In the land of Poe in an outer reality unknown to these three wayward travelers, a dark and dismal world they witnessed. Its natives wearing brown cloaks covering them from top to bottom. Faces are almost invisible and eye contact never made.

“This is too much,” Sheeba said, passing a man, who ran in terror at the sight of her.

“I know,” Olya remarked. “This isn’t the way things are supposed to be. Where’s the stage of the Fool’s Theater, the street musicians. At least a friendly face.”

“Not in this universe, Oli. I mean, they’re all acting like they don’t know us.”

“Perhaps, they don’t,” Olya said, looking straight into her sister’s eyes.

“Olya,” Dersko scolded, “that’s ridiculous. How can you not exist?”

“We need answers, Dersko, not more questions.”

“Your answers will have to wait,” Desko said. “Olya, look.” Dersko pointed to a disturbance.

“That poor man,” Olya said. “I have to help him.”

“Oli, wait,” Sheeba pleaded. Then looking to Dersko, she said, “Well, just don’t stand there. Let’s see how much trouble we can find.”
The two ran to their partner who had things very much in hand. They stopped the beating of the elderly man and continued their ruthless treatment on their feminine assailant.

“Is that the best you boys can do? What did that poor man ever do to you?” She identified them as the two minions of Bloss they had fought on Gaspen.

“He is a dwarf, and dwarfs are evil,” Ardane spoke distinctly.

“Who says?” Olya asked, the anger boiling inside her.

“The great Lord Bloss… the all-knowing, the all-powerful,” Froth claimed in cracked speech.

The thought made Olya cringe, especially when the villagers sang a vacant eerie chant of the words.

“What have you done to these people?”

“Lord Bloss has showed them to way,” Ardane said.

“I have a new way,” she said, removing her gloves. She placed a hand on each one, cultivating her power into pure energy. The incident lasted all of thirty seconds before both men went down, but the surge was enough to leave her breathless and unsteady in her footing.