"All Worlds" by H D Leonard

Hunter

I don't want to do it, I really do not but when have my wants ever been taken into consideration? What choice have I got, I need to find Tass and all my sources have dried up completely. I'm tired of hitting my head off of dead ends.

I'd sell my soul to find her, I've already sold my dignity, whatever dignity I had lies a tattered mass at my feet, how worse could selling my life be?

He sits, leaning back on his chair, studying me with those dark pools that serve as his eyes in this world. Finally he speaks, quietly. There is no sense of triumph in his words, no gloating in his voice, if there had been I would have left that very instant even if I do need him. "So you've changed your mind."

I take a deep breath, not that one is needed here, but habits are difficult to break even in the Virtual World. "If I tell you my story you will tell me exactly where Tass and her companion are?"

He seems to consider this for a moment, then nods. I almost wish that he had chosen not to but now there is no backing out. After another deep breath, I begin before I can think any better of it.

"I was born, not grown in a vat like most men are. I had a mother and father like the old tales tell of. My mother disappeared one day when my sister Vallah, and myself were very young, leaving us to be raised by our father.

"He did his best, I suppose. We grew up in the Badlands where natural births are far more common. The Badlands," I sigh softly, "is a place where men and women live together in starvation. The world is upside down there, women are just as scarce as they are elsewhere but it is not them that rule.

"The Sisterhood do what they can to rescue women from the Badlands, however there are those females who choose to stay, and the rest are so well protected, so hidden the Sister's very rarely succeed.

"I suppose it goes against everything you've been brought up to believe, the idea of a place where women are mere slaves to men, used simply for breeding children as if they were no more than animals.

"No one wants to admit the Badlands exist. It's hell there, it's worse than hell, and the worst thing is everyone thinks it is the best type of life to lead. They spurn all technology, all those little things that make our lives so much easier. They justify all their flaws by calling it freedom. Freedom to starve, freedom to die. Excuse me if I don't see that as being free.

"We couldn't remain there. Vallah kept having dreams about her future. She did not want to be forced into bearing child after child to increase the Badlands population. She did not wish to help them in their dream of getting enough people so that one day they could overthrow the iron hand of the Sisterhood. So she dressed as a boy and as soon as we were old enough to take care of ourselves we fled to the city.

"What can I say of the city that you do not already know? It seemed strange to us, a world of only men, and these men were so different from the ones we had seen before. Each had a purpose, a task in life set out by the Sisters. There was order, no one was starving, everything was clean and most of all people seemed happy, content with their lives. The city was not the castle of nightmares we had been led to believe. It seemed like paradise. At first.

"But quickly we discovered that to eat, to get shelter we would need money. Neither of us were trained in any skills that could be of use in the city. There was no way of getting the education we needed without questions being raised and there was no way we could get work without training. Neither of us are particularly strong so manual labour was out of the question. Whilst we had enough of a mind to make repetitive tasks monotonous, we were not intelligent enough for any of the work that takes brains.

"But well, it didn't take me long to realise that the goddess had chosen to smile on me in one aspect. Even at fifteen I was attractive enough to turn heads. So I sold my one asset and Vallah lived, and I existed in the city.

"Long ago I put aside any emotion connected to my line of work, so you'll excuse me for not talking of it. Well to cut a long story short, somehow one of the Sisters discovered Vallah was female and they rescued her from the dreadful world of men. Vallah managed to persuade them to take me as well. For a while it went as well as could be expected. But now I'm being accused of murder and the only two people who know I did not do it are Tass and the boy that was with her."

He closes his eyes, I'm not sure if he believes me. I hope I've said enough, I pray I have not said too much. So much I've not told. How could I say things to a stranger that even my sister does not know of? And the small lies, I hope he has not spotted them.

After what seems like an eternity he looks up at me and speaks. "I'll arrange a meeting between you and Tass. There is no other way I can guarantee where she will be. I am afraid I cannot help you in finding the boy."

I'm almost angry, but I realise I have nothing against the boy. His presence has faded to insignificance compared to that of the burning wrath I feel towards Tass. I smile, a cold smile, at Web and reply, "thank you." I shall have my revenge.

Sister

I stand at the bottom of the alley, staring at my watch, tutting at the fact the man I am meant to be meeting is late. Punctuality is a word that is not in most men's vocabularies. I should not be surprised that he is not here yet but I am. For these past few months I have found myself having more faith in mankind. More the fool I.

I could not answer the question, 'why am I standing here in this filth, dark alley?'. Yes Web told me that I should meet an acquaintance of his here, yet since when have I, a woman, followed the orders of a mere man?

But I did not precisely follow his orders. Alone, he suggested, no not suggested, told. Yet I am not on my own. My faithful shadow is, as always, following me. I have never kept men as pets like Sky or the other members of the Sisterhood, but it would appear that it is within their very natures to serve us. For even as I wait here, Brent is hiding in the dumpsters at the other side of the alley.

He thinks that I do not know that he is there, but he should know me better than that by now. There is little that I do not see and hear, for I am woman, and his thoughts are more open than a book. He's here to protect me, oh how novel, the very idea that a man could protect a woman. It would appear I am not the only fool standing in this alley.

Finally, when my watch indicates quarter past the hour I hear footsteps. Instinctively, I reach out with my mind to discover their source but find myself grasping instead at foggy, muffled, shielding.

Just as I am considering how to break through the defences, a man steps into view. It takes me a few moments to recognise him, for all men are alike, but I've seen that face before, and even if I had not I could guess that from his oh so perfect looks and bleached blond hair, the type I know Sky adores so much, that he is one of hers. A pet, her favourite pet to be precise.

My first thoughts are that this must be a trap, that the Sisterhood have finally tracked me down and are going to force me to return to my punishment, but I can feel no presences other than Brents and this mans nearby. Besides the Sisterhood would never send a man to do a woman's work, especially not a joy-toy. He must be here for personal reasons.

I can see the anger burn, emerald flames alight, within his eyes. I can taste it on the air, almost as certainly as I can sense what he is. Disgusting the reek of male, yet I must not let that bother me for my fate may hang in balance and I need all my wits about me. The pathetic shielding around him seems almost to crumble under the barrage of strong emotion.

Sky must have places the protections upon him, it will be a simple matter to bring them tumbling down, and find out exactly what he is doing here but I don't need to do even that. I can see the murder flickering within his eyes.

"Tass," he says my name, giving it all the venom of a snake about to strike it's prey. But I am not prey.

I do not bother to register his presence, speaking is only a waste of time. For a moment I wonder why Web set me up like this, but he is male and his ways are not to be understood. Treacherous slime.

"Are you ready to pay for what you have done to Sky?"

Foolish male, throwing away any slender advantage he may have had by filling the air with his words. He's here to seek vengeance for my assault on Sky undoubtedly. He is nothing. There is no need to explain myself to him. Even if he would listen he would certainly not understand.

Not giving him a chance to act, I lance out with my mind, a vicious, ice attack to shatter his shielding…

…only to find them gone, somehow dissolved, and the taste of his primitive animal passions overwhelming all my senses, hatred, vengeance, anger, dragging at me, pulling me under, threatening to overwhelm, and in the split second it takes for me to gather my senses and put my own blocks up, he's charging towards me, faster than humanly possible, his movements a mere blur, I reach for my powers, to throw them out and defend myself, but he's too fast, the world explodes in pain and I crumple into the gutter.

He punched me. He actually punched me.

He raises his hands up, ready to kill me, or beat me, or worse, but before he has a chance to deliver another blow, Brent steps out of the shadows, gun in hand and yells, "put your hands up."

The stranger does as he is asked, spinning round with a grace befitting any dancer.

"You," Brent growls.

The stranger starts laughing, not the hysterical laughter of one awaiting death, but something colder, far more chilling.

"Shut it or I'll blow your head off. See how you like it now its me that's got the gun." Brent's a master of tact and diplomacy as usual. Why doesn't he get on with it and just shoot the guy?

"You wouldn't," the man says simply, he obviously doesn't know Brent that well. Whatever history these two have it has certainly left it's mark on Brent and I do not doubt he would quite happily strangle the man, or shoot him, if he could.

"Don't push me…"

The stranger begins to lower his hands.

"I said put your hands up," Brent growls.

"No," one word. One doom.

The gun fires, shock emanates from the man, blind terror, and then I here Brent curse. "Goddess, help us."

Silently I rise to my feet, behind the still standing stranger, trying to figure out what has just happened. Brent missed? But the stranger slowly opens his hand, letting what appears to be a bullet fall to the ground. Goddess, he must have caught it. How?

But I can worry about that later. He has powers neither of us understand and as such we're both in danger. I pull out the gun that Brent insists that I carry (despite my own protests) and as fast as I can I whack the butt of the gun, over the back of the man's head.

He spins round, "you bitch," he yells, and swings another punch at me. I scream in agony, hitting the dirt hard. For the first time in my life death seems so near. I don't want to die. I don't.

He laughs seeing the terror in my eyes, and that is his mistake, for a second later he tumbles onto the ground, beside me, lying limp as a rag doll, blood forming a pool around his head.

"Now that's the way you're meant to hit them," Brent replies smugly, wiping the blood off of his trusty gun. "You want me to finish him off?"

I shake my head, and immediately regret the movement as the world begins to spin. I'm going to be black and blue for days, even with my own healing magic, but tempted as I am to say yes, I can't just let him kill the stranger.

We need to get him back to base so we can discover what secrets are locked within that mind of his, and after that, well then we can decide on what to do to him.

Seer

Rez is in trouble.

He may be dead, yet I do not feel as if he is.

He needs me.

Where?

Tass?

I do not know him, yet somehow he is connected to Tass and what ever has happened to Rez. Sky will know the answers, she always does. But we do not have the time to allow her to use her sources. She said she'd help find Rez but she's not well enough yet. I can't impose on her. I can't ask her.

I'll have to go alone.

So lonely, so afraid.

But I saw him die. I watched as he was shot. What can it mean?

No! I can not allow myself to think of he whose face plagues my thoughts. Rez is in danger, he needs me.

Concentrate.

Think.

I need Sky, she will find the answers, she will.

Where is she when I need her? Where is Rez?

The door closes behind me and I find that I have walked out of my room, feet carrying me towards Sky's office. She wont be there, she's still too weak for work.

I open the door and step inside, striding over to the window, touching the frame.

No, she did not say that. Sky would never say such a thing. She didn't mean it, could not mean it.

Goddess no wonder Tass fled. How could she possibly have known Sky was only bluffing. Sky would never hurt anyone. Never.

It takes all my willpower to stop myself from climbing out of the window and following their path into the city. Gritting my teeth I step into the side room where my Sisters chose to question Rez.

I follow his steps out into the corridor, the invisible presence of guards watching my every movement.

I charge for the window, hitting plate glass, collapsing to the ground with the impact. Gathering my senses around me, forcing the visions back for a moment, I take the easier route out, catching a ride on the elevator and striding out the main doors.

It takes only a moment to catch scent of their trail, despite the fact it is weeks old and muddled with so many others. Slowly I walk around the building that has been my home for the past five years. The only true home I have ever known.

Who to follow?

No, don't ask that question.

Quickly, before I can change my mind, I follow the route Rez walked.

Tall, pristine buildings of silver, fade into smaller blocks of concrete. Sparkling stones dull and fade, crumbling towards the ground. Trees shift to razor sharp metal fences, which in turn grow old and rust, as I find myself tracing my way back to the squalor where I spent my teenage years.

It was better than my childhood home, I try and console myself with this knowledge, yet nothing can compare to the simple luxury of the sisterhood.

Why did Rez return? He hated it here as much as I did. More than I did. Surely not even his desire for revenge could be strong enough to force him to return.

I find myself standing, still outside a building, like many I have seen before, neon sign blazing on and off, garish colours screaming the delights within.

Rez is not here. He was.

How could he do it? How could he return to this life.

I don't understand. Working for Sky was different wasn't it? She was kind to him.

I am scared. I do not like the net, the stark, sterile perfection. It terrifies me, the possibilities contained within the world of technology. But I must find Rez and the path leads in that direction. I must look for a net café.

Technomancer

I stare at, no through, my hands, they flicker before gradually solidifying.

"It's getting worse?" Web asks softly, his tone suggesting concern, but I'd say he's only feeling curiosity.

I nod in response, whispering, "I'm scared."

"I'm looking for a solution," he replies with a shrug, "but there's not much documented things. The only thing close is the net-heads who spend too long plugged into the net, outside their own meat-bodies. Their consciousness slowly fades, until it's dissolved into cyber-space and there's nothing but a dribbling vegetable behind. It's a wonder you've lasted as long as you have. The technomancers may have an answer, but…"

"You don't deal with the 'mancers," I finish for him.

"Not for you, not for anyone."

The technomancers scare him, not that he'd admit it. Even my presence scares him slightly, though I never would do anything to harm him. The fact that I know what he is, that I could, if I chose twist the lines of energy that keep him together and watch as he dissolves into the endless sea of information that is cyber-space.

The power terrifies me, I don't want it, I never asked for it and yet I can feel it's strong headiness, the strange allure. To have the world do your bidding, to make everything right, to make things the way they should be. Better. Equal.

But how could I hold a world together when I cannot even hold myself?

"Hmm," Web murmurs looking over my shoulder, something, or more likely, someone having caught his interest.

"What?" I turn round to see who he is looking at and gasp softly, "goddess."

She could not be anyone else, she's beautiful, perfection itself, soft and gentle as the moon, disbelief shining in the depths of her oh so sea-green eyes. How could such loveliness transfer to the net? But it hasn't, her avatar is plain to the point of being unnoticeable, only I can see her, a glowing beacon of light in it's core.

"Vi?" she responds, not tearing her gaze from mine.

She knows me. I'm about to ask how, when with a soft surprise I realise that I know her as well. Not in the manner of mortals who have met each other before, but in some far deeper way. "Goddess," I whisper again.

Her lips twist into a nervous smile, "Vallah" she corrects.

I'm about to comment on the name she gifted me with, I have no name, there has never seemed a need for one, but now… It is rude to refuse a gift is it not? Vi? For my eyes of course. I suppose it shall do as well as any.

"You're looking for someone," Web states, causing her to blush and gaze shyly at him.

"No…" Vallah protests shaking her head looking around the Mirror to ensure no one is listening before admitting, "I mean yes."

Web is about to go into his usual spiel about trading information when I interrupt, "why?"

"My brother."

"We'll do what we can to help," I reply.

"I know you will." In any other person the statement would be mistaken for arrogance, but Vallah has a soft gentle way about her that seems to say she is merely being truthful. She did know before she even stepped into this room.

"You mind giving us some details?" Web asks, frowning in my direction. I'm stepping on his business toes, and that's a big no no, still there's something fascinating about her, I can't leave her to the mercies of Web and his deals.

"His name is Rez… Reziel. He's been here, you sent him somewhere," this she says to Web, "where?"

He conceals his surprise well, "how do you know?"

"I see things others do not. Where did you send him?"

"Wait a minute," he tries to stall.

"Tell her," I murmur, not sure if he will do as I ask, "please."

He glowers at me, then slowly a smile spreads across his features, and he gives her an address, that of a small alleyway in one of the worst areas of town. "But he wont be there any more."

"I know, but I can find him. Thank you." The she turns her soft green gaze on me, "you'll come with me?"

Protests tumble over each other in my mind, each warring with the other, finally all I manage to say is "I can't."

She smiles, another gentle smile, "there's no such word as can't." Reaching out, she takes my hand, her touch that of rose petals, and the world fades around both of us.

Woman

When security contacts me to inform me that Vallah has slipped out into the city, I pause only long to get changed into more appropriate clothing, before heading after her.

It's not safe for her to be out there alone. She's just a child, how can she be expected to take care of herself? She's too sweet and innocent. She will never survive on her own. She'll need protection.

Should I feel guilt for implanting her with a tracer all those years ago when she first joined the Sisterhood? I do not, if I had implanted Tass then so many problems could have been solved. I am just looking after Vallah, that is all. She needs me.

Her position flickers, a red dot on the map, moving slowly to the worse areas of the city. What can she be thinking of?

I step into a cab, punch in the co-ordinates shown on the small unit I hold, and begin my search for her.

It stops outside a run-down cyber-shack. There must be a mistake, yet the piece of technology bleeping in my hand tells me that she is inside. Has she taken complete leave of her senses. Masking my presence, I step inside the building.

Seer

"You're a spirit," I gaze at him, still not really believing he is there before me and not just another vision.

He nods, very unsure of himself, brushing a few stray ebony locks out of his eyes. He seems as real as anyone I have ever met, perhaps more so. "I think so. I must be. How do you knew?"

"No, I felt… I mean… I…" I look into those amethyst pools, so deep, so easy to drown in. If I talk he will listen, he will understand.

"I have visions, I see things that others do not. I always have, but it's not just seeing. It's knowing and feeling but not understanding. It's like someone scattering a jigsaw before you, catching glimpses of images, but not being able to piece them all together.

He nods, "so you're looking for your brother?"

"Goddess yes," I blush, almost having forgot. How could I? But it's so easy to get lost in those beautiful eyes. Rez's in danger and I'm acting like…

"Vallah," I'd recognise that voice anywhere. What is she doing here?

"Sky."

"Are you all right child?" I nod, her eyes flickering to Vi, she laughs, "you came here to meet a male? You should have said. I could have given you one of mine, or found someone prettier. Or you could have easily had him fetched by the Sisterhood rather than meeting here." Then she really looks at him, and her jaw drops, as she realises he's not quite here, but a flickering image of transparency, with violet eyes like the vision I told her of.

"Ask questions later Sky. I'm looking for Rez, Vi here is helping me. I think I know how to find Rez now. Tass has him. He's in danger."

"You will give me answers later," she says, looking mildly perturbed. I stare back, she's never used that tone on me before. She's just worried about Rez, that's all.

I turn without answering and step back out onto the dark gloomy streets, the others following mutely. The surroundings get darker, bleaker as we walk in silence towards the alleyway where that strange man directed me.

And then we are there. Wind rustles, stirring the litter up like snow in a globe.

"I know where he is."

I run, feet carrying me on paths unknown, following my sixth sense. Everything passes in a blur, pain lances my chest, heart pounding with exertion, I finally stop and there I am, outside the warehouse that is Rez's prison.

I begin to move around to the back when Sky asks me where I'm going.

"There are windows we can sneak through."

She snorts with disgust at my plan, "we walk through the front door."

"But…" I begin to protest.

Ignoring me Sky strides up to the door, swinging it open and entering. I follow, nervous fingers dancing down my spine.

"Sky…"

She raises her hands in the air, and I feel it, the power locked in the core of her being, that which makes her female.

The air crackles, the room explodes in a burst of power, and all the men guarding the room collapse.

Dead?

No, they must be asleep, she wouldn't…

I feel Rez's presence trapped, terrified, I've never known him to feel this way, never, so vulnerable, so alone.

I charge for the door, I know he's behind, throwing it open and then I see them. The two from my visions. Tass and the unnamed man, towering over my helpless brother, who is strapped to a chair, beaten black and blue.

"Tass," Sky hisses, true malice in her voice, the sound sends shudders through my body.

I can feel power growing, like the full rumbling of a tidal wave.

"Stop that now or your pet dies," Tass warns.

She's bluffing, they're both bluffing. Neither are killers. It is not in the nature of Sisters.

The man with the gun pointed at Rez's head is another matter.

"Sky, please stop," I plead.

The nose stops. Silence hangs heavy and then Vi steps in. For a split second Tass and the man are distracted, Sky lashes out with all her power and the pair crumple.

"Tass," Vi cries, rushing to the rogue sisters body, crouching over her, but no one is paying him any attention. We're much too concerned about my brother.

"Vallah?" Rez croaks, "Sky?"

It takes Sky only a moment to snatch the keys from the man's body, and a few seconds to get Rez unchained. In a display of uncharacteristic emotion she hugs him, but he pushes her away weakly.

Hurt crosses her face but she hides it very quickly. "Rez can you walk?" her tones are laced with ice.

He's quaking, trying desperately not to show any signs of weakness in front of us. Nodding once he pulls himself to his feet, using the chair to steady himself. I know better than to go to him, to offer him help, I'll only be pushed away like Sky, but I want to. I stare at him feeling as helpless as he's trying not to look.

"We should go before anyone awakens." Sky announces, looking down at Tass' body, disgust curling upon her perfect lips. "And we should take her with us."

"No," I turn round to see who has spoken only to discover it was my lips the words escaped from.

Sky sighs, patience stretched to breaking point, "why not?"

"We…" how can I explain my feelings when I don't even understand them myself.

I don't believe in evil. Nothing is so black and white.

"Vallah?" Sky prompts.

I take a deep breath, "I see a man, yet not a man. A being of such… presence, such life," I shudder at the thought wondering how I can make her understand when I suddenly remember, I have seen him before. A fleeting glimpse in someone elses life, but I have seen him. "He works for The Society. We need to find him, to stop him."

Rez forces out a laugh, miraculously his wounds seem already well on the way to being healed, the blossoms of bruising covering his face barely seem visible. "By we, who exactly do you mean?"

"Us," I outstretch my arms, encompassing the fallen member of the resistance, the bitter rogue Sister, the concerned spirit of the young man I dream so much of, my dearest mentor who happens to be one of the most powerful, yet kind Sisters, my beautiful brother who has always been far more than he seems, and myself, the young, supposedly innocent seer.

"No," both Sky and Rez declare, if the others had been listening, been conscious of my words I am sure that those would not have been the only protests to hit my ears.

"We take Tass back to the Sisterhood. We send a clean-up crew to the warehouse."

Perhaps she is right. What do I know? Then I remember again, those fateful words I heard.

"You told Tass you were going to kill her if she refused to hand over Vi," the words slip out unwilling.

"And you believed him when he told you this?" Sky asks, her tone tinged with disbelief.

"I wasn't told, I saw. You forced Tass into running." How can I possibly say such a thing.

She frowns slightly, "you know that I would never, ever do anything to harm my Sisters. Why would I ever want Tass dead. Killing is the way of men, not of the Sisterhood."

I believe her, she's right, after all she has done for me how could I possibly accuse her of something so horrendous as threatening the life of one of our own? She loves us all, she would never hurt us. But I saw, I saw. My visions have never been wrong before, but Sky… I must be wrong, I must.

"Forgive me," I whisper the words like those of a prayer.

She nods once, obviously disturbed by what I have said. Surely she cannot be worried that I might turn traitor like Tass after thinking those dreadful things of her.

"Sky, we need to work with the others."

She does not seem convinced, her sapphire eyes hard as glass.

"The Sisterhood has problems with The Society," it is Vi that breaks the silence, his voice a welcome backing to my own lack of reasoning. "Tass, Brent and I have our own troubles with them. If we work together we could bring about the downfall of one of their most powerful members. We will all gain from it." It's no so much the words he uses as the way he says them, a gentle pressure on our minds, persuading us that he is right.

Sky finally sighs, "as long as the Sisterhood do not hear that I am working with the Resistance."

I understand her caution. It would mean losing everything she is, she has, if they were to find out she has aligned herself with the enemy. It would be far worse for Rez and myself.

Hunter

"So we're gonna bust a bloody ghost," Brent exclaims.

"No," the image on the screen that is Web explains for the umpteenth time. "Not a ghost, a spirit, demon if you must but not ghost. This creature never was human."

"Like I said," Brent replies with a shrug, stroking his gun as he speaks.

And he thinks that I am stupid. I can't wait till all this is over and I can shove that gun of his…

"Males," Sky chides, with a little more affection than I would ever have given her credit for. "Haven't you listened to a single thing."

Deciding to take her question literally, even though I know it's not aimed at me, and prove my gender is capable of thinking I reply, "three planes of existence, Physical, Virtual and Astral. The first is the one we inhabit, the second is where the net is located, and the third is where whatever demon it is we are chasing after lives."

"So what's the plan?" Tass asks, looking more than slightly irritated with the incompetence that surrounds her, and the men. That she is even sitting here is nothing short of a miracle but it would appear that where Vi goes, she does too. I have no doubt she'd sooner spit on the rest of us than communicate civilly.

"Well since only one of us can go into Astral space, the plan is that Vi will travel into the realm, lure the demon into the physical realm, where we shall mount our assault on him when he materialises."

Sky's plan is full of more holes than a sponge. I should tell her shouldn't I, but surely she has realised that fact. Besides she's so certain of herself, not in the mood for listening to a mere man. Anyway I've done my own research, I have my own plan that does not need any of the others. Not even her.

The others turn to Vallah, awaiting her approval. It seems strange that she has such authority, but it does not. She is woman after all. I should have guessed the day would come when she would be as important as the others.

"I have no visions," she admits quietly. "But I have the feeling that it may work."

May work? They're going to send the boy to his death on a slim chance and a half baked plan.

He trusts them, he's not arguing. If he were female they would never consider such a thing, his life would be too precious to send him into a world he doesn't know, to face dangers unknown, and a creature that killed him the last time they met.

"Is that it then?" I ask standing up, ignoring Tass' iced gaze.

Sky nods, but before she has a chance to say anything I turn to the one Vallah named Vi, "we need to talk."

He looks confused, stunned even, before rising slowly to his feet. Not giving him a chance to think better of it I stride towards my room hoping that his ghostly figure will be following me. Once there I sit on the mattress that serves as my bed for the time being and look up at him.

He settles, cross-legged, on the floor opposite me, waiting for me to speak.

"So what do you think of all of this?"

He seems startled that I've even dreamed of asking him such a question, I suppose he is not used to his opinion being considered valid. I know how he feels.

Small insignificant, a pawn being pushed around in the game of fate, yet something about him, utterly unplaceable makes me think that perhaps he is more than a pawn.

"You don't have to go," I continue.

Amethyst eyes open wide, that possibility never seems to have occurred to him. "I do, I have to, it's my future, my destiny."

I chuckle as his words mimic my thoughts then frown, with the notion that perhaps he has read my mind. Shuddering, I close my eyes, imagining brick after brick being built around the wall of my mind, breathing calming breaths, clearing my mind, before finally looking at him. "Vallah told you that?"

He nods only once, his eyes shining brightly at the mention of her name, telling more than any words could.

"And you believe in her, a girl you have only just met, enough to follow her visions to your doom."

"I've known her all my life," he whispers soft as a summer's breeze. "I just did not know it until I laid eyes upon her. She would never send me into danger. Besides," his voice lowers all the more, "I'm dying anyway."

"There are fates worse than death," I murmur in reply. I know, I've lived them. Death has no fear when life is hell, in fact it is, if nothing else, a relief.

Our eyes meet. 'I know' his entire being speaks to me. I tear my gaze from his immediately, not wanting to find understanding there. I will not succumb to his powers. I do not want anyone, not even Vallah, touching the depths of my soul.

"So you're going to venture into the unknown, and face a demon, and this does not bother you in the slightest?"

"I never said it did not bother me. If there was another plan," he trails off shrugging gently. "But there is not, and I am needed by my friends."

I sigh, knowing that this is what I'm here to say and yet still not quite willing to, "I'll come with you."

"What?" so he can still be surprised by me, "you can do that?"

"Ancient tales speak of those who could leave their bodies at will, through long training and meditation."

"You know how?" He stares at me, his eyes brilliant violet, gaze piercing to the depths of my soul.

"STOP!!!" I shriek, refusing to meet his eyes, snapping the chain of the amulet around my neck, throwing it at him, hard.

"OW!" he cries out, rubbing his shoulder.

Before he has a chance to look further I pick up the tiny green bottle, lucky charm, amulet, call it what you wish and place it on the floor beside the mattress.

Then he realises, "it didn't go through, it hurt. I'm not actually here. I don't have a body. How could it?

I shrug, sigh and for the first time in my life I apologise and mean it. I don't give him explanations though.

"You could really come with me?" he asks again, and there it is, the hint of vulnerability I've been looking for, the fear, the terrifying, soul shattering loneliness.

"If you want."

"Please." That desperate loneliness, the fear, impossible to say no to. Not that I would have offered if I did not mean to travel with him.

As for my abilities to walk the astral plane, I did not specifically lie to him, if admittedly I did not quite tell the truth either. This past week I have been reading all I could about spirits and the astral realm, ever scrap of information from the few dry facts the sisterhood possesses to the ancient wealth concealed in the guise of myths and folk tales.

There are those, like Vi, who have the power to traverse the realms. There are those, like me, who do not. A week would be far too short a time to learn the various techniques necessary, even if I thought I would be able to do it, which I'm not sure of. Luckily, there is a way for less gifted people like myself to learn how to leave their bodies.

Death.

Death does not scare me, life however does. Besides Vallah and Sky will ensure this death is not permanent. I hope.

I pull from my pocket a tiny jar of pills, utterly harmless looking, and place one on my tongue, lying back on the mattress, bitterness dissolving on my tongue, I close my eyes and let the darkness consume me.

Seer

I've seen it before, a wisp of a dream from Sky.

Rez?

Goddess no.

Inside of me erupts a power, I run to Rez's room. He lies slumped on the bed, almost as if he were asleep, but I know that is not the case.

Dead?

"NO!!!" I shriek to the goddess, and energy courses through me, blazing through both our bodies, the air crackles gold and silver, blinding, brilliant.

I touch his cheek lightly, he's breathing again, ever so softly, silver waves of healing flow between us washing the poison from his body. But his eyes do not open. Not yet. Not ever? I dare not think of that. He's my brother, I need him, I love him more than anything. He's always been there. He can't go. Can't leave me.

There are no visions to bring comfort. No dreams of the future, to ease the pain, just a dark loneliness and a certainty he is not dead, yet.

"Vallah," it is Sky's warm voice, trembling with concern as she steps in, noticing my agony.

"I don't understand," I whisper to her. Why would he do it? Why throw his life away, twice he has tried. I don't understand.

She wraps her arms around me, and all my troubles begin to melt away. Despite the fact that she too does not understand, I know she will make things better. She always does.

Technomancer

"REZ!!!"

With tendrils of blazing amethyst I grab his spirit, tugging him away from the light. An instant later emerald energy lashes out, pushing me away from him. Crouched on the ground, he gazes up at me, jade eyes brimming with terror, before they cloud over.

He stands, looking around, getting his bearings, for a moment confused that we are still in the same room as before, then turns to face me, glaring shards of ice. He does not like me, I do not understand why he offered to help.

"Time will seem different here," I offer the advise softly, wondering if he will reply with an insult, he appears as if he wants to. "A moment here could be an eternity in the physical realm and vice versa, it takes some getting used to."

He shrugs, as if he does not care. "We need to get going. How do we find this demon?"

I offer him my hand, and he scowls, stepping away. I sigh, "this is not where we need to be, it's still the physical realm. We need to tear through to the astral realm. It will be easier if you take my hand."

"No," he'd sooner bite me than do that. Eyes narrowed, suspicious, every bit the caged animal. Perhaps I'm nothing special and it is people in general that he does not particularly like. There is no arguing with that tone. I don't understand him, he and Vallah are so different.

I close my eyes and concentrate. "Follow straight after me. I don't know if this will work."

Opening my eyes I gaze at the strands that separate the worlds, wielding amethyst flame, I reach forward and push them apart, stepping through the gap.

Touch becomes taste and sight smell, the world spins out of control, incomprehensible pain, dizzying whirl of lights, sounds, tastes, scents, bombarding me.

My mind compensates, transferring the landscape to one I will understand. Green fields spilling out before me, blue sky emerging from the chaos.

I turn, and see, with mixed relief that Rez is still there, struggling to come to  terms with the barrage on his senses. Not daring to touch him, I pull the strands on his mind, forcing him to stand, he flinches away, emerald sparks shimmering around him. I force him to stare into my eyes, washing soothing calm over him, weaving the threads of his mind, building barriers so he can cope with this realm.

As soon as I have done so, the jade lightning lashes out, severing my contact with him, he clenches his jaw, stepping away from me, trying to conceal the fact he is quivering like a leaf.

"Rez, I think perhaps we need to talk," I say, repeating his earlier words. We can't go on like this, not here.

"We need to find this demon," he retorts.

He's right, but if we're fighting constantly, if he's pulling against me every step of the way what use will he be. We'll find nothing but anger, and certainly not the one we are searching for.

"Why do you hate me?" I blurt out. I don't care, I shouldn't care, but he's Vallahs brother and his opinion does matter, and I don't want him to hate me but he does and it's driving knives through my heart.

He laughs coldly, "hate you? Why ever would I hate you? How could anyone possibly feel anything but absolute worship for you. Your perfect in every way. Immense power, good looks, everyone who meets you falls over their feet to be nice to you. The toughest, most sexist member of the entire sisterhood, would probably die for you if you asked her too, she abandoned her beliefs of a lifetime just to help you. How could anyone hate you?" every word laced with ice.

"Jealous," I gasp the word with disbelief, how could anyone be jealous of me?

He glowers back, then shrugs, "when I look at you I see someone with a purpose. Someone who never doubts, who believes… Who just believes. There seems nothing you cannot do. There are prophecies about your coming, stories from as far back as time remembers telling of the one with amethyst eyes and the changes you will bring. You have purpose, destiny. Of course I'm jealous, who wouldn't be?"

I shudder under the weight of his words, destiny, responsibility. What if I let everyone down? "It's not easy," I reply, "I would not wish it on anyone. It's so lonely," I blush at the admission.

He laughs, softly this time with no trace of malice, "and destiny has fixed that problem too. Vallah..." We both know what the next revelation will be, but he doesn't say it, instead he just meets my eyes. I see in those pools of jade the man I might have been if I had been allowed to be anything but a destiny. The pain, the loneliness reflected back at me and for an instant I think I understand him, but then he ices over again.

"We should go after the demon."

I nod. We should. That does not make it any easier.

***

Eternity passes in minutes, time stretches towards infinity. We walk in a silence that is anything but comfortable, looking, searching blindly with nothing to guide us.

Hopeless.

Pointless.

Lost.

Ever if we find him how can we possibly find our way back Only now do the fatal flaws in the plan surface and there is nothing that can be done.

I'm going to die.

I gaze at Rez and correct myself. We're going to die. Why's he not scared? Doesn't he realise it? Doesn't he care? Or does he have a plan?

I stop walking and wait for him to follow suit. He turns to face me, raising a golden eye brow inquisitively.

"I don't know where we're going. I don't know how to find the spirit," I finally admit, shaking.

Slowly he smiles, taking pleasure in my admission of fallibility. "You're connected to him?" he asks.

"I don't know."

"We need to find, and tap into some connection to him. Vallahs visions might serve," he muses. "I…" he seems hesitant, strangely unsure of himself. Perhaps he was not waiting for me to ask him for help. Perhaps he really didn't know if he was right. He's as unused to being listened to as I am, perhaps more so if that is possible yet he has a point.

There are strands that connect us all to those we have met before, some gossamer silk that break at the slightest touch, others spun of steel, all enduring.

I have met the creature we are searching for. He caused my mortal shell to die. Strangely I do not hate him. There will be a strand inside me to follow, to lead me through this realm, towards him.

I sit, sinking into the lush green grass, closing my eyes, searching within.

A blaze of violet assaults my vision, blinding me for a second, and then I see. Twin lines of gold and jade spun together and yet not so, spin out from my core, so vivid in their colours I am forced to pause to examine them for a moment. Strange, who lies at the end? Soft scent of Vallah, yet there is something else… No. A fainter, yet no less strong, crimson connection Tass. The uneasy bond of friendship, if you must call it that, to Brent, strange alien copper wires that reach out to Web.

And there it is, a twisted, sickly yellow of disease, dark, tainted, chilling to the bone, it trails it's sickening path in front of us, deeper into the astral realm.

I rise to my feet, quaking slightly, and murmur "I think I can find it."

His features are glass, sharp edges of hatred. Did he really want to see me fail? For us to return empty handed?

He follows me silently as we trek through astral space, the journey no less long for knowing our destination. How long we have been here I could not say, it seems like an eternity we have spent winding our way along the road that the jaundiced wire leads us.

And then I feel it, the presence ahead, overpowering in it's intensity, it's him. I'd know the monster anywhere.

The air whirls, swirls, twisting, turning, a saffron storm, crafting itself into a more human, yet no less uncomfortable form.

"So you've returned at last, my child," velvet tones, seductive as sweet chocolate, inquire. He doesn't even seem to notice my companion.

"Child?" the word slips out before I can think better of it. I am usually not so careless with what I say.

Amused chuckle, "don't you recognise your own father?"
"I don't have parents," I protest, "I was grown in a lab. Thanks to you I have nothing. I'm not even human."

"Ah, poor deluded boy. Your origins make you more than human not less than. Why would you wish to be like them? I am so glad that you have left their world."

Rez crackles with annoyance, yet wisely choosing to remain silent.

I just stare at the demon, words refusing to flow.

"Such a pity you lost your mortal shell, still it is intriguing that you still exist. It will be so nice to have a student, one to learn my ways." He's taking far too much for granted.

"The Society?" I ask, two words, a thousand questions.

He laughs, "oh they do not count, those puny mortals. Tools, nothing more. Now you, you're perfect, so young and yet…" he reaches out a hand to me. I back away nervously.

"You're dying," he murmurs almost as an after thought. "I can make you immortal. You will never fit in with humans. You're different just like me. You'll never belong anywhere but here. We're kindred spirits you and I, how can anyone else understand us?"

A grain of truth runs through his words. He has a point, what does the world hold for me? A destiny I never asked for. A world where I can never hope to fit in. Where men will hate me simply because I am different, and women will hate me because I am not different enough from men. A world that I will follow the orders of others until the day, not so far away, that I die.

Or a future filled with hope, of limitless possibilities, where I answer to no one.

Slowly I move forward towards the demon.

I tumble to the ground, falling over something, landing on my back, staring up at Rez. He tripped me? But he's no close enough. Magic?

"Vi, we have to leave no," he quietly pleads.

It's pointless even if I wanted to leave I do not know the way back. How can we possibly escape. I clamber to my feet, decision made.

"Don't be a fool, you won't belong anywhere let alone with him. He's a monster, a demon, he'll chew you up and spit you out, use you like he uses everyone. We're just his toys, his playthings, objects to provide momentary amusement, when he tires of you he will throw you away. Do you want to end up like him, a cold, uncaring bastard. You're more than that, more than him, more than anyone," desperation clings to every word. "It's tough, I know, but you need to walk your own path. Don't follow him. Just because you don't belong doesn't mean you have to be alone."

The demon is watching, smiling with amusement. He doesn't care what will happen, what fate I choose.

I look at Rez weighing his words. Why is he saying these things.

"Go to hell!" Rez screams at the demon, then a louder, silent, cry that reverberates through my soul 'VALLAH HE'S COMING'

He's grabbing hold of me, at the instant of touch spirits mingle, I taste his thoughts, the burning depths of his soul hidden beneath the ice, his thoughts, his emotions. Tangling, entwining, melting, together, whirling through astral space, following the silver line that connects me… us… him… to the physical.

Seer

The world lurches sickeningly, I slam up my shields deflecting the assault on my senses, yelling for the others to come to Rez's room. The battle will take place here.

A moment later the demon materialises into view.

Events pass in slow motion.

Gunfire, bullets fly through the spectre.

Dark laughter, a wave of an arm and Brent goes flying across the room, hitting the wall with a sickening crunch.

But the distraction bought Sky and Tass the time they needed. Acting in complete unison they lash out with their minds. The demon shrieks in agonising pain.

My stomach heaves. I steel myself. It killed Vi's body. It will kill us.

Channelling the light of the goddess, I spin it into golden strands, weaving them together, throwing the net over the creature, holding it in place so it cannot escape.

I cannot be bribed. It laughs again, snapping the ties with ease.

Blue lightning, red fire tear into the creature. Screams fill the air again.

We've got it. We've almost got it. Soon it will be dead. Soon it will be over.

Green light explodes into the room, tinged with indigo, grabbing hold of, surrounding the demon.

Woman

Exhaustion fills me, he adrenaline of battle fading away, I sit on the floor, catching my breath, gathering my energies.

Vallah crumples where she stands, Tass practically crawls over to Brent to see if he still lives.

The demon's gone. Dead. We fulfilled Vallah's vision, her prophecy, call it what you will. Now we can go home. How nice it will be for things to return to normal.

I gaze at Rez for a moment, his sleeping form. Foolish male, almost killing himself again. Does he not realise the dangers of astral walking. He could have died. I would have missed him.

Goddess no, I have plenty of males, all alike, what need have I of him? But he's different, and I do not know why. Perhaps Vallah is right. Perhaps I do like him. But nothing more.

Slowly he sits up, as if arising from a dream. I'm glad he's alive.

"Rez," I whisper softly. He turns to face me, the eyes that shine back are not the jade they've always been but startling purple.

The features the same and yet not, the expression one Rez would never wear. Tired though I am, I reach out with my thoughts to touch his mind, to confirm my suspicions.

"Vi?" I gasp with disbelief.

He nods just once. If Vi's there then where in the worlds is Rez?