In a white room ,Esther laid  almost lifelessly on the white slab. Her hair cascading around her like a halo. She was clean, cared for , dressed all white and lace.

Almost too Angelic for the stubborn Heiress. She looked like she was sleeping, save for her lips drained of color and chest didn't rise and fall like sleeping cherubs.

Esther Bellthrone was crystallized , eternal sleep.

Just as powerful as the vision came it was gone.

A half hour before noon Junhong was woke in daze, he nearly forgot that he stayed over at Soran's cottage.

He could hear Soran moving about in the kitchen, cursing loudly every so often, when he dropped something on the floor. He was probably making new serums to sell for his fake medicine pharmacy front.

In a another century he was the apprentice of a shaman nomadic. When his master pass on Soran took his place but stayed in the country, peddling his serums off as petty medicine, adapting when the years moved on. He even bought a telephone.

Junhong always envied how easy he could just adapt to modernizing his life. Try as he did, he could never blend in completely. He could keep his eyes a normal brown but his hair always made him stand out. He couldn't dye it black because the dye would only stay until he washed his hair, and back to sliver it went.

He could just be stubborn to change, he still couldn't get with the idea of women wearing pants that showed off their figures. To him it left no mystery.

"You look death, drink something" Soran teased as he set a cup of green tea in front of him.

Junhong nodded a thanks and looked into his cup. His mind was slowly building a picture of a girl with dark hair dressed in sheer white silk, levitating with extended palms facing the sky.He couldn't see her face but he could hear chanting as the moon began to move above her. Sliver water formed solidly around her , dancing in time with the chanting.

 Junhong felt his mind being open, violently he threw his head back. His hand gripping the table hard, tossing the cup over, breaking once it hit the cottage floor.

Soran appeared at his side, grabbing his friend's shoulders, calling his name to bring him back to reality. 

Someone was speaking a language that was older that his master in his head. Junhong tried to translate what was being said but the words were too quick, too accented.

When Junhong was released from the trance vision he stared wide eye at Soran. He never had a vision before.

"I think Esther is in trouble" he shuddered

"Tell me what you saw" Soran pulled a thick, leather bound book with yellowing pages. "Every detail"

Soran wrote quickly as Junhong described what it was he saw. He even described the language he heard, what was told to everyone who had proper taught their heritage was had an old language that was nearly extinct.

 Soran filled three pages before closing his eyes to rebuild the vision Junhong had. If he got the details he could replay it and make some sense of it, maybe even see more.

The girl stood in front the small pond, a look of fright on her face, her face was vaguely familiar. Someone unseen spoke to her , instructing her to go into the water.

She hesitates at first, looking around she was confused about whether to what he told her. When she was sure no one was going save her , she takes a step into the water. Her white dress floating around her as the water gets deeper around her legs..

In the middle of the pond she waits for someone to tell her what do next. The moon seem to move from it's original spot. Lightning cracked, splitting the sky in half. Drums began to rise from the darkness and silence. Chanting murmurs accompanied the tantic drums.

She could no longer feel her body as she assended from the water. Hands raising above her head, palms meeting the lighting.

 Electricity flowing through her body, she saw herself, as if she was no longer attached to her body.

She watched vas she floated higher, as sliver ribbons wrapped around her body.  Her head lolled back then snapped forward.

 Her eyes were completely sliver. No whites, just sliver.

 Esther had risen.

Soran jumped out his chair and ran to her book shelf looking for his book of realms. He couldn't put his finger on it but he was sure he had read about this vision. It was a ritual vof some sort.

When he found the right page Junhong stood behind him, watching over his shoulder.

 Eyes scanning the pages until he found what he was looking for.

"A maiden on the cusp of maturity, shall be chosen on new moon. Dress her body in White and place in water upon midnight awaken her essence by lightning during Ezra. Can only be done every 40 years, tread lightly, if executed improperly lives of the circle and made will be lost."

"That's vwhat that say?" Junhong asked, his voice weak

"More or less. I improvised what couldn't be translated into English but that's not what's important right now. We need to figure out when the next new moon occurs. From what I could te from my last vision and yours is that Esther is awoken."

"What last vision?" Junhong's eyebrow rose

"Now's not the time. Your mistress is in danger."

"Your right.." He trailed off.

He knew Soran was keeping a secret but he was right, they more pressing matters to worry about then a lapse in morality. The conversation would have to wait.

"Now if your done getting your kickers in a twist, I suggest we go meet up with a few old friends' Soran mouth pulled into a a slow ghostly smile. As kid he was suggesting  rather bizarre.

 They gathered a few spell books, jars and candles. Soran didn't say much of where they were going but Junhong figured it would be unpleasant and even a little embarrassing for him. After all he said old friends.

 Junhong had been taken away from his school , family and friends when he was too young to fully understand why. He was told he was rare and will train a fledgling daywalker.

Before he left his village, he was quite popular with the kids that lived there. He was the only one with natural sliver hair. Seeing his old peers might prove to be uncomfortable, he rose in status while they had humble careers. How could he possibly ask them a favor after all these years?

"Stop dragging yer feet, we're nearly there"

*

To anyone else's eyes (humans) they looked like nutters in the graveyard, setting up a Seance.

Junhong carefully poured salt around the tree stump they had set up on, while Soran mixed jars and lit candles. 

When the circle was complete Junhong sat across from him and waited five minutes before grabbing a handful of lavender colored sand ,pouring a bit on the table and in the air. Purple smoke surrounded the two of them. Soran did the same, creating more purple smoke.

"Don't lose focus" Soran whispered in the smoke.

"Right"

Soran began chanting, grabbing more sand and then grabbing Junhong's hand. Junhong chanted the words in his head.

The world outside the purple smoke began to whirl and twist about. A stomach churning experience that Junhong was sure he wanted to have again.

When the world was set right and the smoke cleared they were in a old, once burned forest. Dead leaves littering the floor, thick fog every where giving the whole atmosphere a even more morose feeling. Junhong felt unsettling as they were being watched from a far.

"Let's go" was all Soran said as he quickly shoved all his things in the burlap sack. Not caring that the jars may crack..

"Lillian lives near by. The feeling your feeling right now..don't feel it" Soran instructed.

 Better said then done, Junhong had the strong urge to look over his shoulder but his guy told him not to. He didn't need the dead to follow him.

Junhong decided he would walk instep with Soran so this unnerving part could be over as soon as possible.

     When they arrived at Liilian's cottage, the door flew open as if she knew they had arrived. She had a torch and lantern in her hand. She looked past them making unblinking eye contact with whatever was behind them.

"Walk slow, one fits his boney fingers on yer Jun. Don't look back. Just walk in." Lillian said in a low voice.

Junhong could feel something on his shoulder, it was light and cold. Panic was starting to rush through him. Being told not look back made the panic Intensify.

"Grab him Soran the moron is looking back. He'll let the dead in" Lillian shouted as Junhong began to turn his head.

Just he got a glimpse of the hand that was on him, he was snatched in roughly by two hands, one belonged to Soran the other to a man he never met before.

When the danger was evaded Soran sighed and asked the most important question of the moment.

"Why you still live here?"

"Unlike you city boys I can handle Catalyst Forest. Its only place for me." She replied to Soran but her eyes on were on Junhong.

'What's he doing here?' She asked with hint of bitterness in her voice.

'Oh yeah forgot. This isn't a luxury visit. We're here because your the best"

Lillian folded her arms "naturally"

'His mistress has been kidnapped"

'What's that got ter do with me?" As she grew impatient her accent began to slip.

"My vision tell me she's being used to unleash the the sliver siren"

Lillian gasped and looked over to her luner map 'Full moon is in two days."

"We need your help. Please help us." Junhong said sounding pitiful.

 Lillian closed her eyes and sighed. Pursing her red lips.

"Fine, fine I'll help just give till morning to get things in order. We'll have one day to get there. So you get enough people to help us on the night of the full moon."

Soran and Junhong happily thanked her. Hugged her and calling her their old nickname for her. Everyone rejoicing except for Kailer who watched in jealousy as Junhong embraced his fiancee.

Kailer would be watching the sly sliver mutt carefully, he wasn't sure he could trust him.