It didn't take long before Volüsa's screaming could be heard, followed by a dead, eerie silence. Venibilles stopped and looked behind him, unable to breathe for a second. Without looking back to him, Serpantha said, 'Since you're the only survivor of my children it would be good of you to keep walking in order to not get yourself killed.'

Venibilles continued to walk, and said quietly. 'I don't like this.'

'I've never loved it either.' Serpantha said bluntly.

'Be nice,' Oriliagh cut in, 'he's scared and a child, just because you're angry and upset doesn't mean you can be short with him.'

'Now is hardly the time for a comforting hug.' Serpantha said numbly.

Something quickly dawned on Rachel. 'What about Cy? Wasn't he getting information for us?'

'He did,' Zina, to Rachel's surprise, answered. 'I got a printed copy to read through on the journey.'

'If there is one.' Venibilles commented.

'Shut up no one needs that right now.' Calen spat.

'Don't talk to my son like that!' Serpantha burst with sudden emotion.

Without thinking, Calen said, 'Sorry.' Calen paused before adding, 'What if they do catch us?'

'We die.' Heiki answered as she would to a child who was being particularly stupid.

'What do we do if they catch us?' Calen asked, ignoring Heiki's comment.

Larpskendya turned to her and said softly, 'We die.'

Heiki couldn't help but snicker.

Calen ignored her yet again. 'But there has to be something we can do. Anything, if we could get away they wouldn't be able to follow us into space.'

Serpantha laughed. 'And then what do we do?'

'That's a good point,' Rachel said, heart sinking. 'Even if we survive Earth, then what?'

'We're working on it,' Serpantha said dismissively. 'One thing at a time.'

The light was visible now, and the wind began to blow through. But there was no noise.

'Surely you would be able to hear an aircraft,' Heiki said uncertainly.

'No,' Esimi said. 'Do you forget this is two thousand years on from what you know? Besides, why would you need fuel to run things if magic can give us the ability to fly.'

'Oh god.'

Upon reaching the edge of the cliff, they saw what looked like a helicopter, except the blades on top were much smaller, and were only for extra support. The cockpit was blacked out, but presumably had the man Heiki had terrified in it, and Calen was stood in the cabin, wind blowing her hair and dress in all directions, gripping onto a handle on the roof. Even she seemed relieved to see their faces.

The aircraft was as close to the edge as possible, but due to the blades it could only get so close - there was a four foot gap between them – it was a case of jumping.

'I'm going back,' Esimi said to them all. 'Good luck.'

'If you go back you will die, you can't.' Serpantha replied.

'I know,' Esimi said with a sad smile. 'But I'm not leaving those I care about.'

'Don't,' Serpantha said like a child, unsure what else to say.

Esimi forced a smile and said, 'I heard Volüsa scream, I need to know what happened, I love her. Good luck.' Not waiting for him to respond, she ran off into the distance.

Serpantha froze for a second at her abrupt exit, she seemed so happy for someone who knew they were running to their death.

Oriliagh snapped him back to his usual self by clicking her fingers in front of his face, walking to the edge of the cliff herself. She looked back to them all, and said, 'Any volunteers to go first?'

'I can't bridge that gap.' Rachel said quietly.

Heiki grabbed her hand and gave her a smile. 'I'll help you.'

'How?'

'I can throw you, I'm a dancer – remember?'

Rachel appeared nervous, but before she could respond, Oriliagh said, 'Works for me, Serpantha you go first, I'll follow.'

Without question, Serpantha easily bridged the gap in a single leap, landing in the aircraft. Once he had steadied himself, his mother quickly followed, and Serpantha reached out for her and pulled her into the vessel. Oriliagh stood back, taking a seat in the craft, calmly observing.

Heiki ran forward, still holding Rachel's hand, bringing them right to the edge.

'Heiki I'm frightened I can't do this.' Rachel said trembling.

Heiki stood in front of her, put her arms around Rachel's waist, looked her in the eye and said, 'Yes you can. I'm here – you've faced more deadly things Rachel, and managed to come out on top.'

'Through luck.'

'Don't you listen to anyone who says that,' Heiki said firmly. 'you've got interiority and strength to admire, and despite how badly I can act I look up to you, I always have. You can do this. Now trust me.'

Rachel took a breath, and nodded.

Heiki briefly told her what to do, but Rachel barely listened. She would just stay in flying position and hope for the best – if she didn't make it, she would just have to save herself by flying, meaning detection by humans but at least that way she managed to stay alive for a little while longer. Isn't that all this war was, all it had ever been? Surviving as long as you could, knowing one day you won't win and you'll die in battle. It was remarkable Larpskendya and Serpantha were still sane.

Heiki launched her from the ground, and Rachel daren't open her eyes, wanting to forget everything except the wind on her face for a few seconds, and the next thing she felt was Serpantha catching her. She opened her eyes, and looked to his face in relief. Once she caught her balance, Serpantha let go of her and she sat opposite Oriliagh, as far away from Calen as possible.

Venibilles looked to Heiki. 'Can you do that to me to? I can't clear that on my own.'

Heiki did so, and there was some visible joking exchange between them as Heiki pulled him close and grabbed his waist, and launched him off the cliff.

Ever since Venibilles learnt to fly, he had always done so with his left leg up, drawn in towards his body. Despite Serpantha and Owlola's efforts, they could never break him of this habit, and eventually gave up – they would merely jokingly ask what was wrong with their child, as he was the first person they had come across who flew like that. Heiki hadn't bothered to instruct him how to position himself after she launched him, figuring he would just copy Rachel. He did not.

Serpantha reacted instinctively, holding onto the aircraft with one arm, and leaning out of it to grab his son. Just managing to grab him, he pulled them both roughly into the craft, slamming the side of his chest into the side of the opening, and throwing his son onto the ground behind him. Grabbing his chest in pain, Serpantha shouted to his son, 'Are you stupid?'

Venibilles was lost for words, uninjured, but he couldn't formulate a sentence.

'Are you OK?' Calen asked Serpantha quietly.

'Does it matter?' Serpantha shook off how he felt, ignoring the pain and standing upright, and then he yelled across, 'What about Zina?'

Zina looked to Larpskendya, and unspoken, the decision was made. Zina stood in front of him and he put his hands around her waist and threw her towards the craft with as much delicacy as possible. In a quick move, Serpantha caught her on the other side, and as she slammed into him he said wincing in pain, 'Oró déithe.'

'No need to swear,' Zina said quickly before moving away so he could catch Heiki who easily bridged the distance in a leap, Serpantha only having to take her hand to help her onto the craft. Larpskendya easily followed and two panes of glass came down to cover the two openings in the side, stopping the wind and noise.

Larpskendya and Zina sat next to each other and she leaned into him, holding his hand, fingers intertwined. Heiki leaned into Rachel very much the same way and Calen sat down, keeping herself to herself. Serpantha turned to see his son still in shock on the floor and asked, 'Why are you just laying there?'

Venibilles still couldn't speak.

Serpantha calmed down, and offered his son a hand to help him up, which he gladly took before sitting next to Heiki and Rachel, still in shock.

'You scared the hell out of me,' Serpantha said. 'I'm pretty sure I've cracked a rib from that.'

'I'm sorry,' Venibilles said numbly, staring into space.

Serpantha turned around, and before he could take a seat in-between his mother and Calen, Rachel said, unable to hide concern, 'Wait what happened to your back?'

Serpantha reached his arm to the back of his neck, and felt a small rip in his robe, and a small open cut, not bleeding, in his back. 'It's nothing,' Serpantha sat down.

'Can't you feel that?' Rachel asked.

'I can't actually; I have a bad scar there and the area is completely numb,' Serpantha explained. 'curtsy of my father actually.'

'And it's shaped like a tree,' Heiki chimed in. 'I'm not joking it's bloody weird.'

'What?' Rachel asked light-heartedly, for the first time not feeling as low as before.

Serpantha turned so his back was visible, and pulled down the back of his robe so the scar was fully visible. Heiki wasn't lying – it looked more like a cheap tattoo of a tree than a scar – the white scar tissue down the top of his spine forming and trunk and the purple and red lines branching off at the top. Serpantha turned back around and said, 'I've had to explain this scar so many times, I remember when Toyé first saw it – she was only young – and she pointed it out it looked like a tree. She and Larpskendya decided they wanted to paint it with fabric dye until it looked like real tree.'

Larpskendya smiled, and Rachel asked, 'How did you get it?'

'I got the top of my spine ripped out in battle when I was young, and it should have killed me but my father saved me. He didn't heal me completely and he didn't allow me to. I had to let the skin and muscle heal naturally. Apparently I deserved it for making the mistake, and this would teach me never to make that mistake again. I didn't to say the least.'

'What's so bad about that?' Calen asked, and without pausing for answer she added, 'Seems normal to me, you made a mistake, you get a reminder never to make it again.'

'Heebra really did keep a tight leash on you didn't she?' Serpantha replied. 'No wonder you're causing us so much trouble.'

'What do you mean?'

'You see what my father did as normal and acceptable parenting, you get nervous around any kind of authority or superior and you apologise far too much. And above all you get very angry when you're being defensive.'

Calen didn't say anything.

Serpantha changed the subject. 'Zina read the information from Cy and then give us a quick recap.'

Zina pulled some paper from a hidden pocket in her dress, unfolded it, and began to read, but not before commenting, 'I wish your kind wasn't illiterate.'

'You really shouldn't have the gall to speak about my mother.' Calen said in a delayed response.

'I was merely stating that your mother and my father, if they had been the same species, would have been made for each other – it isn't a term I like to use, but he was as evil as her.'

'Don't speak ill of your father.' Oriliagh said powerfully, as if something in her had snapped.

'The man trying to kill us all, the one who abused you and his children?' Heiki cut in, 'Why the hell are you defending a man like that? Sorry to talk down to a killer.'

Oriliagh looked to her sharply. 'He wasn't always like that. He can be a very good man; he's just a very angry man, too. And I will not hear blatant insults towards him do you all understand me? I hate everything he's done, but I don't hate him.'

'Mother of God,' Zina said, 'have you seen this crap? The human race has been claiming you're a threat, out to get 'em, wanting to use magic to take over the planet or some'in' in some kinda alien invasion. According to this Volüsa wanted the place for herself, that's why her and Highs were battling it out, and Volüsa wanted to gain trust.'

'Does it mention any names?' Serpantha asked.

'It mentions Larpskendya,' Zina said, flicking through the pages, 'Volüsa…her brother…'

'Does it mention me?'

'It says Volüsa is the daughter of Serpantha and Owlola, that's as far as it goes. Why?'

Serpantha said thoughtfully, 'Volüsa never told anyone on Earth the name of her mother, and only mentioned me once. Where did they get that information?' He turned to Zina, 'Any other names?'

'One sec,' she said, flicking through yet again. 'I think that's it.'

'How many high witches were left before Safeke?' asked Serpantha.

'Why?'

'Calen just tell me for gods' sake I need to do some calculations.'

'About two hundred.' Calen hid no bitterness from her voice.

'Good now shut up and let me think.'

'Stop taking your anger out on me.' Calen said, more hurt than angry, 'You have no idea what it feels like to have your species number drop that low, yet you still blame me for wanting to take Safeke's deal.'

'You're right, I can't imagine.' Larpskendya said.

Calen was unsure how sincerely he meant that so decided on not responding. Until she saw Serpantha smirking. She snapped, 'What do you find about this that's so hilarious?'

'Nothing,' Serpantha said neutrally. 'There is nothing funny about you only having two hundred of your kind left.'

Calen's face dropped in confusion as she looked between Serpantha and Larpskendya as if the two of them were deranged.

'We really need to stop doing that to people.' Larpskendya commented absently.

Serpantha replied, 'If we don't, we can't have fun with it then it just becomes depressing.'

'Because it wasn't depressing already?'

'You know what I mean, don't ruin this.'

'Can someone tell me what the hell is going on and what stupid games you're playing?' Calen struggled to control her rage.

'We're not playing games at all,' Serpantha said. 'I've been completely open with you Calen, we both have.'

Calen still didn't understand, and she sighed and then asked spitefully, 'What am I missing?'

'We had a six year break in this war. In that time, I had a son with my partner, Owlola, and also in that time are population increased by fifty percent.'

Calen took a moment to look baffled, and she briefly looked to the glass, looking out of it, and out the corner of her eye she saw Venibilles looking uncomfortable at the conversation. The moment Calen began to put everything together it showed on her face, the utter confusion and trying to calculate everything. She finally turned back to the wizards, looking at them both.

'Just tell me; I'm not getting where you're going with this,' she said defeated.

'Let me put it this way,' Larpskendya replied. 'If my nephew would have been born our population would have increased by one hundred percent. No, I can't imagine how it feels to only have two hundred of your kind left. But I know how it feels to think you're the last.'

'No.' Calen said immediately afterward, her expression still in confusion.

'Actually Calen's right,' Serpantha said, 'with my father still technically alive we were never the last two.'

'No.' Calen repeated shaking her head slowly.

'It's funny the more you say it doesn't make it less true.' Venibilles said irritably.

'There you go Calen, congratulations, if you want to you can take that knife and kill us and then you've done it, you won the war.' Serpantha said. 'then maybe you could finally be happy.'

Calen stared at him in silence, barely blinking. She eventually slumped back, looking distraught.

'I'm sorry this must be upsetting for you,' Serpantha said blankly, and Larpskendya had to suppress a laugh.

'How can you laugh about this?' Calen said angrily.

'If we didn't we would probably go insane.' Larpskendya admitted. 'As much as I disapprove of my brother's childish humour, it's sometimes a vice. Also you have been constantly feeling sorry for yourself and how hard you have it yet we've had to deal with this.'

'That doesn't erase what I've been through,' Calen said calmly.

'It doesn't,' Larpskendya agreed. 'but you don't know how it feels to go through what we've been through, you've been lucky.'

'Lucky?' Calen scoffed. 'I lost my mother, thanks to you, half of my own kind betrayed me, I lost everything! I was imprisoned and tortured for months; now tell me how lucky I am.'

Larpskendya and Serpantha merely looked to each other, and then in perfect synchronisation, looked back to Calen in pure annoyance, only needing to look at each other to decide it was pointless talking to her.

Calen crossed her arms, taking this as a victory. 'See, you can't defend your point.'

Heiki spoke up, looking directly at her. 'Actually I think you'll find there's a collective decision that you're too dense to argue with.'

'Coming from you.'

Heiki shouted at her, cheeks flushing red.

Serpantha looked into Heiki's eyes and said, 'Heiki let it go.'

Calen kept darting her gaze between the two wizards, sinking into the same mannerisms as Venibilles. 'You're the last two left?'

'When did I stop existing?' Venibilles mumbled, but no one paid attention to him.

'I have stated that yes, ever since the Griddas took control it's only been my brother and I.'

'Half-brother.' reminded Calen.

'Like it matters,' Serpantha said defensively. 'one thing I've learnt is that family has nothing to do with blood. We could be completely unrelated and he would still be my brother.'

'How come you've always known then?' Rachel asked, desperate to change the subject, not wanting to hear Calen's self-pity and acting as if she had the right to be upset over the fact they were the last two Wizards. Why would she care? She was only upset because it meant no full blown battles anymore, Rachel could find no other reason for her to be upset.

'It wasn't definite,' Serpantha began, before his mother cut him off.

'It was,' Oriliagh said, 'I knew the baby couldn't be your father's, he knew it too; the chances were too low. I just told you it was unsure of whose he was, I had to keep up the façade.'

'Anyway,' Serpantha continued. 'It's ridiculous people would even think us to be brothers—' Serpantha held his hand, palm facing him, in-between him and Larpskendya '—we have different skin tones for a start. Yes, it's genetically possible but it's much more likely he was fathered by someone much paler than my mother.'

'If you knew all along why cover it up? Your father was long gone, is it unacceptable on your planet?' Rachel asked, careful not to offend.

Serpantha sighed. 'I had a son around the same age as Larpskendya, his mother and I were not together, we never ruled together – you get the idea. This made him ineligible for rule; he would never be offered the position or be allowed to have it. I wanted to keep things fair and I didn't want any of my family to feel singled out, it was just kept quiet, and with both our parents gone I didn't know what the position on Larpskendya would be if he didn't share my father.'

'Oh.' Rachel paused. 'But that's hardly fair – it's stupid.'

Serpantha shrugged. 'There are many things in our society that are corrupt, wrong, or not fair.'

'So you just never said anything about it?' Rachel said awkwardly.

'Basically.' Larpskendya said.

Serpantha objected, 'I hardly kept it from you, I have always been honest with you about the fact we don't know for definite who your father is, I merely didn't tell you until you had reached adulthood and wanted to accept the position. He was the only one in our family that wanted to.'

'I was always told it was because he was better than his older brothers who would have more right to rule?' Calen asked.

Serpantha looked to his brother amusedly, 'Heebra really did like you didn't she?'

'It was what I would call an unhealthy obsession and that's coming from me,' Calen admitted, 'I could probably state your entire life history.'

'Probably not entirely accurately I suppose.' Serpantha commented.

The gentle honesty in her voice surprised anyone, 'I don't know anymore.'

Serpantha drew himself to be more business-like. 'Now if you had two-hundred how many did you have after Safeke's so called help?'

Calen shrugged. 'Over a thousand, I wasn't counting.' She paused and then said awkwardly, 'I just kept bringing back as many as possible to lure out more Wizards.'

'Zina is there a death total anywhere?'

'Nope,' Zina replied instantly, 'just says thousands of Witches were killed.'

'What are you thinking?' Larpskendya asked.

'It doesn't matter.'

'That's what you said about your suspicion that it was your father doing this,' his brother reminded. 'just tell me.'

'I support you and Zina perfectly,' Serpantha said. 'but there is still no proof of that being Zina and for now I would prefer to keep my thoughts to myself. Besides, you're not stupid you can figure this out – it's not difficult, it's something that comes very naturally to you: magic.'

'And it comes even more naturally to Yemi and I'm not stupid enough to think we stand a chance against that kid.' Heiki added.

'If we don't stand a chance why don't we all just jump out and end it now?' Calen muttered.

Heiki looked her in the eye and said patronisingly, 'Because none of us want to die, stupid.'

'Oh by all the Gods,' Oriliagh said in a raised voice. 'can everyone here stop hating each other and wanting to hurt each other? Everyone here has tried or nearly killed each other at some point, move on, grow up, and get over it. We have bigger problems.'

Venibilles burst to life and said with mocked cheer, 'Didn't notice.'

'So how did it all work then?' Calen asked, her voice, for once, free of all hatred and anger. 'Succession of rule, I mean.'

'I used to introduce myself as Serpantha, son of Safeke, before I made a name for myself. You've been taught enough what did Larpskendya introduce himself as?'

Calen thought for a moment. 'Brother of Serpantha, Tournallat, and Hensult. No father mentioned. And before you make a comment about how I never questioned that let's just say I've never questioned much when it came to my mother.'

'That's listed in order of age, it always is.' Serpantha explained. 'The fact a father was never listed isn't due to the fact we didn't know who his father was it was because I want no association with him.'

'I never knew about your first son,' Calen said as soon as the thought crossed her mind. 'What did he introduce himself as?'

'He didn't. I never wanted him associated with me because I never wanted him to be hurt. I was never much of a father anyway; I screwed up the first time. Never spent much time with him, he was raised by his mother, and he only ever came to me if her mother had been away from his home for more than two days.'

'Where did she go?' asked Calen, almost sounding concerned.

'Although she was a close friend of mine, and from a very rich city, she had her own issues. Drank a lot, and she slowly slept her way around Orin Fen. Owlola has a theory that she's the only person she hasn't slept with.'

'But he stayed with us so frequently and you weren't a bad father.' Larpskendya tried to comfort him.

'His mother slept around so frequently.' Serpantha decided to change the subject, not wanting to dwell on past failures and the loss of his children any further. 'If Safeke really hated Owlola so much, and hates that we had children, and hates the fact I had a child with my friend, maybe he shouldn't have forced me to kill Tiargan in battle. Could have avoided all his problems with me having children.'

Oriliagh looked sadly to him. 'I don't think he should have done that. But you did find Owlola, and I know you would give the world for her.'

'Ah yes, another partner of mine my father hated,' Serpantha replied. 'but I suppose I should be grateful as he had the curtsy not to kill this one – well not until after we had children, of course.'

'It's going to be ok,' Oriliagh said, putting her arm around him and pulling him closer.

'He hated her for so many irrational reasons. I hate him.' Serpantha said quietly.

'Like what?' Calen couldn't resist asking.

Serpantha was very blunt. 'She's from a poor background, lost her parents while young – one to the war, the other to suicide after he died – and she lived in a run down city on the border of a desert on the equator. Completely landlocked, there's not even a river. As opposed to us, we live in the north right by the sea. Water is wealth on a planet as hot as ours. And Owlola lived in a home in that city with her adoptive family and one of her older sisters.'

'I like Say'ban and I like my aunt. It's not a bad place to live.' Venibilles quickly corrected himself, 'to have lived.'

'I think it's a nice place, but it doesn't have the same customs I was raised with, making it classless to my father. You think that my father would ever have let me go there for the night? I know you're used to sitting around a fire on the dirt, eating meat off the bone, singing and dancing like desert people do and then messing around with people all night but the few times I've done that my father didn't shut up about it for weeks.'

Calen was trying to take in everything that was being said. Everything around Wizards and Orin Fen had always been such a mystery, and now she was given more information than she could take in. She said quietly, not looking to anyone, 'Not quite what I expected.'

'I know it's shocking to hear we have culture.' Oriliagh said with contempt.

Calen shot back calmly, 'And where does that culture stand on murdering your own children?'

Oriliagh looked her in the eyes. 'I wouldn't go there.'

'According to all this,' Zina said, looking at the pages. 'you never had a complex culture, and it was the same all over the world. Also says your culture's uncivilized and brutal.'

Heiki awkwardly shuffled her position. 'I wasn't going to say anything,' she said, pushing all other conversation aside. 'but…' Heiki took a breath in. 'satan offered me another deal, when I was dreaming and asked for your mother. He said that if Athena was ever to be brought back to life Heebra would be too. I turned down the offer I didn't know what else to do…but I thought I should at least mention it.'

'You did the right thing.' Larpskendya said, looking directly at her. 'Heebra is the last person we need and I don't think I would have had the strength to refuse the offer.'

'If Heebra was involved we'd all be dead by now,' Serpantha put in. 'It's already clear she's a martyr, she would happily get herself killed if it got us killed as well. Still she isn't the most insane person I've ever come across.'

Calen seemed naturally awkward hearing this conversation, but it couldn't be said that anyone particularly cared about her discomfort.

'Who was the most insane person you've ever come across?' Calen asked, calmly looking directly at him.

'Why does it matter?' Serpantha shot back.

Calen let out a breath and shook her head slightly in annoyance before finally saying, 'My mother was an insane bitch. I can admit that openly. But knowing what her upbringing was like can you truly blame her? I know who you're talking about when you say you've met people even less sane than she was.'

Rachel whispered to Heiki, expecting she would know, 'What are they on about?'

'Calen comes from a long line of crazies,' Heiki replied, not whispering. Not even close. 'It's actually remarkable she's somewhat sane.'

'Heiki,' Serpantha said warningly. 'It isn't my place to tell, nor is it yours.'

Heiki shrugged. 'You told me.'

'Circumstance.' Serpantha replied hurriedly.

'You may as well tell them,' Calen said. 'and I want to see how much you know about us, as you always criticize how much we know.'

'When I was in rule,' Serpantha began. 'My main rival was the leader Rysasim – she was to me what Heebra was to Larpskendya – and she was Heebra's insane grandmother, who she was also raised by. Knowing what Rysasim was like I can hardly blame Heebra for turning out the way she did.'

'Oh no,' Calen said, growing in confidence. 'You leave out the details. Rysasim was insane to the point of cannibalism. Rysasim killed her daughter, my mother's mother, while my mother was still young. She forced my mother to eat her own mother's heart, not even having the dignity to bury it, and when my mother couldn't finish it Rysasim ate the rest herself. My mother eventually defeated Rysasim, and fed her heart to Mak as revenge. I still remember every detail of that story. And another thing before you say a word against my mother, she defeated Rysasim. Something you couldn't do.'

'Does that answer your question Rachel?' Heiki asked her, as she noticed Rachel looking beyond disgusted.

Venibilles searched for a comment to make. No matter how hard he thought, nothing occurred to him, all he could think about was that if he had a future that would be it. Battling High Witches his entire life, having his own stories to tell of the insane, tragic and the gory. Having his own scars to tell tales of. Probably having his own lost loves, or even children, and being unable to have a normal, fun and stress free life. All he could think about was how unfair it was, and it only made him angry. Angry at Safeke, at Calen, and at every High Witch to ever have lived. He was too distracted by these thoughts to care about what Calen said about her great-grandmother, unlike Rachel, who was left feeling sick at the story.