They found themselves on a marshland, some kind of swamp with plants, but this was clearly the landmass of the planet – as there was a viable ocean a few metres away, which a woman stood looking out across, watching Serpantha fly down to her.

She was slender, her waist looking as if it had been stretched and her legs became thinner and thinner until a small foot touched the floor. Her arms were of the same fashion, stemming to become hands with severely shortened slight fingers. Her skin appeared transparent, although it was impossible to see anything behind it. The white outfit she wore was in fact more opaque than her skin, but it looked a lot like a one-piece swimming costume with shorts, and it was all clearly one piece of material – except for what looked like a thick black belt, with two long swords through it. And it didn't look like hair exactly, but she had what looked like silver dreadlocks, but they looked more like bone than hair. Perhaps the oddest feature she had were her eyes, it was impossible to tell where she was looking as they were two opaque silver marbles in her face, and she had a bump in-between her eyes that might have been a nose, but there was no way of telling.

When Serpantha landed, she grinned, displaying a set of round, rough silver teeth. She stood at equal height to Serpantha, and merely looked at him for a long time, before embracing him, unable to take the grin off her face.

When she released him Serpantha said playfully, 'Take it easy, I haven't seen you show that much affection in years.'

She tried to look annoyed, but couldn't. She spoke in a breathy, almost rasping voice through her thin black lips. 'It's been years since you scared everyone like you did, Serpantha, I'm sure to return to my normal self don't worry. For example I would like to state you only have yourself to blame.'

'Good to see all this destruction hasn't changed you Lyrai.'

Lyrai nodded gently, and then said, 'Shall we?'

It make them feel uneasy as the scenery changed around them, as if in some four dimensional movie, but they watched Lyrai dive into the see springing up from the swampland. The bone like growths on her head lifted themselves into a point to weigh her down into the waters with minimal effort. It was fascinating to watch the way she moved, of course it was – this was a new species! Both girls were so preoccupied watching Lyrai descend that they barely noticed Serpantha, who had changed into a close approximation of a merman, with a fish tail and gills on his neck. Rachel couldn't help but notice the scars on his body – his arms, chest, stomach, back, everywhere, all different shapes lengths and sizes, left from spells and claws. It surprised her even though she knew it shouldn't.

After diving just a few miles below the surface, nowhere near where anyone lived, Lyrai stopped and her bone-hair fell down, and her and Serpantha swam slowly and relaxed through the waters, with Lyrai swimming frog-style (which was rather suiting, given her fingers were more like frogs than humans).

'Are you going to tell me what you wanted me here for?' Serpantha asked.

'We have serious matters to discuss—'

Serpantha looked at the swords she carried on her waist as one nearly cut him. 'I can see that.'

Lyrai looked ashamed, but still defended her right to have them. 'They kept me alive more than my spells; you hardly have a right to shame me for using such weapons, the arrangement was for me to sacrifice my planet to buy yours time. I'm not a noble person, I won't die with dignity, I die kicking and screaming to the last breath.'

'In suit with Sprite fighting style I suppose.'

Lyrai smiled. 'If you chop of anything's head it will die.'

Serpantha became very serious, 'That doesn't change the fact you no longer need them, so you can stop carrying them.'

Lyrai ignored him. 'What's the state of Earth?'

'Vastly improved, their nature has certainly changed through all this destruction, Heiki played a large part in stopping children using magic to be cruel, and especially upon coming to Orin Fen.'

'Naturally,' Lyrai replied immediately, 'crisis brings people together, and the nature of your species is bound to influence them, as well as this planet. How long can you expect that to last?'

'Why do you have irrational hate of humans?' Serpantha looked astounded.

'I don't,' Lyrai explained, 'Humans as a species are fast changing, so you have a strong positivity about Earth's future. As I said, they are fast changing, which also makes them quick to turn, and they are quick to turn on you.'

Serpantha stayed calm, trying to logically reason with her. 'When they do it's short lived, and either from pre-programmed fears or manipulation. I can use Heiki for a plain example, compared to what she began as and what she is now in such a short space of time, I am unimaginably proud of her.'

'Of course you are, you're proud of your own work training her.' Lyrai said bluntly, 'you made her capable of killing and teaching others to kill. Perhaps you shouldn't be so proud.'

'You talk as if either of our hands are clean,' Serpantha grew frustrated, 'she was never going to change, not fully, people don't, by Heiki's very nature she is angry, angry at the world and everyone in it. I never aimed to change that because I cannot hope to, all I could do, all I have ever done is try to channel that energy into something positive. She wanted a purpose and I gave her one, and I found a friend along the way. I know her better than anyone else and I have learnt that even the worst of humanity isn't actually bad.'

Lyrai thought for a moment. 'I have heard much about Heiki, if anything all her story conveys is the manipulation of humanity.'

'I think you forget we wouldn't be having this meeting without a human,' Serpantha reminded. 'Please tell me you are merely being your hateful self, if not what are you trying to suggest?'

Lyrai said casually, 'Earth has been interfered with too much. People have died, and you have made children into murders, something you have tried to prevent for years. I'm merely saying Earth with magic doesn't work, nor does your involvement with the people on it.'

Serpantha grew annoyed. 'You have no involvement with Earth; your approval is not needed. What are you proposing?'

'Magic to be removed from Earth. Consequently, memories will also need to be adjusted so no one knows what has happened, it should be a simple enough job to replace reality with mundane day to day lives humans have.'

'I mean this in the least offensive way possible,' said Serpantha, 'but what you're suggesting is ridiculous, and a massive job. And with all due respect, you haven't had involvement with Earth for centuries, so you can't act like you know about humans.'

Lyrai stood strong. 'I sacrificed my planet, my people. I have the right to decide what happens to Earth, given if you had just let one little girl die none of this destruction would have happened.'

'You have full right to a part in the decision; you don't have the right to be a complete eejit. What you propose is absurd.'

'Don't insult me on my own planet,' Lyrai said through gritted teeth.

'I was only returning the favour.'

Lyrai looked childishly annoyed, and swam rapidly down, forcing Serpantha to follow. They must have swum for miles, too fast for the eye to track, until Lyrai boldly landed on the muddy floor of the ocean, standing to her full height – using her frog-like feet to grip.

'Look around you,' she announced. 'All to protect Earth, Serpantha, that precious blue dot in space that nearly died along with everyone else in this universe. While it's true it took them months to reach our depths they still did, and now there's nothing left but rubble of our oldest city. There was destruction on Orin Fen, but nothing on this scale.'

Serpantha hovered just above the ocean floor, looking around. Without looking at her he said, 'I understand. However, there has already been an eight-month absence from Earth; everyone has understood of as we explained how long things might take. To not go back now…'

'It would be disgusting I agree. However, Earth with magic does not work, nor does your involvement with the people on it. I suggest the removal of magic from Earth.'

'Lyrai do you have any idea the uproar that would cause?'

'No, I failed to think this through for eight months.'

Serpantha pressed calmly, 'Go on.'

'Consequently, memories will also need to be adjusted so no one knows what has happened, it should be a simple enough job to replace reality with mundane day to day lives humans have.'

'That would be a massive and unrealistic job, things on Earth are changing, everything is – like any planet Earth will eventually settle and it will just be another planet with magic. Just look at children like Yemi or Eric you have no idea what could become of that!'

'I don't want to know,' Lyrai reaffirmed.

Serpantha tried to reason with her. 'I understand you are scared but this isn't the answer, humans aren't aware of your existence and your involvement stops here. Besides we have personal involvement I'm not abandoning people who mean so much to me, and people I'm in debt to.'

'If they can't remember they would never know.'

Serpantha struggled with himself for a moment, and then said to Lyrai. 'You have a deal, but my terms are to be accepted, or there is no agreement, understood?'

Lyrai became childishly interested. 'Oh? What terms?'

'Not only must the job be done by you, but you leave the memories of Eric, Rachel, and Heiki. You must also let the two girls keep their magic. Consider it their reward.'

Lyrai looked suspiciously at him for a while before agreeing.

The memory shifted, the scenery blurred until it refocused back on Orin Fen, and they found themselves in the same house they had arrived at, in the living room.

Larpskendya had just fled into the room noticing his brother flying back down to the planet, while Owlola breastfed a baby wrapped in white cloth.

Serpantha appeared in the room with them, and as soon as he saw Owlola his entire face lit up and he forgot his original purpose.

Owlola smiled. 'You were gone and this happened, because we couldn't force you to wait another day. Congratulations on missing the birth of your son.'

Serpantha rushed over to her, leaning over the back of the sofa to look at his child. He looked is pure wonderment at the newborn for the longest time, saying nothing, more than contented. He finally said, 'I should apologise – I promised you Volüsa.'

'I was disappointed too; I wanted our little girl we always talked about in those wasted years.' Owlola began laughing.

'What's so funny?'

'We're upset because we had a son.'

Serpantha grinned, and kissed her on the cheek. 'We can afford to be. If we can't have Volüsa we can have Venibilles.'

'Works for me.'

Serpantha quipped, 'And we can plan to have the next one.'

Larpskendya could hold back no longer. 'What did Lyrai want?'

Serpantha looked up and his entire face froze, not wanting to tell him. 'Nothing awful, but you will hate it.'

'What was it?'

'She believes our interference with Earth is too great and should cease, not only that but magic should be removed along with memories.'

Larpskendya took a while to take it in before responding. 'I'm unsure where to be begin with that. You ignored her of course.'

Serpantha appeared awkward. 'You know we can't, she sacrificed her world, all in an attempt to protect Earth. As much as I agree that Earth now has a voice, and it should not be our decision what happens to it anymore, but it is the way of things that we will, and Lyrai gets a say. Her say is the most powerful at present.'

'Rachel, Yemi, Heiki – all of them mean nothing to you?'

'Oh don't make accusations at me because you're upset it doesn't suit you. If she somehow manages such a large job without anyone stopping her, I asked her to leave the memories of Rachel, Eric, and Heiki, leaving the girls magic. I told her to think of it as their reward. As for Yemi, he gets to live a normal life – as it should be.'

'I'm sure they would be grateful,' replied Larpskendya bitterly.

'That means even if she succeeds,' Serpantha continued, ignoring his brother's undeniably true statement. 'They can get back here. Lyrai agreed to put up a perception filter, which Eric could break through if he travelled here with them which I imagine he would.'

Larpskendya went into emotional turmoil, hating it all.

Serpantha moved to stand next to his brother, and took his hand, looking him in the eye. 'I know it's awful and I can barely speculate how you feel, but it has been eight months, I promise soon they will come and things will be alright again soon enough.'

Larpskendya shook his head. 'She would hate me.'

Serpantha almost laughed. 'Even if this was in our control you know she wouldn't. I know how much you care, perhaps too much, but you revealed the link between Wizards and Witches and she still, when it all boiled down, stuck by you. You act as if you have no idea what that means, primarily she would have got the urge to kill you and she was more than capable. Believe me, in comparison this will be nothing. I promise you everything will be fine.'

Serpantha left the conversation at that, deciding to take his son from Owlola and look at him for the first time. 'Lyrai made me miss this… If she ever has a child remind me to invite her for an unimportant meeting.'

Owlola, who had warily watched the scene between the two Wizards up until then, smirked. 'I can forgive you and Lyrai if you promise never to miss another.'

'I wouldn't dream of it,' Serpantha said without thinking. He looked up and noticed his brother's distraught face. 'Stop worrying; we can enjoy our lives now. One of the first things I taught you was you leave what happens in battle on the battlefield. The same goes for now, you do not drag Earth home with you. If I took it all home with me I could never enjoy my life, and there were times when that has been the case – I would not wish that on anyone, especially you. Forget Earth for now, because in case you failed to notice, I just had a child.'

Larpskendya sighed. 'I know.'

'Actually,' Owlola corrected, 'I made him and pushed him out of my body I think you overestimate your part in this.'

Serpantha and Owlola then became so engrossed in their son and their playful bickering that neither of them noticed how dead Larpskendya looked as he left the room.

After a while, Owlola fell sadly silent, noticing his absence. 'He could have taken that better. What do you really think about it all?'

'I'm devastated. It's wrong and frankly unfair, I hate that we have to let her get away with such an act.'

Owlola tried to comfort him. 'At least you don't lose everything.'

'I'm more worried about his feelings than mine,' Serpantha said glumly, 'if he brings it home with him it will be the death of him. I may be wrong but I don't think he trusts me when I promised him it would be alright, which is new.'

Owlola looked at him almost patronisingly. 'He has a good reason not to trust you at the present. Not that it is distrust at all; it is more a new sense of caution towards everything, which he cannot be blamed for.'

Serpantha became dismissive. 'We can worry for him if it doesn't pass. Let's not taint the birth of our son. There is no reason to be concerned about Earth because it will be alright, and so will they.'

'If there's no reason to worry then I wonder why you do.'

Serpantha couldn't answer, he only tried to focus on his child – not wanting to consider Earth, or anyone on it.