David and Jess climbed the stairs and found much to their dismay no sign of their companions. They searched the entirety of the downstairs. The only thing they found was a warm pot of tea in the living room and a radio which was on and tuned to some classical station.

"Maybe they went for walk." Jess said sarcastically.

"Maybe." David laughed.

A loud crash upstairs caught their attention. "Guess not." Jess yelped.

He followed her to the stairs and they ran up to the second floor. Jess looked around the left side and snuck onto the landing. She looked down the other side of the staircase as well. She peered down both hallways with no results.

She stopped and listened for a moment. She could hear voices on the third floor. They ventured up the stairs and crouched down on the top step.

"She isn't here." Sarah said clearly.

"She had to get her teeth cleaned." Rob said.

"Funny." Perry replied.

"We did leave her home." Orchid continued.

"Stop, stop. I've heard enough. I know she's here. I can feel her very presence."

"Really now. How?"

"The stone. She has the stone."

"Sure thing killer." Rob joked.

"So Orchid is my little turncoat this time around." Perry said in a low tone.

"Could be." She said in return.

"I always thought you were good. I didn't plan on his betrayal though."

"So he did turn on you?"

"Certainly did. I tied him to the wall and left him there. Maybe he's decided to come back to me."

"I doubt that. He's too confused. He doesn't know what he wants."

"I think I could persuade him."

"With what, your good looks and charm?"

Jess could almost see the grisly smile spreading on Perry's face. "You never know."

"He's not stupid enough."

"Whatever you say dear." He said to his daughter.

Jess shifted uncomfortably on her perch. She slid into David's arms and he held her close to him. He smelled her hair, so sweet and fragrant. He squeezed her tightly.

"We can do this." He whispered.

"I hope so." She sighed.

They slinked back down the stairs all the way down into the basement. They journeyed to the tunnel and stopped in the garage. Jess sat herself on the hood of Thistle's truck. David leaned against the wall his thin arms wrapped across his chest.

"What's the plan girly?" He said, at last ending the silence.

"It seems as though we're at a stalemate."

"I guess. Do you think we could enlist Thistle?"

"I'm sure he would be appreciative to get off that wall, but I don't know if we can trust him."

"I say we give it a try. What's the worst that could happen?"

"He could turn on us."

"Yeah and then it'll be a more even fight."

"Yeah five to two." Jess laughed.

There was a soft low sound coming from the corner of the garage. They both jumped back.

"What the hell?" Jess exclaimed.

A glowing light formed there and Scarlett began to materialize into their world.

"Hey there." David said.

"Hello. Lovely garage, don't you think?" She said thickly.

"Um, yeah. David this is Scarlett." Jess introduced.

"Hi."

"Yes, hello." She said.

She was a glow in a long red gown clingly tightly to her silken body. Her red hair was twisted into thousands of little braids swirling down her back. She had a long black cape draped over one arm along with a sheath containing what he assumed to be a dagger. In her other hand she held a walking stick that was the same pale, knotted wood as Sarah's magic wand.

"Where is the other?" She asked.

"The other?" Jess asked in return.

"Yes. There is one more. I'm sure of it."

"She must be talking about Thistle." David said.

"Hmm. We should get him down from the wall." Jess added.

"Yes. That's a good idea." Scarlett smiled. "But before we go I want to give you these."

"What are they?"

"Magic gifts from my world. They were crafted by hand, by my people."

"We'll have to thank them."

"We?ll save that for another time. But here is your dagger Jessica and your cloak David." She said while handing them their presents.

"What do they do?" David asked examining his cloak. It was long, maybe all the way down to his ankles. It was a soft cottony material and lined with the finest looking red silk. IT had one silver clasp at the very neck.

"Your cape can make you invisible. It also acts as a shield and will protect you from

anything thrown in your direction. You just have to turn it around and wear it inside out."

He turned it over in his hands and opened it up, black side facing in. He placed it easily on his shoulders and closed the clasp. Instantly he vanished, exclaiming loudly that he couldn?t see his own hands anymore.

"Amazing." He said astonished.

"Oh yes, and any object you hold will also appear invisible. It will give you incredible strength as long as you are wearing it. The only fault is if the clasp somehow gets undone. Then it goes back to being a normal cloak until you can get it clasped again."

She turned to Jess. "This my dear is for you." She handed her the green velvet sheath.

Jess touched it and already she could feel its power. She pulled the shining new dagger from its casing and admired the delicate glass blade. It was swirled with grey swipes just like her charm. The handle was bronze, also like her necklace.

"Is this a part of the stone too?" Jess asked.

"Yes. It was crafted from a larger piece. You can use it to open up a dimensional door

"Would I want to do that?"

"You'll know when. You'll need to at some point." She heaved up the walking stick from her side and said: "This is for Thistle."

"Well let's go get him."

They walked once more through the chill, dim tunnel and stepped into the purple room. Thistle remained there still pale as ever. He looked up at them in the wane light and ventured a weak smile.

"Jess?" He asked in his deep basso.

"Yes. How are you?" She returned.

"I'm ok. A little tired. Is that Scarlett?"

"Yes. I'm back." She said.

"What do you have planned for me?" Thistle asked.

"We were hoping you could tell us what Perry has planned." Jess said.

"I don't know much. I've been down here the whole time. He's boarded up the house like a fortress though."

"We saw. We were upstairs a while ago."

"Where are the others?"

"Upstairs." David replied.

"We want to know if you're on our side." Jess said.

"I can't promise you anything. Perry has some pretty strong magic and he could turn me to his will."

"Maybe we should leave him here." David turned to Jess.

"Maybe." She replied.

"I'm sorry Jess, for everything." Thistle said.

"Hey, it happens, right?"

"It shouldn't happen." He said.

"You can make up for it by helping us." Jess said.

"I will try if you will let me."

"I will."

"I agree." David said.

"This is for you." Scarlett said handing up the rod.

"What is it?" Thistle asked.

"The thunder rod." She enuciated as Jess and David began to untie him. "You can call upon the forces of the storm with it. Be careful with it, it can sometimes get ahead of you. It is very powerful and very ancient."

"Understood." He said while stepping down from the wall and leaning on David for support. "Thank you. I'm on your side now."

"Let's hope you stay that way." Jess said looking away.

"Perry's keeping them on the third floor." David said, breaking the silence.

"That's odd. I would've thought he'd keep you all closer to this room. This is where all his power emanates from."

"Hmm." Jess frowned.

"Did you take your boots?" He asked noticing their absence.

"Yes. I put them on." Jess said. Before they had gone upstairs earlier she had traded her shoes. She loved these boots and was rarely without them.

"I would suggest taking them off. Perry told me he was going to use them for an old voodoo trick. You never know."

"I'm leaving them on." She replied. "These are my favorite boots. He's not going to take anything else from me damnit."

"Ok. It's your call. But I suggest we get upstairs while he's still dealing with the others."

"I must get back to my own world now." Scarlett said. "Good luck to you."

Perry had them all now. He had used Orchid's own magic against her and the whole lot of them were now tied up tightly within her vines. He had grabbed a hold of her and taken that delicate little flower from her cuff. Before any of them realized what happened they were bound together in a tight little cluster.

She grimaced at him, trapped by her own means. They'd all been arguing for some time now, hoping that Jess and David were still safely downstairs. They weren't sure that Perry had bought their decoy, but they tried to keep up appearances.

"So what will you do with us now?" Rob asked.

"Well I don't know yet. I'd hate to kill you all. Maybe I'll send you into an alternate dimension. Something where I'll never have to see you again, eh?" Perry answered.

"I always wanted to see the other side of the world. Who knew it would be an alternate dimension?" Rob retorted.

"Are all of your friends wise-asses Orchid?"

"Only the good ones." She answered.

Jess, Thistle and David stepped into the same third floor bed-room that the girls had their slumber party in. Jess had her dagger unsheathed. David's cloak was ready to be clasped. Thistle had his rod in hand, poised to strike.

They observed the situation for a moment. It looked bad. Jess said a silent, little prayer to her patron goddess, Athena, in hopes that it might help.

"I'm glad to see you could make it." Perry smiled

"Sure thing." Jess curtsied.

"Thistle." He nodded to his son.

"I'm not here for you." He replied.

"I wouldn't suppose you would be now. Damn fool." He turned to Jess. "So where's your necklace?"

"Do you really think I'm that stupid?"

"You tell me."

"Sure, it's in my back pocket. I thought I'd just kick your ass first though before I show you."

"Hate to disappoint you." He said reaching for her.

"Look out!" Orchid yelled. "The flower is on his cuff."

Jess ducked and Perry missed, landing on the wall instead.

"Now!" Thistle ordered.

David turned his cloak around and clasped the neck. He rushed at Perry knocking him off his guard. The boy having incapacitated him for the time being stepped off and turned the cloak back around.

Jess tried to break through the vines with her dagger with no luck. Rob pointed to his rapier which rested on the floor a few feet away. She grabbed it and cut through the vines with ease.

Sarah pulled her wand out of her belt and waved it around. "I challenge you Perry. I call upon all the powers that my father once held. I call upon them to take you down." She pointed the wand at his chest and he could feel a terrible warmth spreading there.

Perry clutched the trunk of his body, the pain spreading into his limbs. He writhed on the floor, clambering towards her. He was building up energy to strike her down as he crawled to her.

Perry's lips spread into a deadly smile. He got himself up to his knees. He would kill them all. In the aftermath of his deadly rage he would steal Jess's dagger and transport himself out of this miserable world.

He leapt up as soon as he could and lifted his arms in pirouette form. He seemed almost like he would dance his way into another dimension, but instead he began to chant. He was calling upon all his powers.

Jess could feel the strength emanating from the house. It was strong and fierce climbing along the stairs now and veering down the hall to join them. Her boots began to feel heavy and hot. She could barely move them and squirmed in pain. The power Perry had called gathered in misty rivulets of smoke around his ankles and traveled up his body to his waiting fingertips.

"Duck!" Jess yelled.

They all followed Jess's hurried command and the bolt of energy flew at the wall, passing them by safely. Jess ran at Perry her dagger pointed forward, trying to fight the pain caused by her constrictive boots. Damn voodoo magic, she thought. Perry turned his attention to her and tried to send a smaller jolt to knock her down. She dodged it by a mere fraction of a millimeter.

"Holy shit!" She yelled.

Thistle knocked his rod on the ground. "Thunder rod, I call upon the power of thunder." The resulting clap was enough to deafen all of the occupents temporarily.

In the ensuing confusion several things happened all at once.

Thistle was knocked unconcious by the power of his own stick. Orchid, whose hands covered her ears had staggered over to Perry, who was knocked to the the ground. She took back her flower and wrapped him in her vines.

"How do you like that?" She mouthed loudly, though no one could hear it.

Jess caught her balance at last and stood with her dagger ready. She was going to open an inhospitable world for Perry's benefit and send him there. At least that was her plan.

David was dusting off his hands and helping Sarah to her feet after their quick duck. She looked at him trying to say something, finding that she couldn't hear herself. She shrugged her shoulders and David chuckled. Rob was sitting on the floor rubbing his head, also having been knocked down by the force of the thunder.

Jess yelled to the goddesses and gods with her dagger pointed at the wall. "Please open the most unlivable world you know of for me. I need to send an awful person there and quickly."

The wall glowed white, like the dagger now did. Orchid, with the help of Rob pushed Perry to his feet and over to the wall. They started to push him into it. He grabbed a hold of David's shirt with his hand, for though he was tied in vines he had loosened his hands a bit and had a strong grip. He was pulling the miniature man into the portal with him.

"No!" Sarah screamed. She charged at Perry, which forced him to drop David's shirt. Both of them, Sarah and Perry were falling into the portal together. She turned back as the man grabbed her, to ensure he wouldn't die alone.

Sarah yelled her last words to David. "It was the changing of the guard." She said hurriedly. "Ask Rob about my dad."

"Damnit Sarah." He said, choking on his words.

"You can't stop love." She gasped. "Why try to avoid fate?" And with that the portal closed on them. Perry was banished forever with the unfortunate Sarah in tow, leaving her magic wand broken in half on the floor.

The next few weeks were as inhospitable as the world Jess had sent Perry to. The group decided that Sarah was unfortunate casualty of war that they were now waging. They all realized that there were more worlds in danger of similar madmen.

For the time being they had returned home. Jess called David every night. Rob stayed with David at Sarah's house, trying to comfort her mother. Orchid and Thistle stayed in their big old house together.

They had explained to the authorities that they believed Perry had kidnapped Sarah and run off. Their parents knew the truth, but they were willing to keep the secret on their behalf. If the government knew about the magic dagger they'd steal it away and conquer their own worlds.

Jess tried to be happy for her sister Celeste, who stayed an extra week just to see her. Christmas was coming soon and Thomas would be home for the New Year. The poor girl couldn't keep up her smile for long. She was most concerned with Sarah's death, blaming herself for opening the portal. David tried his best to console her over the phone.

"Like she said Jess, you can't avoid fate."

David seemed very calm for all that happened to him. Rob had explained what really happened to her father and about the letter. He was quite angry at Sarah for her decision.

"She shouldn't have risked her life to be with me. I don't think I'm that worth it."

"Dave, you know we all would've jumped in if we thought we could've saved you. We were all so frozen by the shock of it." Rob consoled.

David looked down. "So what now?"

"I think we should try and find them." Jess said quietly on the other end of the reciever.

"It's been two weeks. They're dead by now." David said coldly into the speaker. He didn't mean to be cruel to her, but he was just so angry. He took it out on everyone unintentionally.

"It's worth a shot. I don't care what you say."

"I'm sorry." He apolpogized. "I have been awfully cranky to you. Let's do it."

"Grab the stones and the dagger. We're off once more." Rob said.

Jess packed her bags to go. "Please understand mom. I have to do this. If I don't know what happened to Sarah I'll never be happy again. I need some closure on this thing."

They meet in that forsaken house two days later, ready to go. Jess had packed as much survival gear and clothing as she could in one back-pack. The others followed her lead, packing their bags and strapping them on tightly. Everyone had their magic stuffs and Jess had Sarah's wand, jimmy-rigged with duct tape, in the front pouch of her bag.

"Well gents." She said. "This is it. Are you ready?"

"It's now or never." Rob said.

"I'm in." Thistle smiled.

Orchid looked over them all. The five of them journeying to new worlds. "It's on."

"Here goes everything." David said.

Jess pointed her dagger at that wall once again. "Please open to that awful place I asked you to only two weeks ago. We need to find our friend and find out what happened to her."

The spot shined into the room, shimmering golden and silver. Jess looked at her trembling hands, trying to steady her tiny sword. David looked around at his friends and smiled.

"I'm going in." He said running full speed at the wall. He dove through the hole in perfect form.

"Fire in the hole!" Rob yelled as he followed.

Orchid and Thistle grabbed hands and jumped together. Jess looked at her empty surroundings. The journey was just about to begin for her. It was scary and nerve wracking, but they needed to find Sarah and to save the other worlds if Perry had somehow survived. It was going to be one hell of an experience.

"Here goes." She said nervously. She threw herself at the wall and felt the rush as it closed behind her. She saw for a moment her friends before her as she floated to the ground. She looked back up and saw nothing but sky where they had come from.

"Let's do this thing." She said.

They all nodded their assent and started off on the journey that would last them for the rest of their lives.