Life is a maze in which we take the wrong turn before we have learnt to walk.

[lord_icelus]

Some time, in a place that was and is the abbey, that is in this world and in Dream

She is coming.

I can feel her, that nasty bitch, like a tooth ache or a splinter. She nearly killed me, and I still suffer for it. Partly it was my own fault, for not remembering that silly service gods like her love to throw themselves on their own swords to look

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[hermia_sophia]

Crashing and pounding, a maelstrom rush of water pushes me forward. I have lost the thread, I have lost the sense of Power around me - all I can feel is water and choking and chaos and please, Lucien, be safe and please let all the others have followed me and -

- and then with a thump I am on solid ground.

Solid. Earth below me and air around me. The rush of water still roars on the other side of the gate, but I am out of it. With great gasping breaths I pull air in, dashing water from my face with shaking hands.

I have made it.

But where have I made it? Where am I? Where are they? Where is everyone else who leaped into the river with me

[syl_thorn]

Th'waves open fer me like a lover, an' even th'shock'a cold water's a joy, like hands strokin' m'skin, sweet fingers'n m'hair. I open m'mouth wit'out thinkin' an' th'scent'a salt'n copper fill me, washin' th'blood from m'hair'in clothes, wipin' m'clean. M'lungs take th'water like't's pure mountain air, an' 'member hearin' Nanshe say 'at water'n th'dream world's mine. M'second heart thuds like a drum, an'm divin' deep, followin' th'cord.

'm ahead'a th'others, 'n by th'time th'current carries th'mermaid's scent t'me's too late. I member'er, razor teeth in honey-song, twinin'er tail 'round Jarmyn 'n hissin' silver lies. Now'ere's truth in'er purpose. I see'er catch someone, drag'em back (golden hair, even'n th'dark, th'Doc?), but whoever't's catches hold ovvem. They both fall, twined t'gether'n thrashin', inta black.

Ain't nothin' y'c'n do ferrim now, girl, jes' hope'e c'n keep'er occupied 'till th'rest're free now swim dammit swimI break th'surface an' suddenly'm fallin', like th'sky'n ground changed places. After th'cool

[hermia_sophia]

"We should wait for the others," I gasp, as I push to my feet, breathless and shaking. "Safety in numbers. And - and Lucien. He was fighting with that creature." Holding it back so that we could go ahead. Buying us time. Putting himself at risk...

I swallow hard, and try again. "It may be that we have been separated from the others again, because this place seems to want to break us all apart. But if we can help the others..."

The screaming is growing louder - and there are other voices, too. Too far away to hear yet, but growing closer. Please, let them be friends,I think, even as my finger runs over Helena's silver bracelet to prepare for another protection spell.

[glass_beddau]

There is a moment, stepping through the gate, when everything is green and still and alive under the darkening sky, and white heather dusts my fingers, and I see the dyn gwag passing the other way, far as sight and near as breath. And then the air of that summer ago is gone, though my hand's running with blood, and the nail's still clenched in my fingers.

See Syl and Hermia amid the blasted dust and dead stems, and guess that ought make Chester being here of some use. Not sure what I can do, but make myself come over regardless. The air is sour and scorched, and my eyes are itching.

[silence_excolo]

There is a gate. A rip. No, a gate. I am it's guardian no I'm not! This isn't right I judge those that wish to pass, weigh the heart against their sins. But this isn't our gate, it's wrong. Those who wish we can't be here I weigh it on the scales.

A light heart free of sin may pass where is this place?!

A heavy heart that tips the balance is doomed I can't find my way out!

The skin along my scar crawls but I don't dare scratch it. I know it's irrational, but I imagine my hand would be wet if I did.

Irrational. That was so long ago. I can't seem to focus. Can't keep in focus-

Those who approach my gate are full of darkness and anger how did I get so lost? And power. These are dangerous creatures. No, I think I know one of them they must be stopped. They will destroy the Balance is broken!

And so we cross through the gate rip to bar their way. To weigh their hearts against do I even know the truth.

[mistresswanda]

I can only stand there and watch in something between wonder and horror as Nanshe pushes her hands into Jack and unmakes him to remake him into something else. There has been too much change these past few days, and far too much loss. Kent will surely be gone again when this is all over, Lucien oh god Lucien!... and now I don't know if we will see Jack again when this is all over. I pass a hand across my eyes and wonder where the others are, and when this will all be over.

There's a odd sound, as if fabric tearing and a low rumble, and my eyes snap open and--- ohsweetbabyJesuswhatISthat???

My first instinct is to turn and run, and I do stumble back several steps, but for this to work, to get rid of that... Nanshe must finish.

I get my sword at the ready and give a high pitched whistle to draw it's attention. "Hey, Dogface!" I call, and hope it has the same temperament as Cerebus. I doubt that though, and pray the others arrive soon.

[valmont_vicomte]

...Is Nanshe turning Jack into a door? Never mind, because it seems we have bigger things to worry about.

"Hey, Dogface!" calls Wanda, hefting her sword.

"Whoever dreamed that thing into existence," I say under my breath, "should really take a visit to the town psychiatrist when all this is over." Because what on earth is it? Mon Dieu. I take my pistol from my pocket and raise my hand to aim.

[glass_beddau]

The time is wrong. It takes too long, and my lungs are raw and heavy, or else the bleeding took more from me than I thought. And when I see grace and stillness turned to horror I do not care. Two women and two men and a candleflame and a hinge and blood on the breast, because of course now is the time for weight and measure and matters of the heart. True matters of the heart.

(Again. It dares again. Snivelling little whinging teeth-pricking slinking nightmare sulk of tales and thorns, and how many gods ever took to mind death, honoured or minded it--well enough I would not expect better, but when I see the freight of fangs and claws that has been put upon he who is upon the mountain
he who dwells within the chamber
righteous Judge to the Balance
my teeth could crack.)

Keeper of poisons and medicines; it is only in the dose that a poison is a poison. So what lives here makes of all things that it can a poison; but Anubis is his own thing, at the heart of it. Gatekeeper, it's true, but here and now he is also a bearer of the

[lord_icelus]

Two mortals step in front of me. One is a witch. The other is something more interesting, and I feel my mouth open into a smile, corrupt and hideous in my sweet child's face.

"A dreamwalker," I say. "Hello." I ignore the other's foul greeting. Soon she will be dead.

[damien_dw]

The child figure looks at me and Syl and all my doubts disappear in the wake of the smile it gives us. That is no child. I'm sorta expecting Icelus to hit Syl for saying what she did but instead, he turns his gaze and that disturbing smile on me.

A dreamwalker,Hello.

For just a moment I want to ask how he knows, but that would be stupid. He knows because of the same dream sense that lets me pick him out. and of course because I had to go and use my ability with dreams to get us here.

Instead, I lick my lips and say, "You won't get past me."

[syl_thorn]

"You won't get past neither of us," I says, an m'teeth 'r bright an' sharp's razors. I got no illusions't I c'n overpower'im, but 've outsmarted'm b'fore an'I c'n do so again. M'wards're still holdin', power beats'n both m'hearts, an'I ain't gonna let'im past. "Y'really din't get th'message th'last few times? Y'must be stupider'n you look." Gettim mad, keep's focus on us, give Nanshe time t'work.

[lord_icelus]

"You talk too much," I say to the witch. I stretch, feeling my skin turn to scales, my body twist, and I drop to the earth as a snake and start racing away towards the gate.