There are many creatures people find an obsession in capturing.

  Not for money,

  no, I speak of the childlike fascination of bugs in a jar.

  As a child, I did not hold much interest in tiny creatures that scurried about.

  I have never been put off by the 'creepy crawlies' and slimy things that share creation;

  simply never finding much interest in them. Nor understood the interest of others.

  So of course, I would come to spend hour upon hour looking under rocks, in crevices, shadows, and murk;

  to find these creatures I once paid little to no mind.

  At first it was not a desire of mine but a courtesy.

  Not put off by such, I thought little of it. Killing time, enjoying company.

  I would watch as she turned a rock, expression so very serious and intrigued.

  Curiously, I looked closer. Bugs. Just, bugs.

  Politeness overtook me one day (yes, it does happen from time to time), so I decided to ask a question about an insect.

  She answered in explanation of how it breathed water. Then scolded me for thinking an identical insect was the same, before pointing out the difference: a small bump at the base of the forelegs. That was all that visually differentiated the two.

  One species could breath water, fed off rotting vegetation, and stayed within one hundred yards of where it was born, even if it starved to death; the other could fly (their wings so hidden I argued their existence, until one of the bastards flew away!), and preferred to live in moist environments. Though it was also known to tunnel in tight packed soil, and prey on root pests.

  This led to me asking more questions, until eventually I too was down there with her, as each rock was turned over.

  Thousands of living things, around us everywhere, going about their daily activities in obscurity.

  In the soil, trees, the grass, water; I couldn't help but wonder, are they too part of God's plan?

  If so, what about the monsters I have killed? Not the figurative, but the literal. Had they too been part of his plan?

  And if monsters are part of the eco system of creation, what role did they play?

  Looking at the monsters upon the land, and puzzling how they could be good,

  I urge thee to also look beneath the waves. For there you will find aquatic life that are neither insect nor monster, yet the same question still applies: what purpose could these fish of nightmare play in His plan?

  The point I am failing to make, as I came to understand the miniature world oh so many of us ignore: studying the insignificant life, highlights the more significant, and shows that no matter our view of such, life is still life.

  When this is done, I pray the Lord sees fit to bless me with a home near a pond or small river. And also that I can fill at least one room with aquariums and terrariums. I dare say, the better part of my creative moments will be spent there!

  Of course, first we must win. I hope once we meet this victory, there is still life left to be amazed by. Or at least water. Celebrating victory would be difficult without water.

  ~The Minute World - a musing

  ~Feldyn Goldchord, the Endless Bard

  * * *

  “Siqcoun,” Feldyn read the sign on the side of the road, then checked the map he held partially unfolded. “Not listed. Must be the place!” The others didn't appear convinced. Since reaching the Canadian border, the group had discovered jack fucking shit. Not wanting to miss anything, they had spent days camping and exploring, Iiyni and Masque eventually leaving them to expand their search area.

  Iiyni had gone as far west as possible, both south and north of the border. Nothing. Though she saved some retarded drunks whose boat capsized by the Victoria Islands. Masque saved a few people himself; a family of three from a house fire in northern Idaho, and a teenage male who crashed his car. Random heroics aside, they encountered nothing out of the ordinary. No signs of the Order, Coven, nothing. With no better options, the group had chose to head north on foot, and try to find something suspicious.

  Walking over to Feldyn, Ally looked at the map. She hadn't needed to, she believed what he said, but was finally learning the importance of faking stuff for appearance sake. Which she was already good at, to a degree. Now she was better. Like pretending to look at the map before supporting the bard; also known as politics. "He's right. This is a new map too," Ally said, lying about the second part. Well, more like guessing. It could have been a new map, she really had no idea. They stole it from a rest stop the other day. No one bothered (then or now) to check the published date. Assuming maps even had published dates.

  “I know people don't really care about paper anymore, but just forgetting an entire town is kinda weird,” Ally pointed out. She had a point. Though digital wasn't much more reliable, despite what the techno dweebs would have you believe.

  “We also haven't seen a single car or person,” Caleb pointed out. They had done some aimless wandering after going deeper into Canada. Masque was the one to notice something was odd when out scouting. He had been running into less and less people as he headed east, into an area that was not remote enough to feel so abandoned. Carefully, choosing to stay together just in case they were reaching their destination, that was the new course. At first skirting a main road, traffic was so sparse they ended up moving to walk along the shoulder. They did encounter a few people and some mini-marts, a couple random motels... nothing much. Now here they were, entering a town not on the map, not a single person around nor seen for miles. Plenty of wildlife, but no people.

  Not much else really needed to be said. They knew this could be an ambush (or worse) of some type, but every one of them would have welcomed it. Not only would it quell the deep boredom funk they had fallen into, it would also mean they were on the right track.

  It still took a bit for them to enter the city proper. And still, they encountered no one. Nor did either demon sense anyone. They spent the entire rest of the day searching for signs of life, or something that may have caused everyone to leave. Nothing. Houses appeared lived in, there was no -excessive- dust accumulation, nor an unusual amount of spoiled foods. No signs the people had left in a hurry, and no signs of combat. It was fucking freaky. By their best guess, this was a town of about two thousand people, depending on how far the city limits went, maybe more, so not just some little three building hole in the wall.

  After sunset, the group met at a tiny park by the town hall. “Okay, this is officially weird,” Ally announced when all had returned. “Right?” Iiyni said looking more pissed than creeped. “Most doors I checked were locked," Feldyn chimed in, "not a single oven left on." The others nodded, having encountered the same. "Wherever people went, it sure as fuck wasn't sudden, it was calm and deliberate,” Iiyni observed. All the shops had been locked up properly too. “But where did they go? The houses have cars parked at them!” Ally pointed out frustrated.

  It was very bizarre. In fact, it reminded Ally of when she was walking back to Castle Rock, and everything was abandoned. Iiyni swore it had not been her or her sisters, nor the Terrors, as far as she knew. Over their time at Jeff's, both demons had ventured to the areas closer to Oregon that were abandoned, to find them re-populated with -as far as they could tell- the people that lived there. It was definitely strange, but there was no reason investigate, having nothing to do with their goal of opening a portal. All assumed the Order had a hand in it anyway.

  “They went away cuz they were told too,” Gigi the creepy explained. “And let me guess," Iiyni grumbled, "you don't have a clue what that means, but you just know?”

  “Yup,” Gigi chirped. Helpfully unhelpful, as always. Though, if Gigi was to be believed, it was still something.

  “I say we sleep early, and resume our search before sun up,” Feldyn yawned. “I'm not sleeping in one of these houses,” Ally was quick to say. She couldn't explain it, but everything here just felt super wrong to her. “It isn't too cold, lets just camp on that hill by the playground,” Caleb suggested. It was a good spot. A few trees, open, a house nearby with plenty of firewood. The blonde teen was the only one unhappy with the suggestion. In a town where everyone has vanished, and Caleb wants to camp by a playground?! That just screamed horror movie! “Sounds good to me,” Iiyni agreed. “Aye,” Feldyn also agreed. Ally sighed. Great. But she fucking swore, if she saw a kid swinging in the middle of the night, or some thick fog started to roll in, she was getting the fuck out of there!

  * * *

  Reba was well past the point of exhaustion. She leaned her back against a chunk of concrete from God only knew what. Panting, she checked again how much ammo was left. Long out of arrows, she couldn't even remember how many firearms they had gone through. It felt like her and dad were fighting a battle against the entire Order. She heard a twig snap, and caught her breath, listening for footfalls... at least three people were approaching. Cautious, but steadily.

  Quickly, she spun around the side of the chunk of concrete, shouldered the assault rifle while flipping it to single shot; boom, boom, boom: three head shots; Reba going back behind cover. This was madness! She didn’t know how long they had even- a grenade came arcing over her. Reba quickstepped damn near the limit she could in one step, reaching a thick pine tree before the grenade even touched the ground. Stumbling when she came out of the step, but managing to get behind the trunk to shield her from the bullets fired her way, and well outside the blast range of the grenade. Dad is sure taking his sweet fucking time!

  A massive explosion in the -not too far away- distance rocked the ground, and Reba felt relieved. At least John wasn't dead. It had taken him so long to destroy that small armory she had started to worry. Assuming, of course, that was the source of the explosion.

  The gunfire hitting the tree quit, but she wasn't going to trust that they retreated in fear of her. None of these idiots seemed to properly fear either of them. She also wasn't going to risk them lobbing another grenade or two. There wasn't anywhere close to take cover, and Reba wasn't sure how many more quicksteps (if any) she had left in her.

  Looking up, there was quite a ways before branches. Ugh, maybe she could do this. With a small quickstep straight up, she still over-shot, but didn’t smack into any big branches, and managed to grab a hold of limbs thick enough to support her as she fell. Quickly getting on top of a wide branch, and laying flat, hoping the soldiers hadn't seen her jump, or that the branches she blasted through were thick enough to conceal her from the ground.

  Reba heard them now, further down than expected. How high did I jump?! Listening, they were wondering where she went. One suggested up the tree, and she tensed. The others doubted it, but told him if he could fly to be their guest to go check. Someone fired into the branches, then got berated by the others; asking if he was happy now, and calling him an idiot. Reba didn't flinch, she hardly breathed, as their voices faded.

  Laying on the thick branch, she had time to think over her current predicament. It seemed like a good enough plan. After taking down the cyborg, and being attacked by an entire fucking assault squad, John had an idea: if they resorted to hit and run tactics, choosing targets they could destroy in flashy and dramatic ways, the embattled 'good' side of the Order may notice and send a team to investigate.

  Reba wasn't sure how long they had been going without rest. The two had destroyed tanks, jeeps, ammo dumps, killed dozens (mercenaries and colors both), in the flashiest and loudest ways they could manage. So far it had done little other than pissing off the bad guys, and causing them to actively look for the duo. Reba didn't know how long they could keep this up. Her stamina was much greater than John's, and she was tapped.

  At least he managed to blow that armory. The plan after, was to take a fifteen minute break to -hopefully- re-energize, then get to the rendezvous point; a dry creek deep in horrible terrain with no soldiers close, and plenty of overhanging cover. They would then get a couple of hours sleep each, in two shifts, before continuing to blow shit up for effect.

  For now, on laying here on her stomach, it was time for a short break.

  * * *

  Reba woke to an explosion, followed by gunfire. It was getting dark out and she was confused. It didn’t take her long to realize she had fallen asleep. FUCK! She needed a vantage point, now. Climbing a giant evergreen was messy and annoying enough when wide awake, doing it confused after waking in a panic was even worse.

  Managing to poke her head out the top, convinced she was going to fall, Reba saw muzzle flashes near a hill not too far away from the tree she was in. Choosing to risk it, she quickstepped high enough for a bit of a free fall, so she could see farther. Either two groups were fighting, or shooting at something between them. From the spread and angling of the flashes, a crossfire made no sense. Her and John had done it!

  Landing ungracefully back in the tree, Reba quickly climbed down, dropping the last fifteen feet, and hurried towards the firefight. Sure enough, colors and mercenaries were fighting colors and mercenaries. John was also out there! Waiting for an opening, she ran from the trees and joined the fray.

  It wasn't too hard to tell which side was which. The demon worshiper's had colors dressed less traditionally, and their mercs looked like soldiers; without training or being a military otaku, soldiers looked like soldiers. The orthodox Order's colors had traditional gear, and their soldiers were very obviously a mercenary army; men and women in miss-matched hodgepodge military gear. Unkempt varying hair lengths, scruffy beards, tattoos. Nothing about them said organized military other than their fighting.

  Reba joining the fray drastically tipped the scale in the already unbalanced fight. “Where were you?!” John shouted at her angrily after the last enemy fell. “I fell asleep,” she admitted and he didn’t look any less irritated.

  A group of four colors walked over, flanked by a half dozen mercenaries. Reba couldn't help but tense. “Miss Reba,” a middle aged blond inquisitor addressed her, “Good to see you are alive.”

  “Um, thanks,” she answered. So, this is weird. “Sir, now that we found her we really should head back,” the same inquisitor said to John. Reba felt like she had woke into a different dimension. John nodded, “lead the way.”

  “What the fuck is going on?!” Reba hissed to John once they were all marching north. “I do not like how comfortable you have become with cursing,” John replied not looking at her. “Not the time old man,” she warned. “They are Order,” John explained, “true Order. I encountered them while looking for you. Once I convinced them we were not their enemies, talks progressed rapidly. Or perhaps they regressed,” he did not sound happy. “Our plan worked. And I fear, like it or not, we are once again a part of the Order.”

  * * *

  Ally hadn't slept so well. She had been warm enough with the fire and sleeping bag; then the fog rolled in. It had her so unsettled that she kept startling out of sleep. Ally had decided to herself that starting tonight she was no longer denying Gigi's requests to sleep with her. The level of creepy vibes going on just wasn't worth the freedom of sleeping alone.

  The group was lucky to have Masque, who generally didn't bother to sleep citing it as pointless, and spent the nights as lookout. However, last night was different. Whatever had happened here, it made more sense to increase their guard, so they slept in shifts, freeing up the vampire to explore. He did not return until everyone had -barely- woke, just after sunrise.

  “Last night I encountered a wraith,” Masque informed them, flat and abrupt. Ally turned to ice. “A real one?” Iiyni mumbled the question, rubbing her eyes and yawning, wondering if the vampire was being figurative. He nodded, “Indeed. It led me to a house. When I went to enter, she indicated I wait for the rest of you.”

  “Bloody hell,” Feldyn shivered. Unlike Ally, he had no fear of ghosts, though ghosts by nature caused an otherworldly chill. Caleb, like usual, was confused from the lack of a detailed explanation. “A wraith?” he asked. “A shadow of a soul. An echo, or a memory,” Feldyn answered, “They are not the one that died, but something created from their death. A death that happened under severe duress or negativity.”

  “You're mixing wraiths and shades,” Iiyni yawned again, and Feldyn bowed his incorrectness. “Huh?! There's two?” Ally asked, trying to not sound panicked. Iiyni sneezed when she started to speak, and glared at nothing like she was blaming it for interrupting her. “There are a lot more than two types of ghosts, quit being a chicken," the imp absentmindedly scolded. Humans were so ignorant of the spirit world.

  "Okay, so, yeah, ghosts are real," the imps decided to explain, "but they aren't dead humans, or elves, or whatever. Dead is dead, the soul can't manifest without a body. Not on Earth, anyway. Hell is different; souls can take a cognitive form, and be given corporeal bodies. Don't ask me why, cuz I got no idea," Iiyni rubbed her stomach after it growled, "I'm too hungry to contemplate." Gigi tossed the imp an apple. Iiyni hated apples. She took a bite anyway.

  "When people die, they leave a type of... residue. This shit has, uh, special properties. Spirits can combine with it, or add energies to it, giving birth to a ghost. A wraith is a ghost made from strong emotions." Iiyni took another bite of her apple. "Not the crazy evil traumatic stuff, but more like depression, obsessions, fears, never said goodbye, regret you didn't finish a video game, that kinda shit." Iiyni stopped to finish chewing, having taken too big of a bite. "A shade is the same thing but caused by the super fucked up. Wraith can be violent, but shades take it to a whole other level."

  "Why don't people encounter these more, if they are, what, common? Uncommon?" Caleb asked. "You going to always be this dense?" Iiyni asked in return. "Probably," the boy responded, not looking amused. "God has limits set on the spirit world," Masque answered for the imp, since she was currently bitching at Gigi for trying to stick a finger in her butt.

  Gigi was still the only one to be able to sneak up on the demon, and for some reason she had been trying to stick a finger in the imps ass off and on for the last few days. It was obvious just a childish rank to annoy her, and Iiyni was not at all amused about it at all, and her threats of murdering the child did not sound like she was joking. Geeg, of course, had not cared.

  "So the Echoes is why this wraith can appear?" Ally asked, and Masque shook his head. "No. They can always manifest, but there are limits. Rules. If spirits become a threat, they are dealt with."

  "Ghosts worry about self preservation?" Caleb pondered out-loud. "Sure, why not? Doesn't damn near everything?" Iiyni replied, looking in her bag for something with more flavor than a fucking apply, while keeping a suspicious eye on the blonde child.

  Not wanting to waste any time, the group skipped breakfast, choosing to just snack. Ally had no appetite, but still managed to eat some jerky. She felt like an idiot being this freaked out over ghosts of all things. She didn't even know why!

  Masque leading, Iiyni taking up the rear with -ahem- Gigi, the group followed the few blocks to the house where Masque had encountered the wraith.

  Along the way, Ally asked questions about ghosts, hoping it would alleviate her spaziness. It hadn't. Especially when she found out that ghosts had all kinds of powers, even if they they were forbidden from -mostly- using them on Earth. Wraiths, shades, phantoms, specters... ugh. Oddly enough one of the most powerful type of ghost (a lich) didn't freak her out. It technically was an undead, but Feldyn told her lich were also ‘technically’ counted as ghosts, and some were even demonic.

  A lich was a combination of life and death. A cursed soul that hid within a ghost, and bound with a body. A body that, due to the cursed soul, constantly rotted and regenerated. Half the time the flesh rotted faster than it regenerated, leaving the lich looking pretty rough. Their unique amalgam let them break certain laws of reality; aspects of death, life and the in-between, lich were top-tier undead.

  Masque abruptly quit walking, and turned to face a two story house with an attic that Feldyn had briefly searched the previous day. “Here,” was all he offered, and vanished in a pop of thin black smoke, appearing on the roof, content to be the lookout. Unlike the vampire, Iiyni had no problem playing the role of leader, so she marched inside, followed by the others. Ally was doing everything in her power to not cling to someone.

  Everyone spread out to begin searching. Ally was shaking. 'You can do this! You have faced waaay worse! This is nothing! you aren't even in danger!' “If anyone’s in here, don't sneak up on me,” she warned, not sounding very authoritative, walking carefully through the small living room.

  Looking over the myriad of family photos on the walls and shelves, Ally noticed they were all stock photos of the same people. Or... maybe not. There was such a variety, these couldn’t stock images... could they? She had never heard of the same group of people doing this wide a range of photos pretending to be one family. "Adding to the weirdness," she mumbled to herself.

  Exiting the living room, she hesitantly approached a mirror by the hallway, and mustered the nerve to look into it, finding only herself looking back. She touched it just to be sure it wasn't some magical portal. It wasn't, thankfully. Probably not the brightest thing to have done.

  Ally turned from the hallways to do a quick go-through of the living room, checking places the others already had, just in case; under the couch and rugs (hardwood floor), books on the bookcase, light fixtures, all the usual places for hidden switches and doors. Finding nothing, she headed down the hallway where Feldyn and Caleb were going through rooms. Iiyni was in the attic. Where Gigi was, was anyone's guess. Walking past a hall closet, "Anyone check the closet?" she asked. "Not I," Feldyn called to her from the bathroom. "In the hallway? No," Caleb replied, looking out the door from a bedroom at the end of the hall.

  Opening the closet door, Ally frowned at the horrible old people jackets and coats. Parting them to see if anything was behind them, she uncovered the face of a translucent teenage girl, Ally's arms passing into her phantasmal torso up to the elbows.

  The scream from Ally was probably one of the most powerful she had ever produced, and threw herself backwards into the hallway wall, stumbled to the right, and fell ungracefully to the floor. The wraith had come out of the closet, facing her. The wraith was see-through, and appeared to be wearing a button-up blouse. She had no legs, or if she did they currently were not manifested, instead her lower body appearing like a thin fog. Her face was pretty, and sad. Hair long and flowing like she was underwater.

  Ally couldn't even think, she just wanted to get away, barely registering what the entity even looked like. Stumbling, and falling, trying to get to her feet, she finally managed it, and sprinted blindly into Caleb at the end of the hall; letting out another shriek of terror.

  “Woah! It's me, calm down!” Caleb urged, confused why Ally was flipping out so bad, as she struggled wildly to get out of his arms. Caleb looked past her and saw the wraith floating at them. He had to admit, his own adrenaline surged and breath caught in his throat. "Bloody hell!" Feldyn cursed from behind the apparition, getting the same start as he came out of the bathroom. Ghosts just gave off that freaky nightmare vibe.

  "Um, Feldyn?" Caleb asked, as the wraith kept coming at him; Ally ripping out of his arms, and running into the bedroom. "It won't hurt ye!" Feldyn told the boy, who was determined to hold his ground. "I don't think," the bard added too late for Caleb to move; the wraith passing through him. Caleb shuddered and jumped, smacking at himself like a city person that saw a bug. That was a feeling he could live the rest of his life never experiencing again.

  "GET IT AWAY FROM ME!" Ally screamed, her back to a wall, having failed to open a window in her panic to escape. "Ally, it's fine!" Caleb tried to calm her, his body still shivering. "The fuck is going on?!" Iiyni demanded, her and Gigi coming into the room behind Feldyn. The wraith was now inches from Ally's face.

  Quickly getting the gist of it, Iiyni decided to intervene before blondie had a heart attack. "You're scaring the shit out of her, back the fuck off!" she snapped at the wraith, marching over to it, grabbing its arm, yanking it away from the terrified teen. The wraith spun around to look at the imp, shocked as if it had seen a ghost itself. "I ain't gonna hurt you, but you need to back off the kid. Can't you see how terrified she is?" Iiyni asked, letting go of the wraiths arm. The ghost took the arm Iiyni was holding in her hand and rubbed it, like it was in pain, before looking at Ally, and concern crossed her face.

  Iiyni walked over to Ally, and looked in her eyes "You need to man the fuck up, or I'm going to beat your cowardly little ass, you understand me?" She was satisfied with the stammered "Sorry" from the trembling girl. Iiyni kinda sorta sympathized, but she couldn't allow any in her group to panic like that! They were warriors, not morons in some B horror movie for fucks sake!

  Everyone was honestly puzzled at Ally's reaction, but none as much as the teen herself. Ally's entire body was screaming at her to get away from this thing. It didn't make any sense, and she was fighting it with everything she had.

  “Do you know why we are here?” Iiyni asked the wraith. It nodded, and pointed at Gigi, then at Ally. "Okay. Strangely specific. Is there anything hidden in this house?" Iiyni continued, the wraith nodded again. "The closet you came out of?" Caleb guessed, and the wraith looked at him a bit startled, like she just noticed he was there. She looked him up and down then nodded with a shy smile. "Closet?" Iiyni asked him. "Over here," Feldyn volunteered and Iiyni followed him out of the room, leaving Caleb, Gigi, Lance (who had flown to sit on the bed), and Ally with the wraith.

  Caleb smiled back at the pretty ghost. "I'm Caleb," he said kindly, and Ally finally began to get her whits about her. He even flirts with dead girls! "What's your name?" he asked, and the wraith pointed at Ally. "You're name is Ally?" the dumbass asked, obviously not faking it. The wraith smiled big now and giggled, though it didn't make a sound. Shaking her head no, she floated to be closer to Ally, though remained looking at Caleb.

  Ally was once again doing everything she could to not freak out. The wraith motioned to her. "I don't understand," Caleb admitted, doing his best to sound apologetic. "Ally knows who she is," Gigi chimed in, and the wraith beamed, nodding, and clapped her hands. "I don't know her," Ally said and gasped as the wraith was suddenly right in her face again. Ally couldn't even breathe, her body was trembling so heavily. Then she made direct eye contact with the ghostly teenager.

  And remembered something.

  "What... who... " Ally looked like she was about to fall asleep. "Are you okay?" Caleb was worried she was going to faint. He walked beside the wraith. “I... " Ally started, her body calming, as her mind spun. She swore she remembered... something to do with this girl... "I think I know her.” Before Caleb could saying anything else, the wraith rushed through Ally, and she collapsed in a heap.

  Caleb quickly knelt down to check on her. “Did she faint?” Masque asked, kneeling next to Caleb, scaring the crap out of him. "The hell did you come from?!"

  "I have been here since Ally first screamed," Masque complained. He had shadowstepped into one of the side rooms, then the bedroom they were all in now. Seeing that the girl was merely panicked at the sight of a ghost, he hadn't felt the need to act or speak. Though he had not believed his presence to be, once again, unnoticed. Caleb went back to checking Ally's vitals. She was ice cold, but her pulse and breathing were fine. "I think she feinted when it went through her," he told the vampire.

  “It didn't go through her,” Gigi said, still standing in the doorway. “It went in her.” The creepy little blonde then left to follow after Iiyni and Feldyn. "The wraith possessed her?" Caleb asked the vampire. Masque narrowed his eyes, "I have no way to be sure, though I do sense something odd... I would say that Gigi is probably correct." Seeing Caleb's expression, Masque spoke more, "She should be in no danger. Wraiths can not speak, nor take on a host. Possessing Ally must be a means to show her something"

  "And if it won't leave her?"

  "Then we exorcise the spirit," Masque stated matter of fact.

  Caleb sighed, and started to pick Ally up, but the large vampire stopped him and did it himself. "I shall stay with her," Masque informed, as he lay the girl on the bed. "No, I will," Caleb said. "The others are checking out whatever is in the closet, they don't need me. You go back to being the lookout." Masque nodded and vanished in a puff of black smoke. Lance growled. "Oh, my bad. Sorry man," Caleb apologized to the grumpy cat. Was easy to forget the tikirin wasn't a random pet..

  Walking over to her left side, Lance snuggled against the girl, and looked startled. "Yeah, I know, she's freezing," Caleb voiced for the familiar. Lance gave him an inquisitive expression. "Take it ghost possession is new to you too?" The small pink and white cat nodded. Still half laying down, Lance looked to the side a bit, frustration on his face. "We'll be on Aethra soon enough. Then we'll get your collar, and you can tell me how stupid I am, like everyone else does." Lance gave him a satisfied nod, and Caleb laughed.

  * * *

  Feldyn got stuck leading the way into the closet. He wasn't going to embarrass himself and ask Iiyni to go first, even if he was a bit jumpy. Inside the closet was a trap door, which opened to reveal an old wooden staircase, winding down into a hidden basement, where the lights were already turned on.

  Cautiously descending, Feldyn was relieved to find an empty, medium sized single room dungeon, with a computer sitting on a desk in the middle of it. There was a dead person strapped into a chair in front of the keyboard, but hey, the corpse wasn't moving, so there was that.

  Iiyni went over to check out the dead guy while Feldyn walked the nondescript concrete room, looking in each of the five cells. They were empty. If there was some secret trapdoor or hiding place, the bard didn't have a clue where it could be. After his search he went over to the imp that was doing her own search on the computer.

  "Find anything?" he asked. "Nope. Someone wiped it clean." Feldyn frowned, "What about him?" Iiyni returned her attention to the dead guy, whose chair she had scooted out of the way, "Our contact would be my bet." Feldyn had to agree. The man had his eyes gouged out and his tongue removed. If he had been the Appraiser John spoke of, the injuries added up. Can't speak or use your eyes, kinda hard to hypnotize someone, let alone while strapped to a chair. Looking closer, the half-elf realized something, "This man has only been dead for a couple of days!"

  "Maybe longer. It's cold as shit down here," Iiyni pointed out. "But yeah, recent kill. Had to of been right before we got here. Least he doesn’t stink too bad."

  Gigi -wherever she'd been- wandered into the cellar, ignoring them and the dead guy as she looked around. "Yo Geeg, got any idea how this guy died?" Iiyni asked, hoping the kid would have one of her moments. She didn't even look at them, "By dying."

  "Helpful, Gigi, thanks."

  “I wont accept there is nothing here,” Feldyn said and began searching the body for clues. Iiyni didn't want to accept they may have hit a dead end either. Not now, not after all this; they had no where else to go! This had been the only lead. If they couldn't find something here, anything, even the tiniest of clues to give them some sort of hint what to do next, she wasn't sure if the morale was going to hold.

  * * *

  Caleb didn’t have to worry about Ally long. She had been laying on the bed maybe ten minutes when the wraith sat up out of her body, startling Lance like he had seen a cucumber. Caleb would have laughed at the winged cat flipping through the air the way he did, if not so concerned for Ally, who took a sudden deep breath and started coughing.

  “Are you okay?” he asked her leaning in, and she nodded yes, struggling to remember how to breath. Caleb looked at the wraith that was floating at the foot of the bed, serious expression on its (her) face. “... needed… me to… know,” Ally managed to choke out. "The wraith?" Caleb assumed what she was trying to say. Ally shook her head, then hesitantly said “… Dzvinka”

  "What- is that a name?" he felt stupid soon as the words left his mouth. Obviously it was a name.

  Ally pointed at the wraith, and nodded. "Didn’t you just say it wasn’t the wraith, now you’re saying that, uh, Dzvinka is the wraith?" Caleb was -of course- lost as all fuck. Ally managed to glare at him while she coughed, so he decided to it best give her a moment to get her breathing under control.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  'Like I have been saying you should do for the last thirty seconds.' Caleb ignored the angel. 'You do that a lot lately.' Caleb continued to ignore the angel. 'You know, you are aware of your choice to ignore me, which translates to a narrative inside your mind as ' ........................... '; can you perhaps not ignore me in such an annoying manner?’ The boy smirked and rubbed his temples.

  "Give me a second," Ally said, breathing pretty good now. Waiting another few moments for her, Caleb argued with Nameless in his head to pass the time. The wraith floated in place, hair flowing, expression unchanging.

  “She," Ally motioned to the wraith, "is the wraith of Dzvinka. She can't talk, not like we can, but she, uh Dzvinka, needed- wanted, me to know the truth. It’s… still confusing." Looking at the wraith, "I'm not sure I understand everything yet, but... I'm trying to. Thank you.”

  Caleb noticed Ally was crying. His attention was then taken by the wraith who began to cry herself, as silent as ever. Ally got off the bed, walked around to the wraith, and embraced her. Lance and Caleb's eyes went wide. Girls and their mood swings!

  The wraith moved to wrap her own arms around Ally. If Caleb didn't know any better, he would think the wraith was making physical contact. Then, the clear wispy body began to change, clothing fading until it appeared a nude girl, who's sobs could now be heard.

  And then it was gone.

  “Uh...,” was all Caleb could think of to say. “I got the message,” Ally smiled to him, tears on her cheeks, "so the wraith had no other reason to exist."

  Every one of them felt a confusing emotional pain. They had just watched the end... of a ghost. A being that was technically not alive. However, they couldn't shake a certain feeling. The feeling that they had watched the wraith... die.

  * * *

  Luckily for the group, Ally's possession by the wraith gave them some information. Wasn't much, but it was something.

  Ally was shown a history of human trafficking. It was in bits and pieces, but the scenes she saw got the point across. Females, mostly Russian, Ukrainian, and Chinese, ages ranging from babies to their early twenties, being forced into cages and shipping containers. The center of all of it appeared to be one man. A man Ally was shown over and over. A man called the Appraiser. He would wipe the minds of every one of the girls, giving them new memories or making them feel at ease. While under his care he allowed no harm to come to them, though he never kept the girls from being sold or given to monstrous people.

  There was a lot more. Seemingly random images, moments, and bits of information that Ally was still trying to piece through in her mind, and not having much luck.

  There was at least one event that was very clear, and took place recently in the basement of this house. The moments leading up to the death of the man in the chair downstairs. He was the same man Ally had seen in the other visions. The dead man was the Appraiser.

  The two who killed him were garbed from head to toe. One was thin, Ally's height and build, and looked like they were wearing a black leotard with visible tears in it, wispy bits of cloth hanging from the hips and shoulders. Head wrapped similar to Masque, only not as tight, the white skin around the eyes visible. The other -assumed- girl was small, Iiyni's height, give or take. She was wore a redish-purple hooded cloak, and had a scarf or something over most of her face, the uncovered skin was light brown.

  Most of the vision’s sound was distorted, so Ally couldn't make it out. But one part had been very clear; shortly before the girl in black cut out the mans tongue and then stabbed him in the chest with a knife, the Appraiser said the Order had the portal device. That the pylons to power the opening were destroyed, but the device itself was intact. He begged and pleaded, saying he could prove it. The small figure checked something on the computer, but the sound was garbled again. Shortly after, the man (who's eyes were already been gouged out) had his tongue removed, then was stabbed through the heart.

  The group prayed John and Reba pulled off their end of things. If the Order truly had a device that could open a portal, those two were probably their only chance of retrieving it.

  * * *

  Having an uneventful rest of the day and night, the group was discussing if they should leave or stay, when people started to return to town. Some walked, some rode bikes, others drove. They even arrived in buses and cabs. By early evening, it seemed the entire town had returned. At first none would speak, filtering around like zombies undertaking pre-determined tasks. But ever so slowly they started to act normal again. If you hadn't been here when it was empty, you would have no idea anything had ever been amiss.

  Caleb and Feldyn went into town (the group had moved their camp to the woods) the day after, to try and gather some information. Everyone they talked to had a different memory (that sometimes clashed with each other, yet always in one bizarre way or another fit together) as to what had been going on for the last couple of weeks. It was like the entire town had been brainwashed.

  Also, not a single person they talked too could recall anyone ever residing in the house that the Appraiser had been using, so the group chose to move into it. With no other leads, nor anywhere else to go, it didn't seem like the worst option ever. All the utilities (and even internet) were even working. For how long was anybodies guess, though they may as well enjoy it while it lasted.

  When the days kept passing, the group began to fear things were going to go like they had at Jeff's. Caleb was determined to not let that happen, and gave an ultimatum: he would wait one month. If they heard nothing from John or Reba the was going to start seeking out Order bases, one by one, until either the two were found, or he learned of their fate.

  Shortly after, on the day before Ally's birthday, they encountered Reba walking down the sidewalk. She had on skinny jeans, and a snug long sleeved green sweater. Her hair was in a -normal, single bind- ponytail. Ally (the ones that ran across them were Ally, Caleb, and Gigi) had rushed the girl with a squeal. Reba looked about to squeal herself. Even perma emo Gigi was happy for a change. When John approached them from across the street, they hadn't even recognized him. He had almost always worn a robe of some variety, so seeing him in jeans and a long sleeved tucked-in flannel, was weeeeeeird. At least he still had his staff. There were a lot of hugs, and laughter. Even more when they got back to the house where Iiyni, Feldyn and Lance were.

  Updating Reba and John on happenings was simple enough, so Iiyni got it out of the way, allowing the duo whatever time was needed to explain their end of things.

  After John and Reba made contact with the Order proper, they had been taken back to the Order House in Utah. Where, to their surprise, were met with a heroes reception. It turned out the two were controversial subjects among the Order. Officially fugitives, many had wanted to find a way to bring them back into the fold. What John had accomplished, in stealing the Staff of Destiny, and rescuing Reba, had shaken the Order to its core, the aftershocks never subsiding. The duo then going on to avoid capture, and John training Reba to be as strong as any color, had made the Order take a drastic measure.

  Unbeknownst to both of them, they had at one point gone against the Cursed Air himself- and escaped. Not before leaving the man with a few bruises. The operation was top secret, only a handful knew; shaken at their ace's failure, rumors spread, cementing their legend.

  The Cursed Area had taken his loss in stride, and moved on to other jobs, refusing to further pursue the two rebels. That wouldn't stop the Order from sending team after team to capture them; the duo that were feared like demons. Those sent kept their distances, choosing to observe over getting killed. The reports of every team were the same: everywhere the two went, good deeds were left in their wake. None of their actions were evil nor went against the Order. With the colors so hesitant to confront the vigilantes, and they by all reports were no threat, the Order backed off. Eventually issuing an edict to leave the two alone unless they began to be a problem.

  The Order also executed (assassinated) any colors spreading rumors the two had fought and survived against the Cursed Area, in order to spread rumors of their own. Rumors they could control, that Reba and John were rogue freedom fighters for the Order. Matias III had even spent a good amount of his early rule promising to get the pair to rejoin them.

  As for recent events in Southwest Washington, the current Order knew little. Almost everyone involved had been killed, as well as those that knew things like the identity of the Cursed Air- leaving the ones left scrambling to make sense of things.

  The death of Matias III caused a ripple effect much worse than John had imagined. None knew of the location of the antidote, despite many believing they did. Immediately, faction rulers had made a grab for power, hoping to get the antidote only they knew the location of. One after the other, they failed, until the entire ruling party was gone.

  A good deal of infighting resulted in the creation of two main factions: Matias loyalists whom followed the Child of Madness (the Pan), and the traditionalists who believed in the Order’s original purpose, and chose to follow God (the Orthodox); both vying to be the one in control of the nearly decimated Order.

  Those following the Child of Madness (whom was believed to be the Tyrant of Madness, Alice) appeared to the casual observer as the more powerful faction. This was false, their numbers decreasing rapidly, and their leadership weak. The large force of Pan surrounding the Utah house was due to the belief the leader of the Orthodox faction was residing there. They were right.

  His name was Liam Banwell. He was one of the newer priests, and held strong Christian views, with the understanding of the importance of limited progressiveness in their societal structure and rules. He was hailed as the most trustworthy and knowledgeable current member of the Order. Liam was young, barely into his thirties, and did not want a crown, metaphorical or otherwise. What he did want, adding to the already chaotic situation, was to do away with the monarchy, and form a proper ruling council.

  To his shock, John advised against such action. The Order was not a nation of people, but an Order sworn to uphold a very specific set of views and morals. Instead, John recommended a ‘checks and balance’ system. One king, and under him a handful of rulers, whom the majority had to agree with the kings edicts in order for them to pass. Which was already how things were, only convoluted to the point of being completely broken. Like almost every government in existence.

  In this new suggestion, the rules were to be few, with no amendments. It would be what it was, the rulers making things function or fail, no legal loopholes. The only big difference was the king would have a set amount of time he could bypass the system, to enact what he wanted with no resistance. John suggested the amount of times the king could do this to be very high, and used little, to set a standard.

  Liam loved this idea, though he insisted on designating an order of succession, and quickly drew up a draft, naming John as his second. He refused. For one specific reason: The Echoes of Aethra.

  John knew now that the prophecies he believed in were in truth wicked alternates to the true prophecy. It did not change the events that had taken place, nor that Reba and himself were too invested to turn away now. At a minimum, he would remain with the group as they secured their route to Aethra, then, when that time came, he would weigh if he (and Reba) were meant to follow through the portal, or remain.

  Once the details were told, Reba decided to give the important bit of information: Miss Terra was alive! Caleb broke into sobs. He tried so hard not to think about everyone they had lost, even hearing Miss Terra might be alive he hadn't felt much. On hearing Reba's words it was like the loss of every single person hit him at once. Ally also broke, hearing him cry.

  Reba then explained to them what had taken place after their partially botched rescue attempt. Miss Terra had watched Kendra, Leslie, and Sara get taken away by X'al'antra, before being taken herself to the back of the property, and handed over to teenage vampires that tried to get her to mock and deny Christ. The skinny dance studio owner had never been a Christian, but with all she was witnessing, it made her question things. She refused to deny Christ, and was thereafter nailed to a cross.

  Not long after, she was saved by the young girl Sara, that Caleb had saved alongside Trixie, whom apparently used super powers to destroy X'al'antra property, and kill the vampires. Sara also saved a “beautiful young lady”, who ended up being a demon (succubus) name Rarami.

  After, Terra was brought to Rarami's family, and introduced to their mother, Yuna. The succubi had been very kind to Miss Terra, and explained how her life was in danger around them, and she was to be transported somewhere safe.

  Iiyni was more silent than usual during the explanation that involved her mom and sisters.

  Everyone caught up, it was time to plan their next move. John had inquired about a way to open portal before leaving for Canada, and Hemingsworth, the Order’s -current- chief intelligence officer, confirmed existence of technology once used to open a portal to Aethra, though it was forbidden knowledge, and locked away in the Vault of Vaults at the Vatican. The Vault of which access was lost to with the passing of Matias.

  Caleb demanded they all leave immediately for the Vatican. Of course, his suggestion had been shot down. Leaving him -all of them- to once again be forced to wait; and wonder what to do next

  * * *

  After the long meeting, Caleb had needed some time to think. He walked out past the playground (where they camped the first night) about a mile, to a hill on the other side of some trees that overlooked a cow field. It had rained while they were in the house talking, so the ground was wet, the sky now mostly clear. It was also damn chilly. Caleb sat on a large rock, more of a boulder really, trying to think things over.

  Nameless usually did well at not interrupting the boys private thoughts, but sometimes the angel just wouldn’t stay quiet. “I’m fine, okay? Just… just quit. I get it! Leave me alone!”

  “Okay, jeez,” Ally said from behind him, and he turned, a bit startled, too distracted to hear her approach. “Oh, no, not you Ally, I’m sorry! I was talking to Nameless,” he pointed at his head and smiled. “It's less confusing to speak out loud sometimes. Thought I was alone." Ally was relieved he sounded in good humor. Caleb had been so easily irritable lately.

  “You two mind if I sit?” she teased. Caleb motioned to his right, and scooted to the left, to give her room. The rock was just big enough for them to sit side by side. Wearing a skirt short enough John had scowled, Ally was glad the rock was dry, as she couldn't tuck it under her butt. She had actually missed the judgments from the old man. So much from their lives was gone… hell, their entire lives were gone. Many people she loved were just dead...

  John's glares reminded her of Leonard. One of the paramedic-firefighters, who always seemed to be at the garage when the kids came to hang out. He was so disapproving of her clothing. She had only ever seen him smile once in all the years she knew the old guy; when they were little and called 911 because of some dying kittens found abandoned in a box. Leonard responded even after being told not to.

  At that point, the kittens were pretty much all dead. That didn't stop the gruff older man from trying. No one else seemed to care, and now here was this big adult, crouching down in his firefighter gear, and his giant gloves, checking these tiny kittens. Ally will never forget watching him look them over, then picking up one small brown kitten, and starting CPR on it. Ally had prayed that day like she never had before. When the kitten started breathing and squirming, hearing Leonard as he urged "C'mon little one, you can do it, c'mon, c'mon," and seeing tears in his eyes, and the big smile on his face when the kitten began mewling, that was when she knew for sure that there were good adults in the world.

  The kitten lived. Leonard named her Sparky. She spent her life at the fire station. They already had a dog, but Sparky easily fit in, even outdoing the dog in popularity. Though Fartface the dog (don't ask) was still super loved.

  Now they are dead, and everything was new. Even with all they had lost, Ally never had a family before. Not like the one she had now. Her life finally had purpose. She finally found people to treasure her, and was no longer alone. It had only taken the death of thousands of people... A fact she was well aware of, making it all the harder to be grateful for what she currently had.

  “She’s fine, you know," Ally spoke after a few minutes of silence, "Bryan too.” Caleb didn’t miss the way Bryan was almost an afterthought. He got it though. Paze, they worried for. As strong as she acted she had always been so very vulnerable. Even if she now had super powers. Bryan was a survivor. He would make it. They knew he would make it. “Pazely the pixie,” Ally smiled wistfully. “It fits. I cant wait to see her again.” She pulled her knees to her chest, modesty be dammed.

  “It’s all just so annoying,” Caleb said, looking off over the valley. “We have all this power now and-”

  'It is skill, not power.'

  ‘I know, I know!’

  'If you knew, you would quit subconsciously thinking of it as such. Power is a dangerous thing to be obsessed with.'

  ‘I also know this. You are a celestial parrot.’

  “Aaaand?” Ally asked leadingly. Caleb realized he had quit speaking mid sentence. “Ugh, sorry, again. Nameless interrupted me to point out we don't have power but skill.”

  “Is that important?”

  “He thinks it is,” Caleb sighed, Ally smiling. “I get what you mean, though. We have all this new skill,” she exaggerated, playfully pushing against Caleb, though obviously directing the tease at the angel, “and here we are, doing what we have always done, only no adults to yell at us.”

  It was true. Ghetto camping and wandering aimlessly was a huge portion of their lives. The rules, and conditions, and punishments they had been subject to, forced them to live and rebel in the shadows. And they grew damn good at it. Though all of them had wished for the day they would finally be able to live the way they wanted. Have jobs, money, camp with cool gear, travel, buy and play their video games, make their own decisions and not be forced into those of their parental ‘authorities’.

  “And no matter how much skill we have right now, we are capped till we get to Aethra,” Caleb repeated what Iiyni had pounded into their heads. “Pazely doesn't have our training, but she is supposed to be as powerful as Iiyni now. Or more, I guess,” Ally mused, “that's crazy.” Caleb had thought about that a lot. Paze was a shard, that was one step below the Dragonheart. He couldn't help but wonder how far beyond him she would be once they reunited.

  He began to feel insecure, and Nameless immediately started commenting on it. The angel was trying to be helpful, but Caleb didn't care. He wanted his damn body back! He was tired of having no privacy!

  “Are you ever going to leave?" Caleb asked out loud. He already knew the answer. 'I have told you, due to circumstances, I am cut off from heaven.' Ally raised an eyebrow, “Angel stuff again?”

  “Yeah, just another day of trying to figure out if I will ever have my body back.”

  “Will you? I mean, he can't stay in you forever, right?” she asked, and Caleb shrugged at her question, “Basically he is a fallen angel now, and Heaven isn't picking up the phone - so he's stuck.”

  'I am not even sure if I have fallen, as I have not forsaken The Lord nor rebelled against his commands. I broke rules to an allowable extent, yet could still face mild punishment. But there were extenuating circumstances. And… loopholes. Even though I am able to be recalled normally, it is now an impossibility due to my choices.'

  Not this again. Caleb had heard this same complaint over and over, and the angel refused to fill in more detail due to some type of shame or other emo drama. “Now what?” Ally asked to a frustrated looking boy. “He is just giving the same excuses without saying why," Caleb told her. "There is something specific he believes is keeping him from being called back to Heaven, and refuses to tell me.”

  “Well that's stupid.”

  “Right?”

  'I am simply embarrassed! I, too, enjoy some semblance of privacy.'

  ‘Good thing you aren't in my head, subject to all my thoughts and feeling, and I still have my privacy.'

  'Fine. If you must know… an angel, like myself, with no name is little more than a spirit. Not having a name for as long as I, is unheard of.'

  ‘And God names you?’

  'In a manner of speaking. Our names are not given by him in such a way as we simple become aware of who we are. I have no such awareness of self, nor have I any knowledge of a name. Why I am not being recalled, I can only guess is because I have no name by which to be called home, from this… prison.'

  Caleb began to laugh, a smile spreading across his face. “Are you seriously that stupid?” he asked out loud. “Whaaaat?” Ally whined curiously. Not being able to hear one side of the conversation was really irritating. “He says it is because he does not have a name to be called home by,” Caleb told her to the loud objections in his mind. “Um… yeah he does?” Ally hadn't realize the angel was an idiot. “Well apparently he doesn’t realize this.”

  Caleb looked at Ally and smiled, “Since mister fallen angel here is quite obsessed with you-”

  “He is?!”

  “Oh, definitely. I think lust is the proper word for it.” Ally blushed fiercely, covering her face with one hand and waving the other. Leave it to Ally to find that flattering... “No! Nuh uh? Really?”

  “Yes, uh huh!” Caleb laughed again, despite himself. He swore he had told Ally about it before. Nameless had gone from from offense, to confusion, to anger. “My point, is that maybe you should let him know what his name is.”

  Ally shifted to look Caleb in the eyes, “Okay there angel, you listen up! I know being in Caleb’s body has probably made you a bit clueless and perverted. You have good taste at least, and-”

  “Ally.”

  “Okay, okay! Nameless. It isn't just us saying you don’t have a name, it is your name! One word. Capitalized. Your name is: Nameless.”

  A very odd sensation came over the boy. It was kind of like having some great epiphany, only it was not him having it. Chills began to flood his body, and he gasped. “Whats going on?” Ally asked, concerned. Then Ally herself gasped and fell off the rock when light shown down from the sky onto Caleb, while at the same time there being no light at all.

  ‘Caleb you have to listen, I do not have much time!' Nameless urged, and the boy could hear both joy and fear in her voice. ‘Your soul; it is- you are not what you think! Caleb, the Dragonheart is not a title! You are in-’

  NAMELESS

  The voice boomed through Caleb's entire being.

  IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO COME HOME

  Light. Bright light (this light, Ally could not see), overcame Caleb. He arched his back and began to raise up, slowly, floating for a moment - then suddenly fell, landing painfully on the rock. The light was gone. The sensation was gone. Nameless was gone. His back fucking hurt.

  “She’s gone,” Caleb said, grunting as he moved to stand. Ally looked rightly puzzled, “Huh?”

  “Nameless. She- I mean he, is gone.” Caleb wasn't sure why he thought of Nameless as a girl for a moment, but whatever. “Once he realized his name, Heaven called him home.” Caleb decided sitting was better than standing.

  “Um...” Ally started, getting to her feet, as Caleb looked off into the distance, trying to wrap his mind around what the fuck had just happened, “does that mean we can have sex again?”

  “What the hell, Ally?" Caleb was now looking at her, "Heaven just summoned an angel from my body, and you jump right to sex?” Despite being irritated, his voice sounded amused to the girl, so Ally mistook his words.

  She giggled, and sat back next to him on the rock. “Yeah. Pretty much,” she stuck her tongue out playfully and he scowled at her. “Oh don’t you give me that! You and your stupid judgment gets annoying! With everything going on, stuff I found out about my dad, my mind has been a mess. I mean, I wasn’t serious, was trying to lighten the mood. I also am not not being serious."

  Caleb was about to point out he sort of had a girlfriend in Pazely, before he abruptly realized his thoughts were again his alone. And he looked at Ally like it was the first time seeing her. She was close to him. Her eyes were so beautiful. He could smell her shampoo. The skin of her exposed neck, her ears, her lips...

  True, they had sex before. A good amount of it. And, yea, he remembered it now. Only... It felt... like it never happened. When he regained his memories, in a lot of ways they felt not of him. Like he had watched a movie of events, and accepted he was the actor shown. He knew he had seen Ally naked. That the two of them had done… many things. Even if the memory was there, the experience, the remembered detail was not. Same with his memory of Suzie and Rashelle. Far as he was concerned, he was still a virgin.

  The desire for the blonde girl filled every centimeter of him, and Caleb was forced to shift how he was sitting. Ally noticed.

  "Reba can make a birth control that works perfectly, so no need to worry about protection," she told the boy, relishing in his torment. “Ally, this seems really inappropriate right now-”

  "Just think about it, okay?" she gave him a quick kiss when he went to answer, then hopped to her feet and hurried away, Caleb not missing her blush.

  His mind was spinning. He just had a very spiritual experience. Downright Holy. And immediately he gets hit with this?! For months Caleb had avoided all thoughts of sex the best he could, having an angel in his head. Not to mention his girlfriend who was all alone on an alien planet!

  Honestly not sure what to feel, and being overcome with the strongest sensation of solitude he had felt in months, Caleb just kept sitting on that rock, looking off into the distance. His thoughts were again his and his alone. It was going to take a lot of getting used to, having his mind back. "Goodbye, Nameless. You pain in the ass." Tears welled in his eyes. "I'll miss you."

  * * *

  The next day, when Ally had approached Caleb, playfully inquiring about his decision, he had not surprisingly chosen the more uptight route. Ally was pissed. Like, seriously angry. The two got into a pretty loud argument. “Well excuse me for trying to have some morals!” Caleb snapped, and Ally slapped him hard enough across the face even Iiyni (who had come over to see what the fuck the drama was about) winced.

  When she stormed off, the imp started after her, but Ally snarled, “follow me and you’re fucking DEAD, demon!” Yikes. Slut face reeeeally needed to get laid. "What the fuck is her problem?!" Caleb asked, walking over to the imp. She sighed, "well, it's her birthday for one thing. Forgot, didn't ya?" The look on his face was all the answer she needed.

  "Go find her. Argue. Have angry sex. And tell me about it later," she advised. He tried to scowl, but shame and embarrassment won out. With a heavy sigh, "go talk to her. And think before you speak. No one cares about your moral dilemma when we all have our own. Try to show some empathy to your friend, and not be a selfish douchebag,” she tossed in jokingly at the end. His expression looked chastened, but he smiled faintly. Good enough. Iiyni quickly bound away before anything else could be said.

  Iiyni was still having her own problems. How she wished to be the one getting a sex offer from Ally. Hell, she would join the two of them if they wanted. Caleb had filled out nicely from all the training. Though, in truth, Iiyni didn't really desire either of the teens, though she sure as shit wouldn't complain. Caleb wouldn’t have been her first, or even second, choice out of the males. But whom she really wanted was Trixie, though would settle for Gigi.

  Iiyni about ran into a tree. Gigi?! Where did that thought come from?!

  As her mind trying to rationalize the random thoughts, and began to wander into areas she was not expecting, nor wanting, Iiyni had a bit of a moral panic.

  She had to get over this sex problem, and learn to be a proper Christian! More and more she found herself trying to justify sex. There had to be at least one way it was okay outside marriage! They could kill people due to war, and it wasn't murder, right? Maybe a friendly group fuck session was all fine and dandy given the circumstance?

  No. No it wasn’t. Everyone knew that. UGH DAMMIT! She needed to get over her fear of the Bible! What she really needed was to listen to it audio book style… Yeah, that would work. Maybe there was a free app? Or did Christians charge for that shit? Hmmm...

  Sitting in the branches of the tree she almost bashed into, Iiyni heard voices nearby. John and Reba. The argument between Caleb and Ally had not been the least discreet, and those coming to give her birthday wishes had chosen to come back later. John was complaining about the two teenagers. Not meaning to eavesdrop, now that Iiyni picked up their distant voices, curiosity wouldn't let her stop. Instead, she moved closer.

  “Why would you say that?!” Reba snapped at John. “Because it is the truth! The sexual proclivity of this group is appalling!” he snapped back. “Not everyone is a psychopath!” Reba accused. “Watch it, girl!”

  “No, you watch it! How dare you judge them and say those things about Ally! Do you have any idea what she is going through?! What this time of year means for her?”

  “She is a Christian young lady, and needs to get herself under control!”

  “Her dad used to rape her!”

  “I am well aware! She is practically proud of it!”

  Taking a deep breath to calm herself, "Dad, have you been taking-"

  "This has nothing to do with my medication, and you know it!"

  Iiyni was puzzled. She knew the man was a judgmental prude, but his words were flat out cruel. So when John turned to head farther into the woods by himself, she decided to follow. There had always been something off about him. Iiyni couldn't place it, nor had really cared to. Now, after hearing John say stuff that seemed so out of character, Iiyni was determined to figure out what this man was hiding. What kind of sins he had buried deep in his soul. This priest that did no priestly duties.

  John walked a good ways into the woods, and to the top of a hill, where he knelt and began to pray aloud. Feeling a little guilty spying on a private prayer, Iiyni was about to leave when his words got interesting. “My God, I have not taken a life,” John said in a shaky voice. “I suppress my own desires, I medicate and pray, and yet I still wish to kill again. To feel their blood on my hands, that is my desire! To make them suffer for their impurities! Why my Lord?! Why has it come back to me?! I do not wish to hurt them! My God, I beg you, teach them to control themselves! To take this away from me! I do not want to feel this again! Never again!" John was sobbing.

  “Holy shit,” Iiyni muttered, as the pieces fell into place. John's sin, his deep true affliction, muddled from medications and the Christ Mark, pushed it far back in his soul. He had truly sought Christ, repented, and became a new man. So much so, she hadn't noticed it at all. Now that she knew what to look for, it was plain as day to her trained demonic eyes.

  John was a murderer.

  Not just a man who had killed another, no, he was a full blown serial killer of the psycho variety. Iiyni knew first hand how much finding Christ could change you. That coupled with whatever medications Reba made for him, John was no longer a danger to anyone, even if the whisper of his torment remained. Iiyni was sure of this, and she wasn't judging him. She could actually sympathize. Something she doubted was possible for the others.

  Iiyni stayed there thinking, and doing a bit of praying herself, until long after John had left. And came to a decision. Well, several decisions. She wasn't sure if they were right or not, but she had made her choices. One specific choice in particular was going to change her life completely.

  It didn't matter if she was a Link, or a Shard or not. It was a fact she was powerful, and that power was wasted on Earth; it wouldn't be on Aethra. Especially if she fought alongside the Esseff. For better or worse, Iiyni was going to stay with the Dragonheart, and when that portal opened she was going to Aethra.