Chapter Fourteen
	That night I heard the noises again, and this time I rolled over, and crawled out of bed. I couldn't stand listening to it anymore. I had to figure out what it was, and see if it was a threat or not. I only thought once about waking up one of my companions to come with me, but as soon as the notion passed it was gone. They all deserved their rest, and I could take care of myself. I grabbed my staff, and slipped on a pair of shoes, then allowed my feet to lead me out into the darkness. I hadn't noticed the previous nights how dark it really got at night. The people of the town seemed to fold up their sidewalks, and just go to sleep. But I had a feeling it wasn't sleep that took them at night, it was the spell. To start them over again. To make them relive that one mundane day in their lives forever more. The mere thought of it sent a chill up my spine.
	Then I heard the noises again. What kind of noises I wasn't sure. Perhaps they were noises of movement, or maybe running. They sounded so strange echoing in the all but empty clearing in the center of the treehouse like city. They seemed to be coming from the rather large dark colored tree in the center of the clearing. Which was another very strange idea, a tree making noises. I approached the tree slowly, each step seeming to take an hour. But I didn't want to rush it, I didn't know if whatever I was hearing was safe or not. There was very little moonlight to guide my steps as the sky had clouded over again to hide the moons behind it. And tomorrow would bring another torrent of downpours. It seemed to rain exactly the same way everyday. I wondered how the beelzebub had made it so the weather always stayed the same as well. And how the wooden planks of the sidewalks didn't rot under the people's feet.
	Before I could finish that thought process I seemed to be magically in front of the tree. The large ebony colored tree that had been seemingly looming over us the past two days. Upon reaching it I decided the noises were definitely coming from inside. But how to get in? I paced around the outside of the tree hoping to find a way in. But I saw nothing, no door no stairs, nothing. There had to be something, the beelzebub couldn't be smart enough to completely seal it off. Or perhaps I just thought them too arrogant to completely seal it off. I stopped again where I'd begun, and stood my staff standing next to me. I opened up my mind to listen to everything inside, and was attacked by at least a dozen voices, all excited, all young sounding, all very much alive. Children. I'd noticed in my many years of listening to thoughts that children's minds seemed to hum more rapidly than adults. Their minds full of questions, thoughts, dreams, and stories. The kind of imagination that so often separated adults from children.
	Suddenly I felt myself lighten, the children were here, right here. Right under my nose the entire time. Even if they were locked up in a tree so that I couldn't reach them just now. “Kenny,” I jumped at the familiar voice, and whipped around to glare at Hagane. “You know better than to run off on your own.”
	“I'm fine aren't I?” I could take care of myself. I didn't need him constantly hovering me trying to protect me. I could handle some things on my own. He wasn't always going to be there when I needed protecting. And he couldn't protect me from everything. I knew he'd try though.
	“What are you doing out here anyways?”
	“I heard noises coming from this tree. The children are in there Haggy. They're trapped in there.” I said pointing to the tree with my staff. “We have to get them out, we have to save them.”
	“Kenny, I don't hear anything,” he shook his head, and I glared at him. He couldn't hear them? I could hear them, and he was supposed to have better hearing than me.
	“Just trust me.” He nodded at that, and I felt myself lighten a little. “You have to help me get them out.”
	“Alright Kenny, let's get them out.” He said with that lopsided smile that always made me smile dumbly. “Any ideas?”
	“None, I walked around the whole trunk, and can't find a way in. Unless maybe we can get in from the top.” That seemed to make sense to me. Dropping in from the top could work.
	“Don't you think that plan is a bit half baked Kenny?” He asked quirking one dark brow, and I sighed. He was right it was a little premature. But I had to think of something. We had to do something, anything.
	“It's the best we've got.” I sounded more sure of myself than I felt. I felt so unsure of myself. I didn't like not believing that my plans would work. And the longer we stayed here the less sure of myself I felt. This place was living proof of what the beelzebub could do, and it scared me. They were so much larger, and stronger than just me, and my small band of heroes. For the first time the whole trip I was starting to have serious doubts.
	“If you think that's best Kenny.” I nodded, and we both took off traveling up the edge of the tree, and dodging branches. When we reached the top we both looked down at the top of the tree. There seemed to be a door, or window, or maybe a skylight right in the center of the top of the tree. “Sometimes I wonder about you Kenny. You always seem to know.” He said with a smile, and we landed on either side of the square. I looked down into it, and saw a dark moonlit place, with several floors, and dust ridden rooms. Lit by the moonlight they looked more eerie than anything I'd seen thus far. And there was always something moving right at the edge of my vision, but when I turned to see it there was nothing there.
	“Now how do we get in?” I asked.
	“Give me your staff.” I handed it over wearily. Since I'd had the weapon for so long it felt strange to me parting with it. It felt like a part of me after the past few weeks. He slammed it down into the glass like substance, but nothing. It looked as if it just went through instead of shattering. Like the staff had merely touched water instead of glass.
	“Maybe we should just drop down through it.” I offered tapping it with the toe of my shoe, and feeling my toe just pass through it. He looked unsure. He was always unsure, what had happened to the man of action I had been so close to? So I grabbed my staff from him, and dropped down through the cool watery substance. Then I fell and fell until I landed on the hard ground at the bottom. Rubbing my sore bottom I waited for Hagane who was right behind me. “See now was that so hard?”
	“You need to stop being so reckless.” He scolded me.
	“Haggy if you had it your way we would still be back in that alley right now. Sometimes you have to be a little reckless to get things done.” I turned on my heel, and started into the cool darkness, searching for those signs of life I had seen and heard so recently. But it seemed everything had quieted now that we'd entered. Even the minds were humming softer now, and were much less excited. “Hello.” I called into the darkness.
	“Hello,” came an echo that was not my own voice. It sounded almost like a girlish childish voice, like a pixie. A playful childlike pixie who was toying with me.
	“Who's there?”
	“Who's there?” Repeated the voice, and I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. Whipping my head to the side to see it I found nothing once more. Hagane was at my side once more, looking more anxious than I'd ever thought I'd seen him.
	“We're not going to hurt you.” I said walking deeper into the recesses of the tree. Deeper into one of the rather large rooms that seemed be a living room of sorts. With a very large sofa, and some other very large furniture. The room was only lit by moonlight which offered a very shallow cool light, with more shadows than I knew what to do with.  It seemed like every shadow danced in the moonlight, like all of them were strangely alive. It was making me nervous just to watch how the shadows tangled with the blue haze of moonlight. Like spider webs just after the rain. Glistening with water drops.
	“We're not going to hurt you,” came the girlish voice again, this time with an impish laughter. If these were indeed children here, I knew I shouldn't be worrying for our safety. Hagane, and I stepped lightly as we passed through the oversized room with it's oversized furniture. I had a sinking feeling if these were children they were not going to take us intruding upon their nightly play time lightly.
	One false step, that's all it took, and both Hagane and I were wrapped up in a net hanging from the ceiling. Tangled up in the holes, and I let out a small shriek. Then covered my mouth with my hand to try to muffle it. I crossed one leg over the other, and sat there glaring out at the darkness. “You know Kenny, I'd hate to say...” Hagane started.
	“Shut up Hagane.” I snapped bitterly cutting him off. I really had no desire to hear 'I told you so', just now. I knew I'd hear it later though because he just loved to say it. “Don't say a word.”
	“Don't say a word,” came the girlish echo again.
	“Alright now you've had your fun,” I said looking irritated out at the outlines of the small figures in the darkness. They were definitely children. “Let us down.”
	“And why should we?” A taller figure asked, a figure I assumed to be the leader. Well brilliant. I saw a glint of moonlight of the pixie's wings. So it was pixies we were dealing with. And pixies loved to play jokes. This was just great.
	“We want to help you. I know about the spell your town is under. I know about what your families are going through. We can help, we can fix it.”
	“Who says we want to change things,” piped up one of the little ones. I hated not being able to seen them in the dark, and having to just kind of trust my instincts. And I didn't want to open up my mind to them, because lord only knew what parades of thoughts were going through their heads.
	“Yeah we get to stay little forever this way,” said my echo. And I was suddenly reminded of Peter Pan and the lost boys. These children liked things the way they were. They were just happy with being young forever. Not that I could blame them, at certain times I wished I could just have stayed young forever. I could tell it was going to be an uphill battle to get these children to turn over their right to everlasting freedom for their families. The beelzebub had played this hand perfectly, they knew that children were venerable to this sort of thing. They knew children were easily tricked. To take advantage of a children's innocence in such as way was just sick.
	“But don't you want to grow up?” I asked carefully, I noticed Hagane wasn't saying anything. He was letting me deal with it. I wondered why.
	“She's funny.” The little echo said with a laugh. “Why would we ever want to grow up?”
	“Well because you get to do a lot more. No one can tell you what to do. You get to achieve all your dreams.” I tried, I knew it wasn't necessarily true but it was worth a try.
	“You lie.” Said a little boy, and I could see his posture stiffen.
	“Who are you?” The elder one asked, the leader.
	It was apparent to me that Hagane was rather amused with my attempts. He thought this was funny. And he wasn't helping at all. He was just sitting beside me snickering. The audacity of him, snickering. I tilted my chin up a bit. “Princess Kenley.” I said in the tone that Princess Kenley would use. Not a tone I was used to.
	All the children broke out into fits of laughter. And fell to the ground rolling in the dirt that was the floor. I felt my cheeks heat up in annoyance. Hagane let out a snort of laughter beside me too. Well if Hagane didn't believe my false confidence they sure weren't going to either. “Sorry Kenny, but that was just the funniest thing I've ever seen.” Hagane said through his snickers. I frowned at him.
	“You're not helping Hagane. You're not helping at all.” I crossed my arms across my chest and just waited for them to finish laughing at me. Even my best friend was laughing at me, how ridiculous. “It's not funny.”
	“Aw come on Kenny, don't be sore.” Hagane said patting my shoulder, and I frowned at him. I don't know what on Earth he was thinking laughing at me as he was, but it annoyed me to no end.
	“That is enough.” I said with a growl as my face got hotter, and my voice grew angrier. Princess Kenley would not be laughed at, she had her pride too. Humdrum Kenley was possibly the most humble out of them all. Warrior Kenley wouldn't have put up with being laughed at either. I suppose had Humdum Kenley been in charge of me just then I would have laughed it off, but not Princess Kenley. Hagane's laughter broke off and he looked at me confused. The children's died down as well, but they didn't look half as confused as Hagane.
	“Kenny, don't be like that. It was just a joke.” He said pleadingly, his soft blue eyes going softer, and a frown gracing those perfect lips. I had never seen him look like that before, but at that point Princess Kenley didn't care. And it scared me to think that she may actually win, and she didn't care. She was the one who would become just like all the other people in the court, who would blend in best with the crowd. I shook my head to clear her out of it.
	“It's fine,” I said letting out a long low breath. I needed air, I was suffocating inside myself. With all these different personalities in here I was going to die of oxygen deficiency. There were too many Kenley's in such a little space. I was beginning to feel claustrophobic. “Look don't you guys want to save your families? Don't you want to help them?”
	“Why, they're not in pain.” Asked the eldest one, the leader. I looked at her outline disbelievingly, how could she be so crass? How could she not care? I felt my face go pale at the mere thought of not helping my family if I could have. How could these children really mean it? They couldn't possibly mean what they say.
	“That's not the point,” I said shrilly my voice going up several octaves.
	“Then what pray tell is the point princess?” The girl asked mockingly. I frowned at her. And I couldn't believe Hagane wasn't saying anything. Why wasn't he backing me up, why wasn't he doing anything?
	“The point is they're your family.” I said sternly. “They were there for you when you needed it most. They did everything they could for you. It's your turn to be there for them. Who taught you how to ride a bike? How to talk? Bought your books? Your dolls, and your toy cars? It's your turn to do something for them, and it wouldn't even be hard. And we'd help you.” How could they deny the right thing to do? I knew they were pixies, and elves, and they had a skewed moral compass, but even this should have been obviously right to them. I watched their posture, the outlines of the small bodies. Some of them seemed be nodding, some of them seemed to agree with me. Some were tense, and couldn't seem to decide. Like they wanted someone else to make the decision for them. I could tell by the looks of it that the leader seemed to be the one who very often made the decisions. They all seemed to be looking toward her.
	And even she seemed to be uncertain. I braced myself for the worst. I braced myself to be told I was crazy and no they would do nothing to help their families. My eyes following the lines of the leader trying to make some assumptions about age, and other things. “I suppose you have a point.” She said carefully, and I allowed myself a little bit of relief. At least she was thinking about it. There was a clap of two small moonlit hands, and the dull glow of fire lit the room. Then there was another clap and we were falling through the cool air again. I fell on my rump again, and frowned. “Very royal of you your highness.” The leader said with a laugh as I rubbed my rump to ease the soreness.
	I frowned a little as I stood. “I'd much prefer Kenley.” I said offering the girl my hand to shake. She was about my height, which was short for a humdrum or a vampire, but regular height for a pixie. Her long green hair was swept up messily into a high ponytail, and her black eyes were watching me carefully. She wasn't sure about me yet, I could tell. I didn't blame her.
	“Well Kenley, who are you really?” She asked and suddenly I found myself with the point of an arrow at my throat. Hagane had pulled his sword on the girl, and held it ready. “Call off your man.”
	“Hagane, stand down.” I ordered, and he looked suddenly confused, and possibly hurt. I knew the girl wouldn't do anything though. “Hagane, I said stand down.” I said impatiently, and he put his sword back in the holder at his waist. “There look, I called him off.” I said calmly. I wasn't worried, I didn't even feel nervous. This was just a show to make sure I wasn't lying.
	“Who are you?” She repeated impatiently her green skin growing a faint red around her cheek bones as if she were flustered.
	“I told you, I'm princess Kenley daughter of Chione, and Basil Azure. Next in line for the throne of the Azure kingdom. And the solitary warrior who plans to free everyone from the tyranny of the Beelzebub. Ruler of the human element. This,” I motioned towards Hagane. “is my guard Hagane, ruler of the metal element. He is one of three at this current time, and in the end he will be one of five.” I smiled softly. My eyes never leaving those big black orbs that looked at me so untrustingly. “And we want to help you.”
	“If you are who you say you are prove it.” How was I supposed to prove it? My innards twisted around themselves in nervousness.
	“Tell me how.” I offered in a neutral tone trying to keep calm. Hagane looked just as worried as I felt. The pixie looked confused too, like she hadn't expected me to be so willing to accommodate her. To play her game.
	“I...I don't know.” She frowned, and I felt a small wave of triumph. I was winning at her game, I could do this. “Fine, I guess I believe you. I'm Bluem.” She said offering me her hand, and I shook it. Upon touching her hand I was able to listen to just her mind, and hear a soft natural tune instead of any real thoughts. Could it be another of my guards? I didn't know, but there was one way to find out. I couldn't just ask to see behind her ear though. That would come out rather strange. So I decided to just try and see if I could look while we were talking.
	“My two other guards are Gusty, and Daylin, but they're in the tent. Have you all been outside?” I asked carefully. I had to dance around everything here, I knew it. It seemed Bluem, the leader, had a bit of a temper, and I didn't want to anger her.
	“Not since the Beelzebub came,” she said, and all the children gasped.  As if the mere word Beelzebub frightened them. “Oh hush you all.” She growled at them, and they all cowered away from her.
	“Is there any other way out than the way we came?”
	“I don't even know that we can get back out the way you came.” Bluem seemed a little distressed by the thought. But she wasn't the only one, I was distressed by the idea as well. If we couldn't get back how ever was I going to save everyone? How was I going to get my group together, and help?
	“It's worth a try.” Hagane said hopefully giving me something like a reassuring smile. I knew he was trying, to balance the protective guard, and the best friend, and I hoped he succeeded. Because I couldn't afford to loose either. I needed the guard Hagane, and the friend Hagane. Without them both, I didn't know what would happen, but surely the outcome wouldn't be good. After all I needed his protection, well the Princess Kenley did. And the Humdrum Kenley, who until very recently had been the real Kenley, needed him as a friend. I had never realized before how much exactly I depended on Hagane. Of course I knew I depended on him, but to some extent I thought myself independent. It wasn't until very recently in my life, that I realized I couldn't do without Hagane, or Daylin.
	Bluem looked at us in confusion. “Which of you exactly is in charge here?” Her words were sarcastic and almost hurtful. And I couldn't decide if it was because they rang strangely true in my ears, or if it was just because she was being snide. I felt Hagane stiffen beside me.
	“Kenley is of course.” He said in a hard tone, and I felt myself wearing on my lip. This wasn't good. I needed to show stronger leadership, I needed to be the boss. And it just wasn't happening.  I didn't feel like I was in control at this particular moment. I didn't feel like I was the leader. I felt like I was just flowing along, doing what the world wanted of me at the moment, and not what I wanted of myself. It was really rather unnerving. For someone who was supposed to be in control of everything eventually, it made me nervous to know, that I wasn't even entirely in control of myself at this particular moment. Lord, if I wasn't going insane I had no other explanation for what was happening to me. I shook myself mentally, I needed to stay in the moment, I needed to pay attention.
	“It matters little who speaks for me, so long as my message gets across,” wow, where had that come from? Princess Kenley was doing her thing again, I supposed. I really hoped I'd learn to control them all eventually. All these Kenley's needed to learn to play nicely together, and at least agree on one thing or another. Or quietly agree to just shut up, and let me think for once. For all I knew maybe none of these Kenley's were a part of me, maybe not a single one of them was the real me. Or perhaps they all were combined to make the real me. Who knew anymore?
	“Alright princess no need to get snappy,” Bluem said backing down a little. I was almost proud of myself with the way she seemed to relinquish control over to Princess Kenley. It was almost too easy. But I assumed it had something to do with the tone Princess Kenley so very often used. It was condescending, and I hoped to learn to control her better, because I didn't really feel that I was better than everyone else. Well, maybe she thought that, but the other two didn't think that, and that's what really sent my head spinning. I tried to get it to stop spinning, but it didn't seem to want to. So I assumed I was just going to have to live with it.
	“Alright so there obviously aren't any doors. And I did a full walk around the perimeter, the only thing I found was that sky light. Whether it's two way or not, I'm not sure. But it would always be worth a go.” I knew I was repeating myself. But I was having a hard time getting my barrings as far as my own head went. No real surprise there, my life had become much too hectic for me. Bluem just looked at me strangely, as if she didn't understand what was wrong with me. I didn't know what was wrong with me, why should she? Oh well, there was no time like the present to start completely ignoring all my issues. “So who wants to try it?” Why was I bothering to ask? I knew who would step up to the challenge, and there he was sure as the sun.
	“I'll do it.” Hagane offered stepping a step closer to me. I felt his calming presence move towards me, his mind humming softly. Why was he always ready to jump into the fire for me? I would do it myself, if he didn't offer.
	“Hagane you don't have to do this.” I offered cautiously, sounding anxious.
	“Nonsense Kenley, it would be a privilege.” He grinned winking at me. I didn't know what all that was about. I could only assume he had a plan. Though, I didn't particularly like how my heart skipped a beat when he winked at me. It was too much of a humdrum Kenley reaction. So I hid my embarrassment by just nodding in response. He seemed to take that as the okay, and spread his wings out wide. All the pixies, and fairies stood back in awe as Hagane's wings suddenly became visible. I could see the scar the broken bones from Pluto had caused, and though my stomach twisted violently, I said nothing. Then he was off in a flash. I was tempted to follow him up there but that would undermine my own rule. So I just sat, and watched the little Hagane in the distance do his thing.
	Hagane took his sword from it's sheath, and poked at the glass we'd come through, cautiously. He seemed unsure of himself. Though, I thought maybe we were both thinking the same thing. The Beelzebub were cocky, they thought they'd had this all figured out, the didn't think the children would try to get out. So why seal off the entrance, and exit? It made perfect sense to me, and I'm sure it did to him. Although, I knew he would much rather be safe than sorry. He was overly cautious. I didn't know that I could ever adopt that kind of caution, especially as I had always been the type to jump in feet first. I jumped in feet first with this friendship with Daylin and Hagane. Feet first with this little mission. And now, I was ready to jump in feet first to whatever else came my way. I watched carefully as Darian flew up through the hole, and then back down. He grinned widely as he swooped down to land elegantly beside me. I couldn't believe my own eyes, I'd been right. The Beelzebub were turning out to be much more predictable than I had originally thought.
	“Seems our friends, the Beelzebub, are just as stupid as I had thought.” Hagane offered to me grinning triumphantly.
	“We've gotten lucky.” I said seriously, but I couldn't help but feel a little triumphant myself. Hagane's grand relief was washing over me in waves, and I didn't know what else to do. So instead of keeping my serious face I gave him a small smile. Although, I knew restraining myself was the best mode of attack in such a situation. Bluem was a new recruit, and I couldn't go around showing her that I let small victories take over my instincts. I had to keep my head in things, and be very aware that I was treading on unfirm ground with my newest recruit. She didn't trust my leadership skills, and it didn't take mind reading powers to see that. Although, I couldn't really blame her, I was just some nutjob who dropped into her tree. “Are you all ready to be off?” I asked sounding brisk, and important, very unlike myself.
	“If any of these children gets heart, I'll crush you two death between two rocks.” Bluem threatened pointing at me. I wondered vaguely to myself if she really could do that. She obviously had developed her powers far beyond the rest of us, as I was sure that net we had be captured in was actually a part of the tree, and had quickly gone back to being so once it was used. I wondered what else she could do, and if she'd ever give me a demonstration like Dayin so often did. Of course Daylin also used her very unique powers as a parlor trick to amuse people. I doubted very much Bluem would ever do any such thing, so I didn't bother to ask.
	“Do not threaten the Princess.” Hagane warned coldly, his eyes loosing all their luster.
	“It's fine Hagane. I understand where she's coming from. Now, let's just be off shall we?” I brushed Hagane off and waited patiently for Bluem to nod her head once. When she did I scooped up the first Elf who I knew couldn't fly, and took off. Bluem, and Hagane were right behind me, each with their own little ones. Hagane had one on his back, and one in his arms, Bluem was carrying my echo. I was glad to have my feet off the ground again, to be free of gravity once more. Days spent holed up on the last moon, and now hidden in the center of this rainy planet had worn on me, made me tired of the dark.

Chapter Fifteen
	It was raining when we surfaced back through the liquid like glass. I should have expected it, but I didn't. I suppose that was just one more lapse in my judgement. That would have to stop happening, very soon, I couldn't afford those kinds of mistakes, even small ones. It would cost me one of these days, I hoped it just wasn't today.
	Hagane quickly took the lead, and I let him. I wasn't worried about being at the head of the pack when our strange little gang came in to land at the camp we set up. I was certain that Bluem, and Daylin were not going to get along, but I didn't mention it. Feet padded softly on the ground when we finally reached the camp. The fire Daylin had set, had gone out. But my two other comrades were seated on the logs beside the fizzling coals. Both had worry clearly etched on their faces, and I didn't like the look Daylin gave me.
	“Where were you?” It was a cool calm sort of voice, and I was certain I had never heard my best friend serious in all her life. It was frightening to see her that angry, especially with me. Daylin didn't get angry with me, or at least not as far as I remembered. I thought about it for a long moment, she had never been angry with me in all her life. This trips was taking a turn for the worst.
	“We found the children,” I offered weakly in my defense. I was certain if it weren't for several other factors, I would cower down to my best friend. Maybe I was just as weak as my enemy thought I was. That would make sense. I had always thought myself strong, but there was no way to tell now, not when Daylin scared me so easily.
	“You are not supposed to go off without protection,” It came out more as a growl than a sentence, and I could suddenly see so much of her mother in her. That was where all of Callisto's anger had been hiding, right there in Daylin.
	“I did, Hagane was with me,” This time my voice sounded a little stronger, but I wasn't certain why. I was sure if she wanted to she could have me cowering again. But I put forth my best effort to ignore that, and stick it out. Or maybe I was just trying to convince myself I was strong, when I really wasn't. That made perfect sense to me. After all, if everyone else thought I was weak, who was I to argue?
	“Daylin,” Hagane said in a tone I knew was a warning. “You need to calm down. I have already lectured her about this.”
	“Don't you start with me too,” Daylin snapped at him. Hagane looked suddenly taken aback, and she advanced on him, poking him in the chest. By now all the children were huddling behind Bluem who was watching in more than mild amusement at the scene. “You know better. No note, no sign of where you'd gone.”
	“Daylin, we have company,” Gusty said, the sensible voice amongst the tirade. I looked to her grateful, and relieved, but all I received was a nod for my troubles. She was angry too. It seemed Hagane, and I had done everything in our power to irritate these two. I couldn't believe somehow I had made Daylin this upset with me. Daylin looked up to see Bluem, and her mouth gaped nonsensically.
	“Daylin, this is Bluem, and the rest of the children from the village,” Hagane said almost smugly. It was as if shutting her up, had meant he won. Even if he hadn't been the one to do it. I wondered about their very strange brother sister relationship sometimes. How they worked. What kind of push and pull they needed to stick together like they did. It was a wonder they did stay together like they did, as much as they fought, and as different as they were. But I supposed blood was much thicker than water, and the things they had in common held them much more tightly together than I would ever understand.
	“Pardon our friend's rudeness,” Gusty said, and Daylin narrowed her eyes at the slightly shorter girl. Gusty didn't even flinch though. It seemed we had become so accustomed to one another over the past few weeks that nothing could stir us. I blamed it entirely on those few days we spent in confinement while Hagane healed. Without those, I doubted Daylin, and Gust, and I would have become so close so fast. “I'm Gusty, and this is Daylin.”
	“It's a pleasure, I'm sure.” Bluem said snidely, and I frowned at her. If she was going to be part of the team, she'd have to buck up, and be nice. I knew Daylin wouldn't tolerate her attitude, and I sure didn't want to either. I kept myself from glaring at her, but it was a challenge.
	“Who is she?” Daylin hissed out, before I could stop her from doing anything rash. I was right, they weren't going to get along. I hoped it had more to do with Daylin's bad mood, than her not liking Bluem.
	“Bluem, is the Earth element.” I said neutrally, I was not taking anyone's side in this matter. I needed them both, and there was no way around that. They were going to just have to learn to get along.
	“Brilliant.” Daylin grumbled throwing up her hands and marching back into the tent. I just shook my head as my lavender eyes followed her retreating form.
	“Let me guess, fire?” Bluem asked snorting indignantly.
	“Good guess,” Gusty said perking up a little. I could tell Gusty hadn't had many friends her own age in a long time. She seemed to perk up at the mere idea of adding another new friend to her list. Her large greens eyes dancing in the dim light from the clouded over moon. I grumbled a little as my hair started to cling to my head from the rain. “And I am the wind element.” She rose from her seat, and paced quickly across the space between herself, and Bluem. In the end she offered the taller pixie her hand. Bluem's wings fluttered a little, and I could tell she was irritated by the mere thought of having to associate herself with us.
	“So who are we missing?” Bluem asked shaking the extended hand, and dropping it quickly.
	“The water element.” Hagane said quickly jumping back to his role of assumed leader. I wondered why it didn't bother me so much right that second. I figured it had something to do with how exhausted I was with the whole ordeal. I just wanted Bluem, and Daylin to get along, was that so much to ask for? I assumed so since they were both so dead set on not liking one another. Maybe if I talked to Daylin, told her how much my whole team getting along, and working together would mean to me. Maybe then she'd put forth the effort necessary. But I wasn't so sure, and I didn't feel like having to talk her into it that very second.
	“I see, and do you have any ideas where she would be?” It sounded like Bluem, and Hagane hit it off just fine now that she didn't have a bow to my neck, and he didn't have a sword to her's. I wondered why I felt oddly jealous about that fact as they sat down to talk strategy. I looked at the children, they all looked just as tired as I felt.
	“Come on you kids, we'll get you dried up, and find you some blankets. I offered, and many of them nodded enthusiastically. I was glad there weren't that many, otherwise we wouldn't have room for them all in the tent. Daylin looked at me when I came in, but quickly turned her head away. I was fine with that, if she was mad at me, I'd rather her not look at me anyways. I was so exhausted that my walls were falling, and I was catching stray thoughts from the children. Once they were all crowded into the tent, I found blankets, and pillows, and anything else to get them warm. Gusty had followed me in she looked from me to the children. “Is there anything you can do to dry them?” I asked impatiently.
	“Well yeah, a nice warm breeze should fix them right up.” Gusty said happily, and stood back from the children to look them all over. “Line up, and I'll have you dry in a jiffy.” She was so cheerful, and happy. The same way Daylin usually was. I stood back, and sighed a little as I felt a small warm breeze stir the ends of my hair. Gusty was learning to control her own powers, something I couldn't boast. Sure I had control over the ones I had, but from what I understood I should have more. I should have something to fight with. I felt terribly deficient in that department. However, I decided not to tell my team of my deficiencies. I didn't know what they'd do about it, but I knew it probably wouldn't be good. They'd feel bad for me, but the end result would be bad for me. They may very well take me back to the palace, or debunk my role as leader. Neither of which would I do without a fight. I may not have done the best job as leader, but I did what I could, and I had made promises to people. I had promised people that I would help them, and so I would hold to my word. When I was through making these decisions I came to the realization that suddenly my hair, and clothes were dry.
	“Thanks Gusty.” I said looking up to smile at her, and she grinned back in return. From there I decided that I'd had enough of a long night to deserve some sleep. I took up residence on Hagane's cot, that smelled oddly good, and settled myself in. In no time was sleeping soundly just the dozen or so minds around me.
Chapter Sixteen
	I wasn't quite sure if I was dreaming or wide awake, but all I could tell was that what I was seeing was not my own. It was not the workings of my own brain, it was someone else digging around in there. I had the distinct feeling that that wasn't any good. That having someone else digging around in my mind was a very bad thing. Someone else was showing me images, or making me see these things I didn't want to see. The loss of all the planets, the defeat of myself, and above all the loss of Hagane. I watched in horror as we were defeated, and Hagane took the blow meant for me. I desperately wished for these images not to be true, for these images to go away, and never return. But they kept rerunning themselves in my head like a broken record. I felt the distinct need to force myself away to be away from these images, the need to escape. So I pushed, and I turned, and I writhed, and I pulled, and I tried my hardest to wake myself. But nothing seemed to work, I could hear faint voices in the distance, and I held to those. Maybe if I could follow where those voices were coming from then I'd be alright.
	“Do you think she's ok?” One of the voices said, this one sounded distinctly female. I rolled the voice around in my head, and came up with an image of Daylin.
	“I can't be sure. I've never seen anyone react to a dream this way.” Another voice, this one female as well. I rolled that one in my head too, and came up with Gusty. So if I heard them that must mean they were sitting right there. I fought hard against whatever was holding me to these horrifying images. As if it was some kind of restraint I felt it pull back. I tried to snap it like a rubber band, but I got only a little give before it reeled me back in.
	“Oh don't look like that, she'll be fine. It's just a little nightmare.” Another female voice. This one less familiar. I had to roll this one in my head for a long while before coming up with Bluem. I wondered who she was trying to reassure, I wondered why I hadn't heard Hagane yet. Maybe Hagane wasn't worried. Maybe he was too busy plotting out our next attack. No, that couldn't be true, because Bluem was there too. Then where was he, what was he doing?
	“Maybe you should have a go at it Hagane.” Daylin said, but before I could hear Hagane's voice my grasp on them failed. I fell deeper again. This time it was worse. I watched again and again as Hagane took that fatal blow, and I surrendered. This time I held him in my arms as he slowly died, over and over. With Daylin at my side sobbing into her hands. I jerked at the sight of the blood, but I kept trying to pull myself free. I just couldn't, I couldn't pull myself out of that moment in time. Or maybe it wasn't a moment in time, but a dream. It seemed more like a moment in time now that I had repeated it so many times. But I so wished for it to be just a nightmare. I didn't think I could live with it if this actually were to happen. I thought on that for a moment, and decided that no, I couldn't live with it if that were actually to happ.
	“Kenny.” I heard him! And it wasn't the weak rasping sound of him dying. This was the living breathing Hagane. I could hear him. I clung to that voice, clung to it with everything I had. My frail grasp on reality grew at the mere sound of him. “Kenny if you can hear me, you need to wake up. We need to be on the move.” On the move, we had to leave. I should have guessed as much. Of course I didn't know how long I'd been asleep. For all I knew I could have only have fallen asleep ten minutes ago. Or perhaps I had been asleep for several days. There was no way to be sure in a place like this.
	“Kenley for God's sake wake up. You're worrying us all sick.” Daylin pleaded, and I could hear a twinge of bitterness in her tone. I wondered if my inability to wake was making her angry with me. I hoped not. There was little I could do but struggle to wake myself.
	I felt someone closer to me now, in my ear, in my space, digging around in my head. I was getting really very sick of people digging around in my subconscious. It was getting very old very fast. “Kenny.” That voice was not outside my head, it was in it. And unfortunately I knew I couldn't really be mad at the person who's voice it was. He was doing what he could to help me, to protect me. Damn that Hagane Denton. He made it impossible for one to ever be mad at him for long. “Kenny, wake up, please.” It had been much easier to ignore the stain in his voice when it was outside my head. Now that it was in my head I felt my stomach twist. I fought harder against whatever glue like substance was pinning me to these images. Now, with Hagane in my head it was much easier to fight back against whoever had me prisoner.
	“Is it working,” Gusty asked anxiously. Suddenly I was hyper aware of all the terror in the room around me.
	“I can't find her. I know she's here, I can feel her here, but I can't find her, and grab hold.” Hagane said his voice thick with emotion. I didn't understand what he was so upset about. But I wondered if there was anything I could do. Was there anyway, I could push myself toward where her could find me better? I struggled the hardest I had yet against what was holding me there, and I felt it rip. I hoped that wasn't my imagination. “Kenny I know you're here, where are you?” He asked inside my head again, and I moved toward the voice. The whole bond was ripping now, I had more room to move, and I felt who ever it was in my head grow angry. They weren't happy that I was getting free. But there was little I could do to please everyone, least of all the people holding me hostage inside my own head.
	“I'm here, Hagane, over here.” I wasn't sure if it was said aloud, or if it was inside my head. But at that moment I could feel him brighten. He had found me, inside my own head. Just before I drown in my own pity. Just before I was suffocated by my own self doubt. I felt a jerk, like someone had pulled my arm, and yanked me with them. Suddenly my eyes opened wide, and I took in a deep breath. My vision was blurry at first, my eyes crusted over with however many days worth of sleepers, and my voice raspy, and unused. “How long was I out,” It was a valid question, one that no one seemed to have time to answer. I was rushed with Daylin who pushed her brother out of the way to hug me. “Jeez Day you're crushing ribs.”
	“Oh right sorry, forgot.” Daylin said letting go looking ashamed.
	“It's alright,”I reassured her, my voice still cracking with disuse. “Now, how long was I out?”
	“Three days,” Gusty said in a jittery voice, I had never heard her use before. She was nervous, and unsure of herself, even more so than when faced with that small cave.
	“You've been thrashing the whole time.” Bluem offered quietly. I wasn't quite sure, but I thought perhaps she had taken a shine to me. Perhaps she had actually started to like me. But I wasn't going to ruin the moment of worry etched on her taught green face, for that sort of sentiment. No, I knew enough about Bluem to know she wouldn't appreciate that sort of thing.
	I didn't respond I just nodded. I didn't particularly want to talk about what it was I had been seeing. I didn't want to have to tell them that I had witnessed our defeat, and Hagane's demise first hand. My stomach did another sick twist. And I realized that I wasn't as ready to be beaten by the Beelzebub as I had once thought. I had thought that I was ready to go head long into battle, and not worry about what was to happen to me. I realized that that wasn't true. I was worried. Maybe not for myself, but for the sake of those who had already pledged their lives to protect me. I didn't think I could handle watching them lay down their lives to do what I asked of them. So I made a snap decision. I wasn't going to allow them to get hurt.
	“Kenny.” Hagane offered softly, and I looked up at him abruptly. I had almost forgotten they were all around me. It was so easy to forget when I was arguing with myself, and trying to make some very hard decisions.
	“Yeah?” I asked still a little preoccupied with myself, and my very abrupt decision to keep my friends safe by keeping them out of it.
	“What were you seeing?” That was Hagane, always straight to the point. Right to the source of the problems. I didn't appreciate his forwardness in such a situation, but I didn't say anything about it. He had always been that way, and most of the time I was thankful for it. Now, was not the time to start complaining.
	“I really don't want to talk about it.” I whispered quietly looking down at my hands. There was a short silence, but as with most silences it seemed to last forever. The air became as thick and still as a dense fog out over the ocean, and I waited for someone to force me to talk.
	“How bad?” Bluem asked abruptly, her voice breaking through the dense silence.
	“Very bad,” my voice was barely audible, even to me, but I was certain with how quiet it was in the room, that they would hear me no matter how quietly I spoke.
	“Tell us, now.” Hagane demanded, his voice suddenly harsher than I had heard it in a long time. He never spoke to me in such a manner, but I was certain it was for my own good. There was no way he would demean me in front of everyone if it weren't for my own good.
	“We lost. I couldn't tell where we were, but we lost. We didn't have everyone, it was just who is here, and we lost. And you...” I felt my eyes well up with tears, and my throat close around a large lump in it. “Hagane, you died.” I could change this future, I would change this future. I scolded myself for being silly. I would do something to make this different. I would save everyone. “I've never seen anyone die before.” I whispered softly to myself. It was true, I had led a rather sheltered life. My parents had died recently, but I didn't see it, not even in my dream. I hadn't ever even been to a funeral before. It was a sick sort of feeling to know your best friend  would die. I knew now it wasn't just a dream, it was a vision, and what was holding me there had been myself. I had been making myself stay, looking for every detail, everything I could change, everything I could effect to save them.
	“So we have to find the fourth guard before taking on the Beelzebub, no problem.” Daylin said shrugging easily.