The great figure finally came into view, it's luminesent silver eyes finally coming into view. But something seemed strange, almost as if he were looking into some sort of strange mirror...

It had been a day since Eleax had been attacked by the stalker, but he had't woke up yet. Though faithfully as a friend could, Aeron had his head in his arms on the bed, sleeping restlesssly at Eleax's side.

"Uhh..." Eleax woke groggily, "What happened?" he saw the wolf's head resting on the bed beside him, "Am I dreaming again? Is this just another nightmare?" Eleax leaded over to wake Aeron up but let out a yelp of pain as he did, "OW! Why does my back hurt?"

Aeron looked up instantly as his friend let out the yelp, "Eleax? You're awake? You're awake!" the wolf grabbed him in a great big hug, but then let go once Eleax let out another yelp of pain, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

E cut him off, "Aeron, it's alright, you didn't mean to.' He looked around the room, them shifted so that he was sitting, "Exactally where am I right now?"

"you're at the hospital. You knocked me out of the way off one of the mutants from the Drekne Woods. Your back got torn up badly and they said you were supposed to be effected by some sort of toxin from the claws, but they couldn't find any of it," Aeron hugged him again, "But you're alright, and that's what matters."

Just then a nurse came in, "Oh, you are awake. A letter has come for you..." she looked at his little clip board, "Eleax. It only has your last name on it though, so I had to find a Mr. Camwell."

Eleax took the letter, "Thank you. Exactally why was it delivered to the hospital though? Shouldn't it have been delivered to my home?"

"I haven't the foggiest, the letter doesn't even have a return adress on it. But it was addressed to you, and there's the hospital address and yours on it." The nurse turned out the door, "Now I have to go inform your mother that you're awake."

"Thank you," he said to the nurse, looking at the letter in his hands, "What do you think it could be Aeron? Who would send a letter to me?"

Aeron took the letter and opened it carefully with one claw, "Who knows, should I read it or do you want to?"

"Go ahead and read it Aeron, I'll just listen."." E said sitting up higher, trying to get past the dimishing pain that flooded through his back.

"Ok then," Aeron said removing the letter and opening it so it could be read.

Dear Mr. Camwell

   You have been cordially invited to the home of Mistress Midnight.

You may bring if you desire one friend or family member of your choice, though it is recommended that you bring any neccesary medications or other such items. All food, clothing, and toiletries shall be supplied during your stay.

As such a vehicle will be sent to retrieve you and other said guest on Thursday, October 6 of the current year. The Mistress looks forward to seeing you soon.

Officiallly
The Estate Of
Mistress Midnight

Eleax played with a loose tie on the medical gown he had on, "Het Aeron, what day is it today? And what's the time?"

"It's the first Thursday in October, but they couldn't expect you to come so soon after you've been in the hospital," Aeron said looking over the letter again, but stopping when when he saw the look in his friends eyes, "Oh no no no! You are not going to some mysterious person's house straight from the hospital Eleax, so stop that thought right there!"

E smiled, "Too late, it's already done." And with this remark he swung his legs out over the side of the bed and got up a bit shakily, "I have one last question for you Aeron, where the hell are my cloths? or at least my shoes, this floor is cold."

"They were incinerated. You wouldn't want the anyway, they were soaked heavily with blood by the time we got here." aeron loooked at him as he got up. Though the bandages on his were slightly red he wasn't bleeding, and he was able to move around as if he hadn't been hurt as badly as he was.

"Then maybe we could find that nurse again..." Eleax never finished his sentance as his mother walked into the room with a few bags on her arms.

"Eleax! When they said you were awake they never said anything about you getting up. Well It's a good thing too, I just got an invitation at the house that was addressed to you." She was bustly around the room as she talked, not letting either of them get a word in untill she was done. She had even brought a nd change of cloths from her son.

"Mom, mom slow down," Eleax put a hand on her shoulder, "the same invite was delivered here too. I was planning on going to the place to, but I kind of had no cloths so I couldn't get up. Will you please calm down and tell us what's going on?"

"The invite was to the home of Mistress Midnight. She's supposed to be rich and powerful and if she is inviting you to her home that means she needs something from you that you could get tangibly paid for." Enid talked in a flury of words, barely stopping to breath at any intervals.

Aeron looked at her from his chair, "Enid, I think you're over-reacting. Just sit and calm down ok? Then maybe we can all figure this out, and E can get dressed."

"Oh, ok. I guess I could sit down..." she slowly went to a chair and sat down, "But do you two realise what this means? We could be rich!"

Eleax slipped on the cloths from the bed, being careful with the shirt "Ok, who cares about the riches. I just got a mainly annonymous letter that's inviting me to what might be some big fancy event, and all you care about is money?" he slipped on the shoes, "Besides, I'm not even sure about this whole thing yet."

Aeron looked up at him, "i think you should probably go. For all we know she might be some sort of phycic that can tell us what's going on with you lately. And I also want to see if what Enid says is right about thi Midnight person anyways."

"Ok ok, I'll go, but Aeron is coming with me. I sleep better with him around, and I think I'd prefer to be uncomfortable in a strange house with him over you Mom." Eleax walked out the door as he said this, once again leaving to avoid a conversation.

Aeron and Enid spoke in unison, "I wish he would stop doing that."

*****

"Are you sure about this Eleax?" Aeron asked watching the sleek, black hovcar speed towards them.

"I think I'm as ready as I'm going to be for this," Eleax gulped as the vehicle stopped in front of them, letting out a man of his mid-twenties with aquamarine hair and pure black attire.

"Hello, I would assume that you would Mr. Camwell?" The man said looking at E, "Would you please get in the car? And you as well Mr. Fonnor." He said talking to them both.

They looked at at him with a strange expression, Aeron especially, but did as they were told. Getting Once more into the front of the car the blue haired man took off, speaking once more, "I suppose you two would be wondering exactally why you were invited to Mistress Midnight's home, aren't you?"

"A little, yes," E said shifting in his seat, "So are you going to tell us why?"

"Would if I could. To be honest I've actually no clue what she has planned this time, though I can tell you things I do know, like my name is Steve and I've been the butterler in her home for 5 years now." the blue haired man said, making a vicious right turn into the Drekne Woods.

"Um, Steve... Are you sure you know where you're going?" Aeron asked anxiously as he peered out the window, "Since we seems that we're heading into the forest."

Steve turned to look at him, a devilish grin adorning his face, "Scared of a little forest are we? We're almost there so don't worry."

Eleax watched as a building loomed into view, it's mass confines intact though they were clearly of a century's old age, "What is this place, it's absolutely magnificent, but so... unforgiving, so agelessly aged..."

"You could say that. Much of the building is still original from a century or so ago, but a farly large amount has been altered or restored," Steve said as they stopped before the impending structure, "But I'll tell you more about that later, for now we have many other things to attend to."

"It's amazing how someone could build something like this in the middle of a war, let alone in the middle of a forest like this..." Aeron said as they left the vehicle, staring in awe at the graduer, the grace of the delicate architecture, "Wait a second, other things? What other things?"

Steve lead them through the front doors of the building where an aged feminnen voice greeted them, "Welcome to my humble abode Eleax, and you as well Aeron. I'm afraid that I cannot meet you today, for I have some important reading that I absolutely must finish. Oh, and Steve, could you please meet me in the first wing library? I need to speak with you in private."

"Yes Midnight, I'll be there immediately," Steve said leading eleax and Aeron to a large couch in the foyer, "You two stay here, I'll be back very soon." and with this he went of down one of the many halls branching from the foyer.

*****

Steve entered the the library, its elegant padded chairs and grand bookshelves standing a testament to the room, “You wished to see me Mistress?”

A feminine voice, akin to the earlier one but somewhat different, answer his inquisitive call, “Yes Steven, I did call you here. I want you to separate our two young guests, as it seems the wolf Manile has been interfering with Eleax’s dreams, comforting against them with his presence. If they are to reach their full extent, they must be separated immediately.”

Steve gave a nod of affirmation, “What do you wish me to do with them Mistress?”

“Put them in separate wings of the house to sleep tonight, that should be sufficient enough to allow Eleax’s dreams to gain in strength,” replied the voice, taking on a more commanding tone, “And if you need me for anything else I shall be hear all night.”

“Yes Mistress, I shall see that it is done. Shall I turn off the surveillance and bring our guests some food as well? Time flies goes all too well in this home I’m afraid.” Steve said turning to the door to leave.

“Yes, please do that. We shall be able to monitor them well enough from the manor’s personal surveillance anyways. Now please go Steven, I really must get back to my reading.”

Steve nodded once more to the chair and left, leaving the mysterious mistress to her reading.

*****

What seemed a short while later Steve rejoined Eleax and Aeron, wheeling in front of him a tray of delectables, “I brought you two supper before I show you to your rooms.”

“Supper? It can’t be that that late already, can it?” Eleax asked taking something off the tray and nibbling on it, “I mean we just got here.”

“Check your watch if you do not believe me,” Steve said offering Aeron something, which he declined, “Now you two better eat fast before it gets too late.”

Aeron and Eleax both nodded to him, quickly eating much of the food from the tray. Once they finished Steve walked off down one of the many hallways, leading the two boys to a large room, "These will be your sleeping quaters while you stay here Eleax, please make yourself to home."

Aeron looked at the room, "What about me? Will I be close by?" he had a strange feeling that he already knew the answer, but asked anyways.

"You are to be housed in a seperate wing I'm afraid, the mistress wishes it," Steve said walking off, "Speaking of which, follow me please Aeron. Goodnight Eleax."

"Goodnight..." Eleax said weakly, going to the bed and laying down, falling asleep almost as he hit the bed.

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duhe rahn's room
AWS chapter 3