, and I will hold you in my heart forever."

"The way Brother holds his lost friends?" Dacey said, looking at Brother. "I wouldn't wish that bitterness on you."

Brother's head came up, and Silver had never seen such shock and dismay on anyone's face, let alone one of the People. For a moment, Silver thought the man would cry.

"I'm sorry," Dacey said, sounding appalled. "That was unthinking. It was unkind --"

"It was true," Phaedra said. "And if Dacey can see it, who hardly really knows you at all, then think how the rest of us have felt, Brother."

Brother looked at her, his head tilted. Calm came back to his face, but it seemed a different calm than before the statement. Silver believed something had changed in that moment.

"Brother --" Dacey started.

He reached over a hand on Dacey's shoulder. And he smiled.

"I was the one who said we should come here. I did it for a reason you know." He nodded his thanks as the barkeep brought a pitcher of ale and clay cups -- an understanding man, not to bring metal near Dacey and Silver. "I used to spend all the time I could in this city... it was but a village then. I came to taverns much like this, and sat with friends far through the night, much to Phaedra's annoyance sometimes. I needed to return and remember those times again, because I have let far too much anger fall between me and the memories of my friends. It is not the love I held for them that has made me bitter, Dacey. It was the loss of them, and my own anger."

Phaedra poured ale and passed the cups around. "And it's why we still call you Brother, even after all this time."

He nodded, but didn't elaborate on the name. Brother looked around the tavern, and then took a cup from Dacey's offered hand and sipped. His look grew darker again. "My friends stood by me when the war came. And they were the first killed by their own. I will never trust humans again, not after what they did."

"Will you, never?" Phaedra asked. "Never trust Dacey? Or Silver? Or Prince Micah?"

That drew Brother's shocked look as though he hadn't really considered the full implications of what he felt. And maybe he hadn't, since at least Silver and Dacey were hardly a part of humanity these days.

"That's not the same, you know," Brother said. "They aren't --"

"They are human," Phaedra said. She raised a hand when Dacey started to speak. It seemed wise to let her deal with it. Silver could see problems, otherwise. He liked Brother. He trusted Brother... but Brother obviously did not feel the same way.

"Let it go, Phaedra," Brother said. He picked up the ale and drank, his eyes glaring across the cup.

"No, I will not. And you will listen. Sit down."

Brother had started to stand. He looked ready to walk out, but at her order, he sat again. Silver had never been entirely sure about rank with the People of the Night, but he had come to suspect more and more that Phaedra held a position akin to Tain's and was the ruler of her people. Brother sat in front of her, his hands on the table, and though he glared, he listened to her.

"Brother, can you fight not only for the life of our lost little mage, who found his way into our world, but also for the rest of humanity? Can you forgive the sins of those long, long dead?"

"I remember them still," Brother said.

"That does not make them live," Phaedra answered. She shook her head, and reached out to take his hand, though he tried to pull away. "You must be in this war with all your heart, or I will not allow you to fight. I will not let you risk your life in a cause that you don't fully serve."

His head came up, fear in his eyes for the first time. Confusion followed... but a moment later the wind blew hard against the building, and anyone with the sense for magic could feel it in the air.

Maybe the others could as well. Silver saw people who had been clandestinely watching them suddenly glance at the door, worried... as though they knew this was more than just a wind. He wondered how many of them would go over to the Queen, seeing the magic evil return again, the way the priests had predicted it would, as long as the mages lived.

As long as he and Dacey lived. What they didn't know was that the moment the mages died, it freed the People of the Night of an old curse, and they would be able to leave their city in the depths of the sea and walk the world again, even in daylight. That the People didn't consider killing Dacey and Silver said a great deal about their honor.

And Phaedra tested that honor, presenting Brother with a truth he obviously didn't want to face. Silver saw him finally look away from Phaedra and glance around the tavern at the dozen or more curious faces turned to them again.

He bowed his head to Phaedra at last, and the anger left his face. "I am still called Brother because I have not changed, and you always knew it. So yes, I do trust Silver, Dacey and his brothers and I always have."

She nodded and accepted that answer, letting go of his hand. Silver wasn't as certain he liked it. For a moment he had wished she would save Brother from this war, and send him back to safety... and go with him. And take Dacey as well.

But he knew better than to say such a thing.

"You said this is related to the Kiya," Dacey said, looking at him. "You're certain?"

"I know the creatures that attacked us on the mountain came from Abby's world," Silver said, drawing his attention back to the trouble at hand. "I have that from my contact with the Kiya. You held her as well... though not as long as I did. You didn't see these things? Gargoyles?"

"I only spent a few moments in contact with it," Dacey said, but he still gave a little shiver. Silver had to do his best not to copy the move. "And most of that was spent in blind panic. But I believe they came from Abby's world. I just don't know why they would be here now."

"I have not sensed any great change in the universe," Phaedra said. She lifted her hand a little, as though she could tell such things just from testing the air. Perhaps she could -- Silver knew far too little about the People and what powers they had and used. "I have, however, felt a certain... anticipation. Something is on the move, and I think we are only seeing a backlash of it."

"Why here?" Brother asked. "I haven't had the feeling that it's widespread, even here on this world."

"Because the creatures come from Abby's world, I would guess they are perhaps following some path that he took," Dacey offered.

"Yes, that would be possible," Phaedra said. She nodded. "I believe you may have touched on --"

The wind blew harder, and even before Silver realized the danger, Dacey had stood and started toward the door. Phaedra and Brother quickly followed him, Silver and Micah trailing behind.

"Dacey --" Brother began, catching hold of his arm.

"Something is coming, and we don't want it in here," Dacey said, pulling free. He started to ward, and then stopped again. "Be ready to ward."

"What --"

But the door opened and Clarion and Zev rushed in. Clarion had a deep cut across his chest, and Micah caught hold of him with a wordless cry of worry, easing him down to the floor.

Dacey dropped down on his knees, reaching to heal, and then drew back with a gasp of pain. His fingers showed blisters already, but he reached again, before Brother pulled him back and Silver caught his arm before he could drop down again.

"I must --!"

"Phaedra will help him," Brother said. "You and I and Silver are going to have to ward this place. There is something coming, Dacey, and I think it is coming for you again."

Silver looked down. Phaedra had already done most of the work. Dacey had seen as well. He took a deeper breath and began to work on the wards.

Silver helped. But he couldn't help but think that this was going to be a long, hard war, and they didn't even know what they were fighting.

Chapter Three

Abby sat back in the chair and watched as Carrick and Petra stared at the computer screen. Tristan remained with Tam up in the medical center, though it appeared that Prince Tamaris was out of danger, for which he gave silent thanks.

But really, his attention stayed mostly on Carrick and Petra. They looked at the screen of the computer, watching pictures of distant stars and strange worlds, and learning just how large reality could be. He saw amazement in their faces.

When had he stopped feeling amazed? He was still the same person who came from Eltabar, just as they did. He didn't want to feel like wonder and awe had gone from life.

Abby leaned closer to the screen and watched as well. Pretty pictures. Lovely places. He wished they were going there, instead of taking this long roundabout trip to Hell.

He wanted the wonder back. Where had it gone?

You're getting older, Abby.

Abby shook his head and sighed, drawing looks from both Carrick and Petra.

"Something wrong?" Carrick asked, looking worried.

"No. Tristan just told me that I'm getting old."

I did not!

He laughed. Petra did as well, and Carrick a moment later.

"It's good to see you again, Abby," Carrick said, putting a hand on Abby's arm. "I never thought we'd have the chance again."

"And you shouldn't be happy for it," Abby said. "I only bring trouble, you know."

"No, you bring the belief that we have some control over what happens to our lives."

"I just don't understand," Abby admitted, sitting back again. "The two of you... you had a good life on Ylant."

"This isn't about what we have," Petra said. "It's about what we can lose and about what we can offer to save others. We learned that from you, you know."

"Me?"

"What have you ever done for yourself?" Carrick asked.

"Well... we had Banning find a way to bring Tristan and me back to Ylant. And you saw what happened there. I bring trouble."

"Yes, you do," Carrick agreed. Petra frowned. "But it is a trouble worth fighting, don't you think? And that's the point, Abby. This has never been just your war."

"I --"

"You were born to it," Petra said with a nod. "You have no choice. However, the rest of us have to make decisions about where we stand."

"But you wouldn't have to make that decision if I hadn't --"

Carrick shook his head. "No. You have that wrong. We wouldn't have a chance to make that choice if you hadn't come along. There is a big difference, you know. I am grateful for a chance to fight in the war."

"And if this war is going to be fought," Petra added, leaning forward, "I would much rather have it fought on Gix's world than on Ylant. So I'm glad to be able to take it there."

That makes sense!

It does, Abby agreed. And they are here.

I think it's time to let go of why, and start worrying about what we're going to do.

Good point. How is Tam?

Doing much better. What did Petra say?

"I'm sorry," Abby said, looking back at Petra. "What did you say?"

Petra smiled. "Your one-sided conversations are a bit odd, you know. I just asked where Tristan is."

"He's up in the medcenter with Tam. He's recovering. We'll need to be very careful of Braith in the future. That came far too close."

"And you're worried because there will soon be others in the same danger," Petra said. "But they would be in danger even if you didn't go there, right?"

"They are in danger because I went there the first time."

No. They were in danger because I sent the Kiya to them.

"That was not your fault!"

"You know, I think this might be more interesting than even having Tristan here with us," Carrick said with a bright grin.

"Sorry," Abby apologized. "Sometimes he just drives me crazy."

As if you would notice the difference.

He shook his head and leaned back again. Good to have Tristan joking, even if at his expense. Tam's slow recovery had put many of them on edge for awhile, but now -- even with the journey under way -- it seemed things were better.

"We're just glad to be here with you," Carrick said. He glanced around the room. "Wherever here might be."

"Banning says we are between one reality and the next, in a matrix void of unassembled potentials and power," Abby said. "And that makes as much sense to me as it did to you."

They all laughed, including Tristan in that other place. Abby accepted the moment of humor, and even relished it. He did like having them here with him, these people who had brought him out of the lies of his life and into the light of what it meant to be a human. True, he had never really been one... but they taught him that not all humans were like his father and his barbarian followers.

"Abby?" Petra asked.

"You remind me of why I am fighting," Abby admitted. "I don't do this for myself. Don't say anything. I never have, and that's just the truth we all have to accept."

"I wish it were different, Abby," Carrick said. He shook his head, looking worried. "I wish your life had been different."

"But then I wouldn't be who I am," he said and shrugged. "It doesn't matter. We're here. And the truth is that if Gix is going to make enemies of you anyway, then we are better off fighting together."

"I wish there were other things we could do for you," Petra replied. He looked at the computer screen again, and then away. "Sometimes I don't think you understand the world very well at all, even now."

"My father made me an animal, and my mother made me... unworldly. You are the ones who make me human. That's important. You are right, though. I don't understand the world much at all. But do any of us?"

He saw both of them look around the metal walls of the room.

"Not any more," Carrick said.

"Everything changes," Abby said. "Do you think much about the fact that you're speaking the language of another world? Tristan makes it seem so easy, sometimes, that I think we don't really recognize the depth of the change."

"Tell us about where we're going," Petra suggested. "I've gathered it's not entirely safe."

"Nowhere is entirely safe. We're certainly not safe here," he said, waving a hand toward the walls and whatever existed outside them. "Always remember that. Being with me will always be a danger... but I won't argue that point anymore. You're here. We go on. And now we're going on to find Dacey's world. He lives on a large island, a country where magic is not tolerated, and the mages are hunted and killed. I believe that had started to change before we left, but there's no way to tell what sort of trouble we will find. But there will be allies, at least in Dacey, Silver and the People of the Night."

"People of the Night?" Carrick asked.

"Much like Tristan, they are people of magic. But an old war cursed them to live in a city beneath the ocean waves, and only walk on the land for a short time each night."

"It doesn't sound like a pleasant place," Petra said, looking worried now.

"It could be. But when we left... no, I could not say it was pleasant yet. I don't know how long until we get there. No one knows, least of all Banning, who has devised this insane melding of technology and magic to take us to other places. Would you like to see the rest of the ship?

"Will it help us understand?" Carrick asked.

"Absolutely not."

They laughed and stood. He had suspected they'd be ready to leave their rooms now that they'd gotten used to the idea of being in a ship. The first few 'days' he'd come by, they had been more than content to stay in the little but wondrous area of their rooms.

Both followed him out into the corridor, looking from right to left as though they expected to find something charging through the area and trampling them. The corridor remained empty. With a ship this large, Abby rarely saw anyone on the side halls.

He led them along the slight curve and toward the central corridor, the long, winding and wide passage that passed in a spiral from the bottom of the ship to the top. Coming here always reminded him of how much larger this ship was than Freedom .

Istanan had been heading up from the lower levels. He grinned and waved, jogging a little ways to reach them.

"Abby! And your friends -- Carrick, Petra. Good to see you!"

"This is Istanan," Abby said. "He's one of Crystal's crew."

"And Crystal is the smuggler, right?" Petra said, looking uncertain.

"Yes, the smuggler," Istanan said nodding. "And you know, I rather hope we can get back to something so... calm again, someday." But he laughed, and Abby had the feeling he really didn't mean it. "Where are you going? Up?"

"Yes," Abby said. "I thought it was time I showed them the control deck. Do you know who is standing as Captain?"

"Crystal," Istanan said and smiled.

"Would he mind if we come up and look around?" Abby asked.

"Not at all," Istanan said, and waved them onward. They started up the curve. Someone moved ahead of them, far up the spiral. Abby couldn't see who it was from here. "They like to see you, Abby."

"I suppose so. It reminds them what they're doing out here."

"Yes. We're here because we like you."

Carrick and Petra both laughed.

"I thought Carrick and Petra might like to see the controls of the ship. This is nothing like the world where we came from, you know."

"I know. Sometimes I am amazed that all of you take so well to the ships. It has to be quite a change. But you, Tristan, Tabor, and you two -- you don't seem to be troubled at all."

Good thing he can't see in our minds.

Abby grinned but said nothing.

"Where is Tristan?" Istanan asked. He looked worried. "Still with Tam?"

"Yes, but Tam is doing much better."

"Good." Istanan slowed down. "Having a prince of the line aboard makes me nervous. And then I think about having Emperor Kadrien... but what does that mean to you?"

"That I have very powerful friends," Abby answered.

"Well, I know that feeling," Istanan said, looking back at him.

"This craft is... large," Carrick said. He looked down another corridor with openings to the right and left of them. "I've seen castles smaller than this. How do you keep from getting lost? All the corridors look the same, and there aren't even flights of stairs to count to get you back to the same place. I'll never find the rooms again."

"We'll get you back. Don't worry," Istanan said.

"I get lost all the time," Abby admitted. "Tristan does a bit better, but this isn't a place of nature, and sometimes he gets turned around, too -- especially in the side corridors. Some of them interlock, and the best you can do is either find a crewman to lead you out, or just keep heading toward the center of the ship until you find this corridor."

"Which, in fact, is how most of us find our way," Istanan said, shaking his head as he looked around. "This is a bigger ship than any of us are used to, and there aren't very many of us aboard. Normally, a ship this size would have a crew that numbered at least a couple hundred. And the guests... well, our last emperor, for instance, liked to keep many people close to him. He rarely left the world, but when he did, he made sure he didn't leave anyone dangerous behind."

"Why aren't the corridors given some sort of distinction? Different colors or numbers or something," Carrick asked.

"Mistrust, mostly. The same reason that he would bring those people along. He preferred to have the people confused. Besides, I've heard that quite a few of the past emperors couldn't read."

"But isn't Kadrien --" Petra began, looking confused.

"Kadrien is nothing like his father," Istanan said. "Tam isn't like him either... Tam is Kadrien's cousin, in case no one pointed that out to you."

"The rest of you don't seem to have much trouble finding your way around the ship," Abby said, nodding toward a side hall where Zoe was walking.

"We're just a little more used to ships. Don't worry about it. I'm sure you have plenty of other things to think about."

Petra laughed. "A polite way to tell you to keep your mind on the real problem, Abby,"

Carrick looked appalled, and Istanan shook his head in mute embarrassment, but Abby laughed.

"You're right. You know. I really don't need to worry about not fitting in here."

"Who has said you don't?" Istanan said. He stopped and held out a hand to stop Abby as well. "What makes you think that you don't? Because you get lost? Would it help to know that we got a call from Etric a few hours ago and had to track him to some side corridor with the computers and tell him how to find the central corridor? Has anyone told you people to use the ship's comm units if you have problems?"

"Comm unit?" Carrick asked.

"Here," Istanan said. He walked to the corner of the hall and tapped a plate with several buttons set in the wall. "If you get lost, or have any other trouble, just press the bottom black button and tell whomever answers what's going on. We should have thought of that before now. We are apt to have... unwanted visitors now and then, and if you run into any of Gix's playthings in the hall, it's wise to call for back up -- or at least let everyone else know we've been boarded."

They both nodded. Abby felt a little odd. He suspected the two of them wouldn't have much trouble fitting in. But he still...

He pushed the thought away and went with the rest of them up the last corridor and down the hall to the large, open control room. He saw Petra and Carrick both falter at the doorway, faced with all the wonders of technology that flashed, buzzed, and beeped, while the crew moved around like half-frantic bees.

Crystal had been at the comp station, but he stood and smiled a welcome when they entered. Ylin slid into the spot the Captain had left open, but he smiled at Abby before he turned back to the work.

"Good afternoon!" Crystal said.

Abby looked at him, startled. "Is it really?"

"What?" Crystal said, confused.

"Afternoon."

"Ah. It is by this shift's time line. But really, time has very little to do with anything except changing shifts and choosing appropriate times to eat and sleep."

"It still confuses me," Abby admitted, thinking about worlds with suns and moons, and time that didn't seem to fluctuate according to the needs of the people. "It's going well?"

"Sure. But you realize we still have no clue what we're really doing, right?"

"Oh yes," Abby said, nodding.

"Good. I would hate for you to feel like we have some sort of handle on this. I see you brought your friends."

"Certainly. Why should they be any less awed and confused than I am?"

Crystal laughed, and then shook his head, brushing blond hair back from his eyes. He looked like someone who could have walked through Lord Indale's Sanwind and not drawn a second look. And that reminded Abby again that they were not different peoples; they just came from different places.

"I probably shouldn't be so amused since I just admitted I have no idea what's going on either," Crystal said, with a glance back at the screens.

"It's all going well, Captain," Banning said, looking back at him and shaking her head. "You really do have to start trusting me."

"Oh, right. And you expect me to be that stupid?"

She laughed this time. "Good point. But I have never led you into trouble you couldn't get out of again."

He looked at her, silently waiting.

"All right, so the idea of raiding the Imperial substation was a mistake. But I thought most of the troops were out. And I did get you out. Eventually. One mistake --!"

"That put me in front of a firing squad."

"Well, it's not like they actually got a chance to kill you. I thought the gas was brilliant, myself. And you did call me an angel when you woke up."

"I thought you were an angel," Crystal answered. "And then I tried to kill you. You were smart to make sure you had me tied down."

Otaka, working at one of the side stations, appeared to be having some trouble getting her breath.

"Let me show you around," Crystal said, looking back at Banning with a look of warning. She turned, going back to her work. Istanan sat down beside her and patted her on the shoulder.

Abby leaned back against the door and watched. He felt a little tired. Odd. Then he realized it wasn't really him.

Sorry.

Are you all right?

It's been a long couple days with Tam. I'll sleep tonight. Rqua is going to sit with him this time. Tam is starting to get restless. It's a good sign, and he won't be here much longer. Almost all the poison is gone. I suspect we could let him out already, but Kadrien... well, Kad is still worried, and Tam agreed to stay here for his sake. Sharton is almost as bad.

I'm glad things are better. Gods, Tristan -- what are we going to do if --

We'll do what we have to. Spend your time with Carrick and Petra. I'm going to rest here for a while, until Rqua arrives.

Tristan pulled away a little. Abby didn't feel as tired. He worried about the elf...

"Changes, Captain," Banning suddenly said. She began to run her hands over the keys in quick succession. "Yes, there it is. We're almost there."

Tristan -- no time to rest. Looks like we've arrived.

I'll be there in a moment. Rqua is on his way.

"Sit there," Crystal said, waving them toward the bench. "If this goes like the last one --"

"Cutting engines at the count of ten," Banning warned.

Istanan put out a quick ship-wide warning. Crystal dropped into a seat by the controls, and Abby got Carrick and Petra down just barely in time. The ship jolted, and the view on the screen changed from pretty swirling colors to black. Abby held his breath.

"Ban, any time now would be good," Crystal said.

The ship trembled. Something protested with an alarm, but Otaka seemed to settle that quickly enough. A moment later the screen started to show something...

But Abby already knew that something had gone wrong. He could feel it as he looked at the large, blue world below them.

"Trouble," Abby said. "There's trouble out there."

Banning and Crystal both looked back him, startled.

"Well, not a surprise," Crystal said as he stood. "That's why we're here right? I assume that it's magical trouble?"

"Yes," Etric said, coming into the deck. "And I would say that storm is the heart of it."

A storm raged like a seething black creature over a large area of ocean. Abby didn't need to guess where they would find Dodano. No one else even asked.

"We're going to have to go in low and look for someplace to land," Istanan said. "We can't get any readings though that mass."

"Wonderful," Crystal said. "Everyone make sure you're secured. Istanan, warn the crew again."

Etric passed some magic over the ship as they started in -- displacement correction Tristan told him, so the huge ship didn't cause havoc where it passed. Etric looked at the storm and shook his head, expending even more magic. This wasn't good.

Petra watched the screen, entranced, as they came closer and closer to the world. Carrick, on the other hand, watched the crew and only glanced at the screen now and then. Abby found himself watching his friends more than anything else.

But they reached atmosphere a few moments later, and though Banning slowed the craft, it still seemed as though they dropped far too fast into some black well. The dark of the clouds came rushing up around them, and they found themselves in darkness...

"Better," Istanan said. "I have a landmass, Ban. Sending coordinates."

Lighting brightened the screen, showing only swirls of clouds. Down still, but the ship moved against gravity as well. Strange feeling still...

Ocean, wild with waves and storm, too close below them. Banning pulled them up a little with a slight whistle of surprise.

"Ah. I thought we were going to find out how well we did as a submarine," Crystal said.

"Might be interesting," Banning replied, without looking up.

"Maybe next time," Etric suggested. He leaned over the controls as well, his hands moving quickly. "Is that your island, Abby? Can you tell?"

He looked up at the screen, frowning a moment, and then nodded. "Yes, that's definitely it. Those two peaks are the Horns of the Demon. The city will be on the other side."

"Horns of the Demon," Crystal said, shaking his head. "What a wonderfully descriptive name. We're almost there."

Interlude Three

Gix enjoyed the chase. He had been far too long away from the hunt and it thrilled him in ways little else had in the last few eons. Now he sent his gargoyles out of the city, swarming up through the hills and finding other, old evils for him to awake. Oh yes, so much answered so readily to his call -- things that came willingly to the light though they had not been there since before man came to this island.

Gix came to the island as well, though not fully in corporal form. He chose a more difficult path, but one that drew far less attention. He flew in the storm, careful to keep his attention on his essence. A lesser being could lose himself in such wild, free abandon. Not him.

He watched, enthralled. When had he started to become so complacent with his existence? When had he started relegating everything to Braith and Tabor, and lost his taste for the blood and games?

That craft came sooner than he expected. He watched it slip from the edges of the vortex and into the reality of this place. Gix had wondered if the storm would slow them, but it didn't.

He tested the ship, touching it with his lighting, testing the structure. Huge. He had not really looked at the shell in which they traveled before now. He brushed against it, studying... for future purposes. He would do nothing too quickly.

Because he enjoyed the game too much.

Drawing back to the world, he let his own essence rush across the mountains again, this time doing the work himself, at least in spirit. He awakened more, until the ground trembled with the rage of things that did not want to come to the light. He forced them out.

He could love a land like this, with curses run rampant and old evils slumbering, left like ghosts. All waiting for him, all in his control, even the most reluctant. Out, out into the storm and the night.

He looked at the ship coming closer, down through the clouds, changing direction. It intrigued him. He reached out and brushed against it again, tasting the scent of life inside. Feeling the Godling close... and his treacherous son. Both of them, within his reach -- but it would take too much to grab them out of this shell.

And besides, Starwind hovered close by as well. He could see her in the clouds, watching him, waiting for him to do something more than awaken the creatures already in his realm of control.

No, he would not. He would not do anything that drew her directly into the war. He wasn't ready to upset the balance yet.

Traps. He and Starwind set traps within traps, and watched for one to be sprung. It would not be him, not here. He had other places to go still.

He swept through the city again, sending terror to those who prayed in the dark. They didn't truly believe, and Starwind knew it. She didn't try to stop him. But he knew she would be here when the storm passed, and spread hope to the survivors.

Balance.

For the moment.

He left even before the ship disgorged its passengers and the battle began. Back to his world, where he gasped air in his own lungs and grabbed at some creature flittering nearby, shoving it into his mouth and crunching. Food. Blood. Life.

He prepared himself for a journey to the next world.

Chapter Four

Dacey had fallen asleep on a bench by the wall. The Innkeeper had offered to house them properly for the night, but they'd all refused, and stayed in the common room, including the princes. The few townspeople still there had seemed surprised at first, but they accepted it soon enough.

And Dacey had slept surprisingly well, considering the trouble just beyond their wall. As he dropped off, he wondered which of his companions had set the subtle little spell on him; Silver, Phaedra, or Brother? No matter. He accepted and slept well. Safe.

But he awoke later, startled. At first he wasn't sure why.

"Dacey?" Clarion said.

"Sorry," Dacey said. He realized he had sat up so quickly he'd startled everyone. He could not have slept very long. Brother and Phaedra were still there. "I just felt odd."

And then he felt it again, like the whisper of fire brushing against his skin. He rubbed at his arm, frowning.

"What is that?" Brother said, suddenly standing. "What --"

Dacey stood, fear spreading like a cold ice across him. He lifted his hand to touch -- and drew it back as quickly. He could feel a mountain of iron coming.

Silver sat up, gasping, his face already white. Dacey wanted to help him, but he already felt his legs starting to give way. He thought he heard the others shouting --

Roaring. The world shook with it, and he feared the building would collapse. He tasted dust in the air, and heard cries of worry from the others. He wanted to reassure them but --

Metal. Gods, so much metal. Dacey couldn't tell if it was the trembling that sent him to his knees or the pain. He didn't have time to cry out. He just put his hands to his chest as everything burned.

"Dacey! Phaedra!" Micah shouted and dropped down beside him.

Silver cried out and went down as well, but Zev had been there and caught him.

Couldn't breathe. Couldn't hear. Metal everywhere, as though the sky had suddenly been shelled. He wanted them to kill him. He wanted out before... before...

But then it went past, flying off like some giant bird. He had begun to gasp for breath again, grabbing at Clarion. His brother held him close, whispering things, but he couldn't quite hear yet. Clarion's hand brushed against his hair, and he shuddered for new reasons. He wasn't used to kindness, even still. And the metal had awakened nightmares of a time in human hands, of pain given for their pleasure --

Phaedra laid her hand on the back of his neck, startling him.

"It's gone, Dacey. Though it hasn't gone far, I fear."

For a moment still he couldn't draw away from Clarion. He feared he couldn't speak. It had brought back other nightmares as well.

But no. No, this was not those days. He sat here with friends, and Gods, even with family. He looked at Phaedra, who stared at him with open worry, her hand still on his neck, ready to give whatever help she could.

"What was that?" he whispered. He looked around, making certain Silver was all right. His friend had already gotten back to his feet.

"That was something... beyond all strangeness," Phaedra said. "I can't name it. Brother --"

"I'll go see," Brother said. Micah had gone to the door with him, and a couple of the People and a few of the townspeople prepared to go out as well. Good. No one argued. Whatever had passed over them had been too dangerous to take chances. He watched them go and hoped... prayed...

"Come on, Dacey," Clarion said, pulling him to his feet, and then sitting him down on the bench again. "Gods, that had to be hard on you two."

Dacey nodded. But he glanced at Phaedra, worried by the look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Things came awake during the storm. Things have come out of their lairs. Brother and I could feel it, and it worried us -- but not nearly as much as this has."

"You think Abby lost the battle, don't you?" Clarion said.

Phaedra looked back at him, worry in her face. "I don't want to think it... but I felt Gix in the air. I felt him close. The only thing giving me hope is that he left quickly when that thing arrived."

Dacey shook his head. He couldn't hope whatever had arrived would help. It couldn't help him, though maybe he shouldn't judge something that way.

Brother and Micah returned at a run, breathless, and drawing worried shouts all around --

"No. It's all right. You'd better come," Brother said, waving toward the door. "It's settled down on the shore, south of the city. I can't -- I can't even begin to describe it. You'd better come quickly -- though Silver and Dacey can't get very close. I've never seen so much metal in all my life! I didn't think there could be so much metal in all the world!"

Micah only nodded, plainly too stunned still to speak.

So they went out into the storm. It felt cold... almost a comfort after the fire that had burnt his skin. Phaedra threw her own cloak over his shoulders, and shook her head when he started to protest.

It didn't matter. They hadn't far to go.

Down around the curve of the street, out toward the palace and then...

There it stood on the beach like a giant, carefully shaped stone. Huge. A village could have sat inside that stone.

He had never seen anything so strange and utterly unworldly in his life. He had spent years studying magic under Gregor, and never seen a hint of anything like this monster.

"We can't fight it," Dacey said. "We can't begin to fight it --"

"Calm," Phaedra replied. She held him back from going closer. "Calm. It has not yet attacked, Dacey. And surely something this size could have destroyed half the city. It could have done it just by choosing a different place to settle."

Brother nodded, though he looked pale. Tain had come from the castle, the guard at his back. Townspeople gathered at the edge of the square, watching. They had gone beyond terror, he guessed.

Or perhaps they hoped what Phaedra did -- that this thing had done them no harm. That it might not hurt them. He wondered if he dared to hope as well.

Chapter Five

The group headed down to the airlock, but this time they took the single lift the ship possessed. Etric pointed out that it did not have entry on most of the levels, but it could get them down to the airlock faster.

"Another protection for the Emperor?" Abby asked.

"Yes. It stops at the Royal Level, but nowhere else between here and the bottom airlock. It allowed the Emperor and his most trusted people to reach the controls, or to escape, ahead of anyone else except crew who might be in the area," Sharton said. He had come up to the control deck just after they landed and keyed the lift open for them. "I'll reset the code so that any of you can use the damned thing. It might prove helpful."

"Very much so," Crystal said, leaning back against the wall. "I really don't like taking long jogs up and down this ship all the time, especially not when we're in the kind of trouble we've been facing lately."

The lift slowed to a stop at the bottom of the craft. Abby took a deep breath, worrying about what they would find beyond the airlock. Crystal and Etric led the way, and stopped by the inner doors, keying on the screen before they went out.

"That's the palace," Abby said, pointing to the dark, large building standing on the headland above them.

"That storm looks ominous," Petra said, watching as the wind threw the waves back from the shore, and rain drenched even the vidcam. Lightning brightened the world for a moment, dispelling shadows --

"I saw a gargoyle on the palace wall," Carrick said. He shook his head. "I'm not surprised."

"There is a great deal of the demon in this storm," Tabor added. He started forward when Crystal opened the inner airlock. "But then we knew there would be."

Abby put a hand on Tabor's shoulder and stopped him. "Tristan is on the way with my sword. I don't think we want to go out without at least it. I'm half tempted to go back for the Janin as well."

And Tristan arrived almost in that moment, slightly out of breath and with the sword in hand.

"Wish I'd had the lift," he said, hand to the wall as Abby belted on the scabbard. He stood straighter and moved forward with Abby when Crystal keyed the outer door open.

Tabor, Abby and Tristan were the first ones out, but Crystal, Etric and Banning were not far behind. Abby couldn't decide why they were so eager to follow. Sharton, at least, stayed behind to work on the key code for the lift.

The cold, bitter wind rushed past them all, and he felt Tristan shiver, though he had not yet. He felt the cold, but there was far more to this storm than something so mundane, and it worried him. He stepped down the ramp, Tristan silent beside him, and even the elf's mind distracted as he sought out strands of magic and power in the storm. Tabor looked unhappy as well, especially when they reached the sandy shore and the cold waves rushed in, almost to their knees. They trudged on up the path toward the higher land where the palace stood.

Abby remembered this place had seemed dark and cold, but nothing like this. He hoped they could dispel the storm quickly. Floods would not be good. There had been floods the last time he passed this way, and he feared the locals might begin to think it his fault.

And they would be right, of course, in some ways, though he would not have done this on purpose. They reached the open ground and could barely see a group of people through the fall of rain. Tabor had already started to disperse some of the storm, though.

"That is... lovely," Etric suddenly said, drawing attention. He crossed to a tree made of glass, glittering and making bell-like sounds in the storm.

"Dacey's work," Tristan said, holding his hand out to it. "I'm sure of it now. Lovely work."

"Ah. And there's Dacey now," Abby said. He grinned, even in the fall of more rain, and started toward his friend. He glanced at the palace wall, looking at the huddled figure there, and wondered if one of the others could deal with it --

But the gargoyle moved even before Abby could silently suggest something to Tristan. He drew is sword, shouting a warning. Tristan tossed light up into the air, illuminating the people and the creature as it swept down toward Dacey.

Abby started to shout, but the words caught in his throat as a laser shot killed the creature even as it knocked Dacey down. It rolled to the side, obviously not getting back up again. Abby looked around to make certain he could see no more, but for the moment they seemed free of the enemy.

Crystal still had his laser pistol in hand, though.

"Thank you," Abby said. "That was an excellent shot."

"And far faster than any spell I could have gotten off," Etric added. "Sometimes I wonder why I don't go for a weapon faster."

"I'd guess insanity, but then I've thought that about all the mages, so it might have colored my reactions," Crystal answered

The others came toward them, Silver with a hand on Dacey's shoulder. Abby could see looks of disbelief, surprise and pleasure in the faces of all those he recognized -- Silver, Phaedra, Brother, Dacey, Micah.

"Ah, Aubreyan Altazar," Phaedra said, bowing to him with grace and more than a touch of humor, and completely ignoring the storm. She looked past his shoulder toward the towering ship, and then back at the gargoyle. "I am glad that I trust you so much, or else I would be very worried now. There are powers here..." She stopped and looked at Tabor, her head tilted slightly.

"These are my friends, Phaedra," Abby reassured her.

She looked at him again and smiled. "You are a wonder, my friend. And I am glad to see you, even in this maddening weather. We feared the worst, you know."

"Things have not fallen apart yet," Tristan said. He reached out and put a hand on Dacey's arm. "Ah, friend, I am glad to see you here."

Dacey grinned. But he looked to Crystal and then back over his shoulder for a moment. "He -- he killed the creature, the gargoyle, with light. But he didn't use magic. Abby, Tristan -- you always bring such surprises with you!"

"Technology," Tristan said, and gave a little shrug. "Sometimes it is even better than magic."

"Quicker, at least," Etric conceded, and put a hand on Crystal's shoulder. "Good work."

Crystal bowed his head and put the laser pistol back in the holster

"Are you all right?" Abby asked, taking hold of Dacey's arms. He gasped and Tristan's light, still hovering over their heads, showed that he looked very pale. Phaedra stepped back and took hold of him, looking worried as well.

"All right," Dacey said, but he looked beyond Abby and shook his head. "But... can we go? The metal... gods, like a mountain of metal --"

Shock, fear, and the realization that the plan to save Dacey from his enemies would not work, because he could not take Dacey away in that ship, nearly overcame everything else he thought, and it was good that Tristan took everything in hand and moved them away from the shore. He didn't know what they could do. He couldn't protect Dacey --

Calm, Abby. Calm. We will keep Dacey safe. If nothing else, I'm sure the People of the Night will take him in until this madness is ended.

"Better," Dacey said as they reached the edge of the palace. He looked back at the ship with fear that made Abby regret again. "I don't know what that is, Abby. I suspect it is wondrous, really, but I never thought so much metal could exist in one place."

"Oh, gods," Etric said, suddenly catching the implications. "Sorry, Abby. I didn't mean to say that -- but Dacey can't go on the ship, right?"

"Right," Tristan answered. "He can't bear the metal."

"Go?" Dacey said, looking troubled.

"We'll see what we can do," Etric said. "But first, I think Tabor and I should try to do something about this damned weather, so to speak."

"Tabor? Demonling?" Dacey said. He looked around, looked at Tabor, and took a step back. But Phaedra put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him again. "Tabor is with you?"

"Tabor is with us. He's come to our side. And we have a final battle to fight, but... well, let's get out of the rain, shall we?"

"Back to the tavern, I think," Micah offered. "Tain has gone back inside the palace to deal with problems -- like Mother. I don't think we want to intrude."

"No," Dacey agreed with a quick nod of his head. He turned away, with only one more glance at the ship. "Back to the tavern is far better."

No one argued as they hurried away. Tristan's light bobbed along over them, illuminating the dark night and making even the fall of rain pretty. Crystal said something into his commlink back to the ship, and then shook his head. "Can't tell if that got through. Still too much interference from the storm. I told them we're heading into town. Why don't you mages do something about this weather, Etric?"

"Well, you could try shooting it," Etric suggested with just the hint of a smile.

"All right." Crystal drew the weapon and fired.

A gargoyle fell from the sky in front of Phaedra. She spun back to him, and Crystal lifted his hands, weapon in one, in a gesture of apology.

"Smart ass," Etric said.

"You will want to be careful of that," Brother warned. "She doesn't take jokes very well."

Brother slipped and landed in a puddle of water. Phaedra didn't even turn around, but all of them knew who had been behind it. Even Brother laughed this time. Better, Abby thought. The dread of the moments before had faded. He had powerful friends here. They would find an answer for Dacey.

Despair came with the rain, he thought. He didn't like it. He looked up at the sky and wished the storm would just go away.

Wished it very well. Tristan stumbled, and Crystal caught hold of him, but the rain, at least had stopped.

"I'm not going to ask," Etric said. He looked upward. "But thank you, Abby."

They had reached narrower paths between the buildings, and all of them began to watch for gargoyles on the roofs. Abby hoped they weren't far from this tavern. He wanted inside the walls.

"How did you know they were gargoyles?" Tabor suddenly asked. "I have the feeling you've not had them here before."

"No, we haven't," Brother said. He frowned a little at Tabor, but then shrugged. Abby hoped they all learned to accept Tabor's presence soon.

"I recognized them," Silver said. "I remembered them from my unfortunate link with the Kiya. We felt the presence of your world in this, but I hadn't thought -- hadn't hoped we would see you as well."

"These gargoyles came from Gix himself," Tabor explained as Brother stopped by a door and carefully pushed it open, as though he expected an attack from inside.

Well, with this world, that was probably a very good precaution. Abby still couldn't tell how the rest of the people were reacting to the changes that had happened here. It all seemed very much the same to him.

"Many things have happened," Tristan said as he stepped inside, grateful for the warmth. "The battles have changed a bit, but the war is still being fought."

"You've not lost, though," Dacey said. He was already heading for a table, virtually ignoring the people who stared. He looked remarkably at ease, and that calmed Abby again.

"No, I haven't lost," Abby said. "And I don't intend to."

"Ah, now there's something I had not heard the last time you passed our way," Micah said. He waved Abby into a chair by Dacey. "Good. That helps, you know. I don't mind fighting the good war, but it helps to think that there is a chance."

"I've grown wiser," Abby said as he sat down, brushing wet hair from his face. "Or, at the very least, more determined to finish this."

"What brought you back here, then?" Phaedra asked.

The others had settled around the table. The innkeeper even brought ale, as though this sort of gathering happened every day, though the startled glances of the other patrons told him differently. Still, the calm reactions gave him hope again. Abby leaned forward on the table, and wrapped his hands around the cup, though he didn't sip as some of the others did.

"This trouble you have is not by accident. Gix is waging a personal war against all those who have fought at my side, in the hopes that he'll wear down and weaken me before I go to his domain. And I will go there. He has the head of the Kiya, but we have the rest. I must get the head so that the staff can be destroyed.

"You came here to help us fight," Micah said.

"I came here to try to make certain you would be safe." Abby looked at his hands, and then up again, even before Tristan reacted. "But I also came to find allies to go to the final battle with me -- those who have stood beside me before... because, with Gix attacking in each place, they are actually safer with me."

"But we can't take Dacey," Tristan said. "Not aboard that ship. And that changes things somewhat."

"I don't think I can help here, either," Tabor said. He sat forward in his chair, drawing looks all around. "I've been feeling out the curse, and I'm afraid it's been a part of this world for so long that it has taken on a life of its own. I can't end it like I did Abby's curse."

"And you are?" Micah asked, frowning as though he thought he should know.

"This is Tabor, Gix's son. He's come over to my side, Prince Micah. I know it's no easy thing to understand, but if you trust me, then you must trust him as well."

Silence fell all around the table for a moment, though Abby could hear whispers elsewhere. Brother unexpectedly laughed.

"You put things quite simply," he said and bowed his head. "I suppose we have no choice."

"You do," Crystal replied. "But you had better have an affinity for living with gargoyles if you choose the other side."

That seemed to settle the others, at least long enough for everyone to be introduced this time. The group had calmed, accepted the current trouble, and looked ready to move on to whatever they could do, but Abby still wasn't certain what that would be.

"Gix has mostly left this world," Tabor told them as they discussed what to do next. "He has his hand on it still, but he's no longer present."

"He was here?" Phaedra said, and looked rightly worried.

"In some form, though not fully corporal," Tabor replied. "He's stirred up enough trouble, anyway. There are things up in the hills behind the city that will need dealing with before we go on."

"We've fought that war for a while now," Phaedra said. "We can handle it still."

"Don't turn away the aid," Tabor said, looking into her face. She still frowned. "We are going on to fight a larger war, Lady Phaedra of the sea. We want.... we need to know that the lines behind us have been secured. I don't doubt your ability to fight these creatures of your own world. But we need them handled as quickly as possible, and in that I'm a great aid."

She blinked. Frowned again, and set back. The wind blew harder in that moment, startling even Tabor. Then he grinned and looked upward. "Go ahead with your childish games, Father."

The wind roared outside, and the building shook with the power of it. It screamed through the world, rage and anger and hatred.

"Tabor!" Abby said, startled and afraid at what his friend had called up.

But the wind died down almost immediately. And, in fact, it felt as though things had calmed far more than before the wind.

"Peace, Abby," Tabor said. He looked as though the wind had actually relieved him of some worry. "It's not as dangerous as it seemed. I wanted to test his anger, test how closely he listened, but it took power for his little show, and he's pulled back now."

"Still --"

"Abby, we're going to his world. Let him blow the dirt around and rattle the doors here, and everywhere else we pass. Let him even send his gargoyles -- from the looks of things, your friends are all more than capable of dealing with them. Everything he sends against those who follow you takes power from him. You must think of the battle to come. Let him throw his power against your friends. As long as they don't fall, it works for us."

"So we should be glad to go out and do battle with these beasts of his," Brother said. He nodded toward Tabor. "And gladly accept the help it takes to defeat them. I don't want to get embroiled in a long damn war here in Dodano. I've lived through that once already, with people certain that magic was the bane of their existence. Better if we end this quickly, if not for ourselves, then for the locals. I would hate to see King Tain forced to take sides in this."

"Good point," Dacey said. Even Phaedra nodded this time. "We've started to win the locals back. I don't want to throw everything away again."

Abby reluctantly agreed and finally sipped the ale. It helped to warm him, and really, with the wind finally dying down, this didn't seem so bad. They would help hunt out the creatures awakened in the hills. He hoped it was not another djinn. He didn't mention that part of the trouble.

"Have you seen any wyrdbane lately?" Tristan asked.

"None at all," Phaedra said. "In fact, I would say everything had been very calm lately. This new attack did take me by surprise. Brother and I are going to have to leave. The moons will be down too soon. As much as I would like to stay here with you, I don't think it a good idea under these circumstances."

"I understand, Lady Phaedra," Abby said and started to stand when she did. She pushed him back down.

"I need to go back to the ship," Crystal said. "I'll walk with you to the sea. I'm going to get some of the crew out, Etric, and all of them armed with lasers. I don't know what else we're going to be fighting, but at least I know that we can take those gargoyle bastards out."

"Good idea," Etric agreed. "And send Rquana here. Tabor, Tristan... it occurs to me that maybe the mages, working together, might still be able to find a way to help Dacey with his curse."

"If you take Dacey, then you're taking me as well," Silver said, his head lifting. He looked around the table and stopped when he met Dacey's stare. "Don't even think about arguing. I'm going with you."

"In case you missed it," Tabor said, drawing their attention. "We are going to Gix's own hell to battle the demon for the head of the Kiya Chanda Andee."

"Good," Dacey said. "At least it would be a battle worth fighting."

Silver nodded as well.

"I would not want to be this demon," Phaedra said. "I think he has been entirely unwise to make such enemies as this group. You are wiser, Tabor?"

"I'm here."

"Ah, yes. That does make a difference. Good. We will be back at the appointed hour tomorrow. Do not go before we come back. Promise me that, Abby."

"I will promise that we won't go unless it is necessary that we do so," he said.

"Good enough." She went to the door, Crystal following behind with Brother. But she stopped there and looked back one more time. "Take care. Take good care. There are creatures awake who have never walked the land since before man came here. They're dangerous and unpredictable. Even I can't say what will kill them. I wish I could offer more --"

"Phaedra," Brother said, looking anxiously at the door.

She nodded and slipped out, the other two following her. The night looked calmer beyond the open door. Abby didn't think it would be that way for long.

Chapter Six

Etric waited by the door until Rqua arrived with Crystal, Istanan, Rlin, Zoe and Otaka. Crystal took the others off to do a little night hunting, and Rquana came inside, looking around with a little curiosity.

"It's not much like home, is it?" Etric said, leading him over to the table.

"Another world," Rqua said, shaking his head as he sat down by Abby. "You know, I have finally begun to understand why you always looked so surprised, Abby."

"Stunned and bewildered," Abby corrected. Tristan nodded and even Tabor looked inclined to agree.

"We have a problem here," Etric said. He looked across the room to where Silver and Dacey stood, leaning by the wall and looking out the partially shuttered window. "We can't take them, not with this curse on them -- or at least not without some sort of protection. Neither of them would survive the first hour on the ship."

"Crystal told me the problem," Rqua said. He frowned and then looked at Abby and Tristan. "Stop panicking. We'll work something out."

The others looked startled. Etric hadn't realized how much this bothered them, though he should have before now. They took protecting their friends very seriously.

"I think the first thing we need to do is end this storm," Etric offered. "Otherwise we'll be out doing damage repair. That first, and then work on the other problem."

"I think it's mostly feeding itself now," Tabor said. "We shouldn't have too much trouble. I suggest that if we each work at breaking up the clouds, then the storm should fall apart."

"Good plan," Etric said.

"I was just starting to get dry," Rqua said, shaking his head. "But let's go on out and see what we can do."

Silver and Dacey went out with them. Etric thought about stopping them for a moment, and then realized how stupid that would be. It proved especially ridiculous when he saw Dacey use his powers. The boy had a real flair for magic, and he managed to do most of the work himself.

The people in the tavern looked reasonably surprised and very pleased by the change in the weather. Most of them scattered to head for home in the early morning light.

When the group returned, the innkeeper left them alone with some bottles of ale, fruit and cheese, and he went off to rest as well. They had a few hours of peace, and they spent them working through lists of magics. Etric had never shared time with so many different mages, and he would have been happy to stay here for days.

At noon, with the tavern readying to open again, Prince Micah arrived with a few servants and trays of food.

"We thought we'd contribute to your upkeep," he said, laughing. "More of your people are out on the streets now. They've been a great help in dealing with the things Gix awakened, and in helping with some of the clean up from the storm. We're grateful."

"We like to help," Rqua said. He shrugged. "Considering the people we travel with, I suppose that's obvious."

"You've far more important work than to help here," Micah answered.

"Do we?" Etric asked. "I was under the impression that our work was to help wherever and whenever we could."

Micah nodded. He sat next to Dacey and looked around the table again. "I've come from Tain. He hopes to be here later this afternoon, but he, Zev and Clarion have all agreed that I need to find out a few things before we'll allow you to take Dacey and Silver with you."

Dacey's head came up, his eyes blazing for the first time since Etric had seen him. He suddenly realized how much the mage looked like his brother. It was an interesting thing to see. Even Silver looked a little bit surprised. Dacey looked more like a prince in that moment, and less like the lost mage Etric had assumed was his real role in life.

"You have no right --"

"We're going to do our best to make sure you're safe --"

"Then he can't go with us at all," Rqua said. Dacey turned on him, starting to snarl some answer, but Rqua lifted his hand. "We are not going some place safe, Prince Micah. But we are going to do important work. There are no guarantees that any of us will survive. Abby and Tristan know it, and that's why they're so panicked. But it is a choice we have made, just like Dacey and Silver will make their choices. It won't be up to you, you know."

Micah frowned. Then he looked around the table, a little more curious again. "This is just for my own curiosity, but do you have any royalty aboard that ship of yours?"

The sounds of amusement surprised the Prince. He frowned, but that quickly gave way. They obviously were not laughing at him.

"It seems like we have too damn many of them lately," Rqua offered. But he smiled and the others laughed aloud.

"Ah, but we do bring some class to this group, don't we?" a new voice said from behind.

Kadrien walked around the table and sat down by Tabor. Rqua turned slightly red, but he laughed again. Tamaris and Sharton had come with Kadrien -- they were often at his side, as though they thought he needed a guard. Etric gave Tam his own chair and grabbed others for himself, Kadrien and Sharton. Tam still looked pale, and he sat with only a nod of thanks. Etric wondered if he should even be out... but he didn't ask.

"What, you think we needed more class?" Etric asked, looking back at Kadrien again. "We had Crystal and the smugglers, after all. What more could we want?"

"My ship?" Kadrien suggested.

"Well, we could have gone back and gotten our own ships. Maybe. Or just had Crystal get us a couple more."

"I would hate to have any excuse to encourage Crystal in his work. I would have thought you felt the same way, being his friend."

"He's very good," Etric said, enjoying the game a little more than he expected.

"Oh, I know that," Kad answered. He picked up the cup that Tabor pushed his way. "I never doubted he could do the work. I would just think you'd like a somewhat calmer life."

"Oh yes. Calmer," Tabor said. "That's why all of you are here with Abby, Tristan, and me, right?"

"Then you are nobility?" Micah asked, looking at Kadrien.

"Well, yes," Kadrien said. He looked surprisingly uneasy at the question. How odd to see him changed so much since they first met him on Grant.

"Most of us come from a place where there are thousands of inhabited worlds... think of them as lands, with huge empty seas between them. Quite a few are ruled by nobility, under the direction of the Emperor."

"That's the theory anyway," Kadrien said. He looked down at his hands for a moment, but Sharton's touch on his shoulder brought his attention back. "We all know that most of them are nearly autonomous, right? It's only the threat of the Imperial Guard that keeps some of them nominally within the Empire... and with the IGs not exactly loyal to the Emperor, that makes things rather... interesting."

"True," Etric said. He hoped it was going well back in that other place . It was, after all, home. "At any rate, it's rare to find royalty on a free trader, much less on a smuggler. For some reason Freedom and Fame, both in our two-ship version and the new single ship, seem to have attracted more than our share. I think it's Abby and Tristan's fault."

Tristan looked startled. "Ours? What did we do?"

"You were the first two," Etric explained. “All the others came later."

"That's an excellent point, Captain," Rqua said. He grinned, perhaps at something he picked up from the two. "They seem to be magnets for royalty."

"And for trouble," Abby added. "I would think that would worry you more."

"We already had trouble," Rqua reminded him. "We could handle trouble."

"All the others?" Micah asked. He still didn't look as though he quite knew how much of this to take seriously. Etric would have felt sorry for the man, except that he rather enjoyed seeing Rquana so much himself again. "I assume that you -- Kadrien? -- are one of them."

"Oh yes," Etric said, trying hard not to grin. "And this is Prince Sharton, from one of those worlds we mentioned. The other one there is Prince Tamaris, who is a Prince of the Line and Heir Apparent to the Emperor."

"Good Gods," Micah said. That did startle him, poor man. "You are the heir?"

Tamaris gave a little nod. Etric could see a glint of humor in his eyes. That didn't happen very often.

"What are you doing with this group?" Micah asked.

"Aside from adding class, of course," Kadrien added and tossed his cousin a piece of fruit that he caught with ease, even without actually looking that way.

"Truthfully, I think I'm doing far more important work than I have ever done before. And given my work in that other place... well, I think that maybe helping these people will have more impact in the long run. I don't want Gix to win, Prince Micah. I do not want him to rule in my universe any more than you want him to rule here."

"And if he wins this war for the staff, he will rule?" Micah said.

"He will have the balance in his favor," Abby said. "That's the first step. It would be harder to fight him back after that. I hope that it would not be impossible. I want to believe that we can win, but if we fail... I like to think there will still be hope."

"We have faith, Abby," Tam said, and smiled when Abby shook his head. "But besides, if Kadrien is here, that would leave me behind to be emperor, and I don't want the job. I never have."

"Kadrien," Micah said. Realization seemed to take the words from him for a moment.

"Emperor Kadrien," Kad said with a nod. "Ruler of all those worlds. And like Tam, I'm here doing far more important work."

"You were doing well, Kadrien," Sharton said. "You'd brought the empire back from the abyss where your father had so carelessly led us."

"And that work was done," Kadrien said, looking at Sharton. "My work had been reduced to keeping secrets from my mother and outguessing the General of the Imperial Guards. I wanted a way out, Sharton. The only thing that had kept me from taking off before this madness was the fear that I would put Tam into a situation he really didn't want, either."

"So we ran off together," Tam said with a sudden laugh. He looked back at Micah again. "And the worlds are in the very capable hands of the senate."

"Whom I had been training for this work since the day I took over," Kadrien said. "But the truth is, if we fail, it would hardly matter if I were there, would it? I have a chance of helping, somehow, as long as I am with Abby."

Micah sat back again. He looked at Etric, glanced at Kadrien, and then back at Etric again, obviously placing command in the right place.

"Forgive me, but you understand that we are very protective of Dacey and Silver. We've made it our duty to keep them as safe as we can, and the idea of them going off with you -- providing you can do something about the curse -- meant that we had to make decisions."

"Ah," Etric said. "Yes, of course. Who intends to go with us?"

"I do," Micah said.

"You can't!" Dacey said, startled and worried. "You're the heir, Micah -- Tain needs you --"

"Tain and I already discussed this, Dacey. You can't be that blind, either. I've been more like Tamaris than I'd like to admit. I never wanted the throne, especially if it meant that Tain would have to die for me to take the crown. Now I think there might be work I can do that means something. I'm not a mage, Captain Etric, but I have studied a great deal of ancient lore. Much of it, as it happens, dealt with demons. It was forbidden knowledge, but it helped somewhat when we faced the Kiya. It might help again. Will having more nobility aboard your craft worry you?"

"Nobility has never been a problem," Etric said. "I suppose we should include Tabor in that list, shouldn't we?"

"Oh yes," Abby said. "Especially since he had conquered my father's lands, which makes him more of a noble than I am. I never did rule there."

"And being the son of a goddess doesn't count for anything?" Sharton asked.

"It doesn't make me noble," Abby said. He unexpectedly grinned. "But then, being the son of Altazar wasn't any sign of nobility either, come to think of it. I am just Abby."

Even Tristan laughed at that one, which won a look of reproach from Abby, but didn't appear to stop the elf's good humor. Dacey had started to look less troubled. Etric still couldn't be certain they'd be able to take Dacey and Silver, but having seen the young man use magic on the storm, he intended to do all he could to try. Dacey was a powerful mage. He wondered if anyone else here even realized it. Probably not on his world, having no real experience in magic to compare him with.

"It's unlikely either of us will ever rule in Eltabar," Tabor said with a shrug. In that moment he seemed very akin to Kadrien and Tam. Odd group, Etric realized again. "Although I suppose we should include Carrick and Petra, who are minor nobles --"

"Please stop," Rqua said. "I really don't want to think about the rest of the crew."

"You are giving Prince Micah a bad impression of us," Tam said. He smiled again, and this time there was challenge in the look. "Surely you don't think we're all that useless, do you?"

"Useless? I would never suggest such a thing. Especially not to your face," Rqua answered.

"If we work out this other problem with Dacey and Silver, we'll gladly take you, Prince Micah," Etric said. Then he looked into the man's face and realized he needed to qualify that statement. "We'll take you even if Dacey and Silver can't go, if that's what you truly want."

Abby started to protest, but Tristan put a hand on his shoulder and he subsided before he got more than half a word out. He nodded and didn't say more. Tristan looked up at Etric -- so hard to remember, sometimes, that he really didn't see -- and nodded. That trouble was settled.

"I am grateful," Micah said.

"Well, having another prince certainly can't hurt anything," Etric said with a bright smile.

"I don't know," Rqua replied. He looked around the table. "We could find ourselves outnumbered."

Chapter Seven

Abby leaned back in his chair and glanced around at the others. He couldn't follow much of what they talked about. He wanted to learn magic, but now didn't seem like the best time to start on such a project. He feared, from all he had heard here, that it would take far more than a link with a mage like Etric to imprint the work on him.

He hadn't any magic. He hadn't much by way of power at all, which made him wonder why these people had such unquestioning confidence in him. It brought them to his side in a battle that would take them to hell.

Because it is the right battle. It really has less to do with you, Tabor and me than the work we have chosen -- as they have chosen. I know you don't want the responsibility, Abby -- but it is your place to lead us.

But taking Dacey --

He is not you, Abby. I know you have a great deal in common, but he is a mage, and a powerful one. He'll be a good ally in the war.

"It won't be safe here, you know," Rqua suddenly said. Abby looked at him, startled. The others had stopped as well, looking a little confused. "It might be that many of us prefer accompanying you to hell rather than going there as a gift to the demon and on the demon's terms."

"I -- I know --" Abby said, and ran hands through his hair again. "I didn't mean --"

"My apologies," Rqua replied. He looked bothered, but he lifted a hand for silence when Tristan started to speak, having caught the edge of the apology already forming. "I didn't mean to do that, but I could hear your worries so strongly, and it seemed you had forgotten that a choice not to go with you does not mean safety. I know it must be an annoyance, me listening in --"

"No, it isn't," Abby and Tristan chorused, and drew startled looks again, and the full attention of everyone at the table.

"It has helped me, sometimes," Rqua said. He leaned forward, looking into Abby's face in a way too few people did these days. He hadn't realized it until now. "This has made it easier for me to understand and to believe you are someone worth following. Your doubts make you more human, Abby. Maybe you never realized it, but the truth is that I don't want to follow a god who wouldn't admit that he could be defeated. I don't believe in invincibility. I would think such a creature would be very dangerous to his friends."

"We have chosen our side, Abby," Tam said softly. "You need to accept that part and let it go."

"But I never chose the battle. I never had the choice," Abby said. He quieted Tristan with shake of his head. "I need to say it, Tristan. I need for all of them to understand what you and Rqua already know. I do have doubts. Very many of them. I don't mind that you can hear, Rqua. It has helped, I think. Tristan and I are not..." He stopped and shrugged.

"Human?" Tabor offered. "You are as human as I am, for whatever that may be worth. But human is more than just blood, Abby. I always had the blood. I learned it is the soul that makes a difference. And the choices we make."

"I never chose --"

"Are you telling me that at any point in this madness you couldn't have walked away from the battle?" Kadrien asked. "You made the choice, Abby. You made it every time you fought for us rather than abandoning the battle."

"I don't want to take my friends against an enemy who is not only powerful but also immoral," Abby said.

"But you will," Tam said.

He paused and then reluctantly nodded.

"What will you do after the war?" Etric asked.

Abby looked at him and tilted his head. "Do you think the battle between good and evil ever really ends?"

"You can't fight forever," Etric said. But then he looked startled even before Abby spoke.

"No?" Abby asked.

"Godling," Etric said. He leaned back in his chair. "Immortal?"

"I would think so. I'm not sure. Tabor?"

"It seems likely since I am," Tabor said. "I can't believe they would let us be out of balance in so important a part of our lives. What do you think, Tristan?"

"I've always assumed so," Tristan said. "It hadn't really occurred to me for a long time that it mattered. My people are immortal, too. I hadn't thought to look for mortality in Abby."

"It's not easy for me, you know. Even though I spent years in the hands my mother... she never told me what she was. And when I went to the care of my father, it made me feel that I was very human. I wasn't raised to believe in my own immortality. I still think that I'm... human."

"And that makes you care what happens to your friends," Rqua said. He reached over the table and unexpectedly caught hold of Abby's hand. "You are flesh and blood as we are. You think as we do. None of us want to take our friends to hell, Abby. But we're going, because there are larger issues than our individual survival. Is that plain enough for you this time?"

"Yes, but --" Abby stopped, frowned. "Trouble!"

Abby pushed back his chair so quickly that it tumbled to the floor. He darted toward the door. Others followed, but he was still the first one out, and not entirely sure why or what had sent him running --

Kamil. There was a panicked cry for help from Kamil. Abby, ahead of you --

What the hell are they!

The creatures swarmed down off the roof looking half snake and half rat, but nearly the size of humans. They'd cornered a group of humans, and standing on their hind legs obviously made them formidable enemies since even the flash of laser weapons wasn't significantly slowing their attack. As soon as one fell, another leapt down from the rooftop to take its place, and Abby had the feeling there were several more nearby.

You didn't even take your sword!

Grab it! It's by the tavern door!

Abby -- don't --

But Abby had already thrown himself into the fray, grabbing one of the creatures by the head and dragging it backward. Razor sharp teeth snapped at him, and the creature reached back and gouged both of Abby's arms with long, thin nails. He had a brief glimpse of the humans who had been under attack -- Kamil, Talis, Ylin and Istanan.

Abby held on, even when another turned and raked the side of his arm with long claws. Ylin shot that one, but another came --

Let go! You have its attention! Get back so the others can do something!

Abby let go. Tallis must have been waiting for that moment. He leapt forward and killed the thing with a laser shot right through the head. Then he grabbed Abby and pulled him forcibly back into the semicircle the others had made. Abby threw his back against the building and wished he had at least a knife right now.

"Not good," Ylin said, gasping. He had one hand on his leg, but the other held the laser up. "The weapons are already draining. We can't seem to kill enough of them!"

They had their backs to the wall and tried to retreat to better cover, but they weren't going to get far, not with the creatures all around them -- dark-eyed things, without noses, but with far too many teeth. They hissed sounds that grated on his ears.

Ylin wasn't going to go much farther anyway, not by the looks of things. He must have twisted his leg since it appeared he couldn't stand without the building at his back.

Tallis, Kamil and Istanan kept up a steady barrage of fire. Dead littered the way all around them, but it still didn't deter more from rushing in right over the bodies of the others. Abby kicked one away from Ylin, and Tallis killed it.

Numbers were going to wear them down.

Tristan! Rquana! Where are you!

We're just down the street. Warn the others. When I say drop, all of you hit the ground. The mages are almost ready --

Abby kicked at another of the beasts, but it cut into his leg and nearly caught him. Kamil dragged him back and killed the thing, the laser right to its head. Not much power left at all.

"The mages are preparing for an attack!" Abby said, breathless and panicked. "When I say down, all of you drop. Make sure Kamil and Tallis understand and obey. The gods know what the others have in mind!"

"Just drop down?" Istanan said, shaking his head.

And cover your heads.

"And cover our heads," Abby added. "Be ready. Trust them! They have a lot of power, and from the looks of things, your weapons aren't going to win this battle."

"This is madness," Ylin said. He nodded. "I'm ready."

Istanan had signed orders to Kamil and Tallis. Neither of them looked any happier than Ylin, but they looked at Abby and nodded.

The creatures surged forward.

Down!

"Down!"

They obeyed. Abby saw the creatures start to surge forward just as he covered his head -- and not a moment too soon. Heat scorched the world around him, and the animals screamed for a brief moment before they fell totally silent.

Abby didn't sit back up until Etric and Tristan had arrived. They both looked frantic, and it didn't take Abby long to realize why. He could see shadows moving along the top of the building above them. Silver and Dacey seemed to be holding them back, but Abby suspected that it wouldn't be for long.

"Up," Tristan said, grabbing him under the arm and helping him to his feet. "We need to get back to the tavern. We can ward the building, at least. Here we can only keep shoving them back. It takes far too much energy."

Abby nodded and got to his feet, leaning more on Tristan than he had expected. He hadn't felt the cuts until now, but he didn't have time to wait and see if they could be bandaged. He could hear the calls of the other creatures, and getting away seemed the far better choice.

But as they moved away, the creatures did as well. Abby could hear them scrambling over the top of the roofs, squealing and hissing.

"They're cutting us off from the others," Etric said. He shook his head, but pulled Abby into a side alley. "We'll try to get in the back way. It's a long time until the moons rise, and we're running short on all power fronts."

Abby didn't argue, though he did finally lift his head and look around. It looked likely they would have to fight their way in, no matter which way they went. He reached for the sword and Tristan handed it over without comment. The elf seemed preoccupied, and at first Abby thought it was with the creatures stalking them --

"Something else," Tristan said. He pulled Abby to a stop, and the others did as well. They were partly down a small, narrow alley. "This isn't a good idea --"

Too late. Abby looked back over his shoulder just as something slid down off the roof... slithered toward the ground, and rose again, tall and black, blocking out the world. It wasn't like the other creatures --

"Another!" Etric warned.

Abby turned around to see a second one had cut off their escape in that direction. He pulled Tristan back to the nearest wall, panicked because he could see no place to escape -- the narrow alley had no doors, and the creatures were coming closer. He saw Talis slip and go down, and Kamil grab him and pull back.

The sword felt too heavy in his hand, but he brought it up, ready to fight as best he could. No hope, though no hope --

And then his sight went black.

"Don't look at them!" Tristan shouted. "They project fear if you look at them! Abby, I'll direct you! I don't think the others can look away."

Panic eased. He brought the sword up, letting Tristan help direct the blows, though it seemed he could sense the creatures as well. He hit -- and the thing howled with as much anger as pain. Abby didn't think he'd badly wounded it though. It did not seem to be going down. He swung again, surprising Tristan who had not quite been ready, but the blow seemed to have struck true. He heard it gasp, and something fall --

"Another, Abby. Quick!"

He heard Ylin cry out, and a moment later claws caught at Abby's shoulder. He jerked free and tried to stab, but the thing had moved away. Smarter than its companion, he thought. More dangerous.

Abby's legs were going to give way. He heard one of the others go down with a gasp -- Kamil, he thought. He couldn't tell. He jabbed at where the creature should be, and might have wounded it. And jabbed again --

Agony. It took him a moment to realize the new wound was not his own. Something had hold of Tristan. He couldn't tell if it was one of the new creatures or one of the snake rats that had first attacked them -- or even something totally new.

"Tristan! Let me see!"

A faint denial behind the pain, a fear that Abby would fail for his sake --

"I can't fight like this! Let me see, or I'll have to take off the crown!"

"Abby!" Crystal shouted, somewhere nearby.

"Don't look at them! They make you feel fear if you look at them!" Abby warned, panicked. His hand went to his crown.

And his sight came back before he could remove it. Just barely in time. The creature before him would have cut his throat with those long, silver claws if Abby hadn't leapt back. Instead it snarled and slashed at Abby's face, leaving a long painful cut.

But Abby shoved the sword through it in that moment, and then had trouble pulling back out. A third creature had hold of Tristan, and had started to pull him out along the path.

Aubreyan felt cold, irrational fear when he saw that creature look back at him. It nearly froze him where he stood. But it was nothing compared to the real fear of losing Tristan.

The creature obviously hadn't expected Abby to attack. It dropped Tristan's arm in haste, and only had time for a half-hearted swing at Abby before he cut off its head.

He spun back again, but Crystal and Banning had already killed most of the smaller creatures. Abby dropped to his knees, trying to turn Tristan over, to find his wounds --

"We need to get inside, Abby," Crystal said. He pulled Abby to his feet despite that he didn't want help. "Banning has Tristan. Let's go."

"Danger?"

"Clarion and Zev arrived with word that more of the creatures are on the outskirts of town. Etric says we need to get to the tavern and ward there for all the injured, and then the mages can go out and see if they can destroy these things."

"They... they may work in sets," Abby said. "I think the smaller ones herded us this way for the others."

"Oh, now that's a nasty thought," Crystal said, forcing Abby to move along. "I'll warn the others before they go out. Careful. Damn, I don't think you're going to be able to walk that far, Abby --"

"Tristan?" Abby said, looking back to where Banning carried the elf. She didn't seem to have much trouble.

"Bad cut across the chest," Banning said. "It's bleeding far less than you are. Otaka! Come and help Crystal with Abby! We need to get him in --"

Abby closed his eyes. He trusted that they would keep him safe...

Interlude Four

Gix stared into the broken glass, watching and listening. They'd ended the storm sooner than he would have liked, but it told him something about those traveling with the Godling. He'd never counted human mages as much. It might be time to re-evaluate those thoughts.

The Feardoms had almost taken the godling and his elf down, but Tristan had reacted far too quickly. Without the crowns, they would have fallen. Even so, they had both been wounded. He expected their companions would take note of how easily they had failed and would show some reluctance to stand by Aubreyan.

They didn't. They showed no apparent reluctance at all to continue on this quest.

Gix learned from this. Humans who were not inclined to evil had different feelings towards others. Weakness was not considered a fault. Gix had dealt for eons with humans who would sell their companions for coin, if it meant they would be safe. Those were the ones who came to him, willingly and not.

These humans were not much like the ones he had known.

He learned about one other, far more interesting, aspect of their lives. The more he attacked Aubreyan Altazar, the stronger he became. Others still flocked to him, even knowing the danger he posed and even knowing he would lead them to a place where they could have no hope of surviving.

"What can we do?" Braith asked. He had known it hovered near his shoulder, watching. He could feel its distress, which helped, though he thought Braith put far too much importance into these little battles. They were only tests. "I could go and kill some of them, Master. They are weaker now --"

"Are they?" Gix ran his finger over the broken mirror piece. "Do you think she is? She's given them her blessing. A strong blessing, and one that keeps her very close to them."

"She keeps them alive?"

"No, not quite that blatant. She gives them the power to keep themselves alive, as long as they believe in her son's cause, in her son's ability. And even though he was weakened by this last battle, that didn't strain their attachment to him. Even if you succeeded to kill a few, Braith, it would only harden the others' resolve against us, and both the Godling and his mother would gain power by it."

"Then we can do nothing?"

Gix moved, claws dragging down Braith's face before he slapped the creature with a force that sent him flying across the room. "Do not make assumptions, little human-thing. Do not assume that because the rules have been laid, I have no power."

"Rules?" Braith said. He looked rattled, and black blood ran down his face.

"Oh yes. There have always been rules. Balance. We have always worked within the rules that the universe itself has imposed on us. But more than that, we set the rules for our own game when we created and moved our pawns."

"Tabor."

"Yes, Tabor." Gix ran his finger over the glass where he watched his son. Tabor looked up, startled, knowing something had touched him. They had a link, the pawn and him. "Oh yes, you know I watch, don't you?"

Tabor went back to work helping to heal wounds. Gix could have reached out in that moment and tore the mind from the creature he had created. His to breathe life into, his to kill --

But even as he reached, he felt Starwind come between him and his son.

It didn't surprise him. He drew back and nodded. "I put too much of my purpose in him, just as I did in everything else," Gix said. He leaned back again. He felt alive, now that the game had truly been engaged. He had not taken this much interest in anything for far too long. The stakes were high. "Oh yes, they have captured my pawn, but pawns are never the only pieces in the game."

Chapter Eight

Dacey had watched when Tain, Clarion and Zev left to go back to the palace. They had protection -- an entire band of The People went with them -- and he trusted they would be safe. However, he remained here in the tavern with the others.

He didn't think he would see Tain again anytime soon. King now, but he didn't act it, really. It made Dacey feel odd, to think Tain had the power their father had so badly abused.

He would miss Tain.

Confused and exhausted, Dacey had finally found a spot on one of the benches and slept for a while. He wasn't the only one. Many of the wounded had slept even through the arrival of the king.

He awoke later, nightmares bringing him from a dead sleep to awake in a half dozen heartbeats. He sat up and gasped, thinking that... something had been wrong.

Or maybe it was just that things were always wrong. He looked at the far table where a half dozen mages had gathered, talking quietly. They stayed here for his sake, putting themselves in danger because he could not go to the ship.

They had to go. They had to leave before anything else happened. The People would be leaving soon, and that would mean less protection as well. It wasn't right that they stay here in danger. They needed to go on with their journey.

He wanted to go... and knew he couldn't.

When Captain Etric stood from the table and crossed the room to him, Dacey was ready to say what he should have said from the beginning.

"Captain," Dacey said looking up at the dark-haired man. Odd to think he came from some place so far away that Dacey could not even see it in the stars. "Sir, I think it's time that we seriously consider this trouble. You have to take Abby, Tristan and the others and go on. It's not safe for you to stay here."

Captain Etric looked startled for a moment. "I don't think that's something we need to discuss, Dacey."

"It's not right. There is far more at stake here than me --"

"Everyone who stands with Abby is of equal value. Haven't you realized that yet? We will not willingly abandon anyone, and especially not a mage with your ability."

"I'm useless to you --"

"You didn't look very useless this afternoon."

"But if it wasn't for me, you would have been on your ship and gone by now!" Frustration brought power to his voice. He saw Micah and Silver both look his way with a little shock. "You need to go on!"

Etric put a hand on his shoulder. The touch startled Dacey. He looked up at the man, and his breath caught for a moment. "We will not abandon you unless we have to, Dacey. So far that moment hasn't come. We will do whatever is necessary in the end. You must learn to trust us."

Those words startled him. He knew they were true. He knew he didn't trust anyone except Silver, and it was a flaw. He knew it.

"I'm sorry. It's not easy."

"And you think we wouldn't understand that part as well?" Etric asked. "We know about your past, Dacey."

He swallowed and looked up, feeling a surprising little surge of anger. "I don't want to relive it. I don't need the reminder. I want --"

"Out of this life? Away from it all? To go do something more important and make everything that has happened to you before this count for something? We're going to give you that chance, Dacey, and not just because we like you. We need mages on this trip. But if you go, then you need to trust the people you go with."

"And how do I do that?"

"By knowing we would never do to you what your parents did. By knowing that we stand with Abby, Tristan and Tabor, and that makes us -- well, crazy, I suppose. But also trustworthy."

"I know. Logically, I know. But I can't even fully trust my brother now that he's king. Etric, you would be wise to go on without me. I don't think I'm exactly the most stable person you could take into this battle."

"Then we would have wasted all the time we just put into creating a rather elegant spell we'd like to try out on you now."

"Gods," he whispered. He looked up again, and he knew there must have been hope in his face. He tried not to feel it, but it came rushing up from his depths -- hope that he had never really dared to feel before. "You did it?"

"It's worked for Silver. We can't guarantee it will work for you, but we think it's time to try. Are you willing to go that far with us, Dacey?"

"I want --" he started, and then stopped himself startled by the words.

But Etric grinned as though he had said something important. "Oh yes, that's much better. I would like you to want this, Dacey."

"I haven't dared to want, or hope or need or trust, in a long, long time, Captain Etric. I want this to work. I want to be able to help."

"Then let's go try it," Etric said. He held out his hand, an offer of help to get him to his feet.

A test, Dacey thought. He didn't like to be touched. He didn't like to be helped, and he suspected even Silver had picked up on that by now, no matter how much he tried to hide it. But he put his hand on Etric's and let the larger man pull him up.

They walked across the room. Micah, who had been standing at the door, looked startled. He must have realized what was happening. He began talking more earnestly to Captain Crystal. Dacey wished he could have listened in on that one -- not that he felt particularly paranoid or anything.

Silver stood and pushed Dacey into his chair. He grinned. "Don't fight them, Dacey. Just go with it."

Dacey looked up at him. Silver looked far younger than he had in... well, since he had taken on the work of being a mage.

"Trust them," Silver said softly. He looked into Dacey's eyes. "I know it's a lot to ask, but it will be worth it."

Dacey nodded, and looked back at the others. Etric had sat down next to him, and Tabor sat on the other side of Dacey. They both looked excited.

"There are some things I need to explain," Etric said. "First is the nature of the spell we're going to cast on you. It's a perpetual, self-feeding spell. I know you've had problems with a spell of this type in the past, but under the circumstances, we thought it best not to create a spell tied back to any one of us -- or even a group of us -- considering where we're going."

He swallowed and nodded, not daring to say anything. He'd had two such spells on him, one that kept him mute, and another that trapped him in the city. Another one... but he trusted these people. He did.

"This is the way it's going to work, Dacey," Etric said. He smiled this time. "We're going to put you in a protective shell that will seal you completely from metal, as long as no part of your body actually touches metal itself. It does have drawbacks. You won't be able to perform magic from within this shell."

He looked startled. He hadn't expected such a loss would worry him. After all, he hadn't really had the ability to use magic for very long in his life, even if he had known it for years. But the thought that this would take away his powers --

"Don't worry," Etric said. He even smiled. "We've built an on/off switch into the spell --"

"Tech term, Captain," Rqua said. "They don't turn lights on and off with a flick of a switch."

"Ah. Good point. We've built in a way for you to shut the spell down if you need to, so you can use magic when it's needed."

"Ah. Good. Thank you," he said, feeling vastly relieved. "Because if you hadn't, I couldn't figure out why you would bother. I couldn't have been much use to you --"

"We don't measure our friends by what use they are," Tristan said.

"The way to drop the shell is to put your hands together, palms touching. And you can bring it back the same way."

"Good. That's easy enough," Dacey said. He felt a little odd bit of excitement start to creep into his mind. He tried to push it down. He didn't exactly succeed.

"Tabor is going to do the work," Etric said. "Are you ready?"

He nodded.

"Good. Tabor?"

The first spell put him into a light trance, and proved more difficult than Dacey expected. He tried not to fight the magic, but it came instinctively. Finally, Silver helped ease him into it... Silver, whom he trusted on a level he hadn't realized until then.

Tabor went to work immediately. Dacey had started to fight, and stopped again, even without any warning as he felt the touch of Tabor's magic. Intricate, beautiful work... He could see the pieces woven together from different mages, but Tabor's essence overlaid it all. He watched it slip into his body, spread through his skin, like a tiny of glitter of moving stars, and then disappear.

"Well done, Dacey," Tabor said.

"I didn't do anything," Dacey answered. The trance lifted. "You did all the work."

"I did the easy part. I just laid the spell in place. You had to accept it, and you had every reason not to. I could feel your need to fight back when I first started. You have a great deal more control than most mages I know."

"And now I'd say it's time to test the spell," Etric said, drawing his attention. "Put your palms together."

Dacey did... and wasn't ready for what happened.

Pain disappeared so quickly it took his breath away. Etric grabbed him by the shoulder -- he must have been ready to fall from the chair. He looked around, startled by the difference.

"I -- everything is clearer. I didn't realize --"

"There is iron everywhere in the world, Dacey," Etric explained. "I imagine it's quite a change."

"Gods, yes. I hadn't expected -- I feel like I've been walking with weights on me for all my life. And blinders. I feel as though my mind has cleared for the first time in years."

"Good!" Etric grinned. He lifted his hand, and tested the magic, a little tingle against Dacey's body. "Yes, it seems to have taken very well."

"Then I'd say it's time we go, don't you think?" Dacey said, looking around the table.

"Time to go," Abby agreed. He stood first, and the others weren't long to follow.

Dacey walked with Silver to the door. The world felt different. It felt, he thought, like it must have when he was a child. Maybe he was a fool to go off now, when he might have a chance of living almost normally here.

Ah, but he owed Abby and his friends, didn't he? And if he did not go to help fight the war, how would he feel if they failed, and he might have helped? Better to stand with these people than stand alone.

Time to go.

Chapter Nine

The night seemed deceptively calm when they finally left the tavern. Abby had stopped trusting such things. He wore the sword and kept his hand on the pommel as well. He watched the street ahead of him, and the shadows at the edge of the buildings.

Tabor, walking beside him, watched the sky. That seemed very wise, but Abby left him to that work. He couldn't see the others, but he suspected they were being just as careful.

The town seemed deserted tonight. He had rather hoped to see people come out to say goodbye to Dacey and Silver. News that they were leaving had spread beyond the tavern. Abby wanted to know these people had changed enough to recognize the difference between Dacey and the trouble that Dacey had fought.

But there seemed to be no one ready yet to make those distinctions. He tried not to think badly about them for that reason, but sometimes it seemed they put up the hardest fights for the ones who least appreciated it.

Maybe we should have told Etric and Phaedra to leave a few of the creatures alive, just so they would know what they lost when they had to go out and fight their own battles.

Rqua, not surprisingly, made a sound of agreement. Abby realized he was walking with Tristan. Tabor glanced back at the two and then at Abby.

"It makes me nervous when I don't know what you're thinking."

"You must have a very difficult life," Abby said.

Rqua laughed this time. The sound echoed through the others as well. What did he care if these people didn't appreciate what they'd done? He wasn't going to stay here.

It felt odd, even still, to walk beside Tabor instead of fighting him. The memory of the curse that had driven him half-mad played at the back of his mind. But even before that, he remembered standing before Tabor in Mindeneh, and feeling as though he had nothing left to lose. He would have accepted death then, though not slavery. Abby had never thought he could have a better life, and he never thought he would have more to lose than he had at that moment when Tabor offered him as a sacrifice to his father.

And yet where he was, leading all his friends to hell.

Calm, Abby. I know. I understand.

What are we doing, Tristan? This is madness. I feel like Ymay's curse has just taken a different form. This can't be sane, to do what we plan.

Maybe not, but the Gods and Gix have left us little choice.

Abby nodded. Tabor gave him another quick glance, but the demonling asked nothing this time. Just as well. Abby couldn't have given him a real answer to any of the things that bothered him the most.

"I never trust you when you get that quiet," Tabor said. "Or when you look at us as though we've all gone insane."

"You haven't?"

"Well, of course we have," Banning answered, surprising him. "None of this is sane, Abby. You know it. But that doesn't make it any less important. Before I met you, I didn't believe in gods, demons, or a battle between good and evil."

"And this is better, knowing?"

"Yes. I want to have some say in the way my life is run, and if I have to step in to keep the balance right in the universe, I'm more than happy to do it."

"Have I mentioned that she's crazy?" Crystal asked from somewhere back in the line.

They laughed. It brightened the dreary night.

"Abby, there are only two more places that we're going to, right?" Tabor asked.

"Yes," he said. He tried not to think about Liora just then, but he already knew that's where they would be going next.

"Good," Tabor said. "We'll get through this."

"What will your father be doing?"

"What he's done all along," Tabor said. He shrugged. "He might try to lure us into a trap, but I doubt there will be anything out of the ordinary. Abby, I have come to realize he is limited in his actions."

"He's powerful --" Tristan protested.

"This has nothing to do with power. He's limited because he can never change what he is and how he thinks. He's a demon. He has... restraints that are built into his makeup, just as the Gods have. The gods cannot help except if we ask and offer a gift. The demons have restrictions in what they can consider doing. A horse can't fly -- ah, never mind that one. But you know what I mean."

"He's predictable," Abby said. "Everywhere we go, he throws the same sorts of things at us, even though we have won against them in the past."

"Right. He believes he can wear us down."

"He hasn't much longer to keep trying," Tristan said. "Will that trigger something more? Will he up the odds against us?"

"If he has the resources," Tabor said.

"You don't know?" Crystal asked.

Tabor stopped. They were at the edge of the buildings, nearly out into the open square. He looked up at the sky again, and then off to the ship, before he turned back to the others.

"I really don't know, I'm sorry to say. I never had reason to fully measure his power. I wish I could be more help in that respect, but I think there are parts of what he is that I would never fully understand anyway. I am not a demon."

Before anyone could answer, he started out again. Crystal looked bothered.

He likes Tabor.

We all do.

Now there was an odd notion. He doubted Tabor even realized it.

"My father can't do anything but terrorize and destroy," Tabor said as he slowed again. "But he can do that very well."

"He will have the upper hand on his own world, though, right?" Rqua said. "Do either of you have a plan?"

"Not yet," Tabor said. He looked back at the others again. "And that, Rquana, is good. We have the ability to change and adapt. He cannot. It's one of our greatest assets. We need to keep it always in mind. He'll try to drive us into battles which benefit him, but we have the ability to step outside that pattern, if we can keep our heads."

That sounded like a good thing to know. Abby would keep that in mind...

But right now it was time to bid formal farewell to this world. King Tain had come out of the palace grounds, Clarion and Zev with him, as well as a few guards. They'd obviously been watching for the group to pass.

Abby looked at Dacey, Micah and Silver. He suspected they might have wanted to slip by without this last encounter. Abby would have as well. He'd never been good at saying good-bye.

"Sire," Abby said, bowing his head when he neared.

"Abby," Tain said. He sighed a little, and Abby suspected he still hadn't fallen quite into the role of king. "I'm sorry that you can't stay longer, all of you. Will you come back?"

And his eyes moved to his two brothers and away again; a moment of loss there, and fear.

"I can guarantee nothing, King Tain," Abby said. "But if it is possible, I will bring them back."

Tain's head came up a little. "Not just them. Yes, I'm worried about Micah, Dacey and Silver. But I want to see you all again. You are extraordinary people, you know."

"We tend to bring hell's own trouble with us, you know," Tabor said.

"Well, I do rather hope you'll put an end to that, of course," Tain said. He smiled and looked back at Abby again. "But I'm not entirely stupid, you know. You came here because you knew the demon would move against us. You didn't have to stop your own journey to save Dodano. We're nothing compared to the larger war you fight."

"Everywhere is important in the war we fight," Abby said.

"Say goodbye to your brothers and Silver," Tristan said. He bowed his head. "It won't help to linger."

Tain nodded. The others moved on, walking slowly while the three said their final farewells. Abby glanced back when he heard the three rushing to catch up. In a moment Dacey had come up beside him. He smiled.

"Don't even try to talk us out of this again, Abby. We're ready."

"Then it's time to go," Abby agreed. He went past the pretty tree Dacey had made, still sparkling and sounding like bells in the night -- a pleasant last reminder of this place. He started down the narrow path toward the ship, towering far overhead. He saw the way Dacey looked up at it, and lifted his hand. He shook his head in wonder. They'd done that for him, at least.

Abby wasn't surprised to find another party waiting at the bottom of the path where the seawater brushed against their feet and the base of Freedom and Fame. Phaedra, Brother and a few dozen of the People stood by the ship with Captain Etric, who had gone on ahead with some of the crew to prepare the ship.

From the look on Brother's face, Abby suspected he knew what they were about to hear. He sighed, Tabor shook his head, and Tristan just shrugged.

"I'm going with you," Brother said.

"What will happen when you leave this world and the curse?" Abby asked.

"I don't know that will happen. I might escape the curse entirely, or I might be without magic until I stand beneath a moon again --"

"Brother --"

"Aubreyan Altazar, I have never lived entirely by magic. I have been a warrior since eons before any of you were born."

Dacey laughed. Abby gave up. He knew it was no use arguing with these people anymore. He turned to Phaedra instead.

"I gave up as well," Phaedra said. "But mostly because he's right. He should go with you children. You need a warrior. I wish that I could go as well... but I have duties here."

"We'll be back if we can."

"And I'll be here," she said. She put a hand on Brother's shoulder. "Don't do anything stupid. Well, no more so than usual, at least."

"Your confidence is overwhelming," he said. But he smiled and embraced her. Abby suddenly wondered if he had mistaken their relationship based on his name.

"Go." Phaedra nudged him toward the ramp leading up into the ship.

The others had already started that way, with Dacey in the lead. He looked excited and anxious to start an adventure. Brother went up, walking with Tabor. Etric just shook his head and went on inside, the others trailing after him. Only Tristan and Crystal remained with Abby in that last moment on the world.

"Luck go with you, Aubreyan Altazar," Phaedra said, a hand on his arm.

"Thank you, Lady Phaedra. I wish --"

She stopped him with a hand to his lips. It surprised him.

"You do what you must, as do the others. What you take from this world is very precious -- four gems we shall miss in our hearts. I hope you find a way back again, but only for our sake. The ones who go with you... you do realize none of them really belonged here, don't you?"

"Brother --"

"Brother loved his humans too well. He's never been the same. He needs to be away from the ghosts and the curse that ties him forever to them. Now go, go. I want to see this great ship leave before the moons go down. It must be a wonder."

Abby bowed his head, turned away -- and turned back again. "If there is more trouble, call on the Goddess Starwind for help. Tell her that I will pay the price. Don't let me regret taking the only two mages away... Gods. The curse will be broken, won't it?"

"I don't know," Phaedra said. "I discussed the possibility with Brother. It didn't matter to him."

"Call on her if you need help," Abby said. He started up the ramp, the other two with him.

Tabor waited at the top, looking out at the world with a slight frown. The others went past, but he waited while Crystal keyed the ramp up and closed the door.

"Where are we going next?" Tabor asked.

Abby looked into his face. "Eliora's world."

And they both shivered.

Interlude Five

Ah yes. Gix sat back, a feral grin on his lips, though it was not entirely one of pleasure. He watched the path they made, anger starting grow. His fingers curled into fists, claws catching in the longer fur of his arm. He snarled and flexed his fingers again. Braith took a step closer, stopped.

Yes, Gix knew where they went this time. He sent his gargoyles on ahead of the ship, along the treacherous path the ponderous craft created. But he did it without much thought this time.

Aubreyan was about to return to the place where Gix had come the closest to winning in the first round of battles. It should have been the perfect world for Gix, but he still felt a distaste for the place. A gray world, without life -- he needed life to manipulate.

The world lacked magic as well, though that didn't bother him as much. Magic was only a tool he used; he drew his power from his own world. The lack of faith didn't trouble him in this world, either, since he could use that to his advantage...at least on most worlds.

The problem was that too many of these people believed themselves perfect.

"Such prideful little beings," he said, leaning back again. Braith dared to come closer again, though he looked distrustful when the wind shook the building, a sign of Gix's anxiety. "And pride should not be a problem for me any more than the lack of magic. But I don't like this world, Braith. Do you know why?"

"No, Great Demon," Braith said.

"No, of course not." Gix brushed his finger against the glass where he could see the world forming before the ship. "I should have been able to control them better. If I did not know better, I would believe some other demon had gotten hold of them. But none has. Their own pride makes them difficult to manipulate. They believe they are already perfect, and even when what they do falls well within my plans, they do not do it for my sake."

And there lay the problem. He had created a temptress for Abby on that world. She had worked well in every aspect except one. She had fallen under the dark cloud of her own people's beliefs, and she had stopped listening to him long before Abby left the world.

Aubreyan had followers here, or else he would have skipped the world altogether. But that would leave only the last one, and he harbored more than a little anxiety about dealing with the bard again.

So he looked back at the ship, frowning.

"Why wait?" Gix said. He leaned forward and pulled power from the world, bright and burning, into his hands.

Braith dropped to his knees and covered his head -- weak human thing, even still. But no matter. He sent the power along the path of the ship, and prepared to act again. Not because he needed to, not because he thought he would win... but because it gave him pleasure.

"Braith," he said, his voice like lava, burning with power, ready to act. "You will go to this world. You will deal with the child. Go as someone she will like, Braith. Bring her over to my side again. I shall not sit back and give up so easily."

Part Three

Chapter One

Lehan could hear the sound of voices far down the hillside, and caught the scent of cooking fires. Children played along the streets, their shrill voices louder than any adult's. Two new buildings had gone up in the last month, both storehouses along the river's edge, and their little market square had booths during all but the coldest months of winter now.

The village prospered under the care he and his mother gave it, and had grown into a prosperous town. He looked down on the streets which spread out all down the hillside and along the river's edge, and could see the good life they had brought to it during the last few years. People still came wandering here from the lands beyond the deserts, and they heard tales that grew darker each year about the drought that never seemed to end. Some traders even made regular runs from the cities on the far coast. They said found little left between here and those far lands. But here... here they found life, water, and hope.

Many people said Sanctuary was blessed, and Lehan believed it was so -- but not for the same reasons the village dwellers did. Lehan sill believed he had walked with a god at his side.

He still believed that Aubreyan had blessed him.

They didn't speak about Abby in the town anymore. Time had lessened the immediacy of the trouble they'd faced, and many found it far easier to forget than to recall their own actions in what had happened.

They new priest didn't help. He talked of tricks, coincidences, and traps to ensnarl the unbelievers. Zajal had not been here when Abby walked the world, and he had no reason to believe in anything miraculous...

Except something had obviously happened here, and it had not happened before Abby came. Lehan had once tried to talk to the priest, when he first arrived, and explain... but that had gotten out of hand very quickly, and Lehan avoided the man ever since. He had no time for those so closed-minded that they were not even willing to listen to another's beliefs.

Lehan never argued any more, even when people taunted him about what had happened. They would never change what he believed, and he could see that they knew it in their faces. That was his victory. He made them doubt, even when they least wanted to.

Eliora said that she and her son had finally learned wisdom, if nothing else, in their time with Abby. A shame the same couldn't be said for Liora, but she wasn't a problem any more. She lived in a cave up in the hills. Sometimes men went to her still... but that was all the power she had over them.

He didn't judge her. Her choices; her life.

Lehan finally turned away from the view of the town. He had thought he would head for home -- rooms he kept at an inn down by the river. But he didn't feel like walking among those people tonight while they planned for one of their religious festivals. It seemed that far too often those were the times they became the most antagonistic toward him and Eliora.

He looked at the old stone cottage where his mother still lived. She wasn't there now, and he didn't feel like sitting there alone anyway. The night had turned pleasantly cool, and he hadn't been for a walk away from Sanctuary in months.

Unlike the village and the lands on the plateau, the hills were still mostly barren of life. A few trees grew in clumps along the ridges, and thorny weeds pushed up through the gravel, trying to reach for the sunlight and little water. Sometimes, though, he would find a lovely flower among the weeds. He looked for them tonight, but he found something else entirely.

Liora came down the trail in front of him. He stepped backwards, shocked to see her, and reached toward his dagger --

She laughed. It still sounded more mocking than amused. "Do you really mistrust me that much, brother?"

He drew his hand back, but it wasn't trust. She just had no weapon of her own in hand.

"Liora," he said. "I didn't expect to see you."

"No doubt," she answered. "Since we've managed to avoid each other for a good long time, haven't we?"

This was the closest he had been to her in the five years since Abby and Tristan had left. She'd grown wild in those years -- her long hair had become sun-bleached and golden, her face tan. She wore a ragged-edged dress, and no shoes.

What surprised him, though, was to find that his dislike of her hadn't lessened at all. He didn't care what she did with her life, but he could never forgive what she had done to Abby.

And looking into her face, he suspected she knew it. He couldn't say he saw regret there, but some emotion did play across her haughty features for just that moment that she looked into his eyes.

She was the first to look away.

"What do you want, Liora?" he asked. The sooner he asked, the sooner this would be over.

"There's trouble," she said. He didn't doubt her. He had begun to feel it as well, edging in around his thoughts, whispering at him and making him too edgy to go back to town. "Things have happened in the last three days, and none of it good, Lehan."

She looked back toward the hills and frowned, as though she could see the trouble walking toward them. The hair on his arms stood up straight and a tingle went straight to his spine. Liora knew all about trouble. He didn't doubt her ability to sense it coming.

"What's happened?" he finally asked.

She looked back at him, startled. Too long on her own, he thought, and tried not to feel any pity. She wouldn't appreciate it, and he didn't want to waste the emotion on her.

"I had a visitor, Lehan. Someone who wasn't from around here, but who found my cave without any problems. A very pretty man, though his skin felt like ash beneath my fingers, and his eyes told a truth his spells could not hide."

"Oh hell," Lehan said. He didn't want to know about magic in the world again, not without those who could help against such trouble.

"Hell, yes. Very much hell," she said. "He promised me power to stand by him in a coming war, Lehan. But I turned him away. If I cannot have Abby, why would I take a lesser being?"

The right answer, if not for the best of reasons. "Wisdom at last?" he asked.

"No. I'm just discriminating in my wants. I only want the best. What I can't understand, though, is what he could have wanted with me. My place in the world would never win power, no matter what he did, unless he forced the people to worship me, and if he had that power, he wouldn't need me at all, would he?"

"Ah." That did raise questions, and he feared a war coming. He didn't like the sound of that at all.

"There's another problem, brother. From the time he came, animals have been on the move. Something large is out there, stalking everything it can find. Yesterday I found the carcass of a wild horse, newly killed, its throat slashed, and the entrails dragged from the body."

"You haven't seen it?"

"No. And I'm not very keen to do so, either, after seeing what it can do to an animal three times my size. Warn your people, Lehan. It's not safe in the hills right now."

"Thank you." He bowed to her. It had been an unexpected kindness that she came to tell him either of these things.

She laughed and bowed, and then turned and walked away, looking far too much like a creature of the wild herself. Maybe she had changed.

Lehan turned and started back down the trail. No pretty flowers tonight. He didn't doubt her warning, and he needed to get back and tell the others as soon as he could. Last night he'd heard a hunter in the inn say that things were a bit off in the hills. Now he had confirmation of some new, dangerous predator in the area.

It had happened before. Creatures still found their way in from the desert lands and stayed for the relatively easy pickings near Sanctuary. He'd go to the cottage and wait to talk to his mother before he told anyone else, though. Liora bringing the news would make it suspect in others' eyes, but he knew that his mother would accept it and likely get a hunt together before the next dawn.

Odd, he suddenly realized. He looked back over his shoulder to see Liora scramble up over some boulders, no longer bothering with the path at all. She disappeared in the next heartbeat. Odd that she should come to them at all. There was no doubt that except for a few men who thought that they could somehow capture her heart, or buy her favors, no one in the town dealt with Liora anymore.

The townspeople, however unwillingly, did accept help from him and his mother now and then. The two had won their place -- but they never trusted Liora. They believed Abby in that, at least, even when they denied everything else about him. They could say that they'd been tricked, but they knew the truth about Abby on a level they probably didn't even realize.

Lehan would never understand people. He knew it. Hell, he didn't understand his own sister, and sometimes his mother was even worse. People would believe whatever suited them. It seemed to have worked fine so far...

But there was a war coming, and somehow he feared that their denial of reality was not going to be helpful just now. Something magical had come to Liora and asked her help. They were, quite honestly, lucky she had turned him down, since she owed the others nothing at all.

The trail curved down past the last stand of tall, dark trees. Night came too quickly, and Lehan realized he didn't want to be up here in the dark.

He picked up speed, sprinting along the path. He wasn't that far from town, at least. He'd be there before the moon rose...

In the next step his foot skidded on a rock and he went down on one knee, twisting his ankle. A sharp pain won a quick curse, but he got back to his feet and kept going, slower now and limping. Stupid to have run in the near dark. Stupid to --

Tree branches moved behind him. Wonderful . No doubt Liora had been watching, and was laughing at him. He stopped and turned back to confront her now, rather than waiting --

What sat on the tree branch was large, black, and looked like it was mostly wings when they spread out. Even at this distance he could see the glow of bright red eyes, watching him.

It launched for the tree. Lehan almost spun and ran in pure panic, but that would have been suicidal. He looked around, frantic for the nearest cover, and dived at a stand of boulders that at least got something at his back.

The thing circled once, eyeing him and cawing softly. He'd never seen anything like this creature before. It terrified him. He pulled his dagger at last, for whatever good that would do --

Well, it wouldn't do anything in close combat. Lehan could see the size of those claws. Like his sister, he had no inclination to go up against a creature that could kill a wild horse.

He waited as it swept closer again, timed -- and threw.

The blade buried itself in the chest. It bellowed with anger, wings flapping convulsively as it dropped and rolled over the edge of the hill and downward.

Lehan didn't wait to see if it had died. He pushed himself away from the boulders and ran, cursing his injured ankle, and moving as fast as he could. It didn't take long before he could hear it in the air behind him again. He wouldn't make the town, but the cottage stood across the open ground, dark but inviting. Cover there.

No time to waste. He darted forward --

Claws grabbed his shoulder and yanked him from his feet -- but he had weakened it, and it couldn't hold on. It dropped him to the hard ground and cawed again. Lehan rolled away from the creature and kicked it in the chest when it came close again. It fell backward. Lehan scrambled back to his feet, dashed across the open area and threw himself inside the cottage. He shoved the door closed just as the thing bellowed and hit the side of the building.

His shoulder bled and felt like fire as he slid the post into place to hold the door closed, and afterwards realized it wouldn't help much. The creature had already started pulling at the roofing. It wouldn't take it long...

Weapon. His mother had weapons here. He went to the hearth and found her old sword, and then went back to the door. If it came in, he might want to get out quickly!

He closed his eyes, trying to get his wits back, trying to think of something helpful he could do. The world wanted to slip away from him. He held on, even if his mind wasn't working quite well. He needed calm. He needed to do this right, because he wasn't going to get yet another chance --

And then heard sounds that gave him hope. Voices, and one in particular that won a smile from him even now.

"What the hell is that!" Eliora shouted. "Give me that bow!"

Gods praise his mother. She never wavered, never panicked. He heard the creature screaming, but the bow twanged a moment later. It bellowed again, followed by another twang. He heard it fall, slide down, and hit the ground outside.

Safe.

"Lehan, I assume you're in there?"

"Yes," he said, almost breathless.

She tried the door. "Put the bar up. Let me in."

He had to put the sword down, and he fell against the door, managing to do little more than gasp at the pain. Getting the bar up proved far more difficult than putting it down... but it finally slid off and clattered on the floor.

He hadn't time to step back before the door flew open and knocked him down.

"You're wounded!"

He had never seen his mother so worried before. She tossed the bow aside and dropped to her knees, her face pale in the torchlight the others had brought to the open door.

"It's not that bad," Lehan insisted, though his voice slurred a little. He didn't want to be weak in view of the townspeople. He had never trusted them much.

"It's bad enough to put you down," she said, shaking her head and gently pulling at the bloody cloth at his shoulder.

"You --" He stopped and caught his breath at her touch. "You put me down, mother. You could have given me a chance to back away before you kicked the door open."

"Ah." She took a cloth someone offered with a nod of thanks. "My apologies. I panicked. What was that?"

"I have no idea. But Liora met me on the trail and warned me something was wrong." He kept the other part to himself just then, but he thought his mother could see more in his eyes. "If she hadn't given the warning, I wouldn't have been on guard and gotten away from it."

"Have any of you ever seen or heard of such a creature?" Eliora asked, looking out toward the door.

No one had, and they didn't sound any happier about it, either. A few had taken out their bows and looked worriedly toward the dark hills. Lehan watched them as his mother helped him up.

"We're going back down into town," she said, glancing up at the torn roof. He could see a good-sized hole in it. "Not safe staying here, not if there are more of them. I hope not, but I'm not taking the chance with your life or mine. Tomorrow we'll go hunt, but let's do it wisely."

The men outside agreed. In fact, Lehan thought, they looked rather relieved to know that Eliora didn't intend to pack up and head out on a hunt tonight.

She put her arm around Lehan's waist and he put his unwounded arm over her shoulder. It still hurt like hell to move, and despite hating to see the thing, he was rather glad when she stopped by the body of the creature they had killed.

"I want my knife back," he said, nudging the body.

One of the men drew it out of the chest, cleaned it on his own shirt, and pushed it into the sheath on Lehan's belt. He nodded his thanks.

"You threw it?" Eliora asked.

"Yes. Seemed better than trying close combat." He took short breaths as they started down the trail. "I didn't think I would have much chance against those claws."

"Yes. You were right. It was a good throw, too."

"Would have been better if it had killed the thing."

"Oh yes, but you did well anyway."

He felt, quite unexpectedly, a touch of pride. Odd that his mother could still make him feel that way. But he didn't say anything more as they went down the trail that had not seemed so long when he had come up it early today.

"Damn, what does that bothersome priest want now?" Eliora said, half under her breath.

Lehan lifted his head just as Zajal and two of his closest followers closed in on them. He hadn't thought the priest really stupid until that moment. No one in their right mind would have dared Eliora at a time like this.

"A devil tried to kill you," Zajal said. "We have heard tales, Lehan. We have heard about you."

"I'm sure you have," Lehan answered. He kept his voice quite calm, even with his mother's fingers tightening angrily at his waist. He'd probably have bruises, but he appreciated that she didn't just drop him and pull her dagger on the man.

"Have you fallen out with your demon friends? Or have you led them here with your own blood, to descend on us --"

"I think I should warn you that if you continue to cause trouble, my mother carries a knife, and she knows very well how to use it."

"She wouldn't dare --" he said, but Zajal's eyes had widened and Lehan could see a little line of sweat on the man's forehead.

"I would dare what any mother would do, seeing her son hurt and bleeding, and accosted by men who obviously don't know the meaning of the words kindness or mercy. You might want to go check them in your holy books. But for the moment, get the hell out of our way."

Zajal started to snarl some answer, but Eliora's hand finally did go to her weapon. The man knew that if she drew it, she would use it. He backed away, muttering curses on the unbelievers...

But Lehan saw something unexpected. They had drawn a considerable crowd in those moments, and except for a half dozen people who scurried after the priest, none of the others looked happy with the man. In fact, he saw unexpected nods of approval in his mother's direction.

Now there was something he had never considered. He thought the priest had the hearts of the people, since they all attended his services, and supported his temple. It had not occurred to Lehan they might not like the man, even if they did believe in the god he served.

He thought better of them for it.

But in the next moment he knew he wasn't going to go any farther. His legs were giving way to the weakness he could no longer keep at bay.

"I have to stop," he said, pulling away from his mother's hold. "I have to --"

"Not here," she said, and tried to hold him to his feet.

"No choice. Here."

He went down to his knees and nearly pulled her down with him, gasping as the wound tore open again. He could feel warm blood flowing down his chest as he trembled with cold.

"Let us help, Eliora."

He couldn't open his eyes, but he felt the townspeople gently lifting him...

... Awoke again with a start, and sat up. He remembered the pain of the attack, panic and the dark creature that had swept down on him. But almost worse than that was the knowledge he had collapsed in the midst of the townspeople. He'd sworn never to show weakness before them. He couldn't trust them -- they knew he and his sister both were not of their kind, and they had never been understanding of differences.

He had collapsed... and yet here he was, though he didn't know where for a moment. He gasped and put a hand to his shoulder -- bandaged, but it still felt like fire. He couldn't remember what had happened, or how he had gotten... here. His room?

"Lehan?"

He looked up at the door. It wasn't his mother who stood there in the soft glow of candlelight, and that panicked him again.

Lehan had almost gotten all the way to his feet, despite his right arm being immobilized, when he realized the person at the door was Councilor Datin. And looking around, Lehan realized he had been brought to his own rooms at the inn.

He sat back down, taking short breaths. The pain eased a little, and he felt lightheaded with relief. "Councilor Datin, sir. I didn't realize it was you."

"You're all right? You look white, Lehan." Datin entered the room and sat the candle on the table by the bed before he dropped into the chair beside it.

"My shoulder feels like it's on fire," Lehan admitted. He carefully leaned back against the pillows, fearing he was going to pass out and fall if he didn't. Datin looked worried. "Where's Eliora?"

"It's dawn. Your mother is out hunting, of course. She took twelve men with her. Twelve younger men."

The man unexpectedly made Lehan laugh. He felt a little less uncertain now. He'd never spent much time with any of the councilmen, although he worked with them.

"I told Eliora that I would sit with you while she's gone. The priest is rather unhappy with you at the moment."

"My apologies," Lehan said. "I didn't intend to --"

Datin leaned forward, putting a hand on Lehan's arm and stilling anything else he might say. "Most of us don't like the man, you know. Of the two of you, you aren't the one who should apologize."

"I don't want to do anything that might annoy others," Lehan confessed. "I know that the priest is important --"

"The priest is a pain in the ass, and many of us have written to the High Priest and asked to have him removed."

Lehan blinked. Blinked again. "I didn't realize. I try very hard not to get involved in anything concerning the temple, you know. Since... "

"Since Abby was here. Yes." Datin sat back again, and then frowned. Lehan worried he had gone over the line with the man and kept silent again. "I wish things had gone differently when your Aubreyan was here. I fear too many of us never looked past your sister to see him clearly."

Now there was an interesting thought. He thought this might even be someone he could discuss Abby with, when he felt more up to it.

"You look very tired, Lehan. Get some sleep. Please don't get up again. If your mother knew you'd been on your feet already, she'd have my head mounted and hung over her front door."

He laughed again, and then relaxed. He slept, quite peacefully, all things considered. He rarely trusted someone to watch over him, but in truth he had never mistrusted Datin -- he just hadn't known the man very well.

Light filled the room when he opened his eyes again. He heard his mother's voice out in the hall, and a moment later the door inched open --

"I heard you coming," Lehan said. He managed to sit up and lean against the bedstead. When he looked up again, he was surprised to find not only his mother, but his sister as well.

"She joined the hunt," Eliora said with a nod toward her daughter. They'd never been close, but Gods they looked alike, even with a generation's difference between them. It startled him. He'd forgotten the similarities in the last few years.

"Did you have any luck?" Lehan asked.

"More than I wish we'd had," Elliora said. "We killed another four, and I'm sure I've seen signs of others. They're cunning devils, though. It's not going to be easy to flush them all out."

"I think we're in for a siege," Liora admitted. She looked around the room as though she'd never been in a building before. Well, it likely had been a very long time for her, after all. "I think they're moving in on the town where they can find easier prey."

"Like me," he said, touching his shoulder.

"Oh no. You were not prey, brother," Liora said. She dropped onto the chair and looked as though she was relaxed for the first time in a long, long time. "You got away. But these townspeople are not warriors. If a half dozen of these creatures descended on the town, I would hate to think of the carnage."

"We'll have to hunt them out," Eliora said. She didn't look as happy about the possibility as Lehan would have expected. His mother always liked a challenge -- and that told him far more about the seriousness of this situation than he had felt even when he faced one of the creatures. "This is trouble we don't need."

"Why now?" Lehan asked. He hated feeling helpless, especially in before his mother and sister -- although measuring up to them had been a goal he'd finally given up years ago. "What brings them now?"

"They likely came out of some area of the desert that finally became untenable for them," Liora said.

"No one has ever heard of creatures like this." Eliora glanced at the door, and seeing no one there, lowered her voice. "And after what you told me about your visitor --"

"Yes," Liora said, sounding not in the least bit happy. "I fear it might be related as well. This looks like it might be a hard war to fight."

Shouts rose out in the hall. Eliora spun and reached the door before Datin, who entered just ahead of the red-faced, panting priest. The councilman looked more than angry.

"I told him not to come up here," Datin said.

Eliora nodded and put a hand on Datin's shoulder, an obvious sign of reassurance. Zajal glared and looked past her to the room.

"The whore is not welcome in my city!"

The words silenced everyone else in the hallway who had followed the priest up. Lehan even saw a couple men back away in haste, and he could hear footsteps heading away rather quickly.

Liora looked at him and grinned. She didn't even stand.

"Listen, Priest." Eliora caught hold of his sacred robe before he could pull away. Lehan heard cloth tear. "And listen to me well. This is not your city, and I really don't think you want to push to find out if it is really still mine , now do you? Leave this building. If I find you anywhere near here or disturbing my son and daughter, you'll find yourself used as bait in our next hunt."

"You can't --"

"Oh, she can do a great many things," Datin said. "Are you really as sure of your followers as she is of hers?"

Lehan could barely see the priest's face. The man said nothing as he pulled himself out of Eliora's grasp, turned and walked away. They could hear him and a few of the others grumbling as they back down the stairs.

"Well, that was far more satisfying than I expected," Eliora said. But she shook her head. "Still, I'd rather it hadn't come now."

"I suspect we're in for a war," Lehan said. He looked toward the door. "Or maybe two."

And it looked as though they would both be hard fights.

Chapter Two

Crystal sat at the board next to Banning and watched the numbers on her screen as her fingers moved. His own hands moved now and then, carefully feeding the power downward. He wanted a slow transition this time, rather than the gut-wrenching drop into somewhere else.

He couldn't get used to the idea of going to other realities. He had to pretend they were merely sliding to new worlds, rather than slipping entirely away from their own reality. It didn't help that Tristan had given them an entirely new language yet again. He found it difficult to sort out the technical terms sometimes, since they tended to remain in the language which came with the ship.

"Twenty seconds, Captain," Banning said. She sounded just as calm as ever. It didn't help. "Are you ready, Tabor?"

"Standing by," he said on the comm from down by the engines.

"Ten seconds to transition. Stand by."

He heard people take hold behind them.

"Now."

They eased from one set of engines to the other. He saw the power spike dangerously high on Banning's board, but she knew how to handle that the problem, and it went down again before it could do more than make a little hiss of sound.

The stations began reporting in. Things looked normal.

"Well, that was better," Crystal said, finally leaning back.

"Sure, if you like calm, unexciting transitions," Banning said. She grinned at his look of reproach. "My way did have more flare."

"And was likely to leave us looking like a flare, too," Crystal said. He finally looked up at the screen. He couldn't say this was the most interesting world he'd ever seen. Far too much of it looked uninhabitable, at least from where they orbited. He could see masses of vegetation here and there, mostly on the edges of small seas. "I don't think I want to stay here very long."

"You and me both," Etric said. He came up behind Crystal's seat and offered his fellow captain a hand when he started to stand. "The one good thing I can say about it is that I don't feel any mass of magic out there."

"On any other world, I'd think that was good," Crystal said. He shook his head. "I picked up far too much of Abby and Tristan's dislike of this place with the crown. I want to do what we came for and leave. Do you think it's possible Gix overlooked this one?"

"No," Etric said. He held up his hand again. "Not much magic, but I'm sure I can feel some of him in it."

"Great. Wonderful." He looked toward the doorway surprised to see Dacey standing there, watching. "Come in, Dacey."

"Thank you." He took one step inside and stopped again, looking around at the different boards. Intrigued, if Crystal read that look right. He didn't see that look on many of the non-tech people they had picked up. Dacey finally looked up at the screen as if he only then realized they were looking at a world for the first time. "We're there?"

"Yes," Etric said. "Wherever the hell there is."

"Our mages are always so reassuring." Crystal shook his head. "But then Banning isn't much better. You've picked up the language very well, considering you couldn't use the crowns."

"Kamil helped me," Dacey replied, finally looking away from the screen. He smiled. "Kamil is wondrous. I never would have realized he couldn't hear. There are a lot of wondrous people on this ship."

"Yes, there are," Etric said. He grinned, and it was obvious he thought Dacey was one of them, but Crystal doubted that Dacey noticed. "Are you interested in the ship?"

"I'm interested in everything ," he said. And he didn't look quite so young in that moment. "I've been... asleep for a long part of my life. Having the ability to examine and appreciate everything around me is new."

"And intoxicating," Banning said, looking back from her own board.

"Yes -- that, too. I had no idea how much of my energy and attention the curse took. So being free of it, and suddenly finding myself in so strange and unusual a place -- well, I haven't slept much. Computers... I don't understand how they can hold so much wisdom and yet not be intelligent. But I appreciate that they share the wisdom with others."

Now there was an interesting view of something he took for granted. Crystal glanced back at his boards. He took so much for granted. Computers had always been a part of his life, and they'd always been nothing more than machines to him. Machines with data... but wisdom? He supposed so.

"Where are the rest of your people?" Etric asked.

"Asleep still, I hope," Dacey answered with a quick smile.

"They make you nervous, do they?" Etric said, glancing at the screen again, as though to make sure the world still waited there.

"I'm not used to so much attention. It bothers me that they're always watching."

Etric nodded and looked to Crystal. "Looks like he's one of yours."

"Mine?"

"Smuggler, remember? Doesn't like to be watched."

That made sense in an embarrassing sort of way. "True enough, I guess."

"I've met most everyone and sorted them out," Dacey said. He looked from Etric to Crystal. "I can't see how your crew could avoid drawing attention, Captain Crystal."

"We don't usually travel like this, you know," he said waving a hand around. "I have a nice small ship of my own... somewhere."

"But your crew..." Dacey said. Then stopped again. "You really haven't looked much at your crew, have you?"

Etric laughed. "He has you on that one, Crystal."

"I don't get it."

"Banning is one of your crew, isn't she?"

"Yes. And yes, she does draw attention but --"

"Istanan?"

"Yes. And Damien and Zoe, but --"

"And Emperor Kadrien?"

"Kadrien came with this ship, but he is part of my crew, yes --"

"And for some reason you think the group doesn't draw attention?"

"We don't visit many worlds," Banning said, laughing. "At least not together, or at least not before this madness started. He has us pegged, Captain Crystal. We aren't exactly people who are ever going to blend into the crowd. I rather think we pride ourselves on it."

"I would think, though, that it would be... dangerous to be so open?"

"Sometimes you make choices without even realizing it," Crystal admitted as he glanced again at the boards, and then the screen. It was an old habit, and Etric had done the same. "I have a good crew -- we both do, really. You can tell that by how well they work together. But when I was on my own, I decided early on that I would not toe the line with the Imperial Law."

"And now the Emperor is a member of your crew."

"Fate likes to play games with my mind," Crystal said.

Banning stood from her post, giving a little stretch, and nodding. "Captain, I would like to suggest something."

"Well, there's a rarity. She's asking me before she just goes ahead and does it." Crystal grinned at her look. "Oh, do ask. I want witnesses to this novelty where you pretend like I'm actually in charge."

"I would like to start teaching Dacey some of the board and ship functions." She smiled at Dacey's sudden look of surprise and intrigue. "He wants to learn."

"I think that's a great idea," Crystal agreed, and Etric nodded as well. Dacey looked shocked, but he had taken a step toward the boards already. Good. It never hurt to train more crew.

Banning signaled him over to where Crystal had been sitting, and then dropped back down into her own chair. He didn't have to warn her to be careful. Banning would never be careless.

Abby arrived only a moment later. He looked around, shaking his head. "My apologies. I slept through the transition."

"That was the plan," Crystal said. "We decided to forgo the usual heart-stopping drop into reality this time. I'm glad you slept through it. Tristan?"

"Should be here in a moment." He looked up at the world and frowned. "Eliora's world."

He didn't sound any happier about it, and even Tristan looked rather grim when he arrived.

"The world looks calm enough," Tristan said. "Why do I mistrust it?"

"Been with me too long," Abby and Crystal chorused.

They were still laughing when Etric gave a started yelp -- "Magic!"

And the ship went dead, dark and... dropped.

Crystal threw himself away from the boards, afraid that he'd hit something, but he still crashed back against the edge of a console, a sharp blinding pain lacing through his head in that moment. His breath caught --

He found himself counting. How far until they impacted? Ten... twenty.... surely they were well within the gravity well now, and even starting the ship again... twenty-five.

In a moment the lights came back up, and the ship shuddered back to power. Banning and Etric shouted orders back and forth. The ship moved against the pull of gravity, and he heard orders shouted again while he tried to move... and stopped before he passed out. The ship shuddered, and alarms rang... but he thought he felt the engine catch now and pull away. It felt right.

"Whatever it was, it cut straight through and just shut down the engines," Zoe was saying from somewhere. Engineering, he suspected. "Tabor threw a ward around them and Kamil cold-started them again."

"Damn," Banning said. She sounded shaken.

Crystal tried to get back up. His head pounded and his arms didn't want to move quite properly --

"Crystal!" Tristan said, dropping down beside him.

"Oh hell," Etric said and was beside him as well. "Gods. I didn't see him go down. Stay still, Crystal. Your head is bleeding."

"Ship --"

"Stable. And we have wards up around the engine, and alarms set to go off from here to hell and back, so to speak. Nothing is going to catch us like that again. Be still. Let Tristan help you!"

Crystal hadn't realized he'd been trying to fight them off until that moment. It was as if his body had acted without his mind fully engaged. He willed himself to be still, and Etric nodded, looking relieved.

"Keep watch," Crystal said. The words sounded slurred. "Captain."

Etric had reached out, obviously intending to do magic. But he stopped and frowned, looking back at the controls. He drew his hand back. "I can't help, Tristan. I don't dare, not with Crystal already down."

"I have him," Tristan said softly. He sounded a little distracted. Crystal could feel a little warmth at the back of his head, comforting. It eased some of the ache.

"Tristan?" Dacey said, kneeling down where Etric had been a moment before.

"Yes, please help hold him while I do the magic," Tristan said.

Crystal relaxed into their hold. Warmth and calm seemed to sweep through him. He knew that the calm was imposed by Tristan, but he didn't fight it, and in turn Tristan didn't argue as he watched what happened on the control deck around them. Or perhaps Tristan realized that it calmed him.

Tabor arrived, looked down at them with obvious worry, and then up at Etric when he came closer.

"It was magic -- demon-tainted, but not fully his. Braith would be my guess, and he had better hope he's gone from this miserable world before I get down there."

"So they know that we're here," Etric said. "Well, that's no real surprise, is it?"

"Not really. We're just lucky he knew as little about ships as I do," Tabor said. "I didn't know you could just open up the power source that way and flood the engines."

"Neither did I," Etric said. "And I rather hope we never have to do it again. Abby, how is Tristan doing with Crystal?"

Crystal's eyes moved to Abby, who knew that he watched. He wondered what information passed between him and the elf in that moment.

"Tabor, will you take the crown and help him?" Abby said. His hand brushed across the crown, frowning. "It is delicate work, and I can't offer him magic to help. There is swelling around a fracture, but they are already reducing that damage."

"I'd be more than glad to help," Tabor said. "Is Tristan ready?"

"Yes," Abby said. Crystal watched the way Abby braced himself, and then removed the crown, passing it to Tabor's hands.

Trust. Crystal did as well. He finally closed his eyes, and relaxed into their care.

Chapter Three

Carrick knew that no matter how long he stayed with Abby and Tristan, he was never going to get used to this ship. The craft not only confused and mystified him, but there were times when he felt outright terror at the idea of being trapped in this shell and going places that he never understood.

But mostly it just annoyed him that he kept getting lost in the halls, and even finding the central corridor was no sure sign that he would make it to somewhere else and back again.

He just couldn't sit in the room any longer. He needed to get out and walk, to move around this ship and understand it if he ever hoped to overcome his fear of it.

He stood at the edge of the corridor that led back to the suite of rooms he shared with Petra and dared himself to go out.

And then he heard something quite unexpected.

"Gods, this place is confusing," someone said from the other side of the opening.

That amused him, at least. He looked around the corner and found someone faintly familiar on the other side, and who looked at him with that same look of surprise.

"I assume that you are not crew," Carrick said, grinning.

"No, afraid not. And you?"

"No. I'm Carrick." The man frowned a little, obviously trying to place the name. "From Abby, Tristan and Tabor's world."

"Ah! Of course. I'm too used to hearing Carrick and Petra . I couldn't place you alone. I'm Micah, as in Dacey, Silver and Micah."

This was better. Carrick laughed.

"I take it that you are having no better luck with finding your way around this craft than I am," Carrick said. He leaned against the wall by Micah, looking up and down the now empty corridor.

"Not much luck at all," Micah said. "And I'm beginning to get annoyed. I never got lost in the wilderness of home, but I can't find my way from one level to another here."

"Do you have any idea what happened when the ship went dead?" Carrick asked.

"No. Except it wasn't good, from what I gathered. I suppose that was obvious. I heard on the comm that they've taken Captain Crystal to the medcenter, but Captain Etric didn't sound too worried. I hope it isn't serious. I like Captain Crystal."

"I like them all," Carrick said. "It's so odd, you know, to remember Abby the way he was the first time we saw him, a refugee on the road, running before the darkness. He was different then."

"I can't imagine it. He came to our world ready to do whatever needed to be done to save us. Do you feel brave enough to dare a little exploring with me? I figure I won't feel quite as stupid if I can get lost with someone else."

"I don't know. Think we can find our way back again?"

Micah looked at the wall beside him, and then gave a quick sudden nod. "Oh yes, we'll find this corridor again."

Micah drew a knife and made a long, plain scratch in the wall.

"Damn! I wish I had thought of that one!" Carrick said.

"Well, let's just hope that no one else thinks it's a great idea or we'll have scratches everywhere, and still won't be able to locate this one," Micah said. "Up or down?"

"Up, I think."

Micah nodded and started away, Carrick at his side. Carrick only now remembered that this one was a high-ranking prince in his own land. He didn't seem it -- or maybe he purposely didn't want to be reminded of that part of his life right now. Carrick didn't ask. Instead, the two of them wandered up the main corridor and down occasional side halls that looked interesting. They found some lovely rooms filled with wonders like large glowing crystals, plants, and wall-sized views of the space around them, both the world and the other directions. Micah marked those corridors as well. Carrick hoped to bring Petra back to a couple of the rooms. It helped him to know that not everything on this ship was iron and technical. There were places where he could feel comfortable.

Eventually the two even wandered into a room filled with the smells of food. Cafeteria, the sign said. Amazing to be able to read those words.

"Welcome!" someone said. He looked across the room and found two members of the crew there. Zoe, he thought -- there were not many women on board, so he had better luck recognizing them on sight. The other... Damien. And they waved the two over.

"Tea?" Zoe asked. "Just sit down. I'll get it for you."

"And maybe a few more cookies," Damien said, grinning.

She laughed and agreed. Micah and Carrick sat down. Damian looked at them frowning a little.

"Carrick and Micah," Carrick offered.

"Ah. Thank you. Sorry. I'm getting confused, I'm afraid. It's a bit stressful lately, and I'm not keeping up. Thank you, Zoe."

"And you're Damien, right?" Carrick asked.

"Yes. Sorry. I am."

"We're not sorry you're Damien," Zoe said with a grin. She sat drinks and a plate of cookies on the table before she dropped down into the chair. "How are you two doing? Not many of the non-crew have made it this far into the ship. They fear they'll get lost, I suspect."

"We left marks carved in the walls," Micah said.

Damien had started to sip his drink and coughed it back out again. Then he laughed. "That's great! Damn, we should all carry knives."

"You know, I've been half tempted to tell Kadrien we're going to put him to use at last, and make him wander up and down the corridor painting numbers on the damned walls," Zoe said. That made Damien laugh again, which seemed to please her. "I think I'll suggest it to Captain Crystal as soon as he's better."

"How is your captain doing?" Micah asked.

"Better," Damien said. "Praise the gods, and the mages, for that. From what I gather, if Tristan hadn't been there, he wouldn't have survived."

"Oh hell," Carrick said. "I didn't realize --"

"It's all right," Zoe said. She played with her glass taking slow breaths before she spoke. "They say he's going to be fine. And the ship is stable now, and we have a new warning system, thanks to Silver and Etric, that will warn us of that type of magic again. They did say there's a bit of an anomaly they can't quite track yet, but since we'll be down soon, they hope it won't be a problem before then."

"I'm not used to magic," Micah confessed. "Even having a brother who is a mage is rather new to me, you know."

"It's not known on my world at all," Zoe said.

"Mine either," Damien added.

"It's fairly common on my world," Carrick said, picking up the glass and sipping a little. Nice taste. "I trust in it more than I trust this ship of yours."

"I suspect Abby, Tristan and Tabor feel the same way," Zoe said. She smiled again, and Carrick found her fascinating, in an alien sort of way. "Sometimes you can see it in their eyes... Damien? Something in the hall?"

Carrick had heard it as well, and stood with the others. The sound did not belong on this ship, and he could see, at the edge of the door, a shifting shadow as whatever was coming scraped along the floor.

"Well, hell," Zoe said as she sat aside her glass. "I'd say we just found the anomaly."

"Actually, it found us," Damien said. "Can you get to the commlink, Zoe?"

She started that way, but it was close to the door opening, and the other three followed her. Micah and Carrick had both drawn their knives. Carrick realized that neither of the other two had weapons. He said nothing.

"Damn," Zoe said. "Interference. I can't get through. Here it comes!"

"You know, I thought we'd be safe here," Micah said.

"Safe?" Zoe said. She back up beside them, glancing at the knives. "This ship is the most dangerous place to be in the universe. In several universes, from all I can tell."

"Where are all those mages when you need one?" Micah said, shaking his head. "Zoe, you and Damien had better try to get past and find help."

"Us? Why not --"

"Well," Micah said, stepping back as the thing came to the doorway at last -- tentacles, a single dark eye -- Carrick had never seen anything like it. "Carrick and I have the only weapons. And we couldn't begin to find crew. Ready?"

"Ready," she said, but didn't sound particularly happy. Damien nodded. So did Carrick.

"Now!"

Carrick leapt at the creature, Micah at his side. He aimed for the eye and at least drew its attention as Zoe and Damien went past -- only Damien didn't go far. When the thing turned, reaching with long arms that ended in a single hooked claw, Damien threw himself between it and Zoe.

The claw caught him in the arm, and another in the side. Micah leapt that way, slicing at the leathery skin, and Carrick found himself fighting to keep the prince from being impaled as well. But they got Damien free, though he fell, bleeding and unconscious, on the ground. Carrick couldn't see where Zoe had gone, but in a moment he knew she'd gotten to help. Alarms went off, and he heard shouts through the comm system, though it sounded garbled where they were.

"Let's draw it back from Damien," Micah said. He wiped blood from the side of his face. "That will give them a chance to get to him right away. I suspect they won't be long."

"I certainly hope they aren't," Carrick said. He backed up a step with Micah. The thing followed them but it was too wide for the doorway, though it finally squeezed its way through, bringing even more of the claw-ended tentacles into the battle. He thought he saw something like teeth appear in the leathery brown face for a moment.

The animal started to turn, obviously intending to go for their unconscious friend rather than fight. Carrick shouted, but it seemed unlikely the thing even heard. He tried for the eye again, and this time got too lucky.

The blade went in, but the creature went wild at the same time. There was a mouth, and teeth as well. He'd rather not have seen that as the tentacles began to wrap around him, tightening until he couldn't breathe. He thought he could hear Micah --

And then he had the clear view of Otaka rushing toward them. She pulled her weapon and put it right against the creature's head and fired before it could even pull a tentacle away to slap at her.

Light flashed, and the creature shuddered, falling over and pulling Carrick with him. The hold had gone limp, though, and the others had no trouble pulling him free, though he still had trouble breathing, even when he stood, Micah holding him to his feet.

"I -- want one of those," Carrick said, pointing at Otaka's weapon.

"You know, normally I'd say it's too dangerous to have laser weapons loose on a ship," Otaka said. She kicked at the creature. "I'm starting to change my mind."

"Get them down to medcenter, will you Otaka?" Etric asked. He had gone to the commlink that seemed to be working better now that the creature had died. "I'm going to start a search, and then we're going down."

Otaka nodded. She had her weapon still in hand, which Carrick found very reassuring.

He hoped they didn't have far to go to this medcenter, because he was still having trouble breathing, and the hall seemed a bit darker....

Chapter Four

Abby had stayed on the control deck, not because he could help there, but because, with the crown gone, he didn't think he would be much help wandering lost around the ship looking for trouble. He waited, and for some reason Banning, Istanan, Talis and Seaton seemed to take some comfort in his presence. Maybe they thought he could protect them, rather than being the beacon that would draw trouble.

Etric wasn't long in returning, though. He looked harassed, but otherwise not any more worried than he had when Zoe gave her frantic call.

"It was another one of those damned tentacled things that keep turning up," Etric said. He dropped into the chair by his controls, scanned the readings and then looked up again. "I suspect it came at the same time Braith cut the power, and that was our other anomaly. I have the others checking as best they can, but I suspect that if there are any more of them, we'll not see them until they're ready."

"Everyone is all right?" Abby asked.

"Damien and Carrick are in medcenter, but Ylin says they'll both be fine."

Carrick was hurt. That struck him unexpectedly hard, and he hoped it didn't show in his face. He should not feel any more for Carrick than he did for the others... but Carrick had been one of his very first friends. He should never have brought Carrick here.

And he had no Tristan in his mind to reassure him. That didn't help.

"I've already sent down to their rooms to bring Petra up to medcenter to be with him," Etric said. "It'll be all right, Abby. We better just concentrate on what we need to do next."

Abby nodded, not daring his voice or his mood just yet. He looked toward the screen, but the view didn't help. Eliora's world hung there all gray like something dead. He could see a few lines of green here and there, and wondered if one of them marked where Sanctuary lay. He wanted not to find it in some ways. But then he thought of Eliora and Lehan, and remembered he had come here for a reason. He had friends here.

And Gix had already been here as well. They knew that when he attacked. He wouldn't waste time.

At least the clouds were few... though he suspected that might be half the reason the world looked so poor. He didn't want the people to suffer, but he didn't want to be here, either. He had too few good memories of this world. Liora was down there, and he could still feel her gray eyes staring at him. He had had no crown then, too. He wasn't ready --

"Abby," Etric said, surprising him with a hand on the shoulder. Abby hadn't even noticed him stand.

"It's all right," Abby said. "I'm a little unsettled." He touched his bare forehead, and Etric nodded.

"I think I may have found your site," Seaton said, words Abby still wasn't sure he really wanted to hear. "It matches the description as best I can. We'll be coming up on it in about two minutes. I'll put it up on the screen."

Abby nodded. "Good," he said, and hoped they didn't hear all the emotions in his voice he wanted to hide.

He wanted his crown back and Tristan here, but he couldn't pull his friend away from the work that needed to be done for Crystal. Abby wondered if Etric understood how close they had come to losing their smuggler captain. He suspected so, since Etric had to know it wouldn't normally take Tristan and Tabor this much time for anything simple.

The screen changed, the view swimming down closer to the ground. Even before he saw the actual village, grown now, he knew that it was the right place. He even felt a little pleasure to see the distant shape of Eliora's house on the hilltop.

"Yes, that's it," he said.

"Good," Seaton said. They were already going past, and he reset the screens to the larger view. "I'm going to do a scan of the area on this orbit and have a choice of places to land when we come back around. It's rocky and uneven, but the tops of those hills look likely. I read granite, and very little topsoil."

"Sounds good," Etric said, sitting back on his chair and scanning through the cryptic information that Seaton sent him.

"We'll need to use the stabilizers this time," Seaton said. "Nothing is even enough out there, but it is wide and solid."

Etric nodded, and then he looked up at Abby and shook his head. "We don't need to go down right away, Abby. We can wait for a while."

He felt the temptation -- but then he remembered all the trouble they'd been facing already, and his state of mind seemed little to take into account against the danger they had already faced, and could face again.

"No," he finally said. "No, we should go down as soon as we can."

"Abby, I know that you don't like this world very much --"

"I despise this world," he said. He saw Banning look at him with true shock. It hadn't occurred to him before that they'd never heard him say anything quite so negative before. "I do really hate this world. However, waiting will not make it a better place. Let's land and be done with it. Get down before something else gets on the ship, or we go down at someone else's behest."

"Yes, you're right," Etric agreed, though he still looked worried.

"I have no love for this world," Abby said again, but then he offered a little smile. He barely kept from brushing his hand against his forehead again, to feel for the crown he knew wasn't there. "But I did leave friends behind, or else we wouldn't be here at all."

"True," Etric said. He relaxed a little again. Abby couldn't help but think he'd be more than happy to land and have at least one less thing to worry about going wrong.

"I won't abandon them, Lord Captain Etric," he said, and won a little smile at the old title he didn't use much anymore. They had all changed so much in this war. "Let us go and collect them, and be on our way as soon as possible."

"On to the next place," Banning said, sounding a little weary.

"Yes, on to the next place," Abby said. "To the last place, Banning. And a world filled with magic and wonder. I don't want to spend too much time on this gray world, especially when there is still such wonder awaiting us. Let's be done with it."

And after they went to Brendan's world, then they would go to hell.

Rqua looked back at him, but neither of them said anything this time.

Chapter Five

Lehan went to the town meeting in the square, despite still feeling like hell. But it seemed important he make an appearance, even if it was on the arm of his sister.

Oh, and didn't the three of them draw attention -- Lehan and Liora side by side like they had been in their youth, and their mother at their back? People moved out of their way. Quickly. If he hadn't ached so much, he would have enjoyed this far more.

A glance at Liora showed that she did appreciate the show. He dared not try to look back at their mother. He feared he would laugh, and ruin the entire image. Besides, he lost all sense of humor when Zajal came out of the mass of people who had started to fill the makeshift benches and chairs in the small tavern. He really didn't want another confrontation with the man, but it probably wasn't going to be his choice.

"This is a meeting for the townspeople, and I object to the presence of this whore among the clean people of my temple."

Lehan started to pull free of his sister, but she held on to him. And she laughed. "You are so sure of your people, are you, little priest? Would you like names of the sinners who come to me? It's not only the men, you know --"

"Blasphemy!"

"I've never heard truth called blasphemy before," she said and laughed again.

"Oh, go sit down, fool," Eliora said. "This isn't the time for your pretentious behavior. Do you really want this confrontation now? Would you like to make the townspeople choose between you and my family? Tell me, do you hunt well, priest?"

Well, now there was a threat that drew everyone's attention, and Zajal knew it, too. His eyes narrowed, but he turned and marched away. Lehan saw looks of relief everywhere as the people found seats. They left three up in front for Lehan and his sister and mother. He felt as though they were being put on show, and it had been a long time since he'd felt that way.

The priest offered a prayer first. Lehan ignored it and looked around at the others, judging how worried they were by how little attention they paid. Datin even nodded at him. When the priest finished, Datin stood and hustled the man off to the benches with what seemed like a little too much haste, even to Lehan.

"The day is going fast," Datin said when he went back to the front. "We don't want to be out in the dark. The things have been seen in the hills again, closer to the city. I know that Eliora is anxious to get back out and see if she and the other hunters can't bring a few of them down before sunset. Eliora, would you come up and tell us what you can about these creatures?"

She nodded and stood, striding to the podium and never pausing. Facing these people had never much bothered her, of course. Lehan found it odd to look at her this time, though. Her hair had started to gray along the temples, and her face had lines that had not been there a few years ago. Older. He had never thought of her as aging.

"There is, unfortunately, very little I can tell you about what these things are," she said. She leaned on the podium, at ease as she spoke to the others. "I've checked every book we can find in town, and even those with Holy Books say that they can't find any references in them. So we know nothing at all about their habits, except what we've seen first hand -- and that's not good. They have taken livestock. They're strong, they're cunning, and they're determined. But we also know they can be killed. So far Lehan is the only human to be attacked --"

"The only human?" Zajal said, his voice loud. "Maybe these creatures only know what is human and what isn't. Maybe the rest of us are safe."

Silence. Shock. Even Lehan hadn't expected that sort of attack --

And then Liora leapt straight at the priest, who barely got to his feet before she knocked him down to the ground, and then knelt down, a knee on his chest, and her knife right before his face. Silence fell everywhere around them as Lehan stumbled over to her before she did something --

"You may say what you want about me, priest. I know what I am, and I have made my choices. But never again speak ill of Lehan in my presence. Do you understand?"

The priest's head moved in a very slight nod. He didn't look capable of speech.

Liora took that as the answer she wanted. She stood again, and pushed the knife back into her belt sheath. She did not offer a hand to the priest, who looked like he might have trouble getting back to his feet.

When she turned around and found Lehan there, she shook her head and carefully took hold of him around the waist.

"I can fight my own battles, brother."

"Oh, I've never doubted that," he said, grateful that it wasn't far back to that bench. "I just didn't want you to kill the fool."

"Well, in that case, I suggest you turn away and not watch if he says one more thing to annoy me."

He hid the grin that almost came to his lips, and glanced at the priest. He took it seriously, though he did glare still. Fool, fool, fool... or maybe something more?

"Liora... you said someone visited you. Do you suppose he just left again? Or do you think he might still be lingering, and perhaps manipulating matters to make them worse?"

Liora's eyes went wide, and then she turned back to the priest. He had heard the words and gone still, his eyes narrowed. "Oh, now there is a dark thought. Were you tempted when I was not, priest?"

Lehan thought he saw something in the man's face, and right then he not only disliked the man, but very much distrusted him. Even so, he did nothing when his own people drew Zajal back to his own seat.

"I think we had best get back to the trouble at hand," Datin said, and Eliora nodded, though both of them watched the priest as well..

"We are going to have to set up hunting parties," Eliora said, looking away at last. "We'll --"

Wind.

They heard it before they saw the dust and dirt rising over the hills. People began to shout and if there had been time, they would have run for cover. But too quickly, too quickly --

The wind came sharp and quick, sending those who had not already huddled down sprawling into the dirt. Lehan landed on his back, gasping in pain as the wound in his shoulder tore open again -- but in the next moment he forgot even that pain.

Until that moment he had never feared death.

A mountain moved over them: gray stone and half as wide as the entire town, and so tall he could not clearly see the top. It seemed to hang there, the very shadow of death... and in that moment Lehan feared he was not human, and if he died now, he did not know what would become of his soul. He had not expected that sort of fear. It left him shaking, waiting...

But the mountain moved on, slow, slow. He could hear the roar of monsters in its wake and the world trembled as it lowered, perching on the hill overlooking the village not far from his mother's home. For a moment longer the wind swirled and debris flew everywhere.

And then silence filled the world -- silence so complete Lehan feared for a moment that he had gone deaf. He sat up slowly, glad for the sounds of others gasping, and even for the feel of his hands against the stone of the square.

"What the hell was that?" Eliora demanded.

Lehan laughed. She looked at him, a little shocked by the reaction.

"Which one of us did you expect to know the answer?" he finally asked.

And she laughed a little, too. She brushed dirt from her hair, but she stared at the thing on the mountain as though measuring it up for the kill.

Many of the people had taken off running for their homes, and not a few followed the priest back to the temple. Lehan could see trouble from that quarter, but it was something they'd have to face later. Right now, that oddly shaped mountain seemed far more dangerous.

"I'm going up to see what I can learn," Eliora said, which didn't surprise anyone there, he noted. "Since it didn't drop down and kill us all, I'm going to hope that means whatever it is, it's not unfriendly. Lehan --"

"Liora and I are going up with you," he said. Liora nodded. "I'm intrigued, too, Mother. Don't argue. Let's go find out what we can before we have to deal with the priest and his people."

Eliora almost argued until he said those last words, then she nodded. Probably realizing it wouldn't be safe for him to stay here without her and Liora anyway. He didn't really want to go climbing up the trail, but he gritted his teeth and didn't show any weakness. A few of the villagers, including Datin, followed after them. He took that as another good sign, since he had seen fewer go running after that damned priest. Zajal would create a problem, Lehan thought. And they didn't need another one right now.

They went past the cottage -- someone had removed the body of the creature and he could see they'd already begun work on the roof as well. Good, although he didn't think his mother should stay up here alone. He wondered if he could safely broach that subject with her. It seemed unlikely.

They stood completely in the shadow of the new mountain now. Odd... it looked sleek. Made? That didn't make Lehan feel any safer. He didn't much trust humans... or many other things --

An opening appeared near the bottom, showing a brightly lit interior, and figures. Something tongue-like moved out, and while the villagers backed away a few steps, Liora, Eliora and Lehan did not. Ah, there was so much they did for show instead of sanity.

They looked human, the people who finally stepped out and --

And he tore free of Liora in the next moment, racing forward before his mind fully realized the implications of what he saw.

"Abby!"

Abby pushed ahead of the strangers and reached him just as Lehan realized he was not going to go much farther. Abby must have seen it. He caught hold of Lehan and held him up, looking worried.

"I should have realized that such a wonder meant you had come back!" Lehan said, gratefully accepting Abby's help.

"You know, people say that quite often lately," Abby said. He smiled brightly. "I'm glad to see you."

"I never expected you to come back --" Lehan stopped. His hand caught Abby's arm in a grasp that seemed to surprise his friend. "The crown. Gods, where is the crown? What happened to Tristan!"

Abby embraced him. He felt his heart pound with fear, but when Abby pushed him back again, he was still smiling. "Tristan is inside, and using my crown with... another... to help with a friend who is hurt."

"I'm glad to hear it, Aubreyan," Eliora said. He bowed his head toward her, and glanced briefly at Liora and away. "And I'm glad to see you. Things have happened here in the last few days, and I suspect that's part of what brought you back, isn't it?"

"Yes, Lady Eliora," he admitted, sounding contrite, as though the trouble was his own. Then he looked at Lehan again. "I think you shouldn't be standing, should you? Your shoulder is bleeding. What happened?"

"I was attacked by a large, black, winged creature." He still didn't really feel the pain of the wound, though he had started to get lightheaded. That might just be from standing by Abby again, though. "They seem to have moved in on the town."

"More gargoyles," one of the others said, and Abby nodded. Lehan really hadn't noticed them before now. They looked an interesting group, but then anyone traveling with Abby had to be interesting.

"I barely got away. Mother went out and killed as many of them as she could, but --"

Abby laughed. The sound took him by surprise again, and Abby lifted a hand in a gesture of apology. "I have been many places of late, Lehan. We've fought gargoyles nearly everywhere, and run as often as won. But here... here, your mother just goes out and kills them."

"You expected anything different from me?" Eliora asked, finally stepping close enough to take Lehan in hand, though he really didn't want her to.

"No, not of you," Abby admitted. He looked back at the others. "We'll need to get some hunters out here with lasers, and before dark."

Someone nodded and hurried back up into that hill. A moving world of some sort? It intrigued Lehan.

"What is happening? What brought you back here?" Eliora asked.

Abby looked down the hillside toward the town, back to Liora for a moment. Lehan saw no doubt in his look and knew she had nothing to do with why he had returned. Lehan felt a wave of relief, though he did admit to himself that even if it had been Liora that had drawn Abby back, he wouldn't have cared just then.

"We have all but one piece of the Kiya," Abby said. "And that last piece, unfortunately, is in the hands of Gix in his own domain. It is the head, and I must retrieve it in order to complete the geas put on me by my mother."

"But it's not completing the geas... not for yourself," Liora said. Oh, maybe she knew him better than Lehan had expected. "There's something more important. There always is with you."

"If I don't retrieve the head of the staff and finish this madness, then Gix will continue to pursue me and my friends until he wins. And if he wins, then the balance goes, at least for a while, in favor of the demons."

"Well, that sounds about right," Eliora said.

"I have been gathering my friends together," he said. "It's not what I want to do, but either we fight together or each group must stand alone. Even Tabor has come to my side in this."

"Tabor," Lehan said, startled. "Tabor, the demon's own son."

"Yes," he said and smiled again. "Things have changed."

"But you haven't," Eliora said.

"Not much," he admitted. He waved his hand toward the others around him. "These are some of my friends. Captain Etric, one of the two captains aboard the ship --"

"Ship," Lehan said. He looked back at the thing still sitting behind them and tried to apply that word to it.

"Yes. It flies --"

"We noticed that part." Eliora laughed. "You did scare the hell out of us, you know."

"My apologies. There's no easy way to warn that we're coming."

"Well, you did make an impression, though," Lehan said. He frowned, looking down the hillside. "People coming."

They were moving up the trail, a few dozen with torches in hand, and Zajal in the lead. This couldn't be good, Lehan thought. He really didn't want trouble, but they were about to face it. Zajal began to jog ahead of the others, a long bladed knife in hand.

"Demons!" he yelled and rushed straight for them.

Chapter Six

Tabor and Tristan had finished the work with Crystal. Good work, Tabor thought. He liked to help. When the word came up that there would be a hunt for gargoyles, he thought that might be good, too.

"Yes, we should join in," Tristan said.

It startled him. He touched the crown --

"No. Leave it on until we get down to Abby."

"That could drive me mad, you know. I don't know how you and Abby stay... no, never mind. I won't say it."

Tristan smiled. They were already heading down toward the airlock where others had started to gather. Otaka handed out lasers. Tabor took one, but Tristan shook his head.

"Not comfortable with technology? And you still travel on this ship?" Tabor asked as they headed out through the airlock.

"I'd rather travel by magic, but in this we have no choice --"

"Demons!" a strange voice shouted.

Tabor took a quick step backwards, pulling Tristan with him, his hand going to the laser as he looked for the enemy. They seemed to be coming up the hill, a man in robes -- likely a priest of some sort -- in the lead. He hadn't expected the attack before he was even fully out --

And then he realized that the attack was not aimed at him. They were going for Abby.

"Abby?" Tristan said, worried, and then frightened as the townspeople swarmed in. Talis went down --

Tabor darted out and down the ramp, Tristan just behind. He shoved the laser back away, as much as he would have liked to use it. Rqua had gone down now, though some townspeople seemed to be standing between Abby and the enemy.

Tabor reached Abby's side -- not that he lacked in help. However, the locals looked persistent and a couple almost broke through, rushing forward with wild screams of anger and rage. Mad people -- insane --

Tabor had forgotten the total lack of magic on this world, and how a few simple tricks could have unusual affects. Etric cast, sending flashing balls of color up into the air. People screamed in terror at the very pretty show, and began running back down the hills, some falling and rolling, scrambling back up and limping away. Etric took advantage of the fear by sending the lights after them. The priest, Tabor noted, had managed to outdistance them all.

"Coward," Tabor yelled. He glanced at Tristan, who gave a quick nod, and then removed the crown from his head, pushing it into Abby's hands.

"That distasteful?" Abby said, surprised, though he did hold the crown tight in his fingers.

"That addictive," he corrected. He bowed his head to Tristan again, and then realized the elf couldn't see or sense him just now. It had been an unusual experience, and he would not pass it up again... but for now he was just as glad to be himself again, especially with the rage that rose in him when they carried Talis past and back toward the ship.

But then, seeing the look in Abby's face, Tristan might not have found it so unusual a feeling.

Tabor could see the villagers stop running once they reached the bottom of the hill. They gathered in a large group, the torches they carried bouncing up and down like frantic fireflies. He had no doubt that they planned to come back, but they were going to be in for a surprise this time. While Etric might have been slow to use magic to hurt them, Tabor would not be. He wouldn't kill them -- not unless he had to -- but he wasn't going to put up with this behavior.

The others had started to back toward the ship, which might be the wisest course. Tabor would have voted for a rush down the hillside with their own weapons ready just then, but that came as a reaction to seeing his friends hurt, and might not have been the wisest choice. Gratifying perhaps, but...

He wanted to protect his friends?

How odd a thought for someone who had stood too long on the other side.

Someone stopped beside him and he glanced -- and then stopped. Liora. And she had the look of someone ready for the war as well.

"Self-righteous little men," she said. And then she smiled at him.

And that set alarms ringing in him, and he very nearly snarled at her -- too much like his father in that moment. He nodded gratefully when Eliora came to stand between them, which amused both women.

"You're wiser than I was, Tabor," Abby said, a hand on his arm.

"No, just better informed. Thank you."

Liora, for some reason, still looked amused. He supposed that was all right in the long run, but he still wished she would go off somewhere else just now.

"What do we do now?" Etric asked, coming up beside Abby and Tristan.

"I can feel a surge of magic building off in the hills," Tristan said, surprising them all. He turned and lifted a hand, feeling for the power in the air.

Tabor did the same -- and nodded. "Demon-touched, of course. And I suspect our arrival triggered it, or else we would have noticed something this strong and large before we landed."

"Any idea what it will do?" Etric asked.

"Nothing good," Tristan said. "But that's not a surprise, is it?

"I can't discern an exact purpose," Tabor said. He reached again, his eyes closed, and tried to feel out the edges of the thing that pulsed and grew, drawing the unused magic that abounded in this world. He could feel all sorts of potential for trouble. "I can see it's triggered and aimed toward us, and if we stay, it's going to come rushing down on this magicless place that has no protection."

"Then we should gather my friends and go," Abby said, but he still gave Liora a worried look.

"We have some time," Tabor said. "Tristan and I can keep tabs on it, and devise a way to destroy it before we leave this place. I don't think we really want to leave it there when we go on."

Tristan nodded. "And we'll want to get the group out to hunt gargoyles as well. But quickly. I can imagine that the gargoyles are not going to be far, though there may be some on the other side of the valley as well --"

"We'll be grateful for any you can kill," Lehan said. "But we can kill them as well. Don't put yourself in danger in the belief that we're helpless."

Tristan nodded, and put a hand on the young man's arm. "Come inside the ship. We have a great deal to discuss, and I don't think we need to stand out here and provoke those self-righteous men to do anything that annoys us even more."

Liora laughed. It was a pretty sound, but Tabor saw the way Abby shivered at it. The others had begun to retreat and Tabor could hear the sounds of distress and protest from those down the hill. What did they expect? What could they possibly think to gain?

No matter. They would not be a problem much longer, no matter what else happened. He turned away and went with Abby and Tristan back into the craft, and watched how Abby kept distant from Liora even still. Odd, that of all the places the Godling had been, this person alone worried him so much.

Tabor took that into consideration. He kept his distance from her as well.

Chapter Seven

Crystal appreciated that the others had worked very difficult magic to help him. He appreciated that they took the time to care for him, and he suspected he would not have survived without the mages.

But... but he hated sitting here in medcenter while things happened. They had brought Talis and Rqua in, and Ylin took them off to the side rooms, leaving him there on the bed, restless and worried.

At least some of the others came to see how he was doing, and keep him entertained. He suspected Etric put them up to it, but he didn't mind. It kept him from having to think about the situation.

Kadrien and Brother arrived together. He wondered if they realized what an odd combination they made. Brother looked almost human, but Crystal could sense an air of magic to him, much like Tristan, and sometimes found it a little unsettling. He and Kadrien together represented a range of powers both mundane and magical.

"How are you feeling, Captain Crystal?" Kadrien asked, leaning against the wall by the bed.

"Much better. Any more word from the outside?"

"The party that went out to fight gargoyles had to fight off some of the locals first," Kadrien said. "Etric set some magic down by the village and it seems to be holding them at bay without a problem."

"Good. What now?"

"I saw Abby with Lehan, Eliora and Liora," Brother said. "I get the feeling he's not entirely certain what to do with them. Or with Liora, at least."

"That doesn't sound good." Crystal shifted on the bed. The thought of Liora on the ship worried him.

"Captain Etric also wants to stay grounded long enough to do a complete search of the ship," Brother added. "And that means we wait a little longer."

"What do you think, Brother?" Crystal asked.

"Me?"

"Kadrien and I have no magic. I don't know if what Etric has decided is wise or not. I heard about the other magic out there. Is it worth waiting while it builds?"

"Tabor and Tristan assure us that it is not a danger yet, and that it seems to have a core we can destroy from the ship, using conventional weapons, as soon as we take to the air. So, yes, it seems wise to me."

"Good," Crystal said, and felt better again. "Attacking villagers I can understand and almost deal with. But the rest of this is beyond me."

"You people perplex me," Brother said, startling them both.

"Humans in general, or just us?" Kadrien asked with a smile.

"Just you. I had many human friends, you know. But here you are, ready to do the work of the Gods. You leap between stars like some people travel to another village. And you even slip from one reality to another without much thought. Magic abounds all around you and even makes your journey possible. And yet..."

"And yet we don't trust it at all," Crystal said with a nod. "I'm trying to get past that part, but you're right. It's been a strange war for all of us, you know."

"It's going to get stranger," Kadrien said and leaned against the bed. "We have only one more stop, and then we go to Gix's own domain. We go to a demon-made hell, and fight him there for something that does, rightfully, belong to the demons."

"You don't sound as though you think this a problem," Brother said.

"Oh, I know it's going to be a problem. I'm not looking forward to it, but I'm going because it is the right thing to do. Just as you are going for the same reason, Brother. We do things for the same reasons. We just don't have the same abilities."

"If you really don't understand, maybe you should spend some time with Tristan," Crystal suggested. "He's more akin to what you are."

"Do you think that will help?" Brother asked.

"Probably not," Crystal said and grinned at Brother's look of frustration. "I don't think either Abby or Tristan have ever really come to understand the rest of us either. But Tristan at least accepts, and that might help."

Ylin came out of the other room -- they all stopped and looked at him, waiting. Rqua followed, a bruise on his face, but looking all right.

"Talis is fine. I've got him resting here for a few hours, just to make certain, but don't worry. You look better, Crystal. But no, you are not leaving yet, either, so don't even say it."

"I am Captain, you know."

"I know. But you're not my captain."

"I knew this two-captain plan would bring me grief," Crystal said, but he leaned back and almost smiled despite himself. "I'll be happy to be out of here, and off this world."

"You do look restless," Kadrien said.

"Staring at the ceiling does not help my state of mind," Crystal said. Ylin even nodded at that one. "I start thinking about magic, emperors, Gods, demons --"

"Everything that makes life interesting?" Kadrien offered.

"Outrunning an IG fighter with a load of contraband is interesting. This is insane. And don't tell me that you didn't know it."

"I had a very quiet life before this," Kadrien said. He shrugged a little, as though that other, sheltered life had not really been important. "It seems interesting enough to me. But I do know the difference, yes. And I'm not quite that crazy."

"What do you think life is going to be like when we're done?" Brother asked.

"Better, I hope," Crystal said. "But then, that's the point of all this, isn't it? I want us to do this right, to make things better. I can't say what that will mean for me personally, but I'm willing to wait and see. What about you, Kadrien?"

"I don't think I can go back," Kadrien said. It didn't surprise them. "But then, I have signed on as part of your crew, haven't I?"

"Oh, and isn't that going to be interesting?" Ylin added.

They laughed. Crystal had really not thought beyond the battle with Gix, and he hoped that wasn't an omen on his part. It just seemed that the war with the demon was too important to consider anything else.

Someone else came to the door, looked in -- Tamaris. He had obviously spotted Kadrien and came inside for that reason, moving to stand beside his cousin. Kad gave him a long, silent look. Tam did not turn away from it. It was good to see their Assassin prince of the line looking so well again.

"I would guess that you've come to play guard again?" Kad said at last.

"Yes. I had word that the others are aboard and heading up here."

"And you don't think I can take care of myself?"

"No, I don't," Tam said. Quite calm and so matter of fact that if Crystal hadn't seen the little quirk at the corner of his mouth, he would have taken Tamaris seriously. "I suppose you do all right for a glorified clerk --"

"Oh, if I get my way, Tam, you're going to find yourself in the role --"

"I don't think you'll get your way," Tam said. He did smile this time. "You think I'd sit still for it?"

"I think you might be surprised at the kind of power a glorified clerk can draw upon. Or I could just suggest to my mother --"

"Well, you do have me there," Tam said, with a little bow. "I wouldn't stand a chance against her."

They laughed. Etric came in just then, looked around, and smiled. Good. He had looked harassed the moment he came through the door, but he relaxed immediately. And that helped Crystal again as well. He was glad to see Etric come by, too. It meant that he did not intend to keep Crystal in the dark about what was going on.

"I heard you moved inside," Ylin said. "All of you?"

"Oh yes," Etric answered. He ran a hand through his hair and looked a little distracted. Or worried, but then this world would do that to anyone, Crystal thought. "A few villagers came in, along with Lehan, Eliora and Liora. But the villagers went back out with the hunting party, and Eliora joined them. She's already said that she won't be coming along with us. It's a shame. She's a good, strong woman."

"But Liora...?" Crystal asked.

"Liora is aboard, and intrigued by everything," Etric said. He looked slightly less happy about that. "And she keeps smiling at Tabor. You cannot imagine how unsettling that is."

"It sounds damned frightening to me," Crystal said. "How is Tabor taking it?"

"He took the first chance to go on the hunt with the others. And he's quite obviously doing his best not to be anywhere near her. I fear she may take that as a challenge."

"I don't know why Abby would take her along," Tamaris said. "We all know he harbors no good feelings for the woman, and he doesn't trust her at all."

"She's changed," Rqua said. That drew looks. He frowned a little, and touched the side of his head, reminding them that he had that link with Abby and Tristan.

"Changed?" Etric asked.

"Abby saw her with Lehan. She was worried about him, and she moved to protect him when the others came to attack," Rqua said. He frowned again. "And even Tristan agrees that she's not the same as she was the last time they were here. That doesn't mean they particularly trust her, but they both seem to think she deserves at least as much of a chance as they gave to Tabor."

"Ah," Crystal said. "Thank you. I know this isn't easy for you, Rquana --"

"I feel like a spy sometimes," he admitted with a shake of his head. "But neither of them mind that I'm there. Even Tabor didn't, although when he had the crown, all I heard were little whispers of words. Intriguing, sometimes. He's very different from Abby and Tristan, though I think it might just be because Abby and Tristan have been together for so long that even they can't always sort their own thoughts out."

"I'm getting things set in motion," Etric said, brushing a hand through his hair and looking bothered. He glanced at Ylin who gave a quick nod. Crystal hoped that meant what he thought it might, and he'd soon be turned loose again. "I have the mages already doing a search of the ship. The hunting groups have done pretty well already and brought down a dozen gargoyles. But we aren't going to have much time to waste. Crystal, can you go up and prepare everything for the launch? You'll also have to prepare the coordinates for a laser cannon shot as we go up. A very careful shot -- as much as I'd like to blow the hell out of that town right now, we'll have to limit ourselves to the magical core out there. Tabor says we can wipe it out with one good shot."

"You will be careful, right Captain Crystal?" Ylin stopped Crystal from standing with a hand on his shoulder. "You realize how serious the injury was, and that while magic did miracles, that doesn't mean they got it entirely right. For one thing, neither of the two who worked on you is human."

Well, now there was an interesting thought, albeit a bit of a chilling one when it came to one's own survival. However, Crystal nodded. "I'll be careful. And I'll tell you if the headaches come back. But I'm with Etric on this one, Ylin. I think we want to take advantage of the fact that there are two of us qualified to get this ship up and going. Etric has other work."

Ylin nodded and let go. Crystal stood slowly, testing everything. His balance seemed a little off at first --

"You're okay," Ylin said. He smiled and held up the scanner in his hand. "A little dizziness, but it's just your body adjusting to the fact that it had a serious trauma, and now can't find it."

"Ah, good." He felt better already as he took a step away from the bed. The others looked relieved. "I'll head up to the control deck and start working. How long do you think we have, Etric?"

"I don't know. A couple hours, at least."

"Good. I can get things set up by then."

He had just started for the door when others came to the doorway -- Abby and Tristan, with two strangers. The young man had to be Lehan, and the blood on his shoulder looked serious enough that Tamaris even reached to help him to the bed, while Ylin grabbed supplies.

And then Crystal realized the other one had to be Liora. He looked at her, frowning -- and he wasn't the only one. Liora was beautiful, and he wondered if the spell that had made her alluring to Abby still worked. He suspected she didn't really need it.

Liora looked from face-to-face, and then smiled, a flash of bright white teeth in a tanned face. "What have you been telling these people about me, Abby?"

Abby looked up. "I've only told them the truth, love."

Her eyes went wide with shock at his words and she even reddened this time. Lehan, lying back on the bed, began to laugh, a hand going to his shoulder. She recovered with a shake of her head and moved toward the bed. Crystal got out of the way, but he didn't think she really noticed.

"Now see what you've done, Aubreyan Altazar?" She put a hand on Lehan's arm. "Poor Lehan has probably torn open the wound again."

"And worth it, too," Lehan said, which this time won a quick grin from his sister. "So few people have ever been able to put you in your place."

"And why should I allow them to?" she said, and looked at Ylin, frowning.

"He's a doctor, Liora," Abby said. "He'll take good care of Lehan. On this ship there is no one I don't trust."

"No one?" she said, and smiled. Challenge.

"No one," he said again. Then he shrugged. "Of course, there are some I trust more than others."

She bowed her head and accepted without comment, turning her attention back to Lehan. Even Abby looked surprised by her lack of interest in what he had said.

"This isn't too bad," Ylin said, already at work. "The wound is clean, and if you can keep from doing anything too strenuous for a while, it should heal cleanly enough. I'm going to do a DNA work up and make certain that your species of human isn't much different from the rest of us before I give you any drugs, though."

"As soon as the mages are done with the rest of this work, we'll see who can manage a healing spell," Etric added and still looked bothered. "And that's more than just an act of kindness, Lehan. We face trouble all the time, and it always pays to make certain everyone is recovered from the last battle before we go into the next. Also, I'm calling for a meeting in the crew's lounge in an hour," Etric said. "Provided that nothing more goes wrong. I would like to have everyone there for this one. Will there be any trouble with the wounded, Ylintri?"

"No," he said, looking up from his work with Lehan. "Well, except maybe some of them finding the lounge."

"I think we should train guides," Kadrien suggested.

Tam patted him on the shoulder. "I think we found a job for you at last, cousin."

"Really?" Kadrien said, ignoring the amusement around him. "And what makes you think that I would know where the lounge is?"

"Well, it is your ship," Tam pointed out.

"True. But really, Prince Tamaris -- what makes you think that I would have any idea where the crew's lounge would be?"

They all laughed, except for Lehan and Liora, but even they looked amused.

Crystal had gotten his jacket from the cabinet and pulled it on over his singlesuit. He also retrieved the laser pistol and felt better for it. He quickly left the medcenter, Tam, Kadrien, Abby and Tristan tagging along with him. Good that they could joke, even here. It helped, because there had been such a feeling of dread on the ship since they turned this way that he had begun to fear they wouldn't get past this one without some sort of loss.

They'd just reached the end of the hall when Tabor turned their way, holding one hand in the other, the wrist obviously swollen.

"That doesn't look good," Crystal said.

"I had a bit of a tussle with a damned gargoyle," he said. "I thought I'd go up to Ylin and have it wrapped before I went back out."

"Good idea," Crystal said. "He's just looking at Lehan now --"

"Lehan," Tabor said. He stopped in mid-step as he started past. "And Liora is in there, too?"

"Yes," Abby said, looking a little surprised.

"Then I'll just suffer a while longer." He actually turned away, but Abby caught his shoulder, holding him from retreat.

"We do trust you, Tabor," Abby said.

"That's gratifying, of course, but I don't trust her."

"I'll protect you," Tam said, grinning a little, but he took hold of Tabor's arm and started him in the right direction.

"Tam, I would trust you to protect me from Gix himself, but I'm not entirely sure you're a match for Liora."

But they went. Crystal watched, shook his head, and turned away again, heading up to the control deck with the emperor -- abandoned by his guard -- staying at his side.

Some days, he thought, life could be at least a little less interesting.

Chapter Eight

Dacey watched while Seaton checked the automatics one more time, and then set the final alarms before he stepped away from the controls. He shook his head, obviously disliking the idea of abandoning his post, even at orders.

"Well, I doubt this will take long," Seaton said. "I know Captains Crystal and Etric won't leave the control deck unmanned for more time than they have to."

"It will be safe?" Dacey asked, looking back as they reached the doorway.

"Between the ship alarms and the magical ones, I don't see how anything could happen."

"I'd be happier if I could put a ward in place," he said.

Seaton put a hand on his shoulder and steered him away from the room and down the hall. "I'm still not so certain about magic, you know," Seaton said.

"But I was under the impression that you and Banning were instrumental in getting the magic that takes this ship between places to work."

"Yes, that's been our job -- but neither of us are mages. We made the equipment work to use some power source that we don't fully understand. It's... interesting work."

They talked about it as Seaton took him down to the crew's lounge. Interesting didn't half cover how Dacey felt about the work, but then again, it seemed to him that something unquenchable had awakened in him. He wanted to learn everything.

When they arrived in the room, Silver and Micah waved to him and singled Dacey and Seaton over to their table. Dacey tried not to feel guilty about not spending more time with them -- after all, they had both come on this journey for his sake --

"You look great, Dacey," Micah said and smiled. "I heard you're spending time up on the control deck."

"Banning and Seaton have been teaching me about the ship's controls," Dacey said. "It's fascinating work."

Micah nodded. Silver looked intrigued. He'd have to see if his friend could join them, but from the look Seaton gave Silver, he suspected that it wouldn't be a problem.

Abby, Tristan and Etric arrived last. They looked a bit more harassed than the rest of the people in the room. Dacey looked around until he found the two newcomers. Lehan looked worried. Liora looked like trouble, just from the way she eyed everyone else.

The rest of the crew looked calm, though. He'd come to expect that from this group, which did the extraordinary as a matter of course. However, Dacey saw the way Banning kept watch at a computer set up at her table, and how Crystal kept close by the door, waiting for something to go wrong. Careful people. It made him feel better again.

"Well, I'm glad we all found our way here," Etric said, taking position at the front of the room where everyone could see him. That brought a sprinkling of laughter, obviously at some joke. "We need to discuss a few things before our next jump. If all goes well and quickly, we don't want to pause before the final one. Gix will know it's our final stop. What do you think, Tabor?"

"We're going to have trouble getting Brendan," he said. He looked worried, and that couldn't be good at all, Dacey thought. "Gix will do his best to make sure Brendan doesn't join us. I suspect we're in for our worst battle so far. He's only been trying to wear us down so far, you know. And hoping he would get lucky with a kill or two along the way. But we've been the ones who have been lucky."

Abby nodded, looking worried as well.

"You know, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the most powerful two people in this group talking about luck as though there wasn't anything else involved," Crystal said.

"Have Abby or I ever made some sort of claim that we have higher powers in this?" Tabor asked, looking over at him. That didn't appear to make Crystal feel any better, either. "I believe in the skill of our group. I fully believe in the magic that has been one of our best tools. But luck has its place, and we should never over estimate any other factor in saving us."

"I was thinking the same," Abby admitted. He looked around the group as though measuring not their worth, but how much he could lose. Dacey didn't like to see him considering his only help in those terms. "We are in for a battle this time, and we need to be prepared for both it and the next one."

"Why so much trouble with the next?" Otaka asked. "I'd rather think the demon wouldn't be happy about a number of people we've acquired along the way. Why this one?"

"Brendan has been to his hell once already," Tabor said. He grimaced. "It was not a pleasant time. He was not... wanted there. He threw himself into the portal to save a friend, and he came into hell against Gix's will."

"Which we all intend to do, right?" Crystal said.

"Not entirely," Tabor said. He shrugged. "He wants us there, you know. He wants Abby most of all, and the other pieces of the Kiya, and if he can fight the battle on his own ground rather than ours, he thinks it will be to his advantage."

"But you don't think so," Etric said.

"No, I don't. The demon has always misunderstood human abilities. He's only dealt with those already damned, you know. He doesn't understand those who aren't corruptible, and who don't have reason to fear a future in his hands."

"But you and Abby --" Crystal said, looking worried.

"We are promised him in blood and bondage," Tabor said. "We have fewer choices. But the rest of you... you won't be tempted by his offers. No matter what happens in his domain, he'll not hold your souls. I'm going to tell you all something very difficult. If Abby and I fall, then the best thing the rest of you can do is to kill yourselves immediately. Don't come to him alive. He can hold your bodies."

Abby had started to say something. A touch of Tristan's hand stopped him. But he didn't look any happier about that statement than Tabor did. Dacey judged that it had needed to be said aloud, though. It was time they stopped believing they were all invincible.

"But back to Brendan," Tabor said with a shake of his head, as though to forget those other thoughts. "He walked through Gix's own hell, and where he passed, flowers bloomed against the demon's will. He has a special power. He spread hope in hell, and that's a power we will sorely need."

"But when he left his world, he took the music with him," Tristan suddenly said. "We can't do that to them --"

"He didn't take it," Tabor said. "It was linked to him, and always will be, but he couldn't take it away. It just grew... quiet, waiting. Panicked, feeling his emotions. That spread through all the human worlds, by the way."

"All of them?" Abby said, sounding startled. "I don't think we dare take Brendan --"

"We need him," Tabor said. "We dare not leave him behind, and certainly without protection. Abby, you should have asked your mother about him. He is precious, and he is important -- but he's not irreplaceable. There will always be a keeper of the song, as there was before him. We risk a time of sorrow if something happens to him, and the loss of hope... but not forever. However, if we fail, then Brendan will fall anyway. Gix will not leave him alive."

Abby nodded, looking worried again.

"We'll spend the time between this world and the next organizing as best we can," Etric said. "We don't have much time --"

"I'm not going with you."

They turned, all of them, to look at Liora. She had stood, and patted her startled bother's arm before she walked away from him and toward Abby. Dacey saw Lehan reach -- but draw back without really trying to stop her.

"Liora --" Abby said.

"I'm not going the rest of the way with you," she said again, and the words silenced anything else Abby had to say. "I can see that Lehan will be well cared for -- and he doesn't need me to watch over him."

"Why aren't you going?" Tristan asked, and looked as confused as Dacey had ever seen him.

Liora reached out and touched Abby's arm. Abby pulled away and Tristan shivered, looking worried.

"That's why," she said. "We aren't changed, either of us. I cannot help you because you can't trust me. And I would hinder you. If I went, Abby my love, I would be tempted. I would."

Abby started to protest, but he didn't. She nodded, and didn't even look particularly upset. Well, all in all, maybe she showed some wisdom not wanting to go to hell with the rest of them. But nevertheless, Dacey somehow thought she had made a very noble choice. She walked to the doorway, and Otaka had stood to go with her. She stopped and looked back at them.

"Go in peace," she said, and bowed before she left.

Abby, Tristan and Tabor looked stunned, but Lehan smiled.

Interlude Six

They were making it more difficult to see within the craft with their wards and spells. It took power to push past them, to peer into their metal world. He didn't waste it unless he had other actions planned.

But he did watch the world, waiting for them to make their next step. A growl grew in the depths of his throat. The next world... they all knew the implications of the final stop on this long, troublesome journey.

Gix stared for a long time, but it wasn't until Liora stood outside on the hill that he realized what had happened.

He had lost Liora. He had lost another creature who was very much like Tabor; one that he had created specifically to destroy Abby. And now, she worked with him, and did it in such a way that he couldn't use her at all. For a moment he came close to letting rage take control of him again, and slip back into the easy answers. He could have struck her dead where she stood -- and he half suspected that she expected it, just then.

But her death would only give Aubreyan's people yet more strength. And there was still the Goddess's blessing there, standing over the believers. He could have wrestled with it, and probably won... but instead he drew his hand back from a half-worked portal, and let the power dissipate again. There would be time to deal with her later, and in a far more interesting way.

As she turned and walked back toward the town, he saw a flaw in humans he had never realized before, and one he could certainly manipulate.

"They cling to those they like," Gix said aloud. Braith, who had been kneeling beside him, looked up. "It has less to do with power than with the irrational emotions they allow to rule them."

"Yes, master," Braith said, though Gix suspected he really didn't understand. He looked like the stupid and somewhat useless servant that he had become, and Gix thought about shattering the useless shell and finally harvesting the soul. But Braith did have some uses still, and he certainly didn't have time to train a new servant now. But after he had dealt with this Godling and his troubles....

"They cling to their own," Braith said, startling him and nearly winning a claw through his throat. Braith flinched at the movement, but then held still, looking up into Gix's face. "They cling to their own master; that is what drew Tabor to the Godling, and what draws the Godling to the others. It is their humanity which makes them grab and hold on to one another. It isn't power. It is that they like each other because they have found something common in each of them, and that common ground is in their blood as well as their cause."

For a moment, Gix found himself fascinated by what the servant said. So many things that could draw these beings together. Cause, like, humanity... and power? Surely they came to Aubreyan and Tabor because they could sense the power in them to make their cause strong? But he couldn't be certain. He had, of course, seen others throw themselves against his own creatures, even knowing they didn't have the power to overcome them.

Altruism was another term he didn't understand.

"Everyone makes enemies," Braith said. He sounded thoughtful. "Surely there are still humans who would turn against them, as the priest did. It didn't take much to direct him. Others --"

"Perhaps there are, but I am not going to waste energy to draw them together..." Gix said. And stopped. "Ah, but there are other ways. There are other enemies, and some even of theirs, who are already in my hands, and more surely mine than any made of flesh and blood -- or at least that are no longer flesh and blood."

Braith looked startled. "They are dangerous, some of them."

"They are also hungry, Braith. I have denied them that which they want most -- power over others. And if I give them the taste again, do you think they will not be willing? Hunt them out, Braith. Find the ones connected with this group, and others we can use. They will be in the shadows. They will be hidden and sulking, or flittering around the fires of others, tormenting where they can."

Braith stood, his eyes bright. Did he see hope in the poor human's face? How odd to see such a thing that he would have punished at another time.

"Do this well, Braith," he said. The human paused at the edge of the room, looking back. Worried. He knew the threat without being told. "Do this well. I have other matters to attend to."

Braith bowed and left quickly.

And Gix prepared himself for a different battle. He did not want that singer here again. It was time to turn his attention in that direction...

Part Four

Chapter One

Brendan hadn't gone to the Minstrels' Fair for two years, and standing now in the crowd of bards at Seaport made him feel strangely nervous. He stood back by the stage wall, as out of everyone's sight as he could manage. But people still looked, of course. And he heard whispers everywhere.

The King's Bard is here.

It never used to be this hard to live up to his reputation. But that had been before Sandy became king, and he had been far too much in the forefront of history. He liked to sing about myths, not be parts of them.

However, he always had lived in a myth, even if he didn't admit it very often. He'd grown up as a pirate's son, and his mother had been... well, not really human. That, at least, was something not commonly known. He shoved it out of his mind, as though just considering it might bring it to his face and let everyone know. He had trouble enough, being favored by court.

There had been some very good minstrels this year, and that certainly didn't help his nerves either. Not that he actually competed. He had come on a whim, just to play for the crowds... because he hadn't done so in a couple years, and he had suddenly marked that loss in his life. He played a few songs at state occasions, a couple tunes at banquets, but he had been so much a part of court life lately, he had little time for music.

Brendan took the stage, finally, just as the sun had begun to set. The crowd had started to grow rowdy toward the end, ready for the night's festivities in a town filled with visitors, and where the taverns were doing more business in one week than they would do the rest of the year.

He sat down on the stool on the otherwise empty stage, pulled Dove into his lap, and felt all the fears disappear. This was his true place and his true calling. He didn't mind being at court -- usually -- but being here gave him a moment of peace he hadn't felt in a long time. Music was far more than just an aptitude he held; it formed a magic woven into his soul by a mother who held some touch with the wild, and gifted him with talents that went beyond those of men.

His fingers found the chords even before he realized what song he would sing... a dirge he had learned as a slave, a sad song to calm the rages of others, to promise something better...

"I sing of sorrow's end --"

And that was when Shafara's latest message arrived. Only it didn't come by messenger and on parchment this time. He felt magic go right up his spine and he leapt from the stool, turning and reaching for the crystal that hung at his neck.

Shafara appeared in a haze of glittering magic, obviously still sitting at her desk in her tower. He gasped a couple more times before he drew his hand back from the crystal.

"What do you want this time!" he demanded. "You scared the hell out of me!"

Not exactly his most diplomatic reaction, and while Lady Shafara didn't take any especial note of it, the crowd certainly did. They were already unsettled by her appearance, and to have someone as lowly as Brendan address Lady Shafara that way didn't help.

She looked at him, distracted and plainly worried... Surely if something had happened to Sandy -- to King Sandryn -- she would not announce it like this, in front of a crowd. He calmed a little even before she spoke.

"My apologies, Brendan," she said, her voice clear. Too clear -- the crowd gasped again. A Lady of her power, both in political circles and in magical strength, did not apologize to a former slave, even if they did both live at court. "I needed to reach you as quickly as possible. I couldn't find you in the crowd -- you really shouldn't hide in the shadows so much, you know."

He blushed and started to protest. She lifted her hand and he went quiet. This was taking far too much power for her to hold on for very long. And it still had the feel of trouble...

Or maybe that wasn't coming from her after all.

"I fear there is danger heading your way, Brendan," she said. "I felt a surge of power near you. And Gix is in it --"

"Oh damn." Yes, that was what he was feeling. He could sense Gix touching the world again, bringing the hint of hell here. That very nearly panicked him, who had always feared that the demon would come hunting for him again. "Yes, I can sense it now, too."

An admission he probably shouldn't have made in front of the crowd, but right then it probably didn't matter at all. He grabbed the case he carried Dove in and began to shove her away, then slowed and forced himself to be gentle. She could feel his panic, and likely felt her own, too. She had begun to play little soft chords, as though afraid to draw too much attention. He ran his hand down the side of her face, and drew a softer, more soothing sound from her.

"Brendan, can you meet us at the shop?" Shafara asked. "Do you think you can make it that far, or should you take cover somewhere else, and we come to you?"

"I think I can make it. I'll try. I doubt there's anywhere safer to stay anyway," he said.

A breeze touched the side of his face, and lightning suddenly shot across the sky. He didn't have to lift a hand to feel the magic in it, nor the feel of the demon.

Lady Shafara must have felt it as well. "Brendan!"

"I know. They're seeking me out, no doubt. And I won't be hard to find," Brendan said. He threw the case strap over his shoulder. "I'm leaving now, Shafara. I'll be there as soon as I can. You two take care as well. I'm not the only person who made an enemy of Gix."

"True. We're handling things on this end. I'll see you soon."

"I hope so."

"Don't say such ill-omened things," she said, and apparently meant it. He wouldn't have thought her superstitious, but maybe that came from wisdom with a demon's hand on the world. "Go. Be careful."

He gave her one credible bow, which won a little smile at least. The last had been a little bit of show for the crowd, which had gotten far more than they likely wanted on this night. He leapt from the stage and bypassed the singers still gathered at the edges. He didn't want to deal them just now, and the questions they would ask for their own songs. Instead he made his way straight to the Captain of the Guard, who was already directing his men to contain the unhappy crowd.

"My apologies for the trouble," Brendan said. "I would suggest the rest of tonight's performances be cancelled. It's bound to be stormy."

And lightning flashed again, far closer. The wind picked up.

"Yes, I can see what you mean," the older man said, scowling upward.

"It might also be wise if most everyone stays in tonight. Especially after the moon rises."

That drew the captain's attention back. He scowled, but Brendan didn't take it too personally. This wasn't a good situation, and he couldn't blame the guard for being upset. The Minstrels' Fair had always been trouble enough with too much drinking, too many strangers, and fights breaking out every hour. Having a wave of magic thrown into the brew couldn't make any of it easier.

"Any other orders, sir?" he finally asked.

"Orders? None. Those were only suggestions. I'm just a bard --"

That won a little snuffle of amusement. "Yes sir, of course, sir."

"I'm heading straight for the gate. I might still make it before it closes. Damn. Means I can't go get my sword from my room --"

"Take mine," he said, and unstrapped it right there, handing it over.

"Thank you," he said, and really meant it. He knew the kinds of dangers he was going to face. "You'll find mine with my belongings at the Wayward Inn. Consider it yours."

That surprised the man, who bowed his thanks. Brendan hastily returned the bow as he strapped the sword on, tying down the sheath. And then he darted away, heading for the gate.

He could move quite fast when need be, and this was one of those times. He hoped to outrun the news of what had happened at the stage. So he took back alleys, and tried to stay out of sight. Humans sometimes got very nervous when he moved in ways that a normal human could not. Right now he ran faster than any of them could, and leapt or climbed walls that got in his way with less trouble than a cat.

But even so, the South Gate was already closed by the time he arrived, breathless and half cursing. He could feel things growing in the air. They'd have to open it for him again --

"Halt there, traveler," one of the guards said, stepping out of the shack. "You're not wearing a sword, are you? Here during the Fair?"

"I need to get out," Brendan said. He hadn't thought about the law against weapons during the fair, but it hardly mattered now. "Open the gate --"

"I don't think so," the man replied, looking at Brendan. "No, I don't think so at all. A man comes running here, carrying a proscribed weapon, and demanding that we open the gate. I think you had better come with me --"

"I need to go out!" Brendan pulled away from the man's reaching hand, and only now realized how stupid his own behavior appeared. The guard had every reason to think something wrong, and he was letting this whole matter drive every bit of sense out of him. "My apologies --"

But the guard was going for his sword, and Brendan didn't think he wanted to stand docilely by for that sort of trouble. He backed up, his own hand on the sword at his side, but drawing it was bound to just make matters worse.

"You don't want to do this," Brendan said, and backed up another step. A few more guards were coming now, and this was bound to get worse.

Fame saved him.

"Gods all. Put down the sword, Ard. That's Brendan, the King's Bard."

Ard gave a startled look and then lowered the sword down so quickly, Brendan feared he was going to drop it. "My apologies --"

"You had every reason to stop me," Brendan said, giving a frantic look at the sky where clouds rolled in, and the storm started to grow louder. "But I have to get out, and now."

"Is there trouble, sir?" one of the men said.

"I have trouble. Trouble coming for me --"

"We'll take you into our care, sir. We'll give you protection."

He hadn't expected those words. It was a kindness they didn't need to offer, especially since all of them had started looking at the sky, and must have had some idea what kind of trouble he had coming for him, It wasn't going to be a gang of roughs out to rob him.

"Thank you for the offer, but I really do have to go somewhere else," he said. "Expect trouble tonight, gentlemen. Keep the peace."

"I'll get the gate open," Ard said, and started that way.

"No." Brendan tasted hell in the wind, and Dove played a mournful turn. "No, I think that might not be a good idea after all."

"The postern gate is a couple miles along the wall --"

"No time. I think the worst of the trouble will follow me."

And then he did something he would not have done for anything at another time. He leapt at the gate and clawed his way up to the top. He looked down to see the shadows of the guards. Silent.

"Take care --" he said.

Something glided out of the dark sky toward him. Something big and black, and he didn't have to look at it to know it was trouble. He heard shouts, but he threw himself over the side of the gate. The creature screamed in frustration as he dropped.

Brendan watched the thing sail overhead, and then scrambled up, ready to run -- and went back down, cursing. He'd twisted his right knee when he landed. The pain took him by surprise, but he didn't let it stop him from getting up the second time. He could see the creature changing direction and swinging back toward him again, and he really didn't want to be out in the open.

Limping badly, and cursing under his breath -- and praying in his mind -- he ran for the line of trees just ahead and off the road. Even limping, he still outran it, and knew he'd made the right choice. Something that large had trouble navigating through the branches. If it wanted him now, it would have to come in on foot, and that put them on the same level, at least.

He heard it scream again, but that sound was already nearly lost in the growing storm. Cold icy rain poured through the tree branches in the next moment, drenching him and setting him shivering. Damp leaves made his trek even more difficult, though, and he finally slowed rather than fall for a forth time.

Wind brought branches down, and lighting struck trees... but Brendan stopped and leaned against a tree, catching his breath and calming his mind. If the creature still followed, it wouldn't be doing much better than him.

And Brendan did have one advantage now, being in the wilds. He was very much a part of nature in a way that no creature Gix sent could ever be. He could hide here from the trouble, and he thought even the demon would have trouble tracking him again.

But why did Gix appear now? Had Abby lost?

No. He would have felt the loss, and he knew it. The universe would have wept if Aubreyan Altazar fell, and he would have felt the dirge and sang it.

Clearly, something had happened, though. Maybe Shafara and Sandy would have a better idea and could tell him by the time he reached them. That gave Brendan a reason to move on. He pushed away from the tree and started limping away again, trying not to curse at each step. Even Dove played a soft little tune, trying to soothe him.

The night drew on: There would be many more before he reached Esse. He ate a few berries from bushes as he passed, and he paused only once in the midst of a moonlit glade, drawing magic to ease the pain in his leg.

The flying creature came back, though, and brought friends as well, sweeping down into the glade while he scrambled for cover at the edge of the trees. Tristan pulled the crystal, and using that power took one down... but he didn't stay to try for the others. One at a time, he told himself. Do it carefully.

And he kept running, even into the bright morning. Even when he heard the dogs begin to howl.

Not safe -- but he had no doubt proven harder to catch than his enemy expected. He smiled, a feral look that suited his wildness again. And then he ran once more.

Chapter Two

Crystal had been lounging at the Captain's board, relaxing a little and trying to prepare for the next trouble. He'd gotten used to this type of journey and had stopped worrying about things he couldn't control anyway. Banning sat at the controls and seemed to know what was going on. So he read through reports and didn't worry -- right up until nearly every mage in the ship suddenly came running to the bridge. He looked up in shock at the sight of Tabor, Etric, Silver, and Dacey, all of them wild-eyed.

"Why do I think we have trouble?" Banning said, looking up from her spot.

"There's something out there," Silver said, waving his hand toward the multi-colored screen. That worried Crystal -- mostly because Silver had been rather quiet the entire time he'd been on the ship.

"Something?" Banning repeated as she spun back to her controls. Istanan began working beside her, the two of them mumbling observations back and forth.

"What's going on?" Crystal finally asked.

"We don't know," Etric admitted. He obviously had not gotten nearly enough sleep. He sat down in the nearest chair and stared at the screen. "But our wards were triggered and --"

"And there is definitely something out there," Banning said, sounding worried. "It wasn't there a few moments ago, and I get the feeling whatever it is, it has just started to grow large enough to pick up on our sensors. And I do mean grow -- it's getting larger."

"Choices?" Crystal said.

"We can't stop," Istanan answered. "There's no gravity well to even slow against. But we might be able to reverse our course and head back the way we came... though I wouldn't recommend we try it if we don't have to."

Banning's emphatic nod of agreement made Crystal think he'd rather do just about anything than try to reverse. She didn't worry about too many things, and the force of her convictions won a nod of agreement from everyone else.

"Then we're going on, and we're going to face whatever is out there -- and soon." Etric stood again, looking more certain again. "Get word to Rqua in engineering to keep control of the engines! Try to reinforce the wards! Dacey -- stand in reserve. I think we're going to need you!"

Etric was not doing his best to reassure Crystal, who stayed at his post, monitoring the ship's functions. The readings already looked a bit odd -- but then he hadn't yet decided what might be a normal read out here. Crystal keyed orders over to Talis and Kamil, both of whom went straight to work rerouting power away from their magically powered drive, which Crystal feared was going to be a real problem in a moment. Tamaris had gotten on comm and shouted warnings to everyone else. No one was going to sleep through this one.

Crystal looked up in time to see something huge, pulsing and bright neon blue brush up against the ship.

"Oh hell," Tabor said.

And it came through -- wards, shields and metal having no affect whatsoever on it. Glowing threads of light drifted into the room, intertwining and braiding -- and then suddenly diving straight into the control boards. Alarms rang. Boards went dead, but Talis and Damien still had theirs running and even managed to get a couple of the others up again.

"Get it out," Banning said. She stood from her board, which had suddenly began to glow in places, red hot and sparking. "Get it out now!"

Abby and Tristan finally arrived at a run, Abby with both the staff and the sword in hand.

"Forgive me," he said, breathless. "We were momentarily lost, but the feel of magic pulled us here. What can I do?"

"I'm going to try and pull it out," Tabor said. "The rest of you start preparing to ward. Abby, keep your staff ready in case we need it. This thing is strong --"

"Tabor, we need these controls!" Banning warned.

He threw himself at the chair where she had been and laid both his hands on the glowing board. Crystal wasn't the only one who cried out in protest -- he could see blisters forming on Tabor's fingers already. But he growled -- really growled -- when Istanan reached toward him.

Barely a heartbeat later, blue light flashed from the board, struck Tabor in the chest, and sent him flying across the room. He hit another set of boards -- luckily already dead -- and slid down to the floor.

Abby started for him, but Tabor rose back to his feet before the godling could take those half dozen steps.

"I know it now," Tabor said, his voice steady. "I can force it out, but it's going to be damned hard to deal with when we get it there."

"Engine power is going critical, Tabor," Banning said, her voice showing more than a little worry. Crystal didn't think they would survive, not if Banning was that worried.

Tabor didn't waste any more time. He laid his already injured hands back on the board, and this time spoke some spell aloud that sounded powerful just in the words. The sounds sent chills through him, and Abby raised a hand as though to protect himself from something -- demon magic?

"I have it," Tabor said, nearly breathless again.

He began to pull back and something blue and pulsing moved with his hands, coming upward. Crystal thought the color pretty, which made him mistrust it all the more -- as if that were possible right now. Abby moved forward with the staff ready, but he looked uncertain. Crystal didn't blame him. He wasn't certain how they could fight the nebulous light.

"Wards," Etric said. "We can try to contain it, at least --"

"Won't hold it. Couldn't keep it out of the ship," Tabor said. Crystal could see the thing only held to the board by a tenuous string now, and Banning had already started reaching past it toward the controls. Crystal wanted to warn her back, but the fact that Tabor didn't seemed reason enough to not interfere. The thing began to expand again, and Crystal remembered how big it had appeared to be before it came in.

"Tabor?" Abby asked.

"This is one of Gix's favored followers -- and it's already dead."

"Already dead?" Etric said, drawing his hand back. "Can we destroy it?"

"I don't know. I only hope we can send it away," Tabor answered. He looked pale now, and Tristan unexpectedly reached forward to steady him, and must have passed him magic in that touch. "Thank you. I have it. This is it. Be ready."

Tabor yanked it out, and the thing came with a wail of sound that nearly deafened Crystal. Etric reached out, obviously testing the magic it used, and shook his head, worried. Nonetheless, he began to chant, quick, sure words --

The blue took shape -- an arm -- and reached out and slapped Etric away, laughing as the mage flew back among the other mages, he and Dacey going down. Silver cast and his spell cast sparks against the arm and sent it retreating, though Crystal feared it wouldn't hold it back for long.

Before the others could react, the thing swirled and finally took form. Human, or at least it probably once was. No larger than life, but certainly dangerous. And familiar --

Tamaris had moved up behind Tabor to back him. Banning had stopped looking at it, and had begun frantically jabbing at her control board, and Istanan did the same. Crystal glanced at his own boards and saw power readings from the engines that made his heart pound too hard for a moment. Better, he decided, to look back at the creature --

And it reached for Banning.

"No!" Tam pushed past Tabor who made a grab at him but missed. Crystal saw unexpected panic on Tam's face --

When Crystal looked back he finally knew, even before it spoke.

Emperor. Kadrien's father.

It turned its attention back to Tam, who stopped, just out of reach. He had paled, but anger played in his eyes, and Crystal didn't think Tam would be able to think very clearly this time. A good thing he wasn't alone.

Then the voice came, deep enough that it seemed the metal plates of the ship trembled at the sound. "My nephew, whom I took into my court and raised as my own --"

"Oh yes," Tam said. He had steadied in that moment. "Yes, you did that. And I can see now that you got your reward for it as well."

The ghost's eyes flashed with a hint of red. Crystal dared a glance at Tabor and found him chanting spells with Tristan and Silver. Etric moved around the other side of the three, plainly preparing his own work. Crystal hoped they moved quickly.

"You never expected to see me again after you killed me, did you, Prince Tamaris?" the emperor said. He leaned forward, his neck unnaturally long as he peered into Tam's face. "But I always knew you would come to me, one way or another. And now Gix has promised that I shall have you and my treacherous son -- oh, and the lovely Prince Sharton is just a tasty morsel, isn't he?"

"I will not let you hurt them. Not again."

The ghost reached out and brushed a hand across Tam's face and left a long, bleeding line behind. "And how will you stop me? With these little mages? I am power, Prince Tamaris. I am given power they cannot touch --"

"I can't hold him!" Tabor shouted.

"A moment longer --" Etric warned.

But the ghost laughed, reached around and slapped Etric aside with enough force to send him sprawling, and then reached toward Silver and Tristan --

Tam threw himself into the mass of blue. Crystal wasn't the only one who shouted in fear and started forward, only to be thrown back by a wall of energy that set more boards sparking. Tam lay in a ball in the midst of it, twitching while the emperor tried to reform. Abby tried to beat it away with the Janin --

A howl of anger shook the ship, and in the next moment the Emperor took shape again -- glaring at the mages -- just before he slid down through the floor plates and disappeared.

"Damn!" Tabor shouted and started to turn, but he started to go down, too weak to run. Etric grabbed him, but the others were going for Tam.

"He's going -- he's going for Kadrien and Sharton! Warn them!" Tam gasped, trying to sit up. Tristan held him down.

"Can't get through on the ship's lines!" Damien said, shaking his head. "Too much disruption on the boards still. Banning?"

"Getting engines settled first. Otherwise we won't have time to talk to anyone."

"He'll kill them!"

Tam shoved Tristan aside, scrambled past the reach of Silver who leapt at him. He sprang to his feet and ran.

"Oh hell." Tabor pushed away from Etric and went after him.

"Idiots!" Etric shouted. "Crystal --"

"Go! We'll get the ship back in control. You and the rest of the mages just make certain it doesn't do this again! And help Tam!"

Etric nodded and dashed for the doorway with Silver and Dacey right behind him. Crystal didn't watch them go. He moved in to help Banning and the others get control of the ship. He'd never seen his second in command look so worried before, her hands moving over the controls and cursing whenever she hit a dead spot.

But the scanners finally came back up, and then a few other controls. When Banning stepped back and dropped into her chair, Crystal finally felt as though he could breathe again.

"The automatics held, Captain. Rqua kept the engines steady. It looks like we're still on course, though we won't really know until we get there. I think we're going to be all right."

"Except for what's already on board," Crystal said. "We're still in a hell of a lot of trouble."

Chapter Three

She walked with her head lowered against the growing wind, anonymous in a dark, heavy cloak. People moved around her, all of them in a hurry to reach cover.

They could feel it; the unnaturalness to the storm that swept down through the town. Even people who didn't know anything about magic felt a jittery anxiousness that portended something unusual in the air -- something most of them, wisely, did not want to touch. They went to cover. If Shafara had been wise, she would have done the same.

She looked up as lightning shot across the sky, a harbinger of worse to come. She'd found no sign of Brendan, three days after she'd contacted him. Worry for him had begun to inch its way up through her other concerns.

Gods have mercy...

That was something she didn't often think. She had a very old disagreement with those beings.

It was best not to think about her old war just now. She didn't need more enemies. The demons had returned. She could feel their touch on the wind and hear it in the whisper of the creatures fleeing from the forests, seeking sanctuary where they could.

And where would her people find sanctuary? She feared that there would be none anywhere.

The wind kicked up, tearing at roofs and sending debris flying through the air. She quickly took shelter against a sold stone wall and prepared to cast a spell, if need be, to protect the area. But the wind died down again in the next breath, and she saved her magic, hoarding it for real need.

There might be no hope. Aubreyan and Tristan may have lost their battle already, and this would be the way of life from now on. No hope... She didn't want to believe it. And, quite truthfully, Brendan might be reason enough for the demons to attack again. They had always suspected Tabor and his father would come back for him.

Shafara pushed away from the wall and headed up the narrow, building-lined street. It wasn't too much farther back to the shop. She wanted inside those wards and back with Sandy, to at least know that he remained safe. Granted, Sandy wasn't exactly helpless...

But neither was Brendan. She had yet to figure out entirely what Brendan might be -- a changeling, beyond a doubt. A mage with rather unusual -- and sometimes unsettling -- powers. But he was also the Keeper of the Song, and that seemed to be entirely separate from everything else.

She had begun to fear, in fact, that he might be more akin to the Gods than she liked to admit. The Gods made her nervous and even Abby and Tristan had often seemed a bit more than she wanted to deal with.

She liked Brendan. She just wished she could understand him.

And wished he would show up.

When she could finally see the shop's worn and battered storefront up ahead, she hurried again. The street looked deserted, and she needed to get inside without drawing attention. She didn't want anyone to suspect --

She had her hand on the door when someone stepped out from the shelter of the wall nearby, and very nearly got a nasty magical surprise before she saw the uniform.

"I'm afraid that this shop is not --" The guard started -- and then he stopped. He didn't even flinch when lightning crossed the sky and thunder shook the ground around them. "Gods. Lady Shafara. Forgive me."

"Captain Ward," she said, nodding to the man and finally finishing the work of opening the door -- it took far more than an ordinary key. "Good. I'm glad you're here."

"I go past the place every night," he said, still sounding startled. "And I stayed, because one of your neighbors thought he'd seen someone by the door the last couple nights."

"Good work. Thank you."

She pushed the door open and signaled him in. Wise man -- he looked as though he was considering running instead. But then the lightning came again and this time it did draw his attention. He bowed his head as he went past her, into the dark shop where piles of dusty cloth still lay exactly where she and Sandy had left it, more than three years before.

"I had hoped we could find someone here we could trust," Shafara said as she pushed the door closed. "But I didn't dare to go hunting for you."

"We?" he said, pushing damp hair back from his face. He glanced out the window -- and then started when she lit a candle. "That's going to draw attention."

"I have put a magic screen across the window so that everything appears the same in here," she said, and swept off her cloak, glad to be back, even if she didn't have any good news. "We needed anonymity, Captain. We needed to make certain no one whom we mistrusted knew we were back."

"We... back..." His eyes went wide this time as he realized the implications. "Is he ..."

"Sandy is here with me," she said, purposely not using his formal name and title. She wanted this man calm, though she feared that wouldn't soon happen.

"San --" he said, and half choked on that word. "King Sandryn is back here?"

"I am."

They both turned. Sandy stood at the doorway to the back rooms. Shafara knew he'd been there. The Captain had not. He spun and then started to bow --

"Don't," Sandy said. He pushed away from the door, and came into the room, his hand brushing across some velvet. Oh, he might regret not being the apprentice to a cloth merchant these days. Sandy didn't much like dealing with the King's Council. "Don't bow, Captain. I'm not here as King. We have trouble. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes, sire," he said and didn't seem to notice Sandy's little sigh of exasperation. "The storm isn't... right. There's a feel that things are... well, just wrong."

"Very much so," Shafara agreed, and waved them both toward the back. She wanted to get up to their rooms where she could sit, rest, and perhaps do a little scrying. "No sign of him yet, Sandy."

"Damn." Sandy turned around and headed back through the doorway and up the stairs. Shafara urged the Captain on ahead of them, getting him quickly past the spell that made most people tired as they climbed these stairs.

The room felt warm and comforting after the ordeal in the storm. She could see the fury of the wind raging outside, but as long as her wards held, this building would stand. Frightening thought... the rest of the city could be destroyed and they would be safe in here.

"Did this trouble require that the king go into hiding again?" Captain Ward asked as he sat in the chair Sandy indicated for him. He seemed to be getting some of his wits back, at least, as well as some of his color.

"No. It just required that the king don a different role for a while. I know magic. I can best help here in that capacity, adding my power to Lady Shafara's."

"How can I help?" the captain asked, looking from Sandy to Shafara this time. Wiser man than she expected, to realize that in this case, she was the person in charge.

"Brendan is also on his way." Shafara settled into a chair across from him, and Sandy went to the window, watching the storm. "Actually, Brendan should have been here before now, and if he can't reach us, there might be a great deal more to worry about, Captain."

"I've heard odd things about the bard," the captain said.

"And likely all of them true. He's very powerful. We need him. I would like you to watch for him, and aid him in whatever ways you can. Bring him to us if you happen to cross his path. But I would also like you to listen to any rumors of trouble within the walls."

He nodded, looking no less worried. Lightning flashed brighter and even this room felt the trembling of the ground.

"We haven't much time," Sandy said softly. "We haven't much time before all hell breaks loose."

Shafara nodded, and knew Sandy's words were more than a random statement. They could both feel Gix in this storm. They both knew what trouble lurked out there, ready for them.

She hoped -- even silently prayed -- that Brendan reached them soon.

Interlude Seven

Gix brushed his hand over the head of the Kiya, watching her sleeping face, and thinking of all the time he would spend with his treacherous son when he had completed this matter. If Tabor hadn't taken the other pieces of the Kiya and given them to that damned Godling, she would have been at least partially awake now, and of some aid in the battle to save her.

Like this, however, she was nothing but a pretty bauble, whispering distant thoughts in his mind.

"The craft still holds to its course," Braith said from the table where he stared intently into a piece of mirror, occasionally feeding the magic with a drop of his own blood.

The news didn't surprise Gix. He could feel Starwind close by the group, her own wishes that they succeed almost as strong as his actions. The wishes of a goddess had some power, after all. But it was a subtle game, and he had never been one for subtlety.

He carefully put the head of the Kiya back in her box. The eyes opened, blinking lazily, and he felt a touch of longing not to be put aside.

"Soon, Kiya," he said. He closed the lid and sat the box aside. Safe -- he had put a spell on the box that would kill anything but him if it were touched. It annoyed him that he'd been a fool and not done the same with the other pieces.

He stood. Braith went to his knees, head bowed, and waited.

Gix looked down on the mirror shards, picking out the pieces of the current trouble. The craft moved onward, though, as far as he could tell, the Emperor still continued his own work. Good. Keep them busy, my little puppet. Keep them frightened and wasting their power on anything but the real trouble.

"I do not want Brendan loose on my world again, Braith," he said, looking down at the world filled with the storms he had sent, the gargoyles hunting through the woods. They would not catch him, unfortunately. They hadn't the cunning to do it. "I do not want this creature walking here, especially with his companions."

"Shall I kill him, master?" Braith asked, though defeat showed in his eyes, the knowledge that he was no match for the singer.

"No." Gix pulled back from the table. "No, you shall not go after this animal in human skin. I will."

Chapter Four

Brendan could easily live in the wilds, even while being hunted. The storm raged all around, but he had stopped feeling the cold of the wind and rain. He had stopped feeling many things, except the urge to be part of the world in ways he had never experienced before.

He belonged here in the wilds... or at least part of him did. Another, saner part of his mind had kept him heading mostly toward the city where he would find Lady Shafara and Sandy. He had killed half a dozen gargoyles in the last two days, but there were still as many following. He thought he ought to kill more, but...

But something was changing, and he could feel it in the air. He needed to get to the others. Now.

He had turned toward the city at dawn, marking where the gargoyles still followed in the sky and careful to stay under whatever cover he could find. The creatures watched for any opening, and he'd taken half a dozen bad cuts from their sharp claws. If he could see them, they could see him -- though they didn't need to see him to track him. He only kept a close eye on the canopy of branches. If that grew too thin, they would be down on him with no trouble.

The woods would thin out the closer he got to the city. He worried, but he kept going.

The wind changed. It felt suddenly warmer. Clouds sprang up anew, wilder than the ones that had been dogging his journey from the start. Lighting flashed across the sky and thunder shook the ground. He stopped, gasping.

No gargoyles in the sky. And when had the dogs disappeared? When had he become the only living thing out here, and the day so dark and stormy that it could as soon have been night?

He ran. He wanted help. He wanted...

He wanted to be back with his friends and safe at their sides. Odd that he had never really associated safety with the king and Lady Shafara before, but he did now.

The storm -- magically controlled and deadly -- brought down trees all around him. He could feel the magic sweeping through the air and realized the time in the woods had misled him into thinking he was winning the battle. He'd only been running, and keeping away from the fight -- but it came now to him, and he knew he couldn't run fast enough this time.

Dove played a dark, discordant melody that he barely heard above the growing roar of the storm. It didn't help. He got to his feet and ran, but tripped over a branch he should have avoided without even thinking about it. Lightning struck a tree too close behind him, and he scrambled back to his feet, running...

Trap.

Brendan found himself rushing out into a glade before he realized he'd been maneuvered toward that opening.

And Gix stood there, waiting for him. The demon himself, in all his horrible glory, with the gargoyles ranged around him, the wild dogs whimpering at his feet. The storm flashed and the winds howled as the demon stepped closer to where Brendan had stopped, gasping, unable to decide what to do now.

"Run to ground at last, little creature," Gix said. His voice shook the trees and the ground trembled. "The chase is done, and not a moment too soon. They will be too late to save you."

Gix pointed a claw-shaped finger toward him, and blood-red magic curled out and grabbed Brendan, wrapping around his waist, trapping his arms at his side. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't reach the crystal around his neck --

But he didn't have to reach Dove. She cried out -- a melody full of defiance and power that reached into Brendan's soul. He shoved the magic bonds away, shattering them --

He didn't allow himself to consider failure. He scrambled out of the way on his hands and knees, gasping for breath. The demon, surprised but not slowed, leapt at him and caught Brendan's leg with his claws. He felt fire rush up through his body and his heart pounded unevenly. Gix dragged him back, lifting him with a rumble of a laugh...

And panic drove Brendan to do something he had sworn he would avoid under any circumstances. He let the animal part of his soul loose. He lost all but the barest link to his humanity as he twisted and attacked.

He bit into the demon's hand, clawed at the arm, and surprised even Gix with ferocity as he growled and twisted, biting until the demon threw him down --

"What are you?" Gix demanded, leaning down to look at him as Brendan gasped for breath, too stunned by the fall to do more than try to sit up. "You are not human, and you're not elf. The poison from my claws should have killed you. My blood should have burned your skin. What --"

Brendan started to get up, but the demon stepped closer and knocked him down again. Brendan rolled, gasping --

And came back to his knees, his sword in hand. He cut deep into the demon's leg, severing muscles. It howled and went down. It wouldn't take long to heal that wound, but Brendan had already gotten to his feet, and -- despite his own wounds -- ran again.

Brendan pulled the crystal from beneath his shirt, and directed the magic toward his leg, healing those wounds as best he could. He could feel the fire of the demon's poison growing in his veins, but it was not going to stop him.

He had to run... but not to the city. He could not go there for sanctuary and lead the demon back to those whom he had sworn to protect. And Gix would want Sandy -- would want the one who should have gone to his hell instead of Brendan.

He ran, the demon not far enough behind. He could hear trees going down, and gargoyles screaming in the air. No place to hide, but he would not give up...

A different sound filled the night, louder than the storm or even the demon's bellows. Something huge and silver streaked across the sky, shrieking as it came to earth. Too strange. Too different! He changed direction again, running farther into the woods, away from all his enemies, and away from any help.

Chapter Five

Etric had taken off in one direction, yelling at them to go another way and be careful. Apparently Tabor had followed Tamaris, though by the time Dacey and Silver left the command deck, they couldn't see either of them.

Dacey had begun to learn the back corridors of the ship through his work with Banning. He took Silver and headed downward, wondering what they would do if they ran into trouble --

And of course, they were the ones who finally found Kadrien and Sharton. They had been coming down a short hall, with Micah, Petra and Kamil. And they all looked worried.

"What's going on?" Kadrien asked. Lights flashed all around them, and the shadows looked apt to move at the wrong time. "Kamil said he picked up something about danger to me and Sharton. Something about dead --"

Dacey almost explained -- but something moved in the shadows behind them, and he shouted and leapt forward instead. Kamil spun and fired the laser first at the shadows, and then for some reason, up into the air.

Dacey realized why a moment later. The metal of the ceiling, heated by the light weapon, glowed -- and showed the creatures in the shadows.

No one stopped to try and fight. They turned and ran, Dacey hoping it didn't come to magic for either of them. If he had to drop out of his shell, they'd be carrying him afterwards.

They tried for the central corridor where they would most likely find help. He wished that the ship's communication system worked or he could use magic to shout at the others and mark the way to them -- and he might still be forced to do so, because he feared they were not going to make it --

Something grabbed Silver and dragged him back. Dacey didn't even slow as he spun, hands together, chanting even before the shell left him -- casting even while he couldn't breathe and the world started to go dark. But he saw things destroyed, and saw Micah and Petra take hold of Silver and pull him away. Kamil caught him, and shoved Dacey's hands back together, bringing the wards back up around him again.

He hadn't thought, in that brief moment of fire, that he would survive. Now his heart trembled erratically, and his sight held shadows that were not there.

"All right?" Kamil said.

He nodded, his head bowed, but it wasn't, of course, the entire truth. "Silver?"

Kamil didn't answer, and for a moment that panicked him -- and then he remembered that Kamil couldn't hear. He brought his head up and saw Micah had Silver in hand, and Silver looked like he was on his feet and in better condition than Dacey right then. Good. That helped.

"I think --" Kamil said aloud, and frowned. "I think they felt the magic. I think Abby is on his way --"

"There's a danger to Kadrien and Sharton," Silver said, gasping but coherent. "I think it might be the ghost of Kadrien's father."

The news drew unexpected looks of anger from both the emperor and the prince. Dacey hadn't seen the look in either of them before, and they looked very much alike --

The group wasn't going to reach the central corridor. Something blue, nebulous, and unworldly began to take shape before them, blocking the way out. Waiting for them? Herding them here, between it and its dark allies?

It took the human face again. Sharton had gone white, backing against the wall, and the anger in Kadrien's face doubled. He moved to put himself between the ghost and his friend.

"He's dangerous," Dacey warned. "He put Tam and Tabor down already -- they were still alive, though!"

There had been a different fear in Sharton's face until Dacey added that last bit.

"Ah, you should not look at me that way, my only son --"

"You surely don't expect me to feel any fealty for that reason, do you?" Kadrien asked, his voice so cold with anger it shocked Dacey. He'd gotten used to the quiet emperor who made jokes about his place in the universe, and who did all he could to help Abby and Tristan save it.

"I gave you life."

"You gave me living hell, just like you did Tamaris and Sharton, and the gods know how many others. You can't expect me to be grateful, can you?"

"I taught you the ways of power --"

"No, you showed me the ways of evil and darkness. I didn't walk that path." He stepped closer, despite the warning hiss from Kamil. Kadrien had a knife in his hand now, and though he intended to use it, Dacey doubted it would help.

Dacey pulled free of Kamil and prepared to drop his shield again, but not until he could sort through spells and have something burned into his mind, and could finish it --

"Oh little Kadrien," the creature purred, a smirk on the blue tinged face. "Would you wound me? Would you cut out my heart?"

"You never had a heart," Kadrien said. He held his place, even when the creature smiled. It might have been human once, but Dacey had the strangest feeling it had become one with the demons long before death took it. He feared that might make it even more dangerous.

"You are my son," he said. "You are mine to do with as I please, blood of my blood --"

"But not of your soul," Kadrien said. He lifted his other hand, a laser in that one.

"Kad!" Tamaris shouted as he rushed into the hall. "Weapons won't hurt him! Get down! All of you get down!"

Kadrien never hesitated. Sharton followed but as the ghost grabbed at Kadrien, he missed, and ended up slapping Sharton hard enough to send him bouncing against the wall. The rest of them had dropped down as well, though that seemed to put them all in danger of not escaping very quickly. Silver grabbed Sharton out of the way again. He looked unconscious --

Kadrien started to crawl away, but the thing that had been his father kicked him, sending sparks along Kadrien's leg. Kamil grabbed hold of his arm and yanked him out of the range of the next blow.

Light cut through the ghost, singed the wall above Dacey's head. Laser fire -- but Tam knew --

It did draw the creature to turn to Tam, though.

"Oh no, little Prince Tamaris. No, you will not destroy me that way again."

Tam held the laser up still and fired again. If Dacey could judge, the creature only grew angrier. It pulsed blue, the light darkening along the edges, the body billowing out --

"Do you remember how it felt when I killed you?" Tam asked, his voice so perfectly calm that it unsettled Dacey to hear it. "Do you remember how shocked you were that someone got through your oh-so-perfect security? Did you linger long enough to know how much we all celebrated?"

The creature howled and leapt at Tam, despite the cry of despair from Kadrien, who tried to get back to his feet before his leg gave out again --

But as it reached him, Tam dropped down as well.

And Abby stood there, the glowing sword in hand and the Janin in the other. She let out a cry of delight and sang brightly as Abby swung. The sword sent sparks through the body and then she swept in, dispersing it, separating pieces that flashed and disappeared. He swung again --

It pulled back, swirling, chaos -- and then the face appeared again, too close to Tam.

"My chance to repay you at last," it said, the voice shaking the hall. It reached, a hand goring through Tam's body and to his heart --

Tam gasped, his eyes closing as the creature lifted him, hand within his body, laughing and shaking him. Blood came to Tam's lips.

"No," Sharton whispered and tried to reach him. "No, please."

Dacey stood, hands almost together -- and stopped. Tabor came at a run, slid into the corridor and stopped with his own hand up and magic at his fingertips.

"I command you to let him go," Tabor ordered, his eyes flashing with red, his voice hard and filled with power that sent a chill through Dacey. Demonling.

"You cannot order me," the ghost said, pulling Tam up and finally winning a cry of pain. "I am given to Gix. You have no power over me."

"I am blood of Gix," Tabor said. He reached into his belt and drew a knife, cutting into his hand with one swift stroke. Blood dripped. "Gix is not here, and by the demon blood in my veins, I command you to let go of him and be gone."

"You can't..." But the thing had already begun to fade a little.

Tabor lifted his bleeding hand and reached out, laying his hand on the insubstantial body. It withered in pain, but still hadn't let go of Tam --

Dacey grabbed up the fallen sword and sliced through the arm holding his friend. Tam dropped to the ground. Dacey turned the sword on the thing from hell, and with a nod from Tabor, he jabbed it into the things head.

It screamed and wailed, and went slowly... but it went. Gone at last.

Dacey dropped the sword. His hands stung from holding the metal a little too long, even with the shell to protect him. He gasped and went down to his knees.

"Is it gone?" he asked.

"Gone all the way back to hell," Tabor said. He knelt as well, reaching for Tam and carefully turning him over. Blood ran from Tam's lips, and his face was white, but Dacey could see he was still breathing. Tabor bent and whispered a spell, though his voice sounded shaky, and Dacey feared he didn't have much power --

Kadrien reached his cousin, Sharton helping him that far, though Sharton didn't look very well, either. Micah had gone past them, toward the corridor. He'd get them help, while Kamil stayed and kept guard.

Silver bent over, hands pressed together, and helped Tabor.

Abby looked frightened. In those moments none of them said anything...

But Tam coughed, gasped, and put both hands to his chest.

"Thank the Gods," Kadrien whispered. He dropped down and pulled Tam's head into his lap.

"What -- where --" Tam said, looking around, fearful of what he would find.

"Gone," Tabor said. He sat back and looked ready to collapse as well. Dacey took hold of Silver, who shakily put his hands back together and breathed deeply. "He won't be back, at least no time soon."

Sharton reached out and laid a hand on Tam's cheek, drawing his startled attention. "Did I ever thank you for killing him, Tam?"

"Thanked me?"

"He was no less a monster then than he is now. I wish I had known at the time --"

Kadrien turned, wincing at the pain in his leg, and looked at Sharton. "I'm sorry we never told you, but it isn't anything we dared say aloud at court, even to friends."

"Very true. Let's get Tam up to the medcenter. And you. Your leg any better?"

"It hurts like hell."

Abby suddenly stood and held up his hand. "We need to get back to the control deck. I think --" The ship dropped suddenly, that moment when gravity felt like something ephemeral and untrustworthy. "I think we're there. And there's trouble."

"Should we be surprised?" Kamil asked.

Chapter Six

Shafara stood at the window and held her hand out toward the storm. Worse.

"Gix is here," she said, her voice unsteady as a new chill ran through her. She felt out the magic again, and wished for a different answer, but it didn't come. "Gix is here on this world."

Sandy, paling at the words, came to the window as well. When he reached, he only shook his head. "Brendan is close, but I think... It feels as though he's not coming our way."

Shafara nodded. She had felt that problem as well, but hoped she had somehow gotten it wrong. She could hear the music on the wind, but it wasn't a good tune. Something bad had happened. Something had gone very wrong.

"He's out there in the wilds," she said. She dropped her hand. "But I can't truly find him. He's too much a part of the world."

"What are we going to do?" Sandy asked.

She looked at him, weighing what she might do... how she might keep him safe -- her duty still, she thought, though Sandy wouldn't have accepted such an answer now. And besides, there was nothing she could do that would keep him safe from the demon who stood on their world, and who might well try to find the young king who had already been promised to him. She couldn't protect him, but she could stand with him.

"We can't find Brendan, but we can find Gix. And I suspect Gix is tracking Brendan, and will lead us to him. It's our best chance to reach our friend and help him."

"Oh, that sounds... interesting," Sandy said. He turned toward the stairs and grabbed his cloak, ready to go.

She wanted to protest, but she knew they had no time to waste. She could feel disaster in the wind. It made her shiver; more at what she felt from Brendan than the demon.

They had made it downstairs when someone knocked at the door. She crossed quickly and let Captain Ward inside. He quickly shoved the door closed again.

"There's trouble out on the streets," he said, forgoing any of his usual politeness and nervous glances at the king. "The people are going crazy. I suspect the trouble is magic-related."

"You're partly right," she said, looking out the window. Something had begun burning not far away in the town, and a group of people rushed past, heedless of the storm. She heard them shouting curses, though it seemed at nothing in particular. "A demon is on the world. They can feel his presence, and it is already infecting their behavior."

"We have to get out of the city." Sandy stood by the window and looked out as well, shaking his head. "We can't turn against our own people, and Gix will turn them against us if he gets a chance."

"I'm going to put us inside a ward. They won't see us, but we have to move quickly. Are you with us, Captain?"

"Yes," he said without a moment's hesitation.

She didn't waste time. Shafara wove the spell and led them out into the street, gliding quickly past the madness. The city would not recover from this very soon.

They reached the gates, but there found more trouble. She could have used magic to get them through, but it would have taken more than she wanted to waste right now, especially when she feared they would be facing a demon soon.

But the guards had gone mad as well, and even as she dropped the ward and they became visible, the men started to attack.

Sandy cast -- so quickly and easily that she realized she had to stop thinking of him as an apprentice. She hadn't even realized what he had done until the guards stopped, looking dazed at them and their swords.

"What happened? In the names of the Gods, what's going on?" one asked.

"Demon madness," Sandy said. He stepped forward, and took charge. "You know me, don't you?"

"Gods. Sire."

"Don't bow. We haven't time. Open the gate, and come with Lady Shafara and me. We have work to do, to save the world from this madness."

They obeyed. In a moment they had the gate open and rushed out into the wider road, even while the city burnt behind them. Others followed behind, and Sandy plainly feared they would have more trouble, so he put the guards to keeping them safe. Shafara could see the flashing of lightning across the forest. She lifted her hand and nodded. That was where they must go.

And something else came, metal and screaming across the world -- and stopped, dropping into the trees. She stared where it had been for a moment, and then started moving again. No matter; friend or foe, they could not go back now. They had no choice.

They raced to save Brendan.

Chapter Seven

They had made it to land, for which Crystal felt some gratitude, even if... if it didn't feel right here. Crystal stepped out onto the ramp and shivered. Cold, unclean --

"Ah," Tabor said. He followed Crystal out into the night, the wind rushing past them. "Ah, yes. Gix is here. That's not good."

"I thought I felt him," Abby said behind them. He had both the sword and the Janin in hand, and Tristan stood silent and frowning at his side. "He's after Brendan."

Crystal looked back at the others who gathered behind them at the airlock. They'd all heard the news and no one looked surprised.

"And Gix couldn't have missed our arrival," Crystal added. "I think whatever we do, we'd better move quickly."

"Brendan is out there," Tristan said. He tilted his head, obviously listening to something Crystal thought even he could almost hear -- and it didn't sound particularly good, either. "He's already in trouble."

Tabor lifted his hand, and lowered it again. "We're close, but I can't find him. He's more of the wild than even Tristan and Brother."

"I suggest we spread out," Crystal said. He looked back -- nearly everyone planned to leave the ship, and while he wanted to protest, seeing Tam already on his feet, he didn't. "Spread out, and make certain you have a mage in each group. The rest of you stay very close to your mages, and none of the mages get more than six people lengths from another mage. Remember, Gix is far more powerful than any of you alone. If you find him, don't try to go alone. We can't afford to lose any of you."

They all agreed and formed up into groups. Crystal joined Tabor, Carrick, and Petra. Tristan sent light globes bobbing along with each group, giving them a little better view of the world. Crystal tried not to feel as though the lights also made them better targets -- but, in truth, if Gix knew they were already here, it didn't matter. As they reached the trees, Tam jogged over to join them. Crystal wondered why, except the assassin seemed to have made a habit of guarding the demonling's back...

"Oh," Crystal said looking from Tamaris to Tabor. "You can find Gix, can't you?"

"Yes, of course," Tabor said. "But that's not what I intend to do. I would really rather find Brendan. Tam, if Gix does come for me --"

"Don't say anything I'll have to argue with you about," Tam said. "We don't have time, and you won't win."

"Ha," Tabor replied, but he said nothing more. In the next few steps they moved into the woods, where the trees moved in the wind. "Damn trees."

"You know, I really hate to hear you saying things like that," Crystal said. "It makes me fear for the poor trees."

Tabor looked amused for a brief moment, but he still mumbled curses beneath his breath as they forced their way through the brush and past swinging limbs. Crystal had an urge to join him after a short while. He hoped the others were doing better. He hoped they didn't have to go far from the ship, because he really didn't want to have to hike back, and --

And Brendan stumbled straight into their path. He knew it had to be the one they sought, if for no other reason than the music that came from the case he carried.

"Good --" Crystal said, relieved.

But the young man threw himself back against the nearest tree, his hand bringing up the sword he carried.

"We're here to help you," Crystal said, though he didn't come nearer. Wild, he thought. Very wild. The others had said as much a few times, but until now he hadn't understood it.

And Brendan glared past Crystal to --

To Tabor.

"Oh, damn!" Crystal backed up, drawing looks from Petra and Carrick. "We have been so stupid! Brendan, Tabor is no longer with his father. Trust us!"

"No," Brendan said. "No, I won't ever trust --"

"I'll get Abby and Tristan," Tabor said, backing away a step. "They'll be glad to see you."

"You're going for Gix!" he said and started to shove away from the tree and go straight for Tabor.

Crystal got in the way, and Brendan backed up a step, uncertain. He hoped word was already spreading to Abby and Tristan. But from the way the storm suddenly grew, he suspected it wouldn't help anyway.

"Get him back to the ship!" Tabor ordered looking frantically up at the sky. "Go, and quickly! Gix is coming!"

Brendan looked into the trees, and must have known it was true as well. A moment of uncertainty crossed his face, but Crystal knew it would take far more before he could trust them.

"Just go!" Tabor said. He waved his hand, startling the bard who must have expected magic. "Run, I don't care where. Abby and Tristan will find you! Go -- Gix comes! I'll stay and --"

"No," Tam said. He grabbed Tabor's arm. "We're not leaving you for your father. We're not sacrificing you for another, even Brendan. You are coming with us!"

"Sorry, Prince Tamaris, but you are out of your jurisdiction," Tabor answered. He pushed Tam back, and Crystal hissed a warning -- but the assassin just came back again, and grabbed his arm again. "Go, you fool! Look! He's almost here!"

Crystal could hear trees falling and a bellow of rage. Gargoyles suddenly flew overhead, and one swept at them, but both Crystal and Tabor fired, taking it down.

Carrick and Petra had gotten closer to Brendan without getting that sword in them. Brendan looked a little saner now. Crystal would have liked to take that sword out of his hands, at least until he was sure it wasn't going to be used on any of them -- but at least he looked willing to head away with them now.

Crystal thought others might be coming now as well, but they didn't have time to wait and see. Crystal even dared a hand on Brendan's shoulder, urging him on --

As he turned, he saw something coming out of the trees in a direction they had not expected: Something far larger than human and dark, moving through the trees. Tam must have seen the look on his face; before he could even speak, Tam spun.

"Tabor!" he shouted, and threw one of his knives at the same time. It hit true, spearing the demon in the throat, and maybe saving all their lives, since Crystal had the feeling that the demon had already been chanting some spell.

Gix drew the blade and tossed it aside. It did not slow him. His eyes blazed red, and his clawed hands rose to his neck, magic healing that wound.

And then it smiled, a show of dagger teeth.

"Finally." The word rumbled on the wind, shook the earth. "Finally, the kill. Oh how I have waited, watching you, herding you together so I could have you all in one place, in a place filled with magic that I can use -- and most of you cannot."

Crystal shivered at the gloating he saw, the certainty. He had never been this close to Gix. He pulled his laser and fired. It burnt the creature's chest and the demon shouted in pain and anger. The laser twisted out of Crystal's hand, and if Tabor hadn't suddenly drawn a tendril of lightning to melt the weapon, Crystal knew it would have been used against him.

"Do you think you can save them all?" Gix leaned down toward his son, red eyes flashing with the light of inner fires. "You can't, and this is the confrontation that will break your precious Abby --"

Tabor didn't wait for the rest of the speech. He rushed straight at the demon and threw himself on the creature, attacking with a ferocity that frightened Crystal.

Crystal followed, grabbing a fallen limb and hoping he could at least slow the creature while the others destroyed it. His hand still stung from the laser pistol, and he would have to thank Tabor for saving him from far worse.

Carrick and Petra, undeterred by any sanity, were the first to leap into the attack. Tam rushed right up behind Tabor, pulling something from inside his tunic.

Crystal looked back to see Brendan, abandoned by the tree and looking startled. Then he lifted his own sword and rushed forward to attack as well. He looked crazed again, but they needed insanity, he thought, and didn't slow as he attacked. Dacey, Kamil and Banning arrived from one direction, and then others --

Final confrontation. There was no doubt now. They were all there.

Crystal threw himself into the melee, pounding the limb across the demon's knee and winning a satisfying grunt of pain while the others attacked as best they could. He thought they were wearing him down, though his branch broke before the demon's knee did. He grabbed the longer of the two pieces and hit again.

Tam caught hold of Crystal's arm and pulled him back when he started to rush in. He signaled the others aside as well, and lifted his hand, where he held something the length of his palm, sharp and barbed at the end.

He moved closer. Crystal thought Tam might have prayed in that moment. Crystal did.

"Tabor! Down!" Tam shouted.

And Tabor -- in a show of complete trust -- let go of the demon, falling away, though he won a claw across his face, a kick --

But Tam threw and the spike tore into the demon's left eye, burying itself into the brain --

The demon shrieked.

Trees burst into flames around them, and gargoyles went mad, attacking in swarms. The others killed them, quickly -- and by then the demon had gone down to his knees, and then down on his face.

Tabor leapt forward, but not quickly enough. A reddish light had already enveloped the demon, and Tabor hit that wall and bounced away again. He landed on his back, gasping in pain as blood rushed from a dozen or more cuts, but he still struggled back up again.

Others arrived at a rush, many of them mages -- including two strangers Crystal assumed must be Shafara and Sandy. People shouted, but Crystal hardly understood what they were saying above the roars of the demon -- he was still moving and looked ready to get back up. Crystal moved back with the others and accepted a laser pistol from Etric, who went to join the other mages. Crystal nodded his thanks and spun to take down a gargoyle that had tried to sweep up Brendan again.

Too loud, too hard of a battle -- they could not shout orders, they could only fight. And pray and...

Gix struggled back to his feet, one hand over the ruined eye. He howled in anger and the world didn't tremble -- it shook with a fury that brought down trees around them. If the mages hadn't thrown wards around the group, they would have been crushed. Gix waved his free hand, and a portal grew behind the demon -- and more gargoyles and other things swarmed toward it, ready to reach their world.

They'd never fight them all back --

Music.

Crystal wasn't the only one caught by surprise at the sound of Dove as Brendan played her. Even Gix looked startled -- and lost some of his control. Tabor tried to leap in again, and he wasn't alone. The shield around the demon failed under the assault of the mages, and even Crystal's laser found a target again, though it only burnt the demon's arm.

Gix started to go down -- but Braith reached from that other place, grabbed the demon, and dragged him back through.

The portal closed.

"Damn!" Tabor shouted. And then went down on his knees. "Damn him!"

"I think he already is damned," Etric said. He stumbled over to Tabor, a hand on his friend's shoulder. The world had gone too quiet, too still. Crystal feared to even breathe for fear of upsetting something.

"We almost had him," Abby said softly. "Almost --"

Tabor got back to his feet and stumbled over to Abby and Tristan. The others began gravitating that way as well, but Crystal saw something else in the Demonling's bleeding face.

"We have no time to waste," Tabor said. He put a hand on Abby's shoulder and drew those green eyes to look at him. "We have no time at all. Gix was wounded, and he'll be weak -- but not for long. We must go now, Abby. We failed here, but we still have a chance."

"Go?" Shafara asked. She frowned, looking around at the group. "I get the feeling there are very many things going on here that I don't understand."

"Very many," Abby said and nodded. "We'll explain on the way to the ship and you can choose. But Tabor --"

"Don't question me now, godling. Don't question me when I know the best answer. We have to go. Now."

Abby nodded, and Crystal felt his throat go dry. He had known it would always come to this. However, having just barely survived fighting the demon here, he could not imagine facing him on his own world.

Dawn had come, and the storm dispersed, with the help of the mages. He could smell smoldering fires on the wind, but Crystal doubted anything would burn for long. He hoped the feel of evil, brought with Gix, would clear soon, too. He hated to think they might leave too quickly, that they might abandon people who still needed their help...

He had to believe they were doing the right thing. He nodded to Etric when he came to walk beside him, looking just as worried, just as uncertain --

Rqua unexpectedly walked up beside him and put a hand on Crystal's shoulder as they headed toward the ship.

"It's going to be all right, Crystal. Etric. Just remember that."

They both nodded. Rqua gave a little smile and let go, drifting back into the group again. Maybe Rqua had the right idea. They needed to think how close they had come, not that they had lost. They hadn't, after all, been ready to face Gix here.

Talis met them at the ship and immediately reached to help Tabor, who didn't look as though he was going to be able to walk much farther. They were all battered, and that didn't improve the feeling that they were making a mistake. He limped up the ramp and reached the doorway. A little rest --

"Where are they?" Etric suddenly asked, looking back out at the rest of the people who were coming out of the woods and up to the ship. "Oh damn, Crystal -- where are they!"

It took him a moment to realize that Abby and Tristan were not in the group. Nor, he suddenly realized, was Rqua. The others had begun to look back as well. Tabor whispered something, and started back down, but his legs gave out, and Shafara grabbed him --

And then the breeze touched them, soft and warm. A light glowed somewhere off in the woods, not far away.

"Abby," Tabor whispered, shocked and afraid. "Don't do it --"

"We should have known," Etric said. He looked around, shocked and dismayed. "We should have realized that as soon as they made certain all of us were safe that they'd go off to fight the demon without us!"

"That's what Rquana was saying," Crystal added. "He's gone with them. He always had that link, he always knew they'd go, and he didn't tell us --"

"No," Kamil said softly touched his own head. "I would have heard. He didn't know. I don't think Abby and Tristan knew until just now, and even I hadn't caught it yet. They had always held the thoughts of keeping us safe, though."

The wind grew, the light brightened... and Crystal held his breath, wishing for something different, wishing...

"We need to find our own way to Gix's world," he said, looking at the others. "Banning --"

"We can try," she said. She went past him into the ship.

And no one else argued. Crystal watched the tunnel of magic that rose up from the world and to some other place. He didn't say good-bye. They'd be meeting again soon.

Epilogue

He hadn't wanted to go like this, and Abby wished they could have said good-bye. It would not have been wise. The Gods knew this was difficult enough, slipping away from them and leaving. They never would have gone along with it, no matter what logic he and Tristan used, and no matter how much Abby tried to convince them that this was now, and always had been, his battle.

"It's all right Abby," Tristan had said. "We're doing what's best."

They'd found a slight clearing and Abby had waited while his friend gathered a bit of magic, still latent in the air, even with the sun rising. He would have liked a day to rest, too, but that would be unwise. Tabor had been right. They needed to go right now .

They had started to make the tunnel when Rquana arrived and stepped into the circle of magic.

"I'm going with you," he said, quite calmly. "I may not be much use with magic still, but I can carry a weapon. He won't expect three when there have only ever been two."

"Rquana --" Tristan began.

"No," Rqua said. He put a hand on Tristan's arm, startling him. "No. I can hear your thoughts. I know everything you feel, and I understand why you are going now. I understand."

"But you shouldn't do this," Abby said. "You should be with them."

"So should you. But I know why you're going, and I agree. They are my friends, too, and I don't want to see them in this battle any more than you do. Or any more than they want to see you go to this war. Let's go before they realize we're not at the ship. There are powerful mages in that group. I would hate for them to try to stop us. Oh, and don't even consider going on without me. I may not be very powerful in magic these days, but I would have enough to stop you."

Abby wanted to argue, and so did Tristan... but he finally nodded. Tristan quickly spread a ward around them and opened the pouch with the Kiya.

"No time to waste," he said, and held the piece of the Kiya up, feeling the power build around them.

Rqua looked as though he had started to say something, but the magic swept them up into a stream of light that reached from the devastated woods up to... Gix's Hell.

They were going to the last battle...

The End