'You're truly leaving?' Tarquin couldn't seem to understand their reasoning, even though his boss apparently could. Or, Farline was secretly eager to wash his hands of outsiders who didn't want to be a contributing member of their community.

Tark nodded. 'Your people are safe here, but there are too many out there who aren't. Two hundred thousand may be a small number to some, but not to me. I thank you for our freedom and the gifts.'

Farline patted his assistant on the shoulder. 'They have chosen their path, young one. Just as we have. Let them go.'

Coop had only just hung his talisman around his neck, and already he was fidgeting.

'The damn thing will snap if you keep playing with it.'

'No, it'll snap when I jab it in your ear, you-'

The brothers stopped arguing when they found themselves standing in the marble chamber once more. All traces of the Ranar settlement were gone and in front lay the steadily shrinking portal.

'I guess that's it.'

'Wait!'

The approaching sounds of jingling chains and clunking heeled shoes suddenly drew their attention. It was one of the Ranar women.

She had a beard as thick as Farline's, only hers was much cleaner, with intricate plaits and gold bands to hold them in place. Her bulky chain belt swayed as she walked, and her heavy steps caused her heels to clunk ever louder. Of course, the two full rucksacks slung over her back didn't help, either.

'I'm glad I caught you,' she handed one bag to Tark and the other to Coop with a smile so wide, they could see her silver tongue ring. 'For the road ahead.'

Tark beamed and began to rummage through. 'Moss, leaves, and more pickled fish buns?'

Tarquin furrowed his brow. 'Those fish buns were for tonight, Gwen-'

The lady returned the glare. 'There are plenty more for you, you big lug. I only gave them enough to last a few days.'

'And these?' Asked Coop, holding up ink-etched scrolls. 'They look like music sheets.'

Gwen mimed applause. 'A gold star for you, Bonnie lad. Consider them another gift, for the next time you encounter a formidable beast; you may sing them a lullaby and earn their companionship.'

'By grass! We wouldn't have to run everywhere. Thank you, my lady.'

Coop was still mid-bow when Farline cleared his throat. 'Apologies, but if you're going, you'd better do so now before the children get curious.'

Sure enough, at least seven of the little ones were peering from the far end of the chamber, their faces obscured, but their laughter a dead giveaway.

Tarquin spotted them too and quickly returned to wiping his bloodied finger across the nearby wall.

'You'll re-seal this gate behind us?' Tark needed confirmation.

Farline nodded. 'And we'll create another that you won't find.'

'Farewell then, and thank you again,' Tark turned to his brother. 'Ready?'

Coop hefted his rucksack onto his shoulders. 'Yup.'

The brothers shuffled forward until they were at the gate.

Tark bit his finger to draw blood, then pressed it firmly against the fading sigil of the Thelor Tree. And after a few seconds, the overlapping lines lit up.

The pair could not resist the gate's pull and were dragged through without warning. They would never get to go back, but hiding was not living at all. Tark and Coop knew it; it was just a shame the Ranar didn't.

Flashes of crimson red illuminated the surrounding darkness. Then, hundreds of sigils popped into existence, all suspended and turning to face them. Something was wrong.

The journey through the Ranar gate should have been instantaneous. Instead, seconds became minutes. Then finally, they crashed through a black and red spangled backdrop as if it were a fragile pane of glass. Reality hit them hard, and they could do nothing but watch.

'You thought you could defy me? Me? You gnomes should have learned your place the first time!'

Tark gasped. 'Kalroth?!'

'Where?' Yelled Coop. 'Dammit, I can't see a thing!'

Tark crouched and brought his brother with him. 'She's behind the fence.'

Sure enough, spying from between the wooden planks of the neighbour's garden fence, there was a monster with piercing yellow eyes.

'What do we do?' Whispered Coop.

'Run, you fool!'

'I can't.'

'What do you mean-' Tark looked down and noticed a familiar gloss coating covering his boots and spreading to his legs. The talismans weren't working.

The Dread Witch Kalroth saw this and laughed so hard that thunder ravaged the skies. And when the grey clouds collided, it began to rain. At first, there was only drizzle, but soon, the path beneath them turned dark and shiny, while the yellowing lawn quickly became a bog.

Coop looked at his brother, blinking away tears. He could barely see him but knew he had to be just as afraid. 'I guess there are worse ways to go.'

Tark tried again to move his feet, but the porcelain was setting. This forsaken garden would be their living prison for the next twenty-three hours, and there wasn't a damn thing they could do about it.

As the curse once more climbed to his chest, Coop strained to reach the talisman hung around his neck. 'So much for this stupid thing-'

A brilliant white light suddenly burst from the stone, and he found he could move somewhat freely, long enough for Tark to grab his. And when the twin explosion engulfed the garden, the Dread Witch shrieked and clawed at the fence's wood panelling as she clattered into it.

Tark tried not to laugh. 'Now, can we run?'

Coop grinned before grabbing his brother's arms. 'My goodness, grassy, you weigh a ton!'

'My legs are turning into pot. What do you expect?'

'Never mind that,' scolded Coop. 'Which way?'

Kalroth would be on top of them before they could hop into another garden, so Tark gazed left and right in search of another miracle. There were none to be found, only a cat flap that common sense warned him against using.

Coop spotted it too, and sprinted for the opening; only the weight of his backpack and brother brought him to a crawl. As his feet skidded across the wet stone paving, he sidestepped onto the grass and almost sank into a mud puddle. They weren't going to make it.

Tark looked over his shoulder to see Kalroth galloping on all fours, its bear trap of a mouth wide open and fiery tail whipping side to side. There was no time to discuss a plan, so he dropped from his brother's back. However, as half-set porcelain greeted stone, his right leg shattered into a thousand pieces.

The gnome wailed in agony, and he toppled face-first onto the pavement. Then, as Coop moved to help, two of the house windows suddenly lit up. The humans were coming.