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With Adriana and Tranns out of the House, Aden and Lucien find themselves with more occasion to talk, particuarly about
Lucien's desire to reestablish a relationship with Tranns. During one such talk, however, they are interrupted by Joey.
Her normally calm demeanor is clearly gone as she expresses concern over a problem that has arisen back where she was born,
Third Earth, a realm that shifts between three phases; Old, Urban, and Advanced. She explains that an Ebene presence
has been established there and no one is the wiser. After revealing that she is not acting on the orders of the PTB,
she appeals to Aden to send a team to Urban Third Earth to warn an associate of hers named Wesley, who she believes can help
fend off any full out Ebene attack. Aden agrees to send a team, but Joey insists on picking it herself, choosing only
Phoenix Fighters who can pass for Human.
Joey selects Casey and Lex to go along with Aden and Lucien. Tugs invites himself along and when Casey refuses
to step forward and admit that she can shift dimensions, Quinn volunteers to serve as their escort to Third Earth. To
keep the PTB from finding out about this unauthorized trip, Joey clouds the auras of the travelers. They gather hands
and slips into the shadows, following Quinn. Unfortunately, when Quinn steps out into the busy streets of Los Angeles,
California in the middle of Urban Third Earth, he realizes that he and Casey are alone. Quinn attempts to track the
others down, but quickly learns that a side effect of Joey's spell on his aura is that he cannot phase through the shadows.
Uncertain of what else to do, Quinn and Casey decide to try and find Joey's contacts.
Meanwhile, Lex and Tugs find themselves in the middle of a marsh on Old Third Earth. Tugs recognizes all the landmarks,
revealing that he's been there before. Just then, an arrow whizzes by, just missing the two of them. A beautiful
Thunderian girl named Jessamin steps out of the brush and recognizes Tugs. After demonstrating that neither he nor Lex
is a member of the Ra Family, Jessamin eases up and calls for her companion, who turns out to be D'tan, Tugs' little brother.
Jessamin and D'tan take the two of them back to a refugee settlement where many survivors of Thundera have gathered.
Among them is an old woman named Akeela. When she learns the name of Lex's mother, she confesses that she was a servant
in the household.
As Lex learns more about her heritage, Lucien and Aden find themselves in an advanced society, akin to the Niflheim's
home realm. This is Advanced Third Earth. As Aden desperately looks for the others, Lucien sets his sights on
a stunning, alien woman named Lyris. The two of them flirt, despite Aden's protestations. When Lucien seems eager
to go to bed with the stranger, Aden tries to talk him out of it, only to be surprised when Lyris emits a tranquilizing gas
which renders the both of them unconcious. Casey and Quinn find their way to a hotel in Los Angeles called the Hyperion.
There, they meet with a man named Wesley who is a former member of the Watcher Council and a paranormal detective. Although
he doesn't recognize the name Joey, he is very helpful, receiving the information and promising to take care of the Ebene.
Wesley assists Quinn and Casey further by removing the cloud over their auras which was preventing them from finding
the others. They depart on good terms, although Casey is surprised to learn that Wesley shares Joey's last name.
Immediately, Quinn and Casey find Tugs and Lex. After Tugs bids farewell to his brother, the group travel on to find
Aden and Lucien, being viciously tortured by Lyris and her associate Farisa, members of a race that reproduce with the dead
remains of males from other species. Quinn manages to diffuse the situation and the group return home to the Phoenix
House. Aden, meanwhile, heads off to be with Adriana in Hyrule.
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