It was another Friday, seeming like ages from the fated Friday that brought Random McGuire to this situation, but finally, Eric found her a safe house. They took a carriage ride through Central Park, and Randi thought this was strange, but maybe Eric's way of saying goodbye to her for now. The carriage stopped in the middle of a thick stand of trees where in stood a garden gate, rather ornate, and Random knew that the safe house was not in the City.. nor even in this realm. She had the starpass, and it never occurred to her that she could be kept beyond the Nexus. This delighted her, as she knew that she had a half sister here, a sister she never met, but heard many many wonderful stories about. A sister who was 5 years older than her. Kessie was aware that her sister was to take haven beyond the nexus into her world. She showed only slight amusement, but beyond that, was concerned with her duty and not much else. Kessie had grown into a rare beauty, though she conducted herself rigidly and kept her features strict. No matter what effort she put toward keeping a stoic appearance, she was none-the less regarded as beautiful. The realm beyond the nexus, was called Verdeglen. The forest beyond that was called Sylvanasia. The planes were called Nerroeuropa. The Shores were called Satemystia. Random was taken to Sylvanasia, and Eric escorted her throughout the entire journey. Kessie had long since her arrival beyond the gate, been given privileges to a palace, built in her honor. The palace was situated on the Eastern Shore of Satemystia. Kessie requested that long ago as in her little girl eyes, that would be a lovely place for picnics with her mother. By the time it had been presented to her that her mother and Stryxn, whom she'd regarded as a father and grown to love, had been exiled back to New York, Kessie had turned five, and her whole world had been torn apart. She knew her mother and Stryxn had broken some law, and she thought her mother was punished because her belly had grown big and round. But her mother told her.. that she was going to have another baby..and that she and Stryxn had only broken the law of falling in love. They were to leave..and that it would be too dangerous for her to go with them. Megan and Stryxn both decided that Kessie would be better off in Satamystia, though it broke their hearts to leave her there. They promised to find a way to come back and visit often, but it never happened, and Kessie had grown to resent the new child that took her place in her mother's heart. And in Stryxn's heart. Kessie had turned from a happy sweet little girl, into a serious, sardonic one..almost over night. Kessie had to approve of Megan's arrival into the nexus.. as she was the Oakensoul, the gatekeeper. Kessie's conditions for her arrival would be, that Megan's Starpass be removed permanently. That Megan could not ever again enter New York. Unaware of the conditions for her arrival to Sylvanasia, Megan had assumed that her sister would greet her in some sort of a happy reunion, instead, upon her arrival at a rather plain cottage deep in the forest, two silver haired male elves in long white gowns met her and each took her by an arm. Random McGuire, you must come with us. Seemingly having no choice in the matter she looked over her shoulder back to Eric who stood there quietly..with a helpless look on his face. Sorry Randi, it's all for your own good..there's no other choice. ERIC??? Randi screamed helplessly.. What's happening?? Later, Megan woke up in a room, darkened by dusk, feeling a bit whose.. then suddenly a sharp dull pain emitted from her forehead and to her horror, Random realized that her starpass had been surgically removed. Frantically she reached to touch it, and felt bandages in its place. She realized there would be no going back to the life she knew, to her business, to her past, to her parents, or her beloved Aunt and Uncle. She knew that nothing would ever be the same. She wondered where her sister was..why hadn't she come to greet her..to welcome her? Then her heart sank as she suddenly realized that all this must have been her sister's doing, since she, after all, was the Oakensoul To be Continued... By Robin Minick