As quickly as he’d apparently disappeared into the ocean, news spread that Makoa and his daughter had gone AWOL. I wanted to concern myself but I was preoccupied with my own troubles.

I needed to clear up my vision. It was clouding my relationship with Dream and finally I could stand it no longer. I was plagued with daunting visions, culminating in one of a dying dog, literally decaying due to mold and mushroom. The dog was neither dead nor alive, a state with which I could identify.

I would save the dog. Or, at the very least, save those around from contamination.

I was bound for Straud Mansion in order to find the wisest, most impartial judge I could think of rousing to the cause. One Straud himself had said was at the beginning of an important mission within Dream.

The painter, Hua Jia.

I knocked on the door. She answered.

CEDRIC

HUA JIA.

I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU.

I HAVE A FAVOR TO ASK YOU.

CEDRIC

ANYTHING, 西追.

WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?

CEDRIC

I NEED AN IMPARTIAL OBSERVER, ONE WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH DREAM.

HUA JIA

I DO NOT KNOW IF I AM ABLE TO CONVERSE WITH 夢幻.

CEDRIC

I DO NOT THINK ANYONE EVER FEELS A MASTER OF DREAM.

YOU SELL YOURSELF SHORT.

HUA JIA

YOUR WORDS ARE KIND, BUT…

OH NEVER MIND IT.

WHAT IS IT YOU ASK OF ME?

I HAVE SWORN MYSELF TO REPAY MY DEBT.


I had chosen her not only for her wisdom but also because I was not even sure she had ever met Kevin. She would be a blank canvas.

CEDRIC

I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS SAID TO BE THE SON OF A PRINCE OF ELYSION.

HIS VERY EXISTENCE IS MIRED IN THE DREAM.

AND JUST RECENTLY I’VE HAD A CONCERNING VISION ABOUT HIM.

HUA JIA

I WILL GO WITH YOU.


She motioned toward my car, behind me.

HUA JIA

SHALL WE TAKE YOUR CAR?

CEDRIC

I’LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING ON THE WAY.


I told her everything I knew of Kevin – and even more about myself. I began with how I’d come to meet the Marscapones after emigrating to NYC. I detailed the quiet, solitary life he’d lived at the fringes of the Magicademy. I told her how I’d become a vampire, how Kevin and I had grown as brothers under the tutelage of Vincent.

I told her how Vincent had ceased corporeal existence at the hands of the Doctor Trelaine, how Kevin had soon after claimed to hear a voice in his mind, one he professed belonged to his father. And as we neared Astoria, I quickly relayed how Straud had turned him into a mage, a mage who would soon witness the resurrection of his mother and father at the hands of the illustrious Davian, thereby freeing Kevin from the clutches of his dualism.

HUA JIA

IT’S QUITE A STORY, 西追.

ONE I’M NOT SURE I CAN ENTIRELY KEEP STRAIGHT.

I HOPE YOU’LL FORGIVE ME IF I MIX UP SOME OF THE DETAILS.

CEDRIC

I DON’T BLAME YOU.

IT’S A LOT TO TAKE IN.

HUA JIA

NOW, WHAT WAS IT YOU SAW RECENTLY?

CEDRIC

IN DECEMBER, I WENT TO THE MARSCAPONES’ HOME, AND I SAW KEVIN AS I HAD NOT SEEN HIM IN YEARS, HE WAS ENTIRELY AS HE WAS WHEN I HAD MET HIM –

HE WAS A VAMPIRE.

HUA JIA

I SEE.

WELL, STRAUD CURED HIS VAMPIRISM, DID HE NOT?

IT IS MY IMPRESSION THAT 夢幻世界 CONSISTS OF ALL THE ALTERNATE REALITIES THAT DID NOT COME TO PASS BECAUSE OF THE CHOICES WE MADE.

PERHAPS THIS WAS A WORLD WHERE STRAUD DID NOT – OR WAS NOT ABLE – TO TURN HIM INTO A MAGE.

THAT IS AN IMPRESSIVE FEAT IN ITSELF, ONE I WAS UNAWARE WAS POSSIBLE.

CEDRIC

BUT WHY WOULD I SEE IT OVERLAID WITH THE LAND OF THE LIVING LIKE IT WAS?

I HAVE ONLY EVER SEEN THE DREAM IN MY DAILY MEDITATIONS.

HUA JIA

PERHAPS IT IS A SIGN THAT YOUR DREAM YEARNS TO SAY MORE TO YOU.

CEDRIC

I FEAR THE DAY I CAN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR REALM AND ELYSION.

NOT LONG AGO I WAS BEGGING FOR RELEASE FROM ITS VISIONS.

HUA JIA

I THINK WE ALL GO THROUGH SUCH MOMENTS OF QUAVERING FAITH.

BUT WE ARE DESTINED TO INTERPRET THESE VISIONS.

LET ME MEET THIS MAGEFRIEND OF YOURS AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT I THINK.


Soon we had arrived at the imposing figure of the Magicademy. It occurred to me that I had no idea if he were home. I knocked on the door.

MYRTLE

CEDRIC!

IT’S BEEN TOO LONG.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

CEDRIC

(Grey hair, right?)

HUA JIA

(Grey hair.)

CEDRIC

OH, MRS. MARSCAPONE, I’VE BEEN LURKING SILENTLY ABOUT.

YOU KNOW HOW I AM.


She raised a skeptical eyebrow, but quickly softened her expression as she reconsidered. But then another thought came to her mind.

MYRTLE

YOU DIDN’T HAVE A FIGHT WITH KEVIN, DID YOU?

CEDRIC

NO, I DIDN’T.

UNLESS HE’S ANGRY WITH ME FOR LEAVING SO ABRUPTLY LAST TIME.

MYRTLE

NOT THAT I KNOW OF.

CEDRIC

IF HE HERE RIGHT NOW?

MYRTLE

NO, ACTUALLY.

HE’S AT STRAUD’S ESTABLISHMENT.

WANTED A CUP OF TEA, OR SO HE CLAIMED.

CEDRIC

WELL, MA’AM, AS FAR AS I KNOW, HE’S A COMPLETE TEETOTALER.


She seemed to look me over extra carefully so as to ensure I were telling the truth.

MYRTLE

HM.

IF YOU SAY SO.

I’LL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT.

ANYWAY, THAT’S WHERE YOU’LL FIND HIM.

YOU LOOK LIKE YOU WANT TO BE HEADING OUT BUT PERHAPS NEXT TIME YOU’LL INTRODUCE ME TO YOUR FRIEND.

HUA JIA

MY NAME IS HUA JIA.

MYRTLE

NICE TO MEET YOU, HUA JIA.

MY FATHER WAS FROM THE MIDDLE KINGDOM BUT HE ONLY TAUGHT ME A FEW SCRAPS OF THE TONGUE.

HUA JIA

A PITY.

I’D BE GLAD TO GIVE YOU LESSONS IF YOU HAVE THE TIME.

MYRTLE

SADLY, I’M NOT SURE I DO.

I MAY BE RESTARTING THIS OLD SCHOOL IF MY SON HAS HIS WAY.

WE SHALL SEE.

PERHAPS I’LL CALL YOU IN TO TEACH MY WOULD-BE PUPILS A THING OR TWO.

WILL YOU BE STAYING WITH US LONG?

HUA JIA

FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

MYRTLE

EXCELLENT.

OR SO I HOPE.

I’M SURE YOUR COUNTRY FEELS YOUR ABSENCE.

HUA JIA

PERHAPS BUT PERHAPS NOT.

I FOUND MYSELF A BIT OF A RECLUSE.

MYRTLE

SOME DO THEIR BEST WORK THAT WAY.

AT ANY RATE, PLEASE GIVE MY REGARDS TO STRAUD – AND CEDRIC?

CEDRIC

YES, MRS. MARSCAPONE?

MYRTLE

DO STAY A LITTLE LONGER NEXT TIME, WON’T YOU?

CEDRIC

I WILL.


It was just a short walk from the school to the speakeasy, one Hua Jia had never taken before. Her company was easy and she seemed to enjoy asking questions. She was polite and made conversation flow. I thought she made a joyful addition to the coterie.

There was a line for admission to the Blue Velvet but Frankie, hard-working Frankie, waved us in.

Inside, I quickly located Straud but it was Kevin I had trouble placing. His aura seemed to flicker and shimmer with light, but with a colorless tone, neither this way nor that. But I chocked it up to my own confusion on the matter.

The other vampire rarely left Straud’s side: Mandarc.

CEDRIC

FOLLOW ME.

HUA JIA

(Straud keeps a large crowd.)

CEDRIC

(Yeah, it’s recently become thicker.)

(It’s always like this.)


As we approached the table, Mandarc waved at us.

MANDARC

CEDRIC, HUA JIA!

GOOD TO SEE YOU.


Kevin appeared not as I had seen him in the past, but as I’d known him to appear as a mage. His hair had become auburn, presumably as a result of his exposure to magic. And he wore his customary tailcoat in blue, which he had always adopted after his conversion. But again, his aura was something strange. I tried to put it from my mind but I was sure Straud would notice my trepidation.

CEDRIC

MANDARC, IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO.

KEVIN, VLAD.


Kevin did have the aforementioned tea. Straud had nothing. And Mandarc, like always in the B.V., was working on two glasses of plasma janes.

He lifted one to my companion.

MANDARC

JIA! HAVE YOU EVER HAD ONE OF THESE?

IT’S CALLED A PLASMA JANE.

COME WITH ME – YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE IT.


He led her away and she transmitted one last thought to me.

HUA JIA

(?)


I chuckled to myself and turned back toward the table. Without Mandarc, it was a bit of a serious gathering.

KEVIN

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

TO SEE MY MOTHER?

CEDRIC

YES, IN FACT WE JUST CAME FROM THERE.

SHE HAD YET TO SEE THE MAGICADEMY.

KEVIN

DID YOU GIVE HER THE GRAND TOUR?


No, in fact, I was afraid to.

CEDRIC

NOT TODAY, I WAS LOOKING FOR YOU.

KEVIN

LOOKING FOR ME?

WHY–


But Straud took the initiative.

STRAUD

THERE’S SOMETHING I NEED TO TALK TO YOU TWO ABOUT.


Thank you.

STRAUD

KEALOHA WILL PROBABLY SHOW UP HERE TONIGHT.

KEVIN

HOW WILL HE GET FROM SULANI–

STRAUD

THE EXACT MECHANISM IS NOT IMPORTANT BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY THE MANO CAN TRAVEL INCREDIBLY FAST THROUGH THE SEAS.

WHEN I TALKED TO ERIKSSON, HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE BELIEVED KEALOHA WOULD MAKE ONE MORE ATTEMPT AT RECONCILIATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

CEDRIC

ISN’T THAT A FOOL’S ERRAND?

YOU ALREADY TOLD HIM WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF HIS GRAND PLAN.

STRAUD

YES, BUT HE’S NOTHING IF NOT AMBITIOUS AND METHODICAL.

HE IS MY CHILDE.

HE WILL COME HERE AND PRESENT HIS DAUGHTER FOR MY APPROVAL.


Kevin’s phone buzzed and he brought it out from his pocket. The table was silent as Straud allowed him this distraction.

KEVIN

IT’S FATHER.

HE SAYS HE’LL BE OVER MOMENTARILY.

STRAUD

GOOD.

IT WILL BE GOOD TO HAVE HIS COUNSEL.


Mandarc and Hua Jia made their way back to the table. If I hadn’t known better, I’d have sworn I saw him hiccup.

MANDARC

WE GOT JIA SOME REFRESHMENT.

STRAUD

WE WERE JUST SPEAKING OF THE PROBLEM WITH KEALOHA.

MANDARC

AH, YES.


Mandarc motioned for Hua Jia to take a seat and took his own in turn.

MANDARC

IT IS PERFECTLY NATURAL FOR A VAMPIRE TO DESIRE OFFSPRING, BUT IT’S ALSO EXPECTED THEY WAIT UNTIL SAID CHILDREN ARE OF APPROPRIATE AGE TO ACCEPT THE GIFT.

NO, THIS IS LIKE GIVING A CAR TO A TODDLER AND BEING MAD WHEN THEY CRASH INTO SOMEONE.


Well enough stated, Mandarc, but poorly timed.

KEVIN

HAS ANYONE SPOKEN TO SEVEN OF NINE SINCE THIS NEWS AROSE?


Mandarc and Straud glanced over at me.

CEDRIC

NO, I HAVEN’T SPOKEN TO HER TODAY.

STRAUD

WHILE I APPRECIATE THE RELEVANCE, WE NEED NOT REQUEST THE INPUT OF VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG.

SHE WILL CERTAINLY BE INCLUDED IN THIS DISCUSSION WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT.

SHE TENDS TO STAY SECLUDED WITHIN THE SAFETY OF HER OWN HOME AFTER THE HOURS OF A REASONABLE CURFEW.

THEREIN LIES A RESTRICTION I’M SURE SHE WOULD ENJOY NOT BEING SUBJECT TO – THE APPEARANCE OF A CHILD BUT THE ETERNAL SOUL OF A KINDRED.

MANDARC

SHE SEEMS PRETTY WELL-BALANCED FOR SOMEONE WHO’S STUCK AS A PERPETUAL TEN-YEAR-OLD.

STRAUD

BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE OF MOST OF THE CHILDREN THAT ARE TURNED.

HUA JIA

THE PROCESS OF BEING EMBRACED IS ENOUGH TO DRIVE ANYONE INSANE, CHILDREN JUST HAVE LESS OF THE FORMATIVE EXPERIENCES TO COMBAT THE CHANGE.

KEVIN

CHILD MAGES ARE SOMETHING OF A CHALLENGE, ONE OF THE MANY REASONS MY PARENTS TOOK TO STEWARDING THEM.

THE DEMANDS OF BEING A CHILD ARE WELL-ENOUGH AND THEN YOU THROW THE CAPACITY TO CHANGE TIME AND SPACE ON TOP OF THAT…

STRAUD

EXACTLY.

CHILDREN LEARN QUICKLY AND ADAPT TO THE HUNT BUT THAT IS PRECISELY PART OF THE PROBLEM.

THEY ADAPT TOO WELL AND DON’T HAVE ENOUGH HUMANITY TO REMAIN WHOLE AFTER THE TRANSITION.

THEY RAGE WITH ANGER AND CONFUSION AND RESENTMENT.

AN ADULT VAMPIRE FIGHTS AGAINST THESE FORCES BUT FOR THE CHILDREN, THEY HAVE BEEN DENIED SO MUCH IT’S OFTEN TOO MUCH FOR THEIR PSYCHES TO BEAR.

CEDRIC

LET’S NOT TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT HE SIMPLY DISOBEYED YOUR DIRECT ORDER.

STRAUD

MY RULE IS NOT ABSOLUTE BUT THERE ARE A FEW CRIMES I CANNOT TOLERATE.