The Cracked Twilight

Cordell picked up a plate and took what he needed , sitting down at the table he kicked himself for not thinking that but put it down to his mind being else where. Finishing he plced the now empty plate in the sink , washed it and placed it on the drainer before heading down to the barn to find just as Robert said rainbow colored puffs every where , Taking out his want he stred on a group in a corner of about four "Immobulus" he said and picked them up one by one placing them in the new pen with the lid.

After an hour he had them all in teh pen and the lid scured down one loked at him from inside like it was relly annoyed at being penned up "sorry little feller have to ya can't go hopping around here too dangerouse for ya" he said smiling as he headed to the hippo griff pen placing fresh feed in its bucket he stroked its neck and it responded by pushing against his hand as if wanting more "sorry feller I have other things to do , I';l come back later"he closed the barn door and headed back up to the house .

Robert was in his black travelling clothes. He had tucked one wand in his cloak pocket and a second in his boot. He was a lot like Khaat and Remus in that respect. If he thought there might be trouble, he was going to be loaded. And Robert was not a man to mess with. Nobody ever made the mistake of doing it twice if they wanted to live. And his daughter and granddaughter had nearly been killed yesterday, never mind what it had done temporarily to him.

He had a map rolled up, torn out of a old, old book in his study. He tucked it into his cloak pocket. He was silently concerned about Khaat, though. He was hoping she had actually made it home. He hadn't had time to tell her that her energy signature had been temporarily scrambled by the cruciatus curse yesterday, and Abbey's signature was even worse. It would, of course, wear off in a couple of days, but if she apparated, she could end up in Antartica if she wasn't careful. Oh, well, she would turn up sooner or later, he figured, sighing heavily.

Right now, he had to concentrate of the few things he did know to track those that would harm her. He found Cordell in the kitchen, "You ready to go?"

Cordell nodded as he finished washing his hands "dose a cowboy wear boots?" he said with smile as he wiped his hands and grabbed his long black wind breacker coat from over the back of a chair, when ever he was working on somthing he wore it as it made the ranger badge now pinned to its lapel stand out. Slipping it on he didn't remove it, as he was a ranger and nothing would change that even medical leave.

"I saw where they were coming from yesterday, and I hoped I would never have to go there again. The place where I am taking you is exceedingly dangerous. Probably the most dangerous place you will ever go in your life. Take nothing for granted and under no circumstances will you fire your wand unless I tell you. We must show no signs of hostility if we intend to come back alive. Do you completely understand me? No matter what happens, no matter what you see, do not fire your wand unless I tell you to."

Cordell looked puzzled at the man but seeing he sturn look on his face and hearing the seriousness in his voice he stood straight up as if spoken to by his supirior "yes sir" he said his mind focused he wondered just what was so dangerouse about where they were going but he knew with Roberts expertise if he said don't fire then he would not, "can I ask where it is were going?" he asked sliding his spare wand into his boot and the other into its holder under his arm knowing fullwell he would when the time came need both to do battle with.

"Its better you dont know. The first time I was here, I was fine until I was told where I had been. Then I had nightmare for months. Just trust me and come along." He laid his hand on Cordel's shoulder and apparated them outside the mouth of a cave well hidden by rocks and brush, but clearly having a low entrance. "Be very careful not to say anything disrespectful,"Robert whispered. He stooped low and entered inside. The cavern smelled of sulphur and brimstone. It just plain stunk.

He could hear walker following him. And that was how it should be. Inside the cave, they could stand up straight to walk. It was vastly big inside. Robert kept walking straight, his wand at rest at his side. He glanced back to be sure Walker had not positioned his wand at the ready.

"So--Robert Lupin--" a foul, hissing voice sounded. "I didn't think I'd be seeing you again, well, not for awhile yet. What do you have to do with me?" The air inside reeked of pure evil. There seemed to be no spark of goodness anywhere. And the further they walked, Robert could see eerie red and green glowing lights in the distance.

Robert came in front of a cloaked figure, sitting on a throne, that had red and green glowing lights around it. "I've come to ask you why your servants have come to trouble my family. They've done nothing to you. My family is being provoked without any apparent cause. I found this..." Robert used wandless magic to levitate the hematite stone to the cloaked figure.

Cordell nodded he knew for himto say that was serious "ok " he said feeling the pull as they aperated to where ever it was they entered , he smelt the sulpher it reminded hm of the fire that had came from the dragons mouth as it atacked him and his family and he froze for split second , his hand grasping the wand he held as he followed Robert into a cave watching as he stood in front of a throne the same black cloaked figure sat a top , looking around he kept watch for any sign of attack while rovbert spoke to the fugure.

"It is true, the stone is mine," the figure said. "How did this come to you, though, Lupin?"

"Your servants attacked my family and used it to get my hippogryff to attack me. What do they want with my daughter? What do YOU want with my daughter?" Robert asked.

"It is not me," the figure said. "The Remus ring has escaped our world. They want it back. Once it leaves this world, they naturally go after it. "

"It is not yours to give or to take, " Robert said. "It is Remus's. His to give, his to reclaim if he so chooses. He gave it, freely, to my daughter. It is not your magic that fuels it. It is Remus's alone. DId you think I would not check that before I let her have it? Did you think I would not read the rules? You have no claim on it, and thereby no claim on my daughter. Call them off. You do not want me to make a grievance of this and take it to a higher court, do you?"

"Now, Lupin, is that truly necessary? They were only having a bit of harmless fun."

"We have very different definitions of harmless. Draw them off my family at once. The ring is not yours. They cannot have it."

"You always walk a fine line, don't you, Lupin? Very well. I shall re-call them. They shall not trouble you or your family again for the Remus ring. But one day, you shall be mine."

"Not today. Not in the near future." Robert said with finality.

The figure just laughed, a soul chilling laugh that, were it a lesser man, would have cast Robert to his knees in fear.

"Take your lackey and go, Lupin. You are free to leave," the figure said.

"I have your word? You will leave my family and me alone?"

"I so said, did I not? Oh, and tell your lackey, when he regains himself. that I do not have both of his. I only have one. The other remain on your plane."

"What?" Robert frowned deeply.

"He needs to look in his dimension for the smaller one. I only have the larger one. The smaller one remains."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Before the little one becomes mine before his time."

"Thank you," Robert said. He turned, took Walker by the shoulder and left with him. Robert was still frowning deeply at the words he'd been told. He apparated them back to the farmhouse.

Cordell turned quickly to the fuigure he wanted to storm up and demand he not speak in riddles , but he remebred Roberts warning not to do anything with out his say so it was not till they retuned to the farm he let lose "what did he mean Robert , tell me what was that all about one remaing in this plane!!" his fist clentched as he paced again up and down the kitchen floor "what did he mean the little one before his time?" his frustration growing with each second along with the ache his head semed to produce with each thought.

"Your wife truly is gone," Robert said gently, "But our presumption that your son is dead was wrong. Your son is still alive--someplace. It may take awhile to find him, but it seems he is alive." He knew that Walker most likely would want immediate answers, but Robert did not have them for him. FInding the boy would take time. The best course of action now were to turn that search over to Khaat and Katherine with their seer's abilities. Otherwise the boy could be anywhere. "We will find him. But it might take a bit of time. He could be anywhere. But as I told you earlier. We do not give up that easily. You realize, he did not have to tell us that. He was feeling exceptionally generous today. We were lucky indeed."