"This is a work of fiction. All the characters in it, human and otherwise, are imaginary, excepting only certain of the fairy folk, whom it might be unwise to offend by casting doubts on their existence. Or lack thereof." ~Neil Gaiman


Raven pulled back as Jinx panted a little, "Wow."

"I'm incredible, I know. Now let's get moving again." Raven said, tracing her finger on the hex-caster's cheek. Jinx straightened her hair and looked around, wondering, "Yeah, where are we exactly? Is this Rose Road?"

"Primrose Road… and I don't really know." Raven confessed. The two witches had stumbled into a dark area. The door they had come out of was on a railed platform made of a kind of ash-white wood. A floating lantern illuminated a set of wooden stairs that led off onto a dirt road. In the distance, Raven and Jinx could see the dirt path leading to a lamp standing reclusively.

The air was chill and damp, with the smell of wet leaves and mulch coming from all around. From what she could tell, Jinx thought they were in a forest. The path was surrounded by long grass, and around the lamp up ahead was a row of tall, oak trees. Something was off, though. It was like the plants were black and blue, and mist seemed to crawl on the ground. No night-bird sang, and no wind blew, though the trees almost seemed to rustle in greeting and anticipation.

"So… this isn't creepy." Raven said. Jinx noted, "And whatever was back in the last room wasn't?"

"I'm starting to think Kresk didn't know what he was talking about when he gave us these directions. They might have been different when he went."

"He could be trying to kill us." Jinx joked.

"No, just you." Raven quipped. Jinx's face blanched, and her eyes went wide. Even though they were both tied to Raven, neither the witch nor the demon were on speaking terms all that well. She wouldn't put it past the Fire Demon to try and kill her like this. Raven saw the worry on Jinx's face, "You know I'm kidding, right? Trust me, demons don't do things subtly, Kresk least of all. He's just taking some time to settle into you, that's all. He's very protective about me and… well, anyone, especially 'mortals'. And even, if he did want you gone, he'd have to go through me first. I don't think he's that spiteful… or stupid."

"Why, did he try this before?"

"No. When we first met, we had a fight. I broke some of his ribs, knocked out an eye, cracked his jaw, ruptured some kidneys; like I said, a fight."

"Some fight…" Jinx said, a little awe-inspired. She had no idea her girlfriend could do all that to something as big as Kresk; but, then again, that much harder a fall.

"I made it up to him." Raven said, "Now let's go." The pair walked down the creaking stairs, releasing several awkward squeaks from the planks. Jinx still had thief instinct in her; sounds like that were marks against her record, and more grating than most security alarms. Raven set her foot on the ground first; it was soft and just a little muddy under the half-demon's heels.

Raven helped Jinx off the step, and the hex-caster clung to Raven's arm. The meta-human shivered, though whether it was from the chill fog or some dread foreboding, Raven could not tell. The couple moved quickly, staying on their guard until they were at the lamp-post in the woods. Jinx looked up to the sky; the stars spun and twinkled like dancing fireflies, but no familiar constellation could be found in the azure vault. Raven had turned her attention to the newly revealed lamp. A white-orange glow emerged from a glass cage supported by a strangely oaken pillar. It was almost like the post had grown around the lamp. The light revealed that the trail Raven and Jinx were on went on into the forest.

Jinx was the first to note, "Okay, I'm not seeing any other lamps. Do we take this one or is this just another one of Kresk's misdirections?"

"We might not even need the lamp." Raven said, "We could probably just follow the trail."

"I'll be honest, that doesn't sound like a good idea. I mean, I can see in the dark, and this place is dim to me. Unless your demon vision or whatever can make anything out-"

"It can't."

"...Wonderful. Alright, I'm going back to get that lantern by the door. It was just hanging around, so we'll use it. The lamp here looks like its magical or something. I mean, the lantern was too, but we could at least grab it."

"Careful."

"Why?"

"You can't be too careful. We're on another plane. The rules are different here."

"Oh, come on. It's just walking back to... the... door?" Jinx looked into the grove where she and Raven had come from. The trail had disappeared, and the meta-human watched in horror as the whole platform sank into the mists, almost like it was being swallowed up by the fog. Crunching and swallowing noises came from the ground. The lamp was still perched next to the now descending door. Jinx let out a yelp, "No!" And rushed into the fog to try and grab the lantern before it was too late. Raven yelled out, "Jinx! STOP!"

Jinx managed to reach the lantern just in time to watch the mists swallow it up. The chill fog crept higher, and the cat burglar could hear things moving beyond her sight. Sparks seemed to form under the mist and in the trees. There was no toying with Jinx; the creatures had come in the dozens, maybe over a hundred. Through the mist, Jinx saw stunted, humanoid forms rushing to and fro, with smiles of razor teeth and hands wielding cleavers and knives. The creatures hissed and seemed to be made up more of slick shadow than flesh and blood. Gathering around her, the little monsters sang to Jinx;

Here is pink-flesh, ripe with fear,

Tastes the best when death is near!

Try to run and you will lose,

We be goblyns, you be food!

Sharp claws wrapped around Jinx's legs and she let out yelp, unleashing a wave of hex energy into the field. Little beasts flew into the air, laughing and squealing even as they were thrown away. One of the fiends pounced at Jinx, its toothy maw held wide open, lunging for any bit of flesh it could latch onto.

Even as a scream came from her throat, Jinx was aware of being pulled back. A black claw had wrapped around the meta-human's waist and drawn her to the lamp. Gently, Raven set Jinx down on to her feet. The goblyn swarm chased after their prey, but stopped just short of the lamp-light, backing away and screeching in fear. Raven wrapped Jinx in her arms and kissed her comfortingly, while all the feline mutant could do was hyperventilate.

"Well, at least that answers that." Raven said, still holding Jinx. The cat burglar drew away from the embrace as she asked, holding back a screech, "What?"

"I know what plane we're on. We're in Faerie, or at least a stretch of it."

"Faerie? Like, pixies and sprites and elves and... and..."

"Yes, Jinx. And unicorns. But not here. We're in one of the darker parts. Maybe even Unseelie lands."

"Unseelie?"

"Dark fae. That's the best way I can describe them. Either way, we have to get out of here. I'm guessing that there's an exit portal down the trail somewhere."

"Great! So let's get the heck out of here!"

"It's not that easy. Faerie runs on... rules. The fae themselves are very erratic, but they have laws, laws that can not be broken under any circumstances. Those laws apply to everyone in Faerie, even visitors."

"Well that's stupid! So you have to brush up on a bunch of fairy tale bull just to come in here?"

"No."

"But then, doesn't that mean just anyone who wanders in here could break the rules?"

"Exactly. The fae don't want you to leave. If you break one of the rules, you belong to the plane."

"Okay, so what stupid rule did I break?"

"You stepped off the trail. There was a path set out by the plane, and you refused it."

Jinx growled, "That is... GAH! God, maybe we should just head back."

"How?"

"Can't you teleport us out or something? Shadow-walk or open a gate to the Astral?"

"Sorry, love. We came in from another plane, and I only know how to get the Material Plane. If we try to reach the Shadow from here, we could get lost in it for days before I found us a way back to the Mortal Coil."

"Great. So our only choice is to walk through the forest of flesh-eating death fairies? We should have just gone out clubbing, like I wanted to."

"We are going clubbing. Just think of this as walking through downtown. Except downtown wants to eat your skin."

"Thanks... Alright, so I'm not seeing any lights ahead. Now what?"

"We take this one, if I had to guess."

"What, the lamp-light? How do we- Oh, right. Some of us have been trained in fire magic."

"You weren't complaining when I gave you that back rub."

"You owe me one now. I'm calling it. Right now. You owe me a heated back-rub."

Raven smiled gently as she agreed, "Deal. So I guess I'll be the one to light the way. Give me a second." Raven concentrated on the lamp-post the two were standing next to. She sent her senses crawling up to the light, and began to wrap her shadow magic around the glow to pluck it down like an apple from a tree. Her magic was almost around the enchanted flame when it started to fizzle and spit sparks.

Raven pulled her shadows back, letting out a shocked gasp. Jinx stepped back, but kept her hexes at the ready. The glass cage holding the light broke apart, and the two witches thought they saw something at the heart of the light move. Like a will o' wisp, the magic glow lifted itself up and drifted in front of the couple, letting out a sweet but disinterested yawn.

Looking at the apparition more closely now, Raven and Jinx saw that their suspicions were confirmed; something was at the core of the light. In all likelihood, the minute figure before them was the light itself. Resembling a petite woman no more than three inches tall, what could best be described as a wingless pixie floated. Her sharp face was still tired, and short, curly hair frazzled. Her skin was an odd texture, like thousands of motes of little diamonds and gems. She glowed yellow, orange, and white, each pigment starting as a splotch on her skin before growing or shrinking. The fae's dainty feet were scaled and clawed, and looked far too small, some what like a humming-bird's. The little faerie let out another yawn as she asked, perturbed, "What? What do you want?"

Jinx and Raven stared. The fiery sprite grew annoyed and began to fizzle, "So which one of you saps pulled me out of my nap? I haven't got all night to play the guessing game."

Raven, somewhat confused, asked, "Are... What exactly are you?"

"Well that's obvious, stupid; I'm a fairy. This is my fire, and somebody pulled me out of it."

"Your fire?"

"Yes, my fire. It's my flame, and the flame is me. Then, I'm guessing one of you two started messing with it."

"That was me." Raven said, trying to adopt an air of confidence. There is a certain attitude that one needs when dealing with Fae, and Raven did her best to call on it. "So you're the spirit of this light? Interesting. Maybe you can help us."

The sprite scoffed, "I would do that why? You tore me from my lantern, woke me up after centuries long sleep, and now you have the gall to ask for help? I don't think so."

Jinx piped in, "Maybe we can work something out?" The fairy glared at the meta-human, buzzing, "And what would we work out, wee mortal-ling? What do you have to offer me?" Jinx was about to say something when Raven stopped her, sternly interjecting, "Nothing, yet. But you can start by offering us a name."

Amused, the fairy inspected the two witches, and with a smile said, "You may call me Illea. And yours?"

"Rachel. Just Rachel." the cambion said with a stern look in her eyes. The fairy maintained her smile as she whispered and nodded towards Jinx, "Oh, and what of her name?"

"No. That trick won't work. A name was promised, a name was given, and a name was returned. Unless you have something else to offer, then she is under me. She and I are Rachel together."

"Not a true name, I reckon? Ms. Rachel?"

"Yes; but Illea isn't your full name. I know that for fact."

"Hrm hrm. Clever girl. Now, what do you want with me, before I go up in smoke again?"

This time it was Jinx who spoke, carefully choosing her words. Raven had marked herself and Jinx as the same; it was strange, stranger still to hear her lover's human name. So it was with great caution that Jinx said, "When the two of us came here, we sought a path through the forest. We were told that the way was lit by lamplight. But you're the only light here. We... request? Yeah, request... Request that you show us a -safe- way through the forest."

"Oh, nicely worded, little witch. But why not walk yourselves? Does your bonnie lass not control the light, as she did when she wrenched me from my nest?"

"She does... but the shadows here have monsters in them. And not the kind we normally deal with. They almost took a bite out of me. Trying to move through them would be like trying to swim through sharks. Except the sharks sing. And have little knives."

"Aye, tiny knife sharks can be a problem. Hungry goblyns even more so. But there's a little one little thing you forgot; why should I care? What's in this for me?"

"... Basic common courtesy?"

"Not a chance. You two are on your own unless you pony something up for me."

"Alright, well, what do you want?" Illea burst out into a rain of tinkling laughter. Her fiery mane flew all about, and sprite couldn't help but curl in on herself as she giggled out, "What do I want? I want a great many things, little witch, and I doubt you can give them to me."

Jinx furrowed her brow and said, "Try me." As Illea straightened up, she smirked and whispered, "I want the silver out of the moon, and for King Oberon to wed the Queen of Air and Darkness. I want the gleam in Jereth the Goblin King's eyes and two of every springtime green. I want the sound a baby bird makes for my own and half of all of great Tiamat's horde. I want gems to sleep in and shoes to burn for solstices. Can you give me that, lass?"

"I... guess not."

"That's what I thought. But I tell ye what. I'm feeling generous... so I'll take something from you. But what? Hmm... The pink in your eyes? The deftness in your fingers? Or how about a night with your lass, all to myself?"

Raven and Jinx both exclaimed, "No!" Jinx went on, "God, why couldn't you just ask for something normal, like money or a favor or getting a magic sword or whatever? Why do you need to try and get all this weird abstract stuff off of me?"

The sprite's eyes took a predatory gleam as she smiled and hissed through her teeth, "Because I be what I be, and I be one of the Fair Folk. I am one of the daughters of the earth, and all the dreams and thoughts that come from this blessed land. I be no more than a finger on Faerie's hand, stretched out to hold ye. I am made up of things you can't touch or even say in as many words as you like. I'm bits and pieces of dreams that you forgot, and thoughts you could have had but never did. I'm the child of gods that were never named and worlds made old at your home's creation. You ask me why I want such strangeness from ye? Because what else could you possibly give me. Trinkets, treasure, time; those things don't matter to me because they don't matter to you. I ask for what I want, and what I want is what you hold near and dear to your heart. For what else could possibly have any value than that?"

Jink watched the sprite the whole time, tracking her like a cat watches a canary. Jinx finally scoffed, "Pfft. Lot of tough talk for a pipsqueak like 'ye'. Look, if you don't know the way, then fine. But quit messing around with us, alright? You're just embarrassing yourself."

The little sprite was looking flustered now, the proud and hungry glint in her eye replaced with indignant outrage. Illea retained her poise long enough to hiss out, "How dare ye. Do you have any idea who I am?"

Jinx casually purred, "Yeah; someone who doesn't know the way. So... why are you here again? I mean, wasn't that your whole deal, your reason d'etre? And you can't do it so... I guess I'm kind of confused here."

Illea finally burst, her skin blanching to a hot white with her hair literally inflamed, "You impudent little -bitch-. I'll tear out your eyes and leave you to the goblyns. I'll use your skull for a roof and your fingers for a fence. I'll-"

"Do nothing." Raven finally stopped the fairy. Jinx was already weaving a hex in her hands, and Illea was edging ever closer to the meta-human's face. The sprite spun around to the half-demon and hissed, "And why be that, mongrel?"

Not losing her cool for a moment, Raven casually explained, "It's easy really. Kind of funny; like it was staring me in the face the whole time and I just couldn't see it. It almost makes me feel stupid. Almost. What the situation is this. We need to get to the door at the end of this trail. The trail, though, is blocked by flesh-eating goblyns. Alright, now here's where you come in. You have a special magical energy that keeps aforementioned goblyns away. Not only that, but you know the way to the door. Okay, now here's where it gets tricky; we want you to take us to the portal out of here, but you want something in return. Now, while you were bragging about being a 'daughter of the earth' and all that, I suddenly realized something. Something important."

Raven's hand shot out and grabbed the flaming pixie, holding the sprite in an iron grip. Raven looked down at the burning fae and smirked as she said, "I'm stronger than you. So much stronger. I've killed nightmare beasts with my bare hands. I've banished demon lords and cursed dragons into eternal torment. I've stared apocalypses in the eyes. I have dined in Nessus; I have seen The Devil. And you, you little fairy... You are not even a mote in my eye next to them. You're a pest, vermin. I could kill you right now without even blinking."

Jinx could only watched, fascinated and horrified. Raven's shoulders had hunched as she held Illea, and heat emanated from her body. The half-demon's eyes had a feral light dancing in them, and her pupils thinned every so slightly. Illea had lit up like a roman candle, faerie fire engulfing Raven's hand; the cambion didn't even notice. The fiery sprite spit out, "You wouldn't dare! There are rules! This is my land!"

"And how sad is that? Just look at yourself. You're nobody. -Nobody-. There are no travelers on this road, there haven't been for years. So why are you here? What makes you stay? You can't even control the goblyns. They fear you, or at least your glamor, but follow you? Not a chance. And where are your sisters? If this road was a path, shouldn't there be more of you? Why aren't they helping you now?

And that's how it all makes sense. You're not here by choice. I don't know who you pissed off, but someone got tired of you and your little friends. So they locked you up; little lanterns, living guides through a forest that would eat everyone else alive. You were trophies, diversions, nothing more.

And then, they forgot you. They just left you here to the wilds, hoping that you would all die, one by one. Which you did. Maybe the forest took the cages, or maybe you all escaped; either way, you broke free, and nature took its course. But you? You were clever. You opened your cage just enough, but never really left. You knew better.

And that's been your life for... probably longer than the last ten generations of my family. Combined. Sitting here. Waiting. The scraps of some petty punishment in the backwater boondocks of a lost planar path. Alone, forgotten, thinking you've got it made just so long as you're alive. Hoping that every time you're woken up, things will have changed.

And you have the audacity, the sheer stupidity to try and get me to work for you. You honestly think that I would let you try and hold the Sword of Damocles over my head? You don't serve anyone, you don't belong to any court. You're free range, so let me put out my terms now. You're going to show us the way. Period. No charge, no task, no fee. Because I can always get that light out of you by myself. There are all sorts of ways; I can just kill you, or maybe I can drain your soul. But maybe, just maybe, I'll be dramatic; I'll bite your head off and take all that sweet fae essence for myself.

So, to recap; show us the way, or I'll end you."

Jinx and Illea stared horrified at Raven. Illea's flame had withered to a spark, and Jinx was slack-jawed. As if suddenly aware that this was not how normal human beings acted, Raven stood up straight and readjusted herself. The cambion grimly asked the fairy one last time, "Please."

A light shot out from Illea, and lanced through the forest. Darkness cut away, a few slimy goblyns slinking into the receding shadows. Rushing through the woods, a set of stone monoliths in the shape of an arch rushed through the woods, glowing with Illea's light. The oak doors were covered with ivory, but swung inward, revealing the path out of Faerie. Raven turned around to Jinx and gently whispered, "Sweetie, you first." Still traumatized, Jinx went through the archway by herself. Never letting go of Illea, Raven followed, stopping when one foot was past the door.

At last, Raven let go of the glowing pixie. Illea floated there for a moment, a look of scorn and hatred on her face as she hissed, "I'll remember this, mortal. I can live so much longer than you. All I have to do is wait, until the moment is ripe. Then, at your lowest, my venom will flow." Raven casually put her finger on her chin and thought for a moment, still watching the sprite. Finally, the half-demon intoned, "I'm not new to immortals, you know. So, think fast."

Raven's shadow magic shot out like a scorpion's stinger, piercing the fae in the stomach. The fairy watched in horror as shadows consumed her, turning her light into darkness, her soft lamp-light glow into dusky twilight. Soon, her pallor was all but monochrome. With utter terror, Illea heard the goblyns gathering around her, sharpening their cleavers and licking their lips. The sprite could only look at the grinning Raven with a mix of disgust and pleading, "But... I did what you wanted me to. You said I would live!"

Raven's eyes took on that familiar feral gleam again as she mocked, "The thing is... I lied. You can threaten me all you want. But my girlfriend? She's where I draw the line. That's my limit Fare thee well, fairest of folk."

As Raven went through the door, the last she saw of Illea was the darkness coming in around her, met with the smallest of screams. Raven turned around to find Jinx petrified with a mix of awe and terror. Stunned, the meta-human murmured, "Wow."

Like the cat that just ate the canary, Raven said, "I know. I'm amazing. Now let's get moving again."