Lord Artemis the First sat at the dingy bar, sipping his whiskey.

His eyes scanned the crowd at the pub. It was dark and smelled of piss, bile and stale liquor. It was almost shameful that he was there, but he was incognito.

He felt his dæmon move around his torso from inside the dark trench coat that he traded for his nobleman's coat. The people in this world had no external dæmons, so they were frightened when he walked into the city with a king cobra that spoke wrapped around his neck. He felt uncomfortable that he could not communicate with her, but it was a small sacrifice for information.

"So," he started, making small talk with the bartender. He grimaced inwardly; how embarrassing would it be if he was caught now. "Do you happen to know any places of interest here?"

"Ah, a tourist?" the bartender answered as he wiped his glasses. Lord Fowl nodded; he had been masking his accent to avoid any possible ways that people could identify him.

"Well, what're you interested in? There're many places in Ireland for everyone."

"Hmm, perhaps…" he was struck with a sudden idea. "Family genealogy. I believe I am from an old family, called the…Fowls."

"Ah, the Fowls. They say they're a bunch of no good thieves, or businessmen as they call themselves, but that's never been proven. I know someone that got scammed by them but couldn't prove it. That's a family with an army of lawyers. Not sure if you want to be associated with them," the bartender said gruffly.

"Well, I would like to know anyway," the lord pushed. I would have to eliminate him after this. I have revealed too much.

"If you really do, they live in the outskirts of the city, just west of here." Lord Fowl nodded; then in this world, some of the old structures corresponded to the structures in his world. He knew where to start his search now.

He downed the last of the golden liquid and set the glass down on the bar. The liquor here was nothing compared to the Tokay in his cellar, but it would have to do. He set one gold coin onto the bar and stood up to leave.

The bartender walked over to retrieve the glass and saw the coin. He picked it up and inspected it in confusion.

"Excuse me, sir. We don't use…fake gold coins. Rippin' me off won't help pay the drink," he asked, glaring at the strange man in the trench coat while rapping the coin on the table.

Lord Fowl intentionally frowned disdainfully at the bartender, trying to provoke him. "You should accept my form of payment. It is much more valuable your peasantry form of money." And he left the bar, leaving the angered man.

The bartender was not a slight man. He was actually heavily built, and he took pride in his strength. He did not take orders from others, so he decided to leave his post and trail the man. Peasantry? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'll beat him until the money starts flowing out of his ass! He jeered silently at him. He thought that the man had no idea that he was following him.

How very wrong he was.

The man walked into a dark alley right beside the pub. There, he suddenly stopped, partially hidden in the shadows.

The fuck is he doing? The bartender peered into the darkness, trying to completely make out the man. He decided to 'make himself known'.

"Hey, man! You still owe me money for the drink. I told you, I only accept real money!" he shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth.

The man turned around. Those eyes pierced the man and he felt his blood turn into ice and the hairs of his neck to stand. This was it a man not to be trifled with. But the bartender had pride and he stood his ground.

The man in the trench coat grimaced and spoke in a cold voice, "Major, take care of the commoner."

The bartender was completely unaware of the enormous man that dwarfed him until he was right next to him. A bear of equal size stood on its hind legs beside the man. A huge, gloved hand covered his mouth, reducing his shouting into muffled grunts. The other one rested on the side of his head firmly. With a swift and practiced move, the Major twisted his hands and snapped the man's neck. Overwhelming fear ran unrestrained through the bartender's mind for one second, and then he thought no more.

Lord Fowl sneered at the mangled body on the ground. A loose end tied up. "What filth." The Major bent his head in agreement.

He stepped over the dead man as the Major melted back into the shadows.

He had a family to visit.


Older Artemis felt the edges of the window with his hands before he stepped through to the other world. He was surprised anyone was able to find it. It was well hidden under the overhang of a cliff and it disappeared entirely unless he stood at the correct spot. If he were to just walk here and gaze into the air, he would see nothing, just like the LEP who had come to arrest Opal had done. Butler and the Captain had gone through before him, just to make sure that it was safe. So did the children, which him feel somewhat ridiculous being the last one to enter.

He had heard the window that the children went through was in the middle of the forest, same as it was here. So he assumed this one would lead to a shore of a sea. Instead, they ended up in up in some sort of cave. The dirt floor was the color of brownish red. He walked to the cave entrance, where Butler and the Captain stood.

The sight was astounding. Their cave was elevated, actually, more like carved into the side of a cliff. Below them, fearsome creatures that resembled trolls and mythical monsters walked the earth. There were also several flying creatures, but thankfully, they were in the distance.

There were some plants scattered around the landscape, but they seem to consist solely of thistles, thorns and brambles. The creatures created a wide berth around the stubby bushes. The ground underneath them was also tinged with red and old hardened streams of lava flows extended from the mountain in the distance.

"It's like the picture of Hell they showed at the oratory once," Younger Holly murmured.

From those words, Older Artemis realized that this world must be an inspiration for all the myths and folklore that his world. There were creatures that fitted the description of chimeras, zombies and dragons. Thick clouds that spewed from the distant mountains covered the sun, which reduced its light to a dull orange glow. He realized the Captain that sealed her helmet visor to avoid the volcanic ash.

It would make perfect sense. The occasional monster would travel through the window, and stories would spread like wildfire in the human population. Then 'heroes' will go slay them, forever imprinting their names in history and myth.

"If this is the world Koboi escaped to, I doubt that she would survive very long. The poison in the air would kill a fairy after a while." The helmet turned her voice into monotone.

"Yes, but it seems she has been traveling between the worlds. She could have transported technologies and gained different magics to enable her survival here." Older Artemis scanned the horizon for any clues. There was nothing except blackened mountains.

"I'll alert Foaly to put heavy surveillance on this place. This is a really big problem." She stepped back into the window to get a signal to the operations booth. Older Artemis and Other Butler followed behind her back into their universe.

The children gazed at the land below.

"I'm glad there's no window connecting this world to ours…I hope." Holly said as she watched two furry tusked creatures try to bash each other's head open. Artemis nodded as he contemplated that.

As they walked back to the window, Holly thought she saw a small dot enveloped in blue fly across the sky, but she thought nothing of it.


Mr. Short collapsed next to his wife in defeat.

He was awake for at least twenty-four hours already. The forest had yielded no results and Mr. Diggums left to find another poor soul to pester.

He sighed as he folded his arms behind his head as he dæmon settled herself down on the dock. He glanced at his sleeping wife next to him and smiled at her peaceful face. At least I have one thing to thank the Authority for.

He heard knocking at the front door and sat up. He headed to the crowded house, knowing that his shift would start in an hour anyway. Mr. Short navigated through the boxes and opened the door to find a lanky man with a long face that matched his horse dæmon.

"Ah, Mr. Foaly! How're you doing?" Mr. Short extended a hand and shook firmly and briskly.

The visitor was the famed Mr. Foaly, an expert in atomcraft, despite his young age. His intelligence was respected by the higher society, but his friendships rested in the common people, especially those down at the police station. He earned a good keep because the noblemen hired him often to work on their various projects.

"I'm doing good, man. But I got some information for you." Mr. Short waved him into the house to pour him some tea. Mr. Foaly accepted the drink, but declined to go inside. He had to stay outside with his dæmon.

"Alright, this is what I've heard. The Lord of Fowl Castle's gone, along with his bodyguard. So is his kid, the one your daughter plays with," Mr. Foaly said as he warmed his hands around the cup. Mr. Short covered his face with his hand; this was getting more and more complicated.

"Wait, don't get sad yet! I got something that can help you," Mr. Foaly said excitingly. "I've invented an instrument-"

"Big whoop," Mr. Short muttered, glaring at his tea.

"Hey, this can actually help you find Holly! I don't appreciate your unappreciative attitude."

"Fine, fine I'm listening. Tell me about your little toy."

The horse dæmon whinnied indignantly as Mr. Foaly looked hurt. He did not like his cutting edge ordinators and inventions being called 'toys'. "Well, that was uncalled for."

Mr. Short sighed again. "I'm sorry Foaly. I'm just tried and worried, that's all."

"Humph, I guess I can forgive you." Mr. Short rolled his eyes. "So the instrument I invented. It finds and located a substance the Church calls Dust. Why they hate it so much, I have no idea. Some baloney about original sin. But this Dust is remarkable; it exhibits conscious thinking and the like. It flows in and out of the windows, and if you're so sure your daughter went through a window, then we could find it and follow her!"

Mr. Short frowned. "Foaly, are you doing illegal experiments? It'll get you excommunicated."

"Now, that's only if they find out. And I made sure they don't find out. Besides, why would they suspect me? For all they know, I just knock particles together when they commission me."

He waved his hands in defeat. "Alright I'll let you help me find the window. But, only I go in." Mr. Foaly opened his mouth to protest, but Mr. Short gave him a look that shut him up. "The reason is because you can't defend yourself. You're a theologian, not a fighter. If you have nothing better to do, you want to go to the forest right now and give it a sweep? My shift down at the station is going to start soon."

"Sure, I'll give it a swing. I'll tell you my results as soon as I can."

"Thanks, Foaly. See you later."

Mr. Foaly set the tea cup down and the two men said their farewells. Mr. Short kissed his wife good-bye and headed towards the police station, where he would arrest hoodlums for stealing and gyptians for anchoring their boats where they shouldn't. Leave it to Holly to turn a relatively simple life to a cross-universe chase.