Aurica’s sense of theatrics came to the fore and she shot a hip out, a hand in the air palm up. “The number of living beings who remember the name in question, much less are old enough to have even second hand knowledge of Chymeria number one dozen. I can indeed do a little editing.” She shot her eyes over at the two fae, “Some immortals might be beyond my reach, however.”

The fish man turned his staff about, “My debt is to Chymeria. You appear to have the trust of the Lady V’ki, and so when the time is right, I, Duke Ha-Tsi of Mu will open my eye to you, mind wizard. And with the Tyrant extinguished, my debt is lifted.”

Aurica turned her eyes to Amibelle who was running a file over one of her talons. The kelpie said, “I intended to cheat time with any passengers I could carry. But now I see the three Kingdoms have entered one another’s presence again.” Both she and Ha-Tsi regarded Guma with impassive faces.

Guma looked back and forth between the two fae, leaning back defensively.

“You have no idea, do you?” Amibelle asked.

Guma with a hint of a snarl replied, “I do expect an explanation.”

Amibelle withdrew one of the dangling jewels from her horn and it grew in her hand into a bell of glass and metal. “The Sword of Atlantis returned, and the Bell of Lemuria returned. The second shackle broken.” And the kelpie offered it to Guma.

The lioness stepped back in refusal, wary.

Ha-Tsi tilted his head and said, “Your fae blood is apparent, daughter of Lemuria. Take the bell and you will know your birthright. It is clear that we have been herded here for a purpose, and the purpose is the downfall of an ancient sickness. For the second time.”

Guma’s eyes turned to Aurica, who could not detect any malevolence, but rather a degree of reverence, and let Guma know. The lioness accepted the bell and her jaw dropped.

“You remember.” The two fae said in unison.

Guma held the bell before her eyes in awe, “Why was this taken from us?”

“A part of a lie, something fae cannot abide.”

Aurica touched minds with Guma and asked if she was alright, and she replied in silence. (My mother’s mother’s mother, exiled Lemurian fae. I see now, how… easily magic came to me, in all its elements.)

Guma looked over the bell at the Duke, “I do not know how to repay Lemuria’s debt to Mu but I will see it done.”

“A fae promise is repayment in the future. The final shackle is broken,” replied the Duke.

Amibelle sent a smug smile to the Duke who rolled his eyes in response. She announced, “We are free again to return to the place of the fae, yet I pledge not to abandon you, mortals, immortals both biological and synthological. I remain to see the adversary put to the final stride into the place of origin.”

Ha-Tsi tapped his staff on the floor, “My debt to Chymeria remains and I will see it through.”