Spellbinder Notes (Day 22)

Species (according to Ursa):

22) Hypnoticas

- Humanoid creatures whose bodies are two-toned

o Often look like yin-yang figures

- Not know to speak, but do sing

o Beware Hypnoticas' singing for it hypnotizes people

§ Different songs serve different hypnotics goals

- Mostly work as freelance hypnotists

- Tend to be solitary people, though occasionally will live in groups

- Moon Cycle is a vital part of their culture and abilities

- Can see spell and hypnotic traces on people

Grunting awake, Chenoa hated her life as her cellphone's alarm tore her from a short, dreamless sleep. Grumpily, she woke Chris and Lieben, who seemed equally displeased. She briefly explained Oric's warning and the boys seemed to snap awake. Packing up quickly, they started heading out, while Chenoa used a small spell to hide their presence at the location.

Trudging off, the three headed for the city that was still simply dark shadows on the horizon. No one talked, mainly because no one could muster up the energy. Something that adventure books never mentioned was the all-consuming exhaustion that filled people on quests. Chenoa felt authors should be shot for leaving out such important details. Many kids thought adventures were fun and exciting, when really they were tiring and involved a ton of walking.

As the sun began rise in the west, it reflected off the tall buildings in the city. The buildings gleamed and shone like crystals, causing rainbows to arch short distances in the air.

"Why is everything so beautiful in this world?" Chenoa wondered out loud.

"I know, right?" Chris replied, also amazed by the buildings' distant beauty.

"I guess das is how it is, Senoa. New is alvays better to people," Lieben laughed, throwing an arm around Chenoa. "I am sure your home is just as pretty. You just alvays see it, so you don't know it."

"Maybe you are right, Lieben."

"Ja, and remember things aren't alvays vhat they seem."

Lieben was completely right. As the city came closer and closer, Chenoa and Chris saw that the buildings were crooked and bent as if something had hit them again and again. It was obvious that someone had tried to copy human skyscrapers, but didn't have the background in architecture because some of the buildings started off big and grew smaller as the building got taller, while others had small bases and widened as the floors went up. Most of the windows were in place; however, some were missing, replaced by large metal boards that still reflected the sun. The glass windows that remained were tainted by age and years of neglect. Unlike most abandoned cities, there was no overgrowth of vegetation. In fact, there was no plant life in sight for about a two-mile radius around the city.

"Das is unnatural. No plants or natural life," Lieben grimaced as they reached a vivid line where all vegetation appeared to stop and barren land stretched before them.

"Poisoned," Chris agreed. "The land looks poisoned."

Chenoa felt her skin crawl. Nothing good could come from this city. Shifting from foot to foot, no one wanted to keep walking.

"Is there a way around the city?" Chenoa inquired from Lieben.

Shaking his head, he said, "Ja, but it vill take a month to make up the lost distance."

"Why a month?"

"It is a vast city and there are no clear paths closer."

"We will be fine. We have each other to rely on," Chris forced a smile, trying to sound optimistic.

"I hope you are right, Chris."

Taking a heavy step forward, Chenoa stepped over the invisible line to the land where no plants grew. Coldness slipped up her foot and leg into her body. She already disliked the place.

"They used to say that Väki and Valta ruled this city," Lieben explained as he too crossed into the city limits.

"Väki and Valta?" Chris asked.

His head felt so full of new names and concepts that it would burst.

"They are the gods of violence."

"There are gods of violence."

"Ja. Vell, there vere. The gods have long been gone."

"Why would there be gods of violence?"

"I do not know. Mine mater said the gods represented all aspects of life's characters. All creatures have violence in them, so ve had gods of violence."

"Lovely. So everyone in both realms is crazy."

"Ja."

"How many gods were there?" Chenoa questioned.

She felt like Chris as if her head was going to explode from all the new information.

"There are thirteen gods and goddess. Then there is the Great God and Goddess and Luoja, the Great Creator of All."

"Isn't thirteen an unlucky number?"

"I do not know, but some find contact vith the gods as unlucky."

"Thank goodness the gods are dead then."

"Ve don't know they are dead, Senoa. Ve just know they are not here anymore."

"I don't like talking about these gods. It feels wrong," Chris growled, speeding up his walk.

It was obvious the human was uncomfortable, but Lieben found it odd that the idea of multiple gods made the human uncomfortable more than the vast differences between him and the rest of Taikaa inhabitants.

"Vhy?" Lieben asked curiously.

"It just does."

"Your god, Chris. Vhere does he live?"

"What?"

"Vhere does your god live?"

"He's everywhere and in everything."

"Das is a lot of places to be. Luoja is the same. Yet even for the greatest god it must be hard. Does your god vork alone?"

"I don't understand what you are asking."

"Does your god have any help? Anyone or thing das helps him?"

"Uh…he has angels."

"Angels?"

"Yes, angels. They are like people but they have wings and powers and they serve God directly."

"So they are gods."

"No, they are angels."

"Are they more poverful than humans?"

"Much, but those powers are only used to serve God's will."

"So they are poverful creatures vho serve your God. They sound just like our gods."

"I…but…"

"Our gods are not God, as you call him. They vere made to serve his vill. Now they do have vills of their own, vhich is vhy they are dangerous, but they are not the all-poverful."

Chris's face contorted in mixed feelings. Sighing, Chenoa thought she understood how he felt. She also had skeptical feelings, but it made a little more sense to her since she had grown up listening to her father's stories. All tribal stories mentioned spirits and magical creatures that acted like minor gods and goddesses acting on the Great Creator's will as well as their own. Yet the part of Chenoa that had grown up with the belief in only one god did not like this new approach. Personally, Chenoa thought Chris was handling all of the new information and concepts pretty well given he had been thrown into this world with no warning.

Their walked had slowed as the continued further into the city limits. They all had a dark foreboding in their bones. The smart thing to do would be to walk fast and get through the city as quickly as possible, but teenagers, and people in general, rarely do the smart thing. Instead the group slowed its walk to a snail's pace, watching the buildings start to spring from the ground as if they were trees, growing taller the further they walked.

"So, we just need to get to Roque's house in the middle of the city," Chenoa reminded the boys. "We will be safe there."

"We got an early enough start. We should make it there by night time," Chris nodded, recalling Cor and Ursa's directions.

"Ve need to avoid their gangs though," Lieben said coldly, his eyes now darting around. "They are dangerous and mad."

"Gangs? They even have gangs here?"

"Ja. They are infamous. It is vhy people stopped coming to the city."

"How many?"

"Der a few minor ones, but ve need to vorry about the big tvo."

"And they are?" Chenoa prodded, her skin tingling.

"Unohdettu and Kuolema."

"Catchy names…"

"Unohdettu are the forgotten. They started out as a small group of mixed-bloods vho vere abandoned by their parents. Most just call them the Unos. Vhile they are not nice, they are not overly vicious. The group ve should most vorry about is the Kuolema. They chose das name because it means death. And das is vhat they are all about. They kill just to kill. Disgusting excuses for creatures."

"Well then let's avoid them then."

All three nodded in unison. They had enough difficulties without some psycho gang bangers messing with them. Continuing to push forward, the group talked only a little. They were more preoccupied with making sure no one was watching them or following them. Yet in the bright light of day the city seemed deserted. There was not a single face visible all day.

"I know I should be grateful that we haven't bumped into anyone," Chris said slowly, "but this feel weird. Shouldn't there at least be some people out?"

"I vas thinking the same thing," Lieben agreed, shifting uneasily. "There should be a few people around."

"Let's just keep moving," Chenoa said, trying to keep her own nerves straight.

At that moment there was a soft rumbling like a car engine. Swiveling, the group looked around, up and down the roughly paved street. Lieben waved and pointed at a building that had its door removed before scurrying inside. Following closely behind, Chenoa entered after Lieben with Chris on her heels. Crouching they duck-walked to the closest window and peered out. After a few minutes, a large vehicle appeared. Chenoa assumed it was an attempt at a car.

The vehicle was large and low to the ground. It had three wheels that didn't look evenly placed. The front wheel was alone and slightly off center with a large metal piece attached to the hubcap. This metal piece was curved and stretched about a foot down the car. The back two wheels were on either side of the car but the left side looked as if it was slightly more forward then the right. Both had curved metal piece that looked like the large part of a lobster claw. Aside from the wheels, the car was smoothly designed with no visible doors, a wide back and narrow front. The top of the car was glass and heavily tinted so no one could see in. Chenoa estimated that the car was a two seater but had no way of knowing for sure. The sun reflected off the high gloss sharp silver paint.

"Is that a car?" Chris asked Chenoa.

"I think so…must be their personal design in Taikaa."

"Vhat did you call it?" Lieben interrupted, his eyes wide with excitement.

"A car…don't you all have them here?"

"No…I have never seen one. Mine goddess it is spectacular."

"You should see the ones in our world. They would blow your mind," Chris chuckled.

"Your vorld has such contraptions?"

"All over. Almost everyone has one."

"Vov…das must be amazing."

"Some are, but that's not what matters right now. Whose car is that?"

"I don't know, but from how slow its driving, I would assume they are looking for someone," Chenoa whispered, stopping short as the car drove by their building.

Shadows in the top glass moved. Probably they were turning in their seats to look around. Could they see them? All three were barely visible, squatting so low their eyes were barely over the sill. The car kept moving. Everything was deafeningly quiet. When the car disappeared, they still did not move, which was wise because the car came by less than five minute later in the opposite direction.

"Do you think it is safe?" Chris voiced the thought they all were thinking.

"No," Chenoa replied, listening to her gut. "We should stay put a while."

They sat down on the dusty floor and waited. Once and a while, they would look out the window for the car, which passed by on regular intervals. Chenoa was rid of any doubt that the car was just passing through. The drivers were looking for someone and Chenoa didn't want to find out who. After a while Chenoa tried teaching the boys hand games to pass the time, but both failed epically at them so she gave up. There was so much boring waiting and watching on this journey; Chenoa couldn't tell whether boredom or exhaustion was the worst part.

After a while Chenoa found herself drifting off. There was something about sitting around that made Chenoa feel sleepy. The boys started to drift off as well. Heads nodding forward, the three leaned against the window's wall and each other. Yawning Chenoa didn't even bother to cover her mouth. Closing her eyes, Chenoa thought she would only close her eyes for a brief moment.

That brief moment stretched for hours until dusk had settled and the pale yellow street lights flickered on. A rustling sound caused Chenoa's ear to twitch. Something was near her. Was it Chris or Lieben moving around? No…no…it sounded like fluttering of wings. Wings?

Slowly Chenoa opened her eyes until they squinted into the darkness. It was almost pitch black in the building but a soft glow like from a distant flashlight glimmered in front of Chenoa. It was a girl with raven black curls that rolled down to her lower back. She wore a white tattered dress made of a sheer material that was barely thick enough to hide her private parts. The girl was lean and wispy, wearing mid-thigh length black boots with the tops cut and frayed and black silk gloves that reached her mid-bicep. Her face and ears were very sharp, which turned her beautiful face into an uninviting façade. It appeared as if there were no smooth lines from her neck up with her pointed chin, hard cut black eyes and sharp nose. Her ears stuck out of her hair reaching sharp thin points, twitching as she looked at Chenoa. The girl did not seem pleasant at all.

Finally, from her back sprung large ornate wings, which seemed to be made of sheer black and silver lace. The wings shimmered a soft light from their tips, which were icy silver that darkened to a pitiless black as they connected to the girl's body. Even the wings looked sharp as their highest tip reached up and then down until another tip appeared, almost like bird feathers but these tips were all one piece cut with sharp edges. Though the girl stood on the ground, her wings softly rustled.

"Does no good to pretend you are still sleeping," the girl said in a calm, sharp voice. "I can hear your heart beat. I know you are awake."

Sitting up, Chenoa opened her eyes fully, trying to see better in the dark.

"Obviously you are not a Night Angel," the girl smiled cockily as she looked over Chenoa's straining face.

"A what?" Chenoa responded.

"A Night Angel," the girl repeated melodically, her wings glittering brighter ever so slightly for a second.

"I am to take it that is what you are," Chenoa replied coolly.

"For the most part. You do not know what a Night Angel is though."

"Sure I do."

"Lying is unbecoming and I don't need to be a TruthSeeker to know that you are lying. Your heart tells me so."

"My heart?"

"Yes, little human. Your heart. I can hear it beating and it tells me all I need to know."

Shifting uncomfortably, Chenoa refused to look away from the girl's mocking eyes. Smiling, so that her sharp little teeth were exposed, the girl laughed lightly. It was a very cold laugh.

"Brave little human, I see. I must admit I am curious about you. I have never met a human, but…ah…there are two humans here and a…"

Closing her eyes, her head turned a fraction of an inch to better listen.

"Hmmm, a Nonelement child…this is turning out to be such an interesting night."

"How can you tell what we are?" Chenoa snapped, feeling very vulnerable.

"I told you, little human, I can hear your hearts. It is the benefit of having my beautiful ears. They hear hearts so well. And every person and everything has a special heartbeat and special heart."

The girl licked her lips as her grin widened more. Chenoa didn't know why but she felt like her heart was in danger. Giggling the girl ran a hand through her hair. It was so much fun to play with new creatures. Of course, she could not deny that the humans did smell delicious.

"What is your name?" Chenoa managed to ask.

"Such manners," the girl teased, taking a step closer.

Movement behind the girl informed Chenoa that the Night Angel was not alone. Eyes adjusting to the darkness, Chenoa could tell there were many more people in the room just out of her vision. It would do no good to try to run or attack the girl, not that Chenoa thought she could win that battle. Chris stirred next to Chenoa, stretching and yawning.

"Did we fall asleep?" Chris yawned, scratching his chest sleepily. "What time is it, Chenoa?"

Smacking his lips together, Chris looked around and saw Chenoa's frozen face and the Night Angel standing in front of them. The girl looked back at him for a second then shrieked like a school girl. In a flash she was next to him, staring deep into his eyes.

"Oh my goddess, you are just the cutest thing ever!" she giggled, touching his face with her gloved hands.

Leaning back, Chris was too stunned to react, but was very uncomfortable with this strange girl touching him. She kept trying to stare deeper into his eyes and her cheeks flushed a soft black. Chenoa scrunched up her face as she suppressed a wiggling feeling in her stomach. Why did that girl need to be so close to Chris?

"Uh, thank you," Chris finally said. "I am Chris and you are?"

"Such a cutie!" the girl squealed again, wrapping her arms around his head and pulling his head to her chest. "I could just eat you up!"

Chris froze again, eyes wide as his ear and right side of his face became buried in her chest. Lieben chose this time to wake up and he said nothing as he opened his eyes to the strange sight. Instead he watched and waited, knowing that this was a tense situation. Meanwhile Chenoa wanted to demand the girl get her damn hands off Chris. Ears perking up, the girl looked at Chenoa.

"Jealous, are we?" she smirked at Chenoa as her hands caressed Chris's hair.

"Excuse me?" Chenoa snapped, eyes narrowed.

"Let's be honest, honey," the girl cooed, running her fingers through Chris's hair. "You don't need two boys. You should share."

"Excuse me?"

Chenoa felt her voice rise an octave. Resting a warning hand on her shoulder, Lieben gave her a look that told her to calm down. The girl, the Night Angel or whatever, was so egotistical that Chenoa wanted to slap her. Tugging Chenoa close, Lieben tried to create space between Chenoa and the stranger.

"Senoa," Lieben whispered carefully. "She is just trying to provoke you."

"Don't ruin the fun," the Night Angel fake frowned.

"She is a Night Angel, ja?"

Chenoa nodded.

"Night Angels are terrible trouble makers. They feed on discord…and hearts."

"That is true, but lucky for you all I'm not a full blooded Night Angel."

"Then vat are you?"

"I am also part Stargazer."

"Das is an unusual combination."

"So is an imp and Nonelement."

"Fair enough."

"Stargazer?" Chris interrupted, his voice muffled by the girl's chest.

"Stargazers are pacifists," the girl sighed. "Violence and discord make them queasy. They come out only at night to feed off the light of the stars and to read their stories of the past and future."

Releasing Chris, the girl took a step back and reexamined the three newcomers. Pursing her lips, she tried to decide what to do with them.

"I am Chenoa," Chenoa said, holding out a hand, an attempt at politeness. "You have met Chris and this is Lieben."

"Nice to meet you. Lieben I have heard of. It is not often an imp priestess gives birth to a child of a Nonelement. I am surprised you left Portae."

"I have mine reasons."

"I am sure. My name is Pimeä Yö. You may call me Pimeä."

"It is nice to meet you, Pimeä. Ve are sorry if ve are in your home. Ve vere merely resting and must have fallen asleep."

"This is not my home. No one has lived here in years, but the property does belong to my family."

"Ve are still sorry then. Ve did not mean to trespass."

"Any building you would have stopped in would have been trespassing. This whole side of town belongs to us."

"Who is us?" Chenoa inquired, the uneasy feeling back in her legs and arms.

"The Unohdettu, the Forgotten. I am one of their leaders, Mistress Pimeä Yö of the Unos."

"Of course," was all Chenoa could think as she, Chris, and Lieben were shunted along, herded like animals by a large group of Unos soldiers. It seemed to be their luck. Every time she turned around they were meeting people they wanted to avoid. Pimeä hung around Chris, trying to flirt with him as they were shoved and pushed towards the Unos grand meeting hall. It was three streets away in an abandoned Opera house. Even in its ruin, the Opera house was impressive and beautiful. Chenoa recognized tarnished gold ornaments and velvet ropes and seating. It must have been amazing in its day.

"Don't worry, Chris," Pimeä told him sweetly. "Since you are no threat to us and only wish to pass through, we shall give you no problems. We just have to make sure you are on the up and up before you pass through. It has been so long since newcomers have come to our city that we have to make sure you don't work for the others."

"The others?" Chris repeated slowly. Pimeä made him nervous.

"Our rival gang. Everyone has fled the city. Only those who belong the Unos and the Kuolema live here now. Even the small gangs disbanded to leave the city or join a side."

"Is that why we didn't see anyone earlier during the day?"

"Exactly. You are such a smart boy. We all come out at night and sleep during the day. Most of us are nocturnal hybrids anyway."

"Oh…"

"Here we are. If you three don't mind waiting, the council will talk to you in a moment."

Pimeä flapped her wings and took off. Chris, Lieben and Chenoa stood on the vast stage with a guard of seven foot-soldiers. Each one wore tattered white shirts or dresses, and the boys far outnumbered the girls. The girls that were there, if Chenoa was right on guessing who was a girl, looked mean and bad tempered. Three girls stood among the seven guards and their faces looked weathered and bruised. All of them had dead eyes and thin mouths. Best to not try and make friends Chenoa decided. Chris and Lieben reached the same conclusion, sticking close to Chenoa, who was their first priority.

Four people sat in rickety old folding chairs, their bodies leaning forward as they talked quietly. A fifth chair sat empty at one end of the semi-circle. Pimeä tiptoed over to the group, calling out in some language Chenoa didn't know. The group looked up, their faces serious. With a grand hand gesture, Pimeä introduced Chenoa, Chris and Lieben to the group.

Lapsi, the one on the farthest left, was tall and large. His body seemed to be made of rock and air. Large stones and jagged rocks floated creating his body, while white wisps of cloud and smoke connected and held the pieces afloat, almost like the clouds were his connecting tissue. His overall body was round, especially his head which appeared to be the size of a small boulder. Quartz eyes glittered out at the threesome while a deep crack in the rocks appeared to be his mouth.

Yksinään sat still in the middle. He had a medium build and was medium height. Despite his average build, the man was terribly ugly. His skin was a sallow yellow with miniscule specks of green and blue. He had four eyes on his face, two where the normal eyes would be and two close together on the center of his forehead that were small and diamond shaped. All four eyes were milky white as if he were blind. Yksinään's nose was very flat like a snakes with only two slits for nostrils and his mouth was lipless, just a smooth line in his face.

Hävitty, the final male, was small, childlike in frame. His whole body was covered in bandages so that only his eyes were visible, though it had taken Chenoa a moment to realize they were eyes for they were shaped like scarab beetles, green and glistening. The man's nose and mouth were covered with the old bandages. He wore tattered shorts and a faded tank top.

Kylmä Aurinko, the final one on the far right, appeared to be a woman. She had a willowy frame that looked like glass. Her body was literally opaque with a writhing dull red liquid flowing through her like veins. Kylmä moved gracefully as she bowed a polite greeting. Her eyes never blinked, exposing that one was icy blue and the other fire red. There appeared to be no hair on her head, and her clothes were limited to a loin cloth and a triangle shaped cloth tied around her chest. The ground beneath her feet was frost covered.

All four stared in silence at the three strangers. Chris was doing his best not to stare at the bizarre group in front of him. He knew that they were equal to him, possibly even better than him due to their "abilities," but they just seemed too different.

Lieben, meanwhile, saw only people in front of him who were more similar to him than he had ever seen. Each one was a hybrid of creatures who did not belong together. Fire and ice. Air and earth. And so on. While he had always felt loved and accepted in his home, Lieben had felt like an alien creature in Taikaa. However, among these groups of strange creatures, Lieben felt normal.

"I am Chenoa Rose," Chenoa bowed, trying to be polite. "I am sorry for intruding on your homes."

Yksinään laughed dryly, smiling an odd snake like smile. Nudging Lapsi, Yksinään hissed in the unknown language again. Lapsi stayed serious and made no response. Chenoa looked directly at Yksinään, trying to convey she had been earnest and serious. Kylmä gave a hard look at the two men. Their faces settled.

"I am Kylmä," the elegant woman bowed back. "We do not get many guests in our part of the city, which is to our liking. Strangers usually only bring problems."

"We are not here to cause problems. We are just passing through. We fell asleep on accident…"

"It was no accident," Hävitty replied, his voice surprisingly clear through his bandages. "Our buildings have sleeping protections on them. Anyone not part of our group falls asleep when in our buildings for longer than five minutes."

"Das is impressive," Lieben said, his eyes wide with intrigue.

"Thank you," Hävitty said, sounding as if he was smiling with pride. "It helps us see if the intruders need to be killed or woken."

"We are very glad you allowed us to awaken then," Chenoa tried to laugh to help ease the tension.

The five leaders did not laugh or even crack a smile. The moment was very tense. Chris and Lieben instinctively moved closer to Chenoa in case they needed to protect her. Kylmä raised an icy eyebrow as she watched their protective movement.

"Am I correct in presuming that you are their leader?" she inquired directly to Chenoa.

"What? No…we are all friends. I am not the leader," Chenoa shook her head.

"Friends? They hover around you as if you as a precious cargo. That must mean you are their leader, their lover, or something very special."

"I am just their friend."

"Your aura says differently," Yksinään said, his sightless eyes locked on Chenoa.

"And the earth and air around you say differently," Lapsi agreed.

"So we know that you are lying," Kylmä smiled sadly. "And we do not like liars."

"I am not lying," Chenoa protested, worry and anger mingling together.

"She isn't," Lieben added as Chris nodded his head fervently.

"Then why do you protect her?" Kylmä inquired, slightly amused.

"Because she is our friend and friends are like family," Chris explained as if this were common sense.

The five looked at Chris for a long moment then finally they all smiled. It was an acceptable answer and one that they agreed with. Friends were family and, therefore, must be protected. Kylmä reached forward and held out a hand for Chenoa. Chenoa tentatively took Kylmä's hand and bit back the pain as the handshake froze her hand, numbing it and forming small crystals on her skin. Forcing a smile to stay in place, Chenoa gritted her teeth against the pain but held Kylmä's hand until Kylmä let go. This caused Kylmä to give Chenoa another appraising look. When they finally released each other's grip, Chenoa had to fight the urge to rub her hand against her pants to gain feeling back. Something told her it would be rude.

"We would like to officially welcome you to our home," Kylmä smiled as the rest of the group stood and bowed.

Pimeä seemed to dance about in excitement. She loved when new people came to the group. The three bowed in return and politely took seats that had been brought quickly by lower members of the gang. The conversation was polite and more about gathering information. Chenoa hesitated at first to tell them their true reasons, but it was obvious that one or more of the group could read lies like a newspaper, black and white.

"My best friend and Chris's best friend were kidnapped," Chenoa finally confessed when the cold, unwavering stares told her that her minimal response was not acceptable. "We are trying to find them."

"Who took them?" Lapsi inquired with a tone that was softer than his normal. Chenoa guessed this was his concerned voice.

"No idea. A group of people showed up at our high school in the other realm and took them. I was told that I had to come and get them if I wanted them back."

"Why you?"

"To be honest, I don't know. He says we share a history together, but until I came to Taikaa everyone I knew was from my hometown."

"It is strange that someone from our world entered yours just to lure you here. Are your family descendants of Taikaa?" Yksinään asked, his eyes narrowed in thought.

"Not that I know of, but my father did seem to know about your world."

"Human shamans were known to travel between our worlds, but usually in drug induced states. That seems like a far stretch, especially since the kidnapper said you are the one with the connection."

"Whatever connection I have with him or he thinks we have, he used it as an excuse to take our friends."

"It is good to see you all are so loyal," Lapsi said, his voice airier and wispier.

"It's my fault they were taken. I can't just leave them to whatever he will do if I don't show up."

"Do you know where they are?" Hävitty inquired, his scarab eyes blinking eerily.

"Again…no…"

"What do you know?"

"Look, we have a good idea, but we have to get through the city to get there," Chris snapped, feeling defensive of Chenoa, who seemed embarrassed by her lack of knowledge.

"What is this good idea?"

"No Man's Land."

The room fell silent. Everyone stared seriously at Chris then at Chenoa and Lieben. Chenoa looked at her feet.

"You are kidding, right?" Yksinään said slowly, his tongue flickering out, showing it was purple-blue and forked.

"No. Ve vere told das they are at Gioco's Castle and das is in No Man's Land," Lieben explained.

"Who told you?"

"Uh…its complicated…" Chenoa sighed, her head hurting.

She felt as if there was a great pressure on her brain. Shaking her head, Chenoa tried to clear her brain. When that didn't work, she shook it again. Pimeä approached Chenoa and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Just take a breath," Pimeä instructed kindly. "We have charms on this place to keep people out of our conversations and minds. Someone is just trying to break through."

"You can feel it?" Chenoa whispered, her eyes darting to Pimeä's face.

"No, but I hear your heart and I can tell what is going on. Hearts never lie."

"Why do you have protection on here?"

"Our enemies have several TruthSeekers and we do not want them eavesdropping on our conversations."

"That is smart."

"Of course, it is. We aren't new at this."

"I think it is time that our guests rest and eat. Dinner should be ready," Kylmä said, standing.

Standing, the leaders led Chenoa, Chris and Lieben out of the beautiful auditorium. They walked for a short distance down faded hallways to a large professional kitchen. Inside was a massive table that sat at least twenty people. It was worn and made of several pieces, but it appeared to be well constructed. Everyone sat around the table until it was full with three extra chairs squeezed in. From their ragged clothes to their sunken eyes, Chenoa saw refugees and struggling people around the table. They seemed more lost than dangerous.

Kylmä waved Chenoa over to her and pointed to an empty seat. Yksinään called for Lieben as Pimeä dragged Chris over to her. All three obliged their hosts due to politeness and residual fear. Sliding in next to Kylmä, Chenoa smiled a greeting to those around her, who stared stoically as they chewed their food. Kylmä filled a plate with unknown plants and meats, handing it to Chenoa. Giving thanks, Chenoa took it and waited for Kylmä to serve herself. Once Kylmä began eating so did Chenoa. For a while Chenoa listened to the babble of talk around her until she noticed Kylmä watching her.

"You are more like us than even your half bred friend," Kylmä said, for it was a not a question.

"I am?" Chenoa smiled, slightly confused.

"Have you figured out what we are yet?" Kylmä asked, her eyes a frigid tone.

"Uh…no…you all are such a mix and my knowledge of this world and its inhabitants is limited."

"Let me show you this."

Placing down her silverware, Kylmä rubbed her hands together, then concentrating pulled them apart. As she did a beautiful ice storm formed between her palms, consisting of swirling flakes of snow and ice that danced in the dim light of the kitchen. Glancing at Chenoa, Kylmä saw her awe then opened her mouth and spit out a small ball of fire which squelched the ice storm immediately, creating a gush of steam.

"Ice and fire?" Chenoa said slowly. "That is an unusual combination."

"My mother was a Firedweller and my father was an Icedweller," Kylmä explained.

"That is…. uh…"

"Unusual? Yes…it is."

"So your parents were opposites. Direct opposites."

"Yes."

"And Pimeä mentioned that she was a Night Angel and a Stargazer. From the sound of it they too are opposites."

"Very. Stargazers are pacifists. They can't stand violence or fighting or consuming anything but the stars' energy. Night Angels thrive on chaos and feed on hearts."

"Why would such creatures reproduce?"

"Passion. Taboo…there are all kinds of different answers."

"Your parents?"

"It was arranged."

"Oh…If it was arranged, then why are you here and not with them?"

A wry smile danced across Kylmä's lips. There was a sharp bitterness in her eyes.

"I am here for the same reason everyone else is here. Consequences."

"Consequences?"

"We used to be protected by the Great Goddess. She protected us and gave us solace. That is why this city was created. Not to mimic humans as everyone thinks, but to provide a safe haven for creatures like us. It originally was a small town, but so many came that it grew and grew. Yet our Goddess disappeared with the rest of the gods and left us to fend for ourselves."

"Why did she disappear?"

"Have you not heard the story?"

"I have but I wasn't sure it was the same one."

"Our Great Goddess loved all. It was her greatest weakness. Humans and all creatures lived together for most of time, prehistory, but conflicts arose. Everyone wanted the gods favor. Everyone wanted to be the strongest race. It was a competition of kinds. Humans, due to their lack of natural abilities, aside from their strong wills, tried their best to win favor with the gods.

"Many of the gods were drawn to humans. They were strong willed, intelligent and capable of large growths. Yet the Goddess did her best to treat all equally. One human was different though. It is said he was not fully human, but rather had other creatures in his background, but it was too hard to tell. He worked hard to protect humans from creatures and creatures from humans. He was the Goddess's greatest supporter. As a result, she loved him as she loved all with good hearts.

"Yet this love blinded her, where her other loves had not. He evoked the wrath of another god, no one knows the real reason, and the god killed him. The Great Goddess found his body in a sacred place and was torn by the loss, the waste, and the pain that she opened her mouth and screamed. That scream released the buildup of all the suffering she had seen and the pain she had suppressed. It tore the world in two. She took her man's body and used it to create the human world with half of the old world then she used her own body to create Taikaa with the last half. Portae is the place where her scream tore the worlds. It could not be removed, which is why it now guards against further trauma between the worlds."

Kylmä finished her story and stopped to eat for a while. Again Chenoa felt a twinge as if the story were personal and close to her. Yet just as the first time she had heard a version, it felt wrong. Close, but wrong. But who was she to say what the real story was. Most stories like that were just fables anyway and didn't really happen. What mattered was that the people of Taikaa believed in them.

"It is a little different than what I heard, but some of it is the same," Chenoa finally said, her eyes now trained on Kylmä.

"There are many versions, but that is ours. Some blame the Goddess and others blame the human. We here realize that it was not either of their faults. Death happens. Mistakes are made. Yet it is the children who are left to suffer."

Standing Kylmä excused herself. She was tired and the day would come soon. She wished to get ready for bed. Leaving Chenoa sitting there confused, Kylmä disappeared for the day.