"Here we are," Saska stated as they reached the cluster of buildings at the lakeshore. The lake itself was barely visible with the thick mist hanging around. "Once we cross the water, we'll be in the settlement you were looking for."

Raviel dismounted and helped the boy down. "How are we going to do that?"

"There are some boats at the dock over there. And you can leave your horse in the stables. It may appear abandoned, but this is a trading post for outsiders. It's warded with elven magic."

"Does outsiders mean Outcasts?"

"Partially. Outcasts are the group that moves around the most, but some merchants – accompanied by skilled guards or they'd probably be dead overnight – do travel from town to town."

"I see. Have you been here before?"

"Once when I was a kid." He gave a pointed look to Raviel. "Haven't come back on my own, since elven mages don't need anything I sell."

Raviel chuckled. "Got it."

"Although..." Saska resumed staring at the lake. "I don't remember there being such heavy fog during afternoon hours."

"Should we wait until it clears?"

Saska grinned. "Nah. I have some tricks of my own too."

"Really?" Raviel took the reins of his horse.

"Yep. Come to the docks once your horse is settled in the stables."

By the time Raviel had taken his steed to the stables, unsaddled her and brushed her gently to calm the animal down before leaving her with plenty of hay and fresh water, Saska had already thoroughly checked one of the boats and deposited their personal bags at the bottom.

Raviel carefully stepped into the boat and sat down. He had certainly been on his share of ships, but not that many boats. It was a little, narrow vessel, suitable for two or three people at most. "So how are we going to reach the island in this fog?"

"Please come out, Sasha," Saska spoke.

A faintly glowing ball of light slowly emerged from the boy's chest, like a child shy of strangers. It hovered very close to Saska for a moment, then darted over to circle Raviel.

What was this? Some form of a ghost?

"This is Sasha, my twin brother. He's been with me as long as I remember. So I've been fine even when everybody else abandons me - 'cause I'm never alone."

The ball of light seemed to lose interest in Raviel and returned to Saska. The boy smiled. "Sasha, would you lead us to the island?"

The light bounced up and down once, accompanied by a faint humming sound, which Raviel interpreted as agreement. Then it flew a little ahead of them, barely visible in the mist, and waited.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Raviel asked as he slowly rowed the boat towards the dim light. "The deceased don't always think...positively of the living."

"I know. Never follow the will o'wisps, their game of hide'n'seek never ends," Saska quoted. "That's what mothers tell their children. Don't follow the souls of dead children, lest you become of them. But I think that's only because they don't really understand them. I can hear Sasha's voice, and he has helped me many a time when I've gotten lost." He smiled. "Not everything out there is an enemy. That's the first thing Outcasts learn. That's probably how we can go where regular people fear to tread."

"Is that so?" Raviel commented. "In that case I'm very glad to have you accompanying me. I'm afraid there will still be many places I need to go where 'regular people' would not set a foot on."

The mist was clearing a little to their right and he could make out a humanoid shape among it. Could it be? A woman? What was...she doing in the middle of a lake?

"What are you doing?" Saska asked, startled, as the elf's paddling took them off-course. Oh no! He could hear the faint song, beckoning them closer. Come. Come hold me. I'm so cold and lonely...

The elf suddenly put his paddle away and stood up.

"Raviel! Stay seated or the boat will flip!"

Raviel couldn't even hear Saska's protests. All he was aware of was the beautiful woman calling for him. Entranced by the song, he stepped overboard without hesitation.

"Stupid elf! I warned you about-" His words were cut short as he grabbed Raviel's arm before the elf could either swim away or sink to the bottom of the lake and was jolted by a magical force. Was...the Lady's domain rejecting him? Still, he refused to let go.

The abrupt clash of two magical forces was enough to also wake Raviel from his trance. What had happened? Why was he in the water? His eyes focused on the beautiful, naked woman slowly swimming closer. Right.

The woman in question didn't appear very pleased. "Why do you resist me, my handsome visitor?" she asked, her words as melodious as her song. "And why do you bring one bound to the Viscount of Shadows to my domain?"

Saska squeezed his arm harshly to pull his attention from the woman. "Where did you put the charm I sold you? She'll bewitch you again!" the boy hissed. His hand was going numb. There was no way he could hold off the power of the Lady of the Lake like this for long.

"Somewhere in my bag. I didn't think it was important."

"I told you how important it was! Otherwise you'd fall to the siren's song of water dwellers like you just did!" He pulled the bag closer with his free hand without letting go of the elf and tried to locate the charm. Then he froze. There were eyes staring at him at the other side of the boat, blue-tinted arms reaching inside. Nereids. "Uh...Raviel, a little help?"

"Ignore him, my beloved," the Lady purred. "Once he's gone, there's nothing standing between us anymore."

"Don't you dare! If the alternative was being eaten by these water hags, you should have just let the Viscount kill me!"

Raviel closed his eyes briefly. He was wet and cold and having a seriously difficult time focusing with the woman's voice ringing in his ears. "Phoenix," he spoke softly, invoking the summoning magic he had been granted long before departing to this cursed land. Even if the ties to his homeland were broken now, left in a completely different dimension, the fragments of power lived on inside him.

A fiery silhouette of a bird appeared above them. The nereids froze, hissing.

"Call your servants off or they will burn," Raviel warned. "Saska belongs to me now, not the Viscount, and you will not harm him."

Now the Lady looked downright furious. "You –dare- to give me orders in my domain?"

Saska finally found the charm and slipped it over Raviel's head. The elf could feel his mind clearing almost instantly. "If I have to, yes. But I have nothing against you, my lady. The only thing I want is information about my twin brother and then we'll be gone."

She paused, thoughtful. "Information, you say? And who might this brother of yours be?"

"He looks a lot like me, but one of his eyes is amber-colored. He is a very strong mage, who was banished to this land a decade ago."

"And what will you do once you find him?"

"We'll return home together. That's all."

She studied him a bit longer. Then she beckoned to the nereids. "Leave them, my beauties. They may yet prove useful."

Saska breathed a sigh of relief as the creatures disappeared back underwater and helped Raviel to the boat. The elf dismissed his firebird since the situation seemed to be over.

"This information you seek...I would be willing to provide it in exchange for a favor. A small one for a mage of your caliber, I'm sure."

"I've learned not to agree to favors without knowing what they are, my lady."

She laughed softly. "A wise policy. You have surely noticed this mist that was not here before, correct? Something in the island is working against me. Raising the mist and devouring my people one-by-one. As I can't leave the water, I want you to find and eliminate this threat."

"And if I do, you will tell me where my brother is?"

"I will tell you everything I know of him."

She probably didn't know his current location, since she was avoiding the question, but if he had been here, Raviel hoped he'd at least learn which way he had gone. "Agreed."

She swam closer, right next to the boat, and held out a blue pearl to him. "This should convince my people to help you in any way you need. Once your task is done, throw it into the lake to summon me."

Raviel nodded and took the pearl. "I understand, my lady."