Karn was shocked to find that his arrival had caused such a massive uproar.

Half the population was petrified, while the other was eerily indifferent. Farlen had promised him answers in time, but formalities had to take precedent. As one of the laws he personally wrote, Farlen was required to congregate all the appropriate parties for a meeting regarding the matter.

For the time being, Karn waited, escorted by the ever-helpful Hope to a secluded section of the bay away from prying eyes.

“You’re being quiet,” Karn said. He couldn’t help but feel concern for the girl.

She gave him a weak smile and thought deeply, seemingly trying to find the right words.

"Ever since I met you,” she began carefully. “It seems I can remember more than I did before. You know the smaller things, tiny details..." She wandered bare foot ahead of him and bent down to pick up a coloured shell.

Karn's eyes watched the tiny treasure in her hand, then fell on the contours of her slender shape.

"It seems that I see more and more," she said and gave a little chuckle. "I mean look at this! Isn't it pretty? I've seen so many of these but really look at it."

Karn watched her. She was like a child in a toy store. Everything was bright, shiny and new.

Her face slowly lowered, and her smile faded. "Karn?" she spoke softly.

"Umm, yes?"

"Do you have a family?" She asked, her eyes focused on her feet.

"Well, not really. My two friends are my only family."

"So, you haven't got a life partner." She asked innocently.

Breath caught in his throat and forced him to go into a short coughing fit. "What? I mean..." He held his hand over his mouth. "Why do you want to know?"

Her eyes glistened with uncertainty as she raised her face to look up at him. "I'm not sure, really. I mean, why I asked. Ever since I met you, it seems I want more. Like I want to know more about life. What is out there, and about... You?" She added with her face buried under her hair.

Karn watched her for a time. She was kind, sweet, and stunningly attractive.

More than anything, he’d like to respond to her feelings, but he knew it wasn’t the right thing to do. Her new emotions were spiralling out of control and Karn wasn’t the type who would take advantage.

The poor girl doesn’t know what to do with herself, he thought.

Karn placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hope?”

She glanced up with blurred eyes.

Karn smiled as kindly as he could.

"Well, you want to know about me? Then ask away. I count you as a friend so you can ask me anything," he said openly.

She paused, a hesitant expression on her face, then nodded. "So, you have the Book of the Known."

"Ah yes, that’s what Farlen called it." Karn responded, confused at the sudden change of conversation. He instinctively rolled the straps of his pack further up his shoulders, feeling the weight of the book it held.

"As soon as I touched it and saw you, I felt it. Like a giant weight had been lifted," she said, then turned towards the wide expanse before her. She eyed the world like it held so many mysteries.

"The power of the blue books dulls the curse in some and cures others.”

“And you?” he asked.

“Nothing. A few of us were unchanged. But for some reason this book, your book I guess, is stronger."

Stolen novel; please report.

Karn was unsure about any other book, but he knew firsthand how his book felt. And how it was like to touch the unending torrent of power that nearly tore him apart.

Karn bent down and sat on the cool sand. "You have no idea."

Hope sat down beside him. She had a strange look on her features. It spoke of her so many emotions and her overriding excitement and awe with the world. The sunlight glided over the surface of her eyes as she smiled. Hope looked happy but something in her face spoke of an internal struggle.

"So, what now?" Asked Hope. "I mean what are we going to do? In many ways, I just want to run, explore."

Karn chuckled. “That’d be nice.” For a brief moment, he allowed himself to be drawn in by the fantasy and took up Hope's offer to explore the land together.

A second later, his chest felt heavy as the pack that held the book weighed him down. Then his own reflexive emotions bubbled to the surface as he thought of his missing friends and their safety.

I can’t lose focus, Karn thought.

Karn's vision blurred as his mind searched for the answer.

He had only one option.

"So, Hope, this is my answer. Though you haven't asked it. I will answer it anyway."

He stood up and held out his hand. With a smile, he said, "I will see it through to the end and set things right. With the book, I mean."

The two made their way back to town and through the streets. Hope had grabbed his hand, refusing to let it go as they walked.

"Um, Hope?" Karn spoke. "Alec said you were feeling a bit lost. Are you really, okay?"

Hope gave him a nervous smile as the tips of her ears turned red.

"I haven't been myself." She gave a shy shrug. "I don't understand it but for some reason." Hope turned away and held a hand beneath her long hair and pulled it aside. Among the fine white strands near the base of her skull lay the newly grown line. It was hard to see, but it was significantly darker that the rest. "Something has changed."

"Your hair?"

"I think so. Alec spotted it at first."

Karn had leaned in close to examine the new strands that when she turned back, she was only a breath away from his face.

Karn nervously pulled back.

Come on, man. Control yourself, Karn silently berated himself.

The red had returned to the tips of Hope’s ears.

"S, sorry," apologised Karn.

"Farlen said to be careful. Since my emotions are returning."

Karn looked at the beautiful girl before him and felt an odd pain in his chest. She’d been in a cursed prison her whole life. He couldn't even begin to imagine it. Even thought Hope over one hundred she looked similar in age and yet seemed to not know how to act.

From what he had seen, one moment she could act perfectly mature, then the next like a child.

Karn and Hope made their way inside the Heart building.

“I need to see Farlen before our meeting,” Hope said, sounding regretful. She obviously didn’t want to part ways.

“I hope he can help you,” said Karn.

Hope smiled. “You both can. There’s a waiting room upstairs. You can stay up there, and I’ll get you just before the meeting.”

Karn thanked her and waved as they parted ways. He watched her go as she glanced back and disappeared up a nearby stairway.

Mate, what are you going to do? Thought Karn as he sighed before moving to the second floor.

"Afternoon, Karn," said an oddly familiar voice. It was gravelly but far deeper than he could recall.

Karn’s jaw dropped. “What? Alec?" Asked Karn. “Wow! You got a whole lot bigger."

Gone was Alec’s small crude imitation of a man. His transformation was mind blowing.

“You look like a real... Wait, you're bigger than me,” Karn said.

Alec stood tall and proud with smooth granite skin, with each stone shaped perfectly into place. Karn surveyed Alec, astonished.

“You look almost human. Well, a stoney one, but still holy crap,” Karn said flabbergasted.

Alec’s granite skin was smooth with no artificial hair just a clean face, a sharp nose and a strong literally chiselled jaw. Two large green tinted quartz orbs sat under his deep brows as eyes.

Karn collapsed into a chair.

"That’s bloody amazing!" Karn smiled in awe.

"Thanks." Alec responded with a nod. The stone moved smoothly, with no visible signs of gaps. Alec had transformed from a little bounding creature into a considerably stronger and far more imposing figure.

"How did you........?" Karn spoke, but the words caught in his throat.

Alec strode forward, closing the distance between the two of them and stared hard at Karn. He rested a rocky hand on his shoulder and stared with his two green crystalline eyes. The movement looked so natural it was disconcerting.

"Karn." Alec spoke softly. "We need to talk."

"About?"

"We haven’t been able in the last few days. Too much has happened, and speaking of this in front of others..." Alec peered about, searching.

"What?"

"Well. We need to talk about the slave handlers."

Karn's face tensed to a frown.

"You were given a tonic."

"Oh, the slavery drug?"

"Yes." Alec looked at him uneasily. "That draught has never failed. I even heard a few of the villagers say that the King of Brancourt has used the tonic to cast half the kingdom into slavery. Also, I asked Hope, and she confirmed she saw you drink the draught. You were unaffected."

"Could it be because I'm from earth?" asked Karn.

"I'm not sure. However, I doubt that’s the case. Biologically, you’re identical to the humans here."

Karn shrugged. "The book then."

"That’s the only conclusion I could come up with. Still. This tonic worries me. Not to mention that a Felren saw you wake a Dragon."

Karn gulped. “That was an accident.”

“Even so, we don’t know the capabilities of the book. So, for now, be very careful.”

Karn nodded. His fingers stroked the metallic spine of the book. "What should we do now?"

"Farlen has hinted that he knows more than he is letting on. He seems to suggest that all that has happened is connected. Somehow."

Hope reappeared through a door and held out a hand. “Come come, we are ready for you.”