	Chapter 34 vegie_2000
	Gilda looked at Greg, a beam spread all over her face. She was lost for words. A peace loving grendel? Her son? Greg felt the same. It had never occurred to him that he was missing a loving family in his life, but now it seemed that an entire mountain of feelings had burst out of him. Ailee and Aden smiled at eachother. Greg and Gilda had been united at last! This situation suddenly reminded Blynn of what they were supposed to be doing. “Ooo,” She said, “Ailee, Aden, we ought to get going to Zylle’s house...It’s quite a walk from here.” The creatures looked around and suddenly realised that daylight was upon them. “Oh, yes - we must get back, too,” Replied Ken, “ Are you ready, Greg...? Greg?” Greg was still looking at Gilda, lost for words and not paying attention to anything that was going on around him. “Leave him be, Ken! He’s got a lot to overcome,” Kim smiled at the grendel...It was so nice to see him united with his mother. Greg’s mind suddenly landed back in Albia. “Yeah, we should get back...But Gil...I mean...Mum’s coming, too,” He went bright red with embarrassment. “Of course,” Said Samuel,”Well, Ailee, Aden - I trust you to behave yourselves...After all, you can’t stay kids forever - just stick with Blynn, OK?” “OK,” The norns said togehter. Kimberly, Ken, Samuel, Greg and Gilda waved farwell as they were teleported away. “Welp, I’d say it was time for breakfast,” Blynn turned to the twins,”We can get some carrots on the way to Zylle’s. Doe’s that sound OK?” “Yeah, that would be brill,” Replied Ailee. “OK, let’s get going!” Blynn and the twins headed out of the door and into the open. They walked past all the busy norns again, and as they past a greenhouse, the twins started to get a little tired. After all, they’d had no sleep the previous night. Blynn sensed this and turned to them. “Listen, the carrot patch is only just ahead. Would you twins like to sit down on the grass for a couple of minutes while I go and get some?” “Yes...That....Sounds...Like....A....Good..Idea!” Aden panted as he fell in a heap in the floor. “Alright, see you in a few minutes!” Blynn turned and walked away. Ailee sat down next to Aden, and glanced around. She now had a chance to have a good look at some of the norns. Her eyes suddenly fell on a young male norn, probably the same age as her and Aden, who looked extremely, well, handsome! Aden, who of course could tell what she was thinking, sat up and said very loudly, “YUK!” “You can say what you like, Aden, but I don’t care.” Ailee continued to stare at the norn. He had a very sandy coat and a big flop of hair over his face. He suddenly shot a look at Ailee. She turned away quickly. She did not want the other norn to know that she had been looking at him like that - but he seemed to have geussed. The norn began to walk to towards Ailee. “Oh, brother!” Said Aden.
	Chapter 35 The_Creature_Master
	“Oh, brother!” Aden said, rolling his eyes. “Hi, I’m Christopher. What’s your name?” the Norn said as he came toward the twins and said to Ailee. “She’s Ailee, my twin sister, and I’m Aden,” Aden said before Ailee even opened her mouth and grinned mischievously. “Aden!” she said and punched him playfully on the shoulder. “I haven’t seen you around here before,” Christopher said. “Where would you two be heading?” “We’re going to Zylle’s house. We just found out that she’s our mother. We’re waiting for Blynn, she’s our niece,” Ailee replied, and, to her own complete amazement, began to blush. <Well, well, well… Look at our little Ailee blush,> Aden said to Ailee via thought speech. <Oh, shut up, Aden!> “Cool, Zylle’s my mother’s lifelong friend. We live just a block away from her.” Their conversation was interrupted when Blynn came back. “Hey, I’ve got the carrots!” she said cheerfully to Aden and Ailee. Then she caught sight of Christopher. “Oh, hi, Christopher! What’re you doing over here?” “I’m going back to my grandmother’s house. Had to get some food and water.” “We’re going to Zylle’s. Since your house is right next to ours, why don’t you follow us?” she asked. “Here, have a carrot.” “Why, thank you,” he said and took the carrot from Blynn. “Come on, walk beside me!” thought Aden to himself. Sure enough, Christopher began walking next to him. “Alright!” he thought to himself and stopped walking. “Ow!” “Is something wrong, Aden?” Ailee asked worriedly. “Oh, no! Nothing major. Just… Sprained my ankle, that’s all. You guys carry on walking. I’ll catch up.” “Okay,” Ailee said and shrugged. Once he was sure that the others had looked away, he glanced up and, to his satisfaction, saw Christopher walking beside Ailee, who was looking directly ahead of her and trying not to make eye contact with the Norn. “Heh heh heh…” he thought satisfactorily to himself as he got up again and joined them. “Ankle’s all okay, now.” Soon, the four reached Zylle’s house and Christopher parted from the group. “Gotta go back, see you guys later!” he said to them and waved as he walked to his mother’s house. “Bye, Chris!” Ailee shouted and waved to him. “Chris?” Aden asked Ailee, grinning. “Since when did you start calling him ‘Chris’?” “Oh, stop teasing me, Aden!” she’s shot back and blushed even redder. “Fine… For now,” he said and laughed as they entered the doors to Zylle’s house. “Oh, Mother! I’m back!” Blynn shouted into the house.
	Chapter 36 Pattycake4554
	Zylle turned away from the computer where a newborn Norn was learning the language, "push" "pull" "right" "left". As Aiden, Ailee, and Blynn approached they began repeating the words with the baby Norn. Zylle quickly pushed the off button. "That computer always hypnotizes!" she grumbled and reached to smooth her hair as she noticed the strangers…"and what have we here?" she smiled at the twins. Blynn took her mother's hand and led her to a chair. "Mom, we have a bit of a surprise for you. This is Ailee and Aidan. We think they may be a part of our family." Ailee shared a worried glance with Aidan. They sensed a very negative reaction from Zylle at Blynn's news. "How could that be, Blynn?" Zylle frowned slightly since she knew the only eggs she had produced in Albia were Norns now living here. "You mean…no! The Eggs the Shee scientists took from me?" She turned to study the twins, searching for some way to know if they were her children. "Yes, we think that Aidan and Ailee are the result of what happened to you in the Lab! Isn't it wonderful?" Blynn motioned for Aidan and Ailee to come closer. The twins shyly approached Zylle. Ailee smiled gently and, looking hopefully at Zylle, said, "We know it is difficult for all of us to understand. It was quite a shock to us, too. And we are not sure exactly how it was accomplished but we do think we share at least a part of you, Zylle. We have certain unusual abilities to sense these things..And we have not been wrong so far." Zylle noticed that Aidan had that same look of hope in his eyes.."Well, my dears..whether or not you truly are my children, I don't know..but I do know one thing: You are Norns and so you are a part of the family. Welcome and may you always be a part of our family." She hugged the twins and held them close. The tender moment ended as quickly as it had begun when the baby Norn, who had been ignored for far too long to suit him, was pushing and pulling every button he could find. The lift was going up and down. The computer again began speaking, "push" "pull" "grendel"…Blynn giggled as she turned off the computer again and reached for the ball, saying "Get toy, Blaine". Blaine punched at the ball and knocked it towards Aidan who knocked it back to him. "OK, young Norns, no ball playing in the house! We do have rules here you know" Zylle smiled at all of them. Her eyes brightened. "We have to have a party! Blynn, you and Ailee go and invite all the neighbors you can. Tell them we will have a big Norn party to introduce the twins to everyone. It will be in the garden tomorrow." "Aidan, can you keep an eye on Blaine? He has more lessons to learn. I will start the preparations for tomorrow's feast." "Oh, and Blynn, be sure to ask Zeferina to bring some of her wonderful food dishes to share with the neighbors. In fact, ask everyone you invite to bring their favorite foods to share." Blynn began to giggle as she took Ailee by the hand, "I will, Mom… Come on Ailee. We will get Christopher to come with us..Zeferina is his mom, you know." She laughed again as she saw Ailee's eyes widen and her cheeks blush. "We met Christopher on the way home" she explained to Zylle, and Ailee is feeling very 'friendly' towards him, I think." Ailee shot a last look and thought toward Aidan, "don't you dare tease" as she smiled and said, "See you later, Aidan. Bye bye Blaine. And Zylle, Thank you for being so kind. We were a little afraid of rejection, you know. The Ettins, Shee scientists and even Gilda, the Grendel, who have all been caring for us are wonderful but it is so nice to have a Norn family at last." The girl Norns left on their errand. "Ettins and Grendels caring for you? Aidan, there is much you can tell me, I know…after Blaine's lessons, give him some carrots and he needs to take his nap..Then you can tell me all about what has been happening while we go thru the garden to pick the food for tomorrow's party." Aidan took Blaine by the hand, into the lift and back up to the computer…hearing Zylle murmuring, "Ettins and Grendels…and Shee scientists, Oh My!"
	Chapter 37 The_Creature_Master
	Aden turned on the computer and led Blaine to it. He was sure that Blaine didn’t know all the words yet, since he just looked blankly at him when he told him to ‘get food’. Aden automatically covered his ears with his hands to stop himself from getting hypnotized and watched Blaine. After he was sure that the computer had said all the words, he turned it off and looked at Blaine. He was wondering over to the teleporter. “Blaine hungry,” he said, and pushed the button, teleporting himself into the garden. Smart child, Aden thought to himself, mildly surprised, and teleported himself there. He sat down on the grass and watched Blaine eat the carrots which grew there. Hey, we forgot about Bruin and the others!, he thought, we have to invite them! He searched for Bruin’s mind among all the others on Albia. Having located it, he told him about the party and told him to tell Ken, Kimberly, Samuel and Greg. <Oh, yeah, and Gilda, too,> he added. <Okay, I’ll tell them, not to worry, we’ll be there tomorrow in the morning to help out,> Bruin replied. <Okay, thanks.> Now, it should be noted that Aden and Ailee can also send telepathic messages to other creatures living on Albia, not only to each other. The recipient can then reply telepathically, but they cannot initiate the first message because they do not possess the power. They cannot search for the mind and thus cannot send it a message. When replying to a message from either Aden or Ailee, the reply is sent back along the same trail in which the first message went through to reach the recipient’s mind. “Hey, Aden!” Blynn shouted, “Come help me with Zeferina’s drink machine!” Aden turned his head around and took out the blade of grass in his mouth. “Oh, sorry! Hey, where’s Ailee?” “Oh, her? She’s with Chris, helping him and his mother to prepare the dishes,” Blynn told him. “Ah, okay,” he replied, grinning. A sudden image flashed across his mind with Ailee slipping and landing on top of Chris. He laughed and put the machine on the shelf in the kitchen. Soon, Ailee came back to help them set everything up. Balloons were hanging everywhere, the tables were set with all the proper dining accessories, and the pool was cleaned and filled. Dawn came fast, and Ailee was the first to awake, followed by Blynn. She and Blynn tried in vain to wake Aden up and went to start making the food. Zeferina and Christopher arrived shortly after the waking of Zylle and Aden woke up when they rang the doorbell. --------------- “Come on, Kimberly! Get changed quickly, we’re leaving soon!” Ken yelled at the door to her room and turned to Bruin, who was scurrying around making sure everything was right and in order. “Where did you say this party was again, Bruin?” “It’s in the Carrot Community, Samuel will be leading us there,” he replied. “Speaking of Samuel, where is he?” “He’s tending to the Grazers.” “Greg?” “Yeah?” Greg replied. “You ready?” “Yep, and my mom is, too.” “All right, I’m ready,” Kimberly said as she came out of her room. “Great, let’s go!” Samuel said, who had just came back. They opened the door and set out, with Samuel running to each Grazer and telling it that he would be gone for a while. “Greg, can’t you teleport us there?” Ken asked. “I can, but I want to walk, sorry,” Greg replied. “It’s okay.” As they entered the woods, Bruin found an old staff, thick and taller than himself. It appeared to have some carvings on it. “Hey, look! A staff!” Bruin exclaimed as he bent down to pick it up. “Cool,” Greg said “There appears to be some carvings on it…” he said and tried to read them. His eyes widened as the carvings changed and shifted, as if the staff didn’t want him to read them. “I say! This is a wizard’s staff! It belongs to Gord Sill! He was one of the wizards who helped us when the humans tried to take over Albia!” “Ah, yes, Gord. Pretty nice old chap one you get to know him,” Ken said. “We’d better give the staff back to him when we’re on our way back,” Bruin told the others. “Wasn’t the Great War twenty-four years ago?” Samuel asked. “Surely Gord can’t be alive today! The last time I saw him he was eighty-eight!” “Wizards live longer than you would expect,” Bruin replied simply. “Oh, okay.” “Are these wizards humans?” Greg asked. “Oh, no! They’re Shee!” Kimberly told him. Soon the six arrived at the Carrot Community, with Bruin leaning on the staff for support. “You’re tired already, Bruin?” Ken teased. “What do you expect? I’m a sixty-two and haven’t walked this far since I was forty!” Bruin replied and grinned. “Anyway, we’re here.” “Would you mind telling us where Zylle’s house is?” Greg said as he stopped a nearby Norn. The Norns’s mouth dropped as he saw Greg’s red cybernetic eye. “W-who are you?” the Norn replied, obviously startled. “We are the Shee from the Shee Labs, and we understand that there is going to be a party here. We were invited,” Bruin stepped forward and told the Norn. “Would you be so kind as to tell us where Zylle’s house is?” “You walk straight till you reach the junction and then turn left. Good day to you sirs,” the Norn said and ran off. “Now, Greg, you scared him with your eye,” Gilda said jokingly. When they reached the junction, they say some older Norns beating up a younger one, obviously only four years old. “Come on, you little wimp,” one of them said, “you owe us some money.” “Please, Curt, my mother needed it to buy us food. That’s why I borrowed the money. Please give me one more day to get it!” the young Norn begged. “That’s what you’ve been saying for the last three days! We’ve been lenient enough but that’s all gonna stop-go away!” the Norn named Curt said as Bruin tapped him on the shoulder. “Now what have we here? A Norn beating up someone else younger than him?” Bruin took the Norn by the shoulders and stood him up. He stared at him until Curt felt as if Bruin’s eyes were boring right to the back of his skull. “Erm… we’re really sorry, Mister! We’ll never do it again!” Curt said and ran off with his friend. Bruin looked at the young Norn lying on the roadside. He reached his hand into a pocket hidden somewhere in his robe and took out a pouch of money and squatted down. “Here,” he said, smiling gently, “take this. Give it to your mother and return them what you owe.” The little Norn’s eyes lit up, filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Mister!” At last they reached Zylle’s house and Ailee went to greet them at the doorway. “But we haven’t told you about the party!” she said, “And it’s still too early!” “Aden told us about it yesterday. We’ve come to help prepare the food and other things,” Samuel told her. “Oh, okay, then! Come on in! I’ll introduce you to my family.” As they came in Blaine came over to Bruin’s staff and pulled at it, saying “pull toy”. “Now, Blaine, that’s not a toy, it’s a staff,” Ailee told him and picked him up. “Come, Zylle’s in the kitchen.” They followed her into the kitchen and were welcomed warmly by Zylle. She told them to rest in the living room but they declined, telling her that they were here this early to help out. Not long, the sun set beneath the disc-shaped world and it was evening. The garden was lit up with bright lights and the food was put out on tables, with a sign telling the guests to help themselves. They party lasted well into the night, and finally ended at dawn. Ken, Kimberly, Bruin, Greg, Gilda, Samuel, Blynn, Christopher, Zeferina and Aden and Ailee helped Zylle clean up as the guests went home. They decided to stay another night, since Zylle was so hospitable. Soon it started to rain. “Close the windows! Don’t let the rain come in!” Gilda shouted while she cradled Blaine in her arms, calming him down and persuading him not to cry. Another clap of thunder rolled across the sky. Meanwhile, in the woods, Gord Sill walked towards Zylle’s house. Anyone could tell that he was a wizard. Partly because of his robe and hat, which were blue and decorated with stars and moons, but mainly because the raindrops stopped a few inches above his hat, and steamed. He reached the house rather quickly, walking faster than one would think possible for someone at his age. “I’ll get it,” Bruin said and opened the door. “Why, Gord! What would you be doing here? Come in, come in!” As he sat Gord down he told Bruin why he was here. He also got his staff back from Bruin. “So, they’ve got a wizard, eh?” Bruin asked. “Yes, they have. Let me see the child now, I have to pass it on to him before I die.” Gord replied. “I am afraid he is asleep. How long do you have before you die?” “Five minutes.” “I’ll get him right away, “Bruin said and hastily brought Blaine to Gord with a protesting Zylle at his side. “Here.” Gord took the young Norn who had just begun to wake up. He closed his eyes and muttered a few words, waving his hand over the Norn. Finally he took his staff and passed it to Blaine. He opened his tiny hand and took it, and it began to glow and coruscate red light. Bruin looked at Gord, whose eyes were still closed. “What just happened? Zylle asked, confused and shaken. “He’s gone…” Bruin whispered to himself. Gord’s dead…” “Pardon?” “Gord’s dead. He passed on his power to Blaine,” Bruin explained, looking at Blaine. “You see, wizards don’t die completely, their essence is left behind. He passed the staff on the Blaine, he made Blaine a wizard.” “Oh… I take it Gord was your friend?” Zylle enquired. “Yes.” “Well, burn the stick!” Zylle said and threw the staff into the fireplace. “No! Don’t! You won’t want to!” Bruin shouted desperately. But it was too late. Blaine jumped up from the couch, screaming and shouting, “Blaine extremely hot!” Bruin quickly took the old iron poker and tried to get the staff out of the fire. He looked at it and was not surprised that it wasn’t a bit charred or black. “What kind of magic is this?” Zylle asked, calming the crying Blaine in her arms. “It’s wizardry,” Bruin told her. “The staff belongs to Blaine, now. He feels what it feels and vice versa.” “Well, what do we do?” “Send him to be trained when he is older, that is what you have to do. I suggest you don’t give him the staff until he’s older.” Bruin dug Gord a grave in the morning and he was given a proper burial by Bruin and the others.
	Chapter 38 vegie_2000
	The following morning, Aden was taking a walk across the carrot patch, his head down and kicking every stone he came across. Ailee was with Christopher right now, and Aden felt very lonely. He took a seat on a large rock, and stared into a pool just opposite. Aden was so completley engrossed in a day dream, that a sudden splash in the pool nearly made him fall over backwards. He stood up quickly, and leaned over the pool, staring into it to see what the spash could have been. All Aden could see was his reflection...And no sign of anything in the pool. Guessing that it must have been a frog (a very LARGE one), Aden sat back down on the rock. He was sitting there only for around half a minute, when a head suddenly came out of the water. Aden sat up straight, starteled. It was a male norn, with a ginger and white head, and a ginger and spotted body that came out of the water moments later. A ginger tail appearing out of the pool behind him indicated that he could only have been one thing...A mernorn! Meanwhile, Ailee and Christopher were running around outside Zylle's house, laughing and playing, oblivious to an arguement that had recently broke out in the house. "Who do you think you are?! Handing that stick to my Blaine without consulting me first?!" Zylle shouted. "But I can't see how it can be a bad thing...Blaine is to lead a wonderful, long life...Anything a norn would ever want..."Replied Bruin, with much quieter voice. "...That's not my point!! You allow some wizard Shee to grant Blaine a wizard! And this isn't the first time you've changed a member of my family into a complete FREAK, now, is it? Let us not forget Ailee and Aden now..!" Ailee stopped running as she heard Zylle say this. "Did you hear that, Chris?" She said, tearfully,"She called me a freak..." "How can you say that?!" Gasped Bruin,"Supposing either Ailee or Aden had heard that..." "Yes, yes...You're right," Said Zylle, calming down,"I didn't mean that at all..." Zylle sat down in her armchair. Ailee, being an understanding norn, guessed that Zylle was just worked up, and forgave her for what she just said. Christopher put his arm around Ailee to comfort her. Back at the pool where Aden was sitting, the mernorn introduced himself. "My name's Jorden," He said, "I haven't seen you around here before...What's your name?" Aden opened his mouth to say that he must have met him before at the party, but it was obviously impossible that a mernorn could have been at the celebration. "My name's Aden...I just..." "Err...Hang on a second," Interrupted Jorden, and he ducked down under the water. Aden sat, waiting, for just a few seconds, when Jorden's head appeared again. "I'm sorry about that, but I needed to breathe just then," Jorden smiled at Aden..."And you'll be the Aden that the party was held for?" "Yeah, the party was held for me...And my sister, Ailee...How did you know about the party?" "Word travels fast around here," Replied Jorden,"Even to aquatic norns...Ooo, excuse me for another second." Jorden ducked down underwater again, and emerged a few seconds later. "I know quite a few land norns...One of them being my father, but my mother's a mernorn," He said. "Well, I'm quite happy to be your friend, too," Replied Aden.
	Chapter 39 Starry718
	Meanwhile, back in Zylle's home, the infant Blaine had finally returned to sleep, but it was a restless, fretful slumber, as the child was plagued by strange dreams. Over and over again the beautiful Norn Ailee kept smiling at him, and Blaine tossed back and forth, wishing the images would fade from his mind, yet at the same time willing them to stay. He felt strange, as though his body was on fire again, only this wasn't a physical heat…the child suddenly realized that he was changing, and he woke up, looking at himself. He was no longer an infant, but now a lanky youth…what had happened to him?! His crib was now far too small, and it creaked under his weight. His mind had already caught up to his new age phase, but it seemed as though his intelligence had far bypassed the point at which it should have stopped, for a youth. He felt many new sensations, feelings he knew weren't typically experienced until adulthood, or maybe the teenage phase… And foremost in his mind was the thought of Ailee, and this odd feeling he felt for her, an overpowering sense of longing and an unexplainable urge that he suddenly realized was love, and lust. In his mind he identified that somehow he had totally skipped the age of childhood, and gone straight to being a youth, nearly ready to feel the first stirrings of maturity…yet it seemed as though Blaine had already reached that point. He didn't know why this had happened to him, and he had no idea what was going on, he only knew that he was certainly not a normal norn. But he had no more time to think of this, for suddenly, with one last creak, his crib collapsed to the ground with a bang, and he heard footsteps hurrying towards his room. Zylle was first to appear, her motherly instincts pushing her in front of Bruin as they ran to the scene, and she gasped with shock when she saw a much bigger Norn sitting in the place where she had left her infant, the broken crib in pieces around him. "Hello, Mother," Blaine said slowly, pulling himself to his feet. "What…who…Blaine? What has happened to you, my baby, my dear…what have they done to you?!" Zylle gasped, turning to Bruin in fury. "Look what you've done!!! You've taken his childhood from him, damn you and your magic!" she shrieked, and Bruin rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I assure you, Madam, that this was none of my doing, merely the work of our friend Gord. And my only explanation is that magic quite often leads those who wield it to greater maturity…it seems that this is quite the case, in young Blaine here. There is nothing we can do now, but accept him for who he now is. You can hardly blame the child for growing up too fast," he said gently, and the wild look in Zylle's eyes was dimmed, replaced by glassy tears. "My last baby…and he was not even my child, but I've always loved you as my own, and would have always, had that evil sorcerer not interfered again… I thought he had forgotten him, and I was happy for it, I figured you'd be better off without him… But he took you in the end, anyway…" she sobbed, and Blaine pulled himself up and ran to her, holding her protectively. "There, there, Mother, it's all right, I will always love you. But what you said - who are my real parents? What do you mean?" he said softly, as though he were talking to an infant, and Zylle explained in choking sobs. "You were my sister Zara's child, Blaine…by that horrible sorcerer. I know not how it came about, but it was, many years ago. They were lovers, but Zara took horribly ill when she was with your egg, and she died. I never knew what was wrong with her, but I did everything I could for her, and her last request was that I raise her child as my own, so he need not know how broken his family had become. But that sorcerer, Gord, he said that the baby's time had not come yet, and wouldn't come for many years, so he put some sort of spell on the egg, and bid me hide it until it was ready to hatch…that was almost eleven years ago, now. On the tenth anniversary of Zara's death, about a year ago, her egg began to break open, and out came you, Blaine. I told everyone you were mine, and nobody had room to doubt me - not even my own children know he is not of their same blood. Had you been born when you should have, you would be even older than my oldest daughter, Amily - and she is full-grown, with a family of her own now, and about to have a grand child! Instead you are younger than even Ailee and Aden, the youngest of my children, but I find now that the magic in you may not make that last for very long. You may even catch up to that age which you should be." She finished, and she realized that as she spoke, her sobs had slowed, and her voice had gotten steadier. She coughed, forcing further sobs away, and held more tightly to Blaine, who looked amazed. "My father, a Shee? A wizard Shee? That is amazing… And my mother, dead…but you are my mother, Zylle, and shall ever be so. This knowledge changes little," he said slowly, while thinking to himself, "Except that I am not blood-bound to Ailee, as I might have thought…so anything may happen between us…"
	Chapter 40 topegy45
	Blaine with no hesitation decided to find his father. He packed his bags and said good-bye to his "mother". "No don't leave me! Your growing up so fast I don't want to miss anymore of your life," cried Zylle. "I'm going no matter what. I have to find my father," said Blaine. Blaine left in a rush and didn't even look back. But to make sure he was ok Zylle sent a good friend of her's named Hope. She is the Butterfly Norn in charge of the nieghbor hood watch. So Zylle knew she'd be perfect for the job. Hope hovered over Blaine until they go to the Forest of Lost Cries. Hope hit a tree and fell. Blaine noticed her and caught her before she hit the ground. "I knew someone was following me," said Blaine. "I was sent by Zylle to watch you on your journey," replied Hope. "She's worried sick about you." "I know but I must find my father," said Blaine. "Now where are we?" "The Foest of Lost Cries," answered Hope. "Many Norns have entered this forest but have never come out." Then in a bush the two Norns hear a scuffle and then a twig snap. Blaine knew someone was watching them just like he knew about Hope. The creature suddenly scurried passed them. All they saw was a blurr of white fur. Then they were ambushed by a bunch of the creatures and yet they still saw nothing of the creature. The two norns fought the creatures but were unable to escape. Hope was knocked out with a club, but Blaine stayed conceious. They were taken to a village of huts and tree houses. Hope woke up in a strange room. "Where am I?" she said noticeing Blaine sitting up right next to her. "We're in the village of the infamous hivemind Ettins,"replied Blaine. "this seems to be the hut of thier Queen leader." Thats when she entered. Her name was Queen Malika. The Ettins of this tribe seem to have a diffrent face then the origanal Ettins. Thuer eyes were black as if they were blind. And thats because they were. They saw by using radar much like a bat. The Queen mumbbled something and then all the Ettins started to chant "Sacrafice!"
	Chapter 41 The_Creature_Master
	“Sacrifice!” the Hivemind Ettins chanted over and over. “It appears that we have a problem,” Blaine said to Hope. “Sacrifice!” “I think I noticed,” she replied. The Hivemind Ettins began to advance on the two Norns, chanting ‘sacrifice’. They bound their wrists and led them to a huge pyramid, which had a temple at the top. Running all the way from the top to the ground was… “Blood!” Hope gasped in disgust “Gross, the stuff reeks!” “Yeah, and soon our blood is going to join the rest.” The Queen appeared and turned to them. “Thou shalt be sacrificed. We would be verily pleased if thou doth not resist,” she said and turned back to the Ettins, shouted a few words in their native tongue, and several of them led Blaine and Hope up the pyramid. --------- “You say that Gord mated with a Norn?” Bruin said in absolute disbelief. “That’s… preposterous!” “Apparently it didn’t seem so to him at that time,” Zylle replied coldly. “Perhaps, but it’s still hard to believe,” Bruin told her. “I know you’re upset over Blaine’s sudden rapid growth, but you can’t just turn back the hands of time and change the past. Besides, Gord could have picked anyone to replace him as a Wizard, not necessarily a member of his family, Blaine. It just so happened that he picked him.” “I think it’s still unfair. And now we have that damn staff lying in that corner over there,” Zylle said and pointed. Her mouth dropped. The staff began to shake and move, and it began to coruscate red light. And, in a final burst of magic, it shot up and out through the straw roof. “Now what just happened?” she demanded. “Erm, I think it went to Blaine,” Bruin said uncertainly, “It must have known that he was in danger and so went to help him. After all, a Wizard’s staff is practically a part of his soul.” “Great! Just great! First he grows to a youth overnight, and now he’s in danger!” Zylle said as tears welled up in her eyes. “Oh, yes! You have a crystal ball?” Bruin asked, hopefully. “Whatever for?” “For scrying! Greg should be able to do it! He has the power of a sorcerer!” Bruin exclaimed excitedly. “Another Wizard?” Zylle asked, rolling her eyes. “No, don’t be daft! A sorcerer is of lower rank than a Wizard! Greg!” “Yes?” Greg said as he appeared out of his room. “Can you scry?” “I think so, why?” “It is imperative that we find out what is happening to Blaine.” “Ah, okay, I need a crystal ball.” Zylle rushed out of her room with a large crystal ball in her hands. “I’ve got one! It’s the family heirloom.” “That’ll do fine,” Greg said as he took the ball and placed it on the table. He muttered a few words, all incomprehensible to Bruin and Zylle, as magical sparks began to flash under his claws. A picture flashed momentarily in the ball, and then it reappeared, blurred, and finally cleared and sharpened itself. “They’re being sacrificed in the Temple of Sacrifices!” Bruin gasped in mock horror. ---------- As the two Norns finally reached the top of the pyramid, panting and perspiring, the Ettins all bowed down to a great statue in the middle of the room. And suddenly, it turned dark. Hope whined. “I’m afraid of the dark,” she said. “I hate the darkness, it’s the complete opposite of light, shadows and monsters hide in every corner.” “Actually, darkness is not the opposite of light, it is merely the absence of light. And I do not believe in monsters,” Blaine whispered matter-of-factly. “Oh, go tell that to someone else.” “Maybe I would, if we get out of this-hey, take it easy!” Blaine said as he got shoved onto the altar, which jabbed into his side. They strapped his wrists and ankles to the corners. The Queen walked down the hallway as the Ettins parted to make a path for her and looked hard at Blaine, or at least that was what it seemed, since they were blind. She turned around to face the Ettins and shouted orders and commands, which echoed in the vastness of the room they were in. She turned back, a dagger in her hand. “Sacrifice!” the Ettins shouted. The Queen’s hand zipped down towards Blaine’s throat. Blaine shut his eyes, knowing that his end was near. One, two seconds passed and he slowly opened them again. He saw a staff flying through the air and crashing into the Ettins, hitting them over their heads and knocking them unconscious. “Hope! Help me get out of my bounds!” he shouted. She slowly came out from behind the statue and ran to Blaine and untied the ropes holding him to the altar. He leaped off it as soon as he was free and grabbed the dagger, which had been knocked out of the Queen’s hand. He tossed it in his right hand, testing its weight, and looked for the Queen, who was running to him from behind. “Blaine, behind you!” Hope warned. Blaine spun around and flicked his wrist. The dagger cut through the air and imbedded itself deep into the Queen’s neck. She gasped and slumped to the ground, clutching her throat. “Whoa, great aiming there, Blaine!” Hope said as she patted him on his back. “I guess it was,” Blaine replied, grinning. By now all the Ettins were out of the temple, and only Blaine, Hope and the staff were in there. “Now we have one problem,” Blaine said. “And that might be…?” “The task of getting back home. I don’t know where we are.” “I thought you wanted to find your father?” Hope asked, surprised. “I do, but first I need to clarify matters regarding the staff.” “Well, you’re a Wizard! Go ahead and wizz!” “I… don’t know anything about it,” Blaine told her slowly and hung his head. “Couldn’t you just wish that we were back home?” Actually, in order for teleporting from one place to another one must think that they are in that place. Rearrange the world in that they would be in the place the wanted to be, not in the place they currently are; to change the way things are. But that would cause other things to change, as well. In order for someone to get from A to Z it has to move through the rest of the alphabet, and that might cause changes in the world, possibly minor. Now how did I know that? he thought to himself. Suddenly, he and Hope disappeared from the bloody pyramid. ---------- With an inaudible pop, Blaine and Hope appeared behind Bruin and Zylle. Bruin spun around. “What the? Blaine? Hope? How did you two get back?” “Erm, I think I just used Wizardry to get back,” Blaine replied. And so the days passed by without much happening, until Blaine decided to climb a tree in their garden… Blaine! a voice said. “Yes? Who is it?” Blaine asked and looked around from his perch on one of the branches of the tree. I’m your father, boy, Gord! “Okay, come on, stop joking, Christopher.” Seriously, I am your father. I have come to teach you the powers of being a Wizard. “Father? But where are you and where are you speaking?” From the tree you’re sitting on, of course. I got reincarnated as one. Quite a nice life, really, being a tree. It’s all so peaceful. “You’re a tree? How? Wait, you’re saying that you’re dead?” Yes. Anyway, as you probably know by now, you are a Wizard. The staff which I handed down to you feels what you feel and vice versa. It belongs to you now, and it will serve you loyally until you hand it down to another Creature; be it Norn, Shee, Ettin, or Grendel. “So was that why it saved my life a few days ago when I was captured by the Hivemind Ettins?” Blaine asked, and felt rather silly talking to a tree. Yes, that would be correct. It will do its best to protect you always. Oh, and to correct Zylle’s mistakes, I am not evil, nor have I ever been. “I figured that out.” Remember, harness your powers and use them wisely. You shall have to go to the Wizards’ University in the city next to the Ocean of Magic and remain there for a year, maybe even more, and attend the classes there, which teach Wizards how to use their powers. And for the more powerful spells you have to go to the Library in the University and read the books there. But you must not bring anyone with you; the high concentration of magic in the University is very dangerous to any Creature which is not a Wizard, especially in the Library, what with the Spells all trapped in pages bound by hard leather and all. Anyone would be able to figure out that the Spells would try to escape, especially the more powerful ones. If you need any assistance, ask the Librarian. “I see… I shall begin my journey to the University tomorrow.” Good, if you need any more help, I’ll be here. Blaine climbed down from the tree and headed back into Zylle’s house and told her about his plans. “You’re going where?” Zylle asked, loudly. “To the Wizards’ University near the Ocean of Magic,” Blaine replied calmly as he packed his things into a pack. “I will not allow it! What if you get into danger again?” He turned around and looked at Zylle. “Don’t worry, mother, I will not get into danger. I have my staff, remember? And besides, I’m a Wizard!” “I suppose you’re right,” she said, sadly. “I will write back and will be back as soon as I finish my studies there,” Blaine said as he finished packing and grabbed his staff, which was leaning against the bed. He opened the door and set out. “Goodbye, mother!”
	Chapter 42 BettyAS
	:Wait!", yelled Aden. Both Blaine and Zylle turned to look at him. "I'm going with you." Aden turned to his newly found mother. "I can contact you every night, tell you how things are going." "But Ailee . . ." Zylle began. "I've already told her. She wants to stay here with Christopher. Besides, she can always teleport to me later." Aden said with a grin. "But Aden, you can't!" exclaimed Blaine. "My father said I couldn't bring anyone with me to the university!" Both Aden and Zylle looked at him strangely. "I go won't all the way to the university", Aden responded. "Just part of the way so our mother won't worry." "But . . . " Blaine begin, but when he saw the look on his mother's face he decided not to argue. "OK. But only PART of the way." Blaine decided he'd find some way to get rid of him later. Zylle watched the two boys walk off together. While Blaine may act as if he were grown, he still looked like a baby. A tear came to her eyes as she watched her newly found son and sister's son disappear behind the hill. She then sighed as she turned back to the business of the day, and a life that she hoped might become normal again. * Hot and thirsty Aden paused to take a drink from the nearby stream. When Blaine saw him do this he joined him. The pause made them realize that in their exuberance they had over extended themselves so they both sat down next to a tree that overhung the stream. "Aden?" "Yes Blaine" Aden said turning to the smaller boy. A puzzled look crossed his face as he realized that Blaine was asleep. "Aden." This time Aden heard the small splash just before his name and turned to the stream. There he saw the mernorn, Jorden. "Jorden? How did you follow us here?" "Do you really think your the only ones with teleporters!" the mernorn chided. "I want to come with you. I heard you talking as you passed the pond, you said something about the Ocean of Magic. I want to go there too." * That night as Ailee curled up in her bed she felt cold on the side where Aden usually slept. Ailee pulled the blanket tighter around her as she reached out gently her mind for her brother. Yes, she could still feel him. He still needed to wander but she wanted someplace to call home. Her thoughts shifted to Christopher and a smile crossed her face as she drifted off to sleep.