Authors Notes: The first part is a dream so hang in there. Also the dream is a prelude to what will happen in book 3. That one will answer just who and what Zareth really is.

Rest Stop:

Rift Wars

Chapter 5

Heart and Soul

It was freezing out, snow fell from the tree tops into the hot springs below him. Glass didn't mind though. It looked lovely. He couldn't feel the cold until he climbed out. Which he wasn't planning on doing for a bit. It felt to good to get out. His muscles ached after a day of working. He had taken up a job close by. Although it was hard work, he didn't mind doing it every so often.

A twig snapped and he looked up to see a woman round the corner. She gasped and put her hand on the robe she had around herself. Obviously the woman that owned the area. Or at least married to the person who did.

"Please don't be afraid. I'm just taking a soak is all. No harm done." He said. The woman looked almost relieved.

"I thought you were a man that was trying to get me." She said. Glass chuckled and shook his head.

"Oh no not me I promise." For once it was true. "I'm working for the farm just over there."

"Ah where we get the grapes for our wine? I own the bed and breakfast on the other side of this spring." He knew the place but couldn't afford the pricy rooms. "It looked like a very fine establishment."

"You should come stay with us one in a while." The giggled dropping the robe to the stony floor. Glass gasped and looked down shielding his eyes from her look. She climbed in and sat down at least the water hid anything important.

"I'll have to do that when I'm able to." he told her.

"I'm Glass by the way. No last name." He smiled

"I am Danny. Its short for Danielle." She said and giggled. "Danielle Pierce."

"Beautiful name." He said watching her run water over her arm.

"Why thank you sir." She sighed and leaned back. He knew this woman from somewhere. He couldn't remember where.

"Have we met before?" He asked looking at her. The woman looked at him a little surprised.

"I shouldn't think so." She said standing up walking over toward him. He could see her breasts from the way she was walking. He turned away. Almost expecting her to come over to him. But when she didn't reach him he looked around again to see her sitting under the water fall. Her hands rested over her breasts so he didn't see them. But her eyes were closed.

'Wow…' He thought. When she opened her eyes it looked almost like they were glowing. A golden bronze color, her blond hair running thinly now since it was wet.

"Um...so do you come out here often?" He asked. She giggled and nodded her head.

"Yes when its been a particularly rough day." She said stepping out of the cold spray. She sunk back into the water.

"So I imagine its been pretty rough then?" She laughed heartily at this as if it were a joke.

"Well of course." She said walking toward him again. "And my Masters wouldn't let up." She said almost touching him. "But I know you Mr. Glass...I've known what you've done...what has happened. The master of form has taken on your form and has been running around as you. Or you are the master of form...we can't tell. So the best thing for us to do...is get rid of both of you." Glass recoiled away from her.

"Danny please I am Glass...I can proove it."

"Oh?" She leaned in her face just above his. "And how can you do that?" She giggled her eyes changed from the bronze they were to red.

"Why aren't they green? I thought your eyes were green...Danny please…" He could feel her breath mixing with his.

"Green...my eyes? Since when?"

"Always...they've always been green. Dannygirl, its me...its Zareth...Dan…" He gasped feeling the knife against his back slowly push in. He could taste blood. She knew just where to put that knife. But why was their just blood...why not oil too? He looked at his reflection in the water. He wasn't Zareth and Dannys reflection was the same. Was this...a memory? His breaths were coming in deep gasps now. She leaned forward kissing him then letting him go into the water.

"I'd apologize but I'm not programmed to. Just know that in saying so I have no problems with you, its just programming."

"Danny...no…" His lungs hitched. He heard the sound of charging. He looked back up at Danny. Her gun was poised on him.

"I am sorry…Zareth."

Zareth jerked away with a yelp. He looked around the room he had to find it...He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled it out. Danny came running into the room and looked down at him since he was sitting on the side of the bed.

"Danny...let me ask you something." Zareth asked his hands were shaking and one of them had a gun. Danny noticed the gun in front of her face.

"Have you ever shot me by choice?" He asked. Dareth pulled Danny away from Zareth hugging her. Zane had her other side. Danny looked up at Zareth almost hurt. She reached up grabbing the barrel of the gun and placing it against her forehead.

"As far as I know no...but I've been having dreams lately...very vivid dreams about killing people." She took a deep breath and looked up at Zareth. "So i think its a very strong possibility that I have." Danny closed her eyes. "Please...don't miss…" She whispered.

It took a few moments before Danny heard the gun fall to the floor. Zareth gathered her up in his arms. She clung to him as if it was her only hope for survival. Almost as if she couldn't stay above water unless she held onto him. It were partly true.

"I'm sorry Danny...so sorry. Please forgive me." He whispered. When Danny pulled back her skin was white again and her wisp markings were back. Her eyes however were a light bronze color. Dareth and Zane were gone.

"I guess the spell wore off." Danny said.

"Hey...whats going on with your eyes?" He ran his finger over her cheek.

"I think it has something to do with how happy I am. If i'm happy and content they're green, if I'm sad or angry they're bronze. Mood eyes...imagine that huh?" She said and tried to laugh, but it was short lived. She felt the tears run down her cheeks again. He pulled her to him hugging her again.

(0)

Inky woke up in the night. She had to go to the bathroom. She undangled herself from the bodys that were around her. The air was kind of cold in there at night, but hot and muggy during the day. She wondered if this place ever seen snow.

The hallway was dark, but had a soft red glow from the emergancy lighting. She opened the door to the bathrooms and gasped. Their along the walls were nindroid after nindroid. An army of...Danny. Each one inside activation tanks. Reach one ready to destroy anything. She gasped feeling someone behind her. She looked up to see Captain Van. She tried to scream, but he covered her mouth.

"I see you've found Gayas army hum? If she wanted to she could activate them all at the same time and they would all just go destroy a village like they've done before. Just like the Overlords stone army, but this one...works as a hive mind. If they were to activate...I don't think your Danny would be the same." Van smiled and leaned in. "That means no more mommy for you." He chuckled grabbing Inkys hair and pulled her head back dropping something into her mouth. He clapped his hand over her mouth as she tried to spit it out. The pain was incredible and her mind exploded. She could hear a voice in her head. A deep voice that burned as it spoke to her. She didn't realize just how loud she was screaming. Van couldn't hold her down so let her drop onto the floor and scream holding her head. Cryptor and Mindroid came running at the sound of Inkys distress. Eventually Inky just lay there breathing hard as if she had just ran a marathon. Van was confused. Cygnus walked over.

"Cuz'n? You okay now?" He put his hand on her back.

"It wasn't much...I just gave her a drop of dark matter." Van smiled looking down at Inky. "Just enough to corrupt her ink. Its no longer her element." Vans voice had changed so something new. Something more...female.

"From now on...despair will be her enemy. For it will take her eventually. Her ink will overtake her. It will kill her." The laugh was horrible.

"Gaya!" Cryptor spat. "Give me back my niece before I kill you myself."

"Oh I don't think father would like that to much."

"You aren't his daughter. He didn't have children. He had commanders. And I am one of his generals!"

"You are an excuse!" Gaya yelled. "You pale in comparison to me!" Gaya yelled.

"Granted...but that...is mine!" He pointed to Inky. "Unless you want to explain to your 'father' that I destroyed his whole network...then I suggest you give her back."

"Fine...but that ink...is corrupted by father. So...you know...finders keepers." She disappeared and Van fell to the floor unconscious. Cryptor ran over to Inky scooping her up in his arms. He tapped her cheek trying to get her to wake up.

"Inky…" He called to her. She opened her eyes. For a moment her eyes flashed purple and then back to blue.

"Uncle Cryptor?"

"Remember Cryptor...Despair will be her downfall!"

"Who?"

"Never you mind...just get some rest. Its still late in the night." He walked her back into the kitchen and covered her up.