"Cowpony?" Suzé repeated as the creature swept forward with one pulse of its flipper wings. "It's a stream turtle!"

Jo half turned to see Jay racing down the path; then turned back to see the horse-sized lilac, purple and bright magenta turtle almost upon him. Yelling and closing his eyes, he put his hands out in front; anything to be a shield from the imminent strike. But not the open lids of another conscious. Not the streams of water that seemed to be rushing down both arms. Just before a shadow and blast flung him backwards, and he made a connection with a not grass-filled path. A connection that re-opened his eyes to see the violet-purple turtle descending into the night depths after the way-past-tree-height jellyfish.

"That...can't be right," he said, reaching to touch an already numb shoulder - then seeing a bar of ruby light where his hand should have been. "Arrrh, what's that?" he gasped, rolling over and dropping whatever had been in his hand.

"Why me..." Suzé's voice came from near a bench. "Why, why me."

"I don't-" Jo began, looking at the red light, bar - no - sword twinkling on the ground; more like gemstone than metal. "How did it-"

"Was it really time to call that?" Suzé said with slow steps.

"I-I didn't call it," said Jo, looking at Suzé, then at the sword. "It was in my hand as I went to touch my shoulder."

"Worrsdowth only answers to Night's Eternal Song. Which, I recall, is the person who has just dropped it."

Names and titles he would rather forget. Etched into this being on that – that day he tried to push away. More than a title. Sharper than memory. On the ground in all its gem-set and white, pink and gold braided reality. Gleaming with its - his - House's legacy.

Clouds seemed form in the corners as he knelt down. Just as a sphere of ice crept into his stomach. At least the handle was facing him so that he did not have to focus on the blade. But the hand had to be steady. Not vibrating as if the world had got cold. Close eyes - only for a moment - and still not be able to reach the handle - no - push back against the edge of the saddle or dashboard.

A dashboard in the foreground; a dark plain beyond. Lit and traced with lines and curves the colour of lune-aqua; towers and scrapers with the same soft light in the distance. More light sparkled in the dark sky above. Most stars; one or two cruising planets or satellites. But more like diamonds than the ones he had looked at before, despite the sailing clouds.

Who's softness was unlike the hard forms on the plain. Troops arranged into three ground squares. In storm jet but with lines or highlights of radiant teal. Vertical like those spears and lances; halberds and standards. Standards as dark as their armour; yet emblazoned with emblems of illume-silver: grand helm, flaw mantle, swan crest and swan shield. A hare and unicorn on either side with numerals that said one above twenty rather than seven...

Lost amidst the ice-flushed breeze that forced his head upward, beyond lake and horizon, to look at the moon. Not silver or calm lunarstone; but a veil of crimson, through which a celestial fire burned. 

Crimson laced with a halo of scarlet as the weapons and standards of the troops below developed a burgundy light. Not gentle, but thunderous; face like a lion's roar. As the troops raised both red-tipped weapons and storm-laced voices that paled before the hum in his uplifted hand. 

A hum that grew louder. A light that grew stronger; laced with crackles and mini pearls. A bar - no - column of light, tall as a sword, with a crimson halo like the moon, yet with dancing claws of vivid blue lightning. A light he was part of. A light that was part of him. A vast wave climbing into the air above; another wave surging up inside him. Even as the clouds circled. Even as the words came clear from the soldiers' roar.

"Song, Song; Night's Eternal Song;

Quail and flee the Falltocracy;

The Red Moon has come!"

"That's not me!" Jo cried, letting go of the light but still filled with the raging wave and torrents of water. "I don't want it!" Even as the light burst into miniature stars and the wave crashed upon him like a ground hammer. Not soft against the park floor.

He blinked. Another sky looked back at him. Complete with the tops of trees and the danceable beat. Blinked, coughed, then had to roll over as a figure knelt beside him.

"What in Brindles are you doing?" said Suzé as Jo continued to cough. "You only had to put it away."

"Soldiers," Jo spluttered, leaning forward. "I saw soldiers."

"What, here?"

"On a plain. With banners, and a moon that may as well have been blood red."

"But the moon's not even full," Suzé said, glancing up, "and there's been no news about an eclipse."

Jo looked at his hand. Was it still there? Empty, save for the blue lines that had been on the back of it before; running up the forearm toward his shoulder.

"So, it has gone," he whispered.

"That's one way, of calling it," Suzé said, getting up. "Starbursts surrounded you at one point."

"I didn't feel stellar," said Jo. "More nautical."

"The material for a debrief. Now, where did Bandana get to?"

"Mirrihans - James," said Jo, leaping to his feet then closing his eyes to stop the dizz-wave.

"The wrong path for a start. X is on the other one; complete with the way out."

"You mean, we can leave after this?"

"Got to catch him first," Suzé replied as she flowed into a run. "Last thing I need is him having a tarantula moment with Dolcreige."

. . .

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