Okay, so my goal to update by Christmas (or by New Year at latest) was a bit too optimistic, but hey, I almost made the latter goal. ^^ This is the last real chapter, only a short (I'd imagine, it's not yet written) epilogue left after this.

Chapter 11

"No more chances," they heard the woman saying, and Michael flung the door open.

"That's my daughter you're giving no more chances," he said as he stepped into the room, sword in hand, voice cold as ice.

His daughter and Hikaru! Sai exclaimed. Go after him!

Dresden bit down a curse. It's my part to barge in with no plan, he thought glumly, and there was a faint echo of female chuckle. Dresden ignored it, and rushed into the room after Michael, the arm with his shield bracelet raised, just in time to fend off the shower of bullets that was welcoming them.

"Well," the woman said, turning to them as the reflected bullets dropped down in front of her as if hitting an invisible wall. "So she wasn't bluffing."

"Hah," Molly breathed, staring at them with wide eyes. And yes, Hikaru was there too, standing half behind her, by the edge of an old empty swimming pool, Hikaru, looking tired and a little scared but still absolutely himself, and unharmed. Sai couldn't help the shaky, relieved sob that escaped him at the sight of the boy.

Dresden's attention was elsewhere, though. He was watching the scene behind Molly and Hikaru, taking in the row of sleeping people and the pool with its… water? Sai blinked. He had thought it was empty, but yes, it really was full of water, water with an almost ethereal shade of emerald to it.

"Damn it," the man swore, real anger in his voice. "The hell you're up to here? No, don't bother telling me." He walked to Michael's side, staff poised to face the woman. Mouse followed him, stopping at his other side. "Whatever it is, it's over now. You can't imagine you could fight all of us at the same time."

"Don't question my powers of imagination," the woman said, dry amusement in her voice. "Though I admit, you have an impressive pet there. Let me call mine."

She turned the back of her left hand toward them, pulling her sleeve down a bit to reveal the entire stingray tattoo. The image shivered, floated half a second in front of her hand, and then the stingray took off with a quick flap of its pectoral fins, rising up in the air – growing in size as it went. As it reached the roof of the hall and swung to face them, it measured at least 20 feet from its head to the tip of the tail. Sai had barely time to register this when it plunged downward at them.

"Ventas servitas!" Dresden bellowed, staff pointed at it. The wind hit the stingray head on but barely slowed it down as it swam against the current of air. The thin long tail flipped, a blurry motion that Dresden's hand rose to block, but there was no need for that; Michael's sword was just as fast, hitting the sting underneath the tail with a metallic clang that made them all blink. The stingray whirled over them, undamaged.

"The hell," Dresden muttered. "What's that made of, duranium?"

No time to wonder about that, Sai breathed out. This rescue… wasn't working out the way he had hoped. As Dresden's eyes scanned the scene, he did so as well, and he didn't like what he saw. The four gunmen spreading out, the stingray hovering above them ready to strike again, the sorceress muttering something under her breath, and the water… the ethereal water of the pool shimmering, its calm surface suddenly foaming as if stirred by invisible winds – or something underneath it. Something's happening! Sai shrieked. What's happening! Hikaru, look out, behind you, what is, something is, what's that…!

"Hell's bells, stop freaking out!" Dresden snapped aloud with such strength Sai nearly swallowed his tongue falling suddenly quiet. Michael gave the man a sideward glance, but probably guessed who he was talking to. Mouse simply flicked one ear. The greatest effect this exclamation had on the sorceress who for a moment paused from whatever she was doing, and gave the man a sharp look.

The water fell quiet for a moment as well. Then the woman muttered a word, and a tentacle broke the surface, making a shot at the sleepers.

"Bloody hell!" Dresden yelled, shooting a quick blast of fire at the tentacle which retreated back into the water with an angry whip, splashing up a pillar of water high enough to hit the ceiling. The water hadn't settled when a head broke the surface again.

The wizard blinked. "Is that a crab or a…" He bit down another curse as the crab-like creature attempted to climb out of the pool, tentacles splashing the water around it so it was hard to see clearly. "Mouse, on that beast! Molly, distract the guards! Michael…"

"I'm on it," the knight said, eyes fixed on the stingray that circled in the ceiling.

Dresden turned to face the sorceress, waving with his staff toward the creature that had again retreated into the water. "That… crabtopus is about to devour your prisoners. Are you just watching?"

"That is exactly what it is supposed to do," she replied calmly. "And Kraken was only the first to come, others should be here soon… from all over the world, from Bakunawa to Timingila and Yacumama and all the others. Your dog, magnificent though he is, has a bit more coming there than he can handle."

They both looked at the dog who stood between the water and the sleepers, teeth bared. Then, unmoving, without looking away, the woman muttered a single word, and a beam of light left from her hand toward the wizard who raised a shield and dodged at the same moment on pure instinct.

Sai swallowed, and managed to remain quiet. Not a good time for a distraction. He saw Michael raise his sword as the stingray dove down, rolling aside while simultaneously hitting the stingray's fin, he saw Mouse grabbing a tight bite on a flailing tentacle while attempting to dodge the other five tentacles reaching for him, he saw three Mollys running around (and blinked at that), and something invisible getting hold of a white plastic chair, hitting one of the gunmen hard enough for him to stumble into the water and disappear underneath its foam. Even Hikaru, he saw, was trying to do his part, dragging the sleeping people farther away from the pool – having started from his parents.

Meanwhile Dresden rolled again aside, dodging another beam of light and calling out "Forzare!" as he went. A blast hit the ceiling above the woman, and a part of it collapsed, falling on her – except she wasn't standing there anymore. Feeling quite useless, Sai retreated even further back within the man's mind. He could do nothing to help, but it would be so easy for him to ruin everything with a badly timed distraction. He looked at Hikaru, heart aching, when the man faced that way. If he could at least go to the boy, let him know that he too was there…

Why don't you, then? the female voice whispered. The sun has set long ago. You can go out without any danger.

Sai blinked. Hesitated. So… who are you, anyway? he whispered back.

I'm afraid I cannot tell you. My… host would rather not make my presence known. But I think you should slip out – carefully, don't startle him! – and go to the boy. I honestly thought you'd have done that by now. And if you can speak with him… or better yet, with the apprentice, tell her the summoning circle has to be drawn into the bottom of the pool.

Summoning… circle?

To create the link to wherever all this water comes from. If you can break the circle, it would…

Break the circle! Sai exclaimed. Didn't you just say it's in the bottom of that pool!

Indeed, she said, tone serious. I realize it isn't easy, but that's our best option. Fighting off all the ancient sea gods and monsters she must have summoned isn't something we can do.

Not easy, Sai thought to himself. More like impossible. What if we just take her down?

I agree that killing her would be best, she stated so calmly that Sai felt a little chilled. But that is unlikely to happen, for various reasons.

Those being?

She sighed. My host and his apprentice cannot use magic to kill her. It is against the Laws – and they if any can't afford the slightest violation right now. I'm afraid this sorceress has no such qualms. As for the Holy Knight… he would tell you his job is saving, not for killing.

Dropping a ceiling on someone doesn't qualify as trying to kill her with magic?

This time she chuckled. What can I say, he is reckless like that. But even if she dies, that would not destroy the circle, and we would still have to deal with these monsters.

Does Dresden know of the circle?

He should. I'll talk to him – if he listens to me. …one more reason for you to go. He's likelier to speak with me when there are no eavesdroppers.

Yes, uh, I… I understand. Feeling for some reason a little embarrassed he still hesitated for a short moment, but nodded then. Slip out. Carefully.

How?

Just walk away, she whispered, and he wondered if he'd asked that question aloud.

All the same. He happened to catch a glimpse of Hikaru and took a deep a deep breath. Just walk. Go to the boy. And with that thought he was walking across the floor toward the boy who was huddling near his parents as far from the pool as he had managed to get them.

Sai glanced back as he walked, and saw Dresden facing the sorceress who was enveloped in white, cold light that was so bright it was almost painful to look at. He paused to see what was going on, but right then something swooshed down over him, making him flinch. Looking up he saw the stingray rising up again, and shot a panicked glance around. Where was Michael? He couldn't see the knight anywhere. A moment he feared the stingray had got the man, but then he realized it was the opposite. There was a small form clinging to the stingray's back. At first he couldn't understand how the man was holding on, but realized then he had struck his sword into the back of the creature, and was hanging onto it.

Sai grinned. The stingray was hardly yet dead, but the way it was struggling was promising. He couldn't see Molly either, but that didn't surprise him. What he did see was one of the gunmen lying on the ground, unmoving, and the two remaining ones standing back to back, their eyes frantically following something he didn't see. As for Mouse, the dog was pacing back and forth at the water's edge, attention focused on a great shadow gliding right underneath the surface. Sai paused to stare at it. A whale? There was something odd about its shape, but that was the only thing big enough he could think of; the creature nearly filled the whole pool. His grin widened.

A whale wouldn't be able to get out of the pool, and it was blocking the way from other creatures that might be coming.

Relieved, he concluded that they really were doing well enough, and besides, shouldn't the police be arriving soon, too? He couldn't be sure exactly how long had passed – most likely not nearly as long as what it felt like, but even so half an hour just had to be up already. He turned and ran to the boy.

Hikaru! I'm back! Are you alright? He attempted to grab the boy into tight hug, but his hands went right through him. Hikaru kept on staring at the fight scene, eyes unblinking, forehead wrinkled, all body tense and ready spring up as he crouched next to his mother.

Hikaru? Sai waved his hand in front of the boy's face. No reaction.

Biting down a sigh he stepped back. No, this wouldn't do. He couldn't be this close and not get in. He closed his eyes. Bob and Dresden had spoken of their connection so convincingly he couldn't believe it wouldn't exist. He silenced the little voice that pointed out he hadn't been able to feel Hikaru's presence when they arrived to this place. He had, in the end, known the right direction…

…and there was the same warmth in front of him which he had felt in the corridor, the same light, soft and welcoming, like the heat of glowing embers in a brass pot, warming his bones on a chilly January night when he returned home from a long day at the palace, from countless games and mean-spirited intrigue, and…

He blinked, cut off the memory and reached for the heat, and with just that he was home.

But no home is for forever, a thought passed his mind. He pushed it aside too.

Hikaru, he whispered, and the boy fell flat on his back out of sheer surprise.

"Sai!" he exclaimed, quickly gathering himself back to his feet. "Are you, is it really, are you really back?"

He threw his arms around the boy and this time got hold. Yes, yes, I am, Hikaru, he replied, laughing out loud. I'm so sorry I lost you! I've been so worried, are you alright? …Hikaru? Are you alright?

The boy was crying. Shoulders shaking, tears flowing freely he just stood there, sobbing aloud.

Hey, Hikaru… Sai gave the boy another hug. Shh, it's okay. Everything's going to be okay. I'm here, we're all here, and we'll fix this. I'm sorry I…

N-no, the boy cut him off, hiccupping even in his thoughts. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I've been an idiot and I don't want to lose you and, and don't ever go away again! He nailed his teary eyes to the stunned ghost. "Sai! Promise me you won't ever go away!"

I… I can't promise something like that, Sai replied quietly. It's not… in my hands. But, Hikaru, he went on as the boy took a shaky breath and looked like he was about to object to that, quite vehemently. Listen, remember the circle the onmyouji drew on ground when doing the tracking spell? Apparently there's something like that in the bottom of the pool, and if we can destroy it, this will end.

Hikaru stared at him a moment as if not understanding what he was talking about. Then he looked at the pool, shaking his head. "In the pool? We can't go in there!"

I know that! But still, this isn't going bad, I think soon we'll have the situation on hand and then we…

"Situation in hand?" Hikaru muttered. "Are we watching the same scene?"

Sai blinked and turned to look back just in time to see Michael being flung down. The man hit the floor hard and took a moment to gather himself up. Sai gave a frightened gasp when he saw the sword falling right at the edge of the pool; he had been sure it had been about to fall into the water. He looked at the fighting wizards and saw that the white glow surrounding the sorceress had spread so it now enveloped also Dresden. Sai couldn't tell what the man was doing, but it seemed he was struggling just to keep standing. Of Molly there was still no sight, but he saw with a frightened start that the men had turned their attention to Hikaru and were approaching the boy slowly from the other side of the pool. The pool, which…

He swallowed.

"The water," Hikaru whispered. "It's rising."

There was already an inch of water on the floor, overflowing from the foamy pool, and it was rising quickly. As Sai watched a huge serpent struck out from the pool, splashing the water high as it fell on the wet floor. Mouse was between it and them, growling and ready to jump, but as the dog faced the serpent, the crab-octopus pulled itself on the floor as well, and something… something he could have sworn had an elephant's head flashed quickly on the surface.

Hikaru swore, quite vividly, but Sai was too stunned to even notice. The boy grasped his mother and pulled her to sit against the wall, and did then the same to his father. Then he rushed to the eldest couple and started to drag the man to the wall as well.

"If the water rises more they can't be lying down!" he yelled at Sai. "I gotta get them all up!"

Sai nodded, but his attention was elsewhere. Now the men were walking more briskly toward the boy, guns in hand.

Hikaru! Those gunmen…

The boy glanced at them and swore again. Damn! There's no time for this! He grasped the next two people at the same time and started dragging them both toward the wall. We're screwed, he thought glumly to Sai. We're so, so, so scre…

A bright flash of light cut the boy off. There was a rip in the world, a tear that reminded Sai of the time Dresden had taken them to the Nevernever. For a short moment he wished for reinforcements, perhaps more onmyouji were coming to join them in the battle, but then ghouls started pouring out of the rip, and he froze.

"What. The. Hell," Hikaru said aloud, staring at the sigh frozen to his place.

Same was true for everyone else; for a moment no one moved, even the sea monsters paused, turning their attention to the still incoming ghouls.

Five, eight, twelve… Sai closed his eyes, wearily, not wanting to count them. He didn't anymore have any idea what was going on, but he felt he could really agree with Hikaru's assessment of the situation, although he rarely used such words.

Screwed indeed, he whispered quietly.

The last ghoul came in, but unlike he would have expected, they attacked no one, just stood in line waiting. A heartbeat later a man walked in, or at least Sai assumed it was a man, for he was dressed in long black robes and hooded cape that covered his face completely.

"Cowl," he heard Dresden's exasperated voice. "Why am I not even surprised?"

The newcomer gave a little laugh. "I must admit I am, though just slightly. I would have assumed you would do better here. Lucky for you I arrived when I did, it seems."

"You want me to believe you came to help?" Dresden all but snarled.

"I came to stop her," the man stated calmly. "We do have the same goal, as you see." He glanced at the serpent and the crabtopus, waved his hand toward them, and two flashes of black lightning struck through the air, hitting the beasts and making them shriek in pain. Black smoke rising from them they both dove right back into the water.

"You have nerve," the woman said quietly. The white light was gone, but her eyes, fixed to the hooded man, were bright and sharp, unblinking. "You have nerve to strike at these creatures so. I told you not to get involved, as you refused to help."

"Did you really expect I wouldn't," the man replied, at the same time as Dresden exclaimed, "You two know each other?"

"That should be my question," the woman said, glancing at him. "What did you call him again, Cowl?" She smiled a little. "As good a name as any, I guess."

"I've had the displeasure," Dresden muttered. He had moved slowly across the room so that he was standing nearly as far from the sorceress and Cowl – and between them and Hikaru and the sleeping people. "And no offense, but a Nazgul-wannabe's not the kind of cavalry I'd prefer."

"Good thing no one's asking you," Cowl remarked without so much as a glance at him. "Lanu," he said to the woman, "time to end this. For old times' sake I will let you go…"

"Let me go?" she cut him off with a laugh. "You truly believe I would stop here just because you popped in with your brutes? You never were a fool, don't start now." The cold brightness of her eyes intensified, spreading slowly all over her as if her very body was shining. "I've come way too far to stop!"

While she was speaking Dresden glanced at Hikaru, and nodded slightly at the remaining people lying by the pool. The boy didn't notice, as the hooded figure – and the ghouls – had all his attention.

Hikaru, Sai whispered. I think he wants… hey, Hikaru? Do you hear me? The boy didn't react, and he went closer, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. Hikaru! Now the boy gave a start and glanced at him. The water is still rising, I think you should continue what you were doing.

Hikaru nodded and splashed to the next couple with a nervous glance at the ghouls, and dragged them to the wall. Michael, having again collected his sword, sprang to aid him. Sai turned back to follow the discussion with a frown. Apparently their connection still wasn't quite back to what it had been. Only when Dresden started talking again he realized something more: he still understood it all.

"And what is it you're planning to accomplish with all this?" Dresden was asking, having turned back to the woman.

"A new world order," Cowl put in, something akin to contempt in his voice.

"You're one to talk," she snorted. "After the spectacular fail of your plans… ah." She looked at Dresden. "I have not been paying attention. It was you who stopped him, wasn't it?"

The wizard gave a bow. "Rightly concluded, ma'am. And now it's your turn. But you haven't still answered my question."

Cowl gave a sigh. "She is waking the old gods of sea all over the world, giving them strength, and raising the oceans to a new great flood."

Dresden blinked. "Okay, what the hell? Are we filming the Call of Crabtopus or what…? Just one little question: why?"

"Out of sheer inability to accept the fact that the world has changed," Cowl replied with a shrug, and she bristled.

"And why should I accept this change?" The white light danced again around her, sparkled as tiny flashes of lightning at her fingertips. "Look at the world that was given to our care! I have watched, through centuries I have watched the spread of our plague on this world, and no longer will I take it. A new world order you say – no, an old one, truly. In my youth, the world was as it should be. Then the Westerners arrived, and within a century and a half, they had turned everything upside down, and a civil war raged in my homeland. I should have acted then – I did, raising the cyclone that brought an end to the standoff, but I was foolish enough to listen to the Council who claimed we should not meddle.

"A fool," she spat again. "Thousand times a fool. I should have acted long before. 'It is wrong for us to manipulate the politics of mortals'… hah. Ask some day, if you survive this, if Listens-to-Wind still thinks so, and doesn't regret not using his powers to 'meddle' to save his people."

"Yeah, well, I'm the last to start defending Council's policies to anyone. But I kinda fail to see how trying to raise a real life Cthulhu would save the world."

"It might be because you confuse saving the world with saving humanity," the woman replied with a tight, maybe a little sad smile. "Which is not to say this wouldn't, in the long run, help also…"

"Enough with this chitchat," Cowl cut her off with an impatient gesture. "We've been through it all before, and my mind hasn't changed. One last time: are you backing off or not?"

She merely gave him a quiet look, and he nodded. Pointed with his hand toward the sleeping people. "Kill them."

Sai gave a frightened gasp, but Dresden clearly had been expecting something of the sort. "Forzare!" he exclaimed as the horde of ghouls rushed at him, toward the sleepers behind his back. A quick spin of his staff sent three of the ghouls flying, but the majority of them charged past him. "Can't say I'm surprised about this either, Darth Bathrobe," he snarled as he spun around.

"Defend them!" the sorceress called out to him. "I will deal with him!"

"Yeah, defend them from the ghouls so that you can feed them to your monsters, gotcha," the man muttered. "Michael!" he called, reaching his friend who was cutting down his third ghoul, "How about asking for a tiny miracle? Like those two taking each other down?"

Michael didn't waste breath for a reply. Mouse joined the two men as well, taking down one ghoul in a huge leap, and together they turned to face the attackers…. attackers who were still more numerous than Sai cared to count. Even with the two remaining guards joining the battle he was uncertain of which way it would go. Bullets seemed to do little to stop the ghouls, and of the defenders, only Mouse seemed to be in full strength. Michael had a slight limp, possibly after his fall, and the wizard seemed simply weary, his blasts not having their usual power.

Sai shot a worried look toward the corner where Hikaru was huddling with his parents, a little apart from others, and gave a frightened gasp. They were all gone. Then he paused, closed his eyes and concentrated. No… the warmth that was the boy was still there, although he couldn't see him. Perhaps Molly had joined them? He hoped so, and was about to go to check it, when a huge blast behind him made him startle.

The serpent was back, rising from the pool like a dark arrow toward the ceiling before falling on the floor, momentarily drowning the nearby guards in a splash of water. It had barely hit the floor before it was wriggling its way toward the sleepers, throwing ghouls aside as it went, head rising for a strike.

"Defendarius!" Dresden called out, and the serpent hit a wall of blue energy, recoiling with an angry hiss. Before it could attempt another attack, a dark lightning hit it again, and it squirmed in the water in apparent pain, but didn't retreat to the pool this time.

"Stop wasting your strength!" Cowl called at the fighters from the other side of the pool, where he was fending off both the woman and the stingray. "The simplest way to stop her is to destroy the sacrifice! Surely that is a lesser evil than allowing her to succeed?"

"Lesser evil my ass," Dresden mumbled, though probably too quietly for Cowl to hear, and blasted another ghoul all the way into the pool.

Sai turned away and hurried to the corner where he knew Hikaru to be. He still couldn't see the boy, but he could feel him now, and headed straight to that feeling, until he literally bumped into Hikaru.

"Sai!" the boy exclaimed aloud.

"Shh!" someone shushed him sharply. Glancing around Sai saw Molly crouching next to the boy. The girl looked even worse than the wizard, her breath quick and uneven, face strained in concentration.

Sai! Hikaru exclaimed again, now soundlessly. Where did you go! Molly claimed she could see you there but I couldn't! Why did you leave like that again?

I'm sorry, I didn't know that would happen. But listen, Hikaru… listen! This isn't time to panic. We have to do something!

What? the boy asked in desperate tone. That's a real mess out there. I don't even anymore know who's the real enemy here. And Molly… he glanced at the girl, I think she's totally wasted, she can't do much anymore.

Yes, but… Sai watched the battle raging in the room, feeling the desperation seep over him too. True. What could they do?

You said there's… some magic circle in the bottom of that pool? Hikaru asked thoughtfully. Sai gave a startled nod, and the boy frowned. I guess it's the only thing we could try.

Cold fear crept into Sai's heart. Hikaru… you can't possibly think you could…

The boy snorted. I don't. But you're right, we have to do something. And maybe… "Molly," he whispered aloud. "Can you, uh… I go, you veil me?"

"What?" The girl gave him a weary look. "Where you'd go?"

Hikaru pointed toward the pool. "You veil me, monster not see."

The girl looked where he pointed, the lines on her forehead deepening. "No," she whispered. "I don't know what you're planning, but no, I'm sorry. I can't. All this water… it's making this even harder. I can't veil both us and you."

Hikaru frowned.

She said she can't veil both your parents and you if you leave, Sai whispered. Now the boy blinked.

How did you understand that much? Nah, never mind. Damn. How will I get there without…

A door banged open. Four figures appeared through it, uniformed, the first of them a small blond woman with a gun in her hand. Before Sai could even realize the police finally were there, Hikaru jumped to his feet. Stay with me now, Sai! he called out and sprang toward the four.

For a moment Sai couldn't move from his horror. He saw a ghoul spot the running boy and leap after him, wide mouth torn into an impossible grin, saw the blond woman raise her gun and take aim, pull the trigger once, twice, three times… until the ghoul staggered and fell down, and didn't move again.

Hikaru had paused and looked back with wide eyes. Sai rushed to him just in time to hear the woman saying calmly, "I told you they can be killed with enough bullets." She nodded her head toward Hikaru. "O'Toole, take the kid out of here."

She told the men to take you out, Sai whispered.

"No!" Hikaru exclaimed. He spun to face the female officer – Murphy, Sai finally remember her hard-to-pronounce name. The boy pointed toward the pool. "We… have to… go… there," he said with apparent effort. "Stop. Stop…this."

Murphy gave him a frowning look. Shot then a glance across the room, taking the ghouls, the fighting wizards and the stingray, and the crabtopus that was currently creeping out from the foaming pool. For a moment her expression was unreadable. Then she nodded. "To the pool. Move it!"

They ran to the pool's edge, guns ready in hand, and paused there. Hikaru looked down into the foaming water. There was something big swimming in circles in there, something whale-like but with a head of an elephant. Hikaru swallowed.

Sai… I can't see the bottom. Only the sea floor. How can I find the circle if I can't even find the bottom!

I can see it, Sai replied, very quietly. He could see the sea as well, the shapes of coral, but above it, like a mirage, the cracked bottom of the pool. And yes, a circle drawn onto it. I can see the circle. It's right there. He went closer to the boy, inside, into his familiar consciousness. There. He pointed with his fan. Can't you see it?

Ye… Hikaru started to say, but was cut short by shots. They looked up with a start and saw the stingray – apparently the sorceress had spotted them by the pool and sent her pet to chase them away.

"Why are we here!" Murphy yelled as she aimed a new series of shots at the sea creature. "If you're gonna do something, do it now!"

Hikaru took a deep breath and looked down into the pool.

Susanoo-o-mikoto, he thought, help me survive this and I swear I'll do a pilgrimage to Yasaka Shrine and offer you… whatever you most like being offered.

What are you… Sai started to ask, but at that moment the boy dove in.

Sai gave a startled shriek. Hikaru, what, no you can't…!

Shut up Sai! There was a part where the bottom's cracked, help me find that!

The boy kicked with his feet and they glided downward through the water. Sais' eyes scanned the bottom, panic swelling in his chest. He couldn't help being aware of the huge form on their side, approaching swiftly, but then he heard muffled shots, and saw the form squirm and slow down.

The circle. Concentrate on the circle. And then he saw it, the part the boy had talked about, where the bottom tiles were cracked, and the circle was drawn right over the crack. There! he exclaimed, and Hikaru spotted it too, kicking strongly with his feet. They reached the bottom. For one frightening moment Sai feared Hikaru's hand would go through it as he reached down, but the boy managed to grasp the crack. He clawed at it, trying to get a hold, and a tiniest bit of tile came off, breaking the line of the circle.

For a moment everything was so quiet they could only hear the blood humming in Hikaru's ears. Then the water was gone, and the boy was left sprawled on the dry and dirty pool floor.

They lay there, staring up at the stunned faces of the police officers. There was a loud shriek, and the four suddenly disappeared from the view. Another shout, ghoul-like, growling of a big dog.

I'll take a look, be right back, Sai whispered to Hikaru, not wanting to frighten the boy by disappearing again. Hikaru didn't even blink at his words, and a moment he hesitated, but decided then they had to know what was going on.

He rose up from the pool to see Murphy attempting to, most likely, arrest Cowl, who simply disappeared into another tear in reality, thankfully taking the rest of the ghouls with him. There was no sign of the sorceress. The monsters were gone, all water was gone, and everyone seemed to be, well, at least alive, if not totally unscarred.

Dresden was looking across the hall, as if searching for something. Then his gaze stopped on Sai, and he limped to the pool. Sai winced. If the man had been somewhat beaten up before, this battle had not helped. In addition to his limp he had gained a cut across his forehead that was bleeding over his swollen eye, giving him an even wilder look than before.

The wizard stopped at the pool's edge, looking down at the boy.

"I bet she didn't," he said after a short silence, and sat down, exhausted.

Sai blinked, confused, and turned to look down as well. On the wall of the pool, right behind where Hikaru was lying, there were pictures of delicate white fishes. Next to them someone had scribbled a graffiti.

Mama never told me there'd be days like this.

Notes:

The standoff refers to the so-called Samoan Crisis, which was a standoff between the US, Imperial Germany, and the UK,1887–1889, over the control of the Samoan islands during the Samoan civil war. It ended in a cyclone which wrecked six out of the seven warships involved.

And if you looked at the Edgewater hospital photos (link in my profile), I made a couple of changes (artistic freedom): for one, the room with swimming pool is a lot bigger (and so is the pool), and two, placed that ending graffiti into the pool instead of whatever random place it is where it was (showers, maybe?) Maybe my swimming hall is a bit too fancy for a hospital, but whatever. Artistic freedom, as I said. ^^