Hours past, and the night blankets land in darkness. Only the candlelights of the fortress glows. A council of elderly and older members of The Black Hand gathers in the hall. Shael' with Riada beside him awaits for the council to start. The council is unhappy and annoyied.

"We the council of The Black Hand is disturbed about this rumor of this girl being here," The choosen speaker declares, "not only that, a witch has come to our lands creating chaos among our ranks." Riada is terrorfied and wants to run. "Even worse that you considering to take this girl as your apprentice!" The old warrior steps out from the group and stands next to them. "Are you on their side Nerri' tus," The speaker questions. "I am! But not without reason," The old warior calls back. "We all know the stories and rumors that we are told. Lets ask the one who been through it all," Nerri' tus explains.

"It is embarrasing to her family, her village, everyone. That she broke the traditions we placed for generations to appease the code that is set since the beginining of The Black Hand. How is this stranger going to change that," The speaker narrorates. The council stood still. The speaker thinks that the discussion is about to be over.

"It was not there when I was in the group!" That statement echoes in the halls. The council does not know where that comes from. Riada is surprised as well. "Do you really belive that fool mouthed apprentice of Morrat so many years ago? I am so ashamed of The Black hand. Thinking that Alto really betray the group for her own agenda." The members of the council whispers and curses at the voice. "Has my absence dumbfounded the lot of you? Did Morrat's last will not reach to you?" The members is panicking and try to find the source of the voice.

"Where are you," The speaker asks in horror. Nicole appears behind them in anger. "HAVE YOU ALL LOST YOUR SENSE! The skills and the knowledge that is past down to you," she yells. "Maybe I was wrong from the start when Morrat asked me to join all those years ago." That last sentence gave a member a heart attack. Before the speaker replies, Nicole changes herself to what she used to be. The only difference though is the length of hair and condition of the armor. "Who are you," the speaker screams as he falls back. "I am ALTO!," Nicole replies with echoing boom. Every member except for Shael' and Nerri'tus is in shock.

"Female warriors are not unheard of during those days. Morrat asked me personally to join,"Nicole explains. "Y-y-yes, we know but times have changed," the speaker said,"The loss of so many have change that. Many villages do not want see their daughters to die. So it is changed by the wise Grommere." Nicole remember him. His green eyes and his indifference in battle. To change that much, Nicole knows that he might not have a choice. "Still Morrat's last will: Is that anyone who is willing should join. Even ones who were once enemies," Nicole sadly recite. She remembers those words in precise details. "His... will is no longer be in fruition to The Black Hand..."

"Riada! Do you still want to join The Black Hand," Nicole announces in front of everyone, "if so, I wish you luck. I am allowing her to take my place among The Black Hand" This is no longer what Riada wants. Nicole raises her arm and looks at Riada. "And then what," Riada yells to her, "You'll leave me here?" Nicole is startled. "Not alone! she is not," said a familar female voice. Nicole looks at the spear man. And they both opens the gateway to another world. A harsh cold force of wind and snow pours out from the gateway. The spear man with the feminate voice speaks, "Riada follow her in! I'll hold the gateway." Nicole smiles. "Sister! Keep an eye on her please!" She and Riada steps into the gateway into the other world. Shael' thinking for a moment, rushes in after. The gateway closes behind him.

At the other side, Nicole changes her appearance once again to a brown haired lady in a strange, primal outift of furs and teeth. The land is almost bare and covered in snow. Only the mountians and specks of trees downhill, is seen in the area. Riada is feeling cold for the first time. She shivers. Shael' picks her up and said, "What now?" Nicole leads them to an encampment behind some ice and snow. There at the encampment is a roaring fire that is taller than any of them. Shael' wonders what is she and how she find this place? Then a thunderous sounds of an earthquake draws all of their attention. Logs that is the size of hugh boulders lay down near the fire. And next to it is an enourmous red being wearing furs and wrapped with leather straps. His large eyes rest on the three of them. He smiles and proclaim, "Nicole! you are back my friend!"

"That I am Berriot," Nicole warmly reply, "Sadly my trip to the other land is a failure." The large red being nods and returns his attention to the fire. "My new associates need the warm of your fire," Nicole addresses. "Then use it. Hurry over to the fire with the little one," Berriot said without looking. "So how close are you in finding the prey? I am wondering if you need an extra set of teeth in your hunt," Nicole asks. "I am very close my friend! An extra set of teeth is very welcome Nicole," Berriot gleefully reply. He gathers up large stone knives that laid on his sack.

"What are you hunting," Shael' finally asks. "Just some small prey I has been stalking in the past week," Berriot answer, "You are welcome to join." This confuses Shael'. Nicole picks up the smallest of the furs near Berriot's sack. And she wraps Riada with it. "Nicole you forget to introduce me properly to them," Berriot embarrassly tells. Nicole cringes as she knows he is correct. Nicole speaks as she stood up,"Sorry Berriot, the little one is Riada and the man is Shael'. Everyone this is Berriot Hardtooth, the finest hunter of this world." Berriot blushes when she says that he is the finest.

Berriot announces as if many is around him, "I am leaving! On with the hunt!" He and Shael' left with their weapons drawn. Riada looks as if she wantig to follow. "Do you want to follow them?" Riada is elated and says, "Y-yes!" Nicole shakes her head slowly. "No, you are not going. You are barely tolerating the cold." Riada's heart sunk when she say that. She is disappointed in not joining. Nicole thinks up an idea. "Shael' need to concentrate on the hunt that is why you can not go," Nicole explains, "However! You can help them clean up the weapons when they return." This does not satisfy Riada. "Poor Shael', He does not know the Berriot tends to hunt predators." Confused, Riada looks to Nicole in a funny manner. "As you see, Berriot is here to hunt down animals that can eat you," Nicole further explains. "Why?," Riada questions.

In the meanwhile, Berriot and Shael' following the tracks of unknown animal with six toes in each of its four feet. Shael' stops and measure the tracks with his sword, the only means of comparision to him. It is then he realizes the size of the animal. He looks at Berriot whom climbs onto an expose rock and ice. "Where are you going?" Berriot finishes climbing and looks around. He spot something to the right of Shael'. The large red being draws back both his knives and throws. Shael' sees it coming and ducks into the snow. The knives cut into the air and strikes a leaping catlike creature that is white as the snow.

"What was that for," Shael asks as he gets up from the snow. He brushes the snow off himself. A loud growl and howler coming from the trail. Berriot Howlers back and rumble of shakes getting louder. More of the catlike creatures rushes towards them. Some of them seemingly appears right out from the snow. Shael' wonders how he can survive this. Another knife throw from Berriot hits one in the shoulder. The large red being leaps out in front and bears his left hand and knife to strike.

Back at the encampment, Nicole tries to explain to Riada about Berriot and his hunt.

"... All I am saying. Is that every thing Berriot hunts will hunt you down and kill you. So he hunts them for his village. Because he knows how to get rid of them. And it will make his village safer," Nicole finishes explaining.

"Why does he not get help? Does his people care," Riada asks. Nicole takes a breathe. "He is always like this. He loves to do things himself," Nicole replies, "However, if anyone wants to help then they'll do it. But his village is busy with another problem." Riada still does not understand but gives up on asking. She looks down at the fire with a defeated expression. "I know it does not makes sense. But when Berriot comes back you can ask him yourself," Nicole says as she tries to continue the conversation.

"Maybe she should ask him how to hunt. You said so yourself that he's the finest hunter," said a familiar femine voice. Riada and Nicole remembers that voice from the spearman. "Come on out here! Sister I know that is you," Nicole shouts. Riada looks around her for a sign. Nicole crosses her arms and stares in one direction. From that direction an older, shorter looking lady dresses in fine fur clothing appears. How strange Riada thought. This lady has black skin and black smoke coming out of her. Her eyes is blueish green and her hair is grey and brown.

"So Alto this is your new project? You keep upsetting our brother. He does not like when you bring, interfer, or change people's lives." Nicole is upset. And the lady turns her attention to Riada. "She looks about the same age as when you first met Berriot," the sister notices. Nicole expression of thinking and head guestures confuses Riada. But then Nicole tells, "Diana! We both know this is what I do. I thank you for helping me. But are you here on brother's account?" Diana calmly shakes no. "If I were here on brother's account, Hughe would be here now talking to you."

Riada is thinking at this point: Does Nicole and her family look like this? Diana picks up on the thought and say, "Mostly Riada, although Nicole is the only one with yellow eyes." Riada is stunned to hear that. Diana thinks it is funny. "Alto! You need to pick more people who is ready to expect this. You always pick ones that is so... unprepared," Diana say as she descibes, "I think you once picked a young man named Morrat I think. He tries to dress like you. Talk like you. He acts like as if he was our younger brother."

That last statement hurts Nicole. She becomes depressed of the thought. "Nicole, I am so sorry. I did not know," Diana appologizes as she read Nicole's mind. Nicole thinks about Morrat again. This time Morrat looking off at a distance as Nicole approach him. She remembers his words to her: "How many worlds have you been Alto? I feel blessed to meet someone like you. Once we unite this sea, I will have you bring me to your world..." His voice echoes with the words your world. Nicole cries in front of Diana and Riada.

Heavy breathing interupts the scene. It belongs to Berriot and Shael' as they carry bodies of the creatures with them. "Next time, my friend, warn me of what, we are hunting," Shael' hoffs. Berriot lazily drops the carcases next to the fire. Berriot then say, "Alright, I explain the next time." Berriot and Shael' stares in bewilderment at Diana. "Berriot! you are here," Diana announces.

Berriot rushes over to her and gives her a bear hug. "I have missed you so long," he cries. Diana is lifted as if she is his child. Shael' looking confused drops his load. He then asks Riada, "Who is this woman?" Riada says to him, "that is Nicole's sister." Nicole then hugs Riada. "not only that, she is also Berriot's wife." And just like that Shael and Riada has a shocked expression on their faces. His wife! They did not know that. Their minds races as to figure how in the world that small 5 foot 6 inches of a lady is with a giant 11 foot tall of a man.