Chapter 10
Aged elven wizard Elrand Lamruil touched Jessica's head, having previously led her into meditative trance. His bony hands were breaking magic web around the body and soul of the girl, intricately woven by the old witch. Stick decorated with a jewel, stuck in the special hole in the floor, lightened the room up with a blue glitter.
"The spideress caught you firmly." He whispered moving fingers on Preview's cheeks.
"She tried bound something in your interior. But her magic is weak in our stronghold. I will destroy her spells." The oldtimer made a fast move of his hand. He detonated the crystal stuck on his magic cane, and entire room immediately became dark.
"Is everything all right?" He asked.
"Yes..." Jessica replied opening her eyes.
"I feel... a vision is coming." She added. She fell down on her knees and touched head. In the same moment, the images, which could not come to her earlier because of Matilda's seal, turned up at her mind. Jessica thought that she was running through thick forest, stumbling on roots sticking out from the ground every couple of minutes. Her every next step was more and more difficult for her, and the air around became hotter and thicker. At some point, the girl ran out straight from the forest to the seashore of lava and fire sea on which pitch-black ships sailed. One of them made its way to the beach and demonic monsters got out of it. Jessica could see them attacking her friends whom she earlier didn't notice. When she looked at the biggest of ships, she noticed that the man with black hair stood on its deck, and by him, there was Megan. Preview tried to shout something to her, but the inhuman screams of demons deafened her every word out. The face of the man became red, and two horns appeared on his head. The devil cut Megan's throat with one efficient movement of the hand. The blood of the girl fell down on burning waves of lava. Jessica had another vision, this time showing the Earth on which she was brought up, bathed in the rain of blood.
"What's going on?" She heard the grey-haired wizard, as soon as her consciusness came back to normal world.
"I had a vision... concerning the future and the past of this world... this are my abilities..." She whispered leaning against the wall.
"I don't understand entirely what it was about, but one thing is certain. Megan Gwynn was in it."
"Tell me about it. It may be very important to us." The old man asked. He was very concerned about things he was going to learn soon.
Match was sitting near the old elf woman in a silence, waiting for her story. The lack of woman's reaction started to anger him. He got up off the floor, then went to the other end of the room. When Merlara looked at him, he asked:
"I really want to learn why my friend and the member of my team became victim of the attack."
"I will tell you this story. But only when your companion will also join us."
"My companion?" Ben was surprised. He came up to the door and opened it. As it turned out Nicholas was sitting behind the door.
"Wolfcub? What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking after you. It's obvious." Nick replied.
"Get inside. This woman promised to tell us what it all means."
"Ok." The shaggy mutant said unwillingly and then sit near Merlara. Ben quickly joined it.
"I am pleased that we are together. I do not tolerate eavesdropping at my door. We don't have any secrets here. Lies and illusions are a domain of Mab and her subjects." Elven woman said.
"A long time ago, when the British Isles was a land lying at the end of the known world, a long way from the center of the civilization, Annwn realm and terrestrial states existed in one reality. Life of people in small towns and villages and Tylwyth Teg's life in woody cities and on hills went on simultaneously, crossing each other in liminal zones between the wildness and the civilization from time to time. It was a time of legendary kings and heroes fighting with horrifying monsters. It was a time in which earth's young men married elven girls, and the powerful magic permeated even the smallest stone of our connected lands. This age of magic, as any other, was supposed to pass soon. The civilization spread like illness, creating cities deeper and deeper in the interior of the liminal zone, reaching lands belonging to Fearie from time immemorial. Influences from outside our islands appeared along with new waves of imigrants. Druidic groves coexisting with the uncontrollable Nature disappeared, giving up to Crosses built by followers of Dying God. Residents of islands broke off their bond with the Nature and our race. They more often regarded us as something evil, they were afraid of us, they tried to avoid us, they hated us, they sent their exorcists after us. Our world was going to pass irretrievably. The help came from the unexpected side. The Annwn king entered into an alliance with powers which appeared on our islands with Europeans. Thanks to the power of beings calling themselves the Infernal Princes, all Tylwyth Teg and the entire magic surrounding them were moved from the Earth to the other world which is now called the Hell. Thanks to the magic of our wizards and demons from that place, managed to create the substitute for the ancient land Annwn, the world of Eternal Dusk in which we are now. Soon, our saviours decided to demand their payment. They demanded delivering them slaves, the strongest men and the most beautiful women from our tribes. A great war broke out between Tylwyth Teg, as well as between Princes, because not each of them had the same plans towards newly created world. And something unpredictable happened. Our king disappeared somewhere, and Mab took his place, the woman who wasn't even born Tylwyth Teg. She was a girl from Earth, who fell in love with one of our noble elves. Thanks to him she got an ability to use the magic and immortality. Mab did something that nobody expected, nobody of us knows also how she got the power to do it. She cast a spell on all Tylwyth of Teg, the charm of the illusion, a false bliss. Her manor house was made, and everyone who crossed its thresholds forgot what Annwn really was and what price was paid for creating it. Every year demons take young ones to the infernal gulfs and nobody from Mab's surrounding knows about it, living happily and playing all the time. Luckily, a small group of Tylwyth Teg, our ancestors was protected from Mab's spell by one of Princes of the Hell. Thanks to him, we managed to take shelter in this magic place. I don't know why he did it, perhaps his sole reason was to prevent so that his rival got too big power. Mab was afraid to chase us, since she knew that the demon had been on our side, therefore she agreed to grant us the part of the land and a freedom from the charm of illusion. In the same time, our Council appointed Guards of the Liminal Zone whom became the first Changelling sent to the Earth. His job was to recruit people to guard border between our two worlds so that our two lands will join never again. Earth's merging with the Infernal land would mean the extermination of your reality. Now one of guards is a person from the family of your friend.
"Is that why was Megan was attacked? Because Mab is afraid that Megan will also become a guard?"
"Not entirely. The role of Megan can turn out to be much bigger. Megan didn't tell you, because she didn't know about it, but she comes from this place. Megan was conceived in our land and is a daughter of the human and Mab. When her father found his way to Annwn with two of other travellers, people from the Mab's court could taste what means to live in a world deprived of the charm of the illusion again. Many of them started asking, look from other point of view at us their cousins living in the forest.
"Your people already told us about it. But now it is much more shocking for me, after I learnt whom really the queen of this world was. Why does her own mother want to kill her? It's stupid."
"We aren't sure. Mab wanted her daughter to become her successor and live in the Fearie consumed by the spell of illusion. Her father decided to save her soul. Mab wanted to kill both him and the daughter in a moment of weakness, because she was furious that somebody stolen her property. Knowing that the girl could become one of the best liminal guards because of her extraordinary origin, we helped her father to escape from Annwn. I was the one who stopped the snowy squall sent by Mab's old witch. When our spies told that Mab sent murderers to the Earth years later, we knew that she might do something against Megan. Even though the person from her family isn't an active hunter now, she still is contact with somebody who provides us information about the girl. Therefore we knew that Megan posses extraordinary abilities. This man protected her from her birth, and then it became a job of his daughter and her two friends.
"Owena, Lorella and Loranir?" Nick asked.
"Yes. They didn't managed to fulfil their objective."
"But why Mab wants to kill Megan?" Ben asked again.
"We are not sure. However we have a theory. Mab tries to gain much greater power, because she is afraid that our real king can return and try to unite our two tribes. Mab fears that she will lose all her influences, her subjects and the magic thanks to which she isn't growing old. A legend says, if somebody who became Fearie due to the magic, breaks with his or her humanity, he or she can become the real Tylwyth Teg. The manslaughter of the child born to from the man can fulfil such a role. Then her power would consolidate and even the return of the king wouldn't get the throne back from her."
Lamruil wizard entered into the meditative chamber of the old elf woman. He was excited.
"Why are you here, Elrand?" The woman asked.
"A Vision. A Vision of the friend of these two young men!" He shouted out.
"Jessica's vision?" Ben asked.
"Is everything all right with her?" Nick added.
"Yes, yes... the spell that Matylda cast on her was entangled, but I managed to remove it from her heart. Something else is worrying me. Our theory concerning the attempt of the manslaughter of Megan Gwynn by her mother can be false. Jessica Vale had a vision from which it was clearly seen that one of Infernal Princes can be responsible for everything! Demons want to trigger the war in our world!"
Mark was walking in a ballroom inside the Mab's palace. He looked all around, admiring the splendour inside the room. Bright walls were embellished with icons describing scenes from the mythology and the history of Annwn world, and three chandiliers, compound of magic crystal filling the room with light, hung from the ceiling. Mark saw many dancing Tylwyth Teg couples. The boy noticed dancing male and female elves, as well as a few pairs of two men. In the second room, as large as the ballroom, there was a long table covered with a tablecloth on which the most elaborate dishes, prepared by cooks from the entire Annwn who came to the palace for the party celebrating an arrival of the real daughter of the Queen. In the crowd, Mark noticed Will in the company of women, Shan talking to Megan's father and Geralt, admiring baked paradise bird. Mark could not find the only person whom he needed the most, his girlfriend. When finally he found her amongst elves and other magic beings, he waved her from a distance and came off to her side. Ginger mutant girl she caught sight of him, she turned and quickly came up to a stairwell. Shan noticed the entire incident.
"Perhaps I should react somehow? They haven't talk to each other since the adventure under mushrooms. It's about time they stop behaving as if they did something wrong."
"Leave them alone. Mark already cannot withstand without her. When they will be in more secluded spot then they will explain everything to each other."
"Maybe you're right."
"The dancing company bores and annoys me terribly. I'm going to light a cigarette. Today's night a garden materialised in front of us. I must enjoy eyes with the view of the exotic flora." Geralt announced leaving the girl.
Mark found Megan standing on the balcony of the palace, with her eyes fixed on the colourful garden, shining in the darkness, the gift she got from her real mother. When the boy came up to her, she turned around intending to go to some different place.
"Megan, wait!" Mark shouted. The girl stopped and turned away her head.
"Leave me alone. Why did you come here?" She asked.
"Because we haven't spoken for many hours. Why are you avoiding me?"
"After what happened..., after everyone saw us... when I embarrased you."
"What are you talking about?"
"You know. You know what I'm talking about. The thing that happened in the magic circle of wood nymphs."
"Are you avoiding me because something cast a spell on you? It's completely idiotic!"
"They took the total control over me. I didn't know what I was doing, they controlled every movement of my body, every gesture... I could not stop when they ordered me to undress and to came closer to you!" Megan started crying.
"They violated my privacy, stripped me from..." Mark approached her. He tried to touch her, but she didn't let him.
"You understand nothing! It isn't about that I undressed before you, before Shan, my own father and two strangers. Think what would be if these nymphs ordered me to kill you. If they ordered me to throttle you with hallucinogenic dust?! I'm dangerous for you and you shuld better stay away from me."
"Megan, what are you talking about? You cannot blame yourself for things others forced you to do. Their magic was strange, powerful, something that none of us was able to understand. I was more conscious than you and I remember what happened. Even Geralt wasn't able to tear their circle and stop their spells. Only Will was able to chase them away, by killing one of them. Don't you remember our conversation recently? It is me, whom you should be afraid of. I killed a man! I ripped him to shreds. You only showed me your bare butt! Who is more dangerous?"
Megan wiped the tears away and started crying.
"I remember. Recently, our roles were reversed. It could be funny, if it wasn't so terrifying." DJ hugged Megan who didn't resist this time.
"This place influenced us very much. But please be strong. Soon it will be over and we will come back to the school together."
"And we will forget about water nymphs and the blonde man whom you ripped to shreds."
"I promise."
Mark embraced Megan and kissed her. After two minutes of the mutual closeness, the couple felt that somebody had watched them closely.
"She is here." The girl whispered.
"Who?"
"Mab, my mother."
As it turned out, the Queen of the Kingdom of Eternal Dusk appeared on the balcony. The woman walked at a slow pace, and her emerald hair blew in the breeze as waves of the ocean.
"Megan. Your first night in Fearie comes to the end. Come me. I have a next gift for you."
"But..." Megan replied unsteadily.
"It's all right. You will come back to him before daybreak."
"Go Megan. I will be here waiting for you. And I promis that I won't dance with an elve or a nymph."
Hope reached a forest clearing and a lake. The large moon hung above tops of trees pouring its silver glow over surroundings, and its reflection waved on the surface of water whipped by a delicate puff of a wind. The girl stopped, when the spectral horse went on the lake, as if it was a dry land. The etheric animal turned away its head in her direction and when it noticed that it was being observed, it submerged in the deeps of the lake. Hope came closer the lake. She came to the banks, because she wanted to become convinced whether it was a lake with real water. She wetted the leg.
"What's going on! Where are you?" She asked aloud.
"He is safe. He came back to his true house. But uou look as if you were very far from your homeland." A delicate voice reached the girl from behind. When she turned around, she noticed that there was an estate built in a clearing. Man with long, black hair dressed in the dark dress of the Annwn's aristocracy, stood on a terrace looking at young mutant girl.
"You must rest, because it can be seen that your journey was very exhausting for you." He added.
"You... are you dark Tylwyth Teg?" Hope asked reminding words of elves and Owena.
"Tylwyth Teg? I must resemble one of them." The man replied with a surprise.
"Come in. You will find the bathroom at the end of the corridor. Cleanse your wounds, because you don't known what got in them when you went through the thicket."
The girl made two steps, the she hesitated and stopped.
"Are you afraid of me? In that case I am going to my studio and I will shut myself away in it. You do not have to be afraid that I will do something for you." The long-haired man disappeared in the darkness hidden behind thresholds of his estate. Hope unsteadily moved towards the door.
The council of dark elves gathered again at the request of Loranir and Owena. Grey haired leader of the stronghold, Grathgor were present at the meeting. Young mutants also appeared in order to support their elfven friends.
"We gathered here, apart from the appointed time of the debate, in order to listen to your request, our brother in the darkness. Therefore, be so kind to us and present your proposal quickly."
"My request regards Laura Kinney, Earth's girl who was unlawfully shut in your dungeons, after touching one of our brothers with a cold metal."
"Don't put our patience to the test! Our decision for this Earthling is irreversible." Grathgor announced angrily.
"I understand well that obeying old laws in our community is important. I and Owena spent last night reading books of the law at the library. We know about the custom which was practised in this land before its complete disjunction with the Earth. If the person committed the worst offence not being conscious of it, he or she can be forgiven in one way. Therefore I ask the Highest Council not to deny the right this young, earthly woman for redeeming her sin by performing labors commissioned her by the Council!"
All board members looked at each other in a surprise. The elf lady smiled.
"I can see that your shared adventure joined you with a strong bond." She said. Grathgor sighed.
"Such a law exists and we must follow it. But she is stranger, she doesn't know this place. She will get lost in the dark forest and won't find the road. Won't it be worse than the penalty which our court can sentence her?" He asked.
"No, when she will have a guide." Loranir announced.
"We cannot send anybody with her. When Matilda and her undead army are in the vicinity of our forest, and the queen Mab is planning something bad in the capital city, all warriors must stay in the stronghold."
"I will go with her. I will be a guide for her." Loranir replied without a moment of thought.
"You were brought up on the Earth. You don't know our land." The elven magus was sceptical.
"I was born and brought up on the Earth, but each night I dreamt of this land. Each night I walked paths of its forests, I swam in its streams, I ran over meadows full of magic herbs. The curse which you put on me was very effective."
After a moment of thought, Grathgor spoke.
"Well. Let it be. I will ask one of guards to lead you to dungeons. Meanwhile, we will think about labors which she could carry out for us. Split up." The leader said closing the meeting. When Loranir passed by the bench on which mutants sat, Match got up and stopped him.
"Thank you." He said.
"I could not act differently. She was thrown into the dungeon because of me." Loranir replied. Owena smiled to Match.
Hope Abbot was sitting on a white chair in the bathroom of the mysterius man's estate. She took off her entire uniform and other pieces of clothing, leaving only pants on. Water poured into the crystalline bathtub filling the room with characteristic noise and a hot steam. The girl cleaned all scratches and bruises with magic medicines from the medicine cabinet of the long-haired man, surprised that she was able to recognize them intuitively, even if she never dealt with them earlier. Wounds hurt her horribly. She clenched her teeth, but after a moment she noticed that the process of healing had sped up and mixtures brought her relief. When the bathtub was full of water, Hope took her pants off and entered the bathtub. She was surprised that she took the invitation of a strange individual. She broke the rule of trusting nobody in the world of Eternal Twilight. The girl closed her eyes and relaxed. At some point, she heard a melody, quiet sounds of the grand piano coming from deep inside the estate. She got up from the bathtub and having wrapped up with a dressing gown, she left the bathroom. She walked along the corridor towards the music which became louder and louder. Finally, she came to a big, dark room. Here, there was only a black grand piano and the homeowner played some melody on it. When the man sensed that Hope was observing him, he stopped playing and turned in her direction.
"I can see that you healed your wounds." He said.
"I dressed them. They won't heal up so quickly. I feel less pain after bathing." Hope told.
"Did you like it? My music?" The long-haired man asked.
"Yes. It was so... soothing..."
"You are very sensitive. It is a good feature of the woman. What's your name?"
"Hope. Hope Abbot."
"Hope..." The man fell into a pensive mood.
"Now you should tell me who you are."
"I am not revealing my name to bystanders, but I will make an exception for somebody who likes my music. I am Prince Sallos."
"Sallos..." Hope whispered and after a moment surprise and fear expression appeared on her face.
" I read somewhere about somebody with that name... it is a name... of a devil!"
The man smiled, getting up from the chair.
"I can see you are not only sensitive, you have also a big knowledge. Despite what they wrote about me, I don't consider myself a demon. Would a demon be so hospitable?"
"You really are this Sallos! I found my way to the estate of a devil!"
"Calm down. I promised you that I would do nothing to you. Come back to the bathtub, if it helps you to cool down. My magic will heat the water up if is too cold."
"No. I won't be panicking." Hope sat down on the second chair, standing by the grand piano.
"Somehow you look to me asa devil. I saw his pictures." Hope was supposed to convince herself that the meeting with ademon is absurdity, and the stranger is cheating her. But after the recent week, when she was in the land of elves, fought with a huge frog, the witch and the army of undead, the meeting with a devil was very probable.
"Is something wrong in my appearance?" Sallos asked politely.
"You should have a beard. And ride on a crocodile."
"The beard in the world of clean-shaven men? And as for the crocodile..." Sallos smiled, and a green light appeared behind his back. A large head of the crocodile appeared. The girl shouted.
"Okay! I already understand!" The girl said preparing for the fight. Sallos sent the reptile to the dimension from which the one arrived.
"Now you reveal me a secret, which I cannot comprehend. What a terrestrial girl is doing in the darkest part of Annwn?"
Jessica, Ben, Nickolas and Owena with Loranir and Laura, freed from dungeons, were called to the council of Dark Elves elders. Jessica's vision and its interpretation by the wizard caused that the master of the forest tribe had to make a decision as soon as possible.
"The gift of your friend opened our eyes to matters about which we forgot." Grathgor started.
"Mab turned out to be bolder than we thought and her act can lead to a war which will destroy our entire land. Therefore, we decided to act. You are strangers from the other world and therefore the ban on crossing borders doen't concern you. I ask you to go to Mab's palace and rescue your friend and our land." The old elf smiled.
"Owena was taught by one of the best guards, so she should find a way to the border without a problem". He added.
"Of course. My magic will help to find the capital city and the palace of the Queen. But in how are we supposed to get to the city? Matilda and her undead army may still be in the front of your forest. There is neither Lorela nor Hope with us. We won't manage to defeat her demons for the second time."
"You do not have to worry about Matilda, girl. The witch violated laws coming here with her Wild Hunt. We have the right to defend ourselves on our soil. We will set off with a group of my warriors. I will be commanding them personally." Grathgor announced.
"When the clash with the witch come, you will be able to go to the Mab's palace, and I and my faithful companions will fight with the Wild Hunt."
"Thank you" Owena said.
"I'm sorry..." Jessica butted in.
"And what with Hope? Should we not look for her?" She asked.
"And now we must take up other matter of major importance." Grathgor spoke again. He rose from the bench and approached Loranir and X-23 standing by him.
"Your friend asked to assign three labors which will let you avoid penalty for the felony which you committed." He said.
"And you, Loranir, you decided to be a guide for her, so you must keep her company." He added.
"I assign you three labors, the first: bring us the Lunar Flower, the second: recover our property stolen by the crazy witch Narbeth, the third: learn what fate met our spies inside Mab Queen's palace. If you do them all, the girl will be pardoned by us." The elf finished the conversation. He gave the sign with a hand to all board members so that they could vacate the room.
"We must prepare for the military campaign." He announced.
Laura turned to Loranir.
"I don't like it. Thank you that you got me out of dungeon, but don't you think he have no time to hunt treasure? We should stand at the side of our friends and free Megan from hands of her mother."
"At first I also thought that these labors would be something completely archaic and unimportant, but now I can see that they really want to help us. A Lunar flower is a herb which can heal my sister, and spies disappeared in Mab's palace, in the place to which we must all go. I don't understand only the meanings of the second task, but perhaps the crazy witch stole something that will help us to win?"
"If say so... let us start our mission as soon as possible."
Geralt was walking in the Garden of Delight admiring the beauty of the flora created by the magic gesture of the Annwn world's queen. He stood up by the tree, which gleaming roots stuck out above ground and branches were pink leaves. Flowers of the tree secreted pink, afloat pollen all around. In the distance, there were bushes growing with shining fruits whispering elven poetry, and there were meadows around them with colourful flowers phosphorescing in the darkness of the starry night. The man lighted a cigarette. He turned in the direction of city walls and the palace listening closely to sounds of the music and parties taking place inside. He smiled.
"I can see that you recall our first visit in this place." Will spoke coming up to Geralt, not being by him noticed earlier.
"Yes... then it was us who were the main attraction of the party. Everyone inside were interested in us."
"We had all their women with blue eyes, golden hair, wings and boobs." Will added looking at walls behind which fireworks exploded.
"Now the younger generation took our place." Geralt said.
"Let them experience pleasures this world offers, Ian's daughter, her friends, even their teacher who hates you."
"She should relax in particular. When she enjoys a pleasure with some young elf she will cease to be so hostile to me." Geralt laughed.
"I regret it a bit..." He added.
"What?"
"We will be in Annwn only one more night. I'm pleased that Mab will take from Megan the spell that links her with this land and the girl will be able to come back to normal life, and we won't have to hunt for Channgelings anymore, but... I feel sadness, that we see this world for the last time. I thought even about freeing the Traveller. Let him go his own way..."
"You can always stay here. Mab will lead Megan and the rest of us to the exit. Her magic will be enough to protect them from any danger. But you should enjoy the party instead of musing. It is a night of play, wine, food and sex, rather than the philosophy!"
Geralt was still cloudy. He finished to smoke cigarette, threw it on the grass and trod it down with a sole of the shoe."
"Will... if we see this place for the last time... could you tell me what you saw in Forbidden Forest?" He asked taking the second cigarette out.
Will approached him. He looked him in the eyes with an icy eyesight.
"Do you really want to hear it?" He asked.
"Yes." Geralt replied. Will lighted him a cigarette with a magic spark, then walked away.
"Will wasn't himself that night." He said using third person.
"The view of a naked arsehole of a forest nymph confused him completely. Not paying heed to bans and orders he ran after her into the very heart of forest of the darkness. Even though the cursed nymph made fun of him and escaped as soon as he encroached the forest, he didn't give up. He searched for her everywhere, plunging deeper and deeper into the tangle. In the end, he found a way to the other side of the forest..."
Geralt listened to the man with an interest, looking at madness raging in his eyes. The story about that event seemed to arouse in him something dangerous.
"There was a sea... sea of lava and fire! Black rocks on the beach burnt feet. And right by the shore... a ship floated. How could the ship, wooden one, sail on that inferno and not been burnt? There were black monsters, red one also, dressed in identical armours, armed with swords and axes... with wings like bats'. They guarded something... or rather somebody? They led chained Tylwyth Teg. The women, prettiest which were born in the land, a few effeminate men also... for the King of Hell, the gift of Queen Mab as a sign of good relations between the realms. And in this moment I saw Will, I had to murder him, because I didn't want anybody to learn what really happened on the other side of the forest barrier. I killed him with an ease, even when he tried to defend me with weak spells. I killed him and I took his skin! And along with it his entire personality and memories!"
Will's face started to change. His eyes became red, and the skin assumed a dark color. His fingers grew longer, forming talons.
"Who are you?!" Geralt shouted out, surprised. He formed the protective pentagram in one hand, and reached for the handgun.
"You should be more vigilant!" The demon said. Magic daggers shot out from behind the fanciful tree. They flew towards the man in a raincoat with a huge speed, hitting straight in his back. Geralt didn't manage to turn around, all daggers squeezed into his body. He dropped the handgun, and the pentagram around his hand dissolved into thin air. He fell down on grass. Will approached him.
"Will's memories gave me the new mission in my life. I could stop being a sailor on slave ship. I could finally offer the commander of my legion a gift thanks to which he will be the first amongst Infernal Lords... the gate, thanks to which border between Fearie and the Earth will disappear,and armies of my Lord will be able to appear on the blue planet again."
"You bastard... Tylwyth Teg's rebellion is one great lie..." Geralt whispered with a mouth full of blood.
"These misfits are too cowardly to move a finger for defence of their own businesses. They prefer to sit concealed in the forest and philosophize... or send Changellings so that they could learn to live in the other world."
"The changellings which I helped you to kill all those years... they were innocent..." Geralt clenched fists. He didn't have enough strength even to raise the head.
"The stupidity is a deadly sin. But I didn't lie to you in one thing. There will be a war between Mab manor house and dark Tylwyth Teg. Thanks to this war my army will be marching on the Earth. Everything went according to my plan. Mab believed the lie about her daughter which I told her. She sent murderers, whose only objective was to cause that I, you and Ian came to this land again. Marcon's pupils and their new companions also came to Annwn. Mab freed Matilda, and she will soon take into the fight all dark elves. When Annwn will plunge into the fire, we will use the gate to your native world. Forgive me Geralt, but the ceremony will start soon, and I must be by the side of my queen."
The demon walked away from the dying wizard, assuming the figure of his old friend again.
Jessica, Match, Wolfcub, Owena and group of elven warriors commanded by wizard Lamruil and the leader Grathgor arrived at the meadow directly in the front of the dark forest. It turned out that old witch Matilda and her army of undead kings were ready to defend the only road leading to Annwn's capital city. Astral wolves and infernal hounds smelt Tylwyth Teg out. They geared up for the attack, but the witch calmed them, pulling their invisible, magic leashes.
"Calm down! You are supposed to obey my orders." The witch squawked, simultaneously looking at resting warriors and the hooded magus.
"Greetings Grathgor, the most wonderful of residents of the dark forest. Did you want to join my Wild Hunt in this beautiful night?" She asked. Grathgor came out a few strides ahead of the row compound of his warriors.
"Matilda! You broke one of the most important bans of a treaty between Infernal Domain, and Annw, the land of Eternal Twilight. You entered lands belonging to my companions without a warning, you attacked and hurt our guests! Whose order you acted upon, you cursed witch?"
"I listen to no orders! I wanted to hunt, so I organised my own pack! I hunted nobody important down, I broke none of provisions of the treaty!" The old woman said. Jessica clenched fists.
"Did Mab let you off the leash?" Lamruil was surprised.
"You and your people unlawfully deprived me of my acquisitions!" She screamed pointing at young mutants, thenstopped her eyesight on Jessica.
"And you will come back to me and no magic will help you!" She added, looking at the girl's eyes.
"Matylda, take your companions of Wild Hunt and come back to your own part of lands. Let our guests travel across safely roads of Annwn." The leader of dark elves ordered. The witch laughed.
"Great changes will come to our world very shortly. You and your people will lose the protection now the ancient treaty provides you. When Mab becomes a rightful queen of the entire Annwn, I will launch a hunt of every Dark Elf. There will be no forest thick enough and no mountain steep enough for you to take shelter from my infernal hounds!"
Grathgor turned to Owena.
"Remember not to get into the fight. Find your companion and help Megan Gwynn."
"I understand." The girl replied.
"I can see that I won't reach an agreement with you, infernal witch. Therefore I will exercise my right to self-defence of the land."
"Good. Your warriors will feel pain of wounds inflicted with enchanted cold steel!" Matilda hissed sticking the gnarled cane in the earth. All undead knights prepared for the attack. Spectral animals surrounded the witch, protecting her against the immediate physical attack. The team of dark elves was also ready for the struggle. Many of them presented their weapon, and a few created magical symbols around hands. The wizard Lamruil raised the golden cane with a jewel above his head, and Grathgor took the sword out the scabbard. Owena laso prepared her own magic sword, Match formed in fiery bullets in both hands. Matilda's hooded wizard exposed his face. As it turned out, he was Will revived by the black magic, the old friend of Ian and Geralt, murdered by the demon, after finding out the truth about the other side of the forbidden forest.
A rain of rose petals appeared around Mark. The boy was surprised at an unusual occurrence, but at first he thought, that it was new amusement prepared by the Queen. He quickly became convinced that he had been wrong. When all petals fell on the floor, Orin appeared before the young mutant. The blonde elf smiled to him coquettishly.
"You!" Mark shouted.
"You greeted me so harshly. And I tried to shower you with the most beautiful flowers." The man with a golden hair spoke.
"I killed you!" DJ didn't believe his eyes.
"Ah yes. We already had a small unpleasant meeting." Orin showed the prosthesis of the hand made of the pure gold.
"You hurt me boy, but I could not forget about you. Now, when this disgusting girl is with my Queen, we will be able to have a fun together."
"I will show you the play!" Mark created colourful bubbles in the air, demonstrations of the energy which he got listening elven songs from behind walls. Balls exploded in the vicinity of the man flooding him with a colourful sparks.
"Oh my! You too prepared something for me! Thank you!" Orin shouted. He made two blades covered with spikes and threw them at the boy. DJ escaped to the stairwell.
"Do you want to play hide and seek with me? Okay! Let us start the foreplay!" The elf announced joyfully, and then followed the boy. Mark ran to the courtyard of the castle, and later headed in the direction of the gate. Surroundings was crowded by different magic beings, celebrating the Queen's daughter arriving to the land. DJ could not find Shan, Megan's dad, or any of his friends, but he thought that the crowd could give him the upper hand in the escape from the crazy elf and a moment of time to think how to defend him.