Tella frowned. She was hearing things. Stupid realm was playing with her again! She screamed in annoyance.

“That’s it!  I’m sick of this place playing with my head! I’m getting out of here!” she shouted, jumping up off her chair and turning a quick corner about to fling the front door open, when it opened for her and Will stuck his head in.

“Hey.” He said. “Think you could wait a bit? I mean, we just got here.” Tella shrieked in surprise and then happiness as she rushed forward and grabbed Will, pulling him into a hug.

“You idiot! Don’t ever pull anything that stupid again!” she shouted. Will laughed and hugged her back. Tella blinked having just processed what Will said.

“We?” she asked and looked out the door. Avery and Collin stood watching them politely. Tella gasped in joy and dropped Will, flinging her arms around Avery. He smiled and hugged her back happily.

“Avery!” she said, “You’re here! Oh…” she stifled a sniff and buried her face in his robes. Avery looked slightly surprised, and hugged her tighter.

“It’s okay Tella. Yes I’m fine.” He said. “I’m glad to see that you are alright.”

“M-Me?” Tella gasped pulling back ushering them inside. “Come on, get inside. You look horrible.” Seeing Avery pout slightly at this she added smiling, “Ah, come on, you’ll feel better once you get some food and a bath. This place is wonderful.” Avery laughed, stepping inside.

“I suppose I do look terrible. Thank you.” He said. Will glanced over at Collin, still standing outside looking quite annoyed.

“Really. She could say thank you.” He grumbled coming in. Will laughed.

“You know she means well.” He said. Collin rolled his eyes.

“I’m sleeping. I don’t care. I haven’t slept in so long I feel like I’m dead.” He said and collapsed in the sitting room in Tella’s chair. Will smiled, thinking of the fight Collin and Tella would probably have later over that chair.

 

 

                As the day ended everyone drifted back to the sitting room, having rested, eaten, and gotten a bath. Avery had found some new robes, though they seemed a little big on him. 

“So what do we do now?”

That was the question on everyone’s mind. It was Collin who had finally voiced it. The others shifted uncomfortably, none of them knowing the answer.

“Well, we have to try and contact the deities.” Tella said. “That’s what we were trying to do before we were interrupted. We have to find them and see if they know what’s happened to Fairien.”

“But we don’t have a way on contacting them.” Will said shrugging, “In less you think you can get that fountain to find them… So far every attempt with that thing hasn’t produced a channel to them.”

“Couldn’t we just try to go to their sacred realms?” Collin asked. I mean, we don’t know where Minerva’s is, but Azrael’s was Malibius, right?” Will nodded, remembering Fairien telling him that.

“That would take too long… Malibius is too far away.” Tella said. Collin had to agree. Even with his flyer, the journey would be a long one, and he never liked taking that thing over the ocean.

“Why not just try a summoning?” Avery asked.

“Because we don’t have any royalty from Hailia or Iyokia.” Tella said. Avery shook his head patiently.

“Dear, you haven’t paid attention to your studies, have you?” he asked. Tella looked slightly annoyed at his reprimand, but curious. Avery continued. “If there is no royalty left, then members of that race may summon the gods. This was the case several centuries ago in the ten year war between Betamy and Iyokia, when both royal families were killed completely and the people called upon Michael to end aggressions.”

“Iyokia and Betamy had a war?” Will asked shocked. Avery nodded.

“You see Tella, he has an excuse for not knowing, you on the other hand-”

“So what? So, anyway, your saying is that since Iyokia has no more royal family, any Iyokian can summon Minerva and since there isn’t any more Hailian royal family left, then any Hailian can summon Azrael?” she asked excitedly. Avery frowned slightly and nodded.

“I would imagine however, that since Minerva moved herself from Iyokia to Area, that an Iyokian trying to summon her would be a long shot. It would probably work much better if an Arean tried it.” He said. Will looked relieved.
                “Well heck we’ve got both right here! What are we waiting for?” Tella said jumping up excitedly. “Go on Avery, and Collin! Do a summoning!” Collin frowned, looking doubtful.

“I don’t know anything about summonings…” he muttered uncomfortably.

“Y-Yes well…” Avery said. “I mean…”

“Oh come on! You said it would work, didn’t you?” Tella prodded. Avery flushed slightly.

“Summonings take a lot of energy.” He said finally. Tella paused, realizing just how tired Avery still must be.

“Of course, I’m sorry.” She said. “We can wait. I don’t see that one more day harms anything.” She tried to smile reassuringly.

“In the meantime, you can teach Collin how to perform a summoning, Tella.” Will said, very pleased that he didn’t have to do it. Collin glared at him.

“Goodie.” He muttered. Tella yawned.

“I’ll teach you tomorrow.” She said. Collin muttered something else and took off to find a bed. Will stayed a moment longer, then decided he would leave too. He climbed up the stairs and went into a random bedroom and plopped down on the bed. He was really tired, he realized. He kicked off his shoes, too tired to change and pulled the covers around him and pushed his face into the pillow.

Everything was getting way too confusing for him. Why did stuff like this have to happen? He didn’t even know why it was happening. He breathed in and exhaled slowly.

He smelled something. Will blinked sleepily and sniffed the pillow, and almost immediately wished he hadn’t. It smelled like Fairien.

“You had to pick this room, didn’t you?” Will growled at himself, getting up and leaving the room to find another place to sleep.

 

 

Down stairs the fire had lit itself again and was flickering animatedly, giving off a nice warmth to ward away the chill of the night air.

“Avery?” Tella asked sleepily. Avery shifted slightly to look at her. He was laying on the couch with a blanket spread over him, enjoying its warmth, while Tella was in her nest of a chair she had claimed. The chair was position at the head of the couch, so Avery didn’t have to move very much to see her. Tella looked sleepy but curious about something.

“Yes?” he asked.

“If the royal families of Betamy and Hailia were completely killed off in the ten year war, then where did my family and me come from?” she asked. Avery blinked, wondering if he had heard her right. She wanted a history lesson, and at this hour! More likely, he thought, she wanted a bedtime story. He smiled tiredly.

“Royal families come and go dear.” He said quietly, lay his head back down to stare at the fire. “They burn out in times of war, and rise up in times of strife to lead the country, many with nothing more than the passionate love of their people in their heart…” he smiled slightly letting his eyes glaze. “That is how your family came to be in power.” He added.

“Really?” came Tella’s sleepy voice.

“Mmm.” He paused a moment, then let his eyes close, “And you’ve done your ancestors proud Tella.” He said quietly. Tella didn’t answer for a few moments, then said quietly.

“That’s a very nice thing to say Avery.” She said. Avery smiled happily.

“Go to sleep Tella.” He said, resuming his normal tone.

 

 

A dark form loomed over the trees, watching the world below. He pulled back slightly and sniffed the air. Something was coming, he thought. Something that would tamper with his plans, though he couldn’t imagine what in this world had the power to do that. The other two were still quiet oblivious to the whereabouts of third member.

But if they were to break away from his control… he paused, annoyed at the thought. No. They were still too green. No worries there.

He had been watching a group of mortals, which seemed to scurry about quite a lot down there. He smiled. They were so cute! He loved feeling their confusion and sadness. He hadn’t had this much fun in centuries. The other mortals back home were much too used to his kind, though they weren’t aware of it. This place held fresh meat at every turn. He smiled and disappeared.

 

 

Daylight shone through the trees, as the sun slowly climbed over the horizon, it’s light sparkling over the ocean water. This was how it was meant to be; such beautiful silence and stillness. This morning could have been the first morning of creation.

“Collin! You aren’t paying attention!” Tella shouted, breaking the spell. Collin turned to glare at her, feeling like striking the princess. She glared back, equally as angry. “You have to do this right or we can’t call Minerva here!” she said and shifted her eyes, muttering, “Although, I wouldn’t mind that one bit…”

“Tella!” Will grumbled.

“But she’s creepy!” Tella said, sticking out her tongue.

“She’s not creepy. You’re just stupid.” Collin said. “And anyway I heard every word you said.” he added quickly, hoping to distract her from the insult. “In fact I could probably do this summoning thing now if you’d leave me alone.”

“What about you Avery?” Will asked, turning to him. Avery nodded.

“Avery is the one who taught me how to perform summonings.” Tella said. “Don’t worry about him.”

“Eh, really?” Will asked.

“Yes. I have studied summonings to a great extent. It was my duty to instruct the royal children in Hailia in such matters. Similarly it was my duty here to teach Tella and her sisters.” Avery said. Will paused a moment a smile creeping onto his lips.

“So… That makes you a nanny?” he asked. Avery frowned dangerously.

“I prefer the term caretaker.” He said. Will stifled a laughed and tried to change the subject.

“So we’re ready then?” he asked light heartedly. Collin and Avery nodded, standing.

“Remember Collin, don’t let the magic go into you. You can’t channel this magic like normal magic.” Tella warned him. Collin nodded.

“Alright. Then let’s begin.” Avery said. Collin closed his eyes and tried to remember the things Tella had told him but found he was drawing a blank. He grimaced at the idea of having to ask her to repeat herself.

“First concentrate on the deity you are trying to reach.” Came Avery’s voice. Collin opened his eyes and found Avery watching him.

“He knows that. You don’t have to tell him.” Tella said. Avery smiled and closed his eyes again. Collin stared at Avery a moment longer before closing his eyes. Had Avery heard his thoughts? At any rate, he had done him a favor. Now that Collin remembered the first step the other steps were falling into place in his mind.  

Will watched as that strange power drew itself around Collin and Avery, just as it had Tella, when she had attempted to summon Fairien. Avery began to speak, pausing at the end of each line for Collin to repeat him. As Avery said the final word of the ancient summoning chant his body froze and he stared forward, his pupils contracting.

Tella and Will watched him, holding their breaths.

“It’s working!” Will whispered. Tella anxiously shook her head.

“No… No, something’s wrong…” she said. Avery gasped, his eyes staring blindly past them. He grabbed his head, screaming and fell to his knees.

“Avery!” Tella shouted, running to him. Collin gasped feeling an odd power running through his body. He hadn’t said the last word yet, but already he could feel something waiting, watching, daring him to try and finish the spell. He watched, seeing Avery fall and Will and Tella run to him. If Avery, someone who knew how to do a summoning, had fallen to this power, then what hope did he have against it? Collin paused, wondering if he should just drop the power he had called up and forget this thing, but then what could they do? Collin growled deciding to take the dare. Loudly he shouted the last word of the summoning chant. Tella and Will’s heads shot up at the word.

“No! Collin!” Tella shouted, but she could see it was too late. Already his eyes were taking on that same wide frightened look Avery’s had had.

Collin gasped, trying to control the forces hitting him. Summonings shouldn’t be like this! He felt like he was being attacked by the very energy he had called up. Collin winced in pain as it sliced through him out of control.

Control…

Collin gritted his teeth. Tella had told him not to let this magic into his body, that he couldn’t channel it the way he normally did, but what she know? She knew nothing of his limitations! Collin screamed, pulling the magic into him. His clothes whipped around his body beating against him. Collin gasped pulling it in deeper into himself. If he could hold it like this, he could control it. Already the power was quieting. It surged into him, and then slowed down and began to flow, under his control. Collin let himself breath as the last of it entered him. He felt numb with so much power flowing through him. His friends were watching him in awe and concern.

“Minerva, I call you.” Collin spoke, his voice low and powerful. “I call you here before me. Come to the one that was created for you.” As he finished saying this, Collin’s eyes widened and he felt something snap inside him. He fell, hitting the ground, the power leaving him.

“Collin!” Will shouted, running over to him. Collin lay there, breathing shallowly, his eyes half open. “Collin,” Will said, bending down, “Are you alright?” he asked.

“Uh-uhu.” Collin said, struggling for breath still. Will pulled him up slowly to a sitting position. Collin looked around, noticing that his vision was blurry.

“You idiot, we thought you were dying.” Tella said, joining them.

“Is Avery okay?” Collin asked.

“I’m fine.” Avery said quietly from behind him. “Just a shock.”

“What happened?” Will asked. Avery frowned.

“Something was blocking the summoning. Something that was… very powerful.” He frowned. “I can’t think what could do that.”

“I broke it.” Collin said. “I broke whatever it was by pulling it into myself and making it my power.” Avery’s eyes rounded in awe.

“You pulled that into your body?” he asked.

“I think I reached Minerva too.” Collin said, closing his eyes. “But, she hasn’t come, so maybe…”

“There is something terribly wrong.” Will said shuddering. “There is something wrong with this world. Something here that wasn’t here before…”

“It’s okay Will.” Tella tried to reassure him. “We’ll find them okay? No matter what’s going on.” Will paused, looking at her and bowed his head.

“Yeah.” He agreed uneasily. The air went quiet, until a single voice spoke, 

“Um… Excuse me.” They all jumped at the sound, jerking around to see who had spoken. Minerva and Azrael stood, watching them with puzzled expressions.

“Are you talking about us?” she asked. The humans stared at them, speechless.

“Should we leave?” Azrael asked.

“NO!” they all screamed, jumping up.

“O-Okay!” Azrael agreed quickly. He and Minerva both looked a bit frazzled and out of it, and there seemed to be a trace of embarrassment in their expressions.

“W-What’s going on?” Will asked.

“We thought you might answer that question for us.” Minerva said.

“Will,” Azrael said, looking at him, “Where is Michael?” Will blinked.

“We don’t know.” He said. Minerva and Azrael looked at each other with alarmed expressions.

“He wouldn’t have-”

“No. Of course not.” Azrael insisted.

“What?! What?!” Will shouted frantically.

“We have to go after him!” Azrael said.

“Are you mad?” Minerva shouted, “Try and think for a moment before rushing off! You’re not going anywhere!”

“But…” he paused looking down. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“What’s going on?” Tella demanded.

“Silence mortal.” Minerva said instinctively. Tella pouted annoyed.

“Minerva…” Azrael chided her. “Come now, the have a right to know.” 

“… M-Maybe we should go somewhere more hospitable.” Avery said. “The strong hold perhaps?” at this suggestion Azrael and Minerva both looked alarmed, as though he had said something terrible. Avery stepped back, confused.

“Maybe not…” he murmured.

“I’m sorry…”Azrael said, apologizing to them. “It’s just that this place makes us… uneasy.”

“Why would Fairien’s sacred realm make you uneasy?” Will asked. Both Azrael and Minerva’s cheeks reddened.

“It’s just that…” Azrael said, “Michael never invited us in. This place is like his soul. He’s never let anyone in here.”

“He let me in.” Will said. Azrael and Minerva looked at him, shocked. Will blinked in confusion. Azrael slowly nodded.

“A-Ah, yes. Otherwise, how would you have gotten in?” he tried to smile, but his expression still looked uneasy.

“Minerva, Azrael,” Collin said quietly. “Please explain tell us what’s going on?” Azrael nodded.

“Yes. Of course. Though, we don’t really know much. You see, Minerva and I... just woke up.” He paused looking down at the ground, as though embarrassed. “It seems that we’ve been asleep for the past couple of week. Something was keeping us… unaware, until just a few minutes ago, when something broke into Minerva’s sleep.”

“Someone summoned me.” Minerva said, her eyes lighting on Collin. “Someone summoned me with enough power to wake me from the sleep I was in. When I awoke, I knew that I had been summoned, but something else caught my attention.” She paused looking troubled. “I couldn’t feel Michael anywhere. So, I went to Azrael, and found him asleep, as I had been. Then we came here.” She shrugged, “to fulfill the summoning, which had oddly enough come from this place, making us even more curious…”

“And we see that Michael isn’t here.” Azrael sighed. “We had hoped that perhaps he was here, concealing himself from us for some reason…”

“He’s not here.” Will said. He took a deep breath and asked, “Does that mean he’s dead?” Azrael watched him a moment, then shook his head.

“No. But we don’t know anything right now.” He said. Will narrowed his eyes slightly, getting the distinct impression that Azrael wasn’t telling him everything.

“Perhaps we should go to the strong hold, where you can all rest. It seems some of you are very tired.” He said, turning. Minerva gazed at them a moment, then turned to follow Azrael. Collin stood up and looked at him friends and silently, they all rose and followed the deities.

 

 

                “This is so confusing.” Minerva murmured. “I don’t like feeling like this.”

                “I know.” Azrael said soothingly. “We’ll figure this out. It seems the mortals have been searching for him as well.”

“We can’t tell what we suspect.” Minerva said coldly. Azrael shifted his eyes and nodded in agreement.

“I just can’t believe he would go, and after Charon told us not to-”

“A-Azrael!” came Will voice as he caught up to them. The deities turned, slowing their pace.

“Yes?” Azrael asked.

“Earlier when Tella and I came to the realm, we saw the realm project something to us… It showed Fairien being attacked by… something.” He said. Azrael and Minerva’s eyes met only briefly, but they looked clearly unsettled.

“Where was this?” Azrael asked him.

“Ah, just up here.” Will said, pointing. They approached the grove and stood, waiting for the rest to catch up. Azrael looked around the grove, puzzled.

“Here you say?” he asked. Will nodded as Tella and the others walked up behind them.

“Make it do it again.” Minerva said, looking expectantly at Will. Will flushed and stepped back.

“M-Make it…?” he said uneasily.

“Ask it to show us.” Minerva said impatiently. Will stared at the ground blinking uneasily.

“Never mind.” Azrael said kindly. “You said the realm showed you an image of Michael being attacked?” Will nodded.

“Yes! And also, I felt it. Through the sword.” He said. Azrael frowned.

“The sword?” he said. Will nodded quickly.

“Yes. The sword came out of me when I was shot and-”

“The sword came out of you?” Azrael asked, alarmed.

“You were shot?” Collin asked. Will nodded.

“And-and-and-”

“Let’s go to the strong hold…” Minerva said, interrupting him. Azrael nodded.

“I suddenly don’t feel so well…” he murmured.

 

 

They sat in the sitting room, once again, as Will finished telling his story. As he went on, Azrael and Minerva’s expressions grew more and more troubled.

“So the talisman has awoken.” Azrael said quietly.

“Without Michael here to keep it dormant…” Minerva shook her head.

“But, what does it matter if its dormant or not?” Tella asked. “The sword is a good thing, as long as Will has it. He can use its power.” Minerva’s eyes moved, looking glassily over at Will.

“That mortal, control it?” she laughed. “No. It will control him if anything.”

“You see,” Azrael said, “There is no balance. With out the staff and mirror, the sword has nothing to balance it, and thus it is dangerous.”

“Thus, it must be destroyed.” Minerva said. Will blinked, suddenly realizing what that meant.

“You’re going to kill me?” he asked in alarm. The others gasped.

“We have no choice. We were foolish to trust Michael with such a responsibility.” Minerva said coolly.

“What?! You can’t kill Will!” Tella shouted.

“He hasn’t done anything!” Collin said angrily. “And I’ve seen no evidence that he is dangerous to anyone!”

“Calm down, calm down.” Azrael said soothingly. “We aren’t killing anyone.” He turned to Minerva. “We can’t kill him. We promised Michael that we wouldn’t.”

“And Michael promised that the sword would stay dormant.” Minerva said.

“Even so…” Azrael said sighing. “Will, if you promise to stay in this sacred realm the rest of your life, then we won’t have to kill you. The sword’s power will be contained here.”

“Stay here?” Will asked. “I can’t do that. Not when there are so many terrible things going on in this world. And besides, I have to find Fairien.”

“We will take care of that.” Minerva said, speaking to him as though he were a small child.

“But…” Will sighed and looked down at the floor, his head swimming. Azrael looked at him sympathetically.

“It’s alright. I know it’s a lot.” He said.

 

 

Evening had come swiftly. Most everyone had retreated to a bedroom early, worn out fro the days events. Will lay on his bed looking at the ceiling.

Stay here? Forever?… Alone…?

It would be easy. A life with no worries, no pain… And he wouldn’t have to wonder about how he was going to get his next meal… But…

How could he even think of doing that? He growled at himself. To choose that would be completely selfish! What of all those people out there, suffering under Maloom Vraido’s rule? Will sighed and hugged his pillow, burying his face in it.

He couldn’t stay here, as much as he didn’t want to upset Azrael, he couldn’t just go along with that plan. He pulled back, startled to smell Fairien’s smell in the pillow. He cursed. He must have wandered back to this room unconsciously. He pushed the pillow away again, frowning.

Fairien isn’t dead, and I won’t let Tella lose her kingdom, Will told himself. He had made up his mind. He got up, wondering if it was stupid what he was about to do. He was going to go tell Azrael what he planned. He had considered just sneaking away, but Azrael would know what he was doing anyway. There was no point in hiding it.