Now Anna is truly worried. Ari was half way in love with Grey yesterday, even after she found out they were cousins. Now she won't even look at Grey. Something happened last night and it wasn't Sheila or at least it wasn't just Sheila.

"Since the elevators are not working Ari which way do we go?" Grey asks.

"How did you get down there when you first came in?" Ari answers still without emotion.

When she feels the anger from Grey she doesn't push it any further. "The only way down are stairways. I'll have to walk."

Grey goes up to her side to offer her his arm as support and she walks forward as if she didn't see it and Anna supposes it's possible that she hadn't, but she knows that she damn well did.

Grey is angry but takes the hint and walks just behind her Taren offers his arm to Anna and she takes it.

Ari stays just a step in front of Grey and at first her anger sustains her but soon the pace is too fast and she stumbles. Grey catches her before she falls but still she refuses to look at him. She takes them the shortest way that she can, the sooner inside the vault the better.

Her energy starts leaching out of her far faster than it should and she starts stumbling even more. Grey mutters an oath and shoves the bundles of clothing at Taren.

Taren makes a wild grab for the bundles and manages to catch them all. Or he thought he did until a small bundle falls to the floor. Anna seeing his predicament leans over and grabs it.

Meanwhile Grey makes his own wild catch and manages to grab Ari before she actually hits the ground. She is barely conscious. Grey starts swearing under his breath and urges the other two to hurry. He knows the way now and all but runs through the corridor.

The two guards that should be standing guard were missing and the door is wide open. "Damn. Okay Taren leave the clothes and your sidearm by the wall and your radio as well and any other item that might have electronics in it that you want to keep.

"Anna hand me that small bundle. If there is anything you want to leave behind now is the time. No? Okay follow me into the rabbit hole then." Grey didn't even care if he messed up the Lewis Carrol quote.

Grey walks into the vault and within steps is met with the two guards that should have been standing guard outside the vault. "Once more you bring the chosen to us unconscious."

"We were on our way here when this happened. I don't know what happened to her, " Grey says respectfully.

The first guard comes up to Grey and Ari and lightly touches her. "Ah, pardon general. This time it is our fault. In our eagerness to grow and touch the sky once more we pulled to heavy from her life force. Get her to drink from the springs and dress her properly once there. We will restrain ourselves and grow at a more circumspect rate.

Even as the guard speaks Ari starts to come to. The guards inspect Anna and Taren. "They brought no guns in here, that is good general. But they are dressed incorrectly."

"Sorry, I don't have any extra clothing that is correct. And the female would be uncomfortable wearing what you gave Ari yesterday. She was not brought up as Ari was." Grey says thinking fast. There was noway Anna would wear that outfit. At least not in public. He hoped.

"Very well. Take them to the spring and appropriate attire will be found for them. Then we will take you and Ari to the Aelven, the group that was specified has been separated and even now waits for you to see them."

Grey bows low and leads the way to the spring making sure that Ari is holding onto his arm this time. To give her further support he has his arm around her back.

Ari for her part still holds herself stiff and very erect keeping contact between them minimal. She's still angry with him. For the first time she does feel like his prisoner. When they get to the spring Ari drinks deeply and feels greatly refreshed.

Then she changes into the clothing given to her the previous day. She stands ready and their guide shows them the way.

Ari can tell that Grey is angry but right now she doesn't much care, she is too. Life hasn't been kind to her and although she's thankful that the hell her life has been is over it hasn't gotten wonderful. And she despairs that it ever will, time is short.

Ari sees the group and finds her cousin and runs up to him. But stops short at a few words from the queen. "So the half breed bitch survives after all. I guess that means the world didn't blow up. Tell me dirty half breed, how'd you stop the bombs?"

"I've told you before mother, Ari is smarter than the rest of the Aelven. She could have been a great asset had you had her help," her cousin interjects.

He looks back to Ari, "Hello Ariele. Gone native, I like it." Hatchi smiles in appreciation. The clothing is very revealing.

Ari recoils as if a snake lies in her path. She controls her tears with difficulty and Grey is furious. "I thought you were different Hatchi. I guess I was wrong," Ari turns around.

"Wait Ariele, I'm sorry. I've been playing a role for so long now that I don't have to it's hard to stop," Hatchi pleads. He doesn't want her to go, not yet at least.

"I only came to say thank you Hatchi, for all you've done in protecting me and helping me." Ari says nervously walking forward once more. Grey doesn't like it but knows that this is something Ariele needs to do.

Shyly Ari gets close to him, "I'd hoped that we could dance together again, this time because we want to, just the two of us?" Music is heard playing in the breeze. The same music that played for their last dance.

Hatchi bows low, "It would be my honor to dance with you cousin." The two start dancing the intricate steps of the latest dance. When the dance ends Hatchi leans in and kisses her.

Ari reaches behind him and holds on as the kiss deepens.

Hatchi dares to pull her close to him and the kiss lasts a very long time. Grey starts growling low. He'd like nothing more than to kill that bastard and is finding it hard to restrain himself.

No one is paying attention to the other three Aelven and the trees had made sure that they wouldn't interfere.

They are both breathing heavily when the kiss finally ends. "I wanted to do so much more, but..." Hatchi says.

"Shh, I know. If you had than I wouldn't have had the protection that I did." This time it's Ari that kisses Hatchi.

"Enough Ari, your human over there is about to blow a blood vessel." Hatchi says reluctantly. He loves the feel of her in his arms. "If things had been different then we could have been lovers or possibly even married." Hatchi says with regret as he pushes her hair off her face.

Ari smiles sadly, "If things had been different you wouldn't have wanted me Hatchi. You only want the impossible."

"No, I had no idea what mother had in mind for you and I loved you from the moment you were born. I stopped your father from molesting you as a baby, but I couldn't stop him in later years. I knew and could do nothing."

Ari holds still in his arms. "He molested me as a baby?"

Hatchi nods and holds her close as she starts shaking. "Yes, but the queen put a stop to that. Only because she had plans for later and didn't want you damaged before hand.

"She was jealous of your mother and when you turned out to be just as beautiful she turned her jealousy to you," Hatchi explains.

Ari is lost and all the new information just whirls around in her head. "But why? What could a human or a child have that would cause her to be jealous of us?"

"Your beauty." Hatchi runs his hands over her back making her shiver, but not in fear. "Your mother was so very beautiful that when your father captured her he turned his full attention to her and no longer visited my mother. Even though it was rape for your mother my mother was jealous. I have long suspected that he was my true father though mother denies it vehemently. They were lovers for years and then a human takes that from her." Hatchi looks venomously at his mother.

"I was furious when mother declared you as she did. But not nearly so furious as he was when he found out his friends had you first. He found ways to punish them for the liberty." Hatchi holds the sobbing girl tight to him.

"I took my anger out on the humans. Your friend over there is right to glare at me. I'm not a good man Ariele. I have a lot of blood on my hands, blood of anger. Your human has blood on his hands as well, but it is blood of defense. He protects and defends, I attacked and took. I am not worthy of you."

"You protected the chosen. You are redeemable and we will spare your life Aelven." The forgotten guide said.

Before Hatchi can say anything Grey speaks up. "The world court is going to sit in on judgement on her for the crimes the Aelven did."

Hatchi looks up appalled and angry, "She did nothing. All her life she has been a victim of the Aelven. Take me, the prince of the Aelven is well known for his crimes, I will stand in place of her at the trial."

"The court would try you both and you both would be found guilty. The court cares not for justice, they want blood. And they are full of greed. They covet the land above for their own and mean to have it," the guide intones.

"I have taken steps to make sure that doesn't happen," Ari says. She is still holding tight to Hatchi. "I won't let you sacrifice yourself for me. Please live, take the chance being offered to you and live."

Hatchi looks down at his little cousin sadly and shakes his head. "There is no place for me up there and living in a place alone would drive me insane. The Aelven have no place in the world above, nor it seems here below. I will die like the others." He kisses her one last time.

"Go and be happy little one." Hatchi says and gently detaches Ari from him and faces her towards Grey.

"She's dying the queen poisoned her prince. If she survives the trial she'll die from the poison." Grey is curious what this information will do. He truly believes the prince loves her. He isn't disappointed in the reaction he gets.

"Get her out of here human. Oh wait, grandma you have something that rightfully belongs to him." Hatchi states and goes over to the old one. "You old bitch, you thought I didn't know who gave mother the idea to make Ariele's life a living hell?" Hatchi grabs the bone necklace off the old ones neck.

Going over to Grey he hands him the necklace. "Grandma tormented him to the end and enjoyed every minute of it. He deserves peace in his death." Hatchi makes a silent promise to Grey that justice will be served as well.

Grey nods his head in understanding at the unspoken words. He holds the last of his father's bones tightly.

"Take her human and leave us. She shouldn't watch as the justice is meted. Some things should never be seen." Hatchi instructs Grey who nods his agreement.

Hatchi gives Ariele one last kiss. "Go now with the human and be happy for what time you have left. Don't let yourself become full of anger and venom as I have. I love you Ariele. One last thing, if you have the chance, I left a book, a diary of sorts in my room next to my translator. It's for you, things I couldn't say to you but wished I could. Read it if you wish, if not then destroy it. It is for you and you alone." He looks from Ariele to Grey.

"There are no state secrets, just private thoughts. Everything you want to know will be on the computers as I'm sure Ariele has already shown you. Take care of her human." Hatchi says and Grey nods and guides Ari away.

Ari starts crying knowing that she'll never see her cousin again. She had never dreamed that he had loved her, but she had loved him for his protection of her.

The guide stays behind and Hatchi pleads with him. "Allow me to mete out justice to those that harmed Ariele."

The guide nods, "It is good that they know a taste of the pain they caused the chosen, do as you will. We will know when you are done. And what of you? Will you not reconsider prince and accept the gift of life that is being offered to you? You love the chosen, it will hurt her greatly when you die."

Hatchi smiles sadly, "Had things been different I would choose life. But Ariele, Ariele deserves someone so much better than I. That human perhaps. But my time has gone. The Aelven are gone except these. I will be the last and that is for the best. The Aelven are not good people. Instead of life, I would ask that when it is time for me to die, that you make it merciful. Perhaps I don't deserve mercy though, it is up to you."

"Very well, that is your final choice then? So be it. Mete out your justice and when it is done we will do as you ask." The guide says and leaves Hatchi to his gruesome task.

Hatchi smiles a little evilly. "Uncle, like raping hapless little girls do you? How do you like this?" And so it goes as he moves from his uncle to his mother and finally to his grandmother. For her he uses the very implement that nearly took Ariel's life. He then moves on to the torture methods that had been used on Ariele so often.

By the time his anger is spent he sits crying among their lifeless bodies. "Done then? Do you feel better?" The guide returns.

Hatchi turns to the guide, "Done yes, and better in that the anger I've felt for so long is no longer in me, but now I'm just empty. It is time for me to die as well."

For the first time that Hatchi can remember he is at peace. "You have been purified. You have been found worthy and your request shall be granted. Farewell."

Hatchi falls asleep dreaming of dancing with Ariele. The knife slides into his heart and he dies with a smile on his lips.

The guide gathers small jars of his blood. Then returns to the humans by the spring.

Ari stumbles along and only remains upright because Grey holds her and won't let her fall. His heart aches for her, to him the prince had been a ruthless bastard, but to her he had been a hero. He would have liked to have taken all of them back for the court then perhaps Ari wouldn't have to die.

"Not so, general. You don't have the strength to have held them unless they wished it. The prince was willing but his sacrifice wouldn't have been enough. In truth had you all the Aelven it wouldn't have been enough. All the Aelven blood must be eliminated for the humans to recover from the deprivations visited upon them." The other guard says coming to them.

"The Aelven blood must all be spilt." The guard says with compassion.

Grey reigns in his temper until they come to the springs. There Ari runs to Anna and falls on her knees and the tears flood out.

Grey steps back into the trees pushing the guard back with him. "So what? Ari must die as well for she has Aelven blood. How does that help you having the chosen die like that?" Grey is so angry that he has trouble even forming the words.

"It is not what we wish protector, but we can work with it. The blind hatred of the humans makes it difficult for the magic to spread. As long as the magic is localized the weapons of mass destruction will remain elsewhere in the world. The blind hatred must be removed from this world.

"So her death will do that?" Grey demands getting angrier by the minute.

The guard shakes his head. "Not so. Such blind hatred is taught and is very difficult to change, even should they wish to and they almost never do. What is worse is they teach such hatred to others causing anger when there could be peace. The only way to end it is if that hatred and anger dies."

"Yeah, well the only way I know to do that is to kill the hate mongers one by one, if they can be found it will take years." Grey says bitterly.

The guard once more shakes his head. "There is a spell, a curse that could do that with her death it could be released."

Now Grey backs away from the guard. "You want me to kill her just like the other me did in the dream world."

"Yes. She is dying general, nothing will stop that, but if it is your knife then her death will enable the release of the magic and the weapons of mass destruction will become obsolete. I won't say that wars will cease, but they won't be nearly as destructive as before. Lives will be saved general. A lot of lives will be saved."

"But at such a high price," Grey says desolate.

"Everything worthwhile comes at a cost general. You above all should know that. Your father came to the Aelven court knowing that he wasn't likely to leave it alive looking for his long lost sister and counted the cost well worth it.

"Do you not think that Ariele would think the price worth paying. She has asked you before to take her life, would you deny her the right to die mercifully? Would you deny her the right to help save the lives of others?" The guard badgers Grey and Grey is having none of it.

"A sacrifice forced is worth nothing. She never volunteered to die. The situation is being forced on her. Primarily due to the Aelven queen and then to a lesser degree me and the world court. How then are we any better then the Aelven?" Grey says bitterly.

"Humans still have time to redeem themselves. They love and give, many are generous and good. Mixed with all the hatred and evil are those that bring light to the poor and help to the needy. They are the ones that will ultimately bring peace to the world of turmoil above, but they need the chance which will only come if the hatred is removed."

Grey looks with dislike at the guard and turns away from him. "I have been here too long." He breaks into the clearing once more. "Taren we must leave now. Others will be searching for us soon. Anna will you stay here with Ari? I think this will be a good spot for her for the time being."

Anna nods and continues to console the sobbing girl. "What happened Grey? All she would say is it isn't your fault and then started sobbing again."

"We talked to her cousin. He's the only one that helped her during her tormented years. He told her how much he loved her, kissed her goodbye and sent her away. The queen, queen mother and her father were with him."

"My goodness, why didn't you get them? They are the ones that should stand trial," Anna says.

"Only the prince was willing to stand trial and we couldn't have held the others. The prince will take care of the others giving them a taste...anyway she's upset because the prince refused to live.

"Will you stay here with her?" Grey asks once more. Ari's cries were like daggers to his heart. And when Anna nods Grey and Taren leave. Taren carrying his uniform.

"Uh, Grey, we can't be seen out of uniform like this," Taren says carefully. He can tell that something is making Grey angry and he doesn't want the fury unleashed on him.

"Change here, I'll get my uniform and change then we'll be going to the dungeon. There's a bitch there that needs to be seen." Grey is furious alright and Taren is glad that he's not going to be the one to have the full force of it.