Six days. They had been riding for six days without saddles. By that time, all the children and Ace were sitting in the back of the cart with the horses pulling the cart, so they were moving much faster. It was night, so they were all fast asleep. Except Ace. She shook Eowynn awake.

"Ace?" she grunted. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied. "It's just I wanted to ask you something."
"Yes?"

"What are the Stones?"

"Well," Eowynn sighed, "it's a long story. It all began with the Wise One. He grew up in a hut in the middle of a field and had strange dreams. He told of spirits whispering to him as he slept. They told him they were trapped, many suns away. When he grew older they disappeared and didn't come back until he was an adult. By then, they were getting desperate. They told him to bring the Stones to the field so they could come to this world. They could heal us from sickness and injury, even death! So he called upon our father to bring the Stones to make it."

"Make what?" Ace quivered, dreading the answer.

"A Stonehenge," Eowynn whispered. Ace's eyes widened. "Why? Does it matter?" Eowynn asked.

Oh my God! Ace thought. I've just discovered the biggest mystery of my time! And it's about aliens. What else could the spirits be?

"Eowynn?" Ace whispered. "Did the 'spirits' say their name?"

"Yes," Eowynn yawned. "The Aloegenians." She yawned again and went back to sleep.

Of course! Ace thought. Aloegenians! The Rift Makers of the Universe. She called to mind everything she knew about them. They go into other times and places to take technology and fuel. They're cyborgs, used as slaves on planet Gengelonia. They've been punching holes in the Universe to collect technology to fight the Gath. The Gath used them as slaves because they don't have a physical form. The Gath used their technology to try to invade the planet Strengand. When they failed, the Aloegenians stole their technology. Hey! I actually remembered that! Wicked! She thought of ways she could defeat them and eventually fell asleep.

When the morning came, Ace was awoken by the sounds of many people talking and whispering excitedly.

"Is it true? Is she the one?" A boy whispered.

"Of course she is, dimwit!" Another boy hissed back.

"Quiet! You'll wake her!" A woman snapped.

Ace sat up and looked around. The cart was in a sunny field, next to a ruined cottage. They had finally arrived. Eowynn was talking to a girl with raven black hair, Gwenn was still asleep, Anne was talking to a plump woman, with George by her side, Edward was throwing a stick for two wolf-like dogs and Thomas was helping his father unpack the tent equipment. She leapt up, jumped out of the cart, and ran out to them.

"Hey! Gregory, Thomas! Need a hand?" Gregory considered her, but Thomas nodded vigorously behind his back.

"Alright," Gregory scowled. "But don't drop anything! And don't touch the Stones!"

She nodded, but stuck her tongue at him when he turned around. Thomas grinned. Ace took out the remaining equipment and set up the tents.

"Okay!" Gregory yelled at the raven-haired girl. She stumbled, obviously startled, nodded and walked over to the cottage. She held back the fur curtain and muttered to someone inside. Out came a withered old man.

"Are they here?" he croaked. Gregory stepped forward.

"I have them," Gregory chirped proudly. "The Stones are with me."

"Yes," the old man nodded. "Place them on the charcoal lines. And make sure they're straight!"

Gregory nodded, looking disappointed that the man had not given him further praise, and turned to his sons sulkily.

"Do as he says!" he yelled. "You too, Ace!"

Ace ran over to the cart and helped the boys unload one of the Stones, which was incredibly heavy. Sweat beaded their brows. Gregory rolled his eyes and marched over.

"You bunch of weaklings!" he shouted, lifting the Stone and carefully lowering it onto the grass without breaking a sweat. Ace frowned but the boys just gaped in amazement.

Two hours later, they had lowered all the Stones and were carrying them to the charcoal lines. Another hour later they had finished. Eowynn's dark-haired friend came over.

"Hello," she muttered unblinkingly. "Dorothy, wasn't it?"

Ace stared. How could she have known! "How did you…?" she began.

"Girl!" A man barked. The girl jumped.

"I'd better go. Bye!" said the girl. She ran off. Ace turned her head to Thomas, while still frowning after her.

"Thomas?" he looked at her. "Who's that girl with the dark hair?" He blushed and Ace tried not to grin.

"Oh," he replied. "Her. That's Ebony. She's the orphaned granddaughter of the Wise One. Her mother was killed by a wild boar just after Ebony was born. Her grandfather called her Ebony because of her dark hair. The Wise One looked after her well, until the visions came. Then he sort of neglected her. But occasionally he gets her to do things for him."

Now Ace understood. "Of course," she sighed to herself, "She would have grown up on the rift the Aloegenians made. That's how she knows who I am. Either that or…" Her eyes widened. "It can't be! That would mean…" If she was right, everyone was in danger. Including her! She bolted.

"What is it?" Thomas yelled after her. She signalled for him to stay where he was. When she reached the entrance of the cottage, Eowynn grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing?" Eowynn hissed. "You're not allowed in there!"

"I'm saving your neck!" she whispered back. "Listen, Ebony and the Wise One are being possessed by the spirits! Did you tell them about me?"

Eowynn bit her lip. Ace's heart almost stopped.

"What did you tell her?"

"I'm so sorry, Ace!" Tears ran down her cheeks. "I didn't know! I told her… I told her you were from the Otherworld."

Ace closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She then opened her eyes again and made her way inside. Eowynn followed, desperate to make up for her mistake. Inside, no one was in sight, but there was a mirror in the corner. Eowynn stared.

"That's beautiful!" They both stepped over to it. Ace looked at her reflection. The surface of the mirror was a deep blue and ice cold. She pressed hard against it and her hand went through.

She could see her hand in the mirror, covered in ice. It was going numb, so she pulled it out. The ice was now melted. Intrigued, she pushed her hand through again. Her reflection smiled when Ace hadn't. She felt, and saw, her reflection pull her hand. She knew she had to find out what was happening, so she stepped into the mirror. She bit her lip, so much it bled, to stop herself screaming with the pain of the ice compressing around her. Finally, it stopped. She looked around and saw the deep blue grass and sky, streaked with dark purple. Gengelonia.