"I'd rather not," said the spear.

Vincent stared at the spear with an expression that mixed surprise with curiosity. Then a smile grew onto his face. This was certainly a fascinating turn of events. While the fact that the spear said something negative was in fact a problem; Vincent felt certain he could work something out one way or another.

"I expect you plan on swinging me about like a monkey with a stick, hoping to smack something. I expect you'll feel proud of yourself while I do all the work. I expect you'll get yourself into deep shit and assume I'll dig you out of it. On the contrary, your dad's not around and I have no more use for a paycheck or this job. I quit."

Vincent's smile turned into a grin. That grin turned into a chuckle. He almost started to laugh in near hysterics. "Oh, wow! I would have never expected this." Well who would have? "I never pegged you for a quitter, Randy. You certainly wouldn't have kept working for my father just for the money with how difficult I know I can be."

He made a mental note to not use an entire soul on the next attempt just a large part of it. "So... can you see? Hear? Smell? Well... I figure you can hear since you can talk."

Vincent then heard the sound of a creature licking the blood off the wall on the other side of the room. He readied Randy for emergency use as he stepped clear of the blood to grab the book Applications of the Soul of Advanced Devices, but he quickly noticed that the spot Regarding Dreams and the Application of the Soul was supposed to be was empty and the neighboring book was now leaning over the vacant spot like some lazy bumpkin. He could hear the Grit approaching quietly behind him.

He placed the book in his jacket's inside pocket where the volume barely fit. He then tiptoed to the opposite side of the Grit with Randy ready to strike. If he were to test out if Randy would work or not regardless of his apparent apathy then sooner was better than later. While it was still occupied with licking up the fresh blood, Vincent thrust into its spine fiercely, and then quickly retreated away from it. If problems arose he knew of a servant's corridor he could quickly escape through.

As the portal closed behind Berry and all the rest, Maria felt a mix of emotions swirl through her gut. There was fear for their safety, hope that they'd succeed in their mission, confidence that they'd be fine, even without her, and, of course, a bit of anxiety to the tune of "I should have gone with them, they need me." Maria took a deep breath and let it out slowly, evenly. They'd be fine. All of her friends were competent, good people. Even though she hadn't known them for very long, she had to believe that they would all come back just fine. And if they didn't... Well, let's just not think about that just yet. Maria bowed her head, offering up a plea to whatever nameless being still listened to Periphery that all her friends would come back hale and hearty.

The rustle of fabric and a slow, shaky not-sob drew her head up again. Someone was still here. There was still someone around, someone who it seemed needed her help. Before Maria could say something, the Queen turned around and asked her if she was alright, and whether she knew Maria from somewhere. Maria immediately came out with "That line's a bit cliche, my lady, don't you think?" She stifled the growing bubble of horror-shame-excitement, cleared her throat, and continued, more gently. "I'm fine, my lady, and I thank you for asking, but I think the real question is: are you all right? I thought I may have heard you crying just now, and..." Maria took a step forwards, placed her hand on the Queen's shoulder, and looked her in the eyes, smiling. "I know we've only just met, and we're just about utter strangers to each other, but please, tell me everything. It doesn't do to keep your emotions all bottled up like that, you know."

While it was still occupied with licking up the fresh blood, Vincent thrust into its spine fiercely, and then quickly retreated away from it. If problems arose he knew of a servant's corridor he could quickly escape through.

"What is that?!" Randy's voice hissed in an alarmed whisper, and this time the only sound was in Vincent's mind. He didn't want to alert the thing to their presence, though Randy was now technically immune to whatever physical harm it might cause. "What happened? Why is there blood? Vincent! Don't you dare --"

Vincent thrust the spear at the serpentine Grit, but the Grit's body swerved out of the way just in time -- though Vincent would have the distinct feeling that Randy's fear and hesitance had been just as much the cause of their failure. For a split-second, there was a tense and dreadful silence.

The Grit coiled and bared its fangs with a poisonous hiss.

"Run, run, run!" Randy roared throughout the room, and Vincent would feel a tremendous, adrenaline-pumped energy that would speed him away faster than ever before. "Move, for once in your miserable life!"

The Grit gave chase, speeding around every obstacle with fluid ease, snapping at Vincent's heels.

---

"I'm fine, my lady, and I thank you for asking, but I think the real question is: are you all right? I thought I may have heard you crying just now, and..." Maria took a step forwards, placed her hand on the Queen's shoulder, and looked her in the eyes, smiling. "I know we've only just met, and we're just about utter strangers to each other, but please, tell me everything. It doesn't do to keep your emotions all bottled up like that, you know."

The queen stared in quiet surprise at Maria for her words, and for a moment she didn't answer. Her own expression grew distant and serene, a small smile, the same expression she wore whenever she addressed the public -- but the more she looked at Maria, the harder it was to lie to her. Her smile wavered, and she let out a slow breath. She laughed quietly. "You have a way with words as well as sweets, don't you?"

She bowed her head, thoughtful. When she looked up again, it was with an air of determination. "There is a secret I'm honor-bound to take to my grave -- but given the circumstances I feel keeping it may do more harm than good. I feel you can be trusted, Maria, but it isn't something you should hear unless you are willing to bear it."

She waited, patient and calm, for Maria's answer. At length she nodded slowly and gestured to the robot-guards around them. "Please stand guard here. Maria, come walk with me."

The cavern was vast and quiet, filled with curious rock formations, glistening stalagtites, the floating stones that cast a dim pink glow that illuminated their path.

"I was born with half a heart," the queen said quietly -- and this much was known to all in the city. "My parents, I think, became so desperate for my survival that they took the most drastic measures. My mother became pregnant again, with a child whose sole purpose was to save my life."

As far as the city of Periphery knew, after the princess was born the king and queen had become recluse for two years following. Never had there been even a whisper of a second child.

"The mages secretly collected the dreams of the people of Periphery, through hidden sigils. They forced all these dreams into my unborn brother, so that he might have the strength and power to survive while at once saving me. But he was born . . . as something not quite human." She struggled with what he actually was, for she'd been far too young at the time to have known.

"He was . . . cut open . . . and his powerful heart was given to me, but he did not die. He would not die. Our parents were frightened of him, so my father ordered him smuggled out of the city and left in the woods near the diamond mine, hoping the miners' families would find him and raise him."

She stopped at the edge of a still pool of water, where the glowing reflections glimmered at their feet.

"After that, I was presented to the city as a miracle, and the king and queen ruled happily again. The diamond mine suddenly began producing great riches, and the city prospered. And then my brother returned." She looked to Maria with a sad smile.

"He was so young, but so intelligent. He snuck his way into the castle and confronted my father. I don't know what was said, but my brother was forced out again and told never to return. After that, we began receiving reports of monsters in the woods, that had no hearts and were made of dreams."

The queen bowed her head. "The Grit were relentless, and instead of talking with my brother, my father built the wall instead. After my parents died, I sent my own envoys to the mine, to find him and plead with him. Only one of my scouts ever returned, with the single message that he planned to take his heart back from me.

"I'm sorry to burden you with this, Maria." She held Maria's hand between hers. "It's an awful business that has cost so many innocent lives, and I don't know how to repair it. All we can do is hide ourselves from the demons my brother has created; I'm not sure he's capable anymore of listening to reason, if he ever was." She looked back toward the transport sigil, where the robots were standing guard. "The others' mission now may preserve some lives, but we can't hide forever. I fear we've lost."

"What is that?!" Randy's voice hissed in an alarmed whisper, and this time the only sound was in Vincent's mind. He didn't want to alert the thing to their presence, though Randy was now technically immune to whatever physical harm it might cause. "What happened? Why is there blood? Vincent! Don't you dare --"

Vincent flinched as he thrust towards the Grit. He hadn't expected such a strong reaction from Randy. Perhaps, it would have been smart to, but hindsight is always twenty/twenty. He felt a mixture of feelings varying from surprise to anger and frustration. He wanted to kill the Grit, and Randy just stopped him from achieving his first kill. Now the Grit was angry and rearing up to strike at him.

"Run, run, run!" Randy roared throughout the room, and Vincent would feel a tremendous, adrenaline-pumped energy that would speed him away faster than ever before. "Move, for once in your miserable life!"

"Son of a bitch!" Vincent shouted as he felt the adrenaline rush and dodged the Grit's insanely fast attack. Now that he failed he bolted for the servant passage in the back corner of the library. The speed he moved at was incredible and yet the Grit was practically snapping at his heels. He whipped the door open and dashed into the corridor, slamming the door behind him. He halted for a moment as he saw a stone maid standing in the corridor. Getting around her wouldn't be too hard, but it would slow him down a bit. He quickly grabbed the soulstone and squeezed past her as quickly as possible.

He felt bitter about his failure as he rushed down the corridor and burst into his room. He grabbed his bed and shoved it in front of the entrance to the corridor after closing it. Afterwards he sat down at his desk on the other side of the room to catch his breath. "Sonofabitch."

He looked the Randy and the soulstone he held in each hand. "Okay, Randy. We gotta figure this out. You clearly don't want me dying, otherwise we wouldn't be here and I'd be laying in that puddle of blood and be that Grit's next meal. I am not interested in running though. Together we've got more than enough to remove the threat, and thanks to the Queen I know how to kill the things. We-we got this. I just need you to work with me on this."

He couldn't believe that he was actually trying to negotiate with Randy of all people. He'd rather be negotiating his way into some hot girl's bedroom, but that was no option and he had to do this. He let out a sigh. "Damn it all. This wasn't supposed to happen."

He suddenly felt emotionally exhausted.

Berry stood very still, barley daring to breathe in case the Grit behind her chose then to attack. She stood there in front of the stage absolutely rigid had been since she had spotted the dot appear on her map. She had a horrible feeling it had been there for a while before she had noticed it.

Berry stared through the little holographic map to the darkness beyond scrambling mentally to think of a plan to save her skin. She was certain the grit to hear her beating heart trying to escape her rib cage. From what she could see the others wouldn’t be coming back soon; Roy seemed to have stopped moving completely and Vincent had managed to escape the Grit, which too seemed to have stopped moving.

Berry then remembered that Vincent had mentioned his father had numerous booby traps laid around the house, and from there a plan began to form. Berry tried her best to remember distance between where she stood and the door ahead, the route she had to take, the number of tables there were and where they stood. All these details Berry drank in and tried to commit to memory, after all she needed every advantage she could get and right now familiarity of her surroundings was all she had.

Slowly, almost agonisingly so, Berry reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. She tried not to hiss when the screen flared brightly into life and again Berry locked all her limbs and stood very still. Nothing, yet. Berry typed in the code and the phone chimed happily. Berry froze. The curtain behind her wavered and something scratched upon the stage.

One, two, three.. Berry counted to ten without being disturbed, but the dot on her map remained.

Berry looked at her phone out of the corner of her eyes, not daring to risk moving her head, and selected the music player app and pressed the picture for a radio drama with her thumb.

By the time her phone had landed with a loud clatter and an infectious jingle Berry was scurrying to the door. She had turned off the map but it lay imprinted on her eyes casting shadowy visages in the dark. The curtain tore behind her but Berry didn’t dare turn to look. She grabbed the door handle as something crashed behind her and she was through the door, slamming it shut behind her.

Berry blinked once, twice, trying to get rid off the blurry outlines from her sight whilst her trembling hands locked the doors with a twist of the key in the key hole. Berry knew exactly the route she had to take to get to Roy, after all it was still partially burned to her retinas, and took off down the corridor on her right and took the key with her.

By the time her phone had landed with a loud clatter and an infectious jingle Berry was scurrying to the door. She had turned off the map but it lay imprinted on her eyes casting shadowy visages in the dark. The curtain tore behind her but Berry didn’t dare turn to look. She grabbed the door handle as something crashed behind her and she was through the door, slamming it shut behind her.

Frenzied claws tore into the curtain, flinging and yanking the fabric to a rumble of hissing snarls; the rod snapped and crashed and toppled an old chest that dumped wigs and uniforms and bright gaudy necklaces to the stage.

Berry's abandoned phone cast a bright square of light on the floor below. Music echoed hollow throughout the walls.



Out of the shredded remains of the fallen curtain, a shadow emerged. It seethed and flickered like black fire, and it moved on two legs and then four, white gleaming eyes searching and slitted nostrils flaring. Immediately the creature flitted to the edge of the stage, leaning over it, hissing like a long-toothed gargoyle at the shining thing on the floor.



The Grit's head tilted deeply, and with a flicker and a scurry it picked up the phone by the corner, between two claws, and stared at the glowing screen.



With a sniff and a gurgling snarl, the Grit flicked the phone away and slunk on all fours after the lingering warm scent, to stop at the locked door. It scratched experimentally, then dug its claws into the wood with a cracking and splintering noise.



The door slammed open and ricocheted against the wall, a splintered hole where the lock used to be.



"Don't run much closer, Miss Berry!" Roy's voice called out from the hallway ahead. When Berry had ascended the stairs, she was faced with a pillar of familiar bluish light -- it was the same sort of light that glowed beneath the hovercars and on the tracks of the bullet trains, the glow of an antigravity field. The robot was pinned to the ceiling, against a metal panel, completely unable to move any of his limbs while he was bathed in the blue light that shone out of the floor.

There was just enough room on either side of the light for Berry to squeeze through, but it would take a few moments to navigate this safely. On the opposite side of the light, should she make it past without being stuck to the ceiling herself, a small panel in the wall would surely give her access to the controls for the antigravity trap. Once the metal door in the wallpaper was opened, inside was a touch-screen and two simple buttons: ACTIVATE and DEACTIVATE.

Alternatively, directly to her right was a slightly open door to a dark washroom, where the water in the sink trickled faintly.

Much farther down the same hallway there came a dim hissing noise, and the scrape of scales against wood as another Grit was hot on Vincent's trail.

Meanwhile, the shadow-creature slinked and flickered out of the broken stage door and flitted up the stairs, chasing Berry's scent and gnashing its teeth with excitement.

---

"Okay, Randy. We gotta figure this out. You clearly don't want me dying, otherwise we wouldn't be here and I'd be laying in that puddle of blood and be that Grit's next meal. I am not interested in running though. Together we've got more than enough to remove the threat, and thanks to the Queen I know how to kill the things. We-we got this. I just need you to work with me on this.

"Damn it all. This wasn't supposed to happen."

"This was always going to happen!" Randy snapped shrilly, a little shaken at the sight of dear Maribeth the maid standing stony in the narrow corridor. "I have the estate protocol in the event of a Grit invasion -- your father knew this would happen, and we all thought he was crazy. There's a page with the security passcode folded into that Rounard Skip book about dreams and souls. I --!" He cut off at the banging and scraping noise in the walls -- then an eerie and unsettling quiet.

"Don't run much closer, Miss Berry!" Roy's voice echoed dimly down the hallway outside Vincent's bedroom door.

Randy was silent a moment. Something scaly scraped against the walls in the hallway, coming closer. The serpentine Grit slithered nearer, poking its head at each door in turn, eventually to find the one that led into the place where Vincent was.

"That's Maribeth's soul, isn't it?" Randy said in a hushed voice, referencing the stone clutched in Vincent's other hand. "Please don't do anything stupid. I'll strike."

The serpent, meanwhile, had found Vincent's door and pressed its nose into the wood -- but, of course, the door wouldn't budge. With a scraping and a hissing, it bunched and wound itself in front of the door and reared its ugly head; this Grit was unable to force its way through, but it was intelligent enough to know that Vincent would have to come out at some point, either through this door or through the narrow passageway -- and it would be ready to ambush him the moment he made a decision.

Berry’s heart leapt to her throat when Roy caught her off guard, warning her to come no further.

“Roy?” Her nagging knee forced her to limp up the stairs. “Roy get ready, quickly! There’s a Grit not far behind me as well as a few roaming the halls. I fear Vincent is in trouble as well so we must…oh dear.”

She looked up at Roy secured firmly to the ceiling, in what looked to be an uncomfortable position, and bathed in a bluish light. Knowing time was of the essence Berry frantically scoured the walls of the hallway. She could hear something scrambling vigorously, but couldn’t tell if it was further ahead or behind her.

“Hold tight there Roy I’ll get you down in just a jiffy.” She spied a switch to her left and gave it a try but nothing happened. “Old friend I worked with used to work with antigravity field for a living. Always said every field had an off switch nearby, you just need to know where to find it. Aha!”

Berry spied a suspicious looking panel set into the wall on the far side of the antigravity field. Voices echoed behind her amidst the sounds of scrambling claws and tearing carpet.

“Roy prepare yourself.” Berry threw her bag to floor and shed her cardigan.

She knew she wasn’t as thin as she used to be, still just as glamorous though, but even so Berry threw herself against the wall and began to shimmy her way through the small gap. She also said a few prayers to a god she half believed in for good measure.

Wasting no time at all once she arrived on the other side Berry clawed the panel open and paused. With her face dimly lit by the panel Berry concentrated very hard on trying to hear that sound again; the sound of something pulling itself along the floor behind her with a hiss. In her mind Berry could see the little holographic map pointing out Roy and herself with two red dots of the Grit on either side.

Berry pushed the button.

"Figures," Vincent muttered dryly. Father always was right. Always had a plan. Always. He hated it. He hated being in the shadow of Father. The old man likely was alive somewhere instead of a statue like Maribeth and Randy. All he had to do was find that book. He needed it anyways.

Then he remembered the butler in the main hallway was holding onto a book. Rounard's book was not in the library, thus he concluded the obvious. "'Don't do anything stupid.'" His tone was dark. "Everything I do is carefully planned. It's the one thing I inherited from Father that I don't hate."

Heart pounding, he stepped up to the door. He imagined the Grit was trying to ambush him, but he wanted to counter that with a small surprise of his own. He was going to hide on the inside of the door and ambush the damn thing. He put his hand on the doorknob and eyed Randy.

"On three."

He took a breath to calm his heart. "One."

He closed his eyes to focus his feelings and concentrate on what was ahead of him. "Two."

Finally he reopened his eyes letting his anger towards the invading Grit prime him for combat. "Three!"

He swung open the door stepping along with it ready for the snake Grit to charge into the room. To charge into an ambush. Should all go according to Vincent's plan, predator would become prey.

Wasting no time at all once she arrived on the other side Berry clawed the panel open and paused. With her face dimly lit by the panel Berry concentrated very hard on trying to hear that sound again; the sound of something pulling itself along the floor behind her with a hiss. In her mind Berry could see the little holographic map pointing out Roy and herself with two red dots of the Grit on either side.

Berry pushed the button.

Finally he reopened his eyes letting his anger towards the invading Grit prime him for combat. "Three!"

He swung open the door stepping along with it ready for the snake Grit to charge into the room. To charge into an ambush. Should all go according to Vincent's plan, predator would become prey.

At the very same moment, the button was pressed and the door was opened. Roy fell and struck the floor with a sound like a crack of lightning, and the slithering Grit whipped into Vincent's room in a blur of angry fangs and scales.

Vincent's spear screamed in terrified determination; a wide red mouth full of several rows of jagged teeth rushed straight at him at an impossible speed.

Randy was faster.

Almost before Vincent's mind had time to process what had happened, the Grit was hanging dead against the wall beside the door; the spear had been thrust into the Grit's horrible mouth, through the back of its skull, and pierced the wall behind. The Grit's eyes had gone dim and dark, and its body twitched in the last spasms of death, pinned against the wall with the spear sticking out of its mouth.

After a moment, the Grit's body disintegrated into a dark mist that vaporized completely, leaving nothing behind -- only Randy, the spear-head buried deep in the cracked wall.

On Berry's screen, one of the red dots had suddenly disappeared completely. Not that she would have much time to look at it.

With a whirr and a click, Roy got to his feet and immediately whirled around toward the staircase. His laser-gun fired twice -- pew! pew! -- each shot lit up the hallway with a blue flash. A dark, spindly Grit was in mid-leap when it was hit full in the chest by the laser-fire, its wide glowing eyes and sharp fangs flashing. It was thrown back onto the stairs, where its smoking body crumpled.

After a moment, the Grit's body disintegrated into a dark smoky fog; the Grit's remains sped away in the opposite direction, toward the door of the mansion. On Berry's screen, the red dot rushed away and out of the house. There were no more threats left within the mansion walls.

Roy straightened and turned to face Berry. "Thank you, Miss Berry. It seems we're safe for now." He raised his head, and addressed the end of the hallway where he thought he'd heard Vincent's voice. "Mr. DeMoore, you'd mentioned there might be a way to fortify this place against more invaders. Now's a pretty good time to do that. What can we do to help?"

Vincent stared at the Grit's body as it disintegrated before him. Randy's attack felt just like that... Randy's attack. Not his. He felt frustration immediately rise. He hated not being in control. While he could not help but be amazed at how quickly he defeated the monster. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath forcing himself to calm down. This was not the time to be upset about control.

"Don't just stand there!" Randy snapped at him. "You've got crap to do."

Vincent snapped to attention and then shook his head bitterly. "Shut up."

Down the hallway Vincent heard Roy's voice.

"Mr. DeMoore, you'd mentioned there might be a way to fortify this place against more invaders. Now's a pretty good time to do that. What can we do to help?"

Vincent decided it would be prudent to make his way down the hallway back to Roy and Berry. "I went to the library to find some books related to Rune Magic that would help. I'm definitely no Master like Father, but I know enough to be dangerous to the Grit." He scanned the room in search of the servant that was holding a book. That Rounard Skip book was the key to their survival. "Father had a plan. He knew this would happen. Well, at least he had a good idea it would."

He trudged over to where the servant's stone body was and searched it. "He had the plan in Rounard Skip's book. If we find it." He glanced up at Roy and Berry. "Also, this building has a generator. If we can get that running the mechanical defenses will activate." He found the book gripped in the arms of the servant and worked on easing it out from its grasp.

He leaned Randy on his left shoulder so he could use both hands to flip through the pages of the book to find whatever Father left in there.

Berry let go of the enormous breath she had been holding in and visibly sagged with relief against the wall.

“Oh Vincent, am I glad to see you.” She grimaced, and massaged the tension out of her knees. “And even more so to see you unharmed.”

Berry was far too old for this much excitement. She’d take a day at the market over the bitter stench of Grit any day. The gleam of a metallic blade shone under Roy’s light, catching Berry’s attention; a spear that Berry supposed had been a decorative piece before Vincent got his paws on it.

Like a teacher, Berry clicked her tongue in a disapproval. “Suppose it can’t be helped; young men off to fight and all that.”

She brought up the map and methodically examined it for anymore dangers, noting how some of the previously empty spaces had been filled along the path she had taken fleeing from the grit that had chased her. A very marvellous invention indeed.

“Well, our search for the generator should be fairly straightforward.” She held up the map for the other two to see. “As you can see gentlemen, there appear to be no more Grit on the premises.”

Berry moved a bit closer to Vincent so that her map might provide him more like to see by.

“Is there anything in particular we should look out for? A code or something perhaps as to what your fathers plan entailed?” She couldn’t tell what the book was supposed to be about from over his shoulder. “In any case where is the generator? The sooner we have power here the sooner we can start sort out this mess!”

He trudged over to where the servant's stone body was and searched it. "He had the plan in Rounard Skip's book. If we find it." He glanced up at Roy and Berry. "Also, this building has a generator. If we can get that running the mechanical defenses will activate." He found the book gripped in the arms of the servant and worked on easing it out from its grasp.

He leaned Randy on his left shoulder so he could use both hands to flip through the pages of the book to find whatever Father left in there.

“Is there anything in particular we should look out for? A code or something perhaps as to what your fathers plan entailed?” She couldn’t tell what the book was supposed to be about from over his shoulder. “In any case where is the generator? The sooner we have power here the sooner we can start sort out this mess!”

They traversed back downstairs, through the clawed and shattered door that led back into the ballroom where they had started, where the statue of the hapless servant still lay on the stage, the book gripped in stone arms. It was easy enough to yank out.

"The generator sounds like a good idea ta me," Roy offered. He illuminated the book with his eyes over Vincent's shoulder. Though it was clear by Berry's map that there were no more Grit to be wary of, he still kept his weapon at the ready. "No running off alone this time, at least until those defenses are up."

Regarding Dreams and the Application of the Soul by Rounard Skip was full of sigil diagrams and complicated mathematical formulas illustrating the properties of human souls vs the properties of human dreams, and the ways in which each could be utilized to power everything from machinery to the creation of new life. There were several references to the latter, stating theories that such a thing had been done before in secret, where a human body had continued to live though its organs had been removed, but there was no documented proof.

At the middle of the book, in the margin alongside a complicated sigil for the entrapment of dreams, was written the following in rigid, perfect handwriting:



The generator was on the lower storage level: an old metallic machine as wide as a kitchen table, fastened to the ceiling and floor. A panel on one side was etched with a sigil. Upon activation of the sigil, a high-pitched mechanical noise began to whirr and creak. Something bright green flashed behind tiny windows in the sides of the machine. The walls began to hum gently.

Throughout the house, hallway lights flickered to life. A few of the household robots, as well, sprang into motion to check the perimeter. A pleasant voice echoed somewhere above: EMERGENCY POWER ACTIVATED.

The gravity panel that Berry had used to rescue Roy had a small hidden button that allowed for the entry of a code. Once the code had been entered, the humming in the walls intensified, and the air inside the house filled with tense static.

Outside the house, thin blue strings of light crisscrossed down the roof, along the walls and windows and into the ground, covering the house in a net of blue light. From the outside, the house glowed like a beacon -- but any Grit that approached it would be disintegrated on the spot.

Roy peered out the window at the strings of light that barred it, then swiveled his head around to look back to Berry and Vincent. "We'll find the nearest people first. Miss Berry, does that map thingy tell ya where those people are? Mr. DeMoore, d'ya know how to put those pink stones back into their people? If we can bring 'em back to life and escort 'em back here, we'll be doin' some good."

But now the house's defenses were doubling as an attraction for the prowling Grit. They couldn't get in -- but they might make the search for survivors far more difficult. Luckily Roy was very confident in his aim.

The Grit and Dreams are one and the same.
Mechanical Generator Active
Code 3348256 Gravity Panel 2nd Floor
Do Not Sleep

Vincent was confused about how Grit and Dreams were the same, but he was not going to dismiss the statement completely considering just how much of a nightmare this event had grown into. The order of "Do Not Sleep" really irritated him. There goes Father asking the impossible again! He would have to figure out a sigil or find one that prevented the need for sleep, and that would waste time that could be used to work through everything else.

The generator was easy enough to get to as everyone was supposed to know where it is for emergency reasons. The defense grid became activated, and everyone in the mansion could breath easy. For now.

Roy peered out the window at the strings of light that barred it, then swiveled his head around to look back to Berry and Vincent. "We'll find the nearest people first. Miss Berry, does that map thingy tell ya where those people are? Mr. DeMoore, d'ya know how to put those pink stones back into their people? If we can bring 'em back to life and escort 'em back here, we'll be doin' some good."

Vincent raised an eyebrow. Roy was there when the Queen said that both Vincent and that cowardly accountant knew the sigil to allow the people to reabsorb their souls, right? Vincent sighed and shook his head quickly coming to the conclusion that the robot had not been listening. "Yeah, I can do it. It's a simple absorption sigil."

Vincent began to trudge throughout the mansion and using his pen drew the required sigil on each person he found then placing their soul stone into the sigil to return it. He decided he would start with Maribeth and go around the house from there. He glanced at Randy the Spear on occasion wondering how he was going to transfer his soul back into his proper body. He was definitely a huge hassle as a spear, and while the power it had was incredible that lack of control he felt when fighting the Grit terrified him. Next time he did something like put a soul into an object he definitely would only put in a piece not the whole thing.

“Not quite out of the woods yet it seems.” Berry heaved another great sigh.

Zooming out on the map showed at least a small portion of the estates outer wall, and gathering mass of Grit prowling on the other side. It looks like a sea of red was beginning to amass around them.

Eyeing the generator Berry began to wonder about water and food as well. NO, she would leave those concerns till later, there was little use getting all worked up about it all just yet.

“Indeed it does Roy. But I’m not entirely sure we can see anyone from where we are right now.”

Berry placed the bracelet on the breakfast bar she sat at in the kitchen and scrolled it from side to side to get a better look at their situation. She grimaced as her heart sunk at red ring beginning to form all around them. She could also see Vincent’s blue dot roving through the halls and guessed that soon other blue dots would also appear soon.

“Roy. Would you as kind as to contact her Majesty?” Berry then focused her efforts trying to look outside the estate. “I feel she would like to be informed of our current situation.”

Berry’s phone was on the table top with several cracks on the screen. Thankfully though it still worked and Berry made a mental note to get Vincent’s number.

A thought appeared and brought with it a glimmer of hope.

“Perhaps we should check the weapons stores first.” The was a desperate edge to her voice. “We should at least have some other means by which to defend ourselves. Not just for excursions outside the estate but also in case the defences do fall for whatever reason.”

Berry dared not let herself believe that any of her original group had made it to one.

The queen stared in quiet surprise at Maria for her words, and for a moment she didn't answer. Her own expression grew distant and serene, a small smile, the same expression she wore whenever she addressed the public -- but the more she looked at Maria, the harder it was to lie to her. Her smile wavered, and she let out a slow breath. She laughed quietly. "You have a way with words as well as sweets, don't you?"

Maria giggled. "Mother always did say that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I'm just living proof!" Her small smile quickly turned upside down as she realized what she had implied. "Uh, not that I think you're a fly, or anything. Flies are gross and annoying, and you're really nice and pretty! I-I mean, uhm..." Maria blushed and stopped talking, hoping that the Queen would know what she had really meant to say.

When the Queen responded by asking to confide something to her, Maria was rather surprised. This was altogether unexpected; why might the Queen tell Maria, of all people, such an important-sounding secret? For most other people, such a thought would likely be followed by Because I'm the only one in the room, or Because I'm not important enough to be dangerous. Maria, on the other hand, skipped all that and went to We've already become really good friends, of course!! "Of course I am! Whatever it is, you can always tell me!"

At length she nodded slowly and gestured to the robot-guards around them. "Please stand guard here. Maria, come walk with me."

The two women walked together through the cathedral-like cave, the surrounding rocks giving their faces and clothes odd hues. While normally Maria was a fan of pink, something about the ambiance, and the particular shade of garish coral that the floating stones put out, gave the area an air of... wrongness was really the only way Maria could think to describe it. It distorted and transmuted her surroundings, giving them the quality of a dream that had a strange, surreal nightmare lurking behind it. Maria felt a knot of fear tighten in her stomach, and she found herself wishing she had brought along her new shield, rather than leaving it with the robot guards. At that time, the Queen began to speak.

"I was born with half a heart," the queen said quietly -- and this much was known to all in the city. "My parents, I think, became so desperate for my survival that they took the most drastic measures. My mother became pregnant again, with a child whose sole purpose was to save my life."

As far as the city of Periphery knew, after the princess was born the king and queen had become recluse for two years following. Never had there been even a whisper of a second child.

Maria perked up at this news. She said nothing, but had the sense that the Queen was about to tell her something momentous.

"The mages secretly collected the dreams of the people of Periphery, through hidden sigils. They forced all these dreams into my unborn brother, so that he might have the strength and power to survive while at once saving me. But he was born . . . as something not quite human." She struggled with what he actually was, for she'd been far too young at the time to have known.

"He was . . . cut open . . . and his powerful heart was given to me, but he did not die. He would not die. Our parents were frightened of him, so my father ordered him smuggled out of the city and left in the woods near the diamond mine, hoping the miners' families would find him and raise him."

She stopped at the edge of a still pool of water, where the glowing reflections glimmered at their feet.

"After that, I was presented to the city as a miracle, and the king and queen ruled happily again. The diamond mine suddenly began producing great riches, and the city prospered. And then my brother returned." She looked to Maria with a sad smile.

"He was so young, but so intelligent. He snuck his way into the castle and confronted my father. I don't know what was said, but my brother was forced out again and told never to return. After that, we began receiving reports of monsters in the woods, that had no hearts and were made of dreams."

The queen bowed her head. "The Grit were relentless, and instead of talking with my brother, my father built the wall instead. After my parents died, I sent my own envoys to the mine, to find him and plead with him. Only one of my scouts ever returned, with the single message that he planned to take his heart back from me.”

"I'm sorry to burden you with this, Maria." She held Maria's hand between hers. "It's an awful business that has cost so many innocent lives, and I don't know how to repair it. All we can do is hide ourselves from the demons my brother has created; I'm not sure he's capable anymore of listening to reason, if he ever was." She looked back toward the transport sigil, where the robots were standing guard. "The others' mission now may preserve some lives, but we can't hide forever. I fear we've lost."

Maria was gobsmacked. That was, indeed, something momentous. She said nothing for a little while, just letting her mind process what had been said. Eventually, her brain nudged her mouth, and got it to spit out "Goodness!"

Say something else, quick! "I... That is indeed quite a large secret. And I can see why something so big and scary would create such a weight in your mind. But..."

Maria's voice quickened slightly, gaining strength as she figured out what to say to a queen. "But we haven't lost yet. As long as any of us are alive and fighting, we still have a chance! We can still save Periphery! I know we can!" She looked directly into the queen's eyes (which caused a bit of a flutter in her stomach, as they were quite pretty) and continued. "I'm sure your brother can be made to see reason eventually. He just needs a friend! I bet it's real lonely, out there in the diamond mine with only dreams and anger for company. Maybe if someone were to go and talk to him for a while, he would be a bit nicer!"

Maria stopped talking momentarily as a disquieting thought entered her mind. "Though... You do have a good point. About him not being able to listen to reason anymore. I guess if that happens... Well, it's a good thing we found that armory, I suppose."

She gave a small sigh. "I wish I could go and talk to him now, without having to go through all the Grit and other dangerous stuff outside the Wall. Then we could get this all done much sooner, haha. But we'll get there eventually, me and Moth and everyone. I know we will. And when we do, Periphery will be free of Grit once again, and everything can go right back to normal. I promise you." Maria held the queen's hands between hers, in a gesture of support.

Vincent began to trudge throughout the mansion and using his pen drew the required sigil on each person he found then placing their soul stone into the sigil to return it. He decided he would start with Maribeth and go around the house from there.

The stone flashed and hovered a moment above the glowing sigil before it seeped slowly into the stone. By degrees, Maribeth's statuesque form gained shades of color -- until her eyes cleared and she made panicked sounds of pain and terror while the rest of her body regained its functions. Finally she collapsed to the floor, her head in her hands, shaking uncontrollably. It would take an hour or more before she was in any condition to speak, let alone get up on her own.

Others were luckier; depending on the inherent strength of the soul, some of the servants were quicker to recover. Turalee, the cook's apprentice, roared in frustration while still frozen in mid-run; when command of her own body returned to her, she stamped her feet and whirled to face Vincent, lilting only slightly with a lightheaded vertigo. "I sawed ev'ryting, sah," she snapped. "Ta light'nin', an' ta Grit. End o' th' world, o'er mah rottin' corpse." She rolled her shoulder and cracked her neck. "Tank ya, sah, I owes ya. We fitin' now, sah?" She punched her palm.

Quog, the gardener, had been asleep when he'd been turned to stone. Upon his revival he continued to sleep, to wake a bit later with no clue that anything was wrong, save for the peculiarity of the sky. He was a big man, built like a beer keg, who said little and had a face as expressionless as a wall. When he finally understood the gravity of their current situation, he grunted his support and proceeded to do as he was told with obedient and determined strength.

A few of the servants had lost their soulstones, probably stolen or devoured by Grit. Most of the eight that Vincent was able to revive awoke in varying states of incapacity.

"When this is over," said Randy in a careful tone, "and we've saved the world, may I remind you that you left me atop the Wall." He hadn't until now quite realized his situation. He was beginning to enjoy the power he now had to destroy Grit completely in a single swing, but he now saw the very real possibility of what might happen to him afterward -- placed back on the hooks on the wall to talk to himself for an eternity.

“Roy. Would you as kind as to contact her Majesty?” Berry then focused her efforts trying to look outside the estate. “I feel she would like to be informed of our current situation.”

"Sure thing, Ma'am." Roy stood up straight, and he went silent while he relayed a message to one of Queenie's guards.

"I'm 'head of ya!" called a woman's voice in response to Berry's wish for weapons. Turalee -- with a wild frizz of hair and boots under a long skirt -- approached out of the halls, grinning and strained with the weight of a wide metal box that she carried resolutely toward Roy and Berry. She dropped it with a thunk at Berry's feet and threw open the lid. "Five laser settin's, stun ta nuke, disinnegrate dem bastahs." She shoved a laser pistol into Berry's hands, then hefted up a bigger weapon. "En'gy web, one trigger, clear th' whole block. Dem Grit'll go runnin', ha!" She held up the bulky gun to her shoulder and peered through the sight at Roy. "We take back dis city, ma'am, we show 'em."

She gave a small sigh. "I wish I could go and talk to him now, without having to go through all the Grit and other dangerous stuff outside the Wall. Then we could get this all done much sooner, haha. But we'll get there eventually, me and Moth and everyone. I know we will. And when we do, Periphery will be free of Grit once again, and everything can go right back to normal. I promise you." Maria held the queen's hands between hers, in a gesture of support.

The queen's smile was softened by the tears in her eyes, and she nodded her agreement -- she'd needed that reassurance, a flicker of hope and confidence in what had been a lifetime of guilt and pessimism. "We will," she said in a breaking voice -- then swallowed and gave a firmer nod, once again taking on the poise of her position. "We will prevail here and now, restore peace, and ensure no one suffers like this again." She squeezed Maria's hands, breathed, and willed herself to believe.

A thunking and whirring noise preceded the approach of one of the queen's guardian robots, which stopped and gave a short bow. "Your majesty," she called in a crisp voice, "Roy has established communication from the field."

Queenie gave Maria's hand a reassuring pat, then wiped her eyes and stepped with resolve toward the robot. "I will speak with him."

Your Majesty, I'm here with Miss Berry, Roy's voice emerged from the queen's robot.

Back in Vincent's mansion -- where the windows were webbed in blue light and beyond them scales and claws and shadows shifted -- the queen's voice spoke clearly from Roy's chest. I'm here. What's happening? Is everyone all right?

"Is that the queen?" Turalee squeaked, her eyes wide, staring up at Berry as if the older woman were suddenly a celebrity.

"We've secured the perimeter," Roy began the briefing in a professional tone. "Vince has revived a few already, but we're surrounded."

Do you need more weaponry to break through?

"Seems this place is already equipped," Roy responded; the box that Turalee had brought still had quite a few varying weapons tucked between layers of silk. "With a distraction, we'll be golden."

I don't know yet what distractions I can provide from here, but I will make every effort to assist. Miss Berry, what is the situation from your perspective?

Vincent watched with keen interest as he observed Maribeth go through the process of de-petrification. He found the magic at work to be interesting. The result of the magic he found to be pathetic as she curled up into a ball after going through the phases of panic. He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest while he stared down on the weak maid. He felt he should say something, but all he could think of was how vulnerable she looked. He hated that.

He turned away from her considering who to rescue next when he finally said. "Take your time. Gather your wits. You are safe here now." He cringed internally at how forced it sounded to him. He prided himself on being smooth and articulate, but his frustration with her being so pathetic made him sound more like Father. He had mixed feelings about it. While on one hand using such a tone made him feel somewhat empowered. The other hand left him feeling bitter that he could speak in such a manner. He wanted to surpass his father not become him.

As he went from person to person he found the variation in their recovery fascinating. Vincent began to take mental notes for future reference, and began to consider the variables for the qualities of each person's soul. The cook's apprentice had an accent that nearly made him wince, but her passion and willingness to fight left him grinning instead. He responded with a quick nod and a "Yeah."

Once all eight that could be revived had been he heard Randy say:

"When this is over," said Randy in a careful tone, "and we've saved the world, may I remind you that you left me atop the Wall."

Vincent rolled his eyes as if it were obvious. "Well, duh. As if I could forget that. You were the first person I saw become petrified. Not to mention you were cramping my style with lovely Kat. Ugh, I hope she's alright! Screw this day! Screw the damned Grit!" He threw a punch at the wall in frustration. Finally, all the stress that had been building up - the stress he was not aware he had until now - came to the surface. He kicked over a nearby chair and then just glowered at it while taking deep breaths.

As he calmed down, one question arose in the back of his mind: where was Father? Why was he not here?

Berry started at Turalee’s sudden entrance and held her hand across her chest, trying to convince her heart that she wasn’t being attacked again.

“Good Gracious.” She murmured to herself.

The gun had barely a speck dust on it and appeared to have been well looked after. The cold metal chilled her fingers and palms and the sight of the gun made her stomach churn uncomfortably and a memory from her circus days made itself known.

She ignored the memory and focussed on the gun in her hands, the cold metal resting in her palms, examining it but not daring to fiddle.

“I’m afraid I’m not entirely sure how to use a firearm.” She placed it heavily on the table. “Been a few years since I held one myself so I’m a tad rusty at best. Sorry, what did you say your name was again?”

Berry then began to ask Turalee more detailed questions. To her it seemed prudent that they took the time to make a detailed list of what exactly they had and write it down, Berry produced a small notebook that reminded her to pick up eggs, and set to work taking inventory.
Vincents outburst gave her another start.

“Oh, for goodness sakes!” Berry snapped “It’s not going to help anyone if you throw a fuss!”

“Might I ask what’s wrong at least?” She continued after clicking her tongue in annoyance.