“The best way I can describe her was that Evil wore the most delicious smile. The most horrifying and despicable smiles during that time however, were the ones that Nisa and I had to wear. I…I even found myself wanting to smile for her, at times.”

Alianna’s Diary. September 14th

Alianna stared in horror as thirteen rifts in reality broke what seemed to be a moment of Triumph against Maleric. The tattoed men threw open their crystal empowered cloaks and emerged and brought fear coursing through her veins. “Not again...and 13 of them.” One of the men made a dash right for her, but quicker then she could think, Ye'tul was there placing himself in front of her, sword drawn and already parrying the attacks. He was more of a match for the man this time with his full armor, shield and sword. It was still a heated fight. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the sword hilt and the crystal shards and began to sing. Ye'Tul's armor, shield and sword began to glow. Then the shards in her hand formed into a crystal blade. She joined it to the hilt and looked to how she could help Ye'Tul. She saw the man's blade drive for his side and she parried it away. Seeing that he now had two opponents the man seemed to increase the speed of his attacks. Sweat began to trickle down her cheek, but they were holding their own. Then two more tattooed men joined the first and it quickly became evident that they both would not survive another minute. She looked up quickly and Ye'Tul's eye locked with her's. It was only for the briefest second but it seemed like a moment that lasted a long time. She could see the strain on his face and the concern. She knew he saw the worry she couldn't keep from coming out into the open. She saw something in his expression, she could almost hear him say the words. “Till the death Alianna.” He then shoved her back to the ground. She fell hard, but kept her eyes looking forward. “Ye'...” she tried to call his name, but he was too quick. He placed himself wide open in front of the men, spreading his arms wide and leaving himself exposed. The men did not hesitate. They drove their swords into Ye'tul's midsection. Her heart crumpled inside her she opened her mouth to scream but before she could she saw Ye'Tul somehow endure the swords protruding from him as he deftly spun his own sword in his hand and with one sweep of his sword he deprived them of their heads. The men’s bodies slumped to the ground and then convulsed for a moment and then became still. Ye'Tul fell to his knee's and looked at her. She saw his eyes, they were full of worry for her. He tried to say something but suddenly all the life left his eyes and he collapsed to the ground. The scream that had been building finally tore out from her lips. She raced over to him, crying out his name tears streaming down his face. She lifted his head and set it on her lap shaking his shoulders and wailing as she saw his skin turning black as the darkness of the crystal blade seemed to be seeping into him. Some small part of her mind registered that Jaius was yelling at her and pointing to her, but she could not rouse the rest of herself from her mourning. Suddenly she was enveloped in a ruby glow of energy. She felt the body suit she was wearing tighten and begin to glow and all of a sudden she was floating off the ground. So was Ye'Tul's body and everyone else around her. After a minute of struggling to free herself from the grip of this suit that was constricting her entire body, she saw a woman walk across the front of the room by the steps leading to the Thron. She was very tall, with white robes inlaid with Silver symbols. She recognized her immediately. It was the woman from her night terror, the one that was whipping her with a whip tipped with a glowing red stone. Her sorrow turned to fear and she realized she was trapped by the woman and so was everyone else in the room, dead and alive. She saw her stop in front of Maleric. She seemed to be taunting and berating Maleric. Then it sounded like she gave the order to kill him. In that moment the remaining ten of the tattooed men came up to Maleric and drove their swords into him. She had never seen anyone die before, let alone murdered, now it was happening all around her and she couldn’t stop it. It was almost too much for her mind to handle.

As the woman neared Alianna she could see a very evil smile appear on the woman's face. The woman began to congratulate herself on not destroying Alianna when she first took the Thron, an how much a a rare find Alianna was , but Alianna barely heard her for it was the shimmering form that seemed to manifest behind the woman that captured her attention and drove all rational thought from her. It had a vaguely human outline, but it looked like the waves of heat that rose up from the road on the hottest days of July. The woman leaned in to listen to it and then nodded. She reached into her robe and pulled out two golden crystals.

Then, suddenly, a golden buble like the one Maleric had used to carry Jaius away surrounded her. She started pounding on the bubble. She then looked across the room and saw that Nisa was also encased in a glowing gold bubble. The woman pointed at her and Nisa and began moving towards Alianna. Alianna could not remove her eye from the waves, and as she looked at them, something happened. Near the top of the waves, where a head may have been, what seemed like eyelids opened and behind were just pits of burning red flame. Her fear turned to terror and she began to wildly pound on the bubble so hard that she could feel pain coming from her fists, but she could not stop. She saw Jaius and screamed his name, but all he could do was float in the air, trapped by the bodysuit that everyone wore. Something did make it through her terror though. She saw it in his eyes, and could almost hear his voice in her head. “I'm going to come for you Ali.” She knew he would try, but she did not have much hope of it happening. She saw the rays of ruby energy that were trapping everyone going through the floor and the ceiling. There wouldn't be anyone to free Jaius and the others and so there would be no one to come for her. She placed her hand and face against the bubble and screamed this blood curdling scream that even scared her. Then she was out the door and alone with Nisa, the woman, and something that drove terror into her heart.

She sat down and pulled her knees up to her chest and began to rock back and forth. She had never felt this helpless before. Especially since the power and strength she had found over these last few months. She had been a Queen, people would follow whatever directive she spoke. She could sing the stones and had grown quite skilled at using them, but yet here she was helpless without any of it. Then part of her brain began to work again and one word entered it. 'Thron”. Waves of hope that crested in her heart were soon dashed as she searched for the shard from the Thron but couldn't find it. Her heart sank as she realized she had dropped it when she had rushed over to Ye'Tul's body. Seeing him in her head taking his last breath leaving his body brought her, oddly, into a moment of clarity.

In this moment of lucidity she was able to see what was going on around her. The woman was in front of her and behind were the ten tattooed men who had survived. They had left the village and were heading west across the wide plain. She looked to her right and saw another sphere floating behind the woman. Nisa's tear stained face was looking forlornly back at her. Nisa placed her hand against the wall of her sphere, and Ali did the same. A slight comfort came from the gesture from both of them, but this also elicited a renewal of their crying and whimpering. They were both lost in the dread of what they knew was coming. Nisa from her upbringing and Ali from her nightmare. They traveled for days. Over streams and hills, through forests and grasslands until they climbed a large mountain and on the other side was a valley that was surrounded by mountains. It was a valley of vibrant green grass and trees bearing fruit. In the middle of the valley was a stone wall that was not very high, maybe five feet off the ground. It formed a square that went around a structure that looked somewhat like a cape cod style house from her world. Except that the building seemed to cover an area the size of a soccer field. It was made of crystal and there seemed to be an odd shimmering coming from within the crystal. It had three chimneys, each with dark smoke coming out of them. There were a number of out buildings around the perimeter of the stone wall. Behind the house on the other side of the wall was what looked like a garden hedged around with bushes. She looked back once trying to grasp onto some glimmer of hope, some army coming to rescue her with Jaius leading it, Aslan, even that Luck Dragon, Falcor that Jaius had told her about. How he swooped down and saved Atraeu at the last second. She looked to the sky, every ounce of hope filling her eyes, but slowly her head hung down and she let the tears fall. “God, please.. help us.” She heard nothing.

Soon they were at the gate set within the wall. The woman touched the gate and it opened. As they walked toward the house Alianna looked up and she could now see what the shimmering was from within the crystal walls of the building. It was water, flowing upwards inside the crystal. She had no clue how it was doing this, but with all she had seen in this world it did not shock her as it once might have. It was quite beautiful though. The contrast of the beauty of the woman's home and garden stood starkly against how evil she was. She had not seen that shimmering form with the burning eyes for days, but she always felt the terror of its presence. Soon they were inside and the woman led them down a few flights of stairs into a cold dank corner of the foundation of the building. She began to sing as she held the golden crystals that controld the spheres in each hand. She motioned her hands and the spheres floated past her and they both settled on the floor against the far wall. She closed her hands a little and the sphere shrank until Alianna's and Nisa's heads, arms were free of the sphere. The sphere still surrounded their bodies, shoulders and legs. Alianna stared at the woman. She tried to bring up the cold, stern mask she had developed over the past months when she needed to deal with hard situations, but it would not come, her lip trembled and her hands shook and tears still came down her cheeks.

The woman looked at her, studying her, as one of the Tattooed men handed her a black silk bag. “I'm very impressed by you my dear.” Said the woman in a tone that seemed gentle and nice, but Alianna could also detect a raging anger that was well controlled but burned deep inside this woman. “When I first noticed that Nisa had been found out, I started to leave for the Catha-Dral immediately. But on the way there I saw, through my link to the crown, how talented and cunning you were in how you pulled everything together. So for a week I stayed close and watched you. Your ability with the stones grew far more rapidly than I anticipated. You will make a very good assistant once you come around to see things my way. Your heart is pure and noble, but believe me it will not stay that way. You will be like me soon, free of the bondages of a pure and noble heart and then you will be ready to unlock all the secrets of the Eternal’s creation with me. The Eternal has guided me in the learning of this world and the things in it and now I wish to pass them on to you.”

When the woman said the name Eternal, that wavy form appeared and opened its fiery eyes and Alianna and Nisa both screamed and cried as pure terror flooded them anew. The woman smiled as she seemed to enjoy their responses. She reached into the black bag and pulled out a number of devices that were part metal, part red rubies. She walked over to Nisa. Nisa's eyes widened as she saw the devices. She began to shake her head back and forth quietly saying “No, no...” “Now Nisa” the woman chided, “you must remember your manners. You are setting a very bad example for our guest.” The woman reached her free hand behind her and another Tattooed man stepped forward and handed her a coiled up whip with a red crystal attached to the end. Alianna froze as she started at the whip that she had seen in her nightmare. The woman took the whip, and let it uncoil. She lifted the end of the whip to her lips and hummed softly and the red crystal began to glow with a ruby light that danced around its facets. Nisa started in horror at the whip. The woman raised it, and slung it at Nisa. It struck Nisa in the arm and her whole body strained as if it was being electrocuted and she let out the most pitiable noise Alianna had ever heard.

Eyes wild with fright, but with a composure born of experience, Nisa stopped crying and to Alianna's horror smiled. “I am sorry mistress, I am ready to wear the proper attire now.” The woman smiled a smile that Alianna would see Keri Bellows make when she knew she had pulled in someone under her power. “Very good Nisa, you remembered your lessons.” As the woman handed the whip back to the man. She then pulled the ruby and metal devices from the bag and walked toward Nisa. Nisa looked at the devices and her smile grew. Alianna wanted to throw up. How could her friend be glad about anything this woman was doing. The woman placed the devices on Nisa's hands and one in her mouth. Her hands looked like she had on metal gloves with rubies on them, the one in her mouth looked like some demented retainer that went around the top and bottom teeth and seemed to fit together through a hinge toward the back of her mouth.

The woman then stood and looked at Nisa and smiled. “Very good Nisa, you look much better now that you have proper apparel on.” Nisa smiled even wider at the praise. “Thank you so much mistress for helping me get them on so that I can walk around in proper attire again.” The woman smiled and bowed her head. Then she turned to look at Alianna. “So my dear, are you also ready to wear the proper attire?” She said with that same sickening soft voice and innocent looking smile. From somewhere deep within a fire burned inside Alianna. She had been bullied by Keri and her crew for over a year and here before her stood a bully that made Keri look like some kid crying “Nanny Nanny boo boo.” She sat up. “I am perfectly happy with my attire thank you very much.” She said filling her face with all the coolness and defiance she could muster. The woman stared at her for a moment and then a smile that seemed to contain genuine pleasure crossed her lips. “Oh, I am actually quite pleased that you said that. It has been a long time since I have had the chance to educate someone in proper Etiquette.” The woman's arm reached back and again the whip was put into her hand. Sweat poured down Alianna's face and a few tears mingled in, but somehow her resolve held, something deep inside her wanted to fight this horrible woman, to not give in. The woman unfurled the whip and drew it back. Alianna glanced over at Nisa trying to find some help, but Nisa was staring at the woman with a look of adoration on her face, she didn't even look at her. At first betrayal and hurt threatened to overwhelm Alianna's resolve, but then she remembered that Nisa grew up here with this woman. She must have endured that whip countless times and this was the only defense she could find, unwavering obedience and attention to the woman. Alianna tore her eyes away from Nisa just in time to see the red glowing crystal descend and hit her shoulder. The pain was worse then anything she could remember. Worse than when she put the fork in the socket, worse than when she felt the same stone in her dream, it was beyond her ability to describe. It even seemed to seep in beyond her skin and bones and into her soul. She became aware of a loud scream that transitioned into a pathetic whimper. She realized slowly that it was her making those noises. She lay on the floor crumpled into a fetal position trying to cover every part of her body from that stone. The woman looked down at her and smiled. “You are strong. Most pass out after their first lesson. I will enjoy breaking you.” She drew the whip back and thankfully Alianna only felt a moment of that pain before blackness overcame her. That scream still followed her into the blackness.

When the darkness receded and her eyes opened she was staring up at a ceiling that was clear crystal with water flowing through it. She was lying on a bed that was quite comfortable and warm and she would have really enjoyed it if it weren't for the blinding pain coming from her joints and muscles. She let out this pitiful whimper and curled up again. She then felt a cool cloth touch her forehead. She opened her eyes to a squint and saw Nisa standing over her patting her forehead with a wet cloth, tears streaming down her cheeks. When she saw her eyes open Nisa knelt down and moved Alianna's hair away from her face. “S..sister please forgive me, I...I was so weak, I should have helped you, b..but..I ..I couldn't , I...couldn't...” Alianna reached out and placed her hand over her friend's mouth. “Sister you..you have nothing to be sorry for. I know that you…” She scrunched her eyes closed as a wave of pain took her breath away. After a few moments she opened them and continued. “I know that you grew up here, and I can't even imagine how many of those lashings that you endured. I completely understand why you acted like you did.” Nisa gently wrapped her arms around Alianna and the comfort of that gesture brought a flood of tears from Alianna. All the confidence she had acquired from being the Hyress, from singing the stones was gone with two strokes of that dreaded whip. She knew she couldn't stand up to that again, she would do whatever that woman wanted her to do to avoid that level of pain. It sickened her to her core to admit that too. That woman had broken her spirit without even breaking a sweat and there was nothing she could do about it. She whimpered as her friend held her for quite some time. After a while the pain faded enough for her to sit up. She looked at Nisa and as she studied her friend she remembered something. “Nisa, where are those items she made you wear?” Nisa looked down in shame. “The attire for both of us lay on two tables outside our rooms. There are no crystals in here for you to sing. When she comes for us she will bring them in and ask us to put them on. If you refusee...” She shuddered.

Alianna looked down in similar shame. “I won't resist.” she whispered. She then looked back up at Nisa. “What do they do?” Nisa looked up at her with fear in her eyes.

“The shoes and gloves will give you a similar pain as the whip does, but only to the area of the body that they are on. If you move without her telling you, or touch something without her telling you she will sing a word and you will receive pain. It only affects that area of your body, but it is ten times worse. The one time I moved without her telling me I couldn't walk for a week. The mouthpiece is the worst. If you speak without being spoken to then the pain explodes in your head. After what happened to my feet, I had no desire to find out what happens if I speak out of turn. She told me once that the same will happen if you try to sing the stones. She won't need to sing at all in that case, your own voice will cause the pain.”

Alianna's face went pale at the horror her friend described. She had read horror books like Frankenstine and Dracula, and even Dr Jeckle and Mr Hyde, but the only story that even came close was the Hiding Place, but even what the Nazi's did in the concentration camps seemed to pale to this woman.

Nisa reached out and held Alianna's hand. “We at least have each other sister, and are together right now.” She said in a whisper. Aliana smiled slightly and nodded. “I'm so thankful your here my sister.” She hugged her. Some hope and comfort started to filter into her soul again. Just then she heard a noise at the door and they both let go of each other as quickly as possible and Nisa retreated speedily to her bed. The door opened and the woman, the Herald, entered with two of the tattooed men behind her. They each held the items that they would both be forced to wear. She looked at Nisa who looked at the woman with adoration with her feet crossed and her hands clasping eachother in her lap. Alianna tried to resist, tried to fight, but she watched in horror as her body moved into the same pose as Nisa's with the same look of adoration on her face. The woman smiled and nodded approval at Nisa, to which Nisa smiled with delight. Then she turned to Alianna and her smile broadened.

“Oh wonderful, It seems that you are a quick learner. A few more lessons and you will be able to help me with my work. It will take a few more lessons before I can trust you to sing the stones in the way I desire, but I am glad to see it will not take many lessons for you to join me.” Tears began to leak down Alianna's cheeks, fear clouded her eyes. The woman's smile deepened. “Having someone else who can sing the stones to life will greatly aid the work that has been given to me by the Eternal.” She leaned in closer to Alianna. “Serving me will come with great benefits to you my dear. Disobedience however will come with great consequences.” The smile disappeared and a cold, hardness replaced it. So cold and so hard that Alianna felt as though she had been physically hit by it. She felt her head nodding in understanding and a whimper escape her mouth. “How is this happening? Why can't I fight.” The answer came in a memory of that pain, the pain from the stone. She could still feel it, as sharply as if it had just happened. It hadn't just hurt her body, it had hurt her mind, and even, she felt, her soul.

Days passed. She did endure more lessons, and they were more terrible with each one. It seemed that one couldn't build an immunity to this pain. No matter how many times that stone hit her, it was like the first time all over again. She would steel herself before each strike but the pain would crumple whatever defense she had erected. The Herald would have her sing one of the stones to life to make it do what the Herald commanded her to make it do. When she did that she would be rewarded with praise. Then the Herald would tell her to do something with the stone that Alianna wanted to do with it. The first time Alianna had actually tried to fight. She imagined a beam of energy blasting the woman. The Herald must have been anticipating such a move and the stone hit Alianna before she could complete the note. There had been something more to that hit, something dark, evil, she didn't know how else to explain it, but she knew that presence that was always with the Herald was the source of it. The wavering form that she called the Eternal. After the fourth lesson like this Alianna knew the Herald had broken her. She knew now that she would do whatever the woman commanded her and it disgusted her to realize it, that this person had complete control over what she said and did. There was something different during the last lesson though. Nisa had sat there watching as she had the past few days. Watching her be tortured and observing it with an adoring smile on her face. Even though Alianna knew why she had to do it, it still hurt her to see it on her face while she was suffering. It was right before Alianna passed out from the pain. She was staring at Nisa's face and she saw Nisa's eye squint ever so slightly, too slightly to be readily noticed, but it was there and in her friends eyes Alianna saw anger, rage. She hadn't seen this before while they were here. This was something new and Alianna found the briefest comfort in it before darkness overtook her. Her friend cared about what was happening to her.

Once the Herald felt sure that Alianna was under her power she led them both down below the structure. Below was not a normal foundation for a building. It was a circular shaft; the top part of it was pure gold. In the light that came from crystal sconces that floated at different intervals on the walls she could just make out a layer of silver hundreds of feet below which began as the gold ended. But it was the water that was the most brilient part of this place. It rose as if from a fountain far below. It hit a crystal cone in the ceiling and continued up into the structure. She started in awe at this formation that seemed to strain the realm of possibility, but she could not deny that here it was. There were many rooms cut into the walls of gold as the staircase descended. Some held items and implements made of Crystal. Others held tools and what looked like machines. They even passed one that held a large crib and Alianna could hear a baby softly cooing in it. She stopped and stared and noticed that the baby seemed very large for what appeared to be a newborn. The woman stopped and gave her a disapproving stare. “Come Alianna, you mustn't look into what isn't for you.” Quickly Alianna tore her eyes away from the child and hurried to catch up to them. They stoped at a large room that had crystal beakers of different colors each containing different substances. On a table lay a crystal tray and a crystal that looked like some form of mirror floating above it.

“Here my dear, you will assit me with my work. With you working here it will free me to pursue other parts of the work that has been given to me. Work well Alianna and the rewards will be great, fail, and, well, there are worse things than death.” The woman smiled and then proceeded to instruct Alianna in what she would be doing. “You will use this device to look deep down at the smallest structures that make up this crawling animal. You will study how those structures function, what controls them and how to alter them. I will show you.” She sang a note and the crystal plate and the mirror began to glow. That was when Alianna saw a leg of an animal laying on the plate. It looked like a lizard leg. The woman motioned to the mirror and Alianna obediently moved over to it and looked down. The mirror made the leg look so big, she could see individual cells like the ones in her biology class. It increased her vision even more and she could see the inner workings of the cell, the nucleus, the mydocodia, ect. Alianna nodded. “I will study them and let you know all that I find.” she said as that horrid smile appeared on her face when she looked up at the woman. “Very good my dear. Now, Nisa, I want you to record everything that Alianna tells you in this book, with the writing I taught you before, do you remember it?” Nisa looked at her with the same loving adoration. “Oh, Yes my Herald, I do remember. I will record everything.” The woman nodded and turned to leave the room. At the doorway, she turned her head back to them. “Study this thoroughly today, for tomorrow I will be giving you a live specimen. We can only learn so much from dead structures.” She smiled and then left. Two of the tattooed men stayed outside the door. Nisa came over and sat next to Alianna. That terrible mask of adoration that they both wore when the Herald was around was thankfully able to be let down. As she looked into her friends eyes Alianna felt despair creep into her heart. Never before had she felt so hopeless. Even when that large tiger was about to devour her and Jaius, this feeling had not been there. Maybe there had not been time then to feel it as she did now. Nisa leaned her head toward Alianna's and whispered in her ear. “I am so sorry sister for not standing up to the Herald when I should have. I...I...all the pain that I went through before...It came flooding back to my mind and I...I... I couldn't bring myself to endure it again. I failed you Ali, and I am so sorry.” Alianna could feel the tears as they ran down her friend's cheek. She wrapped her arms around Nisa and whispered back. “Dear sister, please do not say you are sorry. I have felt the pain of that whip and I can't even imagine how much of it that you endured before I met you. If you had resisted she might have killed you and then I would be alone and that would be an even greater terror then what we are facing now, because at least now, we are here together.” Nisa pulled away from her and smiled. Alianna looked at her and smiled back. “Do you know what she is trying to do with learning about cells?” Nisa's smile went away and a confused look came on her face. “What do you mean by cells sister? We may be trapped but there are no bars here.” Alianna smiled and shook her head. “No sister, the tiny parts of that animal that she spoke of, they are called cells, at least where I come from. They are the parts that make up both you and I and every animal. Each one is like a little village of its own.” Nisa's eyes got wide as she looked at Alianna and then really closely at her hand. Alianna smiled and placed her own hand under the mirror and sang the same note the woman had. The whole apparatus glowed blue and she saw her hand magnified to such a degree that she could see the individual cells with the nucleus and cytoplasm and other parts of the cell. “Come and see sister.” Nisa moved slowly over and looked down through the mirror. Her eyes got even wider. She looked at her own hand and then at Alianna's. “I..I can't believe it. Our bodies are made up of these smaller structures?” Alianna smiled and nodded. “Yes, and there are even smaller structures still called Molecules and Atoms. These are the structures that make up all things living and nonliving.” Nisa's mouth dropped open. She quickly shut it and pulled out the notebook and writing utensils she had been given and began to write this all down. Alianna's smile faded as the work that had been given to her pushed its way into their respite. She sighed, but slowly began to rattle off all of the names of the structures of the cell that she could remember. She described the nucleus with its Chromosomes made up of DNA. She talked about how the RNA went into the nucleus, the DNA unwound, and the RNA paired up with it to form a sequence. The RNA then left the nucleus and met up with mRNA to pair up again and the mRNA then initiated the process of forming the needed protein. She had to spell most of what she was saying to Nisa. Hours later the Herald returned and looked over the notes Nisa had written. The woman looked at them both with an unreadable expression. Then her eyes met Alianna's. “You have done very well my dear. You have outlined how this....” She looked down at the paper. “Cell. How it functions. This DNA is most facinating. Is the information random?” Alianna didn't hesitate, in fact she rushed into it hoping to please her, which also made her stomach turn with disgust. “It is not random mistress, it is encoded, or sequenced in a predetermined order.” The woman smiled. “Very good. I will bring you a live specimen tomorrow. I want you to describe everything that happens in this Cell while it is alive. Then at then end of the day I want you to kill it, and then describe how everything stops functioning.” She said with a smile. Alianna smiled in return as did Nisa, but inside her heart cried even more.

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The next few days went along that same course. They would get up and then go down into that chasm below the house and work on studying the cell. It hurt Alianna everytime the woman made her kill the animal, especially since it wasn't just lizards, but larger, cuter animals. Throughout these days though Alianna saw Nisa show more and more outward signs of anger and loathing toward the woman. Until one night, after a week and a half of this, the woman had brought them into the kitchen to help prepare a meal. She had left off the aparqtuses from them as they had both been nothing but obedient and docile. At one point Alianna messed up what she was preparing and the woman made a disgusted noise. “You clumsy oaf, now your whole work must begin again.” Actual tears came to Alianna's eyes, not of hurt but shame at failing the woman, which in turn made her stomach turn even more. Then something happened that no one expected. “Leave her alone.” Came a very strong voice from near the fire. The statement hung in the air for what seemed like forever and everyone froze except for Nisa. She placed herself between Alianna and the woman. The woman actually looked shocked, an expression Alianna had not seen before. Then fear pierced her heart, “What was she doing?” Very quickly the woman's expression went from shock to rage. “How dare you speak to me in that way. It seems that you were too long away from my lessons, well, we shall rectify that shortly.” She began as she reached for the whip that lay on a hook on the wall. “I will take great pleasure in re-starting your education.” She sang at the stone as she turned to grab the whip, and quicker than either of them could react she unfurled the whip and struck Nisa in the shoulder. Nisa cried out in horror and pain, but she stayed standing. The woman stuck again and this time Nisa fell to her knee's wailing, but still she did not submit. Again and again the woman struck her until Nisa was curled up in the fetal position barely moving. Something deep inside Alianna, deeper than the pain could go, something rose up. It was all the memories, the good memories of her friend. How she had helped and saved her time and again, it was the love she had for her. It broke through her paralysis and as the whip was coming down for what would probably be a killing blow, Alianna jumped on top of Nisa and covered her body with her own. The whip stuck and the pain exploded inside every part of her. She screamed, but something kept her from blacking out this time. A thought kept her conscious, that if she passed out, Nisa would die. She fought the pain as long as she could. As she felt herself fading she cried out “Momma!” She knew they would both die if she passed out, but it seemed that a few more blows would end her life, this made her cry out for her mother. She had read in books of soldiers who were dying crying out for their mother's, it seemed it was just the thing that humans did. She knew the next hit would kill her, she could feel her life slipping away. She bent forward and whispered into Nisa's ear. “I..I.. love you my sister.” Then there was the noise of a very strong wind blowing through the room. Alianna recognized it as the same noise she heard when her and Jaius came to this world. Then, when the noise of the wind died down, she heard the noise of her own voice replace it, but as if it was coming from above her, then a weight covering her, then that same voice, her voice, screamed “Momma.”

For a moment she thought that she had died and was somehow floating above her body, but she could still feel the pain, and Nisa beneath her, but the whip hadn't touched her. She opened her eyes weekly and looked up and saw herself covering her and Nisa and taking the hits from the whip. After the second hit the woman took a step back and confusion played across her face. Then the other Alianna disappeared, still screaming. Then there was a noise from the far wall and the woman looked and so did Alianna and staring at them through the window was Jaius, but he looked different, like he did before they came to this world. Fear covered his face and he ran. The woman ran to the window and looked after the fleeing Jaius. “What is going on?” She looked at a nearby tattooed man. “Get him!” She barked. The man ran off. The woman turned and she looked toward the fireplace and Alianna saw the shimmering form she called the eternal, its blazing eyes looking toward the window and then back to the woman. Then its gaze moved back toward the window and so did the woman’s. Confused, Alianna strained to listen and soon she heard it too. It was singing. It wasn't just one person singing but what sounded like an entire choir . The music was nothing short of beautiful and even though Alianna was finding it hard to move or think, she could clearly hear the beautiful music, she knew the song too. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me...” She immediately recognized the song they had sung so many times in church. “Jaius'' Alianna whispered with a slight smile on her face. “He came...”

The woman turned to an alcove where one of the tattooed men stood. “Go, take your brothers, slaughter them all, leave none alive.” The man nodded and then ran off. Within minutes twenty of the tattooed men were in front of the house moving toward Jaius, the 6 men in armor and on horuses and two women. Behind them stood dozens and dozens of people, men and women who were singing. The tattooed men charged forward black crystal swords and daggers drawn, moving faster than any normal man should. The front row of people singing looked at those who were mounted and their armor and swords began to glow. Shields formed around them. The rows signing behind them focused on the men and as the men got within ten yards of the horuses the tattoos that covered the men began to glow with a golden light. The men began to slow and started to drop their weapons and grab their heads. They began to scream and then there was a large, blinding flash of light and the men disappeared and all that was left were a large pile of smoking bones.

The woman took a step back in shock. The creature called the Eternal's eyes widened and then it disappeared through the floor. As the singing got closer the house began to tremble. A silvery glow began to come from the outside walls. The woman gasped in horror. The walls began to shake and then cracks began to appear and water began to leak out. The woman's fear turned to rage. She turned and looked at where Alianan was just beginning to raise herself off of Nisa and Nisa had begun to stir slightly.

“You, you think you have been saved, but I guarantee you will not leave this house alive. I may or may not survive this assault, but you most assuredly will not draw another breath. You should have obeyed, then you would have lived. Now, now I will take everything from you.” She picked up the whip and pulled it behind her ready to strike. Then something completely odd happened. A pair of legs shot out of thin air right near the woman's face and two sneaker-covered feet kicked her solidly in the jaw and then disappeared as if they had been dragged backwards. Alianna noted that the sneakers and legs looked very familiar to her.

The woman staggered backward toward them and collapsed onto her back. Quicker than she thought possible Nisa opened her eyes and pulled a black crystal dagger from her sleeve, the same dagger that Alianna had almost ended Clara’s life with. She pushed herself up and plunged the dagger into the woman's chest. The woman gasped and looked down at the dark crystal protruding from her chest. She tried to speak but couldn't, her mouth just moving trying to form words. Then the blackness began to cover her body. She tried to scream but the blackness covered her face before she could and the woman collapsed. Nisa let go of the dagger with a quivering hand, and briefly Alianna saw some kind of dark spot appear on Nisa's hand, but then it seemed to disappear into her skin. The singing intensified and the house began to shake violently. “Wait” someone yelled from outside and the signing stopped and the quaking stopped, but the cracks kept widening. Then, suddenly, he was there. Jaius leapt through the window. with his sword drawn and he looked around quickly. He looked shocked at the dead woman laying there but then joy filled his face a s he saw Alianna and Nisa. He ran over to Alianna and put his arms protectively around her. She could barely move but she managed to put her arm around his shoulder as he lifted her off the ground. “Levin, they're here, I need help.” He shouted. Then he looked at her worry covering his face. “Ali, Ali, are you okay?” “Jaius...” she whispered. The faintest smile coming to her lips. “You came. You rescued me…”. She couldn’t believe that she was actually a princess getting rescued by a prince, just like in her Nana’s book..

“Come on, we need to get out of here.” Another man in armor leapt through the window. “Levin, get Nisa and lets go.” The man ran over to Nisa and scooped her up effortlessly. “Jaius...” Alianna whispered. Jaius bent to hear her. “...The baby.” He looked at her with confusion. “What baby?” “Below us...in chasam...large baby.. need to save it.” Jaius could only nod, he kind of understood what she was saying but couldn't believe there was a large baby below them. “We'll come back and help Ali, after we get you two to safety.”

Before she could protest she was being lifted through the window and was moving at a quick pace away from the house. She could hear the other man running behind her with Nisa. She must have passed out because next she knew she was laying in the grass with Nisa beside her. She propped herself up and looked back at the house. Jaius and the other man stood over them. Their mouths were hanging open as the shimmering form with the burning eyes left the building through a side door moving very fast, carrying a large baby and a satchel with papers sticking out of it. It moved far too fast for them to catch and within moments it was gone. Jaius shook his head as if clearing some kind of fog. He looked down at her. “I'm sorry Ali. I have no Idea what that thing was but it took the baby and some papers.” She collapsed to the ground. Then she heard the singing again loud and beautiful. After a few minutes she heard a loud cracking sound and then an ear splitting shattering sound. She lifted her head and saw the crystal house collapse and the pillar of water that she saw below shot up into the air and water began to rain down into the chasm that had opened below the house. Alianna thought that it looked like a large fountain.

Then it finally hit her, she was safe, she was free from the pain, she was safe now and she knew it. Instead of this realization bringing peace and joy it brought disgust and revulsion. All the fullness of what the woman had made her do, that she had had such control over her, what she took from her washed over her. She felt covered in it, like she was covered in some putrid slime, and now there were all these people around her, a lot of them she knew very well, and she knew they could see what she had had to do, what had been done to her. They must be so repulsed by what they saw. So she ran away inside her head. She retreated very deep inside herself. She couldn't face it, couldn't face how she had gleefully done whatever that evil woman had told her to do, couldn't face the looks of disgust on their faces. She retreated into that bedroom in her mind and shut and locked the door, grabbed Mr Bear off the shelf and crawled into bed and pulled the covers over her eyes. Slowly even the bedroom door itself disappeared.

Jaius looked back at her and saw this wild, terrified look on her face, and then it went away, and with it all expression from her face. She just sat there, eyes staring forward, staring at nothing. He knelt down and looked her in the eyes. “Ali, you're safe now. We're going to get out of here and head back to the Catha-Dral.” She could hear him speaking, his voice echoing in the doorless room but she couldn't, wouldn't respond.

She couldn't deal with anything right now, not even to respond. “Ali, whats wrong, is everything okay?” She just stared blankly at him. Then Nisa appeared next to him. “Sister, can you hear me?” Alianna just stared forward. She could hear them and see them both but she was too horrified, too filled with shame to come out of that room and answer. The wooden walls of the room turned to solid stone.

Fear began to grip Jaius as he kept calling Ali's name but she just stared blankly at him. Even Nisa couldn't bring her around. He turned to the girl. “Nisa what is wrong with her? Nisa looked at Alianna and then shook her head. “I do not know Son of Maleric, she endured the whip in order to save me, the whip causes an indescribable amount of pain, I would say it even wounds the inner you” Jaius shuddered and looked back at Alianna. Nisa left him and returned a minute later with they white mare named Emily and her fole. She broughtt Emily over to stand right next to Alianna. The Horuse looked down and recognized her and bent in to nuzzle her face and nicker softly. It repeated this a number of times, but through it all Alianna didn't move a muscle. The Horuse stepped back and looked at Nisa and then looked down sorrowfully. Inside the room she knew it was Emily, and for the briefest second she almost lowered the blanket, but the pain and revulsion was too great. Jaius had a glimmer of hope when he saw what Nisa tried to do, but it soon faded. As there was no response from Alianna. “Is there nothing that we can do for her?”

“There is always a way Son of Maeric.” A new voice said from behind the crowd of singers. It was the deep voice of a man. The crownd parted and a tall man who looked to be in his 30's was walking toward them. He had dark wavey hair and a short beard. He wore leather pants, and loose wollen shirt and a leather vest and cloak and he carried a satchel across is shoulder and a backpack on his back. Jaius had never seen him before. The man stopped before them and then knelt down and went to touch Alianna's face. Jaius jumped protectively infront of her and the man witdrew his hand. “Fear not Son of Maleric, I mean her or you no harm. She has retreated deep within herself, fleeing the pain and shame of what the Hearld did to her. There is hope for her and for you, but only if you head west. You must travel westward Jaius and you will find what you have been seeking.” Jaius relaxed soemwhat and moved away from Alianna. When he noticed Jaius relax he looked at him. “And, you must go alone.” This caught Jaius up short and he tensed at realizing what that might mean.

“Who.. Who are you and how did you know my name?” Them man smiled. “I am Enoch, and the Eternal is my constant compainion, and He was the one that told me I needed to be here.” As soon as the man said that Nisa shrunk back from him. “He serves the Eternal as the Herald did. It was the Eternal that carried the baby away, and stood by as Ali and I were tortured.” Jaius stood and drew his sword and pointed it at the man, as did all the other guards. Enoch stood slowly but showed no sign of fear or of being discovered. He did give Nisa a reproving look however. “My dear woman, that abomination is not the Eternal. It formaly served the Eternal one, but now has fallen from that grace. It has turned away from the glorious one to seek after the glory of man and its own devices. I tell you the truth, the Eternal one is

above all of us and all of creation. He is holy, just, righteous , merciful, and loving.”

A wave of peace washed over Jaius as Enoch spoke and he could see a similar feeling come over the others. He and the other men even began to lower their swords. It wasn't just the peace that came from this man that made Jaius trust him, it was the fact that the device in his ear, the one Maleric had always used to tell when some one was lying to him, that device was also resoundingly silent. This man was telling the truth.

Nisa however, with the pain still coursing through her, looked at Jaius with concern. “What are you doing, Son of Maleric? How can you trust him?” Jaius looked at her. “Nisa can't you feel the peace that is coming from him, can't you hear the truth of what he is saying in your heart?” Nisa stared at Jaius and then at the man named Enoch and then back to Jaius. Slowly, ever so slowly, the raging pain inside her began to soften slightly. At last she nodded and collapsed to her knees next to Alianna. Jaius looked back to the man. He motioned the other men to sheath their swords as he did the same. “I belive you, Enoch. Your name is familiar to me but I can't remember why.” The man looked deep into his eyes and then smiled. “You will remember in time Jaius, as will she.” He nodded to Alianna. “How far west are we to go? And what about the people at the Catha-Dral and Maleric’s compound? Who will take care of them without Alianna?” He figured if Enoch knew his name, he would probably know about all of that.

“You must head west until you can go no further. As for the people in the east, I will watch after them in place of you both. I swear to you that they will be well watched after, they and all those here.” He said his gaze lingering on Nisa. Nisa's head shot up as what he said sunk in. “No, I am not leaving Ali. She is my sister and I have sworn to serve her. Where she goes, I go.” She said putting as much defiance in her look as she had strength for. Enoch's look was full of understanding but he sighed non the less. “Your place is with the people here Nisa, you have a future that does not lie in the west, but in the east. Not yourself, nor anyone else here, is permitted to go with them. They must go alone.” Tears began to creep out of Nisa's eyes. There was something so absolutely true in how he said those words, so final, that she knew even if she could get up and run, her legs would not move one foot to the west. The tears came readily as that reality set in and she looked at Alianna who was still staring at the ground. There, but not there. She moved over to her friend and put her arms around her. She moved her head close and whispered in her friend's ear.

“Ali, you have set me free from so many things by the love you have shown me and it tears my heart apart to know that I cannot help you through this time, to free you from this cage you are in. Just know that I will always be with you and will cherish every moment we shared together. Take this to remember me by. She pulled out from a pocket the sash that had denoted her rank as First among her ladies and placed it in her hand. Alianna's hand closed around it, and one single tear leaked from her eye. Nisa saw it and she knew that her friend had heard her. She embraced her friend tightly, not wanting to let go.

Enoch looked at them for a moment then turned to Jaius. “I have a change of clothes for you both. It seems that it has been a long journey for you both and a change of clothing for will help, and these clothes are more befitting your stations. You may keep your sword Son of Maleric, but all else must go back to the Catha-Dral, the same for Alianna, she may only keep the things that she arrived at the Catha Dral with, and the one thing that is from there that is hers.`` He looked to the backpack that Jaius carried with all their stuff from before and the Thron shard. “You must travel lightly. There is a tent in my pack also. You will spend the night here and then leave in the morning.” He looked at Nisa. “Will you help her change?” Nisa looked up at him and nodded. Enoch smiled and nodded his head. “Once that is done, then you must come back out Nisa and we must depart.” Her face fell and she forced herself to hold back her tears. He opened his pack and took out two bundles of cloth and then a larger one. There were wooden poles on the side of the pack. He removed those and started to erect a tent. After it was up. Nisa stood with some help from Jaius and then Jaius took Alianna's hand and started to lift her. As he put upward pressure on her hand she responded and stood, but her eyes did not leave the ground and she did not say anything. Nisa gave Jaius a tear stained look and then sighed and took Alianna's hand and led her toward the tent. As she passed Enoch she took the package of cloth that he offered her and thanked him. It was white cloth that looked to have gold inlays. She led Alianna into the tent and closed the flap. Enoch looked back at Jaius. “Come here Son of Maleric.” Enoch was holding two crystal jars. Jaius went over to him and Enoch led him over to the chasm where water was falling from the top of the jet of water that was bursting forth from deep below. Enoch opened both jars and let them fill half full with water. Then he turned and looked at Jaius. “You have the shard, the one that links to the Thron?” Jaius hesitated.

“How do you know all these things about us? I never saw you before.” Juais said. Enoch smiled. “The Eternal is my constant companion young Jaius. He has told me all about you and Alianna and all that has happened to you here, and what must still happen. Alianna will need this water and those crystal shards in the times ahead.” Enoch held jar out to him. It seemed like he wanted him to put something into it. Then he realized what he wanted him to do. Jaius reached into his pocket and took out the purple crystal shard that Alianna always used to activate the Thron. Jaius held it out to him and Enoch took it and sealed it in the same jar by placing the lid on it and then layering a wax seal around it. He then sealed up the other Jar that only had water in it. He then placed both jars in his satchel and then handed the bag to Jaius. Jaius took it and slung it over his torso. “You should say your goodbyes now Jaius, the time soon comes for us to depart.” Jaius looked at him, unable to keep the sadness from his eyes. “Promise me Enoch, promise me you will take care of all of them, that you will protect them.” Enoch smiled. “You have my word Son of Maleric, I will shepherd them well.” Then he looked at the tent and then back to Jaius . “You love Ali do you not Jaius?” Jaius turned his gaze back to the tent and then back to him. “Yes, I would have married her if Maleric hadn't betrayed us. I'd die for her Enoch.” Enoch noded. “It won't come to that Jaius, but it is good that your heart is there with Ali. She will need such love in the days and years ahead. She is the one you must protect and shepard now Jaius. There is much more that you both need to learn.” Jaius nodded. “I give you my word Enoch, that I will guard her with my life.” Enoch noded and motioned toward the group of people that had come with Jaius. Jaius sighed and began to move toward them. “One more thing, Son of Maleric. As I said earlier, you may take your sword, but all else must return east.” He said as Jaius saw he was looking at the harness with all the devices from Maleric. Jaius sighed, but nooded his head. He took off the harness and handed it to Enoch, and then removed the two ear pieces and handed them to him. Enoch took all the items and nodded and headed over to the Horuses.

Jaius went over to Alise and Lorna who were standing with their parents. They looked up as he approached with smiles on their faces. The smiles faded, however, as he got closer and they saw his face. “What is it?” Alise asked. “Are you okay?” said Lorana Jaius nodded to Lorna's question. “I'm okay. Alianna and Nisa are safe. The Herald is dead and her evil is gone. Your all safe now, you can return to the Catha-Dral and start new lives. Enoch, the man over there will now lead you and protect you. He walks with the true Eternal and he seems like a very good man. I trust him and I would encourage you to trust him too.” Lorna nodded slowly, but Alise kept looking at him. “Jaius, you sound like you aren't coming back with us.” She said with apprehension heavy in her voice. Jaius took a deep breath and nodded. “Alianna and I must go on, into the west. Alianna was hurt pretty severely by the Herald and Enoch says that only by going west can she find help. He said no one else is allowed to go with us.” Tears began to come from the sister's eyes as what he said sank in. “Jaius I....” Said Alise but then she couldn't continue emotion clogging her voice. “Oh Jaius.” Lorna cried and flung her arms around him and began to sob into his shoulder. Jaius wrapped his arm around her and looked up to Alise. She stood there tears streaming down her cheeks, but she didn't fling herself at him she just walked slowly over to him, her eyes staying locked with his and he held out his arm to her and she slowly folded into it and laid her head on his other shoulder crying softly. Alise had always been the more reserved one of the two. He held them and whispered to them things that he wanted them to remember. They stayed this way until Enoch came over and touched his shoulder. Jaius lifted his head and turned toward the man.

“It is time Son of Maleric. We should depart if we are to clear the valley before nightfall.” Nisa stood at Enoch's shoulder with her hand over her mouth and her shoulder's shaking slightly. Jaius let his arms release Alise and Lorna and he looked at them both and kissed each of them on the cheek. “I will never forget you both, as long as I live. Thank you for...everything.” They both looked at him and wiped at their eyes. “We will never forget you either Jaius.” Said Alise. “We will always remember and always love you Jaius.” Said Lorna her voice deep with emotion. Then their parents moved up and put their arms around their daughters. Their father, Sa, looked at Jaius. “Jaius, Son of Maleric, there is a debt between us that our family can never repay. If ever you need us for anything you have but to ask and it will be yours. You saved us all, and we are forever grateful.” Jaius bowed and shook the mans hand. “Your debt is cleared Sa, your daughters saved me many times from getting on the wrong side of Maleric. I would not be here if not for them. They have covered any debt that you owe me.” Sa nodded and stepped back.

Jaius then turned and Nisa was right infront of him. She looked up at him. Her eyes were swolen with lack of sleep and tears but her deep brown eyes spoke volumes to him. “Please Jaius, please take care of Ali and please find healing for her. I....” She took a deep breath but could not get anything more out. Jaius placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned in and whispered to her. “Nisa, I swear by my life that I will defend her to my death and I will find a way to bring her out of this. I will not stop until she is whole again. And we will not forget you or all that you have done for us.” As he spoke, her whole body trembled as if it barely had the strength to stand, he steadied her with his hands, eventually putting his arm around her shoulders to support her. After a few minutes she let go and moved over to Enoch. Enoch took her hand and then took Alise's and Lorna's and placed their hands together. They all looked confused. “Your fates are as interlocked as your hands. The three of you will endure, but you will not know the purpose for many long years ahead. But you must stay together until that day.” They all looked shocked and couldn't seem to find any words to speak. It was Taeth, the mother of the two sisters who stepped forward and put her arms around all three of them. “Until that day, Nisa, you will be as one of our own daughters. You are not alone anymore my dear.” The three young women looked at each other and then smiles appeared on Alise's and Lorna's faces. “Welcome sister.” Said Alise. “You are as we are my sister.” Lorna said. They both embraced Nisa, and for the first time in a while Jaius saw Nisa smile slightly. Jaius went over to the knights and said his goodbyes and left instructions for them to follow Enoch, and that he vouched for him. He also gave them messages for Kenic. He then returned to the others. He went up to Enoch and extended his hand. “I wish I could have gotten to speak with you more, there are so many questions I need to ask you.” Enoch smiled. “There will be a day when you get to ask them, Son of Maleric, but for now you must rest and then start your journey west tomorrow. Take the tent with you for it will be many days till you reach your destination. I left the back pack for you. There is some bread and dried fruit in it. Enough to last a few days. There are also some containers of water. Keep your path to the west and you will come to that which you are seeking. Fare thee well Jaius. We will meet again.” He said as he smiled and extended his hand. Jaius took it in his own hand and shook it. That peace that he felt earlier flooded through him. “One more thing, Son of Maleric. As you head west you may come across a city. Under no circumstances are you to enter that city. If you encounter anyone else bearing my same name do not trust them, no matter how convincing they are. Keep heading west till you come to a house of peace. You will know it when you find it.” Jaius nodded. Then Enoch turned and spread his hands to everyone else. “Come my friends, we must depart. We have a long road ahead of us.” “Enoch,” Jaius said. The man turned.

“Just one question.” The man turned to him. “What is that?” He said pointing to the massive plume of water that kept shooting up from the ground and falling back ito the chasam. Enoch smiled and said. “It is a Foutain of the Deep. It comes up from the waters far below. The force of the energy coming up from below carries the water with it in certain places. The Herald had set her house over it, letting the water flow through the crystal walls which insulated them from someone singing to them. But with the number of voices that you had with you it was more than even the water could contain. It was a very good idea Jaius. Now, we must depart.” And with that he gave Jaius a wink and turned and began walking. Jaius waved at everyone, burning their faces into his memory. They all waved and kept looking back until they were out of sight. Nisa kept looking to the tent.

After they all faded from view. Jaius went back to the tent and found his bundle of cloths sitting by the tent flap. He opened them and they were well made clothes of the finest material. Brown leather pants and boots with a long blue shirt and matching cape with a hood. He went to the other side of the tent and put everything on. Inside the shirt he found wrapped a golden circlet for his head. He put it on and then left his old clothes on the ground. He went back to the front and touched the tent flap, but hesitated before going in. “Ali'' he called out. He waited but ther was no answer. He sighed and opened the flap. There were two sleeping cots in the tent. Alianna sat on the side of one her hands folded on her lap. She wore a white dress with gold inlays and a white cape with matching gold design. A glittering Tiara set on top of her head. She stared at the oposite wall of the tent, but didn't move even when he touched her shoulder. “Ali” he said. Still nothing. He stood infornt of her and put both his hands on her shoulders and pushed her gently till she lay down on the cot. He then lifted her legs on to the cot and placed the blanket over her. Her eyes stared blankly at the celing. He tried to close them and they closed as he applied pressure. He then kissed her hand and set it down on the cot. “Sleep Ali, and everything is going to be okay.” He then went outside and sat by the entrance keeping watch. He stared up at the giant fountain and marveled at it. “What do we do now Ali.” He said to the air. It had been a long time since he had been alone, and the silence seemed deafening to him.