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Sadly, nothing could be done for the parents, but the children had just enough time to be pulled through the protective Barriers by their so-called magical horse, Thunder. Thunder, also unknown to the children, is what’s known as a Shifter. Shifters are beings that can shift between the layers of the world, living in-between and having some capacity at manipulating their surroundings within the confines of their current level, so to speak. Shifters help guide and are an essence of light and hope.
    “There are other forms, negative and dark, which can slip between as well. These are the Sliders. They are more like leeches or parasites; they cannot take a true form in the outer human level. Instead, they must attach to a host who will then take on their negative energies and build on all the qualities humans call hate, rage, and cruelty.
    “Within the Shadow Layer, from which your fairytales are pulled, they show themselves as any number of beasts. Wolves are common, as are serpents, and vaguely human forms like trolls and such. On deeper levels still, they become shadows of negative force, which survive by sucking in the energies of other layers. Human malice feeds the Sliders, and the stronger Sliders become, the more malice humans exhibit. It is a cycle the Shifters try to keep in check. With balance, humanity is safe.
    “If the three children, on that night, had been looking out their window, they might have seen the reckless car coming from behind. Humans, with the exception of infants who are closely tied to the most miraculous of layers, can only process their senses humanly. They can wish and hope and have faith, but they cannot ‘see.’ It’s essentially what makes them human.
    “Time was of an essence to save these children’s lives. The quickest, safest way was to bring them to the Training Grounds we use for Benders, where the Barriers are the strongest. A Bender is a human who has a flexible mind and can be taught to breech the Barriers and slip between the layers. No one knows how long the training will take, for humans are different in their needs. The Grounds, however, adapt to these circumstances and invariably the trainees learn the skills they require. When the goals of their specific training have been reached, the mist separates and the trainees simply walk back down the mountain to the cabin.
    “Before this particular event, trainees have always known who they are and have been prepared for the learning. They would have walked up the mountain with Thunder, with the understanding that making it through the mist was the first step. The Barriers would repel, if not fully evaporate, anyone with an impure heart or soul.
    “It was an unusual situation with these three. There was no way to prepare them nor to test their suitability; Thunder based his decision on his knowledge of the children’s characters and hoped for the best. Bending into a layer is not easy, as it is often experienced as a shutting down of the body. This is because the physical body must deconstruct itself in order to force its molecules through the Barriers. Then it needs to be capable of restructuring on the other side.
    “The three survived the transition, the healing from the crash, and the learning on the mountain. At that point, the next unforeseen occurrence took place. A Slider penetrated the Training Grounds. And—”
    “What?!” Ethan’s voice is hard as it cracks through the night, and it makes me jump. I had forgotten the others were here. “There’s a Slider on them already? They were in training, for Pete’s sake! Since when is that even possible?”
    In the firelight, I can see his taut muscles and clenched jaw. He seems to be a contained and focused kind of guy, like he’s taking in everything around him. I’ve noticed when he stands he tends to balance on the balls of his feet, ready to spring into action if needed.
    My brothers and I are still processing the meaning of the story, but Callie voices her