“I need to get out of here.” Lilli set her mug of coffee on the table. “It’s been two months since I lost Andor, and everywhere I go, everything I see reminds me of him.” “I understand, my love.” Becky reached for Lilli’s hand across the table. “I’m terrified to leave though.” Lilli stared listlessly at the table. The last few months had felt like a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from. A tear dripped down her cheek and splashed onto the table. “The only thing keeping me going is Aurora — and you.” Becky stood and pulled Lilli’s head tight against her chest, stroking her fingers through her hair. *God, I’m so tired. The last few months had been unbearable. When she finally falls asleep she tosses and turns and then wakes up screaming, soaked in sweat. Poor little Aurora is teething, and it makes her cranky. I’ve gotten even less sleep than Lilli — which is practically nothing.* “Why are you afraid to leave?” Becky probed, fighting back the urge to yawn. She really did care, but the sleep deprivation had wrecked any chance of an outward display of compassion. “I don’t want to be alone…” Lilli shuddered. The thought of losing Becky and Andor made her nauseous, and she began to gag, spilling her coffee across the table. Becky hurried to the counter and grabbed a handful of paper towels. She opened the cupboard, dug around in the back for a moment, and retrieved a small vial with four purple pills inside it. “Oh babe!” Becky turned and wiped up the spilled coffee, then tossed the soggy paper towels into the trash can, dripping coffee across the floor. “Shit!” Frustrated at the new mess, Becky threw up her hands in exasperation, then turned and wrapped her arms around Lilli. “I don’t want you to be alone — not now… not ever. I’m sorry. I never should have left to begin with.” Lilli held Becky tightly and looked down at the unshowered, matted hair and raccoon-eyed woman clinging to her midsection who she was madly in love with. “If you hadn’t left, I would have never had Aurora. It’s okay — I forgive you. You thought you were doing the right thing…” “I’d go with you, if you’d have me?” Becky offered, her lip quivering. “I know I hurt you years ago, and for that I am truly sorry. But I swear to you I will never hurt you again.” “I understand why you left me and why you told me there was someone else. You were trying to save your mom. You were young, and you were lied to. I get that. I would have done the same thing.” Lilli sighed as she stood up from the kitchen table. “Oh my god, I am so sorry, Lilli. I am so sorry… for everything. For hurting you. For you losing Andor. For this whole fucking mess that our world is in right now. For everything.” Becky’s voice cracked, and she began to sob. “I’m sorry too,” Lilli stammered. “I shouldn’t have let you go so easily. Fuck christianity and all the stupid mind-control phobia baggage it comes with. I know why you did it… Honestly, I am more mad at the harm you had to flee from. How can people be so cruel to one another? Especially your own father?” “I don’t know…” Becky grabbed a napkin from the table and blew her nose. “When I stumbled across the faeries’ community here, it was like I had found an oasis in the midst of a great desert. They loved me. They nurtured me back to health — emotionally, spiritually, and physically.” “They certainly have been wonderful to me too.” Lilli smiled at Becky. “I don’t know what I would’ve done these past few months without their love and support… and yours.” “You know… there’s another faerie community in Vermont.” Becky handed Lilli a tissue. “Do you want to move out east?” Lilli asked inquisitively. “My dad might be there. He might be dead… I don’t know.” “I support your need to leave Wyoming. We can go anywhere really, but I’ve always wanted to live in Vermont...” Becky’s voice trailed off. “Of course, I’ll move anywhere to be with you.” “Vermont sounds nice.” Lilli looked out the window wistfully. “I—” Before she could finish her thought, Aurora began to cry in the bedroom. “I better go take care of her — I think she’s probably hungry.” Lilli took Becky’s hand and squeezed it before trotting up the stairs. “I’m coming, sweetheart. Mama will be right there…” Becky turned and looked at the vial of purple pills on the counter. *I traded a lot to get those pills. I’m so tired but we both need sleep.* She reached for the vial, twisted off the top, and swallowed a pill before she could change her mind. “What’s that?” Lilli’s voice behind her startled her, and her muscles tensed for a moment before relaxing as she felt Lilli’s hand on the small of her back. “They’re sleeping pills. I got them from the bartender.” --- What few belongings Lilli and Becky possessed were packed up before the sun crested the horizon. “I’d like to say goodbye to Heather before we leave, if that’s okay?” Lilli suggested as Becky hoisted their suitcase into the back of the small truck. “Of course, we can stop and say goodbye. I think she would like that.” Becky closed the tailgate of the pickup and dusted off her hands. Wordlessly, they climbed into the cab. They were both feeling much better after taking the purple pills and had slept for over twelve hours. Even Aurora had slept deeply — a big surprise, and a huge relief. The pickup fired up on the first try, and the tires sprayed gravel and dust as Becky pulled out of the driveway. It was a short drive to see Heather; the church was just down the street. They pulled into the lot and then wandered down to the field. “It’s nice that she was buried next to Ed.” Becky kicked a rock and watched it skitter through a patch of dandelions. “When I found out about Andor and Ed's death, I didn’t have the heart to tell her. When I finally worked up the courage to, I found her in bed. She had passed in the night…” Lilli’s voice cracked. “I think her spirit sensed he was gone, and she didn’t want to be around without him… Oh how I wish that sometimes I too passed in the night... But, god, I have to be strong for Aurora’s sake — and you.” Becky pulled Lilli in close and nuzzled her neck with her nose. Lilli had promised herself she wasn’t going to cry, but remembering how she found Heather resurrected the trauma and horror of the past few months, and she broke down and began to sob again. “Oh Becky, I miss him so much. Some mornings I don’t even want to get out of bed. I just don’t know what I am going to do. It hurts so bad…” Becky embraced Lilli and stroked her hair. “Shhh. Now, now, sweetheart. I’ve got you, and I’ll never let go.” Lilli lifted her head off Becky’s shoulder and gazed into her eyes. They were full of tears too, and in that moment Lilli felt a twinge of love — something she had always felt when looking into Andor’s eyes. “I love you.” Lilli leaned over and kissed Becky. Then she wrapped her arms around her and began to sob. “I love you too,” Becky echoed as she clutched Lilli tightly in her arms. A moment later, Aurora let out a whimper from the cab of the truck. “Goodbye, Heather.” Lilli rested her hand on the gravestone, then turned toward the truck. “Let’s go. Aurora will fall back to sleep once we start driving.” ![[asi-iv-movingOn.jpg]] It was cold. Not terribly cold — just cold enough to send a chill down his spine. The man looked down at the ground covered in snow, which was falling from the sky in flakes the size of potato chips. Why am I naked? He stared at himself between his legs for a moment, then his gaze traveled up to the sky, where he could see a green-blue orb fading in and out of a swirling mass of clouds. “Where am I?” The man stood up. From behind him he heard a small noise and turned to look. Morphing in and out of the heavy snowfall, a large brown shaggy bear lumbered into view. The man smiled, then wrapped his arms around himself tightly as another chill flashed across his naked body. “Greetings.” He bowed slightly to the bear. The bear did not break its gaze, but ever so slightly, it nodded its head, as if acknowledging the courtesy. Then it sauntered over to the man and lay down next to him. “Thank you.” The man nuzzled into the soft fur, feeling the bear's great heart beating. “I was starting to get a little chilly.” The bear licked the man’s hand, then with its soft wet nose pushed the man up against its back. “Do you want me to climb up?” the man asked as he took hold of a handful of fur. Answering the question with a grunt, the bear rolled onto its feet, pulling the man onto his back. Then the bear sauntered into the night with the man nestled comfortably deep in its soft warm fur. *I’m so warm… maybe I’ll just take a quick nap.* With a yawn, the man quickly nodded off. --- “Good morning, Hábrók.” A voice boomed, waking the man from his slumber. He looked up inquisitively at the face peering down at him. Above him was a man perched on a tree branch. It was sunny now, and he was in a forest of enormous trees. Some of the trees towered so high into the piercing blue sky he couldn’t see the tops. “How did you get up there?” the man asked. “It’s so high.” “Why, I jumped of course!” the man exclaimed with a chuckle. “You can jump that high?” the man asked, inquisitively. “Of course! You can too, Hábrók son of Brahma.” “Hábrók?.. Is that my name?” “It is.” “What is your name?” Hábrók asked as he slipped down from the bear's back. “Aiōn son of Brahma.” “We’re brothers!?” Hábrók chuckled. “We are.” Aiōn slipped out of the tree. To say he fell would have been an overstatement; as would saying he floated. Rather, it was a sort of amalgamation of the two — a flell, if you will. “These are for you.” Aiōn pulled a bundle of royal-blue cloth from a pocket in his tunic. “What is it?” Hábrók asked as he reached for the gift. “It’s clothing. It’s the winter cycle here — you need your clothes to keep warm and dry. During the summer season it’s not as necessary… but for now, it is.” “I see.” Hábrók slipped the tunic over his head. The cloth was delectably soft, and it smelled absolutely divine. “It’s so comfortable,” he continued as he cinched the rough cord snugly across his midsection. “The mighty Condra clan are the best seamstresses in the realm. They are also phenomenal at crafting all manner of beautiful items made from the ore and precious stones they mine from the mountains of Chocandra.” Aiōn shifted a little and stared off into the distance, a hint of longing in his voice. “I think I’ll go there after our meal. I haven’t been there for far too long.” “Our meal?” Hábrók’s voice piqued - the mention of food suddenly made him aware he was starving. “Why yes, of course — right over there.” Aiōn motioned toward a small hut nestled next to a babbling brook. Smoke wafted from its chimney as the most amazing smells drifted out of the open door. “Oh my gosh, it smells AMAZING!” A huge grin spread across Hábrók’s face as he followed Aion through the door. Inside the hut was a large table set for three next to a roaring fire. “Who’s the third seat for?” Hábrók asked as he took a seat. “For the bear, of course.” Aiōn replied as he busied himself setting out the tableware. “He did carry you all this way. He is very hungry.” “Why of course.” Hábrók agreed. He did not think it strange in the slightest that the bear should join them for supper. “My father and I dine with everyone when they come here. Lately though, our dining schedule has been extra busy. Poor Aishani can barely keep up — she is beginning to lose her mind.” Aiōn poured two large glasses and one bowl of red wine. “Your realm is in bad shape, which is what I need to talk to you about.” “My realm?” Hábrók asked as he took a sip of the wine. It was delicious, and the sip quickly turned into several large gulps. “This is really good, by the way,” he stammered as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand and gazed at the goblet. “Thank you.” Aiōn smiled. “I made it myself, actually.” A moment later, the bear sauntered in, its face covered in dandelion fluff, and lapped at its bowl of wine greedily, its eyes twinkling. “You keep that up, ole bear,” Aiōn laughed, “and you’ll soon be fast asleep.” The bear paused, looked up at Aiōn, and then began greedily lapping up the remnants of its wine. Hábrók watched as the bear finished the wine and then set about eating a plate of food Aiōn placed in front of it. The bear was quite polite and spilled hardly a crumb as it devoured the meal. “Poor thing was starving.” Aiōn poured just a little more wine. “So, where were we?”  “You said you needed to talk to me about my realm.” Hábrók offered as he picked up a bowl of steaming collard greens. “Ah, right — yes, your realm.” Aiōn set down his wine and stretched. “King Brahma and I have been keeping a close eye on your realm for quite some time. Things out there in the thirteenth realm — or as we call it here, Nu — have gotten downright dreadful.” Hábrók, who still could not recall how he had gotten here, had no idea what Aiōn was talking about but nodded to show he was listening. “Lust, cowardice, hypocrisy, fear, hate, and the desire for honor and fame have engulfed nearly every organic baseline being in your realm. Even now, as we dine, they are busy slaughtering one another in yet another pointless war. Induchemara’s secret weapon is taken care of — you saw to that. Still, something must be done before your realm is obliterated.” “What is it that you were thinking?” Hábrók piled a heaping helping of mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy onto his plate. “Far away on the edge of this realm, the Thunderbird is rumored to reside on an unexplored planet. It possesses a rare and very potent magic. If it could be found and convinced to act, it could open a portal between this realm and yours.” Aiōn’s voice was filled with excitement. “What would you hope to accomplish with this portal?” Hábrók asked as he tore a chunk of bread from the steaming loaf in the center of the table. “Ah, yes. Before I divulge any more, would you care for some more wine?” Aiōn offered. Hábrók was more than happy to accept another helping. He turned to ask the bear if they wanted some as well — but the bear was lying on the ground, its head on its paws, happily snoring. Aiōn filled Hábrók’s goblet to the brim, and as Hábrók took a sip, Aiōn continued. “So… the portal would allow free travel between the realms. Those that are here could travel to Nu and vice versa. Not only would this open up a trade route for the free exchange of collaboration and commerce, but it would also unite those separated from their loved ones in Nu and usher in an era of healing and peace.” “What do you mean by ‘separated’?” Hábrók asked, setting down his goblet as a look of concern spread across his face. “Every organic baseline being in your realm has a limited number of iterations. Once they have reached their quota of iterations, they come here. You have completed your quota… plus one, actually.” Aiōn’s voice softened for a moment before he continued. “Others are not as fortunate. Many here in this realm are stuck. They are not free. In fact, they are mired in the harmful things that consumed them during their time in the other realms.” “Are they able to be freed?” Hábrók asked as tears welled in his eyes at the thought. “Yes they are — but it takes quite a bit of work.” Aiōn took a bite of food. “Then I must be off. Tell me where I can find these lost beings…” Hábrók’s voice trailed off as Aiōn raised his hand, motioning for him to pause. “That is not your mission. Others have already been chosen, and they are busy locating these lost beings,” Aiōn continued. “I was hoping you could locate the mighty Thunderbird I spoke of earlier.” “I see.” Hábrók set down his goblet with a thud. “You said it was on the edge of this realm. Where should I begin looking?” Aiōn smiled and reached into the chest pocket of his tunic, retrieving a small golden coin. “After we have dined together, you will set off for the spaceport. Present this coin to whomever asks for your fare when you arrive. It will secure your passage aboard a ship bound for a small planet called Kapteyn. It is a long journey, because it’s beyond the great Virgo Barrier. That is where your search for the great Thunderbird must commence.” Hábrók sat at the table rubbing the coin between his fingers. “Should I wake the bear so I can be on my way?” “Not yet,” Aiōn said, standing. “I was rather hoping we could go lounge by the fire and enjoy a bit of tobacco — if you are so inclined?” Hábrók nodded and smiled. “I would be honored.” ### Next Chapter: [[1 - Coming Soon]] ### Previous Chapter: [[26 - Santo-Bi-Lance 🐉]]