The three-headed dog trotted into the room, and Creusus stroked its coarse fur.
“Well, is there any news of Morgue?”
“Not much.” Flavius settled farther into his chair.
“I have heard, though, that he plans to move his base.”
“Where to?”
“Oh, probably Jiyidil or some place like that. You know, those big cities.”
Creusus nodded.
“And how are you, Kaerlthin?” he asked, in an effort to make small talk. The boy shrugged.
“Oh, you know, I’m fine. Working hard to gain my wand,”
“Of course, of course,” said Creusus.
“What’s that?” asked Jason, who at this point felt very dumb about wizarding things. Kaerlthin was glad to explain.
“When we first begin training we need a staff, to help concentrate the magic, but as we progress, we graduate, so to speak, to a wand, and in the end of our training period we don’t need anything but our hands.”
“That’s neat” commented Jason, and the group again fell into unwanted silence.
“So, who else in the village is in the Organization Against Morgue?” inquired Althea. Creusus frowned trying to remember.
“A dozen or so tradesmen and our youngest members in the Organization, Bladely and Stella. They deliver the post. Quite the characters, they are. Stella is small, she’s a grown woman but she’s only about four and half feet tall. She makes up for it with boldness. Stella is sort of an older sister to Bladely, helping him out with learning the mail business. Bladely is funny, he’s a young one, about as old as you fellows,” Creusus nodded toward Jason and Kaerlthin.
“He was born the youngest of thirteen children,”
“That’s a quite a large family,” Maggie was astounded.

A large family. Althea had five younger brother and sisters, and she was reminded of them now. Suddenly she realized how much she missed them. Althea remembered a fight she’d had with her sister Jenna, over the computer. She felt a prick of guilt. If only she’d known. Now maybe she’d never see… No, she’d put it out of her mind.

“All boys, too.” Creusus was continuing.
“The father’s a baker. All the sons followed in his footsteps, and most have moved to other towns to set up their own shops. All, that is, except Bladely. He decided to make his career in the mail.”

“I don’t blame him,” Flavius said.
“After twelve other siblings, he’d want to do something different. You know, the sons are known in this town as the Baker’s Dozen” and he chuckled heartily at his own joke.
Creusus smiled and added, “He’s a nice guy, but sometimes he gets lost on the streets. He really has no head for directions. Once he gave me the mail that was intended for a Mrs.Creutian. I was quite confused until I realized the mistake. It was very strange, getting letters that billed me for hair dye and wrinkle cream!”
Everyone laughed, especially Flavius. In fact, he laughed so hard that tears came out of his eyes. When he regained his composure, he stood up and bade them farewell.
“Now that’s all settled, Kaerlthin and I had better be going now. It was pleasant meeting you all,” He and his young trainee stepped out of the door into the cool, blue night. When the door shut, Creusus yawned and suggested bedtime. The girls sleepily obliged, but Jason lay on his couch a long time, watching the coals in the fireplace die out.

Chapter V
Althea was in the dark. She was holding her younger sister’s hand, and they were looking for something. She did not know what it was, was certain that she had to find it. Her sister kept asking
“When will we find it?” and she kept answering
“In a little while,”
Then her foot slipped, and she fell, dragging her sister behind her…

Althea’s feet hit the bed in a trip reflex, waking her up. The room was dark, it was late, and she was shivering. The awfulness of her dream hit her very hard. Her sister... the fall…the darkness… what had she been looking for? Althea tried to push the dream away from her mind but it was difficult. She missed her family so much. Althea rubbed her arms to warm them, and then decided she needed to use the bathroom. Althea crossed the dark hallway to the one restroom in the cottage. A dark shape scuttled across the floor, scaring her for a moment, but she told herself it was just one of Creusus’ pets.

In Creusus’ quaint bathroom, Althea washed her hands at the sink, the sound of rushing water calming her. She sighed, and then suddenly felt like crying. Despair rushed over her in a wave. She gave in to the impulse, sinking to a little, shuddering heap on the pink tiles. Althea cried for a long time, and she felt like she could never stop. But then, she heard something that made her pause, her chest still heaving. It was knocking, on the front door of the cottage, she was sure. Footsteps sounded in the hall; and Althea knew Creusus was passing by. Inspite of her sorrow, she was curious to know who was getting him up in the middle of the night like this. Althea opened the door just wide enough to hear, and luckily the door did not creak. Vaguely she heard Creusus grumbling.
“Why did you have to come in at this hour? Nearly woke up Jason, you did.”
Then some voices, whispering so low Althea could not hear them. She opened the door wider, so she could hear better, and then crept to the beginning of the stairs. Althea could hear well now, since the midnight visitors were in the kitchen.

A boy was speaking.
“-got very urgent news. Sorry about that.”
“Well, then, what is it?” Creusus said.
A woman’s voice answered this time.
“It’s about Morgue. He’s moving his base.”
“I know that,” Creusus sounded a bit peeved.
She spoke again.
“He’s moving it here.”

A terrible quiet settled over the house. Althea found that she was holding her breath. Morgue was coming here. What did it mean?

Creusus spoke again, slowly, as if he were still trying to wrap his mind around the news.
“But, why? Aren’t the bigger cities much better, with more defenses?”

The boy answered.
“Garreidval is the most central town in all Elcarim. There are rumors that Morgue plans to make it into his own city. And you know well Garreidval holds portals.”
Althea heard someone push back their chair, scraping on the kitchen floor.
“But, surely those rumors about Morgue trying to- to conquer other worlds isn’t true?” Creusus sounded unbelieving.

“I’m afraid it is,” the woman spoke again, in a serious tone.
“There is good news though,” said the boy.
“We’re on the verge of overthrowing Morgue.”
“So it is said.” Creusus still sounded unbelieving.
The woman spoke again, and her voice was low, but clear.
“His moving changes the Organizations plans, but we can still do it.”

Suddenly something slithered over Althea’s foot, dry and scaly. She could not suppress a shriek. As soon as she screamed Creusus was at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at her.
“What did you hear?” he demanded. Althea could think of nothing but the disgusting thing that had passed over her foot.
“What slid over my foot?” she squealed back.
“It was dry and smooth and, urgh, scaly!”
“Probably my house skink. Now tell me what you heard!”
Althea was embarrassed, especially when a short woman and a tall boy came up behind Creusus, and stared at her, making Althea wish she wasn’t in her pajamas.
“Only about Morgue moving his base,” she said in a very small voice.
Creusus ran his hands through his already rumpled hair.
“Go to bed now,” he commanded in a stern voice.
“And do not tell what you have heard to anyone,”
Althea turned and fled into her bedroom, slipping under her covers. She could not hear any voices now, and tried to fall asleep, but she could not. All her own fears left her; images and sounds filled her mind. …verge of overthrowing Morgue…a tall boy in a dark cloak, was he Bladely, and the woman, Stella…a leathery thing brushing over her foot…she fell asleep, and the next time she awoke, she did not remember any of her dreams. This was well, since they were not pleasant.

Maggie shivered in her sleep, and then woke up. She was quite cold. Of course, there was Althea, hogging the blanket again, all wrapped up in it. Maggie stretched her arm over to pull the quilt back again, but stopped in mid-reach. She had heard something, a voice, or was it multiple voices? Maggie jumped out of bed and ran to the door. One of the voices was Creusus speaking, she was sure, but it was not distinct enough for her to understand the words. What was he doing, having a conversation with some one in the middle of the night? She had to know. Hopping out of bed, she clambered down the stairs, into the bright kitchen.

“Creusus, what’s happening?” she cried, and then stopped, noticing the two other people in the room, who were staring at her in shock, a dark-haired boy and a small woman.
“This is a secret meeting of the Organization against Morgue. Go to bed! Please.” Creusus added, realizing he had raised his voice. Maggie just stood there.
"Please," repeated Creusus. Maggie protested, but he cut her short.
" I am doing this to protect you. The things we discuss here are for the ears of the organization alone. Children must have no part."
Maggie bit her tongue, thinking of all the things she would say if Creusus hadn't been so nice to them. She slowly climbed the creaky wooden stairs, hoping that they would begin talking as she did so, but it was quiet until she reached her room and closed the door. Trying to hear the muffled voices, Maggie sat at the edge of her bed. It was no use; she could hear nothing coherent. It wasn't fair, she thought. That boy didn't look much older than she, but he got to listen. Maggie sat and stroked her cuddlepuff in the darkness.

Jason woke up suddenly. Something very sharp was sticking in his side.
“Darn puffer lizard,” he muttered and sat up on the couch to rub where the animal had poked him. Why couldn’t it learn that the couch was not its territory any more? Jason yawned and felt his ears. Wincing, he realized they were still sore. Jason felt thirsty, and he did not feel like lying down on the puffer lizard again, so he ambled toward the kitchen in the darkness, nearly stumbling over a stool. The lights were on in the kitchen, blinding Jason temporarily.
He thought that this was strange, but he found one of Creusus' crude wooden glasses, filled it, and took a huge draught. It was at this very moment that he turned and saw Creusus, Bladely and Stella.
Choking on the water that he had breathed in when he gasped, he asked,
“What-cough cough-is-gag-going on?”
Creusus sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
“I see that I will never be able to keep this a secret from you children, so I might as well tell you what is going on. Would you mind fetching Maggie and Althea from their bedroom?”

Jason nodded, and began walking up the stairs, stunned. Weird things happened in this world.
He hesitated as he stood before the open door to the girls’ bedroom, not looking forward to the task that lay before him. Maggie was not exactly amiable when she first woke up, in fact, she was an absolute grump.
“Pssst. Mags!” he hissed. To his surprise, a dark figure which had been lying on the bed jumped, hitting its forehead on the headboard with a loud bang.
“Ouch! I was just getting to sleep! Thanks a lot, Jason!” his sister’s angry voice came through the darkness.
“Sorry,” mumbled Jason.
“Could you wake Althea up? Creusus wants us downstairs.”
“Finally, he’s going to tell us! But at this time of night…” Maggie sighed and began shaking Althea’s shoulder. Althea mumbled something and turned over, pulling most of the blanket with her.
“Wake up!” Maggie spoke loudly into her ear.
“What?” the plainly confused Althea asked.
“Creusus is finally going to tell us what’s happening! Come on!”
Althea slowly sat up and yawned audibly.
“Okay, whatever you say, I’m coming, I’m coming,”
She disentangled herself from the cocoon of quilts she had wrapped around herself and slid to the wooden floor. Maggie almost had to push Althea out of the room, and when she came into the light she was rubbing her eyes.
“Oh, hi Jason,” she greeted him with a sleepy smile when she saw him.
“Let’s go now,” Maggie said, and she and Jason rushed downstairs, with Althea coming sluggishly along behind them, hanging on to the stair rail for balance.
When they came to the bottom of the stairs three voices simultaneously spoke.
“Hello,”
“Sit down, and I’ll introduce you,” Creusus continued. The children dragged a few chairs to some vacant spots around the table and sat.
“This is Bladely,” the dark young boy smiled, and suddenly he didn’t seem so dark anymore.
“-and Stella,” the small woman extended her hand toward the children, who took turns shaking it.
“I’ve heard a bunch about you,” she said.
No one seemed to have anything else to say, so Althea suggested,
“Why don’t I make some blueberry glub? I’m thirsty, and you guys must be, after talking all this time,”
Creusus told her to go ahead, and Althea, who now seemed to be fully awake, bustled around the stove while he began to tell the story.
“You’ve heard that Morgue is coming here, and that we are close, very close, to destroying him, but before I tell you what is currently happening, I must give you some of Morgue’s history. You now how he came to power, but Morgue wouldn’t have kept it if he hadn’t become a wizard, one of the world’s most powerful.”
“Um, sorry to interrupt, but I thought wizards were born wizards and normal people can’t become them, you know?” Creusus nodded.
“Morgue did a rare thing, which can only be achieved by dark magic, and at a cost. In the process of his becoming a wizard, he had to make a choice, whether to become a normal wizard with only medium powers, but nothing that could take them away from him, or to become a wizard who is practically invincible, with only one kind of thing that can take those powers away. He chose the latter. The problem is that he had his friends destroy the things that would bereave him of his power. We had thought he was truly invincible then, until we found this.”
Creusus opened his hoary hand, which had been clasped tightly around something earlier. In his palm there lay a thing which he appeared to hold in awe, a small, smooth, grey, rock.
“Uuumm,” said Jason.
“Err,” said Althea.
“It’s a pebble.” said Maggie.
“I know, I know,” the exasperated Creusus said.
“It looks rather insignificant, doesn’t it? It’s really very powerful, though,” Bladely said, and Stella nodded, and added,
“It’s called Anoqoid, and it’s the only substance of its kind in Elcarim.”
“The Council of the Organization had given it to me, to protect, since I was in such a remote part of the land. We think that Morgue still knows nothing about it, as he is coming near it and not sending his lackeys to destroy it. Now Morgue is coming in two days. To prepare for this, the Council, with all the most important members of the Organization Against Morgue, is coming tomorrow night. Or actually tonight, seeing as it is morning,” Creusus amended himself, with a glance at the clock.
“With Morgue coming so close to the very thing that can annihilate him, the Organization is going to try to overthrow him. Stella and I must prepare to meet the council by gathering information about Garreidval. Morgue will make great changes to the town, but we must know which place he is most likely to place his central fortress. Since I will be busy, I was wondering if you children, including you, Bladely, would take care of my shop for the day tomorrow?”
“Sure,” Jason and Bladely said at the same time.
“Good,” said Creusus.
“I think that is all, is it not, Stella?”
Stella agreed.
“Yes, that’s all they need to know. I suggest they get some sleep now, because they have an early start today.”
She got up and shrugged her azure cloak further over herself, and Bladely did the same with his maroon one. Stella left with a short goodbye, and Bladely gave a weary,
“See you guys soon,”
Only after the door closed behind them did the children realize how tired they were. The girls were barely able to climb the stairs, but they did, and they fell asleep as soon as they closed their eyes.

Chapter VI
Jason, Althea, and Maggie stood at the front of Creusus’ house, waiting for Bladely to appear. Althea and Jason were quiet, not wanting to arouse Maggie’s anger by saying anything. The sun had risen over the hills, its bright beauty reflecting in the lake. Maggie felt her heavy eyelids closing and forced them open again.
Softly, a sound wafted to them on the fresh breeze that swept the grass. It was some one whistling a lively tune. Soon, the whistler appeared. He was Bladely, accompanied by Stella.
“Good morning!” he shouted and waved his hand.
Jason, Maggie, and Althea waved back. Stella greeted them quickly and entered the cottage.
“Have you worked at Creusus’ place long?” asked Bladely, to make conversation after they had politely asked the Slickgrass to let them pass.
“Only a day,” said Jason, between pants, for they were climbing the hill quickly.
“I hope we do okay,” said Bladely.
“I mean, I’ve never even been there.”
Jason had been thinking mainly about how weary he was until Bladely said this. Now he was worried about what he was going to do when he reached the store. He supposed it would be all right. How hard could keeping a pet store for a day be?
The crest of the hill was reached, and Maggie admired the little scene that lay before them. Sunlight shone of the roofs of the town, and people milled about.
“It’s like the towns you see in vacation guides to Europe,” she said.
“I never thought they could be real.” Garreidval did seem unreal that day, being such a contented and happy village. It was a pity it would not be that way for long.

When they reached Garreidval there seemed to be quite a commotion around one of the stands. It was very much like the one the Skippers had been performing one when the siren attacked. A man dressed in ridiculous clothes stood upon the platform, shouting through a cone that magnified his voice greatly, but he was screaming himself hoarse anyway.
“The most Honorable, Great, and Magnificent Lord, King and Emperor of all Elcarim, his majesty Morgue, is removing his great royal person and all his moderately great attendants and the servants of his moderately great attendants to this town, because of its central and therefore excellent, strategically, position. His Wonderful Majesty is arriving tonight, and the lowly inhabitants of this town shall greet him with great obeisance on this felicitous occasion.”
“What in the world did he say?” Althea was puzzled.

That's all I've written for now.
:)

Scio, diligo, servo, Deum.