From where they stood she could see for miles. It was absolutely breathtaking. And while Cassie thought the last thing she saw was the most amazing thing the world had to offer, she was wrong. She turned around from where she stood. A mountain peak grew behind her. “So that is where we came out from,” she said. “I wonder just how far into it we were.”

Beyond it, grew more mountains. And yet more peaks grew towering upwards from the valley now appearing just below them. The mountains were rocky, and appeared grey. Huge slabs of stone sat jagged from their peaks. The valley appeared a patchwork color of greens, the occasional grey stone littering the countryside. Small buildings sat randomly in between the different patches of color. Farms, lots of faerie farms covered the valley. But that was not all that was down there.

It sat in the center of the patchwork land of farms. It was huge, and round and it grew straight out from the land. An obelisk. It was carved into a point and while it grew straight out of the ground, it was not grey like the other pieces of stone scattered about the land. It was black and its dark form rose high above the valley. Windows and shapes had been cut from it. Cassie had never seen anything like it in her life. It wasn’t as tall as the skyscrapers in Portland but for being made completely out of a natural stone, it was impressive. A wall surrounded the entire city, dividing the city from the patchwork farm lands. Shorter buildings, some long and thin, other fat and wide surrounded the obelisk. Cassie thought that some of the buildings seemed to be placed and built out at odd angle taking up every available space inside the city walls. These smaller buildings also appeared to be made of the grey stone. Smoke drifted from the chimneys of the buildings that had fireplaces.

They had arrived at Stonehaven.

Hazel smiled at Cassie, “It should not be long now.”

“About how long you think it will take us to get from here to there?”

Hazel looked at the sky once more. The sun was almost directly above them. “Not that much further, I would wager. Besides, it is all downhill from here. Come on, let’s get going.”

The trail they were on changed. It grew wider. The stretch between each side grew from being able to fit one person to being capable of carrying two moving cars side by side. Cassie felt like she was traveling down a primitive road. There was no warning that the trail was going to grow from being a small, foot-worn groove in the earth with grass and plants growing in and out of it to a smooth, well shaped roadway. Impressions left by various creatures and wheels appeared frozen in the in the dirt, aged by years of rain and snow.

Standing side by side they continued sauntering toward the stone town. Hazel slowed the pace down a bit. It was almost as if he felt better about having Stonehaven in sight. His colors smoothed out and softened. Cassie could tell that he was no longer in an very alert state of mind.

Natural gravity helped them finish walking the hill quickly. The road widened with each step. The obelisk, still off in the distance, grew taller. Soon, they found themselves standing at the edge of two farms. Small plants, neatly arranged in tiled rows, stretched out to Cassie’s left. From the way they were carefully planted into small rows hoed by some unseen beast, she guessed that this was a vegetable farm. Miniature light green tree tops grew up from the soil, marking the tips of the bounty. A puff of wind picked up, sending the tops waving back and forth in the air. Five feet off to their left a faerie farmer kneeled at the ground. She stared at them, pausing from her work.

Red, yellow and green colors bundled her head in a protective turban. A broach displaying a scarab held the wrapped fibers tight. Curly locks of gold hair dripped out from under the turban, dripping wisps of hair over the faerie’s shoulders. White pearls of sweat beaded her forehead, the physical badge of hard work. Her face was tanned, having spent long days working in the sun. Smudges of dirt powdered her face. Her grey eyes expressed a warm welcome. Her lips pursed but they made no sound or words. Her chest expanded, filling with air, as she caught her breath.

Green, loose fitting shirts layered her delicate frame. Her wings overlapped one another, laid tucked behind her back. The way they sat almost made her appear human. Her legs were covered in leather like pants and her feet were bare. She held the bush of a freshly pulled vegetable in her hands, gently cradling it as she brushed off the dirt. It was round and looked like a tomato that had been buried. It probably could have been too, if tomatoes grew underground and were blue. A poorly woven basket made of vine sat next to her, filled halfway with the strange fruits. Her house, made of stone and capped with grass stood off in the distance. Only a second or two passed and the faerie turned away from Hazel and Cassie, placing the vegetable in the basket and moving down the line to the next one.

More neatly crafted rows dug outward to their right side. Brown columns had been dug into the ground. Dark green vines were planted around each post. As the sun and soil gave them strength, the plants grew upwards, deftly scaling the shaft. When the plants ran out of vertical climb, they didn’t stop growing. Long strands of cord decorated the tops of the columns, connecting the space between each pole.  When the vine could not climb up anymore they extended outwards. The weight of the vines caused the cord to bow toward the middle. Huge leather like blades of leaves grew out from the vines, appearing at strange angles. Small tendrils of roots grew from the bases of some of the leaves, securing them to the rope. Clumps of round, red berries grew between the huge leaves. The structures appeared to stretch outwards for miles. Cassie was not able to see where they ended and the next farm began.

The farm changed to either side of them every half-meter or so. Each grew a different fruit or vegetable. Each with their own peculiar display and orientation. Fences separated each farm’s property, some made of wood, others of stone. There was a herd of sheepish animals in one farm. Their fur was brown and grew long and shaggy, wooly looking. They gathered in small groups. One or two larger creatures and a few smaller ones. One beast with a horn stood away from the others. His was not eating. Instead his eyes, placed on either side of his head, scanned the countryside and sky. He seemed to be their leader and was protecting the heard from enemies. Two lone beasts had left the heard and wandered close to the fence to where Cassie and Hazel stood. Their long necks stretched over the stone fence. It seemed as if they were grazing, looking for better grass on the other side. A long pink tongue shot out from one of the creature’s mouths. It flickered and flailed along the ground. Where Cassie thought they were eating the grass, she now could tell that they ran their long tongues over it, searching the dirt for insects or other small morsels of food. Their eyes blinked sideways, chewing whether their tongues placed back into their mouths. The horned beast bleated and the two loners pulled their heads away from the fence and galloped back to the herd.

Small rectangular stone markers had been planted every meter or so along the street. Strange markings carved into the face of each one. The same symbol was carved at the top of every one. It looked like a crown with a circle enclosing it. Beneath it were lines. As they got closer to the gates of the town, more marks appeared. Cassie thought that they looked like mile markers, ticking off the distance to reach the gate.

The farmlands stopped. Replaced by a tall, smooth slab of stone. Dead ivy roots grew along the wall. Cassie could tell that they kept the wall clean of anything that could grow on it. Anything that could provide a faerie or enemy with stable foot holds to enter the town unwanted. Guard posts appeared at the top of the wall, three for each direction. An additional guard post sat on either side of a gap in the wall. They reached Stonehaven gate.

Two ogres stood at the posts, their chests encased in heavy chain and plate mail shirts. Long, muscular hairy arms hung to their sides, their hands poised near the hilt of the gigantic swords each had sheathed to a belt. They wore metal helmet, obscuring their eyes so Cassie could not see them. The colors surrounding them were guarded, shifting from trust to suspicion. They stared blankly at Hazel and Cassie, their eyes tracking their every move. They were ready to strike them down into oblivion at the first sign of aggression towards the town.

Cassie stared at the ogres as Hazel escorted her past the stone blockade into Stonehaven. Thick hinges rounded each side of the wall, tucking two giant stone slabs behind them. A tall tree husk leaned against one of the doors. It was stripped of its bark, its white meat stained with years of use and weather. Two more ogre guards stood at each gate, prepared to close the door if they needed to.

The dirt road ended at the gates. Once they walked through the wall, it turned into cobblestone. The single road grew out to their left and right as well as continuing straight ahead. Buildings lined the road everywhere Cassie looked. Most, if not all the buildings in Stonehaven, were made of the same grey stone as the wall that surrounded the entire town. Each building was unique in its design, identified by the style of roof that capped it. Very few of the buildings stood at a single floor. As far as Cassie could tell each building had at least two or three floors. Some had more and Cassie found herself growing dizzy as she tilted her head upwards to see it all.

A wide variety of materials went into enclosing each building. Straw and mud seemed to be the favored material, fashioning rounded building tops with fat pitches. Others had steep pitches and were framed with wood. Clotheslines stretched between some of the upper levels, marking the telltale signs of residential rooms and floors. Clothing tied to the strings, flapping in the breezes drying. Faeries and mythical creatures were everywhere. If they were not sitting and talking, they flooded the streets, walking, riding or flying. It was like Cassie was living out her best dreams all at once.

While the town was not as big as Portland, it had a strange metropolitan feel to it. Weird and wondrous personalities filled the city. Each person appearing stranger and more unique than the next. A small blur of red flashed out of Cassie’s peripheral vision. She turned her head, trying to catch up with the flash. Small winged faeries the size of Stick floated in and out of open doors and windows. A group of five small faeries playfully chased each other, darting in and out of the streets and between the buildings. Smiling, she turned her attention back to street level.

Carts lined the lower levels of almost every building. Colorful banners hung from their canopies, describing each vendor, giving names and prices to their wares. A blue faerie dressed in a gown of gauze stood haggling with a dwarven faerie over the price of a bundle of fruit. The taller fae wanted a cheaper price while the short man shook his bearded head. The dwarf stood on a box, allowing him to see into the eyes of his taller customers. Cassie smiled at the sight.

A cart crossed in front of them. Pulled by a small donkey. Another dwarf sat on the wooden cart, reigns in his hands. Bales of red hay filled the back of his cart. The donkey bobbed his head up and down, his tiny feet stretched to their limits as it pulled its owner and wares down the cobblestone. Hazel allowed the cart to pass before motioning Cassie to cross the street.

They headed straight down the middle road. Cross shaped posts hung suspended by faerie magic in midair at each cross roads. A diamond shaped lamp made of black iron metal topped each post. No glass sat between the lamp’s frame and there was no wicks inside the lamps. Cassie wondered how they worked without the aid of fire to light them. Pieces of stone, two-holes punched at each center, hung around each post. Words had been carved into each stone, written in the same strange language that appeared on the posts outside the town. Cassie figured that the marks told the citizens what each names of the street were.

Boards and stone slabs marked the names of each business and building. Some had pictures on them, others did not. Cassie peered into the window of a tavern. Well-endowed faerie women carried large platters filled with food and mugs around to each table. One slammed down a pitcher of foaming liquid as a sly customer from another table grabbed at her backside. She whipped her head around in annoyance, her mouth forming words back at the surprised faerie. He stuck his hands into the air with a feigned look of innocence on his lips. The whole room roared out with laughter.

Two small children huddled down a dark alleyway. One of them had long black hair tied back into a ponytail with a piece of thread. A silver ring pierced through his pointy left ear; it was clear that he was older than the other one. The other had short, shaggy green hair. Their clothes were old and torn and not well mended. A small loaf of bread sat on a unwrapped piece of cloth between them. Their eyes followed Hazel and Cassie as they passed by them. Their colors appeared subservient and tired. Hazel reached into another pouch and flipped a few coins at them. The boy with the black hair continued to watch them as the younger one rushed out to collect the coins. It was Cassie’s first glimpse into the town’s darker side. Just like any other city or town, Stonehaven had its fair share of poverty and homeless.

Hazel led Cassie thru the streets. He obviously knew where he was going. There was no way that Cassie would have ever known where they headed let alone on how to get back to the gates. They twisted down a few side streets and larger busier streets. Then Cassie found herself staring at the obelisk.

It was black. And very, very smooth. Like glass. But not shiny or reflective because no shadows or reflections were cast in the stone. Cassie could not see herself in it. It was solid and did not appear that anything could live or be inside of it. Another ogre guard stood watch at a small building set in front of the obelisk. Cassie wondered what he was guarding as there was no door to be seen in sight. She wanted to walk around the perimeter of the obelisk but figured that it would be a waste of time and effort. She was sure that there was no physical entrance, like a door, placed anywhere around the stone.

She threw her head way back. Standing on the ground, up so close, she was not able to see any windows or doors cut further into the stone. No balconies or outcroppings appeared from the rock either. She figured that the whole thing had been enchanted with powerful faerie magic and that was the only way to gain entrance inside the building.

Hazel walked over to the guard and said a few words. The ogre looked at Cassie, nodded and stepped towards the obelisk. He drew his sword and tapped the stone. Once, twice and then three times. Nothing happened at first and then Cassie heard a rumbling.

Six feet up and four feet across from where the stone met the ground a slit grew from the obelisk. An orange glow spilled out from behind. A rectangular chuck of stone slid downwards, exposing a portal in the stone. The ogre returned to his post and nodded for them to enter. Hazel grabbed Cassie’s hand and they entered together, side by side.

They found themselves standing in a long hallway. Tapestries hung from the walls, touching the floor. Some of them displayed portraits of important faeries and elders. They were dressed in elegant costumes and their faces painted with outrageous patterns and tattoos. They rarely smiled and in all cases they had their wings stretched outwards, showing the beautiful markings. Other tapestries exhibited scenes of stories or historical events. Some were outlandish battle scenes, complete with blood and beheadings. Others depicted weddings between two houses. Cassie was impressed by the long history of the world.

White marble with swirls of black composed the floor. It was smooth and reverberated every step they made. Torches hovered by the walls, the flames from the fire dancing bright red colors. Cassie wondered if they were going to end up having to climb lots of stairs to get to the Elder’s chambers. But the hallway did not lead to a staircase; instead, it stopped at another wall. A old faerie, with a long white beard stood next to the wall and pushed a hidden button.

A section of the wall faded, replaced by a small rectangular box. It was an elevator. Another torch floated near the ceiling and the faerie pointed at them to enter the box. The wall reappeared behind them. The elevator walls were also covered in tapestries. No control box appeared embedded in any of the walls, not that Cassie could see. Her body swayed as the elevator leaped into action. It made no sound as it climbed the inside of the obelisk. Cassie had no idea how far off the ground they were. The trip only took a minute and the elevator stopped.

The wall faded once more and a hand appeared motioning them to step out. Hazel went first and assisted Cassie next. She stared at the faerie next to Hazel. Her mind did a double take as she realized that she was staring at the same old faerie with a long white beard who had helped them into the elevator. Somehow he had beaten them to the top of the obelisk just in time to help escort them out. He winked an acknowledgement as she passed him.

A rock embedded curtain hung before them. The stones sparked in the torchlight as the curtain pulled back exposing a large cathedral. Three hand carved chairs made of oak faced them. Sitting in the chairs were three faeries. A woman sat on the left. Her silver hair was braided and she wore a simplistic crown woven from thin oak branches. A small, round piece of jade was set in the center of the crown. Wisdom and age heavily wrinkled her face. And yet her blue eyes sparkled, defiant with youthfulness. An amulet of Celtic designs hung around her neck on a silver chain. It was the only piece of jewelry she had on. She wore a long plain, green silk dress. Brown, leather slippers adorned her feet.

Another woman sat off to the right. Her brown hair hung long and straight tumbling down over her shoulders. A deep blue streak painted a braid that started on the right side of her head crossing her forehead and then hanging down to her chin on the left side of her face. She also wore a crown woven from an oak branch. A purple stone, flecked with golden stars sat in the center of her crown. The woman appeared younger. If Cassie could guess her age she was maybe ten years older than she was. She wore a deep purple and black dress, the sleeves fairing out beyond her wrists. She also wore the same amulet around her neck. Two rings pierced her right ear while the left had only one ring in it. Rings also wrapped around the thumb and ring finger on her right hand. She wore black slippers.

The middle chair was occupied by a middle-aged man. He also wore a oak woven crown, but it was bare, no stone had been set into his. If one was to be set in it at all. His hair was short, black and speckled with grey streaks. His skin was brown. A third eye appeared in his forehead. It was cloudy and white and Cassie could not tell if he could even see out of it at all. It looked broken. Lines of worry etched into his forehead. Cassie could see he was concerned about fighting a sickness to which there was no known cure. He wore a white tunic, perfectly sewn so that none of the seams showed. A black leather jerkin covered the white shirt, its collar embossed with the same Celtic designs that hung on charms around the women’s necks. He wore black tights, the bottoms tucked into the tops of his calf-length boots.

“Please come inside,” the faerie in the middle called out to them.

Hazel gripped Cassie’s hand and they stepped forward into the room. Hazel stopped and dropped to his knee, “Sire, I have found her as requested.”

“Rise child,” he said.  Hazel stood. “And introduce us to your companion.”

“Sire, my Ladies, i would love to present my friend to you. This is Miss Cassondra Brown,” Hazel announced, gesturing both his hands towards her.

Cassie did not know what to do, so she bowed to each of them. “It is a honor and a pleasure to be in front of you.”

The woman on the right waved at her, “Rise, daughter of Adam. We have much to discuss.”

Cassie nodded her head. Everyone seemed so serious and formal. She guessed that if she had come at another time the Elders would be less formal.

The man spoke once more, his center eye blinked, “Hazel, please leave us, we would like to speak to Cassondra alone.”

Hazel bowed once more. “It is okay Cassie. You are safe with them. I will be outside waiting for you.” He placed his hand lovingly on her shoulder and leaving Cassie alone with the three Elders.

“Allow me to introduce myself and these lovely Ladies behind me,” the Elder began, signaling for the other two to come forward. “I am Atim, Elder of the Dragonwind clan.”

He waived his hand towards the Elder at his left, “That is Bridget, Elder of the Phoenixstone clan.”

Cassie waived. Bridget folded her arms over her chest and winked.

“And this young Lady to my right is Innowen, the Elder for the Ravenflame clan.”

Innowen waived, “Hello.” She snapped her fingers and a table and four chairs appeared nearby.

“Please sit down. We have much to discuss,” Atim said. He continued speaking as they sat, “Do you know why Hazel brought you here?”

Cassie nodded, “Well, I do not know the full details but he told me that there is something wrong. That someone or something is making the faeries here sick.”

The Elders looked at one another and nodded. “You are very astute, Cassondra,” Bridget said. “Yes, we have quite the plague and mystery on our hands.”

Atim took over the narrative, “It started about two months ago. On the outskirts of the continent. A ship had come in from the Western countries carrying cargo. One of the men on board fell ill days before docking. The fishermen and townspeople were stumped. They had never seen anything like it. Their shamans did not recognize it either.”

Atim cleared his throat before continuing. “They wrote to us describing the symptoms.” A scrap of parchment appeared from thin air. Tri-lens reading spectacles appeared on the table. Atrim placed the spectacles on his face and began reading from the letter.

“Sire, we have not seen anything like this. Ever. The plague begins as such. First the afflicted contracts a fever. A fever never that never breaks. We tried placing blankets over them and fed water and healing potions to them, but they continue to shiver and sweat. Their body temperature never cools to normal. After a three or four days of this, the afflicted’s skin breaks out in a rash. None of our known salves, potions, charms or healing chants seem to clear the constantly darkening red spots on the skin. Our immune system seems to completely dissolve  the second the plague enters the body.”

“On the fifth day, the plague morphs. The rash develops large, red scabs all over the skin. They do not itch or bleed at first, but after 4 hours after the first appearance of the scabs the afflicted twitches and cries out in pain. They complain that their body is afire, and if methods of restraints are not employed then they rip at their skin with hands or claws. If the afflicted has wings, they too become diseased; giant holes appear in them at this time, the skin’s thin membranes drained dry of all liquid substances.”

“We found that by the time the rash starts it is a wise idea to sedate the afflicted.  This way they do not claw and rip apart the flesh on their skin as soon as the scabs appear. Shortly after their appearance they begin causing pain, they ooze with green pus. The afflicted’s body hair begins to fall out at this time as well. The scabs continue to grow, feeding on the flesh and bone of the afflicted, wrapping them in a strange cocoon of pus, hair and skin. The afflicted remains in this position for three more days, unable to move or eat or speak. At this point, we cover the whole thing in a thin layer of pain-free healing salves, hoping that the person trapped inside does not continue to suffer in pain. Whether or not that salve has any effect is unknown, it just feels like the most compassionate thing to do.”

“The third day after the body is surrounded in the cocoon, the unthinkable happens. We were not present at the time it happened to the sailor brought to us, as it was night time and every one had fallen asleep. But that next day, when we sent someone to check in on him, the whole thing had vanished! Not a trace of the body, cocoon or even any waste products left by the plague remained. It was as if the poor soul never existed at all.”

“Once after we knew we were dealing with something new, we isolated the afflicted far from the rest of the port. We limited all contact, allowing only the afflicted’s immediate kin, two shamen, myself and an attendant to keep watch. All in all there was no more than five people near the afflicted at any given time. We also secluded the ship’s crew, confining them to their ship. Food was magically transported in and out of the two locations.”

“Two days before the afflicted vanished, I spoke to the crew aboard the ship. I questioned the captain and the closest friends and mates of the afflicted. Where did the ship dock to? What cargo was it carrying? Did the afflicted disembark the ship when it docked? What did he eat, or go? Did he frequent any brothels? The ship’s manifest did not list anything out of the ordinary. The ship had just returned from a small island off the coast. They traded fish and herbal and papyrus supplies for silk and tomacco plants. The plague did not seem to have come from the island or any contaminated cargo.”

“I examined the crew as well. No one exhibited signs of the plague. No one complained of any illness or fever. They were concerned about the afflicted, of course; and wanted to know when we would lift the restriction placed on them and their ship. Men had families they wanted to see, the ship had two more coastal deliveries to make. We kept them separated for five days and found no further evidence of the plague. At that point, we had no choice to lift the ban and let them go free.”

“News of the afflicted’s death spread rapidly. We burned both hut and any personal effects from the afflicted’s room aboard the ship. We hoped that in doing so, that would kill the plague. But we were wrong.”

“A week passed, and all was well. Then two more people started showing the symptoms of the plague. One was an ogre, the other a herder beast. They died the same as the first afflicted, two weeks after the fever started.”

“Sire, we fear the worst. This plague seems go undetected. We cannot tell how it gets transmitted from one body to the next. We have seen 10 cases of this in our town alone. And it is spreading. Rapidly. Two days ago, men from the southern towns arrived, spreading tales of the same plague symptoms we have been dealing with here. All attempts at creating a cure or diving where this horrid plague originated have failed.”

“I write this letter in the hopes that maybe one of your shamen or seers has heard or seen news of this plague. And that a cure can quickly be manufactured or found. Let this parchment also serve as a warning to the lands inland and west of us. I fear that they too shall fall to this plague soon. Do not fear, I am quite certain that our blessing and cleansing rituals have removed any trace of contamination or plague that this paper has been in contact with. ”

“In any case, please advise us. Tell us what we should do and supply us with any medicine that you may have to help us fight this.”

A tear rolled down Innowen’s cheek. “We received this parchment just days after the death of the first afflicted. We do not know of how many others have vanished due to this plague, but we do know that it has turned inland, spreading among the surrounding towns.”

Atim removed the spectacles from his face. They and the parchment disappeared, returning to wherever vault they resided from. “We called the seers, shamans and mystics from all reaches of the world to the obelisk days after we received the letter.  There must have been fifty men and women gathered here. Representing all the various races and clans.”

“We read them the letter. And asked for their council. Giving them a week to divine, commune and read the ancient texts for any sign of this plague. What it was, where it came from, who unleashed it against us– if possible, and most importantly, how do we cure and protect ourselves against it.”

Bridget spoke next, “They came back to us after deliberating for quite some time. They choose a spoke-seer to address us three, telling us their methods, providing names of the texts they consulted and summarizing their findings. The poor seer, I could tell she was frightened beyond belief. I was not sure if she was terrified at what we could do to them if they failed or of the grave situation in general.”

“Once she finished her summary, she stared at the ground. All the texts, all the gods, their divination tools said nothing about this plague. They, too, were at a loss for an explanation of what was going on and how we could stop it from spreading. Knowing that we would be disappointed with their answer, she offered one possible solution.”

“That’s where you come in,” Atim stood. “We have been separated from the sons and daughters of Adam for quite some time now. While our two worlds border one another and in some cases mix, neither one of our kind knows the other is there.”

“This brave seer, suggested that a solution could be found among a son or daughter of Adam. It was a long shot suggestion but it was also the best suggestion we heard. So we gathered everyone up once more, and had them seek out energies of people that we could enlist their help. But their search turned up nothing. It seemed like our only salvation turned into a dead end.”

“We even sent out announcements to the towns, calling forth anyone who had contact with the sons and daughters of Adam, to step forth and assist our search,” Innowen added, “Your friends Hazel and Stick came from their homes upon hearing our announcement. They came to the obelisk and told us about you. How they met you, what you were like. They even told us about your special gift of seeing colors.”

“We called a few seers forward and they listened to Hazel and Stick speak as well. Some divined your essence into the cards, others watched your friends describe you. All the seers came to the same conclusion, your connection to Hazel and Stick and this world may provide us with an solution to this plague.”

“We asked them to bring you to our world, before us,” Bridget spoke. “They told us that they lost touch with you. They had gone into your world and could not find you where you normally hung out with them. So once again we turned to the mystics. Luckily for us, they found you.”

Cassie nodded and smiled, “I am grateful for all your help in getting me out. I was sent to a not-so-happy place, where they dulled my sight and kept me away from them. As it stood, there was no way for me to get a message to Hazel and Stick, telling them what was going on. If I knew that they were going to take me, I would have tried to run away.”

The Elders looked at one another and nodded.

“I will be honest with you. I am not sure how I can help you and your world, but I shall do anything I can to help you out. It is an honor to be chosen and I can only hope that I am able to do something. And to live up to your expectations.”

Atim stood from the table and walked over to Cassie. He placed a rough hand on her shoulder, “All we ask is that you do your best. The three of us have given it some thought and we think we know what you can do to help.”

Cassie relaxed her shoulders, “Great. I would love to hear them. When Hazel told me what was going on, my mind drew a blank on how I could help you. We have no disease, no sickness matching the symptoms you describe.”

“Well, we consulted many of the ancient texts as well. We found a passage in one  book that  chronicled a tale of a hermit who lives in the mountain peaks just beyond Stonehaven. No one has ever climbed to the top of the mountains to verify whether or not the story held truth. We think that if there is such a hermit, and if they are still alive, that maybe they can provide us with some insight into a cure to the plague.”

“Cassondra, daughter of Adam, we would like to send you out to investigate whether or not someone does live at the peak of those mountains and find out if they know anything about this plague.”

Cassie blinked, startled, “I do not know my way around your world. Can Hazel and Stick come with me? I will do as you ask, but without their help I will get lost.”

Bridget laughed at her question, “Cassondra, we would not dare think to separate you from your friends. Of course they will venture out with you. We have already talked to them and they are preparing for the journey.”

“Okay, then. I will do it. I will go seek out this hermit and see if they have anything to say. But what happens if they do not know anything about this plague? What next?”

Innowen averted Cassie’s piercing stare, “We do not know. We will figure something out when the time comes. Do not worry about things in the future that you cannot control.”

Cassie started to smile, but before she could even get a smirk out, her stomach rumbled. Rather loudly too.

Bridget laughed out loud, “Oh my. That is one hungry stomach! Pray tell, when was the last time you had anything to eat?”

“Hazel cooked some blue eggs before we started hiking early this morning ma’am,” Cassie said. “I know I am rather hungry but I did not want to be impolite.”

“Child, it is us who have been rude and impolite,” Bridget spoke. “We have already eaten our noonday meal but in our rush to speak with you we forgot our manners. We should have offered you something to eat. A snack at the very least.”

Bridget clapped her hands.  A small servant faerie appeared from a door to the right. “Yes, my Lady?”

“Selan, please escort our Guest to her room. Make sure she is comfortable and has everything she needs to clean up before the festivities.”

Cassie though, “Festivities? What festivities?”

But Bridget only winked at her. “Cassondra, daughter of Adam. We extend to you the hospitality of the Obelisk. We have already made arrangements for you to spend the night here. And you do not think we would send you off without celebrating your arrival first?”

Cassie grinned. “Thank you my Lady. Now that you mention it, I think a bath and a bit of some rest will do me good before eating.”

She stood up from the table, “I also wanted to thank you all for getting me out of where I was. And for the honor of allowing me to help you and your world. I do hope that I do not let you down.” She nodded to each Elder, who also nodded in return.

The faerie waited for Cassie to follow behind her. “Right this way milady.”

Cassie giggled. She thought it was incredibly funny as she did not feel quite like a Lady. At least not yet. “Maybe in a few years,” she thought.

Selan lead her down the side door of the Elder’s Chambers. Into another hallway. The walls were still smooth and the floor was still made of white marble swirled with black. Touches still floated in the air, the fire glowing dimly, casting shadows along the bare walls. They walked next to a window carved out of the obelisk. Cassie wandered over to it. She wanted to see how the faerie world looked from being so high off the ground.

She placed her hands on the windowsill. It was smooth as silk. Not even any bumps or roughness from where she presumed someone had cut it with a knife. While it surprised her a little bit, in a way she should have also known better.

The air was cooler from being so high off the ground. It smelled fresh, like it had just rained. She shivered a bit, and zipped her hoody up. First, she looked all the way out towards the horizon. She was facing the opposite direction that she and Hazel had come into Stonehaven. The window gave her a good view of the mountains she and her friends would be visiting in the next day or two. They were tall, easily 14,000 feet tall, her mind guessed. Twin snow-capped peaks rose out from the ground. The terrain looked unfriendly, rocky and not at all friendly. It would be a hard trip to make. Cassie hoped that her body was up to the climb and said a silent prayer to an unknown god that everything would work out fine.

Farmlands lead the way from Stonehaven into a few hills, and then into the mountains. From her best estimate it would take them a half day to a full day to reach the foothills. She was not sure how long the hike up the hills and the climb up the mountainside would take them. All in all she wagered a couple of days by foot. While part of her wanted the exercise and hike, a greater part of her hoped that the Elders would teleport them to the mountain tops, saving them some time. Of course, once she was there at the top of the mountain, she had no idea what would happen next.

“Trying to locate a hermit up there is going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack,” Cassie frowned. “I have no idea where one could live or survive up there. I just hope someone can give us some useful directions and information. After all, who knows if this faerie really exists?”

She leaned out the window, looking straight down. A wave of nausea and vertigo washed over her. Stonehaven extended outwards from the obelisk for about two miles or so. Brown hay colored roofs and grey cobblestone roads was all she saw.  She felt like she was staring straight down into an ant colony. Cassie was shocked as she thought the town was a lot bigger than that.

Celan stood silently as Cassie paused at the window. “Thank you for allowing me to stop and look out the window,” Cassie said to Celan.

The faerie nodded, “You are most welcome. I know how you feel. The first time I came here and saw out the windows, I was mesmerized. We are very lucky to live at the center of it all. The world is so gorgeous.”

“Have you always lived at Stonehaven,” Cassie asked. Celan did not look a day older than Cassie. The faerie was stocky and had dreadlocked hair, colorful ribbons braided in them. She wore a long brown overall dress, with a white shirt underneath. She wore no shoes. Her wings were smaller than normal, and twitched every few seconds.

“I was born here. And I will most likely die here as well. I do not mind it, my Lady. Stonehaven is my home. Besides, I have no real desire to travel. I have too much to do in this town as it is.”

Cassie smiled. “I know what you mean. Before coming here, my parents really did not do a whole lot of traveling. I wish I did not have to leave here so soon. I would have loved to stay a few weeks just here alone. Boy do I wish I had my sketch book and journals! Just think of all the things I could capture and draw.”

The faerie smiled at her. She liked how open Cassie was, “Not many people have come to Stonehaven in the past few weeks. Word of the plague has spread rapidly and it has a lot of people worried. I have heard rumors that some towns will not allow strangers to enter their gates.”

“Really? Wow.”

“May I ask you a question?” Celan ventured. “You do not have to honor it, if you do not like.”

“Go ahead and ask,” Cassie replied.

“Is it true? I mean, are you really going to try and see if you can find a cure to end this plague? Have you seen anything like it where you are from? I have never met a daughter of Adam before. Please forgive me, but I am very curious.”

“Well, I guess it is true. To be honest, I have never seen anything like it. Nor do I have any idea how I can help you. But I will try my best,” Cassie laughed. “No it is not a problem at all. My world is similar to yours, except we have things called cars and television and other weird machines. Tell you what, when we get back I will tell you all about it. Does that sound like a deal?

Celan smiled. “I would like that very much. Maybe one day I will get lucky and meet a son or daughter or Adam myself. And maybe I can travel to your world to meet them and see where you live.”

Cassie nodded. “You would be surprised. It is not as beautiful as your world. I mean, I like it just fine, but there is so many new and different things here. My world does not have the same uniqueness that I see here.”

They stopped at another door way. Celan grabbed onto a stone door knob and pushed the door open, “This is your room, milady.”

The room was cozy. A fire burned from a grey marbled fireplace on the right wall. Across from it, was the biggest bed Cassie ever saw. The frame was cut from black marble, which looked very uncomfortable. A green and blue and purple hand woven patchwork quilt hung over the bed. The headboard had the same Celtic knot work chiseled into it. Soft pillows littered the bed. Draped over the top of the bed’s posted was a piece of sheer black cloth.

A metal frame chair, covered with a soft padding sat next to a large window. Next to it was a marble slab table, the top fitted with glass. A white glass vase sat on top of the table, gigantic purple flowers tumbling out of it. They smelled like lavender and roses mixed together. More tapestries hung on the walls, displaying geometric patterns and intricate Celtic knot work.

Celan entered the room and walked over to another door. She opened it, “Milady, your wash room is in here. There is a basin filled with warm water and we have some smelling salts to wash your hands and face. If it would please you, can I draw a bath for you?”

Cassie thought about that. A bath sounded lovely. “Oohers. Um, sure. I mean if it is not too much trouble. Of course, I could always do it myself.”

“Tis no problem at all,” Celan bowed. “Tis part of my job. I do not mind at all.”

The sound of rushing water entered the room. Cassie wandered over to the bed while the tub filled. She spread her arms out to their sides and then free-fell, dropping onto the bed. She cringed as she expected the bed to be hard as nails. Instead it enveloped her body, hugging her in a sea of comfort.

“I could really get used to this,” Cassie told herself. “I may fall asleep if I am not too careful.”

“Milady, your bath is ready.” Celan called to her from the bathroom.

Cassie leapt off the bed, somewhat embarrassed by her childish actions. She went into the bathroom and was greeted by the smell of lemons and oranges. A white stone bear claw bathtub sat in the middle of the room. Steam rose from the water. Celan had placed a towel next to the tub, for when Cassie was finished washing herself.

Cassie removed her clothes and placed one foot into the water. Despite all the steam rising from the tub, the water felt perfect. She eased herself into the water, which started it’s own magic by relaxing Cassie’s body. All the previous day’s worries, the tension and muscle burn from their hike rushed from her body, out into the water. Cassie dipped her hands into the water, scooping a handful up. She pushed the water over her face, washing the grime off. And then she closed her eyes.

She stepped out of the bath and toweled herself off. Her body no longer felt sore, and smelled of the oils Celan had placed into the tub. She turned to look for her clothing, but they were no longer on the floor.

“Hmm, that is odd. I could have sworn I dropped my clothes next to the tub,” she thought. “Celan, you did not happen to see where my clothes went to?”

“Yes, Milady, they were dirty so they got sent to be cleaned. You will find some suitable dining clothing laid out on the bed. I do hope that it fits you. Please let me know if you need help in dressing yourself.” Celan then walked over to tend the fire, turning her back on Cassie so she could disrobe and clothe herself.

Cassie walked out into the bedroom. Laying on the bed was the most beautiful gown she had ever seen. It was purple and embroidered with Celtic designs around the collar. The back of the dress required someone to lace it up, as tied together with black ribbons. A silk black undershirt laid next to it. A pair of black Chinese-style slippers sat on the floor.  Cassie touched each garment with her hands. They felt very smooth, and were expertly made so that she was not able to see the seams.

She dropped the towel and lifted the black shirt over her head. It fit perfectly. The sleeves ended in a poet’s style poof. Then she lifted the dress over her head and discovered that it too fit perfectly. Either the faeries knew exactly what her size was or they used magic to conjure up her clothing.  She tried to tie the back of the dress and found that dexterity had failed her. So Celan helped tie up the ribbons in the back of the gown.

“Is there a mirror handy,” Cassie asked. “I have GOT to see what i look like.”

Celan nodded and waved her hands, “While I may have limited magic, I think i can create something for you to see how beautiful you are. However, may I suggest we braid your hair first?”

“I would like that a lot,” Cassie replied, smiling wide.

As Celan braided her hair, Cassie told her some more about her world. Of how she met Hazel and Stick, her parents and what she filled her days with. Celan listened to every word she had to say, asking questions about the stuff she did not understand. And when she was done braiding Cassie’s hair, she said a word in that strange faerie language. Mists swirled in front of Cassie and then solidified, giving off a reflective surface.

Cassie did not recognize herself in the mirror. Celan had braided her hair into one single braid with a strip of leather tying it fast. Her pale face had regained color since she arrived to the world. Her lips looking full and red and healthy. Even her eyes appeared alive again, no longer clouded by the drugs they once forced into her. She looked mature, wizened and not at all the little girl she thought she once was.

“You look beautiful. Just like a princess,” Celan said.

“Wow,” was all Cassie could mutter as she slipped into the soft black slippers. They also fit perfectly, which still surprised Cassie when she knew they would have.

“Everything is all ready. Now if you would follow me once more, I think there are a few people who are absolutely dying to see you again,” Celan said heading back towards the main door.