Sunshine glistened over the mix of blond and brown hair on a boys hair of only thirteen years old, and he stared at the glimmering pattern reflecting in the window beside him. He seemed to study the nuances of his own face, the looking eyes questioning what he saw. He looked out past his reflection to the landscape around him, merging with his likeness. The trees and grass melded in green with shoots of muddy brown blurred into a scenic view, warped by light and imperfections in the glass.

    Blue eyes looked up toward th sky and light spotted in the sea of blue. The azure and white and yellowish haze spotted sky melded with the green and brown. Hope and inspiration filled his every expression, squinted his eyes and his mouth twisted a little around the sides of his mouth and he studied the curls forming by the corners. He swallowed hard with a slight breathlessness as that hope and those dreams ebbed high and low in seconds. A tulmut of emotion filled a hungry heart and tears in innocent eyes.
 

This was a beginning and an ending, an experience and a death.

    A burning sunset viewed from a stone walled garden, outside a grey stone castle with glass covered windows and extravagant wealth, set the sky ablaze of yellow and orange and red.
 

That night a young prince slept restlessly.

    A morning rose with a gray misty sky that hid the suns light. The sadness of a prince matched the colorless sky.
 

    His eyes blinked. Awake in the same lonliness he slept. This young prince’s name was Justin. And Justin knew this day held mystery. He felt alone now, but in his heart he knew this emptiness would only devour him more, before finding friendship and love. He heard whispers in riddles that had no meaning to him. No sun shone that day.
 

    At the highest noon, a thin of light broke free from the layer of clouds that lay low and menacing in the sky. Glistening at the feet of Prince Justin, upon golden hair and green flecked blue eyes. He shut his eyes as this warm beacon of light and dazzling display from the heavens. He tried to open them again, but slept in a sea of light.
 

    Worlds away, across a haze of misty walls that lie between each world, seperating them, walls that have small holes as the mist drifts forever. And every so often, something or someone slips through those holes. Astronomically are the odds that so often one world would recieve so many visitors from elsewhere. But perhaps that one world drew some beings from others, not by some random chance, but for a purpose.
 

    When suddenly Justin opened his eyes, he could see only blackness. He could only know his eyes were truly awake, for he could feel his eye lids blinking rapidly from drowsiness, the same kind of groggy feeling most of us have when we rouse from our nights sleep. Beneath his feet he could feel soft tender grass blades, the air was cool, but dry, unlike the misty warm air he breathed when he last was standing in the garden. A little breeze slid past his cheek, flicking his longer hair that grew down in both directions from the top of his head. In the distance a quickly growing light approached and then a quick flash.
 

    In every direction was a meadow on an early spring morning. The grass only moist from the layer of dew drops. The field stretched for as far as he could see. Justin could hear the soft chirp of birds and crickets, and smell the early morning scent, but he could see only his own shadow cast by the slowly rising sun and a sea of grass that the wind cast about like waves on an open sea, while his blond hair blew in every direction like his hopes and dreams and heart and mind. And blue eyes flecked with green saw such sorrow and saddness. And he was more alone then ever before.
 

    A very weary Hank set down upon a rock near the foot of a hill, by a grassy field. For days they had crossed the mountains on foot and were very happy to see them behind. He surveyed the land and saw only a field on tall grass.

"Let’s take a rest here, gang." He said to the others.

"Good idea." Bobby panted, whiping a layer of sweat from his forehead. "It sure is hot out here!"

"You said it." Presto reaffirmed.

"What are you complaining about," Eric snapped, "at least your not wearing armor."

"Sometimes I envy you guys when it get’s THIS hot. I feel like I’m wearing a sauna!"

Eric removed his boots and stretched his toes out

"Ahhhh." He sighed, "Man my feet hurt."

Bobby piched his nose and chuckled, "But are noses don’t feel any better."

"Ha ha. Very funny." Eric sneered back.

"Eric stop complaining already." Diana scolded, "You haven’t stopped since we left Kinton!"

"Hrmph, at least THERE we had beds and real food, and we weren’t walking across a mountain!", he muttered.

"Well, we could stay there Eric, or keep looking for a way home." Sheila smirked.

"Yeah, yeah…" Eric went about his business, muttering but keeping his complaining down to a dull murmur.
 

    The gang ate what prererves they had left from the city of Kinton. Dungeon Master had told them to go there for a clue on a way to get back home. That led them across the mountain and finally to here. Dungeon Master’s riddle said something to do with the sadness of a boy and correcting the mistakes made by the hands of time.
 

    They set off again, now across the grasslands. It waa much easier travelling then the mountains and hills. Mostly flat. The grass was tall and moist, green with the life of a new spring. The blades of grass stood to Bobby’s nose and Uni had to be carried by Sheila most of the way, Bobby was having enough trouble of his own.
 

    For miles the grassland stretched until the gang couldn’t see anything but grass in all directions. They were hopelessly lost.
 

"OK fearless leader, time to bite the bullet, admit it. We’re lost." Eric chided. "Again."
 

"We’re not lost," Hank said optimistically, "We," he paused, "just don’t know where we are right now."
 
"Oh, that makes sense."

"So like a man," Sheila giggled to Diana, "They’ll never admit when they’re lost."

"I’m glad someone finds this funny." Eric glared a little Sheila.

"Hey," Diana smiled devilishy, "if you can’t laugh all you can do is cry."

"Yeah, wiseguy" Bobby looked at Eric, "plus we NEVER know where we are just where we’re supposed to be."

Bobby gulped trying to swallow his words before he said them.

"Home." He finished, almost in a whimper.
 

    Sheila whinced. She hated seeing him like this. Some days it was hard to keep his spirit up. It seemed that Bobby was the one who wanted to get home most of all. More then any of them. He never complained though. Eric was the most vocal. But Bobby tried so hard to be strong. She’d do almost anything to see his smile again. It seemed not often enough these days. And her eyes welled up in tears. Hank saw Sheila and Bobby in pain. He hated these times when the long hours of travel, the days and weeks and months of being in the realm took their tole. He found it hard to keep going himself some days. But his friends. They kept him going. And Sheila.
 

    Hank went over to Sheila and put a conformting hand on her shoulder. She reached her hand up and placed in in top of his.

"It’s OK, Hank. I’ll be fine."

    Hank knew better then to press Bobby to hard when like this. He could get away with it sometimes, but he usually let Sheila talk to him. She composed herself and went off after him.
 

    The grass was noticeably shorter now. Bobby wasn’t drowning in it anymore and could carry Uni on his own. While Sheila and Bobby were off having their little heart-to-heart, Hank called out to his friends, "Something’s coming!"
 

    It was far off and the lone figure was not more then a speck yet. But on the flat plain, you could see anyone coming for miles around.
 

    The gang prepared their weapons in case this was one of Venger’s minions or some other melavolant denizen of the realm. But as the figure grew closer they could see it was just a boy, not much older then Bobby.
 

"Do you think it’s a trick?" Diana whispered to Hank, suspiciously.

"I’m not sure," Hank responded, "Everyone be ready in case." he said to everyone else.

Hank waved to the boy as he walked toward them.

"Hello! Over here!"

The boy began to jog. Finally! Prince Justin thought. People!

They were the first living things beside crickets and birds and a couple of rodents he’d seen in days.

"Hello!" Justin called back to the stranger and his friends. They looked friendly enough.

Upon reaching the the gang, he was a little out of breath. Uni happily trotted over to him and nuzzled his hand and gave her usual friendly bleets.

"I guess he must be okay," Bobby said to Hank, "Uni seems to like ‘em."
 

Bobby walked over to the boy. Justin backed off a little seeing they were armed with magical weapons.

"It’s OK," Bobby said, "We’re not gonna hurt ya!"

"I’m Bobby," He stuck his hand to shake his hand, while he couldn’t help noticing how much they looked alike. Or was it that he just looked really familiar?

"This is my sister Sheila, our fearless leader Hank, and that’s Diana, Eric and Presto."

"Bleeeaa!" Uni complained to Bobby.

"Oh, sorry Uni! That’s Uni."

"Byeaaa!" Uni said in agreement.

Justin paused for a few moments, looking at each these strangers.
\
"My name is Justin.", he shook Bobby’s hand and stroked Uni’s mane, "And it is very nice to meet all of you."

"I haven’t seen anyone since I got here," Justin said, "Until now." A look and smile of relief came over his face.

"Where did you come from anyways?" Diana asked

"And why are you out here all alone?" Hank added

"Last I remember before finding myself here I was standing in my garden a light from the sky came down from the clouds and that’s it," Justin told them.

"I’ve been wandering for a few days already until I found you, I haven’t seen anyone."

"Garden?" Presto looked at Justin, "Are you a farmer or something?"

"No." Justin laughed a little, "A prince. I was in my father’s royal garden."

"Great!" Eric pounced, "Now we’re going to be stuck babysitting the royal brat!"

"ERIC!!!" The other five called in unison.

"Don’t mind him," Diana said, "He just a little cranky. All of the time." Diana giggled in a teasing manner. "Be nice Eric."

"Hmmff," Eric grumbled.

"Listen gang," Hank broke the conversation, "it’s getting dark already. We’d better camp here for the night. Justin you’re welcome to join us if you’d like. But we’re going back the way you came."

"That’s OK," Justing said, "I don’t know where I was going anyways!"

"Bobby get something we can build a fire with, Presto do you think you can pull a fire pit out of your hat? This grass it pretty dry."

"A FIRE PIT?" Presto croaked, "You’ve asked for some weird stuff before, but this one takes the cake!"

"Just give it try Presto." Diana egged him on.

"Okay, whatever you say guys." He shrugged.

"A fire pit, what’ll they think of next," Presto said to himself while pulling off his hat.

Presto thought for a moment and started waving his hand over his hat and a pink-purple glow started to come from it’s opening.

"Darkest night and windy places we need a fire place to warm our faces!"

A flash! In front of Presto stood a iron wood burning stove. A big one.

Hank scratched his head, "Well, I guess it’ll do."

Diana and Sheila giggled a little.

Meanwhile, Bobby and Justin were off collecting firewood. Bobby was telling the story of how he and the rest of the gang got trapped in the realm, about Dungeon Master and Venger and trying to find the way home and other adventures the gang had over the months they’ve spent in the realm.

"Sounds exciting." Justin said after listening, "Much more exciting then my life."

"I’d rather be home, where it’s A LOT less exciting. Sometimes this much excitement isn’t so good!"

"I guess so."

Just then there was a rumble and the ground shook knocking Bobby and Justin off their feet.

The hollow laughter of Venger’s deep resonating voice filled the air.

"Who was that?" Justin yelped to Bobby.

"That was Venger! Let’s get back to others!"

As the two boys ran back to camp the other were running to their aid.
 

Bobby are you alright," Sheila knelt down to see if we was hurt.

"I’m OK Sheila,"

As Bobby said that, a soft, wisened voice came from behind them

"But not for long Barbarian. You are all in great danger."

"Dungeon Master!" Bobby said in his usual surprise. No matter how often he saw it, it was amazing to him how he appeared and disappeared without a trace.

"What do you mean Dungeon Master?" Hank asked.

"Venger now has a tool which he can use to rid himself of you AND me for forever!"

"What could he use to do that?"

He gestured toward the young prince, "The young Prince Justin."

"Huh?" Bobby bewildered.

"But he seemed OK."

"Prince Justin is a very good Prince and one day would becomes a very good king. But he is also a very lonely young boy." Dungeon Master paused.

Prince Justin hung his head while Dungeon Master continued.

"In his mind he wished he could be somewhere where he could experience excitment and adventure. Venger could sense that and used his power to bring him here. But he is not assisting Venger by his own free will."

"Wait a minute, Justin’s gone!" Bobby turned around.

"I knew we couldn’t trust that little brat!" Eric spat.

"But he was right behind me!" Bobby lemented.

"Venger has taken him using the Mists of Time,"

"The Mists of Time?" Hank questioned.

"These mists are normally held between times and dimensions." A ball of glass appeared in Dungeon Masters hands. Inside it was a swamp and ebbing and flowing mists.

"Some dimensions are very close to one and other and travellers from these dimensions carry the mists with them because they have no time to completely shed themselves of it during their travels. Because of the many similarities between these times and dimensions it it possible for them to exist in different forms in both world. Prince Justin does. Through him Venger can summon the mists. There is no telling what he might use them for. The only sure thing is that he will use them to destroy us!" Dungeon Master explained as quickly as he could.

"Time is not on your side. But remember, ‘The road through time is paved by the Mists. If you need their eyes you need only look where you found the greatest battle of your time’."

Dungeon Master’s voice was deeply serious. The gang all were a little entranced by Dungeon Masters words,

"But Dungeon Master," Hank started, but, of course, he was already gone.

"Forget about it Hank he’s gone again," Presto said.

"Yeah!" Bobby said. "And he never told us how to save Justin."

"Yeah I know Bobby," Hank stared to the sky, "Kind of strange isn’t it."

"THIS is strange. It’s ALL strange." Eric pointed out.

"Guys it’s late," Hank said "Let’s get some sleep. We can’t do anything about it now anyways."

They all nodded quietly and lay down to sleep.