The first thing Mareike noticed was the impossible amount of creatures moving around them. The animals had long beaks, and bead-like eyes perched at the top of their heads but the similarities to regular birds stopped there.

These ones had three wing pairs, two on each side of their body and the last pair at their backs, she guessed, to propel them forward. Their beaks were attached to furry faces, and limbs currently being used to drag their vehicle down towards ground level.

Priya raised an arm in question. "Are these...things supposed to be dragging us down?"

"Oh, yes, don't worry. We wouldn't be able to land otherwise. Ace's vehicle can't handle the momentum needed," Tihan explained, still grinning widely.

Mareike looked on, a hand clutching her chest as the animals–she counted eight–moved them downward till the vehicle hit the earth with a soft thud, and continued going down automatically. All around them now was black soil and earth, lit dimly by a light too far to know its source. The strange animals had vanished, leaving just the seven of them again.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she turned wildly to Ace and Tihan. "What is happening? Where are you taking us?"

"Relax, everyone. We can't land on top or else Jeshan officials will spot us. I...we can't take that risk, so the vehicle will land underground instead." He clasped his hands together and turned to Mareike, "You're safe."

"Okay...okay." She muttered under her breath, and grabbed a bottle of water emptying the content almost immediately.

"And we're here," Tihan said once the vehicle stopped finally. He pushed a button and the door slid open, revealing a narrow and empty hallway.

"Come on, let's go." Ace urged, moving forward to stop beside his friend. "The sooner we go, the sooner you can get your answers. And see Meissa."

Eryk stepped forward and when he beckoned to the rest of them, Mareike suddenly felt a wave of familiarity at the action. He had led them into the house that first day–nearly three weeks ago–and once again, here he was, urging them to follow.

For a second, she felt wary of his presence but the others nodded, and started to move while Priya linked their arms to push her forward. There was no other choice.

Immediately they stepped out of the vehicle, it made a loud noise–like a breathy gasp–and closed behind them. The lights that had given Mareike solace and comfort during the first hours of the trip blinked once and tripped off, curtains draping along the exterior of the vehicle.

"Crystal House has shut down. It's fulfilled its purpose, anyway." Tihan commented, breaking the heavy silence.

Ace gave a sigh and continued walking, picking up a dim lamp from the entrance of the hall. "Yes. Now let's go."

They went on in the soft darkness, soon entering a single file as the hallway became more narrow. She heard a soft flick ahead of her and the hall burst into blue light, snuffing out the power of Ace's lamp. Now that she could see more clearly, she relaxed her shoulders and breathed out fixing her eyes on the walls.

There were drawings and carvings of humans like her (somehow she thought Crisiants would be different, with pointy ears or beaked noses and green skin), animals with odd shapes and odder names and inscriptions that looked like prophecies about elemental abilities. She traced her finger along the ending lines of a clear writing. 'Twins unite as one again, but they may lose the very one they used to call friend.' She shuddered and looked away, still feeling a tingle in her spine.

Behind her, Chiara noisily dragged her feet and muttered inaudibly. Mareike sighed and nudged Priya who glanced at the third girl and shrugged a shoulder, batting her eyelashes twice. Her sign for 'Try talking to her.'

Mareike stopped short, and felt her friend absently bump into her. She turned slightly in the small space, and steadied her. "Chiara, are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," she replied, removing the hand as she stood spine straight. "Why did you stop? Are we there yet?" She asked, raising herself on her toes to peer over Mareike's shoulder at the disappearing figures. Just then, Mareike noticed how much taller she was than any of her friends, and suddenly she had this burst of courage.

"I stopped to talk to you. What is happening to you? You talk to yourself, and get annoyed at every little thing. You are pushing us away, and we cannot keep quiet any longer." She paused and took in a breath as she started to move again, grabbing Chiara's hand as they turned a bend.

"Is it PMS?" She asked quietly, afraid to lose her bravado.

Chiara's eyes widened and she broke into a short laugh, shaking her head furiously.

"Oh, I wish it was that," she responded flatly and snifled, wiping her nose with her free hand.

"It may sound stupid, but I–woah! What's that?" Chiara switched mid-sentence as she pointed forward.

Mareike glanced at it and nearly screamed as well, twisting her face into a grimace instead–in pity for the tight grip her hand was held in. She wriggled her hands free and twisted it absently, staring in awe at the scene in front of them.

They had reached the end of the hallway, and it opened up into a large spiral staircase leading upward. At its head on each side, two bronze like figurines resembling the animals they saw earlier sat proudly on top white columns surrounded by a circle of bright flowers similar to the ones Mareike saw on the mountains. The stairs were polished clean, each one decorated with embedded crystals and stones that gave it a luscious shine. The railings were intricately designed with silver embellishments shaped like stars, each one connected by long spiral curls.

A soft glow from the top stairs bathed them, mixing with the blue light shining in the hallway and Ace urged them forward moving ahead while Tihan followed behind.

"I hope these stones aren't booby traps," Femi said, ironically squatting to touch one with a hand. Ace shook his head and continued moving, and everyone followed suit while the conversation between the girls was forgotten.

Twenty and one tiresome steps later (Mareike counted it), they got to the top of the stairs with her audibly panting for breath as she gulped down another bottle of water. She shoved the empty bottle back into her satchel, making space for it beside the other water bottles and making a mental note to dispose it later.

An ordinary looking brass door enveloped by an arch of white roses stood few feet away from the stair top, separated by two rows of three thick and white columns connected to the low glass ceilings on each side. Ace strode over to the door and opened it casually, revealing a street filled with people walking up and down, doing their business.

"How did you...what's happe...can they see us? This is amazing!" Femi shrilled, the shock in his voice giving way to child-like excitement as he rushed forward entering into the busy scene. Mareike watched in amazement, and fear as his clothes changed from a blue plaid shirt and matching shorts to a black shade jumpsuit with numerous pockets and white dots scattered across the chest area. It made him look like a painter who enjoyed dabbling in his own art, literally.

"Why did his clothes change?" Eryk asked flatly, folding an arm as he stared at Ace and Tihan, unimpressed.

"It comes from entering our unique world, and...I may have slipped a pill into your food. But, but hold on," Ace said, immediately raising a hand in defense as Eryk walked towards him–anger evident on his face.

"It'll help us, well you guys really, blend in. I don't want our people to know that the mission was successful. Not until we meet the Royals and Ravka. So before you kill me, which I suspect you want to, let's continue on." Ace finished, nodding towards the open door and a waiting Femi.

Not surprisingly, Mareike found herself, Chiara and Priya turning to Eryk for a decision. Whether he knew it or not, the girls and Femi only went along because he agreed to do so and a part of her still felt obligated to continue waiting on him. The calm and level-headed unappointed leader.

"Alright, but no funny business." He glared pointedly at the guys then nudged her and muttered, "Not like there's much of a choice, but we've got to scare them still."

Mareike nodded, once again feeling the swift and probably permanent change in some of the housemates. Like being in a foreign environment had made Chiara quiet, Ace witty, Eryk friendlier and well...herself confident.

"Maybe it is because you are home," A voice said softly, and she walked past the door and into the street, beaming widely. Her outfit changed from a slacking joggers and plain top to a blue form fitting top and matching A-line skirt, also smeared with white dots.

"Your clothes change to match your personality, and abilities too. Or lack of." Tihan pointed out, focusing his eyes on Priya. Her clothes had not changed much, her gown only turning a slight shade of brown.

"It doesn't matter." Chiara instantly responded, placing two hands on her hip as she stared down Tihan.

"It's alright. People are staring, and I–we don't want that." Ace said, and continued forward.

Mareike could not stop herself from twirling round in the market as they went on. She slowly padded through the rows of stalls lined up at every corner, selling all sorts–clothes, vehicle parts, jewelry, cosmetics, animals, books, scented liquids–eagerly displaying their wares for passersby. It looked so similar and yet so different from a normal day in Germany.

She heard shouts and looked into a small corner, where a small fountain stood at the centre rapidly gushing out water from the brass lion head poised at the top. Some men stood at the sides, catching the fishes that rushed out with their bare hands while shouts rang from the crowd of on-lookers that surrounded them.

She caught herself staring and turned to join up with the others, when an old lady grabbed her hand and thrust something into it. She started to scream, but stopped when the woman drew her scarf farther down her head and whispered, "A Jeshan blood lives amongst you. Take heed traveller, for a broken heart shall usher forth the cold."

The woman released her arm and walked away, just as Priya called to urge her on. She glanced at the paper in her hand and released a shaky breath, giving her friend a terse smile as she moved forward and continued looking around.

On the other side, rows of identical houses were lined up and few people walked outside them, taking in the scene before them or going about their business.

She would have crossed, but a wide triple-laned road separated where they stood from the other side and vehicles wheezed by so fast she could barely keep up. When one suddenly stopped beside them, she retreated back and clutched an arm nearest to her. Unfortunately, it was Tihan's and he gave her an odd look before wrangling his arm out and turning to the driver, a grin on his face.

"Hey Gusso! It's been a while. How have you been?"

"Peachy. Let's go, she's waiting," The guy hurriedly said, ushering them into the vehicle impatiently.

Within seconds, they got to a small quaint house where an old lady was waiting by the door. She waved an arm in greeting as they moved down and pinched Ace's cheeks, drawing him to her side as she looked at the rest of them.

"Oh! How long I've waited to see the children. Welcome home, my Diamonds."

*****

Word count: 2,015 words

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WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON MEISSA? DOES IT SEEM MAGICAL? LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENT SECTION.