Shizuka shrieked again. Kagami gasped, clutching her pendant so hard her knuckles turned white. “What- what are you saying?...”

“I’m saying that both of us sought to find you. Different reasons, but the same goal. These entities tracked me instead of searching on their own.”

“Yeah,” Reiko growled, tones savage with fury, “and you went right ahead and led them to her, you- you-” She lunged at him, swinging wildly. Barely able to rise as high as her knees, she collapsed, skidding a few inches with the momentum of her frenzied attack. A fist pounded the boards below her as she cursed in anger.

“Whoa, just- just cool it for a sec....” Ayame knelt down beside her. Not sure what I’m doing here, but the other two sure can’t take over and she’d just get worse if Jiro tried, even if he wanted to. She swallowed, throat working. “I... I dunno if that’s what he meant....” Cyan eyes slanted uncertainly towards Iestyn.

“If you’re trying to say I’m an ally of those... things, nothing could be further from the truth. I have never sought to do any of you harm. Rather, I have been working to prevent it. But their master is very strong, and I must continually reinforce the wards necessary to throw them off. It’s possible to confuse their senses with the right magic, but the opposing power makes it more difficult.”

Reiko dragged herself up to a kneeling stance, hands braced wide against the floor. Her fingers dug into the boards so hard they shook. “Stop talking in circles,” she snarled. “Just start at the damned beginning and tell us straight out what the hell those things were and what they’ve got to do with us.”

“Before I tell you that, I first must tell you something of elven legend.”

“Make it quick,” she snapped.

“I’ll be as brief as I can.... I don’t know how much you know of your patron gods, but no doubt you know that Elzyphan is portrayed as an elf.”

“Yes, we saw that on the mural in the Temple of the Four Directions.” Kagami’s voice was still a little weak. “I wondered about it, but didn’t have a chance to do any research.”

“Elzyphan began as a uniquely elven god. During the War of the Gates, however, the regions of Taran had to unite; this included the elves, normally isolated by choice. It came to be that Elzyphan, our god of air and wind, became the patron of the Zantara of the same element. Few outside Sylvanos actively follow him, but his worship still exists there.

“Most non-elves are unaware that Elzyphan is not just the god of air and wind, but also the ruler of the spirit realm. There is an ancient story of how he sealed the door on the realm of the darkest, most evil spirits, putting a stop to the havoc they had been wreaking in the mortal world.

“But magic- even the work of a god- isn’t always permanent. The beings he constrained continually assault the barrier, attempting to break free. As time passes, the wall wears thin under the constant siege. This makes the barrier vulnerable from both sides. There are those who would wish to hasten the removal of the blockade.”

“And what,” Reiko interrupted, “has all this got to do with her?”

“Because it takes more than simple will to achieve this; no matter how thin the obstruction is, divine magic isn’t a force to be dismissed with a wave of the hand. The only known place where the ritual could be successfully completed is the holy site of Elzyphan. And a key is required; an object sacred to Elzyphan. Such objects are hardly thick on the ground, as you no doubt have realized. One, both renowned and powerful, is the crystal you wear.”

Kagami’s eyes widened. Her fingers tightened around the pendant. “You mean... I was being chased for my Dunamis?”

Iestyn nodded. “Precisely.”

She raised the thing to eye level, studying it more closely. “So now I know what they were trying to do....” She shuddered again, then peered over the crystal at their elven companion. “But why were you looking for me? Unless it was something to do with the threat they presented....”

“We’ll get to that in due time. The story isn’t over yet.”

Reiko flopped back against the wall, arms folded. “And why am I not surprised?” She moved like it was a conscious choice, but her pallor and a slight pinched look around her eyes said otherwise.

Iestyn glanced sideways in her direction. “You have every reason to distrust me, but please hear me out the rest of the way.”

She managed a snort. “As if we’ve got a choice in the matter. As soon as we set foot out that door those cloak-spooks will probably turn up like badly dressed indigestion.” In the corner Jiro clapped a hand over his mouth, not quite disguising the snort of laughter that escaped.

Iestyn continued as though he hadn’t been interrrupted. “The ‘cloak-spooks’ are more commonly known as ‘shard souls.’ They are the minions of the one who wishes to reopen the passage- one of the most dark and corrupted beings in existence. Specifically, an elven necromancer.”

Jiro’s breath hissed in between his teeth, but otherwise four blank stares greeted the pronouncement. Iestyn’s look plainly said that he had expected a stronger reaction. “A necromancer is one who works with death magic. Most necromancers are trouble. An elven necromancer is particularly so because we elves have a strong bond with the earth and consequently a great reverence for life. Necromancy goes against everything we believe. An elven mage who pursues this art is a blackened soul.

“Little is known of the shard souls. All we know for certain is that they were once mortals, like ourselves, who willingly sacrificed their humanity for the promise of power. That, and the associated immortality, came at a high price. You saw the results of their transformation. Echoes of their former selves, they now exist to serve their creator. Power they may have gained, but it operates through a single collective mind. They seem to have some capacity for individual thought left, but only the barest shred. This makes it possible for the right wards to put them off track, at least for a time.”

“Looks like they didn’t work too well tonight.” Reiko’s glare deepened.

“Magic is not infallible. Only someone of great power could create a ward to permanently withstand the battery of their search.”

“But- now they almost got their target.” Ayame chewed her knuckle, looking oddly pensive. “So what does that mean for us? Do we have to spend the rest of our lives hiding from spooks who’d melt our brains as soon as look at us just to get their shadowy mitts on a bit of jewelry? No matter how important it is.”

“We’re safe for the present. The wards are strengthened, and they only need to last until dawn. The shard souls are only seen at night.” He turned so that he faced Kagami, who sat white-faced and silent. “Despite the lack of knowledge, I must ask you to do me a great favor. Go with me to the sacred site of Elzyphan.”

“But- but- that’s precisely where they want me to be!” She gripped the crystal so tightly that it looked as though the chain would snap. “It’s illogical.”

“Yes,” Iestyn sighed, “I know. But there’s another facet to the tale.”

“Another one?” This time it was Jiro who spoke up. “Man, how many of those are there?”

The elf held up a hand. “I promise you, this is the last one.”

Shizuka cleared her throat. “I hope it includes why you were looking for us at all.” Her voice was tremulous, eyes huge in the dim light.

“Ultimately yes, but not immediately. I must speak of elven traditions again. It has come time to choose he or she who will inherit the role of the Sylvanos.”

Ayame interjected, “Back up here- I thought you said that was the name of your country.”

“Only to non-elves. The Elvish name is not spoken among outsiders. This is an old tradition. Instead, we use the same title as for our leader, for the Sylvanos represents the land.

“I know not how things are done where you come from, but Elvish custom has never been to automatically grant succession to the eldest son, or even eldest child. After all, that alone does not make one fit to rule. Instead, aspirants must consent to undergo a series of trials. The children of the Sylvanos can come forward of they wish, but are not required to, and candidates are not limited to those connected to the Forest Throne. The final four swear an oath on an ancient elven relic, the Orb of Life, to undertake a specific quest in the outside world.

“The orb has four quarters, one for each of the oathtakers. For the length of the quest, the colors the quarters turn indicate the progress and condition of those involved. The final trial cannot take place until all four have returned or are known to be lost in their efforts.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Reiko waved an impatient hand. “Is this going somewhere?”

“Please try to be patient.... The quarter of the orb bonded to one of the sons of the Sylvanos, Sylsharan Garradwin ne Keir, turned black, the shade of mortal danger. After some time with no change-”

“Excuse me,” Kagami said. “I beg pardon for interrupting, but I couldn’t help but notice- you said his surname was ‘ne Keir.’ But when you introduced yourself this afternoon, that was the name you gave for yourself....”

“You’re perceptive.” Iestyn’s eyes went to the wooden floor. For a moment, sorrow welled within their brown depths. “He is my brother.”

“Your brother?!” Shizuka gasped. “But- but- you mean you’re royalty?”

A momentary silence on the part of the elf. “For lack of a better word, yes.” If his posture and the way he continued to look downward were any indication, he was almost embarrassed at having to admit this.

“Holy Hells, the guy’s a bloody prince,” Jiro said.

“I pray you, don’t make more of it than it’s worth. I prefer to use Magus, the title I earned. Please, speak of it no more.... Where did I leave off in my tale?”

“With his part of the orb thingy turning black, which is apparently bad news,” Ayame filled in.

Iestyn’s face twitched a little, presumably at her casual summary of events. “Yes.... When a change happens that is unusual, constant, or both, it is customary to consult the Oracles. I undertook the task personally. The priestess told me I was to search for ‘she who bore the crystal of Elzyphan,’ take her to ‘the most sacred site of that king of the winds,’ and to ‘beware the shadows that line the path.’ I immediately knew the former was the Zantara of Air,” he nodded towards Kagami, “and that we were to go to the holy site of Elzyphan.

“I was less clear on what the ‘shadows’ were, despite spreading rumors of the necromancer and his shard souls. Now the meaning of that is plain. As for my brother, not only is he too Magus, but he has particular talent for air magic. I hope I’m right in assuming that the destination will give us some sign of his fate.”

“Still, you came to find me on the word of a diviner?” Kagami looked down at her pendant again. “Without any real logical backing or tangible evidence?”

“Remember your intuition,” Shizuka reminded her gently.

“Well, yes- but- I don’t rely on it solely,” Kagami protested. “I-”

“But you still know to listen to it,” her friend pointed out.

“The Oracle is sacred,” Iestyn said. “The priestesses are chosen carefully and train for many years. There are only a handful of instances in which they are known to have erred.”

“Oh, yeah? And what if this is one of ‘em?” Reiko’s scowl darkened.

“Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing for sure until after the fact.”

“So you’re saying you might be dragging her into a trap.”

“That’s possible, but I doubt it-”

“Easy for you to say! You’re not the one with cloak-spooks trying to crawl inside your head, are you? You’re not who they’re after- what’ve you got to lose?”

A second of silence. “Possibly the life of my brother.”

Reiko’s eyes flew wide; for a second, it seemed as though she stopped breathing. Her fingers fluttered, like her hand were trying to climb to her throat. Then, just as suddenly, her expression grew shuttered. She looked away. “I’m going to sleep,” she muttered, flopping down on one side. “And don’t try anything funny, or I’ll track you down and make you pay for it....”

A corner of Iestyn’s mouth quirked wryly. “I never imagined otherwise.” He turned back to Kagami. “Give me your choice tomorrow morning. I think it best if we all get some sleep. I have the feeling we’ll need it.”

“Yo, I’ll take watch.” Now that Jiro came out of his shadowed corner, it was obvious his face was still somewhat paler than normal. “I- I’m not real sleepy, yet. But if I need a snooze, I’ll give you a turn.”

“Thank you.” As Iestyn and the girls settled in as best they could, Jiro arranged himself by the door to keep vigil.

Kagami floated in empty space, vacant as a crypt and black as a bottomless pit. Silence hovered, a pall in the vacant darkness she hung in like a puppet on a string. Turning her head, she looked around; a full circle showed no change, not so much as a pinpoint of light to break the ebony surrounding her, no shift of shadow or graduation of hue. What is this place? she thought. Where am I?

Something made her turn again, sharply. Not movement, but a hint of sound. It whispered just along the edge of hearing, as light as the touch of a dandelion seed drifting on the wind. Too close to the edge of sound to be truly discernible, it only served to heighten the stifling emptiness.

Another chance susurration shimmered past her ears. No clearer, this time it seemed to come from somewhere below. A thread of yellow light glimmered, hardly breaking the blackness for more than a second. But it was enough to feel blinding in the infinite dark surrounding her.

Again, a glissande of brightness split the ebon air. It rippled into a solid, shining beam, curving into a brilliant circle. Gleaming light spread as another circle grew inside the first; arrows of light reached to the center like spokes on some sort of wheel. Yet no wheel had ever born strange, heretofore unknown symbols around its rim or floating between the spokes like the glowing ghosts of words.... A figure stood in the center, silhouetted by the yellow illumination of the otherworldly ring.

The whisper of sound grew louder, clearer. As it did another image superimposed itself over the circle, like a cloud passing before the moon. Now she perceived a wooded clearing, dirt hard-packed and bare but for a few scrubby patches of faded green, flanked around by pinched, gnarled trees.

A blend of wind and a bizarre, otherworldly chant wound its way into her hearing. The inconstant amber of a flickering campfire made the trees look like the twisted fingers of giants protruding from the earth. Figures lost under deep cloaks and shadows hovered on the fringes of her vision, just out of sight.

Kagami found her gaze dragged to a solitary figure seated on the ground before one of the misshapen trees. As her eyes adjusted she realized he was bound there, arms wrapped behind the knotted trunk, fair head bowed, yellow hair catching the illumination from the fire whose fringes of light trapped him.

A log snapped; sparks erupted skyward. With a jerk that to Kagami felt involuntary, the youth’s head came up, gaze questing around. A gag bound across his mouth. Eyes widened, and he lowered his visage, furtively, as though trying to hide that he had looked up at all. Just before his chin dropped she glimpsed some sort of metal at his throat, catching the fire’s light. For a second his profile had felt oddly, hauntingly familiar, though Kagami could not quite put her finger on why....

Vison flashed again. Sights flickered like lightning, scenes and images of other places, other people; she saw Ayame, a shining sword in her hands, a strange girl hiding behind her, and a white horse rearing its hooves behind all; Shizuka sinking deep beneath azure waves, fins flickering all around her, a nimbus of bubbles surrounding her head; Reiko at the end of a dark chasm, a shadowy figure behind her, vague but someone Kagami knew was needed, shown just for a second by a flash of crimson....

The sights crackled through her sight, faster and brighter until she felt her head was spinning, that she would be blinded by the assault on her senses....

One last vision burst into her sight, clear and vivid as the finest of diamonds. The figure in the center of the circle raised its hands high, turning. And Kagami saw that it was herself.

Dawn pinked the early morning sky, streaking the horizon with pale rosy threads. Thin, new light illuminated the occupants of the shelter. Reiko rolled over with a groan, cracked her head against the wall behind her, and groaned again. The back of her hand scrubbed across her eyes as she sat up and remembered where she was and how all of them had gotten there in the first place.

She dragged herself to her feet. A steadying hand lingered on the wall as she reabsorbed their surroundings. There was no sound but for the echo of the awakening woods, the soft noises of her friends’ slumber- and Jiro’s not-so-quiet snoring. Apparently he had drifted off where he sat, curled up in a little ball against the door frame. Muttering under her breath, she half-stumbled across the little chamber to thump him in the side with her foot. He snorted, jerking awake. “Uh- wha’ the? Huh?”

“Get your sorry butt moving, Flame Brain. You’re snoring on the job.”

“His turn was not all night. I simply elected not to take over the duty from the same location.” Iestyn rose, somehow managing to be graceful despite his seated posture in the far corner, where he had been lost to the shadows.

“Ack!” Reiko stumbled backwards, lost her balance, and unceremoniously thwumped to the floor. Jiro squawked as she just missed landing on him. “What the hell- what’s up with you, anyway?”

“And what’s up with you?” Jiro threw in. “You almost sat on me!”

“I did not! I-”

“I was lucky to get away with my life!”

“And you think it would’ve been any better for me, huh? You’re sure not my first choice of landing pads, y’know!”

“Ah, the melodious sound of this morning’s fight....” Ayame rolled over, voice and eyes bleary. “Now we know everything’s normal.”

Iestyn’s head swiveled back and forth between Ayame, the bickering pair, and back again. “You mean they do this every morning?”

“Morning?” Kagami sat up and stretched. There were dark smudges just visible under her eyes. “How about morning, afternoon, and night?”

Shizuka yawned, pulling a few strands of straw from her hair. “Basically all and any hours of the day, and then some.”

Reiko snorted. “Can we cut the jabber? I think we’ve got more important things to talk about, you know. Like how we’re going to get our stuff back without having to explain where the heck we got off to last night.”

“The innkeeper’ll probably think you and Jiro were off having a little tryst somewhere....” Ayame winked, elbow-nudging Reiko in the ribs.

Jiro looked distinctly pained at the idea. “Ugh, shut up; I don’t think I can stand a thought like that this early in the morning....”

“You think you’re the only one who thinks that? You’re not exactly God’s gift to girls, you know.” Reiko irritably swiped a lock of hair out of her eyes.

“I never thought I was!”

“Then what were you doing grinning at that twit of a barmaid last night like the village idiot on happy pills?”

“What, were you watching me or something?”

“It’s not like I was trying to- you were about as subtle as an elephant trying to sit on a bird’s nest!”

Jiro tapped his chin, pretending to look scholarly and contemplative. “That’s possible; I mean, there’s some bloody big birds out there....”

“And who crowned you the Ornithologist King? The only birds you watch are the giggling ones in skirts, like that twit of a girl! But then, like attracts like.”

“You calling me a twit?”

“D’you really need to ask?”

“Well, yeah- can’t possibly be a wonderful person like me, y’know.”

“Wonderful? Ha!” She barked a derisive laugh. “Who thinks you’re wonderful? Other than you, that is.”

Jiro folded his arms behind his head. “That barmaid sure wasn’t complaining.”

“Something I, for one, can’t understand.”

“Obviously she’s got really good taste.” He adjusted his collar, smirking.

A snort. “I’m not even going to bother commenting on that.”

“You just did.”

“Well, I-”

“Excuse me, you two, but can we please hold this off until later?” Kagami knelt down between them. “Iestyn and I have been talking, and we figure that due to the- well- suspended animation during last night’s... ocurrence, no one is probably even aware that we didn’t spend the night there. It’s most likely early enough to get back inside without being noticed. We can make all our final arrangements before setting out.”

“Setting out?...” Ayame blinked.

“We had best not linger in this area for much longer,” Iestyn said. “With luck, we can put as much distance as possible between ourselves and our pursuers.”

“Oh. Sure, yeah.” She blinked again, mouth working. “Anyone got any water? Only my mouth feels like I just ate a dirty sock....”

Shizuka rolled her eyes. “What an elegant analogy.”

“It ain’t pretty, but that’s what it feels like.”

“Well, still-”

Kagami raised a cautionary hand. “Don’t you two start, as well.” She pointed a look at Jiro and Reiko. “That goes doubly for the both of you. No fighting, do you understand me?”

“I’ll only fight if he starts it,” Reiko said, folding her arms.

“Who starts what is a matter of opinion.” Jiro’s posture reflected hers.

Kagami sighed. “Just... leave each other alone, okay?”

Ayame’s look of mischief returned. “Yeah, see if you can keep your hands off each other. I know it’s hard, but you gotta be respectable....”

Reiko harrumphed, rising abruptly. “Let’s go. We haven’t got all day.” She pointed a finger towards Iestyn. “Don’t think I’m letting you off easy, though. I’m not forgetting what happened any time soon.”

Now it was Iestyn’s turn to sigh. “I never expected you to....”

“Good.” The girl gave a satisfied nod.

As the group set out, Reiko staying close to Iestyn to ensure he didn’t make any trouble (though how much trouble he could possibly make on an open road in daylight was a mystery to everyone else), Kagami dropped back to walk with Jiro.

He gave her a surprised look. “What the?...”

It took her a minute to actually speak. “It’s... regarding yesterday.”

“What part of it? Your fight, the show, the cloak-spooks, or the escape?”

“None of that. About your prank.”

He blinked at her. “Prank?... Oh, you mean my little set-up?” He laughed lightly, but it had a nervous edge to it.

“Precisely.... Why did you do that?”

“Well- uh-” The boy scratched the back of his head. “Just- uh- y’know, to see what’d happen, Ayame’d said she was clueless about men, I thought it’d be fun to find out for myself....”

“Well, you did. And I think you should know that it wasn’t very nice.”

Jiro stopped in his tracks. This wasn’t the first time Kagami had delivered a scolding- typically after one his and Reiko’s multitudinous fights- but for some reason this one felt different. “Hey, c’mon, it was just a joke-”

“But a mean and possibly dangerous one. You found out what happened, and it was something you should have discerned from your own experiences.”

“Hey, look, I thought clueless meant she wouldn’t have a clue what was going on! I never expected her to deck the guy!”

“Given what you know of her character, such a reaction was a logical deduction. Yet you went ahead with it anyway. Nor did you consider the possible consequences, not just for her but for all of us. Your little prank could have had much worse results.”

“What d’you mean? The- the guy just ran off, right?”

“Luckily, yes. But what if he decided to exact revenge? Many men view rejection as an insult and being struck as a challenge. Bring the two together, and we could have had a major conflict on our hands. Someone could have been seriously hurt, not to mention all of us being thrown out for causing another fight.”

Jiro’s ears gleamed scarlet. A few beads of sweat showed under the thick fringe of bangs crossing his forehead. “Okay, so maybe I didn’t think it through. Sorry ‘bout that. But that’s no reason to fly into the boughs-” A crimson flush rose above his collar to tint the rest of his visage.

Kagami briefly closed her eyes. When she spoke again, the gray orbs looked straight ahead. “Reiko and I may be very different, but when it comes down to it we’re like sisters. More than that, for we’re sisters by choice. I should say that gives me every right to speak my mind. But I’ve said my piece. Please think on it, and at least consider apologizing. It might help. Although ultimately that’s up to you.” Then she hastened her steps, leaving Jiro alone with his thoughts.

“If I may be so bold as to ask, where was your destination?”

Kagami’s head came up. She and Iestyn had taken the task of settling their inn accounts. “Well... we were trying to replenish our provisions before setting off in search of my friends’ Dunami....” Supplies would have to wait until they found out how much money their performances had earned them.

“What were you to do during this search, as you already have yours?”

“The intent was always to stay together.”

“And visit one site at a time? Going your separate ways for the span of the search would be more efficient.”

“Yes, I know that. But logic, this time, must be superseded by the fact that none of us are entirely sure of the destinations.”

“I believe I could help you.”

Kagami glanced up at him. “How do you mean?”

“I have means by which I can aid you in finding and reaching your destinations, as well as allowing you to do so simultaneously. Not to mention that you have yet to tell me whether you agree to join me on my quest.”

She fidgeted with the crystal about her neck. “Oh- yes, well, I’ve been thinking about that.” Unbidden, the vision of herself standing in the center of the ring of light arose in the back of her mind. “No matter how much R- any of the others claim to distrust your motives, my intuition is telling me that this is what I ought to do, but it’s also telling me not to- to entirely split up the group, and I can’t in good conscience abandon a friend in need....”

“In that respect I’m afraid I can offer little assistance; even I lack the ability to multiply your guide by three.”

Kagami nibbled her lower lip. “Well, technically there was only one of them that I was really worried about....” Foremost in her mind was the image of Reiko standing at the end of a chasm, behind her someone crucial but vague.

Thunk. The unmistakable sound of someone hitting the floor resonated through the ceiling above their heads. “You’re asking for it now, Flame Brain!” Reiko’s shout, carrying down the stairs like a verbal beacon, was immediately followed by a series of louder thumps. The overhead lamps swayed a little.

Kagami sighed, dragging a hand over one side of her face. “Unfortunately, it’s that one,” she said. “I’d better go stop them before they knock the whole place down.” She hardly waited for Iestyn’s nod before sprinting up the staircase.

“Addlepated donce!” Jiro bellowed, twisting Reiko’s arm up behind her back.

“Donce?” If anything, Reiko’s returned bellow was even louder. “Donce? At least I’m not a buffleheaded buffoon!” Her foot snapped up, heel catching him in the knee. His leg buckled; she twisted and spun out, delivering a side kick to the midriff that sent the boy toppling. A booted toe snagged her hip joint on the upswing. Floorboards came up to meet her with a resounding thump.

He sat up, hands braced against the floor behind him. “Coulda fooled me! Doesn’t take much brains to realize that when you ain’t got a clue what your opponent can do, they can get inside your head and squeeze your brain out your ears, and they’re not even solid, the smart thing to do is beat it!”

Reiko’s mouth opened, closed, and opened again. A scarlet flush flooded her face, shoulders rising and falling with her harsh breaths. Kagami reached the doorway at the end of the stairwell, but for some reason the tableau and its corresponding dialogue stopped her.

Neither combatant acknowledged her presence. “In case you didn’t realize it, I didn’t hang around back there just for kicks! Someone needed to keep ‘em all distracted so my friends could get away! And in case you’ve forgotten, you were part of that group, you fire-headed dimwit!” A beat as she caught her breath. “But don’t go thinking I wanted to help you. You just happened to be there.”

“Oh, yeah, just happened to be carrying one of those friends out on my back, that’s all.” His mouth twitched. “I saved my own skin- and everyone else’s while I was at it, luckily for them, which is more’n you can say-”

The back of her fist cracked across his jaw. “Damn it, I did what I had to do! Don’t you dare say anything like that again!”

“Holy Hells....” He gingerly rubbed the spot where she had struck him. “You were still a stupid donce- I mean, you could’ve been killed, y’know that?”

Reiko humphed. “You think I thought about that?” She blinked as Kagami’s presence finally registered, frozen at the end of the corridor. The violent flush receded from her features as though a plug had been pulled somewhere inside. She scrambled to her feet. “Gotta go- go make sure m’bag’s packed....” she mumbled, dashing into the nearest chamber as if demons were nipping at her heels. Kagami didn’t have time to point out that it wasn’t the right room.

Jiro dragged himself upright. “Good timing,” he said, rolling his shoulders out. “I think she was gonna seriously pummel me there. Wonder what I did different?” He massaged his jaw, shifting it back and forth on his palm. “Man, I think she almost broke my face.”

“She could have if she’d really wanted to. I’ve seen her break a brick with that hand. She must have been holding back.”

Jiro’s whole torso dropped. “You call that holding back?! Could’ve fooled me! I think I’m gonna be black and blue.... Youch, that smarts.” He wandered off in the direction of his own room.

Kagami raised a hand, thought the better of it, and let him go. After all, the fight was over. There was no point in keeping the subject going. She knew Reiko well enough to know that while she wouldn’t even think twice about personal danger to help someone who needed it, getting her to admit to the fact was like pulling teeth. Jiro, despite the exchange she had decided not to disrupt, remained oblivious to this. I have a feeling he’ll stay that way for quite some time....

Seconds later, footsteps bounded up the stairs behind her. Iestyn emerged around the corner, eyes alight. He held a pouch upraised in one hand. “That was a near thing!” he said. “Couldn’t you get them to stop right away?” Kagami just shook her head mutely; explanations could wait until later.

“Luckily for us, our esteemed inkeeper made no sign of noticing the ruckus. In fact, he’s even arranging supplies for you, so you don’t have to take the extra time to procure them yourselves. ‘Anything to speed you on your way,’ he said. Here’s what’s left.” He tossed the pouch to Kagami, who caught it instinctively.

“Oh- yes- thank you for all your trouble. For helping us, I mean.” She bowed low from the waist, still clutching the money pouch.

“There’s no need to do that. It was the least I could do, after last night’s turmoil.... Be sure to apportion it, and the supplies, equally among yourselves. We’ll meet back here later. I’m going to be delayed for a bit.” He started down the hall, presumably in the direction of his room.

“Where- what are you doing?” The words flew out before she could stop them. A hand clapped over her mouth. “Oh, I’m so sorry!” she gasped. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your privacy-”

“Honestly, there’s no need to apologize. You have every right to ask, what with the not-so-merry dance I’ve led all of you. Remember I said that I could help you shorten your quest. I just have a few things I have to do to see that through.” He halted in front of one of the doors. Before stepping through, he added, “Though I must confess I can’t entirely understand why that girl is the one you’re worried about, except perhaps due to the trouble she attracts....”

“I- it’s- it’s complicated.” Kagami had no wish to explain her intuition or her dream in the middle of the corridor.

Iestyn lifted a shoulder. “No doubt.... But I think it would be a good idea for me to apprise you of exactly how I meant to assist you and your friends on the journey you’ve undertaken. Come with me, and I’ll show you.” He led the way into his room, Kagami hesitating only a moment before following.

“He said I attract trouble!” Reiko’s fists clenched. “Just you wait, I’ll show him the meaning of trouble....”

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Ayame latched onto the collar of her jacket. “Now’s the time to be sneaky.”

“Sneaky?...” Shizuka carefully shut her briefcase, snapping the catches into place. “What does sneaky have to do with all this?...”

Reiko folded her arms. “Given last night’s events, I think sneaky is as good a word as any for that guy. I still don’t trust him as far as I can throw him.”

“Could you please give it a rest?” Tiredness showed in Shizuka’s voice.

“I’m not letting my guard down for one second, not after what he and those cloak-spooks did-”

“He didn’t do anything! He was trying to help us!”

“Easy to say that after the fact. We still don’t know for sure that he’s not leading us straight into some sort of trap-”

“I don’t think it’s like that at all!” The smaller girl burst out. “I- I can’t really explain it. But somehow he feels... well... sincere. I... I may not be a good liar myself, but you know I can often tell when someone else is lying, and everything about him feels honest to me....”

“Yeah, and he’s also really cute,” Ayame added.

Reiko snorted. “I still think he’s both weird and suspicious.”

The ever-present look of mischief in Ayame’s eyes deepened. “Then it’s about time we tried to find out what’s going on!” Her friends just looked at her. “I’m talking good old-fashioned eavesdropping. Works every time.”

“But what if we’re caught?” Shizuka protested. “How do we explain-”

Ayame waved a hand dismissively. “I’m not expecting you to do any of the actual spying!” She dramatically rested her palm over her heart, closing her eyes. “I, the queen of the successful prank, offer my services in a selfless, noble gesture for the good of the team.”

Reiko thrust her thumbs through her belt. "Yeah, and 'cause you think sneaking around causing trouble is fun."

Ayame's grin quirked wider. "Guilty as charged! Keep watch for me. I'm goin' in." The girl dropped into a pseudo-military crouch, slipping out the door.

"You do realize," Shizuka said, "that we're going to have to go get her out trouble sometime in the very near future."

"Just what I was thinking." Reiko peered out into the corridor. "I say we beat the rush and get there before it starts."

They found Ayame kneeling on the floor next to of one of the doors, ear pressed up against the wood. "Damn! I can't hear a thing!"

Shizuka said, "Why don't you try listening at the keyhole?"

"Oh." Ayame blinked. "Good idea."

"Hey, no one told me there was a shindig out here!" Jiro yodeled, sauntering out of what seemed to be nowhere.Three heads whipped around. "Ssh!"

"Well, sorry! But our supplies are ready and the lot of you're hanging out here like it's festival day in hicktown. What's the occasion, anyway?"

"Shut up, will you?" Ayame hissed. "I'm trying to eavesdrop here!"

"And not doing a very good job of it," a voice whispered through the keyhole.

Ayame jumped, yelped, and toppled sideways, aided by the door abruptly swinging open from the inside. A pair of reddish-brown shoes materialized into view. Cyan eyes followed the russet-colored pants above to see that all belonged to Iestyn. “Hi?...” A shaky attempt at a charming smile crossed her features.

The elf peered down at her impassively. “Can I help you?”

“Um- wrong room?...” Shizuka blushed a deep rose.

“Just going.” Reiko grabbed Ayame’s arm, hauling her to her feet.

Kagami chose that moment emerge from behind Iestyn, expression a veritable thundercloud. “Oh, no you don’t! None of you are going anywhere until we get an explanation-” Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Jiro trying to sneak back around the corner. “And that includes you, Flame Brain!”

“Hey, don’t pull me into this! I’m just the messenger!”

Kagami ignored him, settling herself in front of Ayame in a stance that oddly resembled Reiko at her most riled. “I’m waiting.”

“Well- um- it was like- I thought I-” Finding the well of deceptive inspiration suddenly dry, Ayame reluctantly opted for the truth. “We just wanted to know why you were being so mysterious,” she muttered. “Not fair, you going off by yourselves like that. So I thought I’d try listening in and see if I got anything....”

“We just followed to pull her nuts out of the fire,” Reiko added. “Seems like the plan backfired.”

“I’d say it’s shot all to hell!” Jiro said cheerfully.

She whirled on him. “Don’t start again! I’m just in the mood! I-”

“-have better things to do, like making a last-minute check to make sure everything is in order,” Kagami finished for her; hastening forward, she hooked a hand through her friend’s elbow and towed her away before she could protest.

The door slammed behind them. “What d’you think you’re doing? It’s not like I couldn’t’ve handled it-”

“For you, ‘handling it’ means causing yet another ruckus for everyone here to remember us by. Let’s just hope we don’t pass through here again any time soon, as I highly doubt anyone will let us within miles of this town.”

Reiko randomly stuffed packages into her backpack, hardly glancing at what they were. “Hey, he’s the one who starts everything! I’m always provoked.”

“You- oh, we don’t have time for this right now. We need to go.”

“You keep saying that.” Flipping her backpack shut, Reiko irritably thrust her arms through the straps. “Go where? There’s a few choices, y’know.”

“Well, you’re going to find your Dunami, and I’m going with Iestyn to the holy site of Elzyphan-”

The backpack slipped, unnoticed, off Reiko’s shoulders. “The hell you say!” she gasped. “You actually mean you’re-”

“There’s no need to swear, and you know it.” Kagami reached down to tuck some money in the front pouch of the fallen bag. “You don’t need to get so angry. It’s- if you must know, it’s my intuition. I have a feeling that this is important.”

“Important can mean a lot of things- like your death, for a start!”

Kagami shook her head vigorously. “No. Something like that would be clearer. It’s just that- I keep getting this sense that this is the right course, and I had a dream last night that I can only believe was showing me the way-”

Reiko clapped her hands down on her friend’s shoulders. “Then I’ll go with you. God knows you need someone around in case he gets shifty-”

“No!” Kagami’s voice took on a strange intensity. “Don’t you see? I don’t need anyone to watch over me. This is what I’m supposed to do, and I must do it on my own. Your paths diverge elsewhere.”

Reiko’s shoulders sagged. “And you lot call me stubborn,” she said. “Fine, if that’s what you really want, though I still don’t like it....”

Kagami squeezed the other girl’s hands. “Thank you for understanding. Please, try to trust Iestyn, okay? He’s promised to help all of you as well. You have a quest of your own, you know. I’ll explain along the way....” You’d like this even less if you knew what else the plan includes.

Ayame plunked her hands on her hips, one foot tapping the leaves below. “Okay, someone remind me why we had to go off in the middle of the boonies for you to tell us exactly what we’re supposed to be doing now?”

“Because of the nature of the spell,” Iestyn said. “Journey stones are essentially portable teleportation spells. We didn’t want to risk witnesses; most people find it unnerving to see a whole group abruptly vanish into thin air.”

“Yo,” Ayame whispered to Reiko, “did he just make a joke?”

Almost as long as your thumb, journey stones were small, unassuming rectangles of stone, rough-hewn and ivory in color. There was only one thing which set them apart from any bit of rock found at the roadside, and that was the barely discernible nimbus of color surrounding each one, only visible when studied closely.

Iestyn gave no sign of hearing Ayame’s comment. “Remember the rules. To use the stone, hold it high between the thumb and forefinger of your right hand and say the word. Each stone is only enchanted for two uses, departure and return.” He looked intently at each of them in turn. “The magic is finite. Do not use it again unless you have accomplished your goal or are in mortal danger. Always remember that.” He fixed his gaze on Shizuka. “You first.”

The girl paled visibly. “M-me?” she squeaked.

Iestyn’s visage softened with a small smile. “Yes. I promise you, it’s easier than you believe. Have faith, and all will be well.” He raised one hand, palm out, fingers slightly spread. “May you travel in peace and light.”

Shizuka nodded, a tight little movement. Then she raised her journey stone and, taking a deep breath, said “Apodemeo.” The air around her rippled, like the surface of a pond disturbed by a pebble. A stream of blue light swept up from her feet, swirling around her; a second later, she was gone.

“Yo, that’s awesome!” Ayame’s eyes were huge. “Me next!” She thrust her arm overhead and cried “Apodemeo!” A shower of sparks illuminated the place where she stood. Flames exploded skyward. When they cleared, Ayame had vanished.

Kagami turned to Reiko and Jiro. “Now you two.”

They looked at each other and back again. “What, both of us?”

“Hey, what’s he doing in all this, anyway?” Reiko’s eyes narrowed. “You never were clear about that....”

Kagami’s smile tightened. “Please go along with it, okay?” She thrust a folded bit of paper at Reiko. “Just... read this when you get there.”

Reiko shrugged. “Whatever. Here goes nothing.” Her right hand went to the sky. “Apodemeo.” Green flashed in front of her eyes, ears met by a sound like leaves rustling. Just before an unseen force snatched her upraised wrist and swung her into oblivion, she realized that Jiro’s nimbus radiated green as well....

"Ow!" Kagami felt as though someone had just pulled a flying carpet out from under her feet. It took a few seconds for her to be able to fully breath again. A knobbly tree root had poked up to jab her in the stomach as she struck ground. “What I wouldn’t give for public transportation right now...."

"What was that?..." Iestyn sounded as though he had just woken up.

"Never mind." Kagami sat up to make the sort of basic self-examination that typically follows any abrupt system shock. Finding everything in place, she set to work dusting herself off.

Iestyn offered her a hand up. She looked around. "Where are we?"

"In what's commonly known as the Sen Forest." He passed her satchel to her. "Now the real journey begins."