“Should we get the others and sight see?”

“If you want. They might like the dam. I have never seen a constructed dam in the magic world.”

“They might find it interesting. I wonder if they have tours.”

“They might, but I wouldn't recommend it.”

“Why?”

“Tree spirits are not inclined to small spaces.”

“But she was in the castle.”

“Not for very long. After you went to bed her and Falls went outside.”

“Oh okay, What about the car?”

“She can roll the window down if she gets claustrophobic.”

“But she is bothered by the combustion.”

“Not a problem, the car is a magic construct. It doesn't work with gas.”

“Oh yeah,” I say then head back to the pool room. Oaky and Rock are swimming around in the pool. As I get to the edge I notice Rock has removed the weapons and the illusion of weapons from his outfit.

They see me and get out. Rock just flies out and lands next to me and Oaky climbs out. Neither of them look like they have been in a pool, ”Okay problem here,” I say.

“What?” they ask in unison.

“You don't look wet,” I say.

They both look down at themselves. Rock asks, “Should we?”

“Okay watch,” I say and get in the pool. I get out. I notice the silk clothing doesn't suck up as much water as I would expect, but it was enough to make my point.

“Oh, I never paid much attention to how my illusion should react to the environment.” Rock says.

“Well up until now I really didn't pay attention either. But in a world without magic the subtle differences are noticed,” I say.

“Gotcha, I will keep the environment in mind,” Rock says.

“That's going to be more difficult for me,” Oaky says. “My illusions is not dynamic like Rock’s.”

“That can be forestalled,” Sesney says, “If you don't mind me whispering in your ear. We can prevent a scene that way.”

“If it won't be a bother I would appreciate it,” She replies.

“Not at all. That way I can contribute and not be just a haunting,” Sesney says.

“A what?” Rock asks.

“A haunting,” Sesney replies, “In the human world they don't have magic so if things move without physical interaction, or there’s a voice that has no body they call it a haunting.”

“Oh, we ready haunting?” Rock asks.

It's bothersome sometimes not to be able to see Sesney. I'm sure right now he is giving the most awful glare. I am about to holler for Butler when he comes through the door.

“You know with you around Butler, I would never have to open my mouth. You would be perfect for a singer's home,” I say.

“Actually sir there is a singer with a watcher as a butler. I don't recall her name, but she is a fairy that got trapped here long ago and keeps changing her look and name.”

“I bet that turns heads when she gets emotional.”

“She maintains a simple illusion to prevent a scene,” it says.

“Good idea, I could just imagine the riot she could cause.”

“Protecting those trapped here from the other world is everyone's priority, so riots and scenes generally don't occur.”

“I am glad to hear that, Shall we visit the dam?” I ask.

“May I accompany you sir. I have not seen it since they were constructing it.” Butler says.

“Fine with me. How about everyone else?” I ask.

“Sure,” Rock says.

“It would be a pleasure,” Oaky says.

“If you want to play your part I can remove the human illusion in the transport,” Sesney says.

“No he is our guest, not our butler out there,” I say.

“I don't mind sir. I have played the part so long I wouldn't act properly as a guest,” it says.

“If that is what you want,” I say.

“Thank you sir. If you will follow me I will show you our transport,” it says and floats off. We follow it to the garage.

The garage has enough room for four cars and a work area. The garage itself is bigger than any place I have ever lived in. And I thought my parent's home was fairly large as I was growing up.

A limousine sits just inside the garage closest to the door we come out. It is a glossy black with tinted windows. “This looks like an attention grabber,” I say as we all get in.

“Not as much as you would think sir. There is a limousine service in the area. This is a tourist area. Most of the residents in the area are accustomed to famous people showing up.

“Really, too bad I was so poor when I was living in the human world,” I say.

I am able to step down into the limousine. It looks like a small living room. “This is obvious, it is magic,” I say.

Butler appears at the front of the room I am guessing what should be the driver's seat. “Yes sir, but humans see it as a regular limousine, if they look in an open door. Lady Elisa made sure of that,” it says.

“I thought Sesney got this one.” I say.

“I got it yes, but from Lady Elisa. She has several of the summoned transports all over the world,” Sesney says.

“So she has businesses all over the world?” I ask.

“Yes sir, her businesses are what help the stranded. We watchers keep an eye out for any stranded that appear in the human world,” it says.

“So there are a lot of stranded magic folk?” I ask.

“Not too many, just several thousand per continent including the islands,” it says.

“Only.”

“We are on the road now,” Butler says, The walls vanish on the sides to show the area surrounding the limousine. “I have phased the walls to allow you a view of the area.

We are on the other side of the lake from the damn so you will be able to see a lot of the area.. We will cross the lake in a couple of places. There is a shorter route, but I took it on myself to give you a grand tour,” it says.

“Thank you, Butler. I appreciate it,” I say.

“A local magic folk, as you put it, would like to meet you and your companions. Do you mind a detour?” it asks.

“Sure, go for it. The more the merrier.”

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“I see what you mean by standing out,” Rock says, “I don't understand a lot of what you two are saying, like detour.”

“Detour simply means taking another route that is usually longer to your destination. It happens on roads that are under construction. But it has gained a general understanding of meaning to take an alternate course or direction to your final destination,” I say.

“Oh,” Rock says. His tone says he understands, but his look says he has no clue what I just said.

“I better inform Falls of what we are doing, if I can do it from this world.” I say.

“It will work sir, worm holes are not restricted to worlds or dimensions,” Butler says.

“Thanks, that is nice to know,” I say and pause before adding. “Ooo that means I can see what Sesney looks like.”

“Hey I could be naked,” Sesney says.

“You wear clothes?” I ask.

“Actually no and before you ask yes we're anatomically similar to humans,” he says.

“Oh okay, no lookie then,” I say and Sesney laughs.

“We are going over part of the lake now,” Butler says.

“I look out and see what looks like a river. “Are you sure this is the lake? It looks more like a large river.”

“Yes this is the lake. If you look closely you will notice it is not flowing,” it says.

I look and notice that the boats are moving easily in all directions and the waves don't follow a set direction. “Odd, It looks much larger from above in the helicopter,” I say.

“It is referred to as dragon lake because of how the lake formed. This lake did not pool in one area behind the damn, but in pockets along the river. From above it gives the look of the oriental type dragons.” it says.

“So gold dragons were more in the orient?” I ask.

“Not really. Gold dragons like Rock were rare even back when the ancients lived. It just happened that there was a well known gold in that area before the ancient collapse.

She never left after the ancients vanished. She watched for new signs of humanity to help. She lived for a very long time before the curse finally took her. By then her legacy was already in place. There were a few other dragons that stayed with her, but she became more known than the others.

Most dragons in the American continent were renegades to begin with, so they did not respect humans. That is why there were dragon hunts.” Butler says.

“How could humans without magic defeat a dragon?” I ask.

“It cost the humans in lives, but eventually there were more humans then any dragon could deal with.”

“So they were killed more by number then by skill?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting, that does kind of explain a little more.”

“It does. The only part that doesn't make sense to archeologists is the lack of evidence,” it replies. “But there will not be evidence because of the curse. Dragon remains still contained a lot of magic so eventually the curse removed the evidence.”

“Try explaining that to an archeologist. That will go over like a lead balloon.”

“What is a lead balloon?” Rock asks.

“It actually doesn't exist. A balloon is a soft material filled with really light air so it floats. Lead is extremely heavy and won't easily float even in water. So to say a lead balloon you are saying it is impossible,” I say.

“Gotcha,” Rock says.

“We are heading into Camdenton now,” the butler says and we all look. “This is where we make the detour. A manticore lives on the far edge of town.”

“Really?” I ask.

“What is a manticore?” Rock asks.

“Sorry I forget you do not know all human myths,” Butler says, “It is a mountain lion.”

“Nice, maybe he knows my friend Flys Under,” Rock says.

“I doubt he knows any manticore in the other world. Manstorm or Steve around humans, has been in the human world for many years. He is almost as old as Lady Elisa,” it says.

“Oh,” Rock replies.

“Do you know why he wants to see us? And do you know why the curse did not take him?” I ask.

“I did not ask about his business. The manticore are a unique race. The magic they use is the most dissimilar to human magic. So they would have been one of the last to go by the first curse.”

“I was always intrigued by the manticore. Their body construction was unusual to me. Will he be offended if I ask questions?”

“I can't say for sure, but he never has in the past. Manticore pride themselves on their looks,” Butler says.

“Boy do they,” Rock says, “They rival dragons in that area.”

“Great another conceited, arrogant, showoff,” I say mockingly.

“Like you have room to talk higher than thou ancient,” Rock returns.

“Oh good then we should get along great,” I say. And we all laugh.

We stop at an intersection in Camdenton and turn right on highway five. I watch as we pass several buildings. As the buildings begin to thin I notice a sign for an animal shelter. “Butler can we go to the animal shelter?” I ask.

“As you wish sir,” it replies.

“Manstorm won't' mind will he?” I ask.

“Manstorm has never been in a hurry for anything,” butler replies.

We turn down a side road and stop at the shelter. It looks like a small business building with a chain link fence attached on its right side. How butler got the limousine in the small parking lot made of gravel so easily, I don't know.

We get out and I notice that the pins are empty. To the left of the building are several chain link pins sitting by themselves. I don't see much else in the area. It looks like a wooded area behind the building. There is a single car sitting on the far right of the parking lot.

We walk into a room with a tall counter to our left. The counter extends from one wall to the other. A couple of people sit behind the counter at a desk. To our right is a large picture window showing cages with dogs and cats in them. The cages are stacked three high with just enough room for a cat or small dog. I notice a couple of dogs behind the high counter.

As I walk in all the dogs look to me and growl and bark. As Rock walks in they growl and bark more, while looking back and forth between us. I stand there trying to figure out why they are barking at me.

“I'll wait outside,” Rock says and leaves.

I hear, “Me too,” whispered in my ear and I watch as the dogs follow an empty space moving toward the door. After a few seconds the animals calm down.

“Sorry,” a lady behind the counter says, “That is not normal.”

“That's okay, He is not an animal person,” I say, and Oaky chuckles.

“Can I help you?” the lady asks.

“Yes my friend is wanting to see a cat, if you don't mind.”

“Sure,” the lady says and exits the back of the room behind the counter. Shortly she opens a door opposite the entrance. I motion Oaky to follow the lady.

The lady takes us into the room behind the glass. Every dog looks at Oaky and wags their tail vigorously. The cats give her a strange look and then try to get my attention.

Oaky stops at one cat's cage that didn't react to either of us. The cat looks at Oaky forlorn.

“This one is ill, but we can't figure out why. We were hoping it would find a good home. Otherwise it will have to be put to sleep tomorrow.”

I notice the other cats starting to turn to Oaky. “Is it all right for her to be alone? I would like to talk to you in the other room,” I say to the lady.

“That's fine,” The lady says and we walk into the hall with a line of dog pins. We pass them getting into the windowed room.

“How much would you need to keep the cat here till it dies on its own?” I ask.

The lady looks at me strangely, “I don't know sir. It depends on how long it lives,” She says.

“Sir,” I hear in my head with Butler's voice, “Lady Elisa says give them twenty thousand dollars. She believes the cat deserves it.”

“Will twenty thousand dollars cover it?” I ask.

Her eyes get huge, “Yes sir it would.”

“Then lets conduct the transaction while my friend deliberates,” I say.

“Just step up to the counter I will be right there,” She says and hurries off down the hall.

I enter the main entrance and watch her almost running to the counter, “Do you take credit?” I ask.

“No sir, cash only,” she says deflated.

Butler floats in the door. Every dog gives him a side tilt head move, “Sir,” he says. “I remember that this shelter only takes cash so I brought you the cash bag,” he says and levitates a bank bag in front of me.

“Thank you, You take such good care of me,” I say.

“I do my best sir,” he says and I take the bag. He leaves and as the door closes behind him I notice him starting to blush.

I look in the bag and see bundles of bills. I count out twenty thousand dollars and hand it to the lady. Both people are staring at me in disbelief.

As she takes it I say, “I will have people come to check on the cat, so don't disappoint me.”

“No sir, the cat will be pampered till the end,” she says with a squeal.

“Thank you,” I say as Oaky comes into the room in tears. I notice her illusion doing a quick flicker. “Please wait for me in the car. Your tears are smearing your make up. I know how much your looks are important,” I say.

“Thank you,” She says and runs out.

“I'm sorry. I guess she won't be getting a pet today,” I say.

“No problem sir. Come back any time,” she says and I walk out and get in the limousine.

I see Oaky without her human illusion sitting on the couch. She is slumped over crying in her hands. Rock has his hand on her back trying to console her. “Oaky what is wrong?” I ask.

“I can't believe they did that,” She says muffled in her hands.

“Who?” I ask.

She looks at me then Rock while saying, “Humans and dragons,” she says scornfully.

Rock pulls back with his hands in the air. “What did I do this time?” I ask.

“Not you,” she says with a bit of remorse, “The ancient humans and dragons.

“What did they do?” I ask desperately.

“May I explain for you Lady Oaky?” Butler asks.

“Thank you,” Oaky responds.

“She was talking with the cats. There is a reason there are no felines in the other world. They were exiled from the other world by the humans and dragons.”

“Why?” I ask.

“That has been lost in time,” it replies.

“If humans exiled them then why do they stay with humans as pets?”

“Convenience more than anything. They don't blame all people for things that happen in the past. They find it ironic that they were exiled without magic and now humans have no magic either.”

“Why just the other world? What is so big about them just living in this world?”

“Because the humans and dragons could keep an eye on them better in this world. The other world tended to have the other races. This world was claimed by humans and dragons.”

“That is just horrible,” I say, “Take us to Manstorm please.”