Forgotten Legacies Collection

Chapter 9

“By the Gods!” Daniel exclaimed as he looked down on the small village, a village they all knew shouldn"t be there. They had made haste climbing the mountain"s slopes and now stood upon its lower peak, gazing down into the valley below where, alien to the known layout of this island, stood a small cluster of wooden houses. It had been a surprise, especially for Daniel. Everybody knew Crowley possessed but a single settlement and now, somehow, they gazed upon a second, a whole new town none of them had seen before.

“How long has this been here?” Daniel stared awestruck into the valley at the modest looking settlement, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. He knew for certain it hadn"t been there long, but its aged appearance made him want to doubt his facts. If he and Adam hadn"t camped there frequently when he was younger he would have been inclined to believe this impossible situation, but their camp would sit almost exactly upon where this town now stood. “I played around here all the time as a child and I never saw—”

“Forever,” Elly interjected bluntly. She began to walk down the steep track that led to the simple town, attempting to avoid further questions. She was already unimpressed at having to lead them here, let alone having to answer their every query.

“Then how come I"ve never seen it?” Daniel quickened his pace to match hers as she scouted on ahead. It seemed almost as if she anticipated danger. There was something cautious, almost predatory, to her normally relaxed posture. Continuing to match her quickening pace he wondered how she, a stranger to these lands, could know about this place when its existence had eluded him all these years. He also considered what manner of people had remained so expertly hidden within the modest dwellings.

He knew something wasn"t quite right. If this town had been their intended destination, they would not have journeyed towards the port initially. They could have saved themselves a lot of time by coming straight here. Had they done that, there would have been no opportunity for them to reunite with Zo and he was positive they were not the cause of the detour. He was positive Elaineor knew more about the lay of the land than she implied. He was almost certain she knew exactly where they were when they woke, but for some reason she had pretended otherwise, for a short time at least.

they“It"s a special village, only certain people can enter.” Zo spoke mesmerised as she stared towards it, aware she had answered his question, but unable to place this new-found knowledge.

“You remember it?” Daniel questioned suddenly. It seemed looking upon this place had triggered something, perhaps this meant soon all her memories would return. At least then they would understand her situation fully without having to blindly follow those who had come for her. Since meeting with Elly, she had remembered more, surely it was a good sign, at least there was something positive about her appearance. If this continued, maybe Zo would remember everything and be able to make her own choice about whether or not to continue this journey.

“No, not this one… but at the same time yes.” She frowned as she heard the impossible words she had spoken. The longer she looked upon the village, the more familiar it became. Her frown deepened as she fought to remember. Her concentration was broken by Elly, her words making her lose the fragile grip on the fine string attached to the memory.

“What she means is she has been there before, but not from here,” she explained. She could understand their confusion since it was likely not one of them had seen such a place before, but having to explain everything had quickly become tiresome.

everything“But how is th—” Acha began, soon to be cut off by Elly"s begrudged explanation, she had started to feel more like a guide than a traveller.

“It is simple,” she snapped. “What you see before you is not a village, but a gateway. There are hundreds over this world, all of various shapes and images. These doorways exit in a city, an unmapped location, undetectable by beings or creatures of the world. This city was created to be a haven for practitioners of the artes the world over, a place they could be safe. In order for them to be able to get there with minimal delay, portals were erected to allow travel in mere seconds.” She gave a sigh leading the group down the path. The unstable terrain had fewer hazards than she had expected. She had hoped at least one of them would have fallen taking an injury which would prevent them from continuing. In fact, she had already decided on the precise order they should leave. Assuming, of course, a freak accident didn"t take them all at once. The odds were against it, but she could always hope.

A light mist seemed to radiate around the small village giving it an almost eerie glow, with each step closer it seemed to grow denser. Elly grabbed Zo"s hand before she was able to step foot into the representation of the village. She was curious as to whether or not seeing this place would bring back further memories and, if so, whether such things would make the task at hand simpler or harder. It was likely to be the latter. If Zo learnt the true objectives of their mission, it was doubtful she would willingly complete the task at hand. The fact she was needed to fulfil this role was the sole reason she still existed. Things were delicately balanced, which was why there was great care being taken in the information she was given. It was best to ensure nothing could rekindle any undesired memories, memories which lay buried deep within her alternate persona. If their true objective became apparent it was doubtful she could face what lay ahead, not in her current state, she needed to be stronger.

“You may wish to conceal your weapon.” Elly took the sword from Zo"s belt without waiting for a response, once more she found herself surprised by its weight. Although it appeared its master could carry it with ease, it was clear it did not like to be handled by anyone other than its creator.

During her journey to return it, the sword had seemed to accept her as a temporary measure. This decision was clearly revoked on their reunion. She turned the sword over once in her hand, as if to show it she was in control. Reaching forward she grabbed the leather fasten which had, moments ago, held Zo"s hair in place. “I will need this too,” she stated. As Zo shook her hair free, Elly found herself amazed how little she really had changed from times past. She smiled slightly fastening the sword"s belt around Zo"s midriff to rest firmly against her back, and starting to remove her own long coat in order to conceal the weapon fully.

shereally“Here.” Daniel intervened to pass her a soft, handmade cloak that he had just moments before removed from his bag. “I picked up a spare before we set out, I knew you didn"t have one.” Zo thanked him, wrapping it around herself.

Elly couldn"t understand why Zo had left home without protection from the elements, especially when even her friends had the sense to bring their travelling cloaks along. As she reflected on the contents of her bag, and the place Zo had called home, she realised how little she actually owned.

“Thanks, Daniel,” she smiled, already feeling the warmth from the cloak as it sheltered her from the cool wind. He passed Acha hers from his bag before swinging his own around him, who knew what conditions they would enter.

“So, what"s the deal with this place anyway?” Eiji questioned. “I mean, I"ve heard rumours but…” Elly gave a sigh as she wondered if this was a sign of things to come, wondering if their entire time together would consist of nothing more than an endless barrage of questions. She looked to Eiji, having Daniel pestering her was bad enough, but if he were to start as well the journey would quickly become unbearable.

“A long time ago, this city housed the most respected Hectarians this world had ever seen, but foolishly, they all sacrificed their magic along with the others, to aid the Hoi Hepta Sophoi in the creation of the Grimoire.”

all“Wait, so how come Zo can use it? If it was all sacrificed surely—” Daniel had taken the question from Zo"s lips. It had been something both of them had wanted to ask since Elly had mentioned the sealing of Hectarian magic, after all, it seemed if anyone would know the answer it would be her, but until now the opportunity had never presented itself.

“It is difficult to explain. The Elementalists were unable to assist as their type of magic, stemming from Gaea, was incompatible with the cause. Nyx and Gaea have been allies since creation, and her magic was intertwined with that of Hecate"s to create the nine seals erected by the ancients to restrain a mighty power, therefore if both applications of magic from Hecate and Gaea had been compatible there was a high probability the seals may have been destroyed.

“Hectarian magic was most suited to the task, thus was taken in order to bind Night"s powers to the Grimoire, however, the Hoi Hepta Sophoi deceived them. Instead of simply taking their powers, they knowingly stripped it straight from the source. The spell they cast had been so powerful that, although Hecate herself was unharmed, it became unlikely any will be born who possess the power again, unless the balance of the magic is restored. This itself is impossible since the Great Spirits will name no Mitéra.

“As for why you still possess the artes, my only thought is you must have been shielded, made invisible to their spell so to speak. Any other Hectarians who remain are also likely to be a result of the same circumstances.” She looked to Zo meaningfully, Elly knew no such people existed but had she implied this it would only bring about further questions. Although Marise"s powers were, from rumour, believed to be a gift from Hades himself and not Hectarian true to their nature, to give too much information may see them linking the two. It was better to be vague than give an answer no one was ready to hear. She hoped this would be enough to satisfy them, but knew Daniel would push for further information, he was annoying that way. She could only hope the unsure tone in her answer would be enough to dissuade him from continued questioning.

“So in other words you don"t know?” Daniel questioned. This had been the first time since meeting her that Elly had seemed unsure of her answer, her tones gave rise to uncertainty. It was disappointing, he had been certain she would have known.

“The exact reason no, but if I were to explain in depth the part I did understand it would far surpass your level of comprehension.” Elly snorted her reply, there was something in his tone she had disliked. “Stay close,” she warned. A moment later, she passed the first building at the entrance of the town and, as if stepping through a veil, vanished from sight. Her disappearance, as intended, had finished the conversation. They followed quickly in fear of being left behind, each felt the slight pull of resistance as they entered through the portal. The silence of Crowley was broken by the bustling roar of their new surroundings.

They emerged on the outskirts of an enormous city, where towering buildings rose in the distance as far as the eye could see. The portal had brought them out far from the main town, to a place surrounded by a low, broken, stone wall. To their right was a stonemason diligently replacing the fallen bricks along this perimeter. He called out a greeting to the new arrivals before continuing with his labour. In a place like this, a person of his craft was never without work, walls such as these existed throughout the entire city, separating the classes and various areas.

Their current location was considered the poorest of the great city. Merchants littered the broken cobblestones, their blankets outstretched filled with various wares. Seeing the arrival of potential customers their postures stiffened as they readied their most tried and tested sales pitches. Lively banter filled the air, and seemed to follow them wherever they walked.

Some merchants, having no customers at the time, followed them on their walk towards the towering gate, although their cries and pursuit soon stopped as they approached the guarded entrance. Those without the appropriate trade permits could not pass beyond these gates to peddle their wares.

“This area is the merchant district. Here you will find all manner of items. Within this city is every possible item a traveller could want, and even more they do not. Reflecting the nature of the city itself, you will find the trade areas are separated by class.” Elly stated, as she began to speak Daniel begrudgingly pulled himself from a nearby merchant to hear what she had to say. “If you have cast your eyes to the north, you have seen the rising residential area. Should you ever be given the grounds to visit the uppermost gardens and residents, you will find the quality of life there beyond anything you could imagine. The area is reserved for people of high stature.”

“Like lords and ladies?” Acha questioned joining Daniel by Elly"s side. Despite her dislike of explaining things to these people it served its purpose well; whilst she was talking, they were staying close.

“No, that class of people will generally be found on the second tier. The high-class residential areas lack portals, therefore there is no reason for outsiders to intrude. Gaining access to such a place is difficult, there are all manner of political restrictions and permits needed to gain entrance. It is the area with the highest concentration of militia who, you will find, have their centre of operations in the middle eastern sector of the town, near the port.”

“This place has a port?” Daniel questioned with disbelief.

“Yes and a beach for that matter. Although I would advise against entering the waters. Just as most roads here lead to somewhere, so too do most bearings on the sea. Alien to the nature of the town-based borders, the sea portals permit the passage of marine life allowing the area to provide a good harvesting ground for the fisherman. You could not imagine some of the unique horrors their nets have snared.” As they passed through the stone gateway, she spoke a greeting to the guards. This area, as she had implied, seemed more prosperous than the blanket littered plaza they had exited. The merchants here sheltered beneath brightly coloured tents or sunshades.

“What exactly is this place? It"s amazing,” Daniel asked; his attention wavering as he stopped to examine the contents of a nearby stall.

“It was a sanctuary, but these days it is more like a bazaar. But as I stated previously, only certain people can enter. Those who enter, if granted leave to do so, may bring guests. Once a person has seen an entrance they can return at any point, assuming they know where to find the portals. Stay close, we are entering the main trade district now,” she answered pulling him from a nearby storefront by the back of his cloak, almost choking him in the process.

Through yet another guarded road lay a large trade district. There were stores built on multiple layers with stairs adjoining the walls, allowing access to the higher areas. Merchants sat on their small balconies where they had hung their latest exclusive sale banners.

Until now, she had slowed her pace to permit a small amount of browsing. Or at least, that is how it would have appeared, but her unnoticed movements were predatory as she watched for any threat that may present itself. She was glad this place remained neutral to the conflicts of the outside world. But not everyone who walked here would necessarily abide by the rules, especially if they believed the prize was worth the risk of being permanently evicted. It would take just one person, one unwanted interference, for everything she had carefully prepared to be ruined. They needed to quicken their pace and arrive at their destination, as she had feared, a problem had presented itself. From the shadows she had caught sight of a hunter, although she was confident they would not dare approach, if they did it would mean trouble.

had“What kind of certain people?” Acha whispered timidly, almost fearful of the answer.

“Invited ones. It is…” Elly stopped, as she had turned to answer Acha, the hunter had made his move and vanished from sight. Despite the regulations created by the council of this metropolis, the law of a hunter was one of their own. There was nothing to say he wouldn"t risk being banished for the chance of the bounty; especially this bounty. Elly glanced quickly to Zo before once more surveying the area. She knew better than to think he had stopped his pursuit simply because she had lost track of him. It was more likely he would lie in wait and try to ambush them as they left. It was an opportunity which would not be allowed. “What we want is this way.” She grabbed Daniel once more from the stores. “Anyone would think you were a child,” she scolded. “I am not here to babysit you.”

thisShe led them at an increased speed, all narrative now ceased as she focused on getting to their destination as quickly as possible. She backtracked down joining side-streets occasionally, to confuse any who watched from the shadows. Frequently she would hear words of awe and amazement. These tones, much to her annoyance, saw her needing to return to find them at a nearby establishment which had caught their attention. Eventually, when she stopped checking behind her, they stopped browsing, realising there was no choice but to follow, especially should they wish to see the outside world again. As she navigated the maze-like streets, Elly found herself recalling Marise"s first visit to these walls. It was the first real confirmation she had received that the precautionary measures taken, to keep troublesome memories at bay, were working. She recalled the memory in Zo"s stead…

…“Staying here should prove easier than anticipated.” Elly smiled as they left the horses with the Collateral dealer for safe keeping, her words had broken Marise"s intense gaze on the stable hand. He was a young boy no older than fourteen, she had been making a mental note of his appearance, from his short scruffy hair, to his cautious brown eyes. Should anything happen to her horse, he would be held personally responsible.

he“Why is that?” she questioned glancing around. Everyone seemed to be going about their everyday business, merchants peddled their wares and the streets were crowded with people of all persuasions as they hurried to their destinations. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

“Well, it seems either they do not know, or do not care, who you are.” She smiled, as Marise had noticed, nothing was out of the ordinary. For their safety it would be better it stayed this way. As long as they broke no laws within the confines of this city, they would find very little trouble here. Despite her acts, Marise was not a criminal within this jurisdiction, and she intended to keep it that way. “Come on, let us get to our room.” As Elly led the way through the winding paths of the town, Marise soon realised this city, Collateral, was much larger than she had first anticipated.

It was a little past noon and already the streets were filled with people. Entering the main trade district, Elly heard the familiar voice of her favourite waiter call to her in greeting. She was well known to this area, frequenting here often. She had seen this man grow from a young boy to the strapping figure who now worked in his father"s establishment. Already he was busily arranging chairs outside ready for the lunchtime patrons. The tempting aromas seeped from the open kitchen door filling the surrounding air with its inviting smells. It was the day of Kronos, as such the traders were only now opening for business.

Elly steered Marise through the bustling streets towards the wall, there, on the outskirts, lay a shop which seemed almost alien, somehow out of place as it stood alone. Outside, a maroon semi-circular tent had been erected. Within it, all forms of goods littered the sturdy looking tables. Most were specialist goods which no thief would dare to steal, possibly due to the words, "cursed until purchased", being scrawled on a piece of card which hung on the folded back entrance, and given what Elly knew about the owner, she didn"t doubt it. The wooden framed and paned casement windows were secured against the outer wall with small latches, showing the stall was open for business.

Through the opening stood the proprietor, a blind man, who offered them a warm smile as Elly removed a coin purse from her trouser pocket. There were numerous things they needed for their upcoming journey, and this was just the place to acquire them. After greeting them he took a seat at his desk just to one side of the window, taking a drink from his battered tin cup as he allowed them to browse his goods. The rear shelves were packed with all forms of oddities, from rope and lamps, to medicines and tinctures. Boxes haphazardly cluttered the right side of the interior. Upon the almost buried shelf was another small note which read, "Can"t see it? Ask". To the far left stood another door, one Elly knew led into a small business area, otherwise only accessible through the sturdy wooden door concealed to the rear of the tent. It was rare people would be invited within the area that doubled as the merchant"s home. He stood unexpectedly as if aware they were ready for his assistance.

“Good day to you, I am Venrent, how may I be of service to you ladies today?” He extended his hand in warm greeting, accepting the gesture Elly found herself impressed he had so accurately assessed who was at his stall, especially when they had yet to speak. Then again, he had been given plenty of time to adapt to his current affliction. “My, your hands are cold, perhaps you need some ginger to aid circulation?”

“No, thank you,” she stated politely withdrawing from his touch. “My friend and I are about to embark upon a pilgrimage, I was hoping I may purchase some of your finest rope.”

“Indeed you may, what kind of rope are you looking for?” he enquired, not waiting for a response he continued. “I have many kinds, each threaded specifically for terrain. There"s mountain rope, dungeon rope, training rope, climbing rope, trap rope—”

“Multi-purpose,” Elly interrupted, she didn"t wish him to go through all twenty forms of rope she had already noticed on the back shelves. “We are uncertain what we may face.” He paused for a moment hearing her words.

“Hmm.” She was unsure if his tone was filled with amusement, understanding, or if he was simply being polite. “Adventurer rope it is then.” He moved towards the back of the store to select some of the pre-cut ropes.

“What"s the difference?” Marise questioned. Hearing her speak he paused briefly, it was only a subtle gesture but he had straightened his posture ever so slightly. Elly quickly realised why, and berated herself for not considering this before they had approached.

“Strength and durability. Depending on how the sections are woven determines whether or not they possess elastic properties, and such. We could do with some more thread. While I conclude business here, go over there and fetch me some.” Elly motioned her towards a small, distant storefront, knowing she had to get her away from this place, quickly.

“What kind of thread?”

“For repairs,” Elly answered firmly as the gentleman reappeared at the opening holding several lengths of rope. “Go, I will join you shortly.”

“If these are not what you require, I will gladly cut you a specific length if you would rather.” He motioned towards the rolls at the back of his store.

“No, thank you, this will be fine.” Elly stated, taking them from him to size up the ones she wanted before returning the unsuitable ones.

“So where is it you ladies plan on journeying to?” he questioned placing the unwanted ropes on a small shelf next to him.

“We are going on a pilgrimage to follow the steps of the great priestess Cassandra,” Elly lied, but there was no way for him to know, nothing in her tone or posture would have given her away even to a great investigator.

“I see, tell me, is your companion"s name Zoella?” he questioned hesitantly. He couldn"t help himself, her voice was so similar to how he remembered Kezia"s daughter. The mannerisms were harsher than he recalled, but he was certain it had been her. As certain as he could be given the time that had passed.

“No, I am afraid not. Is she also walking the path of the priestess? If we should meet her on our journey, is there anything you wish me to relay?” Elly smiled slightly, he may be blind but his senses were sharp. She would have to be more careful, she still required the aid of this person. Whilst he may have recalled her companion, Elly was now confident he didn"t recall their own last encounter. It would make their next meeting much easier.

“Hmm, no never mind, I could have sworn it was her.” He gave a sigh rubbing the back of his head as he smiled. “Not to worry. I"m afraid old age has an advantage over me. So that"s four adventurer ropes at thirty-two each, that"s, let"s call it one-twenty shall we, for such a noble pilgrimage.” Elly passed him two coins. He weighed them in his hand and smiled, by the weight alone he could tell exactly how much had been presented and, from something as simple as the texture and engravings, he could guess their native land, assuming of course, they carried native currency.

It was a skill he had mastered over the years, one which surprised many travellers when he asked of their homeland. He was well-learned in the outside world, and why wouldn"t he be? Before his blindness he had spent a very long time studying it. Each different province used a special picture or mark on the metals they smelted. As time passed and currency mingled this became more difficult, but given the accents of those who visited he could always make an educated guess. Conversation of the outside world was a good way of passing the time. He traced his fingers over them, they were of equal value but of different provinces, and as much as he tried, he could not place the accent she spoke with.

“Thank you,” she stated politely as she left to find Marise.

Marise waited patiently outside the small building where she had brought the goods, watching each person as they walked the streets.

“What was that all about?” Marise passed her the bag containing the thread. It had been quite clear she had wanted her to leave in silence, but since they were now free to talk, she felt the need to ask. There had been something about that man Elly had wanted to distance her from, almost as if she had felt anxious about what could be revealed, but the old man certainly didn"t seem like he could be much of a threat to them.

“Venrent, the merchant back there, is from Drevera. When you spoke, there was recognition in his posture.”

“But I"ve never seen him before,” Marise stated, following Elly as she made her way towards the inn.

I"ve“True as that may be, I believe he recognised you as your predecessor.” All at once things became clear to Marise, and she did not look happy about what had been suggested.

“But he"s blind.” Her protest only served as a reminder of how young and inexperienced she really was. She had yet to encounter people like Venrent, she didn"t know how extraordinary their skills were. They had yet to cover the sensory deprivation training, maybe when she realised herself that when one sense was deadened the others became more sensitive, she would understand.

“But his senses are sharp. There are many things apart from looks which betray a person"s identity, you know that,” Elly advised as they reached the doors of the inn…

…At the end of the winding paths, they reached a small inn, smaller by far than any of the others they had laid eyes on. It was possibly in one of the worst locations a small business could have been situated yet, despite being difficult to locate, its exterior showed no sign of its poor positioning.

“Elaineor!” The inn keeper welcomed her with open arms as she set foot through the door. “How is my favourite customer? I have reserved the three bedrooms just as you requested.” His corpulent arms spread wide as if to embrace her. As he moved forwards, a small amount of light reflected from beneath the hair he had combed over in an attempt to conceal his baldness. His smile faded slightly as he met her cold, unimpressed gaze, his arms lowered quickly. Within seconds, his mercenary smile had once more planted itself on his rounded face. He waddled to the cash register, found just on the other side of the untidy counter. Had it not been for an unusually shaped paperweight holding untidy parchments in an unkempt pile, there would, no doubt, have been none of the rich oaken wood visible through his clutter. He fumbled through the paperwork in search of something before returning to them with a small set of keys in his hand.

It was difficult to look at him for too long, the explosion of clashing colours was painful to the eyes, his attire made him appear more like something you would find at a circus than running an inn. His smile welcomed them each in turn, until his eyes fell upon Zo. He stared at her for some time, darkness wrinkling his brow. “I told you last time Elaineor.” His voice, although low, was silenced by a single, dismissive wave of her hand.

“I see you are only a three-bedroom inn and, as you can see, during my travels I seem to have acquired more companions. Perhaps I should take my business elsewhere,” she said dismissively, her tone matching her unconcerned posture. It made her companions question why they had covered such distance if the choice of establishments was so unimportant. Having passed so many on the way, they had convinced themselves there was something special about this specific inn.

“No, there"s no need, no need at all I tell you. They are double rooms as you well know, of course if there"s any—” Another wave silenced him once more; Zo glanced to Daniel, they had both wanted to hear the rest of that sentence.

“Very well, let us try this again. My companions and I wish to rest, we have much to discuss, and in accordance with our prior arrangement, I am awaiting the presentation of the keys and the vacating of any other clients or help. Am I understood?” she questioned sharply.

“Of course, of course. Whatever you wish my dear.” He smiled as he rubbed his grimy hands together. “But my silence does not come cheap.” Elly nodded placing a tightly wrapped bundle of money on the counter before him. He flicked through it listening to the hum of the notes. He frowned slightly. “You jest, do you not? My silence is not bought so cheaply. I have a reputation to uphold, imagine if people were to find out…” before he could finish his face gleamed as another bundle was placed before him, he took it in his hands tenderly.

“For this, I could purchase my own inn.” She sighed tapping the counter with her finger impatiently as he once more listened to the hum of the notes.

“Indeed, but you know very well you cannot guarantee your security in such a place.”

“Indeed,” she sighed reluctantly. The old magic used to create this structure had long been forgotten. There was little choice but to pay what he asked. Well, there was one other option but it was too messy and would create too many complications, besides, as much as she hated the insufferable innkeeper, this place was, as he said, secure. It was the safest place she knew, and she knew of many. She had spent much time in this inn with Marise, years in fact. “It is said there is no one more honest than a person who is paid highly for his services. Although I am tempted to seek shelter elsewhere in the future.” She leaned against the wooden counter, unaware that the rest of her group was watching in awed horror. What she had given him was more than most people could hope to earn in a lifetime, in fact, it was very rare the vaults would issue paper notes at all.

Only the rich could afford the luxury of paper money. It was a practical safety measure which prevented the dangers associated with transferring large sums of gold. Similar to the workings of a Plexus, the paper could be exchanged in any vault or treasury for the agreed sum. A sum which was etched onto the paper by enchantments, and bound to the owner by blood to prevent any forgeries.

“Ah, but should you do that, I have information that may cause more trouble than you wish to confront. Am I right?”

“If any were to care, would the city, or more importantly you, survive? We have been well behaved, until now.” Elly turned to smile at Zo before returning to the conversation. Zo couldn"t help but feel there was something in that look. She frowned, trying to decipher its meaning, trying to grasp the reason this place seemed familiar to her but was once more distracted by the innkeeper. She listened carefully, hoping he would reveal further information.

you“Very well, my lips are sealed. I shall take my payment and leave you be.” His sticky fingers handed the set of keys to Elly. As she began counting them, for the second time since their arrival she was recalling more about her first visit here with Marise. She knew this was a side-effect of her watcher"s special measures. She was glad to have had Annabel take the time to create such precautions when she had first sealed Marise…

…“Elaineor!” No sooner had the bell above the door sounded than the greeting from the stout man hailed her. He was, as always, dressed with poor taste. This time he wore a bright yellow shirt, which seemed to shimmer green as he rose to his feet from behind the counter. A mercenary smile traced his robust features. “Could it be you have come to stay once more? It has been years. How ever did you convince your employer?”

“Blackwood?” she questioned sarcastically. “He is not my employer. I ask if you remember one thing, it is that.”

not“Well, if you"re here does that mean this is…” He looked at the figure who stood beside her, a frown formed on his face as he took in her every detail. She must have been no older than fifteen, maybe sixteen, her vivid red hair framed her face giving her something of a wild appearance. She wore a short, soft-leather tasset, almost skirt like in appearance, soft material lay underneath to conceal the areas the leather did not. The front was comprised solely of this black fabric, which was split just below her pelvis by her thighs to allow freedom of movement. His vision traced down her bare legs to her small-heeled, soft-leather, knee-length boots. Despite the obvious manoeuvrability her outfit would allow, she did not look like either a warrior, or an assassin. Her black lace up top had splits in the shoulder leaving them uncovered in a possible attempt to reduce restriction of movement. The top itself was flattering and hugged her feminine curves tightly, yet there was still no escaping she was nothing more than a child, and certainly not a warrior. Elly must be playing with him he reasoned.

“Yes, this is Marise,” Elaineor answered coldly. The shock on the innkeeper"s face revealed she was clearly not what he had expected. She was not what anyone expected, it was one of the things which made her tasks far easier.

“This, she is Marise?” His tone was filled with light amusement, surely Elaineor was joking. “I expected her to be…” he paused, something about the way the young assassin looked at him almost froze his blood. He swallowed before finding the courage to continue. “Older”—his voice broke—“I-I expected her to be older.” How could a child make him feel so weak? He had confronted grown men who did not hold this kind of power over him. Elly had to admire his courage in voicing a criticism, but more than anything, she was grateful for Marise"s reserve. She had cut many a man down for less than the words he had spoken.

“I believe longevity should be your concern,” Marise whispered quietly, leaning forwards onto the desk. He retreated a few steps.

“Sorry miss,” he squeaked, quickly turning his attention back to Elly, who had moved Marise back to stand behind her. “So, what brings you here this time?”

“A mission, that is all you need to know. Now tell me, what do I owe you for the room?” She placed a small box on the desk.

“Normal conditions?” he asked as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation of what was to come.

“No, it seems you already have guests and, as yet, the people of this town have not put the name to a face, nor do we intend to break the edicts of this council. So, for now, just a room will suffice. Besides, it would be difficult for you to explain to your guests why they all must vacate.” Elly glanced to the hooks where travellers hung their cloaks. It seemed the inn was almost at maximum capacity, which didn"t say too much given it only had three double rooms. There were very few who could afford lodgings here. Like a number of buildings in Collateral it was of special design.

“For you, Elaineor, I could justify anything,” he smiled.

“For me, or for my money?” she questioned dryly.

“How long do you plan on staying this time?” He had decided it better not to answer the proposed question, it was an answer she knew too well.

“Indefinitely,” she answered, watching as the mercenary smile once more appeared on his face.

“The normal price,” he stated.

“The normal price, for just a room?” She shook her head in mild amusement.

“One room or three, it"s all the same.”

“Please, humour me, explain your logic.” She tapped her finger on the box which rested on the counter.

“The way I see it, you"re not only paying for a room, you"re harbouring a criminal. My silence is a valuable asset.”

“I imagine you feel the same way about your tongue,” Marise warned. Elly silenced her with a raise of her hand. Marise had become increasingly more aggressive lately, she always seemed to be hunting for blood. It was something Elly would have to address, she may be an assassin but there was a healthy level of desire, and watching everyone for something which would justify a kill was not something she taught, or would tolerate from her student.

not“For what you are asking I could, of course, buy my own inn.”

“True, but as you know, this inn is special,” he retorted smugly. “There is no other like it in existence.” Elly pushed the box towards him. He grabbed it quickly, his hands fumbling in anticipation of opening the lid to peer inside it. His eyes lit up as he gazed upon its contents before he slid a single key across the desk with his finger.

“Let me know when you require more, and do not think I will not be counting,” she cautioned.

do not“Exactly how long is indefinitely?” His eyes flitted from Elly to the box several times. Now he had examined its contents fully, he knew she didn"t just plan on staying for a few weeks.

“Now, if I knew that it would not be indefinitely, would it?” she questioned as she walked away.

The room shared the same bad decor found throughout the rest of the inn. The two beds rested by the far wall separated by a chest of drawers, at the base of the bed stood a vanity table filled with strange ornaments. Elly had barely lowered her backpack when Marise questioned her actions.

“Why pay him that much? I could have negotiated a much better offer.” She fingered the hilt of her sword, an action Elly had seen too much of recently.

“Enough,” she scolded. “I trust him. I have known his family for what seems like forever.” She smiled, thinking back over the many centuries to her first stay in this inn. The rates had been a little more reasonable then but, as with everything, it grew more expensive with age. This inn"s special feature was difficult to maintain. There were but a handful of people who could even comprehend how to repair such a thing. In fact, the only place with the skill and knowledge for such a feat were her good friends of the Research Plexus, who lived hidden within the city of Knightsbridge. The repairs and maintenance were costly, which meant very few could afford to seek shelter within its walls. Such a thing was of course meaningless to Elly, she had more funds than any would ever realise, and only a fraction of these were stored in the vaults. One with her adventuring expertise knew of far better ways to conceal their riches.

“But he would betray you if the price was right!” she protested. “It would be safer to—”

“Whatever the price it could not compare to what I offer,” she stated. “The money is just a technicality.” It was true, she only paid the funds as a courtesy. Each of the many previous owners of this establishment knew her worth as a patron, none of them would ever consider betraying her.

“But where do you get such funding?” Marise questioned, she had wondered if perhaps Night paid for their expenses, but something told her she was wrong, and she knew for a fact she certainly didn"t get anything from Blackwood.

“For now, let us just say such things are not exactly a concern to someone like me,” she responded, fingering each of the ornaments in turn, before searching the rest of the room. By the time she had finished she held several small pieces of ancient technology in her hand. “Come, let us get something to eat.” She led Marise to the dining room, which was barely large enough to hold the enormous table which stood within it, motioning for Marise to sit she continued through the door to the reception in order to pay the innkeeper a visit.

“I trust everything is to your liking.” He smiled. A fresh bead of sweat formed on his already damp complexion as Elly showed him the technology in her hand. She watched the horror on his face as she dropped it, crushing it beneath her boot.

“It is now,” she stated. “How many times must I warn you? My conversations are not for your ears, and if you so much as even think of spying on us in your passageways, so help me, I will allow Marise to deal with you. You are expendable as long as I have your keys, or do you forget I know the secrets of this place possibly even better than you do,” she warned as she turned away. “Do not even think about putting it back tomorrow.”

“I wouldn"t dream of it,” he whispered as he looked at the small pieces of broken technology. He should have known better by now. Elly always found his listening devices, but he just couldn"t help himself, it was his very nature to be intrusive. “I take it by your warning that you do not expect to be back tomorrow evening?”

“No, I have made other arrangements.”

“You know, I will still be charging you for your room. It is all the same to me whether you return or not.” Elly nodded, she had not expected anything less. Before approaching Marise, who sat at the table, Elly hung her coat over the enormous portrait of the innkeeper, a portrait which disguised the entrance to one of the many secret passages. She sat with Marise after preparing her a sandwich in the kitchen.

“So we won"t be staying here tomorrow?” Despite the quiet tones she had been able to hear every word of their conversation.

“No, we need to follow up on a lead I have.”

“You mean a Grim—” Elly raised her hand silencing Marise as two of the other lodgers passed them, and exchanged polite smiles.

Glancing outside, she realised it was getting quite late. The torches, which lit the street corners, had already been burning for some time.

“Tomorrow is going to be a busy day so you need to be rested. We will depart at dawn”…

…“Are you forgetting something?” Elly questioned, sliding the penultimate key slowly over the loop as she pulled herself away from the memory. It was a remarkable thing they had achieved, the detrimental memories would be transferred, by enchantment, to Elly.

The ability to manipulate people"s memories, by displacing or altering them, was one of Annabel"s greatest skills, and one she had used in her youth for manipulation and crime before finding her true calling. Of course, in most cases the recipient wouldn"t understand the flash of images and think it was just their mind deceiving them, but Elly could decipher them perfectly. There was but a single thing which concerned Elly. Annabel had grown old, and all of the safety measures would stop when she was taken to the underworld. She could only hope it didn"t happen before it was time for the darkness to be filled. Of course, before that could happen, certain events had to fall into place, and the transfer did not always work on her. It seemed to only work when the memories being recalled were not Zo"s. It was a problem they had to be aware of, especially given some of the memories which were free to return.

“I don"t think so.” The innkeeper paused as he reached the door, turning back to face them. “Blinds drawn, tea is cooking, beds made, you have the keys. No, nothing I can think of.” He counted the points on his sausage-like fingers before turning to leave again.

“The passage keys, perhaps?” Elly dropped the final key over the ring, the sound it made as it fell to meet the others seemed to slice through the silence, the accusation in her eyes burning through him.

“Passageways? Your suspicion offends…” he laughed nervously as his gaze fell from hers; he gave a deep sigh before he dug deeply into his pocket to produce three small keys.

“Thank you.” She smiled, helping him through the door, locking it as he finally took his leave.

They followed her from the foyer, still in silent horror over the amount of funds she had so carelessly presented. They knew she was of good upbringing, from a rich family, but still, what they had just witnessed surely bordered on insanity, notes were virtually an unseen currency.

“Are y" sure we can trust him?” Eiji was the first to speak, he alone, aside from Elly, understood the threat which had left the innkeeper"s lips. He watched her cautiously as they entered the bright red dining room. It was a room which was barely large enough to hold the six place table which had been already prepared with napkins and cutlery.

A large portrait of the owner, wearing the same pink and yellow striped trousers, with and equally grotesque green and blue polka dot shirt, hung on the wall opposite the drawn blinds. Only Elly knew that each day the picture would change to match the attire which the innkeeper wore. In a similar fashion, the interior itself was a reflection of the proprietor"s tastes. They were tastes that never improved and seemed to devolve each day.

Elly removed her coat, glancing towards Zo, who warmed herself by the log fire along with Daniel and Acha, who seemed to be sharing a hushed conversation of their own.

“He dare not betray us,” she whispered, “he would lose far too much.” Her tone returned to normal. “There is nothing as secure as greed. Besides I have used him at least a thousand times, each time we exchange the same playful banter, although, despite the pretence, the price never varies.” As she spoke, she hung her coat over the giant portrait, despite its size it concealed the painting completely. “Once he has left the keys in the hands of another, he could not find his way back here, even with sextant readings. This place is like this town but to a lesser degree. Once its keys are secured, no one can enter without reservations, and it cannot be located until the expiry of said reservation, other than by those who reside within of course.” She checked under the table. “He is getting lazy.” She unhooked and crushed the small piece of ancient technology. “Now I am certain there is no one listening there are a few things you need to know, after hearing them any of you are free to leave, with one obvious exception.” She looked at Zo and gave her what she thought to be a comforting smile, a smile which in fact sent shivers down her spine. Eiji knew he wasn"t free to leave either, not if he wanted to live.

“What kind of things?” Daniel asked after a prompting nudge from Acha, who now sat to his side at the dining table. Zo took the chair to his other side, leaving Elly and Eiji sitting with a gap between them.

“Well, since you two invited yourselves along,” she looked at Daniel and Acha in turn. “And you had no choice but to accompany me,” her vision glanced to Eiji. “You should at least know what you are getting yourselves into.” She sighed, this wasn"t how it was meant to be. It was meant to be just herself and Marise. She hadn"t counted on being followed, nor on these other people inviting themselves along. She gave another sigh before continuing. “As you have already gathered, the legends about Night are true, but he has been dormant for over two decades, long enough for people to forget the true terror, and motivation, of his work.

has“With so long in peace, they now doubt the sincerity of the tales, even his existence, by referring to him as a legend. That, along with the passage of time, dulls the blade of fear. People soon become complacent and adopt the typical apathetic attitude, after all, why should it matter since his powers were sealed away? That is, if they believe the fairy tales at all.”

“But you mentioned the Grimoire when we met, so—” Daniel"s interruption earned him a scolding look from across the table; he felt himself shrink away slightly as she continued.

“I am getting to it, anyway, his powers were sealed away in seven magical tomes called the Grimoire. They were a combined effort of all the Hectarians, who gave their power to the Hoi Hepta Sophoi to aid their creation. The first four sealed away his Elemental magic, the fifth sealed his Destructive or Black artes, the sixth, his Light and Life-force magic, but not even the Hoi Hepta Sophoi knew what was contained within the seventh.

were“Night was aware of the plan and set out to face them. He had known ultimately it would come to this, before they could succeed with their plan he would need to confront them, but as the prophecies had foretold, he was overpowered.

“Blood magic, of course, is by far the most potent magic, the Hoi Hepta Sophoi far surpassed it. They gave not only their blood, but life-force and thus created the most powerful seals of all.” She looked up to see the blank expressions of those she spoke to, she wondered for a moment if they had been listening at all. “It is easier for me to show you.” She removed a small crystal from her pocket, it seemed to grab their attention more than her story had.

“Is that…” Daniel gasped.

“A gossip crystal? Yes,” she stated dismissively.

“Where did you get one? I"ve only heard rumours of such things, only six are said to exist throughout the entirety of the world. When you use it, you see facts as they were, not as history dictates. Each one is empowered with the memories of time itself. It is like watching the past as it happened before it is corrupted by speech.” It was a little known fact that all crystals could do such a thing, however, only a gossip crystal could do so, to some extent, in unskilled hands.

“Enough of the lesson, do you want to know why she needs protecting?” Elly scolded; the four companions leaned forwards to stare into the crystal…

…“At last the final spell is complete, Hectarians the world over have surrendered their power for this cause.” The middle-aged man now seemed much older than he had when the group had first taken their seats. He leaned breathlessly against the table, using it to assist him as he rose to his feet, his black hair somehow seemed paler than just hours before.

“Surely this method is reckless, if it were to fail.” An elderly man, rose to his feet, his shaking hand grasping the cane which stood beside his chair. His cold grey eyes filled with doubt and worry. This man had the hardest task of all, he had to voice everyone"s concerns. He had to try to trick the younger man into abandoning the idea.

“It is the only way, what other choice do we have, we are but mortal, he is a god.”

“But, to use their powers, to remove it by our method, means Hectarian magic will be dead to the world.” The other five sat in silence as they listened to the conversation which volleyed between them. Each stated convincing opinions on why their view was correct, the outcome of this debate would change the world forever one way, or another. They all knew neither change would be ideal, whichever path was chosen, there would be a heavy sacrifice. It was up to them to decide what the sacrifice would be.

“The only chance we have of overcoming him is to take his magic, don"t you see? It is our only choice, it is our only chance to be free.” The younger man banged his hand upon the solid oaken table as if to emphasise his point.

onlyonly“But surely you must consider afterwards, not a single Hectarian will possess the power to even foil a simple attack. The magic powering our homes, our cities, will be lost forever as we are forced to return to the old ways. Even should one who possesses magic emerge by some miracle, they could not develop their power, the lack of users ensures that. To nurse a spark so small, into a flame, would be impossible.”

“There will be the Elementalists. True the price is high, but is it really, is it too high a price to pay to ensure tomorrow for our children?”

“If we fail,” the old man lowered his head. “If we fail, we have no hope to stand against him. He has done nothing to warrant our action.”

“Not yet, but it is only a matter of time, you have seen what he will unleash if left to his own devices. If we do not try to stop him now what hope is there then? You have seen yourself his history, if we leave him bet he will surely repeat his deeds. A pre-emptive strike is our only option.” The younger man was still as powerful as ever in his tones as the older man grew weary. He knew almost from the onset that the young man"s argument would win, but it was his place to stand against him. After all, to not voice the doubts of the group was to weaken the power. Each member had to be completely committed to the decision, lest the power of their magic be compromised. His job was to put to rest doubt, and if it could not be done, force his opposition to change his mind.

He slowly glanced around the other members, looking at each one in turn, his eye contact pieced the souls of each as he retrieved any remaining questions, concerns, or hesitations. The younger man"s eyes stayed focused on his opposition, at least a minute had passed before he spoke again.

“What would happen should he seize the tomes and his power once more be restored?” The younger man broke his gaze for the first time to look down to his battered sandals for but a second. This question had taken him by surprise, he was unsure why, but the possibility felt like a cold icy finger tracing down his spine, he suppressed a shudder.

“There will be none with the magical capabilities who could achieve that, no one with that power will remain, we have seen to that, by the completion of the ritual. The Hectarian power will be no more, the power of a Wizard, Sorceress, or Elementalist would be useless.”

“But if there were?”

“You mean should all the forces be penetrated, should he find a Hectarian with enough of the now lost power to diminish the protective barriers, impossible as that may be?” He smiled slightly as he now realised the improbability of this final doubt. The moment of doubt and fear the question had stirred within him now forgotten. The thoughts of such safeguards being defeated, of someone overcoming them all, was impossible. All this question now did was add to his already overconfident tone. “Are you forgetting even should they be obtained, the last book must be taken by his own kin of which he has none. It is impossible, for a being such as he, he could only create a child from love. Something his long dead heart has no capacity for, and besides, why would he interact with a race he finds so disgusting in order to create such a child?”

“He could take it himself.”

could“Only should his heart be pure, then for what purpose would he need it?”

“Still, if that were the case, would he not still possess the other six? The six we were expecting, but not the seventh, we know not the power that will be trapped within this final tome.”

“True there is one more than expected,” the young man touched the book which had formed before him. Although this would lessen the final seal of the spell, he was confident their plan would work; the magic they possessed now would be enough to seal his powers and banish the Grimoire. “And it is also true that we know not what will be sealed within its binding. But let us not focus on what is impossible, but what is possible, we can stop him now, but time grows short, so I ask you fellow members of the Hoi Hepta Sophoi what be your choice?” The young man returned the respectful nod of his opposition as he took his seat.

“Our concerns were voiced an" argued admirably by the former Elder.” The young red-haired girl addressed the room. She was one of the few Méros-Génos who could still wield such power, her magical energy was raw and forceful.

“Indeed, I feel no matter how dangerous it is, it is less hazardous than him remaining unopposed.” The gentlemen to her right was the next to voice his opinion, he had pondered this methodically before committing to the act. As the most practical member of the seven he had assessed the long-term implications of both paths, and having reached his well-formulated opinion, nothing could change his mind. He was steadfast, their action was the only logical progression.

“Before you commit on this, there are some other thoughts I wish to voice, firstly to thank my elder for a well presented discussion.” He bowed his head to the older man whose cane once more rested by his chair as he sat. “Secondly, as with all things, this too carries a cost, you are all aware of the price that must be paid, still, no respect would be lost should any of you wish to leave and not continue, after all, we are the ones to pay the greatest price for this freedom. If any of you have any doubts, I ask that you leave now.”

IMinutes of silence passed, the young man was relieved to see none left.

“That said, we shall begin the final preparation.” He joined them once more to sit at the table, where in front of each of the seven members, there lay a book.

Each tome was a different colour, each possessed a different symbol of unfamiliar origins. Inside the pages were blank, these would be the pages which would secure the seal and hold the words needed to release the bind should it be required. They had wanted to seal the powers completely to ensure they could never be released, but such a thing would have been impossible. In order to ensure the success of their act, there were laws which had to be adhered to, such as the possibility for reversal of their craft.

The timeless room gave pause to their own mortality, before them countless figures had sat in this very place. The endless athenaeum was dedicated to one sole purpose, the obtaining of power. Within the great towers, every tome, parchment, or carving, of magical craft and prophecy could be found. Some mere facsimiles, but nothing, not even a single aged shred of parchment, would further deteriorate within these walls, nothing that was, except for the living.

At this very table, countless warlords had sought the answers to their great battles, wars were waged, victories obtained or lost, depending on how those given the opportunity to enter such a place used the knowledge they acquired. It was a place great strategists, like most mortals, entered only through their dreams, a place they could spend their sleeping hours in the quest for knowledge. This table had seated them all, heroes and villains, the mad and the righteous, all long forgotten like the secrets found within. Its finely crafted hazel wood structure still as pristine as the day it had first been carved, a wood specifically chosen for its knowledge and wisdom giving properties.

Time and light changed within the tower, the focus of those who sat within its spender could not fail to see the movements set in motion by their actions, their very presence here, their undertakings causing such change throughout the cosmos, that even with the tower"s physical manifestation of the universe"s movements and changes, they still failed to comprehend the consequences of their actions.

The fractured light from the glass tower above, to those who could decipher it, reflected the very nature of existence. Its every change, its every aspect travelled through the countless weave of the spectral glass, down through the seemingly endless tiers of tomes and scriptures to create a complete depiction for any who knew how to look.

Each member seated at the table took the hands of another, the focal light from the tower compressing to illuminate the area between them. The entirety of everything, existence itself central to their invocation as they stripped the very nature of Hectarian power from all it touched. The words of their incantation almost lost in the endless tower as little by little they removed the vital thread from everything, until they reached beyond its very core, an act which would forever silence those using this arte as they stripped the power straight from its source. They did not just take the power of those who bore it now, they took the very gift, the very seed which allowed this power to be born. None from this day forth could call upon this craft. To form a new link to this power now, after all they had done, would surely be impossible.

The light expanded, its image now altered to that reflected just hours before, its illumination now void of a thread so old, so integral, the repercussions were seemingly endless.

The changes had not been unnoticed, there was just one place this feat could have occurred and now, the one they opposed would come for them. The Hoi Hepta Sophoi took one final look at all they were protecting as they prepared for their life-forces to be used as the means of sealing that which they would create. Never would they know the glory of the Elysian fields, not unless the seals were broken and their essence released, something none of them expected to happen.

The leader looked over his allies with pride, they had succeeded, the unimaginable power coursed through each one of them, a power sufficient enough to complete their undertaking. There was but one thing remaining, their victory could only be marked by their death.

Night took form before them, their new-found energy wavered in the mere presence of this god as he granted them the honour of gazing upon his true form. Night had once been an aspect of the goddess Nyx, an ancient deity who had borne many children, inclusive of those known as pain, sleep, dreams, and death, as such these powers were also his to call upon. Just one death was too good for them. He had the means to prolong their suffering for as long as their bodies would endure. The waves of tiredness began to encompass them, stifling their breath. Whilst they would still be aware of the torment endured by their physical bodies, the terrors and agony they would suffer through their dreams would be unimaginable and without reprieve. These seven would live out their remaining days sealed within sleep until death finally took them. It was not the death any of them had anticipated.

He looked upon the figures as the torture of the realm he had created just for them ensnared them, the leader of the Hoi Hepta Sophoi still managing to delay his final moments, but unlike his belief, it was not he who postponed the plagued sleep, but Night who wanted to impart one final terror upon the traitor.

“What were you thinking? I see it all, your thoughts are no secret to me. Do you think you will find peace in knowing your Grimoires shall stop me? The sum of all mortal works and knowledge is here.” He watched as the young man smiled. “I knew of your plan.”

“Then, why?” he gasped still smiling, he was proud of what they had done and regardless of what would follow, he wanted Night to feel his pride.

“My own tomes rest here wall to wall at your disposal, do they not tell you of the rising of a maiden, or did you learn nothing from me? I shall wait, twelve years is a mere blink of an eye to one such as myself. I shall regain my powers, and claim yours by doing so when she rises.” Night knew when he retrieved the Grimoire, and their spells were released, he would not only take back his magic, he would also take the magic of the person who sealed it, and since the seven of them had, before their death, possessed the power of the entire Hectarian culture. It was a power he couldn"t resist, even if it meant falling prey to their trap, in fact, it was essential if he were to ensure Gaea was rejuvenated.

“You rely… too much… on hearsay,” he smiled weakly.

“That is where you are wrong.” Night smiled in amusement as he leaned towards the young man, whispering quietly into his ear. As he heard Night"s words the smile faded and his eyes grew wide with terror. It was as he heard that final truth he surrendered to the all-consuming sleep. The bodies of the seven slumped before what they thought to be their final triumph. It would be at least seven days until their life-forces left them to seal the Grimoire, despite this, he knew he could not take the tomes. He would have to wait until the time was right and then, he would reclaim that which he had lost, and so much more. “Patience has always been a strong point of mine”…

…As the image faded Elly placed the crystal back within her pocket and continued the tale where the images left off.

“Despite these words, Night knew that when their lives finally ended, the binding of his powers would be completed. He had been rendered powerless but for his immortality. One day, by sheer chance, he happened upon one of the seven. It was unguarded, hidden within an old bookcase overlooked by all who passed, but he could never touch it. Although none knew his identity, they feared him, and so they handed the book which he had shown such an interest in, into the care of the temple.

“Night"s name has been diluted over time, only those who knew his wrath truly feared him, to others, he started to become nothing more than a fairy tale, everything was going according to his plan.” She paused as she looked between them. “The first three Grimoire were located in temples which it was thought no human would be able to survive, even if they were gifted with Hectarian magic. One appeared in a town hidden in an ordinary bookcase, another was sent to a place of myth, and another to a place of darkness and rumour. As for the seventh, its whereabouts remains a mystery, but once she seizes the final tome, the last of his power will return.”

“By she, y" mean the one who got the other six, right?” Eiji frowned, choosing his words carefully. The last thing he wanted was another blow to the head, he had barely recovered from the last one, although he hadn"t made it apparent the pain far exceeded that he had expected. He lowered his arm as he found himself unconsciously rubbing the back of his head.

“Correct, if his final powers were to be released, everything would change.” Elly smiled slightly as she contemplated this thought for a moment.

“But Marise Shi disappeared a long time ago.” Daniel stated. Elly looked to him in surprise. When they had first met, he had implied he knew nothing of the Grimoire, yet now, he not only showed knowledge of them, but of the one who obtained them. Elly had believed no one knew it was Marise who had collected them. Although Eiji had told the story of Marise Shi"s exploits in Napier village, it was never mentioned her target had been the Grimoire. It was always believed, thanks to the Elementalist who told the tale, that she had been seeking vengeance on the temple"s priest. She couldn"t help but wonder how he had come to possess this knowledge, and if he knew, how many others did? His comment showed the need for extra caution. If they were to realise exactly what was happening, things would not run so smoothly. For now she hoped the implications were enough to have them draw their own conclusions. If she had guided them as well as she believed, they would think the reason Zo was in need of protecting was due to her Hectarian linage.

he“Indeed,” Elly sighed, not only did she dislike the thought of him knowing things he should not, she grew tired of his interruptions. “But that does not mean she, or someone else, still could not retrieve the final Grimoire, I repeat, the first were hidden in impenetrable temples, do I really need to continue? The point is all seven of them were thought unobtainable and all but one has been retrieved. The seventh however, is meant to be the most secure as no one knows its whereabouts.”

“Surely someone does. I mean it had to get there in the first place, couldn"t Marise just get the information from the person who took it?” Daniel questioned, he knew it was unlikely something could simply vanish, someone, somewhere had to know of it.

“Impossible.” Elly sighed as she wondered if they had understood any of what she had just spoken, or even the images they just watched, did he really think the Grimoire had been sent for people to hide? That would have made things far easier.

far“But the leader of the Hoi Hepta Sophoi said—” Daniel began.

“So you are led to believe, yet I am certain there is a way for Marise to obtain the final tome.” Elly this time chose to interrupt Daniel. Unseen, Acha shrunk a little in her chair, the shrouded figure they had seen in the crystal, despite the great expanse of time since her birth was, without a doubt, her mortal father. Although his image was hidden, she somehow instinctively knew it to be him. “You would be surprised what a little ambition and a lot of knowledge can do.”

“You talk as if you know her.” Acha spoke once she was certain Elly had finished. The thought she knew Marise unnerved her, especially if they discovered her relationship to the shrouded figure, all kinds of problems could arise.

“Yes, I do.” Elly"s answer, as always, was simple and to the point, it was also a catalyst for a million other questions, she smiled to herself as she ventured into the kitchen.

“What!” Daniel exclaimed. “You"ve actually met her?” Elly left her answer until she had returned carrying the nicely browned chicken.

“Indeed,” she replied, returning to the kitchen to carry in the bread and butter which had been carefully prepared for their arrival. Well surely if she hadn"t said something now, Eiji would have betrayed the secret, unintentionally perhaps, but maybe this would give the unwanted company just the reason they needed to part ways. “I asked Mr Francis to prepare a meal for us.”

“So you"ve actually met her, face to face, and lived?” Daniel avoided her attempt to change the topic with ease.

“Yes. Please help yourself, who knows when we will get a chance to eat like this again.”

“But I thought none who met her survived.” This time it was Acha who pressed the topic further, Elly knew this was one set of questioning she would not avoid easily.

“We were friends.” Elly waited for the reaction which was bound to follow her statement as she began to carve the bird.

“Friends!” spat Daniel, almost choking on the bread he had swallowed. “With a bloodthirsty murderer?”

“Yes.” Elly passed Zo a plate, she was now the only person who wasn"t eating, wherever she was, it wasn"t in the room with the others, she seemed so far away, lost in her thoughts. Elly tried to read her concerns as she held the plate a moment longer before placing it before Zo, an action which startled her. “Come see me after you have freshened up later, there is something I wish to give you.” They exchanged glances, all curious what this something could be. Zo simply nodded as she stared at the food before her, for some reason, she felt quite peculiar.

“There"s only three rooms, some of us will hafta share.” Eiji stated as he emerged from the bathroom to find everyone gathered in the hallway. He rubbed his hair vigorously with a towel, his clean clothes were still warm from the furnace. It was a remarkable invention, more often than not, the washed clothes were dry even before the wearer had finished pumping the water ready to shower.

“I shall stay with Elly then.” Zo muttered, her hair still dripping from her own shower, her shortest layer clung to her face for a moment before she brushed it away. Concern flickered through Daniel"s eyes, of all people why had she chosen Elly? She could have chosen him, or Acha who she had shared a room with previously. Eiji realised this meant he and Daniel would most likely share the other, he reminded himself to be careful about what he said, he had already realised Daniel was nothing if not persistent in his search for information. Satisfied with this arrangement, they went to ready their rooms, leaving Daniel and Zo alone in the hallway.

“Are you okay?” he asked. Seeing her expression, he touched her shoulder gently, she turned to him with an obviously forced smile, her eyes filled with an array of emotions.

“Yes.” Her answer came out more like a question than the positive statement she had intended.

“What did Elaineor want?” He pulled his face as he spoke her name.

“Oh… she, erm, gave me some old clothes of mine,” she sighed, “for all I know they could be from the local store.” She let out another sigh as she stared blankly towards the floor.

“Say, do you care for a walk before turning in?” he asked, he already knew the answer. Whenever things became a little too overwhelming for her, a walk had always seemed to calm her down, give her a chance to organise her thoughts and clear her mind. There had been many occasions, as parts of her memories returned, when she grew frustrated or tired. She had tried so hard to retain the memories, to keep them coming, but the harder she tried the quicker they left, leaving her frustrated. She wore the same look now as she had all those times.

“Would you mind?” She looked at him gratefully, tying her wet hair into a ponytail. Getting out of here, away from this inn was something she desperately needed. For just a moment she wanted to leave Elly and everyone else behind. “And we could always take a look around the trade district while we"re here.” She smiled, seeing his face light up at the thought of exploring. Outside Albeth, this was the only place he had encountered which sold trinkets, oddities and vendibles of magical potential. “I saw a few things you just have to get.” Daniel couldn"t help but feel this new-found enthusiasm was a display for his benefit, he was right, to a certain degree.

“That sounds wonderful.” He linked her arm gently as they began towards the door.

“And just where do you think you are going?” Just as they reached the door, Elly"s voice echoed from the staircase to stop them in their tracks. For a moment, everything fell silent except for the sound of her footsteps as she approached.

“For a walk, I need some air.” As Elly stood before them, her hardened expression seemed to soften a little, for a second it seemed a strange sympathy crossed her features.

“Fine. Hurry back and do not draw any attention to yourselves, be back by sunset. Here is a list of supplies we need, you know, rope and food. There is an excellent rope store not far from the tavern.” She gave Daniel the list, a hand drawn map to the store, and a small pouch containing some coins, as she did so, she leaned in close to him and whispered something, he nodded, and without wasting any more time, they left.

do not“What did she say?” Zo asked as she linked him once more as they entered the bustling town.

“She told me not to let you out of my sight.” He watched her frown at his words.

“There"s something she"s not telling me.”

“Everything?” He attempted to say it with as little sarcasm as possible, but failed, she knew so much more than she would ever reveal, he had to wonder why, was it because she planned to keep them safe? They still knew nothing more about the situation surrounding Zo and the implied dangers which lay in wait.

“Well, yeah.” Zo sighed as she leaned against the side of the tavern, she could feel the music as it vibrated through the walls along with eruptions of laughter. “It"s just so frustrating. I mean she knows everything about me, about what"s happening. Earlier I thought she was going to tell us something about what was going on, yet instead she told us a story, unrelated to me, maybe even to this situation. It"s like she does it on purpose, she knows everything yet…” She gave a frustrated sigh, wrapping her arms around herself.

“Treats you like a child and answers one question with another?”

“Exactly, I mean I don"t even know why I"m here, why was I in danger in the first place? It"s not as if I have some great power.” Zo paused as she suddenly realised why she was being told the story of the Grimoire, perhaps even why she found herself in this situation, it was because of her magic. Daniel saw the realisation in her eyes, he knew she had reached the same conclusion he had, but he couldn"t help but feel he had overlooked something.

“She seemed to think differently,” he stated after a few moments of silence. He had realised during the tale the relevance of her magic, but all this couldn"t simply be due to that, after all, if that were the case, then there would have been people looking for her long before Elly had arrived on their threshold. There was something else, something deeper, but neither of them had any clue as to what it could be.

“Come on Daniel,” she sighed as they started on their way again. “This…” A small ball of flame erupted from the air above her hand. “This is the best I can do,” she lied. There were other things she knew she could do, things so dark they chilled her to the bone, the conversation of passers-by fell silent as people stopped to look. She quickly willed it to vanish before they continued walking, it was a few moments before the conversation around them resumed at a hushed level. By the time they reached the small store, everything had returned to normal, her actions forgotten. “Even if they want me to get the final book, I do not possess the strength or skill.”

“I"ve seen a lot of things. I"ve seen your magic, and I"ve seen you turn a barren wasteland into a thriving herb garden. You use your magic to heal the sick by learning which herbs they need to cure them, instead of treating the symptoms like Kwakzalvers. I"ve seen the effort and determination you put into every little thing you do, the love and hope you give to others, that"s your real power Zo, your heart, not your magic.” Daniel stated, glancing over the sheer volume of ropes stored behind this particular counter. He had to wonder if Elly had sent them there just to confuse him with choice.

He was almost certain he had chosen the wrong type, but the elderly man behind the counter had assured him this was the best type for any purpose. Being so close, he couldn"t help but overhear their conversation as he measured the rope for them.

“Did you say Zo?” he questioned on his return, before either of them could answer he continued with a wide grin on his face. “Yes, yes, the resemblance is clear.” The cashier extended the bag over the counter to Daniel before he reached out to place his coarse hands upon her face.

“Excuse me?” Zo stepped back, away from the unwelcome touch. “Who are you?”

“Forgive me our Zo, you must have forgotten, it"s true, time has not been kind to me. I am Mr Venrent, from what I can gather you"re just like your mother. Tell me have you finished school then?”

“My mother?” she questioned in alarm, could it be this stranger knew her mother? His face did not seem familiar, yet at the same time there was something about the name, it was a name she had heard before.

“Yes, come through, join me for a cup of tea and we shall talk, come, come.” The old man vanished to reappear at the entrance to his home in the shaded rear of the adjoining canopy. He guided them through a small inner room which separated his home from the area he used to conduct more serious business away from prying ears. He motioned them through the faintly lit room, the walls were lined with bookcases and shelves. The glass encased candlelight projecting a limited glow upon his many trinkets and treasures. There, within the confines of this room were relics, ancient technology, and all manner of collectables, it was hard to decide if his living area was simply an extension of his shop, or if these items were a treasure of his own.

He guided them towards the warm glow of the log fire where a number of finely crafted wooden chairs were carefully placed around a table. To the very far side of the room was an equally beautiful wooden dining table, its surface possessing yet more of his rare collectables. As he guided them, his voice seemed filled with a nervous excitement.

“Best not to be seen, hey? Don"t want to draw any attention to yourself in these parts, please sit, let me look at you.”

She sat where he motioned, as she did so he reached forwards to run his fingers over her face once more. She was about to protest when she realised the reason behind his actions, he was blind. “My, my, you have grown, I heard you talking out there, a good thing too or I may never have known. Anyway, I thought to myself, is that our Kezia? Of course, I realised it couldn"t be, I mean, your mother always smelt like rose petals. You, you seemed to favour plum blossom.” Zo blushed as she found his comment embarrassing. “Why you haven"t been here for at least a decade if not longer, your poor mother, she was heartbroken when you left.

“That reminds me, I have something for you, she gave it me the day you left, never could figure out what the darned thing was. No matter, now you"re back it"s only fitting you have it.” He shuffled to a small recess, his hands excitedly passing over the numerous objects contained within the darkness.

“Does this guy breathe through his ears?” Daniel whispered, as he looked to Zo he smiled, whoever this man was, he was grateful to him, he had returned a smile to her face. It warmed his heart to see her happy.

“So anyhow, she gives me this thing, well maybe I"m missing something here, but it seems to me it"s a metal sphere with carvings and a few indents. I"m sure it used to do something mind…” No sooner had the cool metal touched Zo"s fingers than it began to play the slow, soothing, gentle chimes of an old melody. “Well, I"ll be, what did you do? I"ve been playing with that thing for years, I just couldn"t understand it.”

“I just…” Zo shrugged, she hadn"t the slightest idea. “So how is my mum?” Venrent seemed to struggle for a few seconds to find the words to continue.

“You know, when you left I told her you"d return, it"s been a long time hasn"t it?”

“I…” Zo smiled gently as she turned the musical ball over in her hands. She thought about her mother, she was thrilled to finally meet someone who knew her and ecstatic about the thought of being able to return home to see her at last. She had imagined the moment for so long, she had played it out in her mind hundreds of times. Her mother would be waiting for her outside their small cottage, she would take her in her arms they would go inside and talk for hours discussing everything and anything.

“Why did you never come home, why did you wait so long?”

“I don"t know where it is,” she answered simply. Still after all this time she had been unable to recall the name of the place she called home.

“You"re kidding me child, you lost your way?”

“More like my memory, excluding this last year and a half, I have about a ten-year gap, I have no memory at all of the last ten years, and really what I do recall from before is still very fractured. I don"t know what happened, if I was ill, or in an accident, I just, can"t remember.

“I woke in an unfamiliar place, I knew somewhere I had to have a family, a home. Daniel helped me search Crowley for information before we searched Albeth, but no one knew me, or had heard of any missing people. I began to doubt whether my memories were even real, I mean I remembered so little, even about my childhood, I think I remember leaving for school one day, that"s the only clear memory I really have, aside from small fragments of my mum and Amelia.”

“Crowley!” Mr Venrent exclaimed. “You did venture far from home, as far as you could be for that matter, you"re from Drevera, you can get there from here easy enough, just take the second exit on Boa Street, and there you are. How did you end up so far out?”

“I don"t remember,” she answered shaking her head. He smiled slightly as he realised he had asked a silly question.

“I tell you, our Zo, that memory of yours, it"s worse than mine. Tell you what I"ll do, a few weeks back I did a favour for an alchemist, well you know the kind I mean, those who had the seed of magic, he does wonders with potions. Anyway, I happened to mention I was getting a little forgetful and as a joke he made me something for recollection, well he wanted to put something in the phial he gave me, so he thought what better than something we can both laugh at. I don"t think I have been to him once without forgetting to take something with me.

“Well, since I don"t need it, you"re welcome to it. Wait there just one moment I shall fetch it.” He left again quickly with what almost seemed to be a nervous spring to his step, returning within seconds with the most breathtaking little phial, it was carefully crafted by a skilled hand. The blown glass was traced with the finest metallic threads she had ever seen, to create a weave of interchanging patterns which even Venrent"s hands could appreciate. Within it, a clear syrup glistened. “Here drink this, but could I ask you to do it now, I couldn"t bear to give this gift away. It has a lot of sentimental meaning you know, it"s kind of my lucky charm, since I had it, good things have happened, best of all running into you and being able to help you as you once did me. Of course, it doesn"t work straight away, like everything it needs a little time.”

Zo smiled as she carefully removed the top from the phial. She drank its contents without so much as a second thought. She didn"t have the heart to tell him about the sheer volume of potions and mixtures she had tried over the last year, it seemed none ever worked.

“It"s like ice.” She gasped as she felt its freezing liquid slide down her throat, for a second it felt like the icy fingers of death clung to her airway in an attempt to choke her. Daniel, stared at her in paralysed horror.

“Anyway, an old man like me needs his rest, and I"m sure you have much to do am I right?” He felt her hand to locate the phial as she returned it.

“We do have the odd thing, but nothing that can"t wait, please tell me of my mother.” She touched his hand gently as he slid it from her touch.

“Alas our Zo, youth is on your side, an old man like me, failed vision and aching joints, needs his rest. Please, forgive me I really should rest, this has been far too much excitement for one day.”

“If you have a moment, I can make you a remedy for your pains.” She started to feel inside her bag for her herbs, she already knew exactly what to make.

“I already have one, after tomorrow I doubt I will need one ever again if this one works as well as I was told. You"re such a sweet child,” he smiled almost sadly. “Now hurry along, maybe you can visit tomorrow?” He escorted them to the door. “I shall feel much better tomorrow.” His wrinkled face stretched into a tired smile as he waited for them to leave. Once they had left, he closed the shop door behind them. His face grew solemn, his hand still rested on the door as he stared into the infinite darkness with a heavy heart.

“You did well, your loyalty will be rewarded.” A female"s voice echoed from the darkest shadow, he knew it did not share the room with him, not like before, now it simply used the shadow as a means to communicate. He wasn"t sure if it would cross through again, he didn"t want to find out. The sooner it left, the better.

“You will keep your promise, you won"t hurt her. Whatever does he want with such a sweet child?” He knew things could have gone better, he loved that child and all he had done was rambled like an old fool nervous about what he had to do, concerned about the trade and what darker purposes would be hidden behind it.

“He just wants her to remember, anything else is not your concern. A visitor shall call at the stroke of midnight to complete the contract.” With that he felt the presence recede, he was alone once more. He sat by the door and sobbed quietly.

“Are you sure you should have done that? I—” Daniel began to question, worry still framed his brow from her earlier actions. How could she just take something like that without knowing what it was?

“You worry too much, he knew my mum, besides Mr Venrent would never hurt me.” She spoke almost as if she remembered him, a clever deception for his benefit, she didn"t want him to worry unnecessarily.

“The world is more often than not, very little like your ideals. It could have been poison, or worse.”

“Then it"s too late to worry now,” she smiled. “Besides, he had this.” She pulled out the sphere, at her touch it once more began to play. “It was my mum"s she used it to lull me to sleep as a child. It"s been passed through the females of our family for generations, my mum said that even my father…” she stopped suddenly as she frowned, she had no idea what she was about to say. For a second she had nearly remembered something, something important, it danced on the edge of her mind as if to tease her before it vanished. She was no longer able to finish the sentence. “Mum said she would leave it in the hands of someone she trusted, so when I returned I could find my way home from a place which led to everywhere, I only recalled, when he gave it to me.”

“So are you going, home that is?” Daniel had to admit, now he knew how to find her home he was curious to see the place she was raised, the place she had learnt to use magic. He knew she must have the same feelings of excitement at the prospect of finally, after who knew how long, returning home.

“I would like to, but I haven"t seen my mum for the longest time. I wonder if she would still know me, I wonder if I"d know her?” The tune from the sphere switched, becoming anxious, nervous, and excitable as it played. It seemed as if the small ball read her moods turning them to music.

“Of course she"d know you, you"re her daughter.”

“Maybe, but if I visit wouldn"t I put her in danger? I"ll think about it, as much as I want to go, for now, I don"t think I can.” She smiled sadly; there was another reason she didn"t want to go, a reason she couldn"t place, but something in the back of her mind told her returning was not a good idea at all. She had not had the easiest of childhoods, being different had caused her all kinds of problems growing up. The people of her home were less than tolerant towards her, but their reaction to her was not the reason she felt a dark hole in the pit of her stomach at the thought of returning. She hadn"t realised until this very moment, but she didn"t want to return.

Elly was waiting at the stairway as they stepped into the hall, she leaned against the wall, her arms crossed before her. It was unclear exactly how long she had been waiting for them, but from her expression alone it was clearly longer than she had wanted to. She studied them for a moment before she spoke.

“You were longer than I expected.” Although her tone was short the undertone of concern was evident. She had almost been ready to go in search of them, but doing so would have been hard to explain, besides, Annabel had kept an eye on them as best she could. She would have let her know if they had come across any problems. Even so she was not infallible, and the magic of this area meant getting a clear view was almost impossible. Elly would have felt much more comfortable shadowing them herself, she knew exactly what to look for.

“I met someone I know.” Zo smiled as she walked past Elly towards the stairs, unaware of the ghastly fear portrayed in Elly"s eyes brought on by the words she had spoken. Since Marise had not returned as had been expected, there was no reason Zo would recall a single person from her past outside of Drevera.

“Who, how do you know them?” her voice sounded urgent. “You didn"t tell them where we were staying did you?” She grabbed Zo"s arm a little too hard, preventing her from taking another step, she forced her to turn to look at her.

“No.” Zo gave a frustrated sigh, she moved to break her arm free from Elly"s grasp but failed to do so. “He knows my mother.”

“And y" know this how? He could"a been lyin", y" a wanted person y" know.” Eiji joined the conversation as he emerged from the dining area with the remains of a sandwich in his hand. It had been a difficult mission, but finally he had managed to consume all the remaining chicken scraps from the bones Elly had left, after storing what she felt was worth taking.

“He gave me this.” She thrust her free hand into her pocket to remove the metallic sphere, which as if on cue, played an annoyed sounding tune. “It belonged to my mother.” Elly glanced over the sphere, her posture relaxed slightly. For a moment she had been worried and not only because Eiji had made yet another thoughtless comment.

“He could have obtained it by any means, surely you realise that? She did not have to give it to him!” She released her grip slightly.

give“She did! I know she did!” The tune grew angrier as her temper rose. “This is all about you isn"t it? You don"t like that I remember him and not you!” She turned, snatching her arm free as she ran up the stairs. Daniel moved as if to follow but Elly stopped him.

“You, you are going to tell me everything,” she stated, Eiji had disappeared after Zo up the stairs to leave just the two of them alone in the foyer.

“Everything?” he swallowed, somehow he managed to keep his voice from breaking. He knew she wouldn"t like what he had to tell her. He didn"t want to tell her, but he had a feeling he wasn"t going to get the option to refuse.

“Everything,” she confirmed as she stared deep into his eyes. He waited for the first question, a prompt or something, but it never came, she just held his gaze for a while before she moved to look up the stairs and finally let go of his arm. “Very well, go and attend to the provisions,” she finally spoke, pointing him in the direction of the dining room.

“But—” he paused, why was he going to pursue this? He didn"t want to tell her anything, yet was he about to protest when she released him?

“Go, I have more pressing matters to address.” She waited until he had left the room before speaking quietly to herself. “Eryx Venrent,” she smiled. She had been worried for a moment, there had been so many variables, especially since Annabel hadn"t been able to keep a close vigil on her, but it seemed their meeting had gone exactly as she had expected and Zo, as far as she could tell, had not remembered a thing.

After a single knock, Eiji peered around the bedroom door, Zo sat on the bed she had claimed for her own, her knees hugged tightly to her chest. In the time he had spent hesitating outside her door it seemed she had changed clothes. He had heard her frustrated sighs, sighs which eventually turned into quiet sobs before he mustered the courage to knock. The room had two beds, between them against the wall was a strange vanity table with an assortment of ornaments placed upon it. The room, like every other in the house, was brightly coloured with bad décor. She looked up at him briefly before she turned away wiping her eyes.

“Erm, may I come in?” he asked in what seemed to be a coy manner, of all the places he could have gone, why had he found himself here, why had he ventured to the room of the person behind the situation he found himself in, into the room of a murderer?

“You"ve come to lecture me too?” she sighed as she tried her best to hide the emotions which lined her voice. She looked at him once again, a look which warned him to stay away. He swallowed with difficulty thanks to the huge lump of fear which rose from that single glance, but still, he found himself sitting next to her.

“No, I came t"apologise, I am sorry, I shouldn"ta said anythin" before. It wasn"t my place.” He maintained eye contact with his feet as he spoke to her, he never once removed them from their fixed position. “I was just worried, like Elly, I didn"t mean t"upset y".”

“It"s not that.” Zo admitted. “It"s just everything has happened so quickly. One day I was leading a normal life, the next I"m here, I don"t even know why I"m in danger and I have to trust these strangers. What"s worse they know the bits of my past I don"t and refuse to tell me, but then hint my past is why I am in danger now. If only I could understand, then maybe…” her voice trailed off.

“T"some extent, I know how it feels, one day y" just mindin" y" own business, the next everything changes.”

“I"m sorry.” She looked to Eiji. “It must have been hard leaving your master.” Eiji looked up and nodded, wondering if he had at some point mentioned this, or if she knew the path of an Elementalist herself.

“It was, but that"s not what I meant,” he smiled slightly, “I didn"t always live with my master. I know what it"s like t"be forced t"leave everything behind, with little explanation. It"s not easy, but y" have somethin" I didn"t, friends. I often wonder the big "what if", what if things turned out different? What if I had done this, or said that? But ultimately it comes down t"one thing, y" are who y" meant t"be, fight it as y" may, fate has a predestined path chosen for each of us, no matter how y" fight it y" can only be y"self, understand?” Even Eiji was impressed with how wise his words had sounded. Zo nodded as Eiji took her hand in his and smiled, she really wasn"t that bad. Now more than ever he found it hard to believe the girl who sat beside him was the legendary murderer.

“Sorry,” a small voice came from the door, “I didn"t mean to intrude.” The door opened a c***k more, enough for them to make out Acha"s silhouette against the hall light. Eiji rose to his feet and made his way quickly to the door, as he did so he adjusted the valve on the wall mounted gas lamp, filling the room with its warming, gentle light. He stepped aside for Acha to enter.

“It"s all right,” he smiled. “I was just leavin".”

“I only came to see how you were feeling.” Acha walked across the softly illuminated room to sit beside Zo. “Hey are those new?” Acha looked at Zo, the clothes were bold, alien to her normal attire. The black laced top hugged her tightly, accentuating her hourglass figure. The long skirt was split both sides almost to the pelvis and held a leather protection that extended around her hips and back. The knee-length boots, were not only elegant yet simple in design, but seemed far more comfortable and supple than her previous footwear. The clothes were stunning, like those worn by a dancer, but she couldn"t imagine what had possessed her to make such a drastic change.

“Yeah.” Zo stood up glancing down at herself critically. She felt exposed, self-conscious, and couldn"t imagine ever wearing such a thing, it was far too tight. “Apparently they used to be my favourite.”

“Oh…” Acha didn"t really know what to say and so reverted back to her reason for being there. “Elly said we should start to think about leaving.” There was a long silence, finally broken by Zo as she quickly removed her clothes and thrust them carelessly into the bottom of her satchel to revert back into her normal attire. It was strange how something as simple as a piece of cloth could change the way she felt. These were warm, comforting, familiar, yet the ones she had just removed with haste felt cold and unfamiliar. There was something she didn"t like about them, she wasn"t sure what had made her feel inclined to try them in the first place, had she hoped by doing so she would look at herself in the mirror and everything she had forgotten would come flooding back? But still, the boots were so comfortable she decided to at least leave them on, it was clear from the comfort of fit alone she had walked many a mile in them.

“I"ll just put these in here for now.” She dressed quickly before carefully replacing the herbs to cover the unfamiliar clothing.