"Wow, so cool!" the little creation murmured in awe, staring up at a medium sized ball that Etihw constructed from light magic and geomancy, producing a solid crystal that formed into one of the various diamonds scattered throughout the world. "It looks like a Christmas tree ornament!"

"Does it?" the Goddess asked with a smile, it being a rhetorical question because she used the diamond crystals as decorations on Christmas trees and other things too. "You must be fond of decorating the tree when Christmas is around, Crea. Here, why I don't I give you this one as a gift from me to you as a token of our friendship?" Holding the magical object out with her eyes closed, Etihw maintained the smile while the young creation—whom she didn't believe was a creation as the girl's innocence and cute appearance won the Goddess over—accepted the present from her.

"Thank you very much, Eti!" Crea replied happily, beaming happily after receiving the gift which made her happy because she would cherish this item forever. This was a special present she got from a Goddess representing the very first time she interacted with such an omnipotent, divine figure. As such, Crea had to be extra careful with it so it wouldn't break. When she addressed this Goddess now, she had referred to her by the nickname Kcalb used frequently to shorten her name. The Devil didn't mind, discussing foreign affairs with Envi as the two girls chatted amicably about a wide array of topics in the span of the short hour the Goddess and Devil had available for them.

"Why, you're very welcome, Crea. It was a pleasure meeting you," Etihw responded when the timer on her desk beeped, indicating it was time for a meeting she had to attend. Picking it up, the Goddess sighed somewhat irritatingly because she hated work. She had just made a new friend and wanted to spend time with this little girl by playing with her. Work took time away from that, though there was hardly anything she could've done when Kcalb was seated at the other desk near hers and could use some of his powers to restrain her from escaping the responsibilities Etihw had to handle and maintain on a daily basis. Her daily basis was always work since her laziness always put them back way behind schedule, yet it was amazing how the staff were able to get around that hindrance to make progress. The thought was enough to make Etihw consider putting that idea out there to let Kcalb know they didn't need her; unfortunately, the plan would have backfired anyway as it usually did, especially with the camera she couldn't tamper with watching her. Even if Etihw could mess with its configuration to avoid work and letting others watch her gripe about work, she didn't know where to begin because she didn't know where the manual—if there was one—was.

"What's wrong, Eti?" Crea asked, a bit disappointed that their time together was up. "Work holding you back?" Her smile became a frown displaying that disappointment, her cheer gone.

"I'm afraid so," the Goddess commented, hearing the sound of Kcalb's pager also beeping. Knowing Crea was sad they couldn't get to play together for a bit longer, Etihw simply smiled due to thinking of an idea that could allow her to spend more time together. "Tell you what, Crea, why don't you and Envi go make a few appointments to come back and visit the castle. If he's so busy with his work at times, I can always make time to watch over you for him, and if I'm not available I can instruct a friend of mine to stay and befriend you too. How's that? Sound good, Crea?"

The little creation's joyous smile returned, beaming happily through her mask as she gave Etihw a hug the Goddess happily returned. "Yay! Thank you, Eti!" she cheered, looking forward to additional opportunities she could have to play with her new omnipotent friend in this world.

"And once again you're very welcome. I had a lot of fun getting to meet you today, Crea," the Goddess replied with a smile and gently rubbed the top of Crea's head, showing the young girl with plenty of friendly affection she showed to other little children like her. "I'm sorry I must go."

"It is okay, Eti, we can play together again next time!" the creation smiled to cheer her up, somehow a bit aware of Etihw's hatred for work as evident in how the Goddess reacted when that timer of hers beeped. Her childlike joy made Etihw happy, and the Goddess could only giggle with the thought of playing with Crea again in mind since it meant she got a chance to avoid work once more like she usually did. What didn't cross her mind, however, was how easily Kcalb consented, letting these two foreigners meet the two of them and interact with them too. Etihw just attributed that to the Devil letting her have a break to please the girl, taking a break himself to talk with Envi, the demon saying his goodbyes to Kcalb and coming over to take Crea's hand. "See you later!"

"Yes, we'll see each other again, real soon!" Etihw replied happily, waving to them as they waved back before leaving the office. "Well, that was fun," she added half to herself, half to Kcalb since he was still here as well, getting ready for a meeting he had to attend too. "I must say it I've enjoyed this little surprise. She was such a nice girl and I had a lot of fun drawing with her today." Turning to address Kcalb just as Wodahs showed up to deliver some files, she spoke up to ask the Devil for his opinion on the pair. "What about you, Kcalb? You looked interested in Envi's chat."

"Ah, did you both receive a visit from somebody while at work?" Wodahs asked as Kcalb nodded, speaking up to answer his younger brother's question while voicing his thoughts on them.

"Indeed, a pair of foreigners who've arrived in our world from another underworld not too long ago. They were a good sort, very unlike many demons in other hells. It was intriguing talking with Envi about foreign affairs and other topics like history, literature, mathematics, business, etc. I know Eti enjoyed getting a break from all the work she's been doing, if only for a short while."

"I like to think I've actually earned that break," Etihw chimed in with her own opinion.

"For once, considering how you usually don't," Wodahs chuckled at her expense, the taunt also making his older brother chuckle too while Etihw made a face at them. "All kidding aside, I'd like to know why you entertained them when you're were busy. Did they have an appointment?"

"No, Crea said it was a surprise visit," the Goddess answered him honestly.

"Yes, they confirmed that," Kcalb assented, easily agreeing with that part of what they said when the two foreigners first showed up in their office an hour ago. "Though there was something that bothered me. It wasn't their behavior or attitudes since I could sense they were good and kind."

Etihw blinked, wondering about what he could've meant and feeling like he might've been thinking about something negative regarding them. He sometimes found negative thoughts in a lot of things before Ivlis' invasion even after they made peace, though was still quite nice despite that rough nature of his which was only a defensive maneuver brought on by his past shyness. Yet she didn't think he said that to insult their guests after they already left. "What do you mean, Kcalb?"

"I could sense they were being honest, though they didn't seem to be telling the entire truth about where they came from," Kcalb went on. "I also sensed a familiarity to Satanick on Envi."

"I see…" Etihw murmured softly, keeping her voice low too like Kcalb so the guests would not have heard them through the door if they were both eavesdropping on this part of the dialogue. "So, does that mean what I think it means? That the Gentleman Devil finally located his wife?"

"It might be the case, so we'll have someone look into their presence," Wodahs stated.

"I heard Crea ask if there were any vital foreign diplomats here," Kcalb said. "It was when Envi and I first mentioned foreign customs by mentioning otherworldly emissaries. She sounded disappointed when she heard we were not entertaining anyone of the sort because no emissaries are here. Just foreign tourists and Lil. She might've only been asking because she wanted to meet other foreigners like her who may have had ties to upper classes," he concluded based on that idea.

"Then if they have ties to the Gentleman Devil, surely a likely conclusion we might reach from this is a plan to retrieve their Devil's wife by collecting her in secret as they may not want to draw attention to their presence and activities in the Gray Garden," Wodahs remarked quietly, his voice just loud enough for only the Goddess and Devil to hear. His conclusion was a sound one, for this idea was the only one they could think of because it was the only one most applicable to the foreign visitors. "It sounds like the one Crea might not be involved, but this Envi fellow might."

"Precisely, which is why we must keep an eye on them to observe their movements as well as any actions they take. Security will have to be increased considering how delicate and dangerous the situation might become, hence why we should tread cautiously to ensure we don't cause trouble for them because they could perceive that as us being the aggressors towards them," Kcalb said to put forth a plan on how to handle the issue. "We should instruct a few nightblades to watch them."

"Yes, that would be for the best at this time," Etihw agreed. "Wodahs, gather some to give them the following instruction:" she added, turning to the Head Angel. "Tell them they're to watch the demons known as Crea and Envi to observe their actions and search for any other agents of the Gentleman Devil, Satanick, who might also have come to the Gray Garden. Also inform them they should also be aware of wherever Lil might be so they can guard her from them in case they strike."

"Understood, I shall head out at once," the Head Angel replied affirmatively and was about to warp out when Kcalb spoke up to provide an additional detail that might have been helpful.

"Stenvarrdo called to inform me that a small team of four headed out to the Neyrom Marsh near Susent in the adjacent region of Walbury. One of his archaeologists, Nova, led the team with Froze assisting her. They're heading out to perform a preliminary investigation at the water temple of Crystallis, and have a couple guards in their entourage. Stenvarrdo said he and Maurice planned on hiring seven adventurers to serve that purpose, but only two—Macarona and Lil—showed up."

"Then we must make haste to ensure Satanick's forces do not learn of their location," Etihw uttered, looking back to Wodahs with an additional order. "Wodahs, make it clear no info is to be turned over to Envi and Crea or anyone else who asks. They must not discover where Lil may be."

"Very well, though we cannot stop the two of them from visiting the departments," Wodahs mentioned, making that problem with the order clear. "They may get suspicious if they are barred from touring the archaeology and anthropology centers. Only that information must not be told."

"I understand, but please get to it at once," the Goddess spoke quickly, gesturing him to go so the Head Angel could leave and handle the issue right away. She sighed when he warped away, putting a hand to her head because she didn't like how another possible invasion might have been underway with Satanick, the Gentleman Devil, being at the helm of this one. "Damn…" she spoke quietly while Kcalb headed out to that meeting he was needed at, "Ivlis, Siralos, Hastur…and now Satanick's probably going to attack the Gray Garden as well." It was only a thought, one she didn't hope would ever come true because she wanted to keep the people of this world safe as with their world itself. Plus she had actually come to like Crea a lot and wished the poor girl wasn't involved.

"You imbecile! Do you have any idea what you've done?! You just risked jeopardizing our mission by going to them!" Anten cursed the novice assassin, hissing at him from the shadow of a tree the three assassins were under. Crea was playing nearby, diving into flowers to catch some of the butterflies she saw, completely and totally oblivious to the conversation her caretaker was right in the middle of having with his coworkers. "They could begin to suspect why we're even here!"

The goat demon shut his eyes, leaning back against the tree with a sigh escaping his mouth. "I've not said anything of who we really to the White Goddess and Black Devil, nor did at all say which underworld we originated from. Besides, the stones Mr. Satanick provided us before we left are supposed to shield us from their discovery of our intentions and mission. Granted they are still prototypes my associates back in Castle Flankenstein are still working on, though at the very least we could formulate a story that we purchased them as souvenirs while passing through the Devil's Kingdom if they do get suspicious of us." Envi opened his eyes, observing Crea's playfulness with a smile before the smile was a frown again. "And please keep your voice down, Anten. We cannot be heard here, remember? Someone—perhaps the authorities—might overhear our conversation."

"He is correct," Daimonji concurred in favor of their new member's argument, displeasing Anten by siding with the goat demon. "You must be patient, Anten. You know complications may arise that can be dealt with appropriately once we've analyzed the issues and conclude on a means to maintain our secrecy while ensuring the problems are resolved safely so we can remain secret."

"When we're assassinating somebody, yeah, not when we can't assassinate anyone!" Anten retorted bitterly, getting fed up with this mission. He much rather preferred slaying somebody than letting a target live; it was such poor business in terms of what assassins like themselves did. Anten would've gladly slew a target after much careful planning both prior to and during missions. While he would've been happy to be patient under that circumstance, letting Lil live was not anything he could feel comfortable with. "We're assassins, not some retrievers fetching fools from anywhere!"

"We have our orders, so follow them," the other demon within the shadows commented in an authoritative tone to silence their companion before addressing Envi. "Was Miss Lil inside?"

Envi shook his head. "We didn't see her; the Black Devil and White Goddess confirmed it when the matter was brought up to them, and I'm positive they were not lying about that matter."

"Then do you suppose they're covering for her if they're aware of who we are?" Daimonji inquired for the novice's opinion since the goat demon did meet with them. "We didn't see her go out of the castle grounds. If she left before our arrival with us unaware, the lady may be in Gray Village." It was the only other theory he could think of since he knew Lil liked populated areas as she was a very social lady. Then again, he supposed she might've been on her way elsewhere too. Where exactly he wasn't entirely sure, though Gray Village seemed like the closest bet for now.

"I don't know if they are, but I do believe she isn't staying in the castle," Envi replied and stretched his arms up in the air before resting them behind his head. "She isn't in the hotel and we would know she would be. When Crea and I were walking up to the castle's entrance, we saw nine people using a device called a warp slate to teleport into Gray Village. We learned about that when Crea got interested in the thing, leading to an explanation from a couple angels who also used it."

"Which explains how the lady got past Daimonji and I undetected," Anten theorized since for once he actually could agree with Envi. "Yet neither of you saw her inside at all when she—"

"Could've been there, yes," the goat demon admitted, finishing for the other demon. "Crea wanted to see the rulers, and I felt it was a good way of making a first impression despite the risk."

"Making yourself known in a positive light to those who might suspect you of being within the dark…" Daimonji murmured. He may not have shown it, but he was impressed by the forward thinking Envi displayed. "I see...and I presume you acknowledged the consequences of us rescuing you both if needed," he added, again displeasing Anten because of how lenient he appeared to be.

"Absolutely," was all Envi needed to say as it was an honest answer that also irked Anten.

"Hmm…you do have the makings of an intelligent assassin, Envi," Daimonji commented.

"Though your competence is yet to be determined," the other veteran hissed at the novice.

"I understand," the goat demon acknowledged their remarks. "So, what's the plan now?"

"Simple," Daimonji stated clearly, already prepared with the order he had in mind. "You're to continue upholding the perspective of you and Crea coming across as tourists as you search for Miss Lil. Anten and I shall continue to observe you from the shadows while keeping a lookout for her as well from our separate vantage points which shall be near your location. The two of you are going to be on the move, but so will we to cover the entire areas around you in a circular fashion."

"Soon enough we'll find out where that bitch disappeared to and drag her ass back into the Devil's Kingdom by force," Anten commented in a threatening tone of voice directed at Lil, though she wasn't around to hear the old assassin bodyguard assigned to her by her husband in the past.

"Again, patience, Mr. Anten, we must handle this discreetly," Envi murmured to him.

"And you must really shut the hell up, newbie! You're treading on dangerous territory here, especially as you think of yourself as all high and mighty compared to us veterans!" Anten hissed.

"I've said nothing of the sort, nor did I imply it," Envi stated calmly in his own defense.

"Enough, Anten, don't blow our cover," Daimonji added, displeasing Anten yet again.

They could feel the wind blowing by them, brushing their hair as it swayed gently in a soft flurry of breezes while the cart traveled along the railway. Heading east towards Crystallis, Froze's eyes glanced over to the horizon which she stared critically at to examine the scenery for signs any threats could've posed to indicate risks the threats would've caused. The view was very pretty with the afternoon sun hanging overhead, nary a cloud in the blue sky above the marshland they passed by. It was almost like riding a train, seated on balconies in between some passenger cars where the passengers could sit and chat while enjoying brisk outdoors on railway journeys. Seated on a side of the cart next to Nova as Lil and Macarona claimed the other side to watch a different angle of Neyrom Marsh, her hood lowered to let her blond hair flow freely with the mask down as it began to get a tad itchy, the young angelic researcher had been eating her lunch which she saved for now. They all preserved their lunches for when they could take a short break, though hadn't eaten before due to searching for the key and portable generator which were in the tiny hands of local Gremlins.

Turning towards the handle which the lever was attached to, Froze watched their guide for the time being, the head Gremlin of the pack, sit atop it calmly in a state of peace. A small pipe in his mouth ejected some herbal smoke, the smell made from five herbs: violets; scullcaps; passion flowers, gardenias, and meadowsweets. The scent was very soothing, peaceful, and it calmed their concerns. Froze recognized the individual scents somewhat, hence why she could correctly deduce what they were because of how proficient Yosafire was as an alchemist with a wide array of herbs for all sorts of remedies. Her demonic friend used the same kinds of herbs, so Froze felt quite sure her assumptions about the herbs were correct and she was also reassured by how safe they were to use from remarks Yosafire made and also by Mozig's additional reassurances about their safety.

The tiny Gremlin leader was an old figure in his tribe, wise and respected by them because of wisdom and strong leadership among the other Gremlins. His skin was soft, being a bit wrinkled due to his age, patches of hair on his body making him look like a furry hamster, gerbil, or guinea pig. A white stripe of hair atop his head, somewhat like a Mohawk which had been out of style for centuries in this world whereas in others it was popular, was a sign of his status as the tribe's head. Mozig was humming a tune as he was smoking the herbal ingredients, his voice being a comforting sound that soothed the riders. Froze had to admit this little furry ball of brown hair, while old and wise, was actually kind of adorable because of how regal he came across as from a primitive view. Not that she would mention this aloud for it would embarrass her, though what impressed her more was the fact that he successfully cultured an entire tribe of gremlins and modernized them slightly. An amazing trait of his that went well with these elements was how well he understood their speech and spoke it too, having become fluent in this world's language and the international language too.

"You know," she spoke up to address their guide, finding time to comment on these aspects, "I would never have thought creatures like you would've been able to civilize yourselves like you and your tribe have done, Skaal Mozig. Your handling of them from what I've seen when you had settled your kinsmen down was most impressive, for I have read various accounts describing your kind as being vicious and mischievous. You've must've done something to convert them to peace."

"It is merely the doing of experience that led my people to the discovery of how they would always be hunted as retribution for their sins and words from our very first Skaal who did convert them as you say, young one," the Gremlin Skaal spoke in a deep, raspy tone when replying shortly after exhaling a ring of smoke from his mouth and looking through it as a way of divining the next occurrence of their future along this trip. "When the Gremlins of Norges first gathered during what you humanoid folk refer to as your unnamed war between the Light and Dark, there was chaos and disunity among us. Arguments were made from all sides, each demanding they govern our society. All wanted it to flourish, none could concur on a means of accomplishing it. War then erupted, the conflict engulfing us as we fought for the various beliefs each individual followed. We could have become an entirely peaceful civilization, small as it was, or we may have warred against the folks of Light and Dark and Twilit Dusk for supremacy. In the end all sides and from amongst ourselves realized we were not progressing towards a solution and settled on a compromise. We were to live in peace amongst one another and defend our home against what the humanoid folk send after us."

"Wow…impressive for a population much like yourselves," Nova remarked in awe of him and his people, how they arrived at a peaceful solution for their benefit while protecting themselves from other creatures and people that sought to harm them. "But what exactly led to an established order of tribal Gremlins? Was it the hunts your people sought to escape from, or the conflicts that threatened your lives? Surely something had to have united them into a unified tribal civilization."

"If by conflicts, Dame Nova, you mean the wars and hunts included, yes, you are correct," Mozig confirmed it from her, taking whiffs from his pipe again before relaying more of this aspect to the party. "Prior to settling, we were malevolent and stealthy in our acts of aggression, passively or violently depending on what our plans and actions were. Such conduct garnered disdain and the demand to hunt us down for disrupting other social civilizations like the Light and Dark—the latter primarily because that was where we originated from until migrating to Neyrom Marsh for peace. Yet we warred against other packs that have not organized into tribes like we have on our journey, the tribes themselves also conflicting for various purposes each believed in. Separately, we had an assortment of religions and cultures we didn't know were alike until analyzation and interpretation of them led to the unification of these ideals into one pantheon and social order we all followed."

"What sort of omnipotent beings and spirits does your tribe follow?" Macarona asked since she was curious as to what their religious customs were like. "Do you follow old practices and also rituals that keep you in touch and in tune with this divine and spiritual energy as well as the land?"

Mozig nodded, freely turning over the information so long as it could've led them to better understand his people so that the tribe he led wouldn't have to fear angels, demons, and Nephilim anymore. "That we do, for the land calls us and we obey its summons when natural affinities along with the elements dictate our laws and natural ways. We do not follow the worships of deities and Devils, what lesser entities of the Light and Dark like yourselves refer to as your respective leaders. Our figures are older, natural, and ancient from an existence when worlds were not as old as they are now. Our stronghold follows many diverse spirits in our pantheon, like the Flott Jeger who is referred to by outsiders of the Light and Dark like you as a sort of Great Hunter in your tongue."

"The Flott Jeger?" Lil murmured, wondering what the historical significance of that figure was. "What sort of hunter was this guy? Somebody who lived off the land and hunted for sport?"

"Not for sport, Dame Lil, but only insofar as to provide for the tribe," the Skaal responded, going over the importance of this particular hunter. "In the Flott Jeger's time and our own as ways of our great ancestors have been passed down to us, the Gremlins of Norges would hunt down the wilderness' livestock only for the sake of providing our kin with nourishment. We always respect the natural world, for we live in it just as the other inhabitants do and make use of it for their own needs as do we. The Flott Jeger was the greatest marksman of our tribe; after his passing, we have deified him the same way we do for all of the significant Gremlins who distinguished themselves. He is the most influential of those in our pantheon according to our ancestors, hence why we heed his instructions because it was him who led our tribe to the Neyrom Marsh, our homeland for many years and countless centuries. It was also him who unified the many tribes into one settlement."

"What of your trade routes if any are present with our society, and why do you alone speak our language?" Froze inquired, pondering if those two traits of this tiny Gremlin civilization in the Gray Garden were connected in some way. In her mind, she thought the reason why Gremlins like this shaman here spoke the language was to hopefully avoid problems with other inhabitants. The fact they possessed modern technological equipment like the generator was evidence of what may have been a network of trade between them and society, probably Susent because it was nearby.

"There aren't trade routes, Dame Froze; everything's taken from the wilderness. We do not trade with the other folk of this world, though only interact on occasions when we desperately seek to discourage others from trespassing on our territories. There are times such as our previous bout with you all when we are forced to fight; past experience taught us that only you who speak this language and an international one could listen to us. We learned a great deal about these languages from manuscripts our people found in the past to learn how to speak. Many a Gremlin in the tribe doesn't know the languages, for only one Hoyttaler—speaker in your tongue—is allowed to read the books and become a Vis Mann who will lead the tribe and lecture in assemblies in certain sites of crucial significance to our faiths. At times in conflict with outsiders, we recovered items which you may consider stolen; we acknowledge they are, but do not return them since the outsiders have not ever returned to reclaim them. As such items are no longer valuable to them, we claim it all as our own. You might call it villainy if the objects were significant, though the trinkets are small. It could be referred to as mischief in that case, but we only took the stuff after the outsiders fled our territory, henceforth they are spoils of conflicts we have achieved victory in for the tribe's sake."

"Which explains why adventurers and guards are sent out to retrieve those goods when the items are missed by the property owners," Nova surmised, coming to a comprehensive conclusion regarding why this population of intelligent, aloof Gremlins was considered part of the population of Gremlins as a whole. "But that would mean your people would be harmed unless an agreement is reached via negotiations once the items you stole are given back, otherwise you'll all be slain."

"Gremlins not of our flock, those who ransack our stronghold in raids," Mozig explained, "are mostly responsible for that. They assault travelers like yourselves and even our tribe for many would-be rewards they seek if victorious in battle against us. They are hostile, though not difficult to vanquish due to their unmodern culture. It is more primitive than ours, but like us in the past."

"And yet a few things could still go missing because of you," Froze put forth a counterpoint against the Skaal's argument, the accusation coming across as drastic even though it was still true.

"I shall not speak to that charge aside from confirming it, though it is part of our ways."

"Ways that essentially paint you as petty thieves," the demonic lady in their group said, for she too agreed that theft was still theft all the same. "Whatever your ways may be, old man, you're no better than any other thief. You claim you want peace, but do nothing to discourage thievery."

"It is in our blood, and we've managed to avoid the folk of your world whenever they have come in search of the stolen goods we seized in victory over outsiders. Sometimes we hide in low places in shadows, other times we pin the blame on Gremlins not of the tribe," Mozig went on. He dared not argue against all the members of this small group he was forced to escort to Crystallis. They destroyed the weapons his stronghold made use of—well, only Lil did, proving she was more than capable of crippling them; perhaps she was too powerful for the whole tribe to fight. It meant Mozig and his people were no longer in any position to espouse their customs on others while they demanded for those customs to be accepted. He and his tribe were defeated, thus leaving him with no choice but to cater to their whims for the time being while they were on their expedition here.

"No wonder why living contradictions like yourself are always getting into trouble. You're talking about the honor of your fellow kinsmen here, but don't make any effort to blend in or make peace with others who inhabit the Gray Garden," Lil went on, criticizing them in a critical tone of voice while glaring at the Skaal. "I don't give a shit about what you use stolen goods for since they don't belong to you—period. If you're going to be the little thieving shits you always are although acknowledging that, the guards might as well send in armies to overrun your sorry asses and throw you all in prison for theft. I don't even feel sorry for wrecking your shit; you clearly deserved it."

"That's a little harsh, don't you think, Lil?" Macarona intervened, trying to calm the lady.

"True, though how else can I put it?" her demonic friend replied, being nicer to her instead of giving the Gremlin Skaal the same treatment. "Thieves are still thieves no matter however they portray themselves to others who perceive them in any light. Although the sentence can be lessened depending on how minor the crime and theft is, perhaps even being pardoned in some cases, there is still the need for justice, Macarona. It is understandable sometimes, I will admit; not all the time, though, because acknowledging it as a crime is one thing. Continuing to commit it is another story entirely for the sake of one's own benefit, even if it is for the good of a peaceful group that wants to be left alone. Old man Mozig says his people live off the land, yet they steal things too. If they live off the land, they would only hunt; however, they also live off things they steal in battles."

"Meaning the theft isn't necessary at all," the young angelic grappler concurred. She could understand where Lil was coming from and was in full agreement with it, but still felt she couldn't be too harsh on the Gremlins. "They might deserve punishment for it, though belittling them does not really make us better than them as we could come across as being too hard on them when only the charges levied should suffice. The Gremlins may have stolen things from our people, but we're not so cold as to insult them for being thieves in the first place even if they say they won the stuff."

"Fair enough, Macarona," Lil easily consented to that logic without arguing since she fully agreed with her angelic friend. "I'll not say anything more of it other than that they deserved it."

"Your tongue is critical, yet not without the truth within your words, Dame Lil," the Skaal commented to concede the point. "We are Gremlins; we are a mischievous population; that I shall not deny because it is part of who we are and always have been. Our ways cannot change as they're a part of our nature, so we may indeed be the thieves you make us out as. Gremlins of Norges were not always the civilized, yet tribal society we are now, though our roots remain prevalent as it is a component of our ancestry. This is how it's always been, and we shan't go against our ancestors."

"Even if your ancestors didn't give two shits from a rat's ass about their descendants getting caught for thievery, thus posing a risk to your way of life and future generations of your tribe," Lil added coldly, crossing her arms briefly before moving one to brush hair out of her eyes to observe the scenery passing by. Her gaze fluttered over to the east and she could make out a line of gnarled trees on the horizon as they were getting closer to their destination as Mozig confirmed back at the abandoned village following their victory over the Gremlins which led to him admitting defeat and offering to be an escort for the ride. "Though enough about your history of thievery regardless of whether you stole or won things. You must use this rail line to travel to the water temple often."

"Yes, to offer up sacrifices to it that walks the land and swims the waters," Mozig stated to explain another part of the tribe's culture. "We prepare ritual sacrifices for our deities and monsters that threaten our tribe, you see. The beast up ahead is one such predator of the latter, having claimed the location you travel towards. It has threatened my people many times due to its proximity by an area we hunt in. Only by offering it live sacrifices have we been able to appease its hunger to stop its killings of us; my assumption is that you're on your way to present sacrifices too, or be them."

"Wait, you're actually planning on betraying us?" Froze raised her voice angrily, upset that the shaman brought the idea up if he did make them sacrifices. "You think we're your sacrifices?"

"Of course, your offense is quite unwarranted though since that is what we usually do," the Skaal answered honestly, aware that he was placing himself in a terrible position in which his foes would turn against him in retaliation. "We have always used this rail line to offer sacrifices to this great beast, hence why your usage of it and the place you wish to go have led to that conclusion."

"You do realize speaking this idea of a possible treason from your end can backfire, right?" Nova asked, not really worried because she and her team could possibly handle whatever creature lurked at Crystallis. They were pretty skilled and came prepared, aware that something dangerous could've happened because of any creatures that called this land their home. "It's murder after all."

"Only in your perspective of it," Mozig replied simply without any further elaboration.

"Well, our perspective and yours have proven you're nothing but thieves and murderers in what may be considered your gods forsaken marsh," Lil spat at him, the truth coming out as venom. "You lead us to our deaths and you'll have an entire world against you. People of this world shan't forgive that, old man, and they'll come after you, sending armies in to crush your tribe's existence."

"Then what would you have us do, Dame Lil?" the Gremlin inquired, willing to make some sort of compromise on behalf of his people to spare them that fate so they could continue to live a peaceful lifestyle; albeit with customs that may have come across as thievery and murder to anyone who wasn't a member of the tribe. "Our tribe survived for generations, years. Why evoke hostilities towards us in spite of the confession I offered when we can cooperate? I have admitted to what all outsiders can refer to as thievery, and I shall also admit that you can call our sacrifices murder."

"Cooperate?" Froze repeated the word in the form of a question, adding no words to it due to her disbelief that Skaal Mozig wanted to work with them in exchange for some kind of benefits for both parties. She was quite skeptical of whatever arrangement he wanted to make; so were Lil and Nova since they too were suspicious about it. "You do realize we're here for our own objective and not to fight your battles for you. What makes you think we would agree to working with you?"

"Because it is the only alternative—nay, the only solution to ensure my tribe's survival."

"We can slay whatever resides in Crystallis, but not for you," Nova stated because she did not think there was anything in it for her team. "This ride is your apology for attacking us back in your home when we inadvertently trespassed along our way to the water temple. We've made our apologies to you and did not seek to seize anything of yours except for borrowing the items needed to make this cart your people repaired function. Our interest lies in relics and other evidence of the archaeological and anthropological elements of history which can be found at Crystallis. It is why we've come to Neyrom Marsh, if only as a preliminary survey of the site to analyze dangers along with some pieces for an initial investigation of the premises. What could you possibly provide?"

"Um, let's not be too hasty to refuse a peace offering of sorts," Macarona intervened while standing up and stepping over to the handle so she could face Mozig. "Skaal Mozig, if you would be so kind as to inform us of what this creature that resides in the water temple is like, we can slay it easier than if we were not aware of what manner of beast it is prior to our arrival. Understanding it is vital to success in our mission, and while our doing so would benefit both parties, you have to offer up something in exchange as thanks if we succeed. I propose a solution that can ensure your tribe may continue to live in harmony with the lifestyle you've established: once we are victorious, simply return all the items your people stole from inhabitants of this world and stop sacrificing the inhabitants too—well, at least angels, demons, and Nephilim. You should also agree to no longer steal anything else. We'll not pursue investigations against you. What say you to these terms, sir?"

Mozig's eyes were narrow as he put a bent finger to his chin, considering the proposal. Her idea was a good one because relinquishing their hold on stolen items by giving them back over to the owners could've surely halted any of the investigations and retaliation against the tribe. It was something he liked since the Gremlins of Norges would no longer have to hide from those they've stolen things from. Yet his tribe could not get involved with these people and their population, but he could at least agree to the terms. "Very well, Dame Macarona, you have a deal; but allow me to offer clarification regarding terms I shall uphold. The Gremlins of this old land shall return what they have pilfered in battle, though I can't speak for Gremlins not of our tribe. I cannot guarantee they will listen as they may have a different opinion, so you may have to fight them for the items."

Macarona smiled, grateful they were making at least a start towards having better relations with this tribal society of Gremlins. It may not have been much, but at least it was still something.

"Now hold on just a moment, old man," Lil piped up, standing too. "We're not done yet."

"Are we not?" the Gremlin Skaal inquired, unsure of what else could be arranged. He knew what he promised them may not have been enough, hence why the demon was likely going further in the matter than Macarona had. From the way she stood and stepped over to him, Mozig figured that was going to be the case and expected her to threaten him. Yet he remained polite even if she wasn't, aware that Lil was only doing this to ensure his tribe would uphold the deal. "I have already given my word the stolen items in my stronghold will be returned to the owners after the affair."

"Listen here, you pipsqueak asshole," the lady interrupted him before he could get another word in. She seized his frail body with one hand and would've throttled him had she not restrained herself from doing so for the sake of the old Gremlin and his people—and Macarona too since she didn't want to upset her angelic friend. Lifting him up to a point where he could maybe scratch her face if he wanted to try and get away, Lil got right in Mozig's face to issue the demand to him. "It means jackshit if you don't agree to stop thieving; plus you gave us your word, not solid proof you will do it. I don't give a shit if you at least return some stuff, but until we see some accumulative results you'd better get right to straightening your damn kinsmen out. And if we don't, let's just say the destruction of those pathetic pieces of shit you call toys shall be the least of your worries, got it?" Her tone and demeanor definitely indicated she could've most likely done a lot worse to the Gremlins of Norges. The way she held Mozig suggested she could've killed him if in the mood.

Although Macarona tried to intervene for his sake to calm Lil, he held a hand up to prevent her because he knew what had to be done. "Very well, for the sake of my people I shall hand over the pilfered goods immediately upon our return and no longer seize spoils in battles with the Light and Dark, otherwise we will inevitably incur your wrath, Dame Lil. Would that be a much suitable response to the present arrangement, better than my previous promise that lacked the latter term?"

The demonic lady smiled and relinquished her grip on Mozig. "About time you saw things our way. You'd better hope they listen well, or else you'll all be condemned to imprisonment as criminals for stealing spoils from those you defeat. Believe me, you'll be making a better choice saving your tribe by turning over the stolen stuff instead of keeping it. Doesn't hurt being given a get out of jail free card in exchange for commitment to stopping this behavior, huh?" she remarked.

"In exchange for the service we shall provide you," the Skaal commented to seal this deal. "I must admit, you are quite a persuasive force to be reckoned with, Dame Lil—securing the results Dame Macarona requested, but had only achieved securing my word on." The demon grinned once she heard him make this compliment and gave Macarona a thumbs up, putting an arm around her. This second gesture was meant to cheer the angelic girl up since the remark might've come across as an insult to how well Macarona debated their deal, and Macarona accepted the gesture because she knew what Lil intended, thankful for having such a good friend even if Lil was forceful in the demand. Even though she may not have agreed with the lady's remarks from that demanding state, the young angel nevertheless understood Lil was only ensuring Mozig held up his end of the deal. And uphold it he did, for he began to describe the nature of the beast dwelling within Crystallis as its guardian of sorts. "Now then, the creature is quite a large and powerful one. It walks on land and swims in water as I previously mentioned. Two legs of the frontal body guide it; its slick, tail driving it in water whenever it isn't out of it. The front is a crocodile; the back much like a fish."

"Wait," Froze spoke up after listening to the debate, "are you referring to a Makara? A sort of amphibious monster that can dwell in marshes and swamps with characteristics like those traits you're describing? Would that be the vicious creature you make ritual sacrifices to appease it?"

"That would be what you refer to it as, yes?" Mozig inquired, though confirmed it anyway. "Whatever the name, I know what I speak of for I have seen the thing with my own eyes." He took a deep breath, the Skaal's memories of his kinsmen perishing in the maw of that beast's teeth when it opened them prior to clamping down on its innocent victims. "A monstrosity of a beast dwelling within this part of Neyrom Marsh, it is…slew many of my brothers and sisters on our hunts. Never leaving its boundary or the den it calls home—this Crystallis, the water temple you speak of. We've done everything we could to try and damage it, but to no avail for our weapons and poisons do not work effectively and cause no damage. We have only irked the thing while it continued killing us, devouring and digesting us in its stomach. The Gremlins live in constant fear that it might one day find its way toward our home and destroy it, forcing us out of the stronghold and leaving us without a home to call our own unless we were to migrate towards another place we can call a stronghold."

Macarona blinked, feeling sorry for the Gremlins because of what the Makara did to them. The monster killed Mozig's people, scaring his fellow kinsmen into submission to the point where they felt forced to appease it. If they failed and it didn't like the meals they left it, the creature may have indeed gone out of its way to invade their home and slaughter them all with the survivors left alive, but homeless. Like the Will-o'-the-Wisp they first encountered, it was another example that reminded her of how Lil felt when she had to leave the Devil's Kingdom due to a marital dispute. Lil had only wanted to improve her lifestyle a bit kind of like how these Gremlins in the tribe did, and Macarona couldn't help but feel more worried about her friend because Lil might've given up on ever returning home. Her hell was her home, and she must've felt like she was pushed out when her husband refused to let her have more power. If that was the case, Lil probably couldn't call the Devil's Kingdom home anymore because of how corrupt it had become under Satanick's reign.

"Hey, what're you worrying about, old man?" Lil asked cheerfully despite feeling down as she listened to the Skaal share his tribe's problem with them. She grinned widely, her hand pressed on Macarona's shoulder firmly while the lady shut her eyes. "We've given you our word that we'd take care of your little problem and shall prove it to you. You've got Macarona and I on your side, so you've got nothing to fear with the two of us on the case—oh, Froze and Nova are here as well." Lil chuckled sheepishly at the thought of nearly forgetting about the angel and Nephilim with them on the expedition, holding a hand up to raise two fingers and form a peace sign with them. "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about your abilities, girls," she reassured them she didn't mean to leave them out, hoping they weren't too upset with her for the emphasis on herself and Macarona more.

"Even if you left who we were out," Froze commented sharply and sighed, figuring it was no use being frustrated over Macarona being more of a significant presence in Lil's mind than her.

"Well, at least our skills can help distinguish who we are, Froze," Nova cheered her fellow colleague up with a smile and a pat on the back. "Oh, and you don't have to worry about preparing some kind of celebration as thanks for us defeating the Makara, Skaal Mozig. We are just doing it to ensure our preliminary analysis can be conducted safely while ensuring you return stolen stuff."

"Whatever the reason behind your motivations, that's if you do succeed," Mozig consented.

Macarona smiled putting an arm around Lil with a smile, raising a thumb to give the Skaal a thumbs up. "Of course, and we can certainly guarantee our success once we arrive at Crystallis," she remarked with her eyes shut, her demonic friend also giving the same gesture while Froze just sighed, wondering if it was possible to even give that guarantee this early before they got there.

"If we arrive there in time to find the Makara; that's if there is one."

"Don't be such a gloomy girl, Froze," Lil tried to assure her they would succeed. "I'm sure the old man's not lying to us." She opened her eyes and directed a threatening glare at the Gremlin. "Cause if he is, he knows what shall become of his tribe's future, and I'll be sure to remind him."

"You need no reminder, Dame Lil, I'm already well aware of what you can do and what'll be the outcome of whatever fate befalls the Gremlins of Norges if I were to deceive you," he said, understanding the threat for what it was. "The beast is there, alright, whether outside or inside the structure. You'll just have to either wait for it to come to you, or take the fight to it right away. My suggestion is to wait, allow it to creep out of its hideout—ambush it to settle the affair smoothly."

"What do you have in mind for this plan, Skaal Mozig?" Nova inquired, liking the idea.

"Details, details…" Lil mused, pleased with the thought as she rubbed her hands together, enjoying the sound of a genius plan being formulated. "Whatever they may be, we still kick ass."

Macarona giggled in agreement. "Well, the wait and details help make it quite thrilling."

Yet another filler chapter, one I designed to portray different perspectives of societies in tribal civilizations through the introduction of a new minor OC character. In nations and countries that have developed into modern societies, people may consider customs like ritual sacrifice as being a primitive form of murder. In the eyes of tribal societies, these customs in their culture are not seen in the same perspective because they consider it to be a form of the appeasement they provide to their deities and spirits whom they worship in addition to other reasons why they perform these kinds of customs. This cultural difference is one factor which separates the modern world of today from ancient civilizations of the past like Incan, Aztec, and numorous other indigenous populations alongside more ancient civilizations such as the Romans, Greeks, and other examples of old civilizations. As I like learning about history, I thought it'd be a good idea to explore the idea I'm speaking about in this first paragraph of author's notes to educate others on the difference between modern developed societies and cultures that are not modern and have not fully developed. If it comes across as offensive, I apologize despite not intending this to be offensive as it was meant to be more of a lesson I wanted to implement in this chapter as a way of trying to show others these perspectives.

As for the notion of theft and how it was mentioned in the chapter, I went for another concept that can be seen as similar to how it's featured in the chapter. For a creative exercise, say there are two groups that both fight. One loses while the winning group claims their stuff as spoils of the conflict which they'll say they've won fairly in battle. While this claim may be legitimate on their side, the group that lost may claim their foes had stolen the things they lost to them. This group that lost may put forth this claim as they might be sore about being defeated which is a way of responding to the loss. It might not be good sportsmanship, but it is still a response. Again, if it comes across as being offensive even though it isn't, I apologize for that despite wanting to portray the Gremlins mentioned in this chapter in this manner.

Collaboration between the Gremlins and Nova's team might be difficult due to these matters, though they're working together to arrive at a point where both parties are satisfied by the outcome. Nova's team will be resuming their work, and Mozig's tribe can survive and continue to follow the traditions and customs their ancestors established for them to observe and follow. This could be interpreted as a means of both modern and tribal societies coming together for a common objective which is something I also wanted to portray in the chapter, even if the way this cooperation was formed is seen as difficult due to the first impressions. I can assure you a better understanding is already in the works, so both groups will prosper.

Regarding Skaal Mozig, his name is based on Gizmo from the Gremlins movies while other aspects of him are based on a couple of the Gremlins from the first and second movies. The stripe is a reference to the one with a stripe on its head in the first film; his speech alludes to a Gremlin that could talk like humans after drinking a chemical potion in the second film. As for the aspects of his tribe, the title of Skaal references the Skaal of the Elder Scrolls series while the terms they use come from the Norwegian language; translations are found below:

Dame: Lady

Hoyttaler: Speaker

Flott: Great

Jeger: Hunter

Vis Mann: Wiseman

Furthermore, I named the tribe after the Norges Skaal, a drinking song of sorts which was created by Johan Nordahl Brun in Copenhagen in 1771. At this time, both Denmark and Norway were likely ruled by one monarch as implied by a meaning of 'personal union,' the concept in which a monarch can rule over two or more different states. Circumstances of the concept may differ; though getting back to the drinking song itself, Brun produced it as one aspect of the Norwegian literary society which was located in Copenhagen. When Norwegian nationalism was increasing in the early 1800s, the song became popular with it. However, the song was forbidden by Danish officials who perceived it as being revolutionary and also anti-Danish. This is why it's called the Norwegian Marseillaise as an allusion to France's national anthem, the Le Marseillaise; both may be different or similar depending on the meanings.

You can learn more about this on Wikipedia if you're interested in it.

All of the five herbs in this chapter: violets; scullcaps; passion flowers, gardenias, and meadowsweets were found in Scott Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.

Before I wrap this up, I just want to put forth a couple things I've been thinking about for a bit. Recently I had finished watching Chisaleya's playthrough of Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea (this was the second time I watched it), and was thinking about possibly doing the first story of my Wadanohara series after this story is finished. It's just an idea for now, but I'm not sure whether I'll do it or not. It would be good to stay up to date on the timeline I made because then I wouldn't have to worry about leaving anything behind until later when it might be too late. However, sticking with only one of the games for now may still help since I would only have to focus on one of them, one story at a time. I know I said I'd write all my Wadanohara ideas after my Gray Garden stories were all finished, but it's just a thought as I said. I'll give this some more thought as this story progresses and make a decision later.

The next thing I want to mention is that I've also recently seen BlueRhaps0d1's video about a possible HD Remake of the Gray Garden which Mogeko is likely making. As he says in the video, there may be changes made to the HD remake that were not in the original game when it was released years ago. These changes might be small or large, so I may have to alter some things in my previous stories if they're to follow the game. That's if I base them around either the end of the original version of the Gray Garden, or stick with the HD remake. It is unclear to me at this time; BlueRhaps0d1 has also been wondering whether he'd continue to work on his Gray Garden with Voices series in which he and other people dub the characters' dialogue. Whatever the case is, I'm looking forward to what the HD remake will be like.

Chisaleya and BlueRhaps0d1 have YouTube channels you can check out.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Gremlins movies; they are owned by Joe Dante. I do not own the aforementioned herbs; they're listed in Scott Cunningham's aforementioned book.