Chapter Eight
The absence of pain felt so wonderful. Toby allowed himself to float aimlessly, happy to be simply safe and warm. What he had gone through just moments before had been the most excruciating pain he'd ever experienced. It was almost as if he'd been thrown against power lines, and yet somehow it was different. The power had coursed through his body in a way he was sure electricity never could. Oberon had certainly kept silent about this strange power the gnomes had, but Toby smiled smugly to himself; he had managed to escape. Somehow he'd escaped the magic, and still lived.
It was then that he finally allowed his senses to expand outward, and he realized that he was no longer with the gnomes. In fact, he didn't know where he was. Had he been somehow thrown into the night sky? All around him was blackness, but this was a different black from any he'd ever seen at night. Usually, the sky held at least some light, and it was never purely black; there were always streaks of deep purple or blue. Other stars twinkled all around Toby, but despite their brightness they gave no auras of light. It was as though the blackness was absorbing them.
The darkness was so complete, in fact, that when Toby looked down he couldn't even see his body. There seemed to be a white glow somewhere nearby, though…it almost seemed to be around his eyes. Toby turned and hurried to the nearest star, but it shed no light on him. That glow was still there, though, almost as if he was wearing glasses rimmed in white light. Turning around showed nothing behind him, but by that point he was realizing that the stars weren't bright enough to cause that glow anyway. Not unless he could somehow…get inside one…Finally, it began to dawn on him what was happening.
He wasn't just swimming in a sea of stars. He was one.
Vaguely, Toby remembered losing consciousness, and he'd just barely felt his heart stop beating before that happened. Had he really died, after all? This wasn't exactly his idea of heaven…and there was no fire, so it couldn't be hell, either. But then, he hadn't been in his own world when he died, he'd been in Faerie. Did that mean he went to their spirit worlds when he died? And if so, was he in a good place or a bad place?
He noted then that his emotions were muted, less intense than they'd been when he was alive. While he could sense the fear welling up inside him, it was almost as though the emotion was just a memory, like he was calling up a time when he'd been afraid and now only felt it distantly. Such a realization caused more worry to burgeon within him. As a human, feeling strong emotions was something that came as naturally as breathing. To have this blanket of calm over him, ironically, was doing nothing to calm him. And yet his fear couldn't break through; it just kept building behind that barrier, pressing against it as though it might break through at any moment.
The relative lack of emotion allowed his mind to remain clear, at least, and he was able to piece things together more logically. It made sense that if he was a star, then these other stars were probably also creatures. Toby zipped and bobbed around various bright spheres, studying them for any sign of life. Could any of them speak? Could he? If he was a star, that meant he had no mouth…but he could swear he could still feel his limbs, so maybe his mouth was still there somehow. He tried to say something.
"Toby, what are you doing here?"
Oh, geez. He sounded like a girl! This had to be hell! A wave of misery rolled through him, but was quickly stopped by that strange blanket of calm. He spun around, intending to zip off to his own pocket of blackness to mope, and almost smacked into another globe of light. He was pretty sure that star hadn't been there just moments ago. Curious, Toby began to hover around it, wondering if it was any different than the others he'd studied. He soon got the distinct feeling that the ball was following him as he spun around it. Finally, that feminine voice broke through the silence again, and he was relieved to discover the voice didn't belong to him.
"Would you stop that? You're making me dizzy." Pearly, rainbow colors shot through the globe of light as the voice spoke, which was the only sign that it was speaking. Toby paused and tested his voice again.
"Who're you? And where am I? How do you know me?"
"I am called Ti'Shalai na…"
"Ti!" Toby cried out joyously. The star before him rippled in rainbows as she laughed.
"Aye, 'tis I," she agreed. "So I would hope that answers two of your questions. As for where you are…'tis most unusual for you to be here at all, at least conscious as you are. How did you get here?"
"I…don't know," Toby drawled. "I was surrounded by gnomes, and I remember they did something to me and…I think I might have died."
There was a soft sound, almost like a sigh. "Aye, that would be one reason for your being in this place. But gnomes? You could not possibly have made it to Og'Mael so soon! What did these gnomes look like?"
Being in this place was making Toby's memories fade. Whereas he could remember things only vaguely before, now the memories were becoming more and more distant. He had to struggle to bring anything back. "They were all blond, and--"
"Say no more," Ti interrupted. "'Twas no gnome you saw; gnomes have no hair. Toby, you foolish human, you stumbled right into Elvish lands!"
A jolt of surprise briefly caused the blanket of calm to waver threateningly. "Elves?" he repeated, dumbfounded. "But Fif said…"
"Fif?" Suddenly, Ti's voice was dangerously low. "What did Fif have to do with this?"
"He found me when I was wandering one night. He promised to help me find Og'Mael. Do you know him?"
"Aye, I know him, the sly beast! Did Puck not teach you to be wary of creatures in Faerie?"
"Well yeah, and I didn't trust him! Not at first, anyway. I kept that compass stone Everlind gave me, and I used it the entire time…but then I lost it. And I didn't know where to go, but Fif said to just keep following the stream and it'd take us to Og'Mael." At this news, the ball of light that was Ti crackled with yellow light. Toby took it to be a sign of her displeasure, though he wasn't quite sure who it was directed at. He'd done something wrong, that much was obvious, but what exactly had happened? Ti loomed closer to him, but somehow the light never increased.
"The stream of which you speak runs east only a short while," she explained slowly, as though to a child. Indignance rumbled quietly beneath Toby's calm. "After that, it gradually curves southeast. Into the kingdom of the elves. The elves and those of the fae--"
"Don't get along," Toby mumbled. "Someone told me that already."
Ti hissed, and her star seemed to blur momentarily around the edges. "'Don't get along?'" she repeated. "The elves despise those with fae blood, and from everything I remember about you, your features could pass unbelievably well for one of our blood!"
"Why do they hate the fae?" Toby snapped, realizing belatedly that his emotions had temporarily broken through. "I don't know anything about your world! All I know are the stories Sarah told me when I was a baby, and I thought it was some kinda happy land, not…this!"
There was silence for a short while, during which time Ti's star rotated slowly, as though she was in thought. Finally, the star stopped spinning and her voice rang in the air…or maybe it was only in his mind that her voice spoke. They had no mouths, after all. "Well, 'tis apparent you have nowhere to go, and in this place time has no meaning, so I believe what's best for you is to learn our history. Maybe then, you'll have an appreciation for the danger in which you put yourself." Toby refrained from making a sarcastic reply.
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The history of Faerie begins, surprisingly, with the elves, for they were here first. Elves have always possessed a strong command over Earth magic, and they used it to care for the trees and flowers around them. Their lives were firmly intertwined with the forests and the mountains in which they made their homes, and in return for the stone and wood they used to make their dwellings, they felt they owed a debt back to the land, which they repaid by using their magic. In this way, a balance was kept.
The elves believe strongly in keeping a natural balance. If trees are felled to create dwellings, then new trees are planted and nurtured. The killing of animals for food is considered a fair exchange, for when the elves die, their bodies provide food for the earth, which in turn feeds the herbivores and then feeds the carnivores. This balance is more than simply a way of life; it is life. A pull too strongly in one direction or the other, and it is believed that only ruin can result.
An interruption to the balance occurred many thousands of years ago. Without explanation, elves began to have offspring whose magic lay in realms other than that of Earth. These offspring could call fire from nothing, manipulate air in ways never before seen, and even call back spirits. The elves were terrified, having never witnessed such strange magics, and they ordered all such creatures killed lest the balance be ruined. But these births were occurring more often, just as unexplainably as they'd begun, and it eventually became apparent that to kill them all would be to significantly reduce the Elvish population.
So, these new elves, now called faeries--'born of fire and air'--were allowed to live. From the time of birth until their adulthood, they were taught respect for nature and keeping the balance. Very few of this new breed had more than a small command of Earth magic, and so their repayment to the land was given more through sheer physical labor. The magic that so aided the elves in their work was not available for the fae, who could not bring roots and rocks to move, or call upon the aid of the animals. This was the first divide between the two races.
The second divide happened not long after, by our world's perception of time. By mortal world standards, it took centuries. A group of fae, upset and angered at having to exhaust themselves daily with such mundane tasks, decided to leave their ancestral home for the secluded land farther north. This land became known as Faerie, and its inhabitants used their magic for things never permitted by the elves. They created elaborate homes for themselves, tearing apart forests and even the mountainsides farther north to do so. No balance was kept here; trees were never planted to replace those taken, mountains were disfigured from the fighting that broke out between territorial clans, and animals were being hunted not only for food but also for sport.
Arrogance is an insidious thing, growing so gradually that it's almost impossible to measure. These fae, who'd been gripped by it from the moment they decided to leave their homeland, soon became overcome by it. They believed their powers to be far superior to any other creature, and as such believed they should be in control of all. By now, through breeding with their own race, several different creatures had been created--all of them fae, but with different features and bone structures. Some were tiny, and were called sprites; others grew to almost gigantic proportions and took up residence deep within the mountains. Yet others were almost vampirical in nature, and these were the first to discover the veil that separates our world from the realm of mortals.
Those were dark days for the mortals, for once one breed of fae discovered the sport in taking humans, who had no magic at all, soon many others joined in the amusement. Nightly raids were a common occurrence for those living isolated in the country, but even daylight posed dangers, especially for children. Many creatures delighted in kidnapping and murdering small children, so much so that they quickly found themselves the subject of bedtime stories. Now, of course, these stories are thought of as a parent's crafty way of keeping children in line, but back then the fear was very real.
Once this new game lost most of its appeal, the fae turned greedy eyes toward the verdant lands of their ancestors. Faerie had almost become a complete wasteland, and resources were low. What they didn't know, however, was that the elves and those fae still living in Elvish lands had been doing some plotting of their own. Before the creatures of Faerie could so much as assemble a force to attack, they themselves were attacked. This is known as the first Elvish rebellion, and Faerie was quickly reminded of the power that elves possessed. Though never before used for destruction, Earth magic could just as easily be used to rip the earth apart as it could be used to heal. And it could do the same damage to someone that Fire and Air could, but with the difference that it worked from the inside rather than externally. Blood was made to boil, hearts to cease beating, and skin to melt off the bones. This magic had no opponent, and because of this the elves ripped through hundreds of thousands of fae. They took no joy in this killing; in their eyes, they were merely restoring balance to the earth.
Those fae that remained retreated as far as possible, some of them east, beyond the lands that are now called Og'Mael; and others of them west, where the magic of the Underground changed their forms to something ugly but relatively harmless: goblins. There were so few survivors that at first, the elves had no knowledge of their existence. The fae who had sided with the elves made the decision to remain in Faerie, to repair the extensive damage that had been wrought by their careless brethren. There was a peaceful coexistence between the two races for many years, as each worked to keep balance with the land on which they lived. Different races of fae once again began to appear, and Faerie flourished with such a variety of creatures tending to her needs. But then some faeries began mating with elves, and this is where we come to the next great mutation: the gnomes.
Gnomish babies are skinny, wrinkled, sickly looking creatures, and they don't appear much better as adults. Their skin has a bluish cast to it, as though their veins are all too close to the surface of their skin, and their eyes are murky gray. They're completely hairless, their teeth are gapped and pointed, and with few exceptions their intelligence is very low. They look nothing like the so-called gnomes you humans sometimes place in front of your homes; those are, in fact, a different branch of the faerie race. The elves and fae at first came to the same decision of their Elvish ancestors when the race of faeries first began: kill these distasteful mutations. However, from what they could tell, the creatures had little or no magic of their own, and as such were no threat to the balance…which meant that killing them would affect the balance.
Elves, despite their fanatical obsession with balance, do not like to look upon that which is ugly. To walk into Elvish lands is to walk into a world of unparalleled beauty, for they do not allow ugliness to come near them. And so they exiled the gnomes to the same place that they sent all ugly things: Og'Mael. No one could understand how such a mutation occurred, but it was suspected that the mingling of Earth magic with Fire, Air, and Spirit was to blame. Fae and elf partnerings gradually ceased, but another problem soon arose.
The fae who descended directly from elves were being outnumbered by their mutated offspring, who never took the form of their parents but were always sprites, imps, sirens, or some other form of creature. By that time, some fae had discovered a way of reaching the mortal world, just as their brethren had, and as they looked so similar to humans, some--mostly the women--took humans as their mates. The offspring of these pairings exactly resembled their fae parent, and almost always possessed the same magic. When this happened over and over without exception, it was soon realized that fae had to mate with humans in order to keep their bloodlines strong. This is one of the reasons why our kind so frequently travel to the mortal world. Very rarely, the fae and human will fall in love, but neither creature can live for long in the other's world. Those pairings always end in heartache, and are of course heavily discouraged.
Living away from the elves meant that over time, the fae began to forget the lessons they'd been taught. They began using their magics to control and manipulate, but in their fear of Earth magic, an item of power was created: the Imperial Diadem. Those few faeries who had even a small command over Earth magic helped to create it, and in the end it turned into a talisman to negate the terrible effects Elvish magic could cause. With this powerful object, they took over their ancestral lands and named them part of Faerie. The elves were now considered another form of faerie, instead of the other way around, and were thought of as something less intelligent. They were never mistreated, but merely thought of as a less important species that happened to live to the southeast.
Only recently have the elves fought back, and taken their lands back as well. They consider themselves completely severed now from the race that they bore so many centuries ago, and any fae who enter their lands is immediately killed so as to give no opportunity to once again interrupt the balance. How Faerie will finally react to this is up to the discretion of Oberon and Titania, though as of now they are at a standstill without the aid of the Imperial Diadem. Meanwhile, the small group of fae who'd long ago retreated east of Og'Mael, now known as the Unseelie Court, seeks to use such a weakness to their advantage, to take back the land they once owned. Faerie's only possible ally in these times is the Underground, a vast area to the west. The gnomes, who are weak-minded and will follow anyone with power, have more or less sided with the Unseelie Court, a consequence of having cast them out of both Elvish and fae lands.
It would seem the elves had been correct in fearing what would happen should faeries be permitted to live past birth; the balance seems to be irreparably skewed.
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"So what about humans?" Toby inquired, once Ti had finished her story. "We didn't do anything to the elves! We were just mindin' our own business when the faeries started coming over and killing us and…doing it with us!"
"If the elves had known you were mortal, I assume they would have simply cast you out of their lands," Ti replied. There was an underlying hint of confusion in her voice. "You have no magic, and so could do nothing to upset their balance, therefore they couldn't kill you. You do look fae, however--at least, in corporeal form--and 'tis rumored that small groups of faeries have tried to invade Elvish lands, so perhaps they simply thought you to be a part of those groups."
"Well then…if I'm dead, why are you here?"
"'Tis the sort of question that has had me puzzled since I first discovered you," Ti admitted. "This is a world between worlds, I suppose one could say. These bits of light you see around you are dreams. Every so often, one will blink out, which means the dreamer has come awake. 'Tis possible to enter this realm while conscious, as I have, but it requires strong command of Spirit magic. If I so desired, I could manipulate a person through their dreams."
"Is that what you're doing here?"
"No, I merely wished to find somebody." Suddenly, the fae sounded mysterious, hiding something she obviously didn't want Toby to know.
"So how can I be here if I'm dead? Is this where people come after they die?"
"No, no, of course not. To hold one in this world requires an even greater command of Spirit than I possess. Someone very powerful must have connected to you during your travels, Toby. It is their power that holds you here."
Toby had no idea who could have enough power to hold him between worlds, but he didn't think it could be Sarah. She'd gotten some kind of funky powers from Jareth, but she was still mostly human. Jareth could have possibly done it--Toby had no idea what sorts of powers the Goblin King had--but he doubted it. The only person he could think of who would have known what kind of danger he was in, and wanted to help him, was Fif. Hadn't the fae vowed he'd keep Toby safe? When Toby voiced his conclusion, Ti gave a bark of humorless laughter.
"If you ever find yourself in the company of that creature again, destroy him before he has a chance to destroy you," she said coldly. "'Tis by his design that you find yourself where you are, aye, but only where you find your body, not your spirit. Fif Oran would never benignly help another; he is swiftly on his way to joining the Unseelie Court."
This was the biggest shock Toby had received yet, big enough that the blanket of calm covering his emotions was suddenly rent. Anger flooded through, and with it came a warmth he hadn't felt since arriving in this strange world between worlds. He felt alive again, but even as he felt that life flow through him, his vision began to cloud and darken. A thin streamer of light shot out from Ti's star and clung to him, and he could hear her voice in his head telling him to hide when he came back to his body, that she would find him and help him escape Elvish lands. He was about to ask how he could trust her, when it seemed as though he couldn't trust anybody…but then abruptly her connection to him was severed and he was thrown into blackness.
What seemed like only moments later, Toby opened his eyes. He was lying on hard ground, and his body felt cold and ill-used. How long he'd been outside his body, he didn't know, but it seemed as though he was in the same place he'd been when he first awakened to see the elves surrounding him. Once his muscles obeyed direction again, he sat up and peered into the darkness. He was alone, or so it seemed. Trees surrounded him, and the sweet smell of flowers floated on the air. Somewhere, an owl hooted quietly, and beyond that…the sound of flowing water.
Unable to believe his luck, Toby scrambled to his feet. Just as quickly, he fell back to his knees. His muscles were weak, both from what had just happened to him and from the lack of food and water. They felt like jelly, unable to withstand any pressure put on them. Even from that small amount of exertion, he could feel his calf muscles trembling. But he couldn't just stay where he was; glancing over his shoulder, he could see light shining from a nearby Elvish dwelling. Once morning arrived, the elves would find him still alive and try to kill him all over again. From what he'd already experienced, dying at the hands of the elves was something he didn't want to experience a second time.
Somehow, he managed to crawl to the stream's edge. By the time he'd finally reached the grassy bank, he'd practically been pushing himself on his stomach. His arms and legs were shaking violently from use, and his throat was parched. Without thinking, he let his head fall into the water and drank deeply, only lifting his face long enough to take a gasping breath before drinking more. After he'd had his fill, Toby rolled onto his back and stared up at the dark canopy of leaves overhead. If there were stars out, he couldn't see them, and at that moment he didn't care. Heaving a deep sigh, he let his eyes drift closed as he fell asleep.
A noise awoke him sometime later. Though he wasn't sure how long he'd been sleeping, the sky was still dark, so he couldn't have been there too long. The respite had been just enough to clear his senses, though, and whatever the noise that had awoken him, he knew he didn't want to stick around to see what--or who--had made it. Soundlessly, he slipped into the stream and allowed its strong current to carry him away from his hiding spot…and hopefully away from Elvish territory.
Ti's admonishment came back to him as he navigated his way through the rockier portions of the stream--which had now turned into something of a narrow river, with its darker water and rushing current. Hide yourself well until I can find you, she had told him, for find you I will, and see you safely back to Faerie. Toby wanted to believe her, as she'd done nothing thus far to harm him, but after Fif's betrayal, it was hard to trust anyone. If he was going to make it back to safe ground, he would have to do it on his own. And he would march straight back to Oberon and tell him to find the Imperial Diadem himself, because this mortal wasn't going to get caught up in any more of his games!
When he felt he'd traveled far enough, Toby managed to swim to the opposite bank and climb out of the water. Once again completely exhausted, he crawled beneath a large rock outcropping and quickly fell asleep.
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"I'm terribly sorry, Your Highness, but you simply cannot see King Oberon without--" Jareth cut off the servant's speech with an impatient kick. As they passed by, Sarah looked back at the man, who was now hunched over in pain, and couldn't help a soft giggle.
"Jareth, these aren't your goblins," she reminded, patting the arm through which hers was linked. A hint of a smile twitched at his lips.
"Would you give me such a reproach if it had been Oberon I'd just kicked?"
"No," she responded vehemently, "I would have added several of my own." Jareth chuckled and gave her hand a squeeze just before barging into the castle's Great Hall.
Apparently, Faerie's royalty had decided that some merrymaking was in order; the room was filled with fae nobles eating, drinking, and talking loudly. Laughter rang throughout the room, but when the two large doors leading into the hall slammed against stone, all noise abruptly cut off. As all faces turned toward the king and queen of the Underground, Jareth made sure they were aware of his anger. He could feel Sarah bristling beside him, and taking a brief glance at her face, nearly smiled with pride at how dark her expression had become. No man, fae or otherwise, could stand tall under that gaze.
After several moments, quiet murmurings began to ripple through the assembled nobles. Fearful glances flicked between the two kings and queens, as though expecting sparks to fly at any moment. Jareth was agonizingly slow in turning his raptor's gaze to Faerie's monarchs, but by the time he had, the rest of the room was practically cowering in fear of what he might do. Neither Oberon nor Titania seemed affected by this unwelcome interruption to their festivities, though Titania had a look of mild surprise in her large brown eyes. Sarah's hand went to the pendant around her neck, and Jareth knew she was about to make a wish…probably one to send Oberon to the underworld, if he knew his wife. He placed a cautionary hand over hers, then looked back up to the front of the room.
"Ah, Jareth," Oberon greeted, his voice rich and deep. He smiled at Sarah, who made no effort to return the pleasantries. "Queen Sarah, I was beginning to wonder when you'd pay us a visit. So fortunate you decided to arrive now, when the festivities have only just begun."
"We are not here to join in on your little party," Jareth sneered. Oberon nodded slowly.
"I thought as much. I suppose you're here to discuss your nephew, then."
"You would be correct."
"Then you also know that young Toby was a trespasser, and therefore should have been condemned to death, had I not shown him kindness."
"'Kindness?'" Sarah snapped, taking a step forward. Jareth used the arm still linked with his to gently pull her back. The other fae assembled in the room now leaned forward eagerly, waiting to see who would strike first. "Lest you forget, Oberon, the Underground is your only ally against the forces that would see your kind destroyed. It's not such a wise idea to make enemies of us."
"But you see, your brother is our ally, Queen Sarah," Oberon replied smoothly. "Even now, he is aiding us in retrieving the Imperial Diadem."
"He's been taken by the elves!" Jareth roared. The assemblage flinched back from his ire. Oberon, however, seemed pleased by this news. Too pleased.
"Truly? Then he has helped us more than any of us could have ever dreamed. With a mortal in their hands, the advantage is now in my hands." Dark brows lowered over his eyes as his smile widened. "Once they realize their mistake in killing a mortal, their horror at upsetting the balance will put the elves right into my hands."
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"Toby, wake up!"
The voice was a harsh, fearful whisper in his ear. Despite his lingering fatigue, Toby woke up immediately and scrambled to sit up. After hitting his head painfully on the rock above him, he turned bleary eyes to the source of the voice. A pair of wide violet eyes met his gaze. "Everlind!" he exclaimed, smiling happily at seeing his old friend. The smile quickly vanished when he realized how far from the castle she must have come to find him. "What're you doing here?"
"Please, Toby, 'tis no time for explanations," she murmured, her eyes flicking around nervously. Her dress, with its many pockets, was torn and dirty; and her hair, which had been so neatly upswept the last time he'd seen her, was now tangled and windblown. Bits of leaves and even small twigs were stuck in the ebon strands. "We must leave this place now!" She reached out to take his hand, but he scuttled as far away from her as the rock would allow.
"D'you know what I've been through since I left that castle?" he asked. "Some guy named Fif led me right here into Elvish lands, and they killed me!"
"I know," she replied, her eyes shifting to the ground. "'Twas I who held you in the spirit world until you found the way back to your body."
"You…! But Ti said…"
"Aye, 'tis a vast amount of Spirit magic required to do such a thing as I did," she agreed. Her eyes suddenly became watery. "Oh, Toby, the things you will hear about me upon our return will certainly bring you to hate me! I am not proud of what I was forced to do, but please know that fear was the reason I did it! Ryo can be so cruel…" Wiping a nose crudely on her sleeve, she sniffled once and composed herself. "There is no time for explanations. Come, Toby, we must leave."
"Why should I believe you? I haven't been able to believe anyone else!"
"Because I will tell you the truth. And right now, the truth is that we are in Og'Mael and the Unseelie Court's gnomes have found us."
That was reason enough for Toby. Following Everlind from beneath the outcropping, Toby scrambled to his feet and ran as though Death itself was on his heels. And, for all he knew, it was.
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Notes: HUGE thanks go to Clever Lass (she really is clever! heehee) for her review. That was the best kind of review I could have gotten; I really appreciated those suggestions! As I looked back over the notes I'd written for certain bits of this fanfic, I discovered that I had written a reminder to write about the history of the elves and such, but without that reminder, I don't think I ever would have written anything about it! I hope this chapter answered some background questions...LOL, I know I completely rewrote the history of the fae! But hey, that's what's so beautiful about fiction, right? I apologize--again--for how long it took me to get this chapter cranked out, but I'm still suffering from severe writer's block. :P Things are beginning to tumble toward the conclusion, though! :)
The absence of pain felt so wonderful. Toby allowed himself to float aimlessly, happy to be simply safe and warm. What he had gone through just moments before had been the most excruciating pain he'd ever experienced. It was almost as if he'd been thrown against power lines, and yet somehow it was different. The power had coursed through his body in a way he was sure electricity never could. Oberon had certainly kept silent about this strange power the gnomes had, but Toby smiled smugly to himself; he had managed to escape. Somehow he'd escaped the magic, and still lived.
It was then that he finally allowed his senses to expand outward, and he realized that he was no longer with the gnomes. In fact, he didn't know where he was. Had he been somehow thrown into the night sky? All around him was blackness, but this was a different black from any he'd ever seen at night. Usually, the sky held at least some light, and it was never purely black; there were always streaks of deep purple or blue. Other stars twinkled all around Toby, but despite their brightness they gave no auras of light. It was as though the blackness was absorbing them.
The darkness was so complete, in fact, that when Toby looked down he couldn't even see his body. There seemed to be a white glow somewhere nearby, though…it almost seemed to be around his eyes. Toby turned and hurried to the nearest star, but it shed no light on him. That glow was still there, though, almost as if he was wearing glasses rimmed in white light. Turning around showed nothing behind him, but by that point he was realizing that the stars weren't bright enough to cause that glow anyway. Not unless he could somehow…get inside one…Finally, it began to dawn on him what was happening.
He wasn't just swimming in a sea of stars. He was one.
Vaguely, Toby remembered losing consciousness, and he'd just barely felt his heart stop beating before that happened. Had he really died, after all? This wasn't exactly his idea of heaven…and there was no fire, so it couldn't be hell, either. But then, he hadn't been in his own world when he died, he'd been in Faerie. Did that mean he went to their spirit worlds when he died? And if so, was he in a good place or a bad place?
He noted then that his emotions were muted, less intense than they'd been when he was alive. While he could sense the fear welling up inside him, it was almost as though the emotion was just a memory, like he was calling up a time when he'd been afraid and now only felt it distantly. Such a realization caused more worry to burgeon within him. As a human, feeling strong emotions was something that came as naturally as breathing. To have this blanket of calm over him, ironically, was doing nothing to calm him. And yet his fear couldn't break through; it just kept building behind that barrier, pressing against it as though it might break through at any moment.
The relative lack of emotion allowed his mind to remain clear, at least, and he was able to piece things together more logically. It made sense that if he was a star, then these other stars were probably also creatures. Toby zipped and bobbed around various bright spheres, studying them for any sign of life. Could any of them speak? Could he? If he was a star, that meant he had no mouth…but he could swear he could still feel his limbs, so maybe his mouth was still there somehow. He tried to say something.
"Toby, what are you doing here?"
Oh, geez. He sounded like a girl! This had to be hell! A wave of misery rolled through him, but was quickly stopped by that strange blanket of calm. He spun around, intending to zip off to his own pocket of blackness to mope, and almost smacked into another globe of light. He was pretty sure that star hadn't been there just moments ago. Curious, Toby began to hover around it, wondering if it was any different than the others he'd studied. He soon got the distinct feeling that the ball was following him as he spun around it. Finally, that feminine voice broke through the silence again, and he was relieved to discover the voice didn't belong to him.
"Would you stop that? You're making me dizzy." Pearly, rainbow colors shot through the globe of light as the voice spoke, which was the only sign that it was speaking. Toby paused and tested his voice again.
"Who're you? And where am I? How do you know me?"
"I am called Ti'Shalai na…"
"Ti!" Toby cried out joyously. The star before him rippled in rainbows as she laughed.
"Aye, 'tis I," she agreed. "So I would hope that answers two of your questions. As for where you are…'tis most unusual for you to be here at all, at least conscious as you are. How did you get here?"
"I…don't know," Toby drawled. "I was surrounded by gnomes, and I remember they did something to me and…I think I might have died."
There was a soft sound, almost like a sigh. "Aye, that would be one reason for your being in this place. But gnomes? You could not possibly have made it to Og'Mael so soon! What did these gnomes look like?"
Being in this place was making Toby's memories fade. Whereas he could remember things only vaguely before, now the memories were becoming more and more distant. He had to struggle to bring anything back. "They were all blond, and--"
"Say no more," Ti interrupted. "'Twas no gnome you saw; gnomes have no hair. Toby, you foolish human, you stumbled right into Elvish lands!"
A jolt of surprise briefly caused the blanket of calm to waver threateningly. "Elves?" he repeated, dumbfounded. "But Fif said…"
"Fif?" Suddenly, Ti's voice was dangerously low. "What did Fif have to do with this?"
"He found me when I was wandering one night. He promised to help me find Og'Mael. Do you know him?"
"Aye, I know him, the sly beast! Did Puck not teach you to be wary of creatures in Faerie?"
"Well yeah, and I didn't trust him! Not at first, anyway. I kept that compass stone Everlind gave me, and I used it the entire time…but then I lost it. And I didn't know where to go, but Fif said to just keep following the stream and it'd take us to Og'Mael." At this news, the ball of light that was Ti crackled with yellow light. Toby took it to be a sign of her displeasure, though he wasn't quite sure who it was directed at. He'd done something wrong, that much was obvious, but what exactly had happened? Ti loomed closer to him, but somehow the light never increased.
"The stream of which you speak runs east only a short while," she explained slowly, as though to a child. Indignance rumbled quietly beneath Toby's calm. "After that, it gradually curves southeast. Into the kingdom of the elves. The elves and those of the fae--"
"Don't get along," Toby mumbled. "Someone told me that already."
Ti hissed, and her star seemed to blur momentarily around the edges. "'Don't get along?'" she repeated. "The elves despise those with fae blood, and from everything I remember about you, your features could pass unbelievably well for one of our blood!"
"Why do they hate the fae?" Toby snapped, realizing belatedly that his emotions had temporarily broken through. "I don't know anything about your world! All I know are the stories Sarah told me when I was a baby, and I thought it was some kinda happy land, not…this!"
There was silence for a short while, during which time Ti's star rotated slowly, as though she was in thought. Finally, the star stopped spinning and her voice rang in the air…or maybe it was only in his mind that her voice spoke. They had no mouths, after all. "Well, 'tis apparent you have nowhere to go, and in this place time has no meaning, so I believe what's best for you is to learn our history. Maybe then, you'll have an appreciation for the danger in which you put yourself." Toby refrained from making a sarcastic reply.
The history of Faerie begins, surprisingly, with the elves, for they were here first. Elves have always possessed a strong command over Earth magic, and they used it to care for the trees and flowers around them. Their lives were firmly intertwined with the forests and the mountains in which they made their homes, and in return for the stone and wood they used to make their dwellings, they felt they owed a debt back to the land, which they repaid by using their magic. In this way, a balance was kept.
The elves believe strongly in keeping a natural balance. If trees are felled to create dwellings, then new trees are planted and nurtured. The killing of animals for food is considered a fair exchange, for when the elves die, their bodies provide food for the earth, which in turn feeds the herbivores and then feeds the carnivores. This balance is more than simply a way of life; it is life. A pull too strongly in one direction or the other, and it is believed that only ruin can result.
An interruption to the balance occurred many thousands of years ago. Without explanation, elves began to have offspring whose magic lay in realms other than that of Earth. These offspring could call fire from nothing, manipulate air in ways never before seen, and even call back spirits. The elves were terrified, having never witnessed such strange magics, and they ordered all such creatures killed lest the balance be ruined. But these births were occurring more often, just as unexplainably as they'd begun, and it eventually became apparent that to kill them all would be to significantly reduce the Elvish population.
So, these new elves, now called faeries--'born of fire and air'--were allowed to live. From the time of birth until their adulthood, they were taught respect for nature and keeping the balance. Very few of this new breed had more than a small command of Earth magic, and so their repayment to the land was given more through sheer physical labor. The magic that so aided the elves in their work was not available for the fae, who could not bring roots and rocks to move, or call upon the aid of the animals. This was the first divide between the two races.
The second divide happened not long after, by our world's perception of time. By mortal world standards, it took centuries. A group of fae, upset and angered at having to exhaust themselves daily with such mundane tasks, decided to leave their ancestral home for the secluded land farther north. This land became known as Faerie, and its inhabitants used their magic for things never permitted by the elves. They created elaborate homes for themselves, tearing apart forests and even the mountainsides farther north to do so. No balance was kept here; trees were never planted to replace those taken, mountains were disfigured from the fighting that broke out between territorial clans, and animals were being hunted not only for food but also for sport.
Arrogance is an insidious thing, growing so gradually that it's almost impossible to measure. These fae, who'd been gripped by it from the moment they decided to leave their homeland, soon became overcome by it. They believed their powers to be far superior to any other creature, and as such believed they should be in control of all. By now, through breeding with their own race, several different creatures had been created--all of them fae, but with different features and bone structures. Some were tiny, and were called sprites; others grew to almost gigantic proportions and took up residence deep within the mountains. Yet others were almost vampirical in nature, and these were the first to discover the veil that separates our world from the realm of mortals.
Those were dark days for the mortals, for once one breed of fae discovered the sport in taking humans, who had no magic at all, soon many others joined in the amusement. Nightly raids were a common occurrence for those living isolated in the country, but even daylight posed dangers, especially for children. Many creatures delighted in kidnapping and murdering small children, so much so that they quickly found themselves the subject of bedtime stories. Now, of course, these stories are thought of as a parent's crafty way of keeping children in line, but back then the fear was very real.
Once this new game lost most of its appeal, the fae turned greedy eyes toward the verdant lands of their ancestors. Faerie had almost become a complete wasteland, and resources were low. What they didn't know, however, was that the elves and those fae still living in Elvish lands had been doing some plotting of their own. Before the creatures of Faerie could so much as assemble a force to attack, they themselves were attacked. This is known as the first Elvish rebellion, and Faerie was quickly reminded of the power that elves possessed. Though never before used for destruction, Earth magic could just as easily be used to rip the earth apart as it could be used to heal. And it could do the same damage to someone that Fire and Air could, but with the difference that it worked from the inside rather than externally. Blood was made to boil, hearts to cease beating, and skin to melt off the bones. This magic had no opponent, and because of this the elves ripped through hundreds of thousands of fae. They took no joy in this killing; in their eyes, they were merely restoring balance to the earth.
Those fae that remained retreated as far as possible, some of them east, beyond the lands that are now called Og'Mael; and others of them west, where the magic of the Underground changed their forms to something ugly but relatively harmless: goblins. There were so few survivors that at first, the elves had no knowledge of their existence. The fae who had sided with the elves made the decision to remain in Faerie, to repair the extensive damage that had been wrought by their careless brethren. There was a peaceful coexistence between the two races for many years, as each worked to keep balance with the land on which they lived. Different races of fae once again began to appear, and Faerie flourished with such a variety of creatures tending to her needs. But then some faeries began mating with elves, and this is where we come to the next great mutation: the gnomes.
Gnomish babies are skinny, wrinkled, sickly looking creatures, and they don't appear much better as adults. Their skin has a bluish cast to it, as though their veins are all too close to the surface of their skin, and their eyes are murky gray. They're completely hairless, their teeth are gapped and pointed, and with few exceptions their intelligence is very low. They look nothing like the so-called gnomes you humans sometimes place in front of your homes; those are, in fact, a different branch of the faerie race. The elves and fae at first came to the same decision of their Elvish ancestors when the race of faeries first began: kill these distasteful mutations. However, from what they could tell, the creatures had little or no magic of their own, and as such were no threat to the balance…which meant that killing them would affect the balance.
Elves, despite their fanatical obsession with balance, do not like to look upon that which is ugly. To walk into Elvish lands is to walk into a world of unparalleled beauty, for they do not allow ugliness to come near them. And so they exiled the gnomes to the same place that they sent all ugly things: Og'Mael. No one could understand how such a mutation occurred, but it was suspected that the mingling of Earth magic with Fire, Air, and Spirit was to blame. Fae and elf partnerings gradually ceased, but another problem soon arose.
The fae who descended directly from elves were being outnumbered by their mutated offspring, who never took the form of their parents but were always sprites, imps, sirens, or some other form of creature. By that time, some fae had discovered a way of reaching the mortal world, just as their brethren had, and as they looked so similar to humans, some--mostly the women--took humans as their mates. The offspring of these pairings exactly resembled their fae parent, and almost always possessed the same magic. When this happened over and over without exception, it was soon realized that fae had to mate with humans in order to keep their bloodlines strong. This is one of the reasons why our kind so frequently travel to the mortal world. Very rarely, the fae and human will fall in love, but neither creature can live for long in the other's world. Those pairings always end in heartache, and are of course heavily discouraged.
Living away from the elves meant that over time, the fae began to forget the lessons they'd been taught. They began using their magics to control and manipulate, but in their fear of Earth magic, an item of power was created: the Imperial Diadem. Those few faeries who had even a small command over Earth magic helped to create it, and in the end it turned into a talisman to negate the terrible effects Elvish magic could cause. With this powerful object, they took over their ancestral lands and named them part of Faerie. The elves were now considered another form of faerie, instead of the other way around, and were thought of as something less intelligent. They were never mistreated, but merely thought of as a less important species that happened to live to the southeast.
Only recently have the elves fought back, and taken their lands back as well. They consider themselves completely severed now from the race that they bore so many centuries ago, and any fae who enter their lands is immediately killed so as to give no opportunity to once again interrupt the balance. How Faerie will finally react to this is up to the discretion of Oberon and Titania, though as of now they are at a standstill without the aid of the Imperial Diadem. Meanwhile, the small group of fae who'd long ago retreated east of Og'Mael, now known as the Unseelie Court, seeks to use such a weakness to their advantage, to take back the land they once owned. Faerie's only possible ally in these times is the Underground, a vast area to the west. The gnomes, who are weak-minded and will follow anyone with power, have more or less sided with the Unseelie Court, a consequence of having cast them out of both Elvish and fae lands.
It would seem the elves had been correct in fearing what would happen should faeries be permitted to live past birth; the balance seems to be irreparably skewed.
"So what about humans?" Toby inquired, once Ti had finished her story. "We didn't do anything to the elves! We were just mindin' our own business when the faeries started coming over and killing us and…doing it with us!"
"If the elves had known you were mortal, I assume they would have simply cast you out of their lands," Ti replied. There was an underlying hint of confusion in her voice. "You have no magic, and so could do nothing to upset their balance, therefore they couldn't kill you. You do look fae, however--at least, in corporeal form--and 'tis rumored that small groups of faeries have tried to invade Elvish lands, so perhaps they simply thought you to be a part of those groups."
"Well then…if I'm dead, why are you here?"
"'Tis the sort of question that has had me puzzled since I first discovered you," Ti admitted. "This is a world between worlds, I suppose one could say. These bits of light you see around you are dreams. Every so often, one will blink out, which means the dreamer has come awake. 'Tis possible to enter this realm while conscious, as I have, but it requires strong command of Spirit magic. If I so desired, I could manipulate a person through their dreams."
"Is that what you're doing here?"
"No, I merely wished to find somebody." Suddenly, the fae sounded mysterious, hiding something she obviously didn't want Toby to know.
"So how can I be here if I'm dead? Is this where people come after they die?"
"No, no, of course not. To hold one in this world requires an even greater command of Spirit than I possess. Someone very powerful must have connected to you during your travels, Toby. It is their power that holds you here."
Toby had no idea who could have enough power to hold him between worlds, but he didn't think it could be Sarah. She'd gotten some kind of funky powers from Jareth, but she was still mostly human. Jareth could have possibly done it--Toby had no idea what sorts of powers the Goblin King had--but he doubted it. The only person he could think of who would have known what kind of danger he was in, and wanted to help him, was Fif. Hadn't the fae vowed he'd keep Toby safe? When Toby voiced his conclusion, Ti gave a bark of humorless laughter.
"If you ever find yourself in the company of that creature again, destroy him before he has a chance to destroy you," she said coldly. "'Tis by his design that you find yourself where you are, aye, but only where you find your body, not your spirit. Fif Oran would never benignly help another; he is swiftly on his way to joining the Unseelie Court."
This was the biggest shock Toby had received yet, big enough that the blanket of calm covering his emotions was suddenly rent. Anger flooded through, and with it came a warmth he hadn't felt since arriving in this strange world between worlds. He felt alive again, but even as he felt that life flow through him, his vision began to cloud and darken. A thin streamer of light shot out from Ti's star and clung to him, and he could hear her voice in his head telling him to hide when he came back to his body, that she would find him and help him escape Elvish lands. He was about to ask how he could trust her, when it seemed as though he couldn't trust anybody…but then abruptly her connection to him was severed and he was thrown into blackness.
What seemed like only moments later, Toby opened his eyes. He was lying on hard ground, and his body felt cold and ill-used. How long he'd been outside his body, he didn't know, but it seemed as though he was in the same place he'd been when he first awakened to see the elves surrounding him. Once his muscles obeyed direction again, he sat up and peered into the darkness. He was alone, or so it seemed. Trees surrounded him, and the sweet smell of flowers floated on the air. Somewhere, an owl hooted quietly, and beyond that…the sound of flowing water.
Unable to believe his luck, Toby scrambled to his feet. Just as quickly, he fell back to his knees. His muscles were weak, both from what had just happened to him and from the lack of food and water. They felt like jelly, unable to withstand any pressure put on them. Even from that small amount of exertion, he could feel his calf muscles trembling. But he couldn't just stay where he was; glancing over his shoulder, he could see light shining from a nearby Elvish dwelling. Once morning arrived, the elves would find him still alive and try to kill him all over again. From what he'd already experienced, dying at the hands of the elves was something he didn't want to experience a second time.
Somehow, he managed to crawl to the stream's edge. By the time he'd finally reached the grassy bank, he'd practically been pushing himself on his stomach. His arms and legs were shaking violently from use, and his throat was parched. Without thinking, he let his head fall into the water and drank deeply, only lifting his face long enough to take a gasping breath before drinking more. After he'd had his fill, Toby rolled onto his back and stared up at the dark canopy of leaves overhead. If there were stars out, he couldn't see them, and at that moment he didn't care. Heaving a deep sigh, he let his eyes drift closed as he fell asleep.
A noise awoke him sometime later. Though he wasn't sure how long he'd been sleeping, the sky was still dark, so he couldn't have been there too long. The respite had been just enough to clear his senses, though, and whatever the noise that had awoken him, he knew he didn't want to stick around to see what--or who--had made it. Soundlessly, he slipped into the stream and allowed its strong current to carry him away from his hiding spot…and hopefully away from Elvish territory.
Ti's admonishment came back to him as he navigated his way through the rockier portions of the stream--which had now turned into something of a narrow river, with its darker water and rushing current. Hide yourself well until I can find you, she had told him, for find you I will, and see you safely back to Faerie. Toby wanted to believe her, as she'd done nothing thus far to harm him, but after Fif's betrayal, it was hard to trust anyone. If he was going to make it back to safe ground, he would have to do it on his own. And he would march straight back to Oberon and tell him to find the Imperial Diadem himself, because this mortal wasn't going to get caught up in any more of his games!
When he felt he'd traveled far enough, Toby managed to swim to the opposite bank and climb out of the water. Once again completely exhausted, he crawled beneath a large rock outcropping and quickly fell asleep.
"I'm terribly sorry, Your Highness, but you simply cannot see King Oberon without--" Jareth cut off the servant's speech with an impatient kick. As they passed by, Sarah looked back at the man, who was now hunched over in pain, and couldn't help a soft giggle.
"Jareth, these aren't your goblins," she reminded, patting the arm through which hers was linked. A hint of a smile twitched at his lips.
"Would you give me such a reproach if it had been Oberon I'd just kicked?"
"No," she responded vehemently, "I would have added several of my own." Jareth chuckled and gave her hand a squeeze just before barging into the castle's Great Hall.
Apparently, Faerie's royalty had decided that some merrymaking was in order; the room was filled with fae nobles eating, drinking, and talking loudly. Laughter rang throughout the room, but when the two large doors leading into the hall slammed against stone, all noise abruptly cut off. As all faces turned toward the king and queen of the Underground, Jareth made sure they were aware of his anger. He could feel Sarah bristling beside him, and taking a brief glance at her face, nearly smiled with pride at how dark her expression had become. No man, fae or otherwise, could stand tall under that gaze.
After several moments, quiet murmurings began to ripple through the assembled nobles. Fearful glances flicked between the two kings and queens, as though expecting sparks to fly at any moment. Jareth was agonizingly slow in turning his raptor's gaze to Faerie's monarchs, but by the time he had, the rest of the room was practically cowering in fear of what he might do. Neither Oberon nor Titania seemed affected by this unwelcome interruption to their festivities, though Titania had a look of mild surprise in her large brown eyes. Sarah's hand went to the pendant around her neck, and Jareth knew she was about to make a wish…probably one to send Oberon to the underworld, if he knew his wife. He placed a cautionary hand over hers, then looked back up to the front of the room.
"Ah, Jareth," Oberon greeted, his voice rich and deep. He smiled at Sarah, who made no effort to return the pleasantries. "Queen Sarah, I was beginning to wonder when you'd pay us a visit. So fortunate you decided to arrive now, when the festivities have only just begun."
"We are not here to join in on your little party," Jareth sneered. Oberon nodded slowly.
"I thought as much. I suppose you're here to discuss your nephew, then."
"You would be correct."
"Then you also know that young Toby was a trespasser, and therefore should have been condemned to death, had I not shown him kindness."
"'Kindness?'" Sarah snapped, taking a step forward. Jareth used the arm still linked with his to gently pull her back. The other fae assembled in the room now leaned forward eagerly, waiting to see who would strike first. "Lest you forget, Oberon, the Underground is your only ally against the forces that would see your kind destroyed. It's not such a wise idea to make enemies of us."
"But you see, your brother is our ally, Queen Sarah," Oberon replied smoothly. "Even now, he is aiding us in retrieving the Imperial Diadem."
"He's been taken by the elves!" Jareth roared. The assemblage flinched back from his ire. Oberon, however, seemed pleased by this news. Too pleased.
"Truly? Then he has helped us more than any of us could have ever dreamed. With a mortal in their hands, the advantage is now in my hands." Dark brows lowered over his eyes as his smile widened. "Once they realize their mistake in killing a mortal, their horror at upsetting the balance will put the elves right into my hands."
"Toby, wake up!"
The voice was a harsh, fearful whisper in his ear. Despite his lingering fatigue, Toby woke up immediately and scrambled to sit up. After hitting his head painfully on the rock above him, he turned bleary eyes to the source of the voice. A pair of wide violet eyes met his gaze. "Everlind!" he exclaimed, smiling happily at seeing his old friend. The smile quickly vanished when he realized how far from the castle she must have come to find him. "What're you doing here?"
"Please, Toby, 'tis no time for explanations," she murmured, her eyes flicking around nervously. Her dress, with its many pockets, was torn and dirty; and her hair, which had been so neatly upswept the last time he'd seen her, was now tangled and windblown. Bits of leaves and even small twigs were stuck in the ebon strands. "We must leave this place now!" She reached out to take his hand, but he scuttled as far away from her as the rock would allow.
"D'you know what I've been through since I left that castle?" he asked. "Some guy named Fif led me right here into Elvish lands, and they killed me!"
"I know," she replied, her eyes shifting to the ground. "'Twas I who held you in the spirit world until you found the way back to your body."
"You…! But Ti said…"
"Aye, 'tis a vast amount of Spirit magic required to do such a thing as I did," she agreed. Her eyes suddenly became watery. "Oh, Toby, the things you will hear about me upon our return will certainly bring you to hate me! I am not proud of what I was forced to do, but please know that fear was the reason I did it! Ryo can be so cruel…" Wiping a nose crudely on her sleeve, she sniffled once and composed herself. "There is no time for explanations. Come, Toby, we must leave."
"Why should I believe you? I haven't been able to believe anyone else!"
"Because I will tell you the truth. And right now, the truth is that we are in Og'Mael and the Unseelie Court's gnomes have found us."
That was reason enough for Toby. Following Everlind from beneath the outcropping, Toby scrambled to his feet and ran as though Death itself was on his heels. And, for all he knew, it was.
Notes: HUGE thanks go to Clever Lass (she really is clever! heehee) for her review. That was the best kind of review I could have gotten; I really appreciated those suggestions! As I looked back over the notes I'd written for certain bits of this fanfic, I discovered that I had written a reminder to write about the history of the elves and such, but without that reminder, I don't think I ever would have written anything about it! I hope this chapter answered some background questions...LOL, I know I completely rewrote the history of the fae! But hey, that's what's so beautiful about fiction, right? I apologize--again--for how long it took me to get this chapter cranked out, but I'm still suffering from severe writer's block. :P Things are beginning to tumble toward the conclusion, though! :)