Isiea stands too.

"She gave us a great deal. One, we know your brother is with Machina. That was a given, but confirmation is always beneficial. Two, we know Machina is supposedly invincible, and his lair is in the middle of a blighted land. And, most important, three, we know there is someone who knows how to kill him. It was not even much of a riddle, really. What about you two?" he asked, looking to the boys. "Did our mighty protectors glean any bits of knowledge, or was I the only one paying attention?"

Ash didn't reply, too busy staring down the street, eyes narrowed. Puck shrugged. "Seek out the Keepers of the trees," he muttered. "Thats easy enough. I assume we should go back to the park."

"Very good, Goodfellow."

"I try."

She didn't really want to go back to that horrifying fantasy land, but she didn't say it.

"So let's go there."

"Right." Ash appeared beside them. His voice was low and harsh. "We need to go. Now."

The streetlamps--and every artificial light on the block--sputtered and went out.

Faery lights glowed overhead as both Ash and Puck called them into existence. Footsteps echoed in the shadows, getting closer, coming from all directions. Grimalkin muttered something and disappeared. Puck and Ash stepped back to flank the girls, their eyes scanning the darkness.

Isiea looks around, taking out her knife.

Lise stopped walking as she searched for whatever was walking towards the group.

Beyond the ring of light, dark shapes shuffled toward them. As they came into the light, the faery fire washed over the faces of humans--normal men and women--their features blank as they lurched forward. Most of them carried weapons: iron pipes and metal baseball bats and knives.

"Humans," Ash muttered, his hand dropping to his sword. "What are they doing? They shouldn't be able to see us."

A dark chuckle rose from the ranks shambling toward them, and the mob abruptly stopped. They moved aside as a woman floated between them, hands on her slender hips. She wore a business suit of poison green, three-inch heels, and green lipstick that glowed with radioactive brightness. Her hair appeared to be made of wires, thin network cables of various color: greens, blacks, and reds.

"Here you are at last." Her voice buzzed, like millions of bees given speech. "I'm shocked that Ironhorse had such a problem with you, but then again, he's so old. Past his usefulness, I'd say. You will not have such an easy time with me."

"Who are you?" growled Ash. Puck moved beside him, and together they formed a living shield in front of the girls. The lady giggled, like a mosquito humming in your ear, and held out a green-nailed hand.

"I am Virus, second of King Machina's lieutenants." She blew the girls a kiss. "Pleased to meet the two Chase sisters."

She stares at her silenly.

Lise didn't say anything, because she was probably here to kidnap them.