"You sure about this, doll?" Vex asked.

"For the tenth time, I'm as sure as I can be. I don't know how this mirror will help, I only know it will."

"And how's a mirror supposed to make things right? Can it devolve Bo's devolution? Reverse it? I think not. And what about Bo's pet human?"

"Look, I don't know, okay? That's why we're here," Tamsin growled as she entered the Dal and saw her target standing behind the bar, speaking with the acting Ash.

"Trick?" the valkyrie called out tentatively, and knew instantly from his expression that the barkeeper had told the Ash what happened to Bo. "Goddammit, Trick! You promised!"

"It's not as simple as that, Tamsin," Trick replied. "Hale and Dyson were best friends... and Kenzi..."

Hale jerked his head around and gave Trick a look that could only be interpreted as a warning, one that the barkeeper easily read and chose to honor. "Kenzi is special...to us all. As is Bo. Besides, he's sworn on his blood honor that he would use his authority as acting Ash to keep this quiet for as long as he can. Believe me, we need someone with his influence on our side, now more than ever."

The valkyrie wasn't pleased but she recognized the truth of the Blood King's words. The phone to the Dal rang and Trick went to answer it as she approached the Ash and looked him squarely in the eye. "On your blood honor?"

"On my blood honor, I swear it." Hale's tone was sincere and Tamsin wanted to believe more than anything that he could be trusted; but there was just so much at stake.

Vex stood beside the blonde and vouched for the new Ash. "Relax, love, Hale's one of the good ones."

The tight bands that had been constricting her breathing since she first saw Trick consorting with Hale and considered what she would do should the weight of the light fae come crashing down around her and Bo were finally easing as she heard Trick's end of his phone conversation in the background.

"When?" Trick sighed. "Okay, thank you for letting me know."

He hung up the phone and bowed his head. He was taking his time turning around and that could only mean bad news.

"Trick? What was that about? Is it Bo? Is she okay?" Tamsin heard herself asking, dreading the answer.

The Blood King knew he couldn't delay telling them any further. "No, it wasn't about Bo," he said as he turned to face the others. "That was the hospital. It's Kenzi. They said...they said her injuries were too severe. She...she didn't make it."

Tamsin gasped softly, having felt like someone punched her in the gut. Silence took over the room as each of them endured their own private hell. Dyson, Bo, and now Kenzi...

Hale spoke up first. "Then do something about it, goddammit!"

"Hale!"

"No! Do not give me that shit! You are the goddamn Blood King! If you wanted it bad enough, Dyson would be back, safe and sound! Bo would be herself and Lauren, Stella AND KENZI would all be alive again. But you're too big of a pussy, aren't you?"

"Ah Hale," Vex ventured tentatively, "perhaps we should go outside and get a bit of fresh air. What do you say, mate?" The mesmer would never admit it to anyone, but Trick...one of the most powerful blood sage's he had ever come across and the same blood sage who forced the tentative peace between light and dark through his will with his blood...scared the living crap out of him.

"It's not that simple Hale! You know it isn't! Every time...EVERY DAMN TIME I spill my blood, something catastrophic happens as a result. There's always a price! The last time I did it...I helped save Bo's life from her mother. And do you know what happened? The GODDAMN Garuda happened, that's what! So don't you sit there on your perch and preach to me about doing what you think is right because you have no GODDAMN IDEA!"

No one had there had ever seen Trick get so angry before and each was reminded, not for the first time, that not only were his fae powers significant, so were his will and his passion. It had to be to give him the ability to forge the peace in the first place. After several long moments, Trick's temper seemed to deflate as helpless tears welled in his world weary eyes. "There's always a price," he reiterated softly; none of the fire from moments before remained, but all of the conviction was still intact. He would not use his blood this time.

Hale reached over and grasped the Blood King's forearm in silent apology, which Trick graciously accepted. "Besides, even if I could use my power without dire consequences, I don't hold sway over life, death and resurrection. That's a power greater even than my own."

But not the Wanderer's, Tamsin mentally added. Speaking of which...

"Trick, Vex and I have something that I was told could help us out somehow," she gestured behind her and her mesmer associate dragged the mirror and bracelet over to the bar.

"Yeah, because that wasn't vague at all," Hale gibed.

The barkeep huffed in surprise as he recognized the items but wasn't sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. "Where did you get this?" Trick rubbed his fingers over the texture of the bracelet, enthralled by what he thought was only legend. "Tamsin?"

"That...doesn't matter right now. Do you know what it is?"

"More importantly, do you know what it's good for, other than checking to ensure your mascara is applied evenly, that is?" Vex interjected. "What? Like I'm the only one here? Please."

"Well if it is what I think it is, it shouldn't even exist. But the bracelet...the carvings, which are clearly Sumerian...this has to be none other than the Mirror of Sisuthros."

Hale scowled at the two dark fae questioningly as Trick scurried down to his home. Moments later he returned with a book in hand. The Blood King flipped through the pages until he landed on his target victoriously. "It is! By Aphrodite."

"What can you tell me about it?" Tamsin persisted.

"I'll tell you, but only if you tell me where you heard about it from initially. Deal?" the barkeep bartered. The valkyrie mentally rolled her eyes, but agreed to the trade of information. It wasn't like they weren't all going to find out about the Wanderer sooner or later anyway.

"Like I said, this is the Mirror of Sisuthros. It dates back to at least the Bronze Age."

"Wow, that is old," Hale muttered.

"Hey watch it, songbird," Tamsin threatened playfully, knowing that Hale had no idea how old she really was. Neither did Vex if his expression was any indication.

"I always did have a thing for older women, you know," the mesmer whispered in her ear so only she could hear; so only the two of them knew why she threw her elbow back sharply into her good friend's stomach, eliciting a groan from the dark fae male.

Trick picked up on the gist of the exchange. "If you two are finished?" Both of the dark fae grinned unrepentantly.

"Anyway, legend has it that a powerful Sumerian oracle named Sisuthros made a deal with a god. In exchange for his loyalty and service, Sisuthros would be given obscene power. It was with this power that he created a window into other worlds, in which..." Trick paused and made eye contact with Tamsin as he finished his thought, "in which he wandered."

Shit. He knows.

Trick kept his gaze on Tamsin as he continued, hoping beyond hope that he had jumped to the wrong conclusion. "Sisuthros killed a wide variety random people he came across in his travels to these other worlds, fae and human alike, and absorbed their energy for himself. He was supposed to give a portion of this energy to his master but he got greedy and decided to over throw this god. But he didn't count on being found out before he had enough power to make his move and the god was greatly displeased. Legend has it that he turned Sisuthros' skin inside out and forced him to stay alive and aware for days in the desert as he was consumed by the creatures of the land."

"Well, that has to be one of the most horrible deaths I've ever heard of," Hale finally chimed in. Tamsin, Vex and Trick all remained quiet, however, each having witnessed deaths that were significantly more gruesome than Sisuthros' horrific end during their lifetimes.

"The mirror and the bracelet that controls it were presumed lost, hidden from humankind as a punishment to the earth for Sisuthros' betrayal, or so the story goes," Trick finished. "Alright, valkyrie. Your turn."

Tamsin held his gaze for several weighty moments, then finally relented. "You know, don't you? I don't know how you know, but you do."

Trick smirked. "I know what I think I know, but I think I need you to confirm it. Now." The authority in the Blood King's voice was unmistakeable and even the ever independent valkyrie was not immune to its charge.

"The how and why I know this is not important right now. But I will confirm the who. It is him. It is the Wanderer."

"The who?" Hale and Vex responded simultaneously.

"The Wanderer," Trick chimed in, "is the god from the story I just told you. He is as old as time itself with a power not seen on earth for many millennia. But what I don't know is what his interest is here. What his interest is with Bo."

"Oh I think you know that too, Blood King, or you wouldn't have pieced things together as quickly as you had. You already suspected the truth, didn't you?"

"Oh my God," Trick exclaimed.

"Exactly."

"Do either one of you wanna fill in the rest of us, please? It'd be nice to know what we're dealing with here, after all."

Tamsin turned toward her dark fae friend and Hale and answered the siren's question. "The Wanderer...he's Bo's father."

Silence.

Hale and Vex slowly turned and faced each other as they both voiced the only coherent thought in their minds.

"Holy..."

"...shit."

"Exactly," the valkyrie reiterated.

"How do you know him, Tamsin?" Trick asked again.

"No, dude. I meant what I said before. I'm not going to go into that right now. It doesn't make a difference one way or the other and we have more important things to talk about. Like this mirror. Like helping Bo."

"I don't see how it can possibly help Bo and frankly, I'm a little leery using it if the intel came from...him."

"Look, Trick, I understand your skepticism. I truly do. I share those feelings. But...he needs Bo to be helped. That much was clear from my dealings with him. He wouldn't steer us in the wrong direction because he wants us to rescue her, regardless of whatever his motivations or ultimate agenda is. So I say... we take it one step at a time. We use this mirror, we save Bo, and then we deal with whatever follows as it comes at us. What do you say, Blood King?"

All eyes turned to Trick as he deliberated. Though it only took a few seconds for him to reach a decision, to Tamsin it seemed like an eternity. "We'll play it your way for now, Tamsin. In truth, we really don't have any other viable options to try anyway and if this somehow helps..."

"Wait a minute," Hale interrupted. "If this mirror can connect us to other earths..."

"...then we can use it to find the one person who can stop Bo," Tamsin finished his thought, having realized at the same time as Hale how they could use best use it.

"You're not serious," Trick groused. He was willing to do just about anything to save his granddaughter but this...this was madness!

"Tell me, Trick, who better to stop Bo, than Bo herself?"

A few more moments of quiet passed as each fae considered Tamsin's strategy.

"Blimey," Vex exhaled unbelievingly.

"Do you even realize what you're suggesting? You'd go through to an alternate reality and somehow...what...kidnap their Bo and bring her back here with the hopes that she'll be able to stop our Bo? Do you have any idea how many ways this idea can go horribly, horribly wrong?"

"Oh okay. I guess we'll just go with one of those other viable options we were just talking about. Oh wait, that's right...there AREN'T ANY!"

"Hold up a sec," Hale jumped in between the Blood King and the valkyrie's verbal jousting. "Who says she gets to go? If anyone is going, it's gonna be me."

"No Hale. You can't go. You're the acting Ash," Trick replied.

"Exactly! How better to show I care for my subjects than to risk my life for them?"

"Sorry, Hale, I'm with the Trickster on this one. You would be the worst possible choice," the valkyrie injected.

"I could go, you know," Vex added. "I could find the succubus, bring her back here...have a little fun along the way of course..." the mesmer trailed off with a smirk.

"Okay, the second worst possible choice," Trick mumbled.

"Look guys, this isn't up for debate! I'm the only one here who can do this!" Tamsin was starting to lose her patience.

"If Dyson were here..."

"But he's not here, is he, Trick? He's gone, and so is Bo. We have no heroes this time around...the Wanderer made sure of that!"

"And yet, you trust that the information he gave you is sound? What if he just wants you out of the way too? Have you even considered that?"

Tamsin exhaled sharply. "It's a chance we'll have to take. Besides, we have no other choice, remember?"

Trick bowed his head, clearly not pleased with this plan but not sure what he could say to stop the valkyrie or if he should even try.

"We need a hero," Tamsin looked each of the light fae in the eyes as she pled her case. "Trick? Hale? If we stand any chance at all at saving Bo...at rescuing Dyson, we need a hero. And I'm just the one to go get her."

An unnatural stillness took over the Dal.

"Guys?" the valkyrie's brow furrowed. "What, did I stun you all into silence or something?"

But as she observed the three other men, she realized something more substantial was going on. A toothpick Vex had been fiddling with had fallen from his fingers and was floating, suspended in mid air. Time itself was frozen and somehow, she was the only one capable of movement.

The energy in the bar crackled, causing the light hairs on the blonde's arms to stand straight up, and a faint lavender colored glow tinted the room.

"What do you think you're doing, valkyrie?"

Tamsin swung around to face the source of the voice she knew all too well. The voice that haunted her waking nightmares.

The Wanderer.

"I'm doing what you want. I'm using the mirror to save Bo."

The Wanderer lunged toward her threateningly. "Don't play games with me, child! I know you intend to betray me, just as you intended to defy me before. Even now, I can hear your thoughts as you plot and scheme. You fool, as if I would allow you to stop that which has been ordained for over a millennia."

The Wanderer grabbed her by the throat. "It would seem you have finally outlived your usefulness to me," he snarled as he began to squeeze.

Tamsin closed her eyes and felt panic begin to overcome her senses, an uncommon emotional state for a valkyrie of her calibre and experience. Dispassionately, she realized struggling against his hold was pointless. If he wanted her dead, there was nothing she could do to stop him and she knew it. But just as the pressure around her throat seemed to be unbearable, it began to ease. The valkyrie opened her eyes and noticed the Wanderer's amulet was glowing brightly, as were his eyes. Just like Bo's...except amethyst, not blue like hers. His hand moved upward and he grasped her chin, transfixing her gaze with his, mesmerizing her.

An unnatural voice echoed from his throat as if it was coming from a source other than the Wanderer himself.

"You will bring Isabeau to me."

"N...no," Tamsin attempted to resist, to his great amusement. He stilled her motion with a thought and the valkyrie was paralyzed.

"Silly child. It has been foretold." His eyes opened wide, as if he were learning new truths he hadn't considered. "It's you," he marveled. "Your role in my fate is significant, valkyrie. We are...intertwined."

The man laughed and Tamsin cringed at the sound. He spoke again, his voice having returned to normal. "I had always known there'd be another involved in my fate, but I had always assumed it would be the wolf, not some pathetic, broken down valkyrie such as yourself." The Wanderer shook his head. "Oh my dear Tamsin, If only we had done this sooner, it would have saved me a great deal of trouble."

His grip tightened on her chin again as he closed his eyes and continued to speak the prophecy, the unnatural voice back in full force. "Only you will have the power to save my daughter from herself. Your true death awaits you, valkyrie; and from your sacrifice, I will have what I desire most. From you, my daughter and I will become as one and rule over the earth." He opened his eyes, and his voice returned to normal. "You're the catalyst, Tamsin, the key," he grinned maliciously and Tamsin felt a sick sense of foreboding.

The Wanderer reached for the bracelet and clipped it onto Tamsin's wrist, and with a whispered incantation Tamsin didn't understand, the stone in the bracelet began to glow bright blue. Like Bo's eyes. "I have enchanted the bracelet. It will ensure you go to a world where my Isabeau is strong enough to fulfill her destiny."

The man reached up and touched her temple and the paralyzed blonde noticed that the the amethyst amulet and his eyes seemed to glow even brighter. "The mirror is only the window. The power resides in the bracelet. If you have the bracelet, you have the mirror. Hear me now and obey: You will not remove the bracelet."

His eyes bore deeply into the green ones of the terrified valkyrie still in his grasp. "It would seem your dedication to my daughter will serve me well. Eventually. But for now, I'm afraid those kinds of sentiments will only get in the way. And so I gift you with that which you have bestowed upon so many of your adversaries."

Tamsin screamed as a surge of energy tore through her mind, disintegrating pathways, scorching thoughts, memories and emotions. When she opened her eyes once more, her expression was as blank as her mind was.

"You will know what you need to know, but only as I need you to know it. And now, fair journey, sweet girl," the Wanderer mocked as he shoved her motionless form backwards into the mirror, now portal, and the blonde disappeared from sight. "Bring my little girl back to me, valkyrie. My destiny is at hand."

His amulet flickered. "I have been in this realm too long," the powerful god growled as he vanished.

Time in the Dal resumed, with the three remaining fae each knowing and feeling something major had just happened beyond their awareness. The residual energy surrounding them too potent to be ignored.

"What...in the bloody hell was that?" Vex shook his head forcefully.

"Better question. Where's Tamsin?" Hale added as he and the others looked around the room.

"Tamsin isn't the only thing missing," Trick chimed in.

The three fae looked at where the bracelet used to be and were stunned, wondering what had happened to their blonde associate, how had she managed to get away so quickly; what was that energy and how did it factor into things?

More importantly, what were they supposed to do now?

Vex huffed impatiently.

"I knew I shoulda stayed at the Screw."


A/N:

KuraiNova: Thank you for the feedback! I love writing Vex btw. :) As you can see above, it gets angsty before it gets better before it gets angsty later on...and then, we'll see, right? ;)