We looked like such a mismatched group of outcasts, walking into the Mayan Security, Inc. corporate building, using the street entrance. Walking two abreast, Lucia and Gavin in the lead, we looked like commandos storming and enemy camp--not far from the truth--but were hardly dressed for the occasion. Lucia wearing her preferred 'night wear', Gavin with his ragged, torn clothes that he always refused to replace, Greg, Faith and myself--unimposing eight-year-old frame and all--in ceremonial robes, Nix with his skin looking like a pale sunset, Naomi white as snow, Jay actually wearing body armour, of all things--we looked mismatched, confused. The dozens of armed thieves strolling in behind us looked anything but, though. They held their automatic weapons at the ready.

Seeing our arrival, the startled receptionist pressed the silent alarm and guards started pouring in. They came in determined, but the sheer volume of intruders seemed to melt their resolve. As the column of thieves made their way inside the high rise's lobby behind us, Nubia and Killian entered, bringing up the rear. The guards had riot shields and shotguns, but the thieves had superior numbers and a good number of wizards to back them up. They ducked away as fire leapt from my hands as well as those of Nubia and Faith in unison. Giggling slightly at the show, I quieted as Nubia raised her voice to be heard.

"We're here to see CEO Draco. Is he about?" She said it almost casually, as if the dozens of armed guards and thieves didn't exist. I couldn't help but grin. It was too comical to ignore.

"Well?" she pressed impatiently. No one moved. The receptionist was half-standing, her mouth gaping.

"Forget it," I told her. "I'll show you the way up." She nodded and I made my way to the elevators at the back. A couple of guards tried to get in my way, but they were gone with a wave of my hand, vanished, never again to be seen in the land of the living. Nubia gasped. I just kept walking. I passed the reception desk without a word, passed the flamboyantly armed and armoured security guards without even sparing a glance. I took the left-most elevator and everyone followed, leaving our protection behind. I then cast the spell to activate the shaft, and we started moving.

No matter how many times I made the trip up--or was it down, or across?--it was always terribly disorienting for me. It was truly an indescribable experience, crossing the barrier to... wherever it was. Everyone in the elevator voiced his or her own discomfort. I understood how they felt; it was difficult even for me.

Finally, I got the impression we had stopped moving. The shaft had maybe never moved at all; I don't know, but if it ever had, it was no longer. Then, silently, the doors slid open.

I stepped onto the carpet of blue flowers that was what Draco liked to call The Battlefield. He had brought me to this place many times, and his love for it was immediately apparent. He had always said it lacked one important ingredient--I assume it was variety--but I was still struck by its beauty. It wasn't missing any ingredients; it was perfect in my eye.

The others fell in step behind me, Faith expressing genuine awe; Jason obviously impressed, Killian only shaking his head in disbelief. I suppose it was a beautiful sight. Under our feet were millions of tiny blue flowers that drove out any green that may have at one time been underneath. The sky was without sun and of a curious shade of grey, which gleamed like silver. As far as the eye could see, the flowers continued, but if I looked hard enough, I was able to spy trees and mountains in the far-off haze. They could have been optical illusions as easily as they could have been physical geographic features, though. Only the out-of-place elevator provided any discernible break from the monotony.

That, and Minotaurus.

I'd never seen it before. Of course, my master had spoken of it many times, but I'd never actually seen it: his Second, Minotaurus, a war breed. Draco fashioned it many decades prior with only one purpose in mind: eliminating his enemies. It was a large beast, as tall as three men and mammothly imposing. Draco had obviously been expecting us. It was big, dangerous and all it wanted to do at the moment was tear us limb from limb. I knew then what ingredient Draco had been referring to. There was no blood on the Battlefield. Minotaurus aimed to change that.

We hadn't been on the Battlefield for more than five seconds when the thing came charging for us; we weren't ready. I ducked out of the way and the other did the same. Killian was a little slow, but he managed. The beast crashed into the elevator, denting the door with its fist, shaking its head slowly. I grinned. Draco had made it powerful, but not at all bright. I could see that everyone had spread out, making themselves harder targets to hit. Killian had made himself especially scarce, seeing no machines to tinker with. Nubia and Faith were in deep concentration, preparing spells that would later drain them considerably. I looked to them, seeing they were both exposed and defenceless. I grabbed the monstrosity's attention, throwing a quick fireball at its side. It turned to me, nostrils flaring. Fortunately, the two spells would be ready quickly.

I backed away, hurling fire, cold and electrical spells at it pêle-mêle. It hardly flinched. In desperation, Minotaurus very close now and very angry, I tried to push it back with a gust of wind. To my satisfaction, our friend the beastie lost his footing then, and staggered back. Fortunately, it was enough. All of a sudden, it was being attacked from all sides. Gavin tried his best to attack it, but even with that sword of his, it was just too big and tall. Jason was trying its kneecaps, but the Second's skin itself was like armour plating. He was going to have a lot of trouble doing damage, even with a high-calibre gun. Naomi and Lucia were both giving flight to enchanted arrows with little effect. Peripherally, I could also see Nix joining Gavin as he picked himself up, both planning their strategy. Greg simply stood back, waiting for an opportunity to help. By this time, Minotaurus was getting bruised and scratched, but it was hardly anything to cheer about.

The two spells hit a moment later, screaming from the hands of Nubia and Faith at alarming speed. They were tetrahedrons of dazzling light and queer darkness, speeding toward their target, unable to miss. When the two concentrations of energy hit, however, they hardly did anything. Together, they brought my master's Second down to one knee, but the effect should have been infinitely greater; it should have annihilated almost anything.

Now Gavin and Nix took their turn to attack. I drew the thing's attention away from them as they leapt onto it from behind. Gavin attempted to stab it, but he fell off quickly, howling in pain. I called Lucia over to him and hoped Nix would have better luck. Getting thrashed about a bit, Nix managed to stay on. He climbed to the monster's shoulder, held onto it with one hand, and slashed away at its left arm with his naginata. To my great surprise, the limb came clean off, producing an ear-splitting scream from its former owner even as I pummelled it with ineffective yet highly annoying spells.

The thing tried its best to nurse its torn, dying arm, but it was doomed at that point. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Naomi taking aim with her short bow. Even before she let the projectile fly, I knew it wasn't going to hit anything: the angle was off by a considerable margin, and her bow didn't carry enough power to do any damage in any case.

Then, to my surprise, the arrow changed course, picking up speed. It found its mark dead in the centre of Minotaurus' left eye, penetrating into the brain. The Second slumped forward, falling face-first to the ground, blood flowing liberally from its wounds. I looked over to see Greg with a look of satisfaction on his face. He'd been useful after all. I drunkenly shared in his satisfaction.

Without warning, the whole world shifted around us. It was painful--unimaginably so. Just as I was certain my insides would part from me quite uncomfortably, we were suddenly somewhere else.

I knew this particular somewhere very well. It was Draco's office, familiar in every way except two. The old man was looking out the massive window as he did when troubled; this was not unusual. What was, however, was the view. Where you could usually see the impressive cityscape of Vertigo, there was instead a desolate, almost endless field, charred and dead. Fires burned on the far horizon while sirens wailed in the night. I'm still not certain how he had managed move the entire office through space. Maybe it never truly existed in space at all; maybe he had several. It doesn't really matter. The second thing out of place was a man standing over to the right, imposing, watching us calmly. He cleared his throat to get Draco's attention, but the old man simply waved distractedly. I knew the man well enough from reputation--Draco knew everyone. The man was Lord Gandash, plenipotentiary of the Holy City of Tongar. He had a reputation for being ruthless, and as I discovered later, he prided himself in living up to it. Approaching 300 years, Gandash looked youthful for his age. Indeed, people had mistaken him for half of what he was on many occasions. He sneered and idly drew his sword, letting it hang by his side.

Draco spun to face me, a grin across his entire visage. Though meant to look pleasant, only malice showed through his expression.

"I'm afraid my associate is rather anxious," he said after taking a breath. His expression grew grim: "Hello, Morpheus. Nice of you to join us." Beside, Gandash grinned, showing perfect teeth. Instantly, Faith, Greg and Lucia all moved defensively in front of me. It was all unnecessary, of course, and I wish every day of my life that they had stayed where they were. A moment later, Draco threw a weak spell at Greg and Lucia retaliated. In the confusion, Gandash moved forward, stabbing Faith dead in the chest.

I'm still not sure what happened next. Nubia told me long ago that it hadn't been a pretty sight, and I can image that it wasn't. I did something, in any case--more than I should have. There wasn't much left of the office afterwards. There wasn't much left of Vertigo, for that matter. Gandash had killed Faith, the only person in my life at that point who had ever been truly kind to me. I lost control of myself, and many people suffered dearly because of it. Every day of my endless life, I have to live with it, and I will. After all, I must live. The world is a very different place now, thanks to my actions and those of Nubia, but it's a world in which Gandash still lives.

I will get my revenge.