Serabelle frowned a little as she looked around for her car. She thought she'd left it closer to the bar than this... Still confused, she moved farther over, towards the abandoned warehouse. At least, she thought it should be abandoned. There were lights inside, and she could hear music coming from within, like a party.

A young man appeared at her elbow, puling her over towards the warehouse anxiously and speaking to her in a foreign language. Serabelle blinked.

"What are you telling me?" she asked, trying to pull her arm back. "What's going on and why are you dragging me over there? Hey!"

Another young man had grabbed her other hand, helping to pull her into the warehouse. There were strobe lights going off and around them, and loud music thumped through the building. Serabelle could feel it pounding through her body. She looked around, her eyes wide. She couldn't see anyone clearly, and the two young men who had pulled her in had vanished into the crowd.

Macario felt a nudge against his arm, almost spilling the drink in his clawed hand. He moved aside quickly as two other men forced a young woman inside the club, then the men vanished into the crowd to leave her standing around looking lost. He shook his head, making the cascade of dark ringlets bounce over his shoulders, then took a long sip from the wine glass in his hand. Monster that he was, Macario wasn't at all interested in the ordinary looking human woman, and he doubted she would accept any pleasantries from him anyhow.

Aside from the silken curls that surrounded his head, he wouldn't be that appealing to any sane human. His four eyes, spaced evenly along his elongated head, were as black as a spiders and appeared just as wide in the absence of human-like eyelids. Instead, each of his eyes had a transparent screen that would stretch over the whole eye, akin to the eyelid of a lizard. And just like a lizard, the fingers of his hands ended in thin, curved nails that he kept filed down most of the time. Otherwise they grew to be as sharp as needles.

He had several other hidden features, including the thin whip like tail he kept curled around his waist with the end stuck down his pant leg, and the fact that despite his seemingly human nose and mouth, he could dislocate his jaw to stretch his mouth wide enough to swallow a small dog whole. Even now, as he watched the woman stare around in confusion, he smiled at the fantasy of possibly swallowing her whole.

Serabelle stared around at the horror show in the warehouse. She could see someone with wings a little farther in, and one man near her had four eyes and claw-like fingers. She took a step back, her eyes wide with horror.

"This is some insane Halloween thing," she muttered to herself. "Just some... thing." She couldn't believe what she was seeing; monsters weren't real. They weren't. She didn't even believe in God.

"Sorry, doll, but this is real," a woman said as she passed. She looked mostly human, except for the red eyes, and the fangs that showed when she grinned, and the painted nails filed to points. Serabelle backed away from her, almost screaming when she bumped into another monster.

Walter turned with a frown to whoever had just bumped into him, only to find himself looking back at scared and confused young woman. A completely human woman too. What was she doing here?

He looked over to where his friend, Macario, was staring at the woman with a cruel grin. This wasn't looking good. If the young woman strayed any farther toward Macario, the monster would eat her without a second thought, and Walter knew for certain no one would stop him. The crowd here would more likely laugh or join in the feast. Plus, now that Walter thought more about it, he wondered how Macario had convinced him to come to such a macabre party. He was of one of the pure races, and if his family ever found out he was here they might outcast him.

Walter fingered at his pointed ear in frustration, then with a sigh reached out to take the young woman's shoulder gently. Hopefully she wouldn't find much to fear from an elf. He looked close enough to a human, he thought. The only features that might betray him would be his pointed ears or slanted eyes.

"Are you okay?" Walter asked the young woman, keeping his tone friendly.

"No," Serabelle said, her eyes still wide. "I don't... I don't know what's going on. Monsters don't really exist, right? This is just some... some crazy party, right?" She cast another look around, worried and scared. She didn't like what she was seeing, especially once one person/monster turned and looked at her with a grin. She wasn't sure she liked that grin.

"I just want to get out of here." She looked at the man who had been nice to her, not noticing the ears in her panic. She was overloaded with everything; pointy ears were easy to overlook. The only problem with her wanting to get out was, she didn't know where the exit was.

Walter sighed and rubbed at his ear again out of old habit. There was no way to explain this easily to the woman. If these monsters had brought her here on purpose, then she might just be their meal by the end of the night. Why they had picked her was the only mystery to him. She looked weak and easily frightened, not at all attractive to a monster. Unless they could smell her purity, if she had any.

"Well," he began, "We do indeed exist, as you can see, and unfortunately you won't be able to leave. You're the dinner special."

"What?" Serabelle demanded, her eyes widening. "No! No way!" She backed up against the wall, her eyes wide. "There is no way I'm becoming dinner."

"She's not dinner," a fairy said as she waltzed up to Walter, her iridescent wings fluttering. "She's one of us. Well, partially." She grinned, showing sharp teeth. "Just enough to count. Why they tossed her in here, I'm not sure, but she is one of us." Angela moved over to Serabelle and sniffed at her neck and hair, playing with her hair. "I can smell it in her."

Serabelle flinched away from the fairy, her eyes narrowed into a glare. Now that she was over the initial shock, she was really pissed off.

Walter ignored for the moment how he had looked over the presence of a fairy, he had only just gotten here himself. He leaned forward to get a closer sniff as well to make sure of what the fairy claimed. He couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary. Just the standard saltiness of human skin. He frowned and straightened, glancing to the fairy.

"I'll take your word for it," Walter simply answered. He felt a little bad for the poor human woman, but he had to remind himself that caring for people who don't know you leads to bad situations. And if this fairy wanted to claim the woman, that was none of his business. So he nodded to the fairy and headed back over to Macario after getting a new drink.

"She's not mine, Walter love," Roxanne said with a little grin. "You can keep her if you want. Or someone else might take her." Roxanne sauntered off to the side to get another glass of champagne, laughing a little.

Serabelle glared at the retreating fairy before she returned her gaze to Walter. "Can you please tell me what's going on? Please?" She looked around again, getting enough courage to take one step away from the wall. The initial shock was wearing off, and she was starting to get angry at all of this.

Walter ignored the fairy's last words as he walked away. This party was only getting even more unpleasant, especially when there was just Macario to talk to. He wondered if he should take the time later to seriously rethink the so called friendship with the four eyed monster.

Walter opened his mouth to speak just as he came to stop beside Macario, but the monster waved a hand to shush him, pointing behind him. Walter turned to see the human next to him again, this time looking a little angry. He listened to her question with a raised eyebrow, then before he could, Macario took the opportunity to answer. The monster took one step forward to lean down close to the human, the line of his grin stretching well beyond his second pair of eyes.

"I'm sure Walter has already summarized your role here. The only way to leave is through our digestive systems, and by the end of the night you should be tasty enough," Macario said, finishing by extending his long tongue to try and lick at her face. Walter shot out one hand to grab Macario's tongue, holding his friend back and refusing the urge to shudder in repulsion at the same time.

"I think," Walter finally spoke up as he released Macario, "That a different answer would be more helpful. You see, human, what both of us have explained is true. You are expected as dinner, for some reason or another. I can not imagine why simply because I am not a monster, and in truth I do not really belong here either."

"There are two ways you can get out of here though," Walter continued quickly before the woman could speak again. "One is to agree to be Macario's personal meal, as which he will have rights to take you out of here and into our realm. The second option," Walter went on, ignoring the eager gleam that suddenly filled Macario's eyes, "Is to, in one way or another, bathe yourself completely in the scent of a monster to cover up your own. The guards here will pay no heed if you smell like anyone else in this room."

Serabelle shuddered, frowning at Walter. "Well if I just stick close to you that'll work right? Because there is no way I'm saying yes to him." She took a step away from Macario and closer to Walter. Macario made her very uncomfortable. Walter wasn't her first choice of company either, but he was less frightening than Macario.

She just wanted to get out of there, and as quickly as she could. If she stayed close to Walter maybe she could get out alive.

"Didn't say you had to be completely truthful. It's all about appearances in how you'll get out," Macario added, holding out one hand. "You just have to take my arm, be quiet, and play along. They will notice if you try to get out with only Walter to help you because he's of a pure race. An elf to be exact. And the guards are smart enough to know that elven tradition doesn't favor owning slaves of any sort."

Walter nodded in agreement to that. "What Macario says is also true. The only way you can possibly get back home is to travel to our realm, and the only way to that is to take Macario's hand for the moment. Unless you'd rather pick another monster here," Walter said as he gestured absently to a tentacled monster with two heads that was standing nearby. The two headed monster noticed the motion and looked towards them, two pairs of small beady eyes drawn first to Serabelle.

Serabelle shivered and moved closer to Macario reluctantly, taking his hand. She'd do whatever she had to in order to get out of this place, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

"You're coming along, aren't you?" she asked Walter, glancing nervously between the two of them. She did not want to be stuck alone with Macario for any length of time. He creeped her out, and she had the feeling that he would happily have her for dinner. Walter at least hadn't shown any inclination towards eating her. Yet.

"Of course," Walter answered as he fell into step beside an eager Macario who was already leading Serabelle to the exit. The exit was a huge old door smeared with a tar like substance, guarded by two eight foot tall monsters. One had no eyes and only a thick tail that served in place of legs. That one noticed them first, turning his sightless face to them and opening his frog like mouth wide. In the back of his front a large gold eye rolled to gaze upon Serabelle, considering her for only a moment before the wide mouth closed again and the guards moved to pull open the heavy halves of the door.

Beyond the door was darkness. Not a tunnel or a room, but pure darkness that even seemed to try and reach out into the room the three stood in. Macario did not hesitate a bit to continue dragging Serabelle along, Walter following behind with a deep frown on his face. The darkness was too thick to see through, and once they were all inside the doors the guards closed them in. All sounds from the previous room were cut off, leaving them blind in the pitch black silence.

Several minutes passed before what looked to be a window appeared far off ahead of them. The window was plain and square with a generic cross pattern of the panes. But beyond the glass, as they saw when they got closer and closer, a wide green valley spread against a sky so blue it seemed painted. Macario stopped within arms reach of the window, raising his free hand to touch one clawed finger to the glass. The glass wiggled like jello, then rippled more violently until a hole opened up, stretching to dissolve all the glass.

Macario stepped out first into the sunny green valley, helping Serabelle through before Walter came out last. On this side the window seemed to be hanging in midair. But as soon as they had all climbed through it, the window disappeared.

"Welcome to our realm," Macario announced with a dramatic sweep of his hand, letting go of her hand to bow low. Walter simply shook his head and continued to walk on toward the forest. Macario looked up, shrugged, and jogged a bit to catch up with the elf.

Serabelle resisted a little, at first, dragging her feet. When that didn't get her anywhere, and once she figured out that everything would go faster if she cooperated, she moved along next to Macario. The guards made her nervous, but she just followed his lead, glancing around.

Once they were in the field, however, she looked around with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth. "Wow." She stood there for a few moments, just looking around, before she ran after the two, catching up with them swiftly. "I have to admit, this place isn't what I expected. It's gorgeous. You don't find places like this very often back home."

She continued to look around with wide eyes, almost enjoying herself. Now that she was fairly certain she wasn't about to be eaten, she relaxed a little, enjoying the scenery more.

"Well, if you feel so comfortable here..." Macario began, tugging with one claw at the collar of his shirt. Walter shot him a dark look, instantly shutting the monster up.

"Do not even start, Macario. She is a human, and will have enough shock about life here once we reach the Elven lands," Walter retorted. Macario stared at him wide eyed for a second, despite how wide his eyes are normally, all of his two pairs of thick eyebrows shooting up. Then he laughed, his mouth open as wide as it impossibly could go. The sound was like the grating of metal against metal, and somehow deep at the same time.

"Walter, you and your people are even a joke amongst the humans. Nothing but pretty flower people that gallop about naked. Your race's name is synonymous with homosexuality..."

"Macario," Walter interrupted suddenly, "The term is 'fairy', not elf. You would know that if you paid more attention to what I taught you on your last visit in the Elven lands." Macario sighed and rolled his eyes, glancing to Serabelle.

"You definitely picked the right tightwad to side with. What's your name anyway?" Macario asked.

Serabelle glanced between them. "Serabelle. Sera." She looked around again. "Okay, I get why we're here, but... Why are we going to the Elven lands?" she looked at Walter, figuring he would be most likely to answer her. Macario wasn't quite so bad, at the moment at least, but she still didn't trust him. She didn't trust Walter either, but she mistrusted him less.

"Because it is the nearest," Walter answered simply, pointing as he walked through the trees toward a far off gleam of what seemed like silver. "There you can see the entryway to the city, and when we get nearer you'll see the dragons that serve to guard it. Do not be afraid of them, they are friendly to humans."

Macario scoffed, giving a toothy grin to Serabelle. "Yeah, don't mind him. There's many different villages around these parts other than the Elven city. Guess he's taken a liking to you." Walter frowned, but ignored the comment as he picked up his pace, more and more of the grand archway coming into view as the forest floor gave way to an expertly crafted path of jewels. Patterns of mythical creatures were designed into the path, each connected to the other through tail or wing. As they walked, certain designs turned into brief picture stories, many scattered with rubies of blood.

Among the picture stories was one of a four eyed demon and an elven king in a battle pose. The smaller scenes surrounding it told, in the best way possible, of a plague that came after the battle, and of the birth of the demon's child and the child of the elven king. The last was two simplified pictures of Macario and Walter, each with one arm stiffly extended as they together held a banner written in a strange language. In each of their other hands they held swords.

"We'll tell you all about that one later. It's a pretty epic story, eh Walter?" Macario said with another wide grin. Walter halted just then, keeping his stern face turned straight ahead, and Macario followed his gaze. The forest was cut off sharply a few feet ahead of them, and several yards farther stood the entrance to the city, flanked by two enormous, old white dragons that shone like polished ivory in the sunlight.

Sera noticed the transition to the stones and jewels and looked down, trying to look at each picture and creature in the walkway without tripping over anything or falling behind. She paused off to the side so she could look at the two of them, then back at the pathway. There really was quite a likeness between the picture and the men, and she figured out before Macario spoke that it was the two of them.

Once Walter stopped, she looked up again, and for a second she just stared at the dragons. "Wow." She took a few steps closer so she was almost next to Walter, still studying the dragons. "I knew there was a reason I liked books better than reality."

Both dragons opened their large jaws to let out booming laughs that sent a slight a slight rumble through the ground. One lowered is massive head, turning its head to the side to fix her with one golden eye as big as a car tire. "So do we," the dragon growled low in answer. "You are for certain a rare and honored guest. Continue on, and try not lose yourself," the dragon advised, then raised his head back up to move aside along with the second dragon. The second remained silent as Walter led the way through, though a hint of a smile could be seen at the corners of its scaly lips.

"Those two are the only pair of white dragons known to exist. If you were to get technical, there is nothing extraordinary about them compared to other dragons, but they are beautiful. Well, before we go any farther, what do you think?" Walter asked, nodding to the scenery around them. All different types of natural housing dotted the place, every part joining together to create one big ant-colony like community.

Although much more care was taken to beauty unlike with ants. Large carved rocks intertwined with the lowest branches of the thick trees, and there were some doors built into raised sections of earth. Some were houses, those mostly high in the trees, and others had well crafted letters carved into the doors to indicate a certain type of ware sold there.

A few elves were out strolling along, all watching Serabelle and the two men with an innocent curiosity. Most were barely clothed, the women wearing nothing but ribbons in their hair or strings of jewels around their bodies. All had some variation of Walter's facial features, as well as being naturally built as thin and graceful as a young sapling.

Serabelle blinked at the laughs and the words from the dragon, although she was grinning as she walked with Walter and Macario. The dragons made her feel a little more at ease, and she looked around with awe as they entered the city.

"I don't think I'm ever going to stop being amazed," she said, turning full circle to get a better look around. "I mean, really. This is all... amazing. Truly amazing." She looked at Walter again, smiling just a little.

Walter smiled back at Serabelle, nodding his head. "Thank you," he answered, though wasn't sure what to say next. She was the first human he had ever met, and she defied all that he expected of a human to do or say. Under his assumptions, she shouldn't have made it this far without having a mental breakdown.

The elven woman nearest them smiled too, stepping forward to extend a hand stiffly. As if the woman didn't know what she was doing, but copying something learned out of politeness. A tall man followed behind the woman, clothed in nothing but lambskin loin cloth and wearing a large, ornate earring that made his one ear seem longer than the other.

"Welcome human," the woman greeted. "We thank you for your compliments. You are welcome to explore any part of the city as you wish with Walter as your guide."

"Thanks," Serabelle said, taking the elven woman's hand and shaking it briefly. "This is all really extraordinary for me." She looked around again, curious.

Honestly, she thought she'd gone into a sort of shock at this point, to help her deal with everything around her. She was sure that, at some later point, she'd have to sit down and cry for a while to deal with all of this.

"Would you like someplace to stay, human?" another woman asked, stepping forward with a smile to place her delicate hand into the clawed fingers that Macario offered. She looked young, even compared to the other women, wearing a slightly different style of dress too. She wore a plain, sheer veil and a gown of similar material. Macario softy kissed her cheek, earning a wider smile from the young woman.

"My wife, Boudicca. You should take her up on the offer. We have plenty of extra space in disuse at the moment," Macario added.

Serabelle blinked, surprised. "Um. I guess I do need a place to stay, if I'm staying here for a while." She blinked again. "Thanks very much." She smiled a little, looking at the young woman again. She was a little surprised, but she looked at Walter again to see if he had any objection.