The eagle flew calmly through the air, enjoying the feeling of air rustling over her feathers. Aspect closed her eyes and glided gently through the wind, not really caring where she was going. She banked and dipped and rose and fell, the wind taking full control of her body. After a short while, she opened her eyes and gazed over the earth below her. She saw a statue of peculiar interest and felt almost drawn to it. She lowered her secondaries and dropped altitude. She dropped her clawed feet as she descended towards the ground. As she drew nearer, she was able to make out the figure. Half black and half white, the statue was that of a woman, blinded with a cloth placed gently over her eyes. In one hand was sword, the other holding what appeared to be a scale perfectly balanced. 

Aspect flew low, wings extended fully to even out her body, making it parallel to the ground. She flapped her wings and breezed past the stone face, admiring the beauty and the detail engraved on its surface. She fanned out her tail feathers and banked to the side, just over the statues shoulder. She tilted her wings up and started gaining height. When she reached the statues stone hair, she back flapped once and alighted on its head. One talon on the white half, the other talon on the black, and her body split down the middle. Almost immediately after landing, she felt a smothering tiredness overcome her. Before she could stop herself, she felt her eyelids close and her body go limp as it fell to the ground…

When she awoke, she looked around and realized she was in some sort of city. This was rather odd, since she hadn't seen a city in quite some time after reaching the statue. Perhaps she had been caught by a traveler and was brought here to be sold to a local falconry? That notion was quickly put to rest when she sat upright and saw her talon-less, human hands. She shook her head in an attempt to clear out the remains of the strange sleep she had succumbed to. Cautiously, she stood up and started walking. Her eyes scanned the city and the people walking past her. She was glad to have put on magical garments before going on her flight. She didn't feel like stealing any clothes from this strange place.

As she walked, she noticed something odd about this city. The buildings on her right were the same as the ones on her left. The only difference being their color. One building was white, its mate on the other side of the street was black. Like the statue. She thought to herself. She looked down at her boots, the street itself was split in the same manner. The people around her were dressed in either black or white. She felt a casual chill start to creep up her spine. This wasn't normal. She felt her heartbeat pick up and she started running, pushing people roughly out of her way.

She felt a ripple through her body as she willed it to change. Dog. She leaped forward, shifting in midair. Her clothes being absorbed into her skin, which was then covered up in fur. Her hands turned to paws and her face became a muzzle. The large white dog bounded through the crowds, causing a few women to cry out and quickly scoop up their children. She looked back at them and discovered her flanks covered in black spots. No! She screamed mentally. Anything but black and white. Anything. Horse! The ripple came again. Her body thickened and her legs elongated. The clicking on the stone from her claws changed rapidly into the heavy pounding of hooves. One hoof black, the other white.

She screamed loudly and stomped the earth, changing again over and over. Cow. Osprey. Tiger. Skunk. Zebra. She could no longer which forms she took. They were all black and white. She kept running, shifting into different creatures, all of which were black and white. She felt like she was going mad. She had to get out of here, this place where she could see dreams and nightmares, ghosts and angels. Where one was either black or white. Nothing more, nothing less. Her blood thundered in her ears and her lungs ached. She needed to escape this horrible city.
 
She stopped in front of a large building, split equally black and white, like the city and the statue. As she stood still to catch her breath, she debated about going inside. This structure was black and white, not one or the other. She cocked her head the side and stared at it. After several minutes, she had calmed herself down and her breathing had returned to a normal rate. She decided it couldn't hurt to venture inside the building, at this point she didn't really have much to lose. Except maybe my sanity. She thought quietly. But even that seems to be going anymore.

She reverted back to her human form and started up the stone steps. She reached the top and glanced at a pair of doors near the center of the structure. One door was black, and the other white. Just like everything else in this place. She looked around before creeping up to them. They were large and wooden, the top several feet above her head. Two heavy handles were on the door and she grasped one in each hand. She pushed forward and opened them. She stood still for a second before stepping inside the cavernous room.

The main entrance of the building that loomed between Sanctus and Malum led to a room no longer split halfway between black and white, but a smooth mixture of the two.  Whereas most of the Blinded Scales was split directly down the middle, the Goddess Dalanesca, the Justiciar, preferred her home, as the place had come to be, to not be so harshly split.  The distinction between the two halves of the city seemed necessary, but within the center it was not.

The staff of magistrates that made up Dalanesca would-be clergy were clothed in black, white, and a mixture of both.  The Justiciar preferred to have her staff dressed in clothing that projected their personality, so no two magistrates were dressed the same.  Some wore all black, some wore all white, and some wore a mixture of both.  The types of clothing varied just as much as the color, some more conservative than others.

-

In another room of the courthouse-style building, Dalanesca sat, alone.  Her chair was positioned at a small table, a quill in one hand with a pot of ink not far, and parchment on the paper in front of her.  She had taken to writing as of late, though to the naked eye her words most than likely looked like utter nonsense.  When he had been deified, something had happened in her mind, and she could now hear so many new things that she could not hear before.

Shouldn’t have stolen that bread.  Didn’t mean to hurt her.  Only wanted to make her stop crying, didn’t mean to bruise.  Don’t want to tell him the truth.  Give me strength to do the right thing.  Have to help him, even if I hate him.  Can’t let him starve.  Found the puppy outside, mommy, can’t we keep him?

The words were jumbled as she scribbled them onto the paper, but it seemed that every voice that pleaded for direction down the path of good or evil echoed in her head - writing it all down was the only way she could keep her own sanity for the time being.  She had reassurances that things were going to get easier, but for the time being, she needed to do this to make things easier.

-

When the newcomer entered the building, she was immediately greeted by a female magistrate dressed all in white save a black belt around her waist.  Even the woman’s hair was as white as snow.  “Hello, miss,” she said to the traveller who had entered.  “You seem troubled… pray tell, what can the Justiciar do for you?”  She looked genuinely concerned for the newcomer’s well being, her eyes scanning her up and down, awaiting some sort of response.

Aspect looked around as she admired the building's beautiful interior. The tile was elegant and the majestic pillars appeared to hold up the cavernous ceiling. She heard fabric rustle in the side of the room and she whipped around to face it. She started a low growl deep in her throat but stopped when she realized that the noise was only from a single woman. She walked towards her from another part of the room she hadn't seen before. She was different compared to the rest of the other people she had seen in this place.

She wore mostly white clothing, but also wore a dark black belt, which stood out in stark contrast against the pale linens. Aspect stood still and watched her. She didn't move and waited for the woman to approach her. When she was close the woman started to speak and she turned her head slightly to the side as she listened. "Justiciar?" She asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the silence of this place. "What is a Justiciar?" She turned her head to the other side, part with caution and part with curiosity.

The title of rank was unfamiliar to her. This was a strange world she had stumbled into and she didn't know where she fit in yet. When she'd initially noticed the white and the black clothed people, she was able to spot a difference between them that went deeper than physical appearance. The white robed people and their auroras appeared to be calm and peaceful, their thoughts good and pure. Those cloaked in black seemed more chaotic and abrupt in action and corrupt and faulted in thought. 

She felt torn in two. Part light and part darkness. Wolf. She closed her eyes, rolled her shoulders back, and dropped down to her hands. Before her palms reached the ground they had turned to paws and her claws lightly clicked the tile. Her body, like her other forms in this strange land, was black and white. Her body being white and black streaks running throughout her fur. After a moment she reluctantly walked over to the woman and lowered her forequarters. "Please tell the Justiciar that I just wish to return to my home." She straightened and looked up at the woman as she waited for an answer. 

Tryella, the magistrate that had greeted the newcomer, eyed her with confusion.  “You stand in Our Lady’s halls, yet you claim to not even know of her true title?”  She furrowed her brow, as though she were trying to figure out what to say to her.  After a moment, she came to the realization that this woman must have come to the realm by accident - it did not happen often, but on occasion, curiosity struck the statue’s passerby and if they touched it, they were transported into the Justiciar’s realm.  “You saw the statue?” she asked, although her question trailed off at the end and seemed more intoned to be a statement.  

Her question seemed to be answered by the woman shifting into an animal form.  After a moment, she came closer and asked to have help going home.  Tryella furrowed her brow once more, nodding slowly.  “Wait, here, I’ll get Our Lady,” she said, quickly hurrying off.

-

A few moments later, a woman was walking towards the newcomer, long raven hair flowing past her shoulders in loose curls.  She was dressed quite simply, wearing only a white tunic and leather corset with simple black pants, her feet clad in leather boots.  Her skin was pale in contrast to her dark hair, and the look on her face was neither a smile nor a frown.  The magistrates bustling about the hallways bowed to her, and she brushed it off with a wave of her hand.  It was clear that this woman was the Justiciar that Tryella had spoken of, but it also seemed apparent that she did not care for the flourishments that her staff seemed to offer her.

Hello,” she said, quietly.  “My name is Dalanesca, or as you have probably been told, the Justiciar,” she added, rolling her eyes.  She leaned closer and whispered softly to the wolf before her..  “Believe it or not, I care not for the title,” she added.  She could not help but smile at the wolf, as it made her think of Moliira, one of her sisters in Conclave.  “Tryella tells me you did not come here on purpose, and that you wish to go home.  I am more than happy to help you home - no one is a prisoner in this realm unless they deserve it,” she said, a sharp intonation taking over the word ‘deserve.’  

“Would you like something to eat or drink before you depart?” she asked, smiling again.  “I can offer you human food, or if you wish to stay in this form I can have some meat brought for you,” she added, hoping that her generosity would show this person that the realm was not something to be feared.

Aspect watched the lady and perked her ears forward as she started to speak again. She knew of the magical statue that had transported her to this place, but before Aspect could question her about it she had turned and was walking away. She sat there looking after her for several minutes before getting up and sniffing the tiled floors. The lady's scent was absent, as was the smell of the stone and the city. It was as if nothing in this city actually existed and that what she was seeing was merely a dream with no actual structure.

She shook her head, as if to clear the thoughts from her mind. This was a dream unlike any of the others she had ever had before. So clear and crisp, the colors and sounds. Everything was so much more vibrant than normal, but it could have been merely the sharp contrast between the white and the black that encompassed the city. The only thing absent was the scent of it all. She briefly theorized that she had died and was no in a different place, but quickly brushed that thought aside. This was not how she pictured the afterlife. 

She froze for a second as she heard the sound of footsteps approaching her. Human. She shifted and adjusted her jacket as a tall, pale woman approached her. She had long black hair and wore simple clothing. She looked at her, slightly confused. This was the high and mighty Justiciar? she thought to herself, unimpressed. She looked like a common that should have been out walking along the streets. As she approached, Aspect sensed the power emitting off the woman, a powerful aura that appeared to protect her like a shield. This wasn't an ordinary woman.

Slowly, she lowered herself to a knee and didn't rise until the woman stopped walking towards her. She stared up at her, not dropping her gaze for a second as she stared deep into the woman's pale blue eyes and neutral face. She remained silent and respectful as the mighty woman introduced herself. She nodded her head when she spoke of her accidentally ending up in this world. She dropped her head slightly at the last remark, but didn't say anything.

"I wouldn't mind a small bite to eat," she said quietly. "I flew a long way before I could get to your statue." Out of curiosity, she shrugged her shoulders and started to shift. Hawk. She transformed into a small raptor, her coloration still only different patterns of black and white.  She shifted back and looked at the Justiciar. "My ability to change forms in this place is limited," she casually mentioned to Dalanesca. "I can only change into creatures whose primary colors are black and white, not the full spectrum like normal. You must have strong magic to control a shape-shifter's ability. My name's Aspect, by the way."

She was glad to see that her assumption of the shapeshifter’s accidental arrival had been correct - although, she would have been incredibly surprised if her intuition had malfunctioned in her own realm.  When the traveller accepted her offer of food, she gestured for her to follow down one of the many hallways.  “Come,” she said, with a warm smile on her face.  

It was with interest she watched the shifter change forms, and Dalanesca could not help but smile to herself when she saw the black and white pattern that colored the hawk.  “I apologize for any confusion such a dilemma has caused you,” she began, and it was clear in her voice that she was indeed apologetic.  “My realm has taken on what I wish for it to, and what I wished was that it show everyone that black and white - representing good and evil - are equal in our world.”  She gave pause for a moment, before realizing that she should elaborate a bit more.

“I suppose you would not realize what I speak of, if you came here by accident,” she continued.  “My power here is very great… because this is my realm.  I am the Justiciar… a God, if you will.  The Tree has chosen me to maintain a balance between good and evil in this world… and this is my realm.  It is fashioned in my mind to appear this way.  That is why you can see two halves of a city here - one pure and white, called Sanctus; and the other black and dark, called Malum.  They balance one another out, and in the center they blend together to become one.”

She looked around for a moment in the hallway.  “That is why you see all of my staff - my magistrates - clothed in the manner that they are,” she continued.  “I asked them to fashion their attire off of their own personal beliefs on the balance of good and evil.  As you can see, some favor the light over the dark, and others the dark over the light.  I do not judge - I only balance,” she said, with a finality.

When the shifter offered her name, she responded amicably.  “That’s a very beautiful name, Aspect.  I’d like you to call me Dalanesca, if that’s alright?  I don’t care if you use my title - in fact, I’d rather you not, in an intimate setting like this,” she said, with a bit of a crooked smile.  “I don’t really like formalities, to be perfectly frank,” she added, with a quirked eyebrow.  “So, what would you like to eat?” she asked as she led Aspect into a room filled with gray velvet chairs and onyx tables.  She sat down at one of the chairs, a magistrate waiting at the door for Aspect to tell her what she would like to eat.

Aspect followed Dalanesca down one of the many hallways in the giant labyrinth of a building. The walls and floor were made out of stone, the only colors remained black and white. She looked at her when she started to talk. What she spoke of made sense to her, as she had seen the different parts of the city and their representative inhabitants. She glanced at the maids and other servants when they walked past the pair in the hallway. They were all dressed in the black and white, some wearing more white, others wearing more black. Just like the Justiciar said.

She absentmindedly shifted into a small house cat and silently followed behind Dalanesca. She curiously glanced at her flanks and rolled her eyes when she discovered that she was in a tuxedo coloration. Black and white, black and white…She was itching to return home, where colors were more varied and she could shift into whatever she wanted. But for now she had to settle with what she was limited to, under the Justiciar's power at least. She shifted back and continued walking after her. 

The Goddess smiled at her and she returned it with a curt smirk. She turned and they entered a large room with grey chairs and black stone tables. She had never seen an eating room this spectacular. Every surface was polished to a gleam and as she walked past the stone table top, she felt like she was staring down into a puddle of water or a mirror. It was so beautiful. She hesitated before sitting down in one of the large chairs. She ran her hand along the side, feeling the finished wood under her fingertips.

"I'll eat anything you have on hand," she said to magistrate. "I don't want to be of much trouble. Meat, fruit, I'm not picky at all." She quite tempted to shift into something light so she could slide around on the stone table, but doubted that Dalanesca would like the claw marks in the table very much. So instead, she sat on her hands and stared at her reflection in the table.

Dalanesca gave a small smile as she glanced back behind her, seeing the small cat that now walked in Aspect’s place.  She had always found those with the ability to shapeshift to be an interesting people, but also found it difficult to form any sort of relationship with them.  She found them unpredictable, although it was not as difficult for her to figure out what was going to happen as it had once been.  

When the two of them had gotten a bit more comfortable, she looked at Aspect. She could tell that something was off - and closed her eyes for a moment to figure out what it was.  That was it - Aspect did not like the dullness that her forms were taking on in terms of color.  “You wish to have your different colors back, no?” she asked, giving the shapeshifter a quick smile.  “You can, you know, I just have to will it,” she said, and gave it a quick thought.  “Go ahead, shift again.  You’ll see,” she said.  This time, when Aspect would shift, she would be able to take on whatever pattern it was that she thought of.

When Aspect replied with being happy with anything to eat, the magistrate took off.  It did not take her long to return, but when she did she carried a large platter with both hands.  The platter overflowed with meats, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables, all there for Aspect to choose from.  “Please let me know if there is something else you would like.”  The magistrate handed her a flagon of water, as well.

Dalanesca beamed at the shapeshifter.  “When you’ve had your fill I can lead you out of my realm,” she said.  “But tell me - what balances your life?  Do you desire good, or do you follow the path of evil?  What motivates you?” she asked, a glint in her eyes.

Aspect sat quietly at the table and watched her host. She sat straight with perfect posture and didn't appear to eat any of the food placed before them. She hesitated, before reaching forward and grabbing an apple from the tray. She ate it slowly, her eyes still roaming the room and picking up even the minutest of details. She looked over at Dalaensca as she started to speak again, her clear voice ringing through the room. 

She ate a piece of bread and had a swallow of water while she listened to the powerful goddess. She was silent as she thought over her questions. She swirled the water around in her glass and stared at her reflection. She put the water down on the table and looked up at her. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I don't know what I desire in my life. Some days I feel good and other's I don't. I feel like I am forced to embrace the dark and the light."

She slowly stood up and closed her eyes. "I am motivated to help myself and keep myself alive and well. I can help or I can hurt, normally the former but the later wouldn't be out of place either. I can't decide what I want. I embrace both sides, I guess." She shrugged her shoulders and felt herself shift form. She stepped back and then allowed the transformation to be completed. The horse stood in behind the table and she opened her eyes.

Half of her face was black, while the other half was rippled in white. Her body was covered in large black and white blotches of color. Her blue eyes stood out in sharp contrast against the black fur on the left side of her face. "I'm both," she said quietly. "I am equally black and equally white, good and evil are both inside of me. In a constant battle to determine who has control. I walk the narrow line between the two." 

Dalanesca eyed her guest with apparent interest.  She did not seem to be eating - nor did she seem to want to.  Eventually, she saw Aspect grab an apple off of the platter, eating it slowly and with caution.  When Aspect turned her gaze to Dalanesca, she offered her a warm smile.  Her guest had begun to speak once more, and she listened intently.

Her answer was nothing unusual for the Justiciar to hear.  So many before her had voiced their concerns and doubts.  “Many don’t know what they want with their life,” she began.  Her words were not harsh; they were intended to give the girl solace.  “Embracing both darkness and light equally is what I am truly about,” she continued.  She grew silent for a moment, watching Aspect as she stood up.

Listening carefully to Aspect’s explanation of her motivations, Dalanesca could not help but smile.  It was not so often that someone came to her realm by accident and still managed to learn something about his or her self.  Watching with pride as Aspect shifted into the bi-colored horse, she smiled again.  “You may not have meant to come to this place, but you have certainly learned something about yourself this day.  The narrow line is a line we all must tread carefully - I have clearly perfect that, reigning supreme over balance itself… but how to you maintain the balance of which side gets control?  What specifically do you do to maintain such equality?”