Energy swirled around Malaya, a deep purple color. The platform she stood on shook and began to crumble. Nearby, Harland and Sister Vivian fought to keep the dark energy in check. Phantom and her half-brother, the heir, stood by the statue. Phantom's face was a mix of confusion and annoyance. "What's happening?" he yelled.

"It's the statue!" Sister Vivian answered. "The heir wasn't trapped- he was being used as a stabilizing force!"

"Put me back," the heir demanded. "I'll not be the reason Valenthia is destroyed."

"Valenthia will descend into chaos anyway, if you are not here," Harland protested. "We need someone else. Someone with a soul as strong as yours."

"I'll do it," Phantom offered.

Malaya opened her mouth to protest. To say something to fix the situation. To offer herself, even. No words came out. She was frozen with fear. Take me. Put me in that accursed statue and save Valenthia.

"Phantom, you can't!" Sister Vivian covered her mouth. "You'll be stuck as a statue."

"I can't ask anyone else to do this, just as you can't ask me to. This is my decision, Vivian." He stepped up to Malaya and pressed something into her hand. "It's been fun, Callum. Keep the guild from falling into chaos for me, alright?"

Malaya nodded, speechless, and he pulled away, stretching his hand out toward the statue. "Farewell, my friends," he said. There was a flash of purple light and then he disappeared into the statue. Gone. Forever.

She woke with tears on her cheeks and quickly wiped them away. It's your fault, her mind whispered. You caused this. The worst part was that no one blamed her. She'd always suspected that Harland knew who she was, but not even he had said anything. They just... let her live in peace.

The guilt ate at her. She saw the events of the past every night, echoes in her dreams. Nothing she did could change what had happened. Even after a year, it was no different. She was still to blame for what happened and deep down, she was still the coward who couldn't reveal herself when she should have.

"Callum!" Kerik- one of her few friends- barked. "We need to move."

She blinked and sat up. "Mmm? You found Gustac?"

Kerik grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the bed she'd been sleeping on. "He's in a tavern nearby. I already paid for the room. Come on! Before he escapes us for the third time."

Malaya buckled her swords around her waist, allowing herself to forget about the guilt for a moment. "Let's catch him this time, then," she said.

A wild grin spread across her face as they wove through the streets. The thrill of the chase, the freedom of being able to go wherever she wanted without restriction, it still amazed her. When she first joined the guild, she hadn't been sure bounty hunting was something she wanted to do. After she completed her first contract, those doubts dissolved. She'd loved it then and she loved it now. Nothing had changed.

Really? Nothing? So Phantom was nothing, then? She pushed the thought away as they slowed to a walk and entered the tavern. Sure enough, Gustac was there. He sat at the bar, a mug of beer in his hand, surrounded by a bunch of his men.

He wore his green bandit uniform with his symbol- a sickle- stitched on the back of his cloak. His hood was down, revealing a mess of greasy blond hair and his sharp, cunning brown eyes. A black diamond tattoo stood out around his right eye and he still had the same smug smile he'd always had. The man radiated confidence. He talked loud, laughed boisterously, and didn't bother hiding his identity.

His men wore the tell-tale green outfits, complete with a sickle stitched in silver on the green fabric. Not one of them seemed to care that they were wanted and that everyone else in the tavern was terrified of them. Everyone except for Malaya and Kerik.

Malaya unsheathed her swords and marched into the tavern. Kerik stood beside her, glaive resting on his shoulder. "Gustac!" Malaya shouted. "We have business with you."

The man set his mug of beer down and turned toward her. "Callum. Back for more?"

She tightened her grip on her swords and ran at him without warning. Kerik, used to her recklessly charging into danger, ran beside her. Gustac ran behind his troops, disappearing into the back of the tavern. The rest of the people in the tavern emptied out quickly, leaving them to fight.

"I'll fight them," Kerik yelled, sweeping his glaive out in front of him. It cut straight through the defenses of several men, leaving them wounded.

"Be careful," Malaya told him. Then she dove through the nearest window before anyone could stop her.

Glass shattered around her and cut into her arms. She ignored the wound and ran around to the back of the tavern. Gustac was climbing over a wall, his movements slow and clumsy. He might be formidable in a fight, but when it came to climbing, he just wasn't good at it. He must have thought his men would buy him enough time to escape this way. Otherwise he would have gone out the front. No one in the crowds would have faced him- he was too skilled.

She ran down the alley and jumped onto the wall. Her fingers sought out hand-holds and she climbed it to the top in a matter of seconds. Gustac was already running away again. She jumped off the wall and landed running.

He disappeared down another alley and she followed. There was a flash of yellow light and a wall appeared in front of her. She skidded to a stop. "Gustac!" she cried, anger swirling inside her. What had he done? There was no magic she knew of that could create a wall out of nowhere.

She turned around, holding her swords up defensively in case anyone approached her from behind. Her mouth dropped open when she saw the change. The alley she'd come down was gone. In its place stood ruined houses and piles of rubble. Nothing looked familiar. Did he knock me out? Am I dreaming? She nudged a rock with her toe. It felt real enough, but then, most dreams did.

There was an impossibly loud roar above her. She looked up and her mouth dropped open. Dragons- seven of them- circled her in the air above them. They were unlike anything she'd ever seen. Unlike mossback dragons or harbringers, these dragons varied greatly in appearance. One mossback dragon looked to be about half the size of these monsters and the destruction that the dragons above her had caused seemed to be ten times worse what mossback dragons or harbringers caused.

Where are the people? Where am I? It was dark out, the moon above full and blood red. The whole scene created an eerie effect that left her unsure of what she should do. Gustac was gone, as was Valenthia, it seemed.

In the end, she decided to make sure everyone was okay. Others were already taking on the dragons, so she joined them. Her swords didn't so much as scratch the large dragons, but they tore apart the small ones easily.

She was still fighting when the vision hit. A dragon came out of nowhere and blasted her from behind. A minute later, the vision proved to be a glimpse of the future. She used it to take down the dragon that would have killed her and continued fighting.

Her swords pierced yet another dragon, but this time it began to glow. The others radiated light as well and she prepared herself for a bigger assault. Instead of gaining more power, however, the dragons simply disappeared, leaving behind nothing but little balls of light that floated away on the wind.

She collapsed against a wall, exhausted. Her fingers were still curled around her swords. She didn't seem to be able to release them. She'd been holding them so tightly for so long that her muscles had gotten stuck in that position.

Get up, she told herself. You have to figure out where you are. Instead, her eyes closed and she fell asleep, the exhaustion of the fight catching up to her.

***

"There's someone over here," Kaylee yelled.

It was a boy with shaggy brown hair, casual clothing, and swords sitting next to him. He clutched the swords tightly, his whole body tense, but it looked like he was sleeping. She stepped close to examine him further and he started awake. His swords touched her throat and she froze.

"Who are you?" the boy demanded.

Gage pulled Kaylee away and stepped in front of her. "We aren't the enemy," he promised. "We're here to help, if you let us. What's your name?"

He held crossed his swords in a defensive stance and Kaylee noticed a scar on his cheek. So he's seen battle. "That's exactly what the enemy would say," he pointed out. "How do I know you aren't just saying that?"

"Well, for starters, I know a thing or two about fighting, but I haven't unsheathed my sword. Also, you attacked first," Gage said.

"Right. You have a point. My name is Callum. What about you?" Callum strapped his swords to his back and looked behind Gage and Kaylee. "You've got a lot of friends."

"Yeah, well, things are a bit weird right now," Kaylee said. "But we're alive, so there's that, at least."

"Where are we, anyway? I was in Valenthia and there was this flash of light and then I was here." Callum scratched the back of his head, his expression thoughtful. "Maybe the mages were trying a new spell and made a portal to an unknown part of Valenthia?"

"Uh, yeah... I'm not sure what this Valenthia you're talking about is, but this isn't it," Raiden said, approaching from behind them. "This is the city of Crocus, in Fiore. You've probably been extracted from your realm to participate in the Unseelie King's games. You can join our team, if you like."

Callum glanced around and shrugged. "Why not?"

"Great!" Gage clapped him on the back. "It'll be nice to have another guy around."

"Good grief, you act like there are hardly any of us," Sheng complained.

"The girls outnumber us. I just like to even the odds," Gage told him, a grin on his face. "Say, Callum, wanna fight me? I'd love to see your skill with those swords."

"No one is fighting anyone," Jenny snapped. "Not now. We're leaving."

"Wait!" Kaylee protested. "Callum doesn't know our names yet."

The others paused and there was a quick introduction before they headed off toward where KITT was parked. Kyoka split off with Midnight's group to head through the wardrobe. Kaylee watched them disappear through the double doors and chewed her lower lip.

There group was down three already. Ayame, Ace, and then George, who had killed at least one of the other two. Whatever the Unseelie King's game was supposed to accomplish, it couldn't be anything good. Not if he was willing to take innocent lives for it. Our lives. But we have a chance, if we fight to survive.

"Kaylee?" Gage touched her arm, interrupting her thoughts. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I was just thinking."

"We'll get home, if that's what you're worried about. All of us. It's what we do best."

"Not all of us," she murmured. "Three of us are already gone. This Unseelie King is pulling all the strings, keeping everyone in constant danger. I just... I don't want anyone else to die."

He nodded and she heard a crunch. When she looked up, she found him eating a packet of nuts. He grinned down at her. "We're still a team and the King hasn't seen what we can do with that teamwork. Plus, we're at full strength with Lyssa. It'll be enough to keep the others safe."

"How do you know?" she demanded. "You can't make that promise."

"No, I guess not. It sounds good, though. Even if I don't know for certain, that won't stop me from trying. I don't want anyone else to die either."

Kaylee smiled. That was Gage for you- he always knew what to say to cheer her up. Now if she could just shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen, she might get the chance to relax.

***

Malaya walked through Crocus with the group she'd joined. She'd introduced herself as Callum, as usual, but this time it wasn't necessary. She'd known it wasn't, but she'd done it anyway. I threw away my chance to be myself. Shouldn't I have embraced it instead?

"Hey Callum!" Gavin approached her, a grin on his face. "Did you say you were from Valenthia?"

The question surprised her. A shiver ran down her spine and she immediately wished she'd never said anything. I shouldn't assume the worst. He might know how I can get home. "Yeah," she said. "You know I can get home?"

Gavin shook his head, but his smile grew wider. "So the video games are real too!" He said this in a loud voice, like he'd discovered something incredible. All Malaya saw was a crazy guy who thought Valenthia was a 'video game'. Whatever that was.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded. "I am not a video game! W-hat is a video game?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, box-shaped device. His finger tapped a button and the front of the box lit up. Then a bunch of smaller boxes surrounded by black popped up on it. He tapped one and a gear began to turn in the middle of the device. "This is a video game," he said.

The screen finished what it was doing and a man popped up on it, holding a broadsword and wearing blue armor. "Whoa..." Malaya stared at it. "How did you fit a man in there?"

Gavin snickered. "It's not a real guy, Callum. It's a projection."

"Showing him your games?" Gage popped up behind them, putting an arm on each of their shoulders. "You really are way too addicted to those."

"I'm showing him his world," Gavin protested.

"That isn't my realm," Malaya said. "It's much too small."

"Look, it's kind of hard to explain, but this is an illusion of sorts, projected onto this." Gavin held up his device. He tapped a few buttons and suddenly the man from before was in a city. Gavin moved him around and began to hack at monsters as they popped up around him.

"I recognize that..." Malaya mused. The structures looked Valenthian.

"It's Valenthia. I'm playing a level as Ice_Phoenix," Gavin informed her. He finished the level and turned off the device, putting it back in his pocket.

"So he's from a game?" Gage raised a brow. "Really?"

"I know! It's so cool. I've always wondered what it would be like in a video game. Wait... Callum, do you have inventory?"

Malaya shook her head. "If you mean do I have a backpack, then clearly not. Can't you see that?"

"No! Inventory. Like, a space where you can store things and access them by clicking a button or something," Gavin explained.

"Uh..." she glanced at Gage, who shrugged. "No, I don't have inventory," she answered. "Whatever magic that is, I don't think the mages have figure it out yet."

"Aw. Well do you have a health bar? Can you drink health potions in battle and become perfectly fine, even after losing most of your HP?"

Gavin's face held so much excitement, Malaya hated to disappoint him. Still, she had no idea what he was talking about and she was starting to wonder if he might have a few screws loose up top.

"No, I do not have magic potions that heal me from grave wounds," she started. "And whatever a health bar is, I don't have that either."

His shoulders slumped for a moment, but the grin quickly came back. "But you're still from a video game! That's cool. You're way more interesting than your average NPC too."

"Thanks, I guess."

"Gavin, are you ranting about games again?" Kaylee demanded, pulling him away from Malaya. "I doubt he comes from someplace that knows about them."

"He doesn't. He's from a game, though! Maybe we'll get to go and see Valenthia in person..." Gavin rubbed his hands together. "I've always wanted to go inside a video game."

"Of course you have," Kaylee muttered, rolling her eyes. She turned to Malaya. "I'm sorry about him. He has a thing about games. Just ignore him."

"Okay..." The image of her home, projected on Gavin's device, still lingered in Malaya's mind. How was that even possible? What kind of magic allowed you to project an entire world in such a small space? She shook her head and sighed. Best not to dwell on it, she decided, and followed the others toward a sleek black thing with doors.

***

Keith felt it- someone watching them. He glanced around discreetly, until he spotted movement on a balcony nearby. He touched Lyssa's shoulder. "I'll be right back," he whispered. "Don't leave without me."

She nodded. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing yet. I'm just going to check something out."

He slipped away from the group unnoticed and made his way to the house, heading in from behind. The stairs creaked slightly as he walked up them. He paused for a moment to see if the person watching them noticed. When nothing happened, he continued.

There was a girl on the balcony. Her long black hair was tied back and she faced away from him. Her clothing was ripped in various places, with patchwork all over it. The cloth itself was dull and he noticed dirt on her hands when she gripped the railing and leaned forward. She hadn't noticed him- she was focused on Lyssa and the others. He wanted to know why she was so interested in their group.

He approached silently and grabbed her arm, swinging her around. Her mouth opened, almost as if she was going to scream, and she shrank back against the railing. Wide brown eyes met his. He released his grip on her and crossed his arms. "Why are you watching us?" he demanded, determined to get answers.

***

Raven felt the girl long before Keith noticed and went to check it out. Whoever it was, there was a storm of emotions churning in her. She was terrified, excited, nervous- it was like winning the emotional lottery, at least in terms of quantity. The girl's feelings nearly overwhelmed Raven when she first felt them. Now they burned within her, just waiting to be released.

Considering the level of fear the girl was feeling, Raven decided it would be best to leave her. She was just watching, so there was no reason to terrify her further. Of course, Keith didn't know that, and so he disappeared before Raven could stop him.

You don't have to follow him. Getting closer to whoever is feeling that level of fear is going to hurt. Especially if you can't contain it. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her outfit and almost stayed with the group. Their feelings weren't nearly as toxic as whoever this was. Well, except for Callum, who was... interesting. She couldn't quite make him out. His emotional signature wasn't masculine, but it wasn't completely feminine either. The way he felt things was something in-between and she didn't trust it.

The girl is terrified, I can't just leave her. Especially if Keith intends to interrogate her. Decision made, she left the group and tracked the girl's emotions to a house. Her hand had just touched the doorknob when she felt it. A sudden shift in the girl's tangled emotions. The excitement and nervousness dissipated, leaving behind pure terror. Good Lord, what is he doing to her?

Raven took the stairs two at a time and burst into the room to find Keith standing over a girl, arms crossed, demanding she tell him why she was watching them. "Keith! Can't you see she's terrified?" Raven snapped, pulling him away. "She's no threat to us."

"Or she's a good actor," Keith protested.

The girl was shaking and her eyes shone with tears. One of her hands was wrapped around what looked like a necklace and her face was white. Even without feeling the girl's terror, Raven could tell she wasn't acting and Keith knew it too. Seeing him this insensitive angered Raven.

"Does this look like acting to you?" she demanded. "She was scared enough before you showed up. Now get out- I'll take care of her."

At that, the girl's head shot up. She pushed back against the railing, but there was nowhere to go. She was trapped- Keith and Raven were blocking the doorway. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out.

Raven glared at Keith and pushed him back further. With a sigh, he turned and walked away. She faced the girl and knelt next to her. "I'm not here to hurt you," Raven promised. "Keith was just trying to protect the others. He jumps to conclusions about people too easily."

The girl swallowed and this time Raven could hear what she was saying. "I don't believe you," she whispered.

Of course you don't. Whoever she was, she'd been hurt by someone. There were bruises on her arms and she was too thin. Her clothes were a mess and she looked filthy. "What happened to you?" Raven murmured.

She almost reached out to take the girl's hand, but stopped herself. Who knew how the girl would react. Surprisingly, she said nothing at all. In fact, her fear just stopped and her eyes closed. Raven gaped. But she was fine!

She checked the girl's pulse, relieved to find her heart was still beating. She was just unconscious, then. Maybe she fainted? Considering how scared she'd been, it wouldn't surprise Raven. She wasn't sure what to do next, though. The girl was helpless on her own and she didn't belong here. If they didn't help her, she might be stranded in Fiore and never get home.

Alright, I'll carry you down then, I guess. Raven picked her up as gently as she could and carried her out of the room. Keith was waiting at the foot of the stairs. When he saw them, his mouth dropped open. "Did you kill her?"

"What? No! She fainted, I think." Really, Raven didn't mind too much. The fear had been grating at her and it was a relief to be free of it, even if she knew it would probably return full force when the girl woke up.

"You get a name?" Keith asked.

"No, but she wasn't stalking us, okay? Just... come on. Let's go back." The sooner this game is over, the better.

***

Khen woke up in someone's arms. A dozens scenarios popped into her head, none of them good. Had the strange woman knocked her out? Did she let the man... Khen stopped herself. Even if something bad had happened, there was no point in dwelling on it. She'd learned long ago that storing the memories deep within her mind and not remembering was the only way to stay sane.

She tried to get up and move, but her limbs wouldn't obey her. They drugged me! I haven't escaped at all, I just switched tormentors. Why had she gone into the strange, spinning light? It would have been better to just go back to the camps. At least there she knew the various punishments they used when she messed up or tried to run. Here she had no such knowledge. It was sure to be worse. I'll never be free. I shouldn't have run. Why did I have to run?

"Is she awake?" a female voice asked.

"I think so." This voice was deeper- masculine. It was a man. She was in a man's arms. Her eyes snapped open and she was finally able to move, practically jumping away from him.

"W-who are you?" Her eyes took in the scene around her. It was the group she'd been watching. Up close, it felt like there were more of them than just what she'd counted.

"We're friends," the man promised.

"Friends?" Like the Huns? I suppose you saved me too and I should be grateful. She holds back the words. Talk like that would earn her a beating and she wouldn't get her daily meal. But this isn't the war camps. Maybe these people really are friends, a little voice whispered. She ignored it. After so many years, she had very little hope left. She had no interest in allowing it to be crushed by strangers.

A blonde woman knelt next to her. "My name is Jenny," she said. "We can help you, but you have to let us."

Have to. I have to let them... Were they trying to trick Khen? Some of the warriors did it, when they wanted an excuse to beat her. They disguised commands to seem optional and waited to see if she would chose not to. She really had just run from one hell to another. "Okay," she whispered.

Jenny smiled and held out a hand. Khen stood on her own and brushed her clothes off. She wished there was a way to flick a switch and turn off the fear that raced through her. If she could be free of it, truly free, maybe she could stand up for herself and take control of her own destiny. Deep down, she knew she had the courage to at least try, but she quelled it. It only hurt her and she wouldn't let that happen.

"What do you need me to do, Mistress Jenny?"

The woman from before stepped in. "You don't have to stay. We won't make you."

Another test? Why did they insist they were friends, when she had none? She was no one- good things didn't happen to someone who meant nothing to the rest of the world. It must be another test, then. "I'll stay. I'm happy to help."

The man who had been holding her frowned. "I was under the impression we were supposed to be helping you, hai?"

Khen shifted, unsure of how to respond to that. Thankfully, someone else popped up. A young girl with a strangely worried look on her face. She smiled at Khen. "What's your name?"

Nobody. She chewed her lower lip. "Khenbish, but the Huns just called me Khen," she answered.

They have a little girl with them? The child looked so innocent and she didn't appear to be hurt. Maybe it would be okay with these people. But the child is one of them. Of course they wouldn't hurt each other. "Khen?" Jenny waved hand in front of Khen's face. "Are you alright?"

She realized her mind had been wandering and forced herself to focus. Now that she wasn't running on adrenaline, she could feel the sharp pain of hunger, reminding her that she hadn't eaten in two days. "Yes. Sorry, Mistress Jenny."

"It's just Jenny. You don't have to add mistress to it." Jenny looked her over. "You look pale... you aren't going to faint again, are you?"

Khen's cheeks burned and she stared at the ground. "No, Mistress Jenny." As if to further embarrass her, her stomach growled softly. One of the guys who had been watching- the one with gray eyes- frowned.

"If you're hungry, we have food," he said.

She stared at him. Food? Now? It wasn't time yet. She ate after the army was finished with their dinner- eating at any other time wasn't allowed. "No thank you," she said, then gathered the courage to ask a question. "May I ask... what your names are?"

***

Naoki stared at the small Chinese girl. She was so timid, as if she expected someone to hit her the moment she did something wrong. What could have caused such behavior? She asked for their names like she would be punished for it and shied away from anyone who came too close- men especially, it seemed. It made him wonder about her.

When he'd first shown up, a woman named Raven had handed Khen off to him and asked him to carry her. She was light as a feather and he didn't mind, but as soon as she heard his voice, she'd jumped away from him like he'd burned her. He'd noticed bruises on her arms though, before she moved away. There were marks on her wrists too, similar to what a tight chain would make.

What happened to her? And why did she refuse a meal when she so obviously needed it? "I am Naoki Hojo," he told her.

She nodded solemnly, but still refused to come anywhere near him. The others introduced themselves as well. Gage held out his hand to shake hers, but she only stared at it, refusing to touch him.

"You need a meal," Raven announced. "And a shower. And a change of clothes too." She looked Khen over. "We should stay here for a while and find a hotel."

"I know a good place," Raiden said. His strange, winged cat- Lexi- hovered above his shoulder, watching Khen with interest.

She wasn't the only one. Everyone wanted to know who Khen was, why she was there, and why she seemed to terrified.

She talks like we own her, Naoki noted. Despite protests from nearly everyone, she added 'mistress' or 'master' to everyone's names. Had she been a slave? It might explain why she was so hesitant to trust them, but it didn't explain why men terrified her so much.

"All right. We could all use some rest anyway," Jenny agreed.

Midnight nodded. "Lead the way, Raiden."

***

George wasn't sure what to do in this large city. He was stranded here, but he'd already decided that was okay. He had no home to return to, but maybe he could find a lonely valley to live his life in. However, he had to find his way through the maze of houses first.

His fingers trailed along the walls lightly, feeling each crack and crevice. It was something real- something he could feel. If he focused on it, maybe he wouldn't black out again. Grey rubbed against George's leg and barked once. A warning. He looked down at the wolf. "What's wrong, buddy?" he asked.

Grey cocked his head and barked again, the same warning George had taught him back when he first found the pup. "Young man, do you know where we are?" An older, male voice came from an alley nearby and a man stepped out, followed by what looked like a much younger version of him. The man's son, maybe?

"This is Crocus. A city in the realm of Fiore, according to Raiden," he answered. "What's with the outfit?"

The outfit George referred to was a bright orange jumpsuit. On it was stitched a white name tag. Black letters spelled out the name Akram Arnold. He guessed that was probably who the guy was, unless the guy was fond of ugly jumpsuits and had stolen one.

"I see." Akram took a deep breath, his eyes closed for a moment. When he opened them, he had a grin on his face that looked almost sadistic. "My name is Akram. What about you?"

"George."

"Wonderful. You look lonely, George. Mind if my son and I join you?"

***

I'm starting to agree with Midnight. Yeah, they say there's safety in numbers and all of that, but there are more than thirty of us now! KITT only holds seven people, and that's if you're willing to double buckle and put someone in the trunk. The rest of us have to go with Kyoka's group, which meant traveling through a wardrobe.

Things are getting cramped, to say the least, and now we have Khen in our group. Her body language tells me she doesn't want to stick around, but every time someone tells her she doesn't have to, she insists she wants to. Everything about the way she acts is confusing and her insistence on using Mistress or Master before everyone's names is odd. Slightly worrying, too.

I lead the others through the winding streets toward a hotel that I remember staying at once. They have good food and Khen will be able to take a relaxing bath there. Maybe it'll help ease some of her worries.

Midnight might get a chance to relax too. She looks more and more tense as time goes on. Especially now that Callum, Khen, and Naoki have joined our group. A part of me wonders if we should just stop letting people join us, but I dismiss the idea. If people need help, we should help them. Even if that means we might eventually become the equivalent of an army.

The hotel is, thankfully, not destroyed. People have taken refuge there, wondering about the incident. They don't remember what happened- they just think the Grand Magic Games got out of hand. I never did figure out why that was. Something must have happened to their memories. Whatever it as didn't affect the rest of us. The experience is still fresh in everyone's minds, I think.

As I'm paying for several (expensive) hotel rooms, I notice a woman sitting in the corner of the room. She looks very out of place, wearing an elegant red gown with patterns sewn on it in golden thread. Long black hair falls down her shoulder, tangled, and there's dust all over her, though she doesn't seem to mind. Her sleeve is ripped too, likely from the fighting.

The others notice her too. Keith looks her over, brow raised. Jenny and Midnight size her up. Midnight speaks first. "No. Not another one," she says. "I'm sure she's just some rich girl."

"You know that's not true," I mutter. "She doesn't belong here anymore than you guys do."

Akane nods in agreement. "That gown is like nothing I've ever seen before. It's not from here."

"I'll invite her over," Destiny offers. Crystal nods beside her.

"Maybe she wants company," the young girl said, smiling.

Yeah, like Eris wants company, I suppose. I don't voice the thought. Maybe Crystal was right about Eris, maybe she wasn't. Either way, the woman doesn't seem at all happy to be stuck with us.

Destiny is already off inviting the woman to join us before anyone can suggest they just move on and avoid making their group any larger. Midnight sighs, but she seems to have expected this. Their group is just going to keep picking up strays- there's no avoiding it.

"This is Arienne," Destiny tells us as we walk to our rooms. "She's from France... wherever that is."

Midnight nods. "She's like us, then. Great."

"You do not seem pleased to have her here," Flare notes.

"I'm not pleased about any of this, Flare," Midnight tells him. "But that doesn't really make a difference."

Jenny looks around the room, probably trying to figure out how we're going to go anywhere without looking crazy. From what I see, we aren't.

I unlock a door and push it open. "Khen, you can wash up in here. We'll all need new clothes, so we can look at that later."

She stares at me for a moment, almost like she doesn't believe me. Finally, she inches past me, as far away as she can get, and disappears into the room. Keith watches her leave, arms crossed. "I don't get her," he says when I close the door. "Why's she so scared of us."

Raven plucked a key from my hand and walked past us. "Probably because she met you first," she says as she passes Keith. "And you went all 'interrogator' on her."

"Keith!" Lyssa plants her hands on her hips and faces him. "You didn't! It's obvious she isn't a threat- why would you do that?"

He shrinks back, looking chagrined. "I just wanted to know why she was watching us," he explained.

"Can't you just ask?"

Kaylee rolls her eyes. "Please. This is Keith we're talking about," she says. "I doubt he knows how to ask for information normally."

Keith glowers at her, but not with real anger. "Whatever. I'm going to take a shower," he decides.

I find some of the other rooms and we split into groups. Khen got her own bedroom, since she seemed so uncomfortable, and the rest of us separated into two groups of guys and two groups of girls. Akane and I know the most about the city, so Midnight elects us to go and find out about clothes for people.

We walk out of the hotel and head for the area of the city where the market was. From what I remember, most of that area was destroyed in the fighting, but some of it might still be standing. Akane is quiet as we walk through the city. Her eyes scan everything, taking in the destruction.

Even though I've seen this once before and I know the city recovers, I can't help worrying about the people whose houses were destroyed. And the families of those who did not survive. The strange visions we'd seen couldn't have saved everyone.

"Akane?" A voice calls to us from across the street and I see Lucy running toward us. "Who's with you?" She stops in front of us and looks me over. "Wait, do I know you?"

"I helped fight the dragons," I say. "And we met once, when you were on a job."

"Hey, since you're here, do any of your celestial spirits have clothes we can borrow? I've found a pretty large group of people who need a change of clothes." Akane gestures to my ripped, muddied outfit. "Him especially."

Lucy nods. "Of course. I'm sure Virgo can find something, if you take me to your group."

"Great!" Akane grins. "Thanks Lucy."

"No problem." Lucy is still looking at me. Suddenly, she smiles. "Raiden! It's been years since I saw you. Where's Lexi?"

I shrug, surprised she even recognized me. We met before she disappeared on Tenroujima, so it's been at least seven years. I'm about to respond when a shadow covers the sun. My eyes flick upward and I expect to see a cloud. Instead an enormous dragon flies above us, surveying the city. "Akane, get Lexi," I shout.

"I thought they were gone!" Lucy yanks a key off her belt. "Open the gate of the Lion: Leo!"

Her spirit, Leo, appears in front of us. "Lucy, my love. I shall vanquish this dragon for you," he declares. Light wraps itself around his fists and he jumps at the dragon.

Lucy stares up at him, a look of annoyance on her face. "Cut it out with the 'my love' crap!" she yells up at him.

He shoots a grin at her and begins attacking the dragon. I crouch and place my hands against the ground. It vibrates lightly in response to my sound. I jump, pushing the sound waves outward and rocketing up toward the dragon. Sound coils in my hands. "Wing slash of the sound dragon!" I yell, thrusting my hands outward and sweeping them to the side.

The dragon dodges, but I grab its wing just in time and heave myself upward. Leo is already on top of the dragon, fighting with everything he's got. In response to our presence, the dragon swoops low over the city, tucks in its wings, and flips over. We're both thrown off its back and its wings snap out again, allowing it to land softly. Lexi grabs me out of the air and sets me down carefully. "Raiden, this dragon should not be here. Something isn't right."

Kanaye, Kyoka, Flare, Akane and Midnight show up then, breathing hard. "It's not one of the ones Future Rogue brought," Akane yells. She grabs my arm and holds me back before I can attack again. "Let it explain why it's here. You of all people should know that not all dragons are evil."

I settle down a bit, but don't relax. She was right, but that didn't mean I shouldn't be on guard. "Leo!" I call. "Hold up for a minute."

The spirit looks back at me, a frown on his face, but he does so. "We can take it," he says, joining us.

"Maybe," I agree. "But let me talk to it first."

Leo rolls his eyes and I move toward the dragon, who waits patiently. It wasn't destroying anything. Attacking without asking questions wasn't the best method of doing things. Then again, the city had been destroyed by dragons last night. What did Akane expect?

"Who are you?" My voice sounds small and weak. I push the feeling of insignificance this dragon gives me away and meet its gaze. "Why are you here?"

"My name is Qethsegul," the dragon answers. His voice grinds like rocks, resounding deep inside me, causing me to shiver. This dragon was old and powerful. "I am here seeking my daughter, Strundu'ul."

I digest that, trying to make sense of the strange names the dragon used. He spoke our language well enough, but the names were strange, guttural sounds that I'd never heard before. A language I'd never heard. Normally I'm good at pronouncing words from other languages, but this I'm not sure I can reproduce. If I shorten them, I won't botch the pronunciation completely... I hope. This is the first time I've heard the name, so I doubt I've met the woman he refers to.

"I've never heard that name," I tell him. "Where are you from?"

"I come from Skyrim," Qeth replies. "Though this appears to be a much different realm."

"You were brought for the games, then?"

"I have no knowledge of a game. Only that my daughter is here somewhere."

"Father?" a woman yells. "You're freaking out the poor people here!" She rounded a corner and Qeth turned to look at her.

"Strundu'ul," he said fondly. "You are well?"

"I can take care of myself, Father. The people who live here cannot. You ought to consider them when you fly around so low. They do not know that you are not the enemy." The woman, whose name I've given up on pronouncing, hugs Qeth's leg, despite her scolding. "Who are you with?"

"These are wizards," Qeth tells her. "We met when they attacked me."

A sheepish smile spreads over my face. "Yeah... sorry about that. We kinda had a crisis with dragons last night, so I just assumed you were the enemy."

"You did not hurt me," he assures us. "We will leave you in peace- do not worry."

I shake my head. "I'm afraid that's not possible. If you're here, then the only way to get home is to survive the games that the Unseelie King has us playing."

"You may join us, if you wish," Flare offers.

Midnight's mouth drops and she shakes her head. "No way. A dragon won't fit through Kyoka's wardrobe, much less inside of KITT. We've already got too many people as it is!"

"Before you were happy to allow others to join us," he said, frowning. "Is this not the same?"

"He's dragon!" Midnight flung her hand out toward Qeth. "Yes this is different."

I bit my lip. Did a dragon need us anyway? Qeth could easily kill nearly everyone else who was competing in this games, win, and just go home. Our group was already big enough- wasn't adding a dragon to our team a bit too much?

On the other hand, he's a dragon. Maybe Flare was offering because having a dragon on your team isn't a bad thing. Strategically, it would make us much stronger and increase our chances of survival- or at least, our chances of having someone there to defeat enemies the rest of us can't beat.

"If you do not want me to join you, I will not impose," Qeth says. "But I will help you if you want."

"Me too," his daughter speaks up. "I'm going with Father."

Kanaye studies her. "How did a human end up with a dragon for a father?"

"I discovered her on my mountain during a storm and took her in," Qeth explains.

Lucy joins us then and Leo disappears back to the spirit realm. "Akane, don't you have friends waiting for clothes?"

"Oh, right. I forgot. Let's head back then," Akane says. "Tell Virgo not to go too crazy, okay?" She looks pointedly at Lucy's outfit, which isn't exactly the most... well... it looks extremely uncomfortable, to say the least.

"I'll warn her," Lucy promises. "But she might do it anyway, just to get punished."

***

Caleb wailed in Wren's arms, refusing to calm. She hugged his tiny body closer and rocked him slowly. Under her breath, she sung a lullaby she'd learned as a child.

"Lay down your head,

and I'll sing you a lullaby,

back to the years

of loo-li lie-lay.

And I'll sing you to sleep,

and I'll sing you tomorrow.

Bless you with love, for the road that you go."

Her voice seemed to calm him some, so she continues singing softly. Finally, he grew silent and fell asleep in her arms. She rubbed her thumb in gentle circles on his back and sat down on a broken wall. Caleb's face was so peaceful, despite the crisis they were in.

His little hand latched onto one of her fingers as he slept and he held on. He shouldn't be stuck with her. He was just a baby- her baby. Her child. She might be able to survive something like this- she'd been through worse- but Caleb was defenseless.

He smiled and stirred in her arms, his grip on her finger tightening, but he didn't wake. How can I protect him here, in a place I don't recognize? Why couldn't they have just taken me and left Caleb behind?

She'd seen dragons that night. The creatures had forced her into this alternate reality with Caleb and she'd seen dragons. As a child, dragons and phoenixes had been her thing. She loved them and had always wanted to meet one. Now she'd seen the destruction they were capable. They had forced her to run for her life again- something she hadn't done in years.

But it wasn't just life. Caleb's life was resting on her shoulders too. What would she do if she lost him? How could she live with herself? "I'm sorry, Caleb. You shouldn't be here," Wren whispered, kissing his forehead.

"Here- this is as good a place as any," a voice came from nearby.

Wren froze. She knew that voice. A memory flashed through her mind. A knife, sinking into her chest. The agony she'd felt and the blissful darkness that had enclosed her. Phantom pain flared up in her chest, where her scar was, and she gasped. What was Akram doing here?

He'll kill Caleb and then he'll kill me. She knew it was true- the man hated her now more than ever. He remembered just as much about the time travel as she did. She was the only reason he'd been imprisoned for twenty years instead ruling the world. If that didn't make Akram want revenge, then add to that the fact that she'd led a rebellion against him for nearly twenty years too.

She stood carefully to avoid waking Caleb and slipped behind the nearest intact wall to listen.

***

Akram leaned against a wall and watched Ethan and George. Ethan had remembered the other timeline- the real timeline- after going through the portal. His reluctance had vanished and he'd come willingly after that. He wanted revenge as much as Akram did.

"We need a plan," Akram told the other two. "Do you know your way around this place, George?"

The boy raised a brow and crossed his arms. His eyes burned with a sudden hatred- one Akram hadn't seen a trace of just moments before. Not a hatred for them, specifically, but a general hatred. One that seemed to be directed at the world at large.

"It's Apollyon."

Ethan frowned. "You said your name was George."

"George is weak," Apollyon spat. "He would have left you, had you stated your true intentions. He has no stomach for hurting people."

Akram considered that, then understood what was going on. "You have two personalities."

"Unfortunately," Apollyon confirmed.

"It's surprising you can walk," a voice said. Akram turned and found a grinning youth standing nearby.

"Why shouldn't I be able to?" Apollyon stalked forward and got in the boy's face.

He was undeterred. "Because," he explained, "a house divided against itself cannot stand."

Ethan suppressed a grin and Akram decided he liked this boy, who had cracked a joke under the gaze of a very angry Apollyon. Even if Akram were the joking type, he wouldn't have tried that. Anyone could see Apollyon was not one to be messed with. Already he looked like he wanted to tear this stranger apart.

"What's your name, boy?" Akram asked.

"Conrad. Conrad Gunner."

Conrad slipped away from Apollyon and held out a hand. Akram shook it. "I heard you three talking about revenge and decided I wanted in," Conrad explained.

"You don't even know who we're looking to take revenge on," Ethan pointed out. "Why would you care?"

"I don't know them, but I'd like to watch, if you don't mind me joining your little group."

Apollyon was still glaring at Conrad, but Akram ignored him. "You may join us," Akram said, before Apollyon could reject Conrad.

Conrad grinned and Apollyon glared at him. He didn't protest Akram's decision, though. Instead, he moved on. "I can find my way around the city. Who are you looking for?" he asked.

"A woman who goes by Wren," Ethan replied. "And a guy named Dylan."

"I know people who seem to collect the strays that have been brought into this game. Perhaps if we follow them, your targets will show up," Apollyon mused. "They won't let me back, though. George is rather bad at coming up with excuses for things, so we got kicked out."

Akram nodded. "Where do we find them, then?"

"Hush." Apollyon held up a hand for silence and looked toward a wall. "Someone is listening."

***

Dylan raced around a corner in the direction Akram's voice had come from. He slowed as he got nearer and noticed someone else nearby. A woman, pressed against a wall. She looked oddly familiar. Something about the way she stood and that short ponytail her hair was in... it reminded him of Amanda.

He approached her and touched her shoulder gently. She jumped and whirled, her eyes widening. Dylan knew those eyes. That face. "Wren?" he asked. No wonder she looked so much like Amanda- she was Amanda, just older. "Why are you here?"

Something stirred in her arms and the sharp wail of a child filled the air. Dylan looked toward where Akram was. They'd stopped talking. They heard. Wren's eyes flicked around the ruined house they were hiding in.

Dylan decided it was best to ask questions later. For now, they needed to get away fast. She ran with him, hugging her baby close and trying to hush him while they moved. The baby only cried louder. Wren looked back as she ran. Dylan followed her gaze and spotted Akram chasing them, followed by three others.

"Over here," Dylan said, grabbing her arm and yanking them down a nearby road where he'd seen people roaming. Thankfully, there was a crowd. They slowed and merged with the crowd, then split off into a hotel.

Once they were sure they'd lost Akram, they settled down a bit. Dylan turned to Wren, who was calming the infant. "What happened?" he asked. "Why are you here? Did you time-travel again and not tell me? And who is the baby?"

She looked him over. "I was brought here. A bunch of... creatures came into our... my house and forced me to come here. They made me bring Caleb too."

Dylan frowned. Our house? "Caleb is..." he trailed off, not sure how to ask. He wasn't even sure if he should know. Time travel could mess things up big time.

"He's our son," Wren told him, holding up her left hand. On one finger was a golden wedding band. "We got married."

A son. I have a son. I'm a father. The idea was so surreal- especially since this was coming from his future wife. He smiled as it occurred to him. He'd married her. Somewhere along the road in his future, he proposed and she said yes. "Can I hold him?" he asked, feeling oddly shy.

Wren nodded. "He's your son too, technically," she reminded him, handing Caleb over.

Dylan held Caleb carefully, afraid to hurt the tiny child. "He's perfect," Dylan breathed.

Holding Caleb made him feel strange, but it was a good strange. He couldn't have described the mix of happiness and anticipation that he felt in that moment. This was what he had to look forward to- a good life with the woman he loved and beautiful children.

Caleb stared up at Dylan with wide blue eyes and reached out, grasping Dylan's finger. "Is Caleb the only one?"

"No." Wren smiled as she spoke. "We have four others. Alyssa, Alex, Destiny, and Gavin."

Five kids. They would have five kids. There was a brief silence before Wren spoke. "We shouldn't stay here long. Akram will be looking for us."

She had a point. Reluctantly, Dylan gave Caleb back to her and checked out the windows. There was no sign of Akram or any of the people who had been with them. With luck, they wouldn't run into the man again. It was a big city, Dylan had discovered, and losing someone in a big city wasn't usually that hard, as long as you got out of their sight long enough to slip away.

"Excuse me," a guy's voice said. "You don't look like you belong here. You wouldn't happen to be from another realm, would you?"

***

Adrienne heard the sound of a crying child from the room she shared with some of the other woman in the group she'd joined. Curious, she'd gone down to see what was the matter. The child had ceased its fussing by now. No one else seemed to have noticed the noise.

She listened, hoping to hear something that might tell her where to look for the child. A woman's voice reached her ears, talking to someone else. Something about Caleb, marriage, and... children, maybe. Adrienne made her way through the room toward the people in question. Someone touched her elbow and she turned.

"You shouldn't wander on your own," a voice said. Gage, if she remembered correctly. "It might seem safe, but safety seems to be an illusion lately. You never know what might be out there."

"I was going to speak with the woman holding the baby," Adrienne explained. "I thought she might need help."

"They do look out of place. They're too normal for a place like this," Gage mused. "Alright, let's go see where they're from."

Adrienne smiled. At least she would find the right person. Anyway, Gage was right about wandering around alone. It was ten times for dangerous for someone who could not see than it would be for a normal person. She would have no way to defend herself if she got into a bad situation.

"Excuse me," Gage said from in front of her. "You don't look like you belong here. You wouldn't happen to be from another realm, would you?"

"Who are you?" a male voice asked. Adrienne imagined whoever was talking probably had a frown on his face. He sounded annoyed. Or maybe it was just distrust that laced his tone.

Gage had an oddly disarming personality, though. Adrienne had noticed it as he was introducing himself. Something about the way he spoke, with a positive note, made him feel trustworthy. Maybe he was- Adrienne hadn't decided yet. His personality worked in their favor, though.

"I'm Gage and this is Adrienne. We're in the same boat you guys are," he said.

"You were kidnapped and forced to bring your child into a war zone?" a woman- presumably the mother of the crying infant- deadpanned. "I doubt it."

"Well, the kidnapped part, anyway," Adrienne told her.

"We can help you. There's a whole group of us upstairs, if you wanna join us," Gage offered.

"How do we know we can trust you?" the male voice demanded.

"What do you think we're gonna do? Killing a baby and two innocent people isn't exactly on my bucket list. Anyway, if you stay here, you're just going to get into trouble," Gage pointed out. "You don't have to stay with us if you don't want to, but you should at least know why you're here."

"Alright," the female sighed. "I'm Wren. This is Dylan. Take us to your leader."

***

Midnight couldn't decide if adding more people to their group was good or bad. There were so many lives resting on her shoulders now. So many people she would be abandoning the second she got the chance. She couldn't help feeling bad about that, but at the same time... wouldn't the chaos of traveling with such a large group afford her some help when she made her escape?

I could bring them with me. She dismissed the thought. So many people leaving would be too obvious. This way, the Unseelie King and his friends might focus on someone other than her. But if I'm going to leave, I need to do it soon.

"We've got some newcomers," Gage announced from the door.

She looked up and spotted said newcomers. There was a woman with short brown hair in a ponytail and serious blue eyes. She wore a green t-shirt and black shorts. But, most notably, she was holding a baby. A baby.

First a six year old, now an infant? This angered Midnight. They were a large enough group- they did not need more helpless members holding the others back. Whoever the mother was, she was probably just as helpless as her baby. Confused too, no doubt. They didn't have time for this. But who else did these three have to turn too?

Gage already told them they could join us and the others won't back my objection. They're heroes. I doubt a single one of them knows how the world really works. The world would chew these people up and spit them out again, if they were lucky. If they weren't, they wouldn't make it out alive.

"Who are they?" Midnight asked, resigning herself to the fact that their team would be enlarged yet again.

"This is Wren, Dylan, and Caleb," Gage said, pointing to each person as he spoke their name. Introductions ensued and several minutes later, Wren and her companions were already engaging others in the group.

Midnight stood and walked out of the room. They could relax if they wished. She needed time alone. Time to think.

She ended up wandering on the streets and watching the crowds roam about. Despite the fact that dragons had attacked, the people were acting as though nothing had happened. Maybe they thought it was just part of the Grand Magic Games that Raiden had mentioned. Even so, she would have thought they'd be more worried about the ruined city.

Buildings were in shambles everywhere, debris littered the streets, and blood coated flagstones. And yet... and yet people ignored it. They just moved on. Midnight couldn't do that. She saw the destruction for what it was- the result of a clash between perceived evil and perceived good. But it wasn't all black and white- there were thousands of shades of gray in-between.

What was good, except what people said it was? From the villain's perspective, they were the hero, acting on behalf of the planet. Very rarely did someone act as a supposed villain and not believe that their actions were good. So how did you define something so intangible? Midnight didn't know.

She never knew, but she'd found long ago that worrying about it just got her into trouble. Instead she trusted her instincts, all of which were telling her to get Lily and run far, far away. She couldn't, though. Not yet. Soon.

***

Rodie was lost. Hopelessly so, in fact. It hadn't taken long. As beautiful as this city was, it all looked the same. She wasn't used to the winding streets, flower beds, and wandering crowds. After the dragons had swooped in and destroyed everything, she'd gotten even more lost.

Back at home this wouldn't have been a problem. She would know where to go or at least be able to come up with a plan to get where she needed to, even if she didn't know where to go. Of course, this wasn't home and no amount of wishing it was would solve that issue. Finally, she gave up on finding anything that might tell her where she was and decided to ask. I can ask someone where I am, figure out why I'm here, and then work out a way to get home. It was a sloppy plan, lacking detail and refinement, but it was the best she could come up with, considering how little information she had.

A woman with golden hair and a kind smile caught Rodie's eye. Maybe this woman will be able to help. "Hey," Rodie called, waving her hand and moving toward the woman.

The woman's gaze landed on Rodie, confusion plain on her face. "Me?" she asked.

"Yeah, you. Can you tell me where I am?" Rodie glanced around. "This place is hard to navigate."

"I'm afraid I'm just as lost as you are," the woman admitted. "I wouldn't be here if I hadn't been kidnapped and dragged through some sort of portal."

"Really?" Well that's a major coincidence. "That's exactly what happened to me! I'm Aphrodite, by the way, but everyone just calls me Rodie." She held out a hand to the woman, who shook it.

"Seraphina." Seraphina gestured to a building. "There's an inn over there. Maybe someone in there knows what's going on."

"Can't hurt to ask," Rodie agreed. "Let's see."

The innkeeper didn't have much information for them. All he could tell them was that they were in Crocus- the capital of Fiore. He gave them a map, which was helpful, but a map wouldn't tell them why they'd been kidnapped and brought to this specific place.

"Maybe there are others like us, but who know what's going on," Rodie mused. "I mean, you don't think we're the only ones, do you?"

"The only what?" someone spoke from behind them.

Rodie whirled, touching her wand- prepared to use it if she needed to. Thankfully, the person speaking seemed to relatively harmless. It was a short man- extremely short- with a staff, dirty clothing, and no shoes.

"Who are you?" Seraphina asked.

"My name is Sigismond," the dwarf told them. "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. You wouldn't happen to have been brought here from another realm, would you?"

Rodie considered the man and decided it wasn't worth lying. "Yeah. Do you know why we're here?"

Sigismond shook his head. "No, but is this place not amazing? What an opportunity we've been given."

"Yeah, what an opportunity," Rodie muttered. "Ripped away from our homes and trapped in a strange place all alone with no idea what is happening. You feeling the love?"

Seraphina gave her a look. "It's not that bad," she said. "I'm sure there's a way to get home."

"Maybe," Rodie agreed. "But we're not going to find it like this. Let's get a room here and try to figure something out." Of course, as soon as she said it, she realized none of them would have currency that they could use. None of them were from Fiore. "Or... maybe not." She sighed.

"Let's just explore the city more," Sigismond suggested. "There must be something that can help us."

"Alright." Rodie and Seraphina followed him out the door, where they ran right into some guy and his flying cat.

***

Aisu got a lot of odd looks as he wandered through the town. He supposed it shouldn't surprise him- he was a genie. Wherever he was, these people had obviously never seen one before. For that matter, he didn't think most people knew about genies, even in Agraba.

At least he could shape himself like a human, even if he did have green skin and golden cuffs on his hands. It wasn't like he could take the cuffs off and or change his skin color. He should figure out where he was, he decided.

Unfortunately, he couldn't just wish himself back home. If he could have, things wouldn't be so difficult. But he could as the young woman walking down the street. He approached her with his best smile. "Excuse me, but do you happen to know where it is that we are?"

The woman looked up and he noted the stormy expression on her face. When she saw him, however, her mouth dropped open. "Flying cats is one thing," she said. "But a guy with green skin?"

Aisu crossed his arms. "I find that offensive," he huffed. "It's not like I can change my skin color."

The woman sighed. "Well, to answer your question, we are in Fiore. And... what are you?"

"I am a genie," he told her. Apparently that fact wasn't as obvious as he'd thought it was.

Her annoyed expression disappeared and she cocked her head. "A genie, huh? You grant wishes."

"Only to those who hold my vessel," he said.

He forced himself to ignore the pendant hanging around his neck. It might give her a clue as to what his vessel was, which he got the feeling was a bad idea- especially with this woman. She had a feeling of desperation about her that he didn't like. It made people unpredictable and volatile. He didn't want someone like that to be his master. Well, he didn't want anyone to be his master. He's just found some semblance of freedom and did not want to lose it.

Thankfully, the woman didn't ask further questions. Instead, she smiled at him and pointed back down the road. "I have a team of people like you. We can explain everything to you, if you'd like to join us."

Aisu considered that. A team of people? How trustworthy could this stranger really be? But if she can explain what is going on, then I should at least allow her to do that much. She doesn't yet know what my vessel is, so how can she take it from me? Then again, maybe he shouldn't have told her he was a genie. He should have just said he was born with a skin disease or something. Too late now.

"Alright, I'll hear your explanation. Whether or not I stay is another matter."

***

Naoki found Michi mingling with the others. A young woman sat next to him- someone Naoki did not recognize. The woman was tall and slender, with clothes that appeared to be constructed from dark purple leaves. Her blonde hair hung in a braid over her shoulder, blue flowers woven into it, and the woman looked around the room with wide, golden eyes. Her feet were bare, but she didn't seem to care or notice. He decided to ask about her later.

"Michi-kun," Naoki called. "Did you find Masaki-kun?"

Michi shook his head. "If he were here, I would have found him. I don't think they brought him with us."

There was a distinct note of disappointment in his tone as he said this. Michi and his brother were extremely close. No doubt Masaki was just as worried about Michi as Michi was about him. Still, Naoki had hoped that there would be another familiar face.

"Maybe we should be glad they didn't," Naoki answered. "Whatever this is, it's better he isn't involved."

Michi nodded, then grinned, gesturing to the woman next to him. "This is Infinity-san," he said. "She's a fairy."

"A... what?" Naoki frowned.

"A fairy. She can shrink too!"

Infinity smiled and her body began to glow faintly. There was a small puff of light and suddenly she was tiny. She still looked the same, except for the silver wings, rimmed with gold, that fluttered behind her, keeping her aloft. She bounced up and down energetically in the air, her feet pointed almost like a dancer's toward the ground.

"This place is so amazing!" she said. "I love the people."

Naoki wasn't sure how to react to this. He'd seen dragons and that had taken some time to sink in. Then he got used to the fact that there was magic in this world. This outgoing, shrinking fairy was something different, though. Maybe not bad, but certainly not normal.

"I'm going to check on Khen-san," Naoki decided.

"You sure? She seemed afraid of you," Gage pointed out.

"Yeah. I want to know why."

He wouldn't ask yet, though. If she didn't trust him to come near her, she had no reason to tell him why. For some inexplicable reason, he wanted to earn her trust- to protect her. It had been years since he felt that deep urge to protect someone. For that matter, it had been years since he'd wanted to protect someone. To be responsible for another person's life. He didn't like the burden it put on him- especially when he failed.

Just offer her a meal. She clearly needs it. He knocked gently on her door. Several moments later, she cracked it slightly. "Yes, Master Naoki?"

Maji ka yo, she's worse than Ryo and the others. It was weird, being addressed as master. He'd never gotten used to it back when he was leading the Hojo clan and he doubted he would now. "It's just Naoki," he reminded her with a smile.

She nodded and bit her lip. "What do you need?"

"I came to offer you a meal," he said. "They serve food downstairs and you look like you could use it."

"But I..." she hesitated. "I don't eat until after everyone else has finished dinner."

Naoki raised a brow. "It's morning, Khen-san. You'll be waiting quite a while."

"I'm used to it," she said, going to close the door.

"Wait, you mean you only eat one meal a day?" Had she been forced to skip meals where she came from? Just how terrible had her situation been?

"I'm fine, Master Naoki."

He didn't believe her. You can't live on one meal a day- not healthily, anyway. No wonder she was so thin and pale. "Come on," he said. "I'd like breakfast and some company would be nice."

She bit her lip, but opened the door completely. Naoki paused. This wasn't the dirt covered woman in ripped clothing that he remembered. A simple bath and change of clothes had worked wonders for her.

Her black hair was still wet. She'd wrapped it in an elegant bun on top of her head and secured it with simple hair pins. The dress she wore was black, with little jewels sewn in flowery patterns along the hem. It almost covered her feet, on which she wore slippers that matched the dress. Around her waist was a white belt that sparkled in the light. He'd noticed her beauty before, but this was breathtaking. Akane's friend Lucy had worked a miracle.

"You look beautiful," Naoki told her.

She stared down at her dress and fingered the fabric. "I should change back," she whispered.

"Your other clothes don't suit you nearly as well, Khen-san." He stepped out of the doorway to allow her to walk past. "Will you come for breakfast? Please?"

Finally, she nodded. "Alright."

***

Breakfast was awkward, at best. Naoki had invited Akane, since he didn't want Khen to feel trapped alone with him. They sat around a table, eating in silence. Khen poked at her food as if she was afraid it would be snatched from her if she tried to eat it.

Akane shifted uncomfortably in her chair. The silence was eating at her. Someone had to say something. "Aren't you going to eat?" she asked Khen.

Khen nodded silently, finally taking a bite of the waffles they'd been served. For a brief moment, her eyes lit up and a smile flitted across her face. After that first bite, there was no stopping her from eating the rest. She devoured it in just a few minutes.

"You can have more," Naoki offered. "If you want."

Khen glanced at him, that at Akane, a bit of hope lighting up in her eyes. The spark died, though, and she shook her head, setting down her fork. "No thank you, Master Naoki," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Where do you come from, Khen?" Akane asked, trying to break the tension some. She should have realized it wouldn't work.

"Mongolia," Khen said. She didn't say anything more.

"Aren't you Chinese?" Naoki asked, frowning.

Khen wound a cloth napkin around her finger. "I don't know." She bit her lip. "May I go back upstairs?"

"Of course. You don't have to ask, Khen-san," Naoki told her.

She disappeared before he could say anything more. Akane stared after Khen, worried. "She's terrified of us, yet she insists on staying. I don't understand it."

Naoki poked at the remainder of his breakfast. "I don't either," he replied. "But I'm going to figure it out."

***

Kiernan had expected to be killed. He had not expected to be shoved through a portal with Kazumi and left on a strange planet with dragons. At least he was alive, wherever he was, and he was used to adapting to new situations. Life of a slave and all that.

He held his arms out and Kazumi leaped into them. Then he set off through the ruined city to see what he could make of the place. He started with the more populated areas, to get a feel for the people around the place- maybe figure out where it was and find a way back to Sul-Juuk.

It occurred to him that he was outside the games now. He could go back for Sul-Juuk and Kim-Ny. I can get them out. The two of them meant more to him than he'd realized and he had the chance to save them, if he could find them.

He saw humans everywhere- only humans. All of the planets he'd seen had at least a few other races wandering around. The fact that he wasn't human drew a lot of stares and he began to feel very out-of-place with his red skin and horns. His presence was drawing too much unwanted attention. At least, until the next spectacle stepped out of an alleyway.

A green man- Mirialan, perhaps- walked into the square next to a woman sporting short blue hair. Kiernan considered the man, then dismissed his first assessment. There was something distinctly human about this man with green skin, though he had an air of power about him that humans rarely possessed.

Jedi wield power like this, he thought. Well, he assumed they did. He hadn't gotten close to many and he was usually too preoccupied to notice if they felt powerful or not. But even if the man was a Jedi, that didn't explain his odd skin coloring. Kiernan decided to approach the pair. After all- what was the worst that could happen?

***

Garret watched the crowd from his perch on the rooftop. He liked this place. It was full of magic and possibilities. There were people here that felt the same thrill in battle that he did. Of course, there were heroes too- he could pick them out from the crowd even now, walking about with their happy smiles and helping others with trivial things- but having heroes around wasn't a bad thing. They kept people like him from going too far.

He scanned the crowd for the right target- for someone didn't fit in. Those who did not belong would be more likely to understand the situation that he was in and, if he was persuasive enough, might explain it to him.

There. A small group of people wove through the crowd together. A red-head, a blond, and two with brown hair. They walked with purpose, watching the crowd like vultures. When Garret got a look at the blond's face, he knew he'd chosen the right group. The boy's face held both anger and hatred, but it was carefully contained behind an expression of normality.

Garret swung down from the building, landing in a crouch behind a wall. Then he walked out into the busy streets to introduce himself.

***

Trevor had confirmed, finally, that he wasn't dreaming. A very real, very painful slice in his arm had answered that question. Of course, that didn't answer all of the other questions he had. Like where the heck had those strange creatures stranded him?

He'd been so close to figuring out the case. All the clues were there, but now he couldn't finish it. His parents would be worried sick too, as he thought about it. He never disappeared like this without telling them. A groan climbed its way up his throat, but he didn't let the sound escape. Things were never as bad as they first seemed.

So let's figure out the bright side to things. He wandered down streets and past crowds of people for what felt like hours. Destroyed homes, shops, and restaurants were everywhere, but no one seemed to mind. They laughed, cried, talked, and went about life as if dragons hadn't shown up and blown apart half the city the night before. Trevor didn't understand it. Were these people used to this kind of thing?

Last night, I saw dragons, and I saw people fighting them off with magic. I think it's safe to say that normal isn't exactly... well... normal, here. At least if he was in a world full of magic, he should be able to find some way to get home.

He realized that he didn't know why he'd been kidnapped. No one kidnapped without some sort of reason. Whoever and whatever had taken him must have had a reason for bringing him to this particular place. Unfortunately, they hadn't been kind enough to drop him off with any sort of explanation, which left him to figure everything out on his own.

Something caught his eye in the crowd. Blue hair that started out sky blue and gradually darkened. The girl turned and he got a glimpse of her face. He knew that face. It had been years, but it hadn't been so long that he'd forgotten the face of the woman he loved. Had that been why he was brought here? Did whoever took him know he still wanted to find her?

It doesn't matter. He didn't care if that was why or not. His decision made, he began pushing through the crowd. Today, finally, he would get answers to questions he'd been asking for years. The thought almost made the fact that he'd been dragged to this place against his will seem okay.