It was both a blessing a curse. It was the link between two dimensions, two levels of power. It was a way to remind that power had a cost. The item itself was harmless, to anyone who wasn't one of them.

Stars and Earth. A unique balance between dark and light. There were two items, special items, one from each dimension. The blessings, and the curses. There were always two, two would keep the balance. Until something happened, something that set it askew.

The knowledge of such an imbalance was kept a secret, and so a secret it remained. The secret grew with the one keeping it, but he never told. No one knew about it but him, and so the curse began. It started with the secret keeper, corrupting him slowly. Once it had him fully grasped, it spread like an infectious disease.

However, the blessing of it kept it in check, making sure that the curse could not take the unwilling. So it went back to the imbalance, and made a deal. The twisted imbalance convinced others, and so the curse spread slowly, until it had enough.

Now it turns on the one created for balance, trying to stop the balancing again. The curse craved the imbalance and the darkness. It fed off of lies and deceit. It found the ray of sunlight in the darkness and sought to destroy it.

It started with the manipulation, peer pressure, and internal doubting. The boy started hating his differences, and so the curse gloated. Its plan was in motion. It weaved its webs of poison into the wings, starting the process. The process that would put it in control again.

When it came back, it found that it was thwarted by the mentor. Unknowingly, the Star power had saved the young boys' life. The curse could not poison him without the wings.

So it waited, and howled in impatience. It wanted its control, but it could do nothing about it. The imbalance kept recruiting, until the curse had well enough. But the curse could feel that the imbalance wanted free. It hated this destruction.

While the curse was waiting, it battled for control of the imbalances mind. Winning, the curse realized that the blessing had given its next effort to re-balance. The boy, now a man, had his wings back, with no mentor in sight.

The poison laughed as it threaded its way into the brittle wings, and started to suck the life out of its prey. The prey was not ordinary, and fought back with such valor and strength that it defeated death itself. The prey had used death to defeat the curse, and bring a new dawn to the dying light.

Now it was the curse and the imbalance, fighting against the balance, trying to tip the scale forever....

-/-

It really couldn't get much better than this. After all these years, Ollie had forgotten what it was like to be crushed by a group hug. There was something therapeutic about the warmth from other human beings wrapping around you.

"Don't ever scare me like that again," Chris whispered quietly, his eyes shut tightly. When they all released from the hug, Nathan looking slightly out of place, Nick actually laughed. It was the kind of laugh after someone goes through a really stressful time and just realized that they got through it.

Surprisingly, everyone joined, even as they all locked hands with Nick and got teleported back to the hidden forest. That was where Grace found them, her wolf ears twisted and she tilted her head in confusion.

"Human males are so confusing," Grace grinned a little as she saw a laughing mound of morphs on the ground. "I suppose you aren't going to tell me who the new one is?"

Everyone continued laughing, although they acknowledged Grace through gulps of air. Nathan gained his composure before the rest and shifted to his fox self. Trotting over to Grace, he greeted her.

"Name's Nathan," As he dipped his head, Grace noticed a silver tuft of fur on the top of his head, that contrasted slightly with the cream color of his coat. It looked like Nathan was an Arctic Fox.

"I'm Grace," She blinked. "I take it you like silver?"

"It's a cool color," Nathan admitted, having to look upwards to meet Grace's ice blue eyes. Artic wolves were significantly taller than foxes. "I see that you have some in your pelt as well. Guess we are both Arctic."

"It seems to be a theme."

Nathan jumped a little to find a giant reindeer next to him. Nick looked at him suspiciously before settling down next to Grace. He chose to tuck his legs underneath him, as to be eye level with his friends.

"Oh Nick," Grace sighed, her ears tilted slightly back in a teasing manner. "He's only being friendly."

Nathan could have sworn he heard Nick say something about crafty foxes. Instead he cleared his throat awkwardly, and chose to avoid this conversation. He was after all, just being friendly. "Are you two-" Nathan was cut off by a call from Chris, but the look he saw exchanged between Nick and Grace answered his question.

"We are heading back to the cabin, Nathan can you come here? Stay as a fox if you can." Chris beckoned Nathan over. Nick and Grace both took off down the trail, knowing the fliers would beat them there.

"Yes Flyyn?" Nathan had to really cran his neck in fox form to even hope to see his mentor's face.

"It's Chris if you don't mind," Chris smiled. "I hope you don't mind, but you're going to need a ride to the cabin. I promise Ollie is a fast flyer."

Awe in his eyes, Nathan looked up at the person who laid down his life to save a total stranger. "I don't mind at all." Hopping up, Nathan curled in Ollie's arms and prepared to be flown. It would be his first time flying, and he hoped it would be exhilarating.

"This reminds me of my cat," Ollie launched himself off the ground, cradling his quarry carefully as Chris morphed into a proud eagle.

"I mean," Nathan let out his tongue unintentionally in the strong wind. "We are related to dogs, but act like cats." The way Ollie was holding in him gave him confidence that the man with the golden wings was well versed in carrying small animals.

As Nathan relaxed into the warm sweater Ollie was wearing, he took a look at the view. Trees sped past him at a dizzying rate, but if he simply looked up at the sky, he lost all frames of reference. The cold wind made little impact of his thick pelt, simply lifting up the soft fur that covered his body. No wonder the flyers spent so much time in the air, flying was amazing.

"It is nice, isn't it?" Ollie swooped low to the tips of the trees, then high above the clouds, as if reading Nathan's mind. Chris followed suit, letting out an eagle cry as they hovered near the cabin. Ollie nodded to Chris, before gripping Nathan a little tighter and nose diving towards the ground. Both eagle and hybrid pulled up at the last second, Chris pulling upwards a little and shifting back to his human self.

"I need to tell the others something," Chris told Ollie guiding him inside after he let Nathan go. Promptly turning back to human, Nathan followed Chris and Ollie. After a few minutes, everyone gathered in the living, and Hope started explaining The Sanctuary to their newest recruit.

Chris gathered everyone's attention, and Hope listened, her eyes studiously on a thick leather, a strong thread weaving pieces together.

"I've got some good news and bad news." Chris started, standing tall in the center of the room. "I'll start with the good, because it's honestly some of the best I've heard. Ollie has conquered the poison by saving our newest recruit, Nathan, a friendly fox." Clapping and cheering greeted that, Scar yelling out proudly, "You go man!"

Bringing order again amongst the celebrating, Chris heaved a big sigh, and started the tale. "There is something I've been meaning to tell you guys, but in the light of recent times, it has become prudent. You see this place as a sanctuary, a place of friends so close that we are basically a family. You have come here for different reasons, but the biggest one is that humans don't accept us as normal.

"My brother has been gathering an army, and my recent encounter with my brother has proven he has developed weapons." Chris gingerly traced a long scar on his arm, avoiding the scratches and bruises. "The weapon is designed to kill.

"I have no doubt that they will come to us soon, and now is the time to prepare. Those who wish to leave, may leave now."

No one got out of their seats, instead Scar speaking from the oposite side of the room. "We're here for you and each other, Chris. We aren't leaving." Agreement followed the statement, Chris smiling weakly.

"Then it is time I show you my other form. Much like Ollie, I have two morphs, but one is a legendary morph. Having the wings all the time is normal."

Ollie nodded and got up, joining Chris in the center of the room. He held up his golden transparent wings to the light of the setting sun, casting a pattern onto the woven rug. Slowly, Chris raised his own arms, closing his eyes. Following suit, Ollie realized that he should close his eyes as well. Unbeknownst to the others, Ollie's glowed gold once more, and Chris' a brilliant shade of purple.

A golden light and purple light shot up from the floor, intertwining with each other, before hovering behind Chris' and Ollie's backs. The purple one created shimmering wings for Chris, making the feathers look like a swirling galaxy, complete with white dots for stars. The rich blues and the dark purples blended seamlessly together as the purple light finished illuminating the wings.

After the light had done it's job, it reunited with its brother, filling the whole room with the strange purple and gold light. Dispersing, the lights left a tiny bit of shimmer on both wings, and a whole lot of open mouths.

"Oh wow." Phoebe gasped as she saw Chris in his true form. Simply smiling at her, Chris tucked the feathered wings against his back and continued speaking.

"I feel like I owe you all some explanation. While it is natural for Ollie and I to have wings in our human form, it is unnatural for others. It isn't impossible, and I would like to help you combine your morphs, but it is risky. You should not stay in it to long, as it can do damage."

That was a huge announcement to say the least, and that wasn't even the most jaw dropping part of it.

"We are going to be training harder in Pvp, and I want people to take lessons from Ollie and I on transforming."

Ollie's jaw dropped open as he tried to form words. Chris was dead serious though, and he finished the announcement. "I suggest that in a little bit you get some rest. Scar, do you have a bunk bed?"

"I do," Scar nodded, instantly knowing what Chris was asking. "I would be happy to have Nathan as my roommate . I hear you're a fox?" Scar asked Nathan, the latter nodding. "Awesome, team bob-fox for the win!"

Laughing, everyone gathered in the kitchen to grab food, and all dispersed into their respective rooms. Ryan, Ollie, and Nick sat on the rug covering the wooden floor of their room, munching and making small talk.

"Hey Nick?" Ollie set his finished plate down on the floor.

"Hmm?" Nick said through a mouthful of lettuce.

"How would you like to join Dream Design?" Ollie rested his head against the bottom bunk bed, his wings trailing lazily on the floor. Nick raised his eyebrows and swallowed his food.

"Dream Design? I'm only joining if you change the name." Nick smiled as he finished his food. Ollie pushed his glasses up his nose, pretending to consider the offer. In fact, he was just acting, Ryan had already talked about changing the name.

"And what would you suggest?" Ollie folded his arms and stretched his body, letting his legs cross.

"Well, I think Starscape sounds good." Nick mirrored Ollie, making Ryan heave a sigh.

"Brilliant name, but could you guys move? You guys can fit just fine, but I can't!" Glancing at his own long legs Ryan eyed Nick and Ollie with their short ones. Both Nick and Ollie burst out laughing and let Ryan finally stretch his legs.

"You're in," Ollie shook Nick's hand.

"So what does it do?" Nick gathered up everyone's plates and put them in the trash.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing as of yet."

"You're impossible, you know that right?" Nick pulled off his shirt and interchanged it for his traditional hoodie.

"That's how I like it," Ollie gave a sly grin and vaulted himself up the ladder. Ryan sometimes questioned Ollie's sanity, the way how he could be as agile as an angel sometimes, and other times manage to fall off a ladder when he was less than a foot off of the floor.

Promptly coming down, Ollie slung a shirt over his shoulder and latched a necklace onto his neck.

"What's that?" Ryan asked, looking at the small, strange purple crystals intermixed with birch wood.

"Oh this?" Ollie glanced at the necklace. "It's to help with the nightmares."

"Aren't the gloves enough?" Nick glanced at his own, like he would all of the sudden get a nightmare while he was awake, although at that point it would be a daymare. Ryan too glanced at his gloves, well wraps, and thought of how peaceful his dreams were.

"Never have been," Ollie shrugged. "Chris gave this to me." With that, Ollie halted the conversation by going into the bathroom and shutting the door. After a few minutes they heard the whoosh of a shower being started, which was quite relaxing if heard through a door.

"So what happened over there?" Ryan put on his pajamas and sat down on his bed, waiting for Nick's reply. Sitting down on the bed, Nick tinkered with a small contraption.

"Chris was fighting his brother, we found Nathan, found out that Chris has been secretly mentoring people, including Ollie. He went under the name Flyyn, so don't be surprised if you hear Nathan or Ollie call him that." Nick sighed and put the contraption down, looking Ryan straight in the eyes. "Evil has some sort of death weapon. He shot it at Nathan, but Ollie leapt in front of it."

"Hold on a second," Ryan pressed his fingers to his temples, trying to get a grasp on things. "Are you saying Ollie died?"

When Nick nodded, Ryan let out an incredulous laugh. Nick didn't blame the mustached man, it was pretty hard to believe. "I saw his chest still with my own eyes. Well my normal one saw it." Nick tapped his mechanical one. "This one saw something crazy happen. His life force faded, but when the golden light came, it all of the sudden blinded my mechanical eye. Almost as if his life force had doubled."

"Doubled?" Ryan wasn't done asking questions yet, and they still had time, the shower was still going. "Did the same thing happen just a few hours ago, with the crazy Chris and Ollie light show?"

Nick laughed a little at Ryan's terminology. "Light show," He chuckled. "Yeah, a little bit. Saw it with Chris too."

"Huh," Ryan grabbed a Star Dust contraption of his own and twisted the tiny parts around. "Something tells me that us engineers are going to have to get good at making weapons. Swords and bows aren't going to cut it with weapons like Evil has."

"Very true..." Nick trailed off, staring at his hands with a little bit of sorrow. Both of them stayed like that for a while, tinkering with their harmless contraptions, not really wanting to make weapons. So much time had passed that Ollie had finished his shower, and popped out with all his floppy golden brown hair glued to his head. Sensing the mood, Ollie silently climbed into bed and turned off his light. A few minutes later the other lights were turned off, no one saying a word. It was clear they had all been shaken by the day's events.

-/-

"Oh Ollie!" A voice cackled from the shadows. "You thought you could escape me? Think again!" The horrible laughter came from different directions and different volumes, echoing on invisible walls. Ollie twisted around, trying to get a frame of reference. Suspended in air, neither falling nor moving upwards, Ollie wondered if he was in space.

"Who are you?" He demanded of the light-deprived area.

"Your greatest enemy, your strongest fear," It sang out. "Your worst nightmares, the darkness that overtook you. See you got in my way. I was almost there!" It hissed, and Ollie could have sworn he felt hot breath in his ear. Cold sweat broke out on him body and he involuntarily drew him limbs ever so slightly closer to him. "Why must there always be a ruin to my plans!" It wailed out.

"Maybe because you're evil?" Ollie growled at it, trying to be stronger than he felt.

"Or maybe," Ollie saw a flash of glowing red eyes, single red points the the darkness. "Maybe," The voice got closer until Ollie could see the disembodied eyes right in front of him. "Maybe I was cursed. I have to inhabit a pathetic human body to do my wishes. Do you know how that feels?"

Shaking, Ollie chose not to answer.

"I'm the curse, the poison, I'm all levels of power, and yet I'm stuck." The voice hit a note the made all Ollie's hairs stand on end. "I'm stuck on you. And that's ending." It whirled around, revealing a dark claw headed right for Ollie. Pulling up an arm, Ollie prepared for pain to shoot through his body. Instead his eyes shot open from when he had closed them, finding himself clutching his clammy bedsheets once again.

His fellow flatmates were sound asleep, Nick snoring quite loudly. Sighing, Ollie got out of bed once more, this time to grab a water from the kitchen. He was interrupted by the light on at the end of the hall, with Chris in his customary place. Using no words, Ollie sat down again by Chris' side.

"He's coming." Chris locked his hands together and glanced over at Ollie . "The darkness has gotten significantly stronger, and now it starts to break through."

"How soon?"

"I still don't know, but sooner than we need. I know why you're up." Ollie gave him a look of kindness, even as dark circles marred his face. "I can't help you with the nightmares now. They'll only get worse as my brother gets stronger." Chris pulled his helmet off the floor and grabbed a small piece of paper from it. "I get them too, you know." Handing the paper to Ollie, Chris gave him a warning. "Only open it and read it when the time is right."

"How will I know that?" Ollie protested, internally wondering why everything had to be so cryptic.

"You'll know." Chris closed Ollie's fingers around the paper. "It may just save your life."

-/-

Peace was never an option. At least when it came to Ollie's sleep. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he ever had a dreamless sleep, or at least one without nightmares. The nightmare last night was very draining on his body, even though he hadn't moved a muscle.

So when Ryan woke everyone up, and had to literally drag Nick out of bed, Ollie ended up being a little grouchy.

"You okay dude?" Ryan took one glance at his friend and was instantly worried. Dark circles were starting to form under Ollie's eyes, much like Chris', and his slow movements were choppy and uncoordinated.

"Fine." Ollie muttered and closed the bathroom door once again.

"He's not a morning person." Nick muttered from the floor when he looked up at the concerned Ryan. "Just a bit irritable in the morning, like me."

Ryan gathered his clothes and things, letting out a small chuckle. "Nick you are not a little bit irritable in the morning, you are very irritable. And a nightmare to get up."

"Hey!"

"It's true!"

Nick slowly got up from the floor, hearing a knock on their door. "Come in!" He called out. Thomas opened the door slowly and stepped through.

"Is Ollie in here?" His green eyes quickly scanned the room, making the question a moot point.

"Just went into the bathroom." Nick pointed at the door. "What's the vest for?"

Thomas was wearing a thick charcoal grey vest over some military grade pants and boots. His shirt was tight, as to keep from getting in the way, and his wristbands were nowhere in sight, just his gloves covering parts of his hands. "Training."

"Goodness me!" Ryan exclaimed. "Do we all have to wear that?"

"No," Thomas sighed. "Just me, because I'm the only one who has it. Former military."

This was the first time Nick or Ryan had heard anything about Thomas' past. Neither of them had imagined that Thomas would have worked for the army at one point in his life.

"I take it they didn't take kindly to birds that aren't supposed to exist, randomly lighting on fire?" Nick dragged his feet to the closet.

"A little bit like that," Thomas admitted, pulling his hands through his shorter hair. "I didn't have as much control over the flares as I do now."

Ollie popped out of the bathroom, a little less irritable, but way more than he usually was. "Hello Thomas." He acknowledged.

"Ollie," Thomas returned. "Training today with Hadix Phoebe , and I. Just thought I'd give the heads up since our training is going to be more vigorous."

Simply sighing, Ollie watched as Thomas left the room, then he changed into a training outfit. Simple shirt and trousers would do the trick for today. His wings gleamed in the sunlight, and he couldn't help but lift them and bask in the warmth of the sun's rays. It was so nice to have them back to their functional selves again.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Chris gazed up at the cloudless blue sky, his galaxy wings seeming to glow. "Very peaceful, I wish we weren't here under these circumstances."

"Where is here anyway?" Ollie lowered his wings again to have a conversation with Chris.

"Here?" Chris looked surprised at the question. "Remote forest in Maine. It's summer right now, so this is the warmest it will ever get."

"Wait, so how did Nick get to my university?" Ollie knew for a fact that his college was a couple thousand miles away from Maine."

"Special teleportation. He invented it actually, but it only works on him and Hadix. The robotic parts they have allow them to get broken down and beamed into different places. Taking other people is simple, they just have to make sure they are all connected, that way the electricity can flow."

Ollie blinked and tried to get a grasp on what Chris just said. Taking pity on Ollie, Chris tried to explain it more clearly. "You took quantum physics, right?" After Ollie nodded, Chris continued, making Ollie wonder if Chris was a physicist. "It uses the principle of particle-wave duality, and measuring the impossible distances. To put it in perspective, if scientists have a hard time explaining quantum physics, they'll have a whole heck of a harder time explaining what Nick did. I'm not even sure he can explain it."

"Much like they can't explain us," Ollie tried to get an example in his head.

"Yes, we morphs have certainly puzzled scientists for years. They can't understand how two normal humans can have a child that has the ability to turn into one or two creatures, and only those creatures." Chris had tuck his wings back at this point.

"Wait, years? How long have morphs been around?" Ollie supposed he shouldn't have been surprised, it wasn't like they were a mutation of modern medicine. Chris had a twinkle in his eye as he answered the question.

"As long as humans have been around. All those fairy tales were based off of truth, and the morphs were pretty good at hiding. Mermaids? Totally existed. They were either one of the two legendary morphs, or one who was staying in between. Fairies? Not sure how they became tiny, but one simply has to take a look at you and see where the idea came from."

"I always wondered if people thought I looked like a fairy." Ollie studied his wings, and remarked at how similar they were to the fairies in the stories.

Chris chuckled and checked the time on a little watch on his wrist. "I'd best be off to teaching Ryan on how to combine morphs, properly, and you'd best be off to your training!"

Ollie watched as Chris effortlessly leaped off the ground and into the air, soon after diving into the thick woods. The purple wings were very different from the white ones Chris used to carry Ollie to the land the first time, so what was different? Had Chris combined his eagle morph and his human morph to avoid suspicion that he had the wings normally? Chris was strange, and he had odd secrets, but he was so open and honest that his character wasn't shady, just curious.

Spreading his own wings, Ollie flitted over the tips of the trees, looking for the clearing that he would be training in. Finding it, he swooped to the ground, not failing to notice the owl in one of the trees.

"Hello Ollie," The owl said, opening her huge eyes. "You ready to train?"

"Yes, Phoebe." Ollie looked around for Thomas and Hadix as the Great Horned Owl soundlessly glided to the ground. Phoebe transformed back just as quietly, and led Ollie to the side of the massive clearing.

"They are doing some camouflage training, it would appear that they are not as puntcual as Hadix likes to think."

"I imagine fire would be hard to disguise," Ollie sat down, Phoebe doing likewise. Blinking, Phoebe contradicted what Grian assumed.

"Thomas has much control over his inferno, his vivid colors rarely contrast with the environment." Phoebe sighed as she stretched herself out, choosing to ask a question. "You are one of the professors of the morphing now, are you not?"

"I guess so, though professor is too kind, I don't even have my Doctorate, let alone a degree in morphing science." Ollie glanced at his own wings. "If you want to know how to do it, you just have to imagine it in your mind. Although seeing Ryan have... problems... tells me it's harder than it looks."

Phoebe giggled at Ollie's description of the business man. Instead of replying, she simply closed her eyes, and concentrated. A distant whoop of joy was heard, but both of them ignored it. However, they were forced to look when a winged female landed next to them.

"Ollie, I did it!" She shouted, twirling in a circle, letting her rust colored feathers fan out behind her.

"Hope?" Ollie gasped as he took in fully what she looked like. Her hair had turned from ginger to a more russet color and had been tied back into a loose ponytail. She had a feathered tail to accompany her wings, to steer herself elegantly through the skies.

"You know it!" Hope did a little backflip and landed unsteadily on her feet. "I have to get used to these proportions." She looked up to see Chris gliding effortlessly to the ground, and tucked his wings away.

"Be careful," He warned as she launched herself off the ground. Before he followed suit, Chris gave a nod in their direction, leaving quickly after that. They weren't the only ones to grace the clearing, as Thomas and Hadix walked in soon after, bits of leaves and branches in their hair.

"Ahh, the camo squad has finally arrived," Phoebe twinkled as she got up. Surprisingly, Ollie didn't laugh with her. He found himself a little annoyed that Hadix and Thomas were late, especially when Hadix made him get up before him.

"Training!" Thomas punched his fist into his other hand. "Take this, and spread out." Thomas handed what looked like a laser tag gun to Ollie and Phoebe. Hadix also had one, and Thomas pocketed the last one, morphing into a phoenix, the gun in his talons.

"We're practicing aiming while flying, although I think Ollie is going to have the best chance." Hadix scampered around the arena. "I'll be sniping you from the ground."

Phoebe morphed into her owl self, clearly a little sad that she couldn't combine the morphs just yet. Having the advantage, Ollie flew higher up and scanned the area. He had never held a gun in his life, and he remembered sucking at laser tag in the past. As Hadix called out a countdown, Ollie felt a strange itching around his neck. When he scratched it, his fingers brushed up against something hard. Realizing with horror that he forgot to take the necklace off, Ollie frantically tried to take it off. The necklace wouldn't budge.

During this process, Hadix had shot a beam of light at Ollie, and somehow he dodged when he wasn't even controlling himself. In fact, his arms started shooting beams of light accurately at the other morphs, not missing a single one. Ollie would have loved it, if he was the one actually moving his arms.

Something in the necklace was controlling him, causing him to lose command over his body. Closing his eyes, Ollie started to fight back, when he heard the voice that plagued his nightmares.

"I have you now."

-/-