1. Macabre Marmalade (COMPLETED; EDITING)

VI (3.1)

As soon as the car drove into the private grounds entire scenery changed. From the mishmash of different architectural styles of the city into an alien landscape. Garden grounds were enormous and Todor had to straight up and glare at the strange wonder hidden behind the walls. He couldn't even see the villa but at the moment he was too amazed to even try to spot it. The strangest thing that he couldn't miss was the color of all the flora. The grass was dark blue, hedges were deep purple and the trees had inky pink bark with pastel pink leaves. Everything grew in geometric shapes that were beautiful but totally alien. Among the strange plants, here and there, Todor saw fountains which made water flow in the air around glass and jade statues of famous Anadori. It was a jaw-dropping sight.

"It is my mother's pride and joy," Irry said noticing where his attention was pointed.

"It's incredible. I feel like I am on Pandora or something," he said transfixed with his nose to the window.

"What is Pandora?" she asked unaffected by the scene outside.

"Well, that is a surprisingly complicated question," he said chuckling. "The word Pandora comes from an ancient myth, but the one I was referring to is a fictional planet in a movie."

"Fictional planet? Like the story about a world out there in the void?" Irry asked her eyes glowing with interest.

"Yeah, we should watch Avatar together, sometimes. It is an alright movie about humans landing on a planet and repeating history," he said grinning.

"I will hold you to your word," she responded with a grin of her own.

Todor finally noticed the large building in the distance. The Sunhawk villa, if you could call it a building at all, made Todor inhale the air as if he was drowning. If gardens took his breath away, the building should have stopped his heart. It was impossible. Towers that were too thin to support their own weight, roofs that were held in place with just tiny wires, glass and jade stairways that curved and twisted in all kinds of directions while platforms swam in the air, moving from one spot to the other. Simply put, it was a wonder to behold.

"It's just trickery and magic materials," Irry said following his gaze.

"Everything is trickery when you know how to do it," Todor responded to which Irry just shrugged.

With the help of the potion that still held he could actually see streams of magic intertwine with jade and glass of the architecture which made the sight even more surreal.

The car slowly closed the distance and slowed under the latticework of jade overgrown by a plant with pale blue flowers. He saw robed servant running to open the car door for them. Irry gave him encouraging a smile and exited first. He followed, slightly apprehensive. Last week I was shut in who left his home only when absolutely necessary. And now here I am to meet with Anadori elite. How one simple choice can change a person's life. He thought as he stared around at the other cars arriving from different directions.

"Hey, Soorih," Irry said to the servant that approached.

"Greetings, Miss." the young man said. "Can I ask who is your companion for today?"

"It's my good friend and coworker, Todor," she said grabbing Todor by the elbow pulling him towards her. "Stay close to me," she whispered into Todors ear.

They moved along the path that led to the entrance. There was already a line of people there waiting for security to check their invitations. Irry ignored the line and went straight up to the head of the line where two large Anadori in green and red armor stopped her.