What Drake found on the other side of the mirror was something he could not have expected. Shannon, the little witch, had done an unexpected turn. She drank once more from the Fountain of Knowledge. The little witch stood almost ghost like between Drake and the Unknown. She shook her fists as the Unknown tried to approach her. Shannon knew all that she had forgotten back in her homelands. She snapped at the Unknown, "You lied to me."

The Unknown was rambling on, "You will be much happier, if you follow me. I promise. I will change everything. In fact, you came seeking me. So here I am. I bet you didn't expect things to go like this! I bet you thought it would be much harder!"

"YOU!!" Shannon declared, "YOU LIED TO ME!"

The Unknown stopped it is shadowy mass as Shannon rose up from the edge of the Fountain. Drake stopped to see the strange conflict. Shannon stomped over the lines of the circle and drew closer to the Unknown. She pointed her finger at it. Her voice shaking in anger, " You tried to make me do something that won't change my fate! You would have me dead either way! You made me do terrible things to other people with the idea I was doing right."

"You drank again from the Fountain of Knowledge," the Unknown groaned.

"I HAD TO KNOW! I HAD TO KNOW THE TRUTH!" Shannon shouted. Her body trembled with rage as she lifted her hands. Sparks twitched to life at the edges of her fingers.

"Now, now, Shannon. You came to me seeking a way to live. You will live on in a different way-"

"You told me that you found a way to make things better! You said you could help me live! You said you could make me well again!" She lifted up her fingers as the magic cracked and beamed crimson.

Drake watched at the Unknown approached the angered witch. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted his lute. Drake rushed to pick up his lute. He scanned the room with the statues of the stone people. Shock overcame him as he saw Feathers in horror. He went over to her and frowned. It was wrong. Meanwhile, Shannon shot magic at the Unknown and screamed. She bellowed, "HOW COULD YOU?"

The magic harmless was absorbed by the Unknown. It came closer as it fought to find form. It coolly said, "Morality is nothing that cannot be fixed. You will live on. I promised you that much. I promised I would make people happy. I shall. We will put an end to reality and let fantasy rein. How could that be bad? There would be no death. There would be no disharmony. All will be well!"

"You told that to the first one you took. The babe. The nameless child. They only had innocence to them and you took them. You promised them life, too. And now look! Look at yourself! Is that what the babe wanted?"

"They wanted to live. They wanted a family. I have been building one. They will live again. A happy life awaits. We just need to finish the ritual," The Unknown walked up to her and patted her shoulder.

"The ritual will only grant ignorance, lies, and loneliness! There is no way such actions of complete fantasy will make things okay!! It won't be real!" Shannon screamed.

Drake had been touching Feathers face as he noticed a stone figure of an old man. The man was familiar. Then came the cracking. Drake turned his head to the Glass Apple sitting upon the top of a fountain.

The Unknown sighed, "Wise River Shannon, we have gone through this many times... Why must we fight?"

"You have done this to me before. Haven't you?"

"Yes, Shannon, we have done this dance before," the Unknown seemed to smile, "You and everyone else had been through this many times before."

Drake started to climb up the fountain. He thought if he could get back the Glass Apple, he might restore his friends. Within his view he could see cracks in the world. It seemed like tears. There came thunderous clamor of voices. They were coming from the tears hands were reaching out. Drake stopped to spy just for a second what appeared to be the others. He thought he saw the Dukes. At another moment, he could see Lucky and Ozzy still by the gates. Drake stretched out his fingers as he was on the edge of the fountain. His fingers just around the Glass Apple.

The Unknown turned, "And now the escapees will arrive to goat about their clever plan."

Indeed, the others came out of the tears in reality. First came Gin an holding onto the hands of Mika and Mary. Three were roughed up but boldly standing at the edge of the chalk circle. Mika wore a pair of glowing slippers. The images of spiders were on them. At Mika's shoulder rested a spider with its head up high. Next the Dukes came storming through another rip. They both held the lantern from Lord Styx. They smugly stared at the Unknown. Yuki came forth with Orel and his hands held a spellbook. Yuki narrowed his eyes at the Unknown. Slowly the crowd of people came closer. Shannon with the fresh betrayal in her mind backed away from the Unknown. She waved her hand at the tripped stone figures and released them.

The Unknown drooped its shoulders, "You never make it easy. We always must do this again and again."

Mika called out, "Weaver Un. You must stop your nonsense. We can come to place things in order!"

"Lady Shannon Wise River, have you understanding about our situation?" Yuki said.

"I know the truth. It cannot pretend otherwise. It is not helpful," Shannon growled.

"What is going on here!?" Demanded King Finn.

Feathers gasped, "That thing captured us!"

The Unknown shook its head, "Look here all of you. I know that the Scarred Man sent you. You all have been working with Lord Styx, Lady Murete, Sweet Pea, and Primrose. You all have these special gifts and ect. You were clever and got in here peacefully. You all want to talk. Blah. Blah. Blah. But you see it is too late-"

"My darling child! Don't touch that! It may be dangerous!" King Finn cried as Drake grasped at the Glass Apple. It cracked in his hand just as he slipped into the Fountain of Knowledge. The Lute of Fate thumped against the edge of the fountain and made a sharp snapping sound. Drake fell and fell. His breath was gone. There was no bottom to the flow of the water. Drake tried to swim upwards but in the endless water the top disappeared from sight. The Glass Apple dissolved into tiny pieces. His beautiful lute floated away with the strings detaching. Drake watched it as he fell deeper and deeper.

He did not struggle. It was something here. It called him. In fact, he started to swim down. He swam, even if his breath was gone. It didn't hurt him. He remembered what was missing. A thing that could not be taken by memory or by experience. Drake reached out into the darkness of the pool and found light. A weak one at first. But it was flooding the world around him soon. He felt a hand touch his own. He whispered to her, "No one, but you. No one, but you would get everything I have been through. You were my best friend... I loved you beyond, even beyond friendship. I still love you, dearest. My best friend and my light, Sophia. I want you to be happy and free."

There was a great shuttering at the name. The flooding light overcame everything. A tidal wave of emotion rocked back into Drake. Things he had forgotten. Things he put away. All back to his mind. Drake held the hand of Sophia as he shed his tears. The Fountain of Knowledge pushed Drake and Sophia out of its pool. They were not back at the ritual circle. They were not anywhere in particular.

Drake kissed Sophie's forehead. He looked into the world. The sky was a sea of images. All of different places, times, and people. It had moments Drake knew and did not know. Places he not yet to be and had been. It felt like everywhere and nowhere at all. The shape of Sophia moved weakly. She rolled to her side and stared directly at Drake. The young clown said, "I am here for you. I promise. No matter what... I could not forget you, my Sophia."

Sophia pulled herself up. Somewhere in the sky was the place they just left. It was cracked and dark. The young woman groaned and tried to remember where here might be. She started to cough and felt a lump in her throat. She spat out a black stone. A faint voice cried out, "No, you don't know me! No one can known the Unknown!"

"Sophia, are you okay?" Drake held out his hand.

"I have lived in the shadows and I will remain!" shouted the rock in the Unknown's voice.

"My friend..." Sophia took his hand. She rubbed her mouth and kicked it with her heel with fury. Then she turned to him, "It gets inside of your head and likes to make up junk! I hate it! I hate it!"

"Sophia. . ."

She hugged him tightly and cried, "I have been so worried about you! I wanted you to come home! I didn't want you to make magical deals! You could have gotten hurt or worst!"

"I am sorry... I have been selfish ..."

"No, no. I should have helped you stand up to the king. We could have told him the truth together!"

It cried out, "I wanted to grant paradise to everyone. I wanted to grant dreams to come true and unite the planes."

"Shut it!" Drake shouted.

"Where are we?" Sophia looked around ignoring the stone.

"I ... I don't know."

A door appeared. It was not grand or great. But it was a simple white door. The two friends stare at each other. It was Sophia who got up and reached for the handle. It creaked opened into a crowded room. The sweet scent of tea and cookies filled the air. The voice of the Unknown hollered from the vast and strange place. The crowded room had oddities here and there. Some items had special blue tags on them. Others had pink tags. Dark brown tags were on a bundles of brooms. A sign read, "Hex objects blue tagged. Love potions pink tagged. Witch's brooms brown tagged. All tagged items are not to be released to the main floor." A small wooden sign above a table read, "Fortune Junk Teller." It was table with the moon phrases was in the middle of the room. It had a wheel like device with small slots. A round window showed a calm dawn outside. By the window there appeared to be a space with a sign that "Lute of Fates."

The Scared Man appeared before Drake and Sophia. He held a cup of tea in hand. Beside him was a nice little old woman, Nana Murete. She had a serious face about her as the Scarred Man smiled at the children. He came to them, "Ah, I see we have reached a new point."

The door still wide open. The Scarred Man walked out for a moment and gathered the strange stone from the weird world. He came back to the doorway and closed it behind him. He turned to the children as he dropped the rock into a jar. The Scarred Man said, "Drake, Sophia. Good to see you again. I am glad you have found Weaver Un."

"Weaver Un?" Sophia said.

"The Unknown," Drake answered.

"Yes, the Unknown, or rather the one born out of Weaver Un and your sibling. Your sibling is within this mess. I will have to get them separated," the Scarred Man studied the jar.

Carefully, he placed it on an empty self. Then out of the air loom appeared in his hand. The large and complex image of a cross and dragon were made of many threads. A million smaller images were made up in the weave. At the very center of the pattern, there was a large void of white. His fingers were on the threads of his loom. The Scarred Man lifted his fingers in the air and threads appeared faintly. He declared, "Dreams do not come true easily or without struggle. It comes with hard work and determination. I see that now... Drake... Sophia... I am not sure if I can undo what has been done here."

"What just happened?" Sophia said.

"I may have broke reality..." Drake muttered.

"You didn't completely break it," the Scarred Man said.

Nana Murete stared at the jar, "At the same time, it is not has it was."

"No, no! Do not undo the dreams of others!" The Unknown plead.

Nana Murete laughed, "We got a damn mess here."

"Meaning?" Sophia said.

The Scarred Man held his loom, "Meaning... We live in many moments and many times. It has been repeating. But we have reached a new place today. Today rather now. We can come to an ending."

The odd shadowy thing remained. It plead and begged for shape. It struggled within the jar. The Scarred Man knew the chain of wishes had to be undone. The work of Weaver Un was everywhere. The standoff somewhere else in time was still ongoing. Somewhere else a battle was being fought for the Glass Apple. Somewhere else the Unknown was victorious and defeated. This was not the way the weave was to go. His glance returned to the struggling Unknown. He remarked, "You were banished too. Weaver Un... You knew that we could not fix things like this. It is too much."

Unknown begged, "Please! Please! Don't set it all back! It is all better now! I made it better!"

Nana turned to Drake, "Could I please have Sweet Pea and Primrose? I would like to turn them back now."

Drake nodded and handed her the dolls. The two fairies popped back to their normal selves. The two fairies appeared to be embarrassed at their easy defeat. Nana patted their backs, "Easy girls... We have had a long time to get to this point. I think Lord Styx will be fishing our daughter out of this muck."

Sweet Pea demanded, "What of the Glass Apple?"

"It is gone."

Primrose said, "Gone... What will we do now? Do you think you think you can sort this all out?"

The Scarred Man peered at the loom, "I will. It will cost a lot."

"Hmm. . ." Nana thought.

Primrose said, "What must be done?"

"No, no! Don't listen to him! Please take me back! I can fix this! I will charge nothing!" The Unknown cried.

"All of the magic ... We must take it away from the mortal world," the Scarred Man heavily said.

"All of the magic!!" Sweet Pea dropped her jaw.

Drake and Sophia frowned. Sophia asked, "Why?"

"It is the magic that caused the whole thing. It is a very long story. A long story for another time..." The Scarred Man casted his view on the fairies and Nana Murete. Sweet Pea was flushed in her cheeks and turned away to face the study. Primrose was grim in thought about the past. Nana Muerte remained silent. The Scarred Man quietly stared at the jar and then reached over to Drake, "I know I should not have gotten children into this mess... It is far too much for you or any mortal. Still... I hope you can forgive my foolishness. The foolishness of several people. . ."

He trailed off into the aisles of junkshop. He passed the colorfully tagged items as he came to the marked area of the Lute of Fate. His hand lingered there, "Drake, I can take the magic away and put everything back in order. But I must ask for your help again. We are all currently in the fountain of knowledge. What is in the jar here, it is only a small part of the Unknown. You got the beginning. But you must go back and join the others. You all must work to defeat the Unknown. I know the Glass Apple is scattered. But you must help with the rest."

"I will go," Drake boldly said.

"I will go too," Sophia declared.

"I am afraid, my dear," Nana Murete started, "You will need to stay with us. If we release you back now, you will fall back into the Unknown."

"Wait that is not fair! How could I easily go back?" Sophia said.

"Drake drank the Waters of Knowledge. You were taken by the Unknown. You are here in essence, but your form, your body is still part of the Unknown," Nana Murete said.

Sophia heard this and nodded. The Scarred Man turned to Drake, "I will be able to send you back. You will need to help defeat the Unknown. Once it is done, I will take the price to be paid."

Drake agreed.

The Scarred Man held the broken pieces of the Lute of Fate. He lifted up the cracked wooden body. His fingers gathered around the snapped neck. The Scarred Man patted the wiggling threads of the lute. Murmuring to himself, he glided his hand over the lute and repaired it. Slowly, he turned back to Drake and handed him the lute. His rough voice said, "Go back and back the Unknown into submission."

With a sudden thrusting motion, Drake rushed through the waters and was carried back to the surface.

Chapter Twenty Four:

The Melody

The Unknown was still at the edge of the Fountain of Knowledge. The betrayed Shannon had sparks of magic glowing at her fingertips. The detective, her partner, and the junkshop owner's daughter spread out further. Mika held out her hand and the others circled round the Unknown. Yuki with his spellbook started to chant the words for a banishing spelling. The Dukes bravely marched forward with their lantern. The Unknown shrank back as it heard the splash from Drake falling into the fountain. It nervously circled round as the boy held in. The party of people were all around it.

The Unknown with all its might lashed out to the people about it. It whipped out its shadowy arms first at Shannon. She jumped and slid over to the edge of the Fountain of Knowledge. She knew the secrets of the Unknown. She had afterall offered herself to the formless thing. Shannon reached deep into her borrowed magic and gathered the Waters of Knowledge. The next price was something Shannon had long not be willing to part with. But the knowledge she need lay within the waters. She dug inside of it and shouted to the newcomers, "The waters will drive it back! Be quick and get your friend out, too!"

Shannon flung water at the Unknown. It flinched and dodged her. Mary and Orel held up their guns and decided to shoot. It gained the attention of the shadow creature as it moved away from Shannon. The two Dukes rushed over to the waters to find their relative. They reached in and scowled the area with their lantern. The waters seemed to run deep. Gin shuttered as he stood next to Yuki. The boy with the spellbook had advised him to stick close and not to wander after Drake. He needed Gin to repeat the chant after him.

Mika dashed around the casting circle with the spider to gather water to pull on the Unknown. She had learned from the Scarred Man the price to be paid for using the water. She willing gave up the uncertainties she had gained. The Unknown fought back with each of its shadowy limbs. It hissed as Mika tossed water on it. It thrashed at Shannon as she used the last of her magic to gain more water. It drained Shannon until she was pale in her face. The two officers had gained the attention of the Unknown after they mocked it. They ran to the two girls at the Fountain of Knowledge and gave them cover. Yuki continued his spellcasting, even as the Unknown started to laugh. It had begun.

The Glass Apple had fully cracked. It fragmented reality in everyway. They had yet to notice the changes since they were at the very heart of the event. But it chipped away at the outside of the world. It happened quickly. It took away past, present, and future. Time bleed into itself. Nothing was outside. Everything was outside. These people were fighting the Unknown pointlessly.

The Dukes exchanged looks about the Lantern of Enlightenment. As Edgar was about to jump in, a hand reached out. The Dukes pulled up Drake. Drake coughed as he came up from the depths of the pool. The battle was raging out with the Unknown spread all about. The world was coming apart on itself.

Drake came to the ledge of the Fountain. He had enough of it all and lifted up his fingers. He played straight and true,

You came with promises of change

But you live with no name.

How could you make it not the same?

Is it sane?

My friend, you grow wild and assume

So much you would doom.

Please give back what you have taken.

Please do not act like it is forsaken.

You have a name.

I can give back.

You are my sibling who was lost.

You are called White by our mother.

Other names from another.

It is not a random toss.

I shall not slack.

I can give them back the same.

Your true name is Weaver Un.

You fell from grace.

You were in a hurried case.

No one can blame you for trying to end war.

But see here what you do.

See here what you have done.

You have taken.

You now must be undone.

The melody rocked the Unknown. It yelled and hualered. The strings on the lute seemed to twist about it with the melody. The shadowy thing feel to a flat surface. Yuki completed his spell and bound it to the ground. The others came to a rest as the world fluttered about them in the chaotic mess. Then in a blinding light, it all faded away.

Epilogue

The door handle rattled. She entered in mutedly with her hood over her face. Her graying hair was just shy of view. Her jet voids of eyes scanned over the place. Sweet Pea walked forward with her well shined boots clicking on the ground. Her hard face turned to find the Scarred Man. She greeted him, "Hello."

"Hello, indeed. You have come back again. I see..." The Scarred Man smiled (a half-hearted smile, but still warm). His junkshop was empty of the sweet laughter of children. Long absent was the smell of tea and cookies from his trusty helper. No signs of wealth from his past lifetime lingered. The moments of joy were fleeting. He lived on with his junkshop; just dusty shop with all its clutter everywhere and cobwebs.

"Please come in," He motioned toward his study. The door stood halfway open. It was clear that wee children had once been here. Their toys were carefully placed under glass. A beat up lute hung over the desk. A teacup and a teapot left spotless by a window. The outside world was snowy and quiet. A lovely village appeared out of the junkshop. A sign swung in the gentle winter breeze. It read, "Special Antiques Inside." The Scarred Man slipped off his black coat onto his armchair. His fedora sat upon the desk with care. He somberly sat down upon his chair.

Sweet Pea came in leisurely. The walls had items covered over and hidden in cases. On the workbench, she spied the completed weaving. It rested next to the wrapped Glass Apple. The workbench had a new weave under process. Sweet Pea took a deep breath and sat down in her own chair. She pulled off her hood. The Scarred Man noticed her aged beauty. Sweet Pea held up her head proudly, "Scarred Man."

"Sweet Pea," He said.

She crossed her legs, "I have come to see how the matters settled with the mortals. For I know you made this new land of magic and wonder. But tell me how do they fair?"

"First, tell me about Feathers, Mika, Yuki, and White. I wish to know how my wards and his adopted mother does."

"Feathers and White are fine. They stay well in the castle of the Echo Kingdom. Yuki trains well with his book to be a suitable king one day. His sister continues to sort out the magical affairs of the Echo Kingdom. She tells me that she will return to you and your work in several more months that is once the kingdom is sorted out," Sweet Pea curled her hands around her armchair, "You will do well not forget that they are not your kin."

"Yes, Sweet Pea, I know. I cared for some. I love them dear. But I cannot be their parent," the Scarred Man took out his pipe, "How does your sister?"

"Primrose is well. She runs the seasons smoothly. The clowns, Ozzy, Lucky, and Newegg see well to the circus now that Primrose and I cannot run it. She is off to the fairy kingdom. I am roaming about on holiday."

"Hmm. . ." He took a puff.

"The mortals, Scarred Man," Sweet Pea repeated.

He stared out at the snow. Families played and skipped among the snowflakes.

"Scarred Man."

He was far off. He thought of his lives as Manchester and Fujita.

"SCARRED MAN!"

He looked back at her, "Darling Sweet Pea, it would ever warm my heart if you called me by my name."

"What the random ones you assumed?"

"No, no. My real name."

". . . You are making me lose my patience."

"Please, just call me by name."

She muttered it.

He put his hands together and puffed on his pipe. He leaned back in his chair, "I can tell you they have all settled fine in the new order. The mortals are just fine. Why do you care so much?"

"The boy, Drake... He was part of my troope. I want to be sure that they are treating him right on that side. No one who has been part of my circus gets mistreated," Sweet Pea said.

"Duke Drake and his cousins, Prince Fred and Prince Edgar, are well. I have heard that Lady Sophia is due to marry one of the princes It was all sorted out by my hand... King Finn was never king. His sibling became the queen. She does a wonderful job of arranging the affairs of Yena," the Scarred Man nodded, " Duke Drake's mother never did make it pass childbirth of Drake. That taught Finn to love his child more."

"Shouldn't she have lived? What of the ones dead from the undone weaving?"

"Sweet Pea, you know I cannot undo death. I can drive history in new ways. But death does not get undone. Besides... those who live on the Other Side still feel the traces of the last weave. They can dismiss it as bad dreams. But they will have memories."

An old man came into the study. He wore a fresh pressed gray suit. His eyes were cheerful, if not for an unsettling sliver ring around his eyes. The old man held a tray in his hand as he delivered a second cup for Sweet Pea to have tea. He paused by the Scarred Man, "Sir, is there anything else you need?"

"No, Gin, this is good," He beamed.

Sweet Pea stared at him, "Weren't you from the Yena Kingdom? You were the advisor or something?"

"Indeed, Madame. I was. I decided to retire and stay here with this company. It is a quiet business," He said and bowed. The man disappeared back into the shop.

"You kept him?"

"He desired to stay..."

"His eyes?"

"They are not easy for any living person to deal with. He needed a calm space after his time in the Birk of Doom," He got up and poured himself and Sweet Pea a cup of tea.

"You would be happy to know that Wise River has recovered nicely. She has gone back to Sir Styx and Lady Murete happily. She has many new insights," Sweet Pea took her cup.

"Yes, I know. It was she that changed her mother's mind about the whole power granted to me," the Scarred Man said. The phone rang in the office. He went over to it and answered it. He answered, "Ah, Mary and Thursday, you have found more unwanted magical items. Yes, please. Bring them here."

He said good-bye. Sweet Pea raised an eyebrow, "You kept other mortals here?"

"You cannot expect a couple with one who still can turn into a raven to stay on the other side. I brought them here as it was easier. They can go back to the Other Side through the Fairy Gates," He said softly.

"You said you would take all the magic from the Other Side!"

"I said I would. I did. We are still collecting them here. It will take some time to completely undo everything else," the Scarred Man sighed.

"You are still working on the weave?"

"I have fine details to work out. There was a lot of smaller ends to get back. The Lute of Fate is still scattered about. Pieces of the Glass Apple are everywhere. We have things to sort out before all the traces of magic are gone from the Other Side. It may take a couple hundred years. But we can bring them here."

"Did you really expect everything to be cleared up just like that?"

"I am a dream weaver! It has taken me nearly seven hundred years to complete this weave! I would say it is all clear now. I just need to put finishing touches on it," the Scarred Man held his cup in his hands.

"But Scarred Man!"

"What was lost was restored. What cannot be brought back is done."

"So. . . Just like then."

"Yes just like that. We will have more work to do," the Scarred Man turned to the window.

"And you will keep tending to it?"

"Hmm..."

"I ..." Sweet Pea had wanted to say more. She put her cup back down, "Very well... I wish you good luck."

"Sweet Pea," the Scarred Man gently grabbed her shoulder, "Will you please come back and visit again? Maybe we could even have dinner?"

"Yes, I would like that. Keep mind, I am going to travel about for a while. I have some business back with Lady Murete and Sir Styx. We have been trying to deal with the changes of the seasons. The new system of passing the fairy kingdom rulership can different then what we are use to. It is complex."

"I understand."

"When I get back, we can talk more," She looked down at her boots, "You and I get some food, too."

"I would like that," the Scarred Man grinned.