"The World Tree might be a viable way," Kade said thoughtfully and then turned to Alexander. "In-between places are very dangerous. I'm sure our new friend here could explain how a certain squirrel in the world tree is not one to be reckoned with." Kade gestured to Astrid as he said 'new friend'. "There is a much closer in-between, but it is controlled by some fairies. If we want to spend the time to go to Boston I'd much rather deal with the squirrel."

"Your fairies?" Sumi asked. Kade shot her a dagger look.

"Not my fairies, but ones who will not be pleased to see me. There are a couple routes through the in-between and none of them are safe." Kade turned to Eleanore. "What does our timeline look like?"

Eleanore pulled a watch out of her pocket and counted just under her breath so only those near her could hear. "At most a week of in-between time. And probably only until midnight here."

"Well, that rules out Boston. Sorry, Astrid."

"Darn I wanted to meet a squirrel," Hannah said, Sumi elbowed her.

"The squirrel is... not someone you want to meet. He's larger than... most dogs, and his bark is worse than his bite. But if we don't have time... then where are we going to go? The Fairies then?" Astrid felt herself being a little disappointed by not being able to use The World Tree. It would be the closest she could get to home, without being invited back inside. She was sure that it was so close... but fairies. She had not really dealt with fairies before.

Elves, dwarves, demigods, yes. Gods too. Fairies were not a... thing in Valhalla. She knew they did exist, but she had not met any herself. However, she did notice the reaction Kade had about talking about fairies. Not 'his' fairies? She had a feeling that he had some history with them, but it was not the time to ask.

---

"I don't like trees myself, so I'm okay with going somewhere else. But Eleanor, if we're heading out now, pretty much, shouldn't we go pack? I mean, yeah the lights are still out, but we can go in a group with a candle or something? I'm sure Astrid wants her weapon, and I want my shell." Katalina sighed as she looked over their little group and sighed a bit. She knew Kade didn't want to deal with the fairies but if they didn't have any options, they would have to deal with them.

"Sumi, do we still have supplies in the closet? I think that not all of us have... y'know, weapons or something if we need those?" She looked over at Eleanor, as she was sure that the woman would disapprove of them taking weapons, but she doubted that Astrid would leave without her spear, as she seemed rather attached to it.

Alexander blinked. A giant squirrel? He probably shouldn't have been surprised, given his association with gigantic birds, but somehow a squirrel of that size seemed hard to imagine, let alone one that could cause harm. But the whole idea was swiftly ruled out regardless; fairies it was. Maybe. Whatever fairies were. "I'm pretty set as far as tools are concerned," he said as he patted the small of his back where his dagger still was. He'd been in plenty of fights before, he was sure he could handle anything the in between might throw. And if it turned out to be something he couldn't fight, well... there was always the oldest and noblest of pirate traditions, wasn't there?

"What about weather? Should we be ready for cold, hot, rain, sleet, typhoons, all of the above?"

"Yes go pack, and yes Alexander be prepared for anything you think could happen. The in-between is a dangerous place and is constantly changing. Only go if you're ready for that." Elenore looked at each of the kids Sumi had chosen to go with her and paused on Kade. The two shared a look that had to be a full conversation.

"All right Sumi, this is your quest, lead the way," Kade said to her. Sumi grinned and shouted.

"Get packing, meet in the foyer in ten minutes. Yes, you can bring weapons." She grabbed Hannah's hand and dashed up the stairs, the candle they had been holding blew out, but the pair of them seemed to find their way just fine.

As soon as they were gone one of the girls who had not been invited started complaining. "Why is it always Sumi? Why can't any of us go?"

"The more in the in-between the more dangerous it is. Also, it is her quest and technically she wasn't on the last quest she was the last quest." Kade said rolling his eyes and then left the dining room to go up to the attic. His lips were drawn tightly.

"Thank you!" Astrid dashed off to her room, or was about to, when she realized that it was still dark. She muttered a soft apology as she picked up a candle and then went to head to her room. She sighed a bit as she headed to her room, thinking about how this quest should be. Of course, she had been on quests to bring heroes back to Valhalla.

She went to her room, and gently picked up her spear. She ran her hand along the pole for a bit and then she found a soft knot in the wooden shaft. With a press, the magic rune was activated that shrunk the spear down to a more travel friendly size. She gently strung it around her neck, feeling the point against her sternum. That cold metal against her body reminded her that she was armed, and that she was protected.

She then grabbed a rough looking sack out of her still unpacked suitcase and started roughly shoving clothing into the sack, as well as... oh shit. She mentally cursed and then went to run back down the stairs to find Kade. "Uh... Kade... when I arrived my parents handed over something to Eleanor... I'll need it for the quest."

---

"Cool. Thanks Eleanor." Katalina ran up to her room by memory alone, and tugged some clothing haphazardly into a little mermaid backpack. (The irony was not lost on her. It had been something that Hannah had given her when she asked for a backpack. Katalina had just stared at the other girl for a moment before walking off.) She wasn't sure what kind of weapon to grab, if she was going to grab one. She did make sure to gently pack up her shell, wrapping it with the most tender care, which she wasn't giving to anything else.

Katalina had been trained to use a trident when she had been in her world. It was the most effective weapon for under water fighting. They didn't have guns in that world, which made sense, and they also didn't really do sword fights under the water. It was stupid to try to swing things around like that in the water.

Maybe a knife? Would Eleanor be pissed if she took one of the knives from the kitchen?

Alexander trooped up to his room, the same as everybody else, but once he was there he found himself rather at a loss. He had his knife already, he'd sharpened it the previous evening, and there wasn't much in the way of any magical items he owned. He had the leather jacket he'd always worn back home, so of course he grabbed it, but its potency was due to craftsmanship and nothing else. He spent a solid two minutes debilitating, and when he could think of nothing else he pulled the jacket over his shoulders and arms, bent down to make sure his shoes were on tight, and went out the door again.

A handful of stair steps later and he was standing in the hall again, swaying side to side in anticipation. This would be dangerous, Kade and Eleanor said, but what was the point of an adventure if it wasn't dangerous? "I should be ready," he said aloud, "Just say when."

(Apologies, week kinda snuck up on me...)

Kade retrieved the item Astrid needed. Though subjectively they would be gone at most a week, it was a good idea for Astrid to have it anyway, just in case. The others gathered what items they deemed necessary and gathered in the entryway with Alexander. Elenore met them there. "Be careful everyone." She had a nervous smile on as she hugged Sumi and Hannah (an anyone else who wanted one), but there was a sparkle in her eye. The one that anyone who had been at the school for very long recognized as nonsense.

Kade led the group out of the house and into the storm that was raging across the property. The wind whipped at them threatening to knock them over and sweep them away. Rain poured down from almost every angle as if it had no respect for physics. And the lighting and thunder flashed and crashed around them threatening trees and the house and them as they crossed the open field. Kade moved with a lith and quick pace. Leading the group into the woods. The storm seemed to lessen, was it the trees protecting them from the elements or had it realized it could not reach them? Through a couple heavy breaths, Kade spoke, "We are looking for a pair of trees, interwoven, but their trunks are just wide enough to climb through."

Astrid tucked the little bottle and syringe case away into her bag and thanked Kade for it. Sure, they might be gone for only a week, but she was still cautious. If she even missed one dose, it could be bad for her. So, making sure she had everything in her bag, and headed outside with the rest of the little group. She had passed on the hug from Eleanor, mostly because she did not know the older woman that well, and hugs were sometimes... awkward. Give her a good thump on the back from a warrior any day, but hugs? Scary. She did notice that Katalina partook in a hug from the older woman, and muttered something to her.

She followed Kade as he lead the group and gasped a bit as the rain was coming down from every angle. She moved with quick movements, while she noticed that Katalina seemed to be savoring the rain, letting it drench her as much as possible. Apparently, the girl did not mind the idea of getting ill... Astrid's train of thought smashed when Kade spoke up and then frowned. "Interwoven trees? How can anyone tell the difference in this woods?" She squinted her eyes a bit as it looked like every tree looked the same to her.

---

Katalina decided to swipe the knife, and tucked it into a holder in her boots. Why she had a knife holster in her boots? That was a secret to her only. She regrouped with the others, and took a hug from Eleanor before whispering something to the older woman. "Sorry about the knife." She pulled away before Eleanor could question her, and followed the others out to the woods.

The former mermaid, as that was the best word to equate to what she had been before in her opinion since humans didn't have the right vocal chords to say the word, relished the rain as it fell on her skin. Sure, it wasn't the ocean but it worked for the moment. She was well aware that she was dawdling as they headed to the woods, but she did made sure not to dally too long. In the woods, she heard Astrid remark that it was hard to tell the difference, but to Katalina...

"How can you miss it? It's right there." She pointed to the arch of trees that interwove at the top, just as Kade had said. "Can you not see it?" Astrid's shaking head confirmed that yes, she could not see it, and she was irritated by that. "Weird. I wonder why I can?" Katalina took Astrid's hand to guide her towards the trees.

There was something comforting about the storm. Alexander wasn't nearly as happy to be getting wet as Katalina was, but hearing the wind howl in his ears as the heavens drenched him with their fury reminded him of all those times he'd willingly and eagerly thrown himself into a cacophonous sky for the hell of it. He'd much rather be up above, racing the lightning and clinging to Julie's back of course, but confined to the earth as he was... he'd take what he could get.

He wasn't much help when it came to searching for the opening. Trees and forests were not Alexander's thing, and one tree looked every bit like another one to him. Mostly because he was busy looking for openings of the size Kade described, rather than looking for the interweaving branches. That changed when Katalina pointed it out to Astrid, at which point Alexander looked over and started following the aquatic lass's point at the branches up top.

"Hrm. I'm never going to be used to looking up for things," he muttered to nobody in particular as he stepped over more roots and gnarls toward the gate.

"Good spot Katalina," Kade said, his southern drawl heavy for a moment as he looked at the trees. "This is what is called a gateway. You can usually find an in-between in a lot of places, doorways and hallways are the strongest types, but they can't be crossed from this side without help. This is a true gateway. Not a door. This won't take any of you home, but you'll feel yourself brush against it so be ready for that. The crossing is going to be...emotional. Once in the in-between, though you'll feel the walls set back around you." Kade had a determined look on his face. "Don't eat or drink anything they give you. I have food packed. Only eat the food I give you." Kade didn't explain that since he had been given the title of Gobin King he would be staking his claim on them when he did that, it gave them protection from the other fairies and he could drop the claim after the returned from the in-between.

Sumi nodded and without hesitation walked between the trees. For a moment everyone could see her on the other side of the opening and then she was gone. Hannah dashed after her, her form taking longer to disappear and for a brief moment, Astrid could swear Hannah had the form of a bear but it was gone in the blink of an eye.

Hannah felt a piece of her she had lost flash within her and then it was gone. She stood next to Sumi who had wide eyes and was staring around. Before them was a castle, straight out of a Disney fairy tale. The weather was perfect, and their soaked clothes dried in seconds though it wasn't too hot. There was a quaint village and soft music rose from the market that spread through the town square. Hannah flexed her hands and she could feel the beasts. She knew each of them perfectly. Had personally hunted them down killed them and ate their hearts. On Earth, she couldn't feel them, not like it was here. Hannah reached and sensed their power coursing through her blood again. She knew she wouldn't be able to transform but their strength was there as it hadn't been in ages.

"What you never learned the first rule of anything? Always look up. No one expects things to be up. Of course... your world everything is already up yes?" Katalina laughed a bit at that as she started to head towards the opening and let Astrid's hand go. "Not a door. Okay, good to know." She sighed at that and then went to walk through the doorway.

Kade had warned them... oh sweet gods. The smell of the ocean, the feeling of gills... she swore she could feel the webbing between her fingers again. Oh, to be so close, she wanted to dive headfirst back into the ocean, to go back to swimming. She made sure to keep pushing herself forward, each step renewing her sense of faith and purpose as she walked through the doorway. As they stood before the castle, she frowned a bit at that. She didn't like the idea of fairy castles or being near them. She looked herself over and realized that it had only been for a moment, as she didn't have gills, or webbed hands for swimming.

"So we're here? In the in-between?" Katalina looked around and then looked up at Kade and then to Sumi and Hannah.

---

"Ah, that is standard. I was told never to eat most of the food from other realms... just from Valhalla... or... Midgar." Astrid sighed a bit at that and then looked over at Kade. She watched as the others slipped through the trees and then went to slip through the trees as well. When Katalina had pointed them out, she saw the two trees, so thankfully she knew where to go.

The smell of honey filled the air, and she swore she could hear the chatter of the Hall, as well as she felt her strength returning. However the moment was over when she saw the castle and then... they had gotten wet yes, but now they were dry. She could feel her strength, and then realized she could almost feel the feeling of death again. Valkeries were those that guided those that died in battle to the after world. Oh... the feeling ached for a moment, as she wanted to help those souls, but she did not have her true powers back.

She looked around and bit her lip a bit. "So... we're here?"

"It's more that in my world, if you need to look for something you get to the highest point you can and look down," he replied, "None of this neck craning stuff except to see your way up the rigging." It seemed he was the last in line to stroll through, aside from Kade himself. He nodded toward the older man about not eating or drinking anything, then took a breath and a step over the threshold.

It was the wind that hit him first. Not the howling stormy wind from whence they'd come, but a warm, gentle breeze brushing against his face. The kind of wind that only appeared under an open sky on a late spring day. He felt lighter. No less strong, but his body felt like it weighed a full third less, almost, and if he were to jump it would be an accordingly higher height. And the smell on the breeze... Julie's smell. He'd recognize it anywhere. Oh it was faint and barely perceptible, but it was there and he knew it- and then it was gone. The breeze stopped without warning, the smell vanished, and his own weight collapsed down on him again. He stumbled briefly from the unexpected sensation, but managed to keep his balance. "Oof," he exclaimed, "That wasn't graceful at all, now was it?"

"So this is it then."

Kade stepped through the doorway and as he appeared for a moment anyone looking his direction could see armor and a sword at his side. He shifted looking uncomfortable for a fleeting moment, and then he was his normal collected self. "Alright, we need to get to the top of the tower, and Alexander you'll like this bit. We're jumping from it. You might be able to find what we need when get up there, but first, we need to worry about getting through the town. Sumi this is your quest. What is your plan?"

"Where is this land on the compass?" Sumi asked him.

"It isn't," Kade replied his lips tightened. Her eyes went wide. "It is the in-between. You're all likely to find things here that appear to be from your world. There is no guarantee that they are actually from your worlds. Be on guard, this place will try to keep you. It is where lost things go to die." Christopher swallowed loudly and his hand rested on the bone in his pocket. "So what is your plan?"

"You said we need to go to the castle top right?" Kade nodded. Sumi continued, "Then we should pair up. Astrid, Alexander, and Katalina you three have the least experience you should partner with someone from the old group. Katalina, I think you and Christopher should pair up. You two have diverse enough powers. Astrid pair with me. Alexander you and Hannah should be with Kade."

As Sumi finished giving the group orders a heavy blast of wind almost knocked Astrid over, but it did catch Hannah off guard. She had her fall broken by a bush though. Alexander could feel the wind rip at his legs trying to knock him over it was as if the wind was sentient. Christopher and Kade both leaned into the blast of wind easily keeping their balance.

Astrid went relatively quiet as Kade and Sumi spoke. Sumi was the leader of this quest, as Eleanor and Kade had said, so she would listen. She was a bit surprised that Sumi wanted Astrid to go with her, but she didn't question it. It sounded like Sumi had an idea of what she was doing, and that comforted Astrid. She had always looked to her head Valkyrie for guidance and orders, especially when the lady Freya had not been around, which was most of the time. She was busy with other tasks, even if she was the one that helped assign new Valkyrie's to where they would be the most useful.

The thought of her Lady as well as her fellow Valkyries made her a bid sad. Of course, as the blast of wind almost knocked her over, she squeaked a bit as she tried to regain her balance. She blushed as she looked up at Sumi, hoping that little moment would pass without remark. "So, what shall we do? We're trying to find a path to the top of the castle, yes? Then we're going to jump from it? Okay then." She frowned at that. She was okay with heights, but usually she knew she'd be fine if she fell. If she died here and now... it would end poorly for her.

---

"Alright, I can work with Christopher." Katalina was aware that some of the other students had issues with Christopher, partly because where he had gone. Many boys went to other worlds, or their homes, to find adventure. To be a pirate, to explore the world. Christopher... had went to Maripose. What she knew about Maripose was that it was like a big Dios los Muertos painting.

The wind did not affect the girl from under the water. She was use to fighting the currents, so she firmly stood her ground as the wind whipped around, and looked around. "I think someone does not like that we're here. We should be quick. Where do you want our groups to go?"

Jumping? Alexander's eyes lit up at the word. Jumping was good. Not as good as flying of course, but you still had the rush of air and the sensation of leaving the ground. And if they were jumping from a tower it would be a long fall, which was even better. He got excited- up until Fade warned that this was where things went to die and to be careful. Death was a good way to sober anybody of most things, exuberance included.

Almost as if to signal his point, a forceful gust of wind came howling at them. It slammed into him as though it were a physical wall, and his torso started to tip over backwards. Instinct took over his motor control however, and muscle memory was right on its heels. With motions practiced enough to be like breathing he lifted his left leg just high enough off the ground to take a single, forceful backstep that ground his shoe into the dirt, while at the same time he twisted his right foot to dig in. His legs bent, his center lowered, and he turned his torso sideways while raising his arms to cover his face. But even with his well rehearsed movements he found himself nearly losing the fight. It was almost like the wind was blowing harder in response to his resistance. And then it was gone, just as quickly as it came.

"What in the name of the sky was THAT?" he asked as he looked around, one of his hands drifting to palm the hilt of his knife.

"Be careful," Kade said in response to Alexander. "This place will constantly be changing." Again as if summoned by their words the wind died down and snow started to fall. The snowflakes were the size of their hands. The temperature dropped dramatically and the group started to shiver. Kade pulled out a heavy jacket from his bag. He looked to Alexander, "See prepare for everything." Oddly Hannah was the only one in the group who didn't look cold, even though they could probably estimate that the temperature had dropped to below zero degrees on the Fahrenheit scale.

Sumi thought for a moment as she pulled on a heavy parka, her fingertips already were turning blue. "Kade go into the market, the three of you see if you can find out if there is like a tour of the castle that we can get in on, or maybe they are looking for new employees." She shrugged uncertainly. "Katalina see if there is a mote and if there is try to find a way around it. A way that works for all of us." She added the last part almost as an afterthought. "Astrid and I will try the front gate. In thirty minutes let us all meet near a fountain in the town square. If multiple go for the biggest one."

"Send the water girl to look for a moat. Alright. I think we can do that. C'mon Christopher." Katalina could feel the cold, and moved to tug out a jacket out of her pack. She tugged it on and shuddered a bit. She could tolerate the cold ocean when she had been at her home, but that had been different. Her body was use to that cold. This? Ugh. Snow was stupid. Frozen water did her no good, and it never felt the same as her beautiful ocean.

"So, uh... if there is a moat, what are we going to do?" Christopher was tugging on a coat, but while he did, his little flute never left his hand. Katalina found it odd that he always had the flute with him, but she had heard whispers that it never ended well when it was taken away from Christopher.

"What Sumi said. Find a way around it. There has to be a bridge somewhere, but if worst comes to worst, I'm sure we can ask Alexander for some help? He looked more than happy to climb up and jump from the castle earlier. Ugh... heights." Katalina shuddered at that. Katalina preferred the ocean, it's depth, it's comforting embrace. Heights? No way. She had never been the kid climbing up the trees. She had been the one diving into the pool.

"Alright..." Christopher shrugged at that as the two started walking towards the castle. Katalina zipped up her jacket and shuddered a bit more. Oh god... was it just her imagination, but was it getting colder the closer they got to the castle.

---

As the temperature started to drop, Astrid was at first not affected. She had been near Helheim a few times. The frozen land of the dead... where poor souls went if they could not go to one of the other afterlives. After a few minutes, Astrid reassessed her situation. It was getting colder, and she was not use to the cold that well. She tugged out a lovely wool coat, one that she had stitched a rune in (purely for her own pleasure.) She buttoned it up and looked to Sumi.

"So, the front gate huh? The direct approach for you and I? Alright, I guess we will see how that works out for us."

It was starting to get cold. VERY cold. Cold enough to make Alexander shiver, even with his leather jacket and what he'd thought was ace tolerance for the temperature. He'd been soaked inside a cloud before, but that wasn't really comparable here. Still, there were things to do and timely manners to do them in, and a little chill wasn't allowed to stop them. Even if it wasn't that little.

"Right," he said as he started moving down the road, "To the market square we go then. Oh night's a-coming quickly, it will be here ere long... so grab your lines and hoist the sail, we must be moving on..." Sky only knew why the old shanty had popped into his head, but whispering it under his breath certainly helped keep him upbeat and moving forward. "The sun is setting fast lads, the cold is closing in... but once we reach the port lads, we'll warm up with some sin..."

Kade led Hannah and Alexander into the town square. He raised an eyebrow as Alexander started to sing and a soft smile spread across his face. Hannah followed behind the two of them flexing her arms, and yet somehow not cold. "Kade," Hannah started. "This place is dangerous because it makes us want to stay." Kade nodded. There wasn't anymore he needed to add to that. She caught a snowflake in her hand it stayed for a while before it started melting. The rest of the snow melted at the same time and what had been crunchy snow was now slick mud, the cold stayed the same. Hannah lost her footing. "You've got to be kidding me." She shouted sliding in the mud frustrated. Kade was able to maintain his balance and reached a hand to Hannah to help her back up. "Guess we should have brought cleats or something," Hannah said brushing the mud off of herself.

Sumi nodded at Astrid. "You and I are straightforward types, might as well take that approach." As the ground got muddy Sumi's face scrunched up annoyed. It was still freezing cold, and now the ground took more attention to pass through. "This place is annoying." She complained while trying to find a clear path, she was able to maintain her balance but it was not easy.

Katalina frowned as the snow turned into mush quickly and thankfully, she kept her balance, even as she slipped a little. Christopher however, was not even phased by the mud as they walked. The castle path was getting muddy and slippery at that point, even if they were walking towards the last place that she wanted to go.

"Hmm... there's a moat. Around the whole castle. And... no good place to climb up from the moat...unless..." Katalina frowned a bit as she looked around, trying to see where she could climb up. She frowned more a bit as it was cold... damn what she'd give to have a thicker coat. Why was it cold and muddy at the same time!

---

Astrid looked at Sumi and frowned as the ground got muddy and... Astrid slipped right in it and landed on her ass. She let out a cry, as she did not have much in the way of padding. She was still working on getting what some might call a 'bubble butt' as the hormones were helping but... "Annoying is.. an understatement."

She pulled herself up and groaned. Now she was wet, sticky and frozen. She frowned at that as she tried to get herself cleaned up and then looked over at Sumi. "I don't suppose you have a fresh clean coat?"