

The

ENDËRLAND

Chronicles

## Volume II

'BOOK OF SERENA'

Ed Marishta

Gramsh 2016

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author's imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

The Endërland Chronicles: Book of Serena -- 1st edition.

Cover by Erika Giselle Santiago

Copyright © 2016 Ed Marishta

ISBN13: 9781310840999

For everyone who has gifted me a part of their heart,

and made a home out of mine.

#

# Contents

Prologue

The Other World

Beyond

Open Horizons

Old Friends and New

A Turn for the Worse

Fight or Flight

Down the Rabbit Hole

Through the Looking Glass

Blood and Fall

Volume III: Preview

# Prologue

"He who battles with monsters, should see to it that he himself does not become one.

For when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you."

"Beyond Good and Evil"

Friedrich Nietzsche

The Void, the place beyond all worlds, real or dream-made, where time does not exist, light has always been absent, and where life as we know it was never cradled. It used to be nothing but a dark and empty space. Used to. Seething with unspeakable rage and malice, a lone spirit now lurks between the borders of all existing worlds, locked out for all eternity, unable to gain entry into any one of them.

How it came to be there and how long ago, no one knows. Even less is known of what it is and what it really wants. It can only be assumed that it is nothing good. Those very few souls that have had the great misfortune of sensing its presence from whichever world they dwelled in, ended up losing their minds and turning into vegetables. All, but one. He never knew if it was luck or something else that spared him from that same fate, but he was thankful that he was allowed to live and tell the tale, if only just once.

He spoke of a frightening presence weighing hard down his entire being, pushing with all its might to get inside his mind, while his body ached like it was being crushed under the weight of a mountain. He spoke of his own lust and greed of things and people manifesting a thousand times stronger than he had ever felt them. He spoke of anger and wrath wanting to explode and erupt like a lava breathing volcano that purges with fire everything in its path. He spoke of an evil so powerful and so terrifying, that no man could survive it and no world could contain it. He spoke of this only once, and then he spoke of it no more.

He went on to live his life, thankful for each day of grace, and that the spirit was locked away in The Void forever. But he never forgot.

### Chapter 1

# The Other World

The moon was high up in the middle of the sky as Serena watched it from her bedroom window. She loved looking at the moon every night; it was big and round and it always shone so bright. It made her feel like she could reach up, climb on it and ride in the sky all through the night, looking at the world below. But she knew that wasn't possible. She envied Élena, the daughter of Summer, who had taken over the job after the Dark Winter.

When she was little, she would ask her mom to tell her all about it; what it was like to be among the stars and shine down all over Endërland, when it used to be her up there. And her mom would talk for hours and hours, until she'd fall asleep. Sometimes her dad would sit down with them and join in the stories, telling her how the two of them had met and how they had fought in the Big War and won. She used to love listening to those stories.

She was too old now to waste time with that stuff; tomorrow would be the eighteenth autumn since she had been born. She did not want to spend her life indoors; she wanted to get out there, experience the whole world and travel to the farthest reaches of the kingdom. But everyone kept telling her that there was nowhere to go. There _had_ to be something beyond the ocean, or on the other side of the Northern Mountains; the world did not just end there, did it?

Moving away from the window and leaving it open so she could watch the moon from her bed, she got ready for sleep. Her parents had already turned in for the night.

She wasn't really looking forward to tomorrow. Yes, her dad was sure to have prepared some special surprise for her, like he always did, but other than that, she knew it would be just another day in Endërland. And she felt like something was really missing, like she had yet to uncover her purpose in life.

Determined to do something about it, she slipped into bed and closed her eyes. Tomorrow would be a new day; she would make sure of it. It took her a while, but eventually her body relaxed, and she fell asleep.

When next she opened her eyes, she had to close and open them again, unable to believe what she saw. She did that a few more times, but every time she opened them, she saw the same thing; a cloudy sky above her, instead of the familiar ceiling of her bedroom. She felt a chill run through her body and realized she was lying down on a very cold and hard surface. She stood up, barefoot as she was, and looked around. She did not recognize this place.

She appeared to be standing on top of a very tall house, built with large flat stones and mirrors. She almost felt dizzy from being so high up. All around her she saw many other similar buildings, but most of them were smaller, pretty much like usual houses. There were so many streets between them, with so many weird coaches that moved really fast and without any horses dragging them. Pillars of smoke rose up from several places in the city, while in the sky, giant metallic birds flew very high.

Fear gripped her now, not knowing where she was or how she got here. How would she go back home? What would mom and dad think when they would not find her in her room in the morning?

Stepping back from the edge of the terrace she was on, she heard a door creak open behind her, and a voice calling her name.

'Serena?'

She turned around and saw a young man approaching with careful steps. He had short brown wavy hair, wearing strange clothes and a silly smile on his face. He was slightly taller than her, with broad shoulders and an athletic body, and didn't seem to be that much older than she was. He stopped halfway from the door to her and said.

'Hi. I'm Freddie. I'm here to help you.'

The ocean lay wide and endless before him, colouring in its glorious blue all that the eye could see. Far in the horizon where it met the sky, it took on a purple hue, courtesy of the sun that had just crossed over to the other side for the day. Closer to him, below the cliff and right under his feet, Tálas still buzzed with the noise and movement of its numerous habitants, the majority fair-skinned and red-haired. The city had grown even bigger since the first time Daniel had seen it. A long time had passed since then, almost twenty years by human reckoning, though it did feel considerably longer in Endërland. And yet, no matter how often Daniel visited, he always remained awestruck by its splendour and beauty.

Today, however, he wasn't quite so concerned with his surroundings. Clutching in his hands a small wooden box with a red ribbon tied around it, Daniel seemed deeply lost in troubled thoughts. He'd been living in this wonderful world for almost twenty earth years now, twenty blissful and happy years that had felt like at least two long and amazing lifetimes.

After the Great War, the kingdom had rebuilt itself anew; life picking up where it had left off, as if nothing had really changed. But, of course, plenty had. The sky-people and the mermaids both had kings now, instead of their former queens. The Lord of winter had also been replaced, as had the Lightbringers. And most importantly, the Great Lord was finally back and the whole kingdom felt all the safer and happier for it. Peace and joy were once again the norm in Endërland, made even more precious by the gloomy memory of the Dark Winter. But to the good people and its rulers that's all it was, a memory and a lesson of how to live and appreciate life and goodness even more.

These had been the best years of his life, and Daniel would not have changed anything about it, nor done anything differently. He'd cherished every single day like it was a gift, which he was convinced it was, and had rejoiced in the new peace and freedom that the kingdom had enjoyed ever since. He'd even allowed himself to be cautiously optimistic, hoping that history would not somehow repeat itself. Deep inside, however, he'd known that as long as people lived, evil would always find a way in, and that his dreamworld would not be safe forever.

And now, he was sure of it.

Serena had been missing for three days now; three long days of anguish and torment during which he'd had no news of her whatsoever and no clue as to what might have happened. Old memories and wounds of his older brother being kidnapped had resurfaced all over again, and he dreaded what would follow. He sensed nothing but dark days ahead and he hoped with all his might that he was wrong. He did not want history repeated and Endërland going through another turmoil; not after all they had been through.

But maybe he was getting ahead of himself. For all he knew, Serena was just hiding somewhere, or had chosen to run off in one of those adventures she always dreamed of going. She'd probably come back soon and they'd all laugh about this, sitting down by the fire again and listening to her new fictional tales.

But if that was true, then why had she not left them a note or something so that they would not worry? It wasn't like her to be irresponsible; they had raised her better than that. And more importantly, why couldn't he sense her presence anymore? He'd always been able to feel her there, ever since the first day she came into their wonderful, renewed world; just like he could feel his mother's, Damien's, and even Hëna's ever since the two had become one. As much as he hated it, this could only mean one thing, she was no longer in Endërland.

By which means she'd left though, he had no way of knowing. Élios and Élena – their current sun and moon - constantly guarded Endërland from the sky, and they had witnessed nothing and no one suspicious in the few days leading to, or following her disappearance. Had she run off somewhere on her own, they would have been able to see her. Plus, even if she had, where would she have gone? How would she have left the kingdom? The only way he knew someone could leave Endërland was through a Visitor's portal, but he knew of no other Visitor apart from his brother. The fact that Damien continued to visit them daily ruled that theory out. And if there were any other Visitors who had come to Endërland recently, he had no knowledge of them.

No, he suspected something else was happening here. It was unprecedented, and he had no way of confirming this theory, but he didn't think it a coincidence that Serena disappeared on the night of what would have been her 18th birthday. Just like anyone else in Endërland, she had never been able to dream. Since this had always been the case in this world, Daniel had never thought anything of it. But what if she was like him? What if she was also a Dreamer, and on that night, she'd had her first dream and gone off somewhere else? He knew by now there were other worlds out there and Dreamers could always create their own, completely new in most cases.

But even if that was what had happened to her, that still did not explain her body missing. He'd always left his body behind whenever he'd visited Endërland in his dreams. But Serena had actually, physically left this world, and he had no idea how or where she might have gone.

After the first couple of days worrying and waiting for her to return, Daniel had finally decided to come and consult the oracle. He was the only person who knew more than anyone at this point, and Daniel desperately needed help in finding his baby girl.

He'd been sitting outside the little house on the cliff for a while now, waiting for the oracle to come back home. Hëna had left him alone, choosing instead to stay inside with Veronica and help with the dinner preparations. It was just too painful for the two of them to be alone right now and she could really use the distraction.

The sky eventually turned a darker shade of grey and the lights below in Tálas began to light up one after the other, quietly transforming the landscape before him. Daniel wanted to appreciate the view, but his ever-growing anxiety allowed him to do nothing else but worry about his only daughter.

From the moment she was born, Serena had never left his sight. His heart ached as he thought back at all the times he had taken her in his arms and held her tight to him; all the times he'd wiped her tears whenever she would fall down and graze her knees. Or her wide little eyes as she intently listened to him repeat the war stories over and over again, every time enchanted just like the first time. Even now that she was all grown up and had turned into a beautiful young woman, the spitting image of her mother, in his eyes she was still just his little girl and he missed her so terribly.

He now understood unequivocally what his parents had been through with Damien and him; the past choices of his mother and the overprotective behaviour of his father. In just these past few days he'd earned a newfound love and respect for both of them. For the first time in his life he really knew what it was like to fear for the loss of a child and he decided there was no worse feeling. He wished so desperately that he had them close now, even though he knew there was little, if anything at all, they could do to help. It had been a very long time since he had felt so helpless and desperate and he really hated the feeling. He didn't know how much more of this he could take.

He was relieved when the oracle finally returned home, not long after sundown. He joined Daniel outside the house and they sat together overlooking the city on the sea, like they often did.

Alfie had not changed one bit in all these years, looking exactly the same as the first time Daniel had met him; an unassuming small man, who once was lord and creator of this entire world.

Daniel himself had changed little for that matter. Even though twenty years had passed in the real world, he barely looked a couple of years older than he was when he first came to Endërland. He could now at least pass for a young man in his early twenties. Hëna would often tease him about that, saying that at this rate, his great-grandchildren would definitely look older than him. Daniel would agree and then laugh along with her; but he was still proud of looking a bit older. He liked to attribute that little maturation to the fact that he had to play father to a spirited and challenging daughter like Serena.

Beside him, the oracle shifted in place, arranging himself into a better sitting position.

'How're you holding up?' he asked, a simple enough question that somehow never heralded an easy answer.

'How do you think?' Daniel replied without looking at him. 'I'm scared, Alfie, scared as I've never been in my entire life. I'm trying not to come apart in front of Hëna, but I can barely hold it together anymore. I don't know what to do; please tell me you got something for us, you're our last hope.'

He now fixed his eyes on the oracle, desperate and begging for some good news.

'I'm surprised you did not come to me right away,' the oracle said, more as a way of buying time.

'Well, I was hoping I wouldn't have to. I was hoping this was all just a bad dream that we would wake up from any minute. Besides, it's not like you live next door to us, and, unlike you, I can hardly appear wherever I want, whenever I want to.'

The oracle smiled apologetically.

'You know I can only do that from one world to another, never in here. But you could, if you really wanted to; technically, you still _are_ the Great Lord.

'Anyway,' he quickly added, returning to the subject at hand. 'I'm afraid I will have to disappoint you, Daniel. I have nothing to share with you but suppositions and theories, and even those are premature and unfounded at this point.'

Daniel looked on with dread practically sculpted on his still young-looking face.

'What do you mean?'

The oracle continued, seemingly uneasy to share what he was about to.

'You know I work for the Order of the Guardians, yes?'

Daniel nodded with his head.

'I know I haven't told you much about it in the past, but if you bear with me for a second, I'll try to make this brief. My role in the Order is pretty much to keep an accurate and up to date record of all existing and new dreamworlds and Dreamers. And that is only made possible because of the ability I have to sense when a new world is created and added to the pantheon of all the existing ones. Each one of them has a distinct feel or scent to it - call it a mark or a signature, if you will - that is unique to that world alone and its creator. I don't know how to explain it properly, but I can sense this signature, and that is how I manage to match the Dreamer with the world they have created.

'Sometimes, several Dreamers can share the same signature; this usually tends to happen when descendants of the same bloodline are connected to the same world, like everyone from our bloodline and Endërland. But as you know, there can be exceptions. It's rare, but sometimes, someone not of the bloodline can bear the signature that connects them to a world, thus allowing them to gain entry into it. And sometimes, someone from the bloodline can alter their signature and create their own world, so that their connection to their initial world is severed and a new one is created instead. This is what happened with Sam and New Endërland, as you well know.'

The oracle stopped for a moment to make sure Daniel was following. Daniel felt a bit confused. It wasn't that he didn't understand what he was hearing, he just couldn't see where Alfie was going with this and what it all had to do with Serena. The oracle guessed as much, so he continued to explain.

'Recently, there have been some very unusual developments in what we call "the Dream Realm". Several new worlds have been created just in the past few seasons, only they seem to belong to no one I know. They all bear the same signature, which means that they were created by the same person, something that doesn't usually happen, only we don't know who that person might be.

'As you well know, Dreamers come from long bloodlines that are well known to the Order, so I've only had to keep an eye on a handful of people really. Ours is one of those bloodlines, but I thought Endërland had seen the last of the Visitors with you and Damien. He and Sam never became parents, and Serena is a child of this world, so I never thought..., until now. Assuming there aren't any new ones I don't know about out there, and I don't think there are, being a Dreamer, is about the only explanation for Serena's disappearance that makes sense to me.'

'So, she's a Dreamer, so what? Stranger things have happened, Alfie.'

'You don't understand, Daniel. This has never happened before; no child born of this world or any other world in this realm can ever dream, let alone travel to another world.'

'So, what does this mean, then?' Daniel asked, confused.

The oracle took a deep breath, before speaking again.

'There is a prophecy, very old and spoken long before my time, one that very few still believe it might come true. It tells of the arrival of a Dreamer so powerful, that he or she will be able to change even the real world. No one has ever been able to do that, Daniel; whatever power Dreamers have, it is confined to their own dreamworld, the one they have created. But the real world?'

'And you think this all-powerful Dreamer is Serena? Why?'

'When you first came of age and started to dream, I thought it might actually be you, Daniel. You come from the greatest bloodline in history after all, with a Dreamer in every generation, two, in the case of you and Damien. And the way you broke through the restrictions I put in place to keep you out of Endërland, the way you changed and affected life here and made it your creation and your world, taking over from me; I'd never seen it before. But all that just meant that you and I were much more alike than I'd thought possible, and that you and Endërland were meant for each other.

'But what Serena seems to have achieved, to actually, physically leave the dreamworld she was born in; that is beyond anything I've ever seen or even thought possible. She is not supposed to have that kind of power, Daniel, and unless there is some other explanation for it, then my money is on the prophecy.'

Daniel fixed his gaze on the horizon before him, his eyes following a pair of seagulls flying far above the sea.

'Alright, let's suppose you're right for a moment. Let's suppose Serena is this great Dreamer of the prophecy; what now? Where do I go from here, Alfie? How do I find her?'

'This is uncharted territory for us both, Daniel, and what I know is very little. Even less is what I can do or advise you to do.'

'Is there nothing at all you can tell me?' Daniel sounded frustrated, but the oracle took no offence. He knew all too well the anguish Daniel was dealing with.

'I have no way of knowing that my theory is valid; it's just the most logical conclusion I can come to. But if you're convinced that Serena is not here and there has been no sign of her leaving the kingdom by any other means, then I believe I am right.'

'Then the question is, where would she have gone? Where is she now?'

With sadness in his eyes, sure that he would have to disappoint his friend once again, the oracle replied.

'That, I do not have the answer to. She could be in any one of the hundreds of worlds out there, Daniel, and I have no way of knowing which one.'

'That doesn't help me much, Alfie.'

'I know, my friend, but I got nothing else for you right now. I need you to be patient and give me some more time. I will get in touch with all the Dreamers I know, if I must, and inquire of her. Maybe someone knows, or has seen something.'

'And what am I supposed to do in the meantime, just sit and wait? Do you have any idea what's it like for us to sit here and do nothing, while our daughter might be in danger?'

'I could tell you that I do, but you might not believe me,' the oracle replied, still speaking gently, despite Daniel's frustration and raised voice. 'I could also tell you that there's nothing you can do right now, but you don't want to hear that either. So, against my better judgment, I'm gonna tell you about the only other option I can think of, but I will have to strongly advise against it, Daniel.'

'Whatever it is, we'll do it.'

The voice came from behind them, and it made them both jump and turn around at once. Hëna had approached silently and was now standing above her husband. Like Daniel, she had changed very little and time had left no visible marks on her. She was still breathtakingly beautiful, with her big black eyes and pure white skin still radiating youth and light as if she'd never stopped being a lightbringer. Even after all this time, Daniel's heart never failed to skip a bit at the sight of her approaching.

'Hëna,' the oracle stood up. Daniel followed. 'I haven't even told you what it is you'd have to do yet and what you risk.'

'Would you stop and think of the risks if it was your child, Alfie?' she asked. Her long black hair was let loose to breathe in the wind.

'I guess not,' the oracle answered. 'Still, it is my responsibility to inform you properly of everything that is involved if you are to do this.'

'Then inform us,' she said again, as Daniel put one arm over her shoulder, drawing her to him.

The oracle looked at the both of them and saw the determination in their eyes. He knew then they would not be dissuaded and wished he hadn't said anything in the first place, but now it was too late.

'There is something I haven't told you before,' he began, 'something that very few Dreamers and even fewer members of the Order are aware of. I learned a while back that some dreamworlds can be connected to each other when their creators are in some way related in the real world, more than by just blood. I mean that in a geographical sense. I don't know how, or why that is, but when two Dreamers have a strong connection to each other, sometimes that connection extends beyond the borders of the real world and brings their two dreamworlds together, so that they physically interconnect. Don't ask me how, but I know for a fact that Endërland is connected to at least two other worlds. I believe that if you were to travel far enough in the right direction, you might be able to cross into either one of them.'

'But how can that be? We're talking about jumping from world to world here and you're making it sound like interstate travel.'

'Daniel, very few dreamworlds are as big and as populated as Endërland; most of them are quite small and confined. The Dreamer's mind is usually quite passive, and it limits itself greatly when it comes to creating and populating the dreamworld.'

'Are you saying that we can actually leave Endërland and cross into another world if we wanted to?' asked Hëna.

'I'm saying it's a possibility, yes. If your connection to Serena is strong enough, and if these new worlds out there are her creation, you might be able to visit them yourself. But you would have to find the crossing point, that place where Endërland and these other worlds meet.'

'Then, what are we waiting for?' Daniel asked, hope suddenly lighting up a fire inside of him. 'We need to get moving.'

'It is not as simple as that, Daniel,' the oracle stopped him. 'There are so many reasons for me to strongly advise against this, that I don't even know where to start. First, we have no way of knowing if these new worlds were created by Serena or not. I've never claimed to have knowledge of all the living Dreamers; anyone could be behind this. In the best-case scenario, it is Serena who created them and has gone to one of them, and your connection is strong enough to lead you to her. But you would still need to travel blind, for who-knows how long, hoping you'd find the crossing point without getting lost and that might take an entire season, or an eternity. There's no guarantee that you would ever find it.

'And in a not-so-good-case scenario, you might end up crossing into a world which is not Serena's, and I cannot even imagine the dangers you might face if that happens. Worse yet, you might get lost in some long-forgotten world that might still be connected to this one, with possibly no way of sustaining life and unable to find your way back. The possibilities are endless and one scarier than the other, Daniel. I cannot in good conscience advise you to do this; it's as good as suicide.'

'You've made your point loud and clear, Alfie, and I appreciate that. But now allow me to make mine just as clear. Sitting here, doing nothing and waiting for this nightmare to end, while our baby is somewhere out there, most likely in danger and in need of her parents, is simply out of the question. What kind of a father would I be if I didn't try every way possible to get my daughter back?'

'And what would happen if she were to suddenly return, only to find that you two are gone and might never find your way back home?'

'Well, I'm hoping she will find at least one of us here, if she returns,' Daniel turned now to face Hëna, hoping against hope that she would agree. But, of course, he knew her better than that. That strange and beautiful gleam in her eyes, the one he had fallen in love with from the very first day, was still there, as bright and stubborn as always.

'I love you, Dan, but if you think that I'm gonna sit here all by myself, while you're out there searching for our baby; and she's who-knows where, all alone and afraid, then you don't know me as well as you think you do.'

Daniel smiled and kissed her on the tip of her nose. His bright green eyes always lit up when he smiled at her like that, full of adoration and love.

'Actually, I think I know you pretty well, which is how I knew you'd say that. But you can't blame me for trying, can you?

'Well then,' he turned to the oracle again, 'it's settled. We're both going. And if Serena returns while we're away, then at least she'll be safe, and she'll know that her parents love her so much that they didn't sit back and left her at the hands of fate.'

The oracle shook his head in dismay.

'All this time, and you are both still as stubborn and reckless as the first day I met you. I guess there is nothing I can say to make you change your mind?'

'You would do the same if you were in our shoes, Alfie.'

'Yeah, I guess I would,' the oracle surrendered. 'Alright then, I will do my best to help set you on your way, but I really hope you understand what you're getting yourself into. You might never return from this.'

'If there's even a slight chance that we might get our baby back, it will all be worth it, Alfie.'

The oracle shook his head again, completely resigned to the fact that they had made up their minds and there was no stopping them. The only thing he could do was to help prepare them for what lay ahead and lead them in the best direction possible. He didn't have much hope that they would find Serena; in fact, he had none, but he kept that little fact to himself. Hopeless as this quest may be, they needed to believe that there was a chance they would succeed, and he would not take that from them.

Now, if only he knew which way they should go.

Drake's first sounds into the world came inside a small filthy shack barely standing among similar constructions in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of the eighteenth-century Whitechapel. He instantly became only one amongst thousands of other souls trying to survive another night in the overcrowded streets of the East London slums. No one heard his feeble voice as he drew his first breath, drowned out as it was by the gut wrenching screams of his dying mother as she gave him life.

A poor Jewish girl, who had immigrated to London in the hopeful search of a better life, she had been forced into prostitution practically the day she had arrived in the big and merciless city. She'd gone through everything life had thrown at her, everything but mercy and kindness that is, and was now quite unceremoniously meeting her end, far from where or when she had ever dreamed or thought she would.

As the scissors in the hands of the charlatan doctor cut the umbilical cord that was no longer needed to supply life to her new-born, both the crying and the screaming stopped as if on cue. Baby in hand, the doctor looked at the poor girl whose wide tortured eyes had frozen somewhere in the distance. She'd stopped moving and breathing altogether, her sight the stuff of nightmares.

Indifferent, the doctor gave the infant a quick superficial wash and tucked it inside an old blanket. He then made to give it to a tall and inappropriately dressed lady with chestnut brown hair and a feathery hat on. A similarly immaculately dressed gentleman stood by her side, horrified at the look of the dead woman in front of him.

The lady withdrew back repulsively and recoiled from the baby, refusing to take him.

'Bessie, darling,' she turned to the servant behind her, her voice slightly raspy, yet slippery as a serpent.

Bessie, a small black woman with the girth of two fifty-year-old rich men put side by side, stepped forward and took the child, holding him in her arms as if one would a parcel. The baby made no sound.

The other three adults turned now to the dead mother.

'Well,' the doctor spoke first. 'It would seem you are no longer required to pay for her services, Mr. and Mrs. Bagley.' He wiped his hands clean with a towel and threw it on the bed, next to the fresh corpse.

'So it would seem,' Mr. Bagley replied, looking as if he preferred to run away from that place the sooner possible.

'Hugh Alistair Bagley,' Mrs. Bagley exclaimed, trying to look as appalled as she sounded, a look she didn't quite manage to pull off. 'Now that is just not right. I mean, poor woman, she gave us the fruit of her womb, after all. We simply _must_ do something for her.'

'What would you suggest, m'dear?' Mr. Bagley asked, totally clueless. The discretely bemused doctor eagerly waited to hear the answer to that very same question. Mrs. Bagley looked confused for a moment and then opened up her pink little purse, taking a single coin out of it and putting it in the good doctor's hand.

'Please, see to it that she has a decent dress to be buried in, doctor, would you?'

'A most kind gesture, mam,' the doctor bowed, smiling at her with the most approving and flattering smile he could conjure. 'I shall see to it myself,' he continued, pocketing the coin. It would later be used for a number of things, neither of which would even remotely resemble a dress.

'Thank you, doctor,' Mrs. Bagley said, now completely at peace. 'Let's go home, darling,' she turned to her husband, 'this place is hardly appropriate for our baby.'

'Right you are, m'dear,' Mr. Bagley replied and then turned to the doctor. 'Thank you very much, my good doctor. I believe you have everything under control here?'

'Not to worry, Mr. Bagley, sir. You were never here. Congratulations on your new baby boy, sir. You know where to find me should you require my services again.'

'Indeed, I do. Good night to you, doctor.'

Mr. and Mrs. Bagley headed outside the shack, with faithful Bessie trailing behind them, the new-born child comfy in her meaty arms. The good doctor bowed once more and remained behind to deal with the dead girl.

The sound of heavy rain was once again the only thing that could be heard in the cold dead of night as the world welcomed its newest member. Drake would never remember his first moments on earth, nor would he ever hear of it, but that same silence and chill would accompany him for the rest of his ill-fated existence.

The sun had already sunk into the Southern Sea, leaving behind its orange signature and the promise of another warm night. The Queen of Endër and her two sons observed from the terrace of the small castle, where a small banquet had been prepared for them. Below them, the big city grew quieter as the evening light dimmed and the moon began to crown over the Northern Mountains.

Daniel had always loved sitting on this terrace, looking up at the moon. He still did, only, now he reserved most of his time and affection for his own lightbringer. Twenty years together and he felt the same for her today as the first day he'd seen her. She still captured his heart and took his breath away every moment they spent together, and he could not imagine being separated from her even for a day. But they had to find Serena; she was the most important thing to both of them right now and they would have twice the chance to succeed if they went in separate directions.

They had talked about it with Alfie in great detail. There were two possible directions for them to go, the obvious ones really, the ocean and the Northern Mountains. Daniel still loved the sea very much and this was his chance to find out what lay beyond it, so they agreed he would head into the ocean. He had no doubt Nemo would also go with him; his best friend would not let him do this without him and that suited Daniel just fine. Besides Hëna, Nemo was the only other person he could imagine going beyond the end of the world with.

As for Hëna, she would try to find a way to cross the Northern Mountains, something which had never before been attempted. Even the wingmen of the Northern Tribe, who knew those mountains like the back of their hand, swore that there was no way to climb above their crest, nor any hidden passages underneath their belly. But they didn't know about the tunnels under the Great Lord's castle. Hëna had discovered them by chance the first time she'd been there, but only a handful of people were aware of their existence. The problem was that there were hundreds of them, all seeming to lead nowhere, so Hëna had some real digging to do.

It was, for all intents and purposes, a futile mission, a doomed expedition that Daniel was secretly hoping she would not succeed at. He wanted to do all that was possible to find Serena, and a part of him hoped that Hëna would find her way beyond those mountains and into the next dreamworld, if there indeed was one. But he also feared losing her, and the other part of him much preferred that she stayed back home, safe and waiting for him and Serena to return. He would not be able to cope if he lost either one of them, or worse, both. The horror of not knowing anything about Serena was almost too much to bear, but what if he lost Hëna too?

Unfortunately for him and fortunately for their daughter, Hëna had no intention of staying behind. She was just as determined as he was when it came to this mission. But she wasn't without fear either, she worried about losing Daniel just as much as he worried about losing her, and yet, she wasn't going to let this get in the way. If there was anything to be done in order to find Serena, she would do it, and let fate decide the rest. Besides, she would not be going alone either.

Once he'd heard of this new quest, Séraphin had insisted on being a part of it. Ever since the Great War, the King of the Skies had grown quite close to Daniel and Hëna and he considered himself part of the gang, a sentiment which was of course reciprocated. He'd also become very good friends with Nemo, who had as well grown quite fond of the wingman. They often got together and reminisce of the old days, when they travelled through the kingdom, looking for the Great Lord. So, naturally, when Séraphin heard about this new mission, he was not about to let his friends go without him.

It was decided thus that Séraphin would join Hëna, and together they would make their way towards the castle in the Northern Mountains first. Hëna was hoping that one of the tunnels underneath would lead them unto the other side. It was a long shot, but the only one they had.

'I still don't think I understand,' Diane's voice recalled Daniel's attention back to the conversation at hand. She sat beside him on a wooden but comfortable armchair, a warm shawl wrapped around her delicate shoulders, and a goblet of aromatic punch cooling down in her hands. 'Even if you manage to find a way into whatever world might be connected to ours, what makes you think Serena would be there? This is like stepping with your eyes closed through a door that you have no idea where it leads, son.'

'I told you, mom,' Daniel tried to explain again something which he wasn't entirely sure he understood himself. 'Because Serena has physically left this world, there's a good chance she's done it in this exact way. If she had travelled through her dreams, her body would still be here and she most likely would have returned.'

'But how would she have known where to go? You've never left her out of your sight and none of us even knew about any of this until today. How would she have found out?'

'I don't know, mom,' Daniel answered for the umpteenth time, growing ever more frustrated. 'Anything is possible at this point. Maybe she is smarter than any or all of us together, maybe she had a revelation, or maybe there was someone else involved. I DON'T KNOW. All I know is that this is the only plan we have to go on by and we're doing it.'

'But what if you're wrong?' Diane did not relent. 'What if you get lost, or worse, hurt during your search? What if these other worlds are dangerous? What if she's not even there?"

'And what if Damien had been killed instead of being kept a prisoner all that time ago, mom? What if I had been kidnapped as well as a little kid, while you lived here like a queen, leaving me and dad behind? What would you have done?'

'Daniel.'

Damien's condemning tone of voice stopped him before he said something worse in his anger. Daniel turned and met the rebuke in his older brother's face. He shifted his gaze back to his mother, immediately regretting letting his frustration get the best of him. He was such an idiot. He walked over to the Queen of Endër and kneeled with his head on her lap.

'I'm so sorry, mom; I did not mean that. I'm sorry.'

He'd been trying so hard to appear strong for Hëna's sake for days now, but suddenly it all came crumbling down and he could no longer keep his emotions in check. He began to cry like a little child, unable to help himself.

'I'm so scared, mom. I'm scared I'll never see her again; I'm scared I might lose Hëna, too. And I'm scared I'll never find my way back here, to you. But I don't know what else to do.'

The Queen of Endër took her son's head in her hands and spoke to him with a voice that belongs to mothers alone.

'I know you are, sweetheart; believe me, no one knows that better than me.' She leaned over to kiss the side of his head as it lay on her lap and gently caressed his hair. 'But I'm scared too. Even though you're both grown men, you're still my babies and I still worry about you as if you were little children. A mother cannot help herself.'

'And neither can a father,' Daniel now looked up at her, eyes pleading through his tears. 'Don't you see, mom? I have to do this; she needs me.'

'I know, Danny, I know. This is very difficult for me, but you have my blessing. Go, and bring my granddaughter back home with you.'

Daniel reached up and kissed her cheek, holding her into his embrace for a good while.

'Thanks, mom. I won't rest until we're all back together, I promise.'

The queen said no more. She sat there with her two sons, hoping and praying that history would have some new acts to deliver this time and forget about old reruns. She'd lost them both in the past, and it was after too much heartache and bloodshed that she'd gotten them back. Yet, here they were again, with Daniel seemingly in the same position she had once been. Not only was there a chance that she might never see her granddaughter again, but she also risked losing him too, for a second time. She thought this world was their paradise, happy and safe for all eternity. But now, for a second time in a long time she was not so sure about it. Maybe there was no such thing as a paradise.

### Chapter 2

# Beyond

Back from their visit to Tálas and their short stay in Endër, Daniel and Hëna began preparing for their imminent departure. Daniel was on edge; the more time he wasted getting ready, the farther away Serena felt from him. He was anxious to get going as soon as possible, but there were still a few matters to sort out; that of a travelling companion for him, and more importantly, the means for him and his companion to travel with.

Regarding the former, he had no doubt Nemo would insist on tagging along, but he still had to actually ask. And though highly unlikely, there was always a small chance his friend might actually say no. Nemo was no longer a free agent after all, and his duties as the Sea-King, as well as his relationship with the lovely Íro, meant that he might not be able to join him.

As for the second part, he had built a small sailing boat, which he often used to go far from the shore and enjoy the sea, sometimes even for days at a time. It was a good little boat, suitable for the mostly serene Endërland waters, but not good enough for long cruises or troubled seas. What he needed was something bigger, stronger, but there was nothing else; his little boat would just have to do.

Sitting silently on the beach, not too far from his little house which was built on a small bay facing the sea, Daniel kept watch for the familiar dark red hair of the Sea-King. It was always great to see his friend; Nemo had become such a big part of his life that sometimes he felt more like family to him than Damien ever did. Daniel loved his older brother and was thrilled to have him back in his life after so many years apart. They spent a lot of time together and had become closer than he ever thought possible, but with Nemo it was different. His heart always felt a little bit lighter whenever his merman friend was around. Even his lips smiled of their own accord whenever he saw Nemo, much to Hëna's amusement. She'd often tease him that Nemo was the other great love of his life.

'He was mine before _you_ came and ruined everything,' Nemo had fired back at the moon girl once, to the surprise and amusement of all present. This had caused Daniel to blush a little, something which did not happen that often. Then they had all burst into laughter, while the joke was made even funnier by Íro's confused face. She had apparently missed it.

The beautiful blonde girl and the Sea-King had been going steady ever since they'd first met, though their relationship wasn't without its problems. Recently she'd grown tired of the unresolved status between the two of them and was beginning to lose hope in a possible future together.

Nemo did not blame her; he was quite frustrated with the situation himself. His heart was torn between his love for her and his devotion to the sea. The responsibilities he had as the king of the mermaids did not make it easy on him and for a while now had been driving a wedge between the two lovers. He had a job to do and a people who loved him to govern; he could not easily give that up to be with the one he loved. After all this time though, he knew that something had to change, or he would lose Íro forever.

The sea finally stirred in front of Daniel and out of its depths emerged its young ruler. The small elegant crown over the red hair appeared first, followed by the perpetually pale skin and dark lively eyes, which brightened at once upon seeing Daniel. Nemo swam smilingly towards his friend and stopped by his feet. He proceeded to lay on his back right next to him and leaned on his elbows, while his tail he kept under water. His trident he put on the side, an heirloom that along with his crown completed his royal insignia set. Nemo had adopted it after taking over from his mother and disposing of the crossbows and all other weapons ever produced and used in his kingdom. How he ever came up with the idea, Daniel never asked; he simply guessed it was another one of those dreamworld things. In his eyes, however, this Nemo was a far cry from the boy he had met on that first fateful day on this same beach.

He'd changed a lot since Daniel had met him. He was physically bigger now, though not by much, his tail was longer and his hair darker, now reaching shoulder length. His face had lost that childish innocence and cheer that characterized him back then, being replaced instead by a more mature and even royal look, most likely a result of being king of the mermaids for almost twenty years (by human reckoning). It was overall a good change, Daniel thought. His friend had grown in practically every way.

'So, what did Alfie say?' Nemo asked him once settled, not one to beat around the bush. Daniel had kept him well informed on the situation.

'I have to go, Nemo,' Daniel answered, in his tone an audible note of anxiety. 'I've got to try and look for her.'

He went on to tell Nemo pretty much everything that Alfie had told them and the plan that he and Hëna had come up with. Nemo lay there and listened without interrupting, until Daniel was done speaking.

'Wow, other dreamworlds. Who would have thought? I mean, the mermaids have always known that there's something beyond the dark canyon; after all, where do our former queens go when they give up the crown and leave the kingdom? We've just never ventured any farther than that; we've never had a reason to.'

'Well, now we do,' said Daniel. 'I am sure what I'm looking for lies in that direction and I intend to find it.'

'You mean _"we",_ don't you?'

'Nemo, you can't,' Daniel started to protest, though what he really wanted to do was give the merman a big hug and a "thank you" card. The fact of the matter was that he could not imagine going on this new quest with anyone else but his best friend, and was so relieved that he didn't even have to ask.

'Sure I can,' Nemo replied. 'You don't think I'll let you go on another adventure and have all the fun, while I stay here playing kings and duties, do you? Together until the end, remember?'

'What about the mermaids? What about Íro?'

'The mermaids? Listen, Dan, if I don't let Vanessa play queen for a while, I'm afraid I'm gonna wake up one day with my trident sticking out of my back. And if it's not Vanessa, it will certainly be Íro to do it, since she's not my biggest fan right now. I've been dragging things for far too long with her and I'm running out of excuses. I'm telling you, man, I really need to get out of here for a while. Besides, you need me; you know you do. I'm going, and that's that.'

Nemo stopped speaking when he noticed Daniel's big grin. He knew then that he didn't really have to convince his friend.

'Of course, you are,' said Daniel. 'I wouldn't dream of going anywhere without you.' He then added. 'Now, we just need to figure out how to make that little boat of mine strong enough for the ocean.'

He hadn't even finished speaking, when they heard three loud horns coming from around the bay to their right. Puzzled, Daniel stood up, facing in the direction of the sound. Soon, he saw with his own eyes what his ears could not believe. A small white yacht about 35 feet long, with its sail rolled down, made its way towards them. Everything about it screamed "just out of the factory"; it shone like a brand-new penny. Daniel couldn't see the man at the helm yet, but he had a pretty good idea who it was.

With his mouth wide open, Nemo barely moved an inch, his eyes glued to the shiny new boat, the likes of which he'd obviously never seen before.

'Whoa, what is that?'

'That, my friend, is our ride,' Daniel said, grinning like a child inside a huge candy store. 'It's called a yacht and it should help us get to where we need to go smoothly and fast.'

The yacht was getting closer now and Daniel was able to finally make out the helmsman. Damien sat behind a small steering wheel, much like that of a car, smiling and waving at the two friends as the yacht slowed down and came to a stop, not too far from where they were. Still in shock, Daniel headed in its direction, followed by the Sea-King.

'So, is this what being the Great Lord gets you these days?' he called.

'Among other things,' Damien replied, laughing. 'No, this one's for you, little brother; it's the least I can do for sharing that privilege with me. I think it will serve you well.'

'I think it just might,' Daniel agreed, admiring the vessel. 'But, how did you do it?'

'Well, these past few days I've been racking up my brain as to how to help you get safe and fast across the seas to whatever other world lies out there. We both know that pathetic excuse for a boat that you've built couldn't handle such a journey. So, last night I just happened to catch a documentary on the telly about this baby and I thought this might be exactly what you need. It's small enough, fast and sturdy, it's got a motor engine and of course the sail, so you can use both. I talked it over with Sam in the evening, and she agreed that I should definitely give it a try. So, here we are. Come on board, man, you'll love it. It's got everything you could ever need and more.'

Daniel climbed on board to get a quick tour of the vessel from his brother, while Nemo proceeded to inspect the yacht from the outside, both above and below water.

'Hey, Nemo, you should see the inside of this thing,' Daniel called down to him shortly thereafter. He seemed as excited as Nemo had seen him in a very long time.

'I will when we're on our way,' Nemo replied. 'Do you think it'll do, Dan?'

'It's our best bet, Nemo; it definitely beats sailing on my little one.'

'Nemo's going with you?' Damien didn't miss that little fact. 'That's great. Hey, thanks for looking after my little brother, Nemo,' he called to the merman, who was still circling the yacht.

'You can thank me once we're back in one piece, with Serena on board. Until then, I think "good luck" is more in order.

'Well, listen,' he continued before either of them could say anything else. 'You guys go on exploring this thing and getting it ready for sail. I'll go back down and make my own preparations. When do we leave, Dan?'

'Now that we have the means, I believe we're good to go. Tomorrow at first light, I think; I'm not waiting for anything else.'

'Cool. I'll see you here tomorrow morning then. Later, guys.'

The two brothers waved as the young king pointed his trident towards the depths of the sea and disappeared underneath the calm crystal waters. Then, they turned their attention to the yacht, with the older brother taking the time to show the younger one all the bits and pieces he needed to know for a safe and easy sailing. The connotation of this moment was not lost on Daniel, who'd grown up with only his father to teach him the way of things. A single afternoon might not make up for all those lost years of brotherly time, but it was still a good memory to add to the collection.

'It is not that much different than driving a car,' Damien told him. 'I'm sure you remember what that's like.'

'Vaguely,' Daniel replied. 'I've only ever driven a couple of times and it's been so long, that it feels like I've forgotten all about it.'

'Well, in any case, I'm sure you remember the feeling. The difference here is that, the "car" is much bigger. But, here, why don't we have some practice; it's the best way for you to learn.'

They spent the next few hours sailing around the bay area, with Damien teaching him everything he needed to know. It came as a surprise to Daniel to learn that boats were something of a passion for his older brother and it dawned on him that they still did not know each other nearly well enough. But he was happy to see that Damien seemed to enjoy this time with him just as much as he was. Hopefully they would have more of these moments to look forward to.

By the end of the training, he felt comfortable that he could sail the yacht to the end of the world and back, literally. When they were done, the two brothers sat down on the deck, relaxing and enjoying the view.

As soon as he sat down, Damien seemed to remember something and got right back up with an excited look on his face.

'Have I got a surprise for you,' he beamed at his younger brother. 'You're gonna love this.'

He disappeared for a moment inside the cabin and came back holding two chilled bottles in his hands.

'Is that beer?' Daniel asked, barely believing his own eyes. 'Where did that come from? Gosh, I haven't had one ever since my 19th birthday, with dad. How did you do this?'

'Same way I managed to create an entire yacht, I guess. I couldn't sleep last night; I kept thinking about this yacht and how I wanted it to be and everything else I wanted to go in it, until I finally dozed off. I guess at some point I must have thought of the beer in the fridge, because when I opened it this morning, there it was.'

'Well, I for one am glad you couldn't sleep last night.' Daniel raised his bottle to meet Damien's and then put it to his lips, taking a long gulp out of the ice-cold drink. The sensation that followed took him back years, and for that one moment he allowed himself to forget about all else and just enjoy himself.

'I do miss certain things from home,' he said thoughtfully when the moment passed. 'Life there had its charms, despite all the rest. Do you ever regret going back?' he asked his brother.

Damien looked at him pensively. They'd had similar conversations before, but Daniel had never asked him this. Now that he did, however, Damien found that he'd never actually thought about it.

'I don't think so,' he admitted. 'I like my life the way it is now. I got Sam and dad there, and I got you and mom here; the best of both worlds really. What more could I want? Okay, so things haven't been that great between me and Sam recently, but it's all part of life, isn't it? I lost a great many years locked up in that dungeon, Dan, but you gave some of it back to me. I'm just trying to make the most of it.'

Daniel had to agree; his brother had a good arrangement, to the point that he felt just a tiny bit envious of it. Only a tiny bit though, the part about him having the best of both worlds; for the most part he was more than happy with his own life.

'How is Sam doing?' he now shifted the focus of the conversation. He had only seen her and his dad a couple of times through Damien's portal, since neither of them was able to visit like his brother did. But while he understood this about their dad, Daniel had initially been mystified as to why Sam had been locked out of Endërland, again.

The answer had come not long after the events of the Dark Winter. After Daniel had finally claimed his place as the Great Lord, Alfie's magic hold on Sam had broken, and her insomnia gone. But when she had finally slept and dreamt for the first time, she had ended up in her own dreamworld, a replica of Daniel's one, thinking initially that it was actually Endërland. She'd soon found that this wasn't the case, but there was nothing she could do about it. No one knew how these things really worked and in the end, she was happy that she ended up having a world just as beautiful and magical. So, she'd named it New Endërland and made a life for herself there among her new people.

After his last conversation with the oracle, Daniel could not help but wonder if her world bordered with his and if he might be able to visit it someday.

As far as Damien was concerned, creating and visiting her own dreamworld had been Sam's way of subconsciously distancing herself from Daniel, so as not to complicate things too much between the three of them. He had been honest with her from the beginning and had confessed that he was the one inhabiting Daniel's body, but they had still gotten together. For a long time, he had been unsure whether she loved him for who he was, or simply because he looked like Daniel. Eventually though, he had accepted their weird situation as reality and allowed himself to be happy.

She had seemed happy with him too, that is until they'd had to come to terms with the fact that they were unable to have children together. From that day on their life had definitely taken a turn for the worse. Sam kept withdrawing from him little by little, finding more solace and comfort in her own dreamworld, as he did in his.

'I wish I knew what to tell you, Dan,' Damien finally remembered to answer to his brother. 'Not being able to have children has been harder for her, I think, than me. We barely speak anymore; sometimes it feels like we've turned into two roommates that have very little in common.

'But it's not just that,' he continued. 'Lately I feel like she's changed a lot. She's struggled with depression before, but never like this. She's in bed most of the time, doing nothing, neither asleep, nor awake. And when she's not in bed, she walks around the house in the garden, and sometimes I could swear I hear her talking to herself. She refuses to see a doctor, and every time I bring the subject up, she gets angry. I'm getting desperate, Dan; I've never seen her like this. I don't know how to help her.'

Daniel could hear the sadness in his brother's voice and see it in his eyes. Damien had never been so open, so exposed with him like he was being today. He wished there was something he could do for the both of them, but what could he do? This was something Damien and Sam had to sort out for themselves.

'Don't despair yet, brother. Sam is a fighter; she will not give up on you guys just like that. You will get through this, you'll see.'

Damien said nothing. He really hoped his brother was right; he was just worried that his wife wasn't as strong as Daniel thought she was. But he still loved her very much. He'd been trying for so long to mend things with her and make her happy again, but had failed at every attempt. And now, he was much closer to resigning than he cared to admit to his brother, his wife, or even to himself.

They spent the rest of the afternoon talking and having a couple more beers, until evening came and Damien departed, wishing his brother a safe journey and good luck. Daniel for his part thanked him for the yacht and promised that they would see each other again.

The sky darkened and the stars began to appear one by one, when he made his way home to give Hëna the good news. Everything was now ready and they would waste no more time to begin their journey.

Hëna sent word to Séraphin that they would be setting out first thing tomorrow morning and then they began to make the final preparations for the next day. Only a backpack each, with a change of clothes and some personal belongings; they wouldn't need much more than that, or at least so they hoped.

When everything was prepared and the day was finally done, they both headed towards their bedroom. Neither of them said it out loud, but setting out into the unknown carried with it risks that made them both more anxious than they cared to admit. If something were to go wrong, this could very well be their last night together and they both shuddered just thinking about it. But their daughter was worth that and any other dangers they might face, and on this they both agreed.

Moments later, she was still in his arms, her back turned to him and his naked and sweltering body encapsulating hers, when she felt Daniel chuckling behind her.

'What?' she asked without turning, her gaze lost somewhere in front of her.

'You know what I just remembered?' he said. 'The first time I ever saw you by that small lake. There you were, coming out of the water all wet and completely naked and I just didn't know what to do. And I'm trying my best to hide the fact that it's making me feel uncomfortable and that you should put something on, but you keep on pretending not to understand and act like there's nothing wrong.'

'Ha-ha,' it was now Hëna who laughed, 'that was the most fun I'd had in a very long time. You should have seen your face. You were as red as a poppy.'

'I didn't have to see my own face; I could feel it. I was practically burning. You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen; you still are.'

Hëna now turned around and faced him.

'But I don't turn you red as a poppy anymore, do I?'

'Well, maybe not red; more like pink, perhaps?' he teased and laid his lips on top of hers yet again. He just didn't seem to get enough tonight. They stared at each other's eyes for a while after that, both wanting to say something, but neither daring to. Finally, it was Hëna who found the courage.

'You know there's a chance this may be our last night together, right?'

'Don't say that,' he said, his fingers brushing her beautiful hair away from her face.

'Please, let me do this; you know I'm not very good with words. I just want to tell you that from the moment you walked into my life you have made me the happiest woman in the world, in any world. Having you and Serena has been the best thing anyone could ever wish for, and if I was to die tomorrow, I would die fulfilled and without regrets.'

'Yeah, well, I don't want you to die. I don't want to live without you or Serena, so promise me you will look after yourself and will come back to me.'

Hëna smiled the biggest smile she could manage, though her eyes glistened with renegade tears.

'I promise. Now, you.'

'I promise, too. I love you too much to leave you behind.'

'I love you, too,' she said, and hid her head in his chest, more tears daring to penetrate her brave façade. They finally fell asleep like that, drowned inside each other's arms one last time.

***

Sunshine found them the following morning all gathered at the beach, next to the yacht that was waiting to ferry Daniel and Nemo across the ocean and into the next dreamworld.

Séraphin stood beside Hëna, wings tucked neatly behind his back. A squad of wingmen waited further back, with a carrier prepared for her. They would all fly towards the castle in the Northern Mountains as soon as the yacht with Daniel and Nemo on board had left the bay.

Nemo, now in his human form, looked anxiously towards the path leading out of the forest for any sign of movement. He'd sent word to Íro the previous night that he was leaving with Daniel and was really hoping she would show up to see him off. To his great disappointment, the lovely Íro was nowhere to be seen.

As he and Hëna said their goodbyes, the former moon girl whispered in his ear.

'Promise me you will look after him, Nemo. I'd like to see him again, if it's not too much trouble; I'd like to see both of you again.'

Nemo looked into her beautiful black eyes and answered.

'I promise, Hëna. I will guard him with my own life and never lose sight of him. Wherever he goes, I'll go. We will find Serena and bring her back home, safe and sound. You have my word.'

She thanked him and gave him another hug, before saying goodbye. Not too far from where they stood, Séraphin was making a similar promise to Daniel.

'I will do everything in my power to make sure she returns home, my friend. I swear it on my life.'

'Thank you, Séraphin; you are a good friend for doing this.'

'You would do the same for me,' Séraphin replied, never one to feel comfortable around compliments. They shook hands like two grown men who think hugs are for women and children, and then said goodbye, wishing each other good luck.

Time had now come for Daniel and Hëna to say their own goodbyes. They'd both dreaded this moment and had put it off for as long as they could, but they knew it was inescapable. This would be the first time they would be away from each other ever since they'd first met, and it wasn't easy.

Having her in his arms one last time, Daniel suddenly had a dreadful feeling that he might never hold her again. Terrified, he felt like calling the whole thing off and not letting her out of his sight, and he almost did. But then, he looked into her beautiful eyes and as always found in them the courage and strength he needed to go through with this.

'We'll be together again, sooner than you think,' she told him, once again being the braver one. He shook his head in agreement and answered, all the while trying desperately to steady his voice.

'I know we will.'

They hugged and kissed one last time and then each joined their own travelling companion. The promises of reunion might have given them the strength to let go, but they did very little to lighten their hearts. Who knew what awaited them in the unknown places they were each heading towards? Who knew when or even if they would be back home and see each other again? All they had was hope, and they secretly prayed it was enough to keep them going on until they were done with their mission and Serena was back home where she belonged, where they all belonged.

'I'm in the other world, aren't I? My dad's home world?'

The light shining in Serena's eyes as she realised what was actually happening made her look just like she did the first time she'd visited Arba. This was unbelievable. After all this time hoping, wishing for something exciting to happen in her life, she found herself where she never thought she'd be, The Other World. All the times she had listened to her dad talk about it and all the stories about his time here had made Serena dream and fantasize about it for seasons on end. And now...

The boy standing before her continued to smile his silly smile, without actually replying to her.

'But how did I get here?' Serena finally thought to ask. 'Does this mean I'm a Visitor, like my dad?'

'Well, technically you're a Dreamer,' the boy finally spoke again. 'Dreamers who travel from this world into yours, are called Visitors. Though, I think in your case we might have to come up with a new term; Dreamers are usually people born in this world.'

'What do you mean?' Serena moved one step closer, intrigued.

'How can I say this,' the boy continued. 'There's never been anyone from your world, from any other world for that matter, visiting here. This is the first time ever something like this happens.'

'Wait, just how many other worlds are out there?'

'There are many of them. You didn't think your Endërland was the only dreamworld in existence, did you?'

'Of course, I didn't,' Serena replied defensively. 'It's just that I've only ever heard of this one and New Endërland, Sam's world. How many more are there?'

'No one knows for sure, but there are many. Some of them are as big and as crowded as your Endërland, others are quite small, with fewer people living in them. There's even some that are now abandoned and empty. People who used to live there have moved on somewhere else or passed away. One thing is for sure though, no Dreamer has ever come out of a dreamworld; you're the first.'

'But why me? What does this mean?'

'Well, I do have a theory, but you shouldn't be concerned with that right now; you should enjoy yourself, get to know this world. And guess what, I'm your guide. I know everything you need to know about this place; after all, I've been around a bit.'

'That's right,' Serena finally realised, 'you're _that_ Freddie, the one who helped my dad when he first became a Vis..., I mean a Dreamer. I remember him talking about you. Aw, he would be so happy to know that you're still alive. He always said it was one of his biggest regrets not knowing what really happened to you, in Sotira. What _did_ happen to you in Sotira?'

In one fleeting moment she could swear she saw the boy wince as if in acute pain, but maybe she was mistaken. She didn't know him well enough to read all his facial expressions, after all. Sure enough, when he answered, there was no sign that there was anything wrong.

'Ah, _there's_ something I haven't thought about in a long time. The fact of the matter is that I did what I was supposed to do with your dad and Sam, and when my job was done, I took my chance and made my exit. They did not need me anymore, so I left. I am sorry if Daniel has felt bad about it, but there was no other way.'

'Really?' Serena said sarcastically. 'Isn't there a better method of parting ways with someone other than pretending to get killed? Like, I don't know, saying "goodbye", or something?'

'Maybe,' the boy answered, appearing flustered. 'But that's all in the past now. How is your dad, anyway?'

Serena dropped the matter and moved the conversation along.

'He's fine, thanks; he's an amazing dad. He's like my best friend; he spends a lot of time with me and has taught me everything I know. We travel a lot together; I've seen most of Endërland by now. It actually feels kind of weird to be here without him; I've never been anywhere on my own before.'

'Well, this is _your_ adventure, remember?' the boy interjected, 'and I'm sure Daniel would be happy to let you enjoy this experience, just like _he_ did years ago. So, what do you say, are you ready to see The Other World?'

'You bet I am. Lead the way, Fred; where to first?'

Freddie beamed at her and turned around, leading her towards the door out of the terrace.

'First we get out of this building and find a coffee shop; I need my morning fix. This way.' He walked halfway to the door and then stopped dead in his tracks. He seemed to remember something. Reaching inside his backpack he took out a pair of white sneakers, which he handed to Serena.

'You'll need these. I had a feeling you'd show up wearing nothing but your pyjamas. I don't know if they'll fit, but they'll have to do for now. I'll buy you some more stuff later today.'

'How _did_ you know I'd be here, anyway?' Serena asked, taking the shoes from him, and putting them on her feet after a rather quick examination.

'I'm the prophet, remember?' Freddie answered, smiling. 'I know things.'

That didn't really explain anything to Serena, but she decided not to pursue the matter any further for now. She paced around a bit in her new shoes to see how they felt and appeared happy with the results.

'Thanks. They fit okay.'

'That's good,' Freddie said. 'Take this as well.' He handed her a light blue cardigan which she put on right away.

'Oh, that feels much better,' she smiled, rubbing her arms with her hands. 'I didn't even notice I was cold until now. Ok, I guess I'm good to go.' She was far from good to go, but Freddie didn't say anything. She looked as if she had just gotten out of bed, which was actually true, and had put on the first thing she had gotten her hands on. She was sure to attract some stares when they actually ran into other people.

Following Freddie first down a short staircase and then inside a metallic box with mirrors on all sides, Serena jumped as the heavy doors closed behind them. She suddenly had a feeling that maybe she had trusted this stranger a bit too quickly. She turned to face him, fear and mistrust guiding her eyes, but that silly smile and the harmless look on his face put her mind at ease.

'It's called a lift, or elevator in a different part of this world,' Freddie explained, looking at her and misreading her expression. 'It transports people up and down tall buildings like this one. We are going down right now.'

Sure enough, the box moved, causing Serena to feel very light and her breath to get stuck in her chest for a slight moment. What followed was a pleasant sensation of movement, as if floating over the waves of the sea, holding on to the tail of a pair of mermaids. This was nice.

Only a short moment afterwards the box stopped moving and the doors opened to let in a boy and a girl seemingly younger than Serena. They gave her a quick puzzled look, but then turned around and ignored her. She noted with curiosity that they were holding hands and smiling fondly at each – other. As the doors closed and the box began to go down again, the boy threw his arm around the girl's shoulder and drew her close to him. She put her own arm around his waist and they gave each other a quick kiss on the lips, before facing the doors again.

Behind them Serena kept watching, not without a sense of envy. Most of her girlfriends back home had already found a partner; some of them had even moved on to build a life together and raise a family. Serena had had one or two suitors of her own recently, most notably Élios, Élena's brother. A dashing young man, his curly blonde locks prettier than a girl's, Serena thought he was alright. But she didn't really feel like hanging out with him, not the least of all because it always had to be during the night, when he wasn't up in the sky, illuminating and keeping the kingdom warm. But mostly it was because she just never really felt drawn to the guy.

She'd listen to her girlfriends go on and on about this guy or that guy, and she'd wonder why she never cared about anyone that way so far. Her mom would laugh and tell her that she was still so very young, and that when she'd meet the right guy, she would definitely know. But Serena didn't want to feel like she was missing out on anything, or that she was unlike everyone else. If the other girls could fall in love at their age, so could she.

She often liked to think about what _HE_ would look like, the boy who would win her heart. She had an image in her head, only she could not see him very clearly and wouldn't know how to describe him. All she knew was that he had beautiful kind eyes and a warm gaze, kinda like her dad's. But that's as far as she could go. For all she knew, he could look like anyone. Well, definitely not like this boy in front of her, desperately trying to resist locking lips with the girl in his arm. He had long and thin blondish hair, tied back in a single pony tail, and wore a leather jacket that seemed to be at least three sizes bigger. No, Serena was definitely not drawn to him.

She turned her attention to the only other male inside the metal box and immediately almost burst into laughter. That silly smile seemed to have been carved on the guy's face. Either that or he was perpetually happy, in which case, good for him. Really though, someone must have told him at some point that it made him look goofy.

Repressing her laughter, Serena continued to look at him, without being too obvious. If she could ignore the silly smile, the guy wasn't actually half bad looking. Despite the fact that he was supposed to be at least her dad's age, he still looked like he was as young as her. The skin on his face was smooth and spotless, aside from a single small scar on his left cheek, just above his upper lip. A pair of perfectly shaped and full-bodied eyebrows complimented his hazel eyes, while his messed up wavy brown hair could clearly look much better with very little work. Or was that how they styled their hair in this world? If so, then they really needed to come up with something new.

Serena realised she was now staring, and she turned her face away just in time. Freddie looked towards her, the smile never leaving his face.

'We're almost there,' he said, and indeed as soon as he finished speaking, the box stopped moving. The doors opened before them, announced by a loud ping. The couple before them got out first; she and Freddie followed. He led her through a big and shiny hall, some more stairs and then through a big revolving glass door, which finally let them out of the building.

Immediately Serena was hit with a wave of loud noises coming from all around her. She was definitely not in Endërland anymore. There were people moving in every direction, walking fast on foot, riding their bikes, or driving their cars. She was glad that she had paid attention to her dad's stories about this world and the life he used to have here. Had he known she would come here at some point?

She followed Freddie along the sidewalk, keeping her eyes glued to the road.

'They're called cars,' he said, noticing her fascination.

'I know,' she replied without taking her eyes off them, 'my dad's told me all about them. I just didn't realise there'd be so many.'

'Yes,' he simply replied and then made a quick turn left, causing Serena to stop dead in her tracks and revert to catch up to him. 'Here, a good Pret breakfast and coffee is just what we need.'

He led her inside the coffee shop and directed her to one of the few empty tables.

'You sit here and wait for me, while I get us something to eat. Is there anything you prefer, or anything you don't like?'

'Umm, nope, I can eat anything really. Why don't you surprise me?'

Freddie joined the long queue of people waiting to get their morning fix, while she sat there observing everything and everyone, still not daring to believe where she was. She couldn't wait to tell her dad about this. If this was like her dad's nightly trips to Endërland, she would find her way home as soon as she went back to sleep in the evening. And of course, she knew there also had to be a portal. Right then, she remembered that she never checked to see if she had created a portal on the roof of that tall building when she had appeared. No matter; if needed, she was sure Freddie would take her back there another time.

Freddie returned soon, carrying a tray with a couple of chocolate croissants and two cups of coffee on it.

'I got black coffee with some milk and sugar on the side; not sure what you drink back home, but I love coffee myself.'

'We don't have coffee in Endërland, but I'd love to try it. Thanks, Fred.'

'Don't mention it. Dig in.'

Serena did not wait to be told twice; the croissant was actually looking really appetizing. She'd tried chocolate croissants a couple of times whilst visiting her grandmother in Endër, and her mouth recalled the taste even before she brought it near her lips. When she finally took a bite, the soft but crunchy dough and the warm sweet chocolate filling, exploded with such taste and pleasure inside her mouth, that she could not help but moan with pleasure.

'Yum, it's got more chocolate inside,' she opened her mouth while still chewing, causing bits of chocolate to drip down her lower lip. Freddie, who was sitting just opposite her, broke into a delightful laughter, which made him look even younger than he already did. Serena laughed too and proceeded to clean herself up.

'I always do that. I swear my grandmother bakes these things for me on purpose. She loves to see me make a mess of myself with food.'

'I can see why,' Freddie responded, 'you look like a three-year-old.'

'I do not,' Serena snapped at him playfully. 'I'll have you know that today is my eighteenth birthday; I believe that makes me an adult in this world. And what about you? How come _you_ look so young even after all this time. I remember my dad saying that you were a young boy when he met you; how come you haven't aged in all these years?'

'Well, there's a very simple explanation for that,' Freddie said, smiling. 'It's my secret.'

'Oh, come on. You have to tell me,' Serena pushed.

'Do I? I've only just met you; you can't expect me to tell you all my personal secrets.'

'Well, I've only just met you, but you don't see me holding anything back. Gosh, you're annoying,' Serena exhaled, frustrated. She looked adorable just now.

Freddie laughed. Apparently, he too thought she was adorable. Beautiful, too. Her long black hair was thick and healthy, and it fell perfectly over her slight frame. The fringe almost covered her eyes, a brilliant and expressive emerald green that he'd rarely seen. They were striking. Her cheeks were a natural pink, with a perfect skin, but her lips were her best feature, beautifully curved, the bottom one slightly fuller than the top.

'You remind me so much of someone else, you know. She was just as curious and relentless as you; much cuter though,' he teased, consciously deciding to stop admiring her looks.

Serena made a face at him, and decided to finish off her last bit of chocolate croissant.

'I tell you what,' Freddie surrendered, 'let's just say that a lot of things have happened since your dad and I last met. When we've gotten to know each other a bit better, if you'll still want to know, I will tell you everything. Deal?'

'Deal,' Serena said with her mouth full again, chocolate dripping down her jaw as before. Freddie extended his napkin, not even trying to stifle his laughter.

***

One of the first things they did after breakfast was to go shopping as soon as the stores opened. Serena was no longer barefoot and cold, but her attire was hardly appropriate for the streets of London. One quick trip in Oxford Street and she was now dressed considerably better, while Freddie's wallet felt considerably lighter.

They spent the rest of the day mostly sightseeing. The city, which Serena soon found out was called London, was actually quite old and popular in this world. People from everywhere came to live here for a time, or forever, and the city just kept growing bigger by the year. Freddie took her to see all the most famous sites, giving her a bit of history with every place they visited. The city was so big and there was so much history behind it, but instead of feeling overwhelmed and confused, Serena felt like gobbling everything up with a hunger she had never felt before. Everything about this city, this whole world actually, seemed to fascinate her, and she simply wanted to learn more.

By the end of the day, despite her desire for more touring, Serena felt like she needed to rest. They'd been walking and riding busses all over the city, visiting all the different places and attractions that Freddie thought she might enjoy, and they were both now feeling quite worn out.

Evening found them sitting at the dining table in Freddie's small flat, sharing a giant pepperoni pizza they'd picked up on their way home. Serena was once again impressed and did not fail to show it.

When time came for bed, Freddie led her to the guest room.

'I assume I will see you again tomorrow,' he said, 'but in case I don't, it was really nice to meet you, Serena. I had a good time today and I hope you enjoyed yourself too.'

'Oh, thanks, Freddie; I had a great time too. And I hope I will come back tomorrow; there's so much more that I want to see and do here.'

Freddie smiled.

'Goodnight then. Oh, and say "Hi" to your dad from me.'

'Will do. Goodnight.'

Freddie shut the door and left her on her own. Serena had never been happier to see a bed. She'd never been so tired in her life, just like she had never felt hunger or thirst before. In some things, this world could be a bit more like her Endërland.

Bessie's poor feet ached as if she had just walked over lit coal, yet she would not relent. Little Drake had more growing up to do before he could outrun her,

'Here now, you little devil. Stop running from me and come get dressed, or I swear I will tell the missis.'

'No,' Drake's melodious voice echoed from the end of the hall where he had finally been cornered. Nowhere else to go. Bessie smiled a mid-evil smile, the kind she only shared with "the little devil". She advanced towards him, confident that she had won this one. As she got close enough, Drake made one last attempt to escape her grasp, but failed miserably. The punishment, a few good minutes of tickling, until he could laugh no more and the nanny decided to stop before she'd have to change him again.

When she was done dressing him, Bessie gave the boy a quick kiss on the forehead and arranged his little hat. The five-year-old looked the proper gentleman and then some.

'Off you go now. Your papa will be waiting outside for you. Now don't you forget to bring your Bessie something nice, you hear?' She winked at him as he began walking towards the door. The child winked back at her and disappeared beyond the front door and into the carriage where Mr. Bagley was waiting.

This wasn't the first time Bagley junior had joined his father on a trip. In fact, it wasn't a trip at all, more like work, and at his young age Drake was already a highly skilled worker. The Bagleys were in the goods business, more specifically, confiscating them from unassuming individuals, whose only fault seemed to be caring for a poor abandoned child in need of their assistance on what would turn out to be a most unlucky day for them. Drake's fingers could really perform magic, making wallets disappear from people's pockets and reappear in his father's hands. He was already the Bagleys' pride and joy and promised to be quite, well, promising.

The trade so far was going well. They travelled from county to county, never going twice in the same place within a short period of time, so as to avoid getting caught. And almost every time they came back home with a considerable number of wallets, purses and other valuables. It wasn't enough to set them for life, but it kept them living more than comfortably. Of course, the biggest cut was always put aside and added to The Fund.

The Bagleys' ultimate dream was to buy a nice respectable house in a nice respectable neighbourhood, where nice respectable first-class people lived. They weren't quite there yet, but they were getting closer by the year. They had started in the slums, both of them, Mr. Bagley a pickpocket in the streets of the merciless city, and Mrs. Bagley the daughter of a small innkeeper, who ended up gambling his fortune away and almost selling his only child to slavery. Need and passion had brought the two of them together and they had made their own fortune ever since, she with her smart wits and he with his quick fingers and light feet.

Ten years since that day they were still together, now living in a small two-storey house in one of the better neighbourhoods of Whitechapel. They kept one maid slash nanny, whose earnings they "trusted to the bank along with their own finances", or so they would tell her. And since they were unable to have any children of their own, they were forced to "adopt" little Drake, who had turned out to be their best investment up to date. Things were definitely looking up for the Bagleys. In a few years' time, they would finally have their dream life in their dream home and then all would be well with the world. Or so they kept telling little Drake. The truth would soon prove to be an entirely different matter.

### Chapter 3

# Open Horizons

'Wow, so this is what the wingmen must feel like all the time,' Nemo yelled from the top of the cabin. He sat there with his legs crossed and arms wide open as if he was flying. Daniel smiled watching him from where he stood, half expecting him to yell: _"I'm the king of the world"._

Since there was no wind, they had lowered the sail and switched on the engine instead. The yacht raced over the waters with a speed that both delighted and scared Daniel. He could barely believe the immense power under his hands; Damien had made a great choice indeed.

The sun was dropping towards the sea as Daniel aimed the yacht in its direction. He had no maps to follow, paper or celestial, nor did he know which direction he should head. But keeping Endërland behind and heading as far away from it seemed as good a direction as any. Sooner or later they were bound to get somewhere.

They lost sight of land as early as noon, leaving behind home with everything and everyone in it that they knew. There was nothing in sight now but the open sea. The waters were still relatively calm, a fact that Daniel interpreted as a sign that they were still within Endërland borders. But they shouldn't be too far from those borders, or so he believed; they had not seen any mermaids for a while now, nor any known sea creatures, of which there were always plenty.

The ocean seemed eerily quiet, and so far, their day had gone on completely uneventful and unpromising. It was as if nothing was ever gonna happen, though Daniel knew better than to believe or even hope that. Night was coming and with it who knew what else. They were no longer home after all, and from here on, anything was game.

Having had enough fun for one day, Nemo got down from where he'd been sitting and took the steering wheel from Daniel, thus giving him a chance to rest. After passing on a few basic instructions, Daniel sat down next to him, his eyes lost on the ever approaching but never reaching horizon in front of them.

The dark was now rapidly enveloping everything. Though he longed to get to the next dreamworld as soon as possible, Daniel was glad to see the familiar stars and the moon showing up above them. He would not share this with Nemo, but the unknown scared him more than he liked to admit.

'What's on your mind?' Nemo asked, knowing his friend well enough now to sense the uneasiness that was growing inside of him.

Daniel considered saying "nothing", but saw no point in it. He was always open with Nemo, at times even more so than he was with Hëna. It's what best friends do, after all, isn't it?

'I'm wondering what we'll find out there,' he finally said, without taking his eyes off the sea ahead. 'I feel like that first day when we met on the beach; everything is a mystery all over again.'

'Well, that's not such a bad thing now, is it?' said Nemo. 'I mean, look at how things turned out. If you hadn't taken the courage to save me that day, we wouldn't be here now, still best friends after all this time. You and Hëna might have never gotten together, the General would have probably taken over the kingdom, and everything would have been lost. You made things right for Endërland back then, Dan; who knows, maybe this new adventure is a chance for you to do the same for some other world.'

'I hope you're right, Nemo, I really do. I just can't shake the feeling that it will not be much of an adventure this time.'

_It didn't feel like that the first time around either_ , Nemo thought, but said nothing in response. He had his own doubts and fears about what they had just set out to do, but he did not feel like voicing them out loud. He was afraid there was nothing his friend could say or do to make them go away, not at this exact moment, anyway. So, he chose to ignore them instead. Besides, it was obvious that one of them had to keep the mood light around here, and for now it looked like that would have to be him. He didn't mind, though; it was a role he'd gotten quite used to around Daniel.

From behind the steering wheel, he saw his friend take out of his pocket a little wooden box with a ribbon on it and hold it in his hands like it was a very dear thing to him.

'What do you have there?' he could not help but ask.

Daniel smiled softly, but did not lift his eyes from the box.

'It's Serena's birthday present.'

'Looks awfully small this time,' observed Nemo. He knew Daniel liked to spoil his daughter every time they celebrated her birthday.

Daniel chuckled as if to himself.

'Every summer I've made such a big deal out of it, you know, and that was fine when she was little; she enjoyed all the attention and the special treats. For the last few birthdays, though, I've had this feeling that it's all been a bit too much for her, and yet not enough. Do you know what I mean?'

'Not really,' Nemo answered, waiting for Daniel to elaborate. There was a touch of melancholy in his friend's voice.

'Well, it's like, I was doing all these things for her, parties and guests and presents and all that, but no matter how much fun she had, it seemed like she wasn't enjoying it anymore, like she needed something else. Or maybe it was all in my mind, I don't know; I used to feel like that whenever my dad would do something special for my birthday. So, this time, I decided to do away with all of that and keep it small. I thought I would give her something very dear to me, something I know she would love to have. Only, I never had the chance.'

Here, his voice wavered, and he paused, drowned for a moment in his sea of past memories. When he spoke again, his face shone bright and his lips parted, arching upwards to form a big smile.

'You know, the first night after she was born we kept her in bed between us. I remember she grabbed my little finger with both her hands, the tiny thing that she was, and would not let go for the life of her. I lay down next to her, letting her hold on to her first conquest, and stayed awake all night long, just watching her sleep. It was the most wonderful moment of my entire life, Nemo; I actually think Hëna got pretty jealous that time.'

'Yeah, your wife does tend to get jealous just a bit too easily,' Nemo chortled, deciding a bit of laughter was in order. He was never comfortable in tender moments like this. 'So, are you gonna tell me what's in that box, or do I have to wait until _my_ birthday to find out? Apparently, I won't be getting anything else now that you've decided to go cheap.'

It was a quickly improvised joke, but it worked. Daniel laughed again.

'Let's find Serena first, and then she can tell you herself what it is.'

'Fine then, keep your secret. But you better hope you're a light sleeper, 'cause one way or another, I'm going to take a look inside that box.'

'And you better hope you'll be able to grow a tail again, 'cause if you do that, you'll end up overboard, without a life jacket.'

'Hahaha,' Nemo laughed too. 'You wouldn't do that. You'd miss me too much. Besides, who'll be there to get you out of trouble if you get rid of me?'

'Huh, I'm more worried about _you_ getting _me_ into trouble, mister King of the Seas. Or have you forgotten all that we had to go through the last time, what with the whole kingdom going into war because of you? I've got half a mind to go and change the records in The Endërland Chronicles and name it Nemo's War.'

'Nemo's War?' Nemo feigned outrage. 'I cannot believe you just said that. After everything that _I_ had to go through because of _you_. Riding around the kingdom on a stupid horse, dodging werewolves and oversized crows, shadows and wolfmen, all the while looking for,' here he did the double quote sign in the air, 'the long lost Great Lord. Until one freaking day you're like: "Oh, by the way guys, _I'm_ the Great Lord we've been looking for all this time; sorry I didn't tell you before." Nemo's War,' he repeated as if to himself. 'Daniel's War is more likely.'

'Whiny,' Daniel threw a playful insult at him, unable to keep a straight face.

'Cheapo,' Nemo countered, not one to back down.

More laughter followed. They kept on pointing fingers and accusing each other about past misdeeds for a good while after that. Around them the night continued to grow increasingly darker and more menacing. Without them noticing, the heavenly host proceeded to shift farther away and lose its shine little by little. The moon kept growing smaller the higher it climbed, and the sea even quieter than it usually was. As for the wind, it continued to be stubbornly absent.

At some point Daniel decided to lay down and rest for a while, while Nemo stayed on the wheel and kept steering. It still felt relatively safe and they did not anticipate running into any problems anytime soon.

He woke up around midnight and took over the helm again, giving Nemo the chance to get some sleep himself. The Sea-King was only too happy to shut his eyes for a while and rest; life as a human definitely seemed more arduous to him. He left his friend behind the wheel and went down inside the luxurious cabin to enjoy the comfort of the nice big bed he'd seen there earlier. That would definitely make for better rest than the outside leather couch Daniel had slept on. And rest he did; the bed was indeed warm and cosy, and the smooth gliding of the yacht above the waters made his sleep even sweeter.

When he finally woke up, feeling well rested and restocked of energy, Nemo was shocked to see that it was still night outside. All around them it was completely dark, apart from whatever light they had on the yacht. There were no stars in the sky and the moon had also disappeared.

'Did I sleep too long, or not enough?' he asked. 'I thought it'd be morning by the time I woke up.'

'It is morning,' answered Daniel, 'or rather, it should be. The moon went down a while back, but the sun never came up. I think we've left Endërland now, but I can't tell if we're already in the next dreamworld or not. We just have to keep on sailing and hope that we got enough fuel to last us until we reach it. If the wind doesn't pick up, that'll be it for us.'

'How much do we have left?'

'I don't really know. It's my first yacht.'

They swapped places again and Nemo insisted that Daniel should go get some more sleep. Daniel didn't argue. There wasn't much else he could do in any case and he did feel a little tired. So, he went down inside the cabin as well and threw himself on the comfy bed. Sleep took him as soon as he shut his eyes, with dreams as always forgetting to visit him in this realm.

Eventually he woke up to complete silence. The engine had stopped and the yacht was not moving, except for the mild rocking of the waves. Clearly, they'd finally run out of fuel.

He came out of the cabin to find Nemo dozing off on the leather couch. It was both amazing and curious how much Nemo loved to sleep.

'Nemo, wake up,' he shook his friend lightly. Nemo opened his eyes right away.

'Hey, you're awake.'

'Yeah. When did we stop moving? Why didn't you wake me up?'

'Oh, it's been a while. But I figured you wouldn't be able to do much about it, so I thought I'd let you rest. You looked like you needed it.'

'Thanks,' Daniel said, his brain now working overtime to come up with a solution. The options they had, however, were rather limited. Without fuel, they were dependent on the wind to carry them farther. The only other option would be to keep going, using one of the inflatable lifesaving boats they had on board. But as to how far they would be able to go on with it, was anyone's guess.

They discussed all options together and decided they could afford to wait on the yacht a while longer, hoping the wind would pick up. They raised the sails up, getting everything ready, and then prepared themselves for a long wait.

The good news was that they did not need any food or drinks to survive, and for that Daniel was more than thankful. This trip would have been much shorter otherwise. There was no danger from any creatures of the deep either; apart from them, there seemed to be no other lifeforms around. They were completely and utterly alone in the middle of a foreign sea. Eventually, the power on the yacht would also give up and they would end up completely in the dark, with nowhere to go and nothing to do. It was a discomforting thought, but one that Daniel did not give voice to. No good would come from worrying his friend more than he already was.

They lost track of how long they waited like that for something to happen, for their situation to change. But nothing happened and nothing changed. The wind simply refused to blow in any direction, as if there was no air about. And despite doing nothing but rest and sleep whenever they weren't trying to keep each other entertained or their hopes alive, eventually they both grew exhausted to the point of desperation. It was becoming clearer and clearer that this was a dead zone, and the wind they were hoping for, would never come. Their only chance was to continue on with the on-board inflatable boat and row themselves ahead as far as they could.

Once this was decided they threw the thing overboard along with a pair of small oars, taking only their personal stuff with them, and thus said goodbye to the yacht. Daniel was sad that their time with it was so short, but they had no other choice. Now they would have to take their chances and face the sea and whatever else fate threw their way on a small rubber boat, with nothing but a flashlight to help them see in the impenetrable dark.

But at least they were moving, and as long as they were going somewhere, there was a chance that things would change. They were still alive after all, and they had not lost hope.

High up in the Northern Mountains, where the castle of the Great Lord stood hidden from the sight of all but those who knew where it was, Hëna and Séraphin were about to give up examining its secret underground tunnels.

'There's even more than I remember,' she said frustrated. 'We've been at it all day and still haven't searched even a quarter of them. What's the point of all these tunnels anyway?'

'I get the feeling it's to discourage whoever's looking for the right one,' Séraphin answered. 'Come on Hëna, you didn't really expect it to be that easy, did you?'

'No, I guess I didn't,' Hëna replied, 'but I can still vent, can't I?'

'Hey, vent away,' Séraphin said, laughing and turning to exit the dead-end tunnel they were currently done searching. Hëna followed him, now smiling. She thought of the first time they had been together on a quest, she and Séraphin, and how different he had been back then. Not only had he been as grumpy as a bear running out of honey, but he'd caused quite a lot of trouble for everyone around him, especially for Nemo and Daniel. Thank the Great Lord, this new Séraphin was definitely much more agreeable and easier to travel with. He had his good uses too; his eyes were extremely sharp and saw far, whether it was night or day, and of course, he could fly. His wings had grown even bigger and stronger with time, and not only did they make him look every inch the King of the Skies that he was, but they might come in handy should they need to escape from some sudden danger on the ground. He wouldn't be able to carry Hëna for long, sure, but hopefully just long enough, if the need arose.

They walked back to the entrance of the tunnel and proceeded to the next one. It had been by pure accident that Hëna had discovered them in the first place. The day she had found Damien chained in one of the dungeons in the castle, she had fallen down a pit where Winter had thrown the remains of his failed experiments. In her haste to get away from that gruesome and horrible place, she had almost missed the small and barely visible hatch on the floor.

She and Nemo had been unable to open it that day and it hadn't been until much later that Daniel alone had managed to. It must have been one of those things that only the Great Lord could do. When they'd finally climbed down the hatch, they'd come to an endless corridor with hundreds of tunnels, like a massive underground maze. There seemed to be no purpose to them and as far as they could tell, they led nowhere. So, they had abandoned the search at the time.

But now Hëna was back, convinced that the tunnels were built for a reason, and that at least one of them would lead somewhere. She was convinced that the way to the next dreamworld passed through one of these tunnels and there was a chance that Serena had come this very same way. So far though, there had been no sign of her or anyone else being in these parts.

'Okay, let's try the next one,' she said to Séraphin, who had stopped just outside the entrance of the current tunnel.

'Hold on a moment,' he said, his thinking cap on. 'We could spend a hundred seasons in here searching every single one of them and still find nothing. We need to be a bit smarter about this and try and use our brains for a change.'

'Well, I don't know what you've been doing until now,' said Hëna, who didn't really take offence at his words, 'but I have been using mine.' Then after a short pause, she added. 'And I think you're right. There must be a better, quicker way to tell if any of these lead somewhere, without having to walk for miles and miles just to reach a dead end.'

'Maybe there's a water stream in one of them; water has to get out somewhere, no?'

'I don't think that would help us much; these mountains are filled with underground streams of water, even rivers, and they usually lead farther down into the ground. Not to mention the risk of drowning if the waters rose high enough at any point. No, there must be something else. Air is probably a better option; if there's a current strong enough, it might mean that there's an opening on the other side. Short of a sign placed at the entrance telling us which is the right tunnel, I think that's our best bet.'

'Okay, then we walk in front of every single tunnel and see if we can spot any strong air currents. The torches should help with that. And if this should fail, then we can go back to searching every single one like we were just doing.'

'Agreed,' said Hëna and passed her torch to her left hand. With her right, she grabbed a jarred stone from the ground and made a visible mark on the side of the entrance of the tunnel they had just checked. 'So that we know where we left off,' she said to Séraphin. 'Don't wanna be starting back from the beginning.'

'So, you _are_ using your brain after all,' the Sky-King teased, earning a not so gentle shove ahead as a reward. He laughed and passed his own torch on to his left hand. He then proceeded to walk farther down the corridor, stepping close to every tunnel entrance that followed. Hëna trailed behind him in much the same manner.

They kept on walking like this in front of every single tunnel, with the end nowhere near in sight. It was such a mystery who had made all of them and what their purpose was. Even Alfie could not tell them anything helpful, and he had been the one to create the castle in the first place. According to him, there was still so much to learn about dreamworlds and how they worked. His most plausible theory was that some things simply came into existence when they were needed, even if you didn't know it, and that their mystery would be revealed when the time was right. He was sure that there was a reason for the tunnels, he just couldn't say what.

'I think I might become a grandfather soon,' Séraphin broke the silence after a short while, as well as the train of thought Hëna had been following in her mind. It took her a while to get back to the present.

'You mean Mikael and Talia are expecting?' she asked.

'I think so,' Séraphin answered. 'I'm not sure, though. Mikael said that he's got some good news to give us, but what with all the leaving preparations and the handing over the kingdom, he never got around to telling me. Can you imagine me as a grandfather, though?'

'I still can't see you as a father,' Hëna teased and then added. 'Seriously, though, I'm very happy for Mikael. I imagine it hasn't been easy for him growing up under the shadow of a great king and living hero, but he's become such a fine wingman. You couldn't have left the kingdom in better hands.'

'I know; I'm very proud of him. I just hope we'll make it back before the little one comes.'

'I hardly think this quest will keep us away for four entire seasons, Séraphin. Still, let's hope for the best.'

Hëna had to stop all of a sudden to avoid bumping into the wingman, who stood still at the entrance of one of the tunnels, his eyes fixed on his torch. Its flames had begun to dance wildly, pointing at the opening to their left. When Hëna got close enough, her torch began to do the same.

'There's definitely an air current going through this one,' she said. 'Well, this is the best breakthrough we've had in these past two days; it's worth checking it out.'

'After you, Lightbringer,' Séraphin pointed at the tunnel, smiling.

'Some living hero _you_ are,' Hëna teased in return, but did not wait to be told twice. She first made another mark on the side wall to her left, different from every other one, so they could find it easily next time. She then stepped inside the tunnel, which was just wide enough and high enough for a single person to walk through without crouching. Séraphin followed behind her.

The first thing they noticed about the tunnel was the lack of humidity compared to every other one they had searched. Sure, there was that smell of wet earth, but the air was not as stale here and it definitely felt fresher. This was a good sign; they must have found the right tunnel. As if by a silent agreement, they both increased their pace and hoped that they wouldn't have to walk long before their reached the other exit, or at the very least the end of the tunnel.

Unfortunately for them, however, almost half a day passed without a sign that they were getting anywhere near the finish line. The tunnel kept on going and going as if it would never end. But they did not stop. This was still a good sign; none of the other tunnels had gone this far and this could only mean that they were actually getting somewhere. They had no choice but to be patient and persist with their mission. They were bound to get somewhere eventually.

After a number of short breaks to recover some of their energy, they finally decided to rest properly and get some much-needed sleep. It had been almost a day since they'd entered the tunnel by their calculations, and there seemed to be no change. So, they decided to take turns and sleep, with Séraphin offering to take the first watch.

Hëna agreed. She lay down opposite him and shut her eyes, her thoughts practically racing towards Daniel and Nemo. She wondered what they were doing at this very moment. She hoped they'd had better luck than the two of them so far; wherever they were, it had to be better than this never-ending hole in the ground. But then again, it could be worse; she knew the sea could be dangerous and treacherous, and she much preferred to keep her feet safe on dry land.

Juggling thought after thought in her troubled and tired mind, Hëna finally dozed off for a good few hours, allowing her body to regain some of its spent energy. When she woke up, she took over the watch from Séraphin, giving him a chance to sleep next. The wingman wasn't one to complain, but Hëna knew he was just as tired as she was, if not more. They might as well rest while they could; who knew what they would find farther down the tunnel.

When next they resumed their walk, hours later, it was like they were still at the beginning of the tunnel. The earth below their feet and the walls around them were exactly the same, and they felt like they had not made any progress at all. But they didn't even consider quitting. The fact that the tunnel seemed to never end was still good news. They might have to walk for many days, or even an entire season, but eventually they knew they would get somewhere.

Sure enough, after a few more short breaks and a good number of burned out torches, they noticed that the terrain began to gradually change. The earth turned harder and rockier under their feet, and the tunnel seemed to be going up instead of just straight ahead, as it had so far. And that was the good news. The bad news was that the walls around them began to slowly draw closer, the tunnel shrinking ever smaller the farther ahead they went.

This definitely complicated things. They soon found themselves crawling down on all fours, afraid that if the tunnel continued to shrink like this around them, they would end up getting stuck in the underbelly of the mountain with no way forward or backwards.

Séraphin was beginning to show signs of claustrophobia, not that he even knew what that was. He had never been fond of tight spaces or underground caverns, but the brave wingman still had some pride left in him and would not fall behind a girl, even if that girl was another living hero of Endërland.

The former lightbringer, however, had bested many a man with her bravery in the past, so, falling behind her wouldn't be much cause for shame. Still, even one as brave and fearless as she would have serious doubts about their current situation. They were at present digging their way through the tunnel, desperately hoping that it would not get any tighter than it already had. They were forced to push their bags in front of them, as the small space would no longer allow for carrying them on their backs. By now, they had abandoned the torches, as it was impossible to carry them while pushing themselves and their bags ahead. So, they kept crawling in the dark, desperately hoping that all this would come to an end soon, one way or another.

In this manner, they kept on crawling for what felt like hours, turning left and right and climbing ever higher, until they finally noticed a faint light ahead of them. Hëna almost screamed from joy. No doubt they were now near the surface and the end of their crawling expedition. They put whatever energy they had left to good use and pushed forward. The higher they climbed, the brighter the light ahead of them shone. And as the air began to feel fresher, their spirits also began to grow lighter.

Eventually, Hëna spotted an exit, an opening right above her, barely big enough for her to squeeze through. She couldn't wait to see the light of day again, lie on the green grass and rest until her bones ached. With a sense of accomplishment and relief, she pushed through the hole and felt the warm rays of sunshine kiss her cheeks. She knew right then and there that they had left Endërland behind.

She was just about to push herself completely out on the surface, when a shadow quickly blocked the sunshine above her head. She barely had a chance to look up, when a pair of giant hooks inserted themselves on both her shoulders and forcefully pulled her out of the hole, lifting her away. The shock of being grabbed and the pain of sharp claws digging into her flesh made her scream, the sound drowning out Séraphin's voice calling after her.

The wingman was frantically struggling to squeeze out of the tunnel, but his wings and larger frame made it much more difficult for him than it had been for her. Eventually though, he managed to get out and set in pursuit of the large predator who was carrying Hëna higher and higher away from him. Séraphin had not used his wings for days now and ended up hurting them considerably while he pulled himself out of the underground tunnel, so he was having a hard time flying fast enough after the giant bird. But that wasn't the only issue. Having been under the surface of the earth for so long, his eyes had grown used to the dark and he was really struggling to keep them open just now. He had to stop and allow his eyes to adjust to the strong light of day for a moment before he could continue, but he wasn't about to give up. He would not lose Hëna the first moment they set foot on this new dreamworld.

Far ahead of him, seriously bleeding from her shoulders, Hëna now lost conscience and hung limp from the talons of her kidnapper. She remained unconscious for the rest of the flight, as well as a good while after her predator landed on a small turf, halfway up the mountain side. The place looked more like an improvised camping spot, rather than a nest.

The predator circled its pray, analysing it rather too closely, when behind it, Séraphin landed with a thud.

'Get away from her,' the wingman commanded, pointing his sharp protracted claws at the creature before him, bleeding wings half spread behind his back. For a moment, they both remained silent as each examined their opponent, completely forgetting about Hëna.

Séraphin had seen nothing like this before. The creature standing between him and Hëna seemed to be an eagle, albeit way larger than those of his own world, freakishly large in fact. But that wasn't the only difference. What stood out more was the fact that the bird did not have just one head, but two of them. Everything else about it was natural enough, from its talons, its wings and body, up until its shoulders, where two necks sprang up instead of one, ending in two heads, both identically looking. And the way it stood on its two legs, it made it look more human than a bird has the right to look.

For his part, the eagle had never seen such a creature as Séraphin before, but then again, he had never seen any intelligent creatures other than his own kind, so he was naturally confused to be in the company of two different species right now. One of them must of course be a terg, most likely the one lying down unconscious. But what about this other one? It looked quite similar to the terg, only taller, with long claws and of course wings. He had never heard of tergs with wings before, so what was it?

'You're not a terg, are you?' he asked the creature, hoping it would understand his language.

Séraphin heard the voice coming out of both beaks simultaneously and saw them move as if the creature was speaking, but could not believe his ears.

'What?'

'I said, you're not a terg, are you?' the eagle repeated his question, louder this time. He tried to add some menace to his tone, but somehow, he did not sound too convincing.

'What's a terg?' Séraphin asked, not sure whether being one was a good or a bad thing.

'That's a terg,' the eagle replied, motioning towards Hëna. 'And you look like it, only you have wings. I've never heard of tergs with wings before.'

'I don't know what a terg is,' Séraphin said, 'but where we come from, she's a human and I'm a wingman. In our world, there's also a third species that live in the water; they're called mermaids.'

'You're trying to trick me,' the eagle raised both his heads and centred himself between Séraphin and Hëna in a menacing position. 'There is no other world and I've never heard of such creatures. Now, what are you, if not a terg?'

Séraphin had to think for a moment. It sounded to him like the eagle didn't actually know what he was talking about.

'Wait just a moment,' he said. 'Have you ever seen a terg before?'

The eagle took one step back and lowered his heads, unsure.

'No, but my mother's told me all about them. They are the only other intelligent species living in the world, and they are our sworn enemies. They live underground and only come out at night to attack our clans, kidnap our youngest and kill our animals.'

'But you've never seen one with your own eyes, have you?' questioned Séraphin.

'Well, no. Not yet. I mean, I'm still too young, so I'm not allowed to join the patrol squad; but if I can prove to them that I'm ready, I'm sure they will let me.'

'So, if you have never seen a terg with your own eyes, then how do you know she is one?'

'Well, what else could it be? It came out of the ground, didn't it?'

'In the middle of the day?' Séraphin almost screamed out of frustration. 'I thought you said they only come out at night.'

'Well, maybe it's a very brave terg. Or it doesn't mind sunlight and it comes out at daytime to spy on us.'

'She's not a terg and neither am I,' Séraphin was losing his patience. 'Beyond these mountains there's a whole other world, our world, and it's full of cities and villages with people like us. We've travelled for days through a hidden tunnel under the mountain to get to your world, looking for one of our own. We are not tergs and we are definitely not your enemies. So please, let me get to my friend; she is hurt and needs my help.'

The eagle did not move an inch. Instead, he puffed up his chest even more and lowered his heads towards Séraphin, staring at him intently with his small eyes.

'I don't believe you. Tergs are sneaky and liars, all of them, and we should not believe a word they say.'

'But I'm not a terg; you said it yourself that tergs do not have wings.'

'Maybe you're not, but that is definitely a terg, and it's my prisoner. I will take it to my mother, so that she can see that I am ready to join the patrol.'

Séraphin could see that the eagle, who was clearly a youngling still, would not relent. He decided he needed a new approach.

'Okay, then tell me this. If your mother decides that neither of us is a terg, what will happen to us?'

'I don't know,' the eagle answered, not having thought of that. 'I guess that depends on whether you're friends or enemies. If you're friends, you got nothing to fear, but if you're enemies, you will be publicly executed. And since you are my prisoners, that will be my duty.'

Séraphin imagined that the eagle must be brimming with pride in this very moment, but of course he couldn't tell if that were true. Convinced that the two-headed talking bird would never release Hëna, he decided the best thing to do was to let him take both of them to his mother and hope that she had more sense than this overzealous eaglet.

'Alright then, you can take us both to your mother, but can you please carry my friend on your back? Your talons must have cut deep into her flesh from when you grabbed her earlier; fresh wounds might kill her.'

For the first time the eagle turned and lowered his heads to observe Hëna's shoulder wounds. There were several sizable punctures on both shoulders, front and back, all of them bleeding severely. Hëna's clothes were soaked in her blood. Séraphin could swear he saw sadness in the eagle's eyes.

'I, I did not mean to hurt her,' he said, finally dropping the "it". He then drew back and let Séraphin tend to her. 'Will she die?'

'I don't know,' answered Séraphin, clearly worried. 'She's lost a lot of blood; we'll need to be quick.'

He took out of his bag a small flask containing Spring Water, which they had taken for just such emergencies, and poured some of it over Hëna's open wounds. The water washed away some of the blood only temporarily, but other than that it did nothing else.

'Maybe it doesn't work in this world,' Séraphin whispered to himself, then turned to face the eagle. 'Will your people be able to help her?'

'I think so,' the eagle answered, now sounding eager to help. He slouched next to them, spreading one of his wings for them to climb on. 'Get her on my back and sit behind her so that you can keep her from falling. I can fly faster that way.'

Séraphin did not wait to be told twice. He picked Hëna up and climbed through the eagle's wing. He then rested Hëna safely on his back, positioning himself behind her. After making sure that they were sitting safely and comfortably, the eagle rose up, stretched both his enormous wings and took flight from the ground as if he were weightless.

It actually felt great to be up in the air again, and despite his worry for Hëna and their present circumstances, Séraphin could not help but smile as the wind blew against his face. He had to tuck his own wings tightly behind his back, so that the air would not pull him away from the eagle and Hëna, but other than that he rather enjoyed the eagle's maddening speed of flight.

The joy of being up in the air again would not last long, however. They would soon land amongst an entire clan of two-headed giant eagles, and he was growing increasingly anxious as to what fate expected them when they did. He just hoped they had more sense than the oversized eaglet carrying them.

The noises of the waking city streaming through the windows in Freddie's apartment chased Serena's sleep away. Yawning followed immediately, coupled with the realisation that she was clearly still in her dad's world. Confusion came next. What was happening? Wasn't she supposed to have awaken back in her own bed, in the little house by the beach, in Endërland?

The sound of dishes clattering and the smell of food being cooked in the kitchen filtered through the closed door. Freddie was obviously already up. She got out of bed, visited the bathroom first and then joined him.

'Good morning, sleepy,' Freddie sounded chipper. 'How do you feel? Everything ok back home?'

'I don't know,' replied Serena, looking as confused as she felt. 'I didn't go back. I just, slept.'

Freddie stopped whatever he was doing and looked at her.

'You didn't go back? But, what does this mean?'

'You're asking me? I thought _you_ were the expert here?'

'On Dreamers, perhaps. But I told you, there's never been someone like you; this is all new to me too.'

Serena sat down on one of the chairs in front of her, exhaling her worry. Her lovely hair was still rather messed up from her sleep, as were her pyjamas. Her eyes were a little puffy. The whole thing, however, made her look simply adorable. Freddie smiled involuntarily.

'What if I can never go back home? What if I'm stuck here for good?'

He sat down on the chair next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, like one would with a child.

'Now, let's not rush into conclusions. There could be a million reasons why you didn't go back. Maybe you were too tired last night and went into a dreamless sleep. You can't travel into a dreamworld without being able to dream, after all.'

'But, I never dream,' Serena reminded him.

'Until now. You dreamt yourself into this world, didn't you?'

'But what if it was just a one-time thing?'

'I don't think it works like that. You either dream, or you don't. You did it once, I'm sure you'll be able to do it again. You just have to be patient.'

Serena tried consciously relaxing.

'I'm sure you're right; I'm probably overreacting. It's just that, the thought of never being able to go back home scares me. I know I've always wanted to leave Endërland and see the world my dad came from, but now that it's happening, I'm afraid.'

'It's only natural; but you don't have anything to worry about, yet. And you're not alone; I'm with you. And don't forget that your uncle and grandfather also live here.'

'That's right,' Serena got up abruptly, as if she wanted to leave right away. 'I completely forgot about them. I get to finally meet my granddad and Sam. When can we go see them?'

'Whoa, slow down, girl. Let's have some breakfast first. Speaking of which...' Freddie suddenly remembered the bacon on the frying pan and rushed to save it, failing miserably. Soon the whole kitchen was filled with smoke, and to make matters worse, the smoke detector went off, waking up even those in the building, who were still in bed. Only after he managed to shut it off and bring everything under control, did Serena remove her palms from her ears.

'So, what's for breakfast then?' she asked, her lips grinning from ear to ear.

***

They left the house not long after that, fed, washed and dressed to face a new day in the big city. The weather seemed promising enough, but Freddie knew better than to trust the London climate. His small umbrella lay tucked inside his bag, among his other possessions.

He hailed a cab and gave the driver Daniel's old address in Lewisham. About an hour later they were knocking on the door of what used to be Daniel's house.

Serena kept tapping her foot nervously. It was no small a thing to meet your granddad for the first time. A series of questions rang through her head. What would he be like? Would he recognise her? What would he think of her?

Interrupting her inner quiz time, the door opened after Freddie's second knock to reveal a young Asian woman.

'Yes?'

They were both tong-tied for a single moment; having expected to see someone rather different looking at the door.

'Hi, isn't this the residence of David Adams?' Freddie asked, sounding confused.

'Who?' the woman spoke again with her strong Asian accent.

'David Adams,' Freddie repeated. 'We were told he lives here.'

'Ah, Adams,' the woman seemed to recall. 'He no live here for two years. He move out of London with son and daughter in law, and sell house to us.'

'Do you happen to know where he moved to?'

'Sorry, I don't know,' the woman gave a curt reply, and just like that closed the door in their face and went back inside.

Shocked as much of her rudeness as of the fact that David no longer lived there, Freddie turned away from the door and began going down the stairs again without looking at the young girl next to him. Serena followed, frowning.

'I'm sorry, I didn't know,' Freddie said. 'I haven't kept tabs on them for a while now; there hasn't been much need. Did you know they'd moved?' he now turned to her.

'Uncle Damien might have mentioned it, but it must have been one of those things I wasn't really paying attention to. What do we do now?'

'Not to worry; I'm sure someone at the Order would know. It's their job to keep track of all Dreamers, and they wouldn't let them out of sight. We're just gonna have to go and ask the right people. We will find them, Serena, I promise.'

She looked into his eyes and found there at least some of the assurance she really needed right now. This day had not started out well and had continued even worse. But hope dwelled behind Freddie's kind eyes, hope that things were not as bad as they might seem; hope that he would look after her. He made her feel safe somehow, almost as safe as she felt with her dad.

Right then, she remembered something else.

'The portal,' she said, stopping just outside Freddie's car.

'What? Oh, right, the portal. Why didn't I think of that? We should go and check it out. The portal should be there, where you first woke up. If you can see it, you can use it to go back.'

'Can we go and check now, please?'

Freddie had to take a moment and think about it.

'It might prove tricky. I had to bribe a security guard to let me in the first time around. Don't know if he'll let me in again, but we can try. Let's just hope it'll be him on shift and not someone else.'

They got in the car and drove towards Central London. The building in question just happened to be the highest one in the city, a recently built skyscraper they called The Shard. Getting to the terrace Serena had appeared would not be easy, but Freddie had managed it once already, so they had hope.

Lucky for them, Freddie saw the same security guard he had paid to gain entrance the first time, and with some convincing, not to mention bribing, they were allowed to go up again.

When they finally got to the top floor and made it to the terrace, Freddie led Serena to the spot where he'd found her, instructing her on what to look for. To her dismay, Serena could not see any image of her bedroom hovering in the air anywhere around her.

'Are you sure this is the right place?' she asked, fear and despair causing a small lump to develop in her throat. She was trying hard not to panic and feel like she couldn't handle this; after all, she was an adult now. But with everything that was going wrong, it made her wish that her dad was here. He would surely know what to do.

'Hey,' Freddie came next to her and tried to ease her fears. 'Don't worry; we'll figure it out. We'll find a way to send you back home, I promise.'

At the mention of the word home Serena could no longer hold back her tears. She turned to the only person who was there at that moment and rested her head on his broad chest. This day had gone from bad, to worse. It seemed like there was a conspiracy to keep her from going back home and she was scared, not just for herself, but for her parents, too. Who knew how worried they would be right now.

She felt Freddie's arms wrap around her delicate frame and envelop her in a tight embrace. It felt good; just like when her dad used to comfort her whenever she would cry. Despite the worry, she could not help but feel safe in these arms. At least she wasn't alone. She had a feeling she could really trust in this boy; he promised he was a friend and that he would take care of her.

But as she was beginning to learn, this world and its people were so very different from her Endërland and the life that she knew. Hurt and disappointment was sure to be waiting for her just around the corner.

Drake was glad to finally be in bed; it had not been the best of days. He'd grown too old for the lost child trick and papa was not pleased with what they were making these days. He kept swearing all the time and talked about how useless Drake was and how he should have gone for a girl instead. Drake didn't know what that meant.

Mama wouldn't even talk to him. Recently she seemed to always be unhappy and looked at Drake as if he had done something wrong. Drake didn't know what he had done wrong. He did everything that papa asked him to do, just like always; why weren't they happy?

The only person who did not seem to be angry with him was Bessie. He'd brought her a little something this time too; he always did. His parents never knew. It wasn't much; he always gave papa the biggest share, but he had made a pact with his Bessie. He always gave her a little something from his earnings, and in turn she told him a story every night.

He refused to go to sleep without her stories. They were all so beautiful, so magical. His favourites were the ones about Hercules, the Greek hero who was strong and brave, and who had killed all those ugly monsters and beasts. When he grew up, he wanted to be just like him, kill great lions and many-headed hydras with his bare hands.

'Are you all tucked in and ready, my little devil?' Bessie asked, sitting on the bed beside him. The question was unnecessary, since she had done the tucking herself, but it served as a prelude to the night's story.

Drake nodded with his head, but not with his usual enthusiasm. Happy as he was that he was about to hear a new story, he couldn't help but feel sad that papa and mama didn't seem too pleased with him. Bessie noticed this.

'Is something the matter, little one?'

'I don't think mama likes me very much, Bessie,' the boy said with a voice and sadness that did not belong in the face of an eight-year-old.

'Now just why would you think something like that, child? Mrs. Bagley is always buying you nice clothes and taking you to nice places whenever she goes. If she didn't like you, she would let you stay home with poor old Bessie now, wouldn't she?'

'She only buys me the nice clothes, so she can take me to places where I can steal for her,' argued Drake. 'But she never does anything with me. She doesn't play with me like you do, she doesn't talk to me, she doesn't even smile at me like you do. Sometimes I wish _you_ would be my mama.'

'Hush now, little one. It does not do to talk like that. Mrs. Bagley is a very busy woman and does not have time to play with you; she's got poor old Bessie for that. Now, do you want to hear tonight's story or not?'

Afraid that Bessie would leave without telling him a story, Drake stopped talking and once again nodded with his head.

'Just not the one with the Erinyes please,' he instructed, before she began. 'I don't like them; they scare me.'

'They shouldn't scare you, child; they never go after good little children who are obedient and love their mama and papa. They only go after the bad children.'

'I want another story with Hercules,' Drake begged, doing his cutest puppy face, which he knew his nanny could never resist. Bessie smiled, dimmed the light in the lamp for a more dramatic atmosphere and began with another story of the old Greek hero and the mischievous gods.

Before being hired by the Bagleys, she'd worked as a nanny for a middle-class widower with two young daughters. He would always read them stories from old Greek mythology and Bessie had memorised all of them. Good thing she did, too, as she was getting good value for every single one of them.

When it seemed little Drake had finally fallen asleep, Bessie got up, put the lamp out and lay on her old mattress, down on the floor next to the boy. She'd learned how to put him to sleep quickly and easily, and in this manner, she had managed to stretch a single story for days or even weeks sometimes. As long as she kept the stories coming, the boy would keep the goods coming, too. She just hoped the boy wouldn't grow too old, too fast; that and that the Bagleys would never find out. They would both be in trouble if they did, she and the boy.

***

That night Drake fell asleep sooner than the usual. It was most likely a result of an exhausting day, both physically and emotionally. Trying to please his parents was hard work indeed, but no matter how hard he tried, they just never seemed to be happy with him. And Drake didn't know what else he could do to make them like him more.

When sunshine fell on his little face, heralding the dawn of the new day, Drake opened his very expressive brown eyes and saw something he did not expect. He was not in his small bed, in the single room he shared with Bessie, who always slept on the floor beside him. Instead, he was lying on a great king sized bed, with fine satin sheets that smelled of flowers. The old and gloomy paper-clad walls that greeted him every morning had disappeared, and as he looked around him, he saw that he was now in a huge room, with a high ceiling, and tall gold dressed columns aside every wall. A huge open window to his left overlooked a magnificent garden outside. Beyond the garden he saw wide fields with people already up and working on them. A number of small hills enriched the landscape before him with more green, and then the sea, a giant piece of blue kissing the clear sky in the far horizon ahead.

Drake blinked several times, not sure he was really awake.

'Bessie?' he called, half afraid she would not answer. What had happened while he slept? Had they moved to a new house during the night? Had mama and papa finally bought the house they so desperately wanted? If so, he really liked it.

The big double doors at the end of the room opened and Bessie's familiar face showed up.

'You called, little lord?' she bowed her head slightly as she spoke. She was the same Bessie he knew and loved, only she was dressed very differently. She looked just like one of the women from the stories she told him every night, a Greek goddess or a queen. This was all very strange.

'Bessie, where are we? What is this place? And why are you dressed like that?'

'Like what, little lord?' the faithful servant referred to his last question. 'This is how all the servants dress in your father's palace. And you are in your room, where you've been sleeping ever since you were born. Now, what's with all these strange questions? Did you fall off the bed again and hit your head somewhere, perhaps?'

Drake wasn't sure what to think. His father's palace? This must be a joke of some kind. His parents always talked about buying a new house, but a palace? With servants? How was this possible?

Bessie came over to his bed and pulled away the sheets.

'Time to get up now, little lord. Your father has arranged for your first horse-riding lesson today and it won't do to be late. Now let's get you all washed and dressed up, before you have your breakfast.'

Drake did as he was told, biting back all his other questions. Inside his young mind, he seemed to understand that this might all be a dream, and a good one at that. So, he decided to play along and see just how it would go.

He had the morning bath and was then dressed in fine clothes, which again looked nothing like what he usually wore. For starters, there was no shirt and vest, nor trousers like the ones he had to put on every morning. Instead, a single tunic, long enough to look like a dress, yet simple enough to be mistaken for a sheet, was thrown over his head, rested on his shoulders and was finally fastened around his waist with a belt. The tunic was adorned with golden thread embellishments all around and it made him look like a real prince. Drake recalled having seen something like this on several old statues and paintings in some of the places his parents had taken him to steal.

To finish off his attire, a pair of sandals were placed on both his feet, instead of the usual boring and heavy shoes he had to wear every day. All in all, not a bad look, if this was how rich people dressed; though he'd seen plenty of them before, and no one looked even remotely similar to the way he did right now. He just hoped they would give him something else to wear for when it rained, as he was sure it was bound to happen eventually.

Next, they served him breakfast on a big table in a bigger kitchen, where there seemed to be over twenty cooks and servants, all buzzing about. He was given some type of weird but very tasty flat bread to have with milk and honey, as well as a lot of different fruits, too many to choose from. Drake had never eaten like that, but would not mind doing so again.

While he was eating, his parents both walked in to greet him good morning. They also wore beautiful clothes and golden crowns on their heads, as if they were royalty. The look of their bright faces was a far cry from the one Drake had grown to see recently. He stood up as soon as they entered and waited to greet them without speaking, the way he used to do every morning. Instead, he was completely taken aback when they both picked him up in their arms and doted after him like he was the most precious thing there ever was.

Little Drake was confused, happy but confused. This was the most wonderful dream he'd ever had; it was everything he had ever wanted from life. But why did it feel so real? His family was apparently rich and owned a lot of land and servants, his parents were happy and they loved him; life could not get any better than this. Why couldn't real life be like this too?

Once he was done with breakfast, and his parents left to go and look after their royal affairs, he was led towards the small arena behind the palace for his first horse-riding lesson. The horse-master, bowing to him like a dutiful servant, started him off with a pony, small enough for his size and age. Drake thoroughly enjoyed riding and wished so much he could have one of these ponies in the real world. He promised to himself right then and there that he would work twice as hard as he had until now and help his parents, so that they could buy the new house they wanted. Surely, if they got that, they would be a lot happier and like him more. Mama would perhaps smile at him then and even play with him, and maybe papa would buy for him a pony to ride on. Yes, he was certain they would.

Following the horse-riding lesson, he was introduced to the sword-master, who was instructed to train him in the use of several weapons like the sword, the knife, the spear and the bow and arrow. Drake spent the best part of the remainder of the day with the sword-master, going from one lesson to another with little break.

When he was finally done for the day, Bessie took charge of him again. She had him fed and cleaned once again and eventually back to bed.

This time, however, there were no stories told, but Drake did not mind. By the time he got to bed, he felt so tired, that he knew he would fall asleep right away. And so he did, with the biggest smile he'd ever had on his little face.

When next he opened his eyes, he found himself back in his little room, with Bessie calling for him to wake up.

'Time to get up, little one. Mr. Bagley will want to take you with him again.'

'Oh, Bessie, I had the most wonderful dream,' he chimed with the most excited little voice. 'We were living in a beautiful palace, and you were wearing strange clothes, and I had a little pony, and I was learning how to fight with a sword and everything.'

'Why, that sounds just lovely, little one, but you best hurry up and get ready. You don't want Mr. Bagley to be getting angry again, do you?' She hated to squash the little boy's enthusiasm, but she knew her master had a short temper and the boy was already late waking up this morning.

Drake begrudgingly stopped talking but proceeded with the daily routine with actually more enthusiasm than he'd had up until last night. He had promised himself that he would work harder, and work harder he would. If money was all it took to live in a palace and have lots of servants, great food to eat and a pony to ride on, then he would get it. If he could have that in a dream, he could have it in real life.

He only wondered if he would ever get to see that place again.

### Chapter 4

# Old Friends and New

With Daniel and Nemo having put the oars down and dozed off for a good a while, the little lifeboat continued to rock the waves of the sea which seemed to finally be awakening, slowly but surely. Rowing was much harder work than they had initially thought, and the sea hadn't helped much. Around them, the night was now growing lighter, and dawn seemed to be breaking through. A light breeze was also picking up, but it still wasn't of much help to them. Not at first, anyway. Gradually and as if building up to it, the breeze slowly began to turn into a strong wind but did not stop there. It soon upgraded itself to a gale and then a storm, until eventually, the little lifeboat found itself in the middle of a crazy hurricane raging all around them. The sea, which up until then had been perfectly happy to ignore them as if they did not even exist, now seemed hell-bent on tearing them to pieces, before or after drowning them.

It made for a terrifying wake up call. As the waves grew ever wilder, Daniel and Nemo held on to the lifeboat with both hands and feet, hoping against hope that it would not turn upside down on them. Initially, the violent wind sent them flying over the waves a good distance farther than they had travelled up to this point, but eventually and after much struggling, they did end up thrown overboard, with the lifeboat toppled over their heads. They tried hard to hold on to it, but the wind was much stronger, and the boat flew away from them, weightless, like an insignificant piece of paper.

The boys were now truly lost at sea, with nothing and no one to hold on to but one-another. The waves continued to beat against them, furiously trying to separate and drown them, but they did not let go. If they lost each other here, they might never meet again.

'Now what do we do?' Nemo asked first, shouting to be heard over the storm.

'I don't know,' answered Daniel. He was struggling to stay afloat as much as his best friend was. 'There's not much we can do at this point, but swim. I think our best bet is for you to shift back, Nemo. You can keep us both alive, and let's face it, you're a better and faster swimmer as a merman.'

He had not even finished speaking, when he noticed that Nemo's attention was drawn somewhere in the distance beyond his right shoulder. He turned to see for himself what it was and at first didn't know what to think. It was like a black speck that kept growing bigger the closer it got.

'What do you think that is?' asked Nemo.

'I think it might be a ship of some kind,' Daniel answered, still unsure. 'At least, I hope it is.'

As the object grew closer, it became clearer that he had guessed correctly. Soon, they were able to see exactly what kind of ship it was, though, what they saw, left Daniel speechless. It was about three times longer than the yacht, and twice as wide. It had a single large white sail hung on its only mast, looking quite old and battered by the winds, while a large number of oars jutted out from both sides, at present not being used. Breaking the waters was the wooden sculpture of a woman wearing a warrior's helmet, while on her back men could be seen buzzing about the ship, hastily performing different duties.

Daniel felt as if he had jumped back in time a couple millennia. Here was a ship straight out of mythology, Greek, if memory served. What kind of a world was this?

There was no time to wonder, however; they needed to get the sailors' attention at any cost. When the ship got close enough, they began waving their hands wildly above water and shouting as loud as they could. The ship almost passed them by, but they were lucky; one of the sailors spotted them and informed the others. With a couple of quick manoeuvres, the ship came close enough for the sailors to throw a rope at the boys and eventually get them on board.

Daniel and Nemo were so relieved to finally rest on something solid, that they practically hugged the ship's deck. The storm raged around them, but they were finally safe, or so they thought. They had not even filled their lungs with air, when a number of sharp swords appeared an inch away from their necks. Out of the frying pan and into...

'Get back, all of you,' the authoritative voice of one man boomed over the storm. 'Don't you see they're unarmed?'

'But they could be sirens, or sea nymphs, my king,' one of the men protested.

'Only you would dream up three-legged sea nymphs, Perimedes,' the king replied, winking at the other sailors who all laughed. The man retreated, embarrassingly pretending to laugh along with the others.

The king now came into full view of Daniel and Nemo. He had the appearance of a man in his early forties, with long black unkempt hair and a couple of days old beard. His sharp eyes seemed able to pierce through to your very core. He wasn't the biggest one among his men, but commanded respect, nonetheless. And, despite the clearly vagrant appearance, he still maintained a royal air about him.

'Who are you, strangers?' he demanded from Daniel and Nemo.

The boys stood up slowly, keeping a watchful eye on the men with the swords. Since they apparently stood in front of royalty, Daniel saw fit to bow, with Nemo following his example.

'We're travellers, my lord, from a land far from here. My name is Daniel, and this is my friend, Nemo. We ran into a freak storm that destroyed our ship, and got lost at open sea. We don't really know where we are.'

'That sounds like a lie, if I ever heard one,' a man standing to the right of the king said, moving his sword ever closer towards Daniel's neck. 'I bet they've been sent by Poseidon himself to sabotage us.'

'Maybe they _have_ been sent by Poseidon to sabotage us,' the king replied calmly and in a thoughtful manner. 'Or it could be that Athena has sent them our way to help us. Even yet, maybe Zeus himself has finally decided to intervene and this is a test from him. How do we tell which is the case, Eurylochus?'

Daniel could not believe his own ears. His guess about the origin of the ship had been spot on; these people seemed to have come straight out of the Greek myths. But which king was this one? The names Perimedes and Eurylochus sounded vaguely familiar, but he could not remember where he'd read them. The Greek mythology was very rich and there were simply too many characters to remember.

The king continued.

'I would have you tell me immediately where you come from and where you're headed. Speak the truth and you will have whatever assistance we can provide; but try to lie to me, and you will be thrown back into the sea and left to face your own destiny. I must warn you, though, a man has yet to be born who is able to fool me, so, I would think twice before I spoke anything but truth, if I were you.'

Daniel had to think fast before he replied. He did not know enough of the history to make up a convincing lie; and even if he did, he didn't want to take the chance with this man. Their lives were clearly in his hands for the moment and he did not want to risk getting on his bad side.

'We come from a kingdom called Endërland, my lord,' he dared to risk some truth. 'It's a wonderful and peaceful place. About six days ago my daughter went missing from our home, and my friend and I set out to look for her. Right before you found us, the storm cast both of us at sea, and if it hadn't been for you, I don't know what would have happened to us.'

'If this Endërland is a faraway kingdom, as you say, then how did you come here?'

'We sailed with a small ship all the way from there. We've lost track of how many days we've been at sea. We were told that our two kingdoms meet somewhere in the middle of the ocean, but didn't really know where. We sailed blindly, and it was by pure luck that we ended up here.'

The king kept staring at them, his brooding gaze betraying a series of thoughts awakening in his mind. The surrounding sailors kept their swords raised, while the storm continued to batter the ship from all sides.

'You do not seem to be lying, yet there is much you do not say, Daniel from Endërland.'

'Actually, _I'm_ from Endërland,' Nemo corrected, 'he was born in another world entirely.'

Daniel closed his eyes in despair; he had not meant to disclose that part of the information. This was definitely not going to help their case. Nemo seemed to be getting that message, because he retrieved back, taking on a guilty look and suddenly finding his own feet very interesting.

The king, however, seemed even more intrigued now. He signalled his people to get back to their work and motioned for Daniel and Nemo to follow him. He led them to the front of the ship, away from the rest of the sailors, and sat down on the hardwood floor, prompting the boys to do the same.

'Tell me more about this other world,' he ordered Daniel, but now with a softer tone of voice. 'Is it true, what your friend is saying?'

Daniel wasn't sure what he wanted to add to his account. To begin with, he had no desire to tell this stranger all his story and everything there was to know about Endërland or his home world. He did not know the man and might be putting his people at risk if he wasn't to be trusted. But even if the man was harmless, telling him that Endërland and in turn this world were dreamworlds might come as a shock to him. And if that happened, who knew what he might do? So, he tried to limit the information as much as he could and not give much away.

'What my friend says is true,' he started. 'The first eighteen years of my life I lived in another world; a world so much different from this one, or our Endërland,' here he gave Nemo a reproaching look, 'and so out of reach now. On the day of my nineteenth birthday I visited Endërland for the first time, and I've been living there amongst its people ever since.'

The king's face hardened again. Daniel's short and evasive account obviously left him dissatisfied. He took out a long knife from the leather pouch hanging on his belt and put it to Daniel's throat.

'Again, you do not lie, but you keep too much to yourself, boy. Is there a reason why you refuse to share your story with me?'

'I do not know you,' Daniel almost shouted, defiantly looking into the king's eyes. He could feel his own blood boil and his face grow hotter. Diplomacy would clearly not work with this man. 'I am not going to share things with you that might put my world and my people in danger of any kind.'

He half expected the knife to pierce his skin and flesh, or at least a punch upside his face, but instead he saw the king smile and put his knife back where it had been.

'You are very brave, Daniel of Endërland, and your wisdom has just put me to shame. Forgive me, I should have introduced myself earlier. I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, King of Ithaca. At your service.'

He bowed his head lightly, while Daniel's jaw just dropped. Of all the great people he'd read about as a child, this man, this hero of the Greek mythology was one of his most favourite characters of all time. He'd read everything that was ever written about him and had made it a point to watch any movie or documentary where he was mentioned. But he'd never thought for even a moment that the man had been anything more than a mythical figure. Yet, here he was, standing right in front of him in flesh and blood. What was this world he had come into? Whose world was it?

Odysseus was, of course, too attentive to miss Daniel's reaction.

'Something tells me that you have heard of me,' he said.

'In a way, my lord, yes. I've heard songs about you, about your bravery and great wisdom. You are credited with nothing short of ending the ten-year siege on Troy with your wit alone. It is indeed a privilege and an honour to be in your presence.'

Daniel bowed again, still awestruck, while beside him, Nemo nudged him with an elbow. 'You really know this man?'

The king smiled.

'The honour is mine, Daniel of Endërland. And now that you know who I am, I trust you will feel more at ease to tell me what I want to hear.'

'Yes, my lord,' answered Daniel. 'But before I do, would you mind if I ask about your journey until now? If I'm not mistaken, you left Troy with twelve ships, but I only see this one.' It was a shot in the dark; Daniel had no way of knowing which part of the famous journey Odysseus was in, if that at all, but he just had a feeling.

Nemo kept looking at Daniel wide eyed, clearly feeling completely out of the loop. Daniel ignored him and stayed focused on the king.

Odysseus wasn't sure why Daniel asked what he did, but if he doubted his intentions, he did not give anything away. He decided to go ahead and answer the question.

'Our story is a very long one, and telling it in all its detail will have to wait for a better time and place. The short version of it, however, goes something like this.

'After we set off from Troy and after our attack on Ismaros, where I lost a good number of my men, a storm drove my ships near the land of the lotus-eaters. I sent three soldiers to scout the land, but they tasted the lotus flowers there and forgot about home and everything else. So, I had to take them away from there by force.

'Our next stop was the island of Polyphemus, where I lost six more men to that godless one-eyed monster. At least I blinded him before I managed to escape, but I would have felt much better if I had killed him. Alas, if there is anything greater in me than my wisdom, it's my pride; I did something very stupid that day, I actually told Polyphemus who I was, and now Poseidon, his father, is trying his best to get us killed. So, you can understand why we are not too trusting of strangers we find lost at sea.

'Fleeing from that island, we ended up near Aeolia, where Aeolus himself, god of the winds, lives. He was kind enough to offer us his help; he tied up all the winds in a bag, except the west wind, which would take us straight home. He gave me the bag, advising me to not open it until we reached our home safely, and I didn't. We sailed smoothly and surely all the way to Ithaca, but just as we were entering the harbour, my most trusting men,' here he raised his voice so that his men could hear, 'decided to open the bag, thinking there was gold inside. All the winds blew out of the bag and sent all my ships back where we had started. Geniuses my men, all of them.'

'Zeus almighty, when will we hear the end of this,' Eurylochus yelled from farther back, rolling his eyes.

'When you die,' Odysseus yelled back, not really amused. 'Maybe not even then. Anyway,' he turned again to Daniel and Nemo, now with his voice hushed once again. 'Aeolus refused to help us a second time, so off we set again on our own. The Laestrygonians were next, the most hateful of creatures to roam on this cursed earth. Eleven ships full of good men I lost on that day; men who fought bravely and survived the Trojan War for ten long years, only to be killed by rocks thrown at them, or worse, roasted alive and eaten. By Zeus, I would erase those creatures of the face of the earth, if I could.

'My ship was the only one that survived. We went on and drowned our sorrows for a whole year at Circe's island. She was crafty and turned most of my men into pigs when we first got there, but we overcame her too. She tried to keep us there longer, but one year was more than enough. Every day we spent there was yet another day away from home, from our families. We first sailed all the way to the Underworld, where I had to consult with Tiresius, the blind prophet who gave me advice on how to get back home safely. After one last stop at Circe's island to bury one of my men who'd died there, we finally sailed again and that brings us to today.'

'So, that means the Sirens are your next stop,' said Daniel without thinking.

He remembered Odysseus' journey very well, having read it many times as a kid. After the Sirens, the king of Ithaca still had to face the monsters Scylla and Charybdis, the cattle of Helios, and spend seven years with Calypso, before she would finally release him and he'd end up in the land of the Phaeacians, having lost every single one of his men. From there he would be sent to Ithaca where he'd have to sneak his way in and rid his palace of all the suitors who fought over his wife and throne. The man was still such a long way from home and Daniel could not help but feel sad about all that he'd been through and still faced.

It was now clear to Odysseus, however, that Daniel knew more about him than he let on, and this troubled him greatly.

'How do you know about that?' he asked Daniel, a stern look on his battered face. He now stood up, stepping away from them, clearly distraught. 'Which of the gods are you, come down here to toy with me? Haven't I suffered enough? Thirteen years I have been away from my home and my family. My wife and throne are being robbed of me, my son has grown into a young man without me; I have less than a tenth of the men I left home with, and the shores of our homeland are forever being denied to us. What great sin have I committed that I'm paying for so dearly?'

For the first time in his life, Daniel wished he'd done things other than reading while growing up. And just when did he turn into such a blubbering idiot, speaking without thinking first? Wasn't that Nemo's thing?

Nemo for his part continued to sit there, a spectator to a story he had no part in. Behind Odysseus, his men all stopped what they were doing and stood still, wondering what had troubled their lord and king.

'Forgive me, my lord Odysseus,' Daniel decided he'd be a bit more forthcoming with the king. 'We're mere mortals, dealing with our own lot in life; there's nothing godly about us. All I've said until now is true, including the part about the songs I've heard about you. You see, in my home world, where I was born and grew up, these songs are written down in paper for everyone to read. And in them is recorded your entire story, from beginning to end. That is how I know what next awaits you and your men on this journey.'

'But how can my entire story have been recorded, if it hasn't happened yet?'

'I'm not sure how to answer that, my lord; how to explain you being here. You see, for you, here in this world, the story is still unfolding; but where I come from, it's history, it's already happened a long time ago.'

Odysseus finally seemed to be realising something. A faint light brightened up his dark brown eyes for a moment and then he asked another question, pretty much predicting the answer.

'Tell me, Daniel; when you left your world to go and live in this Endërland, how did you achieve such a feat?'

Daniel knew this would sound unbelievable and he probably shouldn't say it, but he'd gotten himself into a fine mess at this point and there was no way out of it that he could see. So, he answered with more truth.

'It was through my dreams, my lord.'

Odysseus sat back down and leaned against the rails, smiling for the first time that day, though as to why, Daniel could not yet understand.

The statue of Athena with her arched back turned on the sailors continued to bravely break the slightly calmer waters.

'Now I know you're telling me the whole truth,' the king eventually said. He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, as well as make sure that his sailors were not eavesdropping. 'I feel like I'm finally waking up from a very long slumber. It's been such a long time now, that I had begun to lose my grip on that reality and think myself crazy. You see, Daniel, I finally remembered that I wasn't born here, in this place; I think we come from the same world, you and I. I vaguely recall leaving it the same way you did; it's like a childhood memory that gets weaker and weaker the older I grow; it's fuzzy, but it's still there.

'Poseidon never forgave me for blinding his son. He and Athena fought over my fate for a very long time, eventually forcing Zeus to intervene and make a decision. He spared my life and allowed me to go back home and grow old with my family. But my suffering did not end there, for Poseidon would not be appeased. Zeus found a way to please both him and my goddess,' here he motioned towards the woman at the bow of the ship. 'He allowed me to return home, but at the same time, he gave life to my dreams and made me re-live all my worst nightmares over and over again in my sleep. I've clearly passed on in that world; the man you see before you is nothing but a copy, a shadow of who I used to be, stuck here for eternity and condemned to endlessly repeat this journey.'

Odysseus stopped for a moment and Daniel thought he actually heard his voice crack towards the end. The king, however, resumed speaking soon after, his voice having regained its former strength.

'I must have been resigned to that fate a long time ago, because I'd forgotten of that past and instead chosen to only see and live the here and now. But the here and now never ends for me. Every time I'm near the shores of my beautiful Ithaca, a freak storm takes me away from there and I end up right back where I started, leaving Troy with my twelve ships and beginning the journey all over again. I've lost track of how many times we've done this, just like I've lost hope of it ever ending. Until today. Meeting you is the very first time something different has happened, and I cannot help but hope that our luck might finally be changing.'

Daniel was speechless. Of all the things he had expected to hear and learn from Odysseus, this had not even crossed his mind. The implications that arose from this man's, this legend's story, were mind-blowing. If this was true, it meant that Daniel might have just discovered the origin of all dreamworlds. Not only did this mean that Odysseus himself was the first ever Dreamer, but that Daniel was somehow his descendent.

Odysseus' descendant; how does one get his head around that?

'Dan, you've gone quiet,' Nemo nudged him on the side again. 'What's wrong?'

'What?' Daniel snapped out of it. 'Oh, nothing; I'm fine, Nemo.

'Forgive me, my lord Odysseus,' he now turned to his ancestor, who was intently observing him. 'I think you've just given me the answer to a couple of questions I've had for a long time. I can say that I understand certain things a bit better now.'

'Well, that makes one of us,' Odysseus replied, still smiling kindly. Daniel smiled also and continued to speak, now with a hint of excitement in his voice.

'If what you say is true, then this is the oldest dreamworld in existence, the very first one to have ever been created. I'm guessing that whatever curse was laid on you, was passed on through the generations to your descendants, of which I might be one, and they in turn have all created their own dreamworlds.'

'You mean, there are other worlds out there, besides this one and your Endërland?'

'Oh, yes. It was only recently that I learned of this myself, but it makes sense. There's several bloodlines of Dreamers still in existence, and throughout history many of them have created entire new dreamworlds from nothing.'

'So, you're saying that my curse was inherited with my blood by all my descendants, and now many of them suffer in their own hell because of me? Zeus is even more cruel than I thought.'

'Not necessarily so, my lord. I believe your curse has lost its potency with the passing of time, and only the blessing has remained. It is certainly true in my case. Endërland is a place of eternal joy and happiness, where people never grow old and die, and where hunger and disease do not plague them. Besides, Zeus and the rest of the Greek gods have not been worshiped for thousands of years, so maybe that curse died along with them.'

Odysseus stood up again and began pacing around the forecastle. This drew the attention of some of his men yet again. They knew better than to disturb him, however, he would talk to them whenever he felt good and ready to do so.

The storm was finally passing and the sea had now calmed down considerably. They still had a favourable wind that was pushing the ship in a timely fashion towards its next destination. They weren't that far from the Sirens now.

Finally, Odysseus stopped pacing and stood before Daniel.

'Well, I guess that would explain why I haven't heard from the gods in a very long time now. But still, I don't see how this can help me. My problem remains; how do I break this endless cycle of suffering that's got me and mine locked in this vicious hell?'

Before Daniel could even think of an answer, one of the sailors in charge of constantly scouting the horizons yelled "land".

'The Sirens,' Odysseus and Daniel both said at once.

'Polites, quick, the wax,' Odysseus ordered one of his men. 'Get it and spread it to all the men. Make sure their ears are properly sealed, so that they hear nothing. Eurylochus, get the rope. I want you to tie me up at the mast securely, and do not release me until we've passed the island, no matter what I say or do. Understood?'

'Yes, my lord,' Eurylochus replied and ran for the rope.

'What about us?' asked Daniel.

'You will seal your ears with wax, just like the rest of my men. I do not want to lose you to the Sirens.'

'What are the Sirens?' Nemo asked.

'Not now, Nemo,' Daniel dismissed him, something which the Sea-King did not really appreciate. He seemed to be getting a lot of that from Daniel recently and he decided he did not like it one bit. 'I want to be tied at the mast with you. I want to hear their song for myself.'

Odysseus looked at Daniel, thinking to protest, but then changed his mind.

'Alright then, come along.'

'I'm coming, too,' Nemo exclaimed. "I want to be a part of this.'

'Alright,' Odysseus repeated, annoyed but unwilling to waste any more time arguing. The island of the Sirens was getting ever closer and they had no time to lose. 'You can come, too. But you better not put the rest of us at risk; if one gets loose, we all do.'

'Your men will just have to make sure they tie us up really well,' said Daniel. And then he added with a lowered voice. 'You've done this before, so it shouldn't be a problem.'

'I've always been tied down on the mast by myself; never with two other men.'

'It will work,' Daniel encouraged him. 'It's always worked, remember?'

'What if your appearance has really changed things? What if something different happens this time because of the two of you?'

Daniel had to admit that Odysseus had a point, but they had no time to second-guess themselves. Eurylochus arrived with a long thick rope and the three of them put their backs against the mast and let the sailors tie them down. The rope circled around them, from their shoulders, all the way down to their knees. They were barely able to breathe, let alone move. If he'd had any doubts until that point, this convinced Daniel that they would be safe from the temptation.

To his left, Nemo finally remembered to ask.

'Dan, what are we actually doing?'

Daniel smiled at his friend, but it was Odysseus who answered.

'My young friend, you are about to listen to the most beautiful voices and the most enchanting song you have ever heard in your entire existence. I tell you, now that my mind is clear, out of all my journey, this is the part I remember most fondly. Words cannot do it justice. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the Sirens themselves are easy on the eyes.'

'But what are these Sirens you keep talking about?' Nemo asked again.

Daniel would have kicked himself right then, if he actually could. He could not believe he hadn't stopped to make the connection earlier.

'Um, Nemo, siren is just another name for mermaid. These specific three are a vile kind; they draw ships passing by with their beautiful singing, and cause them to shipwreck on the nearby rocks. They then kill everyone that's left alive.'

'Ouch,' said Nemo. 'That doesn't sound like any mermaid I know. Not even Vanessa would be that cruel.'

'This is a different world, Nemo. We've left Endërland behind, and things here are not as we know them.'

He'd just finished speaking, when a strange sound reached his ears. He guessed they were now close enough for the song of the Sirens to be heard. By this time, all sailors had blocked their ears with beeswax, so none of them could hear the song except for the three of them.

Turning in the direction from which the song came, Daniel spotted in the distance a solitary rock rising but a little from the sea, upon which three long-haired women sat. Their arms were raised towards the ship, and their beautiful red hair blew in the wind, covering their pale faces. Behind them a rocky island arose high and hostile, seemingly uninhabited.

The closer the ship came to their spot, the louder their song got and the sweeter their voice. Their sound tugged at his heart and made him want to weep with joy and sadness at the same time. Daniel always loved to hear the mermaids sing and enjoyed their songs every chance he could get, but he'd never heard anything like this. It was more than just their beautiful voices and melody, so much more; it was as if a wildfire had started inside of him, and he knew that only their sweet embrace could quench it. All of a sudden, he felt like he had to get free of his bonds and swim towards the Sirens, in whose arms he belonged.

Lost as he was in his own inner battle, Daniel ignored his two companions, who were going through a similar ordeal. Odysseus kept alternating between barking orders and pleading with his men to untie him and let him go, but lucky for him, his men could no more hear his words, than they could the Sirens' song.

To Daniel's left, Nemo kept struggling just as hard to break free as the other two men, if not harder. Tears kept rolling down his face, as if he was in real pain, but no one could do anything about it.

And then, it happened. Just as the ship was about to sail past the Sirens and the sailors thought they were out of danger, Nemo's struggle began to intensify. His human legs began to join together turning into a merman's tail, and scales began to appear all over his skin from the waist down, while under his armpits, the skin broke open and his gill slits reappeared.

Odysseus' men looked on terrified as Nemo – now slimmer and slimier as a merman – lifted himself with much struggle and slid up and out of the ropes that kept him and his two companions tied to the ship's mast. Falling on the wooden deck he quickly pulled himself over the railing and jumped over, landing into water.

'I knew they were sea nymphs,' the man called Perimedes yelled from the ship's deck, his raised finger pointing at runaway Nemo.

None but Daniel and Odysseus could hear him, of course, but even those two were too busy to pay any attention to the man. Both of them, free now that the rope had fallen loose on the floor, followed Nemo off the ship and into the sea, swimming as if Poseidon himself was chasing after them, and competing who would get to the Sirens first.

But Nemo had the advantage; he'd had a head start and, of course, as a merman he could swim ten times faster than they could. By the time Odysseus and Daniel had gotten even halfway to the Sirens, Nemo was already there and that's when their song stopped.

All of a sudden, Odysseus and Daniel came to their senses and found themselves overboard, not sure what they were doing.

'What happened?' it was Daniel who spoke first.

'I don't know,' answered Odysseus, looking around, surprised to find himself in the water. 'We got loose; I told you this time it might be different. Where is your friend?'

'Nemo,' Daniel whispered, finally understanding what had happened. 'Oh, no. Nemo,' he called out loud this time, not expecting to actually get a response.

'Dan, over here,' Nemo's voice came from the rock where the Sirens sat. Daniel looked in their direction and saw Nemo waving at him. 'Come quickly; you gotta see this.'

Daniel started to swim towards him, but Odysseus held him back.

'Don't, it's a trap. They got him, and now they want us.'

'They already had us,' said Daniel. 'We were swimming towards them, remember? But they stopped singing. It's not a trap; Nemo would never do that.'

Not fully convinced, but not wanting to leave the boys to face their fate alone, Odysseus swam after Daniel. The ship had now stopped in the distance behind them and the men were all observing what happened to the trio.

When Daniel got near the Sirens, he was confused. He saw Nemo cradled in the arms of one of them, while the other two were holding hands together and crying. Only, it did not seem to be tears of sadness, but of joy and happiness. When he reached them and Nemo was freed from the Siren's embrace, Daniel finally saw the face of the third one and it all made sense to him. He knew those eyes, that face; he knew her.

'Daniel,' Eleanor opened her arms and beckoned him to her. 'Oh, I'm so happy to see you.'

Opening her eyes to find a gigantic pear of golden eagle heads hovering right above her nose was not Hëna's best wake up moment. She screamed and tried to get away, only to be soothed by a female voice, sweet and kind.

'Be still, child. Your wounds need tending to.'

Only then did Hëna feel the pain on both her shoulders and remembered being grabbed whilst emerging from the tunnel. She felt a hand clasp hers and heard her companion's voice answer the next question she was just about to ask.

'You're alright, Hëna, you're safe. We're with friends.'

Glad to hear Séraphin's voice and to know they weren't in any danger, she willed herself to relax a little and let the giant eagle do her job.

It turned out the eagle's medication technique consisted of nothing more than a good licking of her wounds, both front and back. Séraphin then proceeded to dress the wounds for her and, when he was done with that, he helped her up.

Hëna felt a bit light headed and her shoulders hurt to the bone, but strangely enough, the eagle's saliva seemed to be numbing the pain and cooling her wounded flesh and skin. She raised her eyes towards the large bird, who retreated to give her some room, and bowed her head slightly. She'd never seen a creature as majestic as this, and that was saying something, coming from a place such as Endërland.

'Thank you,' she said, feeling grateful for the pain in her shoulders lessening to a bearable level.

'It is the least I can do,' mother eagle replied, also bowing her heads towards her. 'My name is Mara; Junior is my son. I would apologize for him; you see, ever since his father was killed by the tergs, he's been ever so eager to join the patrol squad, and so he went out without my permission to prove that he can do it. Only, he's never seen a terg before, so he mistook you for one.'

'A terg?' asked Hëna.

'Long-time enemies,' Séraphin offered. 'They live underground.'

'They are an old race of people, coming into this world not long after my ancestors. Ours is a very old feud, originating in the old world long before our leader settled here. Officially, a truce exists between our peoples, signed long ago by our leaders. My kind rule the surface and the skies, they dwell underground, where they've built entire cities and make use of the earth's riches. They come out at night if they need to procure what only the surface can provide, but other than that, both our people keep out of each other's way.'

'Then why the patrol squad?' asked Hëna, still pretty confused.

The eagle shifted in place to arrange herself better and continued.

'The peace between our peoples has been challenged recently. Their numbers have increased greatly and they seem to have grown tired of living underground. Their younger generations do not recognise the old truce. They often come up to the surface, sometimes even in daylight, and cause trouble. They hunt down and kill the animals that live in this land, many times just for sport. They've also killed several of our kind when we've tried to stop them. It's beginning to feel more and more like a war it's coming, though we've managed to avoid it this far.

'But enough about that; I am curious to know about you. We've never had visitors of your kind before. Who are you and where do you come from?'

Without getting into too much detail, Hëna briefly told her about Endërland, her and Séraphin's trip from there and their reason for it. The eagle listened with curiosity, and towards the end seemed to look sad, well, as sad as the face of an eagle can look. The tears in her soulful eyes, however, could not be mistaken.

'I am sorry,' said Mara when Hëna was done speaking. 'As a mother myself I cannot imagine losing my baby. He is old enough now to join the patrol squad, but with everything that's happening in our world recently, I'm loath to allow that.

'As I said earlier, you are the first of your people we have ever seen in this world, but if your daughter came this way and was met or spotted by any of my kind, our leader would know. I can take you to him, if you want; he lives about half a day's flight from here.'

Hëna and Séraphin both agreed that they had nothing else to go on, so they accepted the offer.

'What about me?' a young voice chimed from behind Mara. They all turned to see Junior appear from the mouth of the shallow cave that served as a shelter for them in times of bad weather.

Instinctively, Hëna retreated back a few steps as he approached. The young eagle noticed this and lowered his heads as if in shame. He stopped beside his mother and said.

'I'm sorry I hurt you. I thought you were a terg.'

Hëna wasn't sure what to say. The young eagle sounded genuine enough; his, had clearly been just an eager child's mistake and she knew she should forgive him. Part of her, however, felt rather angry. It wasn't as much for the wounds he'd given her, as for the fact that she'd almost died for no good reason, without even having a chance to get anywhere close enough to finding her daughter. She would never forgive herself if she failed Serena.

On the other hand, she could not afford to be rude to the eagles and hold grudges; she was a guest in their land and needed their help. So, she had to put her feelings aside and accept the young eagle's apology.

'Don't worry about it,' she forced herself to say without looking into his eyes. 'No real harm done. I'm still alive and that's what matters.'

She might have said the right words, but Junior could see the resentment in her eyes, and felt even worse about the whole thing. He did not blame her; he'd acted worse than a terg. But he still wished she would forgive him; he was truly sorry for what he had done.

Mara guessed easily what was going on in her son's mind.

'You can come with us to the leader, son. I might be gone for at least a day and I wouldn't feel right leaving you alone during that time.

'I trust you don't mind,' she now turned to Hëna.

'Not at all,' Hëna hastened to reply, sensing that she had made things a bit awkward with their new friends.

'Good, then,' mother eagle said. 'We leave right away. You can ride with me, and your friend is free to ride Junior, or fly along as he wishes.'

Séraphin would love nothing more than to stretch his wings and taste the high winds of this lovely new world again, but they still hurt a little from earlier that day. Plus, he felt that the young eagle could do with a friend right now. So, he diplomatically decided he'd have plenty of time to fly on his own.

They both mounted the eagles, Hëna climbing on Mara's back and Séraphin sitting on her smaller offspring, who seemed somewhat relieved. Mother eagle spread her enormous wings and rose to the skies first, with Junior following quickly behind her. Hëna wound her legs tight around her host's very warm body, sliding them just underneath the enormous wings. The eagle was huge, and her feet did not reach far down either side of her.

Throughout the entire flight she felt as if they were gliding through the air, and the occasional beating of the eagle's wings did not trouble her. She sat there, unafraid of ever falling down from her host and thoroughly enjoying the ride. It had been a while since she had been so high up in the sky and she did miss it.

The eagles' nest was located halfway up one of the numerous peaks on this western cluster of mountains, and it wasn't the only one. Mara's clan, of which she was in charge, consisted of about three hundred families, all occupying the same area. Eleven more clans, all much bigger than hers, had built their own communities on the rest of the mountain tops spread around the land.

This amazing race of eagles were not the only habitants of this world, however. As the visitors soon saw from high above, the land was full of life. All the usual kinds of animals freely roamed the earth, and the sky was just as crowded with every type of bird known to them. It looked like they had walked into a massive zoo where humans had never stepped foot on, and where the eagles seemed to be its appointed custodians, its rulers.

Hëna decided that she liked this world; it wasn't that much different from her own after all, minus the people, wingmen and the mermaids. Oh, and the sea, which was apparently missing. As far as she could see, the mountains extended towards all the horizons around them. This world looked like an enormous arena; a far-stretching plain, wider than the eye could see, surrounded on all sides by crazy tall mountains, like those of Endërland. Hëna guessed they formed the borders of this world and that no one had actually ever gone over them.

A great river ran in the middle of the land, wide and bountiful, turning left and right as it went along. They flew over it for a good while, close enough for them to hear the song of its crystal-clear waters. When they eventually turned towards one of the highest mountain peaks on their right, the river continued on for miles and miles, snaking farther away in the distance.

'Your world is really beautiful,' Hëna struggled to be heard over the wind and the flapping of the eagle's wings.

'So it is,' replied Mara, without even turning any of her heads to face her. 'We have been blessed; with all the mountains that you see, it is a land fit for eagles.'

'How far do they go?' asked Séraphin. 'They seem to never end.'

'They don't. They go all around our lands, encircling them like a crown. Both sides meet at the edge of this world, where the great river dies. That's about two days' straight flight from here.'

'Have you ever flown beyond that point?'

'Many have dared to fly over the mountain tops, or down where the waters fall, but none have ever made it. Our youngest always challenge each other to fly as high as they can up the mountains, or down the river stream, but they never manage to get too far. Their wings get heavier the higher they reach, and their breathing harder, until they can climb no more. And even if one were to reach the bottom of the river and survive such a feat, they would never be able to come back up and tell the tale.'

Hëna wondered about it for a good while as they flew. If this dreamworld was connected to another one, like it was with Endërland, there were few options for them to find their way into it. They could either try and find another secret tunnel under the mountains, if it existed, or they could follow the river over the edge of this world and see where that would lead them. She had a feeling that the river landed somewhere, most likely in the next dreamworld, and if she was going to keep looking for Serena, that might have to be her next step.

Close enough behind them, while Hëna thoughtfully considered their next move, Séraphin and Junior flew together in silence. This was definitely a weird sensation for Séraphin. He'd always regarded the eagles as the most noble of all the creatures of the sky, and he'd never thought them willing to carry riders on their back; though, they were admittedly much smaller back in Endërland. Even less imaginable had been riding one himself, yet, here he was, high as the silver clouds, and his own wings rested, tucked behind his back. But then, he reminded himself that this was not Endërland and that things were bound to be somewhat different here.

He suddenly smiled at himself. He'd grown up knowing so very little and believing even less; that was, until he'd met Daniel and followed him on a fool's quest. Everything had changed from that day on. All his life he'd thought of Endërland as the only world that existed, and yet, here he was, in a strange new world, with strange new friends, all of whom had their own story to tell. No, things were definitely not the same anymore. He wondered what else waited out there for them to find.

His double-headed young friend continued to fly quietly beneath him, and Séraphin guessed that he might still be feeling a little chastised because of Hëna. He thought this needed to be rectified, and decided to strike up a conversation with the proud eaglet.

'So, is Junior your actual name, or were you named after someone?' he asked.

Junior seemed to have not been expecting the question, thus it took him a while to decide on whether he should answer or not. Was the man-bird really interested in knowing, or was he just feeling sorry for him and pretending to want to talk?

'My name is Gjergj,' he finally answered, a trace of guilt still evident in his voice.

'Was that your father's name?' Séraphin continued now that they'd broken the ice again.

'No, my father's name was Gjin. My mother tells me I was named after someone else, but I don't know who, yet. She says she will tell me when I'm old enough.'

'Well, it's a beautiful name, Gjergj; it suits you,' Séraphin complimented. He then paused for a moment, trying to come up with another subject for conversation, but he did not have to think long. Junior took heart from his kindness and kept the conversation going himself.

'So, what exactly are you, anyway?' he asked the wingman, happy to be friendly with at least one of the foreigners. 'You're not a man, and you're clearly not a bird.'

'I'm a wingman,' Séraphin clarified for him again. 'I guess you could say that I am half bird, half man.'

'Okay, but what kind of bird do you take from?'

'I don't know. The Great Lord created us this way, so it's not like we come from two different species. But we like to think that the bird part of us belongs to the eagle. Our claws are razor sharp, our eyes can see far, even in the dark, and we fly as high as the eagles themselves, even higher sometimes.'

Junior turned one of his heads to gaze at him and held it like that for a moment, his eyes moving up and down as if checking him out.

'Well, you got the wings right, for your size at least, so I guess you could be half-eagle. This is so cool; no one's ever heard of a man-eagle before. Wait 'til everybody sees you.'

'Wingman,' Séraphin corrected. 'I don't think my people would like the term "man-eagle" much.' He smiled at the young one. He clearly wasn't a bad kid, and he was sure that pretty soon they would all forget about all that unpleasant business with Hëna earlier. It was unfortunate that she got hurt and that she wasn't healing as soon as she would have, had the Summer water worked. But it had been unintentional, and he was sure Hëna would not hold a grudge for long. Still, he had not missed her reaction earlier. He was surprised she hadn't forgiven the young eagle right away; this was so unlike her.

Hours later, as they neared the end of their flight, the eagles approached what looked like a small village at the base of a foothill with several actual buildings. They were little bigger than huts, built of stone and looking quite medieval. Hëna found it strange that there were buildings in a land where no humans lived.

The eagles finally landed softly on a square between the houses, in the middle of which, a single monument stood erected. It was a sculpture of a two-headed eagle, with wings wide spread and heads staring in opposite directions. It was a majestic piece of work, seemingly carved from white marble, and it proved that there had definitely been people living in this land at some point.

Hëna and Séraphin slid down from their rides and stretched their legs. They'd been flying for over half a day without stopping. Hëna's wounds felt slightly less painful now, though she could do with some more rest. Séraphin wouldn't mind some either; he had not slept at all in almost two days, and it was taking its toll on him.

Before they even had a chance to take a look around, the biggest golden eagle they had seen yet landed gracefully with a soft thud right in front of them. It seemed to be considerably older than Mara, and carried itself with such authority and pride. Its wings seemed to have turned a light shade of grey, while the plumage on both his heads had grown almost entirely white from age. Several more supersized eagles followed behind it and landed all around them in a circle, as if to prevent the outsiders from fleeing.

Stepping slowly towards mother eagle and Junior, the big eagle ignored Hëna and Séraphin at first.

'Welcome, Mara, daughter of Mariz. And welcome, Gjergj, son of Gjin. This is an unexpected visit; I did not anticipate receiving you until the next full moon for your regular report.'

'Well met, my lord Ìskender,' said Mara, bowing her heads low to the ground. Junior followed her lead. 'We come with guests before you, my liege; two visitors from another world. May I introduce to you, Hëna, daughter of Autumn, ruler of Endërland, and Séraphin, King of the Skies and of the Wingmen of Endërland. They come before you, seeking your council.'

Hëna and Séraphin both knelt on one knee, and with a hand on their heart bowed their heads, as the leader now turned to face them.

'It is a great honour to meet you, my lord,' said Hëna, for the both of them.

'The honour is ours, visitor,' the leader replied. 'Please arise and take a seat before me.' He stepped aside, allowing them to see several stone poufs placed around the monument. Hëna and Séraphin did as they were told, while the leader also made himself comfortable before them. The rest of the eagles stood where they were.

'Now, tell me, where is this Endërland you come from and what brings you to Arbánon?'

One more time Hëna recounted everything she had previously told Mara, but now adding a bit more information about Endërland and its people. For some reason she felt certain that this amazing race of eagles were no danger to her world. Séraphin filled in any detail she'd left out and which he thought relevant, until the leader of the eagles was satisfied that he had heard enough.

'It sounds like a beautiful and magical place you come from,' he said when they were both done speaking.

'No more magical than this world,' replied Hëna. 'I mean; I have never heard of such a magnificent race of eagles such as yours that could actually talk.'

Hëna could swear that the eagle was actually smiling just then.

'Ah, but it has not always been so, young one. We weren't always eagles. Our roots are human, believe it or not, settled here from another world.'

Ìskender stopped there, as if he had no intention of saying any more. But he had already aroused Hëna's curiosity. Could it be that this "other world" was the very same one her Daniel was from?

'We would very much like to hear more of your history, my lord,' she prayed, hoping she had not overstepped any boundaries. The eagle leader seemed to be considering it for a moment, but then apparently decided to oblige her.

'It would be my pleasure, young one. As you might have guessed, I am the first of our kind in Arbánon,' he began. 'I was only a child when I first came to visit this place. Back in my home world, I was a slave for more than twenty years, a nizam, as we used to call it, forcefully taken from the home of my father to fight in the army of a terg sultan hated by many. Many other boys were taken with me, but I was one of the very few who survived the captivity. I know now that it was only because of this place; coming here every night kept my spirit alive and my heart strong.

'It was difficult at first; I was only a little boy then. I was alone here and didn't know how to live on my own. Birds and animals were the only habitants and it felt quite lonely. Soon, I began to wish that I were one of them, and before I knew it, I was transforming into what you see now. It was such an exhilarating, yet liberating experience. I don't know why I took _this_ form and not something else, but I am glad; eagles have always been revered by my people and I consider it an honour.

'Time went by in my world; I grew into an old man, worn out by constant war and beleaguered by disease. When my time there was done, I didn't even feel it happening; death must have come for me in my sleep. All I know is that one day I woke up in this world and I never went back. Life continued for me here much as it had before; I spent all of my time as an eagle and rarely returned to human form, until the day I met another visitor, very much like yourself. She came from a different world altogether; not mine, nor your Endërland. It was how I learned that Arbánon is only one of many worlds in the dream realm. She was also alone and she disliked staying in one place for too long. So, she would travel for days without end, until she eventually found her way into Arbánon. We instantly fell in love and she stayed with me for a very long time; building a life and a family here. If I am the father of this race, she would be the mother.

'I lived more as a man in those days, but I never gave up my wings. Our children inherited that from me, as well as my love of the mountains and the skies. Eventually, we all decided that we preferred to live as eagles, and we made the change permanent. It has been a very long time since then, and even if I tried, I don't think I could become a man again. But I don't regret it for one moment; I lived more than two human lifetimes, but my happiest days belong to the eagle in me, and my heart will always belong to the skies.'

'What about the girl,' asked Hëna. 'Did she also become an eagle like you?'

'No, it wasn't in her blood. Long after our children had grown up and we had had enough of happiness to last us for eternity, she decided she wanted to take up travelling again. So, she followed the great river out of Arbánon, and left for good. We have not seen her since.'

'If you don't mind me asking, my Lord, how did she follow the river exactly?'

'Our youngest son went with her; he loved her too much and was loath to part from her. She rode on his back and together they flew off the edge of this world and followed the river stream downwards. Whether they made it to the bottom and what they found there, I could not say.'

'So, you don't know what really happened to them, and if they're alive?'

'My heart tells me that they are, and I believe it.' Ìskender paused for a moment, realising the reason behind Hëna's questions. 'I understand that you would like some form of guarantee, young one; that if you follow in that same direction, your search for your daughter would not end abruptly. Alas, I'm afraid that is not something I can offer you. I can only tell you that sometimes, taking a leap of faith is the only option we have left, but that's usually the only option worth taking.

'I have had no reports of anyone entering or leaving these lands up until today, so I do not know if your daughter ever came this way. If she did, none of my eagles saw her. I can even ask the tergs' representative if they have seen anything, but their word counts for too little these days. In the end, I fear the choice before you remains the same, continue on with your search, hoping your journey will not end at the bottom of that river and you will make it to the next world, or go back through the tunnel and hope that one day she will return to you safe.'

Hëna knew he was right. She had hoped that she would find something once they'd crossed over into this world, some sign that Serena had come this way, some trail she might have left behind. But there was nothing, and now they were back to square one. She still faced the same dilemma she and Daniel had faced before leaving Endërland; do they continue on blindly, hoping that at some point they might get lucky and learn something about their daughter's whereabouts? Or do they go back home and leave her to her fate? She had no doubt about it; nothing had changed as far as she was concerned, and she had no choice but to continue on with her search. She was not about to make this decision without consulting Séraphin, however; he was also a part of this quest.

'It would seem that choice is indeed the only one I still face, my lord. However, I cannot make that decision alone; I will need time to think and discuss this with my friend. We would appreciate your hospitality until tomorrow morning. The night is approaching, and we could do with some rest before continuing on with our journey, whichever direction we may take.'

'But of course, child,' the leader said, now rising up from where he had been sitting. 'You are welcome to stay with us as long as you like. Tonight, you can sleep in what used to be my own house. There's not much in there in the way of comfort, but it will shield you from the cold and any surprises of the night. And when you are ready, I will help you get to wherever you need to go.'

Hëna and Séraphin bowed down once again and thanked the leader. Then, he and the rest of his followers spread their wings and rose above them, flying higher up the mountain towards their own nests, and leaving them behind.

Several days had passed since Serena had appeared in the real world, and aside from an ever-growing concern that she might never be able to dream herself back home, she was enjoying herself and Freddie's company. She had not had a dull or a boring moment; there was always something to do and Freddie seemed to be a master in keeping her well entertained. He was doing his best to keep her mind at ease and distracted, and for the most part it was working. But he had not forgotten his promise to help her. He'd finally heard back from the Order of the Guardians with an address for David's new house, and they were on their way to meet him.

They'd boarded the train from Victoria Station late that morning and were heading towards Horsham, a small town in West Sussex. David had purchased a house there and chosen to retire away from the always busy and noisy London. Damien had refused to be separated from his father again, so he and Sam had followed him in the new place.

It was the first time Serena was riding a train and she was loving it; there was nothing like it in Endërland. She'd ridden horses in the fields, flown with wingmen in the sky and swam with the mermaids in the sea, but there was something so exciting about travelling on a big metal coach that rode so smoothly and so fast, carrying with it so many people. She was just amazed at what people could build and how far they could go.

Of course, somewhere in the back of her mind she worried about never being able to go back home, seeing her family and friends again. But then she thought about this world. After getting to know more about it every day, she knew that if it ever came down to it, she could build a life here too, and who knows, maybe she'd finally find The One.

She looked at Freddie sitting across from her as she thought of this. His gaze seemed to have been lost outside the window and he did not have his trademark smile on just now. He had been so good to her, more than she might deserve. He'd opened up his own house, providing her with not only a place to sleep, but also with food to eat and clothes to wear. He spent time and money on her every day, taking her to places and showing her things she had never seen, all the while never asking for anything in return.

She'd asked him once why he did this, why he had chosen this kind of "job" for himself. He had smiled one of those smiles she didn't see very often - which she secretly thought it made him look really cute - and had answered, "because Dreamers are too important to be left to their own devices."

He'd gone on explaining that they all need help in the beginning, whether it was with making sense of what they were experiencing or learning the basics of being a Dreamer. And he also had a duty as a member of the Order of the Guardians to protect this world from any Dreamer who could become a threat to mankind.

Sam had asked if she was considered a possible threat, and the answer had been a hesitant _"yes"_.

"You, more than anyone else, to be honest," he had explained. "You see, all Dreamers are omnipotent in their own dreamworld, able to do anything and everything they please, without being held accountable by anyone. But in this world, they're usually harmless. Usually. There have been cases when Dreamers have sought the same kind of power they've had in their worlds, and they've tried to gain it by bringing war and suffering on mankind. You, on the other hand, have appeared in this world as a Visitor. Now, if the usual rules applied, that would make you this world's lord and master. So, yes, you are considered a threat and you can be sure that you are being closely watched. If the Order decides that you bring danger to our world, they will not think twice about it, they will eliminate you. It's what they exist to do."

Serena could not imagine being a danger to anyone, much less to an entire world. She understood little of what Freddie had said, though the message was clear enough; her coming here had made certain very important people very uneasy. And those people had the power and the means to end her life, if they so decided. She was not troubled much, however. She knew she was not a threat to anyone, and sooner or later the Order would see that too and leave her be.

Right now, though, all she cared about was getting to her granddad and uncle. Things would be much better once she did, or so she hoped. Her uncle Damien at least was sure to know something more about her current predicament. After all, he'd been living as a Dreamer all his life.

After about an hour and a half ride and multiple stops on the way, the train finally arrived in Horsham, and they got off. From the station, they took a taxi and gave the driver the address for David's new house. Within ten minutes they were there.

The house was in a very quiet neighbourhood, with similar houses all around and a lot of green space. Serena felt almost as if she was back home for a moment.

Freddie rang the bell and they waited, while the suspense now grew to uncomfortable levels. Only seconds passed until someone came to the door but they seemed like hours to Serena who was now feeling rather nervous.

The door opened and a man in his early sixties greeted them. He was tall, had a reasonably lean body and stood up straight. His hair showed early signs of grey, yet despite his age, it looked still healthy and shiny. Serena involuntarily held her breath; the man in front of her looked like an older version of her father. They were definitely in the right place.

'Can I help you?' David spoke first, his eyes going straight to the young girl on his doorstep.

'Good morning,' said Freddie. 'Mr. Adams?'

'Yes,' David answered, without taking his eyes of Serena. Something in her eyes caught his attention, but he couldn't comprehend the reason behind it, yet. His gut, however, already knew, because it started tightening into a small ball inside of him.

Freddie decided to keep the uncomfortable moment short.

'My name's Freddie; I believe you know who I am. I'd like to introduce you to someone.'

Serena stepped forward and offered her hand.

'Hi, granddad,' she said, a shy smile on her youthful face.

David's jaw dropped and his eyes widened.

'Serena?'

Serena nodded. David opened his arms and took her in.

'Oh, my gosh, how did you get here?'

Serena did not answer; it wasn't Q&A time just yet. She put her arms around her granddad and revelled in his embrace. It was strange; David felt so much like her own dad, he even smelled like him, yet she was very much aware that this was a man she had never met, though she'd heard about him all of her life. Her dad and uncle always spoke so well of him and with such love, that she had grown to love him too, from a distance. But now, here she was, in his arms, and it hit her just how extraordinary this whole thing was. She began to weep, something she almost never did, and she wasn't alone.

David had heard that she had gone missing, and had been worried about her for days, but he never for one second had thought that she would one day appear at his doorstep. Seeing her now in front of him and holding her in his arms, a huge weight suddenly lifted off his shoulders.

But there had been something more than that, something in her face that he never thought he'd get to see again. It wasn't very obvious to others, but to someone who had lived with those eyes and loved them for years as he had, it was unmistakeable. Serena looked very much like her mother, except for the eyes, she had Diane's and Daniel's bright emerald eyes.

David felt tears of his own roll down his face, but he wasn't embarrassed. He was happier than he'd been in a very long time. Never in a million years did he think he would get the chance to see his only granddaughter, and yet, here she was, feeling so much like his Diane. He was so emotional he could barely contain it.

Unsteady, he led Freddie and Serena into the house and then the questions began pouring. They both did their best to recount and explain everything that had happened as they knew and understood it, but many things still remained a mystery. There were no precedents to Serena's appearance in this world, and no one could say what it meant, or how things might evolve from here.

For his part, David told them of what he had learned through Damien regarding Serena's disappearance and her parents' decision to look for her. This news was very hard for Serena to hear, who now on top of her concern about being stranded in this world, also had to worry about her parents' fate. Suddenly, the adventure she had always wished for no longer felt like one. Too many things seemed to be going wrong and danger crept around every corner, ready to attack at the first chance it got. She was seriously having second thoughts about the whole thing.

David realised that the news about her parents upset her, and he tried to ease her fears. Daniel and Hëna had been through worse and she knew this better than him; they would find a way to bring the family together again.

After they'd had lunch, David called Damien and Sam to let them know of Serena's arrival. They were currently in Chicago, where they had decided to seek professional help for Sam's depression, as well as spend some time with her parents. David hoped word could somehow be sent to Daniel and Hëna about their daughter's whereabouts, though that was highly unlikely. They'd already left Endërland and there was no way they could be contacted that anyone knew of.

Talking to her uncle on the phone was definitely weird for Serena, for it was her father's voice that she heard, albeit a bit older and more mature. But it would have been even weirder if he had been there that day. This was a man who wore her father's body, face and voice, and yet was not. One could really go crazy trying to deal with all of it, even if one knew how these things had come to pass.

At the close of day, Freddie announced that he was going back to London. He promised Serena that he would go back to the Order and try to find whatever information he could regarding her parents, and would come back to see her again. Until then, it was agreed that she would be much safer staying with her granddad.

Reluctantly, Serena said goodbye and watched him go. She'd grown quite fond of the guy, silly smile and all, and somehow did not feel very happy about him leaving her behind. Her so called adventure in this world had started with him present and it wouldn't feel right if he wasn't there for her all the way. Or at least that's what she chose to tell herself. Deep inside her heart, Serena could feel that that was not the real reason.

After the first visit to his nocturnal world, Drake found himself returning there every night. He was confused initially, unable to understand how it could be that he was living two different lives, in two different worlds. Eventually, he stopped trying to understand it and just went with it. He was lucky after all; not everyone gets two lives, and his new one was considerably much happier.

For one, he was a prince there, living in a palace and being looked after by a great number of servants. He did not have to worry about stealing and conning people out of their valuables in order to please his parents. In fact, his parents seemed to live for no other reason than to make him happy, and he found that a very welcoming change. They lavished him with gifts on a daily basis and always made sure he had everything he wanted and was ever the centre of attention. Parties were thrown regularly in his honour, while families fought among each other for the privilege of having their young boys be part of his entourage.

When he wasn't partying and being spoiled by his parents, Drake's days were filled with horse-riding, fencing, fighting and learning everything else that a young prince like him was supposed to learn. All of this made for such a contrast to his other life that he sometimes felt like he was two different people. The only thing constant in both worlds, every day, was his Bessie, and he was most glad to have her. She kept him sane.

Draeland, as he soon learned his dreamworld was aptly called, didn't seem to be much bigger than old London as far as he could tell. His father's kingdom consisted of a single island, favoured by the sun and the northern winds. The weather seemed to always be summery and the rain almost never showered its lands. That was just as well, Drake had never liked the rain; he always managed to get himself soaked to the bone back in London, and would often fall ill with a cold. His mother hated it when he fell ill with a cold.

The sea was the islanders' main source of living, though many also worked the land and farmed different kinds of animals. The city's streets were always full of traders and entertainers, much like back in London; only here there seemed to be plenty of everything, and he was hard pressed to find any beggars or thieves around. Drake seemed to appreciate this one single fact over everything else about his new home.

Years passed and he grew up in both worlds, his separate lives unavoidably taking different directions. In the real world, he became a real master of the fine art of robbery, the best. Not only was he quick and quiet, and nobody ever saw him come or go, but he came up with whole new tricks and jobs that were never done before. Thanks to him, the Bagleys' fortune increased greatly in a matter of years, not that that changed their attitude towards him. Sure, they were less miserable now that they were closer to realising their dream, but nothing about the way they were with him changed. If anything, they'd grown colder, especially Mrs. Bagley. Drake could not remember the last time she had sat down with him, played, talked or even smiled at him. Eventually he gave up on her and focused on his father, who at least took some professional pride in his work and was more forthcoming with praise and compliments after each job.

Back in his dreamworld he grew up to be a strong young man, fast and agile, quick-thinking and smart. His skills with the blade of any size, the bow, the spear and any other type of weapon that existed were unmatched. He was the undisputed champion in any organized event and enjoyed the respect and admiration of anyone in his kingdom. Boys tried hard to become like him, while girls began to line up every night for a chance to share his bed. His parents seemed as happy and proud as anyone could be with their children and there was nothing more Drake could have asked for. This life was definitely the one he preferred, and soon he came to wish that it was the only one.

Sadly, in line with his height and fighting skills, his ego and sense of self-worth also grew to monstrous proportions. It was interesting how the same pair of people that constantly put him down and crushed his spirit in the real world, in Draeland drove him to feel like he really was Hercules, the hero of the people, appointed by the gods themselves. Drake soon became the master of his own dreamworld and eventually came to learn that nothing was off limits to him; what he wanted, he got. If only that could be true in his real life, too.

He did not realise when it happened, when he lost track of which world was the real one and which was the dream. Days and nights blended with each other and it seemed to him that he never slept. Most of the time he was absent-minded and lost in his own thoughts, and it was not seldom that he would get confused and mix up his two lives, not sure where he actually was, or who he was, the prince or the thief. But, unbeknownst to him, the day was fast approaching when everything he knew would suddenly and drastically change for him and his family.

***

He had just turned fifteen when the Bagleys one day upped and left their London house without telling anyone where they were going. They loaded a bunch of suitcases with their clothes and personal belongings into a carriage and rode off while he was still "at work". When Drake returned, he found Bessie cussing and talking to herself, while the whole house looked like it had just been robbed.

'What happened?' he asked her.

'They left us. They left us,' Bessie kept repeating as if she couldn't believe it.

'What do you mean they left us? Where did they go?'

'I don't know, do I?' she yelled at him, though clearly, he wasn't the object of her anger. 'They sent me down to the market bright and early for groceries, and when I came back they were gone.'

Drake had never seen her like that, so angry and out of control. The vain on her big black forehead was throbbing as if it was about to burst. Her arms kept waving around as if controlled by an invisible puppeteer and she could not stay put for more than a second. It broke his heart and at the same time scared him a little. She'd always been calm and collected with him, cunning and calculated, yes, but never like this. She had a downright murderous look in her eyes that made him feel like he did not know her at all.

But then again, he did not blame her. He was feeling rather furious himself. He'd worked so hard for as long as he could remember to make them the money that would buy them their bloody dream house, always believing that, when the time came, they would all move in and start a new life, together. But now, it appeared his own parents had used him and then left him behind.

'Are you sure they're actually gone and are not just visiting someone?'

'Oh, don't be daft. Look around you, everything of worth is gone, along with all their belongings. They've gone and so is all my money; all my savings of sixteen years. Everything I've worked so hard for, washing and cleaning and scrubbing and looking after you..., it's all gone. They stole it. I got nothing left.'

Drake felt really bad for her just then. He collected her into his young arms and tried to console her as best he could. He was barely an inch taller than her and it felt weird that he was the one to comfort her now, when usually it was she who played that role with him. But Bessie would not be comforted. She pushed away from him and kept cussing and swearing, moving around the house and kicking stuff.

'Bessie,' Drake called after her. 'Maybe they haven't left us. Maybe they will be back to take us. After all, I'm their only son; papa would not leave me behind.'

Bessie snorted.

'Ah, poor little Drake. You know nothing, do you?' There was a sarcastic tone to her voice that he did not like. Bessie continued, now looking at him straight in the eye, her stare sharp as a butcher's knife. 'They have no son. That bitch is as barren as a brick, and with good reason too. There's not a maternal bone in her body, not one. Why do you think she kept me around; so that I could look after you. God knows _she_ couldn't.'

Drake felt his blood pumping faster now and his face grew red hot. He didn't understand.

'What are you saying?' he yelled at her, without even meaning to. 'What are you saying?'

'You're not their child,' she yelled back at him, anger still getting the best of her. 'You're stolen, just like everything else in their miserable lives. They snatched you out of the womb of your dying mother, and just left her there to be eaten by rats. They took you and raised you so they could pretend to be a normal family while you stole for them. And now that they got what they wanted, they got no more use for you or for me.'

'I don't believe you,' Drake yelled even louder, anger now raising up a storm inside of him.

'I was there,' Bessie would not back down, her voice thunderous. 'I was there; I carried you away myself.'

She suddenly stopped there. They both fell into silence for a heartbeat.

Drake's head was buzzing. They say change takes time and comes slowly, but they're wrong. Change happens in a split second, bringing your entire world upside down so that you find yourself unable to simply stand, let alone put one foot in front of the other and brave through it. In one cruel moment that was exactly what happened to Drake; everything he had believed until that day had been nothing but a lie. He finally understood why Mrs. Bagley was always cold and distant with him; she had never loved him, for he had never been hers. She was never his mother, and Mr. Bagley was never his father. They had used him all this time and finally left him behind to fend for himself and his Bessie.

_Bessie_.

_She_ was the only real family he'd ever had, the only one who had ever loved him. At least, she was still with him; he wasn't alone. So what that they'd left? They were better off; he could still provide enough for the both of them. He would work twice as hard as he had and make even more money than before. It would be just Bessie and him; they didn't need the Bagleys.

'Bessie,' he called, in his voice a touch of sorrow and his eyes glistening with tears of sadness. 'Don't worry, please; I will make enough money for the both of us; we don't need them. We still have the house and each other.'

'We have nothing,' replied Bessie, fire still raging inside her. 'The house was in their name and I'm sure they've sold it already. Pretty soon someone will come and we will be kicked out on the street.'

'We will make due,' Drake kept trying to calm her down, though this new knife managed to dig a little deeper inside his own chest. 'At least we have each other.'

And just like that, Bessie started laughing hysterically. Confused, Drake actually started to worry that maybe she was losing her mind.

'Bessie, you're scaring me.'

Bessie ignored him, her laughter ringing ever louder in his ears. Drake grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her lightly.

'Bessie, please stop this.'

The old woman whose face he saw every night as he went to bed and greeted him every morning as he woke up, suddenly appeared lifeless. Her dead eyes now pierced through his like fiery darts.

'This is all your fault. I would have left this dump a long time ago and gone back to my own children, if it wasn't for you. It's all your fault that I am broke and homeless all over again.'

'I will make it up to you, Bessie, I promise,' he pleaded with her, still holding her. 'I will make sure you have everything, you'll see.'

She looked at him for a moment, during which he hoped life would return to her eyes again, but it didn't. She then opened her mouth and spoke three stabbing words.

'I hate you.'

Something hurt even more deep inside his chest; the same kind of pain he had experienced just a moment earlier, when he'd found out about his "parents", but now magnified.

'You don't mean that,' he muttered, his throat aching bad.

'I hate you,' Bessie repeated louder. 'All the years I spent raising you, running after you, telling you stories every night; they're years you stole from my own children. And for what? For nothing. I hate you,' she screamed at him.

'Stop saying that, please,' Drake begged, his eyes now drowning in unrestrained tears. But Bessie refused to stop.

'I hate you. I hate you. I hate you...'

'Stop it. Stop it. Stop it,' Drake kept screaming, while his hands tightened around her soft neck and began to squeeze hard. Bessie's eyes finally lit up with a strange light and her lips formed a wicked smile. Her now feeble voice kept repeating the same words over and over again, even as life was being choked out of her.

Drake was taken over by such a terrifying and uncontrollable anger that he could not see what he was doing. First his parents had abandoned him, leaving him behind with nothing to live on. Then he'd found out that they had not been his parents at all and that all he'd known had been nothing but a lie. And, as if that wasn't enough, the only person he actually cared about and who he thought had loved him, kept screaming at him that she hated him. He needed her to stop, but she wouldn't, so he kept squeezing and squeezing, until she finally did. When that happened, she grew heavy in his hands and fell down on the wooden floor in front of him, eyes bulging out of their sockets.

Relieved that there was silence once again, Drake closed his eyes for a moment, relishing in the stillness of the evening. When he finally did open them again, he looked down at her. His gaze got stuck on the soulless corpse and did not leave it. For one fleeting moment, he felt something snap inside his chest, something that felt important, and he winced as if from physical pain. But then it was gone like it had never happened, leaving behind an empty feeling of nothingness.

He stood like that for what must have been hours, not really understanding what had just transpired, what he'd just done. The only thing he felt was relief; relief that the screaming had stopped, that the Bagleys were gone, that he no longer had to worry about pleasing his father or getting the attention of his mother, that he finally had a reason to leave this world and this life behind. He never belonged here; his dreamworld was where he wanted to be.

As the evening came and the dark covered the streets of the city, Drake finally took his eyes off the now cold corpse lying at his feet, and slowly turned towards the door. With nothing but the spoils of the day on him and his new independence, he walked out of the lifeless house where he was raised, never intending to return again.

### Chapter 5

# A Turn for the Worse

It was an extremely busy afternoon in Oxford Street as Freddie made his way manoeuvring between the multitudes of people occupying both sidewalks. Not that this was a new thing; it was always busy here. Heading towards Tottenham Court Road, he turned left at the corner of the Pret shop towards Charlotte Place. Once he arrived at his intended destination, he climbed down the stairs towards the low-level entrance of what looked like a nightclub. A tall big-boned bouncer, curiously well dressed, stood at the entrance, his face the official definition of someone not to be trifled with.

Freddie flashed him a silver pendant, which he pulled out from under his shirt, a symbol of three small circles joined together at the centre. The guy took a quick look at it and without further ado opened the door for him. Freddie walked inside and proceeded through the short corridor that led into the bar area. It was only 11 in the morning, but the lighting in the venue gave it an evening feel. There were over twenty booths and tables spread all across the spacious venue, all empty, making the place seem quite desolate. Still, the barman behind the relatively small counter looked busy, moving about as if it was business as usual for him.

Freddie headed his way, aiming for a high stool right in front of the guy. He was a middle-aged man, with short grey hair and a small moustache, which Freddie had always found out of place.

'Lincoln,' he simply greeted the man like an old associate.

'Fred,' came the reply, provoking the usual response.

'You know I hate it when people call me that.'

'That, I do,' the man replied, not even blinking. There was no malice behind his dull brown eyes, only slight amusement. 'The usual?'

'A bit early but, sure, why not?'

The barman grabbed a bottle of red wine from under the counter and proceeded to open it, filling up two crystal glasses in front of him.

'This is an unscheduled visit,' he said, sliding one of the glasses towards Freddie. 'It's been twenty years since you've broken your routine.'

'It's been twenty years since I've had reason to,' Freddie replied, raising his glass. The barman did the same, their glasses clinked and they both had a sip. Freddie took a moment to appreciate the taste of the wine in his mouth and then commented. 'Never fails.'

'Serves to show you that you don't need to spend hundreds of pounds to taste good wine. Didn't even cost me a tenner.'

'You've always been cheap, old friend,' Freddie commented, 'but you do have some skill when it comes to choosing good wine.'

'Why, thank you, _Alfred_ ,' the man replied, now emphasizing his full name. 'So then, what seems to be the problem?'

Freddie took another sip from his glass and then put it back down in front of him. He hadn't had nearly enough wine, but felt a bit braver to speak of why he'd come, nonetheless.

'Daniel's daughter,' he began, 'Serena. She's gone missing. I suspect she's travelled somewhere else, though I don't know where, or even if it's actually true.'

'You know that's impossible, Alfred. No dream-born soul can leave their world.'

'Impossible is a word that's never had place in our line of work, Lincoln. There is no other explanation for her disappearance; I fear the prophecy is finally coming to pass.'

Lincoln chuckled.

'C'mon, Alfred. You might have the others dazzled with that old crap, but you know I don't believe it.'

'Be that as it may,' Freddie continued, 'we cannot risk anything. If Serena really is able to leave her world and go somewhere else, then we need to be prepared for the worse, no matter how improbable that may seem. She's young and impressionable; if _he_ were to target her, she wouldn't stand a chance and we'd all be in real trouble.'

'What are the chances she'd come here?' asked Lincoln.

'Probably non-existent. But I cannot say that with certainty. For all I know, she might already be here.'

'But wouldn't you know it if she was? I mean, isn't that your thing?'

'It's not an exact science, Lincoln; you know that. Besides, it wouldn't be the first time someone slipped past me in or out of a world.'

Lincoln seemed to be thinking for a minute.

'Alright then, let's say she's here. How much time would you think we have?'

'I don't know; there are no precedents to this. There's so many factors involved...'

'Give me a worst-case scenario,' Lincoln interrupted him.

'I don't know,' Freddie repeated. 'Weeks perhaps. Assuming she really is the one, if he's already targeted her and she's here, he'll need enough time to make sure she's ready for him. We're only as safe as she is strong.'

'Well, that's not very comforting now, is it? We cannot let the fate of our entire world rest on her strength, Alfred.'

Freddie lowered his eyes and fixed them on his glass of wine.

'No, I guess we can't,' he said softly, almost as if whispering it.

Lincoln took one more sip from his glass and then spoke again.

'I will of course assemble the council for an official decision on this, but I think you already know what needs to be done.'

Freddie did not raise his eyes to meet Lincoln's. He knew what needed to be done, but he hated it. Never before had he wished he was wrong about any of his hunches, until today.

'Yes,' he finally answered and got up, drinking the last sip of wine from his glass. The heat arising from consuming the alcohol too quickly was already warming up his insides, but he welcomed it. 'Well, you know how to contact me should you need me.'

'Go in peace, Alfred,' Lincoln greeted him. 'I'm sure you'll find out soon enough that you're worried for nothing.'

'I hope you're right, old friend,' Freddie answered, 'I hope you're right. Be seeing you.'

He turned his back on the barman and walked out of the dark room and back into the busy streets of the autumnal London. A thick layer of dark grey clouds had occupied the sky above him, threatening to bring down more than just rain. It appeared summer was now well and truly over.

Odysseus watched the two boys hug and laugh with the three sirens and felt like scratching his head. This definitely changed everything he'd known and experienced for who knew how long.

It had all started with the appearance of Daniel and Nemo. He was certain this had never happened in any of the previous journeys he now remembered much clearer, just like he'd never actually managed to free himself from the ship's mast and swim to meet the sirens. And now, to find out that they were actually not evil at all... Odysseus had a very good feeling about this; his fortunes might finally be about to change. Home suddenly seemed closer than ever, and he felt his hopes regenerate with new-found strength.

When the boys and the sirens were finally done catching-up, Daniel seemed to remember him and beckoned him over, introducing him to the one who apparently was Nemo's mother. Her beauty struck him like lightning on a moonless night. She seemed to be no older than his Penelope, with long dark red hair and pale spotless skin. He could definitely see the resemblance between her and Nemo. The other two mermaids were just as beautiful as she was and could definitely pass for her sisters.

'My lady, this is Odysseus, son of Laertes and King of Ithaca. We owe him our lives. My lord Odysseus, may I present to you Eleanor, Queen of the Seas of Endërland.'

'Former queen,' Eleanor corrected him, looking up at Nemo, pride and love beaming through her eyes. 'It is nice to finally meet you, King Odysseus. Long have we tried to get your attention as you pass us by, though our hope of any rescue failed a little bit every time you sailed away. We'd resigned to the idea that we would never leave this place.'

Only then did Odysseus notice the thick chains tied to their waist, imprisoning the three mermaids to the rock.

'My lady,' the king bowed his head respectfully. 'I must confess I find myself bewildered. This day has been one of constant revelations and surprises to me and mine. I've heard tales about you and this place; they say that many ships have crashed into these rocks and many sailors have lost their lives because of your enchanting voices. I didn't want to risk my men's lives, but I was keen on hearing your song for myself. And I have to say, the tales don't do it justice. Though, I never understood why it caused me such pain, until now. I guess, the song was your plea to be rescued. Had I but known.'

Eleanor smiled.

'You couldn't have; no one but our own kind could understand those words, my lord; it was our way of keeping it a secret from our captors. Instead, we added whatever magic we had left to our voices, so that whoever heard it would not resist but come to us. Only, you never come. We can see you struggle, tied up on your ship's mast, begging your men to cut you loose so you can reach us, but they never do. This happens every time you pass this way, and every time we think that this might be the one where you finally come to us, but it never happens. Until today,' she looked at Nemo again. The young man's eyes glistened with fresh tears, and he could barely hide the pain over his mother's suffering.

'How many times have we passed through here?' Odysseus asked.

'Too many to remember,' answered Eleanor.

'What about other ships before us? Have they not been able to free you?'

'There've been no other ships, my lord,' one of the other mermaids spoke for the first time. She looked like the oldest one of the three. 'Yours is the only ship we ever see.'

'That is very strange indeed,' said Odysseus, thoughtful.

'My lady,' Daniel decided to ask something which no one else seemed to be asking. 'Who was it that imprisoned you here, and why?'

'I've only ever seen them once, when they first captured and tied me to this rock with my mother and grandmother, whose song drew me here just like you. They're a race of giants, cannibals from what we understand, though I guess they do not enjoy mermaid flesh. If they did, we would not be alive still, especially since we've never caught anyone for them to eat.'

'Is that why they've tied you to this rock?' Nemo asked.

Eleanor nodded affirmatively.

'It sounds like you're talking of the Laestrygonians, my lady,' said Odysseus, a touch of anger in his voice and gaze. 'But I don't understand how they can be here; we've left them way back in Telepylus.'

'Maybe this is a separate clan,' Daniel offered. 'Any idea how many of them there are, my lady?'

'I think there's about fifty of them, living in a small village on that rise,' the older mermaid pointed towards the cliff to her far left. They could see the tops of several wooden structures from where they were.

'That's about half hour from here,' Nemo said.

'Less, for them,' Odysseus corrected.

'Do you think they've seen us?' Daniel asked.

'I'm sure they have. They're probably on their way here already. If we are to escape, we need to leave now.'

'But how do we break these chains?' Nemo asked, fearing they were thinking of abandoning the mermaids to their cruel fate again.

Odysseus analysed the chains but did not like what he saw. They were quite thick and sturdy, attached on one end to the rock through a well bolted iron plate, and on the other end, an iron belt fastened tight to each of the mermaids' waist. Their strength alone could not undo the chains; they would need tools for this.

Just as he was about to speak, one of the mermaids, the one who had not said a word until that moment, yelled out loud.

'I see them; they're coming.'

They all turned in the direction she was pointing and saw four giants running towards them. Odysseus saw them and his face darkened. They were the same race as the Laestrygonians alright, quite human in appearance, apart from the fact that they were thrice as big in size. Still, smaller than the Cyclops, as he himself could testify.

The giants were getting closer by the second; the terrain of the island had allowed them to sneak by unnoticed, thus giving them less time to react. Odysseus knew there was no chance of escape, so he had to think fast.

'Nemo, I need you to swim quick and reach my men. Tell Eurylochus to take the ship further out into the sea, so that the giants and their rocks cannot get to them. There you are to wait for us two days. If by the third we are not back, you should continue without us.'

'What about you?' asked Nemo alarmed. This was not what he had hoped would happen when he'd found his mother again.

'We can't swim as fast as you, Nemo; there's no escape for us. We'll just have to find another way. Go, Nemo, now.'

Still unsure, Nemo looked at his mother, who smiled at him, just like she used to do.

'Go, Nemo, we'll be fine. They will not hurt us.'

As the ground around them began to tremble under the approaching feet of the giants, Nemo was still standing there, not convinced that leaving them all behind was the right thing for him to do.

'Nemo, go.' Daniel gave him the last push, causing the young king to jump into the water and turn into a merman in a heartbeat. Within seconds he had already swam half the distance between them and Odysseus' ship, while the giants reached the rock where the mermaids and the two men were.

Ignoring Nemo, Daniel now turned to face the creatures that were about to capture and most probably eat them alive. What he saw sent chills down his spine. They were big, standing three times taller than normal men, with big bones and long fingers. Their hair was long and dirty, their eyes freakishly small and barely visible behind bushy eyebrows. Their clothes seemed very old fashioned and could be easily mistaken for dirty rags, while they wore no shoes or sandals. But the most disturbing bit of all was their gaze. It reminded Daniel of the look in the eyes of the wolfmen outside the icy walls of Arba, hot like burning coal, hungry and deadly. There was no kindness to be found in those eyes, and that made the whole thing a hell of a lot scarier.

The giants wasted no time in grabbing them, one of them Daniel, and another Odysseus. Their fingers wrapped around the small men, lifting them off the ground with ease, their grip stronger than their prey was comfortable with. The other two giants, stepped towards the water, looking towards the ship with more men on sailing away from them. With angry grunts and murmurs, the two began grabbing big rocks from all around them and threw them at the retreating ship. Lucky for Odysseus' men, the ship was already out of harm's way.

Struggling to breathe, Daniel watched as the defeated giants abandoned the rock throwing and turned to their friends and their two captives. All this time, Odysseus kept fidgeting and cursing from under the locked fingers of his captor. The giant, who Daniel thought was the ugliest looking one of the bunch, thanks in part to a big old scar that stretched diagonally across his entire face, as well as a nose that seemed to have been broken once too many times, lifted Odysseus to his eye level and growled.

'Stay put.'

In response, Odysseus managed to slash his hand with his knife, causing him to roar from the pain and drop the king of Ithaca on the ground. Odysseus had no chance to get up and go anywhere, however, for the giant planted one strong foot on top of him, while examining his injured hand. The cut was deep and wide enough to bleed considerably, but the giant did not concern himself too much with it. He swallowed the blood pouring out of it as if it were a well-aged wine, and closed his hand tight into a fist. He then bent down over Odysseus, sneering.

'I will enjoy roasting you alive, midget.'

Odysseus smiled over this one small victory, though Daniel wasn't sure there was much to smile about. He knew Odysseus was clever and most likely already had an escape plan formed in his mind, but somehow, this seemed highly unlikely to him. Neither of them had accounted for this turn of events. Still, if anyone could pull it off, it would be Odysseus.

The ugly giant ordered one of the other two to pick Odysseus up from under his foot and then turned to face the mermaids, who observed everything with terror in their eyes. With a hateful and terrifying sound, he bellowed one single word, ' _more_ ,' and then turned his back on them, heading towards the village on the rise.

Far from the shore, Odysseus' men and Nemo watched as everything unfolded in the distance, feeling powerless to do anything or help in any way. As had been proven back in Telepylus, they were no match for the Laestrygonians. Daniel and Odysseus were well and truly on their own.

The small house that once was home to the great leader of the giant eagles reminded Hëna very much of the old shack on the outskirts of D'ardh. Instead of a central stove, it had a built-in fireplace with a chimney rising up one of the walls in the main room. On the next wall to the left, she saw an old shield hanging, with the image of the double-headed eagle carved on it. Two old swords crossed each other hanging below it. Torches hang on all four corners, all of which they lit up.

There were no beds in the room, only a couple of straw mattresses laid on the floor and covered with old sheets and small pillows. Other than that, there were just a handful of old and long unused wooden utensils for cooking and cleaning on a cupboard in a small annex, as well as a bronze basin for washing.

Hëna was grateful for the bed, no matter how dusty or old it was. She felt tired like she rarely had before, and her wounds were bothering her still, despite Mara having tended to them again only minutes ago. Mother eagle had insisted on checking on Hëna again and re-dressing her wounds before they went to sleep. She would not take "no" for an answer. Hëna had felt touched; Mara was so very much like her own mother; she seemed to be able to think of everything and know exactly what one needed and when. She was definitely a very wise and kind eagle, and Hëna felt they had been quite lucky. After all, they might have ended up being caught by these tergs she kept hearing about and their situation might have been entirely different by now. Still, she wouldn't go as far as to say that she was glad Junior was the first native they had encountered; she had almost paid with her life for it.

Thinking of Junior, inadvertently brought on a sour taste in her mouth, even to her own surprise. She had rarely experienced anger and she didn't like the feeling. Even more so because the young eagle seemed to still feel bad about what he'd done, and appeared very uncomfortable around her. Thinking about it now, she almost felt sorry for him. She hadn't missed the cold treatment he'd received from the other eagles in the village and she'd clearly heard their teasing and mocking, for which she hadn't felt very appreciative. But she'd stayed out of it, of course; it would not do for her to get involved in the eagles' internal affairs. Junior, however, had not reacted to the bullying, and for that, at least, she had respected him.

Movement on the other side of the room directed her thoughts away from Junior. Séraphin had already fallen asleep, despite the bed not being up to his usual comfort. She was so happy he had come along; it made this whole thing so much easier for her. As planned, she had tried to talk to him before they'd gone to bed, but he had not let her.

'I know what you're gonna say,' he'd told her, 'but I will not go back home without you. Wherever you go, I go, Hëna; I made a promise to Daniel and I intend to keep it.'

She'd felt relieved and had even smiled; remembering the similar promise she had gotten from Nemo before they had all said goodbye. She wondered where they were now, Nemo and her Daniel, and what they were doing? Were they safe? Had they reached another world yet? Had they found any sign of Serena?

She missed her daughter so much. The first few days without her had been the hardest; she would see her anywhere in and around the house at first glance, and when she'd look again, her heart would break every time, for she wasn't really there.

She missed Daniel too. She had never been apart from him for so long, and the worst part was that she had no idea when she would see him again. What if she never did? What if something were to happen either to her, or him, or to both of them? If something did indeed happen, she prayed that it was to both of them; she knew she wouldn't be able to live without him anymore than he could live without her. Time had not weakened their passion for each other one bit; if anything, it had made it even stronger. He was her heart and soul, her best friend, her everything. She could not imagine not looking into his beautiful green eyes or be held in his strong arms again. She refused to.

With Daniel's handsome face in her mind and her troubled thoughts refusing to really give her a break, she finally fell asleep. Desperate to regenerate, her body shut down her main senses, allowing her to properly rest and regain some strength. Perhaps it knew that she would soon need it.

***

It took some real shaking to wake her up in the middle of the night, and she wasn't happy about it one bit. She hadn't gotten nearly enough rest, but as she came to, she realized she would not get any more that night. There was commotion outside the little house where she and Séraphin were staying.

'Hëna, get up, please. We're under attack.' Séraphin sounded alarmed, and with good reason. Getting up and out of the house, Hëna found herself right in the middle of a raging battle, the sounds of which echoed throughout all Arbánon. Eagles were seen flying up and down, fighting with beak and claw what she at first thought was an invisible enemy. Endless rocks and boulders fell from the sky like rain, causing shrieks and screams of pain from everywhere around them.

As her eyes adjusted to the night, she was able to see better. Dressed completely in black, she saw what looked like men, smaller in stature than the average human and armed to the bone with scimitars and spears. They all wore body armour and covered their heads with a black turban. They seemed to be pretty well organised, working in groups, throwing nets to capture eagles, cutting them down whenever they couldn't. The entire mountain was on fire as all the eagles' nests seemed to have been targeted.

This was clearly a long and well planned attack. The tergs seemed to have appeared all at once out of nowhere, but it wasn't difficult to realise how they had managed that. They must have been scavenging the mountain underneath for ever and targeted all the nests at the same time. The ground was filled with fallen bodies, their blood running down the mountain in a thousand streams.

As Hëna watched, many eagles fell, but the battle had just begun. More kept coming from the mountain peaks closest to them and the fighting continued. For every eagle that fell, tens of tergs accompanied them. But their numbers only kept on growing. It seemed the underground people had all gathered for this one battle, determined to take this one mountain at all costs. Hëna failed to see the strategy in this, but then again, she knew almost nothing about this world and either of the fighting sides. Maybe the tergs thought that if they could take this mountain and kill the eagle leader, they would win the war. But Hëna highly doubted it.

She had no time to ponder the situation further, however, a fresh group of tergs appeared from a hole in the ground right in the middle of the square and ran towards them. Wasting no more time, Hëna ran back inside the house and grabbed both swords from the wall. The weapon was a bit smaller and less fancy than the one she and Heli had shared, but it would do. She threw one of the two at Séraphin, and then they both joined in the fight.

It had been a very long time since she had wielded a sword and she was sure she'd lost much of her skill, but she would have to do her best. The group of tergs coming towards them comprised of about twenty or so, all well-armed and in their prime. She did not doubt that they had long been training for this.

When the tergs first saw that she was human, and Séraphin sort of, they hesitated. But the weapons in their hands told them all they needed to know. They proceeded with the attack, surrounding Hëna and Séraphin from all sides.

Swords began to clash, sending sparks flying, each singing its own individual tune. Pretty soon, limbs began dropping, heads were rolling, and the mountain drank even more thick red blood. More tergs kept pouring out of the hole and joined the attack, but Hëna and Séraphin stood their ground. It seemed they had not completely lost their fighting skills.

As the battle raged on in the square, the sky began to slowly light up and a red sun approached the eastern horizon. There were now tens of tergs surrounding the two visitors, most just observing and waiting to join in the fight. Across the mountain, fire was spreading rapidly and the battle seemed to be ending. Eagles were seen flying away towards the northern peaks, abandoning their homes, defeated. Hëna and Séraphin seemed to be holding the last fighting ground.

Pretty soon, all the remaining terg army gathered around their last two enemies. There were now hundreds of them, all standing there, watching Hëna and Séraphin swing and slash terg after terg, and still stand. Eventually, one of them, a young terg who appeared to be their leader seemed to be losing his patience.

'Enough,' he bellowed and urged all his army to step forward and attack. 'End them, now.'

This would have meant the inevitable defeat and certain death of the two warriors, had it not been for a pair of eagles who flew right in the middle of the commotion and grabbed Hëna and Séraphin, spiriting them away from there. Hanging from Mara's careful talons Hëna tried to ignore the pain of her wounds re-opening. Mother eagle had carefully enough grabbed her from the arms this time, but her shoulders still hurt like hell.

Flying beside them, Ìskender carried Séraphin much in the same manner, beating his magnificent wings furiously fast. Swords, knives, spears and what not flew after them, but the eagles kept rising up and away, carrying the moon-girl and the wingman to safety.

Below them, the tergs finally exploded in loud cheers and shouts of victory, while the entire mountain burned down, shining like a lit beacon throughout all of Arbánon.

Hëna felt like crying; she knew what this meant to the eagles. Memories of Arba being destroyed, of thousands of people, wingmen and mermaids killed in the Great War were still too fresh for her. She had thought this world was different, but evil seemed to find a home wherever life blossomed, and that was a depressing thought.

She was still looking back at the burning mountain, when she noticed that they seemed to be losing altitude. Only, it was just Mara and her; Ìskender and Séraphin continued to fly high towards the nearest safe place where the eagles seemed to be re-grouping. She looked up and finally saw it; a single spear dangling down from the top half of Mara's belly.

How had she missed that?

The brave eagle was losing strength quickly, but she kept batting her wings. They worked harder and faster now, trying to keep both eagle and girl in the air until they made it to their destination. Several times they plunged towards the ground, but somehow Mara always found the strength to rise back up and keep flying. Unable to help in anyway, Hëna just hung there, hoping her saviour would make it, that she would be ok. She thought of Junior just then and her heart sank. He had already lost his father to the tergs; was he going to lose his mother, too?

As they finally got to the mountain where the eagles were gathering, Mara seemed to be losing whatever energy and strength she had left, and she plunged before reaching the gathering point. She fell and landed hard on her back, with her last act protecting Hëna from more hurt. Once on the ground, she released the girl and just lay there, unable to move as much as a muscle.

Hëna got up and rushed to her side, checking the wound. The spear had gone deep and she was sure it had caused real damage, probably even pierced her heart. She didn't know if she should move it or not, she might be doing more harm than good if she did.

Behind her, Ìskender landed hurriedly, with Séraphin already on his feet next to him. The leader quickly examined the wound, and though Hëna could not read his expression, she could sense his despair and loss of hope. His next words confirmed her fears.

'I'm afraid it's not good. The spear has gone in too deep; she's not gonna make it.'

Hëna felt the threat of uncontrolled sobs attacking, even though she had just met the honourable eagle. Maybe it was the motherly side of her saviour, that part that reminded her so much of her own mother. Or maybe it was the injustice of it all, that Junior would lose both of his parents to a senseless evil. She could not believe this was happening; why couldn't living creatures just get along?

Ìskender stepped around her and positioned himself face to face with Mara who was breathing hard now, trying to keep her eyes open for as long as she could. Hëna and Séraphin followed him.

'Mara, what can we do?' Ìskender asked.

'Take care of my son,' Mara's feeble voice could barely be heard. 'Promise me.'

'I promise,' replied Ìskender. 'He will grow up to become a fine leader, just like his mother; on that, you have my word.'

The wounded eagle turned one of her heads slightly to better look at Hëna, who was now kneeling next to her. With one hand, Hëna wiped a tear rolling down the eagle's curved beak. Her own tears, she let flow, unable to hold them back any longer. This wonderful creature was a stranger to her, yet she had cared for her like she was her own flesh and blood, and was now dying for her. What do you say to someone like that?

'I'm so sorry,' was all Hëna was able to whisper; her sobs drowning out any other words. She wasn't sure what exactly she was apologizing for, but it didn't feel like it mattered anymore.

Mara looked at her with what Hëna felt was a longing in her heart and managed a few last words.

'He's a good son.'

And just like that, her eyes closed, and she spoke no more.

The fire crackled in the fireplace, singing its ancient, never-changing song. Tiny sparkles danced in the air for a short moment, before falling at the feet of the two people sitting in front of it, sipping on their hot tea.

Damien anxiously waited on Veronica's reaction to his news. He had wanted to share it with the oracle, but apparently, he'd been missing for several days now. He wasn't sure how much help his wife would be to him.

'I must admit, I don't know as much about these things as my husband does,' Veronica finally spoke. She looked like a little girl pondering a puzzle too hard for her to solve. 'Though, I still don't understand how she got there. And if she's unable to dream again, as you say, then that makes the whole thing even more suspicious. I fear something else is at work here.'

'What do you mean, Veronica? What else could be at work?'

The oracle's wife looked up at Damien, and remained silent for a moment. Then, as if clearing her head, she dismissed her last words.

'Please, ignore me. Sometimes my mouth runs ahead of my brain. I'm not sure what to think.'

Damien did not buy it.

'Veronica, talk to me, please. What is it you're thinking?'

Veronica took another moment to gather her thoughts and finally decided to speak.

'Well, a lot of things seem to be happening that, in my opinion, simply cannot be unrelated. First, Serena appears in the real world against all likelihood, and we have no idea how she got there. Then we learn that she seems to be unable to return home, which is even more worrisome. And now, my Alfie fails to return home after going to visit the Order of the Guardians for the very reason of discussing her. I fear there's something sinister behind all of this, though what exactly, I could not say.'

She stopped there and seemed to keep trying to sort out this puzzle in her head. Damien stayed quiet too, pondering what she'd just said. She seemed to have a point, but how could they know for sure? He really wished Alfie was there with them right now.

Alfie.

'I can't believe I've never asked this before,' he now asked, 'but what is it exactly that Alfie does in the real world?'

Veronica smiled.

'He works for the Order of the Guardians. His duty is to keep an eye on young Dreamers there and help them whenever they're in need. He's like a guide of sorts.'

'But, isn't that what this Freddie guy does; the so-called prophet?'

'My husband's name is Alfred, Damien. He goes by Alfie here, but back in the real world everyone knows him as Freddie.'

'Well, I'll be...' Damien literally scratched his head. Twenty years, and he'd never put two and two together.

'Well, I never actually met Freddie myself,' he tried to justify himself. 'I've only ever heard of him from Daniel or Sam.'

'You wouldn't have recognised him, anyway,' Veronica decided to throw him a bone. 'Even now he looks different from the way he looked twenty years ago. Whenever he travels there, he inhabits the body of a young man who has agreed to host him during that time. Throughout the years, the Order has had a number of such men in their services, maintained and trained for just such a thing. It's all very secretive, of course, and kept within certain families who are loyal to the Order. My Alfie does not really enjoy doing it, but it's a necessity.'

Damien leaned back, dumbfounded. This was all becoming too confusing, and he wasn't sure he understood anything anymore.

'How does he do it?' he asked again. 'I mean; how does he go back?'

'I don't know,' replied Veronica. 'I've never cared about all the technical details involved, to be honest with you. He is a Dreamer, after all; he's the one who created this world, and he was going back and forth all the time, until he passed away. I guess he and the Order must have found a way for him to continue to do so even after that.

'But, that's not really important right now. When was the last time you heard of Freddie?'

'He took Serena to our house in Horsham and left her there with my father. He then told her he would go to consult with the Order, and that's all I know. That was three days ago.'

'I'm not worried,' said Veronica, though her face said otherwise. 'He goes missing for days sometimes, but always comes back. Try to contact them again when you go back, please. And if you get news from him, do be a dear and keep me informed. Though, I hope he will have returned by then.'

'I will,' Damien replied, and then added. 'I'm sure he's fine, Veronica. He knows his job, and it sounds like he's been doing it for quite a while.'

Veronica smiled at this.

'Too long, he'd say. He often talks about leaving it all behind, you know; passing the torch to someone else, so to speak. I just hope he'll have the chance to actually do it someday.'

With that, she could no longer keep up with appearances, but broke down in tears. Damien slid closer and threw an arm around her, cradling her head on his shoulder. He'd never seen her cry before; it was just not a Veronica thing.

Only a moment later, the oracle's wife regained control of herself and retreated from Damien's embrace.

'Silly me; do forgive me, won't you? I must indeed be getting old to forget my manners like this.'

'Nonsense,' Damien chuckled. 'You are neither silly, nor old; and as for your manners, we could all still learn a thing or two from you. Have you ever thought about opening a school?'

Veronica laughed. She hadn't wanted to admit it, but she was worried about Alfie. It was true he had gone for days at a time in the past, but she always knew where and why. This time it was different; she had expected him to return soon after visiting the Order, but he hadn't. Deep inside, she knew something had gone wrong and she was sure it had everything to do with Serena.

'I'm sorry I couldn't be of much help to you,' she turned to Damien again.

'You were plenty helpful,' Damien assured her. 'I know this is all new to everyone involved and nobody knows much, so I wasn't really expecting anything. I just wanted Alfie to know.'

'Well, if what you say about him already meeting Serena is true, then, he does. I just wonder how long he's known about this and why he hasn't shared it with anyone.'

'Maybe not that long. Maybe they only met just before he went to visit the Order; and that is why he's been gone all this time, because he's looking after her.'

'Yes, that must be it,' said Veronica, but did not sound too convinced. Something just did not feel right, yet she was unable to pinpoint what. 'Anyway, I guess there isn't much else for us to do, but wait and see what happens.

'Tell me,' she now changed the subject, 'how is my Sam doing? Last time we spoke, you seemed rather preoccupied.'

Damien clutched his tea cup and stared at the fire for what felt like entire minutes. Preoccupied didn't even begin to describe how worried he was about his wife.

'I wish I could say she's doing ok, Veronica. Fact is, I've never been more worried. She's changed, so much so and in such a short period of time, that it's got me freaking out. It just doesn't feel natural.'

'What do you mean?'

'She's not herself; she hasn't been for months now, but recently it's gotten worse. She's moody all the time, depressed and tired. She gets angry, no, she gets mad quite easy and says the most hurtful things. At times, I swear she wants to hurt me, and not just with words. Then, in a rare moment of clarity, she comes to and hates herself for everything. I've caught her twice trying to kill herself, Veronica, and I was barely able to stop her. But I'm scared that the next time she tries, I won't be there.

'I didn't know what else to do, so I took her to the States, away from everyone we know, and put her in a hospital. I cannot help her on my own, I don't know how. They've got her sedated most of the time, but even when she's awake, she refuses to talk to me. Still, I don't think she's angry; it's more like she's trying to keep me away for my own good. I don't know what to do, Veronica.'

Damien leaned his head on one of his palms, appearing completely surrendered and desperate. It was now Veronica's turn to comfort him, though she wasn't sure how she might manage that.

'I'm so sorry, darling,' was all she could say. 'I had no idea. The things you both must be going through...'

'She could never get over the fact that we could not have children,' Damien added, as if that explained everything. Veronica somehow did not think so.

'Maybe that's not it. You said it yourself that it does not feel natural.'

'Then, what else could it be?'

'Maybe the answer lies in her dreamworld,' Veronica offered. 'Maybe something is happening to her there.'

'But how could I find out? She won't talk to me about it and I got no other way.'

'I wish I knew, darling,' Veronica admitted. 'But don't give up yet; she's a tough girl, my Samantha; she will get through this, you'll see. And as soon as Alfie comes back, I'll talk to him and see if there's anything he can find out. We will find a way to help her, I promise.'

Damien barely managed a smile. He did feel a bit lighter after finally talking to someone; he'd never said any of this to anyone else, except Daniel.

Maybe Veronica was right, maybe it all had to do with New Endërland, though Damien really hoped it wasn't so. Somehow, the prospect of Sam's sickness originating from her dreamworld was much scarier than a mere mental breakdown. Who knew what monsters waited beyond the veil that hid the dream realm from the real world? He wasn't sure he wanted to deal with all of that all over again.

Three days had passed since Serena had come to stay with her grandfather. They were quiet but wonderful days. David had taken her into town twice and showed her around. They'd done some shopping and bought some more clothes for her and other things that a girl her age would need. They'd also stopped at the town's Pret shop for another coffee, the taste of which Serena had grown to love, but other than that, there wasn't much else to do in a small place like this.

On the third day David drove her to Brighton, by the seaside. Serena liked this city better than London. It had a more exotic feel to it and the people seemed a little less in a hurry than they did in the big capital. But best of all, there was the sea. She'd only been away from home for about a week now, but she already missed the sea. After all, she was born and raised right next to it and it was as much of a home to her as land was.

A curious thing happened to her just then. These past few days she had been growing less hopeful of ever returning to Endërland; she was still unable to dream, and she didn't know how to change that. But as she sat on the rocky beach, breathing in the cool air, with the waves of this new sea splashing playfully in front of her, she felt an unexplained hope that she would find her way back home one day, and that was a fact. She felt much better after this one strange moment and was able to enjoy the city and her grandfather's company better.

Back home, they spent their time cooking and working in the back garden, while David kept telling her stories about the family. She was especially interested in stories about her dad, when he was a kid. It felt so weird, yet funny to hear of him in that context, and she constantly bothered David for more juicy info.

She got to go through all the albums with family photos and old videotapes David had. And while she loved getting to know more about her dad's family and past, she could not help but feel a little sad. This was a part of him that she had missed out on, but more so, a part that her dad had left behind and to this day still missed. For the first time, she realised just how hard it must have been for him to make the decision he had made, giving up his former life, his home, his father, all for his brother. She then wondered if he'd ever regretted it.

One thing was definitely strange for her, seeing photos of her uncle Damien and Sam. Sam was really beautiful, her blonde hair long and wavy, her blue eyes full of life. Knowing the stories about the time her dad, she and Freddie had spent together, and how she had saved her dad, Serena felt such admiration for this woman whom she'd never met, but really wanted to.

Her uncle, however, was a different matter. She always knew him as the young man she saw regularly in Endërland, slightly older than her dad, with piercing black eyes, curly black hair and a neat goatee. But even knowing that in this world he wore her dad's body and face did not prepare her for what she saw, especially the most recent pictures. This was her dad, only much older and quite different from the man she knew.

Despite all the magical and miraculous things she had witnessed all her life, she could not so easily wrap her head around this. Her uncle looked like her dad, only a much older version of him. She wondered whether her dad would have grown to look any different from what her uncle looked now, had he been the one inhabiting his own body. It was a head-scratcher, no doubt about it.

Moreover, she was not sure how she would have to act when she finally met him. It turned out, however, that that would not happen anytime soon. Damien had called earlier that night to let them know that they were staying in Chicago indefinitely. He'd sounded quite worried over the phone; something had happened to Sam. It seemed she had fallen in some sort of a coma and would not wake up. They were currently keeping her in intensive care, while trying to find out the cause of her state, but Damien suspected this might not be a medical issue. It could be that something had happened to Sam in her dreamworld, though he had no way of confirming this.

That evening, as she tried to fall asleep in her new room, Serena could not stop thinking about it. She felt bad for Sam; she had been so strong and brave in her youth, saving her dad's life on more than one occasion. Now, however, it appeared she may have found herself in the same situation as her dad during those earlier days. Wasn't that strange? Was something similar happening in New Endërland right now as it had happened in her world during the Dark Winter? If so, was there any way for them to help? She knew her dad would have wanted to, if he could. She planned to ask Freddie as soon as she saw him next. She just did not expect to see him that very evening.

She was still wide awake when she heard a knock on the main door, followed by her grandfather's footsteps down the wooden stairs. When she heard what she thought was Freddie's voice, she too got up, got dressed again and went down to the living room to meet them.

They were both standing there, now looking towards her, having heard her coming down from her room. Serena's eyes went straight to Freddie, unwillingly smiling as their gazes met. It dawned on her right then that she had missed him a lot more than she had anticipated and was really glad to see him again.

The look in Freddie's eyes, however, confused her. He did not appear to be as pleased to see her as she had hoped. At first, she felt hurt, but soon she understood. Freddie was worried. And so was David.

'What's wrong?' she asked right away, somehow sensing that this had nothing to do with the news about Sam.

'I need to take you out of here,' answered Freddie, not lingering with formalities. This sounded serious and urgent.

'Where? Why?'

'We don't have time to talk about it now, Serena. You need to change right now and come with me. You're in danger.'

'From whom? Who would want to hurt me?' Serena insisted.

'It's a very long and complicated story, Serena and we really don't have time. Please go and change.'

'But...' Serena looked at David, who now intervened.

'You better do as he says, Serena. We'll explain on the way.'

'You're coming with?' Serena felt better about this already.

'You bet, I am. I let my son go on his own once; I'm not doing that mistake with my granddaughter too. Besides, Daniel would want me to look after you.'

They both looked at Freddie, to find out if he agreed with this. Freddie did not waste time arguing.

'That's fine, just get ready, please. We need to leave right away.'

Both Serena and David got changed and ready to go in a manner of minutes. They joined Freddie downstairs and together they headed towards the door.

Somehow, Serena did not feel happy about leaving this place. It had become her home in the last four days, and she had hoped she would have a bit more time here.

As if reading her mind, David put a hand on her cheek, caressing her.

'Don't worry, you'll see this place again, I promise. We'll come back once it's safe.'

_Safe from whom,_ she thought to herself, but to her grandfather she only gave a smile and nodded. She followed Freddie, who was the first one out of the door and on to the patio. Behind her, David turned to lock the door as soon as he was out too.

From there, everything happened so fast that she missed parts of it. She bent down to tie her shoelaces, with which she was still getting used to, when she heard a muted sound coming from somewhere outside the front gate. Behind her, her grandfather fell down on the ground, without making a sound. Freddie turned around so fast that she almost got dizzy just by looking at him and pushed her down on the floor, covering her with his own body.

A series of bullets flew in from the same direction as the first, hitting the wall, door and windows of the house behind them. They opened up a bunch of holes and broke a lot of glass, but neither of them got hit. When the shooting finally stopped, a car was heard speeding away in the night, yet Freddie still held her down. Only when he was sure that the shooter was really gone did he let her back up and both of them hastened to check on David.

The bullet had entered from the back through the left shoulder, and exited from his chest. It seemed to have missed his heart by a hair. That was the good news. The bad news was that he was bleeding badly.

Kneeling beside Freddie, Serena felt scared like she'd never been. She had never experienced anything of the sort in her entire young life. Nothing had prepared her for something like this.

'Is he going to be okay?' she asked, her voice trembling. She did not want to cry, but the sudden idea that her grandfather might die was just too overwhelming.

'I don't know,' Freddie answered hastily. 'He needs to go to the hospital. Quick, give me your hands.'

She got closer and let him grab her hands and place them one on top of the other over David's open wound.

'Push down just hard enough to stop the bleeding, while I call an ambulance.'

Serena wasn't sure what that would accomplish exactly, but did as he said. Freddie pushed the door open and ran inside towards the phone, while Serena kept her hands on her grandfather's chest. She could feel the warmth of flesh and blood underneath her skin, the rising and falling of his chest as he struggled to breathe. As tears rolled down her cheeks, she tried to comfort herself with the fact that he was still breathing and there was still hope.

Freddie came back out in a matter of seconds, with the cordless phone in his hand. He knelt down next to David, checked his pulse and then spoke to the person on the other end of the line.

'Yes, he still has a pulse and he's still breathing. No, he's not conscious. We're trying to stop the bleeding, but that's not gonna help much. You need to get here now.'

The person on the phone was still talking, but Freddie hung up.

'They're on their way. They'll be here in about five minutes. Are you okay?'

Serena nodded, though her drenched face said otherwise. Freddie raised one hand and wiped her tears.

'He'll be okay, Serena, I promise. We'll just have to hang on for a few more minutes. But once we hear them coming, we have to leave.'

'What?' Serena could not believe him. 'I don't want to leave him; he's my granddad.'

'I know that, Serena. But those people came here for you. If we stay here, we'll have to be interrogated by the police and explain everything; and trust me, that will not go down well. Not to mention that it will be much easier for them to find you if they know where you are. We have to disappear, Serena, it's the only way.'

Serena began weeping again.

'But I can't leave him, not like this. It's not right; I need to make sure he's okay.'

'What you're doing right now is the best we can do for him. When the ambulance comes, they will take good care of him; they will save him. But us, there's nothing more we can do here. I promise you, we'll come back to check on him later, but right now I need to take you to a safe place. That's what he would want, Serena.'

Serena wanted to argue, but she knew he was right. Her grandfather had gotten hurt trying to protect her; if she got caught, or worse killed, it would have been all for nothing. She was about to say something, when they heard sirens in the distance.

Freddie grabbed her by the arm and led her outside the gate and towards his car parked down the road. She followed him silently, rivers of tears washing down her face. Once in the car, Freddie drove away in the opposite direction of the oncoming ambulance and exited the neighbourhood. In less than ten minutes they were out of Horsham, taking first the A24 and then changing to the M25. It was a slightly longer path to their destination, but with any luck, they would reach the safe house before sunrise and without being tracked down by anyone.

***

It was still dark when they arrived outside a small two-storey house in the outskirts of Basingstoke, Hampshire. Freddie drove the car inside the garage and closed the door behind them. He then led Serena to the living room where he sat her down, while he took care of setting up the house for them. It appeared to have been empty for some time. Gas, water, and electricity had all been turned off, and needed to be switched back on.

While he took care of this, Serena kept replaying the last few hours in her head. She relived all of it, her grandfather being shot and falling down, Freddie pushing her on the floor and covering her with his own body, and finally, her hands on her grandfather's bloodied chest. She looked at them as the lights came on; they were still soaked in his blood. She wept. She might never see her grandfather again and his blood was literally on her hands.

Freddie found her like that, dishevelled and crying as she stared at her bloodied hands. He took her gently and led her to the bathroom, where he helped her clean up, like she was a little child. When that was done, he led her upstairs to the master bedroom and laid her down on the bed, taking only her shoes off. He pulled the covers on top of her and for some reason not so incomprehensible to him, he felt compelled to caress her face just like her grandfather had done earlier. He proceeded to wipe the tears from her vacant eyes and then arranged her pretty hair. Her lifeless gaze was glued somewhere in front of her. Her sobs had not stopped for even a moment.

'You need to get some sleep,' he said gently. 'You'll feel better in the morning, I promise.'

He made to leave, but felt Serena grab his hand before he could take a step.

'Don't leave me, please,' she barely whispered. 'I don't wanna be alone.'

Her voice was weary; her sobs clearly had no intention of subsiding just yet. He knew he could not refuse her this one request. He took his shoes off as well and lay down beside her, slipping one arm underneath her and drawing her close.

He felt quite self-conscious all of a sudden. He wasn't impervious to how beautiful she was; it had been the first thing he had thought of her, the moment he'd first laid his eyes on her. Spending time with her had not changed his mind either, you know, the way it happens sometimes when you find someone very attractive at first, but you lose that feeling the more you get to know them. If anything, Freddie found her more beautiful the more time they spent together. He was quite aware of his attraction to her, too, and it troubled him greatly. He could not afford to fall in love with this girl, not with what was planned for her. There could never be anything between them, it just wasn't meant to be.

On the other hand, this might just make it a bit easier for him to do his job. He'd never been very good at pretending and he needed all the help he could get if he were to actually pull this off.

Beside him, Serena rolled around facing him and hid her head in his chest, her arms crossed before her. Freddie sighed. In a matter of hours, she had turned from a grown up beautiful woman into such a small thing, such a frail thing. He knew of nothing else that could do that but pain and sorrow. He wrapped his own arms around her and hugged her tight. Despite everything, he could not help but feel protective of her and did not wish any harm to befall her. He decided right then and there that, whatever he had to do, he would make sure that she would be alright in the end. Though, exactly how he would do that, he did not yet know.

Cradling her in his arms, he kissed the top of her head softly, cherishing the sweet smell of her hair, and whispered.

'I'm here, Serena; I'll never leave you.'

After the events that had led to Bessie's untimely death, Drake's life changed drastically. His first thoughts were about ending his own life, too; after all, he no longer wanted to be in this world and being abandoned by his foster parents and then killing his nanny made quite a compelling case for that option. He found, however, that he lacked the strength to go through with it. Either that, or he still loved life too much to part with it. He also wasn't sure what would happen to his dreamworld if he died here; would it still go on, or would he simply stop existing? In the end, it did not matter, the urge eventually passed, and he clung to life like a disease.

He spent the next couple of years travelling from town to town, sleeping in ghettos and under bridges, often nestled next to a prostitute for the night.

"Work" there was always plenty of, and when it came to stealing, he had no equal. He never got caught, or even suspected for that matter; his youthful and innocent appearance, as well as his good manners, worked for him. He was bold and confident, and no one ever even thought of accusing him of thievery. The trick, according to him, was to never be greedy; he got just enough for it not to be a big issue, and never twice from the same person or place. In this manner, he "earned" enough to keep himself fed and clothed, as well as entertained whenever he felt the need. But he made sure he put most of his earnings aside. He would need it for later.

Life in the real world was not the only one that changed for him; his dreamworld also followed suit. On the first morning after the big event, Drake got up from his comfortable bed and went straight up to his parents' room with his favourite dagger in his hand. With blood-crazed eyes, he didn't even bother to explain to them why he was about to kill them.

'I just want you to know one thing,' he only told them, before hacking them both into hundreds of pieces. 'Wherever you're hiding, I will find you, and I will rip you open all over again.' With stunned expression in their faces, the king and queen succumbed to the merciless blade, as their only treasured son and heir began slashing and did not stop until there was nothing left for him to slash.

Thus, the king and queen of Draeland passed away, leaving him the kingdom and the throne. No one who had any common sense, or wished to live, thought to oppose him. He was the most powerful man in the kingdom and they weren't going to risk their necks for two people who had already lost theirs.

Next, he decided to do away with Bessie, again. He tried at first to enjoy her company and services; this version of her after all, had only ever been his loyal servant. But the more he looked at her beloved face, the more he remembered what she had said to him and what he had done to her. And the guiltier he felt, the angrier he got. She should not have made him do what he did; it wasn't his fault. He had loved her like no other. So, one fine evening, as he sat on his newly claimed throne and she came towards him with a tray of food, he launched an arrow towards her, piercing right through her doubly broken heart. His aim was excellent, of course.

Nobody asked for an explanation, or said anything at all. They all just lowered their heads and went about their business, smiling and pretending not to see.

It slowly turned into a reign of terror as the days wore on. The people in the small island lived terrified of what he might do to them on a daily basis. First, it was the servants, then, the commoners. Whenever he ran into someone he did not like for whatever reason, they were done for. And nobody could stop him.

A few of them tried. Attacks on his life became a regular thing, yet somehow, they all failed. Drake grew paranoid and distrusting of anyone and everyone around him, and soon he began to see enemies everywhere. So, he struck before they even had a chance to think about rebelling against him and his tyranny, and he struck even if they never intended to.

In the span of a few years, his dreamworld became a depressing place to live in, even more so than the real world. Food and other goods were now growing scarce, while thieves and robbers began to multiply. But Drake no longer cared about any of it.

He was as much afraid of his people \- whose numbers were going down rather quickly - as they were of him. He spent his days locked inside his palace, surrounded by a handful of men and servants who stood by him, not so much out of loyalty, as for fear and convenience.

***

His nineteenth birthday found Drake finally picking up the Bagley's trail. After deliberating for about a minute on what it was he wanted to do about them, he'd decided he would track them down and kill them all over again.

He was sure it wouldn't be nearly as difficult for him the second time around, though he'd had no qualms over it the first time. He had thought his rage would have subsided afterwards, but it had not been so. Knowing that they were still alive in the real world and living their dream life in their dream home, all at his expense, got him madder every time he thought about it. He would not be able to find peace until they'd paid for their deception, dearly.

So, he used bribery, trickery, torture and everything he could think of to get news of their whereabouts from former acquaintances or collaborators, and his long days of searching eventually paid off.

He found them playing first class citizens in a wealthy new neighbourhood in the parish of Dulwich, Surrey. They went by the name of Brown, a couple that had apparently made their fortune in India in their youth, and had now returned to seek a quiet life at home. With the name Brown quite common and their story being only one among similar hundreds, Drake was sure no one would suspect the truth about the Bagleys being anything but. And that's when he knew exactly what he was going to do about them. Before the pair met their end, the world would see them for who they truly were, low class imposters and thieves.

He dedicated the next couple of months to devising and putting into action an intricate plan. This time was spent following them around, observing their daily habits, their social connections and activities, the places they went to and the gatherings they attended. The Bagleys had made a good life for themselves and it infuriated Drake to see them so obliviously happy, trotting about the town as if all was good with the world. If he didn't know any better, he'd think they were an honest to goodness, genuinely real and bonafide couple of decent people, with nary a blemish in their past, nor an evil bone in their seemingly well fed and pampered bodies. As it were, he _did_ know better, and blast it if he didn't make sure the rest of their new friends did too.

His plan was simple. He would infiltrate the circle of people the Bagleys frequented, become one of them, and at the right time, preferably a very public moment, he would unmask them, revealing to the world their true identities and faces.

When he thought he had enough information at his disposal, the first part of his plan was complete. He then began working on the second part. He rented an empty house in the area and hired himself a maid and a butler. His plan required him to pass as a gentleman of the high society, a newcomer of course, but of good lineage and money. He'd saved enough during the past four years to pull this off for a couple of months and didn't care if he ended up broke afterwards, or worse.

He stocked up his new wardrobe with plenty of fine clothes and accessories, anything that a young gentleman of his stature would require, sparing no expense. He cleaned up and took to being well-groomed and presentable all the time, fitting well into his new role and shining like a new penny.

To the eyes of the world, however, he looked like he was born into it, and when he realised he'd managed to pull this off quite easily, he felt more than a little satisfaction. People treated him very differently from what he was used to, everywhere he went. Traders rushed to do his bidding, trying to please his every lavish request; other gentlemen would greet him and speak to him as one of their own, and even the ladies would look at him differently, their gaze lingering on him a little longer than he'd been used to.

He wasn't altogether displeasing to the eye either. Under his light-brown shiny hair, neatly combed upwards, a pair of fine eyebrows arched on top of a small but bright pair of eyes, that even though quite ordinary, had a certain mystery about them. His face was fresh even for his age, and yet, despite a rough skin and a not so flattering moustache over his quite sensual lips, it all made for a fairly attractive young man.

With the kind of lifestyle he'd known up until this point, it was no wonder he was surprised at the amount of the attention he now received from the fairer sex. He felt self-conscious at first, fearing their looks meant that they saw through what he was trying hard to hide. Soon though, he learned that he had nothing to worry about; despite how he felt about himself, he was quite desirable to most of them. So, he figured this was a good thing and that it might actually help him in his plan to end the Bagleys.

When he was finally sure that the image he had created for himself was convincing enough, time came for the infiltration part of the plan. He started by befriending the young of the rich families in the area, guys his age, who for leisure frequented pubs and race tracks, and other places of the sort. He was a natural at reading people and charming them, so it took no time at all to befriend several young men he had targeted. The story he was going with was that his rich parents had travelled to America and were working towards building a business and a life there. He would join them soon. He spoke with such knowledge and confidence, that no one even thought for a moment that he was making everything up.

Growing up among the rich and studying them in order to become a more effective thief, he'd learned a lot about their ways. Thus, it was no chore passing off as one of them; he had the part down to perfection. Soon enough, his place among his new friends was cemented. It took a lot of not only time, but also flattery and a great deal of money to make that happen. But when he was done, the young impressionable men were hanging on every word he said and every move he made. He became more than one of them, he became the one to hang out with.

He was regularly invited to their homes for dinners and small parties, and would likewise have them over to his "temporary residence" to entertain them. Their parents all loved him, their younger brothers looked up to him, while their sisters, both young and old swooned over him.

It wasn't easy for him to not give in to their attention; between the girls he bedded every night in his dreamworld and the whores he sometimes lay with in this one, he'd developed a taste for their companionship. So, it took all the self-restraint he could muster to keep from chasing after one or all of them. But he had a role to play and an image to maintain, and that was more important for now. Still, maybe courting one of the young women he'd just met might actually help with that? After all, wasn't that what rich young men of his age did?

And so it was that he met Miss Lily Worthington. She had the blondest hair and the bluest eyes he had ever seen on someone, with a face that was absolutely and breathtakingly gorgeous. But he saw gorgeous girls everywhere these days, so it wasn't her beauty that really struck him. No, it was her innocence that drew him to her. She had the kindest smile anyone could ever have and a look that could warm the heart of the coldest man. Of all the young women he'd ever met, or even been with - and there'd been quite a few of them in the past couple of years - none had managed to claim his attention the way she did. If he was to pretend to be courting someone, it might as well be someone he actually liked.

With the permission of her parents, a middle-class couple who had married for love and desired the same for their own children, as well as the support of her diminutive older brother, Samuel, one of his new best friends, he began courting her. They would regularly go to the theatre, or the circus, make visits to the zoo, or take a walk in the park, always accompanied by her brother or a chaperone. He was ever the perfect gentleman, charming and elegant, though he found that with her he didn't even have to try. He could be more himself with her than he had been in the past couple of months with anyone else, and still feel rather good about it.

Young Lily was always delightful and a breeze to be with. She wasn't interested in everything other girls constantly went on about; she only ever wanted to know about him. Everything she asked was always personal, his relationship with his parents, his past experiences, his feelings, his thoughts about this or that. It made it so easy for him not to have to lie or fake anything. He could truthfully tell her anything she wanted and find that his secret was still safe and hidden.

As the weeks went by and he felt that this relationship was actually heading somewhere serious, he stopped for the first time to ask himself what he was doing. His plan of revenge against the Bagleys had now matured and the time was ripe for him to take the final step.

But he had not counted on falling for some girl whom he had absolutely no future with. His money had almost all run out; he had no parents waiting for him in America, and everything he had or was to these people and to her, was a lie. Even if he forgot all about the Bagleys and pursued a life with Lily, the truth would eventually surface, and she would know he wasn't the person he claimed to be. Wouldn't it all end then?

His mind screamed that he had no chance with a girl like her, yet, his heart whispered that she would love him no matter what. She knew him better than anyone, after all; she wouldn't care, would she? His mind, however, proved the strongest and eventually won the battle; no one had ever loved him all his life, even those who had claimed to do so. Why would _she_ be any different? Reluctantly, he decided he'd better stop things before they got out of hand and stopped calling on her altogether, deciding instead to focus on his plan.

He would soon get the perfect opportunity; one of the richest families in Dulwich was throwing a coming of age party for their only daughter, and almost everyone who was anyone was invited, including him. When he was assured that the Bagleys would also attend, Drake decided that this was the moment he had been waiting for. The time to exact his long-planned revenge had finally come.

### Chapter 6

# Fight or Flight

'You know; this wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I thought things were changing for me earlier today.'

Odysseus kept fidgeting, trying to undo the knot of the rope that held his hands tied to a pole behind his back. 'Damn, this is a very good knot; I must get them to teach me how they do it.'

Daniel just sat there, seemingly surrendered, tied behind him in the same wooden pole.

'I know what you mean,' he replied to the King of Ithaca. 'It wasn't what I expected either; but then again, when does one expect to be captured by flesh-eating giants and served on a dinner plate?'

The Laestrygonians had carried the two men all the way up to their village and had tied them down in the middle of what appeared to be an arena of sorts. This must be where they had all their fights or competitions, because they saw all around them tall stone benches and stools arranged in order and all facing at the centre of the arena.

'What do you think they're gonna do to us?' said Daniel, not really asking. He simply wanted to keep talking and stop his brain from going on overdrive regarding their current predicament.

'Oh, I'm sure they'll have a couple of good surprises up their sleeves, or whatever it is they're wearing. They tend to be quite creative; you know? Whichever the road though, I'm afraid the destination remains the same, their bellies. We, my dear Daniel, are the guests of honour at tonight's banquet. And we also happened to be the main course. Yum.'

'Great,' Daniel exclaimed, sorry that he asked after all. 'There goes my quest. Some great job I did of it, getting caught and eaten by cannibals at the first instance.'

'Don't be too hard on yourself, young man; it's not over yet. We just need to figure out a way out of this mess. You got any ideas?' Odysseus asked, grinning as if he was actually enjoying this. And he probably was. Here was a man who lived for challenges such as this, so to find himself in one, after an entire year of practically just lying on Circe's beach, was surely exciting.

'Me?' Daniel almost yelled. 'You're the cunning one. You've escaped from situations like this in the past; why don't _you_ think of something?'

'A simple "no" would have sufficed, my young friend,' smiled Odysseus, still struggling to break free from his bonds, and still failing. Eventually he gave up and turned his head towards Daniel as far as he could. 'Alright, here's what I'm thinking. If what I've heard about them is correct, they will split us. They will probably have a contest between themselves about who gets to eat one of us. The challengers will fight each other until there's only one winner. The rest will probably share the other one of us. You with me so far?'

'Wish I wasn't,' replied Daniel, but Odysseus ignored the remark.

'Now, if I can challenge them, they might actually let me fight. Unless you'd like the honour.'

'No, no,' Daniel replied, now his turn to grin. 'You go right ahead. As they say, age before beauty.'

'Yeah, didn't think so,' said Odysseus, pretending to feel offended. 'Now, the only problem is, I've no idea how to kill them. I usually try and find a weakness in my enemy, but I don't know them well enough and from what I've seen so far, well, they don't really have any.'

That got them both to thinking. While Odysseus tried to come up with a strategy for them to get out of this situation, Daniel replayed in his head the entire day, from the moment he and Nemo had woken up to find themselves in the eye of the storm, up until the present time. What a day it had been and the evening promised to be just as eventful, even if not to his liking.

He stared ahead into the horizon. It was almost sundown and he didn't think they had that much time left. The giants were probably sharpening their knives and getting ready to skin them alive, if that was their thing. What a way to go. He never thought he would have ended up as somebody else's meal. He had survived werewolves, giant crows, ice dragons and wolfmen, only to be served on a plate to a bunch of overgrown cavemen.

Right at that moment, he remembered the Great Battle and how it had ended, and a light bulb went on above his head.

'My lord, Odysseus,' he called to the king behind him. 'There might be a way we can get out of this alive.'

'I'm all ears,' the king said. 'What is it?'

'Do you remember what we talked about earlier today, about all the different dreamworlds out there?'

'It's all a bit blurry right now, if I'm honest. What about it?'

'Well, when I first got to my dreamworld, I didn't really know how everything worked. Bad things started to happen, a war broke out and we were very close to almost losing the kingdom because of this one evil man.'

'We're running out of time here, Daniel,' Odysseus grumbled, now watching the giants heading their way. It seemed to be all of them. 'If you have a point, get to it fast.'

'My point is, I stopped it all in the end. I finally realised that it was me who had created that world and I could change anything I wanted about it.' Of course, he'd only created part of Endërland, but he did not have the time to get into details right now.

'Are you saying I can make these bastards disappear if I wanted to?'

'Well, this is _your_ world, you are its creator. In here, _you_ are Zeus. Anything is possible for you, I guess, even making them disappear.'

'You guess? We're about to be roasted alive here, and you guess?'

'Well, if you have any better ideas, then _I'm_ all ears,' Daniel snapped back.

Odysseus seemed to be thinking. Before him, the giants were aligning themselves, most of them taking a seat in the auditorium. A handful of them stood gathered before the tallest one of them, an older, motherly looking giantess, wearing a necklace made of what appeared to be human bones.

'So, what do I do?' Odysseus whispered back to Daniel. 'How do I make this work?'

'Well, it's actually rather easy. All you need to do to make something happen, is to just think it. Try with something small first, just to test your power.'

'Like what?'

'I don't know. Think of big momma there having horns, for example.'

'But, won't they see the change?'

'Only you can tell when things change; to them it will be like she's always had horns.'

'Hmm, interesting,' said Odysseus, a bigger grin now returning to his face.

His eyes focused on the giantess taking her place in her high seat before her children. Without an announcement, a sound, or anything at all accompanying the change, a pair of big horns, much like those of a cow, sprang on both sides of her head, arching upward and giving the large woman quite the comical look. Daniel couldn't help but chuckle, while the giants continued with their business as if nothing had ever happened.

'Hey, I thought you said only I could tell when things change,' Odysseus complained. 'How come you notice it, too?'

'I don't know. Maybe because it was my idea? Or maybe because I'm not of this world. Who cares? You're quite the artist, by the way,' Daniel complimented.

'Yeah, my wife tells me that all the time,' Odysseus answered with a self-satisfying look on his face. 'That was actually pretty easy. Though, I'm not so sure about those horns; I think I can do much better.'

'Forget the horns,' Daniel almost yelled, looking anxiously at the gathered giants. 'Think about how you're gonna get us out of here.'

'Don't worry,' Odysseus winked at him, 'I'm sure I'll come up with something.'

The giants now fell into silence and all of them sat down but one, the ugly one who Odysseus had pissed off earlier. He held in his hand a long bone, sharpened and fashioned into some sort of a blade. Right then, big momma spoke.

'My son, Aschius, claims for himself the fat one,' pointing at Odysseus. 'Is there a challenger?'

'Did she just call me fat?' Odysseus turned his head towards Daniel.

'Rude, right?' Daniel replied barely containing his mirth. 'What are you gonna do about it?'

'Oh, I'll show her fat,' Odysseus was about to probably turn big momma into an even bigger momma, when another giant from the group in front of them got up and approached Aschius. He was slightly taller than the ugly one, and a good deal more robust. He held in his hand a club, which Daniel thought looked quite similar to the one little Bamm-Bamm from The Flintstones carried with him all the time.

'Ooh, I bet on him,' Odysseus quickly said, giddy as a little child.

'Nah, I'm with ugly,' said Daniel, struggling to see from where he was seated.

'Are you kidding me? Look at that guy.'

'You, better than anyone, should know that looks can be deceiving, my lord.'

'True that,' Odysseus admitted. 'Still, I bet on him.'

'Alright. What are we betting then?'

'I don't know. We can think of something later; they're about to start.'

Without much fanfare, the duel began, announced only by a collective shouting of the giant spectators. The giantess watched with a huge smile on her face, seemingly unconcerned about her own son's fortune. The challenger advanced with his club raised and a sneer across his round face. Aschius had been unchallenged for a long time and the rest of the giants had grown tired of it. Not many of them had the guts to go up against him, however.

Standing his ground, Aschius waited until his opponent reached him and raised his left arm, easily blocking the club aiming at his head. It absorbed the hit and must have hurt plenty, but the giant's scarred face refused to show pain. He swung his blade at the other giant, but he leaned back, the blade barely scratching his bare chest. Another blow came towards him and Aschius stopped it the same way, launching another swing of his blade, which again missed its target. A series of attacks and counterattacks followed, making it look as if they were watching a well-matched duel, but while the challenger seemed to be giving it his all, Aschius still had to break a sweat.

'C'mon, c'mon, stop toying with him and just hit him,' Odysseus egged his giant on, much to Daniel's amusement. The two fighters ignored him, focused in their duel.

Almost half an hour passed, and the fighting went on and on, with no apparent end to it. Both giants were strong, but Daniel could see that the challenger was already growing tired. It was just a matter of time before he made a wrong move.

As if he had read his mind, Aschius apparently decided he'd had enough of playing with his opponent and launched himself towards him, with a speed and energy that up until now he seemed to have been stowing away. The challenger looked surprised and in a fit of panic struggled to block all the consecutive blows he was receiving.

The blade in Aschius' hand was now flying in the air, barely visible. Numerous cuts began appearing all over the challenger's body, most superficial, but some of them quite deep. As the duel headed towards the end, he raised his club for what he thought would be a definite hit, when Aschius' swinging blade cut his entire arm off, dropping it and the club on the ground. The wounded giant screamed from pain and rage and raised his other arm to knock Aschius down, but with an incredible speed, the scarred giant turned the blade the other way, and cut the second arm off. Without giving his opponent a chance to even scream again, he swung his blade one last time, and cut his head off clean at the base of his neck. Then, with a raised foot, he kicked the still standing body down, and let it fall, watching his head roll towards his mother's feet.

Silence rained in the arena, while Aschius now turned towards the rest of the giants. Then, with both his arms raised up high and a vicious look on his face, he screamed, 'Who's next?'

There was no answer. They all looked away as his eyes travelled to each and every single one of them, challenging them with his undefeated status as a champion. Seeing that no one else would fight him that day, Aschius spat at their feet with apparent disgusts and turned towards the captive men. Behind him, the giantess continued to applaud and smile, full of pride for her son.

In a few short steps, the scarred giant reached Odysseus, and removing from his waist a small knife, Odysseus' knife, he reached behind the captive king and cut off the rope that kept him tied to the pole. Then, grabbing him by his clothes and practically lifting him off the ground, he brought him up to his face and snarled.

'Roast.'

Carrying him in one hand, he turned towards a big fire on the side of the arena and began walking towards it, while the rest of the giants watched, not without jealousy.

'Excuse me, excuse me,' Odysseus' voice echoed over the silence. Big momma's eyes lit up even brighter, as if she was quite amused.

'Aschius, stop,' she ordered her son.

'Why?' Aschius bellowed. 'He's mine. No one else has challenged me.'

'I challenge you,' Odysseus answered. As if on cue, the entire giant community broke into uproarious laughter. Aschius and his mother also joined in; the champion's laughter was even uglier than his face. Still holding him in one hand, the scarred giant lifted Odysseus slightly up, looking at him in the eye now.

'You what?'

Odysseus ignored him and turned to the giantess.

'I challenge his royal ugliness here and all of you for my own life and that of my friend.'

'No,' The giantess answered sharply, looking at Odysseus as if she was calling his bluff.

'Why not?' Odysseus asked, feigning insult.

'Because you're not one of us; your challenge is not valid.'

'Well, then make new rules. I have the right to fight for my own life, or are you afraid that your big baby here is not strong enough to fight a human?'

'Let me fight him,' Aschius growled. The rest of the giants were now following with interest this new turn of events.

'Aschius, we do not play with our food,' the giantess replied in a very motherly voice.

'Hey, if you're worried about him, feel free to join in,' Odysseus kept teasing. 'I'm sure I can take the both of you.'

While Daniel and the rest of the giants laughed, Aschius gave the king a slap upside the head for his temerity. Odysseus, who had now been left to stand on his own, fell backwards by the brute force.

'So,' he got back up, ignoring Aschius, and harassing the giantess again. 'What's it gonna be? Are you gonna accept my challenge, or will you let it be known that the race of Laestrygonians are too afraid to face humans in a one-on-one combat. Because that's exactly what's going to happen. Word of your cowardice will spread and you will become the laughing stock of your people. Worse yet, Zeus, who sees all and protects me, might get angry at you for not giving me the chance of a fair fight and smite you all to smithereens. Surely you don't want that, do you?'

'Let me fight him, mother, just so I can shut him up,' Aschius growled again, growing impatient.

'Yeah, good luck with that,' Odysseus replied to him. 'Not even the mightiest heroes of Greece were able to manage such a feat, my ugly friend.'

Aschius was about to smack him again when the giantess shouted.

'Enough. You may have your challenge, but you will get no special treatment, and you can only bargain for your own life. If, by some miracle of the gods you win, you are free to go. Your friend would have to challenge me for his own life. But if you lose, I want you to know, that I will cut that silver tongue from your mouth myself and eat it raw. Then, I will add your skull as the prize jewel to my necklace and display you as a warning for every other sharp-mouthed midget out there who thinks he can outwit me and my kind.'

She now got up from her seat and stared Odysseus down with pure malice. Her horns suddenly lost all their comical effect, instead making her look frightful and terrifying.

'I know who you are, Odysseus, son of Laertes, King of Ithaca. I've been looking forward to having you on my table ever since you escaped my people in Telepylus. And you can be sure that I will catch the rest of your men, the last remaining ship you have, and they will all suffer the same fate as your other eleven ships, inside our bellies or at the bottom of the sea. You may have conquered Troy and survived the war, o cunning one, but the whole world will know that it was the Laestrygonians who were the end of the great Odysseus. And not even Zeus himself can do anything to stop that.'

Having finished her little hate speech, the giantess locked eyes with Odysseus for a moment. Fire burned in the king's eyes as he remembered all the men he had lost and the families that were still waiting for them back home. No longer feeling like teasing the giantess, he defiantly stared back at her and said through his teeth.

'As Zeus is my witness, today you will all burn.'

She chuckled and then turned to her son, scowling.

'End him.'

Aschius sneered maliciously and turned to Odysseus, ready to have at him.

'Hey, wait,' Odysseus raised a hand in front of him. 'Don't I get a weapon?'

Aschius stopped in his tracks, grabbed Odysseus' tiny knife from his waist, raised it to his mouth and pretended to use it as a tooth pick for a moment, before throwing it at the king's feet. Ignoring his gesture, Odysseus picked the weapon up and wiped it clean against his clothes.

'Thanks.'

The giant waited no more but launched himself against the smaller man. He swung his own blade upside down, aiming for Odysseus' head, but the king moved swiftly out of the way. Just as swiftly, Aschius swung again, and again Odysseus jumped away. It had been a long and tiresome day, but the king seemed to show no fatigue just now. He moved around with such a graceful speed, that Achilles himself would have envied him.

It was a good enough strategy, Daniel guessed, Odysseus was small and agile, fast enough to avoid the giant's blows until he found an opening to strike. The problem with that was that not only would he get too tired before that could happen, but also, if he ever got a chance to strike at the giant, he didn't have the strength or a weapon big enough to do any real damage. Daniel wondered what Odysseus' plan was; how was he hoping to beat the ugly creature? He guessed he'd just have to wait and see, hoping the king knew what he was doing.

Aschius was relentless in his assault, as if an invisible force drove him and gave him energy. He kept coming at Odysseus, waiving his blade on all sides and from every direction. The king of Ithaca was well trained and knew his stuff, but he had a lot more work to do compared to the giant, who, whatever Odysseus did and wherever he retreated, was there with just one big step. Very soon Odysseus would be too tired to move as he did, though Daniel had to admit, he was doing a commendable job so far. The giant was accumulating little cuts and scars all over his arms and legs, everywhere Odysseus' knife could reach. Still, it would take much more than mere scratches to bring him down. The superficial wounds were not slowing him down at all and Odysseus would not be able to keep this up for long.

For a few more minutes Odysseus kept baiting the giant, always escaping from his reach at the very last moment. This began to infuriate Aschius. He was growing more frustrated by the moment, and his initial anger soon turned to rage. He was now attacking blindly and furiously, having had enough of the troublesome midget, and not worrying about defending himself at all. In his mind, he thought there was nothing Odysseus could do to him other that scratch him with that tooth pick he had for a weapon. So, he grew more careless in his attacks.

This had been the moment Odysseus was waiting for. As the eyes of everyone around them watched their every move, Odysseus allowed the scarred giant to advance towards him once more. Just as the blade came down towards him, he swiftly dove between his opponent's legs and tumbled several times on the ground, gaining a good distance from him. Aschius turned around, and watching the smaller man so far from him, yelled in frustration. Setting off in his direction, he raised his arms in the air once again.

Standing up and turning around, Odysseus now aimed his knife and launched it with all the strength he could muster. The weapon flew with an astonishing speed, as if the gods themselves had given it wings, targeting the giant's unprotected heart. As it got closer to it, the knife began to sparkle with a bright gold, producing what appeared to Daniel like hundreds of little lightning bolts, all surrounding it and setting it alight. When it finally hit the giant's chest, the knife dug itself deep into his flesh, piercing his heart. As if he was being electrocuted, Aschius began to shake uncontrollably, while the lighting released from the knife set his flesh on fire.

Before the terrified eyes of his kin and his mother, the scarred giant began to burn, screaming in unbearable pain and agony.

'You did promise me a roast,' Odysseus called after him, his eyes ablaze with the same fire.

The giant dropped on the ground, the stink of his burning flesh reeking all over the arena. Above them, the sky filled with unnatural dark clouds, threatening the worst storm they'd ever seen. Alarmed, the spectator giants got up and made a run for it, but as Daniel watched them go, endless lightning bolts shot down from the sky, setting them all on fire and dropping them on the ground one after the other.

The only one who did not run was the giantess. She was still sitting on her throne, her eyes glued to the burning pile of what once was her only son and heir. Odysseus now stepped in front of her, prompting her to look at him. There was anger and rage in her eyes, but also fear. This was no mere man, standing in front of her with eyes still burning bright; this must be a god.

'Zeus,' she barely managed to say, half asking, half stating.

'Zeus is dead,' the king roared at her. 'I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, King of Ithaca. And I make this promise to you, giantess; when I am done with you, I will go back to Telepylus and kill every single one of your kind, turning them all to ash, so that you can never hurt anyone else again.'

'Mercy,' was all she managed to say, before Odysseus raised his hand towards her and the sky rained lightning bolts on her body, her throne and every stone around her, until there was nothing left of her and her human bones necklace.

With that, their captivity was over.

***

The sky had turned clear again, when back down by the seaside the mermaids were set free of the chains that had held them prisoner on that rock for what had felt to them like an eternity. The three ladies shed tears of happiness as they swam deep in the clear waters of the ocean for the first time after so long. Daniel watched Nemo as he rejoiced with Eleanor and the other two former queens. It was good to see his friend so happy again; Nemo had been sad for a long time after Eleanor's departure from Endërland.

Right then, he could not help but think of his own family. He had no idea where Serena was, or even if she was alive. He'd set out on a crazy mission, looking for her without any clues or leads and he didn't know where this trip would take him, or even if it would produce any results. What was worse, he'd separated from Hëna and had sent her in the opposite direction, on a mission just as hopeless and foolish. What were they thinking? How were they hoping to find Serena like this? And what if he never saw either of them? What if he never found his way back home? He felt his eyes burn and his throat tighten and knew that he was about to well up, so he retreated and sat by himself on a rock far away from them. He hated crying in front of others.

He was left alone for a time, while everybody saw to their own business. After a while, however, Odysseus came and sat down next to him. Daniel had managed to stay his tears by then.

'You're worried about your family,' the perceptive King of Ithaca said. Daniel did not reply. There wasn't much he could say, at least not without turning into a snivelling idiot in front of the great Odysseus.

'I don't know how long it's been since I last saw my wife,' Odysseus continued. 'Sometimes I struggle to even remember her face. And it scares me. But when that happens, I try to think of a special memory, and I got plenty of those with her. Like the first time I saw her; everyone had come to her uncle's house for her cousin, Helena, but it was Penelope that had my heart from the first moment. She was beautiful, smart, strong, funny even; none of the things that women in our society usually are. We sat together making fun of all the other suitors and placing bets on whom Helena would chose. Of course, she won, though I still suspect she had inside information on the matter.

'Or I think of the day I married her, the second happiest day of my life. I was flying high back then, and the greatest thing about it is that she was right up there with me; she was just as happy to be with me as I was to be with her. People fall in love and get married all the time, Daniel, but for two people like us, I think they should come up with an entirely new word for it. There's not a day going by that I don't think of her. And no matter what I go through, or how much I struggle and suffer and for however long, it will all be worth it, as long as it leads me back to her. And I know that when I see her, it will all be gone, forgotten as if it never happened. She has that kind of power over me.'

Daniel listened to Odysseus talk about his wife the way he did, and could not help but think of his Hëna. That was exactly how he felt about her; he was blessed. Growing up, he'd wondered about adult life, marriage and children, and the older he got, the more he understood that it wouldn't all be flowers and roses; no marriage is. With Hëna though, it was the closest thing. Oh, how he missed her, how he regretted parting from her. They should have done this thing together, like always. He shouldn't be putting Nemo's life in danger, or Séraphin's. This was his and Hëna's mission, nobody else's.

'Daniel?' Odysseus called, consciously pulling him away from his thoughts.

'You said the day of your wedding was your second happiest day,' Daniel didn't let the man probe him any further. 'What was the first one?'

Odysseus smiled, though Daniel wasn't sure if it was because of some memory, or because he knew that Daniel was leading the conversation away from him. Maybe it was both.

'It was the day my son, Telemachus, was born; the first moment I held him in my arms. I'm sure you've felt it too with Serena, that feeling of euphoria that washes over you. When you feel like grinning for no reason at all and you just want to dance around naked and hug anyone and everyone. We celebrated for a whole month in my palace; I remember I almost went broke back then, but I didn't care.'

Still smiling at the memory, the king turned to Daniel.

'You will find her, Daniel, and you will be together with your family again. I promise.'

Daniel just smiled at him, but said nothing. He really hoped the man was right.

_Odysseus; who would have ever thought?_ Even now he couldn't believe he was sitting here with this legend from history, talking with him as with a friend or a relative, which probably wasn't that far off.

Behind them, not far from the rock they were sitting on, Odysseus' men were making the final preparations to resume their journey.

'What will you do now?' Daniel asked. 'Did you mean what you said to the giantess, about going back to Telepylus?'

'I did at the time,' replied Odysseus, staring serenely at the horizon ahead. His lips then arched upwards into a soft smile. 'By Zeus, I was angry. But, I thought about it, and I think I have a better idea. I'm gonna finish this journey and let the cycle begin all over again. Then, the next time I leave Troy with all my twelve ships, I'm gonna make sure all of us reach Ithaca. These men all have wives and families that are waiting for them; they've suffered a lot because of me and I owe them that much. This was supposed to be _my_ curse, but they bore it with me, without even knowing it. I have to make it right for them, Daniel.'

'But, aren't you afraid that when the cycle starts again, you won't remember what you know now? You might not have the power to change anything if that happens and you'll be locked in an endless cycle all over again.'

'If it's meant to be, it's meant to be,' the king replied. 'But somehow, I don't think that will happen. I'm fully awake now, Daniel, and it's all thanks to you. Besides, I'm Odysseus,' he smiled and winked, 'I'll find a way. As for the Laestrygonians; I got my vengeance on them and that will have to be enough. I don't want to be responsible for single-handedly wiping them off the face of the earth; no man should bear that burden.'

'Speaking of,' Daniel remembered. 'You could have killed Prince Ugly back there with a snap of your fingers, like you did the rest of them. Why did you fight him?'

Odysseus took on a pensive look.

'There's a difference between a kill and a murder, Daniel. If I had executed him, without giving him a chance to let us go, or defend himself, I would be no better man than he was. At least, this way it felt right.'

'But you did sort of execute the others up there,' Daniel pointed out.

'Ah, well, if their champion was no match for me, none of them would have been. Besides, I was too tired to chase after them and fight them all one by one, and you so graciously declined to get involved.'

'I was just a bit tied down, if you remember,' Daniel defended himself.

'I know, I know,' Odysseus laughed. 'The point is, they were hell-bent on having us for supper, and I don't take kindly to those who try to eat me. Ask Polyphemus. I had to make an example out of them; and now their people know. They will think twice before they try to eat anyone else, or "Zeus" will fry them. Anyway, this is all irrelevant, as you know; once the cycle restarts, they'll be back to where they were, doing what they do best, including ugly and his big fat momma.'

'And you'll be there, to make sure they behave themselves.'

'Of, course, I will. Besides, I think big momma looks rather dashing with horns, don't you? Though I am thinking of a different design for next time. Antlers, perhaps?' They both laughed hard. She really had looked ridiculous with those cow horns on her big round head.

'Don't worry,' Odysseus finally assured Daniel, when their mirth had died down just enough. 'There won't be any lightning this time around; I got that out of my system, I think.'

Daniel laughed again and dropped the subject. He somehow knew he didn't have to worry about the King of Ithaca going all homicidal Zeus on the giants again. There was more to the man than just wits and courage in the battlefield. If you looked closely, you'd see that there was a kind and honourable soul at the very centre of who he was and all that he did.

'And you?' Odysseus asked after a while. 'What are you planning to do next?'

Daniel had been thinking about it, but had come up with nothing concrete. All he was sure about was that he had to convince Nemo to go back. He'd made a mistake taking the merman with him; he didn't want to endanger his life anymore, like he'd done until now.

'I don't know,' he replied to Odysseus. 'I don't sense my daughter here, and although I will keep on looking, something tells me I won't find any trace of her. If she had come this way, the mermaids would have seen her. No, I don't think she's here. I will have to look for a way into the next dreamworld; maybe I'll find something there. Problem is, I don't know where to begin.'

'Well, you're always welcome to come with me aboard my ship. I can take you as far as you want, and with my newfound powers, I'll make sure that neither of you get hurt as long as you're with me.'

'Thank you,' said Daniel. 'I think I'm gonna take you up on that. By the way, do you know what's next for you guys?'

'If memory serves me right, we have a date with the beautiful Scylla and the magnificent Charybdis,' answered Odysseus.

'Oh, that's right,' said Daniel, 'the whirlpool.

'The Whirlpool,' he repeated, louder the second time, and stood up. 'I think that might be it.'

'That might be what?'

'The way to the next world.'

'What? Are you crazy? You don't intend to jump into the mouth of Charybdis of your own will, do you? None who've gone in, have ever come out.'

'But don't you see? I don't wanna come out on this side; I wanna come out on the other side. It's a whirlpool, my lord, things that go in from this side, must go out somewhere.'

'Yes,' Odysseus replied emphatically, 'at the bottom of the ocean.'

'I don't think so. I think she is my way into the next world, it's gotta be.'

' _Your_ way?'

Daniel and Odysseus turned around and saw Nemo standing just behind them.

'Nemo,' Daniel said, not sure how much of their conversation the merman had heard.

'Are you planning on going somewhere without me, Dan?'

Daniel looked at Nemo standing before him, while the three mermaids watched with attention from the sea. He didn't know if he wanted to have this conversation with his friend right here, right now; he had not prepared himself for it. Plus, he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to continue this journey on his own just yet. There was a reason why he'd asked his friend to go with him in the first place, and that hadn't changed. Still, the way things were going, he was sure the next death trap was just around the corner, especially with what he was considering doing. He just couldn't do that to his friend. The thought of losing Nemo was just as unbearable as the thought of losing Hëna or Serena. No, he had to leave Nemo behind. But how and when to tell him that?

'No, Nemo, of course not. I just thought that you might want to accompany the queens back home.'

'No, you didn't,' Nemo challenged him. 'I know you, Dan. You're thinking this whole thing has turned into a suicide mission; you're thinking there might not be a return journey and you want to send me back now, to keep me safe.'

Daniel didn't know what to say; his friend had seen right through him. He looked at the mermaids, who decided to stay out of this conversation, and then turned to Odysseus, who shrugged and then said.

'Don't look at me. The boy speaks his own mind.'

There was nothing else to do, so Daniel decided to be upfront with his friend.

'Alright, I admit it. I shouldn't have asked you to come along in the first place; it was selfish of me. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you because of me.'

'Well, of course things are going to happen, Dan. What did you think, that this would be a nice stroll by the beach and at some point we would find Serena lying down on the warm sand, getting a nice sun-tan? I knew exactly what I signed up for when I decided to come along and I would make that choice every single time, because that's what friends do. What kind of a friend would I be if I let you go on this mission alone?'

Daniel felt tongue-tied. He'd counted on some resistance from his friend, but he'd clearly not thought it all the way through. One part of him wanted to yell at his friend or maybe slap him to his senses, but another part just wanted to go over to him and hug him. He didn't deserve Nemo.

To his left, Odysseus smiled at the two boys, while the rest of his men followed the conversation from the ship, now ready to set sail once again. Daniel made as if to say something, but Nemo cut him off, his voice angry and curt.

'I don't wanna hear it, Dan. I'm going with you whether you like it or not, and that's that. I'll be on the ship whenever you're ready.'

Nemo turned his back on him and went to say goodbye to the three queens. Daniel watched as they hugged one-another once more and saw the familiar proud look on Eleanor's face. When they'd said their goodbyes, Nemo climbed on the ship with the help of the men and sat down on the front deck, with his hands crossed and a stern expression on his ever-fresh-looking face.

_Damn it_. Daniel had no idea his friend was so stubborn. He had no choice but to let him tag along, unless...

Odysseus greeted the mermaids too and followed Nemo above his ship. They were now only waiting on Daniel, who approached the mermaids to say his own farewell.

'Will you be alright, my ladies? Will you find your way back?' he asked them, not sure what else to say. He was now face to face with them, the sea water rising up to his waist. Eleanor smiled warmly and cupped his face in both her hands.

'You shouldn't worry about him, Daniel; he's much tougher than he looks. He's grown so much and is no longer the youngling he was when you first met him. And you have no one but yourself to blame for that.'

'I know,' Daniel said, lowering his eyes. 'But he's my best friend; I just can't help but worry about him. I don't know what I would do if anything were to happen to him, especially if it was because of me.'

'And he worries about you, too,' replied Eleanor. 'He loves you, Daniel, and he would never abandon you; so, don't try to push him away.'

Daniel said nothing. He knew she was right, but he still felt that he was right, too. If it was his responsibility to keep his friend safe, shouldn't he do anything in his power to do so?

Eleanor saw the dilemma in his eyes but knew she could say no more. She put her lips on his forehead and gave him a kiss.

'I will give news of you to your mother. We're all actually looking forward to seeing home again; this journey hasn't exactly been what we thought it would be. I think this is one tradition that we can abandon, don't you?' She beamed at Daniel, who smiled back and nodded.

'You take care of each other, okay? And come back to us.'

'We will,' Daniel said, and with that he bade them farewell and watched them swim away into the open sea and hopefully towards Endërland. It had been a real joy and pleasure seeing Eleanor again. He just hoped it would not be the last time.

Silence reigned in the improvised camp halfway up the neighbouring peak where the clan of Ìskender and many from the other eleven clans had gathered around the fallen eagles. Each one of them was laid upon a pile of logs and arranged in two lines in the centre of the gathering. There were seventy-seven of them, all heroes who had fought to their last breath. Another thirty-one eagles were still missing, also feared dead, or worse, captured by the tergs.

The other ten leaders of the entire eagle race were all present, along with several representatives of their respective clans. The work had been going on all night long to retrieve the bodies of the fallen and prepare them for the final farewell.

Hëna and Séraphin had helped with the collecting of the firewood and preparing the stacks where each eagle would be placed upon. Junior had absentmindedly worked with them, having been under strict orders from Ìskender not to lose them from his sight. Hëna knew this was more for his benefit than theirs. The young eagle strolled alongside them, picking up wood with both his beaks and carrying it to the camp, all the while streams of silent tears ran down his faces. If Hëna had ever wondered whether birds could cry, she no longer did. Her heart ached watching Junior suffer so, but she didn't know how to help. Mara had died trying to save her, and she wouldn't be surprised if Junior blamed her for it. Plus, knowing how cold she'd been with him, she doubted he would want her to comfort him in any way.

Séraphin once again managed to be more helpful here than she did. He'd spent a bit more time with Junior than she had and the young eagle had grown rather close to him. Maybe it was the wings, though somehow Hëna didn't think so. Séraphin was an honourable wingman and a far cry from the grumpy prince he once was. A long time as a father and a king to a very proud race had supplemented his character with traits that she didn't even know a wingman could have. There was such humanity to him now that, were it not for the wings, humans would think he was one of them. And what's more, he would have been proud of it.

Right after Junior had received the news of his mother's death and then seen her body, he'd flown away from the camp to mourn her in solitude. Séraphin was the only one to fly after him and be with him. Junior had not objected to his presence. What the wingman and the young eagle had talked about, Hëna did not know, but she was glad Séraphin had not left him alone. She could guess though; after all, Séraphin had lost his own mother in much the same way, so they had that in common, among other things. Whatever it had been, it seemed to have helped a little. After a while, they had both returned to the camp and Junior had immersed himself in work with the rest of them.

Presently, everything was ready, and they were all gathered before the fallen eagles, looking towards Ìskender, who now stepped in front of everyone, his eyes fixed on the ground.

'I have a confession to make,' the leader started to speak, his voice low and humble, yet strong enough to be thundering through the silence of the night. 'My heart is heavy, not only with sorrow and sadness, but also with guilt. For ages we have lived in this land, ruling the skies and the mountains, lording over all living beings that along with us have inherited this blissful place. And for the most part, we have known and cherished peace, as it's been our birthright. But evil has always dwelled in the shadows and under the ground, and war has ever been hanging over our heads like a double-edged sword from day one.

'I don't know where they came from; when I left my world and came here, I thought I'd left them behind for good. But they followed me and found me here too, and ever since they have been threatening to destroy everything that we have built. Maybe they spawned from the darkest corners of my mind, where my fear of their wickedness has been nesting and hiding; I don't know. I had hoped with all my heart that things would be different here, that we could actually live in peace and harmony with each other, something I never knew in my home world. I tried so hard and fought for so long to stop this world from becoming like my old one, but I was wrong. It's in their nature to conquer, enslave or kill anyone who is not of their race, and it doesn't matter where they are, or who they share the world with, for that is all they ever know.

'For my naivety and weakness, I claim responsibility and shoulder the blame for all the precious lives lost last night.' Everyone lowered their heads, humbled by their leader's last statement. Ìskender continued, his voice now rising louder and more powerful.

'They were all noble and brave, our brothers and sisters, and with their last drop of blood they bought for us the opportunity to protect and defend our home, our land, our world. War has finally begun and we will no longer hide from it. Not only will we avenge our fallen heroes and take back our home, but we will do what we should have done a long time ago, we will rid this world of this race of vermin once and for all, so that no innocent blood should ever spill again on their account.

'Are you with me?' he shouted loud and spread his wings wide and high, his imposing image inspiring both awe and fear to all who looked at him. A strong outcry shook the mountain down to its roots, and all the eagles present spread their wings in the same manner, just as Ìskender took flight and arose high above them.

He circled once around the camp, while the eagles' cry continued strong below him. He then circled once more and eventually came in from the west, heading towards the fallen heroes. Flying low above the two rows of eagles, he positioned himself in the middle, his heads looking in opposite directions.

And then something happened which Hëna did not expect. She saw his chest puff up, and he began to shine with an inner inexplicable light. Wild fire then burst out of both his beaks in a single continuous burst, setting all the stacks of wood alight, and thus giving the fallen eagles a warrior's funeral.

Hëna's jaw dropped as she watched in humbling awe. Séraphin was no less impressed.

'Wow... Can you all do that?' he asked Junior who stood beside him in front of his mother's pyre, his hurt-filled eyes glued to her lifeless body.

'No,' came the weak reply. 'He's the only one.'

Séraphin looked up at him, hearing tears choke his words again. He lifted up a hand and placed it on the side of his neck, keeping it there during the entire time this went on.

The fires before them kept burning bright for a good while. The eagles stood their ground with their wings raised up high, their voices joined in cries of farewell, until the very last of the fires burned out.

***

Hours later, the representatives of the twelve clans were gathered in a meeting around their leader. It was time to decide on how to respond to the tergs' clear declaration of war. Twenty-four eagles circled around a small fire with sombre expressions in their eyes. Every clan leader was accompanied by his second in command. In Mara's stead, Junior was allowed to take part as an honorary guest, but he was there only to observe. Due to his young age, he had neither the experience, nor the wisdom to offer to this council, and he humbly accepted that. Mara's second in command, Ha'za, would speak for their clan.

Hëna and Séraphin sat on either side of Junior, and they, too, kept silent and simply observed.

The meeting went on for a good while. Every clan leader took his or her turn to express their anger and outrage at the tergs' attack on their leader's camp and asked for immediate retaliation, pledging their entire clan's participation in the coming war. Ìskender might be their father and leader, but he respected each clan's autonomy and would not force the decision on anyone.

Hëna could practically see the eagles' blood boil and smell their hunger for revenge. She did not blame them. This was an honourable race that had done their outmost to lead a peaceful life and make a place in their world even for their enemies, yet their lives had been turned upside down in a single night and they risked losing everything they had ever build for themselves, including their lives and freedom. Still, she knew only too well that war came with consequences for both sides and wished that there could be some other way to resolve the conflict between the two races.

After the clan leaders unanimously pledged all their able-bodied eagles to war, it was time for Ìskender to speak again. He sat on the ground on the same level as everyone else, yet he still towered over them all, being easily the biggest, as well as the oldest one of them.

'It warms my heart,' he began, 'to see no clan, not one single eagle remaining behind and shying away from this battle. If you would indulge me for one more moment, I would like to show you something with the help of our two new friends.'

No one objected, of course, and he motioned for Hëna and Séraphin to stand up, something they had clearly pre-arranged. They did, coming forward, with Séraphin producing a small pile of sticks in his hands, about seven or eight of them. He made sure everyone could see them.

'Try and see if you can break them,' Ìskender told him.

Séraphin wrapped both hands around the pile and tried hard to break it, but without success. Stacked together, the wood sticks were unbreakable. After a couple of tries, he finally gave up and lowered his hands, red washing over his face.

'Now, you try,' Ìskender this time addressed Hëna, who nodded with her head and took the pile from Séraphin's hands. She did not do things the same way as Séraphin, however. Instead, she took the sticks apart and one by one broke them all, while the eyes of every eagle in the camp followed her every action. When all the sticks were broken in half and dropped at her feet, they both sat back down where they were.

'Thank you,' Ìskender told them both, before he continued to address the council. 'As no doubt you understand the point I was trying to make with that little demonstration, there is weakness in being divided, but great strength in unity. As long as we all stay together, we will be unbreakable and should fear no defeat. This is why we will win this war and the tergs will lose it.'

He signalled to one of the eagles waiting in the distance behind him, who in turn signalled to someone else, even farther back. In a matter of seconds, another eagle flew in from the west, landing just outside the circle. That's when they all saw the small man climbing down from his back. Immediately murmurs and whispers broke into the camp, with several of the leaders getting up and protesting loudly.

Ìskender seemed to have expected this, for he did not appear concerned. He spoke calmly, yet with a commanding tone.

'Hold your peace, brothers; please. Nazir is here as my guest and he is to be treated as such. He has information that we will want to hear.'

The murmurs slowly died down and the eagles sat back in their place, but hostility was still in the air and none felt it more than Nazir. The little man - he barely rose up to Hëna's shoulders - stared timidly at the giant birds, who looked at him as if he was nothing more than a morsel. Or maybe that's how he felt in this very moment. Head down, he proceeded to walk towards Ìskender, positioning himself before him, inside the circle.

'Welcome, Nazir; we have been expecting you.'

'Thank you for agreeing to see me, your highness,' Nazir replied with his voice trembling. Several of the eagles laughed at his choice of words.

'I am no king, Nazir. You may call me Ìskender.'

'Of course, my lord Ìskender,' Nazir hurried to agree, bowing his head down.

'I do not believe we have met before, have we?' Ìskender asked.

'No, my lord. You have met my father, the former counsellor of our king. He died two years ago, and that's when King Aram asked me to take over his duties.'

'I am sorry to hear of your father's passing. I remember him; he was a big supporter of the peace treaty which myself and King Aram signed back then. The news of his death is most troubling to hear; may I ask how he died?'

'We do not know, my lord Ìskender. He was found lifeless in the king's palace by his men, but what caused it, we could not tell. The king ordered an investigation, but since they could not find anything, they concluded that he must have eaten something bad that killed him.'

'And what do you think?'

'The unrest of my people has been growing louder over the past few years, my lord. My father was one of the biggest supporters of the treaty, to the point, I fear, that it might have caused him his life.'

'And what is _your_ position on the treaty between our two peoples? Do you still honour it as your father once did?'

'I do, my lord, I do. And so does King Aram, still. But I'm afraid, that no longer matters. King Aram has been dethroned and imprisoned, by his own son, I might add. Prince Amir and his followers have grown tired of the life underground and seek to establish a new kingdom on the surface. Most of my people agree with them and have joined their ranks to fight, but there are still a few of us who respect the old treaty and are happy with our life the way it is.'

'I see,' Ìskender said. 'I cannot say this comes as a surprise. There were barely a couple hundred of your people when the treaty was first signed, but I knew that your numbers would grow with time and eventually we would clash again. I guess I've just been too naïve, hoping that the peace between our people would last for ever. I know better than that.'

Ìskender lowered his heads and remained silent for a moment. Nobody else spoke either. Hëna and Séraphin continued to watch and listen as everything unfolded before them.

'You said your king has been dethroned and imprisoned,' Ìskender returned to the conversation with the young terg.

'Along with a few other supporters,' Nazir added.

'What about you? Does Prince Amir not consider you a supporter of his father?'

'He does, my lord. I was imprisoned along with everyone else; he only let me out so I can deliver his message to you.'

'I guess, he does not much care what becomes of you after this,' suggested Ìskender, but then continued. 'Very well, then, do what you were sent here to do.'

Nazir took out of his pocket a rolled parchment, unfolded it and swallowed once before beginning to read.

'His royal highness, the High Sultan of the new Terg Empire, Amir the 1st, hereby nullifies the existing treaty between the two dominant races of terg and eagle, and states our claim of rulership over all of Arbánon, above and below surface. The eagle oppressors, who have forced us to live in hiding, away from the light of the sun, while they and all the other beasts roam freely on these lands, will be given one chance only to relinquish dominion over all Arbánon territories and migrate beyond the great river, or face annihilation. They will have no more than three days to comply, after which, I, Sultan Amir, the 1st, will unleash my entire army against them and drown these lands with their filthy blood.'

Having finished with the message and rolling the parchment back up, Nazir put his hands back down, not really knowing what to do next. Shyly, he raised his eyes to meet Ìskender's, all the while around him there was dead silence. Nobody seemed to even be breathing for that one single moment.

Soon enough, however, the initial shock from the message gave way to cries of outrage and anger from all the clan leaders in the camp. Everyone apart from Hëna, Séraphin and Junior seemed to be ready to jump on the poor terg and strike him down where he stood. It took all the authority that Ìskender could invoke to calm them down and restore order in the camp once again, before he could reply to Nazir.

'Your young prince has indeed grown cocky and overconfident, if he thinks he can intimidate us with his arrogant words.'

Nazir did not answer. He just stood there, pretty much convinced that he was done for. The eagles would not let him live after this, and even if they did, he had nowhere to go. Amir would send him back to prison, or worse, kill him, if he went back to his people. Whatever happened next, there wasn't much hope for him.

Before him, Ìskender seemed to have fallen into deep thought, as the clan leaders demanded that he now order them into battle once and for all. Hëna understood his hesitation all too well. Pride demands action, but love urges caution. It was clear that the eagles would never even consider abandoning Arbánon and that eventually meant war, but this war would come at a terrible cost, and not just for all the eagles that might fall during the battle. There could be no coexistence with the tergs after this and that could only mean that there could be no tergs left standing in the end. It is no small a thing for a leader to consider, the extinction of an entire race.

'Tell me, Nazir,' Ìskender finally spoke again. 'How many of your people do you think still remain faithful to the king and the old treaty?'

'I don't know, my lord. It's probably about five or six-hundred of us, if you include our women and children.'

'And would they follow you and your king still?'

'If it means life and peace, my lord, yes. Not all of us are after land and blood.'

'Very well. I may have a proposition for you, but I will have to discuss it first with my clans. So, please, retreat back to your camp, and I will call for you when we are done here.'

'As you wish, my lord Ìskender,' Nazir bowed his head down once again, putting one hand on his turban to stop it from falling off his head. He then retreated away from the circle of eagles, appearing relieved.

Ìskender now turned towards his fellow eagles, claiming their undivided attention.

'I have heard you voice, my children, loud and clear. Arbánon is our home, our birthright; and nothing or no one will ever drive us away from it or take it from us. We will all die defending it, if it must be, but we will not flee to save our feathers and much less abandon Arbánon and all of its natural inhabitants to be butchered and slaughtered by a people whose greed has ever been greater than their respect for any other living and breathing race. We have been charged with watching over the animal kingdom in this world, and we will not fail them. So, yes, to war we will go.'

Shouts of approval echoed through the camp as the clan leaders rejoiced at the decision. Ìskender had not finished, however, so they soon settled back down and allowed him to continue.

'However, there is something that I beg you to consider. There is a fair number of innocent tergs down there that did not ask for this war, and they should not pay with their lives because of it.'

Silence suddenly fell over the camp as these latest words seemed to rub most of the clan leaders the wrong way. Some of them began murmuring amongst each other. The one closest to Ìskender, an elderly looking grey-feathered eagle decided to voice his opinion.

'What would you have us do, father? They were a small number when you first signed the peace treaty with them, and they promised to honour it. Yet, here we are now, preparing to fight so that we can defend our home and our lives from them. If we were to let even a handful of them live, eventually history would repeat itself, and our children would judge us for not learning from our mistake.'

'They don't deserve a second chance,' the eagle next to the first one said, 'they would only abuse it and would shed more of our blood. They need to pay for what they've done, and if we have to get rid of every single one of them, I say we're all the better for it.'

'They can no longer share this world with us,' called another leader farther down the line.

'No, they cannot,' Ìskender raised his voice, unwilling to listen to any more negative comments from his leaders. 'And, my firstborn is right, we have to learn from our mistake and do things differently this time. It is clear that our two races cannot coexist and that there is no place in this world, our world, for a people such as them. But I will not be responsible for their extinction. They are not all evil, and not all our enemies. There is good in them, too, and I think that in the right place and with the right conditions they could become a great people.'

'Then, what do you suggest we do, father?' his firstborn asked again.

'An expedition, Arbius,' Ìskender replied, now confusing everyone. 'I would like to send one of our own down the river to the next world, to check whether it is a place fit for life. If we learn that it is and that there is enough room for them all, we will send the innocents and survivors down there to build their new home.'

'But, my lord, how will we know? No one can return from there if they went.'

'No one has ever tried, as far as we know,' Ìskender corrected. 'I have a plan that I think might work. It's a long shot, but in the end, if it fails, we can still go back to destroying them all, if you still think that's the right thing to do. But for now, I just need one of us to shoulder this responsibility, and I know just who to send,' Ìskender finished, his eyes now fixed on Junior.

Finally waking up, Freddie opened his eyes, yawning uncontrollably. Daylight was strong in the room, which suggested that it was well past morning already. He was alone in the bed; Serena had apparently let him sleep in.

He sat up, wiped the sleep from his eyes and ran his hands through his short messed up hair. He had not slept much that night; having Serena lying beside him had made it virtually impossible. She'd slept in his arms practically the entire night and he'd been constantly alert, making sure she was comfortable and nothing disturbed her sleep.

But that had not been all of it. He had been unprepared for how good it would feel to have her lay next to him, so close that he could sense her body heat merge with his own. The scent coming from her hair had been intoxicating and the feel of her skin even more so. Despite his tiredness, he had been unable to allow himself to go to sleep, unwilling to miss a single moment of this night, which he was sure he would never live a second time. So, he had stayed awake for as long as he could, until sleep had conquered him too.

But now that the morning was finally here, he felt conflicted. He was obviously attracted to this girl, and that wasn't good. There was no future for the two of them, even if by some miracle she liked him in the same way; though, he failed to see how a beautiful girl like her could like him. He told himself that last night had meant nothing; she'd needed a friend and that was it. He'd just happened to be there; it could have been anyone else. She didn't really like him that way, did she?

So, what if she did? That didn't change the fact that he had a job to do; more than his own life depended on him succeeding. This was a good thing anyway; after all, the first half of his job was to make the girl fall in love with him, his boss was adamant on that part. Apparently, this would help her unlock those powers that supposedly lay dormant inside her, though, he had no clue how that would work, or what it would lead to, exactly. From what he had gathered, his boss needed the girl to awaken her powers, and then he would take over.

On that part, however, he had been deliberately vague, but Freddie had not pushed. All he cared about was that his boss honoured his part of the agreement, and that was why he could not afford to care too much about Serena.

Shaking his head in frustration, he got up from the bed and proceeded to wash himself in the bathroom. He could not allow himself to do much thinking; he was already too confused about this whole thing. He would just forget about last night and proceed with his plan; he had no other choice.

Exiting the bedroom, he headed downstairs towards the living room, but Serena was not there. He checked the kitchen, but still nothing. He then looked out the window and finally saw her sitting on the patio, with a cup of coffee in her hand. Her gaze was lost somewhere in the distance and she appeared thoughtful, yet somewhat calmer and not as tormented as the previous evening. Seeing her again brought back all of his earlier doubts and feelings, and he knew then that he really was in trouble.

He went back to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee, silently hoping that it had turned out better than Serena's first few tries. He then went outside to join her.

'Good morning,' he greeted, not sure if he should smile or not. He didn't have to think on it for long, Serena's eyes lit up of their own accord when she saw him and her lips formed a half smile. She was still sad, but seemed genuinely happy to see him, or so he hoped.

'Good morning,' she said, taking her feet off the empty chair in front of her. Freddie pulled it back slightly and then sat down. He tried a little of the hot beverage; it was drinkable enough.

'How long have you been up? Why didn't you wake me?'

'I don't know really; it's been a while. You looked like you needed it, so I just let you sleep. I must have kept you awake all night, I'm sorry.'

'That's alright,' said Freddie, 'I think I'm just not used to sharing a bed with other people, that's all.'

'Me neither,' Serena smiled again. 'In fact, that was the first time I ever slept in the same bed with a boy.'

'Oh yeah?' Freddie teased, 'and how was it?' He immediately rebuked himself for turning this into flirting.

'It was nice,' Serena kept smiling her half-smile and didn't even think to look away. 'You were very sweet and you smell so nice; I slept like a baby.'

Her candour made her even more disarming, and Freddie felt himself panicking on the inside. Or was it something else? Her words were like honey for his bitter soul, her smile and gaze like fire on a cold winter's night; and for that one short moment he felt his craving satiated. Only for that moment though; he was beginning to see that this craving was growing stronger and stronger the more time he spent with her. He just hoped he'd be able to control it somewhat and not let it overtake him.

Feeling a bit self-conscious and not knowing what to say next, he decided a change of subject was the best strategy.

'I will call the hospital in a bit and find out about David. I am sure he is just fine, though, you'll see.'

The half-smile now disappeared from Serena's face as her mind raced back to her grandfather. She made the effort to hold back a fresh wave of tears, and when she eventually thought she had it under control, she turned to Freddie again.

'Who was that man? Why do they want to kill me, Freddie?'

Freddie moved slightly in his chair as if he was re-positioning himself for an official talk. It had been a long time coming and he was prepared for this.

'Do you remember what I told you about the Order of the Guardians? About how they exist to protect the world from Dreamers gone bad?'

'Yes. But why would they think that I've gone bad? I've only just arrived here.'

'It's not that they necessarily think you've gone bad, Serena. It's a bit more complicated than that. Here's what I know. There is a very old prophecy about a very powerful Dreamer who will appear one day. The prophecy says that this person will have the ability to change even the real world; you know, the same way your dad changed Endërland when he first appeared there. Now, I don't have to tell you that a person like that is obviously very dangerous, especially here in the real world. So, when the Order learned about your arrival from Endërland \- something which has never happened before - they assumed that you are the Dreamer of the prophecy. They got together and decided you are to be eliminated before you can become a real threat. I tried to convince them to give me time to prove to them that you are not a danger to us, but they shut me out. So, I left them and came to warn you as soon as I could.'

'But this doesn't make any sense, I don't have any powers. How can they decide to kill me without even knowing for sure whether I'm dangerous or not?'

'These people have spent their lives dealing with Dreamers, Serena. The Order has been around for almost two thousand years and they know their job well. If they think that there's even the slightest chance that you _are_ the Dreamer of this prophecy, they will not hesitate to eliminate you. The way they see it, they are sacrificing one life to save billions, and they're ok with that.'

'Yes, well, I'm not,' Serena raised her voice, sounding angry and frustrated. 'I am not this great Dreamer and I do not have any powers. We have to convince them, Freddie; I don't want to die here, not before I've lived. I have to go back home, see my parents again.'

'Well, you see, the thing is, Serena, I am not so convinced that you are not the Dreamer of the prophecy.'

'What? But you know me. You know I don't have any powers.'

'Hear me out for a moment, ok? It could be that you don't have any powers at all, but it could also be that you do, only, they've not manifested themselves yet. Think about your dad; he didn't know he had any powers until long after he went to Endërland.'

Serena made as if to say something, but then stopped and got to thinking. Was it possible that Freddie was right? Could she actually have powers and not know about it? It was true that her dad didn't know he was the Great Lord until they almost got defeated in the Great War. What if she was just like him? What if she had the same kind of power, only she hadn't discovered it yet?

'Let's suppose you're right,' she said to Freddie. 'Let's suppose I _am_ the Dreamer of the prophecy. What would that mean?'

'It would mean that you have great power. It would basically make you a god in this world.'

'A god?' Serena asked, not familiar with the word.

'Great Lord,' Freddie explained.

'Okay, but why would that make me dangerous? I mean, unless there's more to this prophecy, there's nothing there about this great Dreamer being good or bad. It just says that he or she will be very powerful.'

'I don't know; it's kinda hard to explain. You see, we already have many gods in this world, though they are either fake or distant, and do not really get involved in our lives. And the world is fine with that. But if one of them were to suddenly make an appearance and start messing with our world and our way of life, people would get hostile and try to get rid of them.'

'But why? Wouldn't the god know better?'

'You'd think. No, people or society always think they know better and they protect their way of life at all costs. They don't wanna change the way they do things.'

'But I thought you said this Order existed to protect the world from _bad_ Dreamers.'

'In their own minds they think they do, and they might have started out that way. But they have been in the world too long and are no better than the rest of it. They view a threat to their way of life as a threat to the people themselves and that's why they make such drastic decisions.'

'So, what you're actually saying is that even if I do have these powers, I'm not _necessarily_ a threat.'

'Well, yes and no. I guess what I'm saying is that even if you weren't a real threat, you'd still be considered as such.'

'So, I _may_ be dangerous? Is that what you're saying?'

'Serena, anyone who has the power to create or change life is dangerous. Don't you understand? If you are who they fear you might be, you'd have the power to destroy everyone and everything, if you chose to.'

'But why would I do something like that? I'm not a bad person.'

'I'm not saying you would. But life is never that simple, Serena. Take yesterday, for example. Did you get angry at the man who shot and wounded your grandfather?'

Serena wasn't sure she liked where Freddie was going with this.

'Yes,' she answered reluctantly.

'What would you have done to him if you had him in front of you, not now, but at that moment?'

'I don't know,' Serena tried to avoid answering, sure that she would fall right into Freddie's trap.

'I'll tell you,' Freddie did not relent. 'If you'd had him in front of you right then and there, and if you knew that you had the power of a god, you would have probably done something terrible to him.'

'And he would have deserved it,' Serena defended her hypothetical actions.

'Perhaps, but that is exactly what would make you dangerous to this or any other world.'

'But that would be justice.'

'No, that would be revenge,' corrected Freddie. 'That would be "taking the law into your own hands", and it goes against everything this world stands for.

'In Endërland you have laws, right?' Serena nodded. 'Well, they have laws here too; in fact, the world's come a long way and struggled a lot to get to the point where it is the law that looks after justice for everyone. So, if someone who is very powerful comes along and they'd suddenly decide to do whatever they wanted and go against everything this world knows, they would be considered a great threat. And that is why the Order has chosen to eliminate you before they even know whether you possess this power or not. Do you understand now?'

'Yes. No. I'm not sure, I'm very confused,' Serena shook her head in frustration. 'I don't know what to think now. If I have these powers, it wouldn't matter whether I am good or bad, they will kill me. So, I guess the best thing for me would be not to have any powers at all.'

'If there's one thing I've learned in my life, Serena, is that you cannot fight your true nature. You can never escape who you are meant to be.'

'What are you saying?'

'If you are indeed the Dreamer of this prophecy, the Great Lord of this world, then that is your destiny. That is bigger than you or me, or even the Order of the Guardians. I know they are afraid of this, Serena, but I'm not. Think about all the good things that you can do in this world. For all its rules and laws, people are constantly suffering and dying all over the globe. You can change all of that, it is your moral obligation as a human being. You were born for this, Serena, and you cannot run away from it.'

'So, what am I supposed to do?'

'I suggest we first try to determine whether you actually have any powers or not. If you do, maybe I can help you to develop and control them. Who knows, maybe you can even find a way to go back home once you do.'

Freddie knew he'd hit the spot once he'd said this. Right now, Serena wanted nothing more than to go back home and be with her parents again, and the idea that her powers might help her with that, was indeed enticing.

'What about the Order? They won't stop looking for me, will they?'

'No, they won't. But I'm gonna make sure you're okay. I will keep you safe, Serena, I promise.'

It wasn't his words as much as his candid smile that told Serena that he really meant it. After all, he had already proved that; he'd saved her life last night, putting himself between her and the bullets, and he'd taken her out of harm's way and into safety. He'd said that he would not leave her until all this was over and she believed him. She was just hoping that he would not leave her even after that, not ever. She didn't know when it happened, but she had a feeling she might just have found The One.

Putting the finishing touches to his evening attire, Drake looked upon the image on the mirror in front of him. The person staring back was a far cry from the little boy who used to sneak in and out of people's homes and pockets, who fell asleep listening to Greek tales of gods, heroes and monsters, and who'd worked hard to keep those he had considered family, happy. The man in the mirror had left all of that behind him, in yet another life. His appearance might give the impression that there was nothing but innocence and kindness in his heart, but appearances can be deceiving, and Drake's was the most deceitful of them all.

His hands were shaking. He'd been working towards this for months, and now that the hour was finally upon him, he was nervous. But it wasn't cold feet, no. It was more like an aching to finally get what he'd been chasing after for so long. And the closer he got to it, the more impatient he grew. He was like a hound smelling blood, and he couldn't wait to get his "fangs" on his prey.

The party was already underway when he arrived at the mansion. It was the biggest one in the neighbourhood and he knew that everyone who was anyone would be there that night, including the Bagleys. He handed one of the butlers his coat and gloves and proceeded to the main hall, where it seemed that all of London's elite had been gathered.

Men dressed in tuxedos and women wearing their best dresses, most likely tailored for this very occasion, greeted him from all sides. He knew some of them; most, he was clueless as to who they were. These were all people that, were they to know who he really was and where he came from, would not hesitate to give him the evil eye instead of that "most genuine" smile, and throw him out on the streets with a ceremony. As it were, for all appearances, he belonged among them, and so they treated him as one of their own. But Drake knew that would not last long, and he didn't care. He had only one goal tonight, and by whatever god up there, he would see it done.

As he reached near the end of the hall, he spotted Samuel with the rest of his new friends and headed in their direction. Lily stood not far from them with a group of other young women, all talking demurely amongst each other and stealing shy glances towards the boys. Her brilliant eyes almost stopped him half-way, inviting him over, despite what the proper protocol dictated. Drake felt his feet wanting to change direction and speed towards her, but he commanded them to keep going straight.

He had not seen Lily for a few weeks now and found that he missed her company. He'd told himself that this was for the best, but now that he saw her again, he wanted to ignore everything and everyone in that hall, including the Bagleys, and just hold her hand and drown into those beautiful sky-blue eyes.

For the shortest moment in time, he actually considered this. He could give up his revenge, his past, his entire life up until a few months ago and start anew with her. After all, if he really wanted to, he could make it work. He was smart and hardworking, and he knew that whatever new lie he made up to cover up all the old ones, she would believe him. But that was just it; he would still have to lie, for he knew that she would never accept him if she knew the whole truth. No one would. And so, the temptation passed, and his feet took him where the group of his new friends were standing, smoking cigars and drinking brandy, laughing jovially while gazing back at the girls. They made room for him as soon as they saw him, treating him as if he were their leader.

As the evening wore on and all the guests seemed to have arrived, the host proceeded with presenting his young daughter, a petite little thing, not so much pretty, as she was obviously worth, but who nonetheless had a fair number of courters that night.

Drake chuckled to himself as he witnessed everything, but to everyone else he kept smiling kindly. Did he really want to be a part of this world of frauds and fake smiles, gossip and backstabbing? Was the beautiful Miss Lily Worthington worth all of this? He hated hypocrisy with a passion.

When the ball finally began, Drake managed to spot the Bagleys dancing among the other couples. They looked like they really belonged in this huge and fancy room among all those beautifully dressed people. And in a way, they did. Still, he gritted his teeth at their seemingly serene and happy sight. He could walk up to them right then and there, and strangle them with his bare hands. But he didn't; he had a plan. Pretending to need to use the lavatory, he proceeded towards the main exit and called over a courier boy, handing him a sealed letter and telling him where to go. Then, he went back inside and re-joined his young friends.

After about ten minutes and a couple more waltzes on the dancefloor, a commotion was noticed at the entrance and raised voices were heard. Before the master of the house could make his way to the door to investigate, three policemen entered the room and stopped for a moment, scouting for someone. Their eyes met Drake's for a single moment, but then skipped him and kept looking at the direction his pointed. When they spotted their target, they set off once again in great haste and stopped only when they reached the Bagleys who were still standing in the middle of the ballroom.

'Mr. and Mrs. Bagley, in the name of her Majesty, the queen, I hereby place you under arrest,' the one who seemed to be the captain shouted, while the other two policemen positioned themselves one on each side of the stunned couple, grabbing them by the arms. The first policeman then proceeded to take from his belt, an old-looking pair of handcuffs, and tied the two to each other.

'But, there must be some mistake,' Mrs. Bagley tried, sounding all innocent and confused. 'We're the Browns.'

'Of course, you are, darling,' one of the two policemen chuckled. 'And I'm Mr. Green, this here is Mr. Red and my other friend there, Mr. White,' he motioned towards his two colleagues. 'We'll go grab Mr. Yellow and Mrs. Blue on our way out and go make us a fine-looking rainbow.'

Listening in on them, Drake couldn't help but be amused. The second policeman joined the first one in laughter, but their captain ordered them both to be quiet at once. The room had grown dead silent by now; there were no sounds of dresses rubbing against each other, nor of glasses clinking or people speaking. There were only gasps of surprise and shock.

'What is the meaning of this?' a stern voice was suddenly heard from behind them, while the faces of the Bagleys went from white to whiter. The policeman at first did not even turn to face the man who was asking.

'This is government business, sir, if you don't mind. I suggest you get back to your evening; we're almost done here.'

'Have you any idea whose house you're in, sir?' the stern voice continued. 'I demand you tell me at once what is going on here and why you are apprehending my guests.'

Realising this was the master of the house, the policeman now turned to face him and put on a sympathetic look.

'Ah, I do beg your pardon, Mr. Windsor, sir. We're awfully sorry for the inconvenience here, but I'm afraid this could not be helped. We're under strict orders to apprehend these two individuals without delay and escort them down town for questioning.'

'Might I ask why are you arresting Mr. and Mrs. Brown? They are my honoured guests, and an insult to them, is an insult to me. And I don't have to tell you, sir, that an insult to me would be an insult to the Lord Chancellor himself.'

It took the nobleman less time than Drake had anticipated to mention his high connections.

The Bagleys meanwhile kept looking as shocked as everyone else and at the same time mortified at this most embarrassing "misunderstanding". They kept throwing apologetic smiles on all sides, while the exchange took place. Their faces, however, were red with more than embarrassment; they were terrified, but this, only Drake could tell.

From back inside the room, Samuel and friends pushed themselves to the centre in order to see and hear better. In doing so, they also dragged Drake along with them.

Seeming ill at ease, the police captain now drew closer to the master of the house and whispered.

'Perhaps, this is best discussed in private, Mr. Windsor?'

'No,' the nobleman refused flatly and stubbornly. 'I demand to know here and now. You either tell me why you are arresting Mr. and Mrs. Brown, or you let them go right at this instance.'

The policeman finally gave up and replied out loud.

'Mr. Andrew Harrison Brown and Mrs. Marie Geneviève Brown are not under arrest, sir. In fact, they are not presently in this room; they have been dead for over five years, I'm afraid. The gentleman and lady you know as Mr. and Mrs. Brown, are in fact impostors. Their real names are Alistair and Marjorie Bagley, a couple of low-born citizens from Whitechapel, wanted for years in connection with e series of thefts, child abandonment and possible murder of their nanny, as well as that of the real Mr. and Mrs. Brown.'

The policeman had not even finished speaking, when from all around them came outraged sounds of shock and disgust. The Bagleys began to protest that this was all a terrible misunderstanding and that they were innocent, but Drake knew that nobody would believe them now. He could already see the hateful looks of everyone in that room and how much those looks stung the Bagleys, and he felt vindicated. He'd done good.

Mr. Windsor finally stepped back, appearing surrendered and betrayed.

'Get them out of my house immediately,' he bellowed and turned his back on the group.

Silence reigned in the room once again as the policemen now pushed the Bagleys through the crowd, with them barely able to put one foot in front of the other. Their heads hung down in shame. Whispers followed their procession with murmurs of disgust and disapproval. Not a few people spit at them as they passed by. Some even threw their drinks at them.

When they came near to where the young men were standing, unable to stop himself, Drake separated from them and stepped right in front of the arrested couple. He had not planned on doing this. Raising their eyes from the ground, first Mr. Bagley, and then his wife, could not believe what they saw. It had been almost five years and he'd grown and changed so much, but there was no mistaking his face.

'Drake?' Mr. Bagley asked, confused. 'You're here.'

Mr. Bagley was unable to add anything else to that revelation, because his wife just then exploded in a raged tirade against the young man standing in front of them.

'You dirty bastard; this is all your doing. I hate you, I hate you. I should have left you to die in the midst of that filth I found you a long time ago.'

Drake snickered but said nothing in return, the look in his eyes telling them all they needed to know. The policemen pushed him to the side and continued to drag the Bagleys away, kicking and screaming, while everyone's eyes now turned to face a smug-looking Drake, wondering what it all meant.

The first to ask the question was Samuel. Even though he was a head shorter and considerably smaller in size than Drake, the young man boldly looked up at him.

'What is going on here, Drake? Do you know those people?'

Drake, unwilling to take his eyes off the leaving couple and their guards, answered a very calm and satisfied, 'Yes'.

'How?' Samuel demanded, his tone of voice a far cry from the serene one of Drake.

'From a time long ago,' Drake answered again, satisfaction never fading from his face. The crowd continued to push and spit at the humiliated couple and throw more things at them. From the back of the room, the voice of Mr. Windsor was heard calling for music to begin playing again.

Samuel seemed to be fuming just then, as were many others around Drake, not that he noticed. The short boy grew red hot in the face and was beginning to lose his composure.

'Are you one of them? Is that's what's happening here?' he now asked, causing Drake to finally take his eyes off the disappearing Bagleys and turn to face his angry friend. Gazing into his baby blue eyes - they looked so much like his sister's - Drake watched him with an eerie interest, never losing his smile. After what felt like minutes, he finally answered.

'I am.'

He kept smiling and looking down on Samuel, really curious now as to what the young man was going to do. Samuel looked back at him, completely taken aback.

'You lied to us. You just pretended to be one of us.'

'Yes,' Drake replied, not a flicker of change in his facial expression.

'Why?' came the last question.

Drake understood why the boy was mad. He liked Samuel; he was actually a decent young man, with a good heart and a gentle soul. He had actually planned to leave on good terms with him, with all of them, but now he found that he didn't really care. The person they knew did not exist, and the person he was they would never accept. So why should he care about them at all? They were not his people; they would never be.

Here, he turned to look at the stunned face of Lily and answered in the same quiet tone.

'Because I could.'

That last answer completely confounded Samuel and he drew back, not knowing how to feel and what to do. Instinctively making a fist, he made to step towards Drake, but then changed his mind and walked off in the opposite direction, followed by his friends.

Still smiling, Drake remained behind, surrounded from a distance by the rest of the outraged guests. Lily stared from where she stood, not really knowing what was happening; she was too far to have overheard anything.

Only seconds later, a butler walked over to Drake and handed him his coat and gloves without saying anything. Drake understood that this was their way of asking him to leave. At least he would be walking outside of his own volition, no ceremony. That was at least something, wasn't it?

Turning one more time to look at Lily and give her one last challenging smile, Drake put on a show out of throwing on the coat and putting on his gloves, and finally followed the Bagleys out of the door.

### Chapter 7

# Down the Rabbit Hole

Thrilled to have had a decent enough night of sleep, Daniel woke up with the first rays of the sun. Odysseus' men on shift kept about their business as usual. The king himself still slept, not two feet from where Daniel lay. Daniel did not blame him; they'd been through so much these past couple of days that he felt he could sleep for a month. But he knew he couldn't; soon they would reach Charybdis, and he'd have to go on with the next part of his journey, arguably the most dangerous one so far. Only, now that they were getting closer to it, he wasn't so sure about it anymore.

He'd been convinced that this was the way to go; somehow, he wasn't sure why, he knew the whirlpool was his way out of this dreamworld and into the next. But he also knew that there was always a chance that he was wrong, and that he would find nothing inside the mouth of Charybdis but his death. And for that reason alone, he was even more certain that he had to leave Nemo behind.

Nemo.

He turned and looked at the spot where he'd last seen his friend. Sure enough, Nemo was still sitting there, as if he'd never slept, which was very uncharacteristic for Nemo. They had not said a word the entire time since they'd gotten back on the ship. He wanted to, but he didn't know what to say. He was sure Nemo would want him to apologise but Daniel did not feel he needed to. He was right to want to keep his friend safe, alive, and he wasn't going to apologise for that. In fact, he was feeling rather angry himself that Nemo would get mad enough to yell at him. This had never happened before.

'You don't know how you'll be able to convince him, do you?' the voice of the King of Ithaca startled him. Daniel turned and smiled at Odysseus. With all that he knew about the man, his power of perception and wisdom still amazed him. He couldn't help but think of his dad just then; they weren't so very different after all, the two of them.

'Good morning, my lord. Did you sleep enough?'

'I'll sleep enough when I'm in my own bed, with my wife lying beside me,' the king answered, stretching. 'Maybe not even then,' he added and winked. 'Not for a good while at least, if you know what I mean.'

Daniel knew what he meant. He missed his own wife too and worried about her. He hadn't shared this with Nemo, but he'd begun to regret the decision to let her go her own way. Of course, he would then remember that he had not had much saying on the matter; Hëna was a strong-willed woman and there was no way she would have stayed put while he was away searching for Serena. Still, he could not help but worry and even feel a bit guilty. What if something were to happen to her and he never saw her again?

'Isn't it a bit too early to be swimming in dark thoughts?' Odysseus claimed his attention for the second time that morning. Daniel smiled again.

'It's always too early to be swimming in dark thoughts.'

'So, you're going through with it, then?'

'I have no other choice.'

'Even if it kills you?'

'I'm hoping it won't come to that. I don't know how to explain it, but I just feel that Charybdis is the way.'

'Then, take the boy with you. He might prove more than useful in there.'

'I can't. If I'm wrong, we both die; I can't make that choice for him.'

'And what if he makes it all by himself?'

'Not for my sake,' Daniel replied. 'I won't let him take that chance for me.'

'He's a merman, Daniel, you know he cannot drown like you can.'

'No, but the whirlpool could still kill him. And if it's not Charybdis, it will certainly be something else further down the line to threaten his life, and I will not risk that any more than I already have.'

The king looked at him long and seemed to decide he wasn't going to push anymore. He stretched his legs and crossed his arms over his chest, his olive skin lustrous at the golden touch of the morning sun. Thoughtfully, he threw his gaze far in the horizon before them, as if looking through a window peering into the past. Then, as if out of the depths of the sea, his voice rang again in Daniel's ears, bringing some of that past with it.

'You two remind me so much of another pair of young men I met a long time ago. They were probably younger than you are now when we first made berth on the sandy beach of Troy. They'd grown up together and were inseparable. I'm still not sure if they were friends or cousins, but I have seen no two people more devoted to each other than those two. When they fought, enemy soldiers fell around them like flies, yet there was never a scratch on either of them, not one. They protected each other, and never got out on the battlefield without one-another. And they were formidable with both sword and spear. For ten years, the entire Greek army won victory after victory mainly because of the two of them, but the walls of Troy would not fall.

'But as you well know, Troy did fall, and I want to tell you why. A day came when our great commander messed it all up for us,' here his expression turned sour. 'Agamemnon greatly insulted one of them, and that's when things changed for Greece. The two withdrew from the battlefield, causing our army to suffer defeat after crushing defeat at the hands of Hector and his Troyans. This lasted for weeks, until one day the other one decided he could no longer ignore hundreds of our people dying every day, and went back into the battlefield, alone. He was killed that day.

His friend, overcome with grief and inconsolable anger, charged into the battlefield and almost single-handedly destroyed the entire Troyan army. And he would have, if it wasn't for a single arrow that found him and claimed his life too, only hours after his friend.

'I may be credited with breaching the walls of Troy, Daniel, but the truth is that because of those two men, the Troyan army was left with barely a tenth of their numbers when we broke in using my wooden horse.'

Daniel looked at Odysseus in awe. He had not expected this little piece of history shared, but now that he'd heard it, he realised that he had craved it ever since he'd first realised who this man really was.

'You're talking about Achilles and Patroclus, aren't you? I thought Achilles fought alone. Wasn't he the greatest warrior and hero of the Greeks?'

Odysseus looked at him and had to remind himself that Daniel actually knew a great deal.

'That, he was,' he answered, 'but he was no fool, nor arrogant. He knew that no matter how great of a warrior you are; in the battlefield you need to have your back covered. And they always had each other's backs, until that fateful day. Going into battle alone cost both of them their lives, and almost cost all of us the war.

'Do you understand why I am telling you this, Daniel?'

Daniel understood perfectly, and a part of him was already convinced that to be separated from Nemo would be a mistake. But as is usually the case with stubborn minds, the other part of him insisted that he was making the right choice and that they would both be fine.

'I do, my lord,' he replied to the king of Ithaca. 'And I appreciate your sage advice, but I have already made up my mind on the matter.'

Odysseus shook his head and sighed in disagreement but did not press the matter any further.

'What was he like? Achilles?' Daniel asked again, while the story was still fresh in his mind. It was such a shame he didn't have more time with Odysseus; there were so many things he wanted to ask him about.

'He was young, handsome, strong, unbelievably fast in his moves; everything a godling was supposed to be and more. But most of all he was honourable. They were both honourable young men, inseparable, as I said. Their men loved them, they gave their lives to protect theirs every day. The entire Greek army worshipped the ground they walked on. It was why Agamemnon went mad and did what he did.

'Achilles might have been the prince and the hero with the greatest glory and strength, but he would have been nothing without his Patroclus. My position required me to spend time with all of the kings in the camp, but it was the two of them I admired the most. Alas, that they were to die there and I to live. But, who am I to contest such decisions of the Fates?'

Daniel heard the admiration in the king's voice and could not help but be infected himself by it.

'I wish I could hear more about them, about the war, about all of it,' he said, with a dreamy look on his face now.

'Who knows, maybe we'll meet again at better times,' Odysseus offered and smiled. 'Then I would tell you all that you wish to hear.'

'Yeah,' said Daniel, 'I'd like that very much.'

They both sat in silence for a while after that, both sunk deep in thoughts that took them back to a time long gone, but never forgotten. The names of Achilles and the like would live on for aeons to come, clothed in the glory only awarded to heroes and legends.

Eventually, the king spoke again.

'So, then, I still owe you a bet, don't I? I don't like to leave off owing anything to anyone, so what will it be? What would you have of me before you go?'

Daniel thought about it for a while. He hated the idea of leaving his friend behind, alone to fend for himself and find his own way back home, but he had to believe he was doing the right thing. Nemo could hate him all he wanted; the important thing was that he lived.

'I would have you look after Nemo when I go,' he finally said. 'He will be hurt and angry, but I would like you to try and make him understand why I had to do this.'

'I'm not sure I understand it myself, but I will try,' Odysseus said, without taking his eyes off Daniel. He then added. 'But you have my word; I promise I'll look after him as long as he's in this world.'

He then made as if to stand up, when Daniel asked him, 'What would _you_ do, my lord? You're one of the wisest people in the history of mankind; what would _you_ decide, if you were in my place, if it were your choice to make?'

Odysseus sat back down and for the first time that morning seemed to frown a little. He had to take a moment and think before he answered.

'Honestly, Daniel, I don't have a clue. I don't know whether you're being noble or just a fool for leaving your friend behind, but I would have probably done the same. Then again, I did take all my men down to Hades with me, so, there is that... But the issue here is not what _I_ would do; the important thing here is for you to be able to live with the choice that you're about to make and its consequences, because, trust me, you will face them sooner or later.'

Daniel shook his head in agreement. He believed he knew what the king was talking about.

Odysseus finally got up and Daniel followed suit.

'Do they really speak of me as "one of the wisest men in the history of mankind"?'

Daniel laughed and was just about to try and reply with something funny, when the watch called out loud, 'Land, land.'

Odysseus walked over to the ship's bow, with Daniel following close behind him. On the horizon, they saw what appeared to be an island only a small distance from the mainland.

'We're finally there,' Odysseus said. 'You see that small strait of sea between the island and the mainland? That's where she is, Charybdis. And the other one, Scylla, she's hiding up there in the rocks of those high cliffs, waiting for us to go serve ourselves up to her. I hate this part.'

'And yet, you always chose her, every time.'

'It's my own difficult choice to make, Daniel, and despite whatever happens, I always live with it, knowing that it was the right one. I just thank the gods that my men never remember any of this.'

Daniel could not help but agree with the king.

As the ship kept sailing towards the narrow strait they had to get across, Charybdis began to make itself visible. The men saw it and began to spread the word.

All of a sudden, all hell broke loose. Whoever was not otherwise engaged ran to the helm to see the monster with their own eyes. Nemo was among them. She was still a good while ahead of them but was approaching faster now. All Daniel could see was a huge line of white foam in the distance, right next to a very tall cliff. The sound of the gurgling mass of water, however, was getting louder and louder now. Daniel's heart began to pound uncontrollably inside his chest in sync with its roar.

'We don't have much time,' Odysseus came back next to him after shouting a bunch of orders and instructions to his men. 'Whatever you have to say to your friend, you better do it now. Once we reach Charybdis you have to jump in right away. We'll need to manoeuvre quickly to gain a safe enough distance from her.'

'There's nothing I can say to him,' Daniel answered, which wasn't entirely true. He'd been playing different scenarios in his head and they all made sense to him. But they all required him to actually take the courage to speak to his friend, and somehow, that was the part where he failed. 'Just promise you will make him understand, please.'

Odysseus shook his head affirmatively.

'You have my word.'

'And remember what I told you,' Daniel now addressed him, 'You're "Zeus" now; you're the lord of this world. You don't have to let Scylla, Calypso, or anyone else stop you anymore. So, take yourself and these men home, safe and sound.'

'Aye; I promise that, too,' Odysseus answered and winked at him again. 'Don't you worry about us, I will never lose another man again; in fact, I plan on getting back everyone I left Troy with. Poseidon has tortured us enough; we will have our peace.'

Daniel shook hands with the King of Ithaca, who took him in his arms, as if he was hugging his own son.

'You take care of yourself, Daniel of Endërland. I hope the gods will bring us together again one day.'

'You too, my lord Odysseus. Thank you for everything.'

Having said their goodbyes, Odysseus returned to barking orders at his men, while the ship grew ever closer to the monster whirlpool. The men began working the sails so that the ship manoeuvred its way around Charybdis. They were getting ever closer to the first monster. Within a minute or so, they would see its enormous mouth and Daniel would have to make his move then. He looked for Nemo and found him still at the bow of the ship, his eyes fixed on Charybdis. Daniel felt a tug at his heart. He knew he was doing the right thing, but it still felt so wrong leaving his best friend behind. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't sure he would be able to do this without Nemo. But he had to; Nemo wasn't going to die today or anytime soon; not because of him.

When they were about to get close enough to Charybdis, Daniel took the courage and walked over to him, along with two of Odysseus men, who were instructed to stop Nemo, should he try to follow Daniel down the whirlpool. At the very last moment, he'd decided to tell Nemo he was going and that he could not follow.

'Nemo,' he called him from behind, while the sea monster was now coming into full view. Its roar had grown to deafening levels and its waves made it rain all over the ship.

Nemo turned around slowly, and it was as if Daniel was seeing him for the very first time. He had a peculiar expression on his face and looked at Daniel straight in the eye, as if defying him. But he said nothing. Daniel wondered what this meant, but had no time to ask. Before he could even open his mouth to speak, Nemo flew overboard and into the open mouth of Charybdis. The men next to him were too slow to grab him in time.

'Nemooo...,' Daniel called, horrified. He had definitely not anticipated this. His friend had guessed what he was about to do and had already made his choice, without giving him the chance. He'd gone in and Daniel had no other choice now but to follow.

Without wasting another precious second, Daniel gave one last nod to the King of Ithaca who was watching from the helm, and jumped in after Nemo.

What followed, Daniel could not describe with words, even if he tried. As soon as he touched the water, he was violently taken away with the current and thrown around like a rag doll in the mouth of a playful dog. He immediately lost sight of the ship, or anything else for that matter, and struggled in vain to have some control as to where he was headed. He realised quickly that this was the one situation he could not control, so he gave up and let the whirlpool take him wherever it wanted. The bottom of the monster's belly was his intended destination, anyway.

After whirling him around a few good times, Charybdis dragged him down and under in great speed. Daniel managed to fill his lungs with air one last time, before he was immersed fully under water. He was now completely at the mercy of the sea monster. He could only hope that if there was another world attached to this one, he'd cross over to it before he ran out of air. He had no air tank with him this time and Nemo was nowhere to be seen. If he had been wrong about this, he would find out soon enough.

More than a minute passed since he'd gone under and the whirlpool continued to drag him down. He felt like Alice following the white rabbit down the endless hole, only he did not have as much time at his disposal. His lungs soon began to demand air. Daniel had to fight hard the urge to breathe; if he did, that would be it. He had to resist; he knew he could. Serena and Hëna depended on him staying alive; they were counting on him. He could not let them down.

But the need for air was so strong. If he could only let in just a little bit; maybe no water would come in. Resisting was becoming oh so difficult and the bottom of Charybdis was nowhere to be seen.

Eventually, Daniel got too tired of resisting the urge to breathe and he caved. He released his muscles, inhaling just a little bit at first, but nothing but water entered his lungs from his nose. He regretted it immediately, but it was too late. He started to choke, and the more he coughed, the more water got inside him. The sensation was unspeakable, the pain excruciating. Within a very short time, Daniel stopped fighting and lost his senses. His eyes went glassy and empty, losing their focus. The last thing he saw before he closed them, were the faces of all his loved ones, his wife, his daughter, his parents, his brother, his best friend...

It didn't take e genius to realise that Junior was angry. Asking him to leave his people behind exactly when they were preparing to go to war was bad enough, but forcing him to take the terg along, was so much worse. He wanted to grab the little ugly creature with his talons and split him in two, or four, or eight pieces, and send them all back to that fool of a terg who called himself a sultan. Ìskender must really be getting old and losing his mind for wanting to find these monsters another place to live in. What was he thinking? They deserved to die, all of them.

Sensing the hostility, poor little Nazir had shrunk into a ball of a man, sitting in front of Hëna and not even daring to touch the young eagle to hold on. He was really struggling not to fall down, somehow doubting that, if he did, someone would catch him. Junior made it even more difficult by flapping his wings more than he actually needed to and beating the air with great fury. Were it not for Hëna, who every now and then would hold the terg in place to keep him from falling off, Nazir would have been lost a good while back.

Séraphin flew alongside the three of them, keeping an ever-watchful eye on Junior. They'd been flying non-stop for almost a day now and soon they would have to stop. He knew that the young eagle was tired, but he also knew that he was too proud to admit it and would not stop unless he was told to.

They'd been following the great river for the best part of the day; it ran straight and wide in these parts, and there was so much life on either side of it. The endless fields were frequented by all sorts of animals going about their business, completely oblivious to the war that had just started. They were safe for now, so far as they were from the battleground, but should the tergs win the war, that would not be the case for long.

Séraphin noticed a small meadow down ahead of them, which would be perfect for spending the night around a nice campfire. The sun had just gone down and soon it would get dark. They'd better settle in for the night.

He motioned for Junior to follow him down and headed first towards the meadow. Begrudgingly, Junior followed him and eventually landed after him, just a little too roughly. Hëna and Nazir toppled off of him, landing not so graciously down on hard ground.

'Ouch..., thanks for that,' Hëna said out loud, getting back up and rubbing her shoulders. Her wounds were still fresh enough, but she had not complained once in all this time.

Junior noticed and immediately felt guilty.

'Sorry,' he murmured, lowering his heads.

'That's alright,' Hëna brushed it off, 'I'm fine. You alright, Nazir?' she then asked the terg, helping him to get back up. Junior gave him what Hëna thought was an menacing look and turned his back on both of them right away.

'I'm good, thank you,' Nazir said, happily accepting her hand. 'I've fallen harder than that, mind you, loads of times. In fact, just the other day before we were all captured, we were having a free-climbing contest, one I am very good at, I might add. I mean, I should be, after all I have won the championship for so many years in a row that I can't even remember now. I think I was ten when I first started competing, no wait, I was eleven, my sister was ten; you see she likes to climb too, only she's not as good as me. My father used to tell her she was the best, but only because she is a girl and he was much softer with her, and I don't mind you know; she's a good girl, my sister, she...'

'Nazir,' Hëna interrupted what she was sure was going to be a very interesting and very, very long mishmash of a non-story. 'Did you hit your head somewhere perhaps, or do you always talk like this?'

Nazir looked guiltily up at her and then at Séraphin, who was clearly trying to stifle his laughter. Junior still had his back turned on them and seemed to be scanning the surroundings.

'Sorry, they do tell me that I talk a lot when I'm nervous.'

'You don't say?' Hëna teased him and laughed lightly. 'Well, one thing's for sure, this trip is gonna be anything but boring. Come on, then, let's go gather some dry wood for the fire.'

She took the terg and together they headed away from Junior and Séraphin, giving the two of them a chance to talk. Junior seemed restless, as if he wanted to get back up in the air right away.

'You need to rest, Gjergj,' Séraphin told him, coming up on his right side. He'd taken to using Junior's real name when talking to him; something no one else ever did. Junior seemed to like that.

The Sky-King took a seat on a fallen log facing the river that ran only a couple yards from there. Its song was deep and soothing, and Séraphin quite enjoyed it. There were no rivers this big in Endërland.

'We don't have time,' Junior replied, pacing anxiously around him. 'The tergs only gave us three days. Three days, Séraphin; that's not enough time for us to even reach the end of the river and then get back, let alone go beyond it. And we don't know what awaits us down there, or even if we can get back up. What if I can't, Séraphin? What will I do?'

'We'll cross that bridge when we get to it,' Séraphin answered. 'And I promise you that we will be with you for as long as you need us; we will not leave you.' Here Séraphin paused for a moment and then added. 'But that's not what's got you so angry, is it? You wanted to stay behind; you wanted to fight, didn't you?'

Junior stopped pacing around him. He cast his gaze farther down the river and did not feel like answering. How was it that Séraphin always knew what he was thinking or feeling? He liked the little winged man more than he'd ever liked anyone else. Everyone always treated him like an eaglet, like he was frail and useless, but not him. Séraphin spoke to him like he was an adult, like they were equals, and he appreciated that.

'I don't understand why Ìskender sent me away,' he finally spoke. 'Maybe he thinks I'm weak, just like everyone else does. I know I'm strong; I can fight just as well as anyone else in my tribe, if only they would give me the chance to prove it.'

'I know you can fight, Gjergj, I do. And you know how? Because it takes more than size and muscles and training to be a fighter; it takes heart and courage most of all. But we don't fight to prove that we are strong, we fight only when it's right to do so, like when we need to defend our homes from people like this sultan.'

'But I too want to fight for my home. Why did he have to send _me_ away? Why not someone else?'

'You were not sent away, Gjergj, you were sent on a mission; you were chosen for this, and you should be proud. Your leader is very wise; you should have more faith in him. So what if he's trying to keep you away from the battle; is that so wrong? He just lost one of his greatest leaders, he wouldn't want her legacy to end there. You have to live and carry on her name and her place as the future leader of your tribe. Isn't that worth more than proving yourself on the battleground?'

'I guess,' Junior replied with his heads down. 'I'm just tired of the others mocking me and thinking me weak. I want to show them that I'm not.'

'And you will, but only when the time is right and for the right reason, not because you're bothered by what others think of you. Alright? Now, promise me you'll try to be just a little less angry and not so worried all the time.'

'We're still short on time,' Junior insisted. 'We'll never make it back before the deadline.'

'That is not your mission. War is happening, whether you like it or not, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. I have faith that victory will belong to your people, but what happens to the tergs afterwards is up to you. If there is a world on the other side, we better hope that there is a place there for them too. Otherwise, there may no longer be a race of tergs.'

'I'm not sure that's such a bad thing,' Junior mumbled.

'I know you feel very angry right now, Gjergj, but eventually you will have to let go of that hate. Nothing good ever comes of it, trust me. I've done things that I'm ashamed of because of hate, things that caused some people their lives, things that I wish I could undo, but I cannot. So, please, listen to me; find the strength in your heart to forgive and you will become the eagle that you want others to see you as, the eagle that everyone will respect and admire. It's our hearts that make us who we are, Gjergj, not our courage and strength in a battle. Be the eagle your mother raised you to be; make her proud.'

Séraphin stopped there, noticing a fresh streak of tears running down Junior's cheeks. He was about to get up and give the young eagle a hug, when they heard the voices of Hëna and Nazir heading back.

'I need a little time on my own,' Junior turned and told him before taking off swiftly into the darkening sky. 'I won't go far.'

Séraphin followed him with his eyes and had to resist the urge to fly after him. He felt strangely close to this young eagle, related to him as if he was his own son. And it was even stranger how much they had in common, his son and Junior. Spending the past few days with him, had made him appreciate even more the wingman that Mikael had grown up to become. He'd always been a wilful son, too eager to prove himself, just like Junior. But he had always known his place and obeyed him, and difficult though it was to test him like this at such a young age, Séraphin was not concerned about leaving the kingdom in his inexperienced hands. He had faith in his son. He just hoped nothing bad would happen in Endërland while they were away.

***

It was barely daylight the next morning, when Junior woke everyone up and told them to get ready. Even though he knew he would not make it back before the war began, he was eager to return as soon as possible. Who knew how long the war would last; and if he could help his people, even if it was just by collecting rocks, he would, whether they wanted him there or not.

They set out with the first ray of sunlight and flew non-stop all day long. He flew fast and hard, refusing to stop for even five minutes to take a break. Séraphin didn't know whether he should tell him off, or be proud of him.

By the end of the day, just before sundown, they finally reached the end of the line. The great river reached the point where the mountains from both sides met and then disappeared underneath the loud noise and the dense fog it created falling towards the unknown. They hovered for a while at the precipice, trying to get a feel of what lay beyond, but the fog was too dense for them to see anything.

'Well,' Séraphin spoke first, 'we came this far. We're just gonna have to get our wings wet and follow the river; there's nothing to it.'

'I think it's best you climb on to me and hold on tight,' Junior advised. 'I don't want us to separate.'

Séraphin didn't want to say it, but he had a feeling that Junior was concerned for him. The wingman was much smaller and he might not be strong enough to fight the current and survive the descent. Whether Junior was right or not, they would soon find out; either way, Séraphin was impressed with the young eagle. He climbed on and positioned himself behind Hëna, wrapping his wings around her and Nazir in a protective manner. Now, they were ready.

Everyone held tight to him, including Nazir, who at this point was more scared of falling down into the unknown than he was of the eagle's claws. Junior pushed himself farther over the precipice and headed down towards the white and dense fog. The sun had by now completely vanished from the horizon and everything around them was getting darker. This made the whole thing even more nerve-wrecking.

Flying downwards proved of course much trickier for the three passengers to hold on than they had anticipated. Poor Nazir was almost crushed under the weight of Hëna and Séraphin, no matter how hard they tried to keep their equilibrium. Their freefall became even more difficult by the fact that there wasn't enough space for Junior to circle down towards the bottom; he was forced to spread his wings and use them to slow down the fall, as one would a parachute. But it didn't work quite like that; the more they fell down, the more speed they gained, and after they finally went through the thick fog, they found even less space to manoeuvre.

The walls kept on growing closer all around them and now they were practically riding the river down to wherever it went. Besides getting completely soaked, as well as tired from holding on ceaselessly, the four were becoming increasingly concerned with their surroundings closing in on them. If it continued like this farther down, they feared they might get stuck somewhere, unable to fly back up or go in any other direction. Lucky for them, though the dark forbade them from seeing it, the riverbed stopped shrinking around them. Still, they kept on falling down at great speed, with Junior now barely managing to keep his wings open, both from lack of space, as well as tiredness.

They'd been falling now for what felt like ten or more minutes and there seemed to be no light at the end of this dark tunnel. Everyone kept hoping for some sort of change in the dynamics of their current situation, but nothing was happening. They just kept on falling, the bountiful river water raining over them hard like an avalanche of tiny pebbles. It actually hurt a lot and they weren't sure how much more of it they could take. Talking to each other was also impossible; the noise of the underground river drowned out every other sound. So, there was nothing left for them to do but to try and stay conscious and not let go.

After a few more minutes of freefalling they finally sensed the river changing direction. They were no longer falling vertically down; instead, very slowly but very surely, the waterfall seemed to be gaining a more horizontal direction. Still, it would be a few more minutes before theirs could no longer be considered "falling". Eventually they felt the river carry their weight and the speed at which they travelled was greatly reduced. The noise of the river wasn't as loud anymore either and they found they could finally hear each other's voices if they yelled loud enough.

They were now practically swimming, well, Junior was; it turned out he made for quite a decent lifeboat. They had a good feeling that their long fall was finally over and their trip was about to end. The river was still too large, and unless it suddenly decided to split into tens of smaller streams and bury itself and them inside the underbelly of the mountains, they would soon see the sky again and most likely find themselves chasing the river down another waterfall, an open one this time.

As it turned out, they were right. Soon enough they witnessed the darkness slowly giving way to light ahead of them. The farther they went now, the better they could see. As their eyes adjusted, they almost missed a great opening before them. At the very last moment, Junior finally saw what looked to him like a starry sky and realised that the river was about to take another downward plunge as it exited the mountain. Calling on his three friends to hang on tight, he got ready, and just before the river departed from the mountain, he opened his tired wings again and took to the air.

All four of them were wet to the bone, but they couldn't be happier to feel the wind on their faces again. They had finally made it; they'd reached the bottom of the river and they were actually in the next world.

Junior circled down slowly and eventually landed on dry earth, just next to a big crystal clear lake that was formed by the falling water. Finally free to climb off the eagle, Hëna, Séraphin and Nazir dropped on the ground, refusing to move or even stand for fear of falling down or being taken away again.

'Now I see why no one from your world likes to come down this way,' Séraphin said to Junior who was breathing hard next to him. He was exhausted.

'Or has ever gone back up,' added Hëna, sounding just as tired. 'Let's never do that again, okay?'

Nobody answered but they were all in agreement. They lay there for a long time, catching their breath and regaining their strength. The night seemed still young and the air was cool, even though it looked like a summer's night. Eventually they got up, collected some deadwood and lit up a fire, gathering around it like little chicklets around mother hen.

They decided to take turns guarding the improvised camp, with Séraphin volunteering as the first watch. Then, the other three fell asleep next to the fire, happy that they had made it. Once the morning came and they had all rested, they would begin exploring this new world, or whatever it was that they had landed in.

Standing on the tip of her toes and fidgeting like a little girl, Serena waited impatiently for Freddie to hang up the phone and give her news of her grandfather. She hated it that he had one of those inscrutable faces. When he was finally done talking, she almost held her breath.

'I don't know what to say,' Freddie began. 'You're not gonna believe this.'

'What, what?' she almost jumped at him, 'is he alright? Please tell me.'

'He's fine, Serena. The doctors have no idea how, but the bullet went in and out and didn't even touch his heart. But that's not the best part; somehow the wound has been closing unnaturally fast, and he's almost completely healed. They say he'll be able to go home in a couple of days, good as new. It's a miracle.'

Serena let out a joyful scream such as she hadn't done in a long time and threw her arms around Freddie's neck, forcing him to jump in unison with her.

'He's alive, he's alive; oh, I can't believe it,' she kept repeating and dancing at the same time.

Part happy and part embarrassed, Freddie just could not help but feel good at having her body flush next to his own again. A little too good. Holding her in his arms like this, touching her warm skin and inhaling that amazing scent of hers made it really difficult for him to ignore his senses. He knew he should not feel like this about her, but he was too powerless to stop himself. After all, he was as human as the next guy.

When that initial moment of joy passed, Serena stopped jumping and dancing but did not let go of him right away. She too enjoyed being near Freddie, feeling his body heat, his strong muscles flex whenever he held her, or the way his chin rested on the side of her head whenever she put her head on his chest, which she did not do as often as she would have liked. She liked that a lot. But she didn't know much about boys, or how things were done in this world. Nor did she know anything about him really, things that mattered, like, did he have a girl? Or, did he even think of her that way?

Feeling that the hug had gotten a bit too long and looking into each other's eyes a bit too awkward, they both shyly smiled and let go.

'Sorry,' she almost whispered, 'I get too childish sometimes. I'm just, so happy.'

'No need to apologise,' he replied. 'I'm happy too. I'm just stunned. I mean, you saw the wound and all that blood.'

Serena tried not to think of that image that had kept coming back to haunt her ever since it had happened. Freddie saw it in her face and apologised immediately.

'I'm sorry, I'm such an idiot. I did not mean to remind you.'

'It's alright,' she smiled sweetly and sat back in her chair. 'What do you think happened?'

'I don't know,' he answered and sat down next to her. 'It's a mystery. Things like this just don't happen in this world, not like in your one where there's magic all around, not to mention Summer Water.'

'You mean; you don't have that here? So, how do you heal people?'

'With doctors and medicine, of course. And even then, it doesn't always work; not all wounds can be healed, certainly not like your grandfather's. It's like, someone healed him, you know, magically.'

Here, his voice trailed off and he looked at Serena with curious eyes.

'What?' she asked. 'What are you thinking?'

'Remember that talk we had about the Dreamer of the prophecy and how he would have the power to do anything in this world?'

'Yes,' answered Serena, getting a hint of what he was insinuating.

'What if it was you who healed him? I mean, you had your hands on his wound for a good while; maybe your healing power flowed through you, without you even knowing it. Or maybe you don't even need to be anywhere near him to heal him; what if you just wished him healed and it happened?'

'But I didn't feel anything happening, yesterday, or today. I don't think I did anything.'

'But maybe you don't feel anything. I mean; I don't know how these things work, I've never had powers myself.'

Serena got up and began pacing in front of him, her head down and her thoughts all jumbled up. Freddie watched her as she did but found that he had trouble keeping his mind on the subject at hand. In his head, he kept imagining reaching for her hand and drawing her to him, rising up to stand next to her and cover those full lips of hers with his own. And he had a feeling she might just let him. He wondered badly how they tasted. He almost felt his hand move toward hers and had to actually will it to stay put. These feelings of his were really getting out of control. He had to get a grip.

'How do we find out?' Serena suddenly asked, jolting him out of his daydreaming.

'Find out what?' he asked, flustered.

'Whether I have these powers or not? I need to know.'

'Well, it is different for every Dreamer; sometimes they live their entire life without ever discovering or using their powers, but most are aware. It usually starts by doing small things, small creations or changes in their surroundings that can defy nature or logic and that most of the time only they can tell. In most cases it happens subconsciously, without the Dreamer even knowing he or she is doing it. But if they know their powers well, it can happen at will.'

'Like when my dad called all the stars down from the sky in the Great War.'

'He did what?'

Oh, Serena just had to tell him about this.

'They were almost losing the battle because the wolfmen were too many, so he remembered that the Endërland sky is as populated as the earth is, even more crowded actually; so, he called them all down to fight for us. And that's how we won the war.'

'Wow,' Freddie marvelled. 'That must have been such a sight.'

'It is. I mean; obviously, I wasn't born then, but every time we celebrate Winter passing the Silver Sceptre to Spring, all the stars come down from the sky just like that night, and we party all together. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.'

'Sounds like it. I wish I could get to see it someday.'

'Me too,' Serena said and meant it. She imagined for a moment having him by her side while the heavenly host came down in a spectacular golden shower, and her lips arched of their own accord. Suddenly, she realised that she really wanted that to happen.

'Anyway,' Freddie brought her back to the present, 'back to our subject. I guess there is something we could try to see if you have any power.'

'What?'

Freddie looked around for inspiration and his eyes stopped at a rosebush farther out in the garden. It was flowerless and barely alive, having been left unattended for a long time, but it made for a great object for their experiment.

'Look at that rosebush over there,' he said to Serena who followed his gaze where he directed it. 'Try and revive it a little; maybe make a rose or two blossom.'

'How do I do that?' Serena asked, clearly not having a clue.

'I don't know. Just wish it; see it happening in your mind or something, and maybe it will come true.'

'Just wish it,' Serena repeated after him and then focused all her attention on the rosebush. She brought her eyebrows together, concentrating on the plant as if she was about to set it on fire with her eyes. Freddie could see her hands closing into fists and the veins bulging on her forehead, and almost burst into laughter. It was a rather comical look. But he didn't laugh; Serena needed to be convinced that this was real, or it would never work.

After about a minute or so "trying" to will the plant into life, Serena sat back down and gave up.

'Nothing's happening,' she said, disappointed. 'Maybe I don't have any powers after all.'

'It's too soon to give up, Serena. It might take a little time, so why don't you just keep practicing on that, while I go and do some shopping. There's practically nothing to eat in the house.'

'Can't I go with you?' asked Serena, her eyes pleading with him. 'I don't feel like staying here alone. Besides, I'd like to see this new town you've brought me in.' While that was true enough, what Serena didn't say was that she didn't really feel like staying away from him. She enjoyed being with him more than she knew.

But Freddie's answer wasn't what she was hopping to hear.

'I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Serena; I think it's best you stay hidden for a while. The Order doesn't know about this place, it belonged to my late grandmother; but we need to be careful anyway. I won't be long, I promise.'

Serena reluctantly agreed and returned to her experiment. Freddie left the house, heading into town and returning about an hour later with plenty of groceries and toiletries that would last them for at least a couple of days. Not really disappointed at the lack of progress with the rosebush, he proceeded to prepare lunch, while Serena watched him and tried to help with little things.

She was quite impressed with his kitchen skills, something she didn't have much of, since she never really cooked. But Freddie on the other hand, looked like he had spent a lot of time in the kitchen.

'Where did you learn how to cook?' she asked innocently, a question which caused Freddie to pause for a moment, before answering. She could swear she saw a shadow veil his face for a moment there, but then she blinked and thought she must have imagined it.

'My dad died just before my little sister was born, so it was just the two of us and my mom. She had to work most of the time to pay the rent and feed us, so I had to learn. In the beginning, I was terrible at it; my mom would always eat and never complain, because she would be too tired, but my sister always whined about it. She especially hated anything that was green, which was pretty much everything,' he laughed. 'But it did push me to learn and get better at it.'

'I can't wait to try it,' said Serena, smiling at him. She realised that this was the first time he had ever spoken about his family, and that made her curious to know more. 'Where are they now? Your family, I mean.'

Freddie's face looked like someone had just poked him in a sore spot, but then he forced himself to smile again and answered.

'It's been a very long time since then... It's just me now.'

He dismissed the subject rather quickly, but Serena couldn't help but notice his sadness.

'I'm sorry,' she said. 'I really am. It must be difficult losing your family and being alone.' She thought of her own family just then, and the idea that she might never see them again lashed out against the inside walls of her very soul. Her eyes shone bright with moisture in response. Freddie quickly grabbed the chance to shift the focus away from him.

'You'll see them again, Serena, I promise. And you'll never have to worry about being alone; I'll be with you for as long as you need me.'

He hated himself just then for letting his mouth run ahead of him and making promises he knew he couldn't keep. His boss would get what he wanted and there was nothing he could do about it. But recently, he just could not keep a clear head when it came to her.

Whether he had meant it or not, Serena's heart grew warmer as those words landed. She put the thoughts of both their families on the side and chased her sadness away.

'Thank you, Freddie. I don't know what I would do if you weren't with me.'

'It's my job,' he replied, immediately regretting his choice of words. Serena's face dropped as soon as those words left his mouth, so he turned and hurried to repair the damage. 'I mean, I'm glad I'm here with you, too. I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else right now.'

He almost kicked himself as he anxiously waited for the smile to come back on her beautiful face. And it did. Her eyes lit up again and just like that the rest of the room felt lighter and brighter, literally. If he was wondering about it up until that point, Freddie no longer had any doubt as to whether Serena felt something for him. She could no more fight it than he could.

_What a mess_.

With this knowledge out there in the air, they finally set up the dining table and sat down to have lunch. It was a dish with potatoes and herbs that Serena had never tried before, but it was brilliantly cooked. It had been a while since Freddie had cooked for someone else, so he enjoyed the compliments.

They spent the rest of the day giving the experiment another try, convinced that with enough practice they'd be able to unlock Serena's dormant powers. But no matter how hard she tried, she was still unable to cause a single leaf to grow on the dying rosebush. When they'd had enough of that, they just sat next to each other, sharing stories from their lives and their worlds.

Serena wasn't alone in her yearning to know everything about him; Freddie also seemed to come up with question after question, each answer leaving him with the desire to hear more. Despite being so young and living a life relatively simpler than any other girl he'd known, there seemed to be so much about her that was worth learning.

He had not met that many girls in his life, but from those that he had, none had managed to capture and fascinate him the way she did. He couldn't tell whether his ever-growing attraction towards her made him feel like this, or she really was that interesting, but he was beginning not to care. In fact, he was really starting to have second thoughts about helping his boss with his plans for her. He'd agreed to do this, thinking she would just be someone he didn't know, someone who didn't matter. But now that he _did_ know her, everything had changed.

As she sat on the couch across from him, with her legs folded underneath her and her eyes glued on his pear-shaped face, he was finally hit with the full weight of his choice and its consequences. If he went along with his master's plan, he had no idea what might happen to her, though he expected nothing good. But if he stopped now, if he told her the truth and helped her escape while she still could, he would lose someone else he really cared about. And he might lose Serena, too, for if she learned of his role in his master's plans, he was certain she would never forgive him. _He_ wouldn't.

Realising he was caught between a bad choice and a worse one, Freddie forgot for a moment to keep his poker face on, and let desperation and worry rule instead. Serena noticed this and could tell that something wasn't right.

'Freddie, what's wrong? Why did you go sad all of a sudden?'

She moved from her position on the other end of the couch and came to sit next to him. She then put a hand on his cheek, like her mom always did with her when she was sad.

Freddie recuperated rather quickly, hiding his thoughts all over again. He meant to gently push her away and reassure her that he was alright, but he could not bring himself to do it. Instead, he put his hand on top of hers and held it there, managing one of those smiles which Serena really loved.

'It's nothing, I'm sorry. I just remembered something that happened a long time ago, that's all.'

'Do you want to talk about it?' she pushed, even after telling herself not to.

'I'm alright, thank you. You don't need to worry about me.'

Almost impulsively, he kissed her hand and gave it back to her, now forcing himself to get up, when all he wanted to do, was just to sit there with her, all night long.

'It's late; we better get some sleep. We gotta try to wake your powers again tomorrow.'

Serena wasn't that happy that this moment had to come to an end, but she decided better to hide it. She got up and smiled back at him, heading towards her room and the bed she had shared with him the previous night. Only, tonight she doubted he would stay with her. She knew it wasn't proper and he was an honourable man. Oh, but for one fleeting moment she wished he wasn't. She said goodnight, looking one last time into his gentle eyes and disappeared up the stairs.

Freddie remained behind, sorting out the living room and switching everything off, while at the same time rebuking himself for losing it in front of her. The way he was going he was making everything so much harder for himself. He had to stick to his initial plan; there was no other way. He could worry about Serena's fate later.

He went to bed arguing with himself and jumping from scenario to scenario about where he could go from here. But whichever way he rationalised it, he was now certain that he was about to lose someone very dear to him. And that drove him to silent tears. He could see no way out.

His eyes were still damp, an hour or so after they'd both gone to bed, when he heard his door creak open and Serena's voice calling his name.

'Freddie, are you awake?'

He quickly dried his face with his hands and sat up.

'Is everything okay?' he asked, masking his voice so that she wouldn't tell he'd been crying.

''Yes,' came her reply, 'Everything's okay. I just, couldn't sleep, and, well..., I was kinda hoping you'd let me sleep with you again.'

And just like that, all his anguish and his worry faded into the night. He made room for her to come into his bed and lie down beside him. She nestled in his arms just like she'd done the night before, and he cradled her with the longing that he'd denied himself from the very first time he'd laid eyes on her. Putting his arms around her and keeping enough distance so that she wouldn't understand just how happy he actually was to have her there, they both fell asleep, shutting out all the worries of the waking day.

The new neighbourhood where the Bagleys' dream house was located still lacked the lighting in its dark streets, but that played perfectly to Drake's advantage. He wanted no one to see him enter or leave the premises, though he was feeling more and more like he no longer cared about any of it. He'd wanted this for so long that he hadn't thought at all about what he'd do once it was all over, once he was done with the two of them. He had no clue where to go next. He guessed he'd just have to take it one day at a time. He'd be a free man after all, and both worlds were his to conquer.

As he stepped inside the front yard, he saw that one of the three men he'd hired to pose as policemen waited for him, sitting down by the entrance. The other two were inside, making sure the Bagleys were nicely tied and keeping quiet.

'You took your sweet time getting here,' the man spoke with a thick Scottish accent. He was now out of his police uniform and back into his regular clothing.

'You got somewhere else to be?' asked Drake, not really caring.

'Aye, we do,' the man answered, 'away from here.'

'Fine, then. Come inside and let's get this over with.'

The man followed him inside the house, where they headed straight into the salon. The other two had tied the Bagleys up together to a marble column. They'd both been gagged to prevent them from screaming or making any other noises.

Drake ignored the two prisoners and their hateful looks and walked over to the men.

'You got everything you wanted from this place?' he asked, motioning towards the mess that had become of the Bagleys' clearly burgled home.

'That we did,' the main guy spoke again. 'You sure you don't want nothing?'

'It's all yours,' Drake replied, throwing him a handful of banknotes, which the man grabbed in the air. 'As is this. It's what we agreed on, and a little extra; that was quite the show back at the Windsor's. Now, leave and forget that you know me.'

The men stood where they were for a moment, but it was clear that their business here was finished. So, they headed towards the door and vanished into the night. Drake went after them and locked the door from the inside, finally giving all of his attention to his former parents.

Walking back to where they had been chained, he grabbed a chair and sat just a couple of feet away from them. He said and did nothing but cross his arms and stare at them. There was no visible emotion in his eyes, just a dead stare that said nothing at all. The Bagleys on the other hand glowered with hatred and malice, but there was also a good dose of fear in there somewhere.

Finally, Mr. Bagley started making mumbling noises, as if he was trying to speak. Lazily, Drake reached for the rag over his mouth and pulled it away, leaving the man free to say his piece.

'Drake, I know why you're doing this, but you got it all wrong, m'boy. We came back for you; it was supposed to be a surprise. We came here to set up the house and make it ready for you, and then we came back to get you and Bessie. Only, you had already left, and Bessie... Well, I guess you did what you had to do, son...'

A kick in the teeth interrupted his speech, causing Mr. Bagley's head to fly in the opposite direction and bleed profusely. Mrs. Bagley scowled underneath the gag rag. Drake looked at her, fire practically spewing out of his eyes.

'Wait for you turn, _mother_.'

He then took out of his pocket his favourite double edged blade and knelt next to his adoptive father. Beside them Mrs. Bagley began kicking out a storm, having a very good idea as to what was about to happen to her husband.

Drake grabbed the man by his hair and looked straight into his bloodied eyes.

'You don't get to call me that; I am not your son. Apparently, I never was. As for you, I know exactly who and what the both of you are; and believe me, there is absolutely nothing you can say that I will ever believe or care to listen to. Tonight, you have told your last lies.'

Before he even finished his sentence, Drake slid the knife deep inside the man's stomach and twisted it around a couple of times, before taking it out again. Mr. Bagley winced from the pain, but Drake's hand over his mouth stopped any sounds from slipping out. When he withdrew his hand, he replaced the rag over the man's mouth and left him to his pain.

While Mr. Bagley slowly bled and cried himself to death, Drake moved over to Mrs. Bagley whose stare would grind metal if it could. Removing the rag that kept her quiet and freeing her mouth, Drake now positioned himself almost on top of her.

'You look like you got something you want to say to me, mother,' he said, expecting her to spew out the worst towards him. And the woman did not disappoint.

'You're no son of mine,' she vomited. 'You never were. You were just a street dog, a fleabag that we used for our purposes and then threw back out when we no longer needed you. And mark my words, you'll remain a street dog for the rest of your miserable life, no matter where you live or what you wear.'

Having finished her hateful speech, Mrs. Bagley spat in Drake's face and shut her mouth again. Scowling at her, Drake drew closer and grabbed her hard from her loose hair, using it to wipe the spit from his face. The woman squealed from the pain and pulled her head back, leaving behind a handful of hair in his hand. He looked at it and then forcefully shoved it all inside her mouth, holding her jaw shut.

'Bessie was right about you; you know? There's not a maternal bone in your body, not one. That's why the Almighty left you barren.'

Covering her mouth with the one hand, just like he had done with her husband, he slid the bloodied knife inside her stomach, twisting and turning it a few times for good measure. Blood and guts burst out of her abdomen, soiling her specially tailored gown. Marge twisted in place and screamed as loud as she could, but only muffled sounds came out from underneath Drake's fingers. The tears from her eyes, however, ran freely down her made-up cheeks.

'I would have done anything for you,' Drake roared while cutting her up, 'but you chose this instead. I hope it was all worth it.' He pulled the knife out of her mutilated flesh and wiped the blood in her pink satin dress. The woman lay at his feet, crying and gasping for air.

Having finished with the "surgery" part of his plan, Drake now got back up and grabbed the nearest oil lamp he found. He threw it against the sofa behind him, where it broke, setting it on fire. Right then, the horror in the Bagleys' eyes reached new levels. He then picked up another lamp and threw it against the curtains, setting them on fire too. He went around the entire house doing the same thing, until he was satisfied with the results. The whole house soon caught fire like a dry haystack in the middle of a hot summer's day.

When he figured it was time for him to leave, he walked back to his prisoners for one final farewell. They both half lay-half sat on the floor, shrinking and whimpering from the pain, blood and guts spilling out of their open wounds.

'I love what you've done with the place, mom and dad; it really is a dream house. Well, I do hope you'll enjoy it. I'm just sorry I couldn't stick around long enough to share it with you. Ta ta.'

He turned his back on the dying couple and started to walk towards the exit, while the fire devoured everything around him. But before he could even get to the front door, he heard Marge calling after him.

'Drake.'

He turned.

With livid fire in her eyes Mrs. Bagley spoke one last time.

'This isn't over, _son_. I'll come back for you; you watch.'

It could have been the flames already licking up her flesh, but Drake could swear he saw her eyes shine bright red for a single moment. It mattered not; she was already history. He gave her one last disgusted look and smiled viciously.

'I'll be waiting, _mother_ ,' he replied, brandishing his double-edged knife in the air.

Turning his back on both of them again, he headed towards the door, walked through it and closed it behind him, leaving the quiet neighbourhood the same way he had come. A sense of accomplishment washed over him, as he knew he was finally done with his old life.

***

Later that night, turning the corner and heading inside the house he had rented, Drake noticed that the lights were on inside. He stopped for a moment; he had dismissed the maid and the butler earlier that day, so it couldn't be any of them. Whoever it was, he doubted they meant well. He knew that much about life now to only expect the worst.

Either way, he didn't care. Even if they meant to hurt him, it mattered little. Live or die, life was nothing but a big pile of manure that had absolutely nothing to offer him but a wrinkled nose and a headache. If he was to go out today, at least he'd go satisfied. So, he proceeded towards the house and whatever fate had decided for him.

Stepping through the door, he realised immediately who it was that had visited, before he even saw her. He smelled her unique perfume in the air, and for just one moment his heart was pumping real blood again. He went straight to the salon where she was waiting for him, standing by the window. She was beautiful, radiant, and in the prime of her youth. She still had the evening gown on and wore her gorgeous hair just the way he liked it, loose and free for the wind to play with, with only a few thin braids on the sides.

_She will never be as beautiful and pure as this_ , he thought. But she did not belong here; nothing that beautiful could belong anywhere near him.

'Lily,' he exclaimed as he stepped towards her, a hint of real joy in his voice. Right then, he remembered his blood-soaked hands and what he'd just done, and he stopped, hiding them behind his back. 'Why are you here?' he asked, his voice now changing into harsh and unfriendly.

Lily felt disheartened by the change in his tone but tried not to show it. She stepped forward, thinking to go to him, but stopped when she saw him take a step back.

'I left the party soon after you did and came to find you. Where have you been?'

'Catching up with some old friends,' he said, not really a lie. 'You've been waiting here this whole time? Does anyone know where you are?'

'My maid is waiting out back with the hansom.'

Drake tried hard not to be distracted by her beautiful face. He wished she wouldn't have come; leaving would be so much more difficult now.

'Lily, why are you here?' He dared not go any closer.

'I need to know,' she replied. 'What was that back there, at the Windsor's? What is happening with you? Why have you stopped calling on me?'

Drake had to actually fight the desire to tell her everything; she had always had that effect on him. But he knew that it would be useless. She might feel something for him now, but she was still one of them, for better or for worse.

'What is happening is that I am leaving London, for good. There's nothing here for me anymore.'

'You're lying,' she confronted him, and for a moment it reminded him why he liked her so much. No other girl had her spirit, her tough yet kind nature; and no one else saw through him, challenging him the way she did. But she still wouldn't love him, not him, not after all he'd done.

'Yes, I am,' he replied, now driven to anger, 'and you know why? Because it's what you want to hear.'

'Don't you dare presume to know what I want. I want to hear the truth.' Her voice betrayed the hurt his words caused.

'No, you don't,' Drake did not back off, 'you wouldn't like the truth. The truth is ugly, the truth is poor, the truth is murderous, and you would have nothing to do with it, with me.'

'Why do you say that?' Lily's voice began to crack as she realised losing Drake would apparently not be the worst part of this evening. 'You know how I feel about you. I would go away with you right now if you asked me.'

Drake stopped for a moment and his face froze in a confused pose. Would she? Did she really love him enough to go away with him? Maybe all wasn't lost; maybe he didn't have to be alone. With her by his side his life could have meaning again.

But he was running ahead of himself. She didn't know what she was talking about; she was only speaking her young heart now, but her senses would eventually catch up to her for sure. And when they did, she'd know he wasn't the man for her.

No, he wasn't going to be fooled by her golden locks and the bluest eyes he'd ever seen.

'You wouldn't want to go with me if you really knew me; if you knew what I've done. The man you think you love does not exist; I made him up. The real me you could never love.'

'I don't believe you,' Lily challenged him again, but this time Drake did not feel amused. He was tired and hurt; he wanted this over with. 'You couldn't have made him up completely; I know there's a part of you in him that is good, and that part I love, that part I am willing to follow.'

Drake was now losing his patience. His voice had grown louder and he'd gotten close enough to touch her. Why wouldn't she relent? Why wouldn't she let him go? How could she be so blind and not see him for who he really was? When it came down to it, she must not be as wise as he had thought, if he could fool her so easily.

And that's when he thought of the solution; he'd show her the part of him that he'd kept hidden from her. Then she would stop begging for him to stay, to love her. Oh, but he did love her, didn't he? He wanted her. He looked at her hungrily, sizing her up and down, and could not deny that he'd wanted to do this ever since he'd first seen her. Her small body, those dazzling blue eyes, that perfect golden hair that drove him crazy every time she wore it down. He could resist it no more.

He jumped the distance between them and grabbed her with his blood-soaked hands, bringing her face to his and kissing her with a violent passion. Taken by surprise, yet having also dreamed of this very moment for weeks, Lily at first went along with it and kissed him back. Maybe she thought this would change his mind and he would stay. But Drake would not change his mind, and he would definitely not stay. He also would not stop. Finally having her in his arms felt so good that he gave into his animal instincts and began tearing off her clothes.

'Drake, stop,' Lily protested, 'what are you doing?'

'Showing you who I really am,' Drake answered and threw her down on the floor, where he proceeded to undress and ravage her, with his own lips covering her mouth, to drown out her screams and pleas for him to stop.

As the heart and honour of Miss Lilly Worthington slowly died a painful and humiliating death, so did the last bit of innocence and goodness in Drake. Whatever was left in him after this no longer belonged in this world, in any world.

Outside, the stars and the moon hid under a thick myriad of dark clouds, promising heavy rain and thunder for days to come.

When Drake was finally done, he got back up and fixed himself. At his feet, Lily gathered herself into a ball of naked flesh and blood-stained clothes, crying inconsolably. Drake looked down at her and felt nothing, no remorse, no sadness, no guilt, just nothing.

'So, now you know,' he said in a soulless voice. 'Still wanna go with me?'

He still hoped.

In response, Lily turned away from him, her disappointment wounding her so much more than everything else.

'I didn't think so,' Drake said and turned his back on her. 'Goodbye, fair Lily,' he said as he walked out of the lounge, out of the house and out of her life forever. Only death would bring the two of them together again.

***

In the middle of a dark night, the entire London suddenly woke up by the terrifying screams of a maidservant, who'd walked into a house to find her mistress hanging from the ceiling, her torn out clothes drenched in still fresh blood.

### Chapter 8

# Through the Looking Glass

Sitting down on the cold sand, with the sea raging wildly before him, Nemo wept silently. His back was turned on Daniel's collapsed body farther behind him. He wasn't one to usually cry but knew of no other way to relieve himself of this anguish. With both his hands he clutched his chest that hurt badly. It was like he was trying to help it contain whatever it was that violently fought to get out. He had never felt pain like this.

He was angry too, angry at his best friend, angry at himself. He wondered if it hadn't been a mistake jumping into Charybdis headfirst. Would Daniel really have jumped in if he hadn't? Had it been at the wrong moment, perhaps the wrong spot?

But no, he knew he'd done the right thing, he was sure of it. This was all on Daniel, him and his stubborn idea that somehow, he always had to look after Nemo. What about him, who was supposed to look after him?

Nemo felt like screaming. He had all these emotions boiling inside of him and he didn't know how he would be able to control them. But he was just about to be rid of at least a couple of them.

'Nemo?' the voice of Daniel finally waking up almost startled him. He turned around and saw his best friend sit up, one hand on his forehead. His eyes were blood-red and his face quite pale. He looked exhausted. But he was alive and that was all that mattered.

'How long was I out?' Daniel asked.

Nemo did not answer. Instead, he got up, walked over to his best friend and punched him so hard in the face that Daniel fell right back on the sand. But he didn't stay down; he turned back up, anger flaring up in his eyes.

'What the hell, Nemo? What is wrong with you?'

'What's wrong with _me_? What's wrong with you? I'm so angry at you, I could kill you,' Nemo yelled at him, rubbing his own fist to ease yet another pain he had not counted on. 'Planning on leaving me behind and jumping into that thing on your own; just what did you expect was going to happen? Did you think it was going to be a nice swim in the sea, just like back home? You almost died, you, stubborn fool of a man. You _would_ have died if I hadn't been there.'

Nemo shouted to his heart's content, letting all his anger and frustration out, while Daniel rubbed his face with the palm of his hand, trying to ease the pain. He looked up at his friend and could swear he didn't recognise him. He'd never seen Nemo so angry before, like, ever. Had he done this? Was he the cause?

Right then, his anger softened. He had indeed brought this one on himself.

'Ouch, Nemo; you punched me,' he complained in fake disbelief when Nemo finally stopped yelling.

'Did it hurt?' the boy yelled again.

'Yeah.'

'Good,' said Nemo. 'At least you're alive to feel it.'

'Alright, alright,' Daniel surrendered, still a bit frustrated. 'I shouldn't have tried to leave you behind; I get it. I just thought I'd keep you safe, okay?'

'But why do you always insist on playing that role with me? I'm not a kid anymore, Dan, still needing your protection. Or do you still think I cannot take care of myself?'

Daniel now stood up, still rubbing his face.

'No, Nemo, that's not it. I just care about you too much and don't want you to get hurt, that's all.'

'Well, I care about you too, and I don't want you to get hurt either,' Nemo refused to lower his voice. 'Or do you really think you'll be able to do this all on your own, without risking anything? Look at all the things we've gone through so far, everything that's happened to us; we've only managed to survive because we've been together. We take care of each other, Dan, or we don't make it at all, neither of us. So, get that through to your thick head and stop trying to keep me away, or you'll condemn both of us to death.'

Daniel didn't know what to say. He'd heard it from Eleanor, he'd heard it from Odysseus, he'd even heard it from his own inner voice, but it was Nemo's words that somehow made the more sense. His friend was right; he'd been a fool. He needed Nemo just as much as Nemo needed him. He just wished he hadn't almost died for him to understand it.

'Alright, I won't,' he said, finally giving up, 'I promise. We started this thing together and we'll end it together.'

'Good,' said Nemo again, still shouting at his friend. Daniel actually found that funny, despite both of them feeling rather angry.

'Why are you still yelling at me?'

'I don't know?' Nemo answered, waving his hands in the air, but still not lowering his voice. He looked away for a moment, finally remembering to breathe and sort out his thoughts. He then decided he better try and calm down a bit. When he next spoke again, his voice was more controlled, his eyes sadder.

'You don't know what it was like, Dan, seeing you belly-up in the water, not breathing; holding you in my arms and being afraid that I was too late.'

'Actually, I do,' Daniel corrected him, and Nemo knew what he meant. He'd almost died that time he'd been chased by the werewolves near New Sotira.

'Yeah, okay, you do. Still, it was the worst moment of my life and I'm so angry at you for making me go through that.'

'Okay, okay,' Daniel tried to appease him before he began yelling again. 'You have my permission to punch me and yell at me for as long as you want; as long as it takes for you to stop being angry at me, okay? But, can I just say one thing?'

'What?' asked Nemo, sure that his friend was about to make some more excuses to justify his actions.

'I'm sorry and thank you,' Daniel said, surprising Nemo completely. 'I'm sorry I tried to leave you behind, and that I thought I needed to keep you safe, and for what I put you through. And thank you for being so wonderfully stubborn that you went against my wishes, just so you wouldn't leave me alone. You've always been there for me, Nemo, looking after me, and saving my life more than once. I could not ask for a better friend than you.'

'That wasn't one thing,' Nemo managed to say before he started weeping again. Feeling quite embarrassed about it, he turned away from Daniel and tried to control his sobbing this time. But of course, he failed.

Once again, Daniel's heart melted by the beautiful love he felt coming from his best friend. He suddenly felt the threat of his own tears attacking, but he did not mind. He walked over to the merman and decided to throw his arms around him. Only, Nemo suddenly turned and punched him again with just as much strength as the first time. Daniel's head jerked sideways again and he screamed.

'Ouch, Nemo. Stop that.'

'What? You gave me permission, and I'm still angry.'

Daniel raised his head again. His nose was now bleeding, but somehow it was Nemo's tears that bothered him more. The boy continued to cry and move his hands like he didn't know what to do with them. Daniel ignored his own pain and approached him carefully.

'Do you need to hit me again?'

'I don't know,' came the confused answer. 'Maybe. Are you gonna hit me back if I do?' Nemo's lips widened beneath his wet cheeks. His eyes were still flooded.

'No,' Daniel chuckled, despite his face hurting pretty bad. 'I'm not.' He drew closer to his friend and waited for another blow, his eyes half closed in anticipation of it, but when it didn't come, he opened them and threw his arms around Nemo, hugging him tight.

'I'm sorry, Nemo. It won't happen again, I promise.'

'I know,' Nemo said and wrapped his own arms around his best friend, resting his head on his shoulder. More sobs followed and he was glad it was just the two of them there. For some reason, he thought of what Hëna would say right then, watching the two friends hug it out; and he could not help but smile. She would surely have something cheeky to say about this, had she been there.

When they were done having their moment, Daniel asked if they could sit back down. Coming back from the dead and then being punched twice seemed to take way too much energy.

'So, what happened, anyway? You weren't anywhere near me when I was, you know...'

'Drowning?' Nemo offered in an accusing tone. Daniel gave him a tired look and Nemo decided to give him a break. He then proceeded to recount everything that had happened after Daniel had lost consciousness.

'I jumped in there expecting it to be bad. I just didn't know it would be _that_ bad. I swam very quickly towards the bottom to get a feeling of how far we'd have to go, and that's when I knew you wouldn't make it; no human could. It was too far for you to swim it without air, and that's without taking into account the crazy currents you had to fight. So, I decided to swim right back and get you. Only, when I finally found you, it was already too late. You'd swallowed too much water and weren't moving. I dragged you out of there as quickly as I could and brought you here. I managed to get you out just in time; a moment longer and you wouldn't have come back. You're lucky you've taught me CPR, you know; you're alive because of it. You opened your eyes, coughed out all the water you had swallowed and then lost consciousness again. But you were breathing, so I just let you rest and regain your strength.'

It was difficult for Daniel to see the pain in his friend's eyes while he recounted all of this, but what was done, was done. The path was walked, the lesson learned. They could only move on from here. He decided to say nothing more on the subject and looked around.

The strangest feeling hit him then as he made a quick inventory of their surroundings. He felt like they were back home, only it didn't look exactly the same. The sea was quite agitated, and the wind blew sporadically, sometimes violently. The forest behind them seemed to be drying up and dying, and despite the bright sunlight, there wasn't much warmth coming from it. The sand underneath them was also freezing cold.

'Where do you think we are?' asked Nemo, surveying the area much like he was.

'I don't know, but I have the strangest feeling,' replied Daniel.

'I know what you mean; feels a bit like home, doesn't it?'

'But it couldn't be,' said Daniel. 'I'd recognise the beach; I know every inch of Endërland by heart, but I've never been to this place before.'

They both got up and began exploring the place in more detail.

'You know what else is weird?' asked Nemo.

'Yeah, no signs of life anywhere,' Daniel answered. 'No animals in the forest, no birds in the sky. I don't like this, Nemo; we better stay alert, we don't know what we'll find in this place.'

'Oh, I've got a pretty good idea what we'll find here,' Nemo said, prompting Daniel to turn to him with a puzzling look on his face. 'More monsters and trouble, of course,' Nemo explained.

Daniel silently agreed. So far, they had not had much luck, though this was only the second dreamworld they were visiting. By the looks of it though, unless it was completely barren of life, he anticipated nothing good.

But there was something he wasn't telling Nemo. A suspicion was forming in his mind as to where they might have landed, but he had to know more before he could share this with his friend. It was time for them to do some walking and explore more of this place.

'We need to move, Nemo, though I'm not sure in which direction.'

They looked both ways. To their right, facing the sea, the beach continued for a long while, before it disappeared around a corner somewhere far ahead. To their left, not too far from them a tall cliff arose steeply, which made following the coastline a bit difficult, but not impossible.

'Well,' Nemo suggested, 'you're still too weak to climb that cliff, so I think we better follow the beach and see what's on the other side.'

That sounded logical enough, so Daniel agreed, and they decided to start walking. Despite the chill in the air and their still wet clothes, it felt good to have their feet planted on firm ground again. Daniel loved the sea and had enjoyed the yacht ride as well as their time on Odysseus' ship, but he was glad to feel the freedom of walking from place to place once again.

'That's not gonna swell and turn black, is it?' Nemo suddenly asked, pointing at his face. Daniel lifted his hand to touch the sore spot right under his eye. They'd just managed to stop his nose bleeding.

'It just might,' he answered, pretending to be angry about it. 'If I go back to Hëna with a black eye, she'll give you two, you know that?'

'Yeah, if you're going back to Hëna with a black eye, you'll be going alone,' Nemo replied, laughing. 'I'm not going anywhere near her. I'd rather be chased by the werewolves again.'

'Coward,' Daniel accused jokingly.

'Punch bag,' came the snarky reply.

They both giggled. For a moment, Daniel tried to imagine Hëna and Nemo fighting, and honestly didn't know which of them would win, or who he would root for. It was a good thing something of that sort was highly unlikely to ever happen.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, he began frantically searching first his pockets and then his backpack. His face began changing from worried into desperate in a matter of seconds as he realized that what he was looking for wasn't there. He was about to stop and turn back, when he heard Nemo say.

'Looking for this?'

In his hand he had a small wooden box, with a ribbon tied around it, not in the best condition. Relieved, Daniel took it from his hand, his face now settling back into a relaxed posture.

'Oh, thank you, Nemo. I thought I'd lost it.'

'You almost did. A bunch of things fell out of your bag when you went into Charybdis; it was pure luck that I spotted this little beauty when we were making our way out. I knew you'd hate yourself if you lost it, so I managed to grab it quickly, before we got out of there.'

Once again, Daniel felt so grateful for his friend and berated himself for ever thinking he could have done this without him.

'Thanks, Nemo. I don't know how I'm ever gonna repay you.'

'Hey, I got to punch you, twice,' Nemo joked. 'Been wondering for ever what that would feel like.'

'I'm gonna get you back for that, you know,' Daniel threatened, rubbing his face again. Nemo had one hell of a mean right hook.

'Sure,' replied Nemo. 'Just wait for the day I decide to leave you behind and go on a suicidal mission.'

'Hey, I thought we put that behind us,' complained Daniel. Nemo grinned wide and just kept walking.

'Are you ever gonna tell me what's in that box?' he asked after a while. Daniel still held it in his hands as if he was afraid of letting it out of his sight again.

'You mean; you didn't open it?'

'Oh, I was tempted to, believe me. But I was just a little busy with, you know...' he stopped right there, when he saw Daniel giving him another berating look. Nemo retreated apologetically.

'You're just gonna have to wait and see for yourself when we find Serena,' Daniel finally answered about the box.

'I think I can do that,' Nemo said and smiled. All was finally right with the world again, well, in a manner of speaking. From the moment he'd gotten wind of Daniel's plan to leave him behind he'd felt like their quest had failed, like he was alone. He knew Daniel meant well and he understood, but he'd still felt rejected, unwanted. But now, they were back on track, with the assurance that they were in this together until the end, and once again, everything was the way it should be.

They walked for what felt like half a day, following the coastline eastward. The forest to their right was endless and dense and they decided not to abandon the beach for fear of getting lost inside it. Besides, the dying state of all the trees and bushes made the whole place feel quite unpleasant and hostile. They were better off sticking with the safe shoreline.

Sundown would soon be upon them and they were about to give up and rest for the day, after having walked for hours without a break, when, turning around the corner of a shallow bay, they finally saw it. Straight ahead of them, only about fifteen minutes' walk, rose a solitary castle, next to what must have once been a huge garden. The castle was imposing. It faced mainland westward, overlooking a great courtyard similar to that of the Eternal Clock in Arba, as well as the garden beyond. A tall pointy tower rose high right above the sea on the east wing, with a smaller windowless one built on the south wing.

The whole place had an eerie similarity to Arba, yet it was still so different. Daniel's suspicion was fast turning into certainty by now.

Being more cautious, the two of them continued to walk towards the castle, wondering whom, if anyone, they would meet there. From the distance, there were no signs of life to be seen anywhere. Here, much like everywhere else, all the green life had turned brown or yellow. The garden had withered and died, as if from a bad disease. They had never seen anything like it before.

When they finally entered the castle, they found it unsurprisingly empty. Most gates and doors seemed to have been brought down or broken apart and there was destruction everywhere. They proceeded inside and checked hall after hall and room after room, finding everything in pretty much the same situation.

Outside the castle, the sun was getting closer to the finish line. Daniel somehow had a feeling that the night was gonna be much more unpleasant than the day in this cold and lifeless place.

'We need to light a few torches, Nemo, and find us a room to spend the night in. Preferably one with a door standing in its place, seeing as we don't know what the night might bring.'

'Well, we might just have the thing for you,' he suddenly heard a voice from behind them and turned around to see who spoke.

The answer to his suspicion was standing right in front of him, dressed in a royal warrior's armour, with long blonde curly hair tied back and an impressive golden crown on top of her head. About ten or so soldiers stood behind her, all armed to their teeth, but looking more frightened than frightening.

Daniel, however, was not concerned with the soldiers. The woman, whose blue eyes had lost none of their youthful spark, made one step towards them.

'Hi, Daniel.'

'Hi, Sam.'

Sitting quietly by the fire and feeding it log after log so that it wouldn't go out, Nazir thought about this new world while his travelling companions slept. He wondered whether the future of his people lay here, in this eerily quiet land, where so far, he hadn't countered any signs of life. He'd never met with such silence before. The night back home, even underneath the surface, was full of sounds and noises. The chirping song of the cricket was ever his favourite. He would go out on the surface almost nightly to listen to it, cherishing those moments like they were priceless to him. But here, all sounds of life were strangely absent, even for this late hour.

Now that his eyes had adjusted to the dark, he could see a bit clearer all around him, thanks in part to the fire and the stars above. The small lake they'd camped next to poured its waters into another river, which headed south and got lost in the horizon hidden behind the dark. The wind rustled the trees of the forest nearby, but he did not like the sound they made; it was as if they were all naked and lifeless. No animal noises or movement could be heard; the forests were always full of nightly creatures, but not this one.

There was clearly something wrong with this place; he could feel it. The initial joy that the eagle leader had given him slowly gave way to an increasing fear. This world might not be the one they were looking for after all. And even if it did turn out to be a suitable place for his people, they might never be able to come down here. How would his people make it down the great river, all of them?

He hated Prince Amir for what he'd done, bringing war and the prospect of inevitable destruction for his people. For he did not doubt that the eagles would never be defeated, not really. The fighting between the two races might take years, but even if they lost a battle or two, he knew the eagles would eventually win the war. They would never give up and abandon their home. His father had always spoken with the highest respect for these creatures and had known them like few tergs ever had. He'd known the history of the two people from way back and had always maintained that they were a noble race, generous and kind to their friends, but formidable against their enemies. They were as old as life itself and they would most likely be here until the end of time.

Nazir had grown up with his father's veneration for the eagle race and they'd never let him down. Standing in front of the great Ìskender, he had been even more in awe of his wisdom and respect for all life, including that of his enemies. So, he prayed with all his heart that this plan of theirs worked; both races deserved peace, and this truly seemed the only way for them to achieve it. He just hoped the young eagle sleeping by the fire saw things the same way.

As if sensing the terg's thoughts, Junior stirred in his sleep, a puff of hot air blowing out of his nostrils. It almost put the fire out.

Nazir watched with curiosity and got to thinking. He had not been so sure at first, when he learned that Ìskender had chosen the young eagle to fly them down the river stream. He had thought it a mistake, or at the very most, a desire of Ìskender to keep Junior away from the imminent war. But now that he thought about it, the old eagle had always been a wise and far-seeing leader, and he probably saw things that others didn't. Was there something about this youngling that hid beneath the surface? Something special, perhaps?

As he pondered this new riddle, a dreadful sound broke the dead silence of the night, jolting the entire world awake. It was some sort of high-pitched cry coming from the distance, deep over the forest; a pair of dry shrieks that pierced the ear and chilled the bone. Everyone in the camp got up at once.

'What was that horrible sound?' Junior was the first to ask.

'It sounded like nothing I've ever heard before,' it was Séraphin who answered, trying to control his yawning.

'Nor I,' added Nazir. 'It came from that direction.'

'What do you think it was?' Junior asked again.

'I've no idea,' Hëna spoke this time, reaching for her sword, 'but I don't think I wanna know. Whatever it is, it can't be anything good sounding like that. We best put the fire out.'

As they hurried to kill the flames with dirt and water, the shrieks were heard again, this time a lot closer. Whatever it was, it was clearly headed in their direction, flying in the night sky.

'They must have seen the fire,' Séraphin said. 'But how?'

'Any chance they could be friendly?' Junior asked, really doubting it.

'With that hideous racket? Highly unlikely,' answered Hëna. 'I think we're about to be attacked. From what I can tell, there should be two or three of them, large and airborne, obviously. Nazir, can you fight?'

The small terg seemed to have been caught off guard by the question, but he recovered quickly.

'I..., I'm not the best at close combat; you know, with swords and stuff,' he answered, prompting the other three to exchange meaningful looks. 'But I'm great at fighting from a distance. I'm a great marksman, very good with bow and arrow, and I can throw anything I get my hands on, always hitting the target. I've won the championship for four years in a row, apart from last year, when my sister was finally allowed to enter, and...'

'Nazir, focus,' Hëna interrupted him again. 'Do you have any weapons at all?'

'Sorry,' Nazir answered. 'My bow and quiver were taken from me by Prince Amir's men and, of course, I wasn't allowed any weapons among the eagles.'

'Here, take these,' Séraphin pulled out of his bag two beautiful double-edged daggers, reminiscent of a time long ago. 'Try not to throw them both at once, or at any of us.'

Hëna looked at him with probing eyes.

'How come you still have those? You were supposed to have destroyed them after the Battle of Arba.'

Séraphin looked guilty all of a sudden.

'I couldn't bear to be parted with them. I had a feeling I'd need them again someday.'

Hëna made to say something but thought better of it. 'So, what are _you_ going to fight with?' she then asked, to which, Séraphin protracted his long claws as a response.

'And the sword? What happened to it?'

'I dropped it back when we got rescued.' He didn't look at Junior just then, nor mentioned Mara. 'These will do just fine, trust me.'

'I still wish you had a sword, or at least a crossbow,' Hëna said. She had managed to hold on to hers and Ìskender had later allowed her to keep it.

'You know I can't really use either of them when I'm flying, Hëna, and something tells me I won't be fighting down here...'

He didn't even finish his sentence, when a third wave of shrieks and screeches now echoed from the near south, high above them. They all turned their heads in that direction, but it was Séraphin's sharp eyes that spotted the creatures first. What he saw, put the living fear inside of him.

'Now, _that's_ definitely something I've never seen before,' he said, arching his wings halfway in preparation. Before the others could even ask what he meant, they saw for themselves. The creatures, two of them, had coal black bodies, looking quite human in shape, specifically female humans. They had large bat-like wings and eyes that shone fire-red. Their hair was long, apparently tied into multiple thick braids, and it looked alive, moving at will against the wind. They looked about as scary as they sounded, and their cries alone had been enough to terrify the four travellers.

'Junior, you're with me,' Séraphin instructed. 'Hëna, you and Nazir better head into the woods; you'll have more protection there. We'll try to stay close enough, in case you need help.'

'Good luck,' said Hëna, and without lingering another second she grabbed Nazir and ran toward the trees.

Séraphin rose up in the air to meet the creatures, followed by Junior whose heart was pounding like crazy.

'Here's your chance, Gjergj,' Séraphin smiled at him as they headed towards the oncoming threat. 'Show me what you got.'

In response, Junior launched a double cry of war that could almost rival the shrieks of the creatures.

Rising high enough to be on the same level as the flying crones, Séraphin and Junior hovered in the air, making sure not to go too far from where Hëna and Nazir were hiding. When they came within earshot, the creatures stopped in mid-air, observing the strangers with curiosity. Séraphin was now able to see them better; they looked like women, disfigured and discoloured from any sign of life in their hideous bodies. One of them had the appearance of an old plump woman, while the other one looked like a young girl, deformed by the darkness that had taken over her body. Their wings were as ugly as their faces, but the most disturbing bit of all was the fact that what he had first thought of as braids, were actually living dark-skinned snakes, with blood-red eyes just like their mothers'. It was without a doubt the most terrifying thing he'd ever seen, and anything that looked like that had to be an evil monster in his book. The fact that they were not attacking, however, gave him pause, so he thought he'd try out diplomacy first.

'Greetings,' he said, waving a hand as a friendly gesture, while making sure to withdraw his claws. 'We're visitors from another world. We mean you no harm.'

The crones, however, appeared to be ignoring his words and moved their heads about as if looking for something, or someone. They soon cast their gaze down towards the campfire first, and then followed the trail to where Hëna and Nazir were hiding. When they spotted them, they both screeched heinously one more time and launched themselves downward, towards their prey.

Without thinking twice about it, Séraphin and Junior dived in after them. They flew surprisingly fast, taking into account their weird bat-like wings, and within seconds were right on top of Hëna and Nazir, who held their blades raised upwards. Junior, however, was faster. He reached the creatures before they could land on their target, grabbing the thin one by her wings with his large and sharp talons. She screamed in pain, prompting her bigger friend to stop and turn for help. She set herself on Junior, her long nails aiming for him, while all the snakes on her head hissed ominously, reaching for flesh to sink their teeth into.

As Junior swerved between the trees, dragging the first creature by the wings, the second one turned and flew on top of him, ready to attack. It was now Séraphin's turn to engage. He fell on her back, careful to keep away from the snakes on her head. Something told him that if he should attempt to avoid anything, it should be those snakes. He sank his own claws in her back, tearing at the thin membrane of her wings. The creature cried out in pain and turned to defend herself.

The look of hate in her blood-red eyes could petrify the bravest of men, but Séraphin was no mere man. His wingman heart beat steadily the entire time, never skipping a beat. As the creature turned, he turned along with her, while still pulling and tearing at her wings that were now oozing black blood out of the open cuts.

Each of them was now engaged in a duel with one of the creatures, while Hëna and Nazir watched from the ground, their hearts beating anxiously. Hëna really wished she had Daniel's old bow and arrow with her right now; they would really come in handy, assuming these things could be killed.

Nazir's heart raced like crazy as he followed the aerial battle from below. That one moment where the hideously clawed fingers of the creatures had dangled right on top of him, had been one of the scariest of his entire life. He'd never thought of himself as a coward, but that had been real fear he had felt just then; still did. He could not help but root for the wingman and the young eagle, despite the latter's not so friendly attitude towards him. Not that he blamed the eagle; he'd just lost his mother, and his entire race, home and life were being threatened. Anyone would react the same way, or even worse. But Nazir knew that in the end they were both on the same side here, looking for the same thing, peace and freedom for both their people. And Nazir would do everything in his power to make that happen.

Standing next to him, Hëna followed the fight closely, staying extra alert and prepared for anything. Her friends seemed to be doing okay so far, but there was something very unnatural about these creatures. Despite bleeding and feeling pain, they did not seem to slow down or back off. In fact, every new cut or wound appeared to entice them even more, their hate and rage giving them new strength.

Being slightly smaller in size than Séraphin, it was easier for the crones to manoeuvre between the leafless trees in the forest. They soon managed to rip their wings free of the claws of Séraphin and Junior, and switched from defence to offense. Junior was too big to move around the trees, so he drew one of them out in the open, where he could protect himself better. Here it proved easier for him to keep the creature's snakes away from any body parts; he kept his talons aimed at her, never allowing her to get too close to him. Hëna was impressed at how agile the young eagle seemed to be.

Séraphin on the other hand appeared to be struggling more. The crone was too quick for him to keep her at bay, and he was running out of manoeuvres and space. He was being pushed farther and farther into the woods, where the creature knew his large wings would prove a problem. And so they did, both of them getting stuck in the branches of a huge old oak. Seizing the opportunity, the creature was about to jump on his exposed body, when the cry of her friend stopped her in mid-air. Junior had once again caught the thin one between his talons, and was tearing her black wings apart. The second creature abandoned Séraphin where he was and sped towards Junior and her friend, both not too far from where Hëna and Nazir were. Hëna began to panic; Junior would not be able to fend both of them off.

Several things happened then all at once. Séraphin managed to free himself from the tree and set after his prey, passing right above Hëna and Nazir.

'Séraphin,' Hëna called from below, throwing him her sword, which he caught in the air without stopping.

The second creature was now almost on top of Junior, when a knife flew in her direction and planted itself in her plump back, going in deep. She screamed and fell down on the ground, writhing in pain. At the same time, the sword Séraphin was holding cut through the flesh of the other creature, who was still hanging from Junior's talons. She too screamed in agony, and in the process kicked Séraphin and his sword away from her. She then managed to tear herself off from Junior's grasp, leaving a good portion of her wings in his claws. She flew awkwardly away towards her friend and landed clumsily next to her. Frantically, she wrenched the knife out of her friend's back and threw it away towards the forest. Then they both began comforting each other over their wounds and cuts, all the while throwing spiteful glances towards their enemies.

Séraphin and Junior came down to where their friends were and assumed a protective position. From the distance, they could see the creatures slowly but surely getting back up, and what was more alarming, mending themselves as if by magic. In the span of a few minutes their wounds seemed to have closed completely as if they'd never been there at all. The friends watched in horror as their attackers arose in the air again, ready for a second battle. But, as they set out with renewed vengeance, something caused them to stop dead where they were. They began to look around and smell the air; something was clearly frightening them. Soon, it was clear what that something was; daylight had been sneaking upon them during this entire time, and now the sun was coming up. The creatures shrieked in terror and looked down towards the friends, almost unwilling to leave them.

'We'll meet again,' the older crone hissed at them, her eyes flashing fire and her snakes dancing wildly in the air. Then they both flew hurriedly northward towards the snow-covered mountains.

Finally allowing themselves to breathe, the four friends sat down where they were, taking a moment.

'What in the world was that?' Nazir was the first to break the silence, while Hëna began checking on Séraphin and Junior for any battle wounds. Luckily, they had escaped the entire ordeal largely unhurt, apart from a few scratches and lost feathers.

'I have no idea,' Séraphin said, 'but I don't want to stick around and find out. They'll come back tonight, I'm sure. We need to be prepared and hope that they don't have any more friends. 'You alright, Junior?' he turned to his big friend who seemed awfully quiet.

The young eagle then decided to do something that surprised them all. He positioned himself in front of Nazir and lowered his heads.

'You saved my life,' he said, humbly. 'Thank you; I am forever in your debt.'

'Yeah, man,' Séraphin added, 'that was quite a throw.'

'You weren't kidding about being a great marksman, were you?' Hëna chipped in.

Nazir felt a bit overwhelmed by all the attention, but also enjoyed it, especially the eagle's heartfelt thanks. This was a good thing, indeed.

'You are welcome,' he replied to Junior with the same humility. 'But I did nothing that you weren't doing for me, so there's no debt owed.'

Junior rose back up, feeling genuinely touched. He was beginning to see why Ìskender wasn't ready to give up on this people just yet.

Séraphin could already sense the change of heart in this proud young eagle and smiled. Life had a funny way of making friends out of enemies, and enemies out of friends.

'Alright,' Hëna said, when it was clear that the moment had passed. 'We better gather our things and get away from here. We have a world to explore and only a day to find shelter against those things.'

Everyone agreed and headed to the camp to gather their few belongings. Only Nazir headed back into the forest in search of the lost knife. It took him a while, but when he found it, he returned to the camp and handed them back to Séraphin.

'You keep them,' Séraphin said, 'you've earned them. Besides, it looks like you make better use of them against these creatures than I.'

Touched, Nazir thanked him and then proceeded to gather his stuff. He already loved the two daggers; their hilts were beautifully carved and they were fairly light, despite appearing heavier than they looked. Placing them on his belt he then climbed on Junior's back, settling in front of Hëna once again.

Soon they were back in the air, high up, from where they could see far in the horizon. When his keen eyes took in the entire land, gazing even farther than Hëna's and Nazir's could, Séraphin knew which way they should go.

'I think I have an idea where we might be,' he told Hëna, who seemed to have fallen into deep thoughts herself. She also recognised certain similarities with their home world and could not help but feel something tug at her heart. It hadn't been that long since they'd left home, but she already missed it and her life there, the life she knew back before Serena had gone missing. And now, here they were, in a new world very similar to theirs. Suddenly all thoughts of home and family came rushing back into her mind, the emotions that they invoked almost crippling her.

'Yeah,' she almost whispered at Séraphin, 'me too. We're in New Endërland.'

'Have you been here before?' Nazir asked. He'd clearly overheard.

'No,' Séraphin answered, 'but we've heard about it. It is supposed to be a beautiful world, very much like our own. I just don't understand what's happened to turn it into this desolate and accursed place.'

But they had not seen anything yet. Heading southeast towards the ocean, the extent of the destruction of this world became even more clear to them. Entire forests seemed to have been burned down or died; endless fields were laid bare, villages and towns completely empty and void of any life, human or otherwise. There was death all around them, as far as the eye could see.

'This is such a shame,' Nazir said, observing from above. 'It seems to be such a beautiful place. How could anyone destroy it like this?'

'The nasties couldn't have done this, could they?' asked Junior.

'It's possible,' Hëna said. 'They were clearly after humans and they seemed impossible to kill. There's signs of battle everywhere; my guess is, people fought them but were unable to overcome them. They're probably either dead or hiding where the creatures cannot find them.'

'Do you think Sam is here?' Séraphin asked her.

'Who's Sam?' Junior couldn't master his curiosity.

'She's the Great Lord, or Lady of this world,' Hëna answered him, 'and, I don't know,' she answered to Séraphin. 'I guess we'll find out soon enough.'

They continued their flight in the direction they would find Arba, had they been in Endërland. Junior flew with a sense of urgency; he knew daytime would not last forever and he'd hate for them to be caught out in the open again. They might not be as lucky this time around.

Morning in the small town of Basingstoke came too early for Serena. She did not feel like getting out of bed, not when it felt this good lying beside Freddie, his arm under her head, his body so close to hers that she could practically taste his skin. She enjoyed even the scent of the little beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. She watched him sleep and quietly memorized every line on his face, the arching eyebrows, his closed eyes, his small cute nose, and of course, the little scar on his right chin. She wondered why she'd never asked him about it.

She looked at him and she could feel her own body react strangely to her thoughts. It was a new sensation, strange, yet so pleasant, so good. She did not want it to end.

As if sensing her gaze upon him, Freddie opened his own eyes, hers being the first thing he saw that day. He smiled, almost involuntarily, and then raised his hand over his mouth, while he yawned.

'Good morning!'

'Good morning,' she replied, still pretty much in his arms. 'Did you sleep well tonight? I didn't keep you awake, did I?'

Freddie smiled again.

'I slept wonderfully, thank you. And you?'

'Me too,' she replied, then added timidly. 'I told you, sleeping with you is very nice.'

She paused for a moment, then looked into his beautiful hazel eyes again and said.

'This isn't weird, is it? The two of us I mean, sleeping like this?'

'Maybe a little,' Freddie admitted, 'but I don't mind if you don't.'

'No, I don't mind at all,' Serena hurried to assure him, fearing she might lose whatever this was.

'Good,' said Freddie and smiled again. She smiled back and they both remained like that for a while, lying in each other's arms and looking into each other's eyes, not lovers, yet not exactly just friends either.

When it felt like this was beginning to get awkward again, Serena was the first to speak.

'I better get up and prepare us some coffee.'

Freddie chuckled.

'I swear you've gotten addicted to that thing,' he joked.

She stayed where she was, her eyes curious.

'What does that mean?'

'What, addicted? Um..., I guess it's when you really like something and you want it all the time, to the point where you feel like you cannot live without it.'

Serena thought about it for a moment, another question popping into her overworking mind.

'Can you get addicted to people?' she asked, her eyes telling him more than her words ever could.

'Especially people,' he answered in a sweet soft voice, unable to stop his lips from forming a huge smile without his permission.

Neither of them said anything for a moment, then she spoke again.

'Freddie?'

'Yes, Serena.'

'I think I'm getting addicted to you.'

There, it happened. He had her right where his boss wanted her, only that wasn't what he was thinking just then. He was thinking how happy he was to hear her say those words and how much he wanted to say them back to her. He raised his right hand and placed it on her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin underneath his palm.

'I think I'm getting addicted to you, too,' he said, causing her eyes to practically shine now.

'So, what do we do about it?' she asked next.

Instead of replying, Freddie drew closer and placed his lips on hers, kissing her ever so softly. He felt her body draw closer to his and tasted her passion behind her lips. They felt so soft and sweet, so full of heaven. He could not believe he had resisted this for so long.

Serena kissed him back, though she was not sure what or how she was doing. She just let his lips guide hers and his tongue play with her tongue. It was the strangest feeling, yet it felt so good that she practically berated herself for not trying it any sooner.

The kiss only lasted a moment and then Freddie drew back and away from her, appearing embarrassed. She wasn't sure if she'd done something wrong; maybe he didn't like how she kissed?

'Everything okay?' she whispered, concerned.

'Yeah, yeah, everything is great,' Freddie hurried to reassure her. 'Are you okay? Was that alright? I have to admit; I haven't had that much experience.'

'It was my first time, so, I wouldn't know,' Serena said, lowering her eyes in embarrassment. 'I've got nothing to compare it to, really.'

Freddie placed his palm on her cheek again - she loved it when he did that - and spoke sweetly.

'Did you like it?'

'Very much,' she answered, prompting him to come closer for another short kiss and then draw back again.

'I think we better get up,' he said, trying to cover himself, once again looking red in the face. 'You go ahead; I'll meet you downstairs.'

Serena felt confused, but his smile told him she had nothing to worry about. She beamed back at him and proceeded to get out of bed and leave the room. She had a great feeling that this was going to be a wonderful day; she was sure of it. Her body felt light as a feather, the air around her unnaturally rich with a delightful aroma, and the day as bright as she'd ever seen it. She was so happy she could go around skipping and singing.

Back in his room, Freddie took care of the morning routine, making sure to take a nice cold shower before heading back down to her.

He was almost ready to join Serena downstairs for breakfast, when he heard her scream. Running down the stairs as fast as he could without tripping over his own feet, he was initially confused when he found her alone in the kitchen, looking outside the window.'

'What happened?'

'Come and see for yourself,' Serena answered, motioning towards the glass door.

He walked over to her and could not believe what he saw. The small garden in the back of the house had been completely transformed overnight. Not only had the rosebush bloomed with over a dozen red roses, but there were a multitude of other flower and plants that had grown and blossomed as well. The grass was also all nicely grown and shining from the morning dew. It was a beautiful sight to behold; one that left them both speechless.

'It was like this when I got down here,' she said, already answering his first question.

'Wow,' was all he could say, 'you did it, Serena.'

'But how?'

'I don't know. Maybe it's the result of whatever you tried yesterday. Maybe you've been thinking or dreaming about it in your sleep.'

'But I haven't been thinking about _this_ ,' she said, giving him a meaningful look. He threw a loving arm around her shoulder and drew her close to him.

'It doesn't matter. The important thing is that now we know you have the power. We'll just have to spend some more time for you to learn how to control it, that's all.'

He opened the door to the patio and went outside in the garden, to the rosebush. Taking a single rose, he then headed back into the living room and handed the flower to her. She graciously accepted it and gave him a quick kiss on the lips in return. They both headed towards the kitchen and the coffee pot, completely taken by the new turn of events.

For Serena, it was indeed a good day. She was finally able to understand whatever she'd been feeling this past week concerning Freddie and was even happier knowing that he felt the same way. On top of that, they now also knew that she did indeed possess the powers of this Great Dreamer. This part came with dangerous consequences, sure, but it also held the promise of her returning home and reuniting with her parents, and for that she was even more thrilled. Of course, if she found a way to go back home, it might mean she might never get to see Freddie again, but she did not want to think that far ahead. She'd cross that bridge when she got to it.

For Freddie, however, it was more of a mixed bag morning. He could not deny how strongly he felt for Serena, and a big part of him really wanted to find a way for them to be together forever. But her powers had already manifested themselves and he had no more time left. His boss would soon come for her, and then he would most probably never see her again. What's worse, she would finally know the truth about him and he was sure she would hate him. After all, he hated himself right now.

There was no escape from this situation, from his boss. No matter how much he tried to find a way, someone was going to end up getting hurt, and the choice was his. Only, he didn't want to make it, he couldn't. For the millionth time he cursed his luck and wished that he was born just as normal as a non-dreamer. Then, none of this would have happened.

But wishing does not change anything, and Freddie was about to find that out the hard way.

It had been four days since Lily's death and the police still had found no trace of Drake anywhere. The pressure was high upon them to deliver to justice this monster, who was also suspected of orchestrating the Bagley's false arrest and burning down their house with them inside. Lily's family was devastated and the entire neighbourhood utterly shocked, but it was Samuel who suffered it the most. His sister's tragic end hit him the hardest and he found no rest in the assurances of the authorities that they would catch the man responsible. Nor would he simply wait for them to deliver on that promise; he wanted to get Drake himself, even if it was the last thing he ever did.

So it was that he searched the ghettos and slums for days until by chance he ran into one of the three "policemen" who had "arrested" the Bagleys. Paying the man handsomely, he was able to get instructions on where Drake might have gone, and there he went, alone and prepared to do what he must.

He found Drake right where he was told he would, a small, currently unoccupied two-storey house in one of the better neighbourhoods of Whitechapel. The last owners had apparently disappeared under mysterious circumstances a few months ago and the house had been empty ever since. Samuel waited outside the house for hours, and sure enough, when the evening came, he finally saw Drake walk in. He almost didn't recognise the boy; he'd grown gaunt and pale, his hair and beard unkempt, his clothes plain and dirty. This was not the Drake he knew, the cocky and well-groomed young man who admittedly had managed to charm him like no other man.

Samuel watched him go inside and froze. He'd come this far knowing exactly what he wanted to do, but now that the hour was upon him, he wasn't so sure he could actually do it. It is no small a thing after all, taking someone else's life. But that wasn't the only hurdle; Samuel knew he could never take on Drake, being much smaller in size and strength. He was never known for his courage either, much preferring to best a man with his wit instead. But his sister had to be avenged and that monster had to pay for coming into their lives, making a fool of everyone and eventually dishonouring his family the way he did. He should not be allowed to get away with it; who knew how many other victims like his sister would follow?

Debating with himself for a good while, Samuel never left his hiding place. Night fell and eventually all the lights went out in the house. And that's when Samuel finally came out. Carefully prying the old door open, using a trick Drake had taught him only days before, he silently walked inside the quiet house. Drake could already be heard snoring from upstairs.

There were a couple of ways Samuel could get this done; going upstairs and quietly gutting Drake where he slept, being one of them. The problem with that particular strategy was that, if something were to go wrong, he risked Drake waking up and overpowering him. He did not want to take that chance.

The other option was to light the entire house on fire and hope that Drake would burn to death along with it. This also contained the risk of Drake waking up in time and making it out, but he figured, if that happened, he'd still be there and could have another go at trying to kill him. Besides, there was something to say about Drake dying in the same way he had killed the Bagleys, a sort of poetic justice, or so Samuel thought.

Settling on the second option, he searched for bits of paper in the house and lit them up, putting the entire ground floor on fire. When he was sure that the fire definitely caught, he walked out of the house and back to his hiding place, observing. Soon, he was happy to witness the entire house, both ground and first floor were on fire. The flames appeared licking the walls and windows from the inside and soon enough they spread everywhere. Panic began to wake up the neighbouring houses, with people coming out in the streets and shouting in distress. A few of them tried to douse the flames with whatever they could, but it wasn't enough.

Minutes passed and the fire now grew so wild and out of control that it was already too late to put it out. The entire building was burning, with logs dropping down one after the other. Inside the house there was no movement whatsoever; Samuel never saw Drake go out, nor heard him scream. That's when he figured the boy must have asphyxiated from the smoke. Right then, he got angry at himself for not thinking of this. He had not meant for Drake to go in such a peaceful way; he deserved to suffer at least the same amount of pain he had caused his family.

If he only knew. Young Samuel had no idea just how much pain he was actually unleashing on Drake with his actions, for if he did, he might not have gone through with this. As it were, he never found out. For him Drake's story ended here.

The entire neighbourhood eventually gathered to help put the fire out, with the fire brigade also making it into the scene at some point. But for all their tries, they were not able to dowse the hungry flames, not until they'd consumed everything and there was nothing eventually left standing.

When it was finally safe to do so, the ruins were checked and the remains of someone were found, burned to the bone and unrecognisable. But that was all the evidence Samuel needed. Satisfied that Drake had paid for his sister's life with his own, he left his hiding place and went back home to his family and life.

He mourned his sister for a while, and when enough time passed, he put her, Drake and the entire ordeal behind him. He moved on with his life, studied to become a lawyer, fell in love and married a young girl from a well-known family, raising a family of their own together. He had a fairly mundane life and he was fine with that. He often thought about his four days searching for her sister's rapist and avenging her, and at times he had bouts of guilt or crisis of conscience. But that did not happen very often. The rest of the time he was sure that he had done the right thing; not only had he earned justice for his sister, but also done the world a favour, and rid it of a monster. Only, he never knew he had just created a real one.

***

Drake could remember the exact day when he realised he'd left the real world for good. He never found out how, or by whose hand; the number of those who wanted him gone had grown exponentially in recent years. Then again, maybe it had just been a robber and nothing more. It mattered not at this point; he felt relieved. He no longer had to deal with that world, with that life that had brought him nothing but pain and misery.

But here he had a chance to do things differently, even start anew if he wanted to. He was king after all, he had riches and everything he could ever wish for. Of course, he had made plenty of enemies in the small island, but he could deal with them easily. There were so many different ways to deal with someone who doesn't like you, and he was always great at inventing more of them.

And yet, no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he could have a new life in his dreamworld, find happiness and peace, something just did not feel right. He felt incomplete, as if he was cut in half or something, and the missing half - that most important part of him - kept calling to him, yearning and longing to be reunited with him. He was constantly drawn to something he had no idea what, or even where it was. He just felt this invisible hole inside his chest, this great chasm that refused to be filled with anything.

Moreover, he had the strange feeling that his missing half was in terrible pain, though he could not tell from what. He could just feel a small part of that pain himself and it was something half-bearable that he just could not get rid of. He tried laughing, crying, eating and drinking himself to stupor; he bedded countless women and killed even more men, but nothing helped.

And then it happened. Rumours began to spread in the kingdom of a monster that only came out at night. People were being found dead every morning, animals were going into hiding, entire woods were dying and no one could explain it, or seem to escape it. It started out in the far reaches of the kingdom, but every day it kept getting closer and closer to his palace. People grew terrified and desperate, in their panic begging from their ruler to protect them. But Drake cared nothing for them. His life would never again smile upon him and he'd grown tired of trying.

In a matter of weeks from the first occurrences, his kingdom turned from a dreamland into the place of nightmares. The population had already been halved and numerous accounts now shed more light on the dark monster, as it was being called. Not many who'd seen it had lived to tell the tale, but some claimed it was a night dragon, with fire spewing out of its eyes. Some claimed it was not one of them but two; some claimed more. Panic spread in the entire kingdom as people realised that there was no escaping this beast and that it would not stop. They prayed to Zeus and all of the other gods; sacrificed day and night and consulted every oracle in the kingdom, but the gods were silent, worse, absent. No help came from god or man, and every night more people died.

Many fled to the mountains, hid in caves and underground, but the monster - or monsters - always found them. Life in Draeland died a little bit each night, until the number of the souls left alive could be counted with fingers, the king and a small number of soldiers still loyal to him.

It was on one of these nights that Drake finally saw the monsters for himself. What he saw should have scared him, terrified him to the bone, but it didn't. Something was so broken inside of him, that by now he'd stopped feeling anything at all. There were three of the creatures, and as soon as he saw them, he knew exactly what they were, The Erinyes of the old Greek mythology; the monsters that used to petrify him as a child. What _did_ startle him, however, were their faces; they belonged to the only three women he had ever loved.

Bessie, Marge and Lily flew towards him black as the night, wings of bats on their back. They had fire in their eyes and hideous snakes where their hair should have been. In their gaze hatred and vengeance burned like lit coal. It came as no surprise for him to see Lily among them; news of her untimely death had reached him soon after he'd left.

Drake watched from the balcony as they did away with the very last of his men, right in front of him. They had saved him for last. When they were finally done, they flew towards him, hovering in the air above him.

'I'm sure you know who we are, Drake.' The words came from the creature wearing Marge's face. Even uglier than she'd been in the real life, she had an air of authority over the other two, which Drake thought befitting of the real Mrs. Bagley's memory.

'I know who you're not,' Drake replied, seemingly unfazed by their ghastly presence or the carnage they'd just committed in front of him. _Harpies_. 'You're not the women whose faces you wear.'

'We wear their face to remind you of your sins,' Marge continued, her voice coarse, yet echoic, as if it came from The Void itself. 'You have been found guilty of murdering the ones who raised you, cared for you, fed and clothed you, the ones who loved you...'

'Loved me? Loved me?' Drake screamed at her, now really pissed. 'None of them ever loved me; they all just wanted to use me to get what _they_ wanted. But I gave them all what they deserved.'

'No mother, sister or lover deserves to die at the hands of the one they love,' Lily spoke this time as if announcing, untroubled by his explosion. 'It is our sacred duty to avenge those who do, and today it is your turn to pay, Drake.'

'What about them?' Drake asked, pointing at the dead soldiers below the balcony. 'Who did _they_ murder that you had to slay them all. What about all the people in Draeland? Did they deserve this too?'

It was now the one wearing Bessie's face who answered.

'This world is a product of your mind, and everyone in here is a part of you. Judging them is part of the judgement handed down to you. We take no pleasure in taking lives, guilty or innocent, but we exist to uphold a balance and serve justice. And today justice has called upon you, Drake.'

Drake had heard enough; he couldn't care less about the rest of the people anyway. All he wanted was for it all to end and for him to finally find peace. He raised his arms open wide, inviting them to have at it.

'Then, do what you came here to do.'

The Erinyes had nothing else to say. The three of them fell on him like vultures, cutting him open with claws and teeth. The snakes on their heads feasted on his flesh, giving him bite after bite and polluting his blood with their deadly poison. The pain he felt was excruciating, the agony indescribable, but Drake refused to scream. His lips finally arched into a smile as he waited for the arms of darkness to embrace him and eternal sleep to take him.

Unfortunately for Drake, sleep would never find him again. As he drifted out of the world of the living and his soul flew towards the place where all souls go when they die, he heard the familiar calling of his missing half and felt its pull. Somewhere far in the back of his consciousness, he again sensed the unimaginable pain his other half of the soul was in, and he knew he should not go to it. But the yearning was so great, the call so sweet, and he could not resist. So, he made the fateful decision that would affect not only the rest of his existence, but that of countless other souls. He changed direction and followed the call to its source, without realising where he was going.

It was the shortest trip; at the speed of thought he found the missing half of his soul, embraced it and became whole again. Only, that's when he realised what he'd done and wished he hadn't. Somehow, when he'd left the real world for good, only half of his already broken soul had made it back to his dreamworld, the other part had ended up lost in The Void, in the place between worlds. And now that he'd put his soul back together again, he was stuck there, forever. Only, it was no place you'd want to be stuck in. There was nothing surrounding him, nothing but darkness penetrating him, a darkness that was alive, cold and malevolent. It joined the pain in his soul and gave it power, amplified it a thousand times upon thousands, making it excruciating and unbearable.

But it wasn't just the pain that was amplified, anything and everything that was evil in Drake's soul got a supernatural boost. Whatever good had managed to survive inside of him was now well and truly gone, killed by the darkness and its insatiable power. Drake cursed his luck for going from bad to worse, and kept cursing through eternity. He'd thought life on earth or Draeland was bad, but he'd had no idea; he'd give anything to be back there again. Only, he couldn't; there'd be no way out of this for him, at least not for a very long time. And even if he ever did, he would never be himself again. As far as both worlds were concerned, Drake was dead and what he had become was no longer human.

From here on he would be known as Drakeon.

### Chapter 9

# Blood and Fall

Anwar exited the club, greeted the smartly dressed bouncer one more time on his way out and hurried back to the car. It was starting to rain again, and he hated getting wet.

Simon, the Albanian guy they'd paired him with, was still on his mobile, watching his stupid videos. His name was actually Sajmir, but English-speaking people always struggled with the silent "j", so he told everyone his name was Simon instead.

'You have to watch this one, brother; they find other UFO in Russia.'

'Start the car and stop calling me that,' Anwar rolled his eyes at the man's poor attempt of Indian accent, trying not to lose his cool. He hated having a partner, especially an idiot like this one. He worked better on his own, but Lincoln had insisted on the two men working together on this case.

'You got it, brother,' Simon teased, laughing. He was one of those guys who wasn't bothered by much. As long as he had plenty of food to eat, cigarettes to smoke and internet, he was the happiest man on earth. 'We have destination?'

Ignoring the infuriating fake accent, Anwar showed him the picture on his iPhone.

'This is the guy we're looking for. He was at the Adams' place with the girl when the old man was shot. This morning he was just spotted by a camera on a local store in Basingstoke.'

'Then we go Basingstoke,' Simon said, starting the car and tempting Anwar for the umpteenth time that day to punch him in his stupid face. And he would have done it too, if he didn't fear the guy's bigger size and nasty temper.

This was gonna be a long day indeed; he'd already grown nauseated of the man. For one, he just wouldn't stop talking, not ever. Anwar hated excessive talking. He would listen to the first few words the man would say and then tune him out completely, like a noise in the background. And the man could never tell that he was being ignored; that's how much he loved the sound of his own voice. When he wasn't talking, he was either stuffing his face, or watching video after video on YouTube. Anwar had never met a more annoying person.

He was a good driver, however, and very handy in a fight. His big size made him quite scary to most people, and if that wasn't enough, he had useful skills when it came to dealing with unwanted complications. Still, right now, Anwar seriously didn't think those skills were worth the nuisance he was being.

It took them a couple hours to get to Basingstoke and the off-licence store where Freddie had been seen. They parked the car and went both inside. A young black guy was standing behind the till.

'How you doing, bruv?' Simon spoke first, adapting his accent again and prompting more eye-rolling.

'I'm very well, thank you,' the young man replied in perfect English, really wondering about the idiot in front of him. 'How may I help you?'

'We just need some information and were hoping you could help us,' Anwar took over from Simon, getting some kind of a fake badge out of his pocket and showing it to the boy. 'We're private detectives and are looking for a young girl who was kidnapped two days ago. We have reason to believe that this guy is involved and that he was seen here this morning.'

'That's this shop in the picture, ain't it, bruv?' Simon interfered.

'Yes, _bruv_ ,' the boy replied to him, clearly annoyed, 'it's this shop. But I don't know anything about no kidnapping.'

'That's okay, that's not what we're asking you. We just need to know if you remember seeing this guy today.'

The boy looked at both of them suspiciously and then at the picture again.

'Yeah, I think I remember him. He bought some food and drinks. Paid cash.'

'Do you know if he had a car?'

'No, I think he was walking. Basingstoke is a small town; most people that live around here prefer to walk.'

'That's great,' said Anwar, not really caring. 'Did you happen to see which way he went by any chance?'

'Sorry, it's just me in the store and it was a busy morning.'

'That's alright. Thank you for your time.'

'Yeah, cheers, bruv,' Simon said as Anwar practically pushed him out of the shop. The boy followed them with his eyes, shaking his head. He really needed to get himself a better job.

Once at the car, Anwar could no longer keep quiet.

'Why do you do that? Why do you always have to do that?'

'Do what?' Simon asked, no accent in his speech now.

'Why do you always change your dialect? You speak to me with an Indian accent - which is shit by the way - even though I'm from Pakistan, born and raised in London, and barely have an accent myself. You spoke to that kid in there as if you were black. Yesterday you had an "Italian accent" at that restaurant we went to, and the day before that, you were speaking "Welsh" with that hooker you were flirting with. You don't speak Welsh. What is it with you and accents? Is this an Albanian thing? Do all you people do this?'

'I don't know, alright?' Simon got defensive. 'I can't help myself. They start talking to me and I just feel like I have to reply in the same way. What's wrong with that?'

'What's wrong with that is that people find it offensive. They think that you're taking the piss when you're doing that. So, you better stop.'

'Alright, alright, I'll try not to do it again if it bothers you so much. Now, where do we go from here?'

Anwar looked around and seemed to be thinking. They were at least twenty minutes from the town centre and there was nothing but houses all around.

'If he didn't drive here, it means that they're staying somewhere in the neighbourhood. Let's take a walk around and see if we spot his car; I got the licence plate number.'

Simon followed him begrudgingly. He was the lazy type and didn't like to walk. But at least he could smoke. He lit one up and began puffing to his heart's delight. Anwar gave him a dirty look and sped up the pace. He hated smoking.

They walked around the neighbourhood, turning on every street and corner, but the car was nowhere to be seen. The boy might have hidden it inside a garage, or perhaps changed it. Either way, unless they came up with another idea or received new information, it was clear that they were done here. They would never be able to find them if they stayed indoors. He was afraid that he would have to camp outside the off-licence store for hours on end, waiting for the boy to visit again, and he really wasn't looking forward to sitting in the car for more than a couple of hours with the accent monster.

He was just about to give up and call it a day, when he noticed something interesting. He stopped and called his partner.

'Simon, come here a minute.' Simon came.

'What?'

'What month is it?'

'September, why?'

'Do you see anything suspicious at all before you?'

Simon looked on all sides, but was clueless.

'Look at the gardens, man,' Anwar lost his patience. 'They're all pretty normal, most turning brown and drying up, except for that one there. That one is not only at full bloom, but it would stand out, even if it was the middle of May. It just doesn't seem natural; wouldn't you agree?'

'Well, now that you said it, yes, it does look a bit...'

'Magical?' Anwar offered.

'Yeah.'

'Glad you agree. Let's go see if we can find out who lives there, shall we?'

They both checked their guns were loaded and ready and headed towards the small house. Anwar had a very good feeling that they were in the right place. He was eager to find the girl and get this over with. He couldn't wait to get rid of the Albanian; he hated Albanians.

When he'd realised for sure that they were in New Endërland, Daniel had been looking forward to finally seeing Sam after all this time. Only, he didn't know what to expect. It had been so long since he'd last seen her; had she changed at all? How would she react to seeing him?

Now that they were face to face, he found that he was nervous. She was still as young and beautiful as she had been when they'd first met; radiant and seemingly full of life. And yet, something was very different about her. He could sense it in the way she looked at him, in the way she spoke; he could not help but feel that she harboured some deep unpleasant feelings towards him. Or maybe he was just projecting; he'd always felt a bit guilty for choosing Hëna and leaving her behind without ever saying anything to her.

'You don't seem very happy to see me, Daniel,' Sam teased him, flashing him that wicked smile of hers.

'I am, of course I am,' Daniel hurried to convince her. 'I'm just, surprised, that's all. I realised a while back that we were in your dreamworld, but seeing everything that's happened here, I wasn't sure if I would find you.'

'Yeah, well, if you'd arrived a couple of days later, you most probably wouldn't have,' Sam replied. 'I'm impressed that you actually made it here. I never really thought it possible to travel between dreamworlds.'

'Neither did we, but here we are,' Daniel spoke for both himself and Nemo, finally acknowledging his friend before her. 'This is Nemo, by the way. Nemo, this is Sam.'

'A pleasure,' Nemo bowed his head towards her. 'I've heard so much about you.'

'Likewise,' Sam replied, returning the gesture. She then turned, along with her soldiers, and beckoned them to follow her out of the chamber. They went up through a series of hallways and stairs, until they got out on one of the balconies.

'Have you found any trace of Serena yet? Last I heard, you and Hëna set on different paths to look for her, but that's all we know.'

'No, nothing so far,' answered Daniel, his head down. He could not feel his daughter's presence in this world either, and apparently, Sam had no news to give him of her. She did not seem to have come this way, which was probably a good thing; there was something not quite right with Sam's dreamworld.

'I'm beginning to think this was a hopeless quest. I don't know how many other worlds are out there, or where she could be. And we've almost died several times now; not sure how long our luck is going to last.'

'Does this have something to do with that black eye you're sporting?' Sam asked, sounding amused. Nemo chuckled next to Daniel.

'No, that's just me being stupid,' Daniel replied, ignoring Nemo.

'That's funny; I don't remember you ever being stupid,' said Sam, who then returned to the subject at hand. 'Anyway, don't despair yet. You've made it this far and you're the luckiest man I've ever known. Besides, who knows, maybe Hëna's already found her.'

'I really hope so,' said Daniel, and then changed subject. 'Anyway, tell me about you. Just what exactly is happening to your world?'

Sam sat down on a ledge and set her sword down beside her. The soldiers stayed at the entrance of the balcony, while Daniel and Nemo took a seat on either side of her.

'I don't know where to begin, really. We first heard about them only a few months ago; I thought it was just rumours or fairy tales that my people were making up, but then they started dying, tens of them every night. We've tried everything, fight them, appease them, hide from them, but they know no reason, nor mercy, and they always find us and kill us. I don't know how, or why. My whole kingdom has turned into a giant graveyard, Daniel, and I've been unable to do anything about it; they are out of my control.'

There was horror in Daniel's face. He'd seen the damage for himself, but he never thought things had come so far and gotten this bad.

'But what are they, these monsters that are killing your people?'

'I don't know their real name or nature; I've never seen them before in my life. Some call them batwives, some call them furies, some harpies; all I know is that there are three of them. They look like women, but have wings like a bat and have Medusa-style hair; you know, snakes. Their eyes glow red in the night and their screams can practically shatter your eardrums and fracture your skull from the inside. Sounds like anything you know?'

'Actually, yeah,' Daniel replied, not wanting to believe it. 'I've read about creatures like that in Greek mythology. What you're describing sounds an awful lot like the Erinyes.'

First Odysseus and now them. What does this mean?

'What are they?' Nemo asked.

'They're supposed to be these very old Greek goddesses, who avenge the wrongful death of parents at the hands of their children, or of guests at the hands of their hosts, and so on. But what are they doing in New Endërland?'

He stared at Sam as if she'd know the answer to that but wouldn't say it.

'Your guess is as good as mine,' she replied. 'I don't remember murdering anyone from my family; unless your brother counts. But then, why wait twenty years to find me, and why kill everyone else and not just me?'

'It couldn't be because of Butler,' Daniel said, not sure he wanted to revisit that part of the past. 'He was trying to kill me and my dad; you saved our lives.'

'Yeah, well maybe these Erinyes don't feel that way about it. Anyway, none of that matters now,' she said, looking at the setting sun. 'They'll be back for more blood tonight. I have only a handful of soldiers left; they have made their peace with it and are ready to die. And so am I. But you guys couldn't have come at a worse time. I cannot protect you against them, Daniel; you need to go back where you came from.'

'What about you? Are you just gonna give up?'

'I don't have much choice in the matter, they cannot be killed, and they will never back off until they've gotten every last one of us. I don't know what will happen to me after that; maybe I'll die back in the real world too, or maybe I'll return here or build a new dreamworld; I don't really care at this point. But you don't have to die here; go back where you came from, Daniel. Please.'

'I don't know if that's possible,' said Daniel. 'And even if we could find our way back to where we came from, I'm not sure that's what I want. I need to move forward, Sam; I need to keep searching for Serena.'

'And how do you intend to do that, Daniel? You might not even survive the night here.'

Daniel didn't know what to say to that. He'd left Endërland on a hunch, and by pure luck he'd made it to Odysseus' world. From there he'd also jumped into Charybdis on a hunch and again he'd almost died. Where would he go from here? He needed time to figure out the next step, a possible way off this world to the next one, if another hidden path even existed. But apparently, time was something they were rather short of.

The sun had now hidden completely under the sea and the sky was beginning to slowly grow darker. The first stars had already appeared above them. Soon, the Erinyes would come out to hunt and kill.

'You have maybe one or two more days,' Sam told him. 'I hope that's more than you need to get to the next dreamworld. But right now, I need to get you to a safe place so that neither of you gets hurt. The Erinyes, or whatever you call them, will be here soon, and you don't want them to see you.'

Sure enough, the first shrieks of the creatures sounded far in the distance. All of them turned in the direction where the disturbing sounds came from and could see their silhouette far in the sky, drawing ever closer to them.

'Time to move,' Sam said and got up. 'My men will take you to a safe room and stay on guard.'

'And you?'

'I'll come find you when I'm done here. Don't worry, they won't harm me, not yet. I think they're saving me for last.'

'But maybe we can help,' Daniel pleaded with her.

'No, Daniel, you cannot. Not this time. Please, just do as I say. It'll be alright.'

Daniel and Nemo did not like this one bit, but did not argue. Two soldiers led them through the hallway to a cell-like room and locked them inside, standing guard outside their gate. Once again, Daniel had the uneasy feeling that something wasn't right, but didn't want to say anything. He had trusted Sam with his life before, he had no reason to doubt her now. Or did he?

The dreaded cry of the creatures caused Junior and Séraphin to beat their wings faster and harder. It wouldn't be long now and they were sure to appear, hungry for more blood. The good news was that they were almost there; they could see the castle on the beach straight ahead. Surely, they would find some help there, or at the very least, shelter from the crones.

Nazir kept looking back over Hëna's shoulder, fear almost paralyzing him.

'We'll be fine, Nazir,' Hëna sought to calm him, 'we'll make it.'

'And then what?' asked Nazir.

'One step at a time, my friend,' Séraphin answered over the air. 'I see people there, soldiers by the looks of it. I'm sure they'll help.'

Nazir wanted to believe him, but somehow this failed to ease his fears. He'd seen the creatures in action and knew they were impossible to kill. A handful of soldiers or even an army would not be able to stop them permanently. He was beginning to think this was definitely a one-way trip, with death as their final destination. It was a shame indeed, from what he'd seen so far, this was a most beautiful world. He could see himself and his people building a good life here.

Nazir wasn't the only one to struggle with these thoughts. The rest of them were having their own doubts and fears, not only concerning the creatures, but also whomever waited for them at this castle they were headed towards. For all they knew, they could be heading into a trap, or even the nest of the creatures themselves. But evening was already upon them and they'd run out of alternatives.

They flew for another five minutes or so before they finally reached the castle and headed towards the large terrace where they could see the armed soldiers waiting with their weapons raised. Behind them, the creatures could be heard announcing themselves and their imminent arrival. Everyone looked in the direction the shrieks came from and could see their dark silhouettes on the horizon.

The soldiers on the terrace gathered around a single woman clad in bright shining armour similar to theirs. She had a small but exquisite golden crown with brilliant gems placed over her curly blonde hair. A long sword rested in her right hand, unsheathed and ready to be used. When they finally approached the balcony, Junior and Séraphin hovered in the air, not sure whether to land in front of them or not.

'Lower your weapons,' Sam ordered her soldiers and stepped forward, beckoning the eagle and wingman to land. As they did, Hëna and Nazir climbed down from Junior and curtsied before her.

'Sam?' Hëna asked, seeking confirmation. This was the first time the two women met.

'Hëna,' Sam acknowledged. 'It's a pleasure to finally meet you, though I wish it had been under better circumstances. You must be Séraphin,' she bowed her head slightly towards the wingman.

'It's an honour, my lady,' Séraphin returned the courtesy. 'These are Junior and Nazir, our travelling companions and friends.'

'You are all welcome here,' Sam said, while Junior and Nazir also genuflected before her in their own custom. 'We'll take care of the proper introductions later, should daylight find us alive, but right now, if anyone of you does not wish to stay up here and fight, I will lead them inside and into safety.'

'Can't all of us hide?' asked Hëna.

'I wish that were possible,' Sam replied. 'Unfortunately, there's no gate they cannot break, no place they cannot enter, and no secret room that can shelter us from them for long. Sooner or later they always find us, either them or their deadly snakes. Fighting is the only way to keep them otherwise engaged.'

'I'll stay and fight,' Séraphin was the first to say.

'Me too,' added Junior, even though he was exhausted from flying all day long and having had little rest. But he had no intention of leaving Séraphin alone out here.

'Well, if you're staying, so am I,' said Hëna, not even thinking of abandoning her friends.

'My men are more than capable of handling the monsters tonight,' Sam said, then looked at Junior. 'I cannot accommodate your large friend inside, unfortunately, but I can keep the rest of you out of harm's way. Besides, there's someone already inside, who I am sure you'll want to meet.'

'Serena?' Hëna almost jumped, suddenly hoping.

'Sorry,' Sam answered with a sad voice, 'I have no news of her, I'm afraid. But Daniel and Nemo arrived earlier today.'

Hëna suddenly had no words to say; they were tied up in a knot at the edge of her throat and failed to get out.

Meanwhile the Erinyes kept getting closer.

'Daniel is here?' Séraphin asked, clearly glad of the news. 'Are they alright?'

'They're both fine,' Sam answered. 'They're resting.'

'You have to go to him, Hëna,' Séraphin said. 'I'll stay with Junior.'

'I can't leave you out here to fight while we go and hide,' Hëna argued, torn between the yearning to see her husband and her loyalty to her wingman friend.

'We'll be fine,' Séraphin replied, 'there's more than enough of us. Just give me that sword of yours and go tell Daniel I said "Hi".'

'It's okay, Hëna,' Junior also tried to reassure her. 'Go on inside, we'll see you once we've dealt with the nasties.'

Convinced that she was doing the wrong thing, Hëna handed her sword to Séraphin.

'I'll be back with Daniel,' she promised. 'In the meantime, look after each other, won't you?'

'We will,' Séraphin also promised, offering her a reassuring smile. Next to them, Nazir stepped closer to Junior and shyly looked up at him.

'Please be careful, Junior. And make sure you get rid of those things for good. I kinda like this world and would love to see my people here one day.'

'You have my word, my friend,' Junior answered with a voice that warmed the little terg's heart. 'I'll see you at dawn.'

Nazir turned and was about to leave, when he remembered something.

'You know; I never did learn your real name.'

'It's Gjergj,' Junior replied, wondering at the terg's question. His answer, however, must have triggered something in the little man, because it prompted Nazir to open his eyes wide in wonderment.

'So, _that's_ who you're named after,' he said, in his eyes a strange light.

The Erinyes launched another urgent cry, informing them that they were practically upon them now.

'What do you mean?' Junior asked, now burning to find out what Nazir knew. 'Who am I named after?'

'Win the battle again tonight and I will tell you what I know in the morning,' Nazir promised, the sight of the approaching Erinyes causing him to tremble once again.

Sam finally led both Hëna and Nazir inside the castle, just as the first wave of arrows launched in the air towards the flying harpies. They would not stop the monsters, but they would certainly slow them down for a bit. With the sounds of battle in the air, the iron gate closed behind them, separating them from their friends. Sam led the way through a number of hallways, climbing down several flights of stairs, until they reached the level where Daniel and Nemo were.

Besides not feeling great about leaving Séraphin and Junior behind, Hëna now also got the uneasy feeling that they were walking into a trap. She couldn't explain it; Sam had given her no reason to distrust her, and yet something about her seemed to bother Hëna.

'You don't seem at all surprised to see us here,' she probed as she followed her through the castle.

'I'm not,' Sam replied, without turning to look at her. 'Damien keeps me informed of pretty much everything that happens in Endërland, so it wasn't that much of a surprise, really; not after seeing Daniel and Nemo, anyway. It was a lovely coincidence for you to arrive on the same day, however. I'm sure Daniel would be as happy to see you as you are.'

Again, there was something about the way Sam said that last part that bugged Hëna. She knew the whole story, including her feelings for Daniel all that time ago and what it had meant for her that Daniel had chosen to stay in Endërland. She found it hard to believe, however, that Sam still felt the same about Daniel, or that she bore any kind of resentment against her after all this time. After all, from what she'd heard from Damien, they'd been happy together for many years.

No, this wasn't about Sam and Daniel; it had to be something else.

They finally arrived at the room where Daniel and Nemo were staying. What she saw added an extra layer to her concerns. Her husband and their friend were on the other side of iron bars, with a pair of soldiers standing guard outside. This looked more like imprisonment than a guest accommodation.

Upon cue from their queen, the soldiers opened the door and stepped aside, making room for them. This, at least, Hëna took as a good sign and proceeded to enter the cell. Daniel and Nemo were speechless at the sight of her.

'Hëna,' Daniel jumped out of the bed he was resting on and into her open arms. They hugged and locked lips, their want and passion for each other fuelled by the time and distance that had kept them apart for the longest time ever. 'You're here; you're alright. Oh, I don't believe this; I've missed you so much.'

'I missed you, too. I can't believe I found you here. This is so unexpected.' She then drew back, her gaze setting on the bruise on his face. 'Dan, your eye. What happened?'

'Oh, it's nothing to worry about,' he replied. 'Just a lesson worth learning, that's all.' Here he looked at Nemo who lowered his eyes as if guilty. Hëna noticed this and turned now to the Sea-King.

'Nemo?' Her voice had a threatening tone to it, which prompted Daniel to grin with glee. Nemo on the other hand, drew back a step and raised his hands defensively before him.

'Hey, don't look at me. He totally deserved it.'

For the next couple of minutes, they were busy recounting roughly what had happened and who was to blame for what. While all this went on, Sam and Nazir drew back and stood by the door, giving the three of them a little space. The sounds of battle outside could barely be heard down here, which was a good thing. For a moment, everyone seemed to forget all about the situation they were in.

'Wow, that's a cool pair of daggers,' Sam suddenly said, noticing Séraphin's knives in Nazir's belt. 'May I see one?'

'Of course,' Nazir hastened to comply, feeling ever grateful to this stranger for her help in keeping them safe. He took out one of the knives and handed it to her.

Sam took it and turned it over and over in her hands, observing its craft with interest.

'It's a beautiful piece of work,' she commented. 'Did you make these yourself?'

'Actually, these belonged to...' Nazir was unable to finish that sentence. The knife he'd given Sam, struck him upside his jaw and entered his brain, killing him in an instance. He dropped at her feet with a thud, causing Hëna, Daniel and Nemo to turn and freeze.

'What did you do?' Hëna screamed, horrified at the sight of her little friend slaughtered and lying in a fresh pool of blood. She took a few steps forward, but Sam's risen sword and the two soldiers stopped her. The queen's eyes suddenly turned cold and malicious.

'I'm sorry I had to ruin your moment, darling, but I'm not really one for reunions. It was actually upsetting my stomach.'

Daniel and Nemo pulled Hëna back. The three of them stood there, not really sure what to do. Daniel could not take his eyes off the blonde woman in front of them. He finally saw it. He understood why he'd had that uneasy feeling from the moment he and Nemo had set foot in the castle.

'You're not Sam,' he said, looking at her with new eyes. The woman chuckled.

'Why? Because I just murdered someone in cold blood? What makes you think Sam doesn't have it in her to do the same. Or anyone of you, for that matter. Take your pretty wife, for example; I can see she's having some very unsavoury thoughts right about now.'

'You have no idea,' Hëna threatened.

'Oh, but I do, darling, trust me. Those kinds of thoughts are as clear to me as the light of day; they call to me, louder than anything you've ever heard. Louder than even the cries of the old crones out there. It's what brought me to this world in the first place.'

'Who are you?' Daniel asked. 'Where is Sam?'

'Sam is somewhere in here,' she answered. 'Not much left of her at this point, I'm afraid. As for who I am, that's not really important at the moment. What's important is that we are in the same situation right now; there's a trio of flying hags out there that will not rest until all of us are dead, and I, for one, would like to avoid that, if I can. Now, I have a way out of this, but I need your help.'

'And why should we help you? So you can go and murder more innocent people? I'd rather die,' said Daniel.

'Ah, Daniel, always the martyr. Why did I know you'd say that? But you seem to be forgetting one very important thing; if you die here today, or even tomorrow, your quest dies with you. And what's gonna become of your beloved Serena if you do? It just so happened that I know exactly where she is and what she's going through. Right now, an assassin hired by the Order of the Guardians is looking for her in the real world. That's right, she's in your home world, Daniel, but she's not gonna be alive long enough to enjoy it. The Order seems to believe that she is the Dreamer of the old prophecy and a danger to them, so they have decided to do away with her.'

'How do you know all this? Who are you?' Daniel asked again.

'Oh, I have my little birds that keep me informed. Now, the way I see it, you have two choices; you can either help me escape this world, at which point the Erinyes will also go away, leaving you alive to continue your search for your beloved Serena. Or we can all die here at the hands, excuse me, fangs of those lovely creatures that will soon be coming for all of us; in which case, your daughter will be left at the mercy of the Order. Your choice.'

Daniel felt trapped. He had no desire to help this person or whatever it was that had taken over Sam, but he could not deny the fact that their choices were indeed quite limited. He knew the Erinyes would not stop until they got what or who they came here for, so if there was even a chance for them to get out of this alive, he had to take it. The question was, what would they have to do?

While Daniel and Hëna pondered their next response, Nemo could not help but ask something.

'These Erinyes, they're here because of you, aren't they?'

The woman smiled wickedly at him.

'You're a sharp little guy, aren't you, Nemo?'

'I'm not little,' Nemo protested threateningly, but that only caused her to laugh.

'They _are_ here because of me, yes, and if I leave this world, so will they.'

'But where will you go?' asked Daniel, terrified of the idea of another world dying because of her. The queen looked at him, knowing very well what he was thinking.

'There's a small little world, not far from here. It's been empty and desolate for a very long time and it should be the perfect hiding place for me, at least for a while.'

'Won't the Erinyes find you there too?'

'They most probably will, but it will take them a while before they do. By then I'll have thought of something. Any more annoying questions?' She seemed to be getting tired of answering.

'Yeah,' said Hëna. 'Why are they after you? What did you do?'

'She killed someone,' it was Daniel who answered. 'Didn't you? A family member, perhaps, a parent?'

'Both parents actually,' the queen answered, her eyes dead to emotion. 'Twice. Also, the woman who raised me, and the woman I loved. The creatures wear their faces as a reminder to me of what I did to them. They're here to exact justice on me.'

'But why kill everyone else?' Daniel asked again.

'That, you're gonna have to ask them,' the queen screamed, losing her patience. 'Now, I am done entertaining your curiosity. What's it gonna be? Are we going to help each other, or do we all die here in vain?'

The trio stood quiet for a moment, thinking. They hated it, but she was right; they had no other option. They had to work together with this monster to get out of this horrible situation and continue to try and find Serena. Though, how they would ever make it into the real world, it was anyone's guess.

Practically hating himself now, Daniel took one step forward and spoke through gritted teeth.

'What do we have to do?'

The queen smiled again, an expression that now appeared very unnatural on her face. Daniel could not believe he had not seen it before; this was most definitely not Sam.

'You? Absolutely nothing. I need _her_ permission to inhabit her body if I am to leave this world.' Her frigid eyes now locked onto Hëna, full of anticipation.

'No,' Daniel answered instinctively. 'Why her? Why not me?'

'Or me?' added Nemo.

The queen's smile widened.

'Isn't that sweet; both of you so willing to sacrifice yourself for her. Oh, I would love to take you, Daniel, believe me. Sam still has some of those old feelings for you, you know? And sometimes I cannot help but be..., shall we say, affected by them. But, unfortunately, neither of you has what I need for this to work. She does.'

Daniel and Nemo weren't sure what she meant, but Hëna knew. She'd felt it for a while now, a little change inside of her that she'd tried to deny, but she now knew she no longer could. From the moment she'd lost Serena, she had been blaming and resenting herself for it, but not only. She'd also blamed her husband for not protecting their daughter and for gifting her with the Dreamer's gene, as she called it. She blamed and even hated Junior, too, for almost killing her back in Arbánon, and despite everything they'd gone through together these past few days, she realised she still hadn't forgiven him for it. Without knowing it, she'd turned into a person that evil could use, and she felt ashamed. She was no longer the girl Daniel had fallen in love with; she was not worthy of him.

'I'll do it,' she said, knowing now what she had to do.

'Hëna, no,' Daniel protested.

'I have to, Daniel; for Serena, for us.'

'If it makes you feel any better,' the queen interrupted, 'once she's taken me to where I need to be, I'll let her go. I'll even show her the way home.'

'I don't believe you,' said Daniel.

'Nor should you,' the queen answered him. 'But you still need to make a choice. Our friends upstairs may buy us a day or two at the most, but the creatures will keep coming back, day after day, until we're all dust.'

'And how do we know that once you've gotten what you want, you won't kill us too?' asked Nemo.

'I won't. You're still useful to me.'

'What about him, was he not useful to you?' Nemo accused, pointing at Nazir lying dead and still bleeding on the cold pavement.

'I wanted the knives,' the queen said with a voice colder than her bright blue eyes. She then proceeded to explain, seeing that they seemed unconvinced. 'It's like this; as long as there are other people alive, the Erinyes will never come after me. That will give me time to leave this world without worrying about them attacking me. And that's a good enough reason for not killing you. Now, what's it gonna be, darling?'

Frowning at her, Hëna stepped forward again.

'I'll do it.'

'Hëna, no,' Daniel begged again, feeling powerless to do anything to change her mind, or this situation. 'We'll find another way.'

'Yeah, Hëna,' said Nemo, 'I say let's fight her and her soldiers. If we kill her, the Erinyes will surely go away and leave us alone.'

'Ooh, Nemo,' the queen teased him, 'if you continue like this, I might borrow you instead of the moon girl here. However, here's a little tip, should you seriously consider Nemo's suggestion. You're free to try, of course, but even if you do win, which you won't, you'd only succeed in killing good old Sam. I can never die; and wherever I go from here, I will be back again before you. And next time, I promise you, I will not be so pleasant. So, choose carefully.'

'It's okay, Nemo,' Hëna told him, smiling feebly. 'It's better this way. You just keep looking after him and don't let him give up until he finds Serena. Oh, and you have my permission to give him as many lessons as he needs,' she added, smiling at him in a sad manner. 'I know how stubborn he can be.'

'I promise,' said Nemo, tears now rolling down his face as the fear that this might be the last time they saw each other stabbed his gentle heart.

Hëna then turned to Daniel and took both of his hands in hers.

'This is my choice, Dan, and if it means helping us to find Serena, I would make it every time.'

'But why you? Why not me?'

'Because your heart is stronger and purer than mine, and you never gave up on me. I did for a while there, and I'm sorry to say that I blamed you for her. But I don't anymore. And I have complete faith in you; I know you will find our baby girl and bring her home to us. And no matter how long it may take me, I promise you that I will find my way back to you. Just promise me you will never give up, okay?'

'I promise,' Daniel answered amidst tears, and took her face in the cup of his hands, bringing it closer to him. He then kissed her passionately as if he would never get another chance, holding her body tight to his. Hëna then rested her head on his chest and allowed herself to immortalise this moment in her mind, so that she could take it with her wherever she went from here.

'Ugh, enough already,' the queen said, clearly annoyed. 'You're upsetting my stomach again.' She walked over to Nazir's corpse, turned him over and grabbed his other knife from his belt.

'Let's get this over with, shall we?' She held the knife in her right hand and with it cut open her left palm. 'Give me your hand,' she commanded Hëna, who slowly raised her left hand towards her.

The queen slashed mercilessly with her knife, smiling nastily as she did so. Hëna winced from the pain, but did not pull back. The queen then clasped her bleeding hand with Hëna's and held it like that for a few moments.

'This is how I say "Hello",' she said, winking at Hëna. Blood spilled on their feet and floor from both their hands, creating a little puddle, but no one paid any attention to it. They were all looking at both women, who now seemed to be in some kind of trance. Their eyes were closed and they were shaking uncontrollably, holding both of their hands together. Daniel wanted to intervene, but the two soldiers raised their swords at him, so Nemo had to pull him back.

It lasted for a little more than a minute, but it felt a lot longer from where they stood. When the trance was finally over, Sam fell on the floor, unconscious, her left hand still bleeding from the cut. The woman left standing opened her eyes and clutched her own bleeding hand. She then looked down at Sam's body lying at her feet, her face inscrutable.

'And that is how I say "Goodbye",' she said, with no warmth or colour to her tone of voice.

The two soldiers suddenly stood still, not sure what to do. Their queen was down, apparently dead, and this newcomer seemed to have done something to her. They were debating in their minds whether or not to raise their swords, but the woman was faster. She picked up Sam's fallen sword and slashed both their throats in one go. Nobody had the chance to do anything to stop her. They fell down just outside the gate, life abandoning them with every ounce of blood they lost.

As if nothing had happened, she then turned around to face Daniel and Nemo again.

'Can't say I'm gonna miss her much,' she said, motioning towards Sam and ignoring the double murder she had just committed. 'It had become rather miserable in there lately. But Hëna on the other hand; ooh, so much more fight within her. I love it; I feel alive again. I'd still prefer a man's body, mind you, but I'll have to make due, for now.'

Looking at Daniel now, his eyes wide open with disbelief, her face suddenly changed completely, as if someone else took over her body. She reached with her right hand and caressed his face.

'Dan,' she only said and drew closer to him, her lips reaching again for his.

'Hëna,' Daniel said and reached for her, only to be stopped by cruel laughter. A sharp pain penetrated Daniel's heart through to its very core.

'Oh, man, you're just too easy. Sorry, but I'm afraid you're not my type.'

She then retreated from them, while Daniel tightened up his fists, desperately wanting to punch someone. The possessed Hëna bent to retrieve the knife from the floor and walked backwards out of the cell, her sword raised in a protective manner. When the door was locked and the prisoners secured, she looked up and spoke through the iron bars.

'Oh, by the way, Daniel; I lied. You will never see her again.'

Daniel rushed in vain to grab her, calling Hëna's name in despair, but she was gone.

_Hëna, no_.

***

The sounds of battle ceased just before dawn. The woman who used to be Hëna pushed open the heavy door and walked out into the balcony. To her surprise and delight, the eagle, the wingman and one of the soldiers were still alive. The soldier seemed to have been hurt and Séraphin was tending to his wounds. He seemed to have suffered numerous cuts himself, but was still standing. The eagle also looked like he had seen better days; he was slumped on the floor and was apparently desperate for a little rest. But when they saw Hëna walking towards them, they both stood up and moved towards her.

'Hëna,' Séraphin said. 'Where are the others? Is everything alright?'

She looked at him and then at the eagle, her mind quickly working out a plan.

'Yeah, they're fine,' she answered, buying time. 'They're on their way up. I was worried about you, so I ran ahead. Are you hurt?' She pretended to worry about Séraphin, getting closer to him as if to check his injuries.

'It's only a few cuts and bruises; I've been through worse,' Séraphin said, feeling a bit suspicious of her odd behaviour. He noticed the dripping sword on her hand and one of his old knives hanging on her side. Blood also stained her sandals and feet. He knew then that something had clearly gone wrong, but before he could even say anything, she slid her sword between his ribs so deep that it came out of his back between his wings. Séraphin screamed from the pain and fell down on his knees, his wings limp and his hands clatching the murderous blade penetrating his chest. Junior was next to him in a heartbeat, having no idea what just happened and why.

'Why did you do that?' he screamed at the woman, who was still holding the sword that had pierced through his friend's flesh.

'Here's the deal,' she spoke very calmly and very seriously. 'I know you care about this wingman; he's the closest thing to family you have right now, isn't he?'

Junior drew back only a little, lowering his heads in submission.

'Yes,' he answered.

'Very well, then. If you want him to live, you will fly us both away from here. We're going to take him home, to Endërland. They have magical water there that can heal him, and if you fly fast enough, he might just make it.'

'What about the others, where are they?' Junior asked, not sure he should be so quick to just do as she said.

'They're all dead,' came the answer, prompting Junior to take another step back. He thought of Nazir and their mission; if the terg was dead, then he had failed his leader and he might never find out the identity of his namesake. But this he didn't want to believe.

'You're lying,' he screamed, now stepping forward in a menacing position. He suddenly looked very large and very threatening. 'Why are you doing this, Hëna?'

'I'm not Hëna,' the woman bellowed and twisted the sword inside Séraphin's chest, causing another wave of screams and pain. 'Now, you will do as I say, or we are all dead, starting with your dear friend here.'

Horrified, Junior paused, not knowing what to do. He looked towards the gate leading inside the castle, but no one was coming out from there. He looked to Séraphin, hoping for some form of advice from his friend, but he was too far gone to stay conscious; only the pain of the steel inside his chest brought him back to awareness every time it moved. His friend was in horrible pain and he would not last long like this. Junior had to do something to at least save _him_. He had to try; he owed it to Séraphin.

He finally surrendered to the woman's will and got down on the floor of the balcony, stretching a wing so that they could climb on top of him. She swiftly pulled the sword out of Séraphin's chest, and that led to him losing consciousness and falling face-forward on the pavement. She then dragged him up and over Junior's back, arranging herself behind him. When they had settled, Junior spread his wings and took to the morning air, exhausted as he was. He didn't know whether the others were alive or dead, but there was nothing he could do about them now. He had a chance to save Séraphin, however, and he promised himself that he would do all that was in his power to do so.

Once high enough in the air, he turned his head towards his new master and asked.

'Which way?'

'Head northwest, over the sea. If you follow my instructions exactly, we will be there in no time. But I'm warning you; try and deviate even a little, and we will be lost in The Void for eternity. So, I wouldn't do anything stupid, if I were you.'

Junior had no intention of doing anything stupid; Séraphin's life depended on it. He would make sure that his friend healed first and then they would deal with this Hëna or whoever it was that had taken over her body. Yes, that's what he would do.

Everything had felt different to Serena these past few days; everything had changed. All worries seemed to have disappeared from her mind. She no longer spent her time anxiously thinking about getting back home to her parents, worrying about their wellbeing, or fearing the Order would find her. The fear was there, somewhere in the back of her mind, always present, but somehow it had been overshadowed by her current state of bliss. And she knew the recent change of status between her and Freddie was the reason; that and the fact that they knew now that she really was the Dreamer of the prophecy. Her powers had finally manifested themselves and it was only a matter of time before she would learn to use them as her father did.

They had tried to replicate the success of the morning again later that day, and many days after, but with no luck. It clearly wasn't something you could just conjure at will, at least not yet, anyway. Freddie had advised her to be patient; these things always took time. So, in the meantime they had busied themselves with other things, not the least of which was enjoying each other.

One late morning, as she was reclining on the couch with him, her head resting on his bare chest, she asked Freddie.

'So, would you say we know each other better now?'.

She loved both the look and feel of his chest; it was smooth and strong, with hardly a trace of hair anywhere. Hers wasn't really a question, however; she already knew the answer to that. The past few days they had indeed come to know each other better in more ways than one. No, she had just remembered something and thought time might have now come for Freddie to finally talk about it.

'I guess so,' Freddie replied, wondering where she was going with this. Serena beamed at him and continued.

'Then, would you tell me how come you still look so young, even after all this years? And how old are you, really?'

Freddie laughed out loud. He had not forgotten about this.

'I was wondering when you were gonna bring this up again.'

'Well, you promised,' she said. 'I think I've been patient enough, don't you?'

'Yes, you have,' he answered. 'And I think you should be rewarded for that.' He bent his head down to kiss her and she let him. His lips were too tempting for her to pass on the opportunity. But after a moment she pushed him away, laughing.

'Nice try, mister, but I'm not falling for that. Spill it.'

Freddie laughed again. She was just too cute. And that made this even more difficult; he wasn't ready to ruin everything between them, not yet. So, he tried to buy some more time.

'Let's not talk about this today, please. I promised I will tell you, and I will, but today I just wanna enjoy this, us.'

'C'mon, I think I've waited long enough, don't you? Have I mentioned that I really, really don't like waiting? You wouldn't wanna make me wait any longer, would you?'

Serena continued to play cute and Freddie could see that she would not be dissuaded.

'Are you sure you really want to know?' He finally gave up, all of a sudden looking sad. 'You might not like what you hear.'

She shook her head affirmatively, though, no longer as excited as before. It was as if she could feel that what he was about to tell her would change everything.

He thought about it for another short moment. He wasn't ready to do this, tell her this. It would certainly change things between them and he didn't want that, not yet. On the other hand, he knew there was no "them", not really. He'd been fooling himself all these days that this moment would not come, but it was unavoidable. So, reluctantly he decided to speak.

'It's nothing magical or anything of that sort,' he began, dragging his words, 'but it is a little complicated. The fact is that, the Freddie that you see before you and the one your father and Sam knew, are not the same person.'

'What? What do you mean? It wasn't you twenty years ago?'

'It was me,' he explained, 'but I did not look like this. I was using a different body back then.' She now sat up and faced him, her eyes wide with inquiry. He continued. 'I do not really live in this world, Serena; I live in my own dreamworld. But my job requires me to visit here very often, and I can only do that by inhabiting the body of a young man who has agreed to host me for a time. This is all taken care of by the Order, of course; it's been like this for centuries.'

Serena could not have been more shocked if he had suddenly slapped her in the face. She sat there in front of him, unmoving, her face scribbled. He wanted to reach over and draw her close to him again, but felt that she would not let him this time. _Imagine if I actually told her the whole truth,_ he thought _. Even this hurts so badly._

'So, this is not what you actually look like. This is not your body,' she said, just to understand.

'This body belongs to the current host. They usually commit for a five-year service, for which they get paid handsomely. Most of the time, I visit only a couple of days a year, Serena, so it's a pretty sweet deal for them. But this time, I've had to stay longer, because of you.'

Serena got up and started to pace in front of him, all the while trying to make sense of it in her head. This was all too confusing for her. The person she knew as Freddie was apparently two different people. The body belonged to some boy who had no idea who she really was, and the soul inside of it was the man who took care of her, but probably looked nothing like this boy did. Which one of the two was she in love with?

'How old are you?' she suddenly asked.

'Very old,' came the evasive answer.

'Where do you live? What is your dreamworld called?'

'I am not ready to share that with you just yet, Serena; sorry.'

Another unanswered question. What else was he hiding?

'How long? How long do you have left in this body?' How much longer could she love him looking like this?

'I've been with him for only a year,' Freddie answered, his voice low, his eyes guilty.

'Why didn't you tell me before? Why did you let me fall for you?'

He got up. She froze in place, not sure she wanted him to touch her just now. Still, she let him, afraid not to. He put his hands on her forearms and drew her close.

'I did not plan for this, Serena; I did not see it coming. But now that it's here, I don't want it to go away. I cannot help how I feel about you.'

She wanted to look up into his eyes, but she couldn't. Those were not his eyes; these were not his hands touching her, holding her. She slowly drew away from him, but did not go anywhere. Neither did he attempt to hold her again. He just stood there awkwardly in front of the couch and looked at her. She seemed lost.

'I know this is all messed up, Serena; believe me, I do. But I promise you that we will sort this out, together. I just need you to give me a little time. But, right now we need to concentrate on the most immediate issues, and that is teaching you to take control of your powers. There's a lot we have to worry about, but we should take this one step at a time, okay; one problem at a time. If we don't solve this first, we might not be alive to worry about us. Look at me, please. Say something.'

She didn't. She couldn't. What exactly could she say without sounding capricious and selfish? He was right, of course he was right; if she did not manage to master her powers, they both risked being killed by the Order. They risked being killed either way, but at least with her powers she could protect them, and maybe even open a portal to return to Endërland, if she wanted to.

But somehow, that was not what she cared about right now. Which one of them did she love? And which one of them could she be with? This good-looking boy she was so attracted to belonged to a different soul, one who did not know her at all. In four years, he would be a different person, not the one she was in love with right now. How could she deal with that?

Why was this happening to her? Here she thought she had found the one thing that made all her other worries fade, and now she found out that it had been fake; that it wasn't at all real. Why had he done this to her?

Saying nothing and not daring to even look into his eyes, Serena retreated away from Freddie and went to sit outside in the patio. The garden was still looking beautiful and full of life from the miracle of a few days ago, but to her now it felt drab and dead. She didn't even want to look at it.

The boy did not follow her there. Instead, he let her go and sat back down on the couch, cursing himself for the umpteenth time for letting things get out of hand.

Weak, pathetic excuse of a man.

He went to her only hours later, with his mobile phone in his hand. David was on the other end of the line. She spoke to her grandad and he sounded well. The wound no longer pained him and he felt as good as new, well as new as a sixty something year old could feel. Her uncle Damien had also returned from the States to be with her grandfather. He quickly told her he would be checking his dad out of the hospital and drive him home later that day. They promised to talk again afterwards and arrange to meet somewhere safe. It was agreed, however, that going back to the house in Horsham was not a good idea. Serena was anxious to meet him; she could really use family right now.

Right after that phone call ended something else happened. She suddenly got a really bad sensation that her parents were both in trouble and in need of help. She could not say how she knew, she just felt it deep in her soul. She could almost see their faces in her mind, clear as if they were standing right there in front of her, but there was no joy in their eyes, only sorrow and pain. Without realising it, she started to cry, her tears racing down her rosy cheeks.

At first, Freddie thought it was because of him that she was crying, and he felt bad. And in part, he was right. But when he asked her what was wrong, she didn't make much sense. He only understood that it was something to do with her parents. Unable to do anything else to help, he just held her in his arms and rocked her softly like a baby, until the feeling weakened enough and her sobs abated. It must have been hours.

She was not able to eat after that or think of anything else for some time. She just sat there, being sad for a good little while, until Freddie managed to eventually take her mind off it. She put the thoughts of her parents on the side for the time being, but somewhere deep inside, she knew that something terrible had just happened to them.

Late that afternoon Freddie finally convinced her to eat something and sat her down on the kitchen table where they both ate of the meal he had prepared. It had grown cold by now, so he had to microwave it first. He'd done so twice. No one spoke of the other thing, the big elephant in the room. They each decided it was best to avoid the subject; not much good talking about it now, anyway. So many things could happen in four years.

So many things can happen in four seconds, too.

They had just cleared up the table and were washing the dishes together in the kitchen, when they heard some noise in the back garden. Freddie leaned over the small kitchen window and spotted a tall guy sneaking in past the bushes, a gun in his hand. They'd been found.

'They found us,' he said to Serena, grabbing her hand and leading her towards the main door in a hurry. 'We gotta go, now.'

Serena did not argue but followed him blindly. The man was almost at the steps leading to the patio when they left the kitchen and the living room, heading through the corridor towards the exit. Without thinking, Freddie quickly opened the door, only to be stopped by another man, an Indian looking guy, also with a gun in his hand. Quick thinking as he was, he had no time to do anything, for in the space of a millisecond, the gun went off and he took a hit right in the chest, falling backwards at Serena's feet.

Serena screamed behind him, terrified for her own life, but did not run away. The horrible fear of actually loosing Freddie was much stronger than her survival instincts. She bent down and clasped Freddie's face in her hands, slapping him gently and calling his name. But Freddie would not wake up. Tears began choking her words; her chest crushing under immense pain.

Both men were now on top of her and she knew she was done for. How could this happen? Freddie had promised her they would be safe, but now here he was, lying dead at her feet. Anger rose inside of her, wild as the sea of Endër in the heart of winter, and right then she thought of her powers. She could almost feel them brewing inside of her; she would make them pay. They had no right to do this, to take away the man she loved just when she had finally found him. They deserved whatever punishment she would give them, and there was only one thing she could think of right now; she wanted them dead. Dead, just like her dear Freddie.

Before she could even look up at them, however, the man's gun went off a second time and she too went down, falling on top of her lover.

It didn't happen right away. First, she felt the numbness, then the cold, but oddly enough no pain. Her eyes closed and darkness took hold of her. The last thing she saw in her mind's eyes was the two of them kissing, and she was overcome by a great sadness that she would never get that chance again. Then, darkness took over.

It felt so good to be up in the air, flying so high and fast above the mountains. Sure, it was a little cold, but Drakeon did not mind the cold; he'd had worse. The kind of cold you felt in The Void could not be compared to or even described in words. It was what remained when you took all the source of light and warmth from the universe, a sensation so painful that you felt it deep into the very core of your being.

Drakeon didn't even want to think about it; he'd finally left that place, thanks to his wondrous young friend, and had no intention of ending up back there, ever. The mere thought of feeling the sting of absolute darkness again made him physically ill. He'd come so close though; a couple more days and the Erinyes would have gotten to him. Damn creatures; didn't they have enough of him the first time around? He'd made it easy for them, he hadn't gone away, had not fought them; he'd just stood there, welcoming them to his flesh. Of course, had he known what fate awaited him afterwards, he might have thought twice about it. He would have tried everything to stay alive and away from them, just like he was doing now. But they seemed hell-bent on getting to him again and he knew there was only one way now for him to escape. Only, he wasn't ready yet; the pieces were still moving on the board and they had yet to fall into place. He needed more time, time that Sam and New Endërland could no longer give him. So, when Daniel and Hëna had finally appeared, he'd taken the chance to relocate to another world, thus getting one step closer to his final goal. Hopefully, Endërland would resist the Erinyes long enough for his plan to work. Sure, the woman he had just possessed could not host him for too long; she wasn't a Dreamer after all. But it didn't matter. He just needed her to get to Endërland; that had always been his objective, after all. From there, he had just the perfect candidate, until time came for him to make his final move and re-join the world of the living.

The eaglet was getting tired, he could tell. Flying and fighting for three days straight would do that to you. Still, he had to hand it to the big double-headed bird, the likes of which Drakeon had never seen before; he wasn't giving up. Not only was he flying as fast as he could, but he made every effort to ensure his riders were as comfortable as they could be. Not for his benefit, Drakeon was sure. No, the bird was concerned about his winged friend, and that suited him just fine. The wingman was barely alive, mostly out of it during the whole time, but Drakeon hoped he'd last at least until they'd make it across the invisible border and into Endërland. After that, he could dispense with both of them and get on with the last part of this plan.

' _You won't get anywhere near my home. I won't let you_.'

Drakeon smiled as Hëna's proud voice finally made her presence felt inside her head. He'd been expecting it, knowing it would be inevitable, just like with the others before her.

' _Well, well, it was about time you showed up_ ,' he spoke to her consciousness. ' _I was beginning to think I was gonna be all alone in this body and without any form of entertainment_.'

' _Is that what this is to you, entertainment?_ '

' _No, not really. This is what I call survival. The entertainment part is just a bonus, a time-filler if you will._ '

' _Why are you doing this? You got all those people killed down there, an entire world. How could you let that happen?_ '

' _Well, in my defence, I didn't know it was gonna happen; I had no idea those hags would reappear and chase after me again._ '

' _What do you mean, again? This has all happened before?_ '

' _Once,_ ' Drakeon answered as if through his teeth. He wasn't overly fond of those memories. ' _They first appeared in my dreamworld, not long after I died in the real one. I'd grown tired of living then and was waiting for them with open arms. Only, they would not come for me until they'd killed everyone else in my_ _kingdom. There was nothing I could do to stop it, just like I could not escape my own death for a second time. Only, when they killed me, I did not go where everyone else goes when they die; instead I fell into The Void. And let me tell you, there is no pain, no suffering that can be compared to what I went through out there. You think all those people killed by the hags suffered? Think again, darling. I would take their death a thousand times a day, if it meant not ending up back in The Void._ '

For one single moment, his fear and anguish became Hëna's, and she actually felt sorry for him. She could tell he was terrified of The Void and imagined that it must really be a dreadful place.

" _I am sorry that happened to you,_ ' she said. ' _I'm sorry that you had to end up in that place; no matter what you've done, no one deserves a fate like that. But I don't see why other people, entire worlds of them have to suffer and die as well. Why go to Endërland, when you know those things will chase you there too and kill every living person before they get to you? Don't you care_?'

Drakeon sighed, pretending to be annoyed.

' _Ugh, not this again. Well, I guess since we are in the same body and I cannot shut you up, yet, I might as well. Honestly, darling, I don't care. When you've been to where I've been, felt what I've felt and suffered for as long as I have, a couple of minutes of agony and pain preceding a blissful eternity, are tolerable, insignificant even. Even if it's entire populations we're talking about. Life goes on even after leaving these_ _worlds, you know, and they should all count themselves lucky, for they all go where I cannot_.'

' _So, this is what, revenge on everyone else who gets to enjoy their afterlife except for you_?'

' _Not at all, darling. I may have a cold heart, but it is not my wish that the Erinyes kill everyone; I'd have none of that if it was up to me. This is just a by-product of me trying to survive. They are all just casualties of this meaningless war; unwanted, but unavoidable, I'm afraid_.'

' _A better man would have found a way to avoid entire worlds being destroyed just to save his own skin. A better man would have chosen to die instead_.'

' _If you're trying to shame me, or appeal to my better nature, don't waste your breath, darling. My conscience left me a long time ago and has never found its way back. But even if I had one, I would kill it all over again, believe me. I would do that a thousand times over, before I let my soul slip back into the abyss to suffer for eternity. Trust me, there is nothing I won't do to stay alive for as long as I can, nothing_.'

Drakeon almost yelled the last words at her. Junior could sense that his rider had grown troubled, even though there was never a word uttered out loud. But he kept flying, unwilling to slow down for any reason.

' _I understand you're worried about your people_ ,' Drakeon continued his inner dialogue with Hëna. ' _If it's of any consolation, they might be saved from the dreaded hags if things go according to my plan. You see, there is only one place where they cannot follow me, the real world. I have finally found the right host that will allow me to go back there, but I still need a_ _little time. When my host is ready to receive me, then I will make my big comeback in the world of the living; and what a comeback it will be. I will have the power of the gods themselves and the world that rejected me the first time around will bow at my feet and tremble in fear_.'

' _The Great Dreamer_ ,' Hëna said. ' _You plan to use Serena_.'

' _I do_ ,' Drakeon simply answered, knowing very well that there was nothing Hëna could do about it.

' _And what will happen to her_?'

' _Oh, nothing worse than what's happening to you, I promise. She will be there, living it all, beside me, if she so choses. She'll have the best seat in the house and she will enjoy it_.'

' _Oh, but you don't know my daughter; she will never give in to you. She will fight you_.'

' _Ha-ha, I know she will. If she's anything like you, she'll put up a hell of a fight. But she will never win; no one has ever won against me, darling, no one_.'

Hëna went quiet for a while. It was dark around them now; she could still see through her eyes and hear through her ears. She felt the cold air in her face too, but other than that she did not feel much else. She couldn't even feel her hands holding on to the wounded body of Séraphin in front of her, or Junior's flesh and muscles underneath her legs.

' _We're about to leave New Endërland behind_ ,' Drakeon said, as if sensing her inner thoughts. ' _We're high up above the mountains now, but will soon be flying over the common sea and then enter your home world. You should be happy_.'

' _What will happen to me_?' Hëna asked, her voice more docile and humble now. She sounded as if she had already given up. ' _When you're done with me, what will become of me_?'

' _Well, that all depends really. Usually everyone I possess goes a little cuckoo, if I'm honest. They can't seem to be able to contain me; it's too much for them. Like your friend Sam, for example. She might never recover from it; she fought me constantly, you know, and I have to say that I was particularly nasty to her. For no other reason than just because I enjoy a good fight. But that doesn't have to happen to you; I like you, Hëna, I really do. You remind me so much of someone I used to love in another lifetime. So, I'm gonna give you a choice I've never given to anyone else. If you choose to go to sleep on your own, hand me the wheel and let me do my thing, not only will you be spared everything unpleasant that will be happening around you, but you might even wake up sane and sound when I leave you. It's an offer I've never made before and most likely will never do again, so I suggest you really think about it_.'

Hëna was indeed thinking about it, but not for the reasons Drakeon would hope. She'd thought of something and wanted to see where it could lead. She'd thought of everything that had happened until this very day, everything that had brought her to this point and had enabled Drakeon to take over her body. And she finally understood.

There was one thing that could be done; one thing she could try, and if it worked, it could save her daughter, her husband, her friends, her home and even the real world from this evil monster.

' _I don't want to witness whatever you're about to unleash upon my world, and I definitely don't want to end up like Sam. So, I think I will withdraw instead and let fate deal with you. And if I am lost alongside you, then so be it; but if I can't beat you, I am definitely not gonna stand by and watch all that you do to the ones I love. But, I just need one favour, before I take my leave_.'

' _And what's that_?' Drakeon asked, intrigued. He had not expected this from her at all. He had thought she would actually fight him. Not so much like his Lily after all, was she?

' _I need you to let me say goodbye to my friends. I might never see them again and I want them to know how much they mean to me_.'

Confident that he could afford to give Hëna her voice back, Drakeon agreed. He still held tight control over the rest of her body, but her voice was all that Hëna needed.

'Hey, Junior,' she called, prompting the eagle to turn his left head towards her.

'Hëna?' he asked, sensing the difference in her voice.

'Yes, it's me. I only have a moment to talk with you and, well, I just wanted to tell you that I am very proud of you. I know your parents and Ìskender would be proud of you too; you've been amazing these past few days, a truly brave and courageous eagle.'

'Thanks, Hëna,' replied Junior, 'but what do you mean you only have a moment?'

'Just listen, please,' Hëna continued. 'Back in Arbánon, when we first met and you grabbed me with your talons, hurting me the way you did...'

Junior still felt rather bad about it and did not understand why she would bring back something he thought they had put behind them by now. But Hëna wasn't done talking.

'I know I got very angry with you back then, and I even hated you for it. Not because of the physical pain you caused me, but because I was afraid I would not be able to continue looking for my daughter. But I wanna tell you now that I am not angry with you anymore, and I forgive you.'

' _Noooo_ ...,' Drakeon screamed inside her mind, finally realising what she was doing. But it was already too late. Finally letting go of all her anger, resentment and any other negative emotion or feeling that had given Drakeon the opportunity to use her, Hëna had already gained control over her own body. ' _You bitch, you tricked me_.'

Hëna ignored him and continued addressing Junior.

'Listen to me very carefully, Junior. I won't be able to come home with you guys, to Endërland; I must stay behind. I don't have time to explain it, but you must trust me; I have to do this. Promise me just one thing, please. Promise me that you will not come after me and that you will continue to fly straight ahead and take Séraphin home to be healed. Do not turn in any direction, or you will get lost. And please, tell my family that I love them and that I will always be with them. Goodbye, Junior.'

Holding off for one last moment, while Junior below her kept asking what she meant to do, Hëna lovingly stroke Séraphin's unconscious face and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

'Goodbye, old friend. I'm sorry that we won't finish this journey together. You'll be alright, though; you're in great hands.'

Very much aware that Drakeon was fighting her, trying his hardest to regain control over her body, and afraid that he might somehow succeed again, Hëna finally willed herself to drop off of Junior and fall towards the distant invisible ground beneath them. Inside of her, Drakeon kicked and screamed and cussed the foulest things he could come up with, but to no avail. It was done. She'd fought and she'd won. He'd lost.

As she fell, Hëna could hear the voice of Junior crying out after her, and at first, she worried that he was following her. But she was relieved to realise that he wasn't.

She kept falling rapidly now, the ground approaching ever so quickly.

' _This is still my choice_ ,' she told Drakeon, who kept throwing the worst kind of insults and curses at her, ' _and you're gonna share in it with me. I guess I have enough conscience for the both of us_.'

Damn her, she was like his Lily after all.

Though her eyes were open, Hëna could not see much in the dead of night. She could feel, however, that her fall was about to end, and she would meet the earth very soon. A pair of gentle emerald eyes and a sweet young face smiled at her, warming her heart. She smiled back. Then, everything went black.

***

Somewhere back in Endërland, a most bright star shining right above the City of the Lords suddenly shimmered and waned, while violent tremors shook all of the land below. The sea grew wild and agitated and the waves beat the shore with great fury and wrath. This went on for several long moments, and just as it had started, it suddenly stopped. When everything finally settled again, the earth was no longer shaking, and the sea was much calmer. Up in the night sky, the star of the Great Lord also settled back into its place. Only, it now seemed to have lost a good deal of its radiance.

Darkness, nothing but empty, freezing cold and pitch-black darkness surrounded Drakeon once again, its sting piercing through his soul like billions of red-hot sharp needles attacking his non-existent flesh. He screamed and cursed, and then screamed some more as he swore that he would get his revenge. He still had his way out of this abyss, and he would leave it again, but woe to those who'd sent him back here a second time, for they would pay dearly. Oh, they would pay.

End of Volume II

The

ENDËRLAND

Chronicles

## Volume III

'BOOK OF JOSHUA'

(Coming soon)

# Prologue

Sitting alone in the kitchen, in their quiet Horsham house, a cup of black tea growing cold in his hand, Damien tried in vain to make sense of the past couple of days. He'd been loath to leave Sam alone in the hospital and fly all the way to London, but the doctors had assured him that she was in good hands. There wasn't much he could do for her at this point, anyway. She was still in her unexplainable coma and there'd been no change for over a week now. At least, her mother had promised to stay by her bedside, so that was something. This way, he wouldn't feel so guilty about leaving her.

His father was taking an afternoon nap upstairs in his bedroom, even though he kept saying he was fine and did not need any more rest. But Damien had insisted, somehow fearing that whatever miracle had saved his father's life might suddenly be reversed and they were thrown back into the nightmare. Damien was not ready to lose his father too; as it was, he could barely deal with Sam's condition, or with Daniel and Nemo being lost somewhere in the dream realm.

Despite everything that Damien had seen in both worlds, he still could not get his head around the fact that his dad had been fully healed from a major gunshot wound in just a couple of days. Had they been in Endërland, he would have no trouble explaining away this miracle, but here he had no clue where it had come from, or who was responsible for it.

And then, there was Serena, his biggest cause of worry today. He'd called her several times on the number Freddie had given them, but there'd been no answer. They had agreed to arrange a meeting over the phone, but they'd never showed up. He was now really starting to panic, especially since there was nothing he could do but leave message after message on their voicemail. He could not help but fear the worst; something must have happened to them.

When his mobile phone did finally ring, he picked it up almost instantly.

'Serena?'

'Hello, is this Mr. Damien Adams?'

The disappointment that the foreign voice provoked in him almost broke him in half.

'Yes, this is he,' he finally managed to answer.

'Um, hello. This is nurse Randall, calling on behalf of Dr Owen at Chicago General. We have some news for you, sir. Your wife woke up from her coma early this morning and her body functions all seem to be slowly restoring back to normal.'

'Oh, wow, that's great,' Damien said, finally some good news warming his soul. 'You have no idea how much I needed to hear that today. So, she will be okay, then?'

'Um, as far as her physical condition, we think she will be fine, sir. But I'm afraid she is still catatonic in regard to her mental state. She is unresponsive to external stimuli, seeming to indicate that her cognitive capabilities are rather absent, or at the very best, dormant. The doctor has approved her relocation to the psychiatric ward of the hospital for the moment, in anticipation of her transfer to the Chicago Psychiatric Centre later in the week. As her next of kin, we just wanted to call and let you know, Mr Adams. Your mother in law is at her bedside at the moment, so she is already aware of the current situation. Do you have any questions, sir?'

Damien was still in a state of shock, unable to think clearly. He could vaguely remember later answering that he had no questions, and thanking the lady before hanging up on her. He didn't know how to feel about this. Sam was out of the coma, so that was good news, but apparently, she had not made it back whole. What was going on in her world and why had she only partially returned from there? He assumed that's what must have happened. The alternative, even though it had seemed more acceptable to him before, it now scared him. If this was a dreamworld related issue, things might eventually change and Sam could become the person she was once again. But an actual mental condition offered no such guaranty.

He needed to find a way to get some answers, but how? He'd had no news of Daniel, or Hëna, whatsoever. Serena and Freddie had gone off the grid, and The Order, well, he'd never known much about them in the first place, so he doubted he could find them, even if he looked. Not even Veronica knew anything in that regard.

Frustrated and rather angry at all these things that seemed to have gotten out of control, Damien got up and poured the tea down the drain, dropping the mug in the empty sink. He then opened the overhead cupboard, where he knew his father stored a few bottles of liquor, and grabbed the first one he could see, an unopened bottle of Jack Daniels. _Good_ , he thought to himself, _nothing like a bit of whiskey to get me out of my head for a while_. So, he poured for himself one glass after another, slowly but surely reaching that place where nothing really mattered to him anymore.

Only, he wasn't alone in there. A presence he could not yet feel lurked in the darkest corners of his mind, whispering things he didn't want to hear, flashing him images he didn't want to see. A new battle had just begun, a battle that Damien didn't know he was fighting, a battle he had already lost. And it was only a matter of time before he and the rest of the world knew it.

The story concludes in Volume III,

'Book of Joshua'.

# Dear Reader

If you enjoyed reading about Daniel and his friends and would like to see how their story ends, as well as stay informed with any other news or information, visit the book's page at: <https://www.facebook.com/EnderlandBook>

Ed would also greatly appreciate any reviews posted at your favourite retailer, as well as word of mouth. This is a great encouragement for him to keep writing and publishing.

Thank you!

# # #

