I’ve added pages that tell seekers about my reading rates, ethics, reading events, as well as a page of testimonials from past seekers. I’m also slowly and steadily moving the bulk of the tarot-related posts from this area to there. In the future, I hope to post reviews, essays, readings and tarot-related tidbits from my life to that site. Of course, I also hope the area attracts more seekers who’d like me to read for them and help them achieve their dreams.

However, they had about 1,700 submitted entries which is pretty impressive. I’m not bummed, I know that when the time is right TOUCHED will enter the scene with force. Which means, I need to get off my butt and work on revisions.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Click the Read More button to view the date/time/locations of the two panels I’m on.

Immanion Author Panel: What Next?
Sunday, February 14th @ 1:30 PM in the San Juan/San Carlos rooms
This weekend is dedicated to getting back to the basics. In pagan and magical traditions, the basics are often things that we use as foundations to build the more advanced parts of our practice. Join the attending Immanion Press authors, specialists in intermediate and advanced paganism and magic, as we discuss how to bridge the basics and what’s beyond, how to know what to take and what to leave behind, and how to forge one’s own path, both in the authors’ own traditions and in general.

Women’s Voices in Magic Panel: What’s Important?
Sunday, February 14th @ 7:00 PM in the Santa Clara room
This panel includes the editor and several authors of the Women’s Voices in Magic anthology. We’ll address questions such as what we feel is important to our magical lives, what we believe are good basics of magic topics, and whatever questions the audience has for us.

• Publish 2 printed items: Done. Actually, I sold 3 pieces last year but only two came into print during the calendar year. Story in Ravens in the Library anthology and a personal essay on my magical life in Women’s Voices in Magic anthology.
• Promote publications: Done. I was able to attend a few book parties/signings for Ravens, and also appeared at Norwescon for Ravens as well. All three events taught me a lot about putting marketing and a public face to my writing. Something I hope to continue doing in 2010.
• Tarot Homework Modules Completed: 3 (received first degree candidate certificate)
• Words Written: about 75,000 words.
• Books Read: 61

While the numbers look good, I can’t help but think that it’s “not enough”. Here’s to all the things I can accomplish in 2010.

Books Read in 2009

Jaymi’s favorite books »

I received news today that the Women’s Voices in Magic anthology is now in print! Order a copy of the book online through either amazon.com or the publisher. Please note that Immanion’s US fulfillment team won’t have copies in hand until the latter half of December, but they’ll keep track of pending orders.

Last week, the editor passed along a nice scan of the book’s cover art. All of the contributor’s names are included on the back. Enjoy!

When I opened my eyes, I am no longer standing out in the cold. My hair is plastered to my face, wet with the melting snow that had fallen down from the sky. The sky no longer appears above me and I do not see my friends. Instead, I find myself standing out in the middle of the Consortium Chamber Room of the Council. I blinked and wonder if everything I had experienced was a dream, that the Portal had not yet transported me to the other side.

I look down and see humanoid hands in front of me. I am still trapped in the mechanical, which means that the past events were not just a dream, that everything was real. The human hands tightened into a fist and then straightened out once more in the air as my mind tells them to move. They wiggled and waved at every command. I commend them to move the mess of hair out of my eyes and they do so. I lick my lips and feel the smooth plastic surface of the lips that the people put on the skin.

I blink once more and hope that by doing so it will transport me back to the wilds of the world, where the fissure stands before me. But it does not as I was still standing in the center of the room.

“How did I get here?” I asked. I slowly turned around and examined all of the chairs. All but one seemed empty. “This cannot be real. I was outside and across the veil, but now I am here. What is the meaning of this.”

“You called and we heard you,” came a familiar voice from my left.

“Counselor Laiana?” I question as I turn to see her familiar form sitting in the seventh chair of the council. I force the body to kneel in front of her as is customary for the two leggeds to do when they are in front of the ruling class.

She motions for me to stand and I do so, “You seem surprised to see me,” Laiana says.

“I am. I thought that there was no way back and that I have failed in my mission.”

“No my dear, you have not failed. Actually you have succeeded,” she said her voice sounding more motherly than anything. “We have been keeping an eye on you Xep. We know what has happened and what is going to come. We are sorry that you have to do what you are about to do but we also know that it is unavoidable. Tristian will be trapped but I do not think he will be alone no longer. He seems quite enthralled with the human companion.”

I nod, “I do not know if I have it within me to do this. I am scared at what will become of me.”

“You can do this, I know you can. And only you can do this task. It is your destiny, what you have been created to do and what you must do. For all of us. I know it is not easy, giving yourself in to a world that does not seem to know or understand what you are and what you do but you will be saving the lives of your friends. You will also be opening the door up for a new future of communications between them and us. I guarantee it.”

I stay silent, unsure of what to say next.

Laiana moves silently over to me. She places her hand on my shoulder and looks lovingly into my eyes, “Xep, this is not the end. It may seem like that now but when one door closes, another one opens. And that is as such with you and this situation.”

“Will it hurt?” I hear myself asking. I wince as the words escape my lips, knowing that as a Consortium Soldier and a spy that I should be stronger than that, not weak like the body I am trapped inside.

“I am sure it will but as you are trapped in a body that is not yours, you can choose to not feel the pain. Our time is growing short here Xep but I wanted to let you know that everything will be fine. It will soon be over and that you have done exactly what you were supposed to do. I am, we… are very proud of you and this sacrifice that you have to make. Go now, and return to the other side of the veil and do this.”

**********
Her arms fell to the ground as her friends reappear at her sides. They argue amongst themselves. Sardonios shakes his head and folds his arms across his chest, “I am not going to force anyone into anything that they have already made their mind up on.”

Tristian walked up to Xep, his face mere inches from her body, “We can force you not to go,” he started, “We can use that rope over there and the rest of that roll of duct tape and bind you together so that you cannot move or go anywhere. We do have the power to stop this madness, despite what that old windbag says.”

“But you will not do it,” Xep said silently. “You will not do it because you know as well as I do that we need to do something to stop the coneol from escaping. This is what I came here to do. Putting myself down there to stop this world, and possibly our home world, from being destroyed is what I have been asked to do. You know it as well as I do. There is no other alternative. At least not for me. The fissure must be closed and it must be closed now before it is too late. I ask you to take everyone else and go away from here. Please, go back to the car. I do not know what is going to happen once I land inside the core and I would hate to see any explosion or fallout hurt any of you. Please, do it for me. That is all I ask.”

Paige opened her mouth to speak but closed it. Tears began to stream down her face and she turned to walk away. Tristian pulled back and just stared at Xep. He memorized her figure completely, allowing her silver hair, her defiant posture and her unnaturally blinking eyes to burn completely into his eyes. He pulled his jacket closed around him and muttered a final blessing in her honor, “Mater dolorosa, mater memento mori. Beati pacifici. Et benedictio Dei omnipotentis, Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti descendat super vos et maneat semper. May the maker bless you and keep you. Speed be with you Xep. You were a fine friend and I will miss you. I wish I could have talked you out of this one.”

Xep placed an arm on his shoulder and smiled, “I know. But you cannot. No one can. Now go and take care of Paige. Tell her that she is forgiven for what happened yesterday and that I hope she does get the fame and glory she seeks. I shall see you on the other side one day my brother.”

She then clasped his hand around her own and let the two stay connected together for awhile in a traditional elvish embrace. She then let go and watched Tristian move towards Paige. She stared into Sardonios’s deep blue eyes. The man appeared to have aged a little bit in the short time she knew him. He nodded at her and then handed her the remaining elixirs that he had kept on his person. They were tied in a light purple sachet. “Here, you take these. They are of no use to me now and they may help add a bit more metal and power to what you are about to do.”

All Xep could do was smile at the gesture. She smiled and placed them inside her jacket. Bowing one final time towards her friends she turned around and gazed at the tree-line.

Xep pushed off with her left foot and ran towards the trees. She ran just a few yards into the tree-line and surveyed the land. She inhaled deep, allowing the cold winter air to move deep within her. She held the breath inside her for as long as she could and the exhaled slowly. Tears of pure oil formed at the corner of her eyes. She used the back of her hand to remove the blur from blocking her view. Her body trembled in fear and every part of her alive self screamed in terror. But Xep stood her ground and inhaled again. She took in the entire vista of what she could see. Her friends huddled near the barricade between the world and the fissure. Paige had her head buried deep at Tristian’s chest, while Tristian and Sardonios stared towards where Xep was standing, their hands gripping into the wood of the barrier. She could hear their hearts beating rapidly, and the emotion swirling within each body. She saw that they were all just as afraid of what was about to happen as she was herself. Strangely, it gave Xep a bit of comfort knowing her friends were just as worried about this new and wild idea as she was.

“You can do this,” she said to herself, “This is what you came here to do. This is your destiny. By doing what you are doing, you are saving lives. On both sides. And you will have peace. Okay, it is now or never.”

“”Power reserves depleted. Power connection failure, no power can be accepted at this time. Shut down will commence in thirty seconds,” the voice cried out. Xep noted the time and hoped that she had enough power to get herself down and into the core before she blacked out. She paused and looked around at the evergreen trees and longed to explore them. She regretted that she had never got to visit many of the places that this world could have offered her. She also regretted that she would no longer be able to visit the world she grew up in and would not see the tree or the lands that she had called home. She hoped that the war on the other side of the veil would end soon and that no more souls would be lost on either side.

Her body shifted unsteadily, as if it were ready to get it over with. The voice spoke again with an monotone sound that did provide any comfort; just as if cued for the right purpose. It simply said, “Ten.”

And with that, Xep sprinted toward the fissure. She turned her head to face her companions and mouthed, “Thank you” as her body appeared close enough for them to make out the words. A large lump of emotion wedged itself in her throat and she swallowed hard to keep it from overwhelming her as she spread her arms out. She turned her attention back to the hole in the ground and pushed off the edge of the earth with her foot. Her wings opened up and spread themselves out wide, giving her the ability to pause as if she were an angel hovering over the hole to Hell in the earth. She then allowed gravity to pull her feet down past the snowy opening of the fissure. Once she cleared the edge of the world above her, Xep used the metal wings to orient herself horizontally so she could see upwards. She folded her wings and allowed the momentum of gravity to carry her.

“Nine,” the voice said continuing the count down.

Xep managed to spin her body around so that she could see the sky above. Her eyes took in the colors and lights of the aurora as they continued to dance their strange patterns across the sky. The aurora obscured the sky as if it were a blanket of gauze. She struggled to make out a few constellations that formed high in the heavens above. Stars twinkled and blinked as they bore witness to her descent into the core. Her eyes frantically searched out for the familiar forms of Aquarius, Pisces and Orion. Finally she saw a bit of the Major Bear, the Ursa Major, and focused her sight on that for a little while, reminding herself that this was just the end of the first stage in the long journey of her soul.

“Eight,” it ticked.

Just out of the corners of her eye, she could see the white steams of coneol as they made their way out past the lithosphere of the earth. The sides of the crust were made of mostly igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock. Her eyes reported that most of the rock was granite but there were hints of crystals sparkling as they were trapped inside the rock. Xep thought about how Sardonios would appreciate seeing the vast spectrum of rocks and minerals. She could also see fossils embedded in bits of the crust. “Core temperature rising. Heat is now at one hundred twenty degrees,” the voice alerted Xep as the heat of the planet rose and grew hotter as she fell deeper and deeper down into the crust.

“Seven,” the voice said, as it continued to note the final seconds of her life.

The rock grew lighter and more dense as her body continued to drop down the shaft. Soon she found herself in the first strata of the mantle of the earth, known as Asthenosphere. The rock composing the sides seemed smoother and very viscous. Her eyes immediately informed her that the rock was made of mostly magnesium but there were bits of iron in it as well. She also was able to identify silicon and aluminum as well. White hot veins of magma criss crossed through out the mantle and pour out into the sides of the fissure, freezing into new lines as it came into contact with the cooler air.

“Six.”

Her body continued descending deeper down into the womb of the earth. She could no longer see the aurora nor the night skies, as the warmth of the world consumed her sight and blurred it. She smelled burning and rotated her head so that it could see her arm. The leather jacket and all her clothing started to burn away, as it was unable to take the heat. “Core temperature rising to critical levels,” the voice notified Xep.

“Five.”

Xep watched the computer read out in her eyes show the temperature grow warmer and warmer. She was thankful that she could not feel the heat as it consumed the various parts of the non-metal portions on the body. She said a silent prayer to herself, and both worlds that her actions were saving.

“Four.”

Xep continued to descend deeper. She hoped that her friends had heeded her words and left the site. The smell of burnt fibers hit her nose and she figured that the fiber hairs on her head and face had been consumed by the mantle. “Core temperature critical. Shutdown imminent,” the voice said as it started breaking up.

“Three.”

Her body touched something wet. Xep could make out the splashing sounds. In her mind, she could see that she had reached the outer core of the world which was solid liquid. The liquid slowed down her movement somewhat and began eating away at the outer layers of metal that made her body.

“Two.”

Her body continued to descend past the liquid core and into the inner core. Things got very bright here and Xep saw that she was in a world of colors and movement. “The coneol core,” she gaped. “It is so beautiful.” The coneol core was the birthplace for all dreams, magic, and imagination of the world. She looked to her right and saw where the coneol had burst free in the form of a jagged crack. “If only they did not abandon the old ways,” she thought, “If only the remembered to combine their technology in with magic and never abandoned it. Then perhaps none of this would have had to happen.”

“One. Shutdown process commencing,” The voice said.

Xep closed her eyes and exhaled, “Please work,” Xep simply said to herself. Then the world around her went black.

The heat flared up all around the body of the mechanical as the core consumed the metal endo skeletal structure of the body. A hole formed near a weak spot in the metal skull. As the metal around this hole metaled deep into the center, past the cogs and the wires that held the central brain system together, coneol flooded in. The coneol carved a stream down to where it touched the space that the wisp was living. The second that the coneol touched the wisps body a chain reaction started.

The body blasted apart, freeing the corpse of a purely magical creature from the metals that held it captive. The chemical reaction sent a wave of magnetized vibrations all throughout the core of the earth. The vibrations hummed as it came into contact with every aspect of the coneol, forcing it to gel into a viscous stream of surging lava. The coneol reacted to the vibrations by changing colors from brilliant white to blue to silver to purple and then to red before returning back to a gunmetal metallic color once more. The blast of color waves surged out as a shock wave rumbled deep within the planet.

Freed from the center of the core the coneol surged forward as if it were a beast been held captive for centuries without being allowed a glimpse of air or allowed to run free under the sun and the stars. A wave of brilliant blue and silver surged at amazing speeds towards the open fissures around all the corners of the world. It spewed up and out from the earth as if it were a geyser of colored water. Once it touched the atmosphere, it merged with the coneol that had escaped. The magnetic draw was so strong that it pulled the coneol particles out from the air and yanked them back to the main geyser. When all of the coneol was drawn back together it gathered itself in upon itself and then dropped back down, retreating back down to the core, dragging the sides of the earth down along with it, as it sealed up the long and deep gashes in the earth.

The sky above was no longer obscured by the spread of aurora and coneol. Paige, Tristian, and Sardonios all looked up into a cloudless, clear winter sky and saw the stars hanging high into the sky sparking brightly. All that was left of the event, in Washington State, was a crack in the earth about five feet long and two meters deep.

Epilogue
The weather outside was warm for even Portland. People spilled out onto the streets, laughing as they carried on about their business. A couple held hands as they licked the tops of their ice cream cones. They wandered off towards a nearby park to enjoy the heat. A person wearing khaki shorts wanders around the edges of the city blocks with a blonde Labrador on a leash.

Three people gather their possessions and toss them into the back of a faded grey Nissan Sentra. They all looked sorrowful at one another as they climb into the car and make the journey north. The highway was relatively clear and they made good time getting to their location. Wildflowers grew along side the logging road as the car slowly rolled towards its destination. The scent of fresh air and pine fills the sky and there are only a few clouds in the air.

The car pulls to a stop and the passengers get out of the car. An old man looks out towards a barrier that had once been erected but has now rotted from the decay of the winter weather. A sign post stands tall but is tattered with shot gun holes from people who came out to see but left feeling gypped.

A young man steps out of the car and holds the back door open for a small, lithe young lady wearing a light colored linen skirt and t-shirt. She smiles and pats his cheek as she reaches in and grabs a bundle of flowers that rested at her side. The three meet up and walk side by side towards the barrier, unsure of what awaits them at the other side. They cross the dilapidated fence and walk out into the clearing. There is no sign that anyone has stood at this location for a long time.

The young woman walks up to meet a dark dusty scar in the earth. In her hands she has a bundle of yellow and white daffodils. She pauses at the scar in the earth and recalls a darker time, a time that still wears fresh memories in her mind.

She recalls the events that happened in the past winter months and the news reports on the aftermath and the confusion that occurred.

“Around the world the holes that had opened up were now all closed, leaving behind small rocky scars that would heal only in time. There was no traces of the mysterious minerals that caused so many aurora borealis to appear all over the world. It was like it had come as quickly as it left. The strange incidents have the scientific community all but confused. The new question floating around is that have we born witness to a new type of geological and natural incident? And more importantly, will this happen again? Stay tuned to the special broadcast of Science as we talk about what happened, what we found out and whether or not we can expect this to happen again.”

She recalls that the newscasts made no mention of anything, anyone, reappearing from one of the fissures. There was no information about a small, winged creature, nor of a tiny wispy creature, having been spotted near one of the scars. It is as if she had never existed at all.

“Good bye Xep. I hope you have found peace,” the young girl says as she lets the daffodils drop down to the dirt. She turns to meet the sad, solemn eyes of her companions, “and thank you.”

********************

Deep within the dark, black muddy swamp forests in a land far across the other side of the veil, down under the roots of a tall tree with long slim branches that swayed in a gentle breeze, a wisp with a soft silvery blue glow was born.

“Looks like we will not be getting to the site before the storm,” he said. “Thankfully we have hit the end of the highway systems and we now only have about a half hour left of driving. Hang on everyone, it may get bumpy from here on in.”

Sardonios slowed the Nissan Sentra down a bit and slowly started the final trek to the destination. Everyone looked out the windows and saw the darkness creep over the sky. They sucked in a gasp of air when they saw the beautiful colors begin to swirl and spread across the night sky. Even Sardonios had to pull over to the side of the road just so he could watch the colors spin and unravel high in the heavens.

“Would you look at that,” Paige said, “It is so beautiful. Look at that tendril of color. It almost looks like an ethereal arm of see through fire. It is hard to believe that that is what is causing all the eruptions, earthquakes, and other catastrophes going on around the world. When you see something like that in the night sky, all you can really do is think that God does exist and that all this is just part of his beauty. Do you not think.”

Tristian put his arm around Paige, “Nature does some pretty strange things, I must admit. I did not think that I would ever see something so awe striking in this lifetime. And I have seen quite a bit of things that would make your jaw drop as low to the ground as it could. But I have never seen magic come up and out of the world like that. I would wager that no one else thinks that something as magnificent would bring an end to anything. But it is.”

“We should get going again,” Xep said, her voice sounding a bit sad, “We still have to deal with the storm and I would like to get the car to our destination before we end up having to hike the last miles to the location in the cold. I am sure that Paige would agree.”

“Oh yes, I whole heartedly agree with you there Xep. Come on Sard, mush!”

The car moved steadily across the landscape. A steady stream of cars came from the opposite direction, people inside the metal boxes talking excitedly and gesturing wildly at the dancing smoke above them. Their actions intrigued Xep, who watched with curiosity and awe. She could not fathom what it would be like to not feel or see the magic that was coming up and out of their lands. She could not understand how anyone could not see how damaging it was to their world. She knew that some humans, who were in tune with the seasons and the natural energies could feel that something was coming but they always eluded to something more mystical, something that they always called the twenty twelve phenomena. No one seemed to be taking it as seriously as she and her companions were and that made her feel very sorry for the rest of the population on the planet.

Forty five minutes later, they finally reached the site. There were only a few cars parked out in a make shift parking lot. Signs had been posted around the grounds that said, “Recreation Pass required. Please display valid pass when parked at this site.” Next to the text of the sign there was an image of an orange and black rectangular picture of a pass. A long black strip with monthly abbreviations and the two digit year dates stripped the right side of the card, while the orange side contained various pieces of information.

They got out of the car and were immediately blasted with cold, arctic air. “Holy hell, it is freezing out,” Paige said in her all too colorful language. “Can we get moving? I will become a popsicle stick if we stay out here for too much longer.”

Xep did not feel the cold and instead wandered over to a larger sign and read the words written on it. “The Northwest Forest Pass is a vehicle pass honored at day use sites in Oregon and Washington where ‘Recreation Pass Required’ signs are posted. A current list of recreation sites participating in the program is available at Forest Service offices in Oregon and Washington. Revenues from pass sales go directly to maintaining and improving the trails and facilities you use and enjoy. The pass does not cover fees for opportunities such as: Sno Parks (winter season), Some concessionaire operated sites, developed campgrounds, and cabin rentals, wilderness, climbing and river permits. For more information call 1-555-342-6326.”

Xep cocked her head and smiled at the bureaucracy that seemed to run just as rampant on this side of the veil. “Ah, I guess that is one thing that we both share now,” she said out loud to the sign that had icicles flowing down the sides and a two inch cap of ice on the top.”

She kicked the sign with the toe of her boot and watched the snow fall off of the sign. Something solid hit her back and she whipped her wings open and closed. She turned around to see Tristian and Paige holding clumps of snow in their gloved hands. “What was that all about,” she asked curiously.

Paige looked at her, and then over at Tristian, and giggled as she threw the clump of snow in her hand at him, “It is called a Snow Ball fight!” The wad of white hit Tristian square in his chest. He then retaliated by tossing what he held in his hand back at her. Xep bend down at the knees and looked at the snow. She scooped up a handful in her right hand and let it sit there. The pile slowly began to melt in it. She stared at it and then wadded it up by wrapping her own fingers around the pile. Watching Paige and Tristian she waited for the perfect opportunity and then tossed the snowball at Paige. It hit her smack dab in the back.

She whipped around and faced Xep, “Hey what was that for?”

Xep smiled and stood up, “Tag. You are it. I just hit you with a snowball. Is that not what you wanted me to do?”

Paige got a look of revenge in her eyes as she scooped up more ice and snow, “Okay missy. That is it. You are so going down,” she said as another snowball thrown by Tristian whizzed past her head. The three of them ran around one another in the snow as they attempted to cover one another in as much of the fluffy, white stuff as possible. They paused as they heard a throaty sound behind them.

“Do we not have a mission to complete here, children,” came the voice of reason out of the frowning mouth of Sardonios. He dumped a backpack on the ground. “Come on, this storm and the coneal seem to be picking up. I would like to at least figure out what we have to do sooner than later.”

Dejected the three companions looked at one another and dropped the snowballs that were in their hands. “We are sorry,” Xep said, “I guess we just got carried away.”

Xep ran over and grabbed the backpack. They turned and followed the hard packed snow trail over to the fissure. A makeshift wooden fence had been set up to protect the curious from getting too close to the hole that had opened up and formed into a circle in the ground. No one was around so they all hopped the four foot fence. Tristian had to help Xep over it as the fence was almost as tall as she was.

They slowly approached the hole, half expecting the ground to open up and swallow themselves into it. Sardonios removed a small device of some sort from his pocket. “This measures the chemical composition of what is in the ground and atmosphere. I need to get an idea of what chemicals we are dealing with before I can propose a solution. Of course it will not be as accurate as I want because we cannot go into the hole and get to the bottom without killing us.”

Xep nodded and used her own enhanced vision from to do some research of her own. Meanwhile, Tristian and Paige stomped off to take a look at the stone portal to see if they could reactivate it and use it to help.

Twenty minutes later, after reviewing all the angles, they had a rough first plan formulated. The stone portal had not been recently activated and would not be useful. However, Tristian was able to free one of the activation crystals buried within one of the stones. “This might help,” he said holding it out, “who knows what energies it may contain. If anything it may help to draw the coneol back into the earth’s core. So I say we use it and see if it works.”

Sardonios nodded, “I think that if we combine that crystal, a device putting out the harmonic frequency of the core, and maybe a magnet together and then send that down into the core, it might help to draw the coneal back into the core, or make it inert. If we can calm that stuff down, perhaps it will just automatically heal itself.”

“I have no idea what you just said,” Paige said, “but it sounds all very smart and scientific. I say we go for it.”

“Give me a few minutes to rig up a recording device with some sound waves. Xep, can you help me do this?” Sardonios said.

“Sure thing Sard. This body can come in very handy for that as it records sounds and waves. We can get the exact pinpoint curve and then drop it down.”

It took them about fifteen minutes to rig out a recording device so that it could send out a steady

“I wish we had more of these things and of the crystals. I would have liked to test this in my laboratory first before doing a live test run. That way we could know for certain whether or not it would work,” Sardonios said as he duct taped the crystal to the outside of the metal case of the recording device. “I hate going in cold.”

Xep smiled and listened as the sound vibrated against the crystal, making a barely audible high pitched tuning hum. “Well, I can tell you that the two are vibrating. And if we hold it up into the sky it does seem to be affecting the colors and the shape that the coneol is flowing in.”

Sardonios looked up and indeed it was true. Xep waved the contraption over her head and where it came into contact with the coneol, the vibrations caused the stuff to dull the colors and force the particles in the air to come down and out of the sky.

”Yes I see that, this is most indeed hopeful,” he responded. “Come on, let us go drop it down.”

The four wandered over to the edge of the hole. Xep looked down at the rubbery item in her hand. The humming grew louder to her ears and she smiled. “I almost feel like something should be said, you know, to send all of our hopes down into the hole.”

Tristian smiled and said, “A cruce salus. Ad honorem. From the cross comes our salvation. In honor.”

Paige leaned against Tristian as Xep lowered her hand near the opening of the hole. The duct taped device rolled off her hand and began its deep descent into the core. They stood by the side of the fissure, waiting. A few minutes after they released it Xep lost track of the vibrations. “I lost track. I think it either got burned up or it made it.”

The looked down deep into the hole. “Did that work,” Paige said. “I do not see anything happening nor does it seem like the stuff in the air is getting any less bright. In fact, it looks like the stuff is coming up and out of the hole faster. Xep, what does your eyes show you?”

Xep walked closely to the fissure and bent down. She turned her vision abilities from normal to spectral to night and assessed all angles of the hole. The data depressed her. There seemed to be no change in the atmosphere or the conditions down in the hole. The attempt failed.

“Power reserves almost depleted. Please seek recharge destination. Connection failure. No power can be accepted at this time. Return to the depot for re-infusion.”

“It did not work. I am afraid that our time has run out,” Xep called. “Sardonios, the elixirs you made me, while wonderful have just stopped working. The voice inside this body refuses to shut up. It is telling me that shut down is immanent. We have failed.”

Sardonios blinked in shock and fear, “But you told me they were working. That you had enough to help you complete your mission. I do not understand what is going on or what went wrong. I spent hours working on that recipe and it should have done the trick.”

“Sard,” she said pushing against the wind to stand next to his side, “You did everything right. I lied to you. I did not want you, or the others, for that matter to worry about me. They did work great, in the beginning, but as I drank more and more, I found that they did not last as long. I do not think this body was meant to have something like me trapped inside of it for so long. I think it is corroding the systems. I am sorry that I lied to you. I just did not want anyone to worry about me.”

“Well my dear,” Sardonios retorted, “it is a little too late for that. I think that the past few weeks have proven that quite effectively, have they not? I had almost forgotten what it was like to have a family and you three have certainly become that.”

Xep closed her eyes and tried to block the noise out of her head. She felt crestfallen at having failed in her attempt to close the fissure. More over, she felt bonded to these people and felt disgruntled at herself for having failed to speak the truth when she first noticed that the mineral infused, magical potion’s effect started slipping off on her.

Her eyes went wide, “Wait a minute.” Xep said, placing her hand on the right shoulder of Sardonios, “I think I have it. We tried sending some metal component down there just now, right?”

Sardonios nodded but waited to see where this was going before responding. The scholarly side of him started spinning up ideas and hypotheses but he tried hard to push them aside so they did not color what his friend was about to say.

“But that did absolutely nothing. In fact, the atmosphere seems to be kicking up more and more coneol and things are getting worse. Whether or not that was already planned or as a result of our doing is something we cannot determine without going down there. But in any case, I think we were going about this all wrong. The way to heal the fissure is not to send just crystals or sound waves down there to contain it. Nor is it to cast just magical things at it. What we need is an infusion, a large infusion of both metal and magic. Then we send that into the hole and when the thing hits the core, it should send a powerful explosion or a shock wave through the whole core and fissures that will be powerful enough to close it.”

Sardonios pushed some of the ice and snow out of his eyes. He stared at Xep and thought long and hard about what she was saying. “I understand the premise, and think it has merit. Unfortunately, where are we going to find an elixir of the right metals and magical energies to dump down there. I am sure that the small potions I have made for you will not cut it.”

“They will not,” Xep said. She frowned and turned away from her companion before continuing on. “There is only one thing left that we can do here. I am the solution. I must dive down into the core and use myself, and this body to heal it. I have no idea how I got into this body but somehow I have bonded and fused myself. There is no guarantee that even if we had something else to use that it would work. However, the fact that I was born of magic and now in this metal body, it should do the trick.”

By now, Tristian and Paige arrived by their side. They held on to one another as the winds continued to gain in speed.

“What is going on?” Paige yelled out, “You guys look like you are arguing. What do we do now?”

Sardonios turned away from Xep and stared at his companions, “She is crazy. Really crazy. Xep thinks that if she tosses herself down that hole that the combined fusion of what she once was in her earlier form, and the form she is now…. will somehow make everything right again. It is almost as if she wants to play the part of a martyr and die.”

Tristian looked from the agitated Sardonios and back over to Xep, who by now had wandered close to the edge of the fissure. He quickly tromped over to where she was standing, her eyes trained almost hypnotically at the edge of the fissure. “Are you crazy? Do you not know what you are saying?”

“I know perfectly well what I am saying,” Xep said but continued to keep her eyesight trained on the glowing world below. “It is crazy and I wish to the makers above that there was something else we could do but this is it. This is the only other thing that could possibly bring an end to it all. I know I promised you passage home but I think I will not be able to keep my word.”

“Screw that,” Tristian said, “I am more concerned about your welfare. You will die if you go down there and we have no proof that this will work.

Xep stared at the hole as the sound in her head started drowning out their pleas. She closed her eyes and thought about her friends and the Council on the other side. She raised her arms and let the wind wash over her. “Help me,” she whispered to the sky.

A bald eagle circled over head. The wings of the bird stretched long and it dipped down as the tail feathers twisted and shaped themselves. Through her enhanced hearing, Xep heard the bird call out and skreech to the sky. Xep smiled and strained her head against the window as to get a better view of the magnificent bird. She had read about the omens that many of the ancient cultures of the local area placed on the bird and smiled. “Only good things,” she repeated in her head hoping that the appearance of the bird meant that her journey would prove successful. “So many interesting new things,” she thought to herself, “it will be a shame that I cannot hang out here more often to explore and see what else is around. I never knew that this side of the veil had so many wonderful things.”

She leaned her head against the cold, shatter proof car window. They had been on the road for almost two hours now. She felt like the task before her was becoming more and more impossible to do. From what she could gage from the reactions of her companions, no one had found anything worth while as a solution to close the fissure. Not that anyone was talking anyways.

She adjusted her posture in the front seat as her wings fluttered uncomfortably behind the weight of her back. She gazed down at her pouch and spotted three vials of the life giving elixir. She was running low, and she did not want to think about what would happen if they ran out before she did what she came here to do. Frowning at her dilemma she turned her head to watch the green trees as they sped down the highway.

“It is getting late,” Sardonios said yawning, “I feel as if I have been driving all day. Something that I normally ever do. I am old and get tired fast. I really need to rest for a bit and we need to stop anyways and figure out what we are going to do once we get to where we are going. I get the feeling that we will need to go to an outdoors store and get some winter items. I know that I am not prepared for tromping around in the snow in this outfit.”

Paige yawned, “I second that. Can we please find a hotel. I have some money in my bank card that we can use to cover the costs. It is the least I can do after what I have done.”

A few miles later, Sardonios turned off the highway and pulled into a quaint and quiet local motel called The Cascade Inn. The sun had begun to set, painting the sky in bright shades of red, pink, orange and purple. When they walked into the main lobby the smell of pine scented cleaning solution and dust hit them. A short, elderly lady greeted them at the reference counter, “Hi there weary travelers. Can I offer you a room or two for twenty-three dollars?”

Paige looked over her shoulder at her tired companions, everyone nodded in agreement that they had found the right place. At twenty-three dollars per room, they found the rate quite reasonable and Paige slid her plastic debt card across the counter, to pay for the cost for two rooms. The innskeeper smiled back as she slid across the transaction slip and two keys across the counter. She muttered under her breath about the key unlocking one room belonging to the Gentlemen and the other for the ladies. Tristian snicker and winked to Paige suggesting something else.

They all thanked the lady and wandered off to their rooms. Everyone was so tired that they ended up saving any intense planning or discussions for the next morning. Everyone, except Xep, slept soundly that evening. Instead, Xep kept to herself, sitting in a soft comfortable chair that faced the television set. She had the machine turned on and watched the moving pictures dance across the screen in a soft glow. Occasionally, she turned her head and watched the strange lights that had started lighting up the sky almost immediately after the sun had set for its nightly nap. She frowned again, her mind churning ideas for what could be done.

The next day they found a nearby Village Inn and headed in for breakfast and discussions. The restaurant was empty, save for the waitress and cook, and they propped themselves down in a comfortable booth. The waitress came by, told them her name in an almost too perky sounding voice, and handed out menus to everyone. She cocked her head oddly at Xep and then shrugged as she spun away on her heal to go grab a olive green pot full of coffee and three Earthern mugs.

Everyone watched her wander off, waiting to speak their minds when they could not be overheard. Sardonios spoke up first as he situated his white cotton napkin in his lap. He bent forward and spoke softly. “Okay, what are we going to do once we get there?” Sardonios proposed. “I heard lots of gossip at the market yesterday but nothing seemed to help. Some people did think that a magical invocation or other ritual might help. Apparently, many groups have already tried to heal the incident by spewing many incantations. A vendor even hinted that the Papyri Graecae Magicase had even been repeated with much flair with no visible results.”

“How long ago did that group speak the cant,” Tristian inquired.

“Two weeks ago, and from what the vendor told me, there have been no effects. Nothing visible or detected in the energy levels around the area. Nothing seemed to change at the beginning and nothing seemed to change later, when some of the members went back to check in on the location again.”

“I see,” Tristian said looking down at the menu. “In that case, let us eat something. I am completely starved.”

The perky waitress came back and took their orders. She skipped over Xep who just smiled and nodded at the young girl. She skipped back, hollered at the cook staff and then stood back at her post waiting for them to holler that the order was up.

Paige spoke up next, “So then, what are our options. I know that I am not ready to head into the ice and cold. I think there is an outdoor stoor nearby. We will need to get some warm jackets and gloves and maybe some snowshoes. Oh, can we get those snowshoes? I have never gotten to wear a pair and I think it would be really cool to get them.”

Tristian snickered and nodded, “If it pleases you pet, we will get you a pair of snowshoes. However, I have heard that they are quite hard to walk in. I myself would rather walk in boots. Now back to the topic at hand. What are we going to do once we get there? If magical incantations do not work then there must be a physical component that we may need to do.”

Sardonios sipped from his mug and looked up, “That gives me an idea. Perhaps you are right. Perhaps magic is not the only thing that needs to be done. Perhaps there is a physical component that needs to be done as well. Like an offering. As much as I wish we could go into this prepared, I think that we may want to just get some gear, drive up to the location first and investigate the area. I have the feeling that once I am there, and able to visually see what is going on around the area with my own two eyes, I may be able to understand what is going on a bit better.”

“Agreed,” Xep said. “I wish I had more to contribute but at the moment I do not have anything to say. Why do we just pay the bill, head out of here and get you all dressed for the fissure. I presume that we are getting close?”

Sardonios checked his watch, “Actually, yes. I think we have maybe another hour or two of driving. We need to keep heading north and then turn off the highway when we see the signs to Mount Rainier. Then we drive another hour, on the backroads, and maybe logging roads to the location. I am hoping that the roads will not be too horrible seeing that so many people have been driving to that location.”

“Once we get there, we may want to wait until everyone has left for the evening. So we can be left to investigate the area on our own without arousing suspicion,” Xep said.

“Good point,” Tristian nodded in agreement, “I can place some runes on the car that will make us sort of hidden until people are not there. We will need to wait in the car but it will give us some time.”

“Sounds like we have our plan then,” Paige said. “I say we blow this joint and get moving. I really hope Serena is not going to be too pissed off that we have her car. I should call her and leave a message. I will probably be paying her off until I am old and grey.” She gave her companions a worried look and went off to go find a pay phone.

A few hours later, after having found a local sporting goods store, they were back in the car and more prepared. Paige was looking down at her new coat and mittens and admiring her jacket in the rear view mirror. Sardonios turned the radio on and started hunting for music that did not sound like noise to his ears. Tristian and Xep sat in complete silence in the back seat. Xep turned her head and watched the world whizz by outside. Dark clouds swam and swirled overhead, a storm was brewing and Xep hoped that they could outrun it.

The hooded figure turned away from the disgusting figures and peeled the bag off his new treasure, “Ah yes. The mechanical. A one of a kind surely… seeing that there is something trapped inside. Do not worry my little friend, ” he said as he patted the cold body of Xep, “I promise to take very, very good care of you. You have nothing to be afraid of and who knows, I just may figure out how to free you from that gilded cage you sit in.”

The cog shaped irises in Xep’s face did not make any movements. She was still frozen in place.

Paige ran through the streets of the goblin market. She called out for Tristian and Sardonios as she ran, her breath coming out in short misty bursts, “Sard. Tristian where are you. Sard! Tristian!” She continued to run around but could not spot her two friends.

“Shit, where are you guys hiding?” She panicked and ran her hand through her tousled hair. “Damn, damn, damn, this day went from lots of fun to worse. And I cannot get the image of that guy out of my head. Where are you guys.”

She spun around in a single spot and then the tears started flowing down her puffy red cheeks. She collapsed in the middle of the street; her body curling up in on itself. She heaved as the tears continued to stream down her face. Her right hand tightly gripped the soft black leather pouch that contained the broken promise of fame and fortune in it. She wanted to throw it away from her as far as she could but she felt like it was a part of her and that she would be betraying herself if she had done so. So all she could do was keep it in her hand and cling onto it.

The sound of feet running up behind her got closer and closer. She froze her body, afraid of what was coming to her. She thought that it could be the hooded man, ready to take away the pouch from her because she had decided to get Tristian and Sard to help her protect Xep. “Paige, is that you? Paige?”

It was Sard, he had founder her first. “What is wrong child? Why are you all curled up in the dirt and wet like this? Talk to me.”

Paige sat up and brushed the mud off her knees. She did not stare into the concerned eyes of her friend, waves of embarrassment ran over her. She pushed her a stray strand of hair down over her ear and allowed Sardonios to help her up.

“Sard,” she said hugging him close, “I think I have done something horribly terrible and I feel really bad about it.”

“What did you do Paige?” he said staring at her with confusion.

Paige held up the pouch as if it was supposed to explain everything she wanted to tell him and that he was supposed to understand it from the very beginning. “This pouch is filled with everything I have ever wanted for myself. I am so tired of being out by myself on the streets. Do not get me wrong, I love dancing, love performing for others and watching the crowds cheer and ooh and ahh all over the tricks I can get the fire to do. But honestly, it does not pay well at all. I do not have a permanent address, nor do I have any health care or a bank account with lots of savings inside. I am tired of that. I am young, yes. But when I get older, what will become of me. No one will be there to take care of me. I am alone. So, there was this guy and I made a deal.”

Fear washed over Sardonios, “What did you do?”

Paige dropped her head downwards to the ground again, “I made a deal. I traded something that was not mine for this. I told him that he could take Xep and he gave me exactly what I wanted. I feel horrible. We have got to get her back.”

Sardonios looked away from her and out into the crowds. He saw no sign of Xep anywhere. “I can not believe you did that. She trusted you. She trusted the rest of us. There still may be some time left. Let us go find Tristian, maybe he is still with Xep. While we walk I want you to tell me about this man, what he looked like, what he said exactly, and where you met him.”

Paige nodded and got to her feet. She slipped the pouch inside the pocket of her jeans and told Sard everything, including all the little details.

Tristian caught up to them a few minutes later, “Where is Xep? Is she with you? We got separated twenty two minutes ago and I cannot find her anywhere. There are real goblins here. Which makes this place a very dangerous place indeed.”

“The he has her. Oh my gods, what have I done,” Paige howled as the sinking feeling in the depths of her stomach rose and attempted to claim her.

“What are you babbling on about,” Tristian said as he attempted to keep the young girl from doubling over again, “Sardonios, what is she talking about?”

“She made a deal,” he said in an even toned voice.

“What? She made a deal… here? That is not good. You never deal with goblins. Never. Damnit. This is all going wrong. Please tell me that someone found a solution to our other problem?” His two companions shook their head in regret. “Dam damn damn. This was our only chance and now… even that is gone. Things are going to get very messy this afternoon.”

Tristian moved the three of them over to a covered tent that had food and drink. He ordered three pints of mead for them all and a few sandwiches made from sunflower bread. “Paige, you need to tell me what happened and show me what you were given in return. All is not lost just yet but I need to know exactly what went on.”

Paige took a deep breath, cleared her throat, nodded and recounted the story that she told Sardonios once more.

When she was done, Tristian was staring down at his cup and plate. They were both empty. “At this point there is only one thing left to do. We need to figure out where this hooded man is and get her back. You will need to give him back that pouch. I am sorry but he lied to you. That pouch does not show any taint of magic on it at all. I can see that. I have the feeling that our hooded figure is probably a great con artist in disguise. What he wants with Xep I do not know but if he is willing to offer magical cons in return it can not be good. Paige, take us to where you last saw this man.”

Paige stood up and they walked over to where she had been spinning. Her kit was still on the ground, it was untouched. Paige pointed to the nearby tree and gestured. “He was leaning up against that tree when he waved me over. How is knowing that going to help us track down where Xep is.”

“Faerie magic my dear,” Tristian said. “Just stand back and watch.”

He pulled off the pool cue case that had been sitting on his back and muttered something in a strange musical language to the lid. Somewhere deep down inside the case a lock triggered and the lid popped open. He reached down inside and pulled out a silver sword from the case. The sword glinted and glimmered as the light of the world hit it.

He held the sword in his left hand and muttered more words to it. The sword glowed and soon there were footprints lighting up all around them. 

Tristian smiled, “Like I said, faerie magic. These are the footsteps of our mystery man. They will lead us back to where ever he is standing. The brighter the path, the newer the steps. Come on, let us get going. We do not want to lose the trail.”

They nodded and Tristin hid the sword under his jacket. He did not want to be caught with the weapon and was thankful that no one saw him remove it from its case.

They wandered off in the direction the footprints led them and soon they came upon the farthest outskirts of the Marketplace grounds. The single set of footprints lead up to a single tall standing purple colored canvass tent. “That is it,” Tristian said. “I wager that she is somewhere inside that tent. And I am sure our mystery man will not give her up without a fight. Sardonios, Paige, no matter what happens inside, I want you two to get Xep safely back to the car. Do not worry about me. I will follow. There will be some fighting going on and that is forbidden in the markets.”

Paige removed the pouch from her pocket, “here you are. I do not want this anymore. I will do whatever you say, let us just get Xep and get out of this cursed place.”

Sardonios said, “I have no doubt that you have a plan. So we get in, barter or fight for Xep, get her and leave?”

“That is basically it in a nutshell,” Tristian said nodding. “Just let me do all the talking and keep close to each other and to Xep once the fighting starts. I do not want to see anyone get hurt.”

His companions looked nervous at one another but stayed silent. Tristian smiled and moved the tent’s door aside so he could get a better glimpse of what was inside. The smell of decay hit his nose and he fought the urge to retch.

“Ah, guests,” a low voice said from deep within the tent, “I should have guessed that the bargain, while withholding on it’s own, would not agree with everyone. Come in and do not worry, the mechanical has not been harmed. You can take a look for yourself.”

The three stepped into the room. The light inside the tent was dim, light only by a handful of free standing candelabras. Seated in the middle of the room on a refurbished sofa, was a man, dressed in black pants and a shirt. He wore a full bodied cloak over his clothes. His head was bowed so that no one could see his face. Low gutter growls sounded off to their right. There along the perimeter of the tent stood a small group of goblins. Their faces were messy as if they had just eaten something and their eyes were all focused and following the three humans as they made their way into the room. Xep was propped up against a box that sat just a few feet from the growling mass of green goblins.

“I bid you welcome to my humble home. Do not worry, my assistants will not hurt you, unless I give them the command to do so,” he pulled down his hood to expose his face and head. He was mostly bald and wore thin rimmed metal glasses over his eyes, “My name is Edward Blackhand and I am a collector of unique items. And your metal friend over there is quite possible the most unique of them all.”

“She is not for sale,” Tristian said stepping forward. He removed the black pouch from his pocket and tossed it unceremoniously onto the sofa next to Edward. “I believe this is yours. Take it back and release Xep. She is not for sale, she is not what you think she is.”

Edward tossed his head back and laughed a deep throaty cackle, “Oh my, you are priceless. Of course I know what she is. I would not have taken her if I did not. She is a real find and perhaps one day, given the right implements and time, I will be able to release what was trapped within. Now that would be an exciting prospect no? The bartering was done, she is still mine. I suggest that you and your friends leave before I send the hordes to rip you to shreds.”

“I dare you to try it,” Tristian said nodding to the others. They left his sides and made their way slowly around the tent to Xep. ” Actually, I would relish the opportunity to go a few rounds with your boys over there. It has been a long time since I have gotten to play.”

And with that, Tristian pulled out his short sword from his coat and brandished it at Edward.

Edward rolled his eyes and pointed to the goblins, “Enough of this banter. Tear them all up.”

The goblins howled with glee and moved in toward Tristian. Their mouths foamed and their eyes turned red. Tristian stood his ground and waited for the goblins to come right at him. Once the were upon him he swung his sword and started slashing at the foul critters.

One tried to hit him over the head with a club but Tristian felt the wind move and deftly side stepped it. He then hopped over the goblins in front of him, swinging the sword high over his head, as he leapt. One of the goblins fell under the crushing blow of the sword. Tristian kicked a few other goblins from him and moved towards Edward.

While Tristian provided a distraction, the other two ran to Xep’s side. Sardonios looked her over and realized that she needed one of his elixirs. He pulled one from her belt pocket and dumped the powdered concoction into her lips. A minute later, Xep’s eyes refocused and caught sight of her friends.

“Thank the maker you are here. Where is here?” she said sounding tired and confused.

“Do not worry,” Sardonios said, “we have got to get you out of here. Tristian will be following very shortly.”

Xep nodded and looked over his shoulder. There stood Tristian, sword in hand, next to a crumpled form in a cloak. His sword glimmered a bright red and Tristian had a look in his eyes that disturbed her. A pool of blood started flowing outwards around him. Five smaller forms sat crumpled nearby where more puddles of blood pooled outwards. Xep frowned but said nothing as they quickly ran out from the tent and back into the light.

They ran as fast as they could to where the car had been parked. No one said anything as they ran. The moment they got to the car a loud buzzer started sounding deep within the Market. Tristian caught up to them, his sword having been packed back in its case and slung over his shoulder. He yelled, “They know about Edward. I got spotted with my weapon coming out of the tent. Get in the car. I think it is time for us to leave.”

The Nissan Sentra pulled out of the parking lot and away from the Goblin Market, kicking up dirt as the tires sped away from the location. Tristian looked over his shoulder and spoke, “Hot damn. We did it. We pulled it off. That went as well as I expected it to be. No one is following us. But I suggest that we do not head back to Portland anytime soon. Someone may be following us just yet.”

“They will not follow us where we are going,” Xep said under her breath. “Sard, take me to the location of the nearest fissure. You know where it is, I believe. It is time. We do what we came to do now, or we watch the world get destroyed.”

Sardonios looked at the mechanical companion, he opened his mouth to say something but the words did not come out. Instead he pulled the car onto the highway heading northbound, towards the strange dancing lights that could be seen off in the distance.