2044

Allison Fae

Frost in the air scraped against the dragon’s scales as she coursed through the skies. Silver tufted clouds served as temporary shrouds—hiding the gigantic form of the beast from any that would see from below. That was of course if there were people below to look up at the skies. Congregation stood strongest in established settlements dotted across the landscape. To be in the wild space between was a desire for death. Beasts and savages prowled the emptiness kept only at bay from the settlements themselves by weapons shipped from the east coast.

The dragon and her passenger needn’t worry about the guns and swords being shipped across the landmass as they each had their own weapons of choice that overwhelmed any tool of man. The dragon herself could afford not to notice as underneath its scales was a shadowy presence that did not exist as flesh and blood. Instead, it existed of waves that pulsed and flashed with the determination of a thousand ages. The scales were merely an outer shell that braced against the impact of the frost outside. The conglomerate of ice and dust of the stratosphere was a familiar element that Sakonna had previously carried around her physical form as she landed out from the outer reaches of space toward this planet. The elements of space shielded her waves from the light—that which burned her inner form upon contact.

Since her long existence on this planet, she had continuously built up enough resistance to the effects of the light—energy that long ago would on impact burn their essence to the core—but she still required use of what was effectively a suit of ice and fashioned scales as if it were an armor for her inner presence to inhabit.

She had since learned to adapt through human vessels and handmade scales affixed to her exterior when traveling as a human became too cumbersome and had to be dumped. Since her arrival on Earth and active participation in worldly activities, she has carried out several thousands of missions in the name of her families’ survival. Confusion and sorrow boiled into a black anger that ran through like a blood life and only seemed to harden by the frozen air.

The mission she set forth on was to seek out the Monoliths—artifacts of immense power that the rest of the Children of the Night were after. Initially, she was aligned with her family in finding them for the same reason, but that all changed when Z-One passed over. Two decades of suspicion—she had become an exile for the death of their creator. Even now conspirators in shadow still worked their ways to seize control of the ultimate power of the world—the original machine ICARUS.

She knew not the reason behind their actions, nor why the target was affixed to her own back, but she knew she wasn’t going to take the events lying down.

And thus, brought her out in the skies on this night—and yet another source of power—different than the Monoliths, but just as concerning if another were to get their hands on it pulsed close by.

Memories of the past flashed behind her eyes and the words of her sibling—the very same soul she was traveling toward now alongside the traveler on her back—Allison Fae.

Now thirty-five and more of her life spent towards surviving in the new world after The Collapse than not—she and the dragon she once considered a target now aimed similar sights on the Monoliths. To Allison, this goal only stood as a piece of her whole—as there was something she sought more than anything of the world over. It was just a beginning.

Her journey has been long, and she has lost much—including one of her own legs—lost now to a metal prosthesis of her own creation. Of course, that story sat still on the edge of her mind like a poisoned barb—too hurtful to handle and too painful to dig out yet. And the worst part of it all was that it wasn’t even the worst—there was still so much inside her that sat curled up with its spiked crowns in her subconscious just sinking deeper and stabbing closer. Much of her past had come back like a bad bite ready for seconds. She knew it was inevitable that she come to terms, but the impossibility of the entirety of it all rang in her like a sour note.

It was in much of the same way that old friends would come together—so could the most bitter of enemies find common ground in shared suffering if their goals were to the same end.

Because both the hunter and the dragon continued to push forward and dig into the stone, they aimed as one—at least so long as the other has what both search for in a shard of the Black Monolith. The Monoliths together assembled with the Origin Machine—ICARUS could rewrite the very fabric of the universe.

They have flown for half a day’s time since leaving over the hills outside Remire and Tauten. Based on how chilled and sharp the air felt Allison guessed that it was likely near the end of January. She had long stopped keeping track of the exact date—it had not served the purpose when the only schedule that need be kept is the survival clock. It did however help to keep a general sense of the months in mind as it related to the climate. She was familiar with this side of the landmass for a while—it most easily lined up with what she remembered as a young child.

The east coast of what used to be America followed pretty simple patterns. Of course, this meant she would be nowhere in this vicinity around this time of year—it could turn from a nice spring-like illusion unto the sharp glacial blizzards with little warning. Storms without weathermen became cold and cruel tragedies. Allison felt thankful they seemed to be heading south—in a day’s time they should be out of the center of the cold. She’d just have to deal with it until then.

One thing that had surprised Allison was her ability to communicate with the dragon telepathically when she rode upon her. Sakonna had likened this to Allison’s own kindred abilities—ones that Issachar had long ago since informed her of.

“So, how...is Issachar?” Allison thought to rub her hands together but found that clasping each open and then shut helped stimulate blood flow. Keeping the question in her mind helped distract the threatening loss of feeling in her hands.

“Do you mean the vessel or my brother true?”

Allison sat back, wrapping her arms around a thick scale that protruded out of Sakonna’s back. “I would have assumed you would have had joy in telling me if Lilly wasn’t his puppet anymore.”

“Puppet’s a crude word for it, but I take your meaning. Yes, I most certainly may have taken some form of joy were we in more oppositive standing.”

“So, you’re saying we’re friends now?” Allison said, her face stoic. Almost a humor in the lack of change in her face.

The dragon was silent for but a moment. “I think were circumstances different we would have found a lot to like in each other. Your humor is as dry as the air we fly through. I see why Issachar found such joy in regaling me of your story.”

“So, you know more than just our own past?”

“I know quite a lot about you. I take great pride in my attention to detail and have taken great efforts to know and understand the people who would wish me dead.”

“At one point I think I did,” Allison said.

The dragon laughed heartily. “At one point...you say as if you were not prepared to try to spear my hide on the mountain there.”

“I might have, who’s to say?” Allison said.

“We both know how stubborn the both of us are. I do have sorrow for how your life has turned out.”

Allison’s smile faded, and suddenly she felt the coldness creeping upon her. “I do not regret what I have done—do not get me wrong. I am sure others would be angrier at that statement than you might be—but I regret that my duties were necessary.”

“Are they still necessary?” Allison asked. “I mean that sincerely, considering the state of your relationship with the others.”

“You sympathize, it’s almost too humorous to bear.”

“I don’t know if that’s the root of it,” Allison began. “If I can save myself a job and better focus myself, I’d say that’s a win-win.”

“Hm, I may have to think on that. It’s not so simple a sway.”

“Well, your father’s dead, is he not?”

Another tense silence left the two of them at odds. Allison knew something she hadn’t been told by the dragon. If she had to explain how she knew, it would have been a hard conversation. She wouldn’t be able to explain the logic of the act. It almost was as if the two of their minds met in a metaphysical plane, and their conversations acted as a great battle between the both of them.

Even simple words as a meeting of flesh and scale. Conversation became a battlefield, and suddenly it almost was so simple to describe how social situations were for Allison all her life. But even though on the surface you felt the blows of the connections the two had made, each almost seemed to draw blood—that metaphorical lifeblood that held their darkest secrets and contained thoughts.

Allison had known that the being known as Z-ONE was dead because she had seen his body through her blood. She saw the conflict and torment that the each of them felt as accusations went wayward, and she even saw glimpses of talks with Issachar—decades ago below some land she was unfamiliar with called the bonelands.

As much as she was able to glimpse within Sakonna, she was sure that she offered up the same in her own blood. She was uncomfortable with being so bare, but knew it was something she couldn’t avoid now. It wasn’t like when she was talking with Felix—he wasn’t nearly as strong as the being she rode upon—defenses and walls meant nothing to the dragon.

Maybe it was that inevitability that opened the conversation so easily and friendly among the two lost souls. With nothing to hide, they found their own level of understanding.

“The future is uncertain. I have grown to be uncertain…” Sakonna broke the silence and craned her long neck around to face Allison. “The things I know are what I hold to. I know I desire the world where I came from. If the variables outside of that shift, it doesn’t change my course too much. If you’re on my back or if father is at my side, if the end result happens then I see no conflict. Yet, I know that end conflicts with you...or...does it really?”

Allison cocked her head. “You ask if your goal is not as selfish as it might seem. What of the world you come from, what destination might you seek so headstrong?”

Allison needed no reply from Sakonna’s thoughts. She saw instantly within her the truth of the answer. Another world entirely—another time that existed full of people, of life...of death and ultimate end in its own collapse. Flashes of lives she could not even begin to understand.

“Your name was Alex,” Allison said. “You’d forgotten that. But I...just saw that deep within you.”

“Alex…? That is odd…I do sense a tingling sensation in my core. A familiarity. I feel like it is not my own, now, though. I wonder...I feel as if part of me—the part that claims ownership to that name is somewhere out there in this wide world. Split from me.”

“So, let me ask you this, then. Would it matter so much to you to go back to the place that you came—say you were able to reconstruct it—but what if you went back as you are as you now say—stripped bare of who you were? What would you gain from returning to a place you cannot claim as your own fully and truly? Would that not be the most awful thing?”

Allison knew Sakonna dared not answer, but in the same breath she gave her something to ultimately chew on. She started to descend slowly, and she knew they were going to be ending their travels for the night. The winds seemed to slow to a stop as they kept on descending. Almost as if the ground were accepting their arrival.

Down below the grounds rolled underneath like a panorama that didn’t feel real. The grass rose up almost a full person’s height and the blades from this height looked like swift painterly strokes dabbed across the landscape.

Sakonna dipped closer to the surface and slowed. Her wings extended out as they slowly flapped and the both of them descended through the chilly air. Lights in the distance hung as an indicator of life—they were still far enough to avoid notice. The both of them knew a sight such as them would incite panic, fury, fear, and conflict. All things they desired to avoid.

They came to a landing point a few miles outside the settlement—amber light glowing faintly in the distance. The settlement itself was more solidly constructed than many of the places Allison was used to. On the outset from above she could see that many of the structures were initially constructed with stone and reinforced with iron and other metals. There seemed to be some level of professionalism in the reinforcement.

That said, it also warned of protection—that anything that entered its radius as a threat would be dealt with accordingly. Those attitudes Allison knew well—she kept a close handle on her own personal version, but it was exactly those kinds of people she distrusted the most. And yet, that wasn’t the totality of the feeling that she read from the settlement from above.

There was a strange warmth that radiated out from the highest spire—it stood in what she guessed was the center like a beacon or a lighthouse. It was more than just a yearning for the sight of people—those kinds of things rarely drove her desires. It actually felt like the light itself had reached as far as their landing point.

“It is a light foreign to me,” Sakonna had said. “The towers they’ve erected use some form of energy which makes me suspicious. I’ve been eyeing it for some time.”

“You think they’re in possession of a Monolith, that amber colored one perhaps?” Allison asked.

“Not directly, no. I don’t think they know the source of their own power, but I feel some sort of energy deep within the veins of the planet. There’s a connection point somewhere. I am not as free to shift my physical form as I was used to. I have expended a lot of energy over the past few decades—more than I had in the last thousand years. I truly do not wish to harm or kill unnecessary lives, and I know my entering of the settlement would do both.”

Allison began to understand her implication. “You’d have me enter and do the work for you.”

“I knew you’d get it,” she sensed a smile behind the dragon’s eyes. “We are still en route to see Issachar. I cannot fly any longer this night, and we would be heading here to investigate at one point or another. I figure you would agree with the path of least bloodshed.”

“Using my own morality against me. Is that a skill you’ve continued to hone over your thousand years?”

The dragon met her eyes, and so the battle within waged on. Knowing what the other was thinking and constantly finding a leg against to mount off from. “Fine. I’ll go scope it out. You need to rest, and I need to warm up. It benefits us both.”

“You sound like you’re making the decision,” she laughed.

“If I get to say so, then let it be so,” Allison said.

And so, the two of them went their separate ways. Allison began walking toward the settlement—large stone spires reaching up toward the sky basked in that amber light, while Sakonna turned and searched a place to lay herself down and lay low.

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“For now, I shall continue to accept the other’s company,” the both of them had thought simultaneously, but separately and that thought rung like a synchronous bell in the back of their minds.

“Maybe,” Allison heard faintly in front of her mind—recognizing it as the fading Sakonna’s voice. “Maybe if you return in one piece, we can talk more on this topic of true selves, of Alex and Ally.”

And just like that, the voice faded, and the dragon was asleep. Allison felt sure that she would make it back to talk, but that confronting the past—and not just her own—would be as scary as anything this city and its people could provide.

As she got closer she started noticing the overwhelming stench of bread as if freshly baked. It put to mind mental images of a cartoonized version of France. Something she’d read in an old book romanticizing bakeries and artisans in the streets. There was something about the emanating warmth from the tower that seemed to draw those images to the surface.

She was surprised to find no guard stationed near the southern entrance to the town. She slowed to a stop to ensure she wasn’t missing anything. There really was nobody here. Such a strange choice, but it left better for her to avoid a public confrontation. She continued walking; her arms were tense in the way she always got when she anticipated trouble.

“Halt! Cease movement lest ye be breaking imperial treaty!” A voice rang out from above her. Allison looked up to see the glint of a camera lens. The voice itself was wiry—as if it came from either a man who hasn’t grown into himself—or one who never would. She instantly felt irritation mounting as she called to memory all the similar kinds of guardsmen that acted as defense or the first wave before any of these settlements. They all so similarly underestimated her until she had to prove to them—as if it were right that she had to prove anything to them—that she wasn’t worth bothering. That she could show them six ways to subdue them without so much as a scratch on her if it called for it.

She frowned and took in a deep breath. Here we go. “I’m traveling through and was wondering if there was a place I could warm up and grab a bite.”

“Wellst, that would be determined on thous answers to my quiz and riddles three.”

“Speak plainly.” Allison said. “I shouldn’t have to tell you it is plenty freezing out here. I care not for riddles.”

“Well well well...impatience and a lack of love for the language of our forefathers. I cannot say that I really expect an aura of that color to meld well with the commonwealth. These tests are here for a reason, madame.”

Allison cringed. Anyone that called her madame was surely racing toward the list of people she would least wish to associate with. “Forefathers? History’s a dead subject here,” Allison said.

“History is very much alive, but now I am interested—your aura has shifted to a more...debatable color...I wonder. A closer examination is required.”

“Debatable?” Allison asked. She knew nothing of auras or their corresponding colors, but it didn’t seem like she was being immediately turned away, so she decided to pull on the thread further. She was not a fan of any sort of closer examination, however.

“As it says on the tin. You have the look of someone who would argue their point to the end of the earth. While I do consider the lack of respect of the honorable olde tongue egregious—I am curious at the fire I now sense burning within your aura...hold on…”

Allison heard him back away from whatever microphone he was speaking into. It seemed to be overly sensitive to his surroundings—she heard rustling through paperwork and then subtle tapping of keys. Behind the tapping she heard even more voices speaking sotto voce that she couldn’t quite make out what was being said, yet she could tell there was more than one person wherever he was.

“No...flipping...way...you’re totally...oh my god. You’re an amber. Please, come on in immediately. I must make the most of this opportunity...oh my gods…” The camera’s view returns to its normal height and Allison heard the footsteps fade into the distance. Confused upon everything else, she turned to see a door open to her right.

She turned to see a lanky individual whose large home-repaired goggles sat on the bridge of his nose so far from his eyes they made him look like a bug. The man looked exactly as she expected...and almost immediately she noticed the awful stench that reminded her of trash strewn about a murky, slimy beach. She noticed the clothes he was wearing—a denim jacket and jean combo looked to be a size too small.

His eyes though, magnified through the goggles stared at her with wonder and amazement. They were a deep blue, and he was staring at her—almost seeing how long he could go without blinking. It gave off a foreign insect-like feeling that made her step back reflexively. He approached her with his hands clasped together and made a sound like an excited puppy.

“Oh, yes...I see,” he whispered to himself, taking a step closer toward her.

She backed up another and held out a hand in front of her, “Keep space,” she said. “I’m armed and will defend myself.”

“You look even fiercer in person! Oh, this is wonderful. Please, yes, I’ll follow your demand...oh such fire. Such fire!” He turned away from her and began talking to himself. She saw a leaflet in his hand with blue ink scrawled from top to bottom as if it came straight from a machine in some strange lab. “Come, follow me, I have so many questions to ask you.” He turned on a dime and nodded his head twice before turning once more and walking into the settlement proper.

Allison stood for a moment but didn’t want to forgo the chance to investigate further, she walked in line behind him. She knew more than anything she was going to look for the first opportunity to ditch this creep, but she did sense she could defend herself from anything he could possibly do, so she followed behind at a safe enough distance.

“So, this...aura of mine you said you saw. Mind explaining that...or anything else about yourself or this place? What it’s called? Where could I find a place to eat and sleep?” Allison asked.

He stopped and nearly threw himself around to face her. “OH I must say I am quite the forgetful one, aren’t I...hahaha, well, I am quite excited to give you those answers! Must seem weird coming to a place you don’t know. Well I guess that didn’t stop you from coming specifically but I guess you know what I mean,” he started chuckling, patting his chest with a closed fist.

Allison noted that his old English act had easily worn away. Seems like it was only for bravado. Thankfully so. “There are a lot of things happening at once, and I guess I didn’t expect someone of your...energy from how you started off the interaction. I’ve been traveling long in the cold and if the aura talk is simply your oddity then I am more than fine with skipping that explanation.”

“Only my…” he seemed to repeat as if he didn’t understand the words. “Oh no! No no no, this wonderful world we’ve carved out here all belongs to the aura. You must have seen the great tower we have in the distance!”

Ally gazed up toward the light spilling out from the tower, and then back down to him. “Yeah, I saw it, that was the most curious thing about it, definitely.”

“Well, that’s because of the amber light! Always making sure we have what we need to do what we do!” He said, and then presented his arms out toward the tower in the distance. “Here in our lil city o’ gold we have the amber light to thank for the energy we have! Both electricity and pep speaking if I do say,” he trailed into more chuckles. “The great guardian Vita gave unto us a beautiful light source that inspires us every day to be our best selves! And through the light we see shades of each other—the auras of our inside natures. It’s how we designate tasks and upkeep around here to make this marvel.” He turned to face Allison once again. “And I’m Pinocchio, nice to meet you.”

The utter absurdity of the situation showed plainly on her face, but he didn’t seem to register it as anything in response to what he had said. It seemed that this place revered this Vita as some sort of...what, hero? God? She would have to keep this in mind—she was sure if she were to publicly decry what must obviously be a story to keep these people in working order then she’d be asking to turn an entire town against her.

That is, if this was a widespread belief.

She looked back up toward the tower, then reasoned it must be if they had built the entire settlement around it. Then of course, came back to the man who himself insisted he was a fairy tale.

“This is the part where you tell me you’re joking or what your name really is…” Allison said.

The look on his face changed then, but to one of pity for her than hurt or anything like it. “Hm, how to say—that is my name!”

“Right…” Allison said. “And that light powers everything around here you said?”

“Oh, yes it is and does. We’re the arbiters of the great guardians’ message to the cosmos!” He spread his arms out wide.

“Right. Well, that’s great and all. But I think I personally am caught up and I would like to find a place to bunk for the night. I still am plenty cold from the outside.”

While it wasn’t wholly the truth—she felt that it was the best segue into separating from such a strange individual. Ever since entering the walls she’s felt a much more prevalent warmth all around her as if she had heat lamps aimed right at her.

“Oh, that’s categorically and physically impossible. The heat offered up to us by the great guardians is a gift even amber auras benefit from. So, there’s absolutely zero percent chance that you are still cold now.” He stared at her as if he told her the sky was blue still in these days.

Allison merely blinked at him. “Any chance you want to explain those auras further, or are you going to continue to talk at me about them as if I know what you’re talking about?” There was an edge to her voice now—one that he noticed immediately.

“And there it is!” He laughed again, slapping his chest even harder.

She looked with a tightened expression at the force he was using, but said nothing on the subject, merely waiting for his explanation to continue.

“Well, you see, auras are deep within each of us. Colors exist outside of nature to denote what kinds of tasks the people of those colors will be doing in their day to day lives here in Galder’s Reach.”

So that was the name of this outpost.

“Look over there,” he pointed toward a brown building to their left. “In there the brown auras take care of transforming the amber light that’s funneled from our main tower into the heat you feel so comfortably around you. You can think of them as transferers.”

“How do they manage that?”

“Dunno!” His arms were up over his head again. “Just know it works. I’ve never been a brown aura, so I’ve never seen the inside. I’m a silver aura, so I stand by and keep our city safe from those who would do us harm. Or those who have nothing to offer the Reach in exchange for use of its services. Those kinds of people tend to have no auras at all—those the great guardians do not even consider worthy of the lowest of the low.”

“And you’re spending your time out here?” Allison asked.

“Well, I’m not even close to the only silver, silly. I’ve got relief knowing we hold it down.”

“And what color did you take me as at first? Before I argued back, I mean?”

“Well, you certainly seemed to exhibit qualities of a black aura. Dark, depressing, moody. Those kinds of souls here work in the…” he trailed off, as if not meaning to say so much on the subject. “Well, they work in dark, gloomy and depressing matters. Nothing you should concern yourself with. Necessary stuff I’m sure, but not the greatest reputation if I’m being quite honest. I tend to turn those people away because I feel they’d be better suited...you know, not being depressing around here, but that’s not important because I saw in you immediately after my first assessment was a brilliant amber light within you. It was as bright as any as I could see, and I just knew I had to invite you in.”

“Well, what’s so special about that?” Allison asked.

“Ambers, if you can’t tell from our large tower are the most treasured color of all. It provides good feeling and positive energy, warmth, light, and many more things I couldn’t even begin to describe. When an amber passes through we celebrate with all the pride we have in our hearts here because your aura helps the tower shine even brighter than it normally does. You being here simply increases the level that that light exudes out. It really is quite a treat whenever an amber comes into town.”

Allison looked up toward the tower and wondered if that was why she felt such strong feelings emanating from the pulsing light and radiating heat. Was there really something about her aura that aligned with it? It was possible that even though he presented himself in a very off-putting way that he was entirely correct. She needed to find out more and wished it to be from anyone else at this point.

“Well, that is definitely interesting,” she said. “I am not as in the know about my own aura myself, but I think I have absorbed all I can knowledge wise on it right now. Where’s a place I can recover for the night and get a meal? I appreciate you telling me all these things, but this isn’t the first time I’ve asked.”

“Oh, right of course. Of course. Where are my manners? Yes continue on down this path here and you’ll enter the main square. It is pretty late, but you should be able to find someone near the bar. It’s part inn, if you don’t mind the stink of the drink,” his smile wrapped around his face and he started to chuckle, but he moved his hand over his mouth as if embarrassed by the act. “Oh I’m going to have to remember that one for later,” he belted out in smaller chuckles.

“Got it, well...um, bye.” Allison said, not wanting to drag out the conversation any longer than it needed to be.

Pinocchio did not call out after her and she felt the awkwardness of the situation slowly fading as she passed by more and more people. They looked...ordinary. A little girl was sitting up against a metal light post and staring up at the light of the tower with her feet dawdling. A man was walking to some unknown location, but he had that old city style of walk—even though Allison knew not where he was going she could tell he was moving with purpose and yet, not in a rush. He seemed to genuinely enjoy the walk as much as what he was going to do.

It had been a long time since she had felt nostalgic for the old world—and seen everyday life in ways that reflected those days. She had been so used to people hardened and changed by the ways the world had changed that it almost became normal to not be normal.

“Hey, miss, your outfit’s weird.” The girl called from her side.

Allison turned and while normally she may have expressed some sort of response to this, she found it in herself to feel...almost embarrassed? It reminded her of an old stuffy coat she wore to school all those years ago that was much too large to look any sort of reasonable. That thought threatened to bring back more memories of the past, so she stuffed it back down—like stuffing the coat itself into a closet and trying her hardest to keep the doors closed.

“I didn’t mean to make you feel bad about it,” the girl said. “Just that it’s weird.” She couldn’t have been more than ten years old. It was such a strange thing here.

“Well, that’s because I came from outside. I’m just looking for the inn. Do you happen to know where that is?”

The girl made a face, “Yuck. That place smells like the blues. They got all kinds of gross things there.”

“By blues...do you mean that the uh...people with blue auras work for the inn?”

“You been here before?” The girl cocked her head. “Ain’t nobody I know who picked up on that so easily ‘less you have.”

“I was told about it,” Allison said. “My name’s Allison. What’s yours?”

“I’m Pinocchio. Nice to meet you Allison,” the girl smiled, and Allison felt a shiver run up her spine.

“Y-You too,” Allison said, trying not to appear as concerned as she was feeling. She turned and saw a blue building on the corner of the other edge of the square.

She walked across the corner and thankfully nobody else paid her any mind. It was an unsettling feeling walking past so many people when it had been years since she had seen...much less interacted with so many people. The settlement was big enough that new faces weren’t so uncommon, so she didn’t stick out as much as a sore thumb, but she definitely was no longer interested to chat up the populace.

Which was unfortunate because she didn’t think a group of people who so apparently seemed to worship the lamp above their heads would allow and out of towns person such close access to investigate the amber light up close and personal.

She sighed and took a look back at the girl out of habit as she stood in the doorway and felt another shudder as she swore she saw the girl’s head turn fast when she turned to look.

She hurried inside and immediately scolded herself for letting a child get her so worked up. The bar’s inside had a look that took her by surprise and invited more of the natural wonder wash over her. The floor was so black she could almost watch her feet fade into the void, but the counter top that ran along the length of the side wall had a neon blue outline that almost reminded her of an old arcade or other establishment meant for kids. The wiring lead all the way around so she could see where she was going, but the bar with the door closed looked like it had been sucked into another dimension entirely.

The otherworldly nature of everything within Galder’s Reach only kept on continuing until she came face to face with the barkeep. If she kept here she felt she could feel a sense of normalcy. Maybe that was why she chose to sit down at the counter before moving off toward sleep. She needed some sort of reassurance that she wasn’t suddenly transported into the land of make-believe. Something to ground her within herself and she knew more than well that a drink was just the thing to do it.

The barkeep was normal enough, he didn’t ask for any money in exchange for a room—he simply had her record her name down and said if she needed anything for a drink or a meal to tell a good story in exchange. The offer sounded interesting enough, and the fact that she saw other names that weren’t simply Pinocchio on the log helped ease her mind.

She figured she wasn’t going to get this opportunity again for a long while, so she pulled up a seat and introduced herself to two women and a man on either side of her and called for a glass of whiskey.