Shivering as the cold wind ravaged her skin, piercing even her spelled cloak, Gretel strode across the beach toward the caverns on the southern part. The aura of Selene's potent magic only made her colder, but she had to endure. There was nothing natural about the magic of the building storm, she had to get to safety less she too fall victim to it's effects.

  Through wind and cold, she managed to make it to the Cavern, pleased as Selene's spells kept the cave not so frigid. Globes of white light danced through the cavern, casting shadows and soothing power.

  "You are late, dearest." A voice, deep and metallic, drew her to the caverns edge where the shadowed face of her old mentor looked at her. "I was worried you had fallen to the curse." A tentacle snaked out, larger than Gretel's entire frame, gentle caressing her cheek.

  She laughed softly. "I would never fall to this magic, you taught me far too well for that."

  "That I did... that I did." She shivered, groaning as the wind outside doubled in strength. "My strength is waning, I can only hold off the Curse for so long. We need to find salvation, less all of the lands will come to suffer for all time."

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  They both knew she was right. The Curse outside was unlike anything ever cast, it would ravage their world into nothingness...

  It would do worse than kill them all, far, far worse.

  Gretel straightened. "I found a solution, odd as it may be. We must call someone, from another world. One untouched by the curse, unable to be affected by it's power."

  Selene frowned. "And who would that be?"

  "Anyone that is not from our world, that has never been bound to the land by birth or blood. The Curse is bound to that. Free of that, they could save us all. I have already made a spell, that will find them. However, their life line must be unwound. Otherwise they cannot cross the world boundaries."

  Laughing, her mentor praised her. " You always were my greatest pupil... we must do this now, though, less my magic fail and we all suffer from the Mirror's Curse."

  "To think, someone reconstructed that mirror... to think anyone could." They both shivered once more, knowing the potency of the evil that would be required for such a magical act. "Let us begin, Mistress, and summon this soul..."

  Selene stood straighter. "Doing so, and keeping the barrier up... it would make me personally vulnerable to the Curse's power. I cannot allow that, allow my powers to be twisted, as this Curse calls. You know I must do."

  Tears fell from Gretel's face, but she knew her Mistress was right. "I know... now... shall we begin?"