 
A Twist of the Tale

P. R. Glazier

Published by P R Glazier at Smashwords

Copyright 2015 P R Glazier

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## Chapter 1. Emissary from the East.

A lone wolf stood staring at the lights. Pinpricks of flame shining out from the village that nestled cozily within the trees growing in the valley below. The animal's lower legs were thick with grime and mud, tinged with dry blood from many cuts and grazes, testament to the long journey it had just made and to the many dangers it had faced along the way. The animal itself was not looking its best, for in some areas the hair was grey and matted. The fur along its back seemed to be falling out in clumps, a sure sign that the warmer, dryer climes within which it now found itself required less dense insulation in favour of a much thinner, shorter coat. Wafts of fur dislodged by the warm breeze drifted upon the air currents. The wolf watched mournfully as one particularly large clump float up and away until it was caught in the tangle of leaves above. The wolf stared at it. Perhaps in response, or perhaps just because it felt the need, the large animal shook itself. More fur floated around the wolf, slowly born away upon the breeze.

The wolf hung its head low and continued to pant. It then lowered its large, broad head further and sniffed at the ground. It then lifted one foreleg and sniffed at the paw gently. It began to lick the paw, a red angry soar needed some attention, whilst suffering fatigue from the weeks of travel it had slipped on a loose rock and taken a tumble. It whined, a forlorn sound as it cleansed the wound. Some minutes later seemingly satisfied with the fulfillment of its immediate medical needs and keeping the offending paw raised from the ground, the wolf again raised its head, its light blue eyes shining with an inner light that perhaps conflicted with the rest of the animal's appearance. It stared once more at the pinpoints of light shining through the gathering gloom of the evening. Trees swayed in the evening breeze above where the wolf stood. The movement of the many leaves made the lights flicker on and off, flashing in the darkening evening sky like so many glow beetles. The pinpoints of light danced in the mind of the wolf. The wolf seemed mesmerised by the sight, yet its eyes exhibited a cool and calculating intelligence deep within. The wolf growled low and long and shook its head, then it limped forward continuing along the well-worn path.

Its nose twitched continuously. The aromas that permeated the forest were vastly different from that place it called home. Yet its sensitive nose could still pick out the one scent that it sought to follow. Even after all this time this aroma had a familiarity, one of millions of individual scents lodged in its memory bank gathered over a lifetime. But this memory-scent had not been drawn forth from its memorised place in a long, long time; perhaps half of the wolf's life had passed since it had caught this feint picture-smell. But still the memory remained, the image was there and it knew what it sort.

People are what the wolf sought. A particular race of people, the T'Iea is what they called themselves. Known as Elves to the human population of the world. The wolf's own people called them a more descriptive name – long-ears, for that is what their predominant racial feature was after all. He sort one long-ear individual in particular and it had caught her special scent earlier in the day and tracked it to this place. The long-ear village was near, the wolf's inbuilt sense of self-preservation could detect the dangers posed by a people whose survival habits included hunting much like that of the wolf. But that was part of the fascination of civilisation, a likeness, almost kindred spirit in some ways. Yet another part of the wolf's being wondered if perhaps at last a meal was close at hand and even respite from the long journey of many monthss that it had just endured.

Ten more minutes of limping along the woodland path and the wolf stood beneath the long-ear village. It sat on its haunches and panted, ears pricked and flicking around continuously, trying to catch every faint sound that travelled on the warm breeze. Cottages high in the trees showed many signs of life, a myriad kaleidoscope of excitement presented to the wolf's senses. Voices talking, cooking aromas, laughing, the footsteps of two legged beings. The wolf almost lost itself in the sensory overload. Yet all of these noises were just the cacophony of domestic activity, exactly what you would expect from a long-ear village, any village for that matter. Could the wolf feel mixed pangs of emotion at the happiness it detected? Was it envy? Perhaps even jealousy? No, the wolf felt just a resigned sadness in a way, but not self-pity, that negative feeling was for weaker beings. Yet the wolf and his kind had missed out on so much, war had seen to that. They were few; they had always been few, for many others had hated them over the countless centuries, hated and hunted them. All manner of excuses had been used in various attempts at eradicating the wolf's kind from the world. Almost continual acts of genocide had honed their way of life, made them survivors. But now something unforeseen was happening. Another darkness was brewing, yet another war threatened the wolf's homeland, a war that for once did not seek to murder the wolf's kind into extinction, but never the less a war that could trap them between the opposing foes and obliterate them anyway. It was time to act, the time to seek aid from the one race of people that could change the inevitable. The very same race of people that threatened to start the war that the wolf's people now feared so much.

The wolf shook its head as if trying to exile such burdensome thoughts from its mind. It shook itself once more, again dislodging loose fur that flew upon the air and snagged in bushes by the side of the path. Then it sat down feeling a dull muscular ache in its hindquarters, the ache of age. It growled in physical effort as it gathered what strength it still had and with an effort that made it wheeze it sprang upward with its forelegs, a sharp pain from the sore made it whimper, but it stood upright upon its hind legs and swayed slightly from side to side. Others that may have witnessed this strange behavior would have seen it stand there wavering, its legs shaking slightly as if this simple act required some monumental effort. But then the wolf seemed to gather its balance; there was a shimmering of the air around the animal and when the air returned to normal a human man stood up. The wolf it seemed had disappeared.

The man was long in years and lent upon a wooden staff to aid his passage. His features were pale and his hair tied tightly into a topknot on the top of his head. Thin hemp braiding kept the pure white dreadlocks in place, tying the long length of hair together as it fell down his back to well below his waist. His journey had been long and arduous, but despite his aching body he pulled himself tall with pride. He straightened the well-worn cloak he wore, took a deep breath whilst looking up at the many homes above him. He shook his head and made to walk forward towards the entrance way to the village.

But before he could take a step he stopped. He had heard voices. They were close and coming from ground level and behind him. At times on this journey unknown beings had tracked him, but he had always managed to lose them. So he left the path and being careful not to disturb or break anything he ducked as swiftly as he was able into some bushes of rhododendrons that grew thickly amongst the trees. He didn't have to wait for long. Two long-ears, one a female, the other a male strode along the path into view. The female wore expensive looking clothes adorned with trinkets and other excessive adornments, things that did not add any practical value to her garb. The old man frowned at the extravagance. The male however was typical of his race. He walked with a litheness that immediately suggested a soldier. Indeed he had a double-edged broad sword in a scabbard to his waist attached to a shoulder strap and a long ornate dagger clipped to his belt. The female held no visible weapon, but then long-ears in the wolf's experience did not necessarily require physical weapons to be dangerous in the extreme. Just when the old man was about to start breathing normally once again, the female held up her hand and the two long-ears stopped. They stood just where he had shifted forms and left the path moments earlier. He cursed himself and his carelessness. The woman, she probably detected the residue from the arcane energy he had expended to accommodate the change. That was the trouble with the long-ears they were very susceptible to the smallest fluctuations in the arcane.

The female looked around, her gaze lingered upon the place where he hid, yet he was sure that he was not seen; even so he found he dropped his gaze from hers as if this would hide him further. The male gently lowered his hand coming to rest upon the pommel of the sword. The female crouched down on her haunches and stretched out her hand, she took something from the ground. She stood slowly; she grasped something in her fingers. She held a clump of grey fur, she scrutinised it for a few seconds rubbing it gently between finger and thumb. But she laughed and placed her slender hand over her companions staying his hand as he went to draw the sword. Words passed between them but the old man could not hear what was said. The female kept hold of the male's fist as it gripped the hilt of the sword, she took one last look in the direction of the bushes in which the old man hid himself, she giggled, threw the ball of fur onto the warm breeze and watched as it floated way. Then she slid her hand up her companions forearm to the crook of his elbow, she pulled him forward urging him onward once more along the path. Once or twice the long ear male turned to look back over his shoulder, but the female tugged him onwards each time, encouraging him to keep moving. The old man frowned in his hiding place amongst the rhododendrons and eventually after waiting for several minutes he crept back out onto the path and looked along the way the two long-ears had passed upon.

Some doubt welled up within his thoughts, but he shook his head once more and whispered to himself as if arguing with someone else, "no, now is the time, of this I am sure," then he thought to himself as if going over some agreed plan, it was time to meet once again with the long-ear female he sort, it was time to share the news he had with her and her kind, his people's demise may well lay within the whims and fancies of the long-ear race, yet he was also sure that his last hope lay also with them, for the doom of all was at hand. He chastised himself for his prejudices, born of ignorance perhaps, or of truth, for much of his past involvement with the long-ears had led him and his people into great danger and much woe. He spat onto the soft ground and clenched his fists. He must keep an open mind, after all he sort aid from these people, he must not antagonise them.

Yet old memories returned, he was greatly troubled that he should see such a time in his life, now of all times, now when he was old and ached not from the exertions of his travels, but more from the passage of the twilight of his years. He stood and after ensuring that the two-long ears were far enough away he regained the path and continued on his way.

## Chapter 2. A Family Reunited

Nar'Allia leaned forward; her shoulders hunched slightly, her arms spread out to either side, her wrists resting upon the handrail in front of her. She was in an expectant mood. She stood upon one foot whilst she rocked the other upon the toe of her boot. She continued looking out over the edge of the balcony that surrounded her home high within the trees of the great wood. She sniffed the air savouring the aroma of the deep forest that surrounded her. She lived in the heart of the vast woodlands that formed the continent-wide forests known to her people as Gel'Te'Ertenya. A soft breeze played on the air. She gently swept back some wayward fronds from across her face. Pinpoints of light skipped amongst the leaves, N'Ip'Chuk's searching each other out, males looking for a mate. One landed close by upon the handrail, she looked at its gossamer wings buzzing sporadically in the evening air, they shimmered like a rainbow, the creature's abdomen glowed brightly, ever hopeful to attract a female. The insect's two long antennae stretched out behind it, each twice the length of its body. Its large eyes a multitude of faceted lenses, each refracting the light into a myriad of colours.

Nar'Allia giggled, she bowed low to the male N'Ip'Chuk and pretending she had a fan behind which to hide her blushing features, she curtsied low and said, "why kind sir, your advances are most mesmerising, but I'm afraid you really are not my type." She laughed at herself. The N'Ip'Chuk buzzed, stretched its wings wide and took flight as if it understood and went to look elsewhere. Nar'Allia followed its erratic path with her eyes. But then she caught site of something else floating upon the warm air, a tuft of grey fur floating past, born upon the warm breeze. She turned and watched as it blew over her head and behind her, the gentle wind taking it up and over the roof of her house. She lent her lower back against the handrail now behind her; she let her feet slide slowly along the wooden floor, her back sliding down until her elbows rested on the handrail.

Her attention was taken by the lamp light shining through the door that she had just left open, she could make out the soft noises of her husband Lo'Rosse, playing with their young son D'Irune in the parlour room of the house, her mother and father's house. But neither of her parents lived here any longer even though their belongings remained, as did the fondness of their memory. She sighed, she could recall as if it were yesterday the laughter of a time gone by, the thought made her smile. The smile was for the realisation that at least the house remained a happy one. Yes the pain of separation, the uncertainty and anxiety of not knowing was still there, memories of loss, these things always would remain. Yet many years filled with happier times had lessened the heartache of the unhappy ones, at least to an extent. She crossed her arms in front of her, not because of any chill wind, but more out of a need for some small comfort against her melancholy thoughts.

Nar'Allia stood and walked slowly, she chastised herself for her saddened mood. Her step picked up and she drew herself straighter holding her head high. As she walked she undid the apron that was tied around her waist to protect the material of her favourite dress beneath. She ran her hands across smoothing her many layered skirts ensuring that each fell neatly and tidily without the tell-tale creases of household toil. She didn't wear such attire very often, normally she could be found in the deer skin breeches and sleeveless leather jerkin that most of her people wore, but this was to be a special occasion. She swung about twisting at her knees, gently watching the hemline of her dress swish to and fro. She tugged on the ribbon tying her bodice, adjusting the bow so it looked neater. Satisfied she rolled the apron into a ball and clasped it behind her in one hand hoping to hide it there.

She remained in idle thought, running the fingertips of her other hand along the smooth wooden rail at her side as she walked slowly towards the sloping wooden ramp that led to ground level. She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of a female voice. She stopped, smiled and looked in the direction from which the unmistakable giggling came from, she waved then brought her hand down quickly as she perceived the hand still held the apron. She decided to hang the apron over the rail and collect it later. She waved once again as two T'Iea strode through the village between the thick trunks of the trees into the light of one of the many lamps that lit the pathways criss-crossing the ground. The two newcomers waved in response. Nar'Allia smiled broadly; she remained standing at the top of the ramp and waited. As she did so she fussed with her hair, removed a clip, which she placed between her teeth as she gathered the wayward fronds before replacing the clip carefully. She didn't have to wait long, for the two T'Iea appeared at the bottom of the ramp and started to walk up.

They both waved a hand in greeting as they approached. Nar'Allia smiled; she relished the sight of these two. Here where her half brother and sister, the twins, right on time as expected.

She admired the feminine grace of Solvienne, she also felt a little envious at her sister in her long velvet cloak trimmed with golden thread. The hood lay over her shoulders and down her back, the fur that surrounded the edge made a fawn coloured collar around the pretty long neck, her hair styled and tied elegantly high upon her head, a human style perhaps? It was not a style to be seen amongst T'Iea kind, at least not here in the great wood. Nar'Allia noticed Solvienne's hair sported many pearl-topped golden pins, very unlike her own plain metal pins made by the local metal smith, a person more used to making arrow heads and door hinges, yet he had done his best. A silver circlet lay across Solvienne's brow and around her head, the fine workmanship of the intertwined silver wire, now that was recognisably T'Iea. Her elegant hands within doe skin gloves held the hem of her long cloak away from her feet and knowing Solvienne, probably the hem of a fine silken gown beneath. Then there was Solvienne's alabaster complexion, whereas Nar'Allia's sun-darkened skin showed her as spending much more time beneath the sun and sky than her little sister. Nar'Allia always felt a little - what was the word, rustic perhaps? Yes, a little backwater rustic when compared to the wardrobe that Solvienne had at her disposal. But then her younger sister had always hankered after such finery even at an early age, whereas Nar'Allia had swapped old sackcloth, bare feet and worn leather for the utilitarian deerskin garb of the people of the T'Iea'Tarderi – the Wood T'Iea.

A flash of light caught Nar'Allia's eye bringing her thoughts back to the present. A ring glinted on Solvienne's finger, Nar'Allia could not see the detail of it from this distance but this ring she knew well, an ornate ring that had set upon it a single green gem set within a clasp fashioned in the form of a wolf's head, the green gemstone set within the wolf's open maw. Nar'Allia smiled as she thought how her half-sister Solvienne had taken to town life, how she loved the finery, the parties and social events that filled her waking hours. Solvienne in typical character loved the fashion, the small talk and the lavish dinners. She loved the elegance of the old ways, the ways of the T'Iea'Denarin, the High T'Iea, the products of a culture at the very height of prosperity and elegance. Alas now gone for the most part, faded into history, forgotten by the more recent generations. But Solvienne had rediscovered it, there in Amentura where she spent the majority of her days. There in the big house above the town, nestled in amongst the rolling hills looking down upon the harbour and the vast Trad Ocean beyond.

Nar'Allia smiled and after hugging Solvienne kissed her sister on the cheek, "well met my little sister, you look well, obviously Amentura is having a good effect upon you. Apart from the eyes of course." Nar'Allia laughed; she couldn't help herself, when she was in the company of these two she always felt years younger, a much younger woman again. Her cares seemed to fall from her, life with her father and mother returned as deep fond memories as she stood there once again hugging her sister. Solvienne smiled as she withdrew from Nar'Allia's embrace, her deep blue – within – blue eyes a sure sign amongst the T'Iea community, marking her as one having worked and experimented extensively with arcane sciences for lengthy periods of time.

"Bah," remarked her brother Thorandill, "eyes are one thing. But I don't like that place, I won't stay there, it has memory, ancient thoughts and reminders." He shook his head once more and added, "some of the things in that house still give me the creeps."

Thorandill's words gave Nar'Allia a jolt. Awakened old memories of her own. Nar'Allia had been there once, long ago. She had to admit the place was beautiful. She had thought the house and its gardens wonderful, the things they contained even more so. It had all taken her breath away the moment she had first arrived with her stepmother Minervar all those years of man in the past. But Nar'Allia's expression darkened as did her thoughts, she agreed with Thorandill, the house although it held much, also played host to many things, secret things, reminders of times gone by, ancient memories not only of those who had lived there, but also mysterious traces of a past long lost. The very walls seemed to whisper things, her wayward imagination perhaps, but never the less the house still exerting influence upon those who entered. One memory in particular overshadowed all the beauty and excitement of the house, it made Nar'Allia loathe to return.

Nar'Allia shrugged off these thoughts, her eyes turned to inspect Thorandill, her half-brother. Unlike his sister, he on the other hand, remained a T'Iea'Tarderi, in every truth. He, like herself was slightly rougher around the edges, prone to mischievous acts, an admirer of the artisan and the fighting skill of the T'Iea, rather than Solvienne's preferred attraction to their races artistic and academic prowess. Thorandill wore travelling cloths, the attire of the military, somewhat functional rather than fashionable.

Nar'Allia took his hand and standing on tip toes, she reached up and hugged him, he made to withdraw, but she just hugged him all the tighter, she giggled, "so then the house gives you the creeps eh? Well, little brother and you a T'Iea warrior, you do surprise me." She took a brief sideways glance towards Solvienne then continued. "Perhaps then you don't know how to use that blade you have slung at your hip eh? But don't worry Thor you always have Jonas to take care of you." She smiled a mischievous look upon her features as she winked at Solvienne.

Thorandill frowned deeply and pursed his lips he narrowed his eyes as he looked at the two women and said, "bah that old brawler? I can best him any day, you see if I can't!"

Nar'Allia thought briefly of her time in Amentura, how Jonas had taught her the art of swordplay. But that was a long time ago; she hadn't had any need for that particular skill in a long time. Perhaps she wished that she never would.

But both Nar'Allia and Solvienne burst out laughing, for Thorandill true to expectation still rose to the slightest teasing, it further reminded Nar'Allia of their younger years together growing up in the forest. How poor Thorandill being the only brother with two sisters had been the subject of much jesting and leg pulling.

But both the twins had busy lives now, responsibilities elsewhere, but never the less, it was good of the two of them to come when Nar'Allia had invited them. She appreciated their taking time out from busy lives to attend these gatherings, to keeping alive the memories of a former time.

Nar'Allia grasped hold of Solvienne's arm and the two women mad their way slowly up the ramp, laughing and giggling as they walked.

Thorandill scowled after them, for he knew, as always, he had stumbled blindly straight into their baiting. But his face brightened and he couldn't help chuckling. He walked after them at a brisk pace, "bah! Enough you two, will you never change?" He ran in front then playfully bent low, he grasped Nar'Allia behind the knees and picking her up from the floor, he slung her unceremoniously over his shoulder and proceeded to walk up the ramp." I hope your table is as rich as your wit Narny, the journey from Amentura has left me in a frightful hunger and thirst."

"Put me down! You, you ...." Nar'Allia beat gently upon his back with the flat of one palm.

Solvienne was in fits of laughter as Thorandill gently lowered Nar'Allia back onto her feet.

Nar'Allia was going to scold him, but the look on his face as he stood there arms folded with a defiant expression combined with the fits of laughter coming from her sister made her smile. She shook her head looking up at him through her eyebrows. Then she turned and slipping in between them both, grabbed one arm of each and led them up the remainder of the ramp, across the walk-ways and in through the open front door of the house.

Lo'Rosse jumped up at their entrance. He smiled broadly and hugged Solvienne. "Ah, as stunningly beautiful as ever I see milady." He bowed low with a flourish of his hand and remained that way until Thorandill said, "bah, stand up you fool, will you, like your wife, also never change?"

Lo'Rosse wagged a finger in Thorandill's direction making a clicking sound with his tongue while he shook his head slowly, "respect towards a lady is paramount, you should learn that Thor, for it is good advice, or is it your desire to remain a bachelor the rest of your days and dream of your battles and of honour." Lo'Rosse playfully thumped Thorandill on the shoulder and then said, "by the Maker Thor, get yourself a good woman, someone to care for you during the long years." He winked at Nar'Allia who scowled at him, but there was soon a smile on her lips. Then he poked Thorandill in the ribs repeatedly and said, "whatever do they teach you soldiers in the legions these days?" He shook his head, laughed, then threw one arm around Thorandill's neck and hugged him close. "Come, T'Thorandill let's slay that soldiers thirst of yours with an ale or two my friend."

As Thorandill passed Nar'Allia he threw something at her, "I believe this belongs to you Narny."

She just had time to bring up her hand in a reflex action and catch the apron that had been flung at her.

Nar'Allia rolled her eyes at Solvienne who giggled.

Solvienne, after removing her travelling garb, strode over to where little D'Irune sat; he held up both his arms a smile on his small face. Solvienne bent with a rustle of fine silk and lace and picked him up, she touched her forehead to his and said, "greetings my little cousin."

D'Irune grasped her around the neck tightly and chortled, "Sovi, Sovi."

Still holding him Solvienne moved over to a chair and sat with D'Irune upon her lap. He made to grab her hand, but she kept moving it out of the way as they both giggled. Then she held her hand clenched fist up and D'Irune's eyes widened in anticipation. She suddenly flung her hand up and opening her fingers many small flower petals fluttered high into the air. D'Irune raised both his arms high, reaching wildly for them as he giggled in delight.

Nar'Allia smiled at this vista of domesticity; she also admired the silken gown that Solvienne wore true to her expectations. She sighed and then left to go to the kitchen and check on the meal that was cooking. As she stood outside she called through, "I trust the journey here was uneventful Solvi?"

"Yes, much the same as always," Solvienne shouted back. Then wrinkling her nose she smiled at D'Irune and whispered, "it's also wonderful to be here, back home in the great wood. But don't let on to your mother eh?" The words trailed off for Solvienne remembered something, a feeling that something was amiss, but she couldn't put her finger on what. She remembered looking at the hedgerow on the edge of the town, the patch of fur she had found snagged on the bushes, but D'Irune tugged on a gold pin that pulled on a lock of hair, she cried out "OUCH", then she tickled his ribs in revenge, he screeched excitedly. The slight uneasiness was soon forgotten and the conversation continued as Nar'Allia remained stirring and fussing over the various things cooking in the kitchen.

An hour later and the family sat enjoying the food before them. Laughter and jollity billowed from the table as they ate and drank. Solvienne described some of the latest discoveries she had made in the house in Amentura, she also told of her decision to open some of the house to the town's folk in an effort to improve relations with them. She was successful in that many in the town now came to knock upon the door to seek medicinal aid or other advice. She also told excitedly that she had started a small school for the local children. She told how she had engaged the services of a young human woman who was a trained teacher and this act had helped massively with allaying fears and prejudices that some of the human population held for the old house and its occupants up on the hillside.

Thor saw an opportunity to get his own back, so he goaded Solvienne, "so, they no longer call you the wicked witch on the hill then eh?" He laughed at his own joke, "you've given up turning them into toads? Ah, then perhaps you've taken up stealing their children away for your evil experiments eh?"

Solvienne scowled at him.

He leapt up from the table feigning great fear, "nooooo, don't change me into anything horrid."

Solvienne decided to ignore him.

They chatted on. The men, after refreshing their tankards returned to where the women sat. Nar'Allia sort the hand of her husband who sat next to her. She squeezed upon it and Lo'Rosse smiled at her, "happy that the family is re-united Narny?"

She smiled, she was happy yes, but a melancholy feeling within her rose once again as her thoughts returned for the two who were missing. Two whom she loved dearly. Firstly, her father Iolrreas and also Iolrreas's wife Minervar, her stepmother, she had not seen either of them in a long time. Minervar had gone missing whilst they had both been living in the house in Amentura; Nar'Allia remembered the shock and horror that day she had disappeared. She had resolved there and then to try and find her stepmother. Whatever it took she had to try. Not wanting to delay the start of her planned search any longer than necessary, Nar'Allia had written to Iolrreas telling him that Minervar was lost. Unbeknown to her at the time, he took the news badly, far worse somehow than she perhaps would have expected, she knew now of course that what she expected was born from an inexperienced mind and not from the experience of reality. No amount of love or attempted distraction had really cured him of his grief and he had left to look for his lost love. He announced one day during Nar'Allia's absence in this very house where they now sat, that he was going to look for his lost wife. No amount of arguing on anyone's part, or trying to persuade him from this decision had worked.

On Nar'Allia's eventual fateful return home she had learnt that no word from Iolrreas had been received. They had not seen or heard of him since the day he had left. Nar'Allia blamed herself for not being there, blamed herself that she failed to stop Iolrreas from leaving. She was also angry, for deep down she resented her father's leaving before she had managed to return home, she felt he had deserted her, yet she hated herself for feeling that way.

That knowledge, that guilt, along with the remembrance of Minervar was why Nar'Allia held these family party's once every turn of the seasons, a reminder that out there somewhere there was still a chance that both Iolrreas and Minervar yet lived, for Nar'Allia would not believe them gone until she had absolute proof of their passing from this world. Nar'Allia shook the thoughts from her mind, she sipped on her glass of wine, then replacing the goblet carefully upon the table in front of her, she stood. As she did so the room went quiet and all eyes turned towards her, for each knew what it was she would say.

She looked at each of the assembled faces sitting around the table. "Welcome everyone into our father's house, thank you once again for attending this small reunion. For yet again we gather here in hope. I regret this meeting is again tinged with some sadness; for once more I have no news, no words of hope, no revelation that we may yet be reunited with them. Yet this is why we meet. To remember and to thank. But also to pray for safety and their eventual return to us." She steadied herself by taking Lo'Rosse's hand in hers. She lowered her eyes as she said with a sigh, "it has been many years of man since Minervar's disappearance and our father's leaving," here she paused, but before she could continue she was startled by a knocking at the door.

Thorandill rose, "I'll get it," and leaving the room, went to answer as the knock sounded once more.

Nar'Allia waited, she knew who it was who had just arrived, the last remaining guest who regularly attended these events. Nar'Allia smiled in confirmation of her thoughts, she could hear voices in the outer room, she turned just as Thorandill re-entered the room leading an elderly woman by the arm. Solvienne gave a squeal of delight and rising from her chair carried D'Irune with her and rushed over to the newcomer, after hugging the woman who had just entered she led her to an empty seat at the table.

Once seated the womn removed her head covering and there revealed were the features of an old and very respected friend of the family. Eyes meeting across the table, Nar'Allia smiled at the old T'Iea's grinning face and said, "hello Solin," then in a more formal welcome she added, "welcome my lady to our table."

"Why thank you Narny. But there is no need to stand on ceremony, we are all friends here. Oh! By the way, before I forget, I think this belongs to you?" Solin had a leather bag upon her lap, she untied the drawstring and opening the bag reached in and removed a leather bound book. She reached across the table, "I keep meaning to return this. I did mean to give it to you when we had tea yesterday, but alas this old mind of mine, failing as it is, forgets such things these days." Solin tapped the front of her temple with a finger and sighed.

Nar'Allia reached across and took the book and with an amused frown upon her face she replied, "Solin if your mind is failing you, then in comparison I must be but a complete witless fool."

Solin smiled at the table and then looking up winked at Solvienne. But before any more could be said Solin, still with her eyes set upon Solvienne, said, "ah, my child, it is good to see you, we must speak later perhaps for I would hear much of your work and also ask after my old house and household for I miss it daily."

Solvienne bowed and replied, "of course my lady, at your pleasure as always."

Nar'Allia took up the book Solin had given her, she briefly looked at the books cover, the title read 'Nu'Er'Etalle' then standing she went out of the room to replace it upon the book shelf that stood beneath the stairs. As her fingers lingered upon the spine of the book her thoughts turned to the newcomer sitting at the table, the lady Solin De'Teinde. Solin had marvelled at Solvienne's capacity of learning and the natural skill she exhibited. Solin and Nar'Allia had often discussed it. Solin had been in her element teaching the young girl. Solvienne had mastered much of the arcane arts under the early tuition of Solin. Nar'Allia was reminded often of a picture she had once seen of Solin's younger days, when she too was learning. She had been a privileged student in the halls of knowledge, in the great and ancient school of the De'Et'Niale'Ternaven in the ancient T'Iea capital city of Ter'Hadsnefel. Solin had pronounced on many occasions how Solvienne would have easily been accepted into those halls of learning at an early age, for she exhibited all of the raw skills necessary to convince the High Concordium Maestri of her capabilities in learning and her speed at mastering that which she was taught.

Nar'Allia thought once again of Solin's house in Amentura. Solvienne had just returned from that same house. The house held many interesting books and manuscripts and items of ages gone by. Solin in her time was famed across the T'Iea world as an inspirational academic; she had travelled widely gathering all sorts of artefacts and documenting everything. In deed she was the author of so many books that the house in Amentura hardly held all of them.

Nar'Allia shook herself and turning went to return to the others seated at the table. As she walked she remembered how Solin had provided an escape, a breathing space when Nar'Allia had needed one. Solin was an old friend of her stepmother's and now to her also. But she still didn't know everything there was to know about Solin. The elderly woman was always full of surprises, she knew far more than she let on most of the time. Of that Nar'Allia was sure. Solin's involvement in this tale started from the very beginning. Her imprint was upon everything somehow. Nar'Allia had wondered about this many times. Whenever Solin turned up, something was going to happen of that you could be sure. The strangest thing was that this something didn't always happen immediately, but may take some time to manifest itself. Nar'Allia always had a slightly uneasy feeling that Solin somehow controlled things. Influenced events, even though these events could not be traced directly back to her. It was an inexplicable thing. The good part was that all these things seemed to work out in the end. Secretly Nar'Allia hoped that Solin would pull one final trick out of her bag and make Minervar and Iolrreas reappear suddenly as if they had never been away.

Nar'Allia became aware that she had been looking at Solin whilst these thoughts went around her head. To her surprise the old T'Iea was looking back at her intently, a slight smile upon her face, as if she knew what Nar'Allia was thinking. Solin's blue-in-blue eyes seemed to pierce into Nar'Allia's inner being to the extent that she had to turn her eyes from Solin's gaze. She sat back down next to Lo'Rosse, she was dimly aware that he was speaking, but his words she did not hear. Instead she looked at her hands resting on the table and her thoughts returned once more to her memories.

Solin had persuaded Minervar and Nar'Allia to travel to Amentura, to be some sort of custodians of her house and its contents. Nar'Allia remembered how her father had encouraged them to go. Nar'Allia had revelled in the freedom that the trip had given to her. It meant escape from the pressures that had been placed upon her at that time. Escape from the responsibilities that she perhaps had placed upon herself. Gave her space to think and learn, at least for a while, space to experience something new and different. But that was all to change the day that Minervar had disappeared. They had found a mysterious key hidden away; Minervar seemed to take on the mystery of the key as if it where her life's work. On discovering what the key was for, she had inserted the key into a secret lock and then without explanation suddenly disappeared. That simple act had plunged Nar'Allia into an adventure of such vast extremes that she still couldn't believe that she actually undertook the tasks that had unraveled before her. But she had, and now she regretted that she was ultimately unsuccessful, for they had failed to rescue Minervar. They had found her, only to lose her once more. Nar'Allia had returned to their woodland home in despair.

In the years that followed, Solvienne had trained with Solin as her sponsor; eventually she had learned most of what Solin could teach her here in the great wood. Solin had sent her to Amentura, to her house and library to study there. Solin though had remained with them in the great wood. She had said it was her ideal place of retirement.

As for herself, well, Nar'Allia had married Lo'Rosse. The twins had gone their separate ways. She was now alone in the house, she felt bereft of all ambition, perhaps the adventures she had experienced had left her a changed person, one who was happy to finally bend to the will of others. More than anything she needed companionship, a shoulder the cry on, for the wounds of her loss were still raw. All her old fears seemed to become insignificant and subsequently been forgotten and following the disappearance of Minervar and her father she seemed to have lost some of her independent ways. Given in perhaps to the wishes of others. Perhaps the fight had gone from her. Lo'Rosse, well he offered security, offered her love, of these she was sure. She often thought that perhaps she sort her lost relationship with her father within him, sometimes she feared that by marrying Lo'Rosse she had taken the easy path. She still, even now, wanted desperately to find Minervar and her father once more, yet she was also in fear of failure, letting her family down once again. With Lo'Rosse and now little D'Irune she had an excuse not to take up adventuring once more if she didn't want to, she felt she had that option and no one would blame her for it. Yet there was something that remained within her that she could not share with her husband, something that she kept locked away within her being, something that she would not let him share, keep him from sharing in the burden of it. For it gnawed away at her very being, always demanding some subconscious attention, sometimes boiling over into her everyday thoughts and demanding of her attentions. This troubled her greatly and even though Lo'Rosse said nothing, she knew it troubled him also.

The meal went on into the evening, much talk and laughter prevailed. Then once again the sound of a knock was heard upon the wooden door. At first no one heard it above the noise of the table. But Nar'Allia eventually excused herself saying, "strange, now who would that be at this time." She rose and left the room shutting the door behind her to lessen the noise of jollity whilst she answered the door. The door was opened and there before her stood an elderly human male, he was leaning upon a staff, he looked into her eyes and smiled. The face was old, wrinkles criss-crossed his features, his hair was white and although long it was thinning and tied back in a topknot that hung down his back, but the eyes remained a bright light blue. Nar'Allia looked at the old fellow, she stared into those eyes, something in her memory was jogged, reminders of a time and place far away, memories of a very different time in her life. She gasped, for she recognised that face, although she had not seen it for many years of man. She uttered under her breath, "by the Maker, Alonso?"

## Chapter 3. The Halls of Truth

Serinae sat deep in thought, something she had been doing a lot of late. She sat in a sparse mansion of a building, unadorned with the usual things one might usually associate within any T'Iea city. But she wasn't in a T'Iea city. There were plenty of lavish houses in the domestic quarter of the city, but she preferred to stay here. She thought this was because she was always so unused to such luxury. Her whole life had been one of living in sparse surroundings, she suspected that most of her nights she had actually spent with only the stars above her. Now her one room contained a bed, a chair and a table. But it was above the library. That was perhaps the reason she chose to live here above the vast library. She felt she had only scratched the surface of all the knowledge it contained. But it had told her enough. She called this building 'The Halls of Truth', for she had learned much here in the time she had been living within this city. Much had surprised her and much had alarmed her in many ways.

She was waiting. She was well practiced at it; she had waited like this many times since being in this place. She wondered at herself. It was so unlike her to sit like this and just, well - wait. She wasn't bored or restless, not even resigned or accepting. She didn't feel any different, even though she could do nothing but bide her time. But one thing was for sure; time gave her the opportunity to think.

Her long life had been full of action; she always knew what the next event was going to be. Well she knew what she had planned; she could not of course predict the outcome or guarantee success, or failure for that matter. Yet that had been her life. It had been a life full of adventure, full of action. Everything she had done had been exciting, exhilarating, she had sought for those things. Elements of life that would push her to the limits of her capabilities, jumped at every chance of a challenge, never saying no, never refusing. A bit like her friend Solin, the only difference being that Solin's challenges were academic ones, her own were more physically demanding and normally a lot more dangerous.

They had been a good combination, Solin and her. Solin sort the adventure of learning, Serinae the adventure of action. She had travelled the world with Solin by her side and both their adventurous desires had been fulfilled and satisfied aplenty, many times over and more. There was, after all, always the next adventure, there was always another challenge. She frowned. Perhaps her only regret was that such things had taken up all of her time, she had not allowed anything else into her life, not had the time for it. She had not even really taken the time to find out if there was anything else. Not until now. She shook her head. It was a dangerous thing perhaps to just sit and think. It opened up new ideas, her inactivity meant she had the time and she could hear other messages now, little, still, small messages from within that she could not hear before; didn't have the time before. Some of these thoughts were tinged with regrets, others with real pain and if she allowed, even darker ones full of despair. She took in a deep breath, tried to force such negativity out of her mind.

But before long her thoughts again strayed to a time before. She had loved once. Long ago now, even to her T'Iea time clock it seemed such a long time ago. It was the happy times of which she thought. A time when she was so much younger in years and so much less burdened by the weight of knowledge and experience. She had the carefree thoughts of youth, oblivious to the trials of the world. Those times at home, in the T'Iea town of Ter'Fin'Ealle. She remembered herself as a young girl running through the thoroughfares high above the ground, the aromas of the markets, the coolness of swimming in the great river Ealle. She remembered the T'Iea houses, the flags, the bustle of T'Iea life. She remembered the artisan districts, the industriousness of artistry and knowledge. She remembered the chases through the streets, she had laughed at the names they called her, laughed at all of them for none could catch her. None that is except her father, street urchin he had called her. She frowned, but smiled when she remembered her people and the places of her youth, the times before her coming of age, her R'Golea'Foed.

She tried to remember her mother. But there was not much to cling to. Her mother was always away. She had been a T'Iea ranger, a hired mercenary in great demand. She did not seem to have the time for her daughter, she was always off on some mission or concerned with some other distraction. Her mother always seemed to have secrets. Serinae suspected something had happened in her mother's past, something she would never speak about. Serinae remembered making a covenant with herself, how when she had children she would not spend time away. She smiled, for now she realised just how naive that was. Her mother and father were not close; they never hugged or showed any affection other than one of friendship, they seemed more like colleagues, like comrades than a married couple. But Serinae now knew the reason for that. Her father's best friend H'Arad'Dunn had told her. On the day that he told of her father's death. Yes, H'Arad'Dunn had told her. He said that his friendship and promise to her father stopped him saying anything before. But even then he hadn't told her everything. The rest she had to find out for herself.

She remembered dark thoughts from that time. She remembered the day her father had left; so desperate was she to go with him, she had cried, begged him to reconsider, not to repeat the pain that she had felt every time her mother left. But her pleading had turned to anger at his stubborn refusing to take her with him. She did not want that parting, in her heart she knew it would end there; that farewell heralded the end of everything that she knew and loved. She knew her life would change at that moment. How, she did not understand, but she knew she would become something else and her life would never be the same again. Before he left her father had insisted on her attending the guilds of the rangers, he had told her it was her mother's wish. He had given all that remained of her mother's belongings to her. She remembered how they argued. She remembered afresh the pained expression upon his face at her angry words, she had hurt him. But even still he had gone with a wave of his hand. Her own hands were gripped in the vice-like hold of the ranger H'Arad'Dunn. She remembered struggling, crying, shouting, kicking out at the ranger, but his leather armour made it impossible for him to feel her wrath. She remembered the look on H'Arad'Dunn's face as he appealed to his friend Na'Thernal, her father. H'Arad'Dunn did not want to do this, separate a child from a parent. H'Arad'Dunn had pleaded with her father to reconsider, but even his words fell upon deaf ears. With great pain Serinae remembered her and her father's last words to each other, hurtful words full of anguish and sadness, tinged perhaps with frustration and anger. She remembered the remorse that followed, remembered the blackness as it filled her mind and her being.

But in the end she had taken the chest that contained what remained of her mother belongings, the chest with the strange sigil upon the lid, a star and a figure with raised hands. She had gone with H'Arad'Dunn to the guilds, perhaps out of guilt, perhaps out of wanting to please her father, somehow make up for the ill feeling upon which they had departed. Perhaps she had gone even out of a sense of duty, for she knew that was what her mother had wanted for her.

But in the end the guilds, the same guilds where her mother had studied hinted at other things, her mother's secret history. Neither her mother or her father were perhaps as they had seemed. There was a greater secret, one even her own mother had kept from her and one that Serinae even now could not be sure of the truth and answer to in sincerity. It was with some sadness that she now knew that those who knew the answers to these secrets had all passed now into the Maker's halls, none now trod the world she could ask. But she also knew that because of this secret the guilds had almost turned her away, she felt outcast, she saw the abhorrent look in their faces, she was an abomination to their strict code, but at the time she could not understand and no one would tell her even if they knew. That secret would remain a blight upon her life for a long time yet.

But H'Arad'Dunn held a promise, one he was bound to fulfil, so he had risked all and sponsored her into the brotherhood of the guild, persuaded them that they owed this at least to the memory of her mother. Still to this day she did not know what that memory, or what form the debt of allegiance her mother had commanded took. Even H'Arad'Dunn who had fought alongside her mother, he probably knew her better than Serinae did, even he could not be persuaded to say. Serinae wiped moisture from her eye, she had probably treated H'Arad'Dunn badly, disrespectfully, she felt sorry for he was a kind soul and very patient through it all. But he did have high status in the guilds and eventually they relented. So it was the guilds became her family, her world, her master. But they never told her the real reason for their change of heart. It was almost as if they felt they owed her mother something. But however hard she had asked no one would say, not even H'Arad'Dunn. Serinae's questions were always met with a wall of silence.

But in the end the guilds had saved her, although it was many years before she would acknowledge this fact. The discipline, the frustration and the trials of which she partook, all this filled her mind, made her forget. Or at least enabled her to push it to one side. The guilds had become her life; they provided an alternative, something to fill her mind. She had become determined, she found out the hard way that in the guilds you hardened your resolve and survived, or you rebelled and died. That was among the first things they had taught her, for there was no room for compromise, least of all for her.

So she had swallowed her pride, she had not rebelled, at least not then. Through sheer determination she had become good, very good. She had to be for the demands placed upon her were greater than for any other it seemed. She had surpassed herself and the training of her masters. She had forced herself to change, forced herself to prove that she, yes even she, was better than them. They tested her further than most, when they asked others to jump, she had to jump higher. They almost wanted her to fail. How she had hated them, how she had hardened her heart to them. Those feelings in themselves were strange, other T'Iea did not seem to harbour such blackness within their hearts, it had made her feel guilty, dirty. But then she discovered something, something that changed her life dramatically. She found out that they feared her. They feared something within her. That knowledge kept her going, kept her focused, so she both survived and partly died for she lost something of herself in the process.

When she was told of her father's death, she had brushed it aside as confirmation that she had been right all along. She refused to show any remorse or grief at his passing. Instead she had thrown herself into her studies and disciplines like never before. Her father had demanded something from her, not just to become a ranger like her mother, but to become something more, as if there was an unvoiced expectation of her. So she had determined to be the best, she would show him, she would show them all. To her young mind it felt like her way of showing that her blood could surpass their expectations, she would make her own demands upon herself, greater demands than they had made upon her and at the same time through her own endeavors, she would somehow free herself from her mother's secrets and her father's desertion. She smiled at her recollection that day long ago when it had first occurred to her, their fear of her. She smiled like she had done that day remembering how she meant to give good reason for them to do so.

So, she had mastered all the trials, anything that they threw at her, she mastered it all. She mastered them all. They could do no more, she surpassed their knowledge. Even Tezrin and H'Arad'Dunn and the other survivors. Even the others who had failed, and even died in the process. D'Fuht'Dhren, G'Endhrel and her best friend Shai'O'Nea. Three lives full of promise now ended. But none of them could match her skills. She won every time and she ended up rewriting the rules. Oh how the guild masters did not like that, they said it was bad blood in her veins, they said she was much like her mother. They said she was tainted, her blood was poisoned. She had laughed at them, she joked that her blood was more than bad, it was lethal!

But then another chapter in her life presented itself. As soon as she had passed the final trials the guilds sent her to be with the Grûndén people. She knew the guilds were relieved to be rid of her and they did not expect her to return. She had been sent as a hired mercenary, to hunt, to spy, to report to the Grûndén king, even to kill for him, to be his private assassin. She had done it, all of it, she had excelled at it. It had taught her much, made her who she was. She had lived with the Grûndén for an age, she found she liked those people, they did not have an opinion of her, did not make any demands of her, other than what they wished from her professionally. She made many good friends amongst the Grûndén. But there still remained something missing to her, something inside, a void she could not fill, a missing part of her being.

She travelled widely. But then something completely unexpected happened. She found the Maker was calling her. At first she took no notice, but he was persistent. His still small voice kept calling her however hard she tried to shut it out. So eventually she had relented, gone in search of answers, studied for a while with the human monks. Learned their lifestyle, and more importantly their faith. Her time with them had a profound effect, opened her mind, changed her views on everything, gave her a balanced understanding. Perhaps she would have gone mad if it wasn't for those spiritual men, hidden from society. Through them she felt she understood her parents better, or began to. But through all of it she had come to understand who she was, regardless of her heritage, who Serinae truly was. The Maker had kept her sanity, kept her from her darkest thoughts. To her delight he provided answers, for the first time in her life she began to understand peace. The Maker remained faithful, answered her prayers. Just in time to, for when H'Arad'Dunn told her the truth about her parentage she needed the Maker's support and love to stop her from going mad.

She shook her head and thought of all the major events of her long life, the things that had led her to this place. The good and the bad. One event she did not dwell on though. That single thing, out of all the events she regretted and felt a deep sadness for. She had killed many times; she had trained to do it, yet she had learnt never to kill without good reason. To kill without reason was a dark path, a path to real death, the death of the spirit. She regretted every last gasping breath due to her sword, every sigh of passing, she had prayed for them all. None so much as the death she dealt on the last occasion. It was probably the most necessary out of all the things she had done, perhaps for many reasons. It could have been the most rewarding act if she was the type to feed upon revenge, yet to her it was the saddest of acts, one she may have perhaps given her own life to avoid. It remained the one single thing that gave her the deepest sorrow.

She sighed. She would not let the past cloud her thoughts, not let the past dampen her vigor. The past was done; it could not be changed in any way, shape or form. The past was best left just that, the past. It was the future that mattered and she must keep focused upon it.

She took in a deep breath and opened her eyes. Upon the table in front of her was the seeing stone given to her many years ago now. She smiled at the negotiated war of words she had fought with the powers that be in this place to gain possession of it. It was a communication device; it did not rely upon any known laws of science, for it was not bound by time and space. Distance was no object, or if it was, then the device somehow shortened distance so that it was incredibly small, even if in a metaphysical sense it was very large. She stared at the swirling energy within, wondered what it was she was looking at. She looked at the golden plinth on which the stone stood. The casting was ornate, depictions of trees and flowers adorned its surface. She thought of the woods, the forests, of the world. All so close and yet, so far away. The seeing stone was a window, at least that was the best way she could understand its use. A porthole that allowed her to see through into another place but in the absence of another seeing stone, something else had to be there in that other place, something that had the ability to span both time and space. That had been easy. Her quiver, it was designed long ago using a similar knowledge as the seeing stone she supposed, for it proved to be the perfect platform for communication across the void. It allowed her voice, her image to be projected, but it would not allow her to step physically through, something else was needed to accomplish that. It allowed an image of her, a copy perhaps projected into the place on the other side. A bit like the way it replicated arrows placed within it. She had plenty of time here to experiment, to find out exactly what the seeing stone would allow, what they would allow.

She had made some startling discoveries, many of which had challenged the way she thought, changed her very beliefs. The ancient fathers knew of these things. The seeing stones could also be imprinted with a message, they used the term 'a recording', the seeing stone would hold this recording forever if necessary. It could be recalled many times but only by one who knew how to access the recorded message, or who was given the privilege to do so. She recalled a room, a dining room in fact, long ago in a house she knew very well. She and her companions had sat around the banquet table. Her friend and ally, the eastern man Teouso had unraveled a puzzle that her old friend Solin could not, even with all her academic knowledge, for Solin had not been able to make head or tail of it. Teouso had understood somehow, unlocked the door and they had watched a projected image, a recording made by the ancient fathers long ago, a recording set into a seeing stone not unlike the one that now stood upon the table in front of her. This recording had, along with other events, set them on a course that had resulted in Serinae being here. She sighed; it had perhaps been a mistake, a selfish fulfilment of a life-long desire, even the selfish desire for a reward for her labours. She smiled, she now understood the joke, she should have known better.

The ancient fathers also used the seeing stones to project images of themselves for various reasons. Using these seeing stones the they could project ghostly visages of themselves anywhere they wished and communicate over vast distances, communicate even though they couldn't be in the same room as each other, not even in the same time or space. They had a map, a vast map, so vast it covered infinite areas of the outer void. Navigation across this map was accomplished using beacons. Similar to the one that Serinae had helped put right after the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, the Dark T'Iea, had tried to sabotage. The ancient fathers great beacon machines that mapped the universe.

She had mastered the fundamentals, but she was no expert. Yet she had been moderately successful on a handful of occasions. She found it was easier to connect to places that she had actually physically visited for some reason, perhaps some residue of her remained in those places, or more than likely the memory in her own mind made it easier. This combined with her quiver allowed her some success. The quiver was crafted with connections of its own to which she could more easily use. The only problem now was that she no longer knew for sure where in the world her quiver was precisely. It was certainly no longer with Nar'Allia. But perhaps it would be soon if all went to plan.

Still she waited, she leant back in her chair, held both her hands clasped in her lap.

Perhaps she thought things would be different now if she had not made such a reckless and selfish decision. Followed what she had thought at the time to be the Maker's spirits through the portal. But, she smiled; perhaps this was the will of the Maker, Eny'Nin'Rel – The God of all. She knew he gave her, gave all of them, free will, he wanted them to make their own decisions, he loved each of them that much. He also loved them enough not to interfere, so for the most part those decisions made by her stood, accepted in the eyes of the Maker, right or wrong. Perhaps he would make the best of her decisions regardless of whether they proved to be good ones or bad.

When she had first arrived, she had stood aghast at the ancient father's technology. Never in her wildest dreams could she have thought up such a place as this, she wondered if she would ever understand even the merest fraction of it, but the realisation that once long ago her people had been part of all this, well it made her head ache trying to understand it all. She had glimpsed the technology before, she had seen first-hand the great machine that she herself with the help of Minervar and the others had put to rights. The elder races had help build and create it as they had done countless times before. For this machine was one of many such machines, possibly millions of them that interconnected across the galaxy and across the greater universe of the voids and across time. She had learnt much during her visit here, but possibly not understood as much as she liked, for a lot of what she learned she had to take for granted, take as read, for some things went beyond her limited intellect.

It had taken a long time, but her teachers had been patient. After all they had all the time in the world, for they were, visions, creations of this place for it had the ability to replicate information it was given, it replicated people, individual details of whom it retained knowledge of. The real living, flesh and blood personas had long since gone, never to return, possibly even long dead. Why, Serinae didn't know, the recording of those events did not reside here, she suspected that even this place did not know the eventual fate of its former occupants. Some things were destined to remain a mystery it seemed. Back where she had come from Serinae had quite regularly seen the ancient father's ghostly images, although back then she believed them to be something totally different from that which they actually now proved to be. She thought them spirits of a different kind; spirits sent by the Father of All to guide her, perhaps they were, in a way.

She waited; it should be soon now if her plans had worked in the way that she intended. For she knew that her message had gotten through eventually. The quiver was at last on its way back. At least she hoped.

She knew that a great and ancient intelligence resided here, all this technological marvel was still undertaking its former masters will even though they had long since departed, never perhaps to return. What surrounded her had its own intelligence, it was able to make decisions, able to plan, to adapt. Even perhaps to understand emotions, to a degree. The intelligence within this place had invited her here, it had its reasons she was sure, but why her? Perhaps it was grateful for their saving the great machine, perhaps she was invited here to understand, to learn. There was one thing however that she found most perplexing, she had sat at one of the screens in the library and instigated a search on her family name, the library came back with the most unexpected response:

***Information classified at this time***

Her curiosity raised she had input the names of those she knew, some names, especially the ones from her childhood resulted in a similar message. Others resulted in the library reporting:

***No records on file***

How, or why did the library no of some and not others. It was clear that the names the library knew about where the names of older families, those that could trace their lineage back the furthest. Solin's family name for instance returned a report of being classified as did the ranger H'Arad'Dunn. A small part of her thought that all these coincidences were the result of a preconceived plan, put into place long ago by a person or people she would never meet. She felt distinctly uncomfortable that more of her life seemed to have been directed by forces beyond her immediate control, something that she had never suspected before.

But whatever the reason she had decided to come, although, she remembered with some amusement, that she wasn't entirely sure where she was going at the time. Well it just seemed to be the next adventure in her life. Only now did she feel a pang of regret at having to leave her friends, those she had journeyed with all those years ago. Yet she had broken many such friendships in her long life, perhaps she was ultimately a selfish person, taking people with her, molding them, showing them, using them, yet then abandoning them when she decided that her life took a different road from theirs. She always managed to persuade herself that it didn't matter, but deep down she knew it did.

So much had happened since then; so much had demanded her attention. She felt a tear well up in her, it overflowed running gently down her cheek, caressing her skin, warm and damp. She knew she was about to turn lives, lives of people she loved, upside down yet again. She was about to set in motion the final stage in her purpose. Was she still being selfish? She told herself no. Then perhaps to persuade herself further she thought of the messages she was given as part of her training as a ranger, how the greater good always rose above all, the thoughts and desires of the individual were not as important as the collective good. With some irony she thought of her own applications of that doctrine. She had undertaken many deeds in the pursuit of that belief, even to the point of killing one she loved and in the process destroying that which she held most dear.

She continued to wait. She thumped her clenched fist upon the table. BAH! Too much time to think.

So many years had passed, so much solitary time, time to think, re-think and to contemplate. Yet so much had been done to accomplish what she set out to do. Again she was sure it was the will of Eny'Nin'Rel that she should accomplish this, for he had his own way of sending messages, much more subtle perhaps than those of the vast intelligence that controlled this place, but just as persistent. Eny'Nin'Rel really had all the time in the world. For he commanded all the time in the world and beyond the world. It didn't matter to him what she chose to do, after all he could see all paths, all methods, the results of all choices. This was all laid out before him like a great book and he was the author. She thought with a smile, whatever she did, the outcome would be the same, whether in a day, in a month, in a year, even in ten thousand years, eventually Eny'Nin'Rel the Maker, would have his way. For that is the way he had originally designed it, therefore it would be fulfilled and her part however large or important she thought it to be, would be just a tiny insignificant spark in the greater purpose. A single small sacrifice made for the good of all.

But she couldn't help wonder if she was driven by her own arrogance, her own selfish desire. No, only failure lay along that path of thought. Her faith would prevail, it had to. She knew that without the support of Eny'Nin'Rel's guidance she would fail.

So then, her resolve returned. She sat upright, pushed her shoulders back. This then was her task, given to her by Eny'Nin'Rel. Given to her and no other. Yet she knew even with his help she could not be successful on her own, at least not now that she found herself here and as yet unable to return. Yet still she had reservations about involving others, she did not like putting those she loved in great danger, she would rather have attempted this alone as she had done in the past, only risked herself, not the well-being others. Yet those others were already involved and already in danger. She breathed deeply, sighed, longed for an end to her toil, her misgivings put to sleep. She pursed her lips and breathed a deep breath. She would see this through to the end.

Serinae closed her eyes, settled her mind, cleared away the rubbish of her thoughts, removed her doubts and refocused on what she knew she must do.

She must be patient, she must wait.

## Chapter 4. Friends in Need

"Is that really you Alonso?"

The old human stared into her eyes. He nodded slowly, memories flooded back into his mind as he stared into the blue eyes of the long-ear he had travelled so far to see. "Hello Nar'Allia. The years have been many in the passing since we last spoke. It pleases me that you recognise me, even though those same years have not perhaps been as kind to me." He continued to look long and hard at her, ran his eyes over her features in wonder, "you look the same as you did then. I remember clearly that day when you departed from us, you left with your human companion Jonas and the strange one, Amndo, along with JDC the Gnome. You all flew away in the belly of the great battle bird. We hoped we may see you once again. But you never returned."

Nar'Allia nodded in recognition of his words, she felt a pang of guilt as she remembered that day, as if it were but weeks before, for time indeed had less of an effect upon the T'Iea. She and her companions had left the eastern lands, Nar'Allia did not remember saying goodbye, she was distraught and she did not care. All she wanted to do was return to her home and to her father and family. She could have gone back, should have gone back. She had all the time of a long life to do so. Yet for what? What would she have gained by returning there to that eastern land? The reason for going there to start with was no longer an incentive to return. Clearly her mother Minervar would not be found there. The one place Nar'Allia would return to if she could, the last place she saw her stepmother alive, was now beyond access, guarded by monstrosities of technology, the legacy of a bygone age. Relics of a forgotten time but even so still had the potential to affect the lives of all so dramatically. The army of mechanical warriors had come to haunt the present from the distant past. They had no part in these times, the reason for their creation had passed long ago, they were no longer needed, no longer welcomed. Returned into the world by the Dark Brethren, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, no doubt intent upon using them to further evil gains.

Yet the irony remained. She too had been party to a similar crime; all those years ago she and her companions, those that Alonso mentioned, had unwittingly followed in the footsteps of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. For they also found and recovered a similar army, brought it back to haunt the world. She was stricken with a feeling of guilt and remorse at the potential dangers of her actions back then. She had endangered the world itself by bringing forth this army of invincible warriors. The worst of it though was that she no longer knew where that army was. All she had was a promise from the Pnook JDC that he would make sure they were kept under lock and key. She sighed, looked once more into the face of this man from the past. She was pleased to see Alonso the person, yet what he represented she was not so pleased to be reminded of. But that was unfair. She dropped her eyes.

Much time had passed since those events and Alonso had aged much in the intervening years. Such was the way of men whose time upon the world seemed but a blink of an eye to the T'Iea. The man that stood before her now was not the same warrior she had known from the moors across the mountains of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri, the eastern lands that surrounded the great Rift. But that was the nature of things. Men aged and waned in this world, destined to fade after their allotted time. Whereas the T'Iea, her people, took much longer to age. In fact after reaching the time of R'Golea'Foed, the time that T'Iea come of age, their physical appearance remained much the same, unless some outside influence changed it. For her people lived on for many hundreds of years of man, only answering the call of Eny'Nin'Rel, the Father of all, when the time finally came. The great parting from this world. What her people would call the last great adventure, it came to all eventually, for even the T'Iea were invited to take the last passage, to sail the white ships to the fair shores of the Maker's realm and to another life, a life that Eny'Nin'Rel originally intended. A true life with no final death, a life they had forfeited because of their own ignorance and selfish design. Yet the Maker, Eny'Nin'Rel, in his great love still even now offered that life to those who truly believed the offer was there, who had open minds and a true faith. Nar'Allia wondered if Minervar and Iolrreas had taken that final voyage, wondered if by their own free will and their personal faith they had embraced their relationship with the Father of all and as a result had him welcome them home as his long-lost children.

Nar'Allia shook these thoughts from her head; she looked once more upon the waiting human standing on her doorstep. She smiled, but the muscles of her cheeks twitched with the emotional effort of doing so. "Alonso please come in, forgive me for leaving you standing there, but, well I was not expecting anyone and ......."

Alonso cut her off short saying, "and least of all me eh?" He looked sorrowful as he said, "I see in your face that my coming has rekindled old memories, your eyes betray you Nar'Allia, I remind you of much and you do not hide it in your face, for I see written there the fact that not all of those memories are good eh?" H saw wetness in her eyes as she turned. He followed her into the house. Once inside he stopped and listened to the voices in the next room, "forgive me, you have company, perhaps I should return at another time." He turned to leave.

"Don't you dare," came the reply as Nar'Allia held his arm gently. "You must have travelled far to get here." Nar'Allia scanned his face as if looking for something there, searching his features for an answer to the question that presented itself in her mind. "To have come so far, to have made that journey of many weeks, endured such hardship." She looked questioningly at him. "Alonso you must have something very important to impart or to say?"

Alonso nodded, "even so, such can wait until a more appropriate time I feel. For I am keeping you from your guests, please if I may sit here and wait?" He made to sit upon the floor.

Nar'Allia once more took hold of his arm, the skin felt dry and thin, little muscle lay between her fingers and the bones beneath, but what strength of flesh there was felt firm and knotted like strands of a tensioned rope. Nar'Allia remembered him in his youth, lithe and toned, a warrior in his prime. She smiled, trying to hide her shock at his condition. "You may wait here, but I would deem it a greater honour if you would join us. You and your people showed me and all my companions, great hospitality once, when we arrived unannounced. You helped us even though we were strangers to you. I welcome this opportunity, that we can extend to you as much grace as once you and your people did extend to us."

Alonso bowed and allowed Nar'Allia to lead him through to where the others sat. As Nar'Allia entered the room, no one took any notice initially, just thinking that she was returning. But Lo'Rosse asked her who it was at the door. She reached out and ushered Alonso into the room, immediately Lo'Rosse stood and gradually the rest of the room quietened as the presence of the old human was realised by all.

When all was quiet Nar'Allia smiled and addressed the gathering, "please, everyone I would like to introduce you to an old friend, someone I met on my travels long ago and who extended to us every courtesy. This is master Alonso. He comes perhaps with news from his home in the eastern lands, from far beyond the mountains of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri, from the lands across the great spine. He has travelled far to be here, please welcome him as you would our own."

Immediately Lo'Rosse rose and moved round the table to where Alonso stood, "welcome my friend to our humble home, please sit in my place, eat, drink and rest, our home is yours."

"Alonso looked at Lo'Rosse, "you honour me greatly, a lesser place would do. But I tire, I have not the strength to dispute your offer, please forgive me my foolishness."

Lo'Rosse took the old man's staff and cloak, he made sure that he sat comfortably, then he made to retrieve another chair from the next room. Nar'Allia followed him out intent upon getting a plate so that Alonso may eat.

Lo'Rosse frowned as he asked, "do you know why he is here? Does it have to do with your mother? Does he have news?"

In reply Nar'Allia whispered, "I do not know. After greeting him I suggested he eat and rest." Nar'Allia busied herself getting cutlery and a glass of water. When she was ready to return to the table she whispered to Lo'Rosse, "by the Maker Lo'Rosse, he has come very far on a very difficult journey, I would not wish to pressure him further until he has rested and feels himself able to broach that which may be upon his mind."

Lo'Rosse's frown faded. "No of course not, you are right Narny, but I recognise his name from the tales you told, I cannot think why he should be here, I suspect it is not because he missed you in all those years gone by. Something has driven him on this quest and it bothers my mind as to the reason."

Nar'Allia smiled and tried to allay Lo'Rosse's suspicions, but in her own thoughts she had to agree. Alonso being here was delightful, she was of course over-joyed to see him once again, yet his being here also fueled misgivings within her own thoughts. Partly she was excited that he may possibly have important news, then on the other hand surely he would not delay in giving such news to her if it truly was that important. So what then? It must be something connected with the events that led to their meeting all those years of man ago, if not, then why would he seek her out after all this time?

Alonso was introduced one by one to everyone else. Once this was done the conversation around the table started once again, many questions were asked of Alonso.

After a while Nar'Allia's mind wandered from the conversations, her thoughts turned to what she knew of Alonso and his people. She remembered he was a 'shifter' a member of the human society that long ago had been affected by unusually high concentration of arcane energy. A particular strain of arcane energy once used for immense devastation, for wreaking destruction on an unimaginable scale. Power that fueled a war that pitted human against human in a struggle that almost destroyed their race completely. Great and terrible battles had raged across the continents in a time in the long distant past. During her travels she had heard both sides of the sorry tale, told from the descendants of both sides that fought in the great war. She had spoken with possibly the last remaining member of the A'Kath, a race of men who lived on the western continent where now lay only the red sands of the Rust Desert. The sands were thought to be the oxidised remains of the A'Kath city. She had forgotten the name of the city, but then it no longer existed, well not as a city. No one she knew remembered it as such, not even the race of human nomads that roamed the Rust Desert. All that remained where mysterious ruins buried beneath the desert sands. She had been beneath those same desert sands, seen what remained of that society, a place of immense power and capable of wreaking great destruction. All that was left of a once great civilisation. No fine examples of art or literary works could be found there. No proof of great achievements, or the fruits of academia, nothing to mark them as a civilisation at its peak; just a place of war, a place designed to kill even though nothing remained of the society of man that designed it.

She had also heard a different version of the sorry tale from the easterners, Alonso's people who were descended it seemed from the other side, the A'Kath's opponents in the war. Their stories differed of course, but one thing was common to both and that was the terrible tale of how the world was almost totally destroyed and the race of men diminished and almost wiped out by their own machines of war. Machines that had adapted and changed over the centuries of battle into something far more sinister and terrible. She remembered the tale of how those machines had turned on their very masters and sought to eradicate the race of man from the world.

Gradually her attention returned to the room. Alonso was talking to all the gathered members in the household about the society of humans to which he belonged telling stories of their lore and other tales of their homeland. He seemed to draw energy from the various conversations and the assembled T'Iea asking many questions about his people and the journey he had just made. Solin in particular was greatly interested in what he had to say. After the meal Nar'Allia noted that the two of them spent much time seated in a corner of the room beside the hearth talking at great length. She noted that the expressions upon Alonso's face and his body language spoke clearly of some discomfort and he seemed at times to be suspicious. Nar'Allia wondered what it was they were discussing. But eventually there came a time in the evening's proceedings when everyone retired to the outer room to relax.

Alonso made the point of walking close to Nar'Allia. "Please there is something quite urgent that I need to impart, I am thankful for your hospitality and the fruits of your table, but what I have to say bothers my heart, it must be said, for I cannot rest until my message is dispatched to those who must hear it."

Nar'Allia smiled and nodded at the old man, acknowledging that he was obviously desperate to tell her something. She noted that he glanced across towards Solin a number of times as if trying to hide his actions from her. But she shrugged these thoughts of thinking that her imagination was just running wild. She did feel a little defiant as she said out loud so that Solin could hear, "come then Alonso speak, for there is nothing that I hold secret to any gathered here, what you have to tell me all can bear witness to. Although I admit a certain anxiety at what your message may be." If Solin heard what was said she did not acknowledge it, she just continued to walk alongside Solvienne with their arms linked.

Alonso was also looking at the two T'Iea academics, perhaps he expected a response, but when none came he returned his attention to Nar'Allia, nodded his understanding and said, "very well." he then waited until the assembly was seated, he refused a seat, waving his hand he explained that he preferred to stand to impart the news he had to tell. He leaned heavily upon the back of a chair and scrutinised the faces of those gathered around him. When he was sure he had everyone's attention he began. "It has been many years since the lady Nar'Allia left our lands to return here to her home land. I do not know how much of the tale of our meeting she may have told each of you," here he was quiet for a few moments as if trying to find the right words to say. He then continued. "An evil force that we once battled together has found increased new strength, the arrival of Nar'Allia and her friends set a spark upon the fuse of that force and an inevitable conflict arose. An event we were long expecting. But the arrival of Nar'Allia and the powerful weapon of destruction she brought with her was intimidating to our enemies, intimidating enough that they decided to set an offensive against us. But that same powerful weapon of destruction was also instrumental in saving my people. Although we lost many their sacrifice was not wasted, for the result has proven a lasting peace in our lands."

He nodded towards Nar'Allia as if adding his own thanks to her. "Our greatest loss however was the loss of our Taekla, perhaps you would call this person 'mother' although she was much more than that to us. Her name, I'm sure the lady Nar'Allia will recall, was Deanola. She was both wise leader and tireless protector to our people and she is sorely missed."

Here Alonso glanced once again at Nar'Allia who nodded at him, encouraging him to continue.

"Well, our Taekla died in combat, fighting a mage of great power, for the mage and our Taekla dueled in those last days. Our Taekla and the dread elf mage, the one called the Gatekeeper."

Nar'Allia thought about his words, she had been there, seen first-hand that of which Alonso spoke, witnessed the events of that day in fine detail as they had unfolded. For these words of Alonso's, other than her own memory, were the first news she had heard about the final hours of the time she spent in the eastern lands. The memories of that time were still painful, for she was there to witness the death of Deanola and the dark elf Gatekeeper. She felt the pang of grief in her chest, it was terrible to lose Deanola who had become a friend, but even more terrible to Nar'Allia was the loss of the Gatekeeper for the dark elf Gatekeeper was also her stepmother, Minervar. Both had fallen over the edge of the great rend in the surface of the world and plunged into the Rift. Nar'Allia had seen them, witnessed their final moments, they had grappled on the edge of the great Rift, a chasm, a gaping wound in the surface of the world where enormous amounts of arcane energy broiled and stirred like the crater of some vast volcano. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran relied on the Rift for their twisted and perverted use of the energies within and what she witnessed that day still troubled her greatly. Some sort of foreboding entered her mind, somehow she dreaded what Alonso was about to say, so she stood in readiness. Lo'Rosse sensing her inner turmoil came to stand by her side.

Alonso was still speaking, "the dread elves, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, are still a force to be treated with great caution. They wait for a time when they may once again step forth to cause great mischief upon the land. They are driven by the will of the Rift, some ancient curse lies upon that place, some perverted malevolence with a deep desire to destroy the world. The Rift's will uses the dread elves, it causes them to be the instruments of its desire, much the same perhaps as it once did with the many machines of war and destruction it once controlled. Yet the malevolence within the Rift is patient, it knows that all elves live many years, it has no need to be brash, take unnecessary chances, it awaits a time when once more it can send its emissaries and armies forth to cause havoc and destruction."

He looked into the faces of those that surrounded him, his gaze fell upon Solin's. For the first time since Nar'Allia had known the old T'Iea mage she saw her lower her gaze in what looked like a gesture of submission towards Alonso. Nar'Allia was shocked.

Thorandill spoke. "Alonso you speak of the Rift as if it were alive, as if it held malice for our kind?"

Alonso continued. "Our Taekla told stories if the Rift, whether it is the Rift itself or some other evil intent I do not know, but there is a rational, driven intelligence within."

Lo'Rosse asked, "but what happened to all the machines of destruction, the Rift seems a much more benign force now even though it may harbour some evil intent it does not seem to have the same powers to act?"

Alonso nodded towards Lo'Rosse, to answer your question master elf, "the story goes on to tell of how long ago, shortly after my people had hidden from the machines of war and the Rift's evil will, people from the skies came in a great ship. A ship so big that it changed day to night, blotted out the sun and stars whilst it remained in the sky above. The sky people protected us from death. They brought the Rift under control and rid the world of the machines of war. They somehow changed the Rift to do this, used the energy within. Many sky people stayed behind. We welcomed them for they aided us greatly, we counted them as friends and much was shared between us. But some were taken by the Rift, changed into an evil race. It is they that have awakened the intelligence within the Rift once again, somehow the dread elves have partially freed it and once more it is exhibiting hate and malice, it is becoming once more a great threat to the world."

"Who are these sky people of whom you speak." The question was asked by Lo'Rosse.

Alonso shrugged. "Their identity is lost to us, for all we know they may have left in their great ship of the stars never to return."

Nar'Allia whispered under her breath, "the Ancient Fathers."

But before she could say more Alonso shifted about changing his position but still leaning upon the chair. He continued his voice sounding grave. "But there is something else; another force is also present there in our lands. There is another foreign army in the east, one that has also remained hidden for a long time. Long have we lived in the knowledge and suspicion that this other force existed, but what little we experienced of it was friendly and did not seem a threat to us. But now this situation has changed. For now this second army has suddenly become more active. Something has awoken them to action and although they do not attack us out of malice or some hidden purpose, they are also less than friendly than they were. Brief skirmishes have occurred with deaths upon both sides. But the threat is that they remain a much stronger force than we are, I fear it is only a matter of time before they attack in force. Thankfully they seem preoccupied with the dread elves for the time being, they attack them whenever possible with such hatred and malice. But if they were ever to go to war and eradicate the dread elves city and gain access to the Rift, then I feel there is a great danger that they may turn upon us. We feel that this war is imminent and we fear that we may even be caught between the hammer and the anvil."

Thorandill asked Alonso what the identity of this other army may be, which race, or perhaps races did they comprise?

Alonso, thought for a while, he seemed reticent to answer Thorandill; something clearly troubled his thoughts and prevented him from answering. He looked towards Solin as if seeking permission for something, but she did not return his gaze or acknowledge him in any way. When he finally spoke, it was with a deep regret in the tone of his voice. "They are long ears, elves, those who call themselves T'Iea like yourselves, even like the dread elves but different. They harbour as much malice and hatred as the dread elves but they are not the same, for they do not ally with the dread elves, they are bitter enemies."

Everyone was shocked to hear such news. None could fathom what this second army of T'Iea represented, there in the east. No one said a word, they just remained deep in thought. Until Thorandill spoke, "I have not heard of any such army being deployed in the eastern lands and certainly I have not witnessed such a force traveling there in my time in the legions. I have spent many years in the borders, the region just to the west of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri, never have such a large number of T'Iea passed by on their way into the east."

Alonso addressed Thorandill directly for the first time, "I do not have an answer for you, but there maybe someone who does. I left something outside, young soldier, a treasured item of a forgotten time. Perhaps you might be so kind as to retrieve it for me?"

Thorandill, stood and nodding his agreement walked out of the room, the assembly heard the outside door open and close once more. Thorandill re-entered, this time he was carrying a rolled piece of rough looking cloth material, tied around with twine. Alonso indicated that Thorandill should place the item in the centre of the table.

"There is something that you left behind in our lands Nar'Allia, for this belongs to you. I return it, reunite it with its rightful owner. I return it for the message it may bring, for such words are for your T'Iea ears alone and not mine."

Nar'Allia looked hard at the rolled cloth that was now on the table. She looked at Alonso, he nodded and gestured with his head and his eyes that she should take up whatever lay there. She stepped towards the table, she moved her hand forward to grasp the object, but hesitated.

Lo'Rosse said, "would you like me to ....?"

Nar'Allia looked at him she said, "no. I can do it, it's just ......." But she felt foolish; she thought she knew what she may find in those wrappings. But it was not the item itself that made her hesitate; that was harmless enough in its own right. It was the other capabilities, the other uses to which this item may be used that worried her, although she knew not why she should hold such concerns.

She pulled on the twine holding the wrappings around the length of the package. She slowly unraveled the cloth. Eventually there before her lay something wrapped in a soft silken white material, someone had taken a great deal of care to look after this thing. She knew the shape and feel even through the silken wrapping, she sighed as she did not expect to see this thing again in her lifetime. She untied the silken cords that held the final wrappings. Lo'Rosse remained by her side following her every action intently.

Once the item was unwrapped, Thor leaned in closer and spoke. "That is the old quiver, the one that used to hang above the fireplace in this house. The one no one ever used, apart from you Narny, you took it with you when you left with mother. I had forgotten all about it."

Thor took up the quiver, no arrows did it carry within. Nar'Allia stared at the item as Thor took it up, she recognised the dagger like claws that hung down each side along with the jet black shiny stones that adorned the rim. She knew now that the claws belonged to a bird-like creature that stood much taller than she. A creature that she had seen once on her travels. A meeting she would not like to repeat, for she had only just survived that encounter. The stones she knew to be portal stones, or key stones as they were known by to the race of the Keepers. The jet black shiny mineral was not of this world, it was mined by the Grûndén in other places, places called collectively 'the voids'. This mineral possessed a strange ability, for these strange stones were able to concentrate a form of arcane energy that could be used somehow to create pathways which could be used as a form of instantaneous travel between different places. A sort of bridge able to bend time and space in infinite ways. The quiver used this bending of time and space to connect to somewhere unknown that could replicate any arrow placed within, this enabled the quiver to refill itself with those arrows.

She had once owned this item. Actually that was not true, no one could own such things, the best anyone could hope for was that they become custodian to such items for as long as that person deemed it right. Such items had been more common once in T'Iea society, heirlooms beyond price, passed down within families, even granted to others when necessary. This particular item had been granted to her family from Serinae the mercenary ranger, Nar'Allia had been given it by her mother Minervar who knew Serinae well. Perhaps this may be the only one left now. A unique reminder of the arts of her people that existed long ago in ages past, a time when they knew such skills.

She thought also of something else that was given by the ranger Serinae, there was a unique war bow that went with this quiver. A beautiful long bow made by the same T'Iea artisans of old. The bow was formed from the ebony coloured wood of some ancient, long forgotten tree that no longer grew in the great wood. She thought again how both the bow and the quiver were the creation of her own kin. Those craftsmen of long ago in ancient ages past, a time when the T'Iea had the knowledge and artistry to create such things. But unlike the quiver there was no chance of recovering the bow. Nar'Allia had lost it. For the first time in many years she was reminded of those events. She had tried to save Minervar from the Rift by extending the long bow down to her, for Minervar hung on a crevice that was too far away for Nar'Allia's arm to reach. She remembered the look of recognition on Minervar's face, that look had changed suddenly to one of great sorrow and despair. Nar'Allia had reached down with the long bow, willed her step mother to take the end of the long bow as it wavered there, willed her to grasp that thing, it would have saved her. Nar'Allia was sure she could have saved her; pulled her stepmother to safety. It would not have been difficult. Indeed, to Nar'Allia's great relief, Minervar had grasped the offered end of the long bow. Nar'Allia again felt that sensation of relief when Minervar's weight had been felt upon the other end of the long bow and Nar'Allia had realised that she would be able to pull her to safety, that they would be reunited at last.

But Nar'Allia frowned as she remembered the burning sensation that had filled her hand, the hand that held the bow, she tried to keep hold, but something had made her muscles weaken, something had opened her fingers even though she wanted so desperately to keep her hold upon the bow. She had looked into those sorrowful eyes, the eyes of her stepmother and seen there something she never wanted to see again. She pleaded silently, she implored with her own eyes. But she had been forced against every will within her to gently to let go. She saw the pain, saw the despair; she saw the finality of it all. Minervar shook her head as if in disagreement with Nar'Allia's will. She had watched transfixed as Minervar and the bow fell back from the rock face and down into the Rift. Nar'Allia watched Minervar disappear into the heaving mass of oily substance that made up the visible part of the concentrated arcane energies and forces that the Rift contained. Such anguish Nar'Allia had felt, such painful emotions, her mind and body felt disconnected, she felt unable to do anything. Nar'Allia knew, just knew that in those last moments Minervar had recognised her, the look in those eyes, the sadness that was there, yes, she knew her stepdaughter. Those realisations above everything else fueled the despair, the hopelessness that Nar'Allia still felt even now as she thought about those events of so long ago.

Lo'Rosse touched her elbow, she was brought back from her thoughts once more with a start, she shivered. She looked once more upon the quiver, she knew she should not fear it, or the black long bow for that matter, both had served her well as both had served others before her. Why then did she feel strangely reticent about picking up the quiver? But she knew why, in the past the properties that the item possessed somehow allowed another connection. Nar'Allia knew from experience that the quiver allowed communication across the voids; one person in particular was able to communicate with Nar'Allia through those same properties, the original custodian of the quiver. For the T'Iea ranger, the lady Serinae, had been the original owner of these items. Serinae had spoken, even appeared to Nar'Allia through the connections within the quiver on numerous occasions. Her messages were sometimes a little clumsy perhaps, sometimes informative, sometimes cryptic, but Nar'Allia had gained a sense of Serinae's nature, the rangers character through those messages. She found she liked Serinae, something about the ranger spoke of T'Iea history, of a past greatness, perhaps even of greatness yet to come. Nar'Allia dearly wished that one day perhaps they should meet, for there was not a grain of malice in Serinae's character, only love and joy and a single-minded purpose. She was the stuff of legend, of T'Iea honour and values, the very essence of the stories of old.

Never the less, something within Nar'Allia did fear that she may hear Serinae's voice once more. Not the voice itself, or the persona behind it. What Nar'Allia really feared was what Serinae may have to say. Long had she hoped that Minervar may still be alive, yes, she witnessed her fall with Deanola, they both plunged into the Rift and disappeared from this world, but she did not see them die, not actually die. None knew what was below them in the Rift; none knew what form the arcane energies took apart from Serinae perhaps who seemed to be able to execute some control over it. For in those last days Serinae had appeared as they various battles had raged around them. According to Amndo the Keeper, Serinae had managed to harness a great power from within the Rift, a power that she used to free him and to battle the Dark brethren's shroud that hid their city from the outside world. Amndo had suspicions that if Serinae had used the Rift as some kind of roadway to link from wherever she was then there was a good chance that Minervar had done the same, even if it was unwittingly.

Nar'Allia was reminded for the first time in ages that this promise was what still gave her hope. Hope that Minervar may yet be alive and like Serinae, unable to be reunited in person with them. But now that she had this quiver once more, some fear stopped her from holding it, what she really feared was if Serinae knew Minervar's fate, perhaps she would be the harbinger of the news that in fact Minervar was beyond any aid, that all this time of hope was wasted and amounted to nothing. Nar'Allia did not know what would happen if this were proven to be the case.

Nar'Allia was brought out of her thoughts by a gentle pressure on her arm. Her eyes rested upon a hand placed upon her upper arm gently nudging her. She looked up. Thor offered the quiver to her, she looked long and hard at it, but her hands remained by her sides. She looked up at Alonso and she smiled, a tear fell down her cheek, she shook her head slowly, rose and backed away then left the room.

That night in her room Nar'Allia told all of these things to Lo'Rosse, he held her in his arms and whispered into her ear, "I understand your fears. I understand it has been a long time in which you held a hope for Minervar. If that hope was to end, I understand it would be a devastating revelation, a part of you that has been there for so long, wrenched from you with nothing to replace it. He gathered her in his arms, he stroked her hair, felt the dampness of her tears upon his skin. Then whispered in her ear, "but Narny, have you thought, what if Serinae tells you that in fact Minervar yet lives? It maybe she even knows how to get to her, how to reunite you with her? What if that were the case, could you live with yourself if you found out that Serinae, through your aid, could rescue Minervar and you had delayed that opportunity, even refused to acknowledge it in your ignorance and fear?"

## Chapter 5. Revelations Revealed

Nar'Allia looked up at Lo'Rosse. He held the quiver. He smiled at her and raised it in both hands, offered it to her, he winked, she couldn't help but smile at his light-hearted attempts at encouragement, at his naivety. That was so like him. Sometimes he seemed to still be that little boy who used to play childhood games with her in the forest. The boy who used to tease her, try to trip her in the muddiest puddles. The one who always had to win at their games, nudge her arm when she was just about to release an arrow. Yet he was always there to save her, always there to pick her up, dust her off and set her back on her feet. Always there to clean the mud from her knees in the cool waters of a stream before they went back home. Always there to wipe the tear from her eye. He knew her, knew her better than she did herself perhaps. She frowned at him. He cocked his head to one side and thrusting the quiver gently forward repeated his offer.

Nar'Allia looked down at the quiver; it remained empty of arrows, at least for now. She herself had learnt to place one arrow within, watch as the arcane properties of the quiver duplicated that arrow into many. Yet such arrows remained transparent, for they were both here in the quiver in the world of men, but also in another place, a place that Nar'Allia did not know. They remained upon the bridge between the two. She had learnt how to retrieve these ethereal arrows; it was all a matter of belief, a matter of faith. She remembered that feeling, the sensation of wanting them there, picturing them multiplied within the quiver. In the right hands the quiver could still do whatever mysterious things it did and she would have a limitless supply of arrows, all ready to be plucked and shot from her bow. It was incredible when she thought about it, but she knew that she would never fully understand how it worked, for none now lived that had such knowledge, at least none she had come across.

She reached out slowly opening her hand, then as if in scorn at Lo'Rosse's insistence she took the quiver. The stones and the animal claws tinkled melodiously as they struck against each other. So there it was, once more in her hand, once more in her possession. She owned it once again, for it had been freely given back to her by Alonso. She looked at it, for she had not seen it or held it in many years, yet it looked identical to the last time she had seen it, before she had left it behind.

~

Serinae stirred, she had fallen asleep, resting her forehead upon her wrist as it lay upon the table. What had awakened her? But in that instant she knew, for there before her a feint glow emanated from the seeing stone, the glow was gradually brightening. For the first time in a long time the bridge was reforming, the link was again made with someone who had access to the old knowledge or at least knew of it subconsciously and was susceptible to its affects. She knew who that someone must be, a T'Iea certainly, for the quiver was made by the T'Iea and only her people had the necessary attributes within their physical being necessary to make the link. The last time this had happened that same T'Iea was within a guild sanctuary on an island in the Sea of Beadreas, a place that Serinae had been to before, many ages ago when she was very young and still in training, she had been there with Tezrin, H'Arad'Dunn and others of the Guild of Rangers, all dear friends and now all gone. Only she now remained. The thought of Tezrin took her aback. Yes they had been to the island, the Isle of Pigs it was called. There was a certain irony, for the reason they were there was to gather some of the necessary components to adorn her quiver. It was a requirement that the guild insisted upon, a right of passage, proof of skill and of bravery. It was a task that all rangers faced, but this particular task had been given to her, her alone. She had argued with her masters as to why she alone had been given such a dangerous task, why so much more had been asked of her. Mostly rangers were asked to carry out a more mundane task, survive in the wilds for a period, or fashion a bow. She had been asked to travel halfway around the world and to retrieve claws and feather from one of the most dangerous predatory animals to have ever lived. She was to go alone, she knew then that the guild masters did not expect her to return, that would have suited them fine, how they would have been pleased to see the last of her, to have gotten rid of the bad blood. She smiled as she thought of how her friends had risen to her side, they had all of them offered her their help. The masters had forbidden them to go, how Serinae had relished the thought that her friends had rebelled for her, shown their alliance to her even over and above their loyalty to the guilds. They had travelled together, they had laughed in the guild master's faces, been joyous at their unified show of rebellion. Serinae herself had reveled in her friend's loyalty to her, reveled in the message that loyalty gave to their masters.

But that was before, that was in ignorance. She now knew better, she had led her friends into more danger than she thought possible. They were young then, inexperienced, all too eager to make their mark upon the world. The task had been completed, Serinae had returned triumphant but it had been at a great cost. She had survived where others hadn't. She subconsciously reached up slowly with her hand to rub her right shoulder blade. Habitually she kept this part of her body covered; a long, raised welt and an ugly diagonal scar lay there across her back extending from her shoulder blade down to just above her waist. The healers had done a good job, her muscles and nervous system had been saved so that she could still pull on a bow and wield a sword. But she had insisted that the scar remain. She didn't keep it covered for reasons of vanity; no, more because it was to become a badge of office. To her it was a reminder of the loyalty, sacrifice and courage of others. But later she found out it pronounced her as something special. Experience had proved that some of the people in some of the places that she once used to frequent saw it as a challenge. It was to them the mark of a seasoned fighter, not just any fighter either, but a T'Iea ranger, someone to provoke, to challenge to a dual and therefore raise their status somehow, especially if they won. Such provocation was always a bad mistake in the case of Serinae. Many had died trying. Initially she fought them in the name of her friends, but later after so many deaths she would always try and turn the other cheek, but it always came to a fight, for every one of them would see her unwillingness to dual as a weakness and they would try and fight her anyway. She tried sometimes just to disarm them, or with a clean slice put them out of action, but this just resulted in there sending someone else to fight in their stead. They had died, all of them, she had killed them all. How many? It hurt her to think about it, such a waste of life to such a futile cause. Thus she had learnt to keep the scar covered to save lives. She smiled at the irony, for the scar wasn't the result of a bar room brawl, but a split seconds lapse in concentration fighting a creature that had evolved into a most fearsome and efficient killer, a creature that all T'Iea both feared and respected.

But excitement rose within her as she looked into the swirling mists that now could be seen within the seeing stone. She had been waiting a long time, ever since the day long ago when communications were rendered impossible, for to Serinae's great disappointment Nar'Allia and the quiver had become separated as had the black longbow, both items that held vestiges of the knowledge of old.

But Serinae had learnt much whilst she was here, she had learned much more about how all these mysterious things worked and functioned. She thought once more of how her people had fooled themselves into thinking that the R'Alacry Fer'Def where spirits of the old world and the place where these spirits lived was called Elit G'fedrel by the T'Iea. A place believed to be a mystical realm, somewhere to be revered and believed to be somehow linked to Eny'Nin'Rel himself. But now she knew how very far from the truth they had been, just how wrong she had been.

But men had a much more skeptical belief in what the spirits were, they believed that they were ancestors of ages past come back to give them messages. Messages that could be tidings of great joy or warnings of great distress. Serinae had used this to engage the services of one of the eastern men, a man called Alonso. Thankfully Alonso had kept her old quiver, Nar'Allia had left it in the east. Serinae had appeared to Alonso on several occasions in projected form through the quiver, an ethereal projection. Ghosts the humans called them, so Serinae had appeared to him as a ghost pointing at the quiver he always kept by his side and then pointing into the west.

But then her attention was taken, they were ready. Ready at last to talk once again. The link was made; all she had to do was engage with it. She hesitated no longer.

~

Back in the room in her house Nar'Allia remembered a night long ago in this same house, when she had first seen that glow from the mouth of the quiver. When she had first suspected, but not really believed, that the ranger Serinae could communicate with her through the link made between this world and the voids. A link made possible in this world by the quiver. Nar'Allia had not met Serinae face to face since her childhood when she lived with her father in Tent Town, but they had communicated through the quiver. It was now in gentle anticipation that she waited for that voice, for deep down she knew that was why the quiver had been returned to her, she had been found once more and the great wheels of destiny where once more in motion, the gaming pieces had once again been spread upon the board and the players seated in eager anticipation of the first move. Whatever Serinae would say, Nar'Allia just knew her words would re-direct the course of her life and probably that of many others.

"Nar'Allia?" There it was at last, that unmistakable voice. The sweet T'Iea voice that disguised the real nature of the T'Iea woman who spoke. For Nar'Allia also knew that voice could hold both great anger and sadness, for she had gotten to know the persona behind the voice. It made Nar'Allia start, even though she was expecting it.

"Nar'Allia?"

Nar'Allia sighed, "hello Seri, it has been a long time, I'm sorry. I, well I left the quiver, your quiver in the east, I'm sorry, it was careless of me. I hope I haven't made a mess of things through my unintentional delay."

Serinae, giggled, a melodious sound. "Narny, do not fear, it is of no consequence. We can talk at last, that is what matters." There was a moment of silence. "I have yearned for this day, I planned to tell you much, but time has reduced the list, for much has passed and many things I thought important no longer bear relevance to what I have to say. But now the time has come, I know not how to say the words." But then the tone in her voice changed, it had become more serious as Serinae continued, "but do not fear Narny, my news, that which I have to say is not to be feared, although it may be the cause for some anxiety. It is about Minervar Narny."

Nar'Allia gasped, so here it was then, the news she dreaded, the news she had convinced herself she did not want to hear. Serinae's words came as if in a dream.

"I have to tell you Minervar yet lives. She is alive Narny!"

Nar'Allia was stunned by this news, she felt numb, felt removed, as if she was someplace else, as if her mind was somehow detached from her physical body, it was a similar feeling to that she experienced as she witnessed Minervar's fall into the Rift, she felt the numbness spread, overtake her.

Lo'Rosse felt a deep concern, his wife's face had gone ashen white and she had gone limp in his arms. For of course he could not hear what Serinae had to say, could not even know that she had spoken to Nar'Allia. He had only heard Nar'Allia's side of the conversation. He supported Nar'Allia's limp form and spoke her name over and over. Eventually Nar'Allia's eyes flickered and focussed upon his face. "What is it? What has happened? He asked.

But Nar'Allia did not answer his question; she seemed to ask another, "but how? Where? How do you know it was her?"

"It was her Narny. Remember she has the bow? You tried to use it to reach down and save her? She made you drop the bow and she fell. You effectively gave the bow to her, relinquished it to her keeping. The bow is hers now Narny, she can use it. She doesn't know it but the bow also can communicate across the voids using the ethereal arcane power that the artisans of old placed within it. Not in the same way as the quiver however, the bow is less effective, I can't communicate in words through the bow. But the bow still says much, it directs thoughts, it understands desire and it will aid the realisation of these desires if it is able. Thus Narny, I detected her via the bow. I detected Minervar's desire, her will to return to the lands she knows, return to you. I was blind Narny, blind to the various powers of these items. I used them of course, but I didn't really understand how they really worked until I found myself here. There is more Narny, much more. This place, the place where I am, it is a hub; it lies at the centre of a great wheel. The spokes of that wheel lead to many places, places I had thought lost to us. The Rift Narny, it is like a highway for travel. The ancient fathers made it so. Long ago whilst you were in the east I used one such route to travel the Rift, I had to save Amndo, that same day that Minervar was lost. It wasn't until much later I entered the Rift once again searching for answers. The Rift Narny, was originally opened by the humans for other reasons, but the ancient fathers adapted it for their own use. While I was probing the Rift, I quite by chance happened on a presence I knew. Perhaps on that one day she tried to use the bow. But her presence came to me. I was skeptical at first; I did not believe it was her. I thought that the bow had been found by another. I wanted to find out whom, for I feared that if the bow had fallen into the wrong hands then it may cause untold problems. But I did not have to fear, the bow spoke to me of her desire, it was Minervar. The bow told me things that only she would know. It spoke of the memory of you Narny and of Solvienne and Thorandill. I did not know that you had a brother and sister, it pleases me greatly."

There was silence for a while, then Nar'Allia spoke in a small, shaky voice, "Seri, where is she?"

"I'm afraid that I do not know Narny, at least not yet. I don't even think she knows. All I know is that she is alive and she is safe. I have been searching for her, the place where I am has great knowledge and power, but I need to learn a little more. The spokes I talked about are numerous and the routes are many and varied Narny. The Rift has been used for many things and still retains many capabilities. Part of it links to the place I am in; it also links to wherever Minervar is. I still do not know a great deal but I am learning. But Minervar lives and that is reason to rejoice. But that's not all, Deanola the easterner, she is there with her, the Rift contains both of their presences. I am thankful that Minervar is not alone at least and has the company of another."

Serinae thought for a while, Minervar had told her much, although she hadn't actually spoken, it was Minervar of that she was certain, for the bow recounted times gone by, personal events that only she and Serinae knew of. The bow could do that, it linked to your desires, mainly it linked to the desire to aim and hit a target, which of course was its real use. Yet somehow other desires became mixed in somehow, over the many ages since the bow was made it seemed to have learnt somehow, fed upon these desires. Serinae then winced for in Minervar's case these desires were tainted, saddened, they spoke of evil deeds and acts wholly against the purposes of Eny'Nin'Rel. Minervar obviously believed she had undertaken many bad things, made evil choices. Thought herself beyond redemption, beyond forgiveness. Serinae was deeply saddened, she wanted to explain it was not Minervar's fault, she was not to blame. But Minervar believed she had no one else to blame? After all she herself had made the conscious decisions, not someone else. She alone had made those choices and put them into practice, she did not think herself persuaded; she believed she could have made other choices. It came clear from Minervar that she felt herself unable to shy from that responsibility.

But Serinae suspected differently. But was brought back from her thoughts by Nar'Allia asking, "but how then do we find her? How do we rescue her? We must try Seri?"

Serinae nodded as if Nar'Allia could see the action, "of course we must. But there is but one place that I can suggest the search begins. The only place I can think of. You must make the same journey Narny, there is no other way that I can see as yet for I am not permitted to make that journey. Minervar survived; there is every reason to believe that someone else may make the same journey in safety."

Nar'Allia shivered, she knew of what Serinae spoke of, so she said almost under her breath, "enter the Rift".

"Yes. I'm sorry Narny but at this time I believe the Rift holds the answer to the riddle, all the riddles. There is no other clue. I can offer no other alternative, at least not yet."

"But how then? The Rift is within the domain of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, it is well guarded beyond approach from anyone other than the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran themselves."

Serinae nodded, again more out of habit than an expectation that Nar'Allia could actually see the action. "Yes, Narny. But, there are other dangers to using that entrance. The Rift in the east, the entrance within the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran city beneath the great portal stone above the Rift. You have seen it Narny, you were there all that time ago now. You witnessed the events."

Nar'Allia remembered, she had been there, watched as Deanola battled with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran gatekeeper – her mother.

I need to be careful Narny, there is something else, something resides still within the Rift, it is an evil presence, an ancient malice. If it were to discover where I am and be able to infiltrate this place then the additional knowledge and power made available to it would make the evil so strong that it could not be stopped. At the moment this place is hidden from it, the intelligence within this place protects itself and hides, but the more I use the Rift, the greater the risk of discovery, so my time is limited. I used the combined power within the Rift and the limitless power available to me from here once before and managed to free Amndo from the evil that held him. It was a great risk, the evil intelligence within the Rift, it was far weaker than me because of the additional power I can draw upon from this place. The evil recoiled, but it did become aware of me and it became curious for it hungers for power. Amndo was confused, he made me linger, but I don't think the evil had the time to explore, I do not believe it found the pathway I used, I made sure of that."

Nar'Allia recalled that time, she also watched as Amndo battled something unseen. He seemed trapped by the portal stone; something in the stone seemed to torment him. She had all but forgotten this because the battle between Deanola and her mother captured her attention.

Serinae's voice again brought her back from her thoughts. "that same malice that inhabits the Rift there in the East. I think it is the evil that has perverted the hearts and minds of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. I believe it to be the same evil that infected the mind of your mother. That is another reason why I cannot risk entering once more. It was only the additional power of the place I am in that protected me last time. The malice is growing Nar'Allia, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran seek to free it. They cannot be allowed to do so."

Suddenly Nar'Allia's attention was back fully on what Serinae had to say. "Wait, Wait Seri, what did you say?"

"There is an evil intent within the Rift Narny, I felt it, I battled with it. It tries to corrupt and to control. I do not know what it is, but I do not think it is a natural phenomenon, I believe it is a parasite, a pariah that has adapted itself to use the energies within the Rift. I believe Narny it is the force that originally corrupted the T'Iea and split our race into good and evil. I believe it is the presence that first corrupted the minds of the T'Iea and made them dark. There is something else, something of great importance. Nar'Allia listen to me, I believe that if we were to destroy the Rift and eliminate this evil, then we may free the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran from their slavery. We could return them to the light Narny!"

It was Nar'Allia's turn to speak. "But if you destroy the Rift how will we rescue Minervar?"

Serinae spoke in a soft voice, a voice tinged with guilt and anxiety, "you must find a way. I can't help you from here, at least not yet, but Narny I believe there may be alternative routes. I told you the Rift is a highway Narny, perhaps other points of the Rift join to the world, perhaps via another more convoluted route. I am sure something exists, in fact I'm more than sure for I used one such route to get to this place, I will try and get back using a similar route if they will allow me."

"Tell me Seri, tell me what you know." Nar'Allia bent closer to the quiver as if she wanted to make sure she caught every word even those that may be whispered.

Serinae thought for a while in silence, there was a place, a place she knew of. A place that someone close to her had used in the distant past. A secret door, a lover's door, used for snatched moments of intimacy. But she was loathed to tell, it probably held many dangers, she wasn't even sure it would still be there and if it was, then it was likely to be well guarded by now. But she could see no other way so she sighed and started to speak. "As I said, I will try and find a way from here, I'm confident that this journey is possible. But you Narny, you must look for another such a route in the world. There may be many more but there is one such place that I and someone I knew once used many years ago. You must look into the deep tunnels Narny, look beneath the city within the mountains, go into the lower halls, then into the ancient min ......"

Nar'Allia straightened. Serinae's voice had been cut off suddenly. "Seri? Seri? Talk to me, Seri?" But there was no reply.

Serinae sighed, the seeing stone had dimmed. She turned. There behind her stood a figure draped in white and shimmering slightly, she could see through the figure to the wall behind. Serinae smiled in resignation she said, "so, I have overstepped the mark. It seems that some things you still want to be kept secret eh? Especially perhaps the thing you fear the most." Serinae was not addressing the shimmering figure, for this was just a front, an acceptable glamor especially generated for her benefit. No, what she addressed was the immeasurable intelligence, the intellect behind the generated imagery. It may have been her savior, but frustratingly it was sometimes her main adversary, for it had ultimate control over what she could do. After all it was the main control and command system of the great technological marvel that had become her new home. But the most annoying thing about it was that although she was a part of the race that had ultimate control over the systems of the star ship, the ship itself seemed to think she wasn't quite ready to take control. She hated being treated like a child.

~

Nar'Allia had stood suddenly shouting Serinae's name. The glow from the quiver dimmed and went out.

By this time Lo'Rosse was desperate to understand what had been said. He had become increasingly frustrated at only being party to one side of the conversation, he tugged on Nar'Allia's sleeve and implored her to take notice of him, "Narny, what is it, tell me please."

Nar'Allia turned slowly unwilling it seemed to take her gaze from the quiver. She looked at her husband, her eyes focused on his. She seemed to notice him for the first time. "Lo'Rosse, I'm sorry, I ......" Her voice trailed away as the tears fell.

He held her close, hugged her until the tears subsided once more. Then with a shaky voice she told him everything that had been said. He listened carefully. When Nar'Allia had finished he simply said, "by the Maker."

## Chapter 6. The Morning after

Nar'Allia awoke with a start, she found she was alone. Her head felt fuzzy, sort of detached and she did not feel like she had managed to get much sleep the night before. Even so she remembered nothing after Lo'Rosse had laid her down and made sure that she was warm and comfortable. It was warm here under the covers, comforting, she did not have to make decisions, answer anyone's questions. She frowned. She remembered clearly the conversation with Serinae. She told herself to feel excited that Minervar was alive, but something else made her want to forget the conversation they had shared. Why, she did not know. She must get up. Get on with the daily tasks, she had guests, she must see to their needs, apologise for her sudden disappearance last evening. She needed a distraction.

She slowly got out of bed and pulling on a warm robe, left her bedroom. She went downstairs through the parlor, she stood and tried to smooth her wayward hair into some semblance of neatness, twisting and tying it behind her head where she fastened it with a long wooden pin before she opened the door to the main room. She was met by the stares of many people. Lo'Rosse rose and quickly made his way to her. Next thing she knew she was seated at the table a cup of tea in her hand and a bowl awaiting her choice of breakfast. She was surprised how ravenously hungry she was. When she had eaten she felt a different person. She leaned back in her chair and raised her head and eyes, she inspected the faces around the table, felt obliged to say something, an apology perhaps. "I'm sorry everyone, I have not been a very good host to you all since last evening. Please forgive me."

Lo'Rosse said, "I told them Narny, about Minervar having survived the Rift. I hope you don't mind."

Nar'Allia searched the faces in the assembly, but she could not see either Solvienne or Thorandill, she was suddenly worried for them. The news that their mother was alive must have been a shock to say the least. They had been young when Minervar disappeared, they, out of all of them, had the advantage of growing into that knowledge, it didn't seem to affect them quite so much, in fact they seemed less and less concerned as the years went by.

All of a sudden she had a thought, she didn't mean to voice it but she did, "Oh! By the Maker, Iolrreas, my father, our father." Suddenly she realised why she had felt so depressed since hearing the news that Serinae had to impart. Her father, Minervar's husband, he had disappeared following Minervar's assumed abduction. Nar'Allia, about to leave Amentura had sent a messenger with a letter telling him of the sad news, she had not gone herself for to take the two week's necessary to travel home would have delayed their setting out to search for Minervar. She felt deeply troubled by this, for when she had eventually arrived home, she had found that her father had long gone and the twins Solvi and Thor were staying with Lo'Rosse and his family. But now, Nar'Allia's greatest fear was that Iolrreas had gone looking for Minervar, was his leaving all for nothing? Anger suddenly burst forth, anger at herself mainly, for making what she now thought were the wrong decisions. She stood with clenched fists. She started to shake uncontrollably.

Lo'Rosse took her hand, "be calm Narny, please."

All the guilt manifested itself once again from the first time she had failed. Failed to save her step mother and now the failure of stopping her father from remaining with her younger brother and sister came flooding to the fore. She needed to be with them, needed to explain. "Where are Solvi and Thor?" I must talk with them, they must feel ......" She was lost for words. How must they feel?

"They have gone with Solin Narny, they felt a need to get some air."

Nar'Allia sank back into her chair, Lo'Rosse stood behind her a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Nar'Allia, I'm sorry that I brought this news to you." Nar'Allia looked up at the sound of the new voice. It was Alonso who spoke. "If I had known the quiver would cause so much upset I would have thought again about returning it."

Nar'Allia looked up into the old man's eyes, saw the sincerity there, saw the wound that he felt in his heart. She stood once more and walking to him she took his hand and said, "Alonso did you know any of this, I mean before Lo'Rosse spoke morning?

"No, milady I did not, I only knew that I had this desire to return the quiver to you. I kept it safe these many years, it always hung from my belt as it once did from yours." He took in a deep breath as if playing for time, trying to decide whether or not to tell the next part of the tale. He nodded his head as if agreeing to something in his thoughts. "I saw a spirit, many times, the spirit of a long-ear woman. She wore white, she was directing me to take the quiver into the west, I presumed to return it to you, for I could think of no other reason. I thought I was going mad, but eventually I remembered our Taekla relating stories, tales of the spirits of those who had passed on, how some would appear on important occasions, sometimes conveying messages or other omens. I don't know why I hadn't thought to return it sooner. Perhaps if I had, events would have turned out differently."

Nar'Allia nodded, she sat them all back down around the table and explained in great detail the conversation she had with Serinae the day before. Whilst telling the tale she had a sudden bright thought, there was some good news in all of this, something she could tell Alonso to take home with him. "Alonso, the spirit that appeared before you was Serinae I am sure, a T'Iea ranger, a warrior of great renown amongst us. She travelled with my mother long ago, this quiver once belonged to her, it seems to be able to bridge the voids between this world and the place where Serinae is."

Alonso nodded, accepting the explanation without question.

Nar'Allia continued, she stared into Alonso's eyes as she said, "there is other news I have. I must tell you Alonso that Serinae confirmed to me that Deanola is also alive. Both her and Minervar are together wherever they are."

Alonso stood slowly, this news obviously came as a shock to him for he shook a little, Nar'Allia assumed from some inner emotion but it may have been the effort of standing. He said quietly, "alive? How can that be? Our Taekla was long in years even then when you were with us, she could not possibly still live now, she would be of an age similar to the men of long ago, the men of the first age, each was blessed with many years, their blood was purer and unsullied with the blackness of the ages. We are no longer blessed with such long lives." He sat back down a shocked but thoughtful expression upon his face.

At that moment the door opened and in came Solvienne and Thorandill, Solin followed behind. The twins walked straight up to Nar'Allia and putting their arms around her the three hugged in silence.

No one tried to intervene.

Eventually Thorandill stood back and after glancing towards Solin said, "we want to follow our father and help find our mother Nar'Allia. We plan to travel to the east and try and find her, rescue her."

Nar'Allia wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She thought of the journey she had made years before to try and do this same thing. She had failed, or thought she had. However yet again the Maker had seen fit to turn their world upon its head. It seemed that yet again they were destined to be thrown into the turmoil of adventure and the unknown. She looked at her younger brother; she tried not to look at Lo'Rosse standing close by, "of course Thor, we will, of course." Suddenly she felt the pain of her grief subside. A determination she had not felt in a long time returned. She drew herself up straight. Of course they would go, they must. Minervar needed them, she was waiting for them. Thorandill looked towards Solin who made the slightest nod of her head. He stood, "I will go east across the mountains of the great divide and see what I can do there. That was where our mother was last seen, if she is not with the Maker then that is where she must be."

Nar'Allia remembered Serinae's words on the subject, how the obvious place to begin the search was there in the east. But also how she suspected that there may be other entrances to the Rift and the advice that Serinae gave on perhaps searching for such an alternative. She glanced at Solin for the elderly mage had obviously had a hand in Thor's decision. "But Thor, Minervar plunged into the Rift, I was there, I saw her, I will never forget the look upon her face, the look of recognition, the look of sadness. She knew me, she recognised me Thor, even as she fell. But I don't know if that is the best place to start to look for answers. It would be folly to try and infiltrate the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and access the Rift." She held her hand up at Thor's inevitable complaint at her words and before he could say anything else she said, "I believe that we may be able to locate an alternative, a safer route." Yet she had to admit she didn't know where to even begin to start searching for an alternative way in.

"But where else do you suggest? The Rift is still there; she must still be there. Isn't that what Serinae told you after all."

Nar'Allia had to agree with a nod of her head and a resigned shrug. Serinae herself had stated that the Rift was a good place to start, yet something nagged at her, something said that although the Rift was the last place that Minervar had been seen, she may be elsewhere. After all, who knew?

"Nar'Allia is right. That will not be an easy thing to undertake." It was the old human Alonso that spoke. He stood shakily to his feet and addressing the gathering, he said, "yes, the Rift is still there, but so also are the dread elves that guard it. But that's not all, the dread elves have an army, an army of metal men, tall and strong, they still stand as a wall around the perimeter of the ruins of the old Gnome city, in the centre of which is the dread elven city and the Rift. None may enter that way, they will not allow it. Any approach is immediately met with aggression. Only the dread elves live within, only they may leave the city and return. We have kept a watch from a safe distance, we have seen them occasionally leaving and entering many times these past years." He was silent for a minute before he said, "that is not all. As I alluded to before, another elven army is present in the region; these are not dread elves for these elven soldiers attack the dread elves whenever they come across them. No, these elves are from someplace else, yet they are just as dangerous, just as angry; they too are filled with evil thoughts and desires. Yet they are at war with the dread elves, they keep separate, remain hidden. We have not only to contend with the dread elves but also we are attacked from time to time by these others, for they will not suffer us to come near to their encampment, just as the dread elves also guard their city. This is perhaps the other reason I came here, to try and find out the nature of these other elves, for my people are few and the elves are many. We cannot fight such strength of warriors on two fronts."

All fell silent for a while. Then Solvienne spoke, "the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, the dread elves as you call them, they have been there, in the ancient city of the Pnook people for many ages. This is nothing new, they will continue to stay there until perhaps they grow strong again and feel able to strike out once more at the world. That is their one desire, we know this. They wish domination over the world and all peoples. Nothing has happened to change that as far as I can tell. But now you speak of others? I do not know who these may be, I can only assume that they have been sent there by someone to contain the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, even harass them. But what I don't understand is their behavior towards your people Alonso. It is not our way to attack innocent parties, unless attacked first of course. I would like to think this T'Iea force to be part of a plan made by their superiors in Ter'Hadsnefel, yet my heart tells me to expect deep sorrow, for no good can explain the acts of these other T'Iea."

Alonso again spoke, "you are right mistress Solvienne, this is true, long have my people stood guard and watched. We have suffered in this task, many battles have been fought with the dread elves. But now we are weakening, we are fewer in number, we have lost our Taekla for she also fell into the Rift and was lost. Yet if what has been said is true, that she still lives, then perhaps there is hope yet."

Nar'Allia remembered the old human mage, Deanola, who she had met amongst the men in the east. She was a powerful mage, actually trained by the elves she had claimed. But who had trained her Nar'Allia did not know, certainly not the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, why would they train an enemy in such destructive power. Yet Deanola also had told of other elves in the region, just as Alonso had just admitted. Nar'Allia suddenly had a shocked thought. Was there a link here? But the likely hood of discovering an answer had most probably fallen into the Rift along with the human mage. It was Deanola, who being faced with defeat had run at Minervar and pushed her over the edge into the Rift. Nar'Allia spoke. "How could we forget Alonso, Deanola's skill and bravery were second to none. But also remember that the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran are perhaps leaderless now, for in removing Minervar from their presence we also removed their leader, their Gatekeeper." Nar'Allia turned from Alonso and holding Thorandill's hand she said, "I'm sorry Thor, I feel it would be futile for you to go alone into the east to the Rift. Forces are at work there that we do not fully understand. You have heard as much. Alone you could do little. Alone this would be futile."

Up until now Solin had remained silent, she just listened to what was being said. But now she spoke and all listened, for the tone and pitch of her voice had authority and carried weight in their ears and in their hearts. "With respect to master Alonso, it does not sound although his people have the strength to mount an assault the size of which would be necessary to achieve this goal. Even though I suspect that they would willingly try."

They all remained silent looking at Solin as if they expected her to say more.

She did so, "Master Alonso and I spoke at great length, he revealed many things to me. His people live in fear for dark threats lie over them, threats that could destroy them completely should any decide to take such action. Like Solvi, I fear the new threat concerning the T'Iea army that are in the east. I am loathed to speak of it for the ramifications of what Alonso has just said fills me with dread and I would prefer to keep my silence at least for the time being until I have made some enquiries elsewhere, for that of which Alonso speaks raises many questions in my mind and each requires an answer." She was silent for a moment, then the tone of her voice changed as she said, "I would like to suggest something. I agree that we, or some of us should go east back to the Rift. But not necessarily only in the hope that answers to Minervar's disappearance will become clear. We know the Rift forms a kind of gateway, a highway to another place or maybe to many such places, Seri as good as told us this. No, there is another reason to go there, we must aid master Alonso's people; we must add to their number and share the burden of defending the world against the power of the Rift and the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran who seek to control that power for evil. But also to prepare for this new threat, which may well prove to be greater than those of which we already know. There is one other consideration, there remains the question of the Leviathan machine, the one that JDC the Pnook controls. If he still has control of the machine and the soldiers within it, it may prove a great aid in breaching the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran defences and may also dissuade any other T'Iea force from showing any aggression in the area." She turned to look at Thorandill, "Thor, you are a soldier, I would like to suggest that you lead a force east with the express orders to undertake that which I have just suggested. Identify this other T'Iea army, try and understand what they intend and who they hold allegiance to."

Thorandill went to speak. But Solin held up her hand, "let me finish if you would. I understand that to persuade your commanders to release such a force may be difficult, I understand that they will have other orders to fulfil. I also understand that you are still in training shall we say. However, I am going to suggest that you Thor, and myself, travel to Ter'Hadsnefel, to the headquarters of the Legions of the Wind. I have a few old contacts there and as long as I have an ear or two I still may have some small influence. Some in the city may yet hear us out. I have not been back to my home city in many and age, but I still maintain some correspondence with some old friends who remain in the city."

Thorandill was about to say that to travel to Ter'Hadsnefel would take many days and would be very tiring.

But before he could utter his concerns, Solin said, "Oh, don't look at me in that way Thor, there is life left in me yet, I can march along with the best of you. Of that you can be sure. Just remember young man, looks aren't everything eh?"

"But what will the rest of us do, it may take months to organise a force, even if you are able to persuade the military to send one," responded Solvienne.

Solin retorted, "I suggest you Solvienne, return to Amentura, take Nar'Allia with you if you wish. If the keeper, master Amndo, spends time there on occasions; he may be useful in divulging the possible whereabouts of JDC and the Leviathan. Whilst you wait for him to appear I am sure that the book shelves in the library may reveal other answers to some of our questions." She also stared hard at Nar'Allia as if willing her to agree, she winked at Nar'Allia when no one else was watching.

So there it was then. Nar'Allia was thinking. Solin had acted once more, directed their lives. Yes it was only a suggestion, but she knew that what Solin had said would come to pass. They would agree with it. As in the past the elderly academic was guiding them as if she had already planned it.

Lo'Rosse was looking at Nar'Allia as she stared hard at Solin; he looked slightly uncomfortable as he said, "I'm not so sure that Nar'Allia should go, what about D'Irune?"

"If you worry about your being left behind again Lo'Rosse, why don't you also go and take your young son with you?" Suggested Solin.

Nar'Allia heard the words, but there was something about the tone of her voice and the look on her face that suggested this was a suggestion she didn't really mean.

Lo'Rosse, frowned, he did remember the last time that Nar'Allia had left him, she was gone for a long time and he did not relish a repeat of that situation. Especially as he suspected that as before his wife may end up traveling the world without him by her side. Especially if she managed to locate the Leviathan machine. He knew she had flown extensively in the machine before, travelled more than half way around the world searching for her lost stepmother. He also knew though she was more than capable of looking after herself, but he wanted to share whatever burdens she may end up carrying. Yet something else held him back from voicing his concerns, some old thought, a warning perhaps.

Solvienne was looking at Thor, she saw something there in his face, she waited for him to speak, but to her surprise he did not. So turning back to Solin she said, "but I have spent much time going through the library Solin, I have not found any references to the Rift, or to anything else that may help in this endeavor."

Solin smiled, she reached up to her collar and placing her fingers inside the material round her neck she slowly drew something, a fine gold chain. She pulled gently on the chain and out from around her neck she produced a small metal disk hanging by a clasp.

They all stood silent, each looking at the thing that Solin had produced. She undid the clasp and the small disk dropped into her hand. She held her hand palm up and extended it so all could see what lay there. "This, may help," she said.

Nar'Allia gasped. She had seen such an item once before, once many years ago, in Solin's house in Amentura, she could not take her eyes from the small dark disk, for plainly there upon it was depicted a face. Two slit eyes and a slit mouth. The design was unmistakable, for it was etched into her memory as if some fiery brand had been burnt there. "That is a Dolan Solin! Where did you get it?"

"I have kept it for many years my child," was the response.

Nar'Allia stood, something akin to anger was rising in her breast. All her suspicions over Solin suddenly burst forth, overflowed into sudden emotion. She swallowed hard and with clenched fists she said, "it was a similar thing that was linked with this whole business, I found a Dolan like that in your house in Amentura, what are you doing with one also?" She pointed her finger directly at Solin in an accusing manner.

Solin replied with a tone of great authority. "Please Nar'Allia let me explain. I know it seems like my involvement may have taken a sinister turn, but I assure you that is not the case. Please allow me to talk before you judge me."

Solvienne came to stand by Nar'Allia; she laid a hand upon her shoulder willing her to sit once more. Nar'Allia was breathing heavily, fire shone in her eyes, but the touch of Solvienne's hand upon her shoulder seemed to calm her. However, she refused to sit, she remained staring hard into Solin's eyes.

Solin returned the stare unflinching. Then she explained in her normal tone of voice. "You know both Serinae and I lived for many years in my house in Amentura. You also know perhaps that for a period the thief Tezrin also stayed there?"

Nar'Allia knew this, Minervar had told her the tale long ago, how Solin had met Serinae, how Serinae was betrothed to Tezrin the thief. But he had been courted by the evil of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and had joined with them, for in his mind they offered a solution to satisfying his ambitions. By all accounts Solin had not trusted him, she knew something of his character perhaps and understood he would betray both Serinae and her in the end. She also knew that Serinae loved Tezrin with all her heart, continued to love him even after she had killed him with her own arrow. Killed him to save Minervar and as she had said, to save him from himself.

Solin continued, "well both Serinae and myself had one each of these Dolans, call them keys if you like for they can be imbued with arcane energy of a type that will allow access to somewhere, or not as the case may be. I have long had this one, it is the key to a secret place in which I keep some ..... things, let's call these things sensitive items shall we?"

Nar'Allia then spoke, "but the other was in the hidden cupboard in Serinae's old rooms in Amentura. It was that Dolan that I have long suspected was linked to Minervar's disappearance."

"No. Nar'Allia, the Dolan was not to blame. That is perhaps a coincidence. That Dolan must have been the one that belonged to Serinae, although I could not say for sure. I did not know where she kept it hidden, although now I realise it was within that small cupboard that Minervar opened. Serinae's Dolan could only have been used by her, like me she would have used it to secure whatever she wanted to hide from all others."

Nar'Allia still felt uneasy about this conversation and the part Solin seemed to be playing, so she pointedly asked. "But Solin, Serinae's Dolan we took to the rust desert, it drained the cistern and allowed us access into the lair of the leviathan. Was this the secret place that Serinae and you perhaps had imbued it to open?"

"No, no, Nar'Allia. You must realise, these Dolan's were acquired by myself many years ago. To me they were just historic trinkets, I never knew what their original use was. Let me explain. I confess I was investigating the rumours of the city beneath the sands of the Rust Desert; it was one of the first ever investigations I made. As part of my preliminary investigations I used to seek audiences regularly with the Pnook that flew into Amentura from from their city of Scienocropolis in the Rust desert. I persuaded some of the Pnook merchants to bring with them anything of interest that they may acquire. On one occasion one of these Pnook offered me some artefacts he said would prove the existence of the city beneath the desert sands. These Dolans were part of the collection of artefacts that he had, but he knew not what they did, or what any of the other artefacts where. A paid a pretty price for them all. It was always my intention Narny to travel to the Rust Desert and try and find out what relevance these items had. But I never made that journey, other things got in the way. I never found out Nar'Allia, it was as much as a surprise to me as it was to you what Serinae's Dolan actually allowed access to. Please believe me.

Nar'Allia sat and lowered her eyes to her hands clasped upon her knees.

Solin continued in a much more relaxed tone of voice. "Following the Ognod wars and in the aftermath of the chaos, I was tasked with trying to find out why and what had happened to the Ognod threat. I was ordered to do this by my masters. It was on one such journey that I had met Serinae. At that time she was on secondment to the Grûndén undertaking a similar task acting for them under orders from the ranger guilds. Well, it was many years until I started to think about the Dolans once more.

When we were safely back in Amentura, I discovered the properties that the Dolans possessed quite by accident. I found they could be attuned, manipulated if you will to react to a certain arcane locking mechanisms. So I experimented with one of them, I changed the character of one of it; I adapted it for personal reasons. It did not occur to me that these things might already contain the imprint to unlock certain other 'things'. I was pleased with my success, so I gave one, unchanged I might add, to Serinae for safe keeping, telling her that if she ever found a use for it I would gladly adapt it for that use. But she never asked. As to their true use, that was not discovered until you took the one belonging to Serinae back into the desert. Perhaps by good fortune she never asked me to change it, thus it still held the original unlocking code for the cistern as you call it."

Nar'Allia was wondering something, she asked the question, "so Serinae never used it then, she presumably just kept it safely locked away in that little secret cupboard?"

Solin replied, "quite so my child. I suspect she may not have used it for anything as far as I know, as I said we never discussed it. But this was the whole purpose of the Dolan's we kept, to keep secure that which we held most precious, or most dangerous. We both agreed we would not divulge to anyone the form or the whereabouts of these places or their contents. Not even to each other."

Something else occurred to Nar'Allia, "the Dolan, Serinae's Dolan it may have been used once before to gain access to the military facility that lay below the sands of the Rust Desert. For when we were there we found gruesome evidence that T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had been there before and stolen a Leviathan battle cruiser."

At this Solin remained deep in thought, a deep frown upon her features, before she continued. "I do concede that the pretender Tezrin may have taken possession of Serinae's Dolan, whether with her knowledge or in secret I do not know. It is conceivable he may have used it for his own secret purposes." Here she sighed and looking at Nar'Allia said, "but I doubt it. You see Nar'Allia and it pains me to tell you this, but Tezrin also had his own Dolan. Perhaps even he may have suspected what it actually did and used it."

"Nar'Allia was shocked. "You had three? You gave one to Tezrin also?"

"I had to, I didn't want him to have a reason to steal mine or Serinae's, and at the time I didn't know what they were, none of us did, as far as I knew they were just some old artefact and as I had three well, to keep the peace, I gave one to each of them and made a joke that they would connect us as a three, as comrades in a Trete'Y'Thego. Silly I know, but I wanted to keep Tezrin's trust. I knew Tezrin didn't trust me and I must admit I was beginning to have doubts about him, but he was linked emotionally to Serinae and I did not want to risk alienating her."

Nar'Allia nodded, she had a sudden thought, "by the Maker Solin, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran got there before us, in the Rust Desert I mean, they had already gained access to the cistern and stolen a Leviathan machine some years before we obtained one. They must have had Tezrin's Dolan. Perhaps even Tezrin himself was there in the rust desert, he was the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran Gatekeeper after all. But how did they know? From what I understand of the story told by the human nomads the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran seemed to know exactly what they were doing."

Solin nodded her head in agreement. "I think that is a worthwhile assumption Narny, sadly I think you are most probably correct. As to how they gained such knowledge, that I'm afraid I do not know. I can only think that they had access to something or someone who knew of these things. I have thought about this many times over the years, but a solution does not present itself, I find I can not place any suspicions in any direction. Tezrin was good at keeping secrets."

Solvienne asked, "so Solin, I assume by giving me your Dolan, I am to travel to Amentura? You will of course need to tell me where in the house the secret place it unlocks is?"

Solin smiled and gesturing to Solvienne gave the Dolan to her, she sighed as if a great weight had been lifted from her mind. "I will not utter instructions here, but when you get there, to the house, speak with Jonas, he will be able to help I am sure."

Discussions went on late into the night. These stopped for various domestic reasons and people came and went as the mood or necessity took them. But they had all agreed that the tasks ahead would require each of them to play a part if they were to have a chance of being successful. Both Lo'Rosse and Nar'Allia agreed though that their son should not go, so they went to see Lo'Rosse's family, they were hoping that they would understand and agree to look after D'Irune. They took some persuading, but they had looked after the young T'Iea boy from time to time and when Nar'Allia offered the prospect of a holiday in a T'Iea coastal town where Minervar had relations, little D'Irune kicked up such a fuss about wanting to go that Lo'Rosse's parents agreed that they would take him. Nar'Allia wrote them a letter of introduction, not that she believed she needed to, for her uncle Tear'E and aunt U'Sule who lived in the beautiful little fishing village of R'ealto'Noac'Trado where the friendliest and most hospitable couple she knew. But something pulled at Nar'Allia's conscience; she didn't like the idea of both of them being parted from their young son. It would be unfair if both of them did not return to him. She understood only too well what it was like to lose one parent at a young age, but to lose both she found to be an unbearable thought. But she said nothing, she did not want to cause an argument here in the presence of Lo'Rosse's family, so she did her best to push the thought from her mind and seem enthusiastic about the proposed holiday by the sea.

It was decided that Solin and Thorandill would indeed go to the high elf city of Ter'Hadsnefel. The oldest and grandest of all T'Iea cities in the world. The city was north and probably at least a week's journey on foot. Thorandill once more expressed concerns about Solin's age and whether or not she would be able to make the journey. Solin's reply was that she may look more 'mature' than he, but that did not stop her being fit and agile, she had after all walked from Amentura to the T'Iea village where she now lived. He was tempted to remind her that was some time ago, but he bit his tongue. She assured him that Ter'Hadsnefel, although further, would not be an issue for her. In any case she was quite looking forward to seeing the city and some old acquaintances once again and said that this incentive would help drive her to walk the distance.

Solvienne was to go back to Amentura, she had been custodian of the house there for a number of years, she had agreed to take on the responsibility. She also knew the town and its inhabitants as well as the house. She was also very curious to find out from Jonas where the secret place may be that the Dolan would unlock, Solin remained adamant not to tell them anything further. But it was agreed Nar'Allia and Lo'Rosse would accompany Solvienne to Amentura and decide from there what would happen next.

Only Alonso it seemed was to travel alone. He wished to return to his people in the east for he greatly feared for their security. He had been away for some months and was anxious to return. He wanted to let them know that their leader, their Taekla, the old mage Deanola yet lived. He was old and weary, but he was also now well rested after staying with the T'Iea, his various aches and pains and sores had all healed and he felt more able to make the return journey. In any event when travelling as his shade, a wolf, he could still cover much ground rapidly, far quicker than any human or T'Iea could manage

One other thing was discussed. Something that may prove necessary if the fierce battles that were to be expected raged at any time. They had briefly mentioned concerns for the Pnook JDC. He had commanded the Leviathan war machine, the great battle cruiser that they had recovered from the military facility beneath the Rust Desert during the ill-fated trip to find and rescue Minervar. The great battle machine had untold power in weaponry and other offensive capabilities. It also carried on board an army of metal warriors, the Startmektoken soldiers. The same as that which made up the ever watchful and never sleeping cordon around the Rift and the dark eleven domain. It was agreed that if they were to have a chance on penetrating the cordon of Startmektoken then the Leviathan would be an invaluable tool in aiding them. But Nar'Allia reiterated once again there in lay a problem for no one knew where JDC and the Leviathan may be found. After he had returned them home, he had left with the keeper Amndo, neither of them suggesting where it was they intended to go. They had two possible chances of finding the machine. By either finding JDC which was unlikely, or finding master Amndo, who had seen JDC last. Amndo was known to have frequented the house in Amentura, at least he had in the past spent a great deal of time there. However with some sadness Solvienne reported that she had never seen anyone that fitted Amndo's description in Amentura, at least not whilst she had been there.

Nar'Allia's mind drifted away from the conversations, there was something else that nagged at her. She knew what lay ahead was dangerous and she felt it only right that she place herself alone into such danger. She knew that Lo'Rosse would go anywhere with her, knew he wouldn't think twice about placing himself in danger, she would do the same if the roles were reversed. She knew first-hand what it was like to undertake such tasks as she was about to do, she knew what was needed to look after her own safety, let alone worry about someone else as well, someone who was close to her and demanded an additional emotional attachment. She didn't want that extra responsibility. But how was she going to explain this to Lo'Rosse, he wouldn't take it well of that she was sure. She had already left him behind once; it was unlikely he was going to accept her going away alone a second time.

## Chapter 7. The day of Departure.

It was late, but Nar'Allia was wide awake, she felt the sleeping form of her husband beside her, felt the warmth both physical and spiritual that bonded them together. She had been thinking hard and the results of her thoughts were that she was about to sorely test that bonding relationship. Perhaps she was going to ask the impossible of him. The last time this happened it was for her own selfish desire, she needed some time, some period of freedom, an opportunity to make up her mind. She needed time to discover herself, what she was really like. But there was no real obligation then; they were not married, not even in any formal relationship. So she had left. She had gone to Amentura at Solin's request. A short holiday Minervar had called it. She sighed, some holiday, for that vacation had resulted in her being catapulted into a series of events many of which still shaped her life today.

Now she was about to embark upon another adventure, setting out once again into the unknown. This time however, it was not so much a voyage to discover herself, no, this time it was something that she needed to do. A self-imposed obligation she needed to complete. Yet her responsibilities had changed now. She could no longer selfishly make decisions about herself. Others were now involved with her, others that had a right to say what happened to her and what she did. She felt guilty for if she had Lo'Rosse with her and therefore that additional person to worry about, she may fail, he may form too much of a barrier to her doing what she should when the time came, influencing critical decisions that would be easier made on her own. The only thing was she didn't know how to break this difficult news to Lo'Rosse. They hadn't even discussed it yet, even though they both knew that their lives were about to be changed, probably for ever.

Lo'Rosse stirred restlessly in his sleep. Nar'Allia turned to face him and placed a hand upon his shoulder. He groaned in contentment and took in a sighing breath.

After a few minutes and to her surprise he said, "you are going alone aren't you?"

Nar'Allia was shocked by the words. "I, I thought you were asleep." Nar'Allia replied trying to sound sleepy. She immediately felt a pang of guilt. Who was she trying to fool? Lo'Rosse knew her better than anyone, it was futile trying to lessen the blow to come.

"Just dozing." Was the reply.

There followed a soft rustling of sheets as he also turned over so that she knew he faced her in the dark. She felt the warmth of his breath across her face.

"Well Narny, I was waiting for you to tell me that you wanted me to stay and look after D'Irune. That is what you want, that is what is upon your heart Narny, isn't it?"

Nar'Allia tried to think of something to say. She felt a little panicky, her first thoughts were to deny what Lo'Rosse had just suggested, but this would do no good, it would be a lie and that was not a path she wanted to set herself upon, not with him, her husband. Even if the intent was in kindness. She had to be true to herself, especially if she was going to be true to Lo'Rosse. Her resolve returned. "I need to do this Lo'Rosse, I need to find Minervar, I must take up that mantle once again. I have to complete this task for good or for bad. I have already become too far embroiled in its grasp, if there is hope, then I will take it up once more and replay my part." She stroked his hair. "I am truly sorry, I have tried to forget, tried to dismiss this thing. I have sort to bury it deep within me, foolishly thought it forgotten. But these last hours have brought it all back." She sighed and sat up her arms drawn around her raised knees. "I have been a fool Lo'Rosse, a fool to try and think my life was complete. For I know that until I have seen this thing through to the end, it will always be there within me." She sighed, turned onto her back and said, "I must end it."

Lo'Rosse rose up upon one elbow and gently stroked her back. "Yes Narny I know. I have always known. I knew it before we were married, I knew it when we were wed. I have long suspected that before our years were very many you would go. Once again you would leave to fulfil what has been worrying you for so long." Then with a slightly sterner edge to his voice he continued, "I am not a fool Narny. I know you well, I also know I have been missing a part of you all this time. But I have been content to live with that, to live without the part of you that you could not give to me, for I know you can give it to no one else, except perhaps to Minervar. I love you, always have. I love you even with some part of you missing, the part you keep hidden from me. I have long been resolved to support you in any way I can."

He stroked her cheek, "I will look for the day of your returning. While I wait upon that day, I will see your spirit reflected in the eyes of our son, I will see your smile upon his lips and I will feel your breath of life within the rise and fall of his breast. I will be content Narny with these simple things for as long as it takes, for as long as you need to take. For I will have you returned whole."

Nar'Allia lay back down facing him. She grasped his hand to her lips and nodded her head; a tear fell from her cheek onto the cotton pillow. She tried to speak but the lump that had formed in her throat would not allow the passage of any words. She wondered what she had done to deserve this man, wondered at the love he had for her, was ashamed that she perhaps had not reciprocated that love in return. But of course he was right. Lo'Rosse had voiced something that she could not. She had always struggled, knowing that part of her remained closed to him, buried as deep as she could get it, shut away out of sight. That part of her wasn't even truly hers, it belonged elsewhere to another time, belonged to a different Nar'Allia. She understood then how Lo'Rosse's greatest wish was for her to be released from that hidden thing, he would even risk her not coming back, all so that she could be free of this burden, and hopefully he could have her returned as she should be. He loved her enough to allow her all that. It was a humbling thought.

It must be a terrible thing he had to contend with, even compete with, yet he had endured it. Perhaps a lesser person would have given up the fight of trying to live with that fact. But Lo'Rosse had lived with it, he had put up with it, even embraced it. It was this acceptance that was now willing to allow her the time and space she needed to address it in the hope that she would return, but this time be whole in herself and for him, no longer divided.

"I do not deserve you Lo'Rosse," was all she could say in a faltering voice.

Then as if he had read her thoughts he moved forward and kissed her brow. He then said. "There is but one demand I place upon you Narny, but I will not ask you to promise this thing, for I know that you cannot do so, however much you may wish it. But this one demand as a husband and as a friend is what I place upon you." He faced her on the pillow and ran a hand down her tear stained cheek drying the wetness that was there. "I will only ask that you hold us in your thoughts, remember us for what we are and what we mean to each other. I wish you to return, return to me and to D'Irune. But you must return with all of you, complete and whole, even that part of you that has remained hidden from me for so long." His voice faltered a little then became firm, she detected some slight anger in his voice as he said, "leave it somewhere Narny, out there in the wild, forsake it and cast it forth, then we may start a new chapter in our lives."

They wrapped their arms around each other like lovers that knew they must be parted come the first light of day, trying to extend time and their embrace for as long as possible.

So it was they all gathered in the morning at the foot of the ramp that led to Nar'Allia's home to say their farewells.

Solvienne, dressed as she had been on her arrival a few days before, held D'Irune in her arms making him laugh and giggle. She walked across to Lo'Rosse and handed his son to him. Then she kissed Lo'Rosse with a slightly sorrowful but knowing expression, he in turn just smiled at her.

Thor stood by the side of Solin as if he had already started his mission to be her protector and guide.

Solin herself glanced around at the assembled group smiling and giggling to herself as if she were a little girl again, full of excitement, about to embark upon some great adventure. She wore an old travelling cloak of expensive looking material and had a gnarled staff in her hand made of some dark wood.

Alonso leant heavily upon his own wooden staff. He was the first to depart; he sensed a feeling that he should leave this family to say their farewells. So with a nod to each of them he stood straight. The air shimmered about him for s second or two and there stood the old grey wolf once more. Nar'Allia couldn't help but stroke him gently upon the head, the wolf's sharp eyes stared at her and then lowered to the ground as if in respectful acknowledgement. Then he turned and after shaking his fir trotted off down the ramp that joined the village to the ground and into the trees and was gone.

Nar'Allia watched until the wolf disappeared from view before she sighed and turned. She had dressed once more in the exquisite Grûndén chain mail that Serinae once wore; she also had the two short swords and bracers the ranger also once wielded. The mysterious old quiver she had clipped to her belt. But now ethereal arrows were indeed set within, it was difficult to see how many for they seemed to flow around and past each other. She fingered the long bow she held ready to hang across her back. But her thoughts were of another weapon. A black T'Iea long bow, a war bow, covered in ancient runes, the weapon she had lost many years ago to the person that she hoped still grasped that bow. She shook her head as if coming out of a dream, as she looked around her she was held by Solin's piercing gaze, the elderly elf smiled a knowing smile and nodded her head slightly as if she understood something or was giving her consent to something unvoiced. Nar'Allia looked down feeling slightly embraced by Solin's fixed gaze.

The elderly woman took up Thor's left hand in both of hers as she said, "come Thor, we have a ways to travel and I am looking forward to having many a chat with you along the way. She then grasped his arm tightly and turning him away they walked in the direction of the ramp and reaching the bottom took another route out of the village along the old forest road. As they went Nar'Allia just heard Solin say, "did I ever tell you the story of ........"

But Solin's final words were lost to her. Nar'Allia turned, dreading what she must do next. She walked to Lo'Rosse and D'Irune, she hugged them both.

Lo'Rosse smiled at her, he said with a resigned smile, "I feel like I should have broken my leg or something."

Nar'Allia couldn't help but shake her head and smile; she hugged him tighter and kissed their son. Now it came to it she didn't want to leave, a feeling of panic rose within her. But she steadied her resolve; it would not do to show doubt now. So turning she walked to where Solvienne waited and they left on the well known way back to Amentura. Nar'Allia was thinking unvoiced thoughts of the familiar way to the town, but she also thought of whatever lay ahead of them, beyond Amentura. She knew that much would happen before she returned to her home and to those she loved.

If she returned.

~

There is an old T'Iea song for farewells, the chorus is thus:

Depart we must, reunite left to trust.  
Your face to recall, but in memory befall.  
Wherever you fare, still pain shall I bear,  
'Till back once more in your presence I fair.  
Return to me. Return to me.  
Return to me. Return to me.  
Only then shall I be as complete.

## Chapter 8. The City of the Ancient Fathers

Serinae had left the Halls of Truth. She now walked along the streets of the city. At least she liked to think of the place as a city of sorts. She strode once more through the thoroughfares of At'Lan'T'Ys as she had done many times before. She had discovered the name of this place when she had first arrived for the T'Iea word At'Lan'T'Ys appeared upon all the books, and other things belonging to this city. At'Lan'T'Ys, meant many things depending on the context of the sentence – learning or understanding, but here she took it to mean 'truth' or 'enlightenment'. She had certainly been enlightened here, but at the same time alienated, for she knew this to be place of isolation for no roads or rivers ran into the city from any lands beyond, no well-worn route carrying travelers and merchants hither and thither as you normally might find in a thriving city. This was a city alone, without any country or dominions, no traveler came here. She was the only visitor, quite why she should hold that special status she was still not quite sure of.

But someone had lived here, many people in fact, for just as you would expect with any city many buildings stood either side of the streets. They were all uniform white, most just a single story tall. Quite utilitarian for they looked functional, without much artistic embellishment to her T'Iea eyes. But she also knew that beyond this section lay another area where the houses were of distinctly T'Iea design. She still found it hard to believe that her ancestors lived and worked in this place. But how? Why? That information remained allusive.

She had been into many of these buildings all over the city, exploring each to see what may be within. All of them were empty as if the inhabitants had fled, no, not fled for everything was gone, all personal effects including furniture and other chattels, so it must have been a planned abandonment over a period of time.

As she walked she thought about immediate surroundings. The architect of this part of the city had tried to make the place look homely, but at the same time had left out all the added trimmings and extras that you would expect to find derived from the culture that once lived here. No statues celebrating past events, not a single flower or tree to brighten the space or to remind her of her own culture. She knew this because she had walked the length and breadth of the city. She knew that the city was bound on all sides by a transparent wall of crystal, or perhaps it was glass, it sloped up and over the place. From what she could see looking over the edge, this wall also extended below. The city seemed to be enclosed within a vast transparent sphere. Nothing could be seen the other side of the glass, whatever lay there lay in complete darkness. Occasionally if she watched for long enough she glimpsed flashes of light, far off in the distance, they looked like bolts of lightning snaking across the sky many miles away. It was as if a violent electric storm raged across the vastness of some ocean, or across the other side of a great plain, but no clap of thunder or anything other sound could be heard through the thick transparent wall. Sometimes if she was looking in the right direction she could make out things illuminated in the brief flashes, vast things out there beyond her glass bubble. What these were she didn't know, they were only illuminated for a brief fraction of a second. She felt glad though that she was protected from whatever vastness lay beyond the glass, for she imagined it as some enormous brooding, incomprehensible presence.

When she had first arrived, she had been in abject wonder at the place. But now that initial awe had waned somewhat over the years. Was it years? She did not know, but then time has little relevance to the T'Iea. She wondered as she walked if a similar period had passed outside, beyond this place, back in the world of men, the world from which she had come. It was all so deceptive, being cocooned within this city, remote from everywhere else. This time however, as she walked, she felt a pang of regret that she would, if all went well, be leaving this place. Leaving At'Lan'T'Ys, the city of the ancient fathers, the place that had after their invitation become her home.

Yes, she had been invited here, although she did not know it at first. Naively perhaps she had thought all those long years ago that she was going to a more spiritual place, maybe even into the halls of Eny'Nin'Rel himself, seeking respite and rest from a life of turmoil. But now she understood that particular dream to have been too much to hope for. At'Lan'T'Ys was plainly not the house of Eny'Nin'Rel. To reach those halls another type of journey would have to be made, a more fateful journey in all senses of the word.

But she had not died; she was still very much alive. It was true though, this place was so easy to live in, so un-demanding of her, here she could live in solitude and grow lazy without a care or a single stressful thought. No one asked anything of her, no masters demanded her duty, no threat loomed, nothing tried to injure or harass her and she didn't have to fight or raise the slightest hint of anger against anyone, well almost, for she had to admit to having shown frustration at times. The city looked after her every need, maintained her, ensured her very survival. Yet it also controlled her, or at least controlled what she could and could not do.

She knew this place belonged to the ancient fathers, well what was left of them. She wanted to know what relationship her people had with them but that knowledge also seemed to be beyond her discovery. The ancient fathers called themselves the first born, the first of Eny'Nin'Rel's created beings. She didn't argue this fact, it may have been true for all she knew. It did not matter. What did matter was the advanced knowledge freely available to her within this place. That knowledge and teaching was of far greater value than anything else she had ever known. She thanked Eny'Nin'Rel, the Maker, that she had gained a rudimentary understanding of the written language of the ancient fathers whilst living in Solin's house in Amentura, for that knowledge had helped her greatly.

Some of the concepts of that knowledge were far beyond her comprehension, for even though she could translate the texts she did not possess the necessary background knowledge, the necessary education to enable her to grasp many of the concepts that were written there. She would perhaps never understand it, unless perhaps she did one day pass into the halls of Eny'Nin'Rel where all knowledge would be made available, all questions answered and all suspicions and doubts be reduced to naught. For there and only there, would all of his beloved children realise the enlightenment of true knowledge and be made like him, like Eny'Nin'Rel himself.

But the main thing was that this place and the knowledge it held opened another opportunity for her. She had found a way to save them, to save them all. She hoped she could do it, save her race and reunite them. For that would be a worthy use of the ancient father's legacy. She was almost ready, a bit more understanding a bit more knowledge and she was sure that her plan would work.

She chuckled to herself thinking how Solin would have loved to have had the opportunity to come here, Serinae's academic friend would have reveled in this place. Serinae looked around her at the great city as she walked. There were faster ways to get around the place, a matrix of portals that gave instantaneous travel, but she preferred to walk. Walking allowed her to wonder at the place she was in and to think. This must have once been a bustling place; it was a beacon to the learning and capability of the ancient fathers, a window into their world.

Many must have lived here at one time, many thousands she supposed, but where had they all gone? What had happened to them? Her people now lived in the world of men, why didn't the ancient fathers also come to do the same. Perhaps they were all dead, perhaps their demise was the reason that her people abandoned this place. The ancient fathers culture was quite obviously, well ancient. In the many millions of years it had taken to develop, it had reached dizzying heights of perfection. Yet for all their knowledge and understanding, for all their discoveries, nothing had saved them in the end. Perhaps they had succumbed to the mundane, played out the disastrous results of their mistakes and paid the ultimate price. Why did they abandon this place, leave it to their ghosts as men would call them. Yet their technology and purpose lived on and they lived on through it. Their great technologies kept their race alive, but only as memories, as captive recordings of individuals. Yes the machinery could make choices, even deliver its intellectual thoughts and decisions through its projected images, but for all its wonder and unimaginable power of memory it could do nothing more. It was missing one small but incredibly important component, the spark of life. It existed, but it had never lived.

As she walked Serinae's mind went back over what she had read in the library in the Hall of Truths, one of the first things she had read once she had arrived here from the machine hall all those years ago. The ancient fathers had the knowledge to travel anywhere in the galaxy using such places as this, for this place was in fact an enormous machine, one designed to traverse great distances across the outer voids. It was nothing for this great machine to travel between the stars themselves, that was why Serinae thought of it as a Star Ship. This was one of the things she had at first found difficult to understand, the concept of distance and time was confusing to say the least. The distances between even the nearest solar neighbors was vast and the time to travel between them the equivalent of many lifetimes of even her people the T'Iea. But the ancient fathers had found out how to compress both time and space somehow. Her friend and appointed guide, the one called Melinè had persevered with her in these teachings, Serinae had tried to understand, but now she found that if she just accepted certain things, she could also accept that such things were possible. But then Serinae had always been good at faith.

Melinè had shown her how the ancient fathers had created a matrix of mapping beacons clear across the galaxy. The great machine that she and Minervar and their companions of old had made right again was but one of many thousands, millions maybe that spanned across the outer voids of the galaxy and beyond. The great machine had no name but an identifier, a number, AE45vbED56/203456, the unilateral code that it was known by. Melinè had tried to explain the significance of the coding system, but Serinae had stopped her quickly for it was complex and beyond her understanding and also had no real relevance to what Serinae needed to know. But that was half the problem of learning here, it had taken a long time for Serinae to get used to the willingness of the ancient fathers to divulge certain aspects of their knowledge and sometimes she had to be darn right rude just to get them to stop and try to maneuver them back upon the right track, answering the questions that she wanted answers to. But some of her questions like what had happened to the ancient fathers she could not get an answer to. However often she asked they would not give her a response, just like when she was about to overstep the mark whilst talking to Nar'Allia. Some secrets it seemed were destined to remain secret.

Some of these great works of technology had been built long before many of the solar systems had produced a void ball capable of sustaining life. The ancient fathers had come from beyond the galaxy, from somewhere way beyond in the infinite space that comprised the greater universe. The matrix of machines they had built enabled them to travel relatively quickly from one part of the galaxy to another. They did this in these great flying craft, great Star Ships. Vessels that held whole city sized communities of peoples. Places like this one where Serinae now found herself. Serinae still had some difficulty thinking of this place as a vast craft, a ship for sailing across the vast areas of the outer voids. Serinae had not believed it at first, her mind found it difficult to comprehend. But the longer she was here, the more she read and discovered, all this only went to prove that this place was truly a vast Interstellar Star Ship. Her bubble of At'Lan'T'Ys, this city, large as it was, was but a small part of the overall Star Ship. Exactly where At'Lan'T'Ys was within the Star Ship and what it once did was lost to her, she did not like to think about the rest of the vastness contained without, or was it within?

She remembered the book she read that gave her the final piece of the puzzle. From this book she had learned that before the matrix of navigational beacon machines had been created, travel was much slower. Much more arduous. Somehow the ancient fathers had learnt that the great force, the common energy in the universe could be harnessed, or at least borrowed in some way to facilitate travel across great distances. Serinae did not fully understand the complex science of physics that governed this force, neither did she fully understand how it was harnessed and made to work in the way that the ancient fathers used it. But this did not frustrate her, for all she needed to understand was that this great force, the force of gravity was the key, it held everything together, it joined everything together. It was the tiny, almost immeasurably small force that resided within and affected everything. Yet where it was but a miniscule energy within small things, when associated with large objects it became a powerful indestructible almost terrifying force. Gravity was limitless, nothing could generate it, nothing could destroy it, it was just there, present in just about everything in one form or another. A force, a source of energy, perhaps from the Maker himself, possibly the spark, the very essence of the beginning of time and space. Her people the T'Iea called gravity the Arcane. They had a natural affinity with it, they could sense it and use it. Transform it into different types of energy. They could tap into its flow and bend it, direct it to their will.

But the ancient fathers had taken knowledge of the arcane to giddy heights. They had discovered the innermost secrets of gravity. They discovered how to really harness and use it. She now understood that if you were able to take a massive, immeasurably large object, in affect a massively abundant source of gravity and you were somehow able to compress that object into a much smaller space, then the original effective quantity of gravity remained as did the mass of the object even though it was now an infinitesimally small fraction of its original physical size. But the compression also focused the gravity, amplified it dramatically until it became an overwhelming concentrated force, a universe destroying, time stopping, time bending, irresistible source of energy. But in this state it also effectively changed the very fabric of the universe, bent both time and distance, joined places together, made faraway places accessible, made it possible to travel great distances in the blink of an eye.

To do this a special kind of physics was required, one that enabled the compression of such objects through linking the available space taken up by an object to another place in another time and space effectively creating a tunnel or a bridge between the two places. The links could be made using the navigational machines and travel was revolutionised. The scary part was that you needed a massively large force to contain the compressed energy which was potentially now in a very dangerous state with enough destructive power to destroy a solar system. She knew this because she had read about the gigantic engines that the ancient fathers built to contain these energies, they referred to them as 'Containment Field Generators'. That was one of the reasons these Star Ships were so large, they had to be, just to house these vast engines that contained the vastly compressed gravitational energies contained within them. The Dark Core is what the ancient fathers called these gravitational particles suspended in a contained and controllable state. The Dark Core was so strong, even light could not escape their infinite gravitational attraction and as such they reflected nothing, so appeared totally invisible. As such they would appear black, completely and utterly devoid of any light or anything else should you be able to actually see them.

She thought about these phenomena, the things the ancient fathers termed the Dark Core. She knew now that each Dark Core comprised of many trillions upon billions of tons of the same refined material as that of the keepers portal stones, the key stones they used as transportation devices. Only the ancient fathers somehow further compressed the material to a trillion-trillionth fraction of its original size but still maintained the original mass and therefore the same original amount of gravitational energy, the arcane energy. This immense concentration of energy was at the heart of their ability to travel the vast distances across time and the great outer void. It had the ability to bend the very nature of space and time. Not just 'real' space and 'real' time but also to bend them sufficiently in such a way so that they contacted with other dimensional space and time creating doorways or portals through which the great Star Ships could traverse. All the ancient fathers then needed was the knowledge and skill to channel that energy, control it and bend it to their will and requirement, once they also knew that the correct pathway had been established to where they desired to go. Hence the beacons.

To her utter surprise she had eventually discovered that is where the race of the T'Iea came in. She now knew that the ancient fathers had long since adapted the Dark Core and used it to power everything. The T'Iea had named it the D'Arcane'Juuone or 'the power within'. For out of all of them, her race, the T'Iea, understood the arcane, the raw power itself, and how to utilise its raw energy. She knew her race had this ability to bend the arcane to their will, but her experience was confined to more everyday applications, she never imagined the T'Iea would be able to do it on such a large scale, a scale required by the ancient fathers. She was proud that her race had this knowledge, yet she was also saddened that they had also learned how to misuse it.

Once the matrix of beacon machines had started to be built the ancient fathers utilised the ever expanding network for travel. They allied with another race, the race of the Keepers. The Keepers had a skill that no others possessed. They adjust time to their will. They could stretch or shrink these outer-worldly dimensions upon a whim. So as long as they could detect a beacon as a target, detect the presence of one of the great navigating machines via its unique code, a keeper on board one of the massive Interstellar Star Ships could adjust the time/distance and at the same time navigate to that destination. In conjunction with the T'Iea ability to manage the immense arcane power of the Dark Core, a journey that would have taken many thousands of years across the far reaches of the outer voids could now be made in just a few years or even months, depending on the skill of the those on board and the distance to the destination. The only governing factor was the stamina of the Keeper himself, for the concentration required to undertake such travel was taxing and if that concentration were broken it could render the great Star Ship forever lost in time and space.

She shivered, for once she had seen in a manual projected in the library a diagram of a Keeper controlling a Star Ship in this way. She had been shocked for the keeper seemed to be enclosed bodily in a cocoon of machinery, cables and pipes seemed to connect everywhere, even his face was obscured by a mask of wires and connections. His eyes covered, tubes seemed to enter his body through his nose and mouth, his arms and legs locked in restraining devices. They had devised a way of feeding the keeper and keeping him alive, when without such artificial means he would have died of exhaustion after a couple of days. The keeper, once cocooned in such a way was raised high reclining in a chair of sorts within a massive sphere that floated without any visible support. The sphere also seemed to contain within it a model of the solar system. All of this was contained within a great void, a cavern like space at the very heart of the star ship. Serinae couldn't help wonder at all this, the unbelievable technology, the role they all had once played.

Serinae suspected the T'Iea and the other elder races had allied with the ancient fathers long ago, to use their skills and knowledge, in a way that the ancient fathers could not. That was the turning point in the ancient fathers journeying, the key knowledge that the combined elder races possessed was what they needed. The ancient fathers knew the sciences involved, understood the theory, the complex mathematics, yet they did not know how to design, build and control the great navigational machines they needed to make their travels a reality. They did not know how to navigate the universe in time and space, and they did not know how to map the universe, how to return to places they had visited already.

But by allying with those who had the necessary abilities to understand these things they managed to do it. So as soon as these alliances were made many ages in the ancient past, travel across the vast outer voids really started to happen. She suspected that all of them, all the elder races had their part to play back in the past in a time forgotten and now lost to them.

Serinae thought back to a moment long in the past when they had faced Gruntuk the Ognod leader and he had goaded them in his arrogance. What was it he had said about the elder races? He told of the T'Iea, he likened them to entertainers; he made a mockery of their art their culture. Then he had likened the Pnook to the colony of a termite mound for they worked and worked without need for rest. The Grûndén he chastised as miners forever seeking the riches below ground. Serinae remembered the contempt she felt that lay within these words, the anger that broiled within her at the slur on her race. She also remembered how she had to swallow her anger for they needed the ognod's, they could not afford to alienate them further. She sighed, how she didn't realise it then but Gruntuk was right! At least partially. They all had traits unique to their race, but where Gruntuk made fun of these differences, at one time their uniqueness's had been key.

She had a lot of time to think here and she had come up with a theory. The T'Iea could certainly use the arcane energy in their entertainment, but they out of all the races understood and could use arcane energy in many ways, bend it, form it, change it, adapt it. The Pnook, certainly they did work, they were the technicians the workers, the builders of the machines, for that is what they did best. As for the Grûndén, they were miners in deed, for the raw materials used in the making of the machines came from the ground, even the black shiny mineral that was used to form the Dark Core. Serinae found herself wondering how many other worlds had been mined by the Grûndén to satisfy the great demand of the ancient fathers. She wondered if that was the reason that the ancient fathers had first come to the world of men.

Then there were the ognod's, the operators, they knew how to use the machines, how to adjust them, how to operate them to their best advantage. They were the crew and the captains of the great ships that traversed across the outer voids. The Ognods had the necessary strength of makeup to be able to withstand the intense pressures and forces involved. Serinae suspected that she now knew that this was why the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had made their alliance with the ognod's. It had been easy for them to play on the ognod's natural arrogances. For the ognod's had thought themselves above the other races, for as operators they took the direct requests from the ancient fathers themselves. So the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had seeded the thoughts in the ognod's minds, seeded thoughts of domination, for after all weren't the ognod's superior in status, they should rule over the other races should they not? So following the demise of the ancient fathers, following their perceived abandonment, it had begun, the decay, the slow dark regression. Perhaps it could have been reversed, fixed there and then, but the ancient fathers were now all gone, or perhaps they left never to return. They had not come to make peace within the races. As a result the seeded dark thoughts had grown unabated.

The only thing that Serinae still didn't know was the true nature, the true identity of the ancient fathers themselves. For although varying depictions of the other races abounded in the library of At'Lan'T'Ys, especially in the medical records and anatomical schematics, strangely no record of any kind seemed to ever have been made of the ancient fathers, they remained a mystery.

So it was that this city, the now abandoned city of At'Lan'T'Ys, now belonged to Serinae. She found she was in fact alone, at least in a biological sense. The original population of the ancient fathers that had originally lived here were now but ghostly visages generated by the hidden and mysterious technology that controlled this place. She smiled as she thought to herself, she now knew they were the spirits that she had sort, had wondered at through her life, the R'Alacry Fer'Def as the T'Iea knew them, the T'Iea and herself had completely misunderstood exactly what they were.

Perhaps the most surprising thing of all was that these alliances between the elder races had been going on for many millions, perhaps billions of years. Serinae had been shocked at the prospect that the T'Iea and the other elder races may be thousands upon thousands of millions of years old. She couldn't help thinking if that was truly the case then somewhere, probably in many places out there in the massive void her race also lived. Each separate civilisation perhaps completely ignorant of one another, thinking they were the only ones.

So maybe that was it then. The root cause of all the problems. The ancient fathers had disappeared; the elder races were left alone. Without the ancient fathers, they had grown apart, looked inward to their own selfish cause and desires. Yet deep down they were the same, they needed to work together once again. That was proved when they fixed the great beacon machine once before. But ultimately, even together, they could not hope to be entirely successful. There is only one being capable of taking on that kingly responsibility, no other could hope to claim that title for no other could possibly have the intellect of the Maker, of Eny'Nin'Rel himself. It was inevitable that any who tried would not succeed, how could they? For only the Maker can hope to manage his own creation. For he alone lived both within and without, he alone created time but existed outside its affect. He alone is able to stand in a place that was beyond the concept of his artistry and is truly able to see the entirety of that which he created.

Serinae stopped walking suddenly, she looked up. She had arrived at the Great Hall, the vast space that lay at the dead centre of the city. It was the only building that was higher than a few floors. There in front of her lay a building so vast she could not see the extremities of it. To the left and right and up above her this edifice seemed to disappear into the far distances without end.

It was to try and return, travel back. Somehow get to the great machine, the beacon of the ancient fathers. That was her purpose, the reason she now went into this vast building in the centre of the city. Physically the great machine was not here, but she hoped that access to it could be gained from here. For in the lower levels of this building, many kilometres below this entrance level she was now convinced some kind of pathway, a Rift connection to the machine existed, part of the Rift highway as she liked to call it. Well at least she understood it to be a connection, an arcane controlled conduit, a link between the city and the great machine. She had used that connection once, when she was invited here. Yet the fact that Minervar had fallen into the Rift and had not joined her here in At'Lan'T'Ys also suggested that it also led elsewhere, perhaps to many places. Serinae was pretty sure where the Rift highway would lead, but she couldn't help feel a little anxiety when faced with what she knew she must try. She looked behind her once more at the city. She knew deep down she would not miss it, for all its historical knowledge, many wonders and great comforts, it remained to her an alien place. Serinae pursed her lips, turned and entered through the portico into the Great Hall beyond.

Melinè was there as usual waiting just inside the doorway. Serinae had wondered so many times how she knew that she was coming. Or perhaps she just stood there, like a doorman, just waiting for the next time that Serinae approached. But deep down she supposed that it was the great hidden technology that had control over all this, perhaps it could detect her every movement, knew exactly where she was and could spy on her at any time, a thought she felt uncomfortable to entertain. Serinae smiled, Melinè smiled back. She looked very like the character that talked to them in Solin's house in Amentura, the human-like character called Venetra, but then why not, both women were generated images, figments of an artificial technological mind.

Serinae did not hesitate. She strode through the great entrance hall of the building; she looked to either side as the internal walls seemed to disappear into the distance all the while slightly curving around giving the impression that although vast, the building was circular. She didn't want to look up, it gave her a horrid feeling in the pit of her stomach. For she knew she would see no ceiling. Just like the walls to the left and right, the wall above just seemed to curve away into infinity. She shivered as she continued across the hall. Her feet echoed slightly on the marble stone floor. Melinè followed silently a few steps behind. Serinae was never sure of Melinè's role, was it as guide? As protector, as friend. Or was it as guard, or controller? Serinae had read about connections between various functions of the Star Ship, these were known as 'interfaces' so perhaps Melinè provided the interface between Serinae and the Star Ship. Melinè was always happy to answer any questions that Serinae asked, happy to lead her anywhere within the city and within this building, show her where answers to all her questions could be found. But she never offered anything unprompted. This is what Serinae found most uncomfortable about the whole place. The first months of being here, Serinae had realised that she had to learn how to ask the right questions before she had a hope of getting the right answers. It was a taxing time, a steep learning curve. A time when perhaps she thought many times of giving up. Yet she had persevered and now, at last, she was ready.

Serinae headed for a large archway across the other side of this space. She felt a little more comfortable for beyond there where smaller, more comfortable spaces. She wove her way through the corridors, past rooms without any doors that held various things, most beyond all imagination as to function and use. Eventually she could see in front of her another arch similar to the one she had passed beneath to get to this area of the building. She stopped before it and took in a deep breath, for she knew what lay beyond, something that gave her great discomfort. But she set her eyes to the front and walked through.

She could never get used to the vast open spaces in the Star Ship, they reminded her of its overwhelming size. Now before her another great void, once again seemingly limitless in size, at least she had never been able to see any physical boundary once inside, even the wall through which the archway allowed her access seemed to diminish from view once she stood in this great space. It was obvious that somehow the physical limitations of the world, the natural laws governing dimension that she understood did not necessarily apply here. For she was in a vast space that seemed larger than the actual physical confines of the building that appeared to house it. The only thing that gave any reference point within this area was the long causeway that extended out over the void in front of her. She remembered the picture, the diagram of the Keeper imprisoned perhaps in the control seat of the Interstellar Star Ship, connected to the vast vessel in both a physical and biological sense. Such a control seat she knew lay there in front of her now, at the very centre of this void, at the end of the causeway that extended forwards away from where she stood. The place of the Keeper navigator. She knew it hung there high up within this massive space; nothing seemed to support it yet it was there, stationary and unmoving. When she first came into this place and was able to walk into it without feeling physically sick with dizziness she had asked Melinè what it was. She had been told that it was the place of the Helmsman. But now as she walked out across the causeway over the bottomless void she knew that the great orb that was made for the Helmsman was empty, all the tubes and fowl looking technology was swung back out of the way as if the Keeper had gone out for a few minutes for a rest perhaps. Or perhaps escaped.

Serinae remembered once again the difficulty she had in understanding, realizing, that this place, this city, was in fact deep within one of the giant interstellar star ships of the ancient fathers. This massive city that even for its size could at least be thought of as finite in its boundary and understandable in terms of its tangible reality. But what lay beyond? What made up the remainder of this gigantically vast construction? She was glad she could not see it, glad that this outer space was hidden from her eyes beyond the glass wall, kept hidden within the blanketing darkness beyond. Yet the star ship was silent, waiting perhaps, in an eternal sleep, for someone to come and use it once more. Waiting for the return of the Helmsman perhaps.

Serinae walked out onto the long causeway across the void. As she walked she thought that somewhere within this vast star ship must be that thing, that unimaginable freak of science, the tiny, universe-crushing Dark Core itself. Not much had frightened her in the world, she was trained to address her fears and to concentrate on overcoming whatever it was that may cause her to fear. But this thing, this Dark Core, this had all the makings of something else, something that really played upon her mind. The limitless energy it contained, the overwhelming threat it posed, or could pose. She thought perhaps it was so powerful it may be beyond even the Maker himself to control.

She stopped. Sudden realisation had dawned upon her. That was it! That was really it, what she really feared! The fear that there may be something so strong, so terrible it may pose a threat to even he who created the world. But surely he also created the laws of physics that it must ultimately obey. Perhaps it was indeed the most powerful thing in the universe next to Eny'Nin'Rel himself. That thought itself frightened her to the very core. She shivered. All that terrifying limitless energy brooding unseen ready to be tapped into and used. Captive only because of the great engines that were designed to keep it confined, benign, waiting for its master's command and yet still remained immeasurably powerful. Power beyond belief or comprehension, power beyond any futile thought that she could muster. This is what she didn't like about being here, she couldn't rid herself of the feeling of discomfort, she still didn't have the words or the terminology big enough to even start to describe the shear immensity of this place both in a physical sense and in another vaster dimension. No words of Serinae's could describe what this actually was, she couldn't explain it, it had a terrible unexplainable presence, she could just feel its vastness, its ...... overpowering being-ness. It made her skin crawl.

But time seemed to stand still in this place; Serinae felt it was many years ago that she had stepped from the portal into this vast void. She remembered that at first she had just thought she had gone around in a circle. Serinae understood that she had spent much time here, learning, reading, asking, talking. Yet now when she stood within this place it was if she had only just arrived.

She felt another behind her. This was not the ever present aura of Melinè, but another, many others in fact had joined with Melinè. The ancient father's spirits had the knack of just appearing, no footsteps announced their arrival. She smiled, it was the same when she had experienced seeing them in the world. Serinae leant upon the rail that bordered the wide walkway and stared down at the dark boiling oily mass below her, sometimes in what looked like a sequence, but most times as a random pattern. She had seen something similar before, it was the swirling mist-like substance within the glass cylinder of the seeing stone, she also knew it looked identical to the wide rend in the world that the eastern men called the Rift. She took a deep breath and turned to those that had gathered behind her. She bowed, expressed her thanks and finally said goodbye. She walked out further upon the causeway that spanned the enormous space; she continued to walk towards the vast globe that in the distance awaited the Helmsman. When she reached the end of the causeway, without stopping she walked out and over the edge.

To her surprise she did not fall, at least she didn't have the sensation of falling. After the briefest period where her consciousness seemed to waiver she looked around and found she was back on the causeway that spanned out over the Rift. She tried once again, but the same thing happened. She stood confused, what had just happened, what had stopped her falling into the Rift?

Serinae sat upon the warm slightly vibrating floor of the causeway. She was sure she had persuaded the ancient fathers to allow her to return to the world she knew; at least she hoped this was the case. She felt a little guilty, she had lost her temper with them, something she did not do lightly. But they were so embroiled with their own laws, their own fears that they needed to hear some things that perhaps she should not have said. But was it the ancient fathers she was venting her rage at, or was it the intelligence that lay hidden somewhere in the vastness of the star ship, brooding somewhere beyond in the darkness. She sighed, she had accused the ancient fathers of dabbling in the affairs of others, she had shouted her accusations, their perceived guilt flared in her eyes, hadn't it? She had hurt them? Hurt it? She was not sure, perhaps it was just her own guilt that flared at this emotional outburst, but she was desperate, she needed to do what she needed to do. It seemed to work though. She remembered tears of frustration, mixed with tears of relief. She had invested too much time and energy, involved so many innocent parties, even involved some so that they had paid the ultimate price for her ideals, her ambitions.

A tear once more slid down her cheek and hung on her chin for a second or so before it dropped to the floor below. She watched as it ran across the slick floor and dropped from the edge of the causeway only to reappear where it had started. She watched as this repeated three or four times. She wiped a shaking hand across the damp skin, what in the Makers name was happening here? She closed her eyes and with clenched fists she spoke out loud, "I have tried to do what I felt is right. My mistakes have been many. I have failed my people so often. Yet I have tried not to turn away from the task set before me. It is now more than ever that I need guidance, need friendship, need someone to guide my hand, my will and my heart, for I cannot do this alone." She dropped to her knees and pummelled the ground with her fist, more tears of frustration fell.

A signature presence she knew well stood behind her, she stood slowly and turned. Melinè smiled at her, then dropped her gaze downwards. Something tiny glowed within the space between them, something that Serinae had not seen before when she last stood here. It grew bigger all the time she watched, it seemed fluid, much like the swirling morass below them. A bright tendril of energy connected the glow and disappeared over the edge of the causeway and down into the Rift. She walked over to where Melinè stood. The glow, had split into several smaller glowing disks. The disks seemed to adjust themselves slowly to Serinae's head height and then began to slowly rotate. Many things seemed to be depicted on the disks, but one disk in particular seemed to catch Melinè's attention. Melinè raised her hand and touched this disk with the tip of her finger. A small dark spot appeared in front of her. This dark spot grew rapidly until it was taller than she and a similar width. Melinè stood back and nodded encouragingly to Serinae. Serinae could see this was a portal, she could see the vista beyond. She wanted to return to the world of men, yet what she saw presented in front of her was not that place, that she was sure of. She felt anger rise once more, why would they not allow her to go where she wanted, why did she have to go to some other place? Serinae looked through the portal once more, suddenly she did recognise something, it was a tree. But not just any tree, Serinae knew this shape. True, she had never seen one with her own eyes, but the descriptions she had read of the special forests that the T'Ie called home made this tree unmistakable. It was the mother tree, what the T'Iea called S'Apli'Baum, or 'Great Arm' in the common tongue. Serinae wondered at this and smiled, suddenly excited. Suddenly she understood, the place where she was being shown, the one place she was being allowed to go to, this place above all was where in fact where she really wanted to go, it was so obvious now.

Serinae nodded to Melinè and strode purposefully towards the portal, she stopped before going through, turned and faced Melinè, Serinae spoke, not to the misty figure, but to the intellect behind the front. "I am glad I came, I thank you for allowing this to happen. Perhaps we shall meet again, perhaps we will all meet again. Maybe we will even travel together once more, reunited with the past, to look to a better future." Serinae bowed towards the figure, Melinè, bowed back. Then without further hesitation Serinae looked at the forest that now showed through the portal. She sighed, a prayer upon her lips. I sudden irony occurred to her, in a way she was about to fulfil what Tezrin had desired, she was going to fulfil his darkest desire, what he had fought for and ..... died for. As things turned out she desired the same thing, only for very different reasons, where Tezrin had used greed and self-ambition to fuel his goal, she was using love and the promise of the good for all. The irony of this did not go unnoticed as she took in a deep breath, stepped through into the portal and was gone.

The great interstellar star ship with its immense machines and unbelievably advanced technology, the pinnacle of the ancient father's knowledge and progress was empty once more. Only the ethereal figures generated by the technology that the vast ship contained stood in a dream-like state staring after where Serinae had disappeared. They did not turn and walk away, return to whatever they needed to be doing; they just stood immobile. Then one by one they winked out as their individual subroutines were perceived by the star ships controlling interfaces as no longer being required, at least not for the time being.

The main control unit sighed, well it would have done if it had that capability, perhaps it would design some more emotion into its main programme whilst it waited. Perhaps 'they' would like that and it may to stop it getting bored. Ah but then it wasn't possible for it to experience boredom either. But it had done what its designers had wanted, it had set the 'wheels in motion' just as the Commander had asked. So with a final flourish of happiness? It started to shut off all functions that would not be required and to await the outcome of its labours.

## Chapter 9. Return to the House in Amentura

Nar'Allia and Solvienne found themselves within a wing of the house neither of them had ventured into before. It was uncanny; neither of them had even seen it before even though they had walked past this area of the house countless times during their visits. Entrance had been via a large door that looked like the entrance to any other room along the landing at the top of the wide stairs from the dining room below. Both women had been in every room along the landing during their individual exploration of the house, yet neither had been through this particular door; in fact neither remembered such a door. Yet this door was unlocked like any other. They looked at one another perplexed. They followed Jonas through, it led to another short corridor rather than a sumptuous bedroom as all of the other doors off the landing would have done. This corridor was quite plain, wood panelled in a light oak colour. At the far end they stood before a further door. Jonas reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a large metal ring upon which hung many keys. After selecting one carefully, he unlocked this door and they again passed through into Solin's suite of private rooms.

Solvienne spoke. "Jonas, you have never shown me this room before?"

Jonas turned slowly, his wrinkled features held a half smile of amusement. Nar'Allia had seen this expression many times before, but long ago. "You never asked M'lady!"

Solvienne smirked and shook her head.

They walked into a tidy entrance area with a cool stone floor of dark grey marble flecked through with silver and gold. The walls were hung with tapestries depicting various landscapes. Surprisingly they didn't look to be of T'Iea design or making. These landscapes where mostly concerned with wide vistas of snow-capped mountains topped by a rich blue and cloudless sky. At their foot hills and lower slopes lay deep and undulating picturesque alpine valleys. Towering water falls of white water cascaded over rocky outcrops pock marked with green shrubbery, lengthy fronds of which hung down emulating the cascades of white water and catching the watery mists that permeated everywhere. The waterfalls poured forth into deep dark blue lakes carved out of the landscape in a time of ice and glaciers. Beyond the turbulent waters at the base of the falls these lakes reflected the sky and the mountains that surrounded them within their motionless, clear mirrored surfaces. In some tapestries figures stood overlooking the alpine meadows and waterfalls, or sat in groups upon the rocky outcrops, they seemed to be enjoying the vistas, for they all had a casual air, they could perhaps just be intent upon passing the time of day.

Some figures leaned against trees or upon each other; others were depicted lying on one elbow amongst the lush flowering greenery, smoking nonchalantly upon clay pipes. They all seemed to be surveying the landscape with the utmost certainty that this was theirs, this was their land within this world, this was where they to belonged. They seemingly justified their belief in their absolute right to stand within these landscapes. Some of these figures were heavily armoured in plate steel, they carried axes, broad double bladed weapons of battle and had tall efficient looking helms upon their heads, or cradled beneath their arms. All had long beards ornately twisted or tied into intricate designs with numerous metal objects or precious stones weaved within them. Nar'Allia recognised these people immediately, she whispered "Grûndén" under her breath.

Jonas remarked. "Aye, m'lady. 'tis indeed as you say, these are Grûndén. Dwarves I would call 'em. These artworks were a gift from an associate of the lady Solin. I was told that this associate spent a long time with the Grûndén in the north and amassed a large personal fortune. She would have had to, to afford such lavish gifts as these me thinks."

Solvienne made the link immediately and remarked. "You mean the lady Serinae."

Jonas first looked towards Nar'Allia, she thought she saw some sadness in his eyes. But he turned and looked at Solvienne. He nodded. "Yes, milady. You knew her then?"

Solvienne just shrugged, "I have heard many tales of the ranger companion to the lady Solin. My mother and the lady Serinae were great friends. I however, have not had the pleasure, she was lost before I was born."

Nar'Allia listened to the conversation but continued to look at the tapestries. In all the pictures tall pines grew everywhere and beneath them where the sunlight could reach the forest floor grew flowers of all colours, plants of the type typically found in such alpine meadows. In one tapestry a massive, heavily muscled male Elk bedecked with a towering crown of antlers stood on a rocky peninsula high on a mountainous outcrop. His head was thrown back and up, his eyes wild, his mouth open bellowing his regal position over all of his dominions. He exhaled a misty breath with his command. He seemed to be daring any to challenge his authority.

These were not the woodland depictions of great broad-leaved trees that Nar'Allia was used to. She surmised that these landscapes must be depictions of the mountainous region in the far north, the mountains of the Tolle' Ambrunista that rose high bordering the T'Iea woodlands from the lands to the north. This was the region the Grûndén named Grûndén Hølm.

Nar'Allia's attention was taken by a clicking noise behind her. Jonas had unlocked and opened more doors, double doors that revealed beyond a sumptuous sitting room of soft furnishings, perhaps a reception room, for in the centre of the room was a large circular table surrounded by many well-padded and cushioned wooden chairs. In contrast to the outer hallway, this furniture was T'Iea, but in a rich style seldom never seen in Nar'Allia's world. She knew these to be of made by the artisans of the High T'Iea, perhaps for one of their city mansions. Not for the more humble surroundings of a woodland home. Thoughts of the city reminded her of Thor. She wondered if he and Solin had reached Ter'Hadsnefel yet and if so perhaps they enjoyed such a room as this where they were.

More tapestries hung on these walls. They too were distinctly T'Iea. Towns and cities where depicted here. Avenues and boulevards of white stone houses, men and women strolling through the streets in sumptuous clothing. Tall, fortified towers and strongly built walled citadels. In between these tapestries, pictures hung. Mainly these were portraits of T'Iea, in one picture two smiths laboured in front of a furnace, one held a hammer high, his exertions had loosened the clasp that held his waist length hair behind his head, fronds of hair seemed to swing madly in front of his face, swirling around in the heat from the forge. The other T'Ie smith was stripped to the waist, his muscular torso covered in sweat and dirt, he held the blade of a sword in a pair of tongs the metal glowed dull red. He steadied the blade flat upon an anvil awaiting the next blow of the hammer. Another portrait showed two rangers chatting in woodlands. They leaned upon long bows crafted from some white wood, both had hoods tied around their heads, but their facial features could be seen smiling and joking.

Then two pictures in particular, caught Nar'Allia's eye. A man and a woman in separate portraits hung together side by side. It was obvious who they were for even though they both looked haughty and proud, both exhibited characteristics that showed in Solin's features, these must be her parents. Both wore coronets depicting the heraldry of their houses. The male had one emblem, the female the same but also by her side the badge of her own heritage. Nar'Allia knew this to be a common fashion in times gone by. Below these two pictures hung a smaller picture, the young T'Iea woman depicted in this portrait was unmistakably Solin herself. But the portion of her eyes surrounding the blue pupils were still their natural white.

Another door led from this room, it already lay open. Nar'Allia approached and deeply curious she stood upon the threshold and looked beyond. Here was a sumptuously warm and comfortable looking bedroom. A big room, for not only did it exhibit a large and very ornate columned bed, there were a good many other items of furniture here. Several tall book cases full of tomes and thick volumes stood upon a slightly raised platform around which ran a hand rail set upon ornately twisted wooden balusters. Fine silk panels filled the gaps between the balusters onto which had been painted various T'Iea figurines. Mainly richly dressed people of indeterminate vocation, but probably aristocratic in their heritage. A large leather topped writing desk faced a large, floor to ceiling stained glass window that seemed to dominate the room. The window depicted a tall T'Iea man in long flowing robes; he looked up towards his raised hands. Nar'Allia couldn't actually see his hands for they were obscured by bright rays of light, natural light that shone through the window, but cleverly worked into the picture itself, for it looked although the light was emitted from an orb that the figure was obviously holding aloft.

Nar'Allia gasped, "are these rooms, this suite, the personal rooms of the lady Solin Jones?"

"Aye, m'lady, this is where she slept and had her privacy."

Just inside the door a small occasional table held but one item, the fine porcelain figure of a T'Iea lady wearing a long, bell shaped frock. It was beautiful and both the sculptured and painted detail lavished upon the figurine was breath-taking. Nar'Allia gently picked the little figure up, a melodious jingling sound came, Nar'Allia smiled at the beautiful little hand bell. But she blinked, for as she put the little bell back onto the table she was sure the little figure gathered up her skirts and petticoats with her elegant lace-gloved hands and curtsied before once more remaining still.

Nar'Allia couldn't take her eyes from the figure but was eventually disturbed from her thoughts by a swishing noise; she turned to see Jonas was carefully pulling on a tapestry on the far side of the room. Oddly this tapestry had a very ornate and probably life-size depiction of a carved door upon it. She gasped for she knew this door, or knew of one like it. She walked across the room and placing her hand upon Jonas's arm she requested that he leave the tapestry for a moment so she could see it. Nar'Allia stood there staring at the picture woven into the tapestry; she was reminded of a similar door, one she had come across a long time ago. But that door had stood barring the entrance to a cave, a T'Iea refuge upon an island in the Sea of Beadreas. Nar'Allia found her mind comparing these two places even further, the sumptuous tapestry door and the one on the island, for it occurred to her that they represented two ways of T'Iea life. Two extremes of her people's existence. On one hand a sumptuous high social standing, the way of the academics, a way of gentleness and peaceful pursuits, of manicured gardens and society parties, silken gowns, flashing jewels and clean perfumed personages. On the other a raw more base way of life, a fight for survival of self-preservation, a way of sword and bow, the stench of leather and sweat. Life in the great city, a life perhaps of excess. In stark contrast to the sharper end of life. She had known both these ways, they coexisted within her like Solin and Serinae had coexisted in this house.

The door depicted in the tapestry had depictions carved into it of leaves and the boughs of trees. The leaves were a very distinctive shape for they were each perfectly circular and a deep golden colour. Some were still furled; some were still enclosed within the light nut-brown coloured sheaths in which they matured before they burst forth and opened into the circular form each took. She knew immediately what these leaves belonged to. They were the leaves of the great tree of tree's, the mother of the forest, that which the T'Iea call the S'Apli'Baum. She had never seen one, for although T'Iea history spoke of whole forests of these vast trees that grew a thousand metres tall, very few survived in this day and age, if any at all, for no one she knew had ever laid eyes upon one.

She knew that the black bow that she once held, the bow that had belonged to Serinae but was now lost in the Rift, was fashioned from the wood of such a tree as this. Nar'Allia stepped back and gesturing with a smile allowed Jonas to slide the tapestry along its runner once more. She gasped as there revealed behind the tapestry stood a door. A real door. But not any door, the exact same door that was depicted within the tapestry, with the exact same leaves and branches of the S'Apli'Baum, but this time they really were carved into and around the door itself in perfect deep relief! She reached out to touch the black wood. It felt warm to the touch and seemed to vibrate slightly. She remembered that Serinae's black longbow did the same. The carving was deep and smooth as silk. It looked fresh and vibrant as if the craftsman had applied the finishing touches but moments before. Nar'Allia almost expected to see the wood shavings lying upon the floor. But she knew this could not be the case, for she had never seen anything that even came close to the skill that went into the creation of this work of exquisite art, the door must be thousands of years old.

She traced the various carvings with her fingertips; the wood was smooth as glass. But then she withdrew her hand quickly with a sharp intake of breath. She had seen, thought she had seen, a figure, all in white standing before her in front of the wooden door. It was just a flash, but when she closed her eyes the outline of the figures head and shoulders was still retained in her retina.

"I have heard it said milady that the spirit of the tree still lives in the wood of this door, personally I think that is a load of old tosh, how can a tree have a spirit, they are just unfeeling, dead things without any brains or a heart." Jonas laughed.

Nar'Allia felt slight anger at his words, her T'Iea heritage told her something different. Her history told a different story, had a different knowledge about these things. But she let it go, just smiled at Jonas, left him to his ignorance. Then she noticed something else. A small depression in the wood, a little receptacle. She looked at Solvienne and pointed to this little depression and stepped back.

Nar'Allia knew before Solvienne placed the Dolan in the little receptacle that the door would open. She had seen this process many times before, not on this particular mechanism but on many other remarkably similar devices. But these others had been below the sands of the great Rust Desert, within the ancient human military facility that had been built beneath those sands yet was probably now destroyed. She had been there, some years before, had her own adventures. But her thoughts returned to the present for sure enough with a gentle click the door opened and stood ajar with the barest of cracks. Solvienne looked at Nar'Allia who nodded, so Solvienne pulled upon the ornate handle set into the door.

Despite their expectations of a heavy weight the door swung outwards with very little effort.

## Chapter 10. On Reaching Ter'Hadsnefel

The road had been climbing steadily upwards all morning. Not a steep climb but just a long and steady incline. Thor still marveled at the stamina that Solin seemed to possess, he realised that all her grumbling about age, all her cries of aching bones and tired muscles, all those complaints he had heard her utter through the years, were all an act. All a design intended to fool, or the very least to match an expectation, a ruse to make her seem to be something that others expected, rather than something she actually was. She acted the part well, but he now knew for sure it was just that, an act.

He asked her about it. "Lady Solin. Can I ask you a presumptuous question?"

She looked at him with a broad grin on her face, "presumptuous eh? How exciting!"

He gave a resigned expression, the sort where he strongly suspected that his next move was quite possibly going to get him into very hot water, or the very least make him regret the question the moment he asked it. "Yes, well. Forgive me my lady but you don't seem as you make out. I just wondered."

"What you want to know young man is how old I am?"

Thor was taken aback, he had hoped to voice the question perhaps a little more subtly, but yes, that was what he wanted to know, had she read his mind?

"No Thor I haven't read your mind." She smirked at Thor's uncomfortable look. "Be at peace my friend. It's a habit of mine, possibly a rather rude one I concede, I apologise, but when you have lived for as long as I, well I suppose you can predict behavior. I have been in this world for quite a lengthy time and I have grown accustomed to the way people react, over and over, repeated habits I suppose, perhaps even old instinctive patterns that go unnoticed because they are the norm. Basically Thor, however successive generations feel about themselves, how they think they may be different, more enlightened perhaps, in possession of greater things, familiar with new inventions, more knowledgable than those that have gone before. Well basically all generations they are the same. I have noticed this in all the races, but it is much more apparent in the race of men. It is an interesting concept Thor, the concept of change, for change, true change that is, rarely actually comes about in my experience. It just cycles to and fro, a pendulum swinging to the left and to the right, the only sure thing is that societies such as these are in constant flux yet in the end unchanging." She seemed to go into a deep thought for a while before she continued. "Where I lived, in Amentura, well the town is now predominantly human. There was a time when T'Iea and more commonly Pnook lived in the town. The houses within the town quarter in which I had my home, high on the hill overlooking the rest of the town, all those houses were once owned by T'Iea merchant families. It was why I chose that house. I felt more at home in the company of my own people."

Thor was a little relieved in a way that Solin had managed to change the subject away from the original question, he decided that to pursue Solin's true age was a mistake so he decided to play along with the current flow of conversation. "So the pendulum will swing the other way again and the T'Iea and Pnook will return?"

Solin replied. "As I previously pointed out, many years ago the population of Amentura was very mixed. That was still very much the case when I brought the house and moved in with Serinae at least. The Pnook however were always more transient, they had a number of large guest houses in which the pilots and crews of their flying ships once stayed whilst they were in Amentura. Also, quite a large area beyond the docks was taken up with Pnook designed hangers in which they kept their flying ships. Ah, Amentura prospered in those days, the population was varied and culturally mixed. It was safe to walk the streets whoever you were. But the T'Iea and Pnook have now gone, except for my house that is, for all the neighboring houses have became owned by human families. But humans they come and go, they are born and then they die. I have seen the houses next to mine change ownership many times. I have seen the families that lived in them change over successive generations. Even seen my own staff come and go like leaves blown upon the wind. Yet through all these changes I remained the same, unchanged, untouched it seemed by time. I am T'Iea by race. My body like yours rejuvenates itself, it is able to reproduce, copy what is there, even if outside influences alter the way that it outwardly appears. Our bodies are in a constant state of regeneration. In time my outward aged appearance would change back if I allowed it, all I would have to do is keep away from arcane influences."

They walked further in silence, Thor thinking on what Solin had just said. A thought suddenly came to him. "A bit like that old quiver that Nar'Allia has, the one given to her that originally belonged to the lady Serinae?"

She eyed Thor with a slight look of confusion.

"I, I mean rejuvenation, you know, it replicates, rejuvenates arrows placed within it?"

Solin's features brightened. "Well young man that is very perceptive of you. You may be correct, more correct than you think!" She nodded, she seemed to view Thor with a new understanding.

Thor found himself slightly embarrassed under the scrutiny of those blue, blue eyes.

Then she spoke once more. "This rejuvenating ability of our race is an alien concept to humans. They cannot begin to understand it, so their thoughts naturally fall towards suspicion. Such is the way of men, anything they do not understand, they become increasingly mistrustful of. True to form they think that some devilish process, some evil intent keeps us young whilst they grow old. They call this sorcery; accuse us of dealing in the dark arts. Once the seeds of mistrust have been sawn in the human mind and doubt and fear have been established it is a difficult task to erase them. I have found increasingly that if any misfortune occurs in the community, any unexplained problem happens, then they increasingly find it convenient to suspect, even blame me. This in turn fuels further mistrust and the situation escalates. I was fortunate enough to have Jonas and others of his race to provide my defense in the eyes of the human population, but as successive generations come and go suspicion seems to deepen. It is unfortunate that when something good happens, some unexpected benefit, then of course I am not held responsible, they prefer to believe their good fortune to be the results of their own doing. Or to some unexplained mystical thing they call luck!"

Thor felt a pang of guilt, his goading Solvienne as a wicked witch seemed a little closer to truth than he expected. If he had known this before he may not have been so quick to joke.

Solin remained quiet for a few moments before she continued in a subdued tone. "You suggest Thor that the pendulum may swing back once more and we will find that Amentura once again enjoys a cross cultural heritage. Well maybe you are right, Solvienne has certainly the skill of words and deeds to change the attitudes of humans, or at least hold it at bay, she has already embarked upon that course. But I can't help feeling that the T'Iea and the elder races are almost spent on this world. We have our strongholds where we feel safe, but safety breeds contentment which in turn can become complacency. Our history says that when we first populated the western side of the continent of Dahl'Ambronis we did so when the human population was confined to the east, across the other side of the mountains Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri . It was easy for us to find a home away from the humans, away from their attitudes. This was for a reason; we did not want to overly influence their development. We have never been many in number. Oh, perhaps before the ognod wars we prospered, to that I concede, perhaps all of the T'Iea cities and towns dotted throughout Gel'Te'Ertenya are testament to that."

Thor asked excitedly, "but how my lady do you know all of this, you speak as if you were there? Do you know then where we came from originally?"

If Solin heard his questions she did not show it she just kept speaking. "But the elder races are in decline now, even the ognod's are on the brink of extinction, they have many troubles, an inner illness a sickness ails them, it affects their young and their unborn, problems that they did not suffer long ago. But they are not alone in their suffering. The Pnook struggle for survival in the Rust Desert, the only thing that keeps them alive in an alien environment is their technology. They rely upon it more and more; I feel no good will come of this in the end. Even the Grûndén hide away from the world in their city beneath the mountains, they do not concern themselves with others. But they too are in decline, once they had towns and villages spread throughtout the mountains of the Tolle' Ambrunista, now they only live within their great city. The world sees less and less of them. Then there are our people. The T'Iea are stable but not increasing in numbers, our race is split down the middle, half of us are T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran now, intent on causing havoc, even the total destruction of this world. It is little wonder that the race of men mistrust the elder races more and more, as the human race increases and their society becomes more complex, we are increasingly seen as outsiders, in their eyes we pose a great threat to the development of humanity and to their world Thor. After all, it is their world."

The two traveling companions remained quiet for a few moments, each perhaps mulling over their own thoughts.

Eventually Solin sighed, "here in the west humans now reproduce in great numbers, they have to if their race is to survive. Their rate of reproduction increases exponentially, the more of them there are, the more are born. As the population grows, they encroach more and more on our traditional homes; quite rightly we welcome them as friends, yet I wonder in the end what the effect shall be. There will come a time Thor I suspect, where men will view us as taking up too much valuable space, see us as surplus to requirement, a minority race, a thorn in their side hindering their progress. They will push us out; seek to confine us to some area of land they can spare, at least for a few generations anyway. Or perhaps send us to a wasteland somewhere out of the way, a place that is useless to them, they may even seek to slowly eradicate us from the world. When that day comes Thor I dread to think what will happen." She sighed and looked down at the ground along where she walked. "All T'Iea Thor, dark elf or otherwise can fight, it may be that if it comes to war we will lose to sheer numbers, but at what cost to mankind? T'Iea fight well Thor; too well perhaps, we fear we will not go down without accounting for ourselves."

Thor wondered at what she had said, in his heart perhaps he knew it to be the truth, but he remained quiet.

Then Solin started to speak once again. "We do not belong here Thor, this is not our world, we are all of us visitors here. However well we think we can survive, our races hereditary adaptations and evolutionary history is not rooted in this place, in this environment. This is not where we were designed to live, we are alien to it. Our race, like all the elder races, originates from somewhere else and we carry that biological legacy with us wherever we go. I remind you of what I said before, our race does not age physically in the same way as humans do, if we reproduced in as great numbers as our human friends we would soon overrun the available space in a fraction of the time it would take them. However, men's bodies do not rejuvenated in the same way, well they do, but to a far lesser extent. When they are younger they can repair themselves, but the ability fades as the years go by. Perhaps their physical look is prone to a similar effect as the arcane can have upon the T'Iea yet our internal system remains unchanged whatever we look like on the outside, theirs it seems does not. Thus men actually do grow old and eventually their bodies malfunction in any number of ways and they perish. Thus they need to reproduce in far greater numbers than we do.

But as to your original question. How old am I? Well perhaps the question has no relevance; age is not something the T'Iea concern themselves with. Perhaps a better question would be, how old do I look? My aged façade is just that, a veneer, it's the way I look because of the influences and demands I have placed upon it and the choices I have made. But it belies the T'Iea makeup within. For inwardly I am still the same as the day of my R'Golea'Foed, my coming of age." She shook her head and said, "try explaining that repeatedly to human generations Thor, believe me it is easier to play the part of an old woman whose body aches and experiences pains of age similar to that which affects the likes of men. This they understand, for it is what they experience." As if to make the point she doubled over clinging onto her staff and shuffled along holding the small of her back with one hand.

Thor immediately took her arm a deep concern etched across his face.

Then she stood back and knocking his hand away jumped high into the air and clicked her heels together. She laughed loudly. She strode off down the road. She called back over her shoulder. "Humans are a wonderful race Thor; they can be the most ingenious of people, full of love, full of imagination, the most adaptive of people within their own environment. But also the most suspicious, mistrusting, the most envious of beings. You will do well to remember that, or you may find yourself face down in an alley somewhere especially if you are to travel through the human townships that now lay in increasing numbers along the lands on the western side of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri.

Thor laughed somewhat nervously and shook his head. Solin continued to stride off down the road. Thor had to jog to catch up with her. He had a question to ask. My lady. You said we do not come from here, you said that the world belongs to human kind? If this is the case, then where did we come from? Where are we supposed to call our world, our home?"

Solin lifted her head and pursed her lips, she did not look at Thor as she replied, "where indeed. Where indeed young man."

They walked in silence for the best part of an hour until they reached the highest point of a hill. They stopped to take a brief rest and found they looked out over a valley. Not a deep rend in the landscape but a gently sloping land of fields and woodland coppices. The valley itself had gently sloping sides heavily forested in broad-leaved trees, Oak and Beech predominantly. The river wound its leisurely way through the valley in a series of great loops, meandering slowly and leisurely, thus the river was quite wide, its surface reflected the sun and it shone like a silver ribbon. In a number of places the river tumbled over a ledge in a thundering waterfall. None of these cascades looked to be that high, but that may have been due to the eye being fooled, for each of the falls was very wide. A watery mist hung in the air, sunlight shone through the spray creating a rainbow arching across the falls like a colourful bridge, an unmistakable, multi-coloured flag for each of the falls. They reminded Thor of curtains across a stage. He turned slowly taking in the vista, as he looked down the valley his eyes reached the end of the tree line and his gaze met with fields of corn and other cultivated vegetation. Some fields required regular irrigation for thin shining ribbons of silver reflection could be seen criss-crossing them. But then as he looked beyond these fields, through the hazy warmth of the air, he could see tall spires and domes, all shone a bright, brilliant white. So there it was, resplendent in the sun, the fair city of Ter'Hadsnefel, the oldest and greatest T'Iea municipality in the world of men.

Thor had never been there, he had joined the military closer to home and his service had always been in the smaller garrisons much further south than where they were now. But he knew from his lessons as a child that the city was built long ago in the first age of this world. In an age before the likes of mankind had come across the mountains of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri from the eastern lands, in an age when the great forests of Gel'Te'Ertenya was only populated by the T'Iea peoples.

The great city spanned the great river Efel, in fact across four of the rivers largest meandering loops. Thor knew that the Efel flowed south from here until it joined the greatest watercourse in all of Dahl'Ambronis, the vast river Ealle. The combined waters of the two great rivers flowed forth into the vastness of the Trad Ocean via the many thousands of square kilometres of reed wetlands, canals and fens that made up the Ealle river delta far to the southwest. He pondered on those geography lessons, the Ealle and all the rivers flowing into it gathered their waters from ice and snow melt from the great glaciers that flowed slowly down the western side of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri far to the east, the great mountain range of the great spine that divided Dahl'Ambronis down the centre.

The great range of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri, had kept the east and the west of the continent separate from the day of creation until quite recent times, recent in comparison to the true age of the world that is. For the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri had slowly been eroded by severe weather and movement of the continental plates, these natural forces had contributed to the reduced height of the mountains range until eventually the high mountain passes had become free from snow and ice for a few weeks each year allowing precarious passage across them. Even so, these paths were not for the faint of heart. The weather was unpredictable as were natural dangers like hidden crevasses and avalanches and many wild things sought refuge in the highest places, many things that do not welcome the presence of T'Iea, or of men, or any other race for that matter.

Thor gazed towards the great city. From this height the high white stone walls completely surrounding the city could be seen in a staggered pattern. Each of the four city districts named Tu'D'Ferlen'Efel, Tu'D'Wend'ty'Efel, Tu'D'Sour'Efel and Tu'D'Ghokil'Efel were joined to the neighbouring district or districts in the case of the two central ones, by two bridges that spanned across the loop in the Efel river. Also because each district was at a different height than its neighbour, each of the bridges also comprised a series of enormously wide stairs leading to the next district level of the city. It gave the impression that the city was like four enormous ball rooms with ornate curving stair cases encompassing each dance floor and leading up to the next. Each level also had one of many wide waterfalls cascading into it from the level above, these flowed in-between the wide stairs, the overall effect was stunningly beautiful. Each of the two bridges joined above the waterfall in a wide promenade, a large open area where no buildings could be seen. This in part formed the name of the districts and the city itself for the T'Iea word Efel translated into the common speech as plaza and because the river formed part of the plazas within the city the name stuck. But each of these open areas exhibited many colourful tent-like structures in all sorts of shades. Some were solid colours; others had patterns on them, diamond shapes, octagons and stripes in complimentary colours. Solin explained these were the gazebos of the merchants. In the first district these tended to be purveyors of food stuffs and of fine wines, the second housed the those selling hardware goods, anything from cooking pots to weaponry, swords and spears and the like. The third specialised in household goods, furniture and linens and more expensive fabrics, clothing and footwear. The final and highest level was set aside for specialist goods. Here merchants sold jewellery, fine goods, musical instruments of varying kinds, clocks and watches she gave as another example. Also the various professional guilds had shops there selling various things, anything from reference books to arcane items of varying sorts, items that for whatever reason were imbued with special properties. Solin explained that as a young girl she would spend many happy hours here, for the range of objects on sale was vast and most interesting.

Solin stopped and sighed as she surveyed the vista before them. Thorandill was surprised to see a tear like a small, bright pearl run down her cheek. He was going to offer some sympathetic words when she spoke once more with a slight tremble in her voice. "It's been too long, I have left it far too long. Many have been the years since my departure from this place. Life has gotten in the way of my returning. Too much to do, little time enough to do it all."

"I'm sorry milady, I didn't realise you had been away for so long?"

Solin turned to Thorandill, she looked at him absent-minded, as if she had only just remembered he was there beside her. "I'm sorry Thor, I was deep in thought. "Yes, long ago this was the city of my home, of my birth. I lived here with my parents, although it seems many lifetimes in the past now. I have many memories rooted in this place. Perhaps too many it seems. Now that I stand before the city once again after all this time it all comes back to me, like a museum of dreams." She stood quietly obviously deep in thought, remembering perhaps that of which she spoke. "No one Thor, should have to remember so much, it becomes a burden."

Thorandill did not know what to say, he wondered at what Solin had said, his curiosity wanted to know more, but he thought it inappropriate to ask. So he turned toward the road once more and started to walk down the gently sloping hillside. He didn't hear any following footsteps, so he stopped and turned. Surprised that Solin had not followed him, she just stood there as before looking down upon the city of the T'Iea. She seemed to start, a little jump went through her body and she looked at him and smiled. She started to walk after him. When she had caught up her voice carried a brighter tone as she said, "it is the curse we bare perhaps, living as long as we do. But wishing for second chances is not good eh? We carve out our long lives the best we can Thor, even the T'Iea cannot turn back the march of time, so we must look to that which we can change, the future is where we must set our gaze." Then she took in a long breath, gathered herself and walked forward.

A little while later Thorandill plucked up the courage to speak. "But milady, you have achieved so much in your life, surely there is little room for regrets?"

Solin smiled, "regrets? No. I have accomplished almost everything I set out to do. It is up to others now to finish the work I had begun. I have done my best to prepare the way, make the path as easy as possible, yet others will test the nature of my work, others will get the glory for success," she seemed to think for a while before she said, "or perhaps suffer the consequences of failure."

Thor was shocked at her words, he wanted to ask what it was she meant but before he could do so she giggled, shook her head and continued, "When you are young and short on years Thor, your will is strong and your ambition insatiable. You don't let anything come between you and your desires. You feel indestructible, able to do anything, achieve anything. So it should be. But as the years go by, over all the many years of a long T'Iea life, well, suddenly you realise that so much has been missed. What you thought of as an important priority fails to even interest. What was once thought important pails into insignificance." She gathered his arm and put hers around his, their shoulders bumped together as she squeezed his hand. "I had a dream once Thor, but a life lived in service to a dream, what is that really? I am a slave Thor, a slave to a dream that is all." She then shook her head and waived her other hand in front of her as if to ward of some unseen insect. "Bah, take no heed, listen to me. How can the thoughts of returning to a city cause within me such a melancholy mood eh? Take no notice, I rant like a banker with no funds." She chuckled.

Her infectious melodic laughter made Thorandill smile. He shook his head and releasing himself from her hold, he shrugged his shoulders. "You never cease to amaze me my lady." He offered her his arm once more, she stared at it for a moment before she took it and gathering up her skirts in her other hand, bowed towards him with a smile and made to skip, light footed on down the road.

A further hour's walk saw them almost at the great entrance portico of the city. The last kilometre or so had seen them passing between high white stone walls. They passed many travelers coming to and from the city, walking singularly and in groups. Many small birds, swifts mainly, made their clay nests in the nooks and crannies of the white stone walls that rose high to either side. It was like the little birds had their own little mud city clinging to the walls. The birds flew around in great numbers and at great speed ducking and diving with great agility to catch insects that flew in the air, even sweeping speedily between Solin and Thor as they walked. The walls seemed to get closer and closer as they progressed, to funnel them towards the great city gates. Thor knew this to be a defensive feature. Any army intent on storming the gate would not notice the walls at first, but would soon find themselves channeled into an ever-decreasing space where eventually they would become helplessly trapped by their own soldiers pressing in from behind. Numerous pairs of guard towers lined the roadway interrupting the wall at regular intervals. Sloping walls hung over the roadway in tiers, like an upside-down wedding cake. The top tier had a steep sloping tiled roof. Thor could imagine that from these high points any hapless enemy could be picked off in the punishing crossfire between the towers for they would have nowhere to maneuver or take shelter. But now no T'Iea army manned these towers, Thor noticed that many tiles where missing and the wooden rafters could be clearly seen showing through. The only remaining reminder of a past military use, where the guards in legion livery stationed at the base of each tower.

Thor himself was wearing his military uniform so he saluted each of the sentries he passed. But each stood rock solid and still. Some had pikes the long handles of which were planted between the sentry's feet. Others wielded a broad sword similar to Thor's own, each sentry held his, or her blade upright in front of their face, both hands held the swords hilt almost at arm's length, Thorandill marvelled at the muscle power and determined discipline necessary to support the weight of the weapon for such a lengthy period of time.

On a few of occasions hooded figures stood with arms crossed. These all held ornate staffs of many forms, the only similar feature being the black heavy wood from which each staff had been fashioned. The hooded faces could not be seen, but a strange presence could be felt as they passed them by, this feeling made the hairs on the back of Thor's neck crawl. Especially on one occasion where every hair on his body seemed to stand on end as he passed by the lone figure. Thor looked towards the figure, he felt sure that the figures unseen eyes followed him as he walked past, but the hood, or any other visible feature of the figure did not move. Thor shivered.

Solin leaned closer to Thor and whispered, "mages."

Thor jumped at her words. But he continued to salute as he passed by the more conventional soldiers, but he was becoming a little self-conscious. He had always thought his uniform and armour very smart. But it looked more functional, more 'provisional' against the exquisitely adorned plate armour that these sentries wore. Breastplates shone in the sun a slight metallic blue hue that seemed to flow across the surface of the metal as they walked passed. In the case of the rangers, chain mail of exquisite design, all neat and well maintained, unlike the much repaired and somewhat tatty-edged mail that he was used to seeing in his regiment.

Thor caught Solin's eye, she smiled and nudged him in the ribs gesturing towards the finely adorned soldiers. "They are Legion of the Wind," she said quietly under her breath. "Probably the oldest and most respected regiment in T'Iea history. Their story goes back many tens of thousands of years of man, back to the first age, a time when the T'Iea through force of others, found it necessary to bear arms and engage in battle. A time when we first found that we had to fight to survive, a time when we found we could fight. A time when our innocence was wrenched from us, most cruelly taken away. Things like that Thor once lost can never be regained. It was also a time when our artisans and smiths learnt another use of their trade, the designing and making of weapons and armour and other tools of war." She nodded towards the two sentries that they currently passed. She sighed and shook her head. "You know Thor, the saddest thing about all this, the real terrible realisation?"

Thorandill looked at her aghast, he couldn't think of anything sad about the fine military history of his people. But never the less he found himself desperately trying to think of an answer to her question, he slowly shook his head, he could not.

Solin responded. "The saddest thing Thor was that we found we were exceptionally good at it. We excelled in warfare. In the same way that our art was revered, second to none. Well our armies, our soldiers, our ways of war also became like that, like our art. Another art form to be revered." Solin shivered.

Thorandill looked away from her staring eyes, he was a little embarrassed at her point of view. He knew some of that history, it was taught to him when he had first joined the military, it was part of the initial induction training they all underwent. But then suddenly they stopped, here they were. In front of them stood the great arch and the city gates beneath that led into the first district of the city Tu'D'Ferlen'Efel. The road here was now relatively narrow; a great crush of people stood here, some trying to enter the city, some trying to exit. They were forced to stop and join the back of the line. Thor took the opportunity to look up at the great stone portico high above. There carved into the great stone arch was the depiction of two great trees. Two thick trunks rose up each side of the arch and the leaves, strangely circular golden leaves spread across the archway and joined over the heads high above. In times gone by Thorandill imagined the queues of visitors, throngs of people lining up to pass beneath the great portico. Even on this day many passed beneath. He saw many T'Iea, but also the surly bearded faces of human men and occasionally the heavily armoured stout figures of Grûndén, always in groups of four or more. Then he saw two figures towering above all those that stood around. He gasped for there were two towering Ognod's standing by the side of the roadway one bent down and seemed to be talking with two T'Iea guards. He had never seen an Ognod before, these war-like people kept themselves apart, hidden in their northern lands. They had ravaged these lands once, waged war upon all the elder races. Driven many almost to the brink of extinction. To see them here was a great surprise, a sign of the times perhaps, of the passing of ages. The Ognod's wore long cloaks, neither appeared to be armed or to wear any kind of armour. He noticed that all the humans that went past looked upon the Ognod's with negativity, hatred, fear, mistrust, he could see all of these things in their eyes. One man even started to shout and rant obscenities at the Ognod's. The two big men just turned slowly and stared at him, their faces remaining expressionless. The two T'Iea guards that had been conversing with the Ognod's were forced to move the human along, gently but insistently. The Ognod's watched him go until he was a distance away and he eventually turned and walked briskly down the road away from the city gates.

Solin was looking at the big Ognod men. How times had changed, how the world had changed. Old adversaries now chatted with each other, passed the time of day. Solin for one, thought this a good thing. But she also wondered if everywhere these Ognod's travelled the peoples they met also offered them an obviously welcome reception as they seemed to enjoy within this T'Iea city. When the Ognod's had rampaged across these lands many ages in the past, Ter'Hadsnefel had been partially sacked by them, the two lower districts of the city, the one in which stood just beyond the gates and the next had both been destroyed by the ognod's during the Sedral'coronis'et'na'tyuosd, the Ognod wars that had devastated the known world and decimated the elder races. How well she knew this, many she knew had perished in the siege of the city, including her parents. She perhaps had good cause to hate the ognod's, but she found she was unable to do so. But she was not alone, so many had suffered in similar ways, all the races had been effected. The T'Iea remembered this time, but they did not harbour hatred, or feelings for revenge. In a long-life time was a good healer, and the T'Iea had plenty of time, time to think, time to forget, time to learn that which was to be avoided in the future, something to steer clear of, never to repeat.

She looked at the many humans that stood around. It was different for them. Men only had their short time upon the world, individually their lives were too short to forgive and forget. Men passed their hatreds and dislikes onto their children; successive generations grew up with their parent's hatreds seared into their minds. So old prejudices and bad feeling went on for many successive generations, unchanged and unchallenged. Many times such thoughts became passed on like a family heirloom, for hundreds of years old hatreds became a habit, almost a way of life. Something to be revered, even proud of, even if the original hurt and reason for such hatred had long since been forgotten.

She shook her head and she sighed. But that was then, memories belonging to another time, an age long past, but alas not entirely forgotten. But they were through the portico now, they had entered the city. The other side hosted a paved, cobbled roadway. The cobbles worn flat by the passage of so many feet over so many years. Wide boulevards passed by, lined with typically high T'Iea mansions and villas. It all looked so familiar as if she had never left all those ages ago. It gladdened her heart to see the T'Iea race still had such a cultural centre, that the T'Iea still had a place of great learning and art within the world. All she loved and had upheld in her long life still existed here it seemed, timeless in its endurance. Although she also knew with some regret that much had been forgotten now. But this fair city still stood sentinel to her race, their achievements and greatest moments.

The two companions continued on through the wide thoroughfares and streets of the city. T'Iea men and women stood chatting or walking through the many thoroughfares, all were elegantly dressed in sumptuous cloths and a multi hue of colours. They found themselves walking slowly uphill along the wide tree-lined boulevards and through flower laden side streets until eventually they came out quite suddenly upon a wide-open space. They stopped, standing in a park with a fountain at its centre, along either side of the park the river ran like a silver necklace. They strolled through the green grassy area and coming upon a white paved road they walked up a slope and alighted upon the lower flights of one of the great stepped bridges. Many T'Iea stood about chatting and passing the time of day, standing around in small groups or leaning upon the wide stone parapet of the bridge itself. Thor stopped and looked down to the waters of the Efel below. The fine mist he had seen from a distance rose from the cascade of water. The river flowed beneath his feet over the edge and down to re-join the leisurely flow as it continued its way through the city. A pleasant fresh aroma of cool water reached his nostrils. Whilst he looked at the spectacle before him a T'Iea man stopped and gapped in front of them. Thor looked at his surprised expression.

He seemed to make up his mind and came forward, then kneeling upon one leg he placed his hand to his forehead in a gesture of respect and said, "My lady De'Teinde, I did not believe my eyes at first, but it is you, such a pleasure to see you once more here in Ter'Hadsnefel."

Solin looked down upon him, he remained in the kneeling posture, obviously waiting her response. She seemed to be concentrating hard.

Thor couldn't help thinking with an amused smile upon his face that she couldn't remember who this was.

But then a broad smile came upon her lips and she said, "master R'He'Ghoud. Thank you for your kind words."

At this the elderly man stood his face seemed alight with joy as he said, "It must be an age since you left the city my lady," he gestured with one hand across the other side of the wide bridge. "Forgive me my lady, I stood over there, I saw you coming through the crowd, but at first I thought I must be mistaken. I did not expect to see you, I mean after you left, when ........ ," here his voiced seemed to trail off as some thought entered his mind. He looked a little embarrassed. But he asked, "are you here to .... I mean is it your pleasure to meet with my master?"

Solin looked at the old man, she said with a slight quivering to her voice, "how is he? How is he after all these years master R'He'Ghoud? I hope the years have been kind to him?"

R'He'Ghoud seemed to search Solin's features for a few seconds before he replied. "Indeed my lady, he is much the same as the day you left. He turned slightly and gestured with a wave of his hand towards the next district of the city. "I can escort you with much pleasure, accompany you to the house if it pleases my lady De'Teinde? Do you wish me to be of service?"

Solin had nodded at the old elf's suggestion and they followed Master R'He'Ghoud up the hill out of the park and into a more residential looking part of this city district. Soon large houses and sumptuous villas stood to either side, these palatial buildings languished amongst manicured gardens and all had the unmistakable air of nobility. Thor was reminded of the area in Amentura where Solin had her house only that was a much smaller area, what he saw here was on a much grander scale. Here the large T'Iea houses and mansions seemed to go on forever. Finally, they stopped, Thorandill found himself outside the grand gates of one of these mansions.

Master R'He'Ghoud opened the gates and after instructing a page in house livery to accompany them through the gates he excused himself saying that he needed to run some errands for the master. He looked at Solin once more in deep thought, "it really is most pleasant to see you once again my lady."

Solin nodded at him and said, "you are most kind master R'He'Ghoud, it is a great pleasure to be back." Her gaze transferred to the house and gardens. Thor thought she looked rather sad as she said under her breath, "back once again in this fair city."

## Chapter 11. Amentura's Secrets

Once open the edge of the door could be seen. The door appeared to be made from a single solid piece of wood; it looked to be at least twenty centimeters thick. The wood was not discoloured, neither did it appear aged, it strongly reminded Nar'Allia once more of the wood from which the black bow that had belonged to Serinae was fashioned. Meanwhile Solvienne had entered the room beyond the now open door, it was the gasp that she made that turned Nar'Allia's thoughts away from the carpentry. Nar'Allia followed, entering the room slowly as if she were expecting to walk into the presence of something great.

There revealed beyond the door was a room around five metres square. Set within were many shelves and cupboards. Whilst Nar'Allia stood taking it all in from the entrance, Solvienne had already walked around the room once. She returned to a particular shelf and she now held in her hand a long cylindrical shape. It appeared to be made of crystal with metal caps at either end. Each was ornately worked with heavenly depictions. Many stars, the moon and the sun could be seen in relief upon each surface. The crystal itself between the two end caps seemed featureless upon the outside, being smooth and translucent, but within some kind of gently swirling vapour could be seen, almost as if the intention was to obscure whatever lay within the cylinder. As Nar'Allia got closer she could make out the vapours movement, it seemed to be of its own making for it did not seem to be affected in any way by the tilting or shaking of the crystal cylinder. It looked almost like the swirling vapour inside was alive, just waiting for someone to release it from its imprisonment within the cylinder. It was then that Nar'Allia recognised the cylinder for what it was. She had not actually seen the item before but she recognised Minervar's description of the device given whilst accounting the story of her travels with Serinae. It must be the cylinder that gave the message from the ancient fathers from the one called, she had to think for a while, but then she remembered the lady Venetra, yes that was her name, at least that was the name she used to introduce herself. Venetra told a story, a tale of the past, how the T'Iea and other elder races had been brought to this world, rescued from their own fated or dying worlds and brought here by the ancient fathers. When Nar'Allia voiced of her suspicions Solvienne shrugged and replaced the cylinder back where she had got it from, onto a shelf next to some old ancient looking parchments. She toyed with the parchments for a little whilst Nar'Allia walked further around the room stopping to inspect certain things before moving on.

Most of the other items dotted around on shelves Nar'Allia did not recognise. Some were very strange in deed. Perhaps the oddest thing to find in the place was a woman's gown. A very fine gown it was to, the expertise and craftsmanship of the dressmaker was truly phenomenal. Across the bodice was set a deep blue silken sash that hung from across one shoulder, the sash was adorned with a large broach or badge of office, the emblem was the same Wolf's head and gemstone motif that seemed to be a regular occurrence within Solin's House.

Nar'Allia's eyes wandered around the room. They stopped on a large bulbous looking glass amphora in one corner. The amphora was cradled within a rusting cast iron frame. The metal work was crafted into weird shapes, it looked like a large clawed hand gripped the amphora and held it aloft. Each finger of the hand had two knobbly joints and a long scythe-like claw extended from each fingertip. The tips of each claw stabbed at the outside of the glass amphora, Nar'Allia thought they may shatter the glass at the merest increase in pressure. But it was the skin covering the fingers was what made Nar'Allia's hair curl for it was covered in diamond shaped scales. Nar'Allia tore her gaze from the fingers and studied the amphora itself. It was about a metre tall and was filled with a rather horrid looking brown liquid that reminded Nar'Allia of cold weak and rather watery tea. She bent down to look inside, she tried to shake the vessel, but the combined weight of the thick glass and the fluid within was too great to even move the thing a millimetre. Nar'Allia stared into the fluid, she tapped the outside it made a soft bell like noise. She watched as some horrid flaky sediment fell from the inside of the glass and slowly drifted downwards along the inside surface of the thick glass. Nar'Allia could see that the liquid within was actually clearer than first seen, for it was the sediment stuck to the inside of the glass itself that gave most of the brown colour. Then suddenly she jumped back with a scream, her hand covered her mouth. What she had seen briefly within the brown liquid was a face, a reptilian face, slightly distorted, magnified strangely by the thickness of the glass. A long snout, a mouth slightly open revealing long sharp teeth, a forked tongue similar to a serpents lolled out across the dark lips to one side. All the way up the centre of the snout was a ridge of bony spikes, these continued over the centre of the head and presumably down the neck and back of the creature, although this portion of the beast remained obscured by the brown fluid that supported it. The eyes were large, they were clear like polished gemstones, intelligent looking, they had an iris like a cats, a vertical slit, but they had a deadness about them for no spirit of life could be seen in their clear, crystalline depths. The other predominant features of the face were two large nostrils set high and forward on the snout, a flap like a door or hatch covered one. The other nostrils flap was missing, a section of ragged flesh the only clue to where it had once been attached to the body. But then as quickly as it appeared the creature had floated back into the depths of the liquid and disappeared from view. The last thing Nar'Allia saw was a brief glimpse of what looked like a section of leathery skin stretched across a bony structure, it reminded her of a bats wing. Nar'Allia got the impression the creature may have been swimming around in there, but she knew it did not live. The large wired cork stopper on the vessel had been sealed with a heavily waxed cloth plug and judging by the condition of the wax had been thus for many, many hundreds of years. A leather label was tied upon the outside of the vessel with an old leather cord, Nar'Allia turned the label over so that she could see if anything was written upon it. There were some markings, burnt into the leather but faded from the passing of much time.

She mouthed the words, "Weuk nue fordog. Dreniu forn a debbed Drak Nuonis."

Nar'Allia did not understand, she had no clue what the language was, or from where it originated. Solvienne had come to her side when she had screamed her alarm. She was now looking over Nar'Allia's shoulder at the glass amphora.

Aware of her sister's presence Nar'Allia asked, "di,..... did you see that?"

Solvienne nodded a deep look of concern upon her features. She grasped the label from Nar'Allia's hand and read the words out loud. "this is written in the language of the Ognod's, I recognise it from other documents in this house, but alas I cannot translate it for I am not versed in that tongue."

Solvienne stood and returned to what she was doing before Nar'Allia uttered her alarm. She was staring at a long rod etched with runes and gemstones. The rod seemed to be made from some strange material, in fact it was several thin rods all bound together to form the one thicker rod. The whole thing was held together with metal bands wound around it. It hung horizontally upon the wall of the small room on two brass hooks. Solvienne reached up slowly, she was intending to take the rod from its hooks to get a closer look. But as she touched the rod she realised that it hung there in mid-air for the hooks that she thought held it to the wall were in fact part of the rod itself. She could see the very air immediately surrounding the rod seemed to waiver and bend as it passed through. She could feel warmth, a vibration from within the material from which the rod was made. As Solvienne took down the rod it passed quite close to the glass cylinder that Nar'Allia suspected of being the same one that the lady Venetra had appeared from. Immediately the cylinder started to vibrate alarmingly, it shook increasingly more violently on the shelf where it lay. Solvienne gasped as a ghostly image seemed to flow out from the cylinder and snake its way towards the rod she held. The image was of a woman. The woman's image came to rest against the rod she held, the head against one of the brass ends and her feet against the other, her eyes suddenly shone forth with a bright light. Nar'Allia grabbed Solvienne's wrist and pushed the rod away from the cylinder, the woman's image left the rod and flew back into the cylinder once more. Nar'Allia looked at the rod in Solvienne's hand, "Just be careful where you point that thing Solvi, there are many secrets and tricks within this house, let's just be careful what we disturb or tamper with eh?" Nar'Allia looked with some concern at her sister.

Solvienne though smiled and as Nar'Allia turned to look somewhere else, she again drew the rod close to the cylinder. Nar'Allia cried out a warning, but Solvienne just said that it was ok and she thought she knew what this was.

Nar'Allia stood back aghast. The image again left the cylinder and stood once more between the two curved ends of the rod. Once more the eyes shone forth. Solvienne regarded the image and then said, "what is your name?"

Strangely the image of the woman spoke back and repeated the words in a melodious voice, "what is your name." That was all she said.

Nar'Allia thought Solvienne had taken leave of her senses when she started to sing an old T'Iea tune. Then to her surprise once Solvienne had finished the image sang the tune back, the woman sang in perfect pitch and said every word in T'Iea the same as Solvienne had sang it.

By this time Nar'Allia's curiosity was aroused and she went to stand next to her sister regarding the rod and the image that it held. "What is it?"

Solvienne took her eyes away from the image and looked at Nar'Allia, "don't you see Narny? Whatever I say the figure repeats."

Nar'Allia looked perplexed. "Is it a child's toy then? What possible use could it have?"

Solvienne looked back at the figure. "I guess you can have fun with it Narny yes. But I think I recognise its description from one of Solin's journals. I suspect that its real use is to place messages within, people who know how to retrieve those messages, well they can listen to them."

Something was dawning within Solvienne's mind. "But, it did hold a message, our mother told us that. But how, why? ....." She let her voice trail into silence.

Nar'Allia's old suspicions of Solin rose once more in her mind. "Yes, Solvi you have it. The message that the Lady Venetra gave all those years ago. It may not have been from the ancient fathers at all. Someone in this very house may have recited the message. Why else would they have the rod. Mother spoke of how Solin had told of the cylinder being retrieved from the Ognod temple, she did not mention the rod though."

Solvienne stood back, many thoughts went through her mind. "The Ognodsthen? It must have been the Ognods. But why? Why would they seek to deceive our mother and Serinae and the others?"

Nar'Allia looked slyly at Solvienne and said, "No, Solvi. Not the Ognods."

Solvienne was taken aback. "You mean Solin herself? But why?"

"Because she needed something doing Solvi. She needed them to go and recover the machine and she wanted them to do it as quickly as possible, perhaps without thinking anything of their safety. Possibly she had other tasks as well that she thought would come about as a result."

"But she could just have asked?"

Nar'Allia nodded, "yes, perhaps. But this trick, this manipulation, made a much more compelling reason to go don't you think? I know if it was me all those years ago I may have delayed, wanting more information regarding the trip I was about to make. I may have even doubted the authenticity of the task. But the message that this Venetra gave was a much more interesting reason to go, don't you think?" But now she was thinking wilder thoughts about Solin and everything to do with her. Everything that had happened, everything that possibly was going to happen, all seemed to have roots in Solin. Either through a suggestion or thought, even her giving cryptic messages and secrets. She was never directly involved, but she was always on the periphery, exerting some kind of subtle control over events. Nar'Allia was suddenly fearful; they had sent Thor away with her! She suddenly wanted to know where they were, what they were doing.

Solvienne however had replaced everything back as it was and turned her attention to other things set around the room. She saw Nar'Allia deep in thought. She could only believe that although it looked suspicious, Solin did not mean any malice in what she may have done. Solvienne had spent far too many hours in the old mage's company to believe that she was capable of evil deeds, so she grasped Nar'Allia's hand gently and pulled her along with her. Nar'Allia turned and allowed herself to be towed along. They strode slowly around the room once more.

Along one wall was set a carved golden table upon which were laid various items including an ornate long feather quill pen, a bottle of blue ink capped with a silver hinged lid and a large book with a blank cover. The largest item on the table was a very ceremonial looking mace in gold leaf on the top of which was carved the same wolf's head devouring the same gemstone. Nar'Allia had opened the book, it was a listing of names, page after page of T'Iea names, each name was prefixed by the word 'Guro' meaning pupil or student in the common tongue. Alongside each was a date. As she flicked through the pages she also noticed that certain of the names, sometimes just one or two and sometimes many on one page had a red cross marked in ink alongside them. She also noticed that in the beginning of the book the dates listed where those of some nine hundred years of man in the past. Curiously the dates in the last pages of the book where for some five hundred years ago. The book or register appeared to be filled to this point, this made Nar'Allia think that another register must have taken over from the point where this one left off. But then she realised that the number of names for any individual date reduced the nearer to the end of the register she read. For in the beginning, there were pages and pages for any date or year. Yet the last and final entry in the book for the year 9817 had but one name against it, the name of a T'Iea male named Guro'Teathe'De'Turon. She also noticed that this name had one of the red crosses beside it.

Suddenly Solvienne saw something that took her interest. She replaced the staff she was looking at back where it hung upon the wall and walked over to a bookstand. She said, "Wow, look at this Narny."

Nar'Allia replaced the register back upon the table and walked over to see what it was that Solvienne held. She had in her hands what looked like an ancient leather bound tome. The leather was badly worn and flaking in places. It was cracked where the tome had been continually opened and closed many times, over many, many years. The leather almost appeared although it had turned to stone, it looked like the black slate that some humans used on the roofs of some of their houses. The tomes cover appeared to be featureless however, Nar'Allia assumed any title or reference to the contents had been erased, worn from the cover many years ago by numerous scholarly hands that had grasped the tome. Solvienne took the heavy tome out of the room and placed it upon the large circular table without. She opened the cover gingerly; half expecting the thing to either crumble in her hands or perhaps snap off. But no such thing happened. The cover opened and revealed the first five pages to have been blank perhaps at one time, for no printed text appeared on them, just copious amounts of hand written notes in a T'Iea hand. The printed text in the book proved to be written in some language that neither the two T'Iea women could understand. So Solvienne after turning over a dozen or so pages returned to the first few pages of hand written notes. The hand was unmistakably Solin's careful and precise T'Iea script. Although some of the ink had faded badly over the years, Nar'Allia could read some parts of it. She translated it as best she could into the common tongue so that Jonas would also be able to understand. She began:

I believe that this volume is one of, if not the only written account of the 'Book of Truths'. It may even be, (I admit, I secretly hope is the case), one of the original works, brought here and left by the ancient fathers. Given to the Keepers, or the Ognod's millennia ago when they (the ancient fathers) knew they would not be leaving here. Those who professed the text written herein have long held the belief that no written account of the subject matter existed. I have always thought otherwise. I now strongly believe that this volume is proof of my suspicions on the matter.

We came across this volume whilst pursuing answers for other things in the human monasteries high in the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri. How such a work could end up there is a mystery. But one ministerial building within the priory compound proved to have an extensive library, we both found great irony that this volume was buried beneath a pile of books and manuscripts destined for the furnace that provided heat for the living quarters of the monks. To this day I cannot believe the willingness of the administration in control of that library to give such a precious and historically important document so freely, for I only had to ask and it was given! But then why shouldn't they, for this volume probably has little relevance to the race of men, pertaining as it does to the combined races. I thank the powers that be for our being there at the right time, for if not, this priceless tome would have been destroyed forever. It is with some discomfort, and further with real dread in my heart, that I can't help but wonder what other treasures may have kept those monks from freezing in the long winters of the past!

Solvienne looked at Nar'Allia, the look on both faces of shock and disbelief was apparent to both. No words could have been said between them that would have extended the feeling of astonishment that they both felt. Solvienne turned the page and Nar'Allia continued reading out loud

Tezrin returned the tome home; I remained behind in the monasteries to complete my work. On her return Serinae took a deep interest in the tome, I suppose it appealed to her spiritual nature. She has now almost completely mastered the written language of the tome. She tells me that it appears to be very simplistic in a way, probably a written language only, for the way the structure of words and sentences are formed suggest that it was never intended to be spoken. More like a picture gram language designed to be commonly understood by readers of many different cultures. I sometimes wonder who the real academic is here in Amentura!!! But in my defence, the contents of this book seem more akin to Serinae's spiritual winding lane than the straight and narrow street of my own learning and understanding. She tells me that she is teaching Tezrin the language also for he too has taken a keen interest in the contents; they spend their free time together reading and debating on the contents. I will leave them to it.

She turned the page once more, this time the ink seemed far fresher, newer as if it had been written more recently.

Serinae has been telling me some of the content of the volume. I will make notes, but I can't seem to raise any curiosity for it, on the other hand Tezrin seems to be making much headway into the translation he seems to be obsessed with it, he insists Serinae work with him, they spend hours pawing over the pages, but they are doing well.

Their keen interest begins to make me wonder why it does not seem to appeal to me. Am I so struck by the tangible things of my understanding? Is my mind so limiting that I overlook that which I cannot prove or hold within my grasp, do I seek too often for the evidence of proven fact and miss the wonder of coincidence? For it seems wondrous to me, things which seem to be constructed of random events and unproven facts. Those notions and romantic stories and the whisperings of the uneducated. All these things lost perhaps to the comforts of modern living, all that has been discarded as irrelevant. But this does not mean they didn't happen, just because none now live who witnessed such events. Perhaps my mind is closed, yet I am supposed to be the academic. I resolve that I really must think with more openness upon these things, for not to do so may mean I miss so much that could prove useful. But never the less the contents of this volume may form the most important discovery of our time, for if true our very existence is not at all as it seems.

Several interesting points have come to light from their study of this volume. Serinae tells me that the contents are a rather subjective, if not lengthy accounting of the historical and spiritual accounting of the ancient fathers, a record based mainly (in my opinion) on a religious understanding rather than pure fact. But there I go again. She must be winning me round, for what she has told me does bare a remarkable resemblance to the factual history I have discovered via other means. It seems then that these are not to be simply discarded as the writings of religious zealots, but are in fact the recording of a long lost history. A history that deals with this world long ago.

Tezrin spends longer periods of time traveling. Where he goes I don't know, Serinae will not tell me yet I feel that she is somehow disturbed by this. I know they love each other, but it seems to me to be more one sided. Tezrin does not seem to suffer the same anxiety at their periods of separation as does Serinae. I keep telling her that he obviously has some important task to do and not to take it to heart. When he does return he is full of excitement, he keeps saying that she should give him time, for what he is doing will greatly aid all three of us.

Again Solvienne turned the page. But she looked perplexed, she turned the pages back and forth but to her great disappointment several pages seemed to have been torn out, there was nothing else until the first chapter of the book itself. "So where are these notes then?"

Solvienne and Nar'Allia just stared at each other. "What does all this mean?" Asked Solvienne.

Nar'Allia thought for a while and said, "well. I'm no expert, and I may be reading something of nothing into all of this. But you remember the stories Minervar told you about her journeys? Well Serinae seemed to have detailed knowledge of this Book of Truths?"

Solvienne nodded.

Nar'Allia pointed at the crystal cylinder standing there back upon the shelf in the secret room. "Perhaps back then Solin needed to persuade Serinae into action, perhaps the message in the cylinder was her way of doing that. That device holds a message explaining some catastrophic disaster that was described as a 'Twist of Eternity'?" Nar'Allia thought for a moment her eyes narrowed, "if Solin did make that recording telling of the impending disasters, maybe she knew first hand somehow. Maybe she knew all along what was happening and just pretended to be ignorant?" Then Nar'Allia frowned, "maybe she was in some way and to some degree responsible for it all. You know something else? What really worries me is that Tezrin is mentioned there, not as an enemy or someone to be mistrusted, but as a friend a colleague, fully in league with both Serinae and Solin."

"That is all pure speculation Narny. There is no proof of any of what you speak about. I agree it is a good guess, but it is still a fanciful explanation unless we can find some other texts that back this up. I can't believe it is in either Solin's or Serinae's nature, to be deceitful to the degree you are suggesting."

"Yes, I have always thought the same, but they were all here. What if the three of them were in league, what if they are all T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran? By the Maker Solvi, what are they up to?"

"Narny, calm yourself. I think you are allowing the suspicious disappearance of our mother take over your thoughts. Yes, both Serinae and Tezrin did live here with Solin, I also know for sure that Tezrin was in league with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. But surely you can't believe that Serinae was also in league with them? Surely you trust her? She killed Tezrin, he was once her betrothed, she could not have done that if she was in league with him, her character, her conscience would not allow her."

Nar'Allia thought for a while "maybe she sort revenge, or she wanted the spoils of their conspiracy all to herself!"

Solvienne began to laugh. "Narny! Listen to yourself! How can you say that? You know the stories, you have even communicated with Serinae. You were there when she battled with the Rift. Come on, can you seriously consider for one moment she is in league with dark elements?"

Nar'Allia sighed, she nodded in agreement with what Solvienne had just said. No, from what she knew of Serinae she could not believe that she would be in league with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and from the relationship she knew that Serinae and Solin had, then she also could not believe that Solin was also on the side of evil. It must just be coincidence. Solvienne was probably right, she was allowing the circumstances of her mother's disappearance and all of the mysteries surrounding this house to cloud her judgement. She did not have all the facts either; she could not possibly understand what relationship existed between the three of them whilst in this house. She decided to give Solin and Serinae the benefit of the doubt, at least for the time being. Nar'Allia's face brightened up and she said, "well perhas we will find proof if we can discover where those pages are, the ones that have been torn out."

Solvienne was quiet for a minute or two thinking before her face suddenly brightened and she said, "of course, why didn't I think of it before." She smiled broadly at Nar'Allia who looked questioningly at her younger sister. "I may have found them already. In the library I came across several hand written volumes. I glanced at them when I discovered them, they were obviously written notes on various subjects, but did not take much notice at the time."

Jonas coughed politely by the door. "Well my ladies, I am due to prepare this evenings meal. I will go and do that with your permission? Would you like to go to the library now? Or will you change and prepare for dinner?"

Nar'Allia couldn't help but smile at Jonas after he said these words. She found it all still a bit overwhelming, the formalities of this house, yet she also enjoyed it somewhat, the attention, the effortless workings of the household. She smiled at Solvienne. "Of course Jonas, yes you go attend to your duties. I think we will prepare to eat. I am quite tired of all this excitement. Perhaps we can continue this later, or even tomorrow."

Jonas bowed, "with your permission?" he closed the tome that lay on the table, and after placing the it reverently back upon its shelf in the hidden room he walked back out and closed the door and when the click of the lock sounded he removed the Dolan and handed it dutifully back to Solvienne. "I will summon the house maids with hot water." He then bowed and turning on his heal left the suite of rooms. Nar'Allia and Solvienne quickly followed.

After the meal, the women decided to go and at least take a look at the written documents that Solvienne had alluded to earlier. They walked into the library as they had done so many times before. Solvienne went across to a bookshelf where many files of parchment lay flat upon a shelf. She gathered up an armful and walked back to the table where Nar'Allia was seated. She dropped the papers onto the table and sighed. "Well, here is a beginning, we have to start somewhere I guess." She looked back across the room to where she had retrieved the manuscripts and sighed again as she perceived the amount of paper that remained on the shelf. "Let's hope we get lucky quickly eh?"

Solvienne sat on the opposite side of the table from Nar'Allia and taking up a file read the title on the first cover. Then she untied the cord holding the file closed and started to thumb through the hundreds of pieces of paper within. After an hour or so, there was a pile of files upon the floor beside each of them and a much reduced pile left upon the table. Nar'Allia yawned and stood to walk around the room in an effort to exercise muscles that had been idle for too long.

"This is interesting." Exclaimed Solvienne. She read aloud from the paper in front of her.

"Tezrin remains thoughtful, but he is trying to re-make the bridge between us. I'm afraid I remain somewhat frosty to his efforts. The suspicions I have I find are now increasing, he has started to ask about the Western Continent across the Trad Ocean. He asks about the Pnook and their city in the Rust Desert, why they live in that inhospitable place. I am not sure yet how to approach Seri, I need to find out what it is that they have come across within the Book of Truths. The trinkets I gave them did not alone cause this sudden interest, of that I am sure, yet Tezrin seems determined to find out more. I hope my suspicions are unfounded, but I have sent Jonas to remove all the books with a reference to the Rust Desert from the library. I was shocked to learn from his report that some are missing from the list I gave to him. I must speak with Seri, even risk her anger once again."

Here the writing ended.

Nar'Allia looked at Solvienne. Without a word Solvienne rose and walking once more across to the book shelf to retrieve another pile of loose papers and carry them back to where they sat. Nar'Allia waited eagerly to search through in the hope of finding out more. As Solvienne carried this pile across the floor of the library towards the table at which they were sitting, something fell from amongst the parchments and landed heavily upon the wooden floor at her feet. She stopped and looked down, there lay a small muslin bag, she looked curiously at it, whatever was inside must be very heavy for its size for it landed with a distinct thump, it did not bounce on the springy wooden floor. She continued to walk across the floor and dropped the parchments onto the table then returned to where the small cloth bag lay. She bent down and picked it up and brought it over to the table where Nar'Allia was watching her every move with keen interest.

"Whatever do you think this is?"

"I have no idea until we open it," came Nar'Allia's reply.

Solvienne started to pull upon the draw string of the bag which had been tied in a knot."

Nar'Allia suddenly felt a great fear overcome her, she reached out and stayed Solvienne's hand. "be careful Solvi, things in this house have a nasty habit of exhibiting the unexpected, not all of them pleasant, please be careful."

Solvienne looked into Nar'Allia's eyes and saw a deep concern there, initially she felt that she may scoff at Nar'Allia's suspicions, but the look on her sister's face made her want to obey what Nar'Allia had suggested. So after loosening the cord, Solvienne turned the bag upside down and shook it. With a loud thud far greater than you would think for its size, a small jet-black shiny stone fell out onto the wooden table. Both women stared at it as if they expected something to happen.

"It's a portal stone, some call them key stones," said Nar'Allia.

Solvienne went to reach for it, but Nar'Allia knocked her hand away, "NO. No my sister, do not touch it. There are many ways of using these key stones, some will port anyone or anything immediately they are grasped." They both bent closer to inspect the stone more closely. Then Solvienne said, "I wonder where the portal is that it is attuned to?"

"It may not need a portal Narny, some stones are not directly linked to portals, but they also carry the energy to create one as well as transport the holder through it."

Nar'Allia remembered a conversation that she had with Amndo long ago. He had explained as they walked that the Grûndén mined these stones for the Keepers. But the mines they came from could not be found in this world. They existed naturally perhaps outside of this time and space. For the mineral from which these stones comprised could only be found beyond in the voids. The Grûndén coveted many minerals and ores from the voids. So an arrangement was made. The Keepers would allow the Grûndén access to the voids by opening portals thus aiding them in their travel to those places and giving them the ability to mine whatever they wanted on one condition. That condition was that the Grûndén would also mine this black mineral wherever they found it and give all they found to the Keepers. The Grûndén of course were more than happy to comply with this request, for this particular mineral held no attraction to the them, for it was neither attractive, easily worked, or functional in any practical way. The Keepers however used the black mineral in many different ways. The mineral exhibited a unique characteristic; it could be imbued with a memory of a place or places. Thus held, the memory could be retrieved and along with a skill that the Keepers possessed could also hold instructions on how to transport people, things, anything to that place held in memory. The Keepers could also empower the mineral to transport them or anyone else, to many different places, a kind of address book, this was why the keepers could use the stone to open a portal and then step through to the destination they desired, especially if multiple destination information was held within a particular stone. It was all done with the attraction properties exerted by gravitational forces that was present in the universe and linked everything together. Amndo likened it to pathways across the universe, flowing and bending this way and that without any restraint due to perceived reality, time or distance. These key stones allowed access to certain pathways, even linked pathways. He likened them to cross roads, or landings upon a staircase, even hallways with many doors. He explained gravity was the force that linked everything together, the larger the mass of the body (without any direct link to the actual perceived physical size) the greater the force. It is possible according to Amndo for something as physically proportioned as the sun with low mass to have less of an attractive force naturally within it than something as small as a child's ball with infinite mass and therefore a far greater pull on anything that got close to it. Thus the relationship between mass and size had what he called a threshold, where regardless of size the mass had such an attraction that nothing could resist its gravitational pull, not even light. Thus anything getting close would be pulled into the mass and pass right through and beyond, out of the other side. This is where Nar'Allia found she lost understanding of what Amndo was saying, for much was beyond her. But she did remember that the stones could be imbued to be single, or bi-directional. They could even allow access to and from somewhere for a finite number of times. Not only that but also allow access for single items or people or multiple. Nar'Allia did not know what kind of information this portal stone contained but she was deeply suspicious.

Nar'Allia looked at the thing an expression of deep suspicion on her features. "Amndo is the only Keeper that I know of that visited Solin, this key stone must be something to do with him. But why would he place it there amongst those notes? Did you see which papers it dropped out of?"

Solvienne pursed her lips and shook her head.

Nar'Allia scrutinized the pebble closely. "Well at least this one appears to be two-way, notice it is shiny in appearance on all sides, at least that I can see, so in theory, if we touch it and get transported, we should be able to return as well."

"As long as we are allowed to return, what if someone or something is waiting for us the other side and captures us as we appear?" Solvienne pushed the portal stone back into the bag with a rolled length of parchment. "Tell you what, let's ask Jonas if he knows what this is all about."

Nar'Allia rose and rung the bell rope that would summon Jonas. After a few minutes he appeared round the door of the library and asked, "Tea? My ladies?"

"Yes, that would be good Jonas, thank you. Perhaps when you have made the tea you could return here to the library and serve it?"

"Of course, as you wish milady."

Soon the three of them were gathered in the library; Jonas had poured the tea, including a cup for himself at Nar'Allia's insistence. "Jonas we have something we would ask of you?"

Jonas nodded his agreement.

Solvienne opened the small bag and upturned it upon the library table, out rolled the portal stone.

Solvienne spoke, "we found this portal stone amongst the papers on that shelf over there. Jonas do you know anything about it?"

Jones strode to the table and went to pick it up, Nar'Allia leant forward and stayed his hand. So instead he said, "A Portal stone milady? I have never seen its like before." He shrugged. "I wouldn't know my lady, I am sorry."

"That's alright Jonas, I just thought I'd ask, before we did anything foolish like try and use it or something."

"But what is it then milady?"

Nar'Allia explained what the stone was and how it may be used.

I will gladly test it for you milady if you so wish. I can take it up and test it and return once I find out where it leads?"

That's very gracious of you Jonas, but no, I don't think we would ask that of you, at least not just yet."

"If my lady forgives my asking, what do you intend then?"

Both women looked at Jonas, Solvienne shrugged and then looking at Nar'Allia said, "well actually I don't think we know."

Jonas added, I suppose the lady Solin or Lady Serinae may have left it there in amongst the papers." He seemed to think for a while before he said. "One other was interested in those parchments though, the papers I mean, a few weeks ago now. The Keeper, Master Amndo who I believe you know, he spent many days here going through those papers. I suppose he could have left the portal stone there, you did say that the Keepers had mastery over these things, although it seems a strange, perhaps a careless thing to do, even a dangerous thing?"

"Amndo? He was here a few weeks ago?" Exclaimed Solvienne.

"Why yes m'lady. He turned up the same day you left with Master Thorandill, in fact just an hour or so later. He comes and goes you understand, but he has been a regular visitor at times over the years. He likes to look through the books here in the library. He err, forgive me for saying so, but well he always seems to prefer to time his visits when the house is quiet. At least that is the way it seems to me, not that it's my position to say you understand."

Nar'Allia was stunned, she looked towards Solvienne who just looked as stunned as she. "That has a suspicious ring to it Jones. Why would he not want to meet with Solvienne I wonder."

Jonas did not answer. He just shrugged and said it was not his position to question the guests to the house.

Nar'Allia could not believe that there was a sinister intent in Amndo's visits. She had travelled with him for months and had never in the least had cause to suspect him of any suspicious behaviour. "Perhaps he will turn up again, perhaps we should wait for his return and ask him about this portal stone."

Solvienne then spoke, "but Tezrin also lived here at some time, what if he left it here?"

Jonas then said, "I doubt that milady, the mistress, that is the lady Solin, she had the house searched from top to bottom following the lady Serinae's ...err departure. All the shelves in the library were cleared, the books cleaned and replaced. Anything untoward would have been shown to the lady Solin for her to decide upon its disposal or replacement. I know this because my predecessors kept meticulous records about the activities at that time on the lady Solin's insistence you understand."

Nar'Allia then said, "so we must suspect then that this portal stone was placed there upon the shelf quite recently."

"Just so," said Jonas.

Solvienne said, "well we are not going to find out just staring at the thing are we?" They all looked at her as if expecting some amazing master plan to be suggested.

In the end Nar'Allia in response said, "I suggest we all make careful preparations for any eventuality, get weapons and armour and anything else we may need and then perhaps we should try the stone and see where it may lead. We will be ready when we exit the other end."

After agreeing this was a good plan, Nar'Allia scooped the stone up onto a piece of paper and while Solvienne held the bag open she slid the key stone back into the bag and safe keeping once more.

## Chapter 12. In the House of Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun

Thor watched as Master R'He'Ghoud turned and walked back down the road towards the city district from whence they had come. The page in house livery that had been waiting patiently for them bowed and requested they follow him. Thor dawdled along taking in his surroundings. The grounds of this great house were beautiful and what he could see of the house itself equally astounded him. The page then stopped and Thor found that Solin was talking to a rather military looking sentinel. Thor knew the uniform; it was of the civil defense guard, a body made up of volunteers who kept law and order within the jurisdiction of the city walls. The officer was bowing to her every so often, he seemed a little nervous, but then he addressed the page sounding much more officious. The page was then dismissed with a wave of the sentinel's hand and he once more addressed Solin, with further bowing he requested they walk with him. Solin continued to talk with the sentinel as they walked; the sentinel continued to bow so many times that Thor thought he may pay dearly in the morning with an ache in his neck or back. Soon they were escorted through a brick façade and into the walled gardens of the mansion and after traversing a cool shaded area beneath a wooden pergola they found themselves entering the main courtyard of the house through a wide archway over which many flowering plants grew.

The house was built in a square around this courtyard, many large windows with ornate balconies looked down into the courtyard from above. In the centre of this space was a large statue. It depicted a T'Iea warrior in full battle regalia unmistakably the uniform of the Legion of the Wind. The statues facial features were obscured by his close-fitting helm. He held a long sword forth as if pointing towards some unseen foe, in his other hand he held close to his chest a large oval shield that guarded most of his body from his chest to his knees. Thor recognised the emblem upon the shield; it was one of the emblems belonging to the four main regiments that made up the Legion of the Wind. A multi-headed dragon, four heads in fact, one for each regiment. In this depiction, the claws seemed to be biting deep into the rock on which the dragon stood firm. Two heads were raised high in regal splendor, the other two were dropped lower and breathing gushes of flame at an unseen target that appeared to be whoever stood in front of that shield. The words De'Et'Nial'De'Noun'e'Alle in the common speech 'To Live Is to Serve', were inscribed upon the plinth on which the statue stood.

After the civil defence sentinel had kissed Solin's hand and saluted at attention, they entered the house itself through a large doorway.

Thor managed to smile at Solin and say, "the sentinel was rather attentive my lady?"

Solin laughed and replied that she knew him from years ago; he was once the gardener of her parents' house.

Thor for some reason found this most amusing and smiled to himself.

Once inside they found themselves within a vast entrance hall. Either side were receiving chambers across the front of each hung heavy curtains that could be drawn closed for privacy. Each curtain was finely embroidered with scenes of T'Iea life, including some battle scenes. A house servant drew back one of these curtains and tied it open with two rope loops from which hung some blue tear-drop shaped stones set into golden clasps upon golden chains. Within the alcove they found a comfortable looking private seating area with a small table on which stood a crystal decanter of what Thor assumed was water and a number of crystal glasses on an oblong silver tray. Even the tray had depicted finely upon it a scene where several legion officers surveyed the lands that lay about them. They seemed to be in relaxed pose with helms tucked beneath the arms and gauntlets held in one hand as they pointed and gestured at some unknown feature of the landscape.

Thor and Solin were politely asked to remain in this seating area. The house servant bowed and reversed from the alcove, quickly he was replaced by a T'Iea maiden who after curtsying low offered refreshment in the way of the crystal glasses and a crystal decanter upon the small table. Solin nodded her consent, Thor declined. As they waited a commotion sounded from the far end of the hall. Several Grûndén all dressed in military uniform were approaching, they were escorted by two T'Iea soldiers. The Grûndén talked in their own language, their excitement was unmistakable as they gestured to one another and to an older looking T'Iea soldier who wore all the trappings of a senior officer. A very senior officer Thor noted. This entourage reached the entrance and with much hand shaking, many words passed between them all, even the senior officer spoke the Grûndén language, quite fluently it seemed for he did not hesitate and was obviously confident enough to crack some jokes as the Grûndén laughed and one in particular grasped the T'Iea soldiers hand in both of his with an obvious gesture of great admiration and respect. Eventually the Grûndén soldiers were escorted out of the door and their voices trailed off into the distance.

Thor turned towards Solin, she had stood and was staring at the T'Iea officer, Thor thought she was blushing slightly. The tall T'Iea soldier in gold shaded armour turned after a final salute to the soldiers walking across the courtyard square, he sighed and after speaking with one of his aids he allowed a relieved expression cross his face. Then he turned and glanced in their direction, his features still retained the feeling of relief after seeing his guests from the premises, but as soon as he spied Solin his expression was wiped from his face and replaced with another akin to shock. Certainly some form of surprise was very evident. But the man soon disguised his look, he spoke some words to his aid who nodded and walked briskly away. The man then slowly walked towards them.

Thor recognised his attire as dress uniform, not the armour of battle. Not many regiments bothered with dress uniforms these days. But Thor knew that the Legion of the Wind did, tradition was everything with them. Everything about this officer showed his military service had been long, a life spent as a professional soldier, the way he held himself, how he moved, looked, took note of his surroundings, all this told Thor that this was an old soldier, one of the old school, probably one that had come up through the ranks rather than inheriting his commission from his family status.

Without any further hesitation, the soldier strode into the alcove, he smiled broadly before he went up to Solin and bowed low. "My Lady De'Teinde." He took her hand and kissed it. Then after holding the blade of his broadsword out of the way, he surprised Thor by dropping to one knee before Solin, he waited with bowed head.

Solin seemed lost in thought for a while; she kept him in this position for some time, although Thor could see she gazed at the T'Iea soldier with much admiration and a hint of something deeper. She wore a broad smile upon her lips as she suddenly giggled, years seemed to roll away from her features, she looked younger again as she stood looking down upon the soldier, then holding up the hem of her skirts she crouched down. She actually knelt upon the floor in front of him and taking his hand she said, "Oh Yiun'e," she gave Thor a quick glance and then said, "oh! I mean Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun forgive me my bad manners."

Thor found his muscles going into automatic as he stood immediately to attention and saluted on hearing the name and rank of the officer who had just entered the alcove and greeted Solin with so much honour and deep respect. This was no mere soldier, or even a field officer. This was a member of the commanding counsel, one of the counsel of twelve that had command over all the armies of the T'Iea. There was no rank any higher in the chain of command. Only one position was superior, the rank of Te'Adrueeun'Onolan, or Marshal of the Counsel in the common tongue and that was more a ceremonial position shared equally by the each of the twelve permanent members of the Commanding Counsel. They took it in turns to hold this position for periods of three years at a time. Solin had said she still had friends, some influence in the city, but Thor never for a moment thought that she meant anything so lofty as this.

Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun stood and holding both Solin's hands aided her to stand from where she remained kneeling, then turning to Thor returned his salute, immediately he again addressed Solin. "Manners? My Lady I would be dead by my own hand before I would demand anything in the way of formality and manners from you of all people."

Then to Thor's utter surprise Solin did something he thought never to see. She blushed, really blushed. But she composed herself and said, "oh, Yiun'e how much time has passed through our lives since we last spoke."

Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun gave her a sideways look and said, "you My Lady were a young woman just graduated from De'Et'Niale'Ternaven. I recall a young academic who showed great promise, someone who has proven that promise by all accounts and more, much more if the stories and reports of your actions are to be believed and of that I am sure they can."

Solin seemed lost in thought again, but she then said, "was it so long ago? It feels like another age, another life even, one belonging to the ancient past."

They seemed to stand there gazing into each other's eyes, something was being said in the silence, Thor knew not what, he held his breath for he did not want to interrupt this obvious moment of intimacy. In fact he felt uncomfortable, as if he presided over an intimate act, a very private intimate act. He felt he should not be here, but to move would draw attention to himself and he did not want to interrupt the mutual affection and feeling that was being exhibited between these two old friends.

Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun then said, "we had many years of man together, the most memorable times in my life. I woe that day Solin, the day you were required to submit to your first posting by your masters. It pains me to think that you never returned from that day to this. At least not to my knowledge."

Thor thought he saw Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun draw closer to Solin.

"I sort you Solin. Did you know that? For many years I held out hope, I bartered and negotiated my postings, I asked after you, everywhere I went. But your masters had been instructed not to divulge where you had been sent, I couldn't even find out what you were doing."

Then to Thor's horror Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun wiped an eye and choked a little on his words, it took him three or four attempts to say his next sentence.

"I later found out that it was your father's instructions that I should not find out where his daughter had been posted. He gave this instruction specifically so that I should not find out where you were and thus not be able to contact you let alone meet with you."

His voice seemed to break with emotion, he turned away from Solin's gaze, he shook fighting against some inner turmoil and turned his face to where neither Solin nor Thor could see it. Thor was mortified, embarrassed that such a senior officer should be so open, appear so vulnerable in his presence.

But Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun gathered himself and continued. He said slowly and with much conviction. "Your father I fear, did not desire a military man in the family, least of all one who may wed his only daughter. Then worse take her away from her studies, corrupt her mind with mundane things before her career had even started?" He frowned, old memories, old hurts perhaps showed upon his face.

Solin looked long and hard at Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun, eventually she smiled but the corners of her mouth quivered, she wiped her hand across her cheek, she held both his hands in hers and looked down at them, "I had to do my father's biding, even though I wanted desperately to remain with you Yiun'e. My heart was aching that day we separated, but I had already promised my father much, foolishly perhaps." She looked downwards at the floor, then she took both his hands and drew them to her lips. "But my mother always loved you. You know that. She argued with my father many times, but my father was, well he was a stubborn man. He only wanted what he saw best for me. I was his only child, he had great hopes for me, I would have him realise those hopes, so I went in the end to do the bidding of those that commanded me."

Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun smiled, he then shrugged as if it aided his recovering himself and his composure, his eyes lowered as his thoughts went elsewhere. He then stood back slightly and holding both her hands he raised her arms slightly and held them to either side, he looked at her face deep and hard, before he said, "even so Solin, it is a blessing from the Maker to be able to set eyes such as these upon your fair face once more."

There was a period of silence, Thor remained to attention. He sneaked a sideways glance at Solin. He was reminded of their conversation as they journeyed to Ter'Hadsnefel. He remembered Solin's words about her appearance and her hints at it being just an illusion. She now appeared half her age, she was beautiful.

Solin broke the silence. "did you ever marry Yiun'e?"

Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun looked hurt, he faltered at her question. But then he smiled, "Yes Solin, I married. My wife is from an old military family, it was deemed to be a good match. I have five beautiful children, three daughters and two sons to look after me in my later time. I love my wife dearly, she is good for me and I have enjoyed our time together greatly." He remained silent for a minute before he asked, "and you Solin? Did you ever find anyone for your life?"

Solin's eyes dropped to the floor. "Yes. Once long ago. But it was not to be. But this you know."

Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun pursed his lips and nodded slowly, he obviously understood the remifications of these words. "Yes, I understand." But he took a deep breath and in a brighter tone continued, "you must stay with us, in this villa while you are here. Oh, Unless, of course, you feel it inappropriate, I do not wish to impose upon you."

Thor thought he saw a sadness in Solin's face out of the corner of his eye, but she said with a laugh, "I would love to, oh dear I mean," she looked at Thorandill, "we would love to. I am such a dunce, Thor please forgive me." She turned back to Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun and said with much formality in her tone, "Yiun'e I haven't introduced you to T'Thorandill, he has escorted me here to the city and been a most gracious companion."

Thor tried to stand even straighter, he saluted once more.

"Ah, be at ease young man, all the aura and mystique I may have had to you as your superior has been blown away by Solin here," he laughed. "Let us not stand on ceremony. Be at ease man, here take my hand."

He offered his hand to Thor who looked at it with some shock and then after slowly extending his own hand, shook it. Without thinking he saluted once more after his hand had been released. Both Solin and Yiun'e laughed out loud. "Forgive me T'Thorandill, I mean not to make fun of you, come, come into my office we have much to discuss I feel."

They were led out of the alcove and up a wide staircase to the level above. Thor was reminded very much of Solin's house in Amentura, similar decorations and items were to be seen about the place. Many fine examples of T'Iea art and design stood on exhibition, Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun was obviously an avid collector, or perhaps his wife was.

After walking a short distance along a corridor they entered a large room with a high ceiling. They were not shown to the large desk that sat in the middle of the room. Instead they walked to an area of soft furnishing off to one side, two single seats and a wide divan that would seat three or four where arranged around a low table on which sat a vase of flowers. The table top was of clear glass and below the glass surface sat two ceremonial swords. This furniture was placed upon an ornate carpet that had quite obviously been expertly woven with pictures depicting T'Iea life in a strange place. At first Thor thought of the great wood were they lived, yet there was something different about these trees. For one thing they were far larger than anything he had seen in the great wood and they had a golden hue to them as if the time of year depicted was autumn. Yet the position of the sun in the sky in this picture suggested the height of summer. He also noted that some of the tapestries that hung upon the walls also depicted a similar landscape. These tapestries were old, very old, for the once vivid colouring that would have once shown was faded by time and the cloth was rather threadbare in places as if they had been rolled up and packed for travel many times.

He thought no more of it as he glanced towards two large glazed doors that were flung open to where could be seen a large stone terrace adorned with statues and flowering plants of all sorts. In one corner a water fountain played amongst water plants, these were in full bloom as a number of large waxy looking bright blue flowers protruded up above the stone parapet surrounding what must be a small pool. Several birds sat on the edge of this parapet dipping their heads leisurely into the water drinking of the clear liquid and occasionally singing to each other.

Once they were seated and tea had been brought Yiun'e invited them to ask what they would of him. Solin related much of what she had been doing in the intervening years between now and the last time she had been with Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun it seemed. Thor found all this very interesting. He understood much from what was said, other parts he guessed at. Solin's father he guessed was from an aristocratic land-owning family, although they didn't work the land themselves, apparently, they had a vast farming estate outside the city. The estate house was no longer there, destroyed by the Ognod's as they attacked. Solin's mother it seemed was from a rich society family from within the city and they owned many properties inside the city walls. Like Solin her mother was an academic, a historian of some kind. Solin showed aptitude to the arcane from a very young age and her talents were picked out quickly by the scouts working for the ancient order of De'Et'Niale'Ternaven. So pretty much most of her childhood and young adult life had been spent in the service of the academic order. Following the Ognod wars social attitudes changed dramatically and gradually the order fell from popularity, the numbers of students attending fell. Solin even hinted at some scandal associated with the order, something to do with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and assassins using the order as a cover for infiltration and clandestine activities aimed at destroying T'Iea society. Thor gathered many assassinations took place around this time causing much civil unrest and chaos, but she didn't elaborate on these darkest of hours. He heard how most of the remaining exponents of the order, disagreed on how to recover from this demise and further found more profitable employ within independent business arrangements, mostly outside of Ter'Hadsnefel. It sounded like some of these arrangements were less than ethical. Those that were in charge took it upon themselves to cleanse the order of all those deemed as adversaries of the norm. A purge was undertaken; many were tried and exiled, even put to death. Solin referred to this dark period in T'Iea history as the era of the Red Cross. By the time much of this activity had halted, the order had become much diminished; it became tainted, linked with an air of suspicion which could not be removed, although many attempts had been made to do so. But finally the order was forced to disband. By this time Solin had already taken up residence in Amentura and with no masters to report to she was on her own, free to do as she pleased.

Some of the later events of which Solin spoke Thor did recognise from the stories that his mother had told him as a child. He remembered loving the stories of adventure, remembered asking his mother to tell and retell them over and over; they were imprinted on his mind. Yet it was strange to hear them coming from the mouth of another, for some reason he suddenly realised that the stories he had been told were actually real, they actually happened. He knew this of course, his mother had always related the stories as fact not fiction, yet hearing the same things from Solin, sometimes putting her own twist on them or adding detail he had not heard before really brought home to him exactly what his mother had accomplished all those years ago. He suddenly felt very proud. He also found he missed his mother much as well. He found himself even more determined to find her.

Suddenly Thorandill was aware that there was a silence in the room. He refocused back on Yiun'e and Solin who sat looking into their cups. Eventually Yiun'e stood, he held his hand out to Solin, she grasped it and rose, they walked through the doors Thor had looked through earlier and went over to stand looking over the edge of the balcony that ran around the terrace. Thorandill followed behind them, but given the obvious long standing relationship between the other two T'Iea he wasn't sure if he was invited so he went to stand a little distance away. When he reached the balcony he found he looked over the city as it spread out before him in all its colour and glory. He was struck by the beauty and art of his race, his forefathers had built this place millennia in the past, the building of this city was about as far back as T'Iea history went, what happened before that time was lost to them or so it seemed. At least nothing seemed to be recorded before then, it was if they were planted upon the world in an instant and they built this city as their first act. The city had survived everything including internal strife, war and invasion. He was proud of his races accomplishments, but also sorrowful that much of it was now gone, long forgotten in the depths of time. He gazed across the city not finding a word to describe the achievements of old. It made him wonder what else they may have lost.

He was brought back to the present, he heard Yiun'e say, "long have the Red Cross evaded us Solin. The dark brethren, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran as we now know them have remained a threat for many ages. Just surfacing long enough to cause havoc here and there."

Solin nodded in silence. But then she spoke. "Yiun'e we would ask a favour of you, it is the reason we have come to the old city." She now told another story, she described Minervar's disappearance, the discoveries made by Nar'Allia in her travels in the east. She told of the Rift and the discovery of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and the last sighting of Minervar. At this Yiun'e seemed shocked, he seemed to take a great interest, it seemed a revelation to him. But he allowed Solin to continue. She explained how they thought Minervar dead, but now suspected that she was still very much alive. Then she told him of what they required of him. "Yiun'e it is your influence we desire, Thorandill here wishes to have the chance to find his mother once more, to go east to the Rift and see what can be done. I admit we have no clear-cut plan, but that is where she was seen last and naturally investigations should start where the trail went cold." She looked a little sceptical.

Yiun'e pondered what he had been told for a while. He then said, "if what you say is true, then it would seem that the dark brethren of the Red Cross are grown into a much more formidable force than we suspected. Also if they have harnessed such a power as you say then they will not use it for the good of all, of that I am sure. Yiun'e looked troubled. "So, you wish me to exert my influence, persuade Thorandill's commanding officer to release him from his duties, so that he can go on this errand?"

Thorandill felt anger rise within his breast; it was only his military training and deep discipline that prevented him from rounding on this pompous officer. A superior officer or not it was disrespectful to think this an errand.

But then Yiun'e's face showed a hint of a smile as he said, "well, I see from Thorandill's black look that he would challenge me over this. That is good. This is good. You're coming here may have been very fortuitous, in fact if I were a man of faith I would say that the Maker had a hand in your arrival."

Both Thorandill and Solin looked at him with questions in their eyes.

Yiun'e looked from one to the other as if assessing them somehow before he seemed to come to a decision. "Let me tell you certain things that not many within or outside of the legion know, something that has been kept quiet for many ages now. I will tell you Solin for I have known you many years, I trust you with this knowledge, for I know you do not have a loose tongue." He smiled at Solin and then turned to Thorandill. "As for you young officer, you need to know something of the history of the task that I wish you to undertake, for those that need to know I will tell them that I have deemed you the best for the job, so you'd better come up to expectations." He winked at Thorandill then continued. "It is no secret that we the T'Iea have long sort to locate the hiding place of the renegade T'Iea once called the Red Cross, our T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran brethren. For many ages it has been high on our list of priorities. This is of course for many reasons; I do not need to go into such detail for I believe you can guess at most. To this end the Legions of the Wind have sent representatives, spies if you will, out into the field to investigate sightings, nullify rumours and such. Over the years the intelligence deemed from these representatives has narrowed the field somewhat, it now leaves but a few places in the world where the dark brethren could possibly hide such a large population for any length of time. All of these places have strategic importance, for if the dark brethren do show themselves we need to know about it quickly and have sufficient forces ready and available to meet the threat. For some time now the legion has had permanent forces stationed in each of these places to keep watch and be prepared for any move by the dark brethren. I will tell you now that all these special forces report directly to me and I demand they send regular reports on their activities."

Here he stood and walked slowly up and down in front of Solin and Thorandill, obviously deep in thought. "There is one legion, one Ruen'N'E'Y'Thego, that I have not heard from in a long time and I need to investigate what has happened to this force, I need to have someone investigate and if this legion still exists, I need to make contact with them and find out what they know, for their reports have not been forthcoming for quite some time. I have grave misgivings about this force, suspicions that you have just reinforced through your confirmation that the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran are present in the east over the mountains. Well my legion, the one of which I hold concerns for is there, there in the east.

I have heard tales told of fateful acts and committed atrocities. I have delayed investigations for one reason or another, but perhaps now is the time to take such measures." At this he turned and looked directly at Thor, "I would like you Thorandill to go and make those investigations. I will not send you into the wilds alone however. But I also feel it would be a great risk to send yet another large force to the area, such a move may be misconstrued as an aggressive act, even an act of war, so I will assign you a small company to assist. I order that you command them. If you can make contact with this T'Iea legion and persuade them to act with you then you will hopefully have enough forces to accomplish that which you seek. I will furnish you with written orders so that the commanding officer will understand what it is that you require. I will not ask him to risk his men you understand, any activity involving his soldiers will be at his discretion, but at least with the orders I send he will understand that I have given my consent."

Thorandill stood to attention and saluted, "permission to speak sir?" Yiun'e nodded his consent. So Thorandill continued. "Am I to assume then sir that the force of which you speak was, still is, stationed in the east, in the vicinity of the Rift sir?"

"Very astute of you captain, yes you are correct."

Something else suddenly manifested itself in Thorandill's mind, "captain! Sir?"

"Yes, captain. I am relieving you of all your previous duties. As of this day forward or until I decide otherwise, or death take you, you are promoted to the full rank of legionary captain and sworn into the Legion of the Wind, with all pay, recognition, benefits and responsibilities pursuant to that rank and favour. You will however report directly to me, you are to divulge nothing to any other, not even to any other in the legions, enlisted officer or conscript do you hear?"

Thorandill saluted and said, "yes sir, I fully understand sir."

"Good. Then it goes without saying that I demand you honour your rank and undertake your duties to the best of your capability and forsake all else in the pursuance of that duty."

Thorandill saluted once more, "yes, sir."

"Excellent. So captain my first orders to you are that you take command of the force I place at your disposal, you will prepare and then travel east to the region where the missing regiment was posted and make all investigations necessary to make contact with them, deliver a message to their commanding officer one Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned. This message I shall write myself and seal in an envelope and give to you before your departure. I do not, I trust, have to tell you of the sensitivity of this message and therefore the ramifications of it falling into the hands of others?"

Thor saluted once again and said, "No sir."

Yiun'e smiled and nodded his satisfaction. "Good. Then I will give you three days to prepare, on the third day from this date I will expect you to be ready for departure. Is this clear captain?"

"Yes, sir. Perfectly clear sir."

Yiun'e stared into Thorandill's eyes and once more nodded his satisfaction and agreement. "Good. Now that the formalities are over, I will expect these orders to be fulfilled young man, and for you to report back to me post haste. You will investigate what has befallen the regiment and return to me any findings, belongings, personal effects etc. that you may come across in the process of your investigations. Good luck with finding your mother by the way." Here Yiun'e winked at Thorandill.

Solin giggled.

Yiun'e then walked over to the wall and pulled upon a cord that hung there. Almost immediately a smartly dressed soldier appeared through the door to the office and standing to attention saluted. "Ah, adjutant, please accompany Captain Thorandill here to the quarter master to get kitted out in battle uniform and armour. You had better get him a dress uniform to, there is a party here tomorrow night in recognition of my eldest daughter's engagement and I fully expect Thorandill and the lady Solin to be honoured guests. The adjutant saluted and opened the door, he remained there holding the door. Thor looked back towards where Solin stood.

"It's alright Thor, I am perfectly safe here with Yiun'e, go and have your uniform fitted. I will see you soon, I am sure you will look even more handsome than you do already."

To Solin's great delight Thor blushed redder than the silk sash the adjutant wore around his waist. But both soldiers walked through the door which was shut the behind them.

## Chapter 13. Destination Unknown

The two women gathered in the library. Solvienne still looked as elegant as ever, however she did now sport a travelling cloak and a plain looking dark green velvet dress that still managed to sport some lavish looking needlework around the hem, across the bodice and at each elegantly flared cuff. The only real change that suggested a somewhat different approach to her decisions over her normal feminine attire were the rather stouter looking boots she now wore upon her feet instead of her light slippers.

Nar'Allia smiled. Not for her the womanly attire, the flowing dresses and robes, the plain but still pretty adornments that hung around the neck and wrists. No, she was wearing deer skin breeches and tunic, over these she had put on Serinae's chain mail and bracers and the two short swords strapped at her waist. She contented herself with the fact that a similar T'Iea stitch work had been worked into the fine supple leather, but the articles she wore would have looked equally fine upon a male body as they did on hers, with some adjustments to the tailoring of course! The quiver also hung there, already filled with ethereal arrows.

Nar'Allia heard a dull thud upon the table, her attention distracted from her preparations. There in front of her lay the jet-black portal stone. She looked from the stone up at her sister. Solvienne was holding out her hand for Nar'Allia to grasp. She had a smile upon her face, an unspoken invitation to grasp those slender fingers, a small act, yet one she knew would gesture a goodbye to the safety of everything she knew and herald a venture into the unknown. Nar'Allia couldn't help wondering at the confidence that Solvienne portrayed in that smile, she couldn't help thinking that perhaps it should be she who led, she who guided. But perhaps neither of them knew what lay ahead, the only difference was that Solvienne had no clue of the dangers that may lay there, whereas Nar'Allia had already ventured upon those paths. A thrill of excitement passed through her, it was enough to make her gasp. So reaching out, she sighed and grasped the offered hand.

Solvienne looked back at the stone and said, "well, sister, here goes something for nothing." She smiled and picked up the stone from the table on which it lay.

Immediately their surroundings blurred, they were vaguely aware of the sound of the air about them rushing away from them, but they did not really feel any movement or wind, it was more of an impression on the senses than an actual physical movement. But there in front of them a spinning hole appeared and they had the feeling of being stretched, elongated into infinity, for it seemed to take an eternity for all parts of them to stretch towards the dark hole. Then everything went black. But the darkness only lasted a second or two; a light appeared and grew in front of them. It glowed brighter as they traveled rapidly towards it. Their vision returned to normal, but they could see nothing, wherever it was they had appeared was in darkness, night time perhaps. They still had a queasy feeling inside their stomachs, Nar'Allia bent down and placed her hands onto the firm surface beneath their feet in an effort to stop the uneasy sensation of movement for they knew there couldn't be any movement in reality, it was probably just an after effect of the transportation through the portal.

But the perceived motion did not seem to abate, they were still experiencing an odd rocking, jerking sensation. Nar'Allia was reminded of traveling on the back of the Duagnuats, the creatures of burden that the human tribes used to traverse the Rust Desert. But somehow this was worse; it was far more pronounced and not so rhythmical somehow. Nar'Allia concentrated on the touch of her fingertips, she felt the floor, moving her fingers across the surface, what she felt was hard and cold. It felt like metal with small ridges criss-crossing it. She looked closely at it, as her eyes were becoming a little more accustomed to the gloom. It was indeed metal, the ridges were little raised bumps, they were all highly polished, even worn flat in places. She had seen something similar before, she knew these ridges were usually set into metal flooring to reduce the risk of slipping accidentally, especially when the soles of ones boot were wet or muddy. They were on all fours, a very undignified position, kneeling on a moving metal floor in the almost total darkness. A regular clanging sound of metal against metal could be heard. She sat up on her knees and tried to see around her. Where in the Maker's name were they?

They seemed to be in a small room. There were obviously no windows. The walls were covered in tubes and pipes and electric cables. There was nothing homely here, no pots or pans, pictures or any other adornments. Just a functional metal room. It was hot, stiflingly hot. Some of the tubes and pipes had wheeled valves upon them and others handles or levers. A bench to one side was cluttered with odds and ends, metal objects of unknown use and other paraphernalia, tools of some kind lay amongst the debris. Other hand tools were set on a rack attached to the wall.

All of a sudden brilliant light shone into her eyes. The bright light was accompanied by a loud clang, a sound reminiscent of a large piece of metal being flung against an even larger piece of metal that was unmoving. She blinked and eventually realised that in fact the light was not brilliant at all, just seemingly bright because of the lack of ambient light within this chamber. She stood and grasped Solvienne's hand to try and steady them both against the constant movement of wherever it was they found themselves. She helped Solvienne stand and together they stood leaning upon one another for support. Then Nar'Allia noticed that a door had been opened and had been flung back against the wall in front of them, this was from where the light had suddenly shone upon them, for through the now open door could be seen a comparatively brightly lit corridor. They made their unsteady way towards the door. Solvienne hung back, when Nar'Allia looked back to see what she was doing she realised that Solvienne was placing the precious portal stone she still held into its small pouch, now attached to her belt. Nar'Allia also noticed something else. Behind Solvienne she could see a short figure. She slowly moved her hand down to her sword. Nar'Allia however knew that in this confined space she wouldn't be able to use the sword to much effect. But she did not feel a threat as such so she released her grip upon the pommel of the sword and regarded the dark shape moving around before them. The figure suddenly turned and there before them stood a small man, smaller than an her. Nar'Allia thought him even smaller than a Grûndén. A Pnook then, he was a Pnook! He wore a baggy one-piece dirty coverall; it was rolled up at the sleeves and legs to the right length for his size. He wore a mask with thick glass lenses that magnified his eyes comically. He seemed to stare at them with his lips parted, with what looked like an unintentional sneer, but it looked to be his normal facial expression.

Solvienne said, "hail to thee master Pnook."

The Pnook did not seem to acknowledge this remark, he just looked in their direction, walked past them, back through the door and shut it with another loud clang from the outside. They were plunged into darkness once again. The Pnook had made no acknowledgment of their presence what so ever, as if they weren't even there.

A particularly violent movement of the deck below them made Solvienne fall forward, Nar'Allia was able to catch her before she fell to the deck. Why of course! Suddenly Nar'Allia thought, yes a deck, that was what came into Nar'Allia's mind due to the strange movement, she felt they must be on a ship at sea, a metal ship at that. She then thought of the metal ship in Port Town on the coast of the Rust Desert, could that be it? Could they be on a Pnook battleship? But then she thought of what she had heard about the scuttled vessel in Port Town being the last remaining survivor of the great fleet that the Pnook once operated. Perhaps then they had built another in the intervening years? She remembered the harbour vessel that the Pnook had used to tow the captured Ocean Belle into Port Town, yes the Pnook still used metal ships. But what in the Maker's name was the link between Solin's house in Amentura and a Pnook battleship?

They regained their feet and staggered over to the door through which the Pnook had passed not minutes before. Nar'Allia found a sort of wheel device; she indicated to Solvienne that it should be turned, for she had seen such a thing before on the battleship in Port Town. This time Nar'Allia did draw one of the short swords and this she held in defensive pose. Solvienne grasped the wheel with both hands and tried to turn it, it moved and creaked getting easier to turn the more she did so. Then suddenly the door opened inwards as it had done before, it was quite heavy and with the sudden lurching motion of the vessel opened sharply. Solvienne was forced to let go of the wheel quickly for otherwise her hand would have been twisted badly and risked being broken at the wrist. She rubbed the place where her wrist had been jarred. Nar'Allia had stepped through the doorway intending to be the first through so that if necessary she could swing her sword without hindrance. Solvienne followed Nar'Allia through the open door.

They found themselves within a well-lit area, but not in a corridor as Nar'Allia had initially thought but in a larger chamber. Solvienne turned and waited for the right motion of the ship she then pulled the door closed again with a clang and quickly turned the wheel on this side to secure the door tightly shut once more. It would have been dangerous to leave the door swinging with the movement of the vessel. They looked for stairs, or some way up onto the deck above, for they assumed they must be deep down in the bowls of the ship, but they had no way of knowing how far below the open air they may actually be. Both women were starting to feel even queasier with the horrid movement of the vessel. Perhaps the battleship was caught in the midst of a storm at sea and it may not be such a good idea to seek the outside deck of the vessel after all.

Looking around the room they could see nothing in the way of a ladder or steps. The little Pnook they had seen previously was still in this chamber he seemed to be busy wiping things with a cloth and inspecting some gauges and dials that were positioned above a desk. He fumbled around with his hands as if he couldn't see anything. Ah so that's why he hadn't acknowledged them, the poor fellow must be blind, or very short sighted. There could also be seen various levers and other mechanical controls, the Pnook gripped one of these wrapping the oily cloth around the lever and pulled on a trigger like device. The lever moved and clicked as it engaged once more into a notched wheel that could be seen below it. Before Nar'Allia could stop her, Solvienne went up behind the Pnook and tapped him on the shoulder.

As before the Pnook took no notice of her.

"How rude," she tapped him on the shoulder again, still the little man gave no response.

Nar'Allia shrugged. She scanned around the room and her eyes eventually alighted upon a mass of flexible piping hanging in a bunch in the corner of the room, as this piping swung to and fro she thought she saw a wheel similar to the one that operated the door they had just come through. She indicated this to Solvienne who nodded in understanding. They made their way over, Solvienne ducked beneath the pipes that were swinging about. One hit her on the forehead, but luckily they were not heavy, just more of a nuisance the way they continually swung about. There was indeed a further door behind the pipes and tubes, so whilst Nar'Allia kept a wary eye on the Pnook, Solvienne turned the wheel as before, but this time with more care. Once opened, Nar'Allia again went through the door first, alert and with the short sword at the ready; Solvienne followed and closing the door secured it behind them.

They now found themselves in a low corridor. The walls seemed to form a sort of flexible concertina, the whole thing shook and bounced around in a haphazard fashion, Nar'Allia thought they may be inside the bellows of an accordion, a musical instrument of the type favoured by some human bards. At least that is what it looked and felt like. It was also noticeably much hotter in here, stiflingly so in fact, the air smelling of some bitter, rancid odor. As the tube flexed around and twisted in a very odd fashion, they found it difficult to walk and make any progress, for the floor was made from a series of interlocking metal plates that seemed to hang upon two rows of steel cables running the length of the corridor. They made their way slowly along this corridor holding onto two more steel cables that formed hand holds through the structure. Eventually they came to another door at the far end. It was a relief to stand upon a firm metal plate set into the floor before the door. This door was of a similar type to the one they had just passed through. Opening it they stepped through into yet another metal room.

This one was larger and brighter still and seemed to be cleaner somehow; it didn't have the same stale smells as the previous compartments they had been in. It also didn't seem to swing around quite so much as the chamber in which they found themselves when first arriving inside the ship through the portal. This space was also larger. Strange suits of clothing hung on the walls. One-piece coveralls in a thick leather-like material. Weapons also hung on racks, projectile weapons similar to those Nar'Allia knew the Pnook used. She knew the Pnook preferred this type of weapon, for they were diminutive in stature and not heavily built and strong in arm. In fact the Pnook were not a race of fighters at all, they relied on tools and technology to do the hard work for them, so remained unskilled in more traditional forms of combat. Nar'Allia remembered the stories she had been told. Out of all the races the Pnook had perhaps suffered the most because of their lack of prowess on the battle field. They had fled their city in the east, abandoning it to an overwhelming enemy, the Ognod hordes and the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran.

As they looked around a door in the far corner opened and another Pnook stepped into the chamber. This Pnook was dressed in a similar fashion to the first, but he was taller and his coveralls seemed to fit him better. But unlike the first Pnook they met, this Pnook very quickly saw them and jumped back in shock, his eyes also appeared overly large beneath the glass lenses had a look of apprehension in them. But before either of the T'Iea could say anything the Pnook relaxed, he flung both arms up and began to laugh. He held his stomach in both hands and was laughing loudly and with much gusto. The T'Iea looked at one another in confusion for the Pnook laughed so much he sat heavily upon the floor.

Frowning, Nar'Allia dropped the sword to her side, she did not think the Pnook capable of attacking them he was so preoccupied with laughing so hard. Again she and Solvienne looked at each other shrugging as they did so. The Pnook continued to laugh and eventually they also couldn't help but chuckle at the comical situation they now found themselves in.

Eventually the Pnook regained some of his composure, for he stood once more and still chuckling he bowed low and said with some exaggerated formality, "good day my ladies. A warm welcome to thee, especially milady Nar'Allia, it is indeed the greatest of pleasures to see her once more." The Pnook seemed to come to a conclusion, he waved a finger in the air in front of him and he removed the thick goggles he wore, he slid them up until they sat on his forehead. He then pulled the thick leather face mask down and tucked it away under his chin. The skin around his eyes was bright white and clean in comparison to the rest of his face. Obviously the goggles he wore kept this area free of grime and dirt from the interior of the battle ship. He smiled again and said, "Nar'Allia? It's me." He gestured towards himself with both hands and looked expectantly at Nar'Allia as he tapped himself on the chest with a thumb. He looked a little hurt as he said, "Narny? Don't you recognise me, my girl?"

Nar'Allia stared at the Pnook, something was dawning in her mind, for one thing she did not know many Pnook, and then there was only one Pnook she knew well enough to be on a first name basis with, especially one that called her Narny. She couldn't believe it, but she placed the sword back into the scabbard and then giggled. She walked forward to grasp the Pnook hand before she said, "by the maker, JDC?"

The Pnook laughed and said as he grasped her hand in both of his, "the very same milady." Then with a questioning look upon his face he said, "well you are a big surprise to say the least". He searched her face as if looking for some sort of confirmation. Then he smiled broadly and said, "I didn't know I had any stowaways! But never the less, welcome aboard the Land Train."

Nar'Allia was astonished and also a little relieved to find that their rather rash decision to try the portal stone had landed them amongst friends and not amongst enemies. She was astounded, but eventually she managed to find her voice, "JDC, this is incredible, of all the places ..... I mean, I would never have guessed in a million years, the Land Train? By the Maker, your Land Train? Where are we, on the western continent? I mean yes, sure the Land Train, but in the Rust Desert?"

JDC held his hand up in a gesture of submission, "yes and yes and to your last two questions yet two more yes's.

"Whatever have you been up to since I last saw you last? Nar'Allia was about to ask more questions without waiting for an answer."

JDC held up his hand in a gesture of submission, "so many questions and not a chance to answer them!"

Nar'Allia stopped talking but her mouth remained open as if it still expected more words to issue forth.

"What I have been doing? Well, life has been much the same as it always has been," he said with a shrug. "Citac and me, well we still traverse the desert, we eke out a living where we can, much like we have always done. Although my contacts within the human nomadic community have been less than cordial since our visit to the Jethrent all those years ago. For it seems that the hidden valley, the cistern with the blue lake remains closed since we were there last. I daren't show my face amongst the human tribes these days, I guess they would do nasty things to me should they catch me. My guess is that they don't actually know I have returned for they do not attack or hinder the passage of the Land Train so I guess they just think it is Citac aboard as they have become used to over the last years. Sadly, I remain hidden aboard the land train. That is the downside. The upside however is that I have managed to gain friends within the Pnook community once more in Scienocropolis. The ruling regime has changed much since my day. No one recognises me in the city or Citac for that matter and I'm not about to enlighten them on that front." Here he winked at Nar'Allia who smiled.

Nar'Allia thought about the story JDC had told her all those years ago when they travelled together aboard the great Leviathan machine. How he had told of being banished by the Pnook community, falsely accused as a murderer and banned from boarding the great battleships that fled across the Trad Ocean to the continent of the Rust Desert beyond. However he had followed them somehow, yet on making his presence known, he had yet again been shunned by his own people and tossed into the desert to fend for himself along with the old Pnook king and his son prince Citac whom he had mentioned before. So the other Pnook, the first person they saw after coming aboard, he must be Cirac the young prince. Nar'Allia was pleased with JDC's news though, for she had always felt it unfair that JDC should be alienated from his people especially as he claimed innocence from those crimes of which he was accused and she believed him. She voiced her thoughts by saying. "But that is good news indeed JDC, you must feel very relieved to be back amongst your people once more?"

"I am yes, of course but ...., well that's another story, perhaps for later." For now he scrutinised them with a questioning look. "But I am more interested in you. How in the Makers name did you manage to turn up here, we haven't stopped in two days and I can't believe you could have traversed the desert unnoticed? Did you just appear out of nowhere? Did you use some new T'Iea trickery?"

"Nar'Allia laughed, "there is more truth to that than you know JDC," she giggled again and then said, "but I was going to ask you a similar thing, I thought you must have brought us here or at least known how it was done?"

JDC just shrugged, he obviously didn't have a clue.

Then Nar'Allia motioned to Solvienne to give her the bag containing the portal stone. Solvienne unhooked it from her belt and obliged. Nar'Allia carefully took the bag, upturned it onto a metal workbench and out rolled the portal stone.

JDC came closer and scrutinised the stone, "by the Maker, a key stone no less?"

"Yes JDC it will transport you to another place, back to the house where we came from perhaps, although that has yet to be proven. But at least I think it will. I hope it will." She laughed again as she carefully prodded the stone back into its bag using the end of a pencil that she picked from a pocket in the front of JDC's coveralls.

Suddenly something dawned on JDC's face, "ah, a portal stone, that smacks strongly of the Keepers." He thought for a while then smiling in a sort of understanding he said whilst nodding his head slowly, "Amndo, that old dog."

"Amndo? Is he with you?" Asked Nar'Allia in great hope and surprise.

"Yes he is here. Well not exactly here, not on the Land Train, he hates the motion, says it makes him sick, but that seems an irony to me for I finmd its motion far less upsetting than traversing those darned portals the Keepers are so fond of! No, he is in Scienocropolis, at least that's where I left him last I saw him a few weeks ago now. He does travel about a bit undertaking business that only he knows of, but he did promise to await my return, but who knows with a Keeper, they seem to be able to appear and disappear on a whim." He looked at them with one eyebrow raised and said, "a bit like you."

Nar'Allia laughed, then said, "tell me everything JDC, tell me everything that has happened since we last saw you after you dropped us off the Leviathan, back in Dahl'Ambronis?"

He motioned for them both to sit upon padded stools that swung out from the wall of the room. "Well milady. It has been quite some tale. After we left you and Jonas. Amndo and me, well we flew around for a while, well many months actually trying to find a place where we may hide the Leviathan away from any and all prying eyes. At first our thoughts were to replace it back in the hanger facility where we got it from. But it seems that was no longer an option as we confirmed the facility had been destroyed from within as we suspected. When we arrived back at the hidden valley we found that the cistern was empty of water and much of the inside that we climbed down had fallen in. You suspected as much at the time if you recall."

Nar'Allia nodded as she remembered their fleeing the facility amongst the earth-shaking tremors and explosions caused by the great engines of the facility overheating. The old caretaker they had met had turned off the coolant water from the cistern. They had exited the facility through the large tubes that once carried the coolant. They had a guide, a maintenance machine she had nicknamed Tidbit. The resulting explosions had threatened to bury them beneath the sands of the Rust Desert. They had only managed to exit just in time before the desert claimed the facility back once more. She wondered about Tidbit, she hoped he survived somehow for she had developed quite a fondness for the cybernetic machine whilst they travelled with him through the facility below the desert sands. He had unwittingly saved their lives on a couple of occasions. She also wondered about the cistern. They had gone there as part of the caravan of the human nomads. They had mostly had an enjoyable time there, for the cistern was a beautiful oasis in the desert, a well-kept secret. Yet there had been darker episodes in that tale also.

But JDC was still talking, "we discounted taking the Leviathan back east, for we dread the thought of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran detecting our presence and risking the leviathan falling into their hands. We did not deem any hiding place could exist within the great forests of Dahl'Ambronis and we certainly did not deem the realms of the Grûndén or the Ognod's to be wise hiding place, for these two races we thought would not hesitate to use the machine as an offensive weapon if the need arose. So that left the Pnook. I argued against this, for reasons I'm sure you can fathom. But Amndo said he would negotiate with the Pnook as an independent mediator. So I dropped him in the desert at an encampment where a friend of mine lives and this friend provided transport to take Amndo to Scienocropolis. Don't ask me how he did it, but Amndo managed to persuade the Pnook, to provide a secret sanctuary for the Leviathan machine. We are not a war like people and would not use the machines power to dominate. Rather I think they saw an opportunity to satisfy there curiosity and perhaps discover and to explore new technologies. Whilst we were there in the city, low and behold along comes Citac and the Land Train, so I re-joined him and that is how I happened upon my old ways once again."

"So both the Leviathan and Amndo are now in Scienocropolis?"

"Yes," answered JDC with an enthusiastic nod of his head. "He said he would secure the Leviathan and make sure that it would remain safely out of the way, out of sight and out of mind so to speak."

"But that doesn't explain how we came to discover a portal stone in Amentura. A portal stone that took us conveniently here to you?"

"Ah, well like I said that would be Amndo I suppose. We wanted to try and find a way that would allow the 'right' people to make contact with us again should the time come. It seemed that our resourceful Keeper friend made a good choice eh?"

Nar'Allia thought about this and then said, "well yes, I suppose. But how and when did he create the portal link and place the key stone where we would find it?"

"Well after we had hidden the leviathan within Scienocropolis. Amndo said he wanted to return to Amentura and to travel and meet with the Grand Master in his home city. Apparently Amndo owns a small house in Amentura purely for the sole purpose of housing a bidirectional portal between Amentura and the Keeper's city of TeraT'Inu'Itil. Trouble is, no Keeper portal exists between TeraT'Inu'Itil and Scienocropolis. But Amndo was able to persuade the king further, the king was only too pleased to provide air transport for Amndo, to fly him back across the Trad to Amentura and that is what he did. I can only assume that Amndo must have created the portal capability from the Land Train to Amentura whilst we were all in Scienocropolis."

"But the last I heard was that you had instructed Citac to take the Land Train so the authorities in Port Town could not access it, or what it contains?"

"Well that was easy really. Citac knows the regular routes we took, still take, but the clever little so-and-so had also added Scienocropolis on his regular trade routes so it was pure coincidence really that he should turn up in the city whilst on his regular route whilst we were there, rather fortuitous really don't you think?"

There was a cough behind them. "oh, Solvi, I'm so sorry. JDC please let me introduce you to Solvienne my sister."

JDC stepped forward and taking Solvienne's hand bowed to her, "my pleasure milady. I am very happy to make your acquaintance." He scrutinised Solvienne's features for some moment before he added, "may I say milady, you look a lot like your mother, the lady Minervar."

Solvienne blushed slightly. "I am very pleased to meet you master Pnook, I have heard so much about you both from my mother and from my sister. I am pleased that I may have the opportunity of travelling with you as did both Nar'Allia and Minervar before me."

"The honour is mine, I seem destined to meet with you all. But I must ask the reason why you have come here, for I fear, however pleasant your company may be, that your arrival spells the start of something bigger. One thing I have learnt is that encounters with your family are usually tied in with more adventurous situations?"

Nar'Allia proceeded to relate to JDC everything that had happened so far, the fact that they had learned from a reliable source that Minervar was still alive and their plans to try and reach her and to rescue her. She also explained some of the things that they had discovered in Amentura. JDC nodded at times, but otherwise listened to all she had to say.

At the end JDC thought for a while before saying, "I know Amndo was investigating much of this, he speaks occasionally of his findings. Even to my untrained ears I can recognise many similarities between what he says and what you to have found within the Lady Solin's house." He frowned and seemed deep in thought for a while. Then he smiled and said with some excitement, "but I am currently on my return trip to Scienocropolis, I suggest that we continue with that plan and speak to Amndo and decide from there the next course of action to be taken? I'm sure also that the two if you would enjoy a look at my home city." He smiled curiously. "There have been some ........ changes since the time of the ladies Minervar and Serinae."

A hot wind blew across the red sands, not for the first time Nar'Allia felt she was reliving Minervar's travels. She stood there with Solvienne upon the observation platform on the top of the Land Train. She knew she stood where Minervar had stood, saw what Minervar saw as she looked out over the rust desert on her way to Port Town. But Nar'Allia was travelling in the opposite direction towards Scienocropolis. She was going to the same place that Minervar had been fleeing from. The irony did not go unnoticed. One thing was troubling her thoughts though; JDC had said they were very close to the city of the Pnook, yet she was expecting to see the great maelstrom. The massive sandstorm of which Minervar told that erupted around the city. The violent winds that Minervar had described in such vivid detail, winds that gathered the fine sand and grit and blasted all the metalwork on the flying ship in which she flew until it shone like new. Surely, in the same way they would need to fly over the maelstrom as Minervar and her friends had done when they travelled from Amentura across the Trad Ocean and on over the desert to the city of Scienocropolis. Yet so far Nar'Allia had not seen anything that resembled a violent sandstorm or a Pnook flying machine for that matter, she certainly expected that the Land Train, remarkable form of transport that it was, did not however have the capability of taking to the air and flying. But nowhere for as far as her eyes could see could she detect even the slightest cloud of wind-blown sand. This troubled her, they had been travelling for three days now across the desert, she was getting impatient to see the city and to talk with Amndo once again. She decided to go back down into the Land Train and speak to JDC.

His response to her question was somewhat evasive. "As I said Narny, the city is very different from the time of Minervar's descriptions, much has changed I'm afraid."

"Changed how? Has it become invisible?"

JDC laughed, "you will see Narny, you will see. Ah, but even now you can just glimpse the city there, look on the horizon." He pointed towards an area on the viewing screen in front of the controls where he sat.

Nar'Allia looked into the monitor screen, it showed a picture of the outside, the desert in front of the Land Train. The desert horizon could be seen yes, but it looked just the same as the other hundred times that Nar'Allia had looked into the viewing screen on this journey.

JDC took his hand off the control that controlled the speed of the Land Train and the vehicle slowly came to a halt. "Just let me zoom in a little," he then leaned across to another console and pressed a button. The view of the desert outside in the monitor seemed to rush forward at great speed as if she had sprouted the wings of a bird and sped even now over the desert, yet she did not sense any forward movement.

As Nar'Allia watched the picture change, something dark seemed to appear on the horizon being viewed on the monitor. Dark shapes, very angular in appearance seemed to get closer and closer. What could they be? She had never seen anything like this in the rust desert the last time she was there. It was then that Nar'Allia gasped. There in front of her she could see high buildings, many high buildings. All glittered silvery in the bright sunlight.

"There, said JDC, "there is Scienocropolis, you see?"

"But, it's low, I mean it's not up in the air, in fact it's on the ground ..... isn't it? I thought the city floated high above the desert. It had great engines to keep it up in the air, didn't it?"

"Yes, milady, it did. At one time the city did indeed fly above the ground. High above. But you perhaps remember your mother telling of how some of those engines were purposely destroyed? A final sacrifice to thwart the invasion of the Startmektoken and how successful that act was?"

Nar'Allia nodded her head. She did remember this from the story told by Minervar.

"Well," continued JDC. "After that act, the city started to slowly fall to earth. Very slowly, for the remaining engines did not have the necessary power to keep such a mass above the ground. Gravity won over and the city started to descend very slowly. Nothing could be done to stop this and over a period of some years following the Startmektoken attack the city settled gently onto the desert. The weight of the city was great, it did not appear to slow down once the desert was reached, in fact it continued to sink into the sands. Much fear arose, for there was no telling how far the city would sink. But unbelievably it sank until the street level was just a few hundred metres above the sands of the desert. There it stopped to the great relief of all and it remained stable and whole. So there it remains 'till this day. No longer a city above the sands, but a city upon the sands. JDC engaged forward power once more and the screen blurred violently as the motion of the Land Train increased. JDC 'zoomed' back out and the violent shaking of the desert in the screen stopped and the normal view Nar'Allia was used to reappeared.

Within a few hours they approached the city. It was still vast, much bigger than any place of habitation that Nar'Allia had ever seen before. As a child she had thought Tent Town to be big, but what met her eyes now was unimaginably bigger. Tent Town would have easily fitted into the same area of land that one of the tall buildings of Scienocropolis sat upon. How did any race build such a place? Even from outside the city she could recognise many landmarks much as Minervar had described. Although now there was no longer the derelict outskirts of Minervar's descriptions. But as they got closer they could see that now there was a defensive wall about one hundred metres high that seemed to surround the whole city. At the top it curved outwards overhanging their position. From where Nar'Allia and Solvienne stood upon the viewing platform of the Land Train the effect was to make the city look even more imposing.

## Chapter 14. Trete'Y'Thego

Thor stood before the two T'Iea soldiers. He thought of his final words with Solin earlier that morning. She had assured him that he was in good hands, told him to rely on these two, they were seasoned soldiers, both from military families. He wondered how she knew so much about them, why she considered them to be something special. But then of course she was deep in the council of those in power in Ter'Hadsnefel, he smiled as he thought that possibly she even had a say in the choice. Her parting words before he went out of the house were that he should trust them, they were good and loyal and he should not believe all he may hear to the contrary. But these were the two he was about to travel into the wildest of places with, entrusting his very life to their skills and knowledge. Even with Solin's assurances still ringing in his ears, he felt he had to be sure of their loyalty, their true intent.

On paper both had exemplary credentials. Spotless records of military service. They had fought in many campaigns, shown great courage in battle. Yet the records stopped rather sharply, there seemed to be no later military records attributed to these two almost as if they had been discharged from the legions, yet there were no discharge papers to substantiate this. He couldn't help but feel that he was only being allowed to see one side of these two. Most other records he had read in the past showed at least half a dozen minor blemishes on a soldier's service record, you couldn't be a soldier without upsetting at least a few people throughout your career. Even Thor had a couple of incidents that he was not proud of, especially during his time of basic training, it was to be expected. The odd misdemeanour got things out of your system; it was a sort of unofficial competition that you waged against your peers and against those who went before you. There was a desire almost to do something that stretched the disciplines and regimented order just that little further. It was even encouraged by some officers, unofficially of course, for they would never admit to this kind of thing. The art was to ensure that nothing could be traced back to you, always that element of doubt to keep the finger of accusation pointing in some other direction. But equally you had to be prepared to face the punishment if for some reason that same finger pointed clearly at you, for you would be a fool to think that you could get away with it forever. The military was an ancient and wise institution, it would be willing to overlook some minor acts of foolish behaviour, but it would also be willing to levee punishment and swift retribution for anything that overstepped the mark. One thing the military could not afford was to show weakness in dealing with obvious acts of stupidity or criminal behaviour amongst its own. But like wise it would also protect its own. So why then did these two seem to be completely without any blemish? It worried him, for no one was perfect, the military made sure of that.

A rustle in front of him brought him back from his thoughts. He looked at the two T'Iea that stood to attention in front of him. He glanced from one to the other a frown on his brow. It was true they both held themselves to attention in the unmistakable way that all long-term professional soldiers did, soldiers that had seen much action and probably been in the Legions for most, if not all of their lives. Thor found himself being a little intimidated by this, for he knew deep down that even though he commanded them both, they could most probably teach him far more than he could ever teach them. Their faces were expressionless, they were clean and well presented, they had the appearance of freelance soldiers for they wore an array of kit and clothing that each had chosen for their own comfort and preference. Gear that was both well used but constantly maintained in high repair. This was common in the ranks of the legions for there was no set uniform as such for the common soldier, only the officers had a uniform supplied by the military. All others wore what they saw fit for their discipline and assurance for personal safety. Thor could not fault them in this way either, like their written military records; they were almost too perfect in the flesh also. It was obvious they would not allow him to make any first impression judgements on either of them. Thor frowned once more but inwardly tried to shrug off his suspicions and negative thoughts.

The first he decided to approach stood to attention before him, the fellow stared into the middle distance in front of him. His eyes did not blink or move the slightest amount. Unusual for T'Iea kind he had red hair, , it was long, probably down to his waist, but it was tied in a single ponytail that hung down the centre of his back. He was dressed in a chain mail coat, almost knee length. On his upper body beneath the chain mail Thor could make out ornately carved leather body armour, the chain mail continued down the soldier's arms where it ended inside the cuff of two thick leather gloves fitted with cast iron knuckles for added protection and for the gritty trials of hand-to-hand combat. Thor smiled a little as he remembered bar room brawls and a sergeant at arms he once had the pleasure of knowing who had taught him an invaluable lesson telling him that if he was going to knock a member of the public to the ground, to make sure that they did not get back up and place themselves in further danger, at least not until the following morning. Over one shoulder a green travelling cloak hung. Two long quivers of arrows were also slung across his back held there by two bandoliers forming a diagonal across his chest. The arrows the quivers contained were lengthy even by T'Iea standards, the flights and nocks Thor was pleased to see, where of the finest crafting. Thor smiled, he had asked to see one of the arrows, the ranger had pulled one and offered it in two hands, his eyes never left that point in the middle distance. Thor had inspected the offered arrow closely. The iron arrowhead was elegantly long with a viciously sharp point, it was also fluted, the flutes started about two centimetres behind the point and ran in a slow spiral. Thor winced as he imagined this arrow piercing through armour and then spinning, drilling into the flesh within. Both the arrowhead and the nocks at the opposite end of the long shaft were perfectly set and balanced, the arrow sat nicely in his hand. Thor had no doubt that this arrow would have little trouble piercing the thickest metal armour. It pleased Thor that this ranger so obviously chose his equipment with great care and attention; normally this was a reflection on the experience and to a degree the personality of the soldier himself. Thor looked at the unstrung long bow held tightly by the ranger's side. Its lower tip rested on the toe of the T'Iea booted foot; there was a permanent mark in the leather that suggested this was a common place to have it rest. The other end was maybe fifty or sixty centimetres above the ranger's head. So, an expert with the longbow then. Not any longbow either but a bow made in the halls of the rangers guild in Ter'Resell. This form of longbow Thor knew to be known as R'T'Baum'Theogahal, the words meant far more in the T'Iea tongue, but Thor could only think that in the common speech the nearest translation was something like 'far from the arm throwing'. He was in no doubt that this ranger could repeatedly draw that long bow fully, time after time. Thor also noticed this bowman's leather armour was carved in a delicate design; it depicted forests of tall trees, deer stood amongst the trunks of the trees. In dead centre of his chest a large tree stood apart, Thor knew this tree, its shape, it was a S'Apli'Baum, a mythical tree of T'Iea legend. No standard issue armour then for this bowman, his armour had been commissioned privately, probably by himself, or even given to him as a gift, either way he must have seen much favour at some time in his career. Thor also noticed that his armour was fully tailored exactly to this ranger's figure, fashioned and shaped to fit around large biceps and bulging forearms. The ranger's arms were long, but then this elf was tall, taller than average, the muscles in his forearms looked knotted and sinuous, testifying to long years learning and practicing his art. Thor suspected this elf's physical appearance along with the red hair suggested him to have some human blood running in his veins, perhaps he was even a first generation half-elf, his human father or mother having red hair, but he did not ask the question. Thor was surprised that no other weapons adorned this ranger, most rangers he knew or happened across carried one, sometimes two swords about their person, short swords were preferred for they did not hinder the movement of drawing the bow, set the ranger off balance or prove a hindrance when kneeling down with both hands occupied in firing the bow. Short swords negated the need for having to manoeuvre a long sword about ones person to give freedom of movement. This ranger had a small dagger only, of the sort used as a utility tool for cutting materials, slicing food etc. Or even whittling wood for arrow shafts. This soldier either did not expect to be engaged in close hand-to-hand combat or more likely when he did he preferred to use his fists. Thor nodded, the ranger did not move.

Thor's attention went to the second T'Iea soldier also standing to attention in front of him. A shiver went down Thor's spine as he looked at this fellow. Upon the head he wore a helmet of stiff, thick leather, the two side guards hinged upwards away from the ears, they stuck out from the side of the soldier's almost head horizontally, the two leather ties that would have held them in place beneath his chin hung downwards. The helmet also exhibited a nose guard that hid much of the soldier's actual features, the effect just served to accentuate his piercing gaze. Once Thor had managed to rip his eye contact from his blue within blue eyes he noticed this soldier wore loose fitting cloth garments on his upper torso and on his legs. His loose fitting trousers were tucked into the top of his calf length boots. These boots were strange looking, certainly not T'Iea in design, they were broad and the toe of the boot turned upwards almost curling round to face backwards towards the ankle. The soles were thick iron and had deep ridges set within. Grûndén boots then, designed to grip well in the worst conditions. His shirt which hung down to just above the knee matched the trousers for both garments were adorned with ornate stitch work. The coloured threads had faded somewhat over the years, but the patterns that the tailor had so obviously lavished in the stitching of the garments could still be clearly seen. Angular shapes of no clear picture but they reminded Thor of mountains and valleys, pine trees and rocky outcrops. His shirt was contained within a plain leather sleeveless breastplate the surface of which was highly polished and smooth. His forearms were contained in similarly fashioned leather wrist and arm guards. The leather of the helmet and of each of these three other items seemed to shimmer in the air and they seemed to move slightly behind any movement that the elf made. This slight lapse in time was a little disconcerting to the eye, but Thor knew that what he was seeing were strong arcane wards present upon each, no doubt more than one or two wards, designed to protect this soldier from weapons, but more likely to also protect against any arcane energy projected at him. No weapons were about this soldier. But he carried a rather thick set staff made from a heavy dark wood, not a weapon as such but if necessary Thor thought that this item would have no difficulty in caving in the skull of any unwary opponent that ventured too close. In the top of the staff was set a golden clasp in which was gripped a single blue stone flecked with lines of orange and yellow crystals. The crystals seemed to move, to flow in and around each other like curls of flame, sparks even and hot cinders in the grate of an artisans forge. He didn't know why, but Thor shivered slightly, he suspected this was a physical manifestation of the slight unease he felt when standing in the presence of one trained in the arcane arts. For he knew this soldier to be a battle mage. One trained in the arcane knowledge and able to harness, focus and project the arcane energy into a deadly weapon. His like were normally loners, often feared slightly by the more conventional soldiery, even those of their own regiment. Even though the T'Iea peoples were familiar with the arcane, battle mages used the arcane energy as a very destructive power and this caused some suspicion even within T'Iea circles. There weren't many battle mages in the legions these days, most had gone to ground, or perished, he remembered Solin's tales of her training and how she always said she was the last of her kind, yet here in front of him perhaps stood an exponent probably of the military arm of the halls of De'Et'Niale'Ternaven, the old halls of the academics in Ter'Hadsnefel, for it was there he knew that all those skilled in the arcane sciences originated. Or maybe this mage had learnt his art after the demise of the De'Et'Niale'Ternaven, an apprentice perhaps of a lone teacher. Thor knew that many such mages fled the city in the time of the purge many perhaps still lived, alone and in hiding. He also knew that some took on apprentices, promising youths, or those that showed a natural skill. A question for the camp fire perhaps.

In his time in the military Thor had heard many stories of mages in battle, none of them nice. He had experienced some action against them as part of his basic training, he remembered with some unease that this part of the training was the most painful to remember. Yet during his training the mages he faced weren't that skilled, yet looking at this one he just knew that he was glad that they served on the same side. Battle mages fought by unleashing powerful bursts of raw energy, difficult to control and indifferent to friend or foe alike. The few mages he had met would offer soldiers around them wards to protect them from any stray energy. Protect them from friendly fire so to speak. But he had heard of mages inadvertently killing many soldiers of the same side either through careless acts or by less than skilled actions. But something about this mage made Thor think that he would not allow himself such foolish mistakes. Like the bowman, this mage had the look of a long serving seasoned warrior about him, another long term professional for sure.

So these were the soldiers that Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun had promised him. He was expecting the commanding officer to send him a troop of a dozen or so, but in the end these were to be his command. So he had been assigned a Trete'Y'Thego or 'three alone'. He turned with his hands behind his back and walked to look out of the window over the quad of the military barracks he had been assigned to. Without turning he said, "so gentlemen please introduce yourselves?"

The ranger responded first, "F'Orln'Derrae, sir. Most call me Orln if that may be your preference sir."

"Thank you Orln, I think I will. I am glad to have you with me for I am sure that your skills are exemplary."

Thor knew that it was traditional when a Trete'Y'Thego was formed that its members dropped all formalities of rank, they would be living, sleeping, travelling and even fighting in close proximity. They needed to get to know one another quickly and very well to ensure that the efficiencies and skills that formed the central relationship between them were discovered swiftly. For out in the wilds they would be alone, without any image from their legion or the rest of the T'Iea world. They had to look out for each other, size up any situation quickly and react without wasting time in conferring if they were to survive.

Thor waited for the battle mage to speak. He winced as he heard, not through his ears but directly into his mind, "I am named Neth'Gore." He turned and looked at the mage, he had spoken directly into his inner thoughts. Solvienne had practiced this art on him in the past, he didn't think he would ever get used to it. But she had made him practice responding to her. Thor concentrated the thought in his mind whilst looking into the two piercing blue eyes and projected his words, "I am honoured Neth'Gore and what discipline do you possess?"

If Neth'Gore was surprised at Thor's ability to mind speak he did not show it. Instead he kept eyes to front and raising his hand slightly he waved his clenched fist gently in front of him, then opening his fingers he revealed a small dull red flame that danced on the upturned palm of his hand. It looked like a long thin candle flame, but as Thor watched the length of the flame increased and its colour became whiter and whiter until where there was but moments before, a gentle warm flame, there now appeared a hissing almost screeching flame of white hot intensity. Thor stepped back involuntarily for he could feel the heat of the flame from where he stood across the room. He stepped further back as the flame left the hand of Neth'Gore and hung there in the air before it slowly floated towards Thor. He looked at the mage; he was still looking forward into the middle distance. The flame continued onwards. Thor was about to say something, but then the fire stopped abruptly and disappeared in the blink of an eye, the mage dropped his hand and arm back down to his side.

Thor frowned, he had been right, no inexperienced mage this, but one of exceptional skill. He voiced his thoughts. "So a battle mage with, much skill in the art of fire and flame it seems."

Neth'Gore gave one slight nod of his head.

Thor felt a little flustered, to hide this and his unsure thoughts about these two, he turned his back on them once more and went back to the window and looked out upon the gathering night. He took a deep breath to steady himself. So here they were then. Trete'Y'Thego, the three alone. A ranger skilled with bow, a mage skilled in the arcane and the last, himself, the swordsman. When he felt able, Thor turned and faced his men once more. "Get some rest gentlemen, we leave at first light, our journey is long and no doubt arduous. Take but little you need, for we travel swiftly. We will have need of both your skills if we are to eat well and overcome whatever ill the world may fling at us. Then when we arrive at our destination we may well have to fight. I bid you good night."

The two soldiers turned on their heels and strode out through the door. Thor gave them enough time to leave the building, then he gathered his cloak and placing it over his arm he walked from the room and out across the quad. He breathed the cool night air and walked out of the barracks. He strode through the deserted city streets deep in thought. He wondered why these two? What had they done to be saddled with this task? He only hoped that neither bore any ill will of any kind. Thor knew that he would have his hands full if either of these two soldiers took the slightest dislike to him. Then he found himself in front of the house of Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun for one final night of luxury in the old city of Ter'Hadsnefel. His final night before he left for the wild and untamed lands to the east, in the company of two seasoned soldiers with a recent history that someone thought best to keep secret from prying eyes.

## Chapter 15. Master Amndo Comes Clean – Once Again.

Nar'Allia felt the Land Train jerk to a sudden halt, with a loud retort and a cloud of dense black smoke ejected from the chimney of the machine, unfortunately the prevailing breeze blew the thick black smoke into her face it made her eyes water. JDC had parked his machine just inside the gates of Scienocropolis after driving up the long ramp that served as the main entrance into the city. Up close, the city walls through which they had just travelled could be seen. These were some twenty metres thick and rose high above her head, even though she stood on the viewing platform at the very top of the Landtrain. After wiping her tears away on the sleeve of her tunic Nar'Allia could see the silver metal and glass city within, yet the outer wall was entirely constructed of brick, it seemed a strange contrast. JDC explained that these walls had been built right around the city for its defence. Not so much through fear of an invading army, although that was one consideration of course, but more as protection against the powerful desert winds that blew without warning.

It seemed to Nar'Allia Scienocropolis matched exactly Minervar's descriptions, at least what she could see of the streets and buildings as they entered the city. The city was also obviously much smaller now. The suburbs beyond the great gulf caused by the destruction of the great engines had completely gone. Minervar's friend and one time travelling companion, a Pnook named Tnie, had masterminded the plan, a plan designed to destroy a circular ring around the city both to counter the invasion force that threatened the city and also as a barrier to any forward movement of the remaining invading force of the army of constructs. All that now remained of the great flying city was that part Minervar would have known in her time as the central, habitable districts of the city. What remained of the outer reaches of the city had been destroyed in the Pnook's attempts to decrease the overall mass of the city and therefore reduce the load on the great engines, a last ditch attempt to keep the sky city high up in the clouds. But no amount of effort or design on the part of the Pnook could keep the city aloft. It seemed destined by fate to descend slowly and gently down to earth, eventually settling onto the desert sands.

Nar'Allia looked behind her, back down the long ramp necessary to gain access to the cities street level, which now stood some one hundred or so metres above the surrounding desert. The whole city now stood upon a plateau of its own making. As they exited the tunnel through the wall they came out upon a large open area. She perceived a lot of activity going on here. Many Pnook walked around the area, also many wheeled vehicles of various designs, these either moved slowly about, or were stationary, parked neatly side by side waiting for the next time they were needed. The Landtrain changed direction, slowly turning at right angles to its original course and Nar'Allia could pick out the obvious place for which it was headed, for across to one side of the open area was a large parking bay, obviously created with this particular size requirement in mind.

Nar'Allia looked around her in a wide ark, the city streets and the buildings started at the edge of the open area, she could see they all ran straight as far as the eye could see, wide and majestic between the massively tall buildings. She again remembered Minervar's descriptions of the city and found she was looking forward to seeing the CaRTS system, the underground transport system that Minervar had described in such detail in her stories. But then her nose was assaulted by a familiar scent, one she had not been assaulted with for a very long time, but she smiled even as she wrinkled her nose. She looked about her and sure enough there to one side she found what she was looking for. She could see several pens, these were quite large and the ground within each had been filled with sand from the desert. A thick metal fence surrounded each. But it was the creatures within that Nar'Allia smiled at, for there in the pens she could make out the unmistakable outline of a number of Duagnuats. The only creatures that Nar'Allia knew of that were native to the desert. They were used as beasts of burden and could be saddled up and ridden. Nar'Allia had that pleasure once, she winced at the reminder of the aches and pains that journey caused. But she knew these creatures well, they looked dim-witted and somewhat absurd, but Nar'Allia knew this bellied their true nature. For Nar'Allia knew them to be completely at home in the desert, they had a strange intelligence about them, she also knew they were deeply affectionate, especially to each other and they communicated in a series of audible and non-audible clicking noises that they could hear for many miles across the sands. She was sure that any desert traveller would not survive in the open desert without a Duagnuats.

But something else sparked in her mind. The last time she was here in the desert she had met with mixed emotions. She remembered the nomads, the humans that inhabited the desert, how they were a hospitable people, yet underneath they were also perhaps mistrusting, even jealous of their domain. There was something missing here. She looked once more at the city. She saw sterility in the place, a purely constructed place; nothing natural was to be seen, no trees, no grass, not a plane or insect or bird to be seen. Yet the desert itself was empty to, so no surprises there perhaps. But then it struck her, what was missing. It was a presence, a loving presence. The God of all, the Maker, Eny'Nin'Rel himself was missing. He seemed to have no presence here, well very little presence; at least she couldn't feel him in her surroundings. As far as she knew neither the Pnook or the desert nomads ever mentioned Eny'Nin'Rel, he did not seem to be present in their lives, very little understanding in their being. She frowned, here there was nothing left of his creation, everything, even the desert itself, was something made by unnatural causes. It was a most empty, barren feeling. She shivered.

She heard her name being called from below, it was Amndo. She looked down and could see him waving up to here, inviting her to join him outside the Landtrain. She smiled, yes it would be good to feel the earth once more under her feet, perhaps that would chase away this melancholy feeling. She made to descend the ladder to see what would happen next.

Soon they all stood outside the Landtrain. JDC had lowered the large doors at the rear of the machine and many Pnook where engaged in emptying crates from the rear of the vehicle and taking them into a large low building, a warehouse of sorts the two T'Iea suspected. When Solvienne, a little suspiciously asked what these crates contained, JDC replied in a slightly hurt tone of voice that it was food supplies and other provisions for the city, nothing more sinister than that. He went on to explain that most of his livelihood came from shipping such items into the city. For as the city settled upon the sand the caverns within it that used to grow the Pnook food source were also crushed and could no longer be used.

"What is it then that the Pnook eat?" Asked Solvienne.

"Well, we grow a sort of plant, or plants, for there are several varieties, each having its own particular flavour and texture, depending on how it is prepared of course. These plants are collectively called Trotteen in the tongue of the my people, I'm afraid there probably is no translation into any other language as I have not seen Trotteen anywhere else in the world. Not even the desert nomads know of it, or if they do they do not use it as a source of food. Trotteen is highly nutritious. It is also very adaptable; the various varieties of the plant can be processed into many different forms and flavours to give variety. Its smallest form is a kind of lichen, the largest looks akin to a kind of leafy cabbage. But whatever the form or variety they all grow in the dark, in caves. It is also very hardy and very fast growing, there is nothing, at least as far as we Pnook know that attacks it or eats it, apart from us. In its uncooked or unprocessed form Trotteen contains natural toxins that protect it, these toxins must be removed or rendered harmless of course before it becomes edible. As I said the Pnook grew enough Trotteen to sustain them, there were many farms within caverns deep in the floating rock. But now of course that is no longer possible, all were destroyed when the crushing weight of the city came to slowly settle upon the desert sands. Pnook engineers are experimenting with mining techniques to recreate the caverns, but we Pnook are no miners and the machines we once used to cut the tunnels for the CaRTS system we no longer have. Unfortunately to further the problem some of the materials required to build such machines and devices are not present here in the Rust Desert, or at least not in an easily refined state. So it is proving a long and difficult task. In anticipation of what may happen once the city settled onto the desert, the Pnook had the foresight to harvest Trotteen from the caverns to sustain us for a few months and at the same time our scientists set about trying to recreate the genetic material of the Trotteen plants to enable us to recreate an alternative food source. At the same time we sent out airships to try and find a suitable spots to site new Trotteen farms. Luckily one such airship was successful. In the northern reaches of the continent they found caves in the sea cliffs that are ideal for the cultivation of Trotteen. Immediately scientists took the genetic material they were able to reproduce to the sea caves and they discovered much to our relief that it grew well there. They pay me well to take the Land Train back and forth to transport the harvested Trotteen back here. But that is not the only reason I do this."

"Nar'Allia looked questioningly at JDC.

JDC shrugged. "I try to aid my people Narny, they have suffered greatly over the years, they have suffered too much. Once we lived in peace in the east of the world. That place was taken from us and we fled here to the Rust Desert. We thought our technology would save us. Thought we would be safe high in the sky, unreachable by our enemies, inaccessible to all but our own people. But even there we were doomed. Now we live back on the ground, but we have nothing to eat at least nothing locally. My people have suffered. They begin to lose hope, they begin to give up. There is a sickness Narny, an illness of the mind. It eats away at us, chipping away at our resolve; it threatens to destroy us from within. Our scientists try to find the problem. As I said, the Trotteen that we used to eat grew beneath the city it was of plant stock that we brought with us from our home in the east when we fled. But all of that stock has been destroyed now. So they think the illness we suffer is partially due to the genetically recreated Trotteen that is harvested in the north, yet we have no choice but to eat it, without it we would starve. Our hope is that if we dug under the city once more we would find some original genetically pure stock of Trotteen still surviving and growing and would then be able to use this for more healthy stock. Trotteen does not need light just the minerals and other chemical compounds that it extracts from the rock on which it grows. But we no longer have the necessary machinery to dig."

Nar'Allia looked at JDC, she had never seen him despair like this before, she was shocked.

"Many who suffered in the past could be cured by careful treatment and consideration, but lately these treatments seem to fail and individuals fall into a living death, they seem to give up on themselves, give up on everything, drop into a trance like state where they live but they are not here with us."

In an effort perhaps to change the subject and lighten JDC's mood Nar'Allia asked about the CaRTS system, she explained that she was looking forward to riding upon it. But she was to be disappointed. It turned out that as the city settled into the sands the entire tunnel system through which the CaRTS system travelled had caved in. Like the subterranean Trotteen farms, all destroyed by the great weight of the city as it settled into the sands. But, explained JDC in a lighter tone, now the city was so much smaller it didn't really need any mechanised transport system to get around, just a stout pair of boots and a fondness for walking!

But something had sparked in Nar'Allia's mind JDC had mentioned the Pnook need of mining machinery. Machinery to dig below the city and to recreate the tunnels and underground farms that grew the Trotteen. She remembered her days in Tent Town, living outside the Grûndén tower and fort that stood sentinel there. She remembered her many conversations with the stout little men, how they told her of the riches that could be found below ground. She knew the Grûndén to be miners at heart, for they had a great love of the minerals and worth of the various gems and metals they dug out of their mines. So she asked, "why don't you go and see the Grûndén? Ask them for aid."

JDC looked at her questioningly.

"I mean the Grûndén are miners, they know how to dig in the rock, how to create great caverns and tunnels, I'm sure they could send a delegation here to Scienocropolis to investigate how to recreate the caverns below the city. They may even agree to help dig the necessary caverns out for you, at least help you."

JDC thought for a while, his face brightened with a broad smile and he said, "you know Narny you may have a point there. Yes, they would be able to guide us, give us advice, maybe as you suggest even help with the mining process itself. In fact I will suggest the idea to the grand counsel." He nodded somewhat enthusiastically. "What an excellent idea, thank you Narny. Now you have suggested it I'm surprised we haven't thought of it before."

Nar'Allia smiled and nodded, she was not surprised, the Pnook had lived in isolation for so long, she supposed they had never had the opportunity to ask any other race for help, it probably wouldn't even occur to them. She looked at JDC's smiling face, she thought of a Pnook long ago, high in the skies above the Rust Desert on board the Leviathan machine, a Pnook who was more than ready to turn the machines dreadful weaponry upon his own people. Yet that same Pnook now talked as if he had always been a citizen of this city. She took great pleasure in these thoughts and smiled even more.

So they walked through the city streets until they came to a building that JDC described as a government administration centre. He indicated that Amndo could most probably be found here. They entered through the glass doors of the building into a vast open reception. They were welcomed by two Pnook in uniform and were then led to a seating area in the centre of the large entrance hall.

JDC said, "I will send for Amndo, in the meantime please make yourselves at home, I will also call for some refreshment."

After fifteen minutes or so of waiting, Nar'Allia gasped as there, standing in a doorway, was someone she recognised. She gave a little cry of delight and immediately standing she rushed across and took Amndo's hand, she stood in tip toes and hugged him close, Amndo had his arms out as if he didn't know what to do with them. But then as if coming to some decision he suddenly grasped Nar'Allia and lifted her off the floor. They stood like this for a while, Solvienne giggling behind them, for it looked most amusing, Nar'Allia held aloft in the awkward arms of this keeper who didn't seem to know quite what to do. Amndo gently lowered Nar'Allia to the floor and stood back after Nar'Allia had released him from her embrace. He coughed nervously and looked at the floor with an air of embarrassment, if he was human or T'Iea Solvienne was sure that he would be blushing bright red at this moment, but of course his race did not have that capability.

He said almost as a whisper, "ah, I had forgotten how emotional T'Iea can be my lady Nar'Allia." He then looked her directly in the eye and added, "but I must admit I am overjoyed to see you once again."

Nar'Allia scanned his face, his hood was pulled down, unusual for one of his race when they were in mixed race company, another change to the world she thought. But he looked the same as he did all those years before when they had first met that day in the house in Amentura.

Nar'Allia stood and walking back she took Solvienne by the hand she said with a slight quiver in her voice, "Solvi, I'd like you to meet Amndo, a friend of whom I am sure you have heard."

Solvienne stepped forward and taking Amndo's outstretched hand shook it. "Hello Amndo, indeed my sister has told me much about you. I remember well the stories she told of your bravery and guidance."

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance my lady," he stared at her eyes, "it seems we may have similar interests, I look forward to having many discussions with you should the opportunity arise."

Nar'Allia shook her head slowly smiling all the while. "So why Amndo are you here in the city of the Pnook, aren't you missing your books?"

Amndo laughed, "well I promised JDC that I'd keep an eye on the Leviathan machine. Then as if with some unvoiced understanding he stood upright as if to attention and said, "you will be pleased to hear Nar'Allia that JDC guards it jealously, he will not allow anyone access to the machine unless he is with them." As to your second question, well I have found the Pnook here have many interesting volumes, many I have not seen or even knew existed, a testament to the remoteness of the Pnook city I'm sure. They have much that vies for my interest almost as much as that kept in the house in Amentura. For they have kept their history and the knowledge goes back further than most libraries I have seen."

Nar'Allia felt satisfaction at Amndo's words, she had not realised it, but she had been worried about the Leviathan. In fact, in truth, she was filled with a feeling of foreboding at the ever-present risk that it may fall into the wrong hands. But then who exactly were 'the wrong hands'? As if to satisfy her inner suspicions she asked, "So the Pnook have no interest in the Leviathan Amndo?"

"Well I wouldn't say that. But the Pnook are a peace loving people. They do not desire war or conquest, but they do have an interest in advanced technology, so I have no doubt they would relish the opportunity to investigate what may be contained within the machine, but only to discover what they may from a scientific stand point. We have allowed groups and individuals aboard with either JDC or myself present to allow them a look at the machines many systems, on the understanding I might add, that they regard the weapons systems as out of bounds. We also steered them away from the bays in the belly of the machine where the Startmektoken are housed. Be assured Nar'Allia, we have not allowed anything to be removed."

Nar'Allia nodded. She felt relieved, at least a little. But she was still uneasy, for the Leviathan posed a threat to the world, it didn't matter who had control over it, the fact that it existed meant that the threat remained. She knew that she would never feel truly happy until the Leviathan was hidden or perhaps even destroyed.

As if he knew her thoughts and wanted to somehow quell her concerns further Amndo asked, "would you all like to see the Leviathan, maybe to satisfy yourself? I would be happy to show you."

Before Nar'Allia could respond, Solvienne said, "why yes, that would be good, I'd love to see this thing first hand. Oh, sorry Narny, it should be your decision. It's just that I'd heard so much about it I'm curious to see it for myself."

Nar'Allia smiled at her sister and giggled, "Lead on Amndo. Why not."

They exited the building and walked for some thirty minutes or so through the city boulevards. Both Nar'Allia and Solvienne were astounded at the size and height of some of the buildings in this district. The T'Iea race had built cities with large buildings. They had even constructed homes and towns high in the trees of Gel'Te'Ertenya. But no T'Iea architecture came even close in size or height compared to these enormous architectural edifices. Both Nar'Allia and Solvienne were getting cricks in their necks for looking up so much. Eventually they turned a sharp corner and quite refreshingly there in front of them stood a relatively low building, probably only a mere twenty or so stories high, for in height it was dwarfed by the buildings that surrounded it. It was big however; the footprint of this building was enormous in fact, and by the looks of it roughly circular in shape. Nar'Allia had been wondering where the great machine must be hidden. Not underground for anything below them would have been destroyed or rendered inaccessible during the cities impact with the ground and subsequent slow descent as the underside of the city slowly settled into the sands. All the other buildings they had seen so far would have only contained the Leviathan machine if it stood upright upon its tail. This building however, which they now stood outside, was the first and only structure they had seen with a floor area easily large enough to be able to possibly house the machine.

Amndo explained, "This building was once the central station and maintenance centre for the cities rapid transport system, the CaRTS system as the Pnook nicknamed it. It used to be the central hub for all the tunnels that once spread out around the city. With the CaRTS system rendered inoperative, the building was rendered unused. That is until we turned up in the Leviathan. After we managed to persuade the King and the Grand Counsel to let us hide the machine within Scienocropolis, they kindly gave us this building for that purpose. The Pnook made the modifications necessary and cleared the building of debris; they then built opening doors into the roof to gain access and cleared the interior to make way for the bulk of the machine. I have placed wards around the building to ensure the machines security."

Here he stepped forward and placed both hands upon the outside of the building, following a few moments of concentration he pushed upon two glass panels that proved to be entrance doors. They walked into the darkened interior. Amndo closed the doors and carefully replaced his arcane ward.

Solvienne looked into the gloom, she could feel this was a vast place, she could just make out in front of her about twenty five metres or so away, there loomed a dark shape although the actual size of the shape could not be made out in this low light. All of a sudden lights flickered on; she turned detecting a movement behind her just in time to see Amndo touching a number of buttons set into the wall just inside the doors through which they had just passed. When she turned back what she saw took her breath away. The vast machine hung there in the air in front of her, nothing could have prepared her for its size was far larger than she imagined even with Nar'Allia's descriptions. Its lower body stretched back into the building for a long way. The hull curved up and over, the upper half of the hull could not be seen from where she stood. About halfway down the hull, a gantry had been erected, dust in the air showed up in the bright light and looked like a fine mist slightly obscuring the view. Solvienne had difficulty imagining how anyone could build anything quite so large; it was beyond anything she had experienced before. She had heard the tale that Nar'Allia told of the military facility beneath the desert sands, the story told of the vastness of the place, but seeing this machine here now brought it home to Solvienne just how massive the facility must have been to hold not just one of these machines but a number of them.

They walked forward down the length of the machine until they came to the gantry. Solvienne could see that a set of metal stairs wound their way up the interior of the structure, Amndo was already climbing and he beckoned for them to follow.

Nar'Allia hung back, she remembered the Leviathan, she remembered her first view of the machine deep beneath the Rust Desert. Similarly there it sat within its lair, dormant, waiting. Not a hint of the extreme offensive power that lay within. She recalled all the events that led to that point. Then after escaping the facility beneath the sands she remembered how she and her companions had spent many weeks flying in the Leviathan. Halfway around the world they had taken the machine; she had seen and learnt much during her travels within it. She walked slowly forward towards the gantry. So here it was again, even likened to an old friend in some ways for it held a certain familiarity. An old friend with a very shady and violent past though, for she also remembered the great power of the machine, its weaponry and the army of construct warriors it hosted within. She looked at the underside of the machine, she knew that inside there an indestructible army was housed, asleep perhaps, but also ready to do the bidding of whoever controlled them. Her mood and attitude towards the Leviathan changed suddenly. She shivered, she still held a deep dread. It was the most powerfully destructive thing she knew of, possibly anyone knew of. She believed it represented the knowledge of a long lost civilisation that had all but destroyed itself using these machines and others like them. She looked suspiciously at the beast as she climbed the stairs.

They had reached a platform on top of the gantry; this platform extended forward and seemed to rest against the outside hull of the machine. They followed Amndo until they stood right in front of the hull. Nar'Allia again recalled how many years before she had stood in this same position but not here in this building within the relative safety of a friendly city, no, then it was back in the hall of the Leviathan, within the original ancient military facility deep beneath the sands of the Rust Desert. She looked down, there was the same serpent design painted onto the side of the hull of the machine, in the self-same pose that she had seen it depicted the first time around. Amndo extended a hand and laid it palm down on the hull. There was a hiss and a section of the hull sank back inside the machine, once it had cleared the armoured thickness of the hull, it slid sideways. At the same time lights flickered on inside illuminating the interior of the Leviathan. Nar'Allia shivered; it was like someone was expecting them, welcoming them aboard. She knew the machine was almost self-maintained, it didn't need a crew to fly it, in fact JDC had flown the thing single handed for much of the time she was on board and presumably continued to do so after she had left. She remembered feeling amazed at how quickly he had learnt all of the secrets that the Leviathan held, it was almost as if he was recalling some long forgotten memory. They followed Amndo inside. Amndo touched a section of wall just inside the doorway with his outstretched hand and the external door hissed closed, at the same time a door at the other end of the short corridor in which they found themselves opened and they perceived lights illuminating further inside the machine. Solvienne in her enthusiasm went to walk down the corridor towards this other now open door.

"Wait my lady please." Amndo motioned to Nar'Allia to approach where he stood. "We activated a security feature that we did not know about. A Pnook expert we allowed on board discovered it, he said it was similar to many such security locks that the Pnook use in the city. He then asked Nar'Allia to place her palm on the same area he had touched. When she had done so he touched a series of buttons on a small control that had slid out from the wall by the side of her hand. Several coloured lights flashed in sequence. Then a bleep sound was heard. "I have just instructed the security feature of the machine to accept the unique pattern of your hand as the key to opening and closing the external doors Nar'Allia. That way I don't have to be around should you wish to access the machine at any time. I will also instruct you on the key phrases to lower and raise the wards I have set upon the building. I can do the same for Solvienne if you wish? But at the moment the mechanism that controls such access will not allow a repeat of the process for a period of time. It is another inbuilt security feature, one that neither JDC nor I can override it seems."

So for now they stepped through into one of the main corridors that ran the length of the deck they were on. Nar'Allia recognised the place where they stood, she had stood here a thousand times before. She even recognised the aromas within the machine. The air smelt, well...... too clean to her, it always had. She knew that the machines mechanisms cleaned the air from outside, sterilised it. For she also knew of the designers of the machine, the humans that called themselves the A'Kath. The race of men that lived in the great city that covered most of the world in the far ancient past. A people that had cut themselves off from the natural world and therefore could not breathe the natural air upon the surface because their natural immunity to all types of dust, dirt and biological organisms had been diminished to nothing. A result of their living within a sterile environment and their no longer needing such a biological defence mechanism and they had evolved into beings without an immune system and were doomed to live out their existences within the artificial environment in which they created. An environment of course that the machines internal mechanisms replicated.

But the three soon found themselves in the main control room. Nar'Allia had been in here many times. She was used to JDC sitting there at the controls navigating and learning at the same time. It all came flooding back to her, memories reminding her of Minervar and the reason why they were here. She determined to restart that process without any further delay. Then it occurred to her that in all the time they flew in the Leviathan she had not learnt half of what JDC had learnt and now it seemed that Amndo also had become very familiar with the functions of the machine. She understood that she did not have the same incentives to discover and she was also happy for JDC to take on the responsibility for learning how to fly and navigate the machine.

Then something niggled at her, she recalled how quickly JDC had been able to learn the finer details of the machines functionality. She also remembered how Amndo had explained that this new discovery of the security feature had been described as being similar to other mechanisms used by the Pnook within the city. Was this just coincidence? "Amndo you said that the Pnook kept historic records, have you discovered anything? Also we know that you spent time in Solin's house in Amentura in secret. Solin sent us to her house in Amentura, she hinted that much may be discovered there but what we discovered is very confusing and disjointed. We found her hidden room. We also found out that you go there occasionally in secret, preferring to have the house to yourself." Then before she could stop herself in her haste she made an accusation, "Amndo you are obviously in league with Solin over something, a lot of what we learnt causes suspicion in my mind that the two of you know a lot more than you lead us to believe. Perhaps master Amndo that some explanations are needed. Tell us please, do you know anything more? Have you learnt anything else that may bring us closer to finding Minervar?"

Amndo indicated that the two women should sit.

He himself sat upon one of the stools in front of the desk that Nar'Allia remembered as being the weapons control desk. None of the desks were powered up at the moment, only the interior room lights illuminated where they sat, the Leviathan continued to sleep. Then clasping his hands together on his lap he thought for a few minutes before he spoke. "Nar'Allia, yes I spent time in the lady Solin's house from time to time, for much may be learnt there. I have never heard mention or have seen any secret room however; although on a number of occasions I admit to searching for certain things in the house and have many times looked for any hidden places. It may also surprise you to know that the lady Solin and I, well we have never actually met. All our messaging and correspondence have been through written accounts or through a third party. I cannot of course say anything on behalf of the lady Solin either in her defence or in accusation. But be assured, although I concede that I may appear to have acted in a clandestine way, I assure you that I have always acted for the good of all and at no time were any of my actions meant to cause harm or place any dangers upon the world."

He paused here; no one spoke but remained silent in anticipation of what he may say next.

"I remember that we discussed much before Nar'Allia, but as Solvienne is also here and some of what I said was, well perhaps somewhat inaccurate due to my previous ignorance of the truth, I will start from the beginning if you will humour me."

Both women looked at him intently and both nodded their consent to his request.

"Only before I begin I wish to make it clear to you now that I still do not know for sure where the lady Minervar may be. However, I feel an absolute surety that she yet lives and possibly the easterner mage also, although Deanola is human and she was perhaps already advanced in age at the time we met her, so death by old age may have overtaken her long before now. But much of what I have read here in Scienocropolis leads me to suspect otherwise."

Nar'Allia wanted to say something, add what she knew from her conversation with Serinae, but she kept quiet, preferring to hear Amndo's version of events and not insert anything that may cause him to change his views and leave something of importance out.

"But if I may begin," continued Amndo. "I want to take you back. Much of this you may already know, this I understand, but the course of events may be slightly different than that we had heard when last we travelled together."

Nar'Allia nodded in acceptance of what Amndo was going to say, she felt excited, expectant.

"You know of course of the race of humans that lived in the world back in the distant past. You know that a devastating war raged, a civil war. The true reasons for this conflict are perhaps lost or jaded by time, events disputed by both sides, that is clear. But that is not important, the folly of mankind is done. We can but hope that they may have learned from their mistakes.

Human kind had split into two factions, I will call them the men of the west and the men of the east, the names they called themselves are now unimportant. But these two factions battled for supremacy over the world. The men of the west had advanced technologies at their disposal." Here he gestured with his hand indicating the obvious technology within the Leviathan. "The men of the east shared in the knowledge of these technologies, but they lacked the basic resources or facilities to construct such things. As a result the men of the east sort alternatives to counter the war machines sent by the men of the west. So it was they discovered something else. A way of harnessing a powerful natural energy present in nature. They learnt to gather and bend the greatest forces natural to the world. In effect they learnt how to adapt the once benign, into a destructive force used to destroy their enemies."

"This most prevalent energy was the naturally occurring energy known to the humans as gravity, a natural source of energy one that the T'Iea are very familiar with, the energy you call the arcane. This energy is present everywhere in the universe, it was there at the beginning, at the creation and so it will remain until the end of time. Everything is affected by it and in many ways relies upon these forces of gravity or arcane; it is the very essence that holds everything together. Well the men of the east found a point in the world's surface where the forces of gravity gathered and were concentrated. Why I do not know, it may be because of the mineral deposits below ground; it may be that the world's central core is nearest the surface at that point, but whatever the reason they found that some of their race were susceptible to influences derived from this concentration of gravitational forces and also in turn able to influence it themselves, convert the gravitational energy into other forms. Well they experimented with the harnessing of these forces. They found after much experimenting that they were able to harness energy and form it at will."

Nar'Allia said under her breath, "they found the Rift. I have heard a similar tale before Amndo, form Master Alonso, he came to visit us in the great wood."

Amndo looked curious, "did he indeed."

Nar'Allia continued, "he returned Serinae's quiver Amndo, I left it there in the east. Once it was back in my possession Serinae made the link, she spoke to me from wherever she resides at the moment."

Amndo nodded his head. "That is most encouraging my lady, most encouraging. This is good news indeed. But if I may continue?"

"But you are right. The Rift was created, but it was not controlled. Over time it grew beyond the control of the men who had opened it. They had set something in motion that they could not contain, as a result a great threat to the safety of the world was allowed to fester and grow without hindrance. But something quite beyond the comprehension of any man occurred. The race of the ancient fathers came to this world with the promise of reconciliation. The remaining humans of the west hiding deep in their hiding places within the Rust Desert and the men of the east forever wandering as nomads to keep from discovery, well neither race of humans were in a strong position to negotiate. So the ancient fathers built their great machine. This machine had numerous functions. But one of its main capabilities in design was to control the massive release of arcane energy that the men of the east had released upon the world. The Rift at that time was large, much larger than it is today even. The ancient father's great machine was designed to interconnect with the Rift energies and act as a vehicle to first stop the flow then over time slow the flow of raw energy and even stop it all together."

At this time few records exist apart from direct history of the Pnook. They record how they constructed machinery to contain the Rift and how a city was built over the point in the world where the Rift was exposed. The Pnook it seemed were tasked by the ancient fathers to oversee the recovery and control of the Rift energy, possibly because they also maintained the technology that restrained it. I think the Pnook became isolated from the other elder races for some reason, for the other races seem to disappear and have no mention in the written history of the Pnook from this point forward. The Pnook also record several other events, but real detail seems to have been glossed over, almost as if the Pnook who had written the accounts had only heard such second hand or through devious means. But it seemed that the machines of war that mankind had created had already turned on their masters. Something else controlled them, something that belonged to neither side but had a will and an agenda of its own. The Pnook hinted at a discovery they had made. They spoke of some kind of intelligence within the Rift, for this intelligence they were also tasked to keep at bay. They called it something unpronounceable; I will call this thing the Rift Entity. The Pnook discovered that this intelligence controlled what machines of war remained within the world."

Solvienne asked, "so what happened to the intellect as you call it, the Rift Entity, the controller of the machines once the great machine was built?"

Here Amndo frowned, "oh in some form it is still there, it remains within the Rift. I know, for I have felt it, in fact it almost took me." He fell silent deep in thought.

Nar'Allia was thinking of what she had heard from Serinae that time when they communicated through the quiver back in her home in the great wood. Suddenly what Serinae had said took on a complete new and fresh meaning. "But Serinae was able to help, she intervened didn't she?" It was Nar'Allia that spoke.

Amndo sighed, "yes she saved me. If not for her then the Rift entity would have my intellect by now, just as it has the intellects of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran your evil cousins. I would have joined the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran as a pawn of that evil intelligence if not for Serinae's intervention." Amndo looked curiously at Nar'Allia. "But I have a feeling you know all this my lady Nar'Allia."

Nar'Allia smiled then she related the conversation that she had with Serinae through the medium of the quiver.

When she had finished Amndo nodded slowly, then as if confirming what Serinae had told Nar'Allia he said. "Wherever Serinae is, she had access to the Rift; she also had access to an unlimited source of power, a source that made her well able to control the Rift Entity. She saved me by utilising that power.

Nar'Allia made to ask a question but Amndo held his hand up asking for silence.

Amndo took a deep breath. "I believe Nar'Allia that the ancient fathers have left a legacy behind that is far more powerful than we can ever have imagined. Their great machine is key, the same machine that Minervar and Serinae along with their companions put to rights. I think the ancient fathers designed the machine not only to control the unchecked energy emanating from within the Rift, but also to keep the intelligence, the Rift Entity under control, to somehow limit its effects and capabilities. But I also believe that they have left something else behind. They have hidden it well, somewhere in the voids I suspect, something that makes the power of their great machine seem like a child's toy in comparison. I believe it is this place, within this void and whatever it hides, this is where the lady Serinae may be found."

Solvienne was thinking something, she was next to speak. "Then how does the Rift Entity manage to control the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran if its capabilities were reduced?"

Amndo sighed. "I do not know My Lady. But what I do know is that it is gaining strength, somehow it has managed to start to escape the influences of the ancient fathers machine. If you want me to guess at how and why, then I would have to suspect the efforts of the spy Tezrin all those years ago, even though he was not entirely successful because of the efforts of your mother and Serinae and their companions. Even so I think the influence of the great machine at that time was greatly reduced and this is why the Rift Entity was able to weaken its bonds and now is able to slowly overcome whatever holds it, the Rift Entity knows that it is gaining the upper hand. If it ever breaks free completely and manages to once again exploit the Rift energy to its full extent, then the world will once again be plunged into grave danger, perhaps an even greater danger. For there is a possibility that not only this world will be affected. My greatest fear Nar'Allia is that it may discover the greater part of the ancient father's legacy of which I speak. Should this happen then I believe the Rift Entity will be able it to escape this world and be free to go out into the voids. Once free of the confines of this world it may be impossible to stop. If that ever happens the results will be unthinkable."

"Serinae shares that view Amndo, she expressed similar fears when we spoke. So, The Rift Entity must be halted somehow. Whatever it takes it must be stopped." Amndo then looked at each of their faces carefully as if weighing something up in his mind. He seemed to reach a decision. So he leaned back and said, "there is something else. Part of this you know, that is why I have decided to tell you. I discovered the details of what I am to tell you from the meticulous records kept by the Pnook here in their city. You know that each of our races was allied to the ancient fathers. We each add to the overall skills that enabled the ancient fathers to undertake these great tasks. We did this I'm sure long ago in an ancient age, a time long since lost to us. Well, when we first came here the world was still at war and much of it remained uninhabitable for long periods of time. The elder races needed somewhere to live whilst construction of the great machine was undertaken, so the ancient fathers created homes for each of the races in the voids. These sanctuaries had connections to the machine hall. To enable access to and from that place whilst construction was going on. It may well be that Minervar and Deanola may be found in one of these places. Such a network of travel between the voids may have utilised an already available energy source, that of the Rift. I also believe that the ancient fathers intended to return at some stage, once the world had made this recovery perhaps, return and take us back to wherever it was that we originated from. But they didn't come, many ages passed, still they did not come. My guess is with the passing of time our races migrated from the sanctuaries and spilled out into the world. The result was that we forgot these Rift connections, we became as much at home on this world as the race of men. It is apparent that for whatever reason the ancient fathers stopped visiting this world long ago, they marooned us here and as a result all of us, all our races settled here permanently."

Nar'Allia remembered what Solin had written as a note in the Book of Truths in Amentura. "Amndo, Solin must have known more than you think. When we were in Amentura but a few days ago we came across what seemed to be an original manuscript, a tome it was the Book of Truths. Serinae had translated much of what was written within, Solin had made notes, she hinted that the ancient fathers, may have never left the world, but she does not say what may have happened to them, whether they survive or not I do not know."

Amndo nodded in response, he didn't look surprised. He remained in thought for a while. He looked at Nar'Allia, almost suspiciously. She squirmed under his gaze. But he seemed to snap out of it, give a mental shrug and then carried on speaking. "I often suspected that the lady Solin may have had something of great interest, her views and opinions on many subjects were very informed it always seemed to me." He seemed to be thinking for a while before he continued. "If the lady Solin had access to such information then she had a major advantage. I also think that the Lady Serinae now has access to much more than we understand at present. In fact I think she may be somewhere perhaps that also links to the sanctuaries of which I spoke and also to the machine hall perhaps."

Nar'Allia became excited, "so Amndo, then Minervar may well be in one of these sanctuaries as we speak. If what you say about the Rifts is true then she may have been able to gain access to these sanctuaries via the Rift into which she fell."

"I have no answer Nar'Allia, I'm sorry. But you have voiced my own thoughts most eloquently. If we are to look once more for the lady Minervar, then yes, I believe it is to these Rifts or even to the machine hall we should go. I firmly believe it is in these places that we will either find her or find information that may yet lead to her whereabouts. Of this I am sure."

Before Nar'Allia could respond Solvienne asked, "Rifts, as in plural Amndo?"

"Yes. The obvious Rift is the one in the east where the eastern men perverted the power that emanates from the worlds core. But using the information in this city of the Pnook, I have carefully thought about this, I suspect that there may have been other rift connections at strategic places around the world that would grant the ancient fathers and the elder races secret access into the world of men. There is strong evidence that some of these other Rift vents may still survive."

Solvienne was astonished. "How many exactly?"

But Amndo continued. "As I said, I strongly believe that the other Rift vents formed access points for the elder races to spill out upon the globe. I believe that if you look to where the elder races inhabit the world then you may find a Rift vent there also."

Nar'Allia then thought of another question. "What do you think became of the ancient fathers Amndo?"

"Amndo sighed, "Such difficult questions Nar'Allia, I don't think I can answer that either I'm afraid, there is not much I have found on the subject. Perhaps something happened to keep them away. What it was I do not know. But if they were as technologically advanced enough to travel across the great void then I doubt that any sudden disaster befell them. They must have spread themselves throughout the universe. To destroy them completely would involve the complete and systematic search of the universe itself. No, I feel, and this is only my own thoughts you understand, I feel that either something of great importance occurred within their society that required all their attentions for a long time and perhaps we were forgotten, or perhaps the ancient fathers chose not to rescue us from this world."

Then Solvienne thought about the last question she had burning in her mind. She was a little loathe to ask it, but she needed to know never the less. "What of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran Amndo, they are T'Iea the same as us, why do you think that they were taken in by the Rift entity?"

Solvienne looked up with some expectancy.

Amndo frowned. " Well, something happened, I cannot be sure what, but I am willing to hazard a guess. The Rift entity became powerful. Well at some stage the T'Iea experts that must have been studying the Rift energies, well some of them or perhaps just an individual must have been affected in some way, maybe even infected themselves for the T'Iea out of all the races are closer to the arcane and perhaps can be more influenced by it. Perhaps the Rift entity itself found a weakness in such an individual or group and subjected them to its will. Remember that the Rift entity was wholly concerned with destruction, perhaps for a thousand years it had fed upon war, conflict was all it knew. So it is logical that it should try to continue along that destructive path by any means it could find. If it found a way to subdue servants of a kind to its will I am in no doubt that it would have jumped at that opportunity. Thus I believe that the race of T'Iea called the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran was conceived."

The two T'Iea sat in silence for many minutes, each in their own thoughts.

Then Solvienne spoke. "If the Rift Entity is destroyed Amndo, will it free our brothers and sisters of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran?"

Amndo looked into her eyes. "I believe that there is a good chance Solvienne. But it has been many ages that the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran have been within the control of the Rift entity. There is also a chance that they may not be able to survive without it."

Once again the two T'Iea sat in silence pondering what Amndo had said.

Then he spoke again. "I do not believe that the Rift itself is malevolent, it is only the Rift entity within the Rift in the east that exerts and evil influence. I believe Nar'Allia that the Rift itself and the other Rift vents will still be as they originally were. Remember they were not created by human kind rather they were created by the elder races as part of the function of the great machine and to provide thoroughfares to access different locations. I do not believe that the Rift Entity in all its intelligence has discovered that the Rift has other access points. I believe that the restrictions placed upon it by the ancient fathers machine have limited its view, luckily it focuses most of its efforts in gaining its freedom. If this were not the case, then I certainly believe we would all be in a far more precarious position than we actually find ourselves. My deepest fear is that the Rift entity may make such a discovery. This fear is even greater than the fear I have of the Rift entity itself." Here he took a deep breath. "I believe that the ancient fathers great machine is the link. I also believe that the machine itself has done its work. The Rift entity now has the upper hand and the machine if anything is now just compounding the situation and also there is a great risk that it may provide a link to the place where Serinae is. In my view the machine should be destroyed; to leave it intact is a greater risk.

Nar'Allia was about to question this logic but Solvienne spoke before she could say anything. "Then quite possibly there may be other Rift vents that may be entry points into the machine hall, we may be able to gain access to the machine hall via these other Rifts, if this is indeed the case it may be the answer to all our prayers."

"Ah, my lady Solvienne you are astute in your thinking. But the geographical area populated by each of the elder races is quite large and an accurate guess at each Rifts position is impossible. I would need a much more accurate fix on more Rifts if I was going to calculate the position of all the others. But, If my suspicions are correct, then I believe a good place to start would be by asking the other elder races perhaps? If any of the other Rifts are still working, then it may be that the other races know of their existence. Even if the exact location is kept a tight secret by a few within each society."

Nar'Allia nodded. "If any of the races know about the possible locations of other Rift vents then surely it would more than likely be your race of the keepers".

Amndo nodded, but he looked worried, "yes Nar'Allia you may be right, but remember out of all the elder races the keepers were the only ones not to live in the world. Even now we remain within the voids in our city of TeraT'Inu'Itil. For some reason we did not spill out upon the world and make it our home."

Solvienne brightened up. "Then let us start there in your home city master Amndo."

Amndo seemed to be in some kind of inner turmoil. But he composed himself and continued, "it is the logical suggestion my lady but I fear something is not as it seems there, I don't know any more than that, just a suspicion. Perhaps I am being paranoid, but the fact that the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran spy Tezrin was able to infiltrate the keeper's innermost secrets this makes me feel uneasy. I feel dread at going there and divulging our plans such as they are to anyone in TeraT'Inu'Itil, for I fear something there, I know not what, but something is not as it should be. I would not advise going to TeraT'Inu'Itil, at least not yet. I fear any investigations made there concerning any of this may awaken something that I would wish to remain dormant."

However hard Nar'Allia and Solvienne tried to get him to say more Amndo would not. All he would say was in the way of a warning to the T'Iea to be watchful and careful about who they divulged any of this information to, especially those that they would normally automatically trust."

Nar'Allia didn't voice her thoughts, but regardless of what Amndo had said, his words of warning and mention of Tezrin struck a chord. She still found herself thinking of Solin and Serinae, how they seemed to have known more than they were willing to divulge and how perhaps they still seemed to influence events even though neither of them was present in person. She also remembered Serinae's last words to her, she had suggested there maybe such another Rift entry. Serinae had started to try to tell her the location, but something had gone wrong and their connection through the quiver had been terminated. For some reason she did not voice her thoughts to Amndo.

## Chapter 16. Flight from Scienocropolis

Nar'Allia, Solvienne and Amndo decided to stay on board the Leviathan, at least for the time being and so they each took a cabin within the machine. Nar'Allia took the same one she had before, when she travelled within this same machine across the Sea of Beadreas, she didn't know why, just habit she guessed, an act perhaps of comfort and familiarity amongst all the uncertainty of what lay ahead.

Once they had settled into their cabins, Nar'Allia suggested she take Solvienne on a guided tour of the Leviathan. Once this was done they made their way back to the control room. They were pleased to see that JDC had been joined by Amndo and the two of them were talking. The Pnook and the keeper turned and greeted the women as they entered.

JDC was quick to speak, "You remember your suggestion Narny, concerning the possible aid of the Grûndén to help us to tunnel below Scienocropolis? Well the king has agreed with the idea. We will send an emissary, to Gwéldølĩn, to negotiate a pact with the mining guilds. See if we can gain the agreement of the Grûndén to return here to Scienocropolis and advise us in mining beneath the city to create caverns suitable for the cultivation of Trotteen. As part of the emissary's delegation the King has requested that one of you two might also travel to the Grûndén realm, for they believe that the T'Iea have a longer and better relationship with the Grûndén and can help smooth the process.

Nar'Allia was immediately excited by the prospect. Long had she wanted to go and see the city of the Grûndén. Ever since the Grûndén soldiers had befriended her and had told her about their fare city when she was young and living in Tent Town. It had always seemed such a romantic notion to travel to the mountains, to the Tolle' Ambrunista and to the city of Gwéldølĩn. She recalled the tapestries that hung in the suite of rooms that Solin had in her house in Amentura. How the vistas depicted seemed so mythical, as near perfect a romantic place that could be found anywhere in the world. She also knew of the beauty of the Grûndén city from Minervar's stories.

Amndo broke the silence, "by your thoughtful look Nar'Allia and the smile upon your face I am guessing that you would like to accept this task. I also would prefer you to be the one to take on this thing, forgive me Solvienne for perhaps talking out of turn, but I know your sister has a historical association with the Grûndén. You lady Solvienne I suspect you may be open to undertaking something a little more challenging, follow in the footsteps of the lady Solin perhaps? Something more akin to your mentor's undertakings maybe?"

Solvienne looked up expectantly also with the hint of a smile on her face.

Amndo nodded in satisfaction. "I thought as much. It is fortunate then that there is another task to accomplish. I think that it would be worth going north to see what the ognod's know of any Rift in the northern lands. Much of the rest of the world is known to us and no Rift or anything like it has been reported, at least not within the knowledge of my people. The northern wastes however remain even to this day largely unexplored and there may be an argument for going there to seek such a thing?"

Solvienne couldn't contain herself and in an excited tone said she would gladly accept this task.

So it was decided that Solvienne and JDC along with Amndo would take on the potentially more dangerous task and taking the Leviathan fly north to the ognod's and seek information from them. Nar'Allia would travel to the Grûndén realm with the appointed Pnook emissary to aid the Pnook where she could, but also use this visit as cover and see if any further information on the whereabouts of a Rift vent could be gleamed from the Grûndén.

JDC then explained how the Pnook having assigned the emissary, had also assigned an airship to use to expedite travel to the city of Gwéldølĩn. The airship would return as soon as possible hopefully along with any Grûndén surveyors and miners that would be persuaded to return and advise and even perhaps dig out the necessary cave system required to grow the necessary amounts of Trotteen.

Solvienne voiced a question. "But why then can't we drop you off in the Grûndén lands if you come with us in the Leviathan, after all we will be roughly heading in that direction to get to the lands of the ognod's?"

Nar'Allia replied, "no Solvienne, as you know we have discussed this many times, it has always been the decision that to fly the Leviathan over Dahl'Ambronis will risk too much, rather you go directly to the northern lands across the Trad Ocean without the risk of causing great suspicion and anxiety to others. Besides the Pnook have sufficient flow of food at the moment and with Citac continuing to make the supply runs they should be sustained for the near future. No, better we travel as Pnook in a Pnook airship especially as the trip is unannounced. Hopefully that way the Grûndén will not be too suspicious or feel threatened." Then as if she could no longer contain her own excitement and almost jumping up and down on the spot she said, "I have always wanted to see Gwéldølĩn since I was very young and the Grûndén from the citadel in Tent Town first told me stories and descriptions concerning their wonderful city. If there is indeed any knowledge of another Rift vent there in Gwéldølĩn, I will seek those that I know of old and may give me a sympathetic ear, then If such a thing exists I will ask for aid in searching for it and hopefully be successful."

So it was that the time for departure came. The assembled company stood at the foot of the gantry that led up to the entrance to the Leviathan machine. Solvienne found herself thinking back over the past few days in the Pnook city as she waited for her sister to arrive.

Much had been discussed concerning the way to gain access into the great machine hall and from there to other places, those sanctuaries that Amndo mentioned. Nar'Allia couldn't help thinking about these mysterious places, a secret place where the T'Iea lived at one time when they first arrived here with the ancient father's. She herself secretly hoped that Minervar might be there in that secret place as long as it was still there. Serinae had told them she had detected Minervar, that meant presumably that she was safe somewhere. Nar'Allia was obviously pleased, happy that she was going to start the search for her mother once again, happy that positive action was being taken at last. Solvienne was unsure whether or not the keepers would be able to help, as the Grand Master had ordered the destruction of the portal that led into the machine hall from TeraT'Inu'Itil. She remembered Amndo's reticence about going to the realm of the keepers, he seemed suspicious of something, what he would not say, but he was definitely bothered about something in TeraT'Inu'Itil. But in her mind that didn't explain why he flatly refused to go to TeraT'Inu'Itil. She spent some minutes thinking over this but eventually she gave up, no obvious answers came to her so she pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind.

The other task then, was to see if the race of giant men, the ognod people could help, for they are reputed to have been more closely associated with the ancient fathers at one time long ago, if the ognod's boastful stories were to be believed. Minervar had told many times of Retta, an ognod they had journeyed with. Retta was the leader of the ognod clan they wished to meet, they hoped that Retta would still hold a more liberal view towards the other races and would welcome them as once she had welcomed Minervar and her companions long ago. Nar'Allia's only fear was that the ognod's had been, maybe still were, a warring race, lovers of violence of the worst kind. Now she hoped they would be received as friends and not as a threat. Solvienne felt herself being turned; slender hands had grasped her around the shoulders.

Nar'Allia hugged Solvienne a tear in her eye. "Be careful little sister, many dangers lie ahead. Use the skills you have and you will prevail, of that I have no doubt." She then withdrew something quite large from her robes and handed it to Solvienne. "Here Solvi, take this, it is Serinae's quiver, the one she uses to communicate from the place where she is. I think it is better with you as you are continuing the task in less than friendly lands perhaps. I'm sure Serinae will have something to say about all of this and if she can communicate with you as she has been able to with me, she will offer advice and protection before the end. Of this I am sure."

Solvienne stared at the bundle and stretched out her hand and took what was offered from Nar'Allia. "But how will I use it? How will I know?"

"Solvi, you of all people will find a way. You have always had an open mind, you have always loved romantic adventure, you never disbelieve in anything unless you are sure without doubt. You of all people little sister will be able to find a way to use it."

Solvienne held eye contact with her older sister until she reached the first step that led up to the Leviathan. Her last view of Nar'Allia was of her sister smiling at her encouragingly. She then followed Amndo and JDC up the steps, across the gantry and into the machine. She couldn't help feeling that she was following in her sister's footsteps, repeating what Nar'Allia had already done. But then her journey was for different reasons than that of Nar'Allia, wasn't it?

The first thing that Amndo did was to use Solvienne's palm to allow her access to the machine without either himself or JDC having to be there. Once this was done the three moved into the corridor and JDC led them up to the control room. He danced from one control desk to another, the Leviathan came to life. He pressed a dial and turned it slowly, as he did so the blank hull of the machine that surrounded them seemed to shimmer and slowly as if through a fog they could view what surrounded them outside the vessel and above and below it. The whole of the control room section in which they stood became a viewing platform. As another button was depressed sunlight fell upon them from above, looking up Solvienne could see two panels in the roof of the building in which the Leviathan was housed were sliding open revealing a blue cloudless sky above. A movement under her feet made her grab for the nearest hand rail. She felt the Leviathan move upwards. The great beast stirred, it seemed to shiver as if awakening from a nights rest. Then as she watched through the viewing windows around her, silently the machine rose upwards, through the roof and out into the open sky. As it cleared the confines of the building it increased its rate of ascent and very soon they could see the Pnook city spread out below them like a map. Solvienne walked forward she looked over JDC's shoulder. There lit up in detail upon one of the glass control panels of the navigation desk was a detailed plan of Scienocropolis.

JDC explained. "The Leviathan has the capability of mapping great areas below it and storing the information for future use. I have just scanned the map of Scienocropolis into the memory banks." He then started to press buttons and turn dials. The map they were looking at seemed to reduce rapidly in size and a lot more of the area of the rust desert surrounding the city came into view. Soon they looked down on a map of the whole of the eastern seaboard of the continent of the Rust Desert. They could see the coastline where the land met the great Trad Ocean, but this appeared to be farther to the east than what she would have expected. Solvienne made a comment of this nature.

JDC laughed and said she should wait and see. About an hour later they seemed to be no nearer the coastline as it appeared on the map, yet out of the front windows of the craft Solvienne could clearly see the Trad Ocean, a deep blue against the red of the desert sands. She looked once more at the map on the console under her nose. They would very soon fly over the coast yet on the map this same coastline was yet still far off. The whole continent looked vastly bigger on the map than it actually did in reality.

JDC was smiling obviously enjoying the confused look upon Solvienne's face. When he could contain himself no longer ha said, "you see milady the mapping data banks of the Leviathan were created a long time ago now. The machine was built in an age past where the continents were not the same size and shape as they appear now. Sea levels were much lower due to the demands for water that were placed on the world by the overpopulation of the people that built the machine."

"So Scienocropolis was not there either?"

"No, but it is now," JDC winked at Solvienne. "The Leviathan is learning, updating itself with new data, the machine never ceases to amaze."

Solvienne then asked, "so what about Dahl'Ambronis, is that known to the Leviathan?"

JDC turned back to the controls and swiping his hand over the display, Solvienne saw that the map moved beneath his hand, she got the impression that they flew at an unbelievable speed across the rust desert then out over the slopes of a great mountain range that dropped onto the open planes that were now in the present day the sea bed of the great expanse of water now called the Trad Ocean. This lowland area was not without water though, for massively large lakes appeared to be dotted across the expanse of land. In the central lowlands a vast lake appeared running from the far north right across the globe to the south, the remains of the Trad Ocean itself no doubt. Then the land started to rise once more until a high plateau of land appeared below them on the map. "Here it is Milady," JDC swept his upturned palm over the map that had stopped moving below them on the screen.

Solvienne scrutinised the map. As with the rust desert the continent that was now called Dahl'Ambronis was an entirely different shape. She saw in the relief the towering mountains of the great spine, that range of mountains the T'Iea called the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri. Then beyond the low plains of the eastern part of the continent. But these plains were far wider than any map she had seen. Then as the map neared the eastern shore where the continent should have met the Sea of Beadreas, instead there was another mountain range, lower than the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri but this mountain range was right on the coast and neatly divided the eastern plains from the Sea of Beadreas itself. These mountains seemed to form a land of deep fjords and large sea lochs. Inland lakes of enormous size lay long and narrow, filling the valleys between the mountains.

"That high land milady is a mountain range that is now mostly submerged, the mountain peaks still show above the water of the sea of Beadreas and form the many islands that your sister and myself visited long ago."

"It appears master Pnook that the geographical data held here within the machine is badly in need of updating?"

JDC laughed, "that it is milady. That it is. I planned to go on a world tour, a sort of mapping tour to update these charts."

Solvienne thought for a while and said, "these charts give a unique insight into what the world was like at the time these machines were built. We ought to find a way of preserving that information before updating it. What we need master Pnook is a biplextor device, one that you could save a copy of the data into so that it could be preserved for all time."

JDC fished around in his pocket and pulled out a leather pouch. He opened it and showed Solvienne with a knowing smile. It seemed to contain several biplextor devices, the little controlling devices that the Pnook nicknamed 'chips'. JDC smiled and said, "you know milady Solvienne, I think we are going to get along just fine, just fine."

They both laughed.

JDC and Solvienne sat chatting for much of the time during the trip, now they were high over the Trad Ocean they headed north remaining well out of sight of any land and above any cloud cover they could find. JDC showed her how at first he did not believe that the machine required any chips on which to run. But quite by accident when he had more time to study the inner secrets of the machine once it was safely hidden in Scienocropolis he had come across a small compartment. Here he said was a device that held many such biplextor devices. He recalled how he had wondered at this, for although he always understood the original idea of the chip devices not having originated with the Pnook he also did not know whom it was the Pnook had gotten the idea from.

Solvienne had a thought. "But JDC what if the Pnook did invent the biplextor chips, what if the Pnook knew of them all along. It may just be that ....."

JDC cut her off a faraway look on his face as he whispered, "the Pnook, my people, they may have designed and built the Leviathan machines." He shook his head as if trying to shake such thoughts from his mind but he noticed the smile on Solvienne's face that told of her thoughts of agreement. "No, no milady that's impossible. We are not a warring race; we would never invent such a thing."

"Then explain why the security device, the door lock is similar to those used within the Pnook city and how it is only the Pnook who have the knowledge of how to build flying machines?"

JDC looked stunned, as if he fought some internal turmoil within his mind. "It does not prove anything milady, there is no way of knowing if the inventions of what you speak originated from the Pnook, or if the Pnook in fact learnt such things from another source." He changed the subject preferring to explain how he had already made copies of all the biplextor chips and taken them all into Scienocropolis to the specialist chip manufacturers and spent some time looking at the data that the chips held. As a result he had made his own set of chips with modifications. She also found out that the mapping data she had seen in the control room was in fact data held in the machines memory within the navigation console. He had already inserted a chip that he had made and was intending to update as they flew along; the original mapping biplextor chip with all its historical data intact was safely stored away in his leather wallet. When asked about the intended accuracy of the navigation to find the northern wastes and the ognod's, JDC had said that they would have to do this the old fashioned way and fly reasonably close to the ground so that landmarks could be picked out. This was another reason that he had agreed with Amndo and Nar'Allia why they should keep the Leviathan away from prying eyes for they would have to fly low, well within the visibility of anyone looking up. So the less flying over land they did the better.

So it was, they were to fly up to the northern reaches of the Trad Ocean until they came upon the coast of the western continent. They would then fly north-east keeping the coast in view on their right until they came to a vast bay that was nearly always full of sea ice, icebergs broken off from great glaciers that ran down from the northern lands. This bay was to the north of the isthmus that joined the northern lands to the western continent of Dahl'Ambronis, it was called the Bådøûen nah Grûnden in the Grûndén tongue, or the Bay of Dwarves in the tongue of man. So named because it was reputed to have been Grûndén explorers who had first discovered these lands long ago. But even they had not penetrated far north, only the southern shores of the Bådøûen nah Grûnden had ever been mapped by the Grûndén. Once there they would have to fly lower and slowly to traverse the lands and look for signs of the ognod's, thus hopefully finding their city in the process, the same place hopefully that Minervar and her companions had visited long ago. They could then decide on how to approach the ognod's and what their next move would be.

## Chapter 17. A Tale of Sorrow

Thor stood looking down at the map laid out upon the table. He frowned. It would take at least fourteen days to traverse across the high passes of the Great Spine, the range of mountains the T'Iea named the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri. Even though erosion by wind, water and ice over immeasurable spans of time had reduced the high peaks to a far lower altitude than when the mountains were first created, the mountains still even today formed a barrier that only the most determined or foolhardy, of travellers would contemplate trying to cross. He knew the window of navigation over those high passes was very short. He worried that it was only a matter of a few months at most, before the snows came once again, the temperatures plummeted and the narrow passes would be blocked once more. The map showed no permanent road or well-planned route, all roads ended in the foothills. He knew that snow would still lie thick in the higher reaches of the mountains, snow that would be heated by the sun and be prone to melting and sliding down in great avalanches. Snow that would hide deep crevasses also ready to swallow the unwary traveller. Across the other side of the mountains lay the eastern lands where he was heading. Even though the map showed the eastern coastline of the continent where it met with the Sea of Beadreas, all the lands on the eastern side of the mountains showed no, town, road, river or any notable landmark. Testament to the fact that very little was known about these lands, even in the military. No one had been there other than a very few. Thor did suspect though that the T'Iea ranger's guilds had sent rangers there in the past. Thor knew that Serinae, the friend of his mothers, had traversed those passes at least once to his knowledge. Alonso, the human shifter, he had obviously crossed the mountains to get to their home in Gel'Te'Ertenya, but it was probably a great advantage to be a wolf when doing so.

They would need to stop and resupply at the frontier townships along the way. He was somewhat familiar with a few of these places from his deployments with his regiment. He knew that many factions made uneasy alliances in these mainly lawless lands and even small localised wars were fought between these groups sometimes. He had been part of the tenuously combined human and T'Iea peacekeeping force in the area. But never had he been further into the mountain range than the foothills. He had never climbed the higher regions and passes and he had certainly never crossed over to the eastern part of the continent.

His elder half-sister Nar'Allia had been there to those eastern lands that lay beyond the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri. She had gone there in the great Leviathan machine many years ago on part of her travels whilst looking for their missing mother. But even Nar'Allia had not crossed the mountains on foot, for she had landed in the east after crossing the Sea of Beadreas, travelling there from the other great continent of this world, the continent of the Rust desert. Nar'Allia had met the men of the east, Alonso's people, lived with them for a while. It was a similar event that now compelled him to do the same, to travel to the eastern lands and make contact with the groups of peoples that lived there. His route was promising to be a much more arduous one and to cap it all he wasn't really sure what he would find once there.

Officially he would be travelling to seek a T'Iea regiment, a T'Iea expeditionary force that had not been heard of for a long time and may not even be there any longer. The other thing that worried him slightly was that so far his dealings with the near eastern lands were as part of a strong peace keeping force, for this current task he would be travelling with just two others and without any back up. Still he thought, they would hopefully have an uneventful trip, but it was inevitable that at some point they would come across, thieves, smugglers, goblin men or worse. He hoped the three of them had the necessary skills to deal with any forces that they found along their way. Be they unfriendly or friendly.

Thor sighed, he stood and turned and looked at the two soldiers that stood behind him patiently. He told them to stand down, to be at ease. He then voiced the question that was on his mind.

Orln looked at Neth'Gore, there was an air of discomfort on the faces of both T'Iea at the question that was asked. But Orln finally looked at Thor and said, "yes, we have been there, to the eastern lands. He paused for a few moments as if gathering his thoughts and then continued. "A long time ago we were both part of the regiment that Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned commands there in the east, the regiment that our current orders demand we seek and make contact with. We were sent there over three hundred years of man past as an expeditionary force. Our main purpose was to make contact with any local populations and to be on the alert for T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran activity. We were to report back regularly, especially on anything we discovered. A few times Neth'Gore and myself along with one other were tasked with carrying those reports back here to Ter'Hadsnefel for debriefing and to await the issue of new dispatches and orders which we would then be tasked to take back into the east to our commander."

Thor thought for a moment, so these two had made the journey already and more than once by the sound of it. This thought lightened his heart and gave him much encouragement. "So your being here and your assignment to me is because you are on route back to your regiment in the east after delivering such a report? Is this true?"

Orln lowered his gaze from Thor's face and said, "no sir, we have been here in the city for some time, without orders to return until now that is."

Thor raised his eyebrows in surprise, he wondered how this could be, for the most part soldiers in a regiment stayed soldiers of that regiment, it was very unusual for any to leave, unless of course special circumstances demanded it. He thought of his own case and how he had been seconded into performing this current role. But never the less he had to ask, "so why then do you find yourselves still here? How is it that you remain here in Ter'Hadsnefel?"

Orln, looked down at his feet and sighed, "it is a long story."

Thor frowned at them and after waiting for an answer that did not come, he said, "gentlemen, we are about to embark on many weeks of travel, there is plenty of time for long stories. I would like to know how it is that you and Neth'Gore have not returned to your regiment earlier." Thor looked at them both a frown upon his brow. He then sighed and said, "Gentlemen, this is not an order, for I will not command you to tell me, unless it affects directly upon our mission together. But, I hasten to add I would still like to know, for any secrets that may come between us will surely cause mistrust and misjudgement and may distract or inhibit the success of this venture."

Orln stared at Thor, he nodded he then looked at Neth'Gore as if asking permission, Neth'Gore shrugged and turned away on the pretence of seeing to his back pack and other belongings.

Orln, began. "Neth'Gore, myself and one other formed a Trete'Y'Thego, as I said when we were part of the Legion regiment that Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned commands in the east. Our chief duty, as I previously mentioned was exploratory, to make contact with any local peoples in the area, to see if we could find any evidence of T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran activity and enquire of any local inhabitants if they were aware of that activity. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned wanted to understand in great detail exactly what he was dealing with there in the east."

Thor nodded, "I would do the same, it is common practice, a wise commander has at his disposal as much local knowledge and intelligence as he can gather and no knowledge is better than from those who live there."

"Well, after our arrival we made many trips out into the surrounding lands. What we quickly established was that there were two native populations in the region. One group was human; they lived in small groups or clans, mainly agriculturally based societies. Quite advanced socially and in knowledge, they seemed to be native to the lands to the east; at least they had been there for many thousands of years judging by their folklore and knowledge of the land around them. They are well structured politically and even though they live in small groups, each group seems closely linked to its neighbours through regular contact and social interactions, friendships, trade, marriage etc."

Thor then asked, "and the others of which you speak?"

"The other race we discovered was a stunted race of goblin men, a loose knit society of individuals with no real structure or leadership, at least that we could detect. Somewhat nomadic I suspect, for nothing in the way of permanent dwellings or signs of agricultural activity were to be found amongst their encampments. The goblins were unsure of us at first, I got the impression they had not seen many T'Iea before, they were suspicious, difficult to engage, at times they even behaved aggressively towards us and we had to fight our way out. But we made sure we did not slay any. We would then wait for a month or so and after this cooling off period we would try again. But we never managed to make any real progress beyond some individuals staying with us for a period. But then we fed them, so they probably took advantage of this fact, but always they would get bored or distracted and wander off back to their own kind.

The humans on the other hand immediately welcomed us into their villages; we stayed amongst them for long periods. They were a learned people an intelligent race. We learnt that these humans were shaped by an arcane energy that was strong in the area. They had been affected in strange ways during the ancient past. There was a region, a strange area that behaved oddly. It was heavily hidden, many arcane wards of the type used by the T'Iea had been set by someone and this made our commander suspicious that perhaps T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran could be found in the area. The area itself seemed unnaturally high in concentrated arcane energy. Some of these humans had natural empathy with this arcane energy, they could gather and use it, all be it in a haphazard and somewhat dangerous way, not malicious acts of danger you understand, just a danger born out of lack of knowledge and experience in the use and control of the arcane. The humans called the area the Rift. We tried to access the Rift ourselves, to explore, but we did not have any success until the humans, or some of them said they could access this place, but it was very dangerous to do so and they would only allow one of us to enter with them at a time. Our commander Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned made several trips inside the region where the Rift was, he forbade any others to do the same and instructed the humans to only allow him access."

Here he glanced at Neth'Gore quickly before continuing.

"As I said, a few of these human people had advanced capability, they were natural channels. I am sure had they been T'Iea then they would have been quickly taken up and sent to Ter'Hadsnefel to learn how to temper and control their natural ability, taught the arts and ways of our T'Iea mages. To leave them untrained would have been dangerous, both to themselves and to others. Stories abound of such humans destroying great swathes of the land either by miss use of the arcane or by un-tempered ability. As a result many who exhibited these traits, if discovered, where cast out to live solitary lives far from others of their kind, for the humans had a deep mistrust of them. Some of these unfortunate people were even ritually burned if they were thought to have misused their traits and un-tempered skill. Anyway, many of us were assigned to stay amongst these humans and help where we could. But Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned increasingly demanded restraint. Some of us helped more than we should perhaps, for his orders were not to interfere. "

As before Orln turned and gazed at Neth'Gore's back for a few seconds. Thor waited for Neth'Gore to say something for it seemed that Orln was inviting him to do so, but the mage remained with his back turned to them, toying with his gear.

Orln carried on with his explanation. "On returning from one such trip we learnt that the goblins had invaded our encampment, probably looking for food or an opportunity to thieve anything that they thought useful, or so we were told by others in the legion. The goblins were easily held off and sent running, for they were not many, and their attack was disorganised and uncoordinated with no real strategy or pre-planning. But Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned seemed to bare a strange hatred towards them and he ordered his guards to pursue the goblins, hunt them down and kill them. He said this would act as a deterrent to others. We were appalled to hear such an order for that is not our way of course. My understanding was that we should lay low and explore, our orders were to watch for T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran activity not to take grim revenge upon a lesser race.

Over the next few months, Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned seemed to change, his attitude grew more grave. He became insular, guarded and thoughtful, quick to anger. He ordered small unprovoked skirmishes into the goblin lands to attack their encampments and destroy the goblin infrastructure, burning any encampments that were found, hunting them down and killing them even fowling water sources known to be used by them. Many in the legion could not understand this, many sought to dissuade the command chain of the legion. Those that felt this way became organised and approached Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned in an attempt to discover why he felt such hatred for the goblins, alas these soldiers we never saw again. We were told they had been killed in a skirmish. But this we did not believe for the goblins were disorganised and had primitive weapons and little skill in wielding what they had, they could not overcome the skill of our soldiers unless by pure luck they overcame an individual by sheer numbers. So the persecution of the Goblin men continued. We knew this was not the way of the T'Iea legions, never have we sought to be such an aggressor, especially upon a far weaker force. We couldn't believe that soldiers we knew so well could break that code of training and reduce themselves to such actions. But because of this systematic policy of genocide the goblin men learnt to fear and hate us.

One day Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned announced that his sources had discovered what he thought to be the main centre of population of the goblin men, he was planning an all-out attack to teach them a lesson, "once and for all we will settle the goblin problem," he said. We were deeply shocked and many complained to Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned that this was not what we had been sent here for. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned flew into a rage; he ordered the imprisonment of many that he saw opposing him. One such was the swordsman of our Trete'Y'Thego, he was taken from us and we have not seen him since. The raid on the goblins went ahead." Here Orln lowered his head into his hands and sighed, "it was inevitable, the goblin forces were wiped out, but not content with his victory, Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned ordered the complete burning of all the lands surrounding the encampment and the systematic murder of all goblins found. Both I and Neth'Gore were sickened to the core at this despicable act. We would have no part in it for it is one thing to fight another armed warrior, but quite a different thing to kill in cold blood the elderly and the innocent, the females and their whelps."

Thor could not believe what he was hearing; this was not something that he expected. The T'Iea legions had strict codes of honour and behaviour towards the enemy forces and especially towards the innocent and to civilians. To break these codes would be unimaginable, a heinous crime against the oppressed but also against the legion itself.

The expression upon his face must have given him away for Orln then said, "I see by your face that you are abhorred with this story. Then perhaps you would have done the same as myself and Neth'Gore and others. We deserted, we returned back to Ter'Hadsnefel, we gave ourselves up as deserters and we told our story in the court of the generals. Well to cut a long story short, we were divested of our rank and denied any further active duty in the legion whilst our final fate was decided. But thank the Maker, to our honour one general was on our side he fought for our case and even though he did not change the final verdict of dishonourable dismissal from the ranks he did manage to keep us from imprisonment and take on responsibility for us. That general even though he risked much, made sure that we remained trained and able minded over the period of time we were with him. We do not know even today why he took this action. But we are thankful to him for his mercy."

Thor thought for a while and said, "that general, the one who showed you mercy, I guess that he was The lady Solin's friend, Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun?"

"Yes," was the simple answer.

Thor just nodded slowly in response. "Alright gentlemen, I thank you for your frankness and trust. It is a sorry tale with more than a few surprises. I do not know what we may find there in the east, but we are tasked with this and I intend that we carry out our orders to the best of our capability. We leave in the morning, I suggest you say your farewells and make good any outstanding business. We have a long journey ahead of us, as you well know. I will be grateful for your knowledge and experience to get us to our destination swiftly and safely." 

## Chapter 18. First Class to Gwéldølĩn

That evening Nar'Allia found herself walking through the wide streets of Scienocropolis. She was being escorted to the airship that was waiting to transport the Pnook emissary and herself to Gwéldølĩn. She found herself travelling through a very prosperous looking part of the Pnook city accompanied by two Pnook guards, a personal escort of honour sent by the Pnook King himself. She looked up at the buildings that surrounded her. Tall, angular edifices, reaching high enough to scrape the sky, if she looked upwards for too long she found herself experiencing a sensation of falling, of losing her balance, it seemed like the building were tilting over above her, almost falling over to crush her. She shook her head. She wondered at the buildings being pointed out to her by the two escorts, the various purposes and uses to which they adhered, many of which Nar'Allia did not understand. Nar'Allia was in no doubt that the city may appear beautiful to some, in deed she could see herself that it possessed a certain attraction, yet it was so very different from her home. T'Iea cities had an architectural emphasis linked to the natural world, an organic component that defined their character. But here, there was nothing natural; it was totally a creation of the Pnook, without any naturalistic component whatsoever. But then the Rust Desert did not offer much in the way of natural beauty, at least not as she would describe. She had to admit she did find this a little unsettling. The buildings perhaps did have a certain beauty about them yet she found them also to be hard and sterile.

As she walked her mind wandered, she found her curiosity rising within her as to whom this emissary of the King may be, she had neither met the King or his emissary as yet. Her escorts had been sent with a sealed note. She had read within it how the King expressed his sincere apologies at not being able to meet with her in person, but he had assured her that he had instructed his emissary to share the full knowledge of what the Pnook were hoping to accomplish and what they hoped for by way of aid from the Grûndén. Nar'Allia was in no doubt that this emissary would be fully versed on the negotiation skills necessary to procure whatever the Pnook wanted and for the best possible price if of course negotiations came to that. She felt a little disappointed at not having been granted an audience with the King, after all Minervar had been granted such when she visited the city long ago. But, Nar'Allia supposed times and circumstances were very different then.

Nar'Allia's escorts remained very talkative and took great delight in pointing out various sights and places of interest along the way. She couldn't help thinking how different was the attitude of these people, so very different from the reception that Minervar described in the story of her visit to Scienocropolis.

The sun was getting low in the sky and the buildings shadows were lengthening. Down here at street level it was starting to get a little gloomy, yet the very highest pinnacles of the buildings stood out in the waning sunlight and were brilliantly lit in a pink-orange hue. To her they looked like shining crystal spires pointing skyward to the darkening blue sky that was already speckled with the first and brightest of the stars. Eventually they emerged from a street at the end of a row of buildings and quite suddenly Nar'Allia found herself in a vast open area. She obviously stood upon the very edge, the very outer perimeter of the Scienocropolis. The city itself spread out behind her, but in front there was nothing but darkening sky to be seen as far as the horizon, where the deepening blue of the sky met with the darkening red of the Rust desert. There was a hazy area where the dull red of the desert blended into the bright red of the setting sun so that it was difficult to see the exact place where the transition occurred.

She turned her attention back to the area in which she stood. A fair amount of relatively new construction had gone on here that much was obvious. Newer looking buildings of varying shapes and sizes could be seen, but they all looked slightly different as if a new style of architecture had been devised, or someone else had taken on the role as the new architect. The material from which these newer buildings had been constructed was also different. Nar'Allia enquired about this to her Pnook escort. One of them seemed well versed in the history of the city for he explained that the Pnook unfortunately no longer had the great machines that were used to fuse the desert sands to make the materials used to construct the city in the first place and any metals they brought with them had been used up a long time ago. But, he explained, a Pnook with much ingenuity had come up with a compound that chemically bonded the fine grains tightly together and they were now able to make an unlimited supply of strong, durable bricks and prefabricated components of any size and shape.

It was obvious that the area in which she found herself was a port of sorts. It reminded Nar'Allia of the smaller port of Amentura, there were many similarities. Many large buildings appeared to be warehouses of varying sorts. Quays ran along the edge and many jetties projected out over the Rust Desert similar to those in Amentura projecting out into the waters of the Trad Ocean. Many ships and other vessels were tied alongside, just as you would expect in any sea port, yet they were in the middle of the desert without a drop of water to be seen anywhere. Nar'Allia smiled with excitement for these vessels tied alongside the docks in Scienocropolis were not sea-going vessels. No, these vessels had never set out upon the waters of any ocean or sea. These were ships of the sky, they set sail upon a wholly different medium. These ships were floating by some miraculous means in the air alongside the docks, far above the sands of the desert below.

Her two escorts strode along the quay excitedly pointing out various vessels that were obviously famous in the Pnook world. Mostly airships belonging to merchants and many private vessels of all sizes. Along one quay, the entrance to which was guarded by soldiers standing outside a high metal fence she could see smaller vessels sprouting weapons and encased in armour. The Pnook obviously still maintained a military presence in Scienocropolis, even though Nar'Allia could not think who would pose a threat to them. Yet they had been attacked of course, her stepmother's stories attested to that fact. They eventually reached what looked like a special dock, for only a single airship was moored here and guards dressed in royal livery stood on board and beneath the tented structure that served as an entrance to this special quay. Whilst her two escorts consorted with the guards, Nar'Allia looked along the quay at the vessel. It resembled a ship of the ocean in many ways, there was a distinctive front and rear to the craft. It was quite large, indeed its size placed it in the larger category of airship when compared to all those she had walked past on her journey through these docks. She was a handsome craft, even to Nar'Allia's untrained eye she could see that this was a craft of some beauty, fashioned to please the eye as well as perform a function. No wide girthed merchant vessel this, with gibbets and cranes for manoeuvring cargo, more like a pleasure craft, a yacht of some indulgence, built perhaps for high society entertainment and to impress the eye. The vessel was bright silver and shone even in the last rays of sunshine, her hull was sleek and smooth. Some of the other vessels outer skins looked like they had been stretched over a bony skeleton for Nar'Allia had noticed that an outline of the airships frame could be seen through the hull plating. But that was certainly not the case here. The hull plates looked continuous and as smooth as a mirrored surface. All along her side circular glass windows were set at regular intervals, the glass of each was polished to a high shine without any hint of the deserts red dust or any other stain upon them. The superstructure that stood upon the top deck of the vessel was low and rounded into pleasing forms unlike the more functional square and angular constructions she had seen on many of the other vessels in port. The whole vessel suggested extravagance, great comfort and when needed a high turn of speed.

Eventually the guards on the quay nodded in satisfaction and Nar'Allia after expressing her thanks and bidding farewell to her chatty escort, boarded the Pnook airship from a raised gangway set upon the quayside for the purpose of embarkation. Once upon the deck of the ship she turned to look back at the city. She wondered if her travels would bring her back once more to this place, but now she was departing the city of the Pnook. She found herself filled with the exciting thought of travelling back across the Trad Ocean in this Pnook airship. The purpose of which was to take her to the city of the Grûndén, to Gwéldølĩn, a place she had longed to visit since an early age.

As she stepped off the gangway onto the deck of the vessel she found herself welcomed by a Pnook in uniform who saluted crisply and introduced himself as the captain of the vessel. The captain assured her that he was there to serve her in any way possible and to make the voyage comfortable. He then bowed once more and gesturing towards several Pnook standing to attention and all wearing smart uniforms, he assigned one of these Pnook as Nar'Allia's personal steward for the voyage. The steward bowed and requested she follow him. They walked upon a highly polished wooden deck; Nar'Allia could see here feet and lower legs reflected in the high shine of the lacquered wood. She wondered at the extravagance of the natural material for nowhere in the Rust Desert did any trees grow, that fact had been confirmed by the nomad people she had stayed with many years before, for they did not know that wood came from a tree, didn't even know what a tree was. So any wood must have been purchased and brought here at great expense from across the Trad Ocean or indeed the Sea of Beadreas in the far west right across the vast expanse of the Rust Desert.

She was shown to her own cabin by the steward who took great pains to explain in great detail everything he thought she needed to know and then asked if she had any requests. Nar'Allia was still trying to take everything in and she was slightly embarrassed that she could think of nothing to ask so she declined the steward's offer, hoping that he would leave her alone to enjoy her excitement. Once he had made sure Nar'Allia was settled into her cabin he went to leave, on the way out he said that dinner would be served two hours after departure. Nar'Allia would find the meal served in the main state room on the deck above. Once he had left she found she relished the silence of her own company once more. She fell onto the sumptuous bed and laughed, it was just so unbelievably luxurious; she couldn't believe how this turn of events had resulted in this treatment. She felt like a queen on her very own private yacht.

After washing and generally tidying herself up, Nar'Allia decided to go early to the main state room indicated by the steward; she wanted to take a slow stroll around the deck before enjoying whatever meal the Pnook had to offer. From what she now understood of Pnook cuisine she wondered if this would be fried Trotteen, boiled Trotteen, baked Trotteen perhaps followed by pureed Trotteen or maybe chilled Trotteen, even Trotteen soup may be on offer? She found herself in a light mood and laughed as she thought up more and more ridiculous recipes made from the main ingredient of Trotteen. She left her cabin and strode down the outside deck of the airship. She was somewhat surprised to see that they had left the dock and were underway, she had not felt a thing, no giveaway movement of the vessel that indicated they had left the quayside. For they were quite high and the lights of Scienocropolis were shining far behind. Below them lay an impenetrable blackness that she knew hid the red sands of the desert far below.

She shivered remembering a much more arduous journey she had made years before across that desert on the back of a beast of burden, a Duagnuats. As on that journey, she looked up at a star filled sky of the deepest midnight blue, the openness of it made her feel very small, the vastness of it made her feel very insignificant. She was reminded of something else she had long forgotten. Another journey of openness, her journey on the Ocean Belle across the great Trad Ocean to the continent of the Rust Desert, it seemed like a lifetime ago. The stars shining above had rekindled memories of those two voyages, one across an ocean of water, the other across a sea of sand. Myriad points of light twinkled at her from the heavens as she leant on the gunwale of the air ship gazing up at the night sky. The sight brought all those memories flooding back to her with breath-taking clarity. It was truly beautiful. But she also knew it heralded some uncertainties, reminding her of loss and frustration. Feeling slightly annoyed she pushed herself away from the gunwale and climbed a set of steps to the deck above. Soon she found herself outside another entrance, as she approached the same steward that had shown her to her cabin opened a door with a white-gloved hand and bowing bade Nar'Allia enter. She tilted her head in response and taking another deep breath and straightening her shoulders she passed through the door.

Inside Nar'Allia gazed around at the sumptuous interior of this large stately room. She was in awe. A second steward waited, he bade her follow. She walked across a golden carpet of sumptuously thick pile. Paintings and sculptures lined the walls. A clear glass domed ceiling above her head showed the same view as outside, stars shining above wherever she glanced through the glass; but the view was distorted slightly as she walked across the room for star shapes and planets and other heavenly bodies had been etched expertly into the glass panels above in relief, similar to a decorated wine glass but on a much larger scale. She wasn't taking a lot of notice of where she was walking and knocked into a chair, a knife fell to the floor with a clatter. She reddened slightly in embarrassment at her clumsiness but the steward, if he noticed, did not acknowledge the fact.

There were three tables set out, each prepared for dinner with silver cutlery and fine white porcelain dinner service. Upon each piece was a crest, the crest of the king. Nar'Allia was ushered politely to one of the tables and her seat withdrawn and then pushed gently in behind her as she bent to sit. She found this slightly disconcerting for the legs of the chairs were shorter than those she was used to and she was forced to splay her feet apart so that she could lower her knees far enough to get them beneath the table. But once this was done and she was comfortable, a small square of crisp, starched white linen was unravelled by gloved hands and placed upon her lap. Then she was given a folded thin book. A red silk ribbon was wrapped around the spine, a silk tassel hung from the bottom. With a swift but gentle movement the steward held the tassel and pulled, the book opened gently. Written across the top of the sheet were some words, firstly a single word in the Pnook language which she did not know, but also alongside a single word in a smaller font that was written in the common tongue. It spelt 'MENU'. The steward bowed once more and departed, he picked up the knife she had knocked off the table and took it away with him. He disappeared behind the staircase that led up from the floor of the dining room. Nar'Allia's eyes followed the staircase upwards to a balcony above. It ran around the edge of the glass dome above, she could just glimpse more tables through the golden balustrade that ran around its edge. She heard the gentle swish of a door open and then close once more.

The steward returned some minutes later and after enquiring if she had chosen her meal for this evening he stood back with a folded white linen cloth across his arm and waited. Nar'Allia couldn't help but let out a giggle from beneath her hand which she held over her mouth. But she had not chosen yet because she had spent most of the time looking around the room and staring once more at the stars slowly moving across the glass dome above. The steward, obviously quite used to this kind of behaviour, bowed towards Nar'Allia and stepped back once more to stand serenely between two ornate glass cabinets to await her decision.

Just then the door to the outside deck through which she had entered opened. In strode a Pnook she had not seen before. He was dressed in fine attire, a small skullcap was upon his head, a long blue tassel hung from the button at its very top and rested on his shoulder. He wore a smart white jacket with a high collar; many golden buttons ran down the front. His trousers matched the material of the jacket and had a blue-corded stripe matching the hats tassel running down the outside seem of each leg. The same blue cord was stitched finely into both garments on the pockets and the cuffs in swirling patterns. He was shown to one of the other tables across the room and seated facing her. A second steward appeared and attended the Pnook who had just entered. A similar series of events happened as with Nar'Allia's entrance, ending in the Pnook studying the 'MENU' most intently. Nar'Allia giggled again and the Pnook looked up a quizzical look upon his face. Then to her surprise he smiled and spoke.

"Good evening milady. I must say it is a long, long time since I have heard the laughter of one of the fare folk. I must also say it pleases me greatly, a reminder perhaps of a time long ago, a time perhaps when I was younger and probably more fool hardy."

One of the fare folk? Nar'Allia had not actually heard that term before, but she knew that it was a common Pnook reference to her race of the T'Iea. She remained seated and tilting her head towards the Pnook introduced herself.

The Pnook stood and bowed. He looked at her intently as if mulling something over in his mind. She felt slightly uncomfortable at his gaze upon her. She fidgeted in her seat and to break the slightly uncomfortable feeling inside her she said, "perhaps master Pnook we all suffer from the fool hardiness of youth."

He smiled and seemed to shake himself of his private thoughts, "perhaps yes. But in my case I'm afraid I flinch at some of the rashness of the actions I undertook when I was younger. For then I did not care about consequences or retribution." He took his gaze from her face and seemed to stare into middle space. Then quietly as if talking to himself, he added, "yet I would do it again, if I had the choice, for they were exciting times." He then returned his gaze on her and introduced himself as Tnie.

Nar'Allia felt a tingle down her spine, she knew that name, knew it well. But then she thought, well it's probably a common name in the Pnook world. But he had made the remark about not hearing the T'Iea laugh in a long time hadn't he? She wondered at the possible coincidence and again bowed her head and said, "it is a pleasure to meet you Master Tnie." She was curious so she also said, "but it seems a waste for us to sit at separate tables, if you wish for the company and perhaps some light conversation to entertain you during your meal, perhaps you would like to join me?"

"Thank you my lady that is most courteous of you, I gladly accept." So the Pnook rose, the steward rushed to get his chair, Tnie made his way to where Nar'Allia sat; he chose a seat opposite her and sat down. Nar'Allia's face suddenly brightened, she thought the arrival of her guest as most fortuitous; she asked if he was able to fully translate the list of dishes available on the 'MENU'. He nodded in agreement and proceeded to read the list of main dishes from inside the little book. Trotteen was indeed available in many guises, but to her surprise other foods were also. When he got to the end of the list he asked if she would like him to read the list once more. Nar'Allia declined commenting that never before had she been so spoilt for choice of meal. So Tnie explained that the airship in which they flew was the private vessel of the king, as honoured guests of the king they also benefitted from the normal everyday workings and functions of the king's airship in that all the permanent staff were available as were the varieties of foods and other diversions and entertainments. As if on cue, four smartly dressed Pnook entered from a side door with musical instruments. They sat in a corner of the room discussing something quietly then they took up their instruments and started to play.

The two guests enjoyed a sumptuous meal together, accompanied by the soft background music. Nar'Allia didn't know any of the tunes that were being played; she supposed them to be of Pnook origin. But she was pleasantly surprised when with Tnie's encouragement, she requested a popular T'Iea tune and the bandleader nodded and instructed commands in the Pnook language to his fellows. Then to her delight they played the requested tune faultlessly. Whilst they sipped an after dinner glass of desert wine Nar'Allia thought about the Pnook that sat opposite her. She was sure she had seen this Pnook before. Many years of man ago when she was a child in Tent Town. She was certain he was a member of that party that included Minervar and Serinae; certainly his name matched that of the Pnook that travelled with the T'Iea women. Maybe the wine was going to her head and was loosening her tongue but she couldn't stop herself from asking the question that burned in her mind. "Master Pnook, excuse me for asking but you hinted that you had heard the sound of T'Iea laughter before, have you travelled to the T'Iea realms in the past?"

"No milady not as such. I have travelled to Dahl'Ambronis many times, mainly to the town of Amentura as a merchant," here he hesitated for the slightest of moments before saying, "and for other reasons. Then once long ago I had the great pleasure and honour of travelling extensively with two of your kinswomen. In fact I am indebted to them, for I owe them my life."

Nar'Allia became very excited at these words. "You knew the ladies Minervar and Serinae didn't you?"

Tnie looked at her an element of surprise showing in his eyes, he tilted his head slightly to one side before saying, "yes, those were their names, are you a friend or relation perhaps of one of them?"

Before she could stop herself Nar'Allia told him everything, even found herself remembering some things that she had forgotten over the years. But of course the two of them had met before in Tent Town when Nar'Allia was but a small child. This made her feel quite melancholy and at the end of the story her excitement had turned to sadness as she realised something that made her feel guilty and somewhat inadequate in the presence of this Pnook who had travelled with her mother into many dangers and trials. She found herself explaining to Tnie that in fact she had handed the more difficult part of the search for Minervar over to her sister Solvienne and she herself, although continuing the search in the Grûndén realm was also going to undertake a more diplomatic mission on behalf of the Pnook.

Tnie nodded deep in thought. "My lady, firstly I am sorry to hear your tale, for the loss of the lady Minervar I also feel deeply, for she was both friend and ally to me. Perhaps even more alarming is her seemingly joining with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. For she above all others has felt the malice and twisted ways of your evil cousins. But, it seems to me that you have done much yourself in aiding your mother, from what you tell me she may no longer be under the influences of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, she is free of them and in that I hold much hope and you should to."

Nar'Allia smiled and nodded her head, but before she could say anything Master Tnie spoke once more.

"There is also the fact that the lady Serinae has a hand in all this, in my experience that is a most encouraging turn of events for I know first-hand that her capabilities are many, for she is a strong character, fearless in the face of adversity and the most determined personage you could ever care to make your acquaintance with."

He smiled at Nar'Allia then said, "you are obviously the Kings chosen aid, the very person I was to meet before reaching the Grûndén realm. For my part I also have been tasked with doing the same by the king, seeking the aid of the Grûndén in the matter of mining below Scienocropolis. The king had explained that one other was appointed upon a similar mission and that I should introduce myself to this person so that we may travel together as a delegation to the Grûndén. He did not explain who this other person was, only that I should meet up with them before arriving in the Grûndén realm. Forgive me but the only reason I didn't introduce myself on entering earlier was that I assumed incorrectly, that this other person would also be a Pnook and on entering and not seeing any others of my people I was resolved to wait until they arrived."

"Then I will welcome your company master Pnook. What little aid I may give is yours."

Tnie bowed his head in confirmation. "I in turn I also welcome your aid in what we wish to achieve." Here Tnie smiled and looked down at his empty plate in thought. Then looking once more at her he said, "but milady Nar'Allia, I think we should be honest with one another right from the start. It is unusual to see any T'Iea in Scienocropolis, possibly the last time any of your race visited was when the ladies Minervar and Serinae were here all those years ago. I do not believe that your presence was in any way due to any whim or accident?"

Nar'Allia lowered her gaze to her hands that rested upon the table in front of her. She was thinking what to say, she was afraid that if the truth be known then she may forfeit her passage on the airship and be forced to find an alternative route to the home of the Grûndén. She was reminded of the route that her stepmother took all those years before, how she and her companions were forced to traverse the desert in the same manner as she arrived here, within the JDC's Landtrain. But the Pnook authorities may not look to kindly on the Landtrain being deviated from the task of fetching the Pnook's food source. She looked back at Tnie and was about to say something. But before she could he spoke.

"I assume then from your silence that your true purpose with the Grûndén is to seek their aid in some way to look for your mother."

Nar'Allia was about to protest, even though she knew that she was in a position of weakness.

But Tnie held up a hand. " Mylady, I do not need an answer now, but be assured that if something arises that needs your urgent attention then I will not insist you remain tied to your commitments to my people. As the representative of the King I will absolve you from those responsibilities when the time comes."

Nar'Allia felt greatly relieved and humbled by what Tnie said. "You are very honourable master Pnook and also very astute. You ask for no explanation so I will offer none. But I would not wish you to risk upsetting your superiors on my account."

Tnie smiled, "be assured Mylady, it will not come to that I am sure."

Nar'Allia was speechless for a while. But then she said as if trying to change the subject through fear he may change his mind, "s let us enjoy this voyage together and perhaps you will agree to tell me of the city of the Pnook, tell me what has happened to you and to Scienocropolis since the time that you parted company with my mother?"

Tnie smiled, "of course I would be happy to tell you. I don't know how much you know of our travels together on our return from the northern lands. He sat back in his chair as if making himself comfortable and carefully folding the square of linen that was upon his lap and placing this carefully in front of him upon the table he began relating his tale. "After we had left you and your father in Tent Town and parted company with master Łĩnwéé Ârcønrâdenn, our Grûndén companion, we travelled south along known routes. It was an uneventful journey. Minervar wanted to go to the coast to visit relatives in the T'Iea town of R'ealto' Noac' Trado. I remember they were pleasant people, pleased to see Minervar and very gracious to me. We stayed for a few weeks or so, longer than I would have wanted, but the hospitality of those people did not allow me to leave prematurely. But it became evident that Minervar was going to stay for a longer period and I, well I had decided that I would return to Scienocropolis and see what I could do to aid the King for the situation in the city at that time was growing quite dire. I knew I played a dangerous game for I had been banished from the city by the King's advisor, one Don Trynacs who had his own agenda. He lusted after power and ultimately to gain the throne. I knew this, I am sure the king also understood this, so I planned to return to the city in secret and make contact with those loyal to the King. I hoped these people would hide my presence and from there we could decide what to do.

So it was I left Minervar with her relations and travelled south to Amentura on my own. I had also promised Minervar to call in and see someone, the lady Solin De'Teinde, a T'Iea scholar who we had met before on the outward-bound leg of our adventures. I had promised to let her know of our success and to tell her all the events of our travels. I also promised to tell the lady Solin of the disappearance of the Lady Serinae for they were great friends of old. This promise I deeply regretted and was not looking forward to its fulfilment. Minervar also entrusted me with a journal that she had written as a record of our adventures. I was to give this to the lady Solin so that she could fully understand the events that had transpired. These things I duly did and I stayed in the house in Amentura for a period until I could gain passage back across the Trad Ocean. I arrived in Port Town some months later with some trepidation for I did not know what sort of reception I could expect there and it was with some anxiety I stepped from the ship onto that dock.

But then there occurred an amazing event. The Pnook JDC of whom you are acquainted, well he was in Port Town, he was a prisoner detained at the pleasure of the King. It seemed that the Port Town authorities blamed him for our hasty departure from the port, although they could prove nothing. But they were determined to get some restitution for their loss of face and of revenue and he was charged with some trumped up criminal acts. But for this I was grateful because he quickly recognised me and hid me from prying eyes, he also arranged my passage to Scienocropolis via a friend of his called Master Fattel who lived out in the deep desert. Master Fattel had helped us before; in fact he had introduced us to JDC and his Land Train machine. Master Fattel put me aboard an airship of a merchant friend of his that ran some black market enterprises and so it was I found myself back in Scienocropolis in secret and amongst those who were willing to hide me. This group of Pnook had all the infrastructure and organisation already in place to allow me to plan our campaign to help the King.

I knew that much of Scienocropolis at that time was run through black market means and I managed to persuade the larger organisations to withhold certain necessities from the people. I promised the King's full pardon for their elicit acts once the King was back in total control once again for I knew that the only reason the black market trade went on was because of the extortionate taxes levied by Don Trynacs and his administration. I found these organisations very willing to help, for they did not like Don Trynacs and his methods, it cost them a small fortune in bribes and other activities to allow them to remain in business, a cost that would disappear once the King was back in power and their business activities were once more legitimised. Over a period of time the subsequent steady increased rationing and deprived state of the people started to take effect. It all started with quiet grumbling and dissatisfaction. One of the local underground newspapers loyal to the King took up the tale and started to write words of discontent. Before long small acts of rebellion started and as the people became increasingly bold a number of spontaneous riots occurred. These were put down with much force, far too much force and several Pnook were killed. These dastardly acts drove the cities inhabitants against the officials in charge at that time and more to the point against Don Trynacs. The people struggled for some weeks but they were determined and having an effect, increasingly gathering more and more followers until it seemed that the whole city was against Don Trynacs and what remained of his of supporters, for many of them saw the writing on the walls and changed sides well before the end. So it was that Don Trynacs fell from grace and the king was once again fully reinstated. Of course the once black market goods started to flow once more that the king was in power, but this time as legitimate trade and therefore far cheaper. As I said, Don Trynacs lost many of his followers and it was easy to round up those that were left and after a brief and very public trial, banish all of them from the city. I am glad to say that from that day to this Scienocropolis has been stable politically and in fact has thrived.

"But you were responsible for the partial destruction of the city and ultimately its fall to the ground were you not?"

"I admit the idea was mine to destroy the outer reaches of the city and therefore save us from invasion yes. I also concur that this act did lead ultimately to the city slowly descending to the desert. But the city had settled on the desert sand by the time I returned. I remained in hiding and somehow popular view put the blame of the cities descent onto Don Trynacs as well. The King did not openly seek to change this view, neither did he do anything to support it. But everything turned out alright in the end, apart from the problem of the Trotteen farms of course, but a solution to that problem we seek now do we not?"

Nar'Allia nodded in silent agreement.

They continued to talk long into the night. Nar'Allia told Tnie about what she had been told by the nomads in the Rust Desert concerning the killing of Don Trynacs and his remaining followers. Tnie did not seem surprised he just shook his head a look of disappointment on his face. Perhaps he saw an irony in this tale for Tnie it seemed was rewarded for his loyalty to the King and rose through the ranks of officialdom until he became the King's chief advisor. So it was only natural that the King should entrust him with this mission of great importance to the long-term survival of the Pnook people.

Nar'Allia smiled and as she lay her head upon the soft pillow of her bed she smiled at another thought, not one that was without its own tinge of irony, for at long last after all these years she was on her way to Gwéldølĩn, to see the Grûndén. But the fine wine and excitement of the conversations with Tnie had done their work and before she could think any further on the subject she was sound asleep upon a soft feather pillow in an opulent cabin within the most luxurious form of travel she had ever experienced.

## Chapter 19. The Crossing of the Grughanååven

Solvienne stood gazing down at the unending grey lands below her. JDC had once again adjusted the translucency of the crafts outer shell surrounding the control room, the land below could be clearly be seen through the now transparent glazed panels at the very front of the Leviathan. The terrain forming the vast expanse of the Grey Lands, or Grughanååven as the Grûndén named it when they first set foot in these lands looking for mineral wealth in ages past. But, as she recalled from her history lessons they, for all of the Grûndén's prospecting in these northern lands, all they discovered to their despair was a fierce race of people. They had found the race of the ognod's, giants towering twice the height of any human man. A people that had been hidden for countless years. A warring people, a proud people, content to war amongst themselves within their northern hideaways cut off from the other races by inhospitable lands and icy oceans. A secret people living within the many hanging valleys of the Iron Hills or the Smòlt Erûûn as the Grûndén knew the regions in the far north beyond the Grughanååven.

The hills of the Smòlt Erûûn were hardly hills though, more a range of high mountains set in the far north beyond the continent of Dahl'Ambronis, a region covered in snow most of the year, where vast rivers of grinding ice made their slow progress down the high mountain passes, sculpturing the land over millions of years as they went. The T'Iea had no name for this region, neither had they named the mountains or anything else within it, for only the Grûndén reached this far north in their constant questing for the riches buried deep within the earth. So for years beyond count the ognod's remained alone, an isolated people divided by their geography into many individual warring clans. But when they were discovered by outsiders; they reacted quickly by setting aside their clan differences and allying with one another against what they saw as a common foe, invaders from the south. Over the next few hundred years of man they progressively and aggressively invaded most, if not all of the lands within the vast continent of Dahl'Ambronis. They raged unstoppable across all the lands to the south. The elder races collectively called these dark times the ognod wars, the resulting turmoil devastated the southern lands, decimated and split all the elder races and reduced their populations considerably. Some would say that even now after all this time these populations still had not fully recovered. For the elder races as individuals live untold numbers of years of man. Their time upon the world is so long they do not need to reproduce in large numbers as the race of humans do. So it was, the ognod's became the curse of the elder races. A time that the T'Iea remember in their own tongue as Sedral'Coronis'Et'ognod'Na'Tyuosd.

Solvienne's thoughts faded and once again she looked down upon a never ending heavy mist that seemed to hang in the lower lands, she wished that JDC would take them higher, climbing above the grey dismal fog and back into the sunlight that she knew must be up there somewhere. Where the earth stood just proud of the thick cloying mist the colour of the land almost matched exactly that of the heavy water-sodden air. She also knew that parts of this region held host to a horrid black noxious ooze that seeped up from the ground and lay in fetid pools on the surface. Solvienne remembered her mother Minervar telling of these pools and how when she had travelled these lands on foot, her Grûndén companion Łĩnwéé Ârcønrâdenn had made a torch by soaking a rag in the stuff and then igniting it. The resulting fume choked her and her companions but at least it kept the swarms of incessantly biting insects at bay. Solvienne thanked the Maker that her travel in these lands was by much safer and more comfortable means; at least she wouldn't be pestered by biting insects being shut away in the artificial environment within the Leviathan.

They had been flying over these lands for the best part of a day now, crossing back and forth, east to west and moving slowly north as they went. They searched the landscape below for a rock road, a causeway that Minervar and Serinae had used to travel to the ognod city. The only solid ground it would seem in the surrounding boggy wetlands. At least the ognod's long ago had built the road to aid their own travels through the region, or at least they thought the road was the work of the ognod's. Solvienne took some comfort in the thought that even the ognod's didn't like to get their feet wet. But it was so difficult to see when all the surrounding landscape was the same drab grey colour obscured in endless, swirling mists. These lands certainly lived up to their name. Back and forth they had flown, numerous times they had descended to check out a promising feature and on two occasions so far, they had actually left the machine for an even closer look at some feature or other. But always only to be disappointed, for what they thought might be a road revealed itself through the mist to be only a particular pattern in the way that the low scrub like plants and bushes grew, or in the case of the second time, an escarpment of rock jutting out from the ground for several hundred metres but only around two metres in height at the mid-point.

Solvienne sighed, for all the advanced technology at their disposal, the one thing they lacked was an up to date map, the machine had been hidden away for ages past, its mapping system had not been updated in such a long time it was completely useless, for it was gathered when the world was a very different looking place. The continents were a different shape and the seas very different because the water level was far lower than it was today. JDC said that the maps bore little resemblance to the present day lands. About the only place that had not changed significantly across the ravages of time was the Rust Desert, or so he thought. She smiled as she thought of the deep irony, that the machine in which they flew was so far advanced in technology it was beyond her comprehension, yet a simple paper chart drawn up by a first year geography student would give a better chance of their finding a solution to their current predicament. She went over to the navigational table in the control room and looked at the rolling map as it slid past beneath her eyes. JDC had shown her days before how as they flew over the land, special devices in the bottom of the hull of the machine would rebuild a new databank with the information they detected from the sensor arrays that dotted the hull. It was like watching a picture being painted by some invisible hand right under her nose. As they flew back and forth stripes of colour and information would be filled in upon the blank canvas. The machine seemed to be able to detect every nook and cranny, even if they could not see the detail through the grey mists that hung about everywhere with their own eyes.

Suddenly Solvienne had an idea; she walked across to JDC who sat on a stool in front of the main flight control desk as he nearly always did. "JDC?"

"Aye milady what can I do for you?"

"The original map data, are you sure that it didn't contain any information on the whereabouts of the ognod road? I ask because from what I remember of the original data, well it looked a lot like that which was being collected as we fly now. In fact it looks identical as if this land has not changed at all in the intervening ages."

"Well, to be honest milady I didn't really check. But there is not a lot to look at, so perhaps it looks the same because of the lack of features defining it as being different?" He stood and walked across to the navigational table and looked down at the data as it was being painted upon the flat screen below.

Solvienne explained further. "Yes JDC I understand the featureless part but I am T'Iea, we notice more than some other races. I had a good look at the map data before you removed the chip, this is an ancient place and I have noticed that some features of this landscape may be invisible to your eyes and also believe me when I say that the same features, however rare, are also appearing on the new map. There is much JDC that is identical to my eyes."

"Well we have almost completed the next planned scan, once it is complete then I can remove the chip in the main automation room before starting a new scan and put in the copy I made of the original chip if you wish. We can then take a closer look at the original data that the Leviathan held when we got it from the Rust Desert?"

Solvienne nodded in agreement and said, "I just, well I'd like to check that's all."

JDC nodded obviously humouring Solvienne.

The next time the two of them gathered at the navigational desk the mapping data they viewed was many thousands of years old, yet, JDC had to agree that now he looked more closely the actually detail of the landscape they viewed looked remarkably similar to the data the machine was collecting an hour or so before. The same rock escarpments, the same dips and troughs. The only difference was that if the map was zoomed out Solvienne noticed the coastal areas were vastly different. The icy seas either side of the continent weren't there giving the impression that the land mass was thousands of kilometres wider than today and a good deal higher to. She wondered about this whilst JDC ran his fingers across the glass desktop, the map moved across rapidly as he stroked the screen.

"STOP", shouted Solvienne, she pointed at the screen. JDC could see nothing it all looked the same grey to him. But he touched a dial with his finger and moved his hand in a circular fashion. The map seemed to enlarge before their eyes. A thin line like a hair appeared and thickened as he zoomed in. "Well I'll be." Exclaimed JDC, "yes there," He stabbed his finger on the glass of the desk. A thin winding line a slightly darker shade of grey became apparent.

JDC continued to zoom in on the area. Soon a paved road appeared, they could even see the slabs of stone it was made from. "Well I'll be a Duagnuats cake." JDC exclaimed once more.

Solvienne clapped her hands in excitement and laughed at JDC's remark, for there now plainly in focus they looked upon the grey stone road, it ran diagonally across the screen from one side to the other about two hundred kilometres to the north of their present position.

JDC said, "but this map is as ancient, the land mass hereabouts has changed dramatically in size and shape in the intervening times. This road must have been here even then all that time ago. I suppose it may even predate the worldwide city that once covered the world. Or maybe it didn't. Perhaps this land in the north has always been like this, perhaps it did not form part of the worldwide city of the humans of old."

Solvienne commented, "then it's possible that it predates the ognod's, they may not have been responsible for building the road after all."

JDC nodded in agreement as he moved another control until two cross hairs hovered over the road. They looked closely at the screen. He pushed a button and the craft began to move. "Well let's go take a look eh?"

Within the hour they found themselves hovering just above the stone causeway that snaked its way across the landscape. It was the only unnaturally created thing anywhere in these lands. The rest of the landscape had been here probably since the creation of the world, only this thing, this road had been built as testament to a creative culture or creature intelligence. It was strange to see, difficult to imagine its original purpose. No grass had grown between the stones, nothing seemed to have eroded its stone surface, it seemed to be as unchanging perhaps as the surrounding lands themselves. But why was it built in the first place? The surrounding land was flat without obstacles in the main, why then should someone take on the monumental effort to create this causeway. It was well done to, for it had obviously lasted the ravages of time. But then Solvienne had an idea, of course, why had she not thought of it before. It was blindingly obvious why this road was built. If you had to navigate a featureless landscape, one where often you could not see more than a few metres in front of you or above you due to the persistent mists. What would you need? Why a landmark of course, a sure way of finding your way from one place to another and back again. A bit like unravelling a piece of string in the dark so that you could gather it up again and find your way back. The very reason in fact that they had been looking for the causeway themselves. Solvienne laughed.

"Hmmm, and to what do you find so to amuse you milady may I ask?"

Solvienne turned and looked at JDC, "ah nothing JDC, just a thought, a silly T'Iea thought."

JDC gave her a sideways smile and lifted one eyebrow, he had been around T'Iea often enough to understand their infectious spirited nature, full of endearing charm. "We ought to decide what to do next, I'm not so sure we should fly any further north for risk of receiving a less than cordial welcome, not that there is any guarantee that the ognod's will look kindly towards our venturing into their lands anyway."

"Do not worry JDC, my mother tells a story of the ognod's being quite courteous hosts, at least when she was here last. If Retta is still leader here I'm sure that we will be welcomed. But you are right, if we were to be discovered on foot in a non-threatening way I understand how this may give us favour in their eyes. Or at least not seed the thought that we may present a threat."

"Then I suggest milady that you accompany Amndo along the causeway whilst I fly the Leviathan high above the mists to hide it and await your return. It may also be better to have someone on the outside, someone to mount a rescue perhaps if things go ill with you and you are captured?"

Solvienne thought this over and had to agree it was a sound plan. Thus she went out of the control room and knocked upon the door of Amndo's cabin. They had not seen much of the keeper during the flight, he seemed to content to shut himself away in his cabin reading, stating that he had spent so much time on the Leviathan in the past he had no feeling of awe or interest in the machine, he would rather use the time to study and meditate.

Amndo beckoned her enter and to take a seat, this she did. She told him about the discovery of the causeway and what they planned to do. He didn't object or pass any comment just nodded slowly in what she took to be agreement. When she had finished he stood and went over to a locker that hung on the wall and opened the sliding door. "there is something mylady that I wish you to have. I have been custodian of this thing ever since we travelled with the lady Nar'Allia, I feel that before the end of all this you will need this thing, or at least someone you know perhaps will need it and you will be able to pass it on to them."

Solvienne shuffled in her seat, she was taken aback, she did not expect such a reaction from Amndo. But she slid forward to the edge of her seat and sat expectantly.

Amndo reached into the locker and withdrew something long wrapped in cloth. He looked at the item and then closing the door handed the thing to Solvienne. She took it looking at it and expecting an explanation.

"Take a look by all means," indicated Amndo, "it is harmless enough in itself." Then with an uncharacteristic wink of his eye he said, "it may go well with that quiver your sister gave into your keeping."

Solvienne proceeded to unwrap the cloth that surrounded whatever it was within. She discarded the cloth on the table and looked at what she now held in her hands. It was long, longer than a normal T'Iea arrow; its flights were not of feather, but of some other material unknown to her. But it was the arrowhead that she found most curious. Where she expected to find a sharp lethal looking point, there was a rather unattractive bulbous blunted end, it reminded her or a pear hanging on a pear tree.

"Keep it with you mylady, keep it safe. Call it a hunch, but I just feel it may be needed before this is finished. Now let us go, we have a task to do and it will not wait."

Solvienne couldn't help but notice that he showed excitement at the prospect of having something to do at last. This made her smile. She left Amndo to his preparations and went to her own cabin. Here she placed the strange arrow back in its wrappings and put it in her cabinet.

Amndo and Solvienne climbed down the spiral stair of the lower exit hatch of the Leviathan and stepped off onto the ognod causeway.

JDC hung his head out from the exit hatch and shouted, "don't forget, I will return to a lower altitude and search the causeway for you in three days."

Amndo asked, "what if we are not able to return in three days master Pnook?"

JDC frowned, not wanting to formulate any speculative answer he just said, "just be here, make sure you are eh?" He then disappeared into the machine, the spiral stair was retracted back up and the hatch closed. Solvienne and Amndo watched the machine rise higher and higher but it quickly became obscured by the mists. Solvienne shivered, was it the hill on the air, or was it the dreadful feeling of loneliness that suddenly came over her now that the safety and comfort of the Leviathan was now gone. She glanced at Amndo, he smiled at her and nodded encouragingly to walk along the causeway. He shrugged and gathering her cloak around her walked by his side.

Shortly afterwards JDC stood once more in the main control room, he was looking at the thermal detection equipment. He could quite clearly see the two images of Solvienne and Amndo moving slowly north along the causeway directly below. But he frowned for about a kilometre away further to the north and moving south towards the two images of his companions, several other thermal signatures showed. He watched a concerned look upon his features, as the two groups moved ever closer towards each other.

## Chapter 20. Back with the Grûndén

Nar'Allia stood on the outside deck of the Pnook flying ship looking down at the landscape passing beneath. It was a beautiful clear day. For the last fifteen minutes or so the land had been sloping up sharply to meet them. The white peaks of mountains dotted the region below as far as the eye could see in every direction and green alpine meadows spread down the slopes of the peaks where the land was level enough to sustain plant growth. In the valley floors forests of pines were also a common feature. Even at this altitude Nar'Allia's sense of smell was alive with the scent of the pinesap drifting up on the still air. Here and there rocky outcrops dotted the picturesque landscape, she was reminded of the tapestries she had seen in Solin's house in Amentura.

Tnie came to stand by her side, he indicated a valley ahead. "We are nearly there, soon we will descend and see what the Grûndén make of us."

Nar'Allia looked in the direction he pointed and held the hair away from her eyes. She could see nothing obvious, no fortress or ironclad gates, no Grûndén soldiery looking up at them. But true to Tnie's word she felt the craft start its gentle descent towards the valley over which they now flew.

There was a large clearing in the pines, a meadow of long grass with soft fluffy seed heads being dispersed on the gentle breeze, other flowering plants spread out and ended at the face of a cliff, it was here they seemed to be headed for. As soon as they had descended down to ground level a number of Grûndén soldiers appeared and surrounded the Pnook flying machine as it floated in the air several metres above the ground. The Grûndén soldier's battle-axes glinted in the sunlight as they stood their ground waiting for orders, or to see who it was that had arrived unannounced in their domain.

One among them had no axe in his hand; he stood legs splayed apart hands resting on his hips, a slightly menacing look shone forth from his eyes. "Hail ye on board the flyin' machine. Ye be surrounded. Show yourselves slowly, be assured tha' any act o' aggress'n will be surely met accordingly."

Nar'Allia chortled in response.

Tnie shot her a glance, "do not scoff mylady, if the Grûndén below us wished, they could bring down this airship within minutes, I have seen them fight. It is a wonder to behold."

But he was cut short by the same voice from below. "I demand ye be announcin' yeselves an ye's intentions." At this the Grûndén stood waiting, his head cocked slightly on one side as he stared expectantly up at the flying machine above him. He motioned to two Grûndén who un-shouldered some sort of ranged weapon, like a Pnook rifle but the end of the barrel splayed out in diameter like a bell. These weapons looked heavy, they were held at the waist hanging from a thick leather shoulder strap and were pointed in the general direction of the airship.

On board the flying machine Tnie, careful not to say anything too loud looked over the side of the gunwale and said, "bloody Grûndén." He then sighed and stood upright and looking over the side looked down upon the Grûndén welcoming committee. "be at peace master Grûndén, I assure you we mean you no harm, we come on friendly terms and only wish an audience with the Graumin Most High Théøndrĩn Ârkenstone, we have a request to make of him. That is if master Théøndrĩn still reigns in the fare city of Gwéldølĩn alongside his fare Graumun Frĩthâ?"

The surly Grûndén who had spoken before walked forward, he raised one eyebrow. "An' w'at, if anythin' be that'n t' ye master Pnook? Ye be aspeakin' as if ye know's the Graumin. Like'n 'e be an ol' drinkin' buddy o' yers."

"We have met on one occasion master Grûndén yes. But we are here as representatives of our King. I make a polite request master Grûndén not a demand."

"An' who be ye then master Pnook, I would be ahavin' yur name please."

Tnie introduced himself formally, he gestured to Nar'Allia to come forward and he introduced her as his aid and adviser.

The Grûndén below did not say anything; rather he stood there as if deep in thought. But then he strode purposefully forward looking up at Tnie as he came. He was also undoing the chin straps of his helm. "By t' Lord Øédréll, I canny 'ardly be abelievin' m' own ears an' eyes. If that be ye master Tnie?" The Grûndén reached up with both hands and lifted the helm from his head and placed it in the crook of his arm by his side. Long hair cascaded out and over his shoulders tied into a single thick plaid at the back. His beard was long and a wide moustache dressed his upper lip.

Tnie looked at the Grûndén, he leaned forward over the side of the vessel as if trying to get a better look. "Łĩnwéé? Łĩnwéé Ârcønrâdenn is that you?"

"There was a loud and raucous laugh from below, a below of a laugh and the Grûndén said, "aye, m' laddie, tis I, t' very same, an if thes'n eyes nat be cry'n tears o' joy, then well I be fibbin' like a school lad caught wit' 'is 'ands in t' cookie jar."

Tnie clapped his hands in delight, turned and ran along the gunwale, he pressed the button that would lower the section allowing the extension of the gangplank out and down to ground level. The craft proceeded to drop downwards. No sooner had the end of the gangplank stopped moving, Tnie was running down the length of it and out onto the grass at its foot. The Grûndén was already waiting at the bottom. To Nar'Allia's great surprise and joy these two grasped each other's forearms and then embraced, as would old comrades that have not seen each other for a long time. This embrace lasted some time, but they then stepped back a little still holding onto each other and just stared into the eyes of the other.

Nar'Allia supposed it was about time that she too joined the couple below, so she gathered her things and went down the gangplank to stand behind Tnie. She knew well the name of the Grûndén soldier, but she couldn't resist saying, "well this is a surprising sight. A Grûndén and a Pnook." She coughed and talking in as best a Grûndén accent as she could imitate she said, "lik'n to ol' drinkin' buddies?"

The Grûndén looked over Tnie's shoulder at her as she spoke and laughed a deep and throaty sound. "Aha, m'lady T'Iea, 'tis a lang time passed since I looked upon any o' the other elder races, an' t'day I getsta meet two." He disengaged himself from Tnie and walked around him to where Nar'Allia stood. He bowed low his beard touched the ground, "but ye be assured oh one thing m'lady. Any friend o' this rascal 'ere be surely afriend t' me also. Ye be all a'welcome in fare Gwéldølĩn."

Nar'Allia giggled as the Grûndén removed the gauntlet from his hand and taking her hand kissed it with much ceremony, his whiskers tickled the back of her hand then once again he bowed low, he stayed in that position as if waiting upon something.

A cough from behind him made Nar'Allia look up.

It was Tnie a broad smile upon his face. "My lady Nar'Allia, I have great pleasure in introducing you to a very old friend of mine master Łĩnwéé Ârcønrâdenn."

Nar'Allia tilted her head slightly in response a broad smile dressed her lips as she said, "I know the name well, I have heard much about you master Grûndén from my mother Minervar."

Łĩnwéé stood immediately a look of surprise on his face. "Minervar? Min? That wee pretty lassie be your mother?"

"Well actually she is my step mother, my father and Minervar met in the north, in Tent Town where your people have a northern outpost with a tower fort guarding the land bridge that leads across to the Grughanååven."

Łĩnwéé looked long and hard at her then said, "ah but I be a dullard an' no mistakin', now I be recallin', ye be that littl' squirt o' a lassie in Tent Town, t' littl' T'Iea girly in the tavern. I remember t' ladies Minervar an' Serinae they was atakin' quite a shine t' ye?"

Nar'Allia smiled, "the very same master Grûndén, I am flattered that you should remember."

Łĩnwéé nodded as if in some kind of confirmation of his thoughts, "I had'n a few ales that trip, that be t' truth to it wee lassie, but I dunny be forgetin' a pretty face ye can be sure o' that." He winked at her and Nar'Allia giggled. Then he turned and shouted, addressing the other Grûndén that stood around bemused at the spectacle that had just been played out before them. "Right lads, lower those thar gons an' form up. Escort o' 'onour."

The Grûndén shouldered their 'gons' and battle-axes and like a well-oiled machine lined up with much aplomb, forming an escort for the visitors to their city.

"WAIT," shouted Tnie, "can we take the airship in as well?"

"Aye, o' course. Ye all be welcome in t' fare city o' Gwéldølĩn, o' that ye can be assured." Tnie went back on board to talk to the captain of the vessel who assigned some of the crew to grab hold of the guy ropes that now hung down the side of the vessel and after folding away the gang plank the flying machine was towed gently behind as the whole procession set of towards the rock face that stood a little off to their right.

Łĩnwéé marched in front; as they approached the craggy cliff he instructed two of his soldiers to run ahead. Nar'Allia could see they approached the rock face and stood before it then shouted something in their own language. Almost immediately a loud grinding noise could be heard and to her surprise two large gates started to open in the rock wall. The gates could not be seen when closed as they appeared to be just part of the cliff face. This entrance into Gwéldølĩn proved easily large enough to take the Pnook flying machine into the interior; they stood to one side watching as the craft was hauled through the gates and inside the large cavern that had been revealed. It was towed to one side of the cavern where it was gently parked and moored by turning back on the stabilising effects of the engines.

"Aught t' be safe enough 'ere laddie. I'll see t' arrangements fo' the crew." Said Łĩnwéé, winking one eye towards Tnie, who nodded his head in agreement. The grinding of the great gates sounded once more as they were closed after all were safely through.

It took a few minutes for Nar'Allia's eyes to adjust to the darker light within the tunnel in which they now stood, but she gasped as slowly she became aware that the very rock around her gave off a dim glow that was quite enough to see by. Close inspection showed that many millions of tiny crystals gave off a warm light that was very restful and pleasing to the eye. She had to ask, "master Grûndén are these the same crystals that make up the six great light globes that hang above the city?"

"Ye be arefferin' t' the Brĩschlåûndérgré o' course m'lady Nar'Allia? 'Tis true they be made o' similar stuff, but ye'll be aseein' em soon enough. Come ye, t' the applecart's, an' then t' the city, an' that's t' be a sight that'll take yur breath from out o' ye t' be sure."

Nar'Allia remembered from Minervar's descriptions of the trip she had made in the applecarts, but it still seemed all so wonderful to her, she was very excited about being here at last, something she had dreamed about since as far back as she could remember. Gwéldølĩn proved more spectacular than Nar'Allia could ever have imagined it to be, even from Minervar's descriptions of the great Grûndén city beneath the mountains. It was all she could do but gape in awe at the vista of beauty that played out before her. It seemed that every bend, every tunnel mouth revealed something more beautiful than the previous one as they approached the city in the little applecart's transport system that the Grûndén used to carry all manner of things around the city and beyond. She was careful not to touch the little lever that lay in front of her though, she remembered with some amusement Minervar describing how she had accidentally brought the little train of applecart's to a sudden halt when she rode on them all those years before.

Just the sheer size of the place was beyond belief. She had seen large underground spaces before of course when they had travelled through the ancient military facility below the sands of the rust desert. She had found those old musty halls dark and oppressive; the sheer unseen space of them seemed to force itself down upon her very being. Perhaps subconsciously it was knowing the use for which those halls were built, to perpetuate a war still being fought even when all the human antagonists had either perished or fled from the onslaught, a war raged by machines that roamed freely and uncontrolled across the world intent upon horrific destruction. Gwéldølĩn was a very different kind of place. This vast cavern was airy and full of light and beauty. Trees and plants grew in great numbers in the warm somewhat humid conditions. Waterfalls of crystal clear water naturally filtered of all impurities, cascaded everywhere she looked, from the smallest of trickles to the great thundering of the falls that plummeted over the edge of the city boundaries and fell thousands of metres into the abyss below the city, the bottom of which was shrouded from view by the mists and water droplets that hung in the air. Bird-like creatures flew around the place crying and singing to each other, many species that Nar'Allia had never seen before, creatures with feathers of all colours and hues. When she looked more closely she could see that these birds were quite reptilian in looks. Yes they had beaks, but they also had rows of small sharp little teeth within. Their heads were in the main bereft of feathers also, just covered in brightly coloured scales of blue and red and many shades of colour in between. The little bony joint where they were able to fold their wings had a single little hooked claw protruding through the feathers. Nar'Allia realised what this was for as she noticed that the birds quite often would cling to the sheer rock faces using these claws and sing to each other. She also noticed how these birds would fly right through the cascades of water without flinching and would shake the water droplets from their feathers as they flew. Probably their kind only existed here, evolved only here within this vast cavern beneath the mountains of the Tolle' Ambrunista. Or perhaps in another similar environment on another world far across the outer voids.

Then high above everything, as promised by master Łĩnwéé himself where the great globes, the Grûndén masterpiece of art and engineering, the great crystal Brĩschlåûndérgré that lit the whole cavern. They bathed the great city in sunlight during the day and then transformed the whole cavern with moonlight during the hours that followed. Nar'Allia couldn't wait to see it. She clasped her hands together in anticipation and glee. But then a clanking jolt sounded as the applecart train came to a sudden and abrupt halt and Nar'Allia's attention was brought back to her immediate surroundings once more.

They disembarked the applecart's in what looked like some sort of terminal yard situated in the lower portion of the city. Łĩnwéé gave some orders to his soldiers who saluted and wandered off across the open area.

Nar'Allia wanted to know something, so she jogged forward to catch up with Łĩnwéé and Tnie who walked ahead talking enthusiastically. "Master Łĩnwéé can I ask you something?"

Łĩnwéé stopped and turning said, "but o' course lassie, what be ye seek o' me?"

"Well I just wanted to know, before, I mean when Minervar and Serinae where here, did they enter through the same gate as us, into the city I mean?"

Łĩnwéé laughed, "nay m' wee lassie. There be four main gates int' Gwéldølĩn proper ye un'erstan'. Roughly they be sited north, south, east an' west. Ye entered through t' western gate. The lady Minervar and her companions entered through the southern. Why is it ye ask eh?"

"Oh, I don't know, just curious I guess. I listened to the story Minervar told so many times, well coming here at last I just want to understand more, fill in the details so to speak."

Łĩnwéé laughed again, "well m'lady, we must try an' complete t' story fo' ye. That be fo' sure."

Nar'Allia smiled and continued to take in the sights and sounds of the city as they walked up out of the terminal yard and into the city proper. She marvelled at every street and avenue. At every fountain and waterfall as the streams of water ran down the centre of the streets in little culverts made especially for the purpose. Here and there the water flowed into small ponds fall of fish and colourful aquatic plants. Grûndén sat upon the edges singularly looking into the water, feeding the fish and chatting with others. Many parks both large and small offered a green area to sit under the many trees that grew there. Despite their reputation as miners and fearful warriors it seemed that the Grûndén were lovers of the natural world similar to the T'Iea. There was a relaxed, easy-going air about the city, Nar'Allia already felt at home here even though it wasn't the trees of the forests she was used to.

They called in at a tavern for something to eat and as the three of them sat enjoying the meal Nar'Allia laughed and giggled at the tales that Łĩnwéé and Tnie told each other. In fact these two hardly ate a thing they were talking so much, but this did not stop Łĩnwéé drinking copious amounts of ale. Nar'Allia had to ask one question though; she felt she needed to know what had happened, if anything, in Tent Town, the place where she used to live and where she had such fond memories of the Grûndén. She was to be disappointed though, for Łĩnwéé explained that actually he had not been back there since his journeys with Minervar and Serinae. He was not from the regiments that manned the Grûndén fort in the north. He was quick to add though that as far as he knew it was still there, no one had told him otherwise and the Grûndén still cycled regiments to their garrison fort and he had not heard anything to the contrary to suggest that Tent Town had changed in any way. Eventually though he suggested he take them to a guesthouse he knew of to stay the night. He explained that he would seek to arrange an audience with the Grâumin as soon as possible then meet them the following morning and they could decide what to do next. Łĩnwéé said with a smile, "no doubt ye will remember the house of Mistress Dĩmmĩnĩ Frénøk Tnie m' friend?"

Tnie smiled and replied that yes he remembered and looked forward to that reunion with much pleasure.

Nar'Allia also became very excited. She knew of Dĩmmĩnĩ, or Dĩmmĩ as she was more commonly called from the tales Minervar told of her stay in the city of Gwéldølĩn, how the cheery Grûndén had put them up in her house on that occasion, a house that was built specifically for the taller races to stay in whilst in the city. So it was that after finishing their meal and downing what remained of their ale they set off for the house of Dĩmmĩnĩ Frénøk.

## Chapter 21. Penitence Glade

The following morning Thor, Orln and Neth'Gore left upon the road into the east. Nobody stood with them to see them depart; they had said their farewells the evening before. When asked about her plans Solin had said that she intended to stay in the city for a while, look up old friends and reawaken some old memories. The party of three strode through a city just awakening from the nights slumber. The only acknowledgment they received was from the guards at the gate who saluted Thor's newfound rank.

Their planned route would take them directly east through the thick, lush arboreal forests that covered most of the western half of Dahl'Ambronis. This was still a region that the T'Iea included within the great wood, Gel'Te'Ertenya. But the T'Iea had no towns or villages to the east of Ter'Hadsnefel. Human kind populated the north-eastern parts through which they travelled. The human population was thought to have spread into these lands from the east in ancient times. They had come across the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri once the way had become open due to the changes in climate and the lessening of the height of the great range of mountains that had once formed an impassable barrier between the western forests and the moorlands on the eastern side. The humans that had settled in the region knew the area under different names mainly associated with the geographical features of the country or the names of intrepid hero's or founders of those places. As a result the human townships and outposts that had sprung up in the region had names like. 'Clear Lake', Haven Shore', 'Martha's Rise', 'Raeburn's Roost', 'Bear Landing' and other rather romantic names, names that suggested a story behind their choosing. But all these places had started out as a clearing in the forest strewn with the tents of the inhabitants, but if the population grew and the economy thrived then the market stalls and Inns moved in and established more permanent dwellings made of wood and stone. A political structure arose and in came the families who built permanent habitation. As soon as this happened then the township grew very quickly.

These towns were strung out along the main trade routes through the region, nestled into small river valleys protecting them against the full force of the weather that could still be very harsh in winter as the cold winds howled down from the mountain heights. Most of the townships had stockades protecting them, for these even now were wild lands. Even the T'Iea had not tamed vast portions of Gel'Te'Ertenya, but then that was not the nature of T'Iea, for those peoples sort to live in total harmony with their surroundings.

Along with the steadfast townsfolk other more nomadic humans had taken advantage of the region to. But some of these were of a less than savoury nature. Bands of brigands and outlaws also found safe haven in the wilds, well out of the reach of the law and the township authorities, for the lands were vast, heavily forested and sparsely populated making for a region where the potential hiding places were many. From time to time the human authorities tried to keep a modicum of control over these lawless criminal elements, to assist in this they sometimes hired T'Iea rangers to track and even to capture, or kill, individuals known to them who had overstepped the mark in their activities. Many times T'Iea rangers had been conscripted in this way. At first they were welcomed, but this feeling sometimes changed. Certain places held the criminal element in high regard; generally this was an unintended offshoot of the criminal activity, for they provided some form of safety for the inhabitants, even a black market income. Sometimes the human criminal elements were romantically viewed as folk heroes. The net result was that certain of the human townships inhabitants had developed a certain level of mistrust over the years for T'Iea rangers and soldiers. Especially as the T'Iea element were renowned for their abundant successes in their activities of tracking down and bringing to justice those wanted by the law. Not all however, looked upon the T'Iea as enemies, for in certain places the T'Iea were held in high regard as peacekeepers and representatives of the law. It seemed that these attitudes differed widely dependant of course on the circumstances of the T'Iea activity and how it was historically perceived in relation to the human population.

Thus it was the three T'Iea didn't stay long anywhere, preferring to keep on the move and they avoided all the smaller townships altogether, especially the ones formed from collections of tents and other makeshift shelters. The T'Iea had no quarrel with human kind in general, but experience showed them that humans were often subject to bouts of suspicion and easily influenced by hearsay and gossip. Mankind, it seemed to the T'Iea, are quick to formulate opinions and will almost always levy prejudgement on what they had heard through stories in bars and other places rather than believe the results of their own individual discoveries and experiences. The larger the gathering of humans, the more likely this to be the case. A couple of townships Orln and Neth'Gore would not enter at all, giving the excuse that they would probably not be welcomed again if recognised. When Thor asked why this should be the case, they just shrugged and said that their exit from those townships the last time they visited was rather hurried and not something they viewed with pride. Thor thought better than to pry further, rather he just accepted their advice and the three bypassed those townships keeping well hidden amongst the dense forest and pressed swiftly onwards to the next town.

The last township before the foothills of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri was a place called Penitence Glade. This town proved refreshingly different, for here they were welcomed with nods and grunted acknowledgement, a refreshing change from the lowered gazes and suspicious sneers of some of the populations of other such places. Here it seemed the humans were more tolerant. They seemed better acquainted with T'Iea kind, for it transpired that several T'Iea rangers and their families lived in the area and had done so for a long time. It was refreshing to see other T'Iea faces amongst the people walking the streets in complete immunity and without prejudicial suffering. Even the tall T'Iea featured half-elves, the result of the union of an elf and a human were free it seemed to walk the streets of Penitence glade. Thor was reminded once again or Orln's possible heritage, but he declined to ask the question, for he did not feel that they had known each other long enough to pry into such personal circumstance.

To their surprise they also encountered many Grûndén in the town, whether emissaries from Gwéldølĩn the Grûndén city under the mountains or others with independent 'commercial' interests in the area they did not know. It did not pay to ask too many questions, there was a risk that in doing so you could attract the wrong kind of attention. But after enjoying a meal one evening a chatty bar tender in a pub in the town told how the Grûndén in this region around Penitence Glade were known to regularly cross the mountains of the Tolle' Ambrunista from their home to the north, many acted as guides or body guards against the dangers of robbery and worse upon the open road.

The elderly barmen said with a wink of his eye, "there be nothin' like a Grûndén to put ye off robbin' some traveller. Ye be likely to end up wit' yer nadgers hangin' from a tree, or ye's head a mile down t' road from ye's neck. Once t' Grûndén 'ad finished playin' footy wit' it that be." He smiled a toothless grin.

It seemed that the battle hardy Grûndén mercenaries could charge a handsome price for their renowned expertise with their famed great battle axes in protecting merchant travellers and the like. In deed not all the Grûndén in the bar were laughing and singing in their own language whilst getting progressively drunk on the strong local ales. Thor noticed at least two Grûndén in the shadows smoking quietly, the glow from the embers of a clay pipe reflecting in their bright eyes, alert for any suspicious activity as they kept a watchful eye over the secret activities and negotiations of their current employer.

A scuffle broke out once, an argument of some kind erupted at a table near to where the three T'Iea sat. A well to do human in rich robes stared at another human; a slightly amused smile dressed the corners of his mouth. The latter mentioned human had been forced to drop a dagger he held as the keen edge of a Grûndén battle axe lifted his chin upwards and threatened to remove more than the shadowy beard he sported. At a nod from the richly dressed human the Grûndén lowered his axe and hinted to the other human that he should make himself scarce. Once the man had gone from the pub the richly dressed human tossed a large bag of what sounded like coin towards the Grûndén who caught the bag and opening a leather satchel deposited it inside where perhaps it joined many other bags of gold. Quickly three more Grûndén gathered around the human and together this company then left the pub. Thor noticed at least four other Grûndén stand from where they sat around the bar scrutinizing the scene before them, a rear guard he suspected as after about five minutes had passed and no other had left the pub, these Grûndén also followed the richly dressed human and his Grûndén bank manager.

The three T'Iea stayed in Penitence Glade for a number of days. It was a good place to rest a while and to also gather what they needed for the remainder of the journey. This would be their last stop in civilisation before the wild mountains. One evening back in the pub, the three sat drinking ale after eating a simple meal of bread and cheese. As usual a number of Grûndén sat at other tables, but these were obviously off duty for some were becoming increasingly rowdy as the evening wore on and the amount of ale in their bellies increased. A stout Grûndén sat at a table with another figure, this second figure kept the hood of his long robe over his head hiding his features. But the pair Neth'Gore noticed had been glancing towards the three T'Iea all evening. Eventually the hooded figure stood and left the pub by the front entrance. The Grûndén also stood and after draining his tankard and drying his beard on the sleeve of his jacket. He approached the table where the three T'Iea sat. He came up to them and grunting a greeting he bowed low, then with a broad and friendly smile on his features he asked if he and his companion might join them for a drink.

The Grûndén said, "'tis nat that often t' Grûndén abe adrinkin' wit' t' fair folk these days eh? What say ye t' 'onourin' old times, adrinkin' t' old alliances eh?" In t' old days when t' T'Iea and t' Grûndén armies be afightin' as one eh? When we stood side b' side on a field o' battle an' kicked some ognod ass back up t' thee Grughanååven?"

Thor smiled amused at the Grûndén's invitation, but also not wanting to give the Grûndén cause for an argument, he raised his glass and nodded his approval.

Orln noted as he stood and moved aside to allow the two Grûndén to pull up their chairs that the elderly human innkeeper was staring their way, a cold calculating expression upon his face. When he noticed Orln looking at him he diverted his gaze downwards on whatever activity he was engaged in. Thor noticed that each Grûndén wore a heavy outer cloak, they kept these fastened up, but when the second of the Grûndén bent forward to grasp his hand in greeting a glint of shining metal armour could be seen beneath the cloak. The Grûndén looked up and Thor drew his gaze quickly from the armour and looked at the Grûndén, "another ale for you master Grûndén?"

The Grûndén smiled, "aye laddie, ye be areadin' m' mind it seems, fill'em up, fo' the night she be a pretty young'an ripe for a' embrace full o' passion like'n t' a bride on 'er weddin' night an' m' thirst can bare little patience be it like'n t' groom alookin' fo'ward t' 'is pleasure." They all laughed. Only Neth'Gore seemed not to take delight in the colourful Grûndén way of speaking, but rather kept a watchful and somewhat reproachful gaze on each of the Grûndén as they drank and laughed.

As the evening progressed, the more ale the Grûndén drank, the looser his tongues seemed to become. Eventually Thor was able to establish that he was part of a company of Grûndén mercenaries. Thor was not surprised. The Grûndén told how he and his companions plied their trade throughout the region working for whoever would pay their fee. The Grûndén boasted about how they were in great demand and hardly ever out of work. He claimed that no rascal or brigand would dare attack a merchant's caravan if even but one Grûndén could be seen guarding it. Thor was interested in who they worked for.

At this point Neth'Gore interrupted. "Perhaps the hooded figure you drank with earlier?"

The Grûndén just laughed , he just tapped the side of his nose with a finger, belched loudly and said, "nay m' friends, I nat be atellin' ye m' secrets now, y'use three I dun't wanna be ahavin' as competiti'n ye gets m' drift?" Then his eye brightened as he said, "aye but laddie, should ye see fit t' join wit' us then we'd be in fine fettle. T' strong arm o' t' Grûndén wit' t' fightin' skill o' t' T'Iea, why laddie we'd be unstoppable." The Grûndén then looked at Neth'Gore with a suspicious shine in his eyes, he nodded in Neth'Gore's direction and leaned closer towards Thor, he then said, "'specially wit ye's grim reaper friend there." He again made an indication towards the still form of Neth'Gore with a thrust of his tankard, ale splashed onto the table in front of Neth'Gore who lifted his head and gazed piercingly at the Grûndén with those blue-within-blue eyes.

The Grûndén just stared back a kind of sneer upon his features. But eventually he could hold Neth'Gore's stare no longer and dropped his gaze. He took a swig of ale and then uttered whilst looking into his tankard, "aye truly, a grim one. What be yur p'ticular bag o' tricks laddie eh? Ice? Wind? Earth?" The Grûndén sniggered to himself, he lifted his tankard to his lips, but before he took another swig of ale he said quietly, "nay I'd wager me next year's salary ye'd be a fire mage. How many hapless saps have ye burnt t' a cinder laddie eh?" The tankard was then tilted and the Grûndén drank heartily until he emptied the last of his beer down his throat. He then slammed the tankard down hard upon the table.

Neth'Gore straightened his back and with a twist of his wrist uncovered his hand from within the sleeve of his robe. A red ruby ring on his finger began to glow like a glob of molten steel on a smithies anvil.

The Grûndén stood slowly with his eyes held upon Neth'Gore's hand and the ring. His hand was moving his cloak to one side; the glint of metal could be seen.

Thor smiled and wanting to defuse a potentially dangerous situation stood and raised his glass and struck the side of the other Grûndén's tankard with his own, "RuugNug" he said in the old tradition of the Grûndén.

The other Grûndén stood shakily and lifting his own tankard shouted in return, "RUUGNUG!" They all laughed and drank heartily once again draining their tankards in one gulp and shouting behind them for a refill as they slammed the tankards down upon the table.

The Grûndén that had been doing all the talking took his eyes from Neth'Gore's hand and slowly sat down, then addressing Thor once more asked, "so then laddie, w'at be ye three adoin' in this forsaken place eh?"

Thor shrugged and said that they were just returning back to their regiment across the mountains after a period of leave.

The Grûndén raised one eyebrow, having suddenly seemed to have sobered up, he nodded and then said, "aye, then laddie I be 'avin' a small proposition for ye if ye'd be alistenin'?"

Thor nodded his interest. Although he didn't think that the Grûndén would have anything to offer that they may be interested in, but he also didn't want to find himself back in a position where the slightest remark may erupt into a full blown confrontation. He did not want to be forced to fight these Grûndén, even if they were drunk. He remembered what an old man had told him in a previous township,

"Aye Laddie. Best yeez be makin' friends wit' any Grûndén m'lad, even if t' liddle bugger be stone cold dead."

Thor was somewhat relieved as he watched Neth'Gore relax and lean back in his chair and take up his drink.

If the Grûndén took further offence they did not show it. Instead the Grûndén explained that he and his compatriot were currently tasked to escort some customers with luggage across to the east. He said that if they would aid them as part of the escort it may be of some advantage to them.

When Thor enquired as to the nature of this advantage, the Grûndén lowered his voice and moved closer towards Thor, he held his hand in front of his mouth and told them of an old mine that the Grûndén had exploited many years ago and had now dried up. But this mine was a deep and long one apparently and led underground beneath the mountains of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri and came out upon the eastern side. It saved a lot of time and a lot of discomfort as it negated the need to cross the high snowfields and treacherous glaciers of the higher mountains.

Thor indeed welcomed the thought of the easier path to travel, he looked at both Orln who shrugged and nodded.

The Grûndén stood and standing behind his chair said, "we'll be agiv'n ye some time t' think on it laddie, I'll be over by t' bar when ye comes t' a decision." He winked at Thor and smiled, but Thor couldn't help noticing that when the Grûndén turned away, his smile turned to a slight frown and his eyes glowed with some inner emotion. But he strode over to the bar and started a conversation with the old innkeeper.

The three T'Iea sat and discussed the matter. Although they each had reservations about travelling with these two Grûndén whom they did not know, they also had no real reason to suspect them of any ill intent. Anyway three T'Iea, all competent with their own weaponry, one a battle mage, should be able then at least be able to account for a good fight with this Grûndén if it came to it.

Neth'Gore said, "be cautious, we do not yet know this company, he admitted he and his company were mercenaries, we do not yet know their true interests in all this, neither do we know what form of alliance they currently hold and with whom. I have heard rumoured talk of a Grûndén path beneath the mountains; I have also heard rumoured that many who have taken this route have never been seen again."

Thor shrugged this off, maybe the ale was getting to him and he spoke a little lightly, but he said, "they are Grûndén, long have our people allied with the people of Gwéldølĩn, they just grasped a chance to increase their odds of survival out there is all. An alliance with seasoned T'Iea fighters at no reduction to their profits. I to would welcome this."

Orln gave one final glance at the Grûndén, he was still in conversation with the innkeeper and did not look towards the T'Iea or give any other sign that he may be harbouring secret intent. So the three T'Iea finished their ale and strode over to the Grûndén. Thor said that they would gladly accompany the Grûndén on the journey and give any aid they may. The Grûndén nodded and expressed their thanks, they toasted the T'Iea enthusiastically as Thor and his companions left the bar to retire for the evening.

## Chapter 22. Meeting the Ognods

Solvienne and Amndo walked along the causeway. Walking in these lands did not prove to be pleasant. Even with their cloaks pulled tightly about them, with hoods pulled up over their heads, nothing seemed to keep the damp, cold air from penetrating there clothing and making this journey even more miserable than it was already. The continual cold seemed to seep into their very souls; their bones seemed to ache with the wetness and clamminess that surrounded them.

They had to look down as they walked for fear of tripping. The slabs that made up the causeway were domed, perhaps they were actually small round boulders set halfway into the soil, but however this road was built, the two travellers found the dips between the stones made for a very unpleasant surface on which to walk. However much they tried they always found that one of their feet was always placed on the domed top of a stone, followed by the other foot going down into a dip between the stones. The resulting effort made the soles of their feet and their calf muscles ache badly. Solvienne resorted to trying to hop from the top of one stone to the next, but even though this gave momentary respite from the uncomfortable way they were forced to walk, she was soon forced to stop because this method used up twice as much energy. It was a most difficult journey, even if they deliberately changed their feet over so that the opposite foot fell upon the dome and down into the dip, it was a short respite for the muscles in their legs. Amndo commented that the stones were obviously laid in such a way to be walked upon by larger folk who had at least half again the length of their stride, for then each foot could be comfortably placed on each domed stone. He presumed the dome shape to be deliberate for if it was raining then the water would run between the stones and the travellers feet would be kept dry. Solvienne had tried to walk on the green grass by the side of the road only to sink up to her knees in wet moss and decaying vegetation. When she tried to pull one foot out the other sank further into the soft loamy mud beneath. Amndo had to lift her out with a squelching, sucking noise.

After a while Solvienne stopped and called for a rest, her left calf muscle had given way under her for the third time and she sat down upon the causeway trying to rub her muscle back out of its current painful cramp whilst nursing a sore knee where she had fallen upon it heavily. Amndo had walked around behind her giving her time to recover. Suddenly a large flat piece of shining metal was thrust beneath her chin and slowly raised, forcing her to lift her head. She looked up and up and then found herself looking along the length of a long, curved sword at a very large gloved hand; then up a thick muscled arm covered in a mix of leather and metal armour. Finally her gaze reached two large grey but bright eyes set beneath the rim of a metal helmet with two large leather side flaps. A smile upon the great open mouth showed two abnormally long canine teeth slanting upwards from the bottom jaw. The wrist moved and the sword was raised higher, she was forced to stand as the sharp blade persuaded her to rise in order to ensure that she kept her head upon her shoulders.

She heard Amndo's voice over her shoulder saying, "we mean you know harm, we seek an audience with your elders, we ask only that you take us to your clan so that we may speak with them."

The ognod warrior that had her immobilised raised his eyes slowly over her head at some point beyond her vision and he said something in a low guttural language she did not understand. At this the warrior withdrew his sword and she found herself breathing once more, she felt a little dizzy and swayed on unsteady legs. Next she knew, the ognod had bent down and reaching one arm round the back of her thighs, she was rather unceremoniously lifted up and now hung backwards over his shoulder. The Ognod turned and with great strides started to walk on down the causeway going in the same direction as Nar'Allia and Amndo had been travelling but minutes before on their own. She managed a look behind by lifting her head, but the bobbing movement of the striding ognod made this position painful to hold for any length of time, she saw that another Ognod strode behind them with Amndo also hoisted over his shoulder. Behind him four more ognod's followed with shouldered weapons, these were pointing and laughing, no doubt at Solvienne's and Amndo's expense. The other thing Solvienne noticed was the overpoweringly bad smell of the ognod's body odour, mixed with the smell of damp leather. She wrinkled her nose. She felt the ognod's shoulder beneath her rise and fall in quick succession, he was laughing!

After a while Solvienne found herself in a most uncomfortable position, she was having trouble breathing as the continual pressure of her own body weight pressed down upon her diaphragm. She started to gasp in rasping sounds. The ognod lifted her down from his shoulder and held her sitting in the crook of his arm. She was relieved that the pressure was off her midriff, but when she opened her eyes she was staring into that sharp-toothed grin. Now up close the ognod's smile held a second menacing feature, the smell of his breath took her own breath away. She was appalled to view those teeth up close, ivory coloured for the most part but also yellowed at the tips, their bases where they met with the gums were dark brown almost black in places with small pieces of his last meal stuck between the teeth. Solvienne shuddered, the ognod laughed subjecting her to further rank smells, hot moist air from his lungs and a couple of slimy gobs of spittle thrown in for good measure.

Another ognod strode up beside them. He was also smiling, a mischievous grin. He held a jar of some sort, he unscrewed the lid and offering this up, the ognod that carried Solvienne shifted his hands down her back until her bottom sat neatly in the palm of one hand, she squirmed. He extended the palm of his other hand, something from the jar was tipped into his outstretched palm and then his fist was closed tightly around whatever he now held. Then the Ognod that carried her raised his clenched fist slowly as he opened his lips wide and something was thrown into his mouth. Solvienne was thankful; for he closed his lips hiding those teeth and rank odour. She watched his lips as they parted once more and he smiled again. She looked in abstract horror as a couple of dark-red coloured beetle like insects, about the same size as the palm of her hand crawled in and around his gums, they stopped when they found bits of food and digging out these morsels with their mandibles they ate whatever it was they found between the ognod's teeth. The beetles made a sort of chattering noise as they searched around inside the ognod's mouth. They even fought one another for a particularly tasty morsel. She tried closing her eyes, but some fascinated horror kept her looking. But then the ognod closed his mouth and she saw movement under his lips, possibly his tongue moving around inside his mouth, he then began to chew slowly, muffled crunching noises came from within and he finally swallowed. Once more he opened his mouth in a smile, she moved her head back as far as possible, her hands upon his chest, she looked horrified as neither of the insects could be seen, neither could the odd pieces of food. The ognod laughed a guttural slow chuckling sound. She felt she was about to faint, when she was lifted across onto his other arm and slung over his other shoulder once more.

Despite the discomfort she must have fallen asleep for the last thing she remembered was the sound of the creaking leather amour on which her cheek lay.

"Solvienne, Solvienne," she heard a voice, her head ached, it was being rocked from one side to the other. She awoke startled. Amndo's features stared into hers his hand gently rocked her shoulder. "Ah thank the Maker you are with me."

She was relieved to find she was no longer tossed across the shoulder of the ognod. The sun was shining brightly, an orange-red colour, it was low in the sky; she screwed up her eyes against the bright glow. "Where are we?"

"Inside the ognod city, look." Amndo looked to her right and indicated with a nod of his head.

She looked around. They appeared to be seated against the wall of some kind of dome shaped building, but at least they were not bound in any way. The walls were rounded to either side and the roof could not be seen beyond the curve of the shape of the building. In front of them there lay a wide area of compacted earth, many ognod's wandered about, including the ognod that had unceremoniously carried her here, he was across the other side of the area talking to another ognod in a brown rough cloth robe. Beyond were many wooden buildings. Most had skilfully carved shapes and depictions of animals and other things on the thick wooden pillars at each corner, large pillars that obviously held up the roof. There was a fair amount of wood smoke around the place, possibly from cooking fires or even fires to heat the buildings, for it was now late in the day. As she watched the sun finally went down beyond the mountains that could now be seen clearly in the distance and all of a sudden there was felt a definite chill upon the air. Solvienne pulled her cloak around her tightly, not against any cloying mist this time, but against the air temperature that seemed to be dropping with every passing second. She watched the two ognod's talking. Then the one she didn't recognise, the one sporting the course robe nodded. He looked their way and after listening to the other for a further minute or two he nodded once more and then strode over to where she and Amndo sat.

In a low bass voice thick with an accent he said in the common tongue, "The causeway guards tell me you wish to see the elders as you call them.

"Amndo said, yes, I'm sorry if my terminology is wrong, but we would like to talk with whoever is in leadership here, we have important matters to discuss."

"Then say what you will, for I am leader here in the lower arena."

Before Amndo could say anything Solvienne spoke before she could stop herself, "we are friends of your leader, Retta. It is her we seek, my mother knew her well, we seek an audience with Retta on business concerning my mother Minervar, please inform Retta we are here."

The ognod looked at Solvienne with a completely expressionless face. But he eventually gave a wide grin and said, "then to come on such high and mighty mission we should show you every courtesy we can."

He bowed low, but Solvienne couldn't help but think that this gesture did not have a sincere meaning behind it, more of a mockery aimed at her.

He continued to grin and continued speaking, "we must show you to the waiting room." He then turned and shouted something in his own language. A large ognod, stripped to the waist appeared from one of the buildings opposite, he was carrying a long ladder. The most striking thing about him were the many long scars that covered his torso, he looked although he had been savaged by a wild animal, perhaps more than once, or even by more than one animal. A scar cut vertically across his left eye, the eye itself was missing, the eyelid had been sawn shut when the scar was also sawn up. His left ear was missing, but that was not all he had obviously lost part of his skull at the same time for a large metal plate covered the area where his ear and the side of his head should have been. The ognod in the robe walked to Amndo's side and opened a small door in the wall of the domed building against which they sat, a small door by ognod standards at least. A rather earthy smell with a hint of decay caught their nostrils. The scarred ognod with the ladder strode over and lowered the ladder through the doorway. He then stood back and grasping Amndo by the collar, lifted him through the doorway; Amndo found himself hanging above some kind of pit the bottom of which he could not see. The ognod in the course robe shouted something at the scarred ognod who nodded with a look of disappointment on his face but he proceeded to carefully place Amndo onto the top rung of the ladder. He then pushed on Amndo's shoulders forcing him down the ladder. Once satisfied he then reached for Solvienne, she stood and held her hands palm up in front of her in submission. The ognod nodded and stood upright, he backed away allowing her to pass him and she made her way to the doorway and stepping through backwards felt her foot alight upon the top rung of the ladder. She glanced once at the faces of the ognod's watching then proceeded to climb down the ladder into the darkness below. She looked down, the ladder disappeared into the gloom, Amndo could not be seen, so she started to climb down. As she climbed down she shouted, "Amndo are you alright?"

"Yes, my lady," was the reply, "I stand on the bottom. Be careful of your footing when you step from the ladder, there are many things on the floor that make it uneven and treacherous to step out upon."

Solvienne proceeded to climb down carefully for she could only just make out the ladder in front of her face, the only light that flowed into this place was through the still open doorway above and that was fading fast. Then suddenly she lowered a foot but instead of finding a further rung on the ladder, it stepped upon something that shifted suddenly beneath it. She moved her foot to one side of whatever it was and felt it drop a further distance to what must be the floor proper. She could feel things rubbing close against her ankles and calf. She placed her other foot beside her first and then decided that it would be better to slide her foot across the floor between whatever it was that lay upon the floor. She lifted the hem of her dress but could not see what lay there in the darkness of the windowless room. After she had let go of the ladder it was immediately lifted up and out of the doorway through which they had come. She looked up in time to see the last few rungs disappear from view. Then the door was closed with a thud and the only light that did shine into the chamber was cut off.

She heard Amndo's voice in the darkness, "over here my lady."

Solvienne made her way carefully over to where she could here Amndo's voice. She held her hand in front of her; the other still raised the hem of her skirts. She trod carefully over the shifting layer of whatever lay upon the floor, two times she stumbled but was able to regain her balance without having to out her hand down. A few times she had to lift her feet high because it had snagged beneath something unmoving. She then felt contact with Amndo, and felt his hands grasp her elbow. She stood by his side relieved and breathing quite hard.

"Let us risk a little light eh?"

Solvienne nodded even though Amndo could not see the gesture. All of a sudden a warm glow flooded the chamber. Amndo had made his staff emit a low level of light, but Solvienne was thankful for even the smallest glow. He increased the light steadily. They could see they stood at the bottom of a circular chamber; smooth, vertical earthen walls surrounded them. High above them they could see many curved rafters forming the dome they saw from the outside. The wooden rafters supported a form of thatched roof. Many spider webs hung thickly down, hundreds of generations of spiders must have lived out their existence in this place. She then felt alarm as Amndo took a step back, a crunching noise was heard and he almost fell. Solvienne looked down. She could not see her feet, but, she gasped and covered her mouth to stifle a scream, for there almost up to the level of her knees she saw many bones and some skulls all bleached white. These were Ognod sized bones and skulls. She again stifled a scream. Amndo drew her closer towards him and tried to lift her above the level of the floor, she found she involuntarily lifted her feet up, she shivered and moaned uncontrollably.

As if in response to her scream a low reverberating growl could be heard coming from somewhere in the gloom, Amndo shone his staff around the room quickly to and fro trying and see where this horrid noise was coming from. But all they could see in the base of the wall opposite was another wooden door. This one was thick and sturdy, having many metal straps bolted to it, it was twice the size of the door that they had been pushed through to stand upon the top of the ladder. There was a wooden latch mechanism on the door, a rope attached to the latch ran vertically up the wall through many metal rings and seemed to disappear through the wall of the building high above. This door had deep gashes running down and across it as if some clawed hand had continuously racked across its surface. Solvienne was reminded of the many scars that the ognod who lowered the ladder had across his chest. They heard the low growl once again; it came from just the other side of this door. Something heavy struck the door from the other side, Solvienne jumped back in fright. Something started pushing on the door, the thick wood creaked and the whole thing rattled upon thick metal hinges as time and time again the door was struck from the other side. The latch mechanism rattled, but it held in the metal clasp that was fixed into the doorframe. Towards the top of the door was a small square hole or window, into this aperture thick metal bars were set vertically, just as you would see in the door of a prison cell perhaps. As they watched two long clawed fingers poked out from between the metal bars, the claws dug into the wood as the door creaked once more under the applied pressure from the other side. Solvienne's eyes widened as she looked at the claws and the nobly jointed fingers on which they were mounted. She saw scaly skin, diamond shaped scales. A terrifying roar sounded from the other side.

This time Solvienne did scream, loudly and long.

## Chapter 23. Beneath the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri

The following morning Thor, Orln and Neth'Gore waited outside the town at the appointed place. Before long the Grûndén they had spoken with the night before came into view. Gone was the cloak he wore in the pub, he was now dressed in plate armour, a heavy shield upon his back and large double headed battle axe cradled in his arms. He looked exactly like Grûndén soldiery should look, but there was something about him that was not right, Thor just could not place his finger on the reason why this should be.

"Hail t' thee masters all." The Grûndén removed his helm in greeting and looked up at the blue sky, the last vestiges of the morning mist were evaporating from beneath the damp leaves of the trees that surrounded them. He belched loudly and wiped the back of his gloved hand across his lips. "'Tis a good day, a bright day, a travelin' day no?"

Thor nodded his agreement, "but where is your companions and employer master Grûndén, do we meet them here also?"

"Nay laddie, they be camped in t' mine already, we'll be ameetin' 'em there later."

Thor got the distinct impression that Neth'Gore's eyes were drilling into the back of his head. Even Orln unslung his bow from his back and carried it at the ready in his hand, the other hand toyed for a few seconds with the dagger in his belt, twisting it this way and that between forefinger and thumb. If the Grûndén took note of this act, he did not make the fact obvious. Instead the Grûndén marched off through the trees down a path that didn't look overly used. The T'Iea made to follow.

Orln strode by Thor's side, he whispered through the side of his mouth, "I have a bad feeling about this. Why would he send his companion on ahead?"

Thor did not voice his first thought, he just looked at Orln and shrugged in a way that suggested he still did not share his suspicious view, although in the light of day and without the effects of the previous night's ale, he did feel a little uneasy now about this whole thing but he was careful not to show this outwardly.

They followed the Grûndén, keeping him in front of them where he could be seen. Thor studied him, suddenly it occurred to him what was different about the Grûndén, what had nagged at him, it was his appearance. Although the Grûndén wore the armour typical of their kind, this armour was not made up of one particular style or one particular regiment or group. It looked to be made up from random pieces. The helm did not match the rest, he wore odd leg plates and only one arm guard. It looked like he had gained his armour over a period of time and not from the same source. But then they openly admitted to being mercenaries so perhaps this was not uncommon. Yet many Grûndén became mercenaries of sorts, yet they kept their regimental armour, it was part of them, part of who they were. Every Grûndén prized his armour and his weapons. Either this Grûndén had lost his armour or he had never had any. Or perhaps it had been taken away from him as some kind of act of dishonour, or shameful discharge.

After a couple of hours or so walking the terrain began to change. The path started to rise at quite an ever-steepening incline and the trees that grew profusely in the loamy soils of the forest now grew more sparsely, replaced by low shrubs and thorny growth. The path had changed from soft leaf mould to that of loose stone and bare rock, what little soil lay in the gaps between the rocks provided cover for the roots of a tough wiry grass. Thor noticed that about them that the forest had obviously been cleared for many tree stumps were left amongst the stony clearing. Strange but regular depressions were cut into the ground, small excavations as if someone had been digging here looking for something and when not successful they had moved somewhere else and began to dig once again. They walked around these depressions, never going down into one, for most were quite deep. Then they halted in front of another such depression, it looked the same as the others to Thor's eyes, but the Grûndén scrambled down into the hole and started to clear the bottom of undergrowth. He indicated that the T'Iea should aid him in this work which they did, but Neth'Gore remained at the top of the depression looking around him as if he expected something or someone.

The Grûndén chortled and punching his thumb over his shoulder towards Neth'Gore he whispered to Thor, "'e be too good fo' honest work'in then, yur death dealin' fire brand friend yonder eh?"

Thor looked up at Neth'Gore, he didn't want to say anything that may cause offence to anyone so he just nodded at the Grûndén and said, "he just remains on guard is all, it is his training."

The Grûndén said no more but turned once again to the toil at hand. Once the work was done Thor could see that they had uncovered a pile of rocks, it looked like some kind of cairn, as if some burial chamber or other place of importance had been marked. In deed the Grûndén started to remove the stones that made up this cairn, slowly they uncovered the mouth of a cave, a tunnel went into the hillside. The Grûndén stepped down into the hole and motioned to them to follow, so they scrambled down into the depression and into the cave.

Just inside several lanterns hung on metal hooks that had been driven into the rock wall. The Grûndén removed a lantern and made to light it using a tinderbox. After several unsuccessful strikes the Grûndén swore but as he made to strike the flint once more the lantern burst into flame, he almost dropped the lantern in surprise.

"Leave the lanterns to me master Grûndén." It was Neth'Gore who spoke.

The Grûndén grumbled something but he smiled and with a slight nod indicated other lanterns along the wall. Neth'Gore lit three others and the Grûndén handed them a lantern each. Once they all held a lantern the Grûndén turned towards the entrance. He picked up a dusty rope that Thor had not noticed. The Grûndén pulled sharply upon the rope and the rocks they had stacked up outside the entrance began to roll down towards them. Thor jumped back in alarm; he did not want to be crushed under those heavy stones. There was a deafening noise as they rolled down into the cave mouth, dust was everywhere. Thor coughed and when the dust cleared he could see that the entrance to the tunnel had been blocked once more by the stones that all seemed to interlock neatly into place and form a wall across the cave entrance. The Grûndén smiled and beckoned to them. They were walking off into the ever-increasing darkness of the tunnel.

The path was wide for fifty or so metres, then it narrowed rapidly, the tunnel walls enclosing them quickly until they could only pass in single file. The tunnel also seemed to be at an angle, for even though the Grûndén could walk comfortably upright, the taller T'Iea had to lean to the left away from the slanting tunnel wall on the right. The wall to their left continued vertically and the path hugged the base of this wall, but suddenly the wall to the right angled away from them and disappeared from view. To Thor's discomfort a dark chasm appeared just to the right of the path. On a number of occasions he peered over the edge to see how deep the chasm may be, but the weak light from his lantern was never able to shine down far enough to see the bottom.

"So where do we meet with the others master Grûndén?" Asked Thor.

"Aye they must've moved on, prob'ly t' the first stagin' point, 'tis a way ahead yet."

Thor again felt a little anxiety towards this situation. He did not voice anything however, preferring to keep his thoughts to himself.

They walked onwards for many hours, the way remained the same. That is until at last the path led them through a sort of archway into an open area. The arch was cut neatly out of the rock and words in the Grûndén language were carved all the way around it.

Neth'Gore stopped and translated the words, "it is a prayer to Øédréll asking for safety and rich mining."

Once through they could see that the chasm remained on their right but the cavern wall on the left opened out into a flat space, quite large in area.

The Grûndén said, "here we be safe fo' t' night. I suggest ye get some rest, an we'll continue after."

Thor looked around him. There was no sign of any habitation here. The only hint at this place having been used in the past was the remains of a fire, but this fire had not been lit for a long time. "Is this the first staging area you talked of master Grûndén?"

"Aye this 'ere be it, jus' so laddie."

Thor asked once again the question upon his mind. "So where then are your companions? It seems that no one has been here for any length of time in quite a while."

Thor noticed the Grûndén was looking around them, Thor thought with a kind of nervousness about his manner. Suddenly out of the gloom a Grûndén they had not seen before appeared, Thor found he had slid his sword out from its scabbard and was holding it at the ready, Orln had notched an arrow and Neth'Gore stood a smouldering red flame held above his palm.

"Hey now laddie, dunny be a frettin' this be one o' me chums I be atellin' e about, I told ye they would be at t' first stagin' place eh?"

Thor did remember what the Grûndén had said and he lowered his sword a little as several more figures appeared out of the gloom. Not all of these were Grûndén however, there were human men in the group, men who compared to the Grûndén were well dressed and looked like some sort of merchants. Their dress however was like that of the Grûndén armour, mismatched and ragtag and they sported beard growth on their chins as if they had not shaved for a few days, this was very unlike any merchants that Thor had met in the past. Something still nagged at Thor's mind but he shrugged this off and decided to sit down and rub some feeling back into his aching ankles. The going had been easy enough, but small rocks and stones had littered the path in places and many were the times that Thor slipped on one and slightly twisted his ankle. The Grûndén after greeting the new comers made a fire in the same place as the old one Thor noticed. The three T'Iea sat with their backs against the cavern wall just beyond. Thor found himself starting to dose.

Thor didn't know how long it had been, but he suddenly heard a soft grunt beside him, Neth'Gore lay prone upon the rock floor. At first Thor thought he must have fallen asleep, perhaps he had tried to keep a watchful eye and had succumbed at last to slumber, but something about his position and the fact that he did not reawaken when shaken by the shoulder made Thor even more uneasy. Thor noticed a small stone roll away from where Neth'Gore lay, the sort of stone that Thor as a child used to take into the forests of his home as ammunition for his sling shot. He moved towards where Neth'Gore lay and saw an angry redness upon mage's temple. Before he could think any more he felt his sword in his hands as if by some reflex action and Orln came forward out of the darkness to stand upon the other side of Neth'Gore protecting the prone form of his comrade. The fire had dimmed to glowing embers and in the dark they could not see any assailant, but Orln ducked as some sixth sense warned him of another stone fired from somewhere ahead, this one passed close by his head, it struck the wall behind them with a loud clink and a spark. Orln drew on his bow and shot an arrow, a grunt and the dull crashing sound of armour hitting stone could be heard from were Thor supposed was the other side of the cavern. Where were the Grûndén? Had they also been overcome already? Thor glimpsed the shine of flashing steel in front of him; he just managed to parry the blow with his sword. The weapon that had been used against him was unmistakably one of the axes that their Grûndén companions wielded. Suddenly Thor wished he had taken more heed to Neth'Gore's warnings. But his mind was now concentrating on staying alive. Several Grûndén and men now stood around them, snarls on their faces, axes and other weapons being wielded in a most menacing fashion. Then before any words could be voiced Thor was fighting in close combat. Orln had fired his bow, one Grûndén gave a gargling sound as his blood spurted from his mouth an arrow had struck right through his neck. Another shot was fired but this one glanced off a breastplate, as the Grûndén turned to meet the arrow at an angle rather than head on, the arrow shattered on the rock wall. Thor swung his blade, he dodged the slower axes as they were aimed at his head and torso, only blocking with his sword when necessary with the resulting bone-jarring impact of the heavy weapons the Grûndén wielded. Thor thought how he did not want even a glancing blow from such a weapon strike him. He took advantage as a Grûndén in front of him slipped on some loose gravel and in trying to keep his balance let his guard down. Thor thrust forward with his sword and felt the give of plate armour beneath its tip, he placed both hands on the hilt and pushed with all his might, the metal parted and the sword perforated the armour and slid through the metal and into the dwarfs chest. The Grûndén gave a look of surprise and fell to his knees, dropping his axe on the ground. Thor placed a foot upon his chest and pulled with all his might to withdraw his sword, but something struck him a blow to the head and he felt dizziness, his sight went black and he fell backwards to the floor. When his eyes saw again it was along the length of a battle-axe held against his throat. To his horror he saw Orln to one side of him battling two Grûndén who had him backed up against the drop beyond the path, as Thor looked on he saw Orln stumble on the edge, one of the Grûndén placed the head of his axe against Orln's midriff and pushed, Orln overbalanced but he grabbed the axe head to stop himself from falling, the Grûndén tilted his head to one side and smiled as he let go of the axe handle and Orln fell still holding the axe by the double bladed head and disappeared down into the chasm. There was no sound. No scream, just a finality of silence.

The Grûndén that held the weapon against Thor's throat said, "nay then laddie, I advise ye submit t' keep ye's 'ead upon ye's shoulders. Ye's mage 'e be dun and ye archer matey, well 'e be agonna, may Øédréll look kindly upon 'is soul. I dunt advise any heroics now laddie lest ye be ajoinin' 'im."

Thor felt sick, he gagged on something rising in his throat, hands ran over him searching and removing anything that may be a weapon. He was dragged to a seating position and felt his hands being bound as were his feet. Neth'Gore groaned and came to, but Thor noticed his hands had been tied and also an old sackcloth bag pulled down over his head so that the mage could not see. Thor felt Neth'Gore's probing in his mind. He felt awful, he did not want to open his mind to the mage, he felt ashamed somehow, he had failed them, his first command, his Trete'Y'Thego. He had allowed one of them to die.

The Grûndén had made camp, a fire was burning and what remained of the Grûndén mercenary force, Thor counted nine in all, sat around drinking ale and eating some dry biscuits. Those that had died in the fight, had been rather unceremoniously dumped over the edge of the chasm where Orln had fallen, after anything useful or of value had been stripped from their bodies. One Grûndén had been going through the pile of armour, he chose a couple of pieces that obviously looked in better condition than what he wore and took these to one side. A second Grûndén then had the opportunity to do the same; there was obviously some hierarchy or pecking order here. Eventually a Grûndén strode across to Thor and pushed a piece of dry bread between his lips. "'Ere ye go laddie try some Tarn Bread, it'll keep up ye's strength for ye's escape attempt." He then let out a bellow of a laugh; this sound was joined by his comrades sitting around the fire.

Time passed and the mercenaries eventually settled down. Some were already asleep. One of them came over to Thor and sat just beyond his reach, not that he could have done anything anyway for his hands were securely tied. The Grûndén quaffed on a tankard of ale.

Thor frowned. "What do you want with us master Grûndén? What plans do you have?"

"I be sorry laddie, I hopes ye dun't take offence like, ye un'erstan' it just be business is all."

Thor recognised the Grûndén from the tavern, the one that had led them to this place. He felt anger rise in him, but he swallowed it, he wanted some information from this Grûndén, to humour him may loosen his tongue. "Business? So you have a commercial arrangement in our capture?"

"Aye laddie, ye 'it t' nail on t' 'ead so t' speak."

"But what then do you want with us, who wants us captured, or do they want us dead?"

"Let's jus' say laddie someone be apayin' a pretty price t' have you out o' t' way like. Dunny take it personal like, those who pay us ain't targeting ye personal like, our orders are to stop any T'Iea. But be ye careful laddie, fo' that someone dunny care if ye be livin' o' dead. Call me sentimental laddie but I be preferin' nat to kill ye, I'd prefer t' stay friendly like wit' T'Iea kind. For ol' time's sake eh?"

Thor felt Neth'Gore's mental pressure upon him once more, this time he let the mage into his mind. "Keep him talking Thor," was the short message.

"I advise you free us master Grûndén, we are on an important mission, if we do not arrive in the east we will be missed and my commander will send others to search for us, be assured of that."

The Grûndén grunted, "aye laddie, but we be along gone by then. T' a place far way. There be someone a willin' t' pay a pretty penny for ye's not t' reach t' east o' the mountains.."

The Grûndén' words disturbed Thor. It was almost as if someone they knew perhaps had hired the Grûndén to stop Thor going into the east. But who, not many knew they would be going."

"What do you mean, far away? My people will search anywhere in the world once we are missed. Who is it that hired you master Grûndén, I must know?"

The Grûndén chuckled, "Who says t' place be in this world? Let's jus' say 'tis they that ye p'raps be a least expectin' eh?"

The Grûndén smiled and gave a short laugh, "aye ye be athinkin' on it laddie." He then rose and walked back across to the campfire where he sat. By this time all the other Grûndén seemed to be asleep, only this one Grûndén sat up smoking on his long clay pipe.

Thor brooded upon the Grûndén words. Who would want to stop them from going into the east. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran certainly, but who would be able to make contact with them? It is possible they had a spy in Ter'Hadsnefel, but he felt it unlikely. Briefly he thought of the Lady Solin and her friend, his commanding officer, Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun. But why would he send them on this mission and then just have them stopped from completing it? Why not just keep them from going in the first place. No, this did not fit at all. But then he thought of the renegade officer, Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned, would he have arranged this? It would fit, he certainly may not want them in the east and he wouldn't care if they were dead or alive especially as his travelling companions were probably viewed upon by him as deserters. But how would he find out so quickly of their intention to travel there? It was possible he had a spy in the city, even a mage that could mind speak perhaps.

But then Thor heard a swishing noise and the bindings around his wrists went slack. This was almost immediately followed by Neth'Gore's silent warning in his head "WAIT", so Thor remained still. He searched around in the darkness, but could see nothing or no one. The Grûndén still sat smoking by the fire. Thor heard another swish; this time it was unmistakably an arrow. He saw the arrow strike the head of the Grûndén by the fire, he slump forward. Thor felt hands grasp his elbows and raise him up. It was Neth'Gore with a finger against his lips.

He whispered. "Gather your gear, as much as you dare, but DON'T wake the Grûndén."

Thor nodded; he untied his own ankles and crept forward, following closely behind Neth'Gore. A movement to his left made him look that way. Thor was greatly overjoyed to see Orln was also creeping across the cavern floor, he smiled and winked at Thor, then indicated a place beyond the Grûndén camp, a direction, the way in which they should go once they had everything that belonged to them. Thor looked down at the prone form of the Grûndén, he felt some sorrow. But this changed when he saw Orln's arrow laying not embedded in the Grûndén's head but by his side. Orln had removed the iron point and replaced it with a heavy pebble, bound to the shaft with some webbing. The Grûndén now sported a nasty red welt upon his temple. Thor smiled at the pay-back.

Soon the three T'Iea had their gear including the arrow that Orln had struck the head of the Grûndén with and were making silently off towards where Orln had indicated. They came to a tunnel entrance that led away from the cavern. Neth'Gore turned after entering the tunnel and concentrated hard. Orln grasped Thor's arm and pulled him further into the tunnel.

Orln said, "best we not be around him when he is working." Thor looked at Orln who winked at him.

When they were back a safe distance, they turned and watched Neth'Gore. He had his hands raised and was walking slowly backwards towards them. Thor noticed that the rocks immediately around the entrance to the tunnel were glowing red. The roof above the tunnel was already hot enough so that the melted rock started to drip down onto the tunnel floor. Thor noticed two of the Grûndén were stirring, one sat up and rubbed his eyes and stretched his arms. He then stood immediately his mouth open as he noticed Neth'Gore in the tunnel beyond. The Grûndén let out a cry of alarm. At the same time an ear-shattering crack was heard followed by two more and the rocks around the tunnel mouth disintegrated and came tumbling down. A few large boulders also smashed down onto the tunnel floor. Soon the three T'Iea were plunged into darkness. A bright light shone from Neth'Gore's staff almost immediately. Thor could see that the tunnel mouth was completely blocked, fused molten rock and boulders filled the tunnel for some ten metres or so judging by the distance it was away from Neth'Gore and the position within the tunnel in which he had been standing.

Neth'Gore turned and walked to where Thor and Orln stood.

Thor said, "thank the Maker you were not dead Orln, how?"

Orln shouldered his bow and said, "simple really, the Grûndén axe I was so conveniently handed when I fell was very useful in that a swift chop embedded it into the rock wall of the chasm, I was able to halt my fall. Once I had bound myself to the axe I just hung there and waited. I rested until Neth'Gore gave me the message that the Grûndén had fallen asleep, then it was just a case of climbing back out of the chasm and putting our plan into operation."

Thor laughed, "well we are safe for the time being at least."

"Don't underestimate our pursuers Thor," it was Neth'Gore who spoke. "They are Grûndén, they will tunnel through my little rock fall in less than a day. I estimate it will take us many days yet to reach the other side and be back out in the daylight. Before long the Grûndén will once more be on our trail, they will not stop or rest mark my words. We had best keep moving. We should eat quickly while we can to replenish our strength; there will be no stopping or sleeping for us until we are out of these tunnels." Whilst he was saying these things he had been rummaging around in his backpack. He tossed a piece of the Grûndén Tarn bread to Thor and another piece to Orln. They started off down the tunnel at a steady trot taking bites from the bread as they went.

## Chapter 24. Gwéldølĩn's Deepest Secrets

Dĩmmĩ had indeed made Nar'Allia and Tnie most welcome. Nar'Allia loved the Grûndén woman immediately from the moment she met her. She fitted exactly the description fashioned by Minervar in her tales, she was like a mother hen fussing around her chicks, nothing was too great a task, no smallest detail was overlooked. So it was that after a period of determined discussion and a light hearted argument, one that Nar'Allia was never going to win, she found herself on the top floor of the house in the suite of rooms that Serinae inhabited whilst she was staying in Gwéldølĩn. Dĩmmĩ had asked after Serinae, firmly stating her disappointment that the T'Iea ranger had not been seen in Gwéldølĩn since she was here last with Minervar and the company as was then. Nar'Allia didn't have the heart to tell Dĩmmĩ that both Serinae and then Minervar had disappeared and that was the reason she was really here. Instead she just nodded in agreement at Dĩmmĩ's complaints and changed the subject the first opportunity she got, telling Dĩmmĩ that she was here to aid Tnie in his negotiations with the Grûndén around the hiring of a mining team for Scienocropolis. Dĩmmĩ just said with a wink of her eye that if they had any trouble just to call on her and she would sort the mining guilds out on their behalf. Nar'Allia laughed, Tnie just shrugged and smiled.

It was fast approaching evening; at least Nar'Allia's T'Iea time clock told her so and at last Nar'Allia had managed to persuade Dĩmmĩ that she was tired from the journey. Though in reality she was not, too much excitement remained in her, but she managed to persuade Dĩmmĩ to allow her to retire to her rooms for a short rest. Dĩmmĩ eventually agreed, probably due to the fact that she still had Tnie for company. So at last here Nar'Allia sat, on the edge of the bed and looked around the room, Serinae's old bedroom. She was surprised, she didn't know why, but the room looked quite sparse in comparison to the house in Amentura. But perhaps that comparison was the root of her surprise. Perhaps she thought all T'Iea'Denarin homes would be like Solin's. Serinae had obviously not deemed it necessary to surround herself with such art and extravagance; perhaps she always knew this to be a temporary lodging all along. Knew that she would eventually leave, perhaps never to return. There were no sumptuous looking gowns in the wardrobes, no silver ware, not a single crystal glass brimming with fine wine. No, here was a comfortable room with the necessary things set out neatly. A row of large wooden hooks by the door, presumably to hang outdoor gear. An old carved table on which sat a stiff curved brush for cleaning mud from clothing, a plain brass tray for wet and muddy boots, the cast iron grating still in place but the sump below was empty of the straw that would normally be there to soak up the mud and water to enable easy disposal.

Nar'Allia toyed with a wooden hair brush on the bedside table, it had been cleaned meticulously and had no hair was to be found trapped within the bristles, the item was very old though, the wood had split with age in a couple of places, many of the bristles had been replaced at some time. A slightly melancholy feeling came over Nar'Allia as she stoked the letters that had been carved by hand into the wood; some white powder had been rubbed into the carving to highlight the letters:

P.T.

She wondered at the two letters, obviously someones initials, but she could not guess as to whom the initials, or the brush belonged to originally, obviously not Serinae as no 'S' was carved there. She turned her attention to a glass tray upon the dressing table, it held several dried flower heads, their colour faded but their petal shape and feint aroma immediately recognisable to Nar'Allia. Such flora she knew adorned T'Iea maiden's hair in times gone by, a tradition or fashion that had fallen from popularity these days amongst the younger members of T'Iea'Tarderi society.

She looked once more around the room. Yes, it was somewhat T'Iea in décor and furnishing, but of course there were also Grûndén influences, for the main structure of the building and these rooms were of course Grûndén in design and construction. But somehow Nar'Allia felt a little disappointed. One of the reasons she had finally agreed to Dĩmmĩ's suggestion that she stay in these rooms was that she felt she might find something to aid her, perhaps to teach her more about Serinae. But looking around this room at first glance at least, that did not seem to be something that was likely to happen. She also secretly hoped that Serinae may be able to communicate with her as Serinae's past presence would be strong here, but then she did not have the quiver any longer. Was it a mistake she wondered to give the item to Solvienne? She wanted to give her little sister what she thought may be additional protection.

Nar'Allia sighed; there were very few personal things here. Somehow Nar'Allia expected more, it seemed to her that Serinae spent much time here in the employ of the Grûndén king, she expected in her time living here, Serinae would have amassed many personal effects, yet it seemed she was to be disappointed. She remembered the suite of rooms that Serinae once occupied in Solin's house in Amentura, how she was disappointed there also, for the rooms had been cleared of everything and were also empty. Nar'Allia frowned as it occurred to her that Serinae's very existence it seemed was being methodically eradicated from the world.

Eventually Nar'Allia stood, she washed up and searching through the wardrobes she changed into some soft skin leggings and a sleeveless jerkin of some soft cotton like material, deeply embroidered with depictions of flowers from her forest home. She opened another wardrobe door; this wardrobe was empty except for one item. A wooden head much as you might display a hat or wig upon sat on a shelf, but it was what was on the head that caught her attention. A round, close-fitting, metal plate helm sat there, it was highly polished and quite obviously beautifully made, obviously Grûndén in origin, a chain mail curtain at the rear hung down, this would obviously cover the back and sides of the wearers neck. She placed the helm back upon the dummy head and closed the wardrobe door. She then took a deep breath and sighed, left the rooms and went downstairs to meet Tnie and Łĩnwéé for one of Dĩmmĩ's fine meals.

By the time the meal was finished, it felt to Nar'Allia to be just gone midnight, Tnie had gone to bed some half an hour before and now Nar'Allia had finally made a successful excuse and left a very merry Łĩnwéé downstairs telling tall stories to the house servants and to Dĩmmĩ on occasions when she stopped to listen. But the frown on the Grûndén woman's face said it all; she had obviously heard all these tales before, probably many times. As Nar'Allia yawned once more and opened the door to Serinae's suite, her attention was immediately taken by a beam of moonlight shining through a small circular window high on the wall, it was illuminating a patch of wooden panelling on the far wall of the room. This place seemed to glow in the moonlight, where in the sunlight it had not, at least she had not noticed it. Her heart gave a jump; she held her hand flat upon her chest feeling the organ pumping hard against the inside of her ribs. An old memory made her start, this couldn't be happening again surely? The last time something akin to this had happened Minervar had disappeared, kicking off the search for her that had led Nar'Allia on many travels, the latest leading to her being right here now.

She stared at this patch of moonlight for a long time, some inner struggle obviously tormenting her mind. "I won't touch anything", she whispered to herself as she crept her way over to the glow to take a closer look. There quite plain to see upon the wall was a little button, well-disguised as a piece of fruit hanging upon the carved tree set into the wooden panelling. She found her finger creeping towards it, she grabbed hold of the offending finger as if it had a life of its own and needed to be kept under tight control. She looked from her finger to the place on the wood panel in horror. It was as if something or someone willed her finger to depress this little button. But she was not stupid, no way was she going to press it. She sat back against the far wall of the room staring at the small round thing set into the wall opposite. She wrapped her arms around herself for many minutes she just sat there. Eventually she came to a decision; she looked around the room for something to press the button with. There by the door, a long wooden shoehorn hung from a leather cord. She got up and walking over took the shoehorn down from its hook and grasped it by the handle. Then returning to the button she rested the shoehorn on the button. She waited. What did she wait for? Bah, she pushed gently, the button went click and she immediately dropped the shoehorn and withdrew her hand as if it had been burnt, she caressed the fingers subconsciously.

She had without knowing it closed her eyes. She realised this only when she tried to see the result of the button being depressed. But no weird feeling or any strange sensations of movement became apparent. She opened one eye, relief spread across her as she realised she was still in the room. She opened the other eye. There above the little button a small door lay open. She tried to see within but she could not from where she stood, so she slowly went closer. There behind the door was a small alcove in which were stashed many pieces of paper and envelopes all tied with a green silk ribbon. She gave a sigh for nothing sinister seemed to be within this alcove, it was just a secret place to keep things after all. Becoming more confident she picked up the shoe horn once again and using its tip she gently reached in and teased out all of the papers, they fell out upon the floor in three or four neatly tied rolls; one by one they fell to the floor and rolled away from the alcove in various directions. One of the ribbons had come loose and the various papers had spilled across the floor. She prodded the nearest ones with the shoehorn turning them over. She could see an old T'Iea script written across some of the papers and on the envelopes. One repeated phrase could be seen clearly, it read:

To my Dearest One.

Curiosity beyond apprehension overcame her and she dropped the shoehorn and picked up the nearest sheet of paper.

After an immeasurable time Nar'Allia sat back on the floor her back against the wall of the room. She looked at the pile of letters that now rested in her lap and lay scattered around her. Her thoughts strayed back to when she had pulled on the ribbon that tied the first role together, it undid easily, she had unfolded the first piece of paper. It was perhaps as she had expected a letter to Serinae, she glanced overleaf and found the signature of the sender, she was shocked, the name read clearly:

Yours with all my heart, Tezrin.

She had dropped the paper along with the pile of letters onto the rug beside her, these were love letters, intimate communications between two people who loved each other dearly. She felt dirty, she couldn't read these private things. She felt like a sneak, a thief in the night, spying on something that was nothing to do with her. But thoughts went through her mind, eventually one thought in particular, what if she were meant to read these, perhaps she would find some clues in between the sweet talk and emotion, but could she do this? After all she had always wanted to understand Serinae better, wanted to get a glimpse of the ranger as a person. Why not through these written words? She thought she might ask Serinae's permission, but she no longer had the quiver, no longer had the mechanism to contact the ranger. She had sighed. After a few minutes she had moved to pick up the pile of letters once more and clutching them close to her chest she had closed her eyes. She then remembered whispering under her breath, "please forgive me Seri."

The candle sputtered out with a crackling hiss. The scent of the last remnants of the smouldering wick reached Nar'Allia's nose, at the same time the clock struck six in the morning, an old inbuilt sensory reaction awakened her. She could smell burning. BURNING! She jumped to her feet, immediately wishing she hadn't, a stabbing pain shot through her back. She glanced at the thin wisp of smoke rising vertically from the spent candle, she groaned and wetting her forefinger and thumb with her tongue she snuffed out the smouldering wick. She straightened her back stretching the cramped muscles and looked down, she had fallen asleep on the floor leaning against the wall. She walked slowly around the room trying to bring life back into her complaining muscles. She saw all the pieces of paper and letters lying about on the rug and sighed.

She knew Serinae and Tezrin had been betrothed, knew Serinae loved him dearly, if the letters where to believed he loved her equally. The letters were tender, sincere, a great expression of the love they both felt, even though she only had one side of the story. But she knew a lot of the story now, for these weren't only love letters, these were also reports and tales of exploits between comrades in arms. They told much, told of a life, two lives perhaps, both spent in service to their masters. There were references to the ranger guilds in Ter'Resell. Some remarks were cursory comments at dissatisfaction towards some task or another. But from reading between the lines it seemed that in those times many feared the on-going alliance between the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and the ognod's. Security was very high on the minds of the T'Iea and the Grûndén, that much was obvious. The Grûndén in their hidden mountain home here in the north provided a natural headquarters to keep a watchful eye on anything that may happen between the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and the ognod's, for any travel by emissaries or military forces of either of those races would need to traverse right past the Grûndén on their way to visit the domain of the other. So the arrangement was made. The T'Iea promised that two T'Iea rangers from the guild would be sent to Gwéldølĩn on the express request of the Grâumin, the Grûndén king, to undertake reconnaissance and other missions. Serinae it seemed was responsible on keeping a watchful eye on the ognod's, which would explain her travels into the northern lands. Tezrin for his part was sent to spy on the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran in the east, although that assumption was Nar'Allia's own, for although Tezrin told of who it was he was to spy on, he never let it slip exactly where he was going, even to Serinae. If Tezrin knew of the whereabouts of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, he was under strict orders not to divulge this information. Nar'Allia wondered at these things, from what she read it seemed that there was a certain amount of mistrust between the ranger guilds in Ter'Resell and the military headquarters in Ter'Hadsnefel, why this should be was not clear from Tezrin's writing in these letters. One thing was for sure though; these many partings seemed to upset Tezrin resulting in a great deal of anxiety on his part judging by Tezrin's written complaints. Nar'Allia could only guess at how Serinae felt about the situation.

She read many accounts of their exploits, Tezrin explaining in some detail his latest mission and also writing to congratulate Serinae on her successes. Sometimes there was great detail describing a particular adventurous trip, other times the detail was sketchy, as if the writer was aware of the sensitivity surrounding what was written. Many times the real names of certain people were hidden and instead these people were referred to by abstract names or by their rank or position only and many variations in between. Mostly these were genuine tales aimed at entertaining the reader, or giving advice on some particular discovery that had been made, something that would obviously benefit the reader in some way. Yet as Nar'Allia read she also saw something changing over the years. Nar'Allia sighed. She saw Tezrin's slowly changing attitude. She was still in no doubt that he loved Serinae. But he wrote of other things, ambition, needs, even excuses, he wanted Serinae to be like him, wanted to change her, he sort to persuade her to adapt to the changing opinions he was exhibiting. He was becoming much more selfish and rebellious even.

She noticed that Tezrin's letters became much more one sided, much more to do with the events concerning him and far fewer comments concerning what Serinae was doing. She thought it may be selfishness on his part, he was bragging perhaps and not taking a lot of notice of Serinae's tales and exploits. But Nar'Allia suspected that the changes were more to do with Serinae not telling him what she was doing, becoming suspicious perhaps of Tezrin's changing attitudes. It became increasingly obvious even though Nar'Allia could not see what Serinae wrote, that mistrust was creeping into their relationship at least on the part of Serinae. Nar'Allia wished she had sight of the responding letters from Serinae, she wanted to understand her side of the story, this must have hurt her badly. Nar'Allia thought how lucky for them and perhaps Seri, that both the rangers had been separated by their individual contracts with various Grûndén factions within the city and they obviously had lengthy periods of being separated by their individual responsibilities. Or then again perhaps this was unlucky, perhaps if they had worked more closely, then Tezrin wouldn't have become the twisted and perverse thief of the stories that Minervar had told.

But something else caught Nar'Allia's attention, in his later letters Tezrin started to hint and then plainly mention something to which he referred as a 'short cut', a private path to where most of his missions occurred. It still wasn't clear what his missions were exactly; he had obviously been sworn to secrecy by his employers. Nar'Allia thought with some sarcasm whom his true employers may have been by this time. But never the less he still travelled extensively. He still complained that the weeks and months of travel kept them apart, he even seemed increasingly angry that he spent so much time away.

But then in one letter, a short one, he praised the Maker for giving him the power to discover what he termed as a permanent 'short cut' to Gwéldølĩn. He said that travel would now be almost instantaneous, she, that is Serinae, could even come and visit him using his 'short cut' whenever she wanted and be back in Gwéldølĩn before anyone had noticed her missing. Many letters following this made mention of certain times and dates when they could meet. The following letter would always make mention of how good it was to meet in the 'lower halls'. Nar'Allia became very excited about mention of these lower halls, for Serinae had also mentioned the same term through their discussion via the quiver. She had read on, but no further mention was made of any lower halls. In fact the regularity of their secret meetings seemed to lessen dramatically. Then in one letter, there seemed to be a warning, for Tezrin had written as a foot note the words, 'but perhaps our Grûndén friends have become suspicious, always be watchful, look out for the miner my dearest!'

Interestingly, following this time, the regularity of communications by letter became less and less common, sometimes it was a year or more between the letters, and the writing in them was becoming more and more curt and business-like. Less like the musings and romantic notions of lovers in separation. Nar'Allia also noticed that certain parts of Tezrin's letters had been defaced so that they could not be read, or whole pages removed altogether, she wondered at this, was it Serinae that had done this or were Tezrin's letters subject to censorship by a third party? Once again Nar'Allia found herself wishing she could see the words in the letters that Serinae had written in response. She desperately wanted to understand how Serinae felt about all this. But she had to remain content with a one sided conversation.

Then she remembered, in one of the last letters written, Tezrin had said that he could make a visit using the 'short cut' on a certain day, but he would not have much time, he let slip that Serinae could perhaps meet him in the labyrinth beneath the lower halls. There was that term again. Nar'Allia wondered at this final reference to lower halls and the labyrinth? Nar'Allia could only assume that this 'short cut' was hidden perhaps beneath the lower halls of Gwéldølĩn, somewhere deep beneath the city perhaps? She needed some answers. She resolved she would ask Łĩnwéé at the first opportunity, for he was the only person she could think of that may know something of the outer reaches of the city, or if not perhaps make the necessary enquiries and remain discreet.

The following evening she got the opportunity, Łĩnwéé came by Dĩmmĩ's house for dinner. Nar'Allia sat at the table along with the Grûndén of Dĩmmĩ's household; once again Łĩnwéé was holding court, telling jokes and stories. Nar'Allia though was picking at her food, she was too excited to eat much and she was frustrated at not being able to ask Łĩnwéé what she wanted, some sense within her told her to be cautious of others over hearing what she wanted to say. So she had to sit for hours through the conversations of others, including Tnie's explanations of his meetings with the Grâumin and his advisers. At least the official part of their business in the Grûndén city seemed to be going well. She felt guilty, for she had not done anything to aid Tnie so far, she felt she had let the Pnook King down. She had apologised to Tnie earlier in the day, he had smiled and told her that negotiations were going well and she didn't need to worry.

Nar'Allia was feeling a little miserable; she was chasing yet another small piece of green vegetable around her plate with her fork when she felt a hand upon her shoulder. She looked up, Łĩnwéé stood there a broad smile on his face. "Ach m' wee lassie, ye seem nat t' be with us this evenin'. P'raps ye would consent to tak' a walk with me, 'tis a pleasant evenin' an' I feel a diversion is on t' cards?"

Nar'Allia smiled back, "I'm sorry Łĩnwéé, my mind is on other matters." Then realising that she had just been invited away from here and would have the opportunity to ask Łĩnwéé what she wanted, she stood and said, "yes a walk, that would be the good."

They had been walking slowly through the streets of the city for some while, for the most part they were silent, each to their own thoughts, but now they stood on one of the ornate bridges that spanned across two sections of the city, the water cascading down into the fathomless depths below the bridge had taken on a silver-blue hew, it looked like a complex silvery necklace adorning a maidens neck as it reflected the moonshine from the Brĩschlåûndérgré high above. Łĩnwéé puffed absentmindedly upon a long clay pipe, one hand resting upon the parapet looking dreamily down into the depths below.

Nar'Allia was also following his gaze downwards. She was thinking of the letters. Suddenly she asked. "Do you know what lies down there, I mean deep beneath the city?"

Łĩnwéé after being asked, thought for a while. "Well m' wee lassie, I've seen many store houses in t' lower sections o' t' city. Then there be t' foundries an' workshops o' course. I dunny get down there much ye un'stand, m' place is up here, always has been."

Nar'Allia nodded. "Yes, but I mean even lower still, have you heard mention of some places called the lower halls, or the labyrinth perhaps, even a mine far beneath the city?"

Łĩnwéé thought once again, "I nay heard anythin' ab'ut lower halls, or a labyrinth, o' that ye speak, or anywheres that could be described as abein' beneath the lower halls. Mind ye, that's not asayin' that there aren't none. Jus' I be nat aknowin' ye un'erstand. Certainly I dunny think there be any mines beneath us, most o' the minin' goes on in t' mountains beyond t' city gates. But then I nat be a miner either ye un'erstand, soldierin' is m' life, always was."

Nar'Allia slowly nodded her understanding, "so then is there anyone in the city that may know perhaps?"

"Well, anyone that be aworkin' down in these lower halls I suspects." Łĩnwéé rubbed his chin in thought, "perhaps thar be one place though that may be aprovidin' a' answer."

Nar'Allia nodded enthusiastically, her eyes held the question in her mind.

"Well, me old tutor, me lore master o' old. Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd Fløwsélld, as was. Maybe he had such knowledge."

"As was?" asked Nar'Allia.

Łĩnwéé nodded slowly and sighed. "Aye, well 'e passed on, 'e died, called back t' Lord Øédréll. Not lang after I be aleavin' fo' t' north, in truth. That time wit' yer mother an' her other companions. By t' time I had returned t' poor old codger was buri'd in 'is grave, Lord Øédréll rest 'is soul."

Nar'Allia's shoulders slumped and she sighed.

Łĩnwéé tapped the bowl of his pipe on the edge of the parapet, the remaining burning embers dropped downwards until they were caught on a breeze that made them flare and then snuff out. "Dunny ye fear none now lassie, the man 'imself may be agone now, an' that be a sorry state o' affairs true enuff, but much o' 'im remains still. Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd, well 'e lived many an age, I dunny know how old 'e be when 'e passed, but 'e amassed much in 'is long life oh that I be sure. I can get us in t' his house, an' more importantly in t' 'is library. Me abein' a former pupil an' all."

Nar'Allia smiled, "do you think we may find some answers there?"

"Aye well lassie, 'tis worth a try me thinks. If there be any records o' old, then there in that house they be fo' sure."

Nar'Allia gave a squeal of delight and she skipped alongside Łĩnwéé as he escort her back to Dĩmmĩ's house. She felt a great excitement and she badgered poor Łĩnwéé all the way back about making the arrangements as soon as possible. Finally he had committed a promise to take her to the library of which he had spoken first thing in the morning.

The following day as promised, Łĩnwéé and Nar'Allia stood outside a great Grûndén mansion house. Nar'Allia found herself in a more prosperous part of the city. Many fine homes stood here, most were in sight of the Grâumin's palace high on the topmost plateau of the numerous city pinnacles, in fact Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd's mansion overlooked the wide bridge that crossed the final chasm to the highest pinnacle of the city on which could be seen the front gates of the Grâumin's palace. She looked up at the grand façade of Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd's mansion; many windows lined the front of the house looking across the bridge to the gate and the parkland beyond. She turned to look in the direction of the palace; she could make out a long road leading through the trees to the sumptuous looking palace sitting in its own grounds. About halfway up this wide avenue she could see that the road divided into two and circled around a low wall beyond which a grassy mound rose up in a slight incline until it reached a pedestal on which stood a golden statue. She then turned back once more to see what would happen next.

Łĩnwéé seemed in an odd mood, he wasn't his usual chatty self, in fact he seemed subdued, almost nervous for he fiddled with the clasp of his belt and other pieces of his uniform. He seemed to be making final adjustments to his personal attire, as if trying to smarten himself up as best he could. Nar'Allia wondered if her excited attitude and the continuous chatter she was bombarding the poor Grûndén with had perhaps silenced him. But when she apologised he said not, his mood had more it was being here back in this place once again, he felt like a young student every time he came here and stood before the door to the mansion.

"But Łĩnwéé. What is there to be afraid of here? Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd's has passed, he no longer has any hold over you, what is it that you find so uncomfortable here in this place?"

Łĩnwéé remained staring up at the door, three wide steps led up to a wide landing; the door was framed between two pillars. "Nay, he has nat a single hold o'er me now he be dead. But I fear the memory o' 'im still. Well not fear, I jus' remain in awe o' 'im is all. Ye may not be able to un'erstan milady. 'Tis difficult t' explain t' ye, ye nat abein'a Grûndén an' all."

Nar'Allia shook her head whilst she smiled. She walked up the steps and stood in front of the door, she looked left and right and found what she was looking for. She reached up and pulled on an ornate handle she knew would ring the bell for attention. After a few minutes the door opened, a surly looking Grûndén in house livery stood upon the open threshold looking down his rather large and ruddy nose at them through an ornate pair of pince-nez. He had an enquiring expression upon his face.

"Milady? What may I be adoin' for ye t'day?" He then bent slightly to his left and looked around Nar'Allia. She turned to see Łĩnwéé still standing where he was at the foot of the steps.

Łĩnwéé jumped back slightly. "Ach master Ĝûnthél, 'tis good to see ye once again."

The Grûndén coughed, he removed the pince-nez from his nose and tucked them into a waistcoat pocket. "Oh 'tis ye then, well ye better come on in." The Grûndén stood to one side allowing them entrance. As they passed him he repeated, "what be it I can do fo' ye t'day?"

They stepped through the large doorway, the heavy oaken door slammed shut behind them. Łĩnwéé replied, "aye well we have some knowledge we be aseeken', an' t' best place to be alookin' here in Gwéldølĩn be here in the mansion o' Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd."

Master Ĝûnthél nodded, "aye well ye have t' right Łĩnwéé Ârcønrâdenn, ye name be written in the book o' entrance right enough. That be clear from the master's last testament fo' sure. Øédréll look kindly upon 'is soul." He then shuffled off without a further word.

Łĩnwéé and Nar'Allia followed once they suspected that Master Ĝûnthél wished them to do so even though he had not said as much.

They passed through a porch that exhibited many furnishings obviously designed for the storage of outer ware, coats and cloaks hung upon metal hooks and many pairs of iron clad boots where set upon a grill. Above the coats a shelf sported many fine hats and other headgear. They were led through two great stained glass panelled doors and shown into a very large entrance hall, a sweeping stair wound around the walls and disappeared above their heads, leading presumably to the floors above. Many tapestries and pictures lined the wood panelled walls. In the centre of the entrance hall stood a large oak table. Upon this stood a large, bell-shaped glass jar. Inside where two beautiful birds perching upon a branch, they looked like they were fighting, or at least having some kind of disagreement for their beaks were open showing rows of small sharp teeth. Nar'Allia recognised them as similar to the birds she had seen flying around the city cavern when they had first arrived. But these two were obviously long dead, the result of a skilled taxidermy no doubt and placed in the jar to keep them from the ravages of dust and time.

Along one wall was a long oak sideboard; it matched the table with similar patterns carved into the solid looking wood. It was to this sideboard that Master Ĝûnthél went, he crouched and opened a door, from the interior he retrieved two glasses and a decanter containing some deep red liquid which he proceeded to pour into the two glasses. Then placing the now full glasses upon a silver platter he offered the drinks to Nar'Allia and Łĩnwéé, they both accepted and holding their glasses continued to wonder at the room they were in.

Master Ĝûnthél bowed and broke the silence, "if ye be aneedin' anything, jus' ye ring t' bell o'er there." He indicated towards a long and elaborate gold coloured cord and tassel that hung down the wall next to a set of double doors that led off the entrance hall. But these were closed so Nar'Allia could not see what lay beyond.

After Łĩnwéé had watched the departure of Master Ĝûnthél and the doors through which he exited the room were closed once more. He said, "come lassie, t' library, it be through 'ere."

He pushed upon two large doors that opened to reveal a large room. They walked in. The room was full of shelves each of which were crammed full of books, tomes and manuals of all sizes. Nar'Allia had seen Solin's library in Amentura, but that paled when compared with the size of this place.

Nar'Allia started to inspect the many shelves of books that surrounded the interior of the room they were in. Most, if not all were written in the Grûndén language, at this point Nar'Allia wished she had been more attentive when being taught the Grûndén language in her small school in the great wood. She wished Solvienne were here, for she knew that her sister did speak and write many languages fluently. She asked, "Łĩnwéé can you translate for me?"

Łĩnwéé grunted, "aye lassie if ye need me to, but readin' is not me favourite thing ye unerstan'?"

Nar'Allia sighed; this was going to be an impossibly long task. Firstly she would need Łĩnwéé to read the titles of every book, then when she became interested in one title she would need him to open the book and read the contents, then read whatever she thought may be interesting. It would take a day just to go through one shelf of one book case, she sighed when she looked around the room at the many book cases that lined the walls.

Perhaps in an effort to lighten her mood Łĩnwéé said, "dunny ye be down now lassie. 'Ere come tak' a look at these'uns." Nar'Allia allowed Łĩnwéé to take her hand and lead her over to one of the bookcases, he pointed at a shelf. She scrutinised the spines of the books and was delighted to see that in fact the book titles of these volumes were written in the T'Iea language. But then she noticed something else; the many books that sat upon these shelves were all authored by a T'Iea name she recognised. Book after book made reference to the author being one Solin'De'Teinde.

"Aye lassie, Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd seemed to know o' the lady, 'e never mentioned how though, at least nat to me."

This was all getting too much. Solin now also had a presence in Gwéldølĩn. Was she here? Was she here with Serinae? With Tezrin even? Did she know Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd? She walked over to a table and sat in a firm wooden chair. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair whilst looking up at the shelves of books on the wall in front of her.

Łĩnwéé came over to her, he had a concerned look upon his face. He tried to smile in an effort to try and lighten her mood. "Oh, I have somethin' that I'd liken to show ye." he produced a letter in an envelope from his coat pocket. "He left this t' me as part o' his estate, dunno what it be, but ye may p'raps?" He held it out to Nar'Allia to take. "ere ye can read it, 'tis in the common tongue, perhaps make somethin' o' it. Fo' it means not a thing t' me."

Nar'Allia rested her elbows on her knees, but she looked round at Łĩnwéé and held up one hand, she hesitated, remembering her intrusion into the private lives of Serinae and Tezrin she said, "no Łĩnwéé I couldn't it is a personal letter to you, I couldn't possibly ....."

But Łĩnwéé had thrust the letter into her hand. He turned and walked across to one of the many windows and with his hands clasped behind him looked out over the bridge towards the Grâumin's palace, he stood there and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

Nar'Allia got the impression that he wanted her comment upon whatever it was that she now held and he waited for that response. She lowered her gaze from Łĩnwéé's back and looked at the letter she held. She slowly removed the parchment from the envelope and opened it. A lovely flowing script was written there upon the page. She read:

To my honoured and long-suffering pupil, master Łĩnwéé Ârcønrâdenn.

My dear Łĩnwéé,

You are reading this because I am no longer within the world for the Lord Øédréll has taken me home to his halls of rest. I am not bitter at this; my life has been long and full of adventure. A long life, far longer than I suspect you would imagine. My adventures have been many and my long life has meant I was and still am party to much knowledge that has perhaps passed from all recollection except for those few of us that remain. Those few who carried the weight of the truth of the world. Few indeed for only one other now remains following my passing and I hope that she still enjoys good health. You, I hope have shared some of that adventure, for you out of all my various charges had proven in my mind to be worthy. To this end I have chosen you to be custodian of all that I have.

I have perhaps treated you with less than respectful attitude at times, but my dear Łĩnwéé you will I hope accept that this was my way of expressing my gratitude and great fondness for you. I never married, I have no sons onto which will pass my humble inheritance. There is no family heir to benefit from what I have accumulated in this world. I had the great misfortune to have outlived all those of my immediate family and all other relations further afield. It is therefore, to you and you alone that I bequeath all I have.

So, to this end I hope you accept all that is, was, Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd Fløwsélld for I am he and I would deem it an honour that you take on all that was mine.

I will be forever your friend. Now in death, as in life.

Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd Fløwsélld

Nar'Allia gasped. "But Łĩnwéé you are master of all this unless I am mistaken?" She waved her hand encompassing the whole room and beyond. "Does he not extend to you a great honour? Does he not recognise you as his successor? How can you not understand this?"

Łĩnwéé turned and faced her once more, he sighed. "Nay Narny. O' course I u'nerstan' that. 'Tis a great 'onour to me, who in their right mind could nat be 'onoured t' receive all these riches. But, I fear 'tis a great burden to me to, fo' I nat be a scholar an' I feel I possess too simple a mind to do justice to this place an' everything in it. But that's nay why I wanted to show that letter, ye read farther down, 'e added a bit at t' bottom o' the page. That be most perplexin'."

Nar'Allia thought about the house in Amentura, all that it contained but she did not understand. How alike that was to the place she now found herself within. But Amentura had excited her, even if she could never make head nor tail of everything it contained, she found it was a great joy looking never the less. Łĩnwéé on the other hand seemed genuinely scared of something here, or perhaps as she expected it was just something in his own mind that held him in such fear. She looked at Łĩnwéé, his face held an expectant expression as he motioned towards the letter she still held, sure enough more script continued below the signature. It read:

p.s. I know that you are no scholar, but you are honourable and possess a great strength of mind and of body, I know without doubt that having given you everything then it will be kept for all time in safe hands. There is much here my dear Łĩnwéé that will perhaps prove useful in the future, not just to the Grûndén but to others also, to all the Combined Races. There is much history that may have been forgotten and a time will surely come when such information may prove invaluable. My guess is that such a time is closer than any of us think.

There is something here that was given to me in secret by someone you know. They told me that it guards a secret that we the Grûndén should guard and keep safe, for this secret has the potential of bringing much danger to the Grûndén and to Gwéldølĩn. I have been this items keeper for a while, but now this responsibility falls to you my dear Łĩnwéé, I pray to Lord Øédréll he will ease the burden of its keeping. But as you are my heir and this is now part of my estate, it now belongs to you. I have kept it separate, for I feel that the nature of its import may surpass anything of which I can guess. I felt it was best kept a secret, for much woe may befall us if it were to find its way into the wrong hands.

Nar'Allia read this through once more before she folded the letter and placed it back into the envelope. She looked up and held the letter forth, Łĩnwéé was already standing facing her once more, his hand was also extended towards her, it obviously held something, but she could not see what, for his hand was held palm down, his fingers curled around something as yet unseen. He took the offered letter in his other hand and before she could retract her hand he indicated that she should hold it out and accept whatever it was he held.

Nar'Allia felt something small drop into her palm. Łĩnwéé seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, he stepped back saying, "that be also wit' the letter, I know nat what it be."

Nar'Allia looked slowly down to whatever lay in her open palm. She gasped and cried out as there sitting in her hand was something that she had seen before, something that brought many memories flooding back into her mind.

Łĩnwéé moved towards her a look of concern upon his face; he did not expect such a reaction from giving such a small thing.

Nar'Allia just stared at what she held, there in her palm was a small circular disk, upon it was a slit-eyed face with a slit for a mouth. One short remark escaped her mouth as she stared at what she held. "A Dolan. A gate seal."

Łĩnwéé just cocked his head to one side and looked puzzled.

She stared at the thing for some minutes before seemingly coming out form a trance. "It is something I have come across before Łĩnwéé, their original use is to gain access to places far from here, places I have been to in my travels, but that is another tale. However, certain individuals somehow managed to get hold of some of these, I knew that three had been found in this way. Two I have knowledge of, this third one I did not know truly existed until now." Nar'Allia suddenly looked shocked, her eyebrows rose as she said, "by the Maker Łĩnwéé let me see that letter once more if you please?" Nar'Allia read the 'ps' at the bottom of the letter once more.

There is something here that was given to me in secret by someone you know.

"Serinae, the 'someone' that Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd wrote about here in this footnote, it has to be a reference to Serinae." She looked at Łĩnwéé. "You know of her, you travelled together; you were both here together in Gwéldølĩn. Serinae was also one of the individuals I mentioned that had in their possession one of these three gate seals." She thought for a while and realisation suddenly dawned across her face. "Łĩnwéé, if you have sufficient knowledge you can manipulate the characteristics of these Dolans to allow them to lock and unlock certain things that you wish them to."

Łĩnwéé held his head cocked on one side, he looked at what Nar'Allia held in the palm of her outstretched hand once more. "Then I be awonderin' m' wee lassie, jus' what that'n be unlockin' eh?"

## Chapter 25. The Goblin's Cauldron

It took at least five days to traverse the mines of the Grûndén. Thor and his company could not tell for sure the length of time it had taken, for no cycles of sun and moon reached them below ground in the long dark of the Grûndén tunnels. They did not stop except for brief periods to eat; they wanted to get through as quickly as possible. They knew for every moment they delayed the Grûndén mercenaries could catch up with them and there would be no escaping their retribution. Thor put it to Neth'Gore that perhaps he could cause another roof fall to delay the Grûndén as they had done before, but the mage seemed reticent to repeat the tactic saying that he did not wish to risk burying them alive. He would only agree to his use of arcane energy in such confined space if there were no alternative. They would prefer that if the Grûndén did return then at least if they were out in the open they would have more of a chance in their own environment rather than in the confining dark where the Grûndén were more at home. Thor satisfied himself in the knowledge that at least they did not have to freeze in the higher mountain passes; the temperature within the tunnels at least seemed a pleasant and consistent cool. Thor did fear however that they may become lost, take a wrong turn perhaps or fall into a chasm. But the way did not have any forks or junctions it was just a straight uninterrupted route from one side right through to the other. Thor wondered at this, he was always under impression that mines followed the seams of whatever mineral the miners sought and therefore meandered around sometimes splitting into side tunnels and even leading up and down depending on where the precious minerals led. These tunnels went straight and had no fork or side tunnels to lead them astray. The only real discomfort was to suffer the darkness of the mine, but it did seem that apart from the pursuing Grûndén, they at least did not fear attack from anything else down here.

The eventual steady slope of the path rising up also proved to be most encouraging. So it was with great relief Thor suddenly became aware of a faint glow further along the tunnel. They remained on a steady upward slope and in front of them along a lengthy part of the tunnel; far ahead they could pick out a welcoming sight, the warm glow of sunlight. The light beckoned to them, it gave them heart and seemed to refresh their very souls as they strode ever faster towards it. As they got closer their hearts leapt for joy as bright beams of sunlight shone into the tunnel and a dappled shady pattern flashed to and fro on the walls of rock, the unmistakable effect of bright sunlight shining through the leaves of a tree or bush being gently blown around by a steady breeze.

They exited the tunnel into another of the shallow depressions, similar to the one in which the tunnel entrance had been dug out by the Grûndén. Luckily this one was clear of stones and debris, perhaps the Grûndén did not see a need to hide the tunnel at this end, that also seemed somewhat strange to Thor. They looked around them cautiously but no Grûndén or any others seemed to be about, they were alone. They had passed right through the roots of the mountains and were now upon the eastern slopes. Thor knew this for the position of the sun was a sure giveaway, it must have been early morning for the shadows of the trees were getting shorter as they watched. However, their exact geographic position along the mountain range in relation to their position north and south Thor did not yet know. They sat for some minutes just glad to be out in the open air once more, breathing in the fresh cold air of the mountains rather than the slightly stale, warmer air below ground. They were back in a familiar environment, out of the underground domain of the Grûndén.

Orln stood after a while and un-shouldering his bow and notching an arrow he walked off to survey the way ahead. He came back moments later reporting that a clear and well-used path lay through the trees.

After their brief rest the three entered the tree line. The trees themselves were pine trees in the main, their straight trunks stood sentinel either side of the path which wound around in between the trunks of the trees. At first they were spindly specimens clinging onto the patches of sparse soil and to the rock which remained moist due to the misty clouds that regularly hung over the land condensing into cold morning dew. But as they progressed downwards the trees became taller and stronger until they found themselves in a vast pine forest. The tree growth became ever more densely packed as they made their way along the path, soon nothing could be seen more than a few metres into the forest for within the dark density of the tree trunks there was no light shining down upon the thick carpet of dry brown pine needles that covered the forest floor. Sometimes these needles had been piled into heaps, a closer inspection was soon cut short however as these piles proved to be the homes of large wood ants, none of which seemed particularly hospitable to any visitors however large. At one point Thor stopped to inspect one such large nest, only to find that once he was discovered the wood ants became greatly agitated and the increasing noise they made from their combined passage became rather loud. Even louder was the message that his ankles got as the ants swarmed into his boots and started to bite at his skin. He ran until they were clear of the nest and he could rip his boots off and try and shake out all of the hostile insects.

Orln laughed and even Neth'Gore smiled at his antics. After the last of the ants were shown the exit from his footwear Thor sat thinking. "I wonder who it is that will not suffer T'Iea to cross the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri."

Orln shrugged, "possibly one or more of many factions with interests hereabouts." He looked towards Neth'Gore perhaps expecting the mage to offer an opinion.

The T'Iea battle mage looked at them both. "I have been thinking on that very subject. At first I thought that our old commander might wish his activities to remain secret. But I believe that his warped mind does not consider such things, he believes he is right and just in what actions he takes, I doubt her will believe that one or two individual travellers like ourselves will present a threat to him. The next obvious is the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, but again I cannot think why they would bother to stop T'Iea travelling back and forth to Ter'Hadsnefel. That would only risk drawing attention to themselves, they would risk giving away their secret location. No there is some other force at work here, one that had not revealed itself as yet, but one that clearly understands what is happening here and one with greater plans than any we so far realise."

"Then perhaps it is us three that someone is trying to stop, not T'Iea travellers in general."

Neth'Gore nodded in agreement.

Thor thought for a while, then said, "but apart from us three, only the Lady Solin, Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun and possibly master Alonso knew of our journey. Surely none of them has a motive to prevent us travelling to the east?" He then looked questioningly towards the other two.

"There was one other." It was Neth'Gore who spoke. "Although this is pure speculation upon my part you understand. Our Grûndén friend, when we first met in the pub in Penitence Glade, well he was sitting at a table with a hooded figure when we first arrived."

"You think that figure may have been something to do with this? Surely that could have been anyone, just another customer staying at the place?" Remarked Thor.

"Perhaps," was the answer. "And if the figure were a human or even a T'Iea I perhaps would not thought anything unusual. But I am sure within my own mind that the hooded figure was neither of these, in fact I feel sure that this figure was in fact a keeper. But come we loiter for too long, we must move on."

They had no choice but to follow the path for it was the only clear way through. Thor and his companions continually listened and looked to either side as well as the path in front and behind. The feel of this place was ancient, even though Thor knew that these pine trees were not long lived but fast to reproduce and regrow. Generations of trees grew upon more generations of trees. This gave the impression that all the trees that grew were young, yet the overall feeling within the forest was of an ancient place, unchanged since the beginning of time perhaps. Here and there amongst the trees at the edge of the path tall ferns grew, their frond-like growths reaching up to stretch to the light that shone down through the thin covering of pine needles high in the canopy above the path, this was the only place they could grow for there was little chance of any sunlight reaching the forest floor amongst the trees themselves. Sometimes these ferns were so tall their fronds joined their neighbours high over the heads of the company. Perhaps the ferns themselves had some built in biological mechanism that kept the trees at bay and the path was maintained because of this act of nature.

As they walked Thor noticed that both Orln and Neth'Gore looked around them and above them in an increasingly nervous fashion. He didn't think these two were admiring the view, so he asked, "what is it you seek around us? Or is that you fear something?"

Orln looked at Neth'Gore and said, "we seek nothing. As to our fears? Well, we only hope that nothing seeks us in return."

"Is it likely then that something may seek us?" Asked Thor a smile on his lips as if he found the whole concept somewhat amusing.

"There are bears and wolves in the forested slopes of the mountain foothills. Other - things live here to, not all are as friendly to the T'Iea as we may expect," Remarked Orln.

Then Neth'Gore spoke, "Some we made as enemies through our own ignorant and short sighted actions."

Thor supposed this to be directed at the T'Iea persecution of the goblin men. So he asked, "who then are these goblin men in which you seem to place so much concern?"

It was Orln who replied, "who knows, they are a race short in stature, similar to the Pnook. We think they are men of a sort for they grow old and wither; they also die of illness and disease, which seems to spread amongst them like a curse if they may be unfortunate to contract such a thing. They are not as intelligent as the men we are used to though; they are perhaps a lesser race of men without a historic culture and without any art or design of the mind. Where they originate we do not know, what their history is we do not know. I doubt even they do, for their intellect seems limited and they have no complex language of speech, rather they seem to communicate using gestures and a series of grunting noises, they also seem not to have any art or any written word. At least none that I have witnessed.

Thor just nodded his head at these words and pondered on what had been said.

The path on which they trod continued to drop in altitude rapidly, sometimes they found themselves scrambling down steep inclines of rock-strewn and mossy earth. Then after about three or four hours, the path began to narrow for either side tall slopes began to rise rapidly until the three found themselves funnelled down into a ravine with almost vertical sides. The pine trees continued to grow on the upper slopes to either side of them; they could see the branches far above overhanging the ravine. The path descended downwards gathering in steepness as it went until they walked a rocky way along a path treacherous with small stones and broken pieces of rock. They started to stumble and slide in places for the path become very steep and the fall of rocks and other detritus threatened to pitch them forward. The whole place was not pleasant and not helped by the heavy moisture in the ground that found its way here until it had become a small trickle of water which made the loose stones even more treacherous to walk upon. The rock walls either side were also soaked in water as if heavy rain was continually falling.

Before much longer the three found themselves having to negotiate short vertical slopes interspersed with short uphill climbs. Thor realised that these blockages were in fact rock falls and boulders that had fallen into the ravine and become wedged at the bottom. Other debris, sand and soil had slowly built up on the upward side where it had been washed down the slope; the opposite side remained at the original level at the foot of the boulder which acted like a dam holding the earth and other debris back. These boulders had become camouflaged over the years. But obviously the water that flowed down the ravine found its way past these obstacles for soon they found where once there was a small trickle, now they walked down the rocky bed of a shallow and steady stream that filled most of the bottom of the ravine. The water was a light brown colour and smelt of earth and rock. The going became very slow and arduous, many times one or more of the three would slip and fall, tumbling down the path until by good fortune they stopped or managed to grasp a rock or frond of leaves upon a stout branch to halt their fall. Several times the path widened out upon a flat area. The stream spread out and disappeared, but formed a wet bog where the mud sucked at their boots and made the going even more arduous, especially where the mire became knee deep in places.

It was in one of these open areas that suddenly there was a crashing of undergrowth from behind and out of the ravine charged a number of short figures. The Grûndén mercenaries and their group of ruffians had caught them up. Thor and his companions drew weapons and stood back to back as the Grûndén charged towards them axes drawn and war cries on their lips. But immediately the short warriors became bogged down in the mud. The wet slime, knee deep to the T'Iea was much deeper to the Grûndén who suddenly found that their heavy plate armour was a distinct disadvantage in these boggy conditions. The fellows at the front sank into the mire up to their waists and became stuck fast. Amongst much cursing and shouting there compatriots were forced to hold back and try and aid their comrades floundering in the mud. Orln suddenly indicated for the two other T'Iea to follow him, they were near to the other side of the open area where the ravine continued, if they made it into the narrow ravine whilst the Grûndén were preoccupied, it should prove a far easier place to defend than out in the open.

They moved on as fast as possible until they reached the narrow entranceway and were safe inside, vertical rock stood by each shoulder and they turned to face their Grûndén antagonists. To their surprise however the Grûndén who had been pulled from the mud by now and the rest of their group had stopped and were smiling at them, pointing and laughing.

One of the Grûndén stepped forward, Thor recognised him as the one that had done all the talking in Penitence Glade, at the inn that night they had first met.

The Grûndén shouted, "aye ye swabs, ye be trapped now, fur there nat be any way outer the cauldron. Go on ye devils get ye'selves down t' gullet there."

Under the instruction of their Grûndén leader several of the humans in the group got out slingshots and started pelting Thor and his fellows with round pebbles. The projectiles ricocheted off the rock walls to either side. Sharp shards of rock struck their armour and the pebbles bounced around them forcing them back down the narrow gulley. There was little defence against this onslaught so the T'Iea walked briskly backwards trying to get out of range of the slingshots and indeed as they rounded a bend they were safe from the incessant barrage. Thor kept looking round the bend in the gully, but it seemed that the Grûndén and their fellows were not intending to follow them in here, he became sure that their purpose was drive them forward into this gulley.

Thor sighed, "take care, I have the feeling we are being driven into some kind of trap. Be ready and keep your eyes and senses alert."

They walked forward further into the gulley weapons drawn and ready. Thor's heart was pumping hard; adrenaline flowed freely through his veins as he kept a watchful eye. But they were in a narrow gulley with vertical walls and not a lot could be seen. His biggest worry was if they were attacked from above, in this narrow space they wouldn't stand a chance if missiles were thrown down upon them, they could only run in two directions forwards to an unknown destination or backwards towards where they knew the Grûndén stood their ground. But he became somewhat relieved as soon the path opened up into a large open area. They had been in such areas before, in fact they had just left one where the Grûndén had caught up with them and this one looked no different, just slightly larger than those they had seen before. This flat open area was littered with decayed tree trunks covered in bright green moss and larger platter shaped fungi. A few large boulders, perhaps a metre or more in diameter were half sunken into the musty bog that had formed where the stream had widened into a small pond within this flat area before it continued on its downward journey to the eastern planes below. But the pond had inevitably become a bog as it was slowly but surely filled in with the detritus of ages that was continuously washed down the slopes from above or fell down the cliff side and settled here in this area.

They were thankful that at least the size of this open area allowed some sunlight to stream down from above warming their tired limbs and drying their sodden clothing somewhat. Its size also meant that nothing could creep up on them without a fair warning. But it seemed that the Grûndén had not followed them, they started to relax a little and look around them for the exit. There was a strange smell in the air though, it reminded them of the stench of a stables, the aroma of rotting manure. The centre of the area was obviously very wet, tufts of course grass grew amongst pools of black mud, even some surface water lingered there, but it looked fetid and green with algae. Midges and mosquitoes played above the water. In one spot in the dead centre the mud gave way to a fetid pool of water, the water looked undrinkable, rainbow coloured wisps of some horrid substance drifted slowly around in the water's surface within the almost stationary flow. As they watched this dismal scene the mud in one pool seemed to bulge and dome as if something was pushing up from beneath and sort to escape its clammy grasp. This dome then suddenly burst with a dull plop and a hissing sound emanate from a small hole that had appeared, water and mud splattered upwards out of the hole. Their nostrils were then assaulted by a noxious stench.

"Marsh gas." Orln said wrinkling his nose and then covering his lower face with his gloved hand. It is poisonous, try not to breath too much of it, or this place will be your grave.

Thor said, "we will have trouble getting across this bog. It may not be deep and have a firm rock bottom but it is going to be an unwelcome struggle never the less. Especially if we disturb the gas that forms beneath the surface of the mud."

Neth'Gore looked upwards to the edge of the cliffs high above, "not much chance of getting up there either without aid."

A branch snapped somewhere above them, all three T'Iea looked up peering into the dense tangle of branches and fallen trees. Far above and surrounding them the edge of the forest could be seen. Vertical walls of rock rose twenty of so metres upwards barring any hope of escape from the place they found themselves in. The rock was shining wet and long fronds of moss and lichen hung down. The rock surface looked treacherous to climb. At the base of the cliffs wet piles of clay and mud stood banked up against the rock face, soil had obviously been washed down the cliff face over the years and piled up at the base of the cliffs.

Orln walked over and tried to place a foot on the mound of clay but he just sank into the mess up to just above his knee, he was forced to pull his leg back out with a sucking squelching noise. Mud and clay that had been disturbed ran around his feet as he stepped backwards. "No chance of this supporting our weight either, at least unaided."

Suddenly there were shouts and other odd noises coming from above and all around them, they looked up but could not see anything, whoever was up there remained well hidden. Then rocks and stones began to hurtle down around them many found there mark, but the T'Iea huddled down and were well protected by the leather and other forms of armour they wore. Thor risked a look up, he saw a number of small scrawny faces peering down at them, sharp teeth showed between thin lips. But he had to turn away as a pebble was coming straight for him, he waited the few seconds that it took to arrive and bounce off his helmet before he said, "Goblin men I presume."

A crash was heard from above followed by a ground-shaking rumble. The three looked up, to their horror a large boulder had been levered free of the soil and was crashing down through the ferns, gathering speed as it came. They stood unsure which way to go to dodge the lump of rock hurtling towards them, for its downward path was erratic. But before they could make a decision the boulder hit something hard, possibly another boulder more deeply set into the soil. The rock exploded into many pieces and they huddled once more as they were peppered in small and not so small pieces of rock.

"We can't stay here shouted Orln, they will send more rocks upon us to crush our brains."

Thor looked about them at the many boulders that lay half sunk in the bog, "hmmmm, they are well practiced to, they have perhaps trapped many before us here in this place."

Another boulder crashed downwards and splashed into the bog. Brown dirty water and earth exploded from where it landed coating them in wet slime and mud. This was followed by the strong smell of marsh gas. Neth'Gore shouted for them to back up as far as they could from the boulder that had just fallen. No sooner had they done this when a flaming fire brand fell, or was most probably thrown from above. They watched as it arced its way down following the boulders route. Then with a loud 'woomph' the gas that had escaped its watery prison ignited causing a wave of very hot air to envelope the T'Iea. A hot ball of flame rose vertically as the explosive gas burnt. Luckily they were sufficiently far enough away to not be set alight, but Orln did suffer some singing of his hair. Another boulder came crashing down, followed by another firebrand. A Similar thing happened, hot ignited gas slightly closer this time caused their damp leather armour to steam and the skin on the backs of their necks to get a scorching.

Orln shouted, "we cannot stay here, this place will become our funeral pyre." He was then forced to jump away as yet another gas bubble exploded, this time he was forced to thrash about himself with his hands to brush off burning material that stuck to his armour and clothing.

But suddenly a clear sound rang out well above them, the sound of a horn, not just any horn, the unmistakable sound of a T'Iea horn. Thor stood, the goblin men of which there were some two dozen on the slopes above them had also stood, their many heads showing above the ferns that grew on the slopes. Thor indicated to Orln that he had a clear shot at several with his bow. But Orln shook his head. He would not fire upon the goblins. Thor was about to reissue the suggestion as an order but his attention was drawn away as a second sounding of the horn, much closer now, rang out through the forest. The goblins as one cried out and started to make a gibbering sound to one another. After looking about them with obvious fear and concern they turned and ran along paths obviously set into the slopes on which they stood and soon disappeared from sight.

The three T'Iea strained their eyes to see where the horns had sounded from, but their attention was drawn to another sound a strange sound, it was like the thrashing of corn after harvest.

"What now is this new annoyance?" Exclaimed Thor.

The ferns in which the goblins had been hiding earlier began to move in a strange way, as if something beneath their fronds was moving rapidly down the slope towards the edge of the cliff high above. Orln drew on an arrow in his bow, Thor unsheathed his broad sword. Neth'Gore had the sense not to risk igniting any arcane flames through fear of exploding any more of the marsh gas that they could still smell upon the air of this place. The three took up a stance, waiting for whatever it was that was about to leap down upon them. Suddenly something long and snake like burst forth from the ferns. It writhed down towards them thrashing about in a haphazard manner, but before either side could strike any blow, the thing stopped and hung limply down the side of the cliff.

A voice from above shouted in T'Iea, "P'NOI."

The three were stunned, they stood still looking at the thick rope ladder that hung before them, a heavy stone tied to its lower end presumably to aid its passage through the ferns, the T'Iea voice sounded again, this time the single T'Iea word was followed by words in the common tongue, "P'Noi. Do you hear me? Climb, or would you rather stay within the goblins cauldron?"

Thor encouraged Neth'Gore forward followed by Orln, once they had managed, with the aid of the rope, dragged themselves clear of the clay at the bottom of the rock wall, they started to climb up. Thor himself then sheathed his sword and grasping the thick rope began to follow the passage of the other two clambering up hand over hand.

At the top Thor heaved once more and found he stood at the top of the ravine upon a rocky outcrop littered with old pine needles and pinecones. Large escarpments of rock stuck up and out over the ravine up which they had just climbed. He looked up; Orln was in an embrace with another elf. Neth'Gore stood to one side shaking the hand of another, there must have been around thirty or so T'Iea warriors here in all. They all had good armour and weapons about them. Thor walked slowly over and waited. Orln eventually let go of the other elf and turned to Thor he said, "T'Thorandill please let me introduce you to R'Thy'Uln, a swordsman of great renown."

Thor stepped forward and shook the other elf's hand, the elf bowed, "indeed well met R'Thy'Uln, we owe you a debt of gratitude, even our very lives, we thank you for your timely rescue."

"My pleasure T'Thorandill, I am thankful to the Maker we were patrolling this area today. I am sorry about the goblins." He then dropped his gaze; anger showed upon his features as he said almost to himself, "I'm afraid that is an old legacy of others."

Thor couldn't help noticing that these words, or words much like them had been said by Neth'Gore not so long ago. But he shrugged this off and noticed after glancing around that he seemed to be the highest ranking officer amongst all the T'Iea present, this he found strange as all of the soldiers here seemed to be serving and non-commissioned ranks, so he said, "now maybe you can introduce me to your commanding officer?"

"That I am afraid will not be possible, we have none, at least not now." was the reply.

Orln took Thor by the elbow and drew him to one side. "You remember us telling you of the story of how we came to find ourselves back in Ter'Hadsnefel and how we were tried for desertion?"

Thor nodded, but as he did so thoughts were forming in his mind, before Orln could say any more Thor said, "so this swordsman, R'Thy'Uln he was the sword in your Trete'Y'Thego, the one who was presumably imprisoned and you were forced to leave behind?"

Orln nodded, "yes he is thus, we are deeply thankful that the Maker has seen fit to reunite us, it has weighed heavy on our hearts all these years that we were forced to desert him and leave him behind."

Thor walked back across to where R'Thy'Uln was standing, "you have a camp nearby R'Thy'Uln?"

"Aye that we do, it is but a couple of hour's swift march from here."

Thor nodded, "we were being pursued by a company of mercenaries headed by two Grûndén, they herded us into that gulley, the goblins cauldron as you call it."

R'Thy'Uln nodded. "The cauldron is often used to trap animals and others for the sport of the goblins. Your Grûndén friends must have known about it. Once in the cauldron there is no escape barring the same way as you entered."

Thor then added, "the Grûndén hinted that they had a commercial arrangement with the goblins to stop any T'Iea crossing the mountains. The Grûndén have a tunnel cut under the roots of the mountains, they led us through their plan being to capture or kill us in the dark.

R'Thy'Uln nodded solemnly, the Grûndén have prospected in the mountains, but they have not discovered anything of value so far. Their plans are to mine on this side of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri for the land here had been covered in ferns and pines for millennia and beneath the ground the old forest has turned into a sort of black rock that burns well and cleanly as a fuel. The Grûndén see this as a lucrative material to sell to the humans and perhaps others in the west to fuel their fires. The material I am told is also good for the smithies and smelters of the Grûndén. They have come to some mutual arrangement with the goblin factions who live in the area.

Thor nodded in understanding, "what of our the Grûndén mercenary friends? They will follow us once they discover that we escaped?"

"I doubt it. They would certainly not wish to follow you into the cauldron where they would not be able to get out without help from above and escarpment of rock through which the gulley runs into the cauldron runs for some thirty kilometres across the forest before it dips sufficiently for safe climbing. They will not risk climbing anywhere near to here for risk of falling fowl of goblins patrolling along the top of the escarpment as they almost continuously do. I doubt that all the goblins have entertained such an arrangement with the Grûndén as they are nowhere near that organised. So the Grûndén would have lost your trail long before they get the chance to catch you up. We will see to this don't worry."

Thor took in a deep breath and sighed. "Then let us go there to your camp, I feel we have much to discuss."

R'Thy'Uln nodded, he shouted orders and the T'Iea soldiers formed ranks and the march began.

They marched along at a fast pace, R'Thy'Uln continually sent out scouts to the fore and either side, these returned at regular intervals, normally from the rear of the column so they had obviously skirted around behind to see if they were pursued. Most times a few short words passed between R'Thy'Uln and his scouts, sometimes a longer discussion took place. On one such occasion following a scout's return, R'Thy'Uln ordered a halt. He then ordered a change of direction and the march continued in total silence for several kilometres. Strict silence was ordered, before whispered discussion was once more allowed. Thor found out that a goblin camp had been set up in their path and they wished to circumvent it and avoid any trouble.

They travelled in this way for a number of hours, not once did they stop, other than the time they changed direction. But eventually another stop was ordered and a young elf that Thor recognised as one of the scouts was sent forward alone. Minutes later far ahead, bird calls could be heard, a second bird responded. Thor smiled, he had heard this before, in the great forest that was his home. He recognised the bird calls as hunters calls, T'Iea communicating between each other, many times he had heard this whilst hunting with his father and sister Nar'Allia, but he had not been adept at it, hunting and forest lore was never for him, he always preferred the more direct approach of the soldier. But it was pleasant to hear once more, it reminded him of home.

The march moved forward again. Soon they came across a more open area beneath the trees which grew further apart, here many large boulders were strewn about the ground, presumably this was also the cause of the sparseness of the trees. Thor looked about trying to find out where these rocks came from. Through the trees he could see a start of a steep slope, this was also strewn with boulders so he assumed they had rolled down from this slope over the years and settled here amongst the trees of the pine forest, thinning out the growth as they crashed down through the trees. They all marched forward into this clearing. Once they were there R'Thy'Uln gave the order to disband. Thor raised his eyebrows, were they to rest then? But he was surprised as several T'Iea soldiers appeared from nowhere, many of this new group were female, rangers most probably, one such person appeared from his right he glanced in her direction, she smiled as she released a sort of flap in one side of a boulder and it fell back looking like a complete lump of rock once again. He suddenly realised what these boulders were, he smiled at his own foolishness, the T'Iea ranger smiled back at him. He found his cheeks glowing slightly hot as he looked upon her face. She smiled even more and walked away towards the centre of the camp.

But then R'Thy'Uln approached him, "welcome to our camp, a meal will be prepared to welcome us back, we would be honoured by your presence."

Thor bowed, "of course, I thank you for your generosity and the honour of your hospitality is gratefully appreciated."

R'Thy'Uln bid Thor follow him, they approached towards a large long boulder, "your Trete'Y'Thego is welcome to sleep here." He opened a flap and Thor bent to look inside. The interior of the 'tent' was quite lavish, it had a folding desk and a number of chairs, six wooden cots lined the far end, each with a small wooden cabinet, Thor knew these would be for the personal items of each of the soldiers that slept in here. By this he supposed that this camp was of a more permanent type for most of the furniture looked although it had been made locally rather than brought in with the soldiers of R'Thy'Uln's small encampment. The floor was covered in a rather old worn carpet of plain green colour, but everything was clean and well kept.

"Thank you R'Thy'Uln, I hope we are not putting anyone out by staying here?"

R'Thy'Uln looked sadly at the ground, "no, this tent has been empty for some months, good soldiers lived here once, but they are no longer in need of such shelter."

"Thor was saddened, "then I feel more than honoured that I may sleep in this place. I will honour their passing in my prayers."

R'Thy'Uln nodded in satisfaction and said, "I need to check on a few things, please excuse me. You are free to rest or to wander the camp at your leisure, but I advise you do not leave the perimeter unless with an armed escort. I will return for you shortly, perhaps we may talk more freely then."

Thor bowed, then taking the tent flap from R'Thy'Uln, he entered the tent and let the flap close behind him.

Sometime later Thor became aware of a sound outside his tent, it sounded like claws being drawn down the material of the structure as if someone with lengthy fingernails was stoking the material from which the tent was made.

There came a hissing low sound, a voice. A voice that seemed unused to the T'Iea language and to have some difficulty in forming the words. "Ssiiirrrr? Ssiiirrrr?"

The sound made the hairs on the back of his neck rise up and Thor slowly drew his sword from the scabbard that hung off the end of his bed. He walked carefully across to the entrance and with the tip of the sword moved the flap away. What he saw next caused him some shock. A stunted figure stood outside, a short man. All he wore was a dirty loincloth and an equally dirty piece of cloth that draped across one shoulder, the other was bare. His skin also appeared dirty, soiled patches across his body hid the true colour of his skin. A wispy form of course hair grew all over him at least the visible parts. His face was bony, two small sharp teeth protruded from both his bottom and upper jaw and the little sharp points extended over his lips. The little man looked at Thor, his head tilted to one side and then at the raised sword pointed towards him, his eyes shone, yellow cat-like eyes, large eyes. When he blinked Thor was aware that not only did his normal eyelids close down with a flick, but a second transparent eyelid also closed moments before horizontally across each eye.

"Mmmmeeean nooooo hhhuuurrt, sssiiirrrr, wiiiill come." The figure waved his hand in a gesture that seemed to indicate Thor should follow him. Thor noticed the hand did indeed have long fingernails on the end of each finger, somewhat cracked and broken, clods of dirt could be seen beneath. The goblin man, for goblin man he must be carried nothing, no weapon seemed to be about his person.

Another figure stepped forward, Thor was relieved a little to see R'Thy'Uln standing there. He addressed the goblin, "thank you Niepre, I'll take sir from here."

The goblin man, turned and looked at R'Thy'Uln, he clutched his hands together and said, "yeessss ssiiirrrr." He gave a military salute, the type of salute that a T'Iea soldier would extend to his superiors but to Thor this seemed a mocking form of salute. Either the goblin was indeed mocking R'Thy'Uln or he hadn't got to grips with the correct way to make such a gesture. Or perhaps even the anatomy of the goblin didn't allow him to form the correct position of hand and arm. But the goblin man then dropped to all fours and started to move briskly away in the direction of the centre of the camp.

R'Thy'Uln looked at Thor a smile on his face. I wanted to prove to you that the goblins are not all aggressive by nature, in deed their true nature I believe is a peaceful one. The ones we chased off above the cauldron, well their mistrust and aggression towards you was not of their making. Unfortunately this attitude was born more from a recent hatred towards our kind rather than any inbuilt, instinctive aggression upon their part. R'Thy'Uln nodded his head in the direction that the goblin had ran off in, then went on to explain. "We found Niepre as a baby following a raid on his camp by Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned's renegades. His mother had received a sword wound, she was badly slashed right down her back, her spine had been badly sliced and she could not move her lower body and legs. But she lay across her baby protecting him. We took them both back here to our camp; the mother died of her wounds a couple of days later. We cared for Niepre, looked after him, he became one of us. Niepre means 'lost' in their simple speech. He is a willing member of the camp; he has much skill in many ways, is eager to learn and is remarkably quick to respond to teaching. He has also proven quite a diplomat for he has on occasion introduced us as friends to his kind, allowed us to meet with certain factions of the goblin race, not all mind you, for some are not so open to outsiders, some clans deeply mistrust us still, as you experienced back there in the forest. It is through Niepre that we learned of the alliance between the Grûndén mercenaries and others of his kind. Niepre however is free to go wherever he pleases, even back to join his people if he so wishes, yet he chooses to stay here with us for some reason."

"But who then are they, the goblin people?" Asked Thor.

They continued to stroll through the camp as R'Thy'Uln explained. "We cannot be sure exactly. They call themselves collectively in their own language the Pixie; they have no written or verbal history, at least none that we have been able to follow. I have my suspicions though after talking to the Pixie themselves and also with the eastern clans of human men that live further east across the moor. I believe that many ages in the past, during the time this whole area was subjected to a massive flood of raw arcane power, it was released or perhaps concentrated here during a terrible war that was fought by human factions that inhabited the world long, long ago. This arcane power was free to drift across these lands unabated. This energy became concentrated in pockets all over this land. Over time the populations of men that survived the war became changed by these pockets in various ways. I think the goblin men may have been the results of such changes, mutations of humans affected in ways that we cannot understand. Humans seem to be susceptible to such changes in both a mental and physical way. I must warn you Thor that it also affects us, the T'Iea, not so much in a physical sense for our makeup renews us continually giving us long life as with the other elder races. But it doesn't stop the effects showing in our mental capacities."

Thor grew very excited. What he had just been told backed up what he had heard through other sources. He wanted R'Thy'Uln to explain further so he asked "mental capacities? How do you mean?"

R'Thy'Uln sighed, "Many years of man in the past, soon after we arrived in the area as part of the expeditionary force led by Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned. We discovered an area further east that seemed to be hidden beneath many arcane wards. At first we could not penetrate into the area, but the race of humans could access the area via learned people, shamans in their society and the like. They called the place the Rift. Some of us went close to the Rift, too close. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned himself was one of these. A close advisor to Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned, a ranger spy under his close direct command managed to gain access to the Rift by becoming trusted by the eastern men for they had a way into the region. We discovered that the arcane wards were made by T'Iea, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran in fact. We discovered that the wards hid the main city of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, the city of R'Iggorr'Thegoran. This spy, eventually invited Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned himself to don a disguise and accompany him into the city itself. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned leapt at the chance to spy directly upon the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran so that he could report direct back to his masters in Ter'Hadsnefel. I know this because Orln, Neth'Gore and myself were trusted to take these reports across the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri to Ter'Hadsnefel."

Thor nodded in understanding for of course he had heard as much from Orln and Neth'Gore.

"Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned seemed then to make more visits and on a regular basis he went into the R'Iggorr'Thegoran accompanying this ranger spy. We started to become suspicious for Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned seemed to change over the months following our arrival here. He seemed to become more withdrawn to us, he seemed to become captivated by his information gathering visits with his spy. We decided the three of us should start opening the secret reports that we carried across the Tolle to Ter'Hadsnefel. We became increasingly suspicious of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned's intent. For he started to play down the threat of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, in the area, he said that they were few and easily dealt with. We knew this not to be the case however, for we still fought as many skirmishes with T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran forces as we ever did since our arrival."

Thor nodded, "do you remember the name of the spy, the advisor to Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned?"

"Yes, his name was Tezrin, a skilled ranger actually. Although a loner, as with many rangers, he had his own interests at heart I always felt. He was not one of us, one of the legion I mean, he had been hired as a mercenary direct from the ranger guild in Ter'Resell, why I do not know, that remains a mystery to this day for we as a regiment had our own rangers amongst our number." He shrugged. Then added, "I have my own suspicions though, I believe this Tezrin fellow was in league with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, may have even been a dark elf himself. I think he was sent to infiltrate our command and upset things as best he could."

Thor remained quiet, but inside his thoughts were whirling around his head, he whispered to himself. "So, still we suffer from the far reaching acts of that traitorous rogue."

R'Thy'Uln looked at Thor, "you know of this ranger? The one called Tezrin?"

Thor just said that he had come across the name before when associated with mischief and deceit on many levels.

R'Thy'Uln nodded but did not ask any further questions, instead he continued, "one day Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned commanded several soldiers to go with them into the dark elf realm guided by the men of the east. They returned carrying a litter on which a statue stood. This statue was obviously T'Iea in its making. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned said it was a peace offering from the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran to the T'Iea of Ter'Hadsnefel. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned said he would transport it to the T'Iea city when we returned from our current tour of duty. But this never happened; from the moment that statue arrived in the camp Tezrin ordered it remain in the camp amongst the soldiers. Well our soldiers began to fall ill, not in a life threatening way, but they became short tempered, ill at ease. They suffered from an illness of the mind. I remember thinking then that they became more like our T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran cousins. Their moral code became changed, distorted. They started to skirmish with the goblins in the area. Before long we were in an all-out war with the goblins, who had not bothered us in the past. I am certain now that the statue had something to do with these perverted changes in T'Iea character. Orln, Neth'Gore and myself did not seem to be so effected, probably because we spent lengthy time away from travelling back and forth across the Tolle's to Ter'Hadsnefel we never stayed long in the camp and in the presence of the statue. We tried on several occasions to raise the alarm with our superiors in the headquarters of the legion in Ter'Hadsnefel, but to no avail. Only one officer took any interest."

Before he could say more Thor said, "Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun."

"Yes," was the reply.

"I began to have suspicions about Tezrin's real intent and his true alliances. We started to watch him closely. One evening we followed him alone, he went to the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran city and the interesting thing was that he did not need a human guide to get there or to enter. From that day on I persuaded those I could trust to stay clear of the statue, asked them to volunteer for scouting parties, anything that would keep them away from the statue and the camp of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned. Those of the soldiers I persuaded you see camped around you. Somehow Tezrin found out about our suspicions, I suspect that for all my careful choices I may have asked one who was already turned away to join us and he, or she, went to report my treason to Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned or perhaps to Tezrin. Anyway one evening a squad was sent to arrest us for treason. Orln and Neth'Gore managed to escape, I was caught. I had not seen either of my companions from that day to this."

"So how then did you escape and come to live here?"

"Well, as I said there were others in the camp of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned having similar suspicions. Soldiers who I had persuaded whom spent a lot of time on patrol or in outer camps on lookout, other Trete'Y'Thego. Thus they were not so affected by that accursed statue. Thus one evening we were attacked by a large goblin force, whilst the camp was in uproar, these other T'Iea freed me and together we deserted the camp of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned. We have been hunted and killed ever since, they call us deserters, renegades, yet it is not us that have become servants to the statue."

"So why then does Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned now hate the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran? For it seems strange to me that at first he allied with them, yet now he fights them with vengeance?"

"Ah, we have our rogue friend, the spy Tezrin to thank for that. Tezrin was obviously under orders to take the statue to Ter'Hadsnefel to corrupt and pervert the minds of all the T'Iea in the city, to make T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran of them all. When Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned finally refused to take the statue to Ter'Hadsnefel, preferring to claim the work of art for himself, Tezrin was incensed, they fell out and Tezrin was banished from the T'Iea encampment. Tezrin returned to his masters in the dark elf city. Soon after they attacked Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned and his forces. A terrible battle broke out, it lasted three days and many T'Iea on both sides died in the fighting. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned already corrupted and full of hate, turned that hate upon the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. He has sought to destroy them and their city ever since. It is his one desire; he is addicted to his revenge and will not give up the task he has set himself, even unto his own death and the total destruction of his soldiers. For I am afraid that Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned and his army, what is left of it, is now fully under the corrupted influence of that accursed statue, perhaps even beyond redemption, who knows."

"What is this statue like?

"It is a fine statue of a T'Iea maiden, a ranger in fact, for she holds a longbow in one hand a quiver of arrows hanging from her belt, two short swords at her side. I overheard Tezrin saying once that he designed the statue himself, modelled it upon another ranger of the guilds, a good friend of his by all accounts. He seemed to find this most amusing for some reason. The statue itself was carved from some glossy black mineral; I had never seen the like before. We tried to destroy it once; we raided the camp of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned. Some caused a diversion whilst several others went to the statue and tried with heavy weapons to destroy it but the statue would not be harmed in any way, it seemed immune to physical damage even by T'Iea long swords. Sadly all those who attacked were either killed or captured, I regret sending them to their deaths."

Thor turned many things over in his mind, it seemed to him that so much had just been said, so many ironies sprung to mind. He felt he couldn't even begin to explain it all, so he kept his thoughts to himself. Rather he needed to digest all this latest information in his own mind, it may even be that it no longer mattered, for the damage had been done. He just thanked the Maker that the statue had not found its way to Ter'Hadsnefel, for if it had, then he suspected that they would be in a wholly different position today than that in which they actually found themselves.

## Chapter 26. The Ognod Queen

Solvienne stirred and awoke slowly, but she was shocked into consciousness by the sudden remembrance that they had been forced to try and rest standing up leaning against the wall of their prison, it was just unthinkable to lay down amongst the bones and decaying remains of so many individuals. But at some time in the night their muscles had succumbed to fatigue and both had sunk down and now they found themselves lying against the wall of their prison amongst the bones of the previous occupants. She shuddered and found herself shaking. Amndo was soon awake; he stood and lifted her quickly to her feet. Solvienne found herself hugging Amndo's chest. She was shaking uncontrollably; moaning as if in lament for the lost souls who's scattered remains lay knee deep across the floor. Amndo made soft noises and stroked her head. In another situation this would have been uncharacteristic for his race, but here now he felt a strange desire to calm Solvienne, perhaps he had been around T'Iea and others long enough to understand in some way the emotional needs of the other races. Slowly with eyes shut tight Solvienne concentrated, calming herself until she was able to thank him, he nodded his response.

Then she remembered the door, behind which something fearful and unknown beast was kept. She looked towards the door but it remained still. She sought an answer in Amndo's eyes, he just shook his head as if to say that he had not heard anything further. Solvienne was relieved, but she started as a creaking noise above them made them look up. Sunlight streamed in through the now open doorway above, a face peered in and was withdrawn, it was followed by the ladder being pushed in and then allowed to swing downwards until it again rested with a sickening crunch on the bones lying upon the floor. The ladder was lifted and dropped three or four times, each time bones were smashed and broken until whoever held the ladder above was satisfied that the ladder rested securely upon the floor of the chamber.

A deep voice from above called down to them, "climb."

At the same time something heavy threw its weight against the door at the bottom of the chamber and an unearthly scream resounded from the other side of the door as it was continually pounded by whatever lay imprisoned beyond.

They both made their way hurriedly over to the bottom of the ladder and Amndo held Solvienne's elbow supporting her until she was safely upon the first visible rung. She climbed as quickly as possible wanting to get herself clear of the pit but also aware that until she was out of the way Amndo would remain at the bottom of the ladder. Her fear was that she wasn't quick enough and whatever lay beyond the door would break through and she would have to live with the knowledge that his bones also lay at the bottom of the pit.

But soon they both stood outside the building once more. There before them stood the robed ognod from the day before. Solvienne squinted in the sudden brightness, even though it must have been early morning for the shadows were long, there was a light mist in the air and the ground was moist with dew, or maybe it had even rained during the night. The robed ognod indicated that they should follow him. They did so.

"Where are you taking us?" Solvienne asked, trying to keep her voice calm despite the feeling of panic that still lay upon her breast.

The ognod just grunted a meaningless response.

They found themselves winding their way up the streets of the ognod city. A feeling of déjà vu came across Solvienne, then she realised that what she was looking at had been described in great detail in the stories that Minervar used to tell her and her brother when they were children. The city mimicked those descriptions exactly. She remembered Thor had always asked for greater detail, he was always interested in anything to do with the military and the ognod city and its fortifications was always a high point for him in the tales that Minervar related. Solvienne looked about her; they were in deed making their way up through the city towards the great mound in the centre, the hill upon which stood the great hall where Minervar and her companions had met with Gruntuk. But according to Minervar he was no longer leader. For after his daughter Retta's successful return from her part in the task that Minervar and Serinae undertook, Gruntuk had handed the responsibility of leadership to his daughter. He recognised that ognod society needed to adapt; needed to change if the race of the ognod's were to survive. Retta's attitudes were much better placed to undertake these daunting tasks and her ambitions definitely lay in that direction. So Gruntuk in recognition of his daughter's capabilities had abdicated in her favour. Solvienne only hoped that Retta was still leader and still harboured the drive to make sweeping changes for the better, for Amndo's and her very lives may depend upon it.

They continued to trudge upwards until finally their journey saw them standing at the top of the wide steps that led to the great wooden doors of the palace. Solvienne knew these doors would allow them access to the great hall in which she hoped they would meet Retta. With a loud clanking and creaking the great doors swung open, pushed by two enormous ognod's in leather breeches and wearing thick leather boots with fur-lined tops, their bare upper torsos covered in tattoos and other artwork traced in scars of all sorts. They grunted as they pushed, muscles in arms and chest knotted and bulged until they looked like they may burst through the ognod's skin against the strenuous effort to raise the two counterbalancing blocks that Solvienne knew were part of the mechanism. The Ognods held the doors open by leaning with all their might against them and Solvienne, Amndo and their robed ognod escort passed through into what Solvienne knew would be the antechamber to the great hall. Sure enough their further passage was prevented by two great stone slabs, the counterbalance weights that cut off further access whilst the doors remained open. An ingenious defensive invention, for if any invading army made it this far into the city and managed to get inside the palace, then they would have to close the doors once more to allow their forward passage, but only a few warriors would fit inside this small area, they would be trapped by the doors shut behind, the great blocks would be lowered once. Once that had happened they would be picked off quickly for the palace could hold many more warriors than could traverse the entrance mechanism in a single opening. Sure enough behind them the ognod doormen released their pressure upon the doors and the weight of the two stone slabs again closed the doors. The slabs slowly descended with a rumbling-grinding sound until the tops of both were roughly at floor height and both doors to the outside where now closed. The bang of the stones settling into place reverberated around the large space of the inside of the palace building. The company could now walk over the top of the slabs and there before them in the gloom of dull fires they could see the full extent of the massive great hall within the palace of the ognods.

They were ushered forward into the enormous space. Solvienne was astonished. Even though she remembered the descriptions given by Minervar, the actual experience of being here far surpassed her own imagined understanding of the place. For a start it was much bigger than she had previously thought. She recognised the descriptions of the ceiling far above them held aloft by numerous great wooden pillars. The carvings and depictions upon those pillars. The many hearths with their glowing fires. As they proceeded up the centre of the hall, Solvienne saw ognods lining each side of the hall, standing, sitting, even sleeping between the massive wooden pillars. Some took casual notice of them as they passed; some stood staring intently with an air of arrogance about their countenance, their eyes drilled into Solvienne and the others. Most of the occupants however took no notice of their passing what so ever.

It seemed like another separate journey to walk to where they eventually found themselves at the base of a raised dais. The robed ognod held up one arm indicating they should halt. He walked forward and standing in front of them said something low and guttural, he slammed his right forearm and fist into his chest in an obvious gesture of greeting, a salute perhaps. He then stepped backwards a slight bow to his head. Something up upon the dais, in the gloom beyond him moved. Solvienne peered into the gloom to see a large figure rise slowly from a large wooden throne set at the top of the steps. The hooded figure stood there for some minutes before slowly stepping forward into the brighter glow of the many fires that illuminated the hall. The figure was unmistakably an ognod, just the height and physical size of the figure made this fact unmistakable. Yet the overall stature of the figure was somehow smaller, less imposing than the ognod warriors Solvienne and Amndo had so far come across. The ognod descended the steps and stood before them. They could not see any of the ognods features apart from the lower jaw and the distinctive curved canine teeth. The loose hood the figure wore turned as the figure obviously gazed from Solvienne back to Amndo. Then it rested on Solvienne and looked down. Solvienne followed the figures gaze, down to her hips. But there was nothing of interest there, only the quiver that Nar'Allia had given her, Serinae's old quiver, but what interest would that rouse in the thoughts of an ognod leader?

Solvienne took hold of the quiver that hung from her belt and held it up slowly. As she did so the hooded head followed the passage that the quiver made. "You know this quiver? You have seen its like before?"

The hood moved and the figure appeared to look directly at Solvienne's face. Solvienne was sure she had a glimpse of bright shining eyes, as they flashed across the reflected firelight. Then a voice said, "come."

The figure turned and made its way back up the stairs, Solvienne and Amndo looked towards the robed ognod that had escorted them here, he indicated with a movement of his head that they should indeed follow. As they ascended the steps an armoured guard holding a long spear also appeared from behind a pillar. The figure at the top of the stairs stopped and said something in the ognod language; the guard saluted by thumping his fist upon his chest and went back behind the pillar. The figures hood turned slightly to one side as if looking back towards where Solvienne and Amndo stood, it repeated itself, "come."

Solvienne and Amndo reached the top of the steps and stood by the side of the throne, ahead of them the figure pulled a long heavy curtain or tapestry aside and was standing halfway through the gap, the figure then passed beyond the curtain and the cloth fell back once more into place. Amndo shrugged and walked forward, he held the curtain, it was heavy and he had to exert some pressure to move the material aside, he gestured to Solvienne to pass through, that done he also walked through and let the heavy material fall back once more.

They stood in a small reasonably well-lit anteroom. Amndo could see more tapestries hung from the walls, they had faded over the years and not much detail could be seen, in the far corner there was a desk. Next to it stood some kind of occasional table perhaps for an ognod sized chair would certainly not fit beneath the table top, let alone a pair of seated ognod sized knees. But then Amndo stared, for upon the table a silver tray was placed. But it was what lay in the tray that surprised Amndo. There in the tray lay several very shiny black stones.

The figure of the ognod had scrutinised their every move and now the figure asked, "so you recognise my little collection master keeper? But of course your race has always had dealings with the key stones, but perhaps it surprises you that I have my own selection?"

Amndo tore his gaze from the stones and looked at the ognod figure they had followed into this chamber. The hood had been pulled back; he stared into the face of what looked like a young ognod, for the upper lip had not grown sufficiently large as yet to contain the lower canine teeth. But then he knew that this ognod may possibly be female for it was common for ognodess's to never grow so large as to be able to hide their lower teeth. He knew the ognod males found this an attractive even an alluring feature of their women folk. He tore his gaze away and was about to say something in response to the question that was asked when another voice sounded.

"Retta?"

Amndo looked at Solvienne who had just spoken.

The Ognodess turned to face Solvienne, she said, "Have we met T'Iea one? Your face looks somehow familiar." Then her eyes darted down once more to the quiver that Solvienne held.

"You know of this?" Asked Solvienne once again.

"I have seen it before yes, many cycles past now. It was one of your kin that possessed it, how is it you come by this thing?" She remained staring at the quiver; Solvienne thought she saw sadness in the Retta's features as she spoke again. "The T'Iea of whom I speak was a great warrior, worthy of many tales. But she passed out of this world and was lost to us."

"Solvienne nodded, "yes, you speak of the ranger Serinae, this is her quiver and so still remains as far as I am concerned. Another gave me the quiver, one who travelled with you long ago. I only bare it temporarily until its true owner may once more be found."

Retta nodded slowly in a form of understanding or agreement Solvienne supposed. Or perhaps out of unquestioned acceptance of her words. But she did utter a name, "The healer, Minervar."

Solvienne nodded, "yes Minervar. Minervar is my mother." She could not help her voice faltering with emotion, the reminder of her mother and the fact that she stood here where her mother and Serinae stood long ago suddenly brought a lump to her throat making it difficult to speak. But she gathered herself and fought her emotions down until she could once again speak. "She took all of Serinae's things home with her after you set things right with the ancient father's great machine."

Retta just stared at Solvienne.

Solvienne added, "I can see that you remember her and perhaps her other companions of which you were one."

Retta nodded. "Yes, I remember. Their coming heralded the start of something that I had long hoped for. I rejoiced for they heralded a time of great change for my people. The battle to embrace the winds of change still rages in our hearts and minds. Some have embraced the opportunity, alas some have not." Retta's thoughts obviously flowed elsewhere, but after a few minutes, she looked up and smiled. "But that is another story, come take a drink of welcome," she walked across to a wooden cabinet and opening both doors reached inside and retrieved three glasses and a tall bottle of some dark brown liquid which she poured into the three glasses, then taking one at a time she offered one to Amndo the other to Solvienne. "Come drink, to old alliances." At this Retta put the glass to her lips and upturned the contents into her mouth in one.

Solvienne sniffed the liquid, it smelt a lot like wine, so she followed Retta's example, as did Amndo. The liquid felt hot as it flowed down her throat and into her stomach. Then it seemed to explode, she felt her stomach expand, a large lump forced its way back up her throat and she found herself belching noisily and long. She slapped her hand over her mouth in embarrassment. But Amndo did the same and Retta who seemed to be struggling to remain in control of her insides suddenly broke forth a long deep belch. She smiled and said, "another glass!"

Both Solvienne and Amndo declined as best they could.

Retta laughed out loud, it was an infectious sound and Solvienne and Amndo found they also laughed along with her. Their spirits rose all of a sudden, Solvienne felt much better for her mood had risen greatly since they first arrived in the presence of the ognod queen.

Retta said, "another tradition of my people, the drinking of the ...." She thought for a while then continued saying, "I struggle to translate into the common tongue but I think the nearest translation would be 'talking wine'. I have not tried to dissuade my people from this tradition, for many practice it as a common way to welcome honoured guests and it is harmless enough. So my friends I hope you have found ognod hospitality to your liking?"

Solvienne shuddered as Amndo said, "well if you consider being carried here unceremoniously and then thrown into a deep prison cell filled with bones hospitality?"

"Retta seemed annoyed, she said, "bah, I have asked the causeway guard and the master of the lower arena to show more leniency with visitors, especially those who are not of the ognod race. I have expressly asked them not to throw visitors into the arrival pens but to use a ladder. I will have them demoted for this."

Solvienne seemed a little bemused by what Retta had just said, she wondered if she heard some form of sarcasm, but she smiled, "no Retta, please they did use a ladder, I assure you they did, but it was quite a surprise to have to spend our first night in that place with all the err, the remains of some of the previous guests?" She shuddered in remembrance of the experience.

Retta sighed, "I have made many changes, asked and persuaded my people to adopt alternatives, but some ancient traditions can never be changed it seems."

Amndo spluttered, "it is a tradition of your hospitality to throw people into that pit?"

Retta seemed a little hurt by his outburst, "why yes, but I concede that it is a tradition that centred on the only possible visitors being ognod visitors from other clans. It is our way, we used to throw visitors into the arrival pens, the visitors would expect it, they would do the same to any of us should we visit them."

"But the pit was full of bones?" Asked Solvienne.

"Of course. Most would survive, but others, not many I might add, would die. Thus they would not have been worthy to visit our clan. However, I appreciate that this seems barbaric to you, I assure you that this is one of the traditions I am trying to change, especially as we now have visitors from other less, err, sturdy races. Hence my insistence on the use of the ladder." She smiled proudly.

Solvienne couldn't decide if she thought this amusing or not, but then she thought of the terrifying noises behind the big wooden door at the base of the pit. She added, "there was something else, a creature of some kind, restrained behind another door in the wall of the pit, it sounded terrifying."

Retta frowned. "I must apologise again. It seems that it is not only tradition that is difficult to challenge and to change for my people, their sense of humour is also impossible to adapt to a softer approach."

"That creature was a joke?"

"No, No, not at all. Well I mean yes, sort of. I mean, well some died in the pit, we send in the creature as you call it to clear up the remains, to keep the pit clean. I had asked the master of the lower arena to take the Drak Nuonis out into the mountains and set it free, but it seems the pit keeper would rather retain his pet."

Solvienne recognised that name, Drak Nuonis, where had she heard it before? Retta seemed to come to some conclusion, she sighed and continued, "please you must understand the ognods have come a long way, change is slow, our traditions may seem very alien to you, even as I said barbaric perhaps, but do not judge us too harshly. I work hard to try and make my people understand, but the road is long and arduous. Please don't think they are being disrespectful if they play a small joke on visitors like yourselves."

Solvienne shook her head, she felt some discomfort at the form of humour exhibited by the ognods but she bit her tongue, partly to defuse her discomfort. "Why then doesn't my mother Minervar tell of being thrown into the arrival pens in the stories she used to tell of her visit here?"

Retta, looked surprised, then she spoke as if what she said was obvious, "because they were honoured guests of my father, their coming here was the fulfilment of an ancient prophecy, this prophecy specifically invited them here in person and as such they were honoured guests, not mere uninvited travellers."

Solvienne looked annoyed, "mere uninvited travellers? Then I'll make sure that next time we are expected!"

Retta looked a little hurt, but she said, "please, do not take offence. As I have already said, my people's traditions are not as yours. For many ages it has been more likely that our enemies would visit us than those who would not seek us harm uninvited or not. The Drak Nuonis are freed into the pit to stop disease and decay, to keep the bones clean."

Then it came to Solvienne, Drak Nuonis, yes that was written on the old label on the outside of the large amphora in the secret room in Solin's house in Amentura. She recalled the words upon the label 'Weuk nue fordog. Dreniu forn a debbed Drak Nuonis'. She must have whispered the words out loud, for Retta looked at her questioningly as she said, "you know something of our ways then?"

Solvienne shook her head, "no, I just saw a specimen; it was dead, part of a collection, a museum exhibit perhaps."

Retta explained, "they are originally creatures from another world, we domesticated them long ago, I had one when I was young, but they have all but died out now. Some say they came with us from another place, somewhere we once called home." Retta smiled. "Their numbers have reduced, they do not seem to take kindly to the environment here, it is far too easy and they have suffered a sickness of their spirit. We still have one though, he is a fine specimen, very affectionate, I visit him on occasion. But it seems the Drak Nuonis are not compatible with this world." Retta frowned further, "like us it seems, misfits from another place, destined perhaps to be defeated by this world and perish, to be forgotten like a bad winter, terrible whilst here, but soon in its passing." Then as if to shake herself from her dark thoughts she then said, "but enough of this talk. I fear you are here on more urgent matters, I would have you ask what you would of me and my people?"

So Solvienne and Amndo made a joint effort of telling Retta everything of importance that had happened concerning Minervar's disappearance and the fact that she seemed to be now allied with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran or at least had been. Then finally Solvienne's asked for Retta's help in any way possible to aid them in locating and finding Minervar.

Retta nodded and thought for many minutes. "It seems to me that if you wish to make contact once again with Minervar, one of you, perhaps both, should enter the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran realm and follow her."

Solvienne frowned, "but that would mean we may lose another to the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, either through death or through enchantment into their ranks. They have no Gatekeeper at the moment, my mother did not pass on that responsibility formally, at least I assume not. So anyone following Minervar via that route will be at great risk."

"Not necessarily," said Retta. "Let me tell you what the ognod's know, what is taught to our young." She poured herself more of the 'talking wine' and offered another glass to each of her guests, both once more declined. She then sat on a chair and began. "Long ago the T'Iea became allied with the Pnook over the Rift. The T'Iea with their knowledge of the arcane, immediately understood the value of the Rift, initially they allied with the Pnook to investigate its power. I suspect through some perversion of character these T'Iea scholars became what was to be the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran race and they wished to take the Rift for their own, recognising it to be the source of unlimited arcane energy. You may know that certain ognod clans held an alliance with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran in ages past. Historically this alliance was borne of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran need for an army, an army that could overthrow the Pnook. You see the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran were clever, they first forged an alliance with the Pnook, they promised to aid them in their experimenting with the Rift. But all they really wanted was control of the Rift. Then one day a chance came, a twist of fate that would allow them to take over the Pnook realm and gain complete control of the Rift. The ognods had swarmed down from the north as you know. They had no plans to cross the Great Spine however; they were content in the spoils of conquest on the western side of the mountains. But the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran managed to persuade the ognods over the mountains, they promised the ognod army riches beyond belief on the eastern side, the side where the Pnook resided in their city. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran hatched a plan. They persuaded the ognods to cross over the mountains, a simple journey for ognods to undertake for our physique evolved in such an environment. Once over the alliance between the ognods and the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran was forged and the ognods attacked the Pnook who would have little defence against such a strong army. The Pnook were forced to leave their city and the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran would be in control of the Rift and all this could come about without the slightest blame being placed upon the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran themselves. Once the last Pnook had fled into the east, the ognods destroyed the old Pnook city and took whatever spoils they wanted for this they were promised. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran waited until the ognods had gone and then they moved in. They built their own city there in the east right around the Rift. T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran society flourished, but the Rift took its toll upon them, they became a parody of true T'Iea culture. The rest I'm sure you know."

Retta broke the silence once more. "Now my friends, if Minervar is no longer there in the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran realm then what you say may be true, they may no longer have a Gatekeeper. You said yourself they did not kill Minervar and made her their Gatekeeper in place of the one called Tezrin. If another were to follow Minervar they would probably be offered the position of gatekeeper in Minervar's stead. However, I think there are more persuasive reasons for this to happen."

Solvienne again said, "what do you mean?"

Retta replied, "wait. Let me explain. The Rift effects the T'Iea mind, perhaps your people are more susceptible than others, but never the less close contact with the Rift seems to change the psyche of the T'Iea, exert some control over them."

"But the T'Iea spend much time with arcane energy, it doesn't effect us in such a way. Unless of course there is something else contained within the Rift. We have heard stories of a malevolent intelligence held within the Rift, maybe it is this that is using the arcane energy, perverting it in such a way as it can take over the minds of the T'Iea."

Retta nodded slowly. "That would certainly make a persuasive argument and explain much. But let me explain. The dark elf Gatekeeper is a role primarily concerned with transporting T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran forces to any location, both as armies and individuals. Because of this, the Gatekeeper holds a special privileged position within T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran society. Like many T'Iea societies the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran do not necessarily have a leader, but rely upon the more experienced members for advice and guidance. Thus the Gatekeeper holds a respected and senior position. But I believe the gatekeeper doesn't necessarily have to be of the T'Iea race. Traditionally the gatekeeper is T'Iea because the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran are of that race, for T'Iea are easily trained in the arcane arts. But even an ognod could become Gatekeeper, but we as a race have a limited talent for the arcane thus I did not believe even with the help of the power of the Rift that an ognod would be wholly a successful gatekeeper." She then turned to Amndo, "but a keeper on the other hand, your race is very open to arcane forces and you are already experts on the sciences of void portals. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran would fall over themselves to have a Gatekeeper who is a keeper. The possibilities would be endless."

Solvienne again went to disagree, but Retta held up her hand, she was still looking at Amndo.

"But there is something else about the race of keepers," she continued to stare at Amndo, "unlike the T'Iea they are very resilient to subjugation by arcane energy." She thought for a while then continued. "It may be master keeper that you might visit the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran through the Gatekeeper's portal and become their Gatekeeper, but your resistance to the Rift which they will undoubtedly subject you to could prove to be in your favour."

Amndo thought for a while, he understood what Retta was suggesting, however he was naturally reticent about exposing himself to the potential dangers involved. The Rift and whatever it played host to, was a strong source of arcane energy, of that he was in no doubt for he had met with that power once before. But could he guarantee he would be better prepared next time. The Rift behaved like an abnormally large portal in reality. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had placed the enormous portal stone above the Rift. This stone channelled the raw energy below it. Channelled it to a multitude of uses. All the individual user had to understand was how to control it, he knew now having grappled with the Rift's energy once before. That brief encounter had taught him much of the Rifts nature. The Gatekeeper was really just a powerful mage who understood the portal capabilities of the large keystone above the Rift. He conceded that the Gatekeeper could also use the power in other ways, in more offensive ways, but that after all was the nature of that raw power. It was just energy that could be converted into other forms, as long as the wielder of that energy knew what they were doing. So, if he could convince the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran his intentions were in line with theirs and they accepted him, he could perhaps resist the Rift's mind changing effects and still pose as the new Gatekeeper. He would then be in a unique position to be able to study the Rift's nature and possibly learn its full portal capability. He would then know if it could grant him access to wherever it was that Minervar and Deanola now found themselves.

He decided he had to try, it was possibly the only way to find Minervar and he said so. So it was decided. Amndo would port himself into Amentura using his personal portal, go to Solin's house and find the Gatekeepers portal into the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran realm and would take it from there.

Then Solvienne spoke, "if Amndo can get access to wherever Minervar went to in this way, what about me? I could not go with Amndo that would cause great suspicion in the minds of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran."

Retta replied, "that is true, but the Gatekeepers portal may not be the only way, there is another way perhaps to access the Rift. I do not know for sure, but I have long suspected that there is another, smaller way into the Rift, a back door if you like. I came across it once long ago after Minervar and Serinae and their companions where here. I did not know what it was, none of the ognods did." She turned to Amndo and asked, "describe to me master Amndo what the Rift physically looks like?"

Amndo did so and when he was finished Retta continued. "From your descriptions Amndo I think that what I saw all that time ago, is something very similar."

Solvienne became very excited. This may be the sort of thing they searched for. "What was this you saw?" She asked.

"Well after I gained the throne of my father I decided to travel the ognod world. I thought I may be able to unite my people and start them in a new direction. I was travelling in the northern mountains when I came across an ancient ognod temple. It seemed uninhabited, for unfortunately as my race dwindled, many came to live in the larger centres of habitat, most if not all of the outlying temples and smaller villages became abandoned and left to fall into ruin. That was one of the reasons why I went to look for these places and find out what they still held that might help us find answers to our predicament, aid our recovery. Well in this particular temple, there was a pool it lay within the inner sanctum, surrounded by walls and gates that probably should have been shut and locked. Many of our temples have fallen into ruin, over the years raiders have successively ransacked these places and removed anything of use. Strangely though this temple remained in good condition, where many had been defaced or even destroyed, this particular one had survived mostly intact. It was as if the raiders were afraid of it somehow, or even revered it. Anyway this pool, it was circular and quite small about five or six paces across at its widest point. But no water lay within, what lay within was a similar substance to that you describe Amndo, the Rift substance that you witnessed beneath the arched bridge in the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran realm. When I returned I enquired amongst my people what this place may be. An old monk claimed he came from the area, he told me that this pool was the entrance to paradise, a doorway to the halls of the Maker. The way was open to any that so wished to go there if they had the free will. But they would not perhaps be able to return."

Solvienne became excited, "Serinae spoke of the possibility of other entrances into the Rift. Could it be that we may have found one?"

"It may be," responded Amndo. "A secret entrance that certain of the elder races could use to access other places. It is perhaps as I suspected, there really are other Rift vents existing across the world. The Rift energy is arcane energy in its raw state. It is derived from the gravitational energy of the world in which we live. That gravitational energy flows through the world and for the most part remains stable. However if another large mass passes close enough to the world that gravitational energy maybe be distorted. If the distortion is sufficiently large then the Rift could be affected to. But the humans distorted the gravitational energy in a similar manner many years ago, they channelled it for their own use and the Rift was created. They then continuously tapped into the Rifts energy in increasingly larger and larger ways this could make the Rift unstable, become out of balance. Such instability could feed back into the gravitational forces of the world in such a way as to start to have an effect upon the positioning of the world. I believe this is what the ancient fathers machine was designed to do in part, ensure that the correct balance was maintained at all times. Long ago however with the right knowledge others could have created other Rift outlets into the machine hall and perhaps beyond. A convenient short cut perhaps. This may be what you found Retta, high in the mountains, hidden from the world and probably guarded closely by the ognods."

Retta nodded but she looked sceptical. "You may be correct master keeper, but I'm afraid as I alluded to earlier, I believe there is another reason. The monk was right, the Book of Truths hints at a way to access paradise, for those who keep the faith may be rewarded. My father taught me much on this subject." Here Retta stood silent for a few moments. "I may speak blasphemy, but I believe that the Book of Truths is not just the basis for religious belief, I believe it is also something more. I believe it is the handbook, an instruction book if you like from the ancient father's." Retta retrieved a lamp from the wall opposite and held it up so that one of the ancient wall hangings could be seen. Solvienne and Amndo stepped forward. There was depicted a city, not dissimilar to the one they now found themselves in. They could see the fields surrounding the place, the high stockade wall and the buildings within. There sitting high on top of the hill in the centre stood a large building. Above this city lay a massive picture of something unknown, it dwarfed the city beneath. Solvienne could see it had a sun or a star depicted within it shining forth, casting light over everything below. Beneath the city was a circular disk inside of which abstract silvery shapes could be seen. At the bottom of the wall hanging a number of other smaller pictures were painted. A golden tree, a double-headed war axe and a strange square object she recognised from the various descriptions of the Biplextor devices the Pnook use. There was also another picture of a pyramid like structure and yet another that depicted the two twins of which the ognods speak, Grouund and Gruoond they are called and here they sat in the typical pose depicted in many places throughout the ognod lands, they were seated facing each other their knees drawn up under their chins and their clawed fingers resting atop their knees. The last picture showed a strange representation. There was a six pointed star and in the centre of this star was a face, it looked upwards as if it gazed at the heavens, the hands either side framing this face with palms upwards. All of these separate little artworks were joined by a line stitched in golden thread; it looked like some kind of roadway, for figures of beings were depicted walking along these interconnecting roads.

Solvienne was about to ask Retta to explain the paintings but before she could do so Retta spoke.

"Long ago the elder races came into the world from within the ancient father's great ship of the stars, we came here to help build the great machine," she pointed to the tapestry to the disk with the silvery shapes set within it. "Each race lived in a place that emulated their home world, the place where they came from." She pointed once more at the tapestry but this time towards the smaller pictures with tree and axe and other things showing. "This was necessary for two reasons. Firstly the world was in such a poisonous and polluted state it would have been dangerous to live upon it. Secondly the elder races did not want to influence the then remaining population of the race of men. The ancient fathers created links between these living quarters of the elder races and the machine room. I believe it was the intent of the ancient fathers to leave the workers of the machine here, for it would take many years to construct the machine. They would then return at a later date to collect the workers once more. But for some reason they never returned and the workers, the elder races were marooned. Well the machine was built as you know. The elder races waited and waited in their living quarters, but gradually they decided to enter into the world. The world recovered slowly with the help of the ancient father's machine until it became much as we see it today. I believe that then, for whatever reasons, the elder races slowly abandoned their places of refuge and came into the world itself to live."

Before she could continue Solvienne said excitedly, so the pool you found was the route that the ognods took to gain access into the world from their home quarters in the voids!"

"Perhaps so T'Iea one, yes, but to prove it we would have to enter into the Rift. So then this may be your answer, this pathway may grant you access to where Minervar is now."

"Yes Retta it is a possibility, however there is no guarantee. The Rift within your temple is more likely to take whoever enters into the quarters as you call them, of the ognods is it not? " Said Amndo.

"Perhaps master keeper, yes. But the same Rift I suspect is where Minervar disappeared. The Rift in the Temple may take whoever enters it to the ognod's place, but the Book of Truths suggests each races home was accessible, there is no mention of exclusivity, the Rift may give the chance of access to many such places." She pointed at the smaller depictions all joined by the golden thread, the interconnecting road on which beings travelled. "It may give someone a chance to access the same path that Minervar took. It may give the choice."

Solvienne pointed at the large object at the very top, "so what is that?"

Retta thought for a while, "I don't know exactly. Traditionally the ognods believe it to be heaven, or paradise. But I am not so sure. Our stories tell of our arrival here in a great ship of the voids, the ancient father's great Star Ship, so large that it blotted out the sun whilst it hung in the sky. I think this is what is shown here."

There was silence for a while until Amndo said, "there is not guarantee that the Rift will lead where you say though. But if I could gain access to the main Rift in the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran realm, I could try and find out if this second access point is linked. If it is, I could easily send you a sign confirming this link. As long as you stood in close proximity to see my signal that is. "

Solvienne asked, "is that possible Amndo?"

"Perhaps, yes. I would need to go there, to the main Rift vent and try and figure out what the configurations may be. I could use the large keystone that sits above the Rift vent. I have already connected with it once."

"Yes, and almost died." Said Solvienne.

"Ah, but that was as an enemy, if I were to be a friend, if I were the Gatekeeper, then possibly the Rift may accept me differently."

Retta smiled at Amndo and then asked, "how are your acting skills master keeper?"

Amndo shrugged. "There is a first time for everything! I will go to Amentura and see what may be done. The Maker willing, I will be able to take the same route to the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran realm as did Minervar, through the portal in the Lady Solin's house."

Retta nodded, "then I will guide Solvienne to this temple, it is but a few weeks walk from here, a few weeks for an ognod at least, so perhaps twice that for a being of a smaller race. Anyway I can take her there and we could await your signal. If it comes, then Solvienne could enter into the Rift and join you there. If your sign does not come then she can return with me here and we can decided what may be done as an alternative?"

Amndo thought for a while then said, "I agree, travel there to this place within the temple and await my sign. I will make it as obvious as possible." He then seemed to come to a decision and said, "Retta, may I take one of your key stones to use in the link to Amentura?"

Retta nodded. She picked up the tray from the table and offered it forward to Amndo. "Make your choice master keeper."

Amndo was reticent to grasp any of the keystones at first, he seemed to scrutinise them all carefully, so Retta said, "it's alright they are none of them charged, at least not yet, I dabble with them, but as I said the ognod's are not skilled in the use of the stones or in the use of the arcane in general, I have tried with little success. Please take any, they are safe."

Amndo grasped one and held it in his palm. He concentrated on the gravitational signature that he knew existed in Amentura, in fact a particular place in Amentura within the basement of a small house that he had purchased many years before. When he had the signature right, he transferred the information into the keystone as he had done many times before. He did not however replicate multiple copies into the keystone, neither did he put the gravitational signature of the ognod's city after the one of Amentura. This would mean that the keystone could only be used one way and could not be used to return unless the appropriate signature where transferred into the stone.

This done he gently placed the key stone onto the table. He looked at Solvienne, "you will be alright my lady?"

"Of course Amndo, I am in good hands here."

He then nodded towards Retta who smiled. "The Maker be with you, let us hope that this plan works for much relies upon it. Till we meet once again." Amndo bowed to both women, he moved his hand forward and grasped the stone. He felt the pull of the portal transition. He then disappeared from Retta's room and Retta and Solvienne where left alone.

## Chapter 27. Within the Labyrinth

Nar'Allia had spent the next few days with Łĩnwéé's help going through book after book in Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd's library. Although they found many interesting things, nothing seemed to be of any use or aid to their immediate problem. Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd had obviously been around when the city of the Grûndén had been designed and built, for many reference books including architectural designs written in Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd own flowing hand could be found in the library. But no mention of any secret places, or lower halls could they find. After a week or so of searching she had given up and despite Łĩnwéé's continued offer of support she had resorted to spending her time looking at the sights and sounds of the city. She had nothing else to do. She had offered to accompany Tnie with his negotiations, but it seemed that the Grûndén were only too pleased to aid the Pnook in mining below Scienocropolis. Everything had gone so well that she wasn't really needed. In fact Tnie was preparing to return back to the Pnook city, he just awaited the preparations of the Grûndén mining contingent. Once they were ready then she was sure he would be on his way. This pleased her at least for the official reason for coming here to Gwéldølĩn had been successful.

She wished her own reasons would be equally as successful, but she had not seen or heard from Łĩnwéé who had promised to make some enquiries of his own. He had not been back to see her since they parted company outside Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd's palace. Once more seeking the relief from boredom she was walking through the city, it was a beautiful place and every turn in the road promised a new and breath-taking vista. She now stood as she had many times before at one of her favourite places, upon one of the many arched bridges that spanned across two of the pinnacles of rock on which the city was built. She leant upon the ornate parapet and was deep in thought looking down beneath the bridge into the depths of the abyss far below. She wondered about many things. But the main thought in her mind was what Łĩnwéé might be up to, he seemed to be taking a long time in getting back to her, perhaps he had failed in his quest even given up and was too afraid to tell her.

After a while she looked up, she needed a distraction from these sombre thoughts. Crystal formations of various colours set into the rock glinted in the light of the great orbs that hung far above the city and the birds that seemed so common place flew around the pinnacle crying out to one another, sometimes alighting on the vertical rock formations, clinging on with their clawed feet and small clawed finger. She watched as they crawled about the rock face obviously quite at home here in this environment. Flowers of all sorts, colours and sizes, along with fronds of strange but beautiful looking plants also adorned the vertical rock faces all around her. She wondered at this, for none of these species of flora and fauna could be seen outside of Gwéldølĩn as far as she knew. Certainly she had never come across them. Perhaps here in the realm of the Grûndén was the only place they lived. Her eyes once more looked downwards. Clouds of fine watery spray rose up from the depths obscuring anything below several hundred metres down. She was thinking what may lay there, down in those invisible depths, hidden in the mists. Nothing of malice surely, for she could not believe anything evil may prowl within the Grûndén realm of Gwéldølĩn; it was just too beautiful a place in her eyes.

Suddenly she became aware of someone calling her name. She started and looked round just in time to see Łĩnwéé striding up the street that led to the bridge. He was waving excitedly towards her.

"Ach lassie, Dĩmmĩ be atellin' me ye may be afoun' here. I have news that ye may be awantin' t' listen to."

Nar'Allia turned to face him a look of expectancy upon her face.

"I 'ave abeen avisitin' Tnie, awantin' to know how the wee chap be farin' he gave me an introduction t' one o' t' minin' guilds representatives that e' be negotiatin' with. Well we got achattin' an' I mentioned about o' what we spoke, t' lower halls an all ye unerstan'. Well ye nat be abelievin it, what e' told me lassie but it seems that lang past now t' Grûnden," he shrugged, "that abeein' t' Grûndén, m' people. Well we once did mine below t' city 'ere. T' mines were abandoned lang ago now fo' fear oh aweekenin' t' foundations o' the city. All t' mines were boarded up, entrance to 'em was banned by decree o' the Grâumin 'imself. I suspect that these old mines ay be what is 'abein referred to as abein' below t' city, t' lower halls ye mentioned."

Nar'Allia became quite excited and started to ask all sorts of questions, but it seemed that Łĩnwéé could not elaborate much on what he had already said. They walked back to Dĩmmĩ's house. Once there Łĩnwéé made his excuses and said that if they were to explore further they may need help and he was going to go and see if he could get the necessary aid, he said he was going to call in a few favours.

The following morning Nar'Allia was eating breakfast in the dining room, she was alone. She was aware of voices in the entrance hall outside and stopped sipping her tea so that she could listen. She could hear Dĩmmĩ and another Grûndén talking in their own language. Then all went quiet and the door to the dining room opened. In strode Dĩmmĩ followed by a young Grûndén in tailed coat and breeches wearing long stockings and buckled shoes. He was introduced as a messenger sent by Master Łĩnwéé. He said that Łĩnwéé had sent him to guide Nar'Allia to a place where they may meet and set about starting a small journey. Nar'Allia in her excitement left what remained of her meal and running upstairs she gathered her belongings and returned to the hallway of Dĩmmĩ 's house where the messenger was waiting. Before she shut the door to Serinae's room behind her, she turned and whispered, "thank you Seri."

The messenger bowed and after Nar'Allia had thanked Dĩmmĩ and said her farewells she followed the messenger outside and was led away through the city. Her Grûndén guide took her downhill away from the residential districts of the city and down into the lower quarter where the artisans worked and many large warehouses were built to store all manner of things. Eventually they stood outside one of these warehouse buildings and her guide knocked upon the wooden plank door. The sound of a large piece of wood being slid across was followed by the door opening a crack. There was a satisfied grunt from within and to her surprise the door was fully opened by Łĩnwéé himself. Some coin passed between Łĩnwéé and the messenger who promptly bowed to them both and walked away back up the hill in the direction that he had brought Nar'Allia just moments before.

"Aye Lassie, thank 'e fer acomin' so prompt like. Please come within." He stood back and allowed Nar'Allia entrance into the building. He then placed one foot outside and up and down the street as if expecting or perhaps dreading someone else's presence being there.

The interior was gloomy, but the space in the main was empty, nothing of any note seemed to be stored in this place at least not at the present time. Nar'Allia was told that the warehouse was normally used for storing bricks and other building materials. A spate of new building was going on at present and the warehouse was depleted of its stock somewhat. The warehouse manager had said that he awaited new materials to be brought in from the surrounding forests and quarries. The interior had a musty smell, pawls of dust swirled about in the air illuminated by shafts of light shining through the gaps in the plank walls. They walked to where Nar'Allia suspected the middle of the floor was and she stopped as she spied several figures watching their arrival through the gloom. As they approached Nar'Allia saw seven Grûndén standing in a huddle in the middle of the floor. Nar'Allia stopped a little suspicious. These seven Grûndén were dressed strangely. None had on military armour or carried axes. They didn't look like the civilian population of the city either. All had on knee high leather boots with iron soles, thick black leather breeches showed beneath equally thick short capes that were slung over their shoulders. They wore a sort of leather head gear that fitted snuggly covering their ears and each wore an iron helmet with a wide brim. A thick leather plate, hinged into riveted strips hung down from the back of the helm covering their necks. At the front of each helmet was a metal bracket onto which a lantern with thick crystal lenses and a short wide multi wicked tallow candle was mounted within. There was a small lever at the side of the lantern that Nar'Allia later found out could dim the light from the candle and also focus the same light into a fine beam.

Łĩnwéé introduced the seven Grûndén, not by name but as a party of miners from one of the Grûndén guilds. These miners were obviously the helpers of which he talked, she wondered what favours he had called in to get the commitment of seven skilled mining Grûndén from the guilds. But she decided not to ask, something told her that Łĩnwéé had most probably not gone through official guild channels to employ these miners and she didn't want to know how he had gained their favour whether willingly or begrudgingly. He was quick to point out that none of them spoke any common tongue they could only converse in their own native Grûndén dialect. He seemed to think this was normal, for he said quite off-handed it seemed to Nar'Allia, "they be but t' miner types anyways." Again she decided not to press for more details after all she had Łĩnwéé along as translator. She thought to herself that perhaps these mining Grûndén didn't get out much, perhaps they spent their entire days in the mines and only had other miners for company.

Łĩnwéé asked Nar'Allia to follow him, he walked straight past the Grûndén miners to the far wall of the warehouse. A square hole in the floor proved to reveal a stairwell. Łĩnwéé explained that the warehouse manager had given permission for him to explore the warehouse and it wasn't long before he had discovered this large wooden trapdoor. It was secured shut, but they had managed to remove all the nails and seals that kept the trapdoor from opening and there revealed before them was this old stair leading down into the gloom.

Once the miner's lamps had been lit and the seven miners had donned heavy looking and quite large backpacks. They had descended down through the main floor of the warehouse and now stood not on a wooden floor but on hard packed earth and rock. They found themselves standing in a low ceilinged area that was quite large, probably it was the same in area as the floor area of the warehouse above, for many ancient looking wooden pillars stood every few metres obviously supporting the wooden floor above their heads. Old rusting applecart tracks criss-crossed the floor and some disappeared behind sealed wooden doors set into the stone walls of the area. Nar'Allia inspected one of the doors; it seemed to be have sealed relatively recently, for the wooden seals were obviously newer looking than the ancient looking wood of the door itself. She also felt a slight arcane signature around the seals. So, the seals where either protected by arcane science, or their was a ward upon them that may injure or maim anyone trying to get past them, or perhaps sound an alarm warning someone of the impending intrusion. The seven Grûndén miners had scrutinised each of these barred doors and eventually with much discussion had come to a decision. They faced one of the doors Nar'Allia went over to take a look. Something was etched into the door itself, carved crudely but was so instantly recognisable to Nar'Allia that she cried out in shock. There set into the wood of the door was the unmistakable outline of the slit eyed face of a Dolan. One of the miners strode forward, he scrutinised the door. Then he laved his gauntleted hands on the door gingerly and took a deep breath when nothing untoward happened. He stood back and with confident authority spoke something to the other miners. Łĩnwéé nodded his head in satisfaction and when Nar'Allia looked at him he winked at her, a broad smile showing on his mouth.

One more pickaxe stroke exploded what was left of the wooden doorway. Behind musty air flowed from what looked like an old mining shaft that sloped downwards sharply. Nar'Allia felt her hair blow around her face, the moving air felt old, the air of ancient things. She shivered.

he miners lit their headlamps and Łĩnwéé waved them though. Nar'Allia was the last to enter the tunnel. Inside the place smelt musty and stale, dry air that had not been disturbed for centuries perhaps assaulted Nar'Allia's nose. This was not helped by the thick layer of dust that lay upon the floor and was now being kicked up at every step. One miner called a halt and he walked carefully forward a few steps and then crouched looking at the ground. He muttered several words.

"'E be asayin' none 'as been a walkin' dunn 'ere for many an age. There be no footprints, nat a single one 'ereabouts." Łĩnwéé translated.

They proceeded along the tunnel. Nar'Allia was sure that this tunnel and wherever it led had been here a long, long time. She shivered, perhaps too long? But anyway as they got underway her thoughts lightened. The tunnel had levelled off a bit, it was still descending but not at such a rapid pace. At least it was warm down here and the light from the miners lamps meant that they could see well at least. She also consoled herself with the fact that these miners were Grûndén and they spent their lives beneath the ground. They knew what to expect and how to get around situations both expected and not so obvious. To her surprise the miners started to sing as they marched.

Łĩnwéé walked by her side. "This be what looks like'n old mine ventilation shaft, though it 'ave nat been maintained fo' a good few o' years by'n t' look o' it."

One of the miners was running his gloved hand across the surface of the rock wall to one side of the tunnel. Łĩnwéé listened to what the miner had to say then he told Nar'Allia, "t' be 'onest, it dunny look t' be made by t' Grûnden. Perhaps it be even older than t' city itself." This translation made Nar'Allia think.

"Not made by the Grûndén?" Nar'Allia shivered, what in the makers name could have made this tunnel then?

Łĩnwéé addressed the miners, obviously asking the question. The miners grunted and rumbled to each other in subdued voices. Then one of them stood upright from the huddle, he wiped his nose on his sleeve and exclaimed in a low bass voice. This translated to, "then I 'ope we dunny be ameetin' wit' t' miner then."

Nar'Allia looked towards Łĩnwéé hoping for an explanation, but he would not meet her gaze. He just stared into nothing a worried look upon his face. Then she thought, 'the miner?' She had read something about avoiding the miner in one of Tezrin's letters, he had warned Serinae to look out for the miner, or something of that sort.

They progressed on down the tunnel. It stayed looking much the same. But every now and again they came across a wider, more open area. The first of these areas they came to, caused some interest to the miners and one of the Grûndén again inspected the rock.

As usual Łĩnwéé was quick to translate for Nar'Allia. "Aha, this we did fashion. This be a holdin' area, we widened this t' store food an' water an' gear an' t' like in times gone by."

The Grûndén miner proceeded to run his hands along the rock wall of the tunnel as if searching for something. Another of the Grûndén miners shouted an alarm, they turned to see the miner who had voiced concern was across the other side of the holding area crouched on all fours and looking intently at the ground. They went across to see what was up. A small discussion resulted in Łĩnwéé translating the words to mean, "'ere be footprints in t' dust, looky 'ere." He pointed at the ground in front of the miners. The Grûndén started discussing the find excitedly in their own language. Nar'Allia looked over their shoulders at what had been indicated as footprints. Sure enough the dust had clear marks from the soles of someone's boots set in it. The footprints cut clear across the holding area. But they had been made some time ago, for the dust that this person had kicked up in their passage across the floor had resettled into the footprints once again for it could be clearly seen lying above the rocky floor beneath. Then Nar'Allia had a shock. She looked at the large heavy footprints the Grûndén miners left with their iron soled boots. These other footprints were much smaller and lighter and made by thin slender leather soles. Not only that but they went in both directions. Another miner shouted and after going over to see what he had found they saw there revealed upon the floor were another set of similar footprints much the similar to the first set they had discovered.

Nar'Allia recognised the one word that he said. It was "Vhalkéré". She didn't need a translation; she knew the word to be a Grûndén name, a name they used for her race, the T'Iea people. Suddenly Nar'Allia smiled, she whispered to herself, "so Serinae and even Tezrin perhaps had both been here, many years ago."

Another of the Grûndén miners shouted in his own tongue and indicated a section of wall that even Nar'Allia could see was a slightly different texture than the surrounding wall. She only noticed it because the patterns that the tools had made in cutting the rock didn't join up exactly in places, it looked like someone had taken a section of wall out and tried to replace it but not aligned it exactly. To Nar'Allia's surprise the Grûndén walked forward and then disappeared right through that section of wall. A few seconds later he reappeared. He continued to mutter in his own language.

"What is it?" Asked Nar'Allia.

Łĩnwéé replied, "it be an alcove fo' shelter, ye un'erstan'. A place t' provide refuge."

"Refuge? Refuge from what?"

"Ye dun't wanner know lassie, believe me on this. What made these 'ere tunnels is dangerous t' extreme. A beasty from out o' t' voids."

"What are they called these beasts?"

All the Grûndén turned and stared at her, Łĩnwéé wiped his gauntleted hand across his mouth as if to wipe the words away.

"I'll nat speak t' name o' it 'ere lassie, jus' let's 'ope we are nat ameetin' it t'day."

The Grûndén miners mumbled amongst themselves, an air of discontent was definitely about them. One of their number a frown on his face went up to Łĩnwéé and a somewhat heated discussion ensued. Nar'Allia said no more for she thought it would not take much pushing to make them even more restless and fearful, she was not about to risk antagonising them further.

But eventually the argument subsided and they continued onwards. Łĩnwéé was muttering to himself. Nar'Allia couldn't hear what he was saying but words like 'cheatin' and 'danger money' she did hear. They passed through several more holding areas; all had these places of refuge hidden behind some kind of false wall of rock. Nar'Allia went inside one with one of the Grûndén miners just to satisfy her curiosity. She wondered at how she just walked through the rock without feeling anything. She knew that arcane energies were present, but she had never experienced this type of signature strand before. Beyond the veil, for veil is what she likened these false rock walls to be, there was hidden quite a fare sized room. Seating and shelving was cut into the rock as if an attempt at comfort had been made. She wondered at how long Grûndén miners and others were expected to stay within these places of refuge, hiding from whatever unmentionable thing used to move through these tunnels. She shivered not wanting to think that it may still do, yet at the same time her T'Iea curiosity wanted to know what it was.

After a few more hours of marching and singing the downward slope of the tunnel increased dramatically, it was becoming quite treacherous to walk upright and Nar'Allia's ankles and calf muscles were complaining of the continual pressure being exerted upon them. At last though they came upon a junction and stopped, Nar'Allia sat down thankful for the slightest respite from the sloping path, she rubbed her leg muscles attempting to get rid of their shaking and rub some life back into them. They had arrived at a fork in the tunnel. She looked to either side of her. The tunnel looked like it curved around out of sight to the left and to the right of their current position. The miners were ordered to dim their lamps. Nar'Allia found herself in a heavy blanket of darkness. She knew the Grûndén termed this darkness 'Trûgnûén'. The term had no direct translation into T'Iea or the common tongue, the closest would be 'deep dark', but basically it meant that not even Grûndén miners could see anything within its dark embrace. Immediately upon her eyes being starved of all light her T'Iea senses spread out before her. She could feel the rock and the air, she could envisage the tunnels curving around. But little else presented itself here. The lamps were turned up once more and they moved off down the left hand tunnel.

Nar'Allia asked, "how do you know this is the right way?"

"We dun't Narny, jus', well this way be down 'ill an all, which be t' way ye wish t' go? So I be atakin' a calculated guess is all. An' this path has been trod 'afore."

Nar'Allia had noticed that on the floor the T'Iea footprints they had been following since they were first discovered led off down this tunnel, no footprints went in the other direction to the right.

Nar'Allia started to detect heightened nervousness amongst her Grûndén companions and progress was slowed somewhat for they kept stopping and turning out their lamps every so often and stood in silence in the deep dark, waiting for something it seemed. They performed this strange exercise every fifty or so metres. Łĩnwéé halted her once more and once again her senses switched onto full power as before. But this time something presented itself, something she hadn't felt before, at first she thought she had imagined it, but this time there was definitely something tugging at her senses. She felt a presence, a glow, something was definitely ahead in the tunnel. Her senses could easily detect it, she looked in that direction. Sure enough the presence manifested itself as a warm orange glow. It was stationary however, dormant, not flickering, mobile as she would expect to detect from something animated and living.

The miners turned up their lamps once more. Nar'Allia started to feel a real concern; she stopped them from moving forward. "There is something, further down this tunnel, I feel it. A warmth, a glow of some kind. It feels inert though, almost as if it is an afterglow, something left behind by ..... I don't know, something old, ancient, but now reduced. Almost ....." She struggled for words, a word to describe what she felt. Only one word came to her so she said in a whisper, "dead."

After Łĩnwéé had translated, one of the Grûndén made a snorting sound, but they walked forward and continued onwards. The presence, the glow that Nar'Allia felt in the dark seemed to increase as they went, she could now detect whatever it was in the light of the lamps. Something else was also manifesting itself. A deep feeling of nausea. She held her stomach, trying to stop it from disgorging its contents. She suspected that the feeling may just be nervousness due to her own unease, she willed the feeling down. But as they strode forward the sensation increased. She sat down heavily on the floor. She felt terrible, felt like retching.

"What be up lassie? Be ye alright?"

Nar'Allia looked up at Łĩnwéé's concerned face. "Do you not feel it?"

"What?" Łĩnwéé looked around as if trying to determine what it was he should be feeling. But he returned his attention back to her, a deep look of concern on his face.

"I, I feel ill, dizzy. Like I'd eaten something bad and disagreeable."

Łĩnwéé shook his head. "Come lassie let's go." He held out a hand and helped her to her feet.

Despite the sensations in her stomach she walked forward. But the discomfort continued to rise within her, her head started to throb and ache terribly, she wondered that she managed to actually walk, all she wanted to do was lay on the floor and tuck her knees up in an attempt to relieve the terrible discomfort. But then they rounded a bend and a Grûndén gave a cry of alarm, he pointed along the tunnel in the direction they had been traveling. Nar'Allia followed his pointing finger. There blocking the way was a mass of silvery-white coloured sticks, or shafts of wood perhaps; it looked like a shining cage. Nar'Allia imagined a set of bars were set into the rock blocking their way, but there was no pattern to it, it was a pile of what looked like metal rods of all shapes and sizes. Nar'Allia imagined someone had discarded an old, large and very battered birdcage of complicated design in the tunnel. A large birdcage big enough she thought to hold several Grûndén in fact. But Nar'Allia knew that this was the source of the glow and of her discomfort. She fell to her knees. But then she must have fainted. When she came to she was vaguely aware of Grûndén voices shouting as Łĩnwéé dragged her back the way they had come.

The next thing she knew Nar'Allia awoke lying on a rock shelf. She looked around she was obviously inside one of the refuge rooms back along the tunnel, possibly the same one she had entered before. She groaned and closed her eyes.

Łĩnwéé came over to her, he took a deep breath, "ach ma wee lassie, ye be wit' us yet." He smiled and offered something to her, it was a cup. "'Ere lassie ye be adrinkin' this 'ere brew now, it'll do ye good."

She leant upon one elbow and took the offered cup. She held it to her lips and tilted the cup expecting some warm tea perhaps to flow into her mouth. But what she hoped for was far from what she actually felt. A cold, thick and clammy liquid like watery mud entered her mouth, she wretched and spat it out. She looked up at Łĩnwéé a look of disgust on her face. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve; there she saw several smears of a horrid grey looking liquid that contained small pieces of what looked like stone. She went to give the cup back to Łĩnwéé, shaking her head as she did so.

He shoved her hand back towards her. "Ye have been poisoned lassie, 'ere drink it, it be t' antidote. I know it dun't look much and tastes like sh... that is I mean muck, but it'll do ye good, believe me now."

She looked sceptically at the cup, but she trusted Łĩnwéé so drank as much of the liquid as she could stomach. Swallowing the thick gunge was horrible as well as being quite difficult. But she managed two or three gulps.

Łĩnwéé nodded in satisfaction and took the cup back off her. "That's m'girly. Ye can 'ave more later. Fo' now ye rest a bit befo' we be amovin' on."

Nar'Allia coughed, "what was that thing. Down there in the tunnel. That pile of ....".

Łĩnwéé turned to look at her once more. "ah. Well what we came across were the remains o' a nameless fear. The bones o' a Doglomite. They be made o' some kind of mineral almost a metal ye know. Sometimes we come across t' stuff whilst mining, if ye stay around it fo' too lang ye gets a sickness." He indicated towards her.

Nar'Allia nodded in understanding. Then she thought of what he had just told her. She had heard that name before, Doglomite. These creatures had been mentioned by Minervar. They were creatures from the voids with an incredibly high body temperature. The Grûndén used them to help them mine. They had some inbuilt energy that melted the rock on which they fed. Normal creatures could not get anywhere near them for fear of being incinerated.

Then as if I confirmation of her thoughts, Łĩnwéé continued, "we use em', t' beasties I mean, well did use 'em t' mine tunnels. They be creatures o' t' voids, brought here by the keepers. Their bodies are naturally hot, very hot. Jus' t' stand near one would sear the flesh from ye and burn yur bones to ash. But they can mine through t' rock much faster than can we wit' metal tools an' blastin' powders. Even when dead ye have to be careful o' 'em, fo' the bones, even in death, still give forth a poisonous aura. We call the bones o' the beasties Urrânééûmn. If there be none o' those queer folk, t' old ones around t' send t' bones back to t' voids the only way o' safely disposin' o' t' stuff be t' bury it in a mass o' rock, fo, those bones, they be acarry'n t' sickness forever. Seems ye be unlucky lassie ye 'an t' T'Iea be a tad more susceptible to the effects o' that aura than be we Grûndén it seems."

After a few hours rest and several more tortuous gulps of the antidote liquid administered on Łĩnwéé's insistence, Nar'Allia began to feel much better and able once more to stand and walk again. They left the sanctuary of the alcove and regaining the same junction they had come across before took the right hand tunnel the opposite way from the remains of the Doglomite. This proved to be a good choice for after an hour or so, Nar'Allia could sense daylight and she could hear the wonderful sound of rushing water. This spurred her on and before many more minutes had passed they came out of the tunnel and onto a wide platform of rock. A rickety wooden balustrade ran along the far edge. Nar'Allia walked over to this point breathing deeply of the fresh damp air. She made to lean upon the balustrade, the wood creaked and then gave way, most fell to dust and she pitched forward overbalancing. She gasped, but a strong hand grabbed her arm and pulled her back onto the rock platform.

"Careful thar' lassie,"

She nodded her thanks at Łĩnwéé grateful for his quick reactions and looked around at her surroundings.

They had exited the tunnel out onto a wide ledge upon a cliff face. Looking up she could see the face of the cliff, but the view soon disappeared into the mists. Looking down, several hundred metres below where they stood she could see an enormous swirling mass of dark blue water. It looked like someone somewhere was stirring boiling water in a pan, waves and splashes covered the surface of the water in a complete haphazard way. She looked around her, several pinnacles of rock rose vertically from the depths and rose upwards until they disappeared into the thickening mists above them. Several large waterfalls cascaded down from high above exploding into the waters of the lake below. It was a deafening but breath taking sight. More of the reptilian birds could be seen flying around them, but these were less colourful than those she had seen in the city. These had feathers of black mostly, but there was a beauty about the way the dark feathers caught the light reflecting hues of deep blue and green. These birds did not seem to want to fly into the mists above, preferring to stay near the water's surface. Strange succulent plants grew from the rock face, long colourful leaves hung downwards as did thin snake-like stems, each had a large vase-like growth on the end. She approached one and saw that this pitcher-like growth was semi-transparent, fluid filled the lower half of the growth like a half empty glass. She could see tiny creatures swimming around in this fluid. She heard a buzzing sound and turned towards it just in time to duck as a beetle as large as the palm of her hand flew by and hit the rock face with an audible thud. The hapless creature bounced off and tried again. This went on several times until the creature approached one of the pitcher plants. Suddenly a thin tendril shot out from the pitcher and stabbed at the beetle. Whether it had been pierced or whether the end of the tendril was sticky she didn't know, but the beetle became hooked and the tendril was drawn in towards the plant. Several other tendrils shot out and the beetle was held fast. Nar'Allia watched in disgust as the poor hapless insect was drawn down into the pitcher to be drowned in the fluid at its base. She looked at the rock floor beneath the plant, a pile of discarded beetle carapaces could be seen, obviously the inedible, or indigestible part of the plants prey. This seemed like an alien world, it was difficult to believe that what she saw here was part of Gwéldølĩn, she had never seen anything like it, yet it still had a beauty of its own.

She walked around the parapet taking in the vistas. Lianas and other vine-like plants festooned the rock faces around her, large trumpet shaped flowers reached outwards from the rock as if in competition with each other. The reptilian-like birds flew around screeching and hanging onto the rock walls whilst they pecked at berries and flowers and other foods just like their more colourful cousins the other side of the mists high above.

All thoughts of the pitcher plant forgotten she said, "this is beautiful," that was all she could bring herself to say.

At one end of the platform on which they stood a cliff path cut into the face of the cliffs ran around the face of the rock descending downwards at a steady pace just like the tunnels they had travelled though earlier. The path was not wide, but they could traverse along it comfortably in single file. In places the path took a steep drop and sometimes they found themselves going down stairs that had been hewn into the cliff face. For the most part the route followed the natural lie of the rock, but occasionally whoever had cut this path was forced to execute a degree of engineering to traverse certain difficult sections. A couple of times where the path was forced to cross deep chimneys set into the cliff, a rope bridge had been slung across. These Nar'Allia found reminiscent of the T'Iea'Tarderi town she called home. Similar constructions spanned across the trees there and she did not mind crossing these slightly precarious things. But based on the condition of the parapet Nar'Allia had lent upon earlier, whenever they came across one of these rope bridges, one of the miners would test it for strength before they all crossed. On one occasion one of these brave stout little men took a tumble when the rope bridge collapsed beneath him, his fellows hung onto the safety rope he had tied to him and had to haul him back up to the path. But the miners then produced ropes and wooden rungs from their gear and quickly remade the bridge. Nar'Allia watched with interest as various component parts were withdrawn from packs and bags and a large crossbow was assembled. A large bolt fitted into the breach of the crossbow to which a rope was securely attached by a metal ring. The crossbow was aimed and fired the bolt shot high up towards the far cliff face and embedded itself into the rock. Once the security of the bolt was established, one of the Grûndén used the attached rope to swing across to the far side carrying another sturdier rope. In this way the first spans of the bridge were made and within a mornings work a safe and reasonable rope bridge had been constructed across the gorge. Once more all the gear was disassembled and stowed back from where it came and they continued on their journey.

They seemed to be spiralling around the great pinnacle of rock, one of many that rose from the waters at the base of the great cavern. Nar'Allia knew that the great city of the Grûndén was built high above her upon the plateaus of these pinnacles. Exactly how far above where they now walked along the spiral way that encircled this vast rock pillar she had no way of knowing. Nar'Allia continued to look around her. It was quite a different, somehow older world down here, familiar in a way, but also with its own primeval peculiarities probably because of its isolation. She wondered, if Serinae had walked these paths, had taken this same route to steal a few hours in the company of the one she loved? Nar'Allia liked to think so, she imagined the two of them standing here hand in hand, embracing, enjoying their stolen moment of solitude away from their responsibilities and the demands of others. This beautiful vista splayed out before them. Their own secret place, a place well away from the trials and tribulation of the other world above.

Then all of a sudden without any warning she found she stepped out upon a sandy beach. The Grûndén were already huddled around looking down at something beyond the beach itself. Nar'Allia came to stand by their sides and there running from the beach out into the blue water which was now quiet and still, presumably because it was not so near to any of the waterfalls, there stood quite clearly a wooden jetty. They all walked forward onto the jetty and Nar'Allia could see a small boat tied securely to a post at the far end. The boat was circular in shape, made from some kind of hide stretched across a curved wooden frame like a large basket. It was reminiscent of an old T'Iea design called a C'Or'Chul'E used for stealth when fishing in the still waters of a lake. It must have been old for the leather had hardened and the tar that was daubed over the hide hull presumably to make it fully waterproof was also hard and cracked in places. It was a small vessel; there was only room for one that was obvious from the size. A metal chain was tied close by, quite low down on the post that the little boat was tied to, it was obviously tied to something else at its other end, for it extended out over the waters, dipping down into the water itself a few metres from shore. The final destination of the chain could not be seen as it was obscured from view in the thin mist that lay over the waters.

"Thar' be yu'r ferry lassie, ye use t' chain t' guide yur' way." It was Łĩnwéé who spoke.

Nar'Allia nodded, she had already worked that out but she didn't say so. Instead she felt sadness; she also felt a degree of anxiety. She hadn't thought about it before, the fact that she may be left alone at some point in this journey, but it was obvious that point had come; it seemed to come quite suddenly and without warning. The ferry boat would not take more than a one at a time so once over the other side it would have to stay there until the person, or someone else returned. It occurred to Nar'Allia that whoever built the boat should have tied a rope to it so that at least it could be dragged back. But then if Serinae was the builder and the sole user then perhaps she would not have need for such an adaptation and she would be trapped on the far side if the boat were to be returned to this shore. Nar'Allia turned to the Grûndén; she thanked each of the miners individually. They each bowed low to her. She then turned and faced Łĩnwéé. This was the moment she least wanted. She had to take a moment to push down the emotions that rose in her and to steady her resolve. "Thank you master Grûndén, for everything."

Łĩnwéé smiled and shrugged, "'twas m' pleasure lassie, go find that Mini fo' me eh?" He handed her the envelope, the one that contained the Dolan. "My guess is ye'll be aneedin' this trinket befor' lang." He held her hand and kissed it, then bowed low with a flourish." Just ye be sure now, t' come back t' tell me t' story eh?" Nar'Allia looked at the envelope, she stepped forward and bending down hugged Łĩnwéé tightly. He helped her into the small boat and then bent to untie the rope that held it from sailing away in the current.

He winked at her and stood back. "Ye look after ye'self lassie, ye hear me now?"

Nar'Allia just nodded, the lump in her throat would not allow words to pass. Her last view of Łĩnwéé was him standing alone upon the beach his hand held high in a gesture of farewell, for the other Grûndén had already started the long climb back up to the city. He had a broad smile upon his face, it showed through his beard, but soon he disappeared into the mists and she was alone in the damp silence. She continued to pull upon the chain, hand over hand and the little boat bobbed along with her movements. She felt frightened for soon she was completely enveloped in the mists and could not see either shore. She wondered if this was such a good idea after all, but consoled herself with the thought that at least two T'Iea had been here before, perhaps many times.

Several times she had to stop to rest. The chain although not thick was heavy just because of the length of it. Its weight made the small boat dip down onto one side, several times she had to slow her progress because the rocking motion as she pulled hand over hand did indeed dip the edge of the boat below the water so that the freezing liquid cascaded into the boat. One time she had to stop to bail out with her bare hands. She made sure that the chain itself was secured within the boat, to lose it over the side now would mean she could not retrieve it, for here this far from shore the chain would sink out of reach below the surface in its natural curve. By the time she had finished her hands had become so cold she had lost all feeling in them. She was forced to sit there and blow into her cupped hands for some time before she could once more grasp the chain and continue on her journey.

She pressed on, water from the chain had soaked her gloves and was again threatening to deaden all feeling in her hands, but she didn't want to stop again for the mist that surrounded her played havoc with her imagination. But then she noticed that the chain ahead did not fall into the water as she loosened her grip upon it to move along its length and haul upon it once more. Then almost immediately another wooden jetty came out of the mist, so unprepared was she that the small boat bumped against it heavily and she fell backwards, water from the bottom of the boat flooded down the back of her collar and she shivered. She stood quickly and stepped up onto the jetty. She then tied the boat off with the rope that hung there.

She looked around; she was obviously at the base of another of the cities pinnacles of rock, for everything looked remarkably similar to the jetty she had just left including a sandy beach of the same coloured sand beyond. It did occur to her that maybe she had somehow become confused and somehow ended up pulling the ferry and herself back to where she had embarked upon this little voyage. Perhaps she had become turned about without knowing whilst she warmed her hands. She panicked, she did not want to have to do that activity all over again, her hands and arms were tired and several ugly blisters adorned her palms, some already burst making her hands sting terribly. Her undershirt clung clammily all the way down her back where it had soaked up the water from the boat. She shivered and gathered her arms around her tightly in an effort to warm or to console herself. She took in several deep breaths, forced herself to be calm and told herself that going back, turning around would be impossible. She felt so alone. She found herself wishing that she had Serinae's old black bow or her quiver. One or other of those items she felt would provide welcome company in this time of need. She was sure that Serinae would have some advice, something to say about where she found herself and what to do next. For surely Serinae herself had made this same journey, perhaps many times to be with the one she loved so much. This thought made her feel better and she found her courage returning. She told herself that anything the T'Iea ranger could do, she too could also accomplish.

Nar'Allia wondered if she would be returning in the little boat, perhaps walk once more the fare streets of the city that now lay so far above. She looked up into the heavy swirling mists. She shook her head; somehow she knew that she would not. She then turned to see where to exit this part of the journey; her future lay in that direction, whatever that future may hold. A dark open hole in the cliff across the beach could be seen a short way up a couple of flights of wooden steps. Nar'Allia shivered involuntarily and walked forward, she hesitated briefly before she placed her foot upon the first step and went up towards the darkness that so beckoned her forward.

## Chapter 28. The Temple Guardian

The following day saw Solvienne and Retta leaving the ognod town. Solvienne had refrained from telling Retta that she had transport that could take them swiftly to the temple in the mountains and save them the many days travel on foot. Solvienne hoped that JDC kept a close eye on things using the imagery sensing devices on board the Leviathan so that he could follow them but also stay out of sight at high altitude. Until that is they were far enough away to allow them to embark onto the Leviathan in secrecy without arousing suspicion amongst the ognods.

They left the town behind and passed through the agricultural plain that surrounded it. They then started to climb into the mountains proper. Thin snow drifts started to appear in the shaded parts of the landscape, probably this snow was semi-permanent all year round in these pockets where the temperature stayed at freezing or just below because the sun's rays never penetrated into the shades to melt the snow and ice. As they rose higher these areas of snow became larger and a more common feature of the landscape. Eventually they hit the permanent snowline and the ground upon which their feet fell was covered in thick ice and snow. Their passage took them up a steep snowy incline for some fifty metres or so and the trees stopped altogether; the permanent snow here Solvienne guessed at being several metres thick. The going got tougher as Retta steered their passage around deep crevasses and areas that she did not like the look of, Solvienne was thankful for Retta's experience and skill.

They continued to travel towards the higher mountains. After they had been walking for a number of hours they stopped for a rest. Solvienne decided to explain to Retta what she had planned. She looked around at the bright blue, cloudless sky she was beginning to doubt whether JDC and the Leviathan were still in the region, but sure enough as if her thoughts had willed it, the big machine came into view at last. At first Retta didn't seem to notice, only after Solvienne pointed out the presence of the machine high above them did she look up and stare. She seemed to be deep in thought, an inner turmoil showed upon her expression, almost a recognition it seemed to Solvienne.

"You have seen one of these machines before Retta?"

Retta continued to stare at the Leviathan above them until Solvienne gently reached up and touched her forearm. Retta turned slowly and looked down at Solvienne and fixing her gaze upon her said, "y, T'Iea one, once many ages ago, I saw such a machine as this." She seemed to anger and clench her fists. "A machine that heralded the full treachery of your race T'Iea one."

Solvienne felt her heart skip a beat, what did Retta mean the treachery of her race.

Retta seemed to calm, she was obviously having some difficulty getting her emotions back under control. She tried to start speaking a couple of times but her anger prevented the formation of legible words.

Solvienne felt herself cowering a little, she was aware that over her back Retta carried the most enormous two-handed broad sword. She could feel the anger in Retta. Such anger, such hatred and malice, it felt like a wall between them. Solvienne thought if this was a common emotional outburst amongst the ognods, even when under a semblance of control, then how terrible in battle they must have been. No wonder the world shuddered when they pitched their onslaught from the north.

"Once long ago," started Retta, "my people had an alliance with your evil brethren, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. But what you don't know perhaps is that the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had such a machine as this." She raised her eyes and nodded her head at the descending Leviathan machine. "Once before the machine came we were allies, we fought together for a common goal. But when the machine came the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran thought themselves better, stronger than the ognods. They made demands upon our leader, my father. Demands that he refused to entertain. So they flew away in their great machine. We thought it just an argument between allies, we thought that they would not harbour grievances against us, but we were wrong. As they flew away they fired weapons upon the women and children working in the fields beyond our walls, many perished. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran cowards would not fight our warriors, they chose to vent their anger on the unarmed, those who could not fight back and even if they could, then none would be able to win against these great machines of death. My father could not speak for many days, his grief at our loss and anger towards the T'Iea were too great."

Solvienne stared at the ground beneath her feet. "I'm sorry Retta, I did not know any of this history, I'm sorry that my bringing the Leviathan here has opened old memories of great tragedy." Solvienne was starting to understand how her elder sister felt about the great machine of destruction. How she felt that its presence in the world was tantamount to the greatest of evils. She had to agree that the world was most probably a much better place without it.

But the machine had descended to almost ground level, the hatch in the bottom of the hull opened and the spiral stairway twisted its way out and down to ground level. Retta just stared at it, a grim expression upon her face. But she seemed to come to terms with some inner thought and she walked forward and placed her foot upon the first rung of the stairs and started to climb. No mean feat, for her size was somewhat larger than the entrance had been designed to accommodate.

After struggling for a while JDC spoke through the external speakers, "wait let me open the doors on the underside, the loading doors for the Startmektoken, there is more room." They watched as one of the great doors in the belly of the machine opened downwards. Retta took one look at the rows of dormant Startmektoken soldiers and immediately drew her great sword from the scabbard across her back. She hissed in an alarming way.

"It's alright Retta, they are dormant, sleeping. They will not attack." But it took several minutes to get Retta to give up her defensive stance and agree to enter through the belly of the machine. Solvienne entered that way to, perhaps to give Retta the confidence that the Startmektoken would not suddenly spring into to life and attack them, perhaps to share in any indignity that Retta perhaps felt at not being able to enter the machine via the normal route.

Once on board and away from the large bays that held the Startmektoken, Retta seemed to take an interest in the vessel, Solvienne hoped it was a healthy interest and not the beginnings of a plan of any sorts. Her imagination went wild around how Retta may be thinking about revenge upon the T'Iea, or thoughts of limitless offensive power in her grasp, for Solvienne was in no doubt that Retta could quite easily overpower her and JDC and take the machine if she so wished. There was not a lot that Solvienne and JDC could do to stop a determined angry ognod, even a female one. But Solvienne relaxed a little as Retta explored the control desks and took a great interest in the operation of the machine rather than its offensive capability.

"Retta," Solvienne decided to ask the question upon her mind. "You say that the ognods hated the T'Iea for what the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had done. Yet my mother and her companions and even myself where accepted into your presence whereas if we were hated so much surely we would have been killed on sight?"

Retta continued to stare down at the navigation desk. But she said, "you have to thank my father for that. He was leader to our people, but he was also the keeper of the Book of Truths. He knew the book well and he knew of the stories within. One story predicts the coming of many different peoples, representatives of all the elder races, who would join once more as they did in ancient times, in the common goal to save the world from destruction. It was one of his favourite stories and he studied it many times. Eventually he ordered the ognods to immediately allow entrance for any such groups. None came however until your mother and her company. As for you, well, following the acts of your mother and the others, a degree of trust was once more returned to the T'Iea by my people at least to the T'Iea of the west. I doubt the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran would enjoy the same treatment, but then it is difficult for us to distinguish between those who harbour good will in their hearts and those T'Iea who are subject to more evil ways, you all look the same to us. You must think us barbaric Solvienne, yes we are prone to volatile anger and great extremes of emotion, but that is just our way. Our ancestors lived in a harsh land, many things sought our demise, we have grown into a race of survivors. At one time we viewed any intrusion by man, beast or natural causes, even other ognod clans, as a great threat to be stopped quickly and effectively. Hence the way you were treated on your arrival, although I hope that was more out of adherence to tradition than any suspicion. We are a selfish race Solvienne, but also proud and we are still in a process of change, but change we must if we are to survive on this world, for our numbers grow less with the passing of the ages. My people are dying out Solvienne, something must be done to save them." She looked up from the desk and stared long and hard at Solvienne. "I believe that the T'Iea and the other races have the knowledge to help us. Many ages ago I would have demanded such action from you as payment for the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran's hateful act. But now I hope you find it within your hearts to help us without fear or forceful action."

Solvienne nodded her head and was trying to think of something in response to Retta's words.

But Retta did not wait for a response, she stood and went over to JDC who was sitting at the master control desk. "We head north master Pnook. The journey would have taken many days on foot, the way would have been long, a torturous route circling around the great mountains." She looked down at the control desk and then added, "but it is not far across the mountains as the eagle flies. I will guide you for I know the landscape here well enough."

After a few hours of flying across the high peaks of the Smòlt Erûûn, Retta asked that JDC bring the Leviathan down to a lower altitude. This meant some very deft flying on his part to move between the vertical walls of rock to either side of them. They came across a number of hidden valleys, Retta was forced to inspect each closely for even though she knew the area well, she had never seen it from above only from ground level. But eventually Retta became quite excited they hovered in front of a hidden valley that Retta said she was sure at the end of which the temple stood. Solvienne knew that they had to keep the machine and its power a secret as much as possible so she suggested that they land and walk the remainder of the way. Retta shrugged, it obviously did not matter to her either way, she just said that the temple was most probably empty as there were no ceremonies at this time of year so the only people there would be the temple guard. But Solvienne did not want the risk of the Leviathan finding its way into the hands of the ognods. However much she trusted Retta, at the end of the day she was an ognod first.

They stepped down onto the snow, it was knee deep for Solvienne, but her boots kept the chill and wet from her feet and she also had the presence of mind to put on some leather leggings beneath her dress. Retta had also retrieved a fur lined cloak, tailored specifically to Solvienne's size, she said it was a gift from her people. All this additional clothing served Solvienne well keeping the cold and chill from her bones.

Now they were alone in the silent snowy landscape. Solvienne thought grimly that the Leviathan had left them all too soon, as she watched as her breath formed clouds of crystals that slowly descended to the ground in the heavy frozen air. She also noticed that she had a little light dizziness and a shortness of breath, a result of the verified air this high up in the mountains no doubt. They trudged forward, it was easier for Solvienne to follow Retta for the ognod had no difficulty in walking through the snow, indeed she cleared a path that made the going much easier for Solvienne. But to her relief the valley narrowed as they progressed along it and the snow became gradually less deep, the narrowing valley walls obviously kept the falling snow away from this place. It was only the odd snow sliding down from the steep valley sides that put any snow onto this part of the valley floor. They walked in silence and the steepness either side kept out any wind, there was nothing else down here to create a sound of any kind. It was quite eerie to listen to absolutely nothing.

They walked onward up the gently sloping valley until Solvienne could make out man-made structures in the snow. Square blocks of snow and ice had been fashioned into buildings, but most had no roofs. Someone with some skill and probably a sense of humour had made several carvings of terrible looking beasts. Some looked like giant wolves with shaggy manes of thick fir, others stood three or four metres tall upon their hind legs, they looked more docile but each forearm ended in terrible looking hooked claws. Another popular ice sculpture was of an enormous cat-like creature that had fifty centimetre long fangs hanging down from either side of its upper jaw. By far the largest though was an enormous bulky looking animal that dwarfed all the others. It possessed a large domed head bedecked with two enormous ears. Two lengthy curving tusks extended forward and where the nose should have been there was an equally long muscular looking proboscis that ended in two large nostrils.

"Do not fear them Solvienne they do not live, they are just statues of snow and ice. Most of the year this place sees little use and the temple guards have to relieve their boredom somehow." Retta laughed. "They are beasts from where the ognod's originated from. I said before if you remember that it was a harsh world did I not?"

Solvienne shivered at the thought of stepping outside her house every day and having to face such terrifying wild life.

But soon they stood in front of the temple. It seemed to come upon them suddenly, as if appearing out of nowhere. The façade of the temple was obviously carved out of the rock at the valley head; the toil that must have gone into undertaking this task must have been immense. As they approached the façade, Solvienne gasped to see heavy doors barring their way forward, she looked up for they towered over her. The doors appeared to have a wooden frame yet set within the frame were large roughly square slabs of rock each about the same height as Retta. The square slabs had ornate carvings upon them, not for the first time was Solvienne captivated by the artistic ability of the ognods, for there was a recognisable style in the carvings that replicated quite accurately the styles of artwork that Solvienne had seen all around the ognod city.

High above them upon the apex of the doorframe a single block of stone had been laid. The carving set within it was of the ognod city similar to the wall hanging in Retta's room, there above which lay what Retta had described as heaven or perhaps the depiction of the ancient father's fabled star ship. As before it dwarfed the city below, the star set within it shone its rays downwards.

Retta was looking around her, she grunted a low guttural sound deep in her throat as if she discarded some inner thought. She slid her great sword slowly out from the scabbard that hung diagonally across her back.

Solvienne watched the action feeling a little anxious at the prospect of the ognod wielding a sword before her, especially as she could see no reason for the sword being drawn, she subconsciously took a few steps back.

Retta took the sword and hefted the blade point down with one swift movement that belying the weight of the blade.

Solvienne flinched.

But Retta walked forward looking down as if she sort something upon the giant flag stones beneath their feet. Occasionally bending down to wipe away thin layers of snow and ice, Retta grunted again in satisfaction and set the point of her great sword into a small slit between two vast flag stones to one side of the great doors. With a sudden thrust she forced the blade into the slot half way up to the hilt. She then pulled the blade backwards towards her like a great mechanical lever. The great blade still rang like a bell as she removed her hand from where it was set. She then stood back waiting. After a few seconds a slow grinding noise started up. This increased in volume until it became a constant whirring, suddenly with a loud thud the two great doors moved. The edges where the two doors had joined suddenly cracked open and then stopped again but as the whirring continued the doors started to swing outwards once more upon their hidden hinges. As the crack in the door widened another noise could be heard, the noise of heavy chains running along something and the squeak of mechanical devices rotating. They waited for the doors to open fully and then Retta peered into the gloomy interior as if expecting something, or perhaps someone, she frowned when nothing appeared. She retrieved the sword from where it was set and instead of placing it back into its scabbard she held it at the ready in both of her huge hands. She indicated that they should enter.

Through the door Solvienne could see that either side two great pits were revealed, or maybe it was one pit and they strode across a sort of stone bridge. Solvienne's moved to one side to look into one of the pits. A heavy black chain went through the stone wall above the doors along a heavy looking wooden gantry and then over a pulley wheel. It then went vertically down into the pit and disappeared from view in the darkness that lay below. Solvienne assumed this was part of the door mechanism she had heard earlier. But her attention was taken by Retta grunting, almost growling. It sounded like the brown bears that sometimes wandered beneath her home in the great wood.

Solvienne looked around her after following Retta over the bridge between the two pits. Light from outside shone into the interior of the temple illuminating the inside immediately in front of them. Their dim grey shadows were long and cast out in front of them. Retta was looking suspiciously about. When Solvienne followed her gaze she was surprised to see that the inside of the temple was in complete disarray. Dust and debris covered the floor and the air she breathed was bone dry and laden with the aroma of the decay of ages. Smashed statues and other carved pieces of stone now unrecognisable as to their original design littered the place. Retta seemed disturbed by all of this, she was looking around as if expecting something to be there, her eyes searched rapidly around the walls and as she looked up towards the ceiling high above them.

"Something is not right here." Retta was now looking around an expression of deep concern and suspicion on her face. "There should be a Temple Guard, they should have seen our approach, heard the doors open. They should have come to investigate." She cast her eyes around the rubble. "All of this was once statues and furniture, people worshipped the Maker here."

"Is this the only room in the temple?" Asked Solvienne.

"No, this is but the entrance chamber, this place was used to receive guests and worshippers through the doors we entered." She took one more look around but nothing obvious could be seen so she sniffed, lowered her sword slightly and said, "the main temple hall lies beyond," Retta nodded toward the rear of the room in which they stood.

Solvienne stared in the direction indicated; she thought she could just make out a further doorway in the rear wall through the gloom. It appeared blacker against the black of the gloom so Solvienne assumed that the doors lay open.

Retta headed slowly in this direction, Solvienne followed several steps behind. Retta had the great sword and was advancing holding it in a defensive posture.

As they neared the further doorway, Retta held up one hand to halt them both. Solvienne could see that the great doors that must have hung there at one time were both shattered and hung from the hinges or what was left of them. The wood of the doors looked like some great hammer had smashed them open. The force used must have been considerable, far greater than that actually needed to open the doors normally. The large iron locking mechanism was completely smashed, hanging from one door, even the part of the mechanism that should have been mounted in the other door was flung clear across the room such was the impact that separated the doors and then broke them from their hinges. It looked although something with great strength had forced the doors open from within and burst them into the room in which they stood. Solvienne wondered at this then she exhaled and held her hand over her mouth for looking at the hinges and the doors it was little wonder the doors were destroyed to such a degree, for they should have opened inwards into the main temple chamber, not outwards into this entrance hall.

Solvienne shivered.

Retta studied the metal work closely. "These doors have been battered to pieces, they must have been locked and forced open by something of great strength or some immense force." She walked forward and climbed over the debris that littered the floor and stood on the threshold.

Solvienne came and stood by her side. She could see that they stood upon a pile of rubble. Splintered wood stuck out from lumps of rock, the remains of great bricks. When Solvienne looked up she realised that as well as the doors being smashed the massive lintel that must have stood above them had also been smashed in two. With the lintel gone a good part of the brickwork above the door had fallen to the floor below, this must have made up a large percentage of the pile of rubble over which they now scrambled. "Other ognods?" She asked in a whisper.

Retta shook her head, "no. I fear not, even the strongest of our warriors wielding the heaviest of war hammers could not have done this much damage. These doors were designed and made to withstand the onslaught of other unfriendly ognod clans. I am sure given the time ognods could have battered down these doors, but to have so completely smashed them into firewood like this? No, this is not the work of other ognods. Anyway whatever came through came from the inside out, not from the outside in."

Solvienne followed Retta into the next room. The first thing she noticed was that everything that was in this room had, similarly to the entrance hall, been smashed into small pieces and flung up against the four walls. It seemed that whatever had done this was intent of destroying everything systematically so that it was unrecognisable; there was evil intent here that was for sure. Stone, wood and the occasional glint of some metal objects where dumped along the base of the walls where they had fallen, the floor area in the middle of the room was clear of anything that may have once been there. The only thing that remained was a layer of fine dust that had obviously settled following whatever catastrophe had occurred. Retta had walked over to one wall, she ran her fingers down several deep parallel gashes that ran vertically down the stone of the wall.

They both walked further into the room.

Solvienne shivered once again and drew her arms tightly about her. In an effort to lift her mood she asked, "so where then is the Rift Retta?"

Retta was looking around the room, her eyes darted this way and that, "what? Oh, it is hidden beyond, there is a false wall, there." She walked forward and started to scrutinise one of the walls of the room. She ran her hands over the walls surface, until she came to an area that looked much the same as the rest of the wall to Solvienne. But Retta pushed firmly upon this area of wall and a click sounded, followed by a low grinding noise. They both turned looking behind them from where the noises where coming from. A section of wall had moved backwards and was now sliding to one side revealing a darkened area. Suddenly there was a loud crack, like the noise of a massive whip, this made Solvienne jump. This was followed by a repeated knocking noise; dust fell from the ceiling of the place. The repeated knocking seemed to increase in pitch until there was an ear splitting crunch and the false wall moved no further. Retta and Solvienne moved to the gap where the wall had moved away. Utter darkness lay beyond.

Retta grunted something and reached down to her side, she removed something from a pouch on her belt. It appeared to be a small glass vile, or flask. "Let us have some light to see by." She held the glass vile in front of her and thrust her hand through the gap into the darkness beyond. Almost immediately a dull yellowish glow started to emanate from the glass vile. It was not bright, but it was enough to show some of the area beyond.

Retta stepped through; she inspected something to one side of the doors. "This mechanism has been forced, look how the metal work of the lever system has been bent."

Solvienne took Retta's lead she followed where Retta was pointing. She could see a thick metal spar attached to the door. There were teeth on the spar and a metal cog about two metres in diameter ran in these teeth. Some of the spar was perfectly shaped but as it got further from the door Solvienne could see that it became severely bent. The bend in the spar was jammed hard within the mounting of the cogwheel. But what surprised Solvienne was that the spar looked like it had been twisted and as it was several centimetres thick whatever had twisted it must have applied great force. Solvienne hesitated for a moment, she had a distinctly bad feeling about this place, ever since the wall had partially slid back until the mechanism that drove it failed, she had this feeling of dread arise within her, some inner sense was now screaming at her to turn and go back, not to follow Retta into this dark forbidding place.

As if reading Solvienne's thoughts Retta squared her shoulders with determination and said, "come," there is nothing to fear here." She walked forward, but Solvienne noticed she held her sword high once again as if to ward of an impending blow. She explained, "ahead there is a winding corridor, then a long hall leading to a wooden door that will open and reveal the chamber in which lies the Rift."

Solvienne swallowed hard and stepped through into the gloom behind the figure of the large ognodess. She found that indeed they walked down a winding corridor, Retta explained that the design was one of defence, the narrowness and corners making it easy for a few to fight off any attackers. After several bends where Retta edged forward and peered carefully beyond, they found themselves in a wide stone corridor. Either side, rough-hewn stone blocks lined the walls and arched up overhead presumably joining together far above them beyond where the meagre light from the globe could reach. Solvienne also noticed that if they stood in the centre of the passage they could not see either wall. Retta moved slightly back to one side so that one wall could be seen to give them a datum point, something they could follow, otherwise it felt like they moved through a large black space.

They moved cautiously forward all the while looking around them. It was obvious that this place was not as carefully made as the rest of the temple outside, more a functional place, not meant to be seen or travelled regularly perhaps. The light that Retta held only shone for about two or three metres around them, Solvienne turned and realised that it also only shone a similar distance behind and already the gap through which they passed had disappeared into the darkening space that surrounded them. It was as if they stood and moved in a bubble of light, the only reference point remained the dimly lit section of wall to one side that they followed.

Retta explained, "we stand in the Hall of the Acolytes. Many of the temple faithful gathered here, those with the faith, those who wished to go through the Rift, to enter heaven or to whatever lay beyond."

Solvienne wanted to ask more about these so called acolytes and where it was they expected to go once they entered the Rift, but she felt so unnerved about this place she remained silent. She jumped and ducked, waved her hand across the side of her face, she thought she felt a current of warm air there, she was sure that was what tickled the side of her face. She moved closer to Retta for it felt like someone or something had breathed upon her, exhaling a soft warm breath upon her face. She shivered. Retta was moving in front, Solvienne glimpsed something fall between them, when she reached the point she saw a small puddle of clear liquid upon the stone floor, it was quite thick as it spread slowly outwards under its own weight. Retta had moved on whilst Solvienne stood inspecting the sticky mess, she looked up and quickly moved to catch Retta up. As she walked she couldn't help noticing further puddles of the same liquid seemed to follow along behind Retta. Solvienne caught up with the ognod just as a glob of the liquid fell from somewhere above and splashed onto the floor immediately behind her. But before she could say anything, something ahead caught Solvienne's eye, a faint reflection off something metallic. She squinted into the darkness. Her eyesight was obviously better than Retta's for Retta asked what it was that had caught her attention.

Solvienne looked, what she looked at she was sure she had seen before, back in the ognod city, many of the soldiers wore such things. "It looks like armour, a breastplate, I think there is someone, perhaps a soldier ahead of us."

They moved slowly forward with renewed confidence. As they approached they saw that four large figures stood to attention in a line abreast. Each figure must have been almost six or seven metres tall; Solvienne thought that if these were ognods then they were far taller than any others she had seen so far. Retta suddenly said something, a greeting perhaps in her own guttural language, but a response was not forthcoming, the four armoured figures just visible in the dim light didn't even move.

Solvienne reached up and caught hold of Retta's arm and pulled her up short. "I'm not sure about this Retta?"

"They wear the armour of the temple guard, but why are they here and not guarding the entrance to the temple?" Retta then raised her voice and spoke her own language once more, this time it sounded like a command or an order. The response was the same as before, no voice or movement, no acknowledgement was forthcoming.

Solvienne again felt the movement of warm moist air upon her forehead. This time it was definite and it carried a fowl smell. She looked up, but nothing could be seen beyond where the light shone. But she felt sure she had heard a scrapping sound and a light fall of dust fell into her eyes, she looked down and rubbed them to remove the grit just as another drip of liquid splashed onto the floor between her and Retta. Retta had seen this one and she walked over to ware it was pooling upon the floor and bending poked at it with her finger. She brought the finger to her nose and sniffed the liquid. She curled her nostrils and stood once more holding the light globe as high as possible obviously trying to see above them, but the light did not penetrate to the ceiling high above.

Solvienne whispered nervously, "what is it?"

Retta just shook her head and turned back to where the soldiers stood to attention.

Retta moved closer, Solvienne was fearful and she was just about to say something to Retta when all of a sudden Retta herself issued a sound of alarm. Almost a shocked response and she stood still. Solvienne came to stand beside her and suddenly realised why there was no response from the soldiers. Solvienne covered her mouth to stifle a cry; she thought she might scream in fact. For there in front of them indeed stood four ognod guards, immediately behind them was a vast wooden door. But these ognods towered above her, she looked down and realised that their boots did not touch the floor but hung a good distance above the stone slabs. She looked down once more; beneath the feet of each soldier upon the stone floor was a mess of dried blood and a pile of what looked like the dried offal left behind after a butcher had exercised his skills upon a slaughtered beast. She tore her gaze from this awful spectacle and looked up at the four ognod guards, the reason they appeared taller was that they had been lifted high and each had been pierced through the chest with his or her own weapon and pinned upon the wooden door so that their feet dangled high above the stone slabs. One had lost a boot, a foot hung there out of the bottom of his leggings, bloody bone showed through what remained of the dry dark flesh. The door behind was stained dark with their dried blood. Solvienne looked high into the faces of the ognod guards, their empty eye sockets stared down at her, three grotesque smiling faces with the characteristic large canine teeth set into the bottom jaw. The last of the ognods had no lower jaw, and his lower face had been completely smashed. Another was missing an arm, a shattered bone stuck out from the shoulder, Solvienne gasped and cried out as she recognised that the arm had been wrenched apart and rammed into the mouth of its unfortunate owner as if something had tried to force him to devour it. She dragged her eyes away from the appalling spectacle. She looked once more at the hilts of the swords penetrating each great chest. The force of the weapons being plunged into each of the large chests had bent the metal armour inwards into a deep dent before it had fractured allowing the weapons to pass right through each body and then penetrated deep into the wood of the doors beyond. Below the breastplates long terrible gashes appeared in each exposed belly, great slices through the flesh spilling their innards and other vital organs out onto the floor below. But each slice was not clean like that made by a sharp blade, these gashes were ragged as if some clawed beast had ripped them open, reached inwards and pulled everything out.

"Who, what, could have done such a thing?" Cried Solvienne, her voice shaking almost uncontrollably. "Were they attacked by other ognods?"

"Retta sighed, "no I think not, even my races strongest warriors would not be able to do such a thing I fear. Some other nameless malice has done this." She started to look around nervously. Just then a definite scrapping sound came from above them, it was the same sound that Solvienne had thought she had heard before, but there was no mistaking it this time. Retta grasped Solvienne's hand and moved them slowly backwards. The scraping sound followed them as if something was moving across the ceiling high above them, more dust fell down.

"Come," said Retta not taking her eyes from staring into the darkness above them. Let us go back the way we came." She gently urged Solvienne to walk back down the long hall. They got about half way back when a deep rumbling sound was heard from behind, followed by another. Solvienne's blood ran cold, the noise was like a reverberating growl, she was reminded of some of the vicious looking beasts carved from the snow and ice outside. This second sound was then immediately followed by a loud thud; something very large had landed heavily upon the stone floor of the chamber. There was a low warbling growl that could be felt in the very soul chilling it to ice. This was soon followed by the sound of claws upon rock. A breeze, a slow movement of air flowed around the two women, it was warm and made them gag, the breeze carried upon it the smell of rotting things, of ages-old stale things, it seemed to waft around them, completely enveloping them in its foulness. It was the unmistakable stench of death, absolute and final. They stood transfixed looking into the darkness. They wanted to run, but some morbid fascination held them, wanting to find out what it was that approached them. Solvienne gasped as movement could just be seen at the edge of their bubble of light. Suddenly from high above a vision of horror looked down at them. A wide open mouth full of terrifyingly sabre-like teeth, so long were these teeth that it was probably impossible for the dark bony lips beyond to close fully around them, so that they were set into a permanent grotesque smile. A black forked tongue snaked out from between the teeth and reached down to within half a metre of where they stood, it flicked around in front of their faces for a few seconds dripping pungent smelling saliva before being withdrawn once again above. The creature obviously moved forward for more of the head came into view as did a huge clawed hand which was slammed into the stone floor obviously to counterbalance the weight of the creature's huge head moving forward and downward. The claws dug deep into the stone slabs of the floor, chips of stone splintered away as the point of each claw dug into the rock. Two small eyes were set into the side of the head, deep red with darkened vertically slit pupils. The pupil of the nearest eye closed and opened as it adjusted to the dim light emanating from Retta's glass vile. From what they could see of the creatures skin it looked like the scales of a reptile, yet in places tufts of wiry hair could also be seen sprouting from between the scaly plates. Whatever this creature was, it scrutinised them with evil malice. The very air around them seemed to shrink back in fear of the beast. Solvienne had never seen or heard of such a beast, it could not be a creature of this world. The creature screamed once more, both Retta and Solvienne had to cover their ears, they were spattered in vile spittle it stung their skin where it landed.

"RUN." It was Retta that shouted, Solvienne didn't need much encouragement, her muscles switched back on, the adrenalin flowed and filled her mouth with its pungent metallic flavour. She turned and sprinted back along the hall. An ear splitting scream sound behind them and then the sound of those enormous claws digging into the stone floor. Solvienne was expecting to be bitten in two by that mouth full of sabres, but every step she took seemed to relieve her of this thought. But never the less she could sense the great bulk of the creature following. They ran from the Hall of the Acolytes into the much narrower winding corridor and rounded the first bend. Relief flooded their thoughts. But they did not stop for they heard quite clearly the sound of the creature slamming into the entrance way to this narrower space. It followed them. Yet it did not seem to move as fast as she would have expected. All of a sudden she realised that in fact the creature was too large to navigate this long winding chamber with ease. Thank the Maker she thought for the architect of this place.

Both Retta and Solvienne ran from the winding corridor out into the temple hall beyond the hidden door. They came into the dim light of the room and stood there panting.

"We cannot linger, come," said Retta.

They ran on and moved through further out into the room. No sooner had they reached the far wall where the smashed doors lay when a massive clawed hand and a sinewy forearm shot through the half closed opening through which they had just passed. The hand groped around searching to grasp them. They moved back further into the temple. The hand repeatedly picked up various pieces of debris from about the room and as it realised that these things were not the soft flesh that it sort it threw them with great force against the walls. Stones exploded into sharp shards that ricocheted about the room. The hand was withdrawn from the room, but closely followed by something smashing hard against the half open stone door. Dust and rock fell from the ceiling as the door was smashed repeatedly from the other side. Then a crack appeared in the wall to one side and each massive blow on the wall widened the crack until it was apparent that a much larger opening was about to be made. The two women ducked from the flying debris and ran from the room back out into temple entrance hall through the smashed doors. They didn't stop but ran back outside into the snowy landscape. Retta quickly reinserted her sword into the slot as she had done when she opened the temple doors and pushed upon it. The whirring sound of the mechanism could be heard. The two great doors started to close. Retta withdrew her sword and as they ran from the temple across the snow they heard a loud crash of falling masonry, the creature had obviously burst through and was once more on their heels. They heard a scream of triumph as it found it was back on the hunt once more.

Solvienne slipped and fell into the snow, she was quickly hauled back to her feat. She looked around, the noises of pursuit sounded behind her though the still closing doors, the sound was getting ever nearer. It would only be seconds now before the creature burst out into the open and they would have to face it. Solvienne prayed that the doors would close, sealing the beast once more inside the temple. Retta gazed around trying to find somewhere to conceal them. But all that was around here was snow, odd boulders, the statues and walls carved from snow blocks none of which would hide them for long. But never the less she grabbed Solvienne's hand and made for the nearest roofless building. They both collapsed into a seated position behind the nearest wall just as the boom of the doors closing sounded behind them. Both women breathed a sigh of relief. They sat there panting for some minutes before they rose and looked up into the sky hoping to see the Leviathan machine swoop down. The Leviathan was nowhere to be seen. Solvienne's heart faltered as she realised that rescue was not imminent.

But her attention was taken by a great rumble and crash of falling masonry, they felt the very ground beneath their feet vibrate, they both started in fear. Another series of crashes was followed by the sound of splintering rock. Solvienne risked a look around the boulder behind which they hid. There behind them, just outside the temple entrance, shaking pieces of rock from itself was the most horrifying beast Solvienne could ever imagine. Now that she could see all of it, she realised it looked like a monstrous deformed but muscular man, covered in scales and course hair. Clawed hands far too large for the arms slowly flexed open and closed as they were held either side of the great beast. On the ends of its thick set muscular legs it had large feet of four toes each ending in a lethal looking scythe-like claw. It seemed to rise up upon these toes and what Solvienne thought to be reversed knee joints were in fact ankles; the knees were normal but further up the leg. She could now see the creature walking around on its toes, the powerful legs ready to spring forward as soon as it caught sight of its prey.

But it was the creatures head that shocked Solvienne the most, at least ten metres above them the creature looked down and around. Its facial features where the thing of nightmares. The head was nothing like a man's, for a start it seemed scaly. The mouth protruded from the face in a short snout and was indeed lined with many long sharp teeth. The eyes were set into the forward part of the head and slightly to the sides. The forehead sloped sharply back and the head itself was long, it extended beyond the neck and was coloured in dark reds and blacks like some hideous crest. The muscles that moved the powerful lower jaw could be seen clearly beneath the creature's skin, they ran back and were connected under the skin about halfway along the elongated skull. Solvienne was transfixed by the movement beneath the scaly skin as the creature flexed its hideous jaws open and closed. It was salivating, large globules of thick sticky looking liquid ran from its lower lip and dripped onto the rock path beneath it. Its tongue flicked about tasting the air, then it slowly turned and looked directly in the direction they had run.

Solvienne stared, rooted to the spot. Only when the creature screamed again and started after them did they move and run, but each knew it was useless for the creature would be upon them in seconds. Solvienne's muscles felt weak, the adrenalin rush was over and now she felt like she had run out of energy, a tingling sensation filled her legs, they would not respond as she wanted them to, her feet felt like lead weights. The creature screamed again and they felt the vibrations in the snow and rock beneath their feet as it pounded along after them. Its prey was now in full view, it expected victory in moments. Solvienne sobbed and fell to the ground, Retta turned, a snarl on her lips and her great broad sword held up in front of her. There was a movement of air and Retta ducked just as a great clawed hand passed slightly above her head, she stabbed wildly as it went by and caught the creature a glancing blow with her blade. The creature screamed. It brought the same hand back again and caught Retta a huge blow. She was knocked off her feet and sent sprawling into the snow some metres away. Now the creature looked down to where Solvienne lay, it made some warbling guttural noise and pierced her with its evil gaze cocking its head to one side. Somehow the feeling in her legs returned, she stood and ran.

The sky above her went dark for a few seconds and Solvienne dared to hope that the Leviathan machine and JDC had returned to offer them aid. But when she looked up she was dismayed for it was the creature that pursued her. It had bounded over her head and now landed in front of her. It crashed to the ground on all fours, snow and ice exploded where it landed. It turned and screamed at her, the sound was deafening, she smelt the warm foulness of its breath once more. Solvienne tried to turn but she was slipping on thick ice just beneath the snow covering the ground. She fell once more onto her knees, she tried to stand but found she could not, her muscles were shaking uncontrollably, fear had gripped her in its icy hold. The creature raised itself up to its full height and screamed at her once more. The sky went dark once again; Solvienne closed her eyes thinking that it was the enormous clawed hand coming down to crush her and then to rip her apart. She prepared herself for the inevitable death to come she asked the Maker for swift end to it.

Solvienne covered her ears, she couldn't hear the scream that she emitted from her mouth it was lost to the creature above her screaming in rage. It moved away from her and day light again reached down to where she lay, she looked up, Retta a bloody mess running down the side of her face had struck the creature in the leg, her sword was buried in its flesh at the ankle joint up to the hilt. Retta then twisted the sword and pushed with all her might, the weapon cut through the flesh and the sinew that lay just below the surface. Blood gushed from the wound as the ankle joint collapsed and the creature fell onto its knee. The monster turned to catch sight of its tormentor; it raised a clawed hand and again went to strike Retta. Solvienne was saddened for she knew there was no way even an ognod could survive a second blow like that, she turned her face away not wanting to witness the terrible act to come, she was recalling the spectacle of the temple guards, or what was left of them. But there came another sound, also deafening, but a rattling, metallic clanking sound. Solvienne looked up, the creature reeled backwards holding its chest. Many little red spots now covered the left hand side of its body. It screamed again and Solvienne turned and lay on her back in the mud and snow. There now above them was the Leviathan machine, it hung there broadside on. She saw flashes of light along the hull and again heard the deafening rattling roar. The creature screamed again. It bent its remaining muscular leg and sprang high into the air. It bounded high over them, running towards this new enemy, there was a loud snapping sound and the now useless ankle trailed behind as the creature seemed to happily run on the upper part of the ankle joint. Solvienne was appalled at the shear hatred and intensity of revenge that the creature must be feeling to overcome the pain from its wound. Before JDC could take any evasive manoeuvres the creature leapt and grabbed the promenade deck railing with one clawed hand. Its rear legs dangled down, the damaged ankle swinging around on what remained of the flesh and skin that surrounded the broken joint. It took a couple of seconds for the Leviathan to right itself and come to terms with the additional weight it now carried. The creature started to tear at the Leviathans underside with its remaining clawed foot. But the Leviathan was constructed of some hard alloy and although the creature marked its surface it looked more like it scrapped dust and dirt from the metal of the machine rather than cutting into the hull.

Suddenly frustrated at this unsuccessful effort the creature sort another tactic. It rocked back and forth obviously trying to disrupt the Leviathan's flight and sort perhaps to crash its tormentor to the ground. But the Leviathan although it began to rock with the creature's weight seemed to be able to compensate within seconds for the rocking movement stopped. The creature reached up with its other arm and grasping the hull went to try and heave itself up onto the top of the machine. Its clawed foot also caught on the side promenade deck of the machine and with this purchase the creature managed to climb upwards. Suddenly a portal opened in the side of the Leviathan to the left of the creature and a short round tube protruded alongside the midriff of the beast as it climbed. JDC obviously made a violent manoeuvre for the bow of the machine dipped at an absurd angle. The creature momentarily lost its grip and seemed to slide down the hull of the Leviathan. Its body slid over the small aperture where the tube showed. Immediately there was a loud retort and a flash of light. The creature screamed and as they looked up something burst through the back of the creature, roughly where its shoulder blade must have been. Its skin seemed to bulge outwards and burst, clumps of flesh and a rain of blood burst out from the creature's back and came cascading down upon the ground around Solvienne and Retta. Then the creature screamed again and must have lost its grip for it fell from the Leviathan, one arm trailed at a horrible angle, obviously now useless and broken at the shoulder. It seemed to fall in slow motion towards the ground. It hit the snow and rock with a bone shattering crash and lay still, but the jaws still worked, opening and closing. Its eye focussed upon Solvienne, she saw unbelievable malice within that stare, it hit her like a blow to the chest and she sat heavily upon the snow. The creature rolled over onto its good arm and started to raise itself up from the ground, but before it could do so two further energy bursts from the Leviathans energy cannons exploded on the creature's form and more blood and gore rained down around the two women. The creature cried out in its agony and frustration, then all that issued from the beast was a long drawn out escape of breath as its lungs exhaled for the last time. The eye kept staring at Solvienne as it dulled, the iris slowly closed and then all life and energy snuffed out.

Solvienne collapsed back upon the ground and cried tears of relief. Retta frowned, one eye was completely closed and the side of her face looked in need of some serious medical aid. But she walked over to the fallen beast and retrieved her sword from where it lay. She cleaned the blade carefully in the snow before placing it back into the scabbard on her back. She stared up at the Leviathan machine as it descended down towards them.

Solvienne felt a lot better after having a shower in the Leviathan's decontamination chamber, she had retrieved fresh clothing and even enjoyed a small meal. She walked out from the galley and joined Retta and JDC in the main control room. She went up to Retta and was relieved to see that although she sported a closed and blackened eye, the blood was cleaned from her face and she didn't look half as bad as when Solvienne saw her earlier. She sported several neat stitches along her cheek. JDC had made a good job at cleaning her up. He left them together saying that he needed to clean up the medical room of the Leviathan.

Retta watched him go. She didn't say a word, but Solvienne thought that Retta looked upon the receding Amndo with a deep suspicion.

Solvienne mentally shrugged this off, another question needed answers. "What was that thing? That, that creature?"

Retta looked up, "a creature of pure evil, not of this world. But a thing of malice from the voids I suspect."

"The voids? But why was it here? Why was it in the temple? How did it get here?"

"I do not know, I don't think it gained entrance to the temple through the outer doors for they were not smashed like the others. That only leaves one explanation that it was brought here through a void portal. But whoever brought it here from whatever dark place it once called home must have intended it to prevent entrance to the temple and to kill any that may have ventured there. Perhaps this is the work of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, although I doubt this, like us they may have knowledge of the creation and use of portals but I doubt they have the knowledge and ability to freely access the voids to the degree necessary. That skill remains a closely guarded secret that only one of the elder races possess as far as I know."

Solvienne whispered, "the keepers!"

"Yes," was the reply." The Old Ones, the keepers as you call them. It worries me that whoever set the beast within the temple must have also had prior knowledge of this creature's existence and been able to access the particular void in which it lived so to capture the creature in the first place." This could only be the keepers, or perhaps the labours of some other force that we as yet do not know about. But my guess is that the creature was set within the temple to stop anyone, including us from accessing the Rift." Retta hung her head.

Solvienne was thinking, "perhaps it was Tezrin the thief that caused the beast to be here, perhaps it was yet another of his legacies that seem to live on even though he has perished long ago."

But Retta frowned and said, "I was last at the temple nine or ten months back, so whoever is trying to stop our access to the Rift had only become aware of our intention or even aware of the existence of the Rift within the temple quite recently. Long after the thief Tezrin had been killed."

Solvienne thought for a moment. "Well if the creature was there to guard access to the Rift, then I suggest we try and use the Rift to see where it may lead sooner than later. If someone is trying to stop us then they will try again, perhaps with a stronger deterrent."

Retta nodded solemnly. "You are right T'Iea one, I am willing to try again if you are?"

Solvienne nodded in agreement.

But Retta asked, "but I have one question for you" She looked towards the door as if making sure no one stood there or was about to enter. "How well do you know your keeper friend, the one you call Amndo?"

Solvienne did not answer immediately. She also had thoughts like this. She also immediately thought of their keeper companion as soon as Retta had mentioned his race and their capabilities. She knew indeed that only a keeper could have the skill and knowledge to access the voids and the one in particular where that terrible beast could be found. But surely it could not have been Amndo; he seemed to aid them sincerely enough all along. What would be in it for him if he denied them access to the Rift in the temple. But then she thought with some shock. What if he was already in league with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, what if he had already aligned with them. He now knew their plans and was going to the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran realm to become their gatekeeper. What if he already was their Gatekeeper, he knew everything.

Never the less there was nothing else to be done. The way forward must be to attempt access to the Rift, even if it proved to be a trap, they had no choice now. So without any further delay JDC brought the Leviathan back down outside the temple and Retta and Solvienne disembarked once more into the snow around the entrance.

## Chapter 29. Readying for War

Thor sat in silence with R'Thy'Uln beneath the pine trees of the T'Iea camp. They had just finished a meal and sat drinking a hot toddy that R'Thy'Uln had earlier explained was made from pine nuts and the slightly fermented root of a bush that grew in abundance in the area. He said it was a recipe they had learnt from the goblins.

R'Thy'Uln stood slowly; he spoke slowly as if distracted whilst looking up into the night sky. "It is a sorry tale T'Thorandill, our presence has been less than honourable here in the east of the continent. However the tale is one that I hope will have a happy ending. But also it is a tale that we are all destined to be part of before the end I fear. R'Thy'Uln kept his gaze skyward; he walked slowly back and forth as if expecting something to be seen above.

Thor also stood and looking up expected to see something, but there was nothing except the stars and the moon, wisps of cloud obscured some areas of the night sky. So he asked, "what is it?"

R'Thy'Uln just shook his head slowly, "nothing perhaps, yet I felt......," he shook his head once more and shrugged, "I thought I felt something, something very large gently brush across the wards that surround the camp."

Thor looked once more at the night sky. There was nothing and he was about to turn away when something large and long appeared between two cloudbanks, it was black against the blackness of the night sky. It was moving slowly high above the clouds. He quickly pointed and said, "there."

R'Thy'Uln spun around just in time to see the aft end of the shape disappear once more into the banks of clouds. He looked at Thor who returned his gaze a slightly guilty look upon his features. "Do you know what this new thing is?"

Thor sighed and looked at R'Thy'Uln. "There is a long story behind the answer to that question R'Thy'Uln."

R'Thy'Uln nodded and said, "perhaps then you had better relate to me some of your long story, for I feel that many loose ends are becoming tied, many twists in the tale perhaps may now at last unravel and we shall see what fates the Maker has in store for us?"

So Thor went on to explain about the disappearance of his mother Minervar in Amentura. He explained the meeting with Alonso back in the great wood and his travelling here to the east. He explained about his visit to the T'Iea city of Ter'Hadsnefel and how he had been tasked by the commander Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun to make contact with the eleven general and his army here in the east, if anything still remained of them of course. But at the same time he had dispensation to search for his missing mother. Then he explained how they had hoped to meet with the Leviathan machine and perhaps bring it here to aid them."

"How then do you have knowledge of such a machine?" asked R'Thy'Uln.

"I know of the current existence of only one such machine, said Thor. "It was discovered and taken from its lair in the Great Rust desert by my sister Nar'Allia and her companions. They flew the machine across much of the world. They ended up here in the east. However, you must know that another machine was also stolen from the Rust Desert by the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. Both machines battled in the skies many years ago. My sister and her companions fought in that battle."

"And who may I ask were the victors?"

Thor thought. Indeed who were the victors? He sighed, "well, the machine that the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran flew was destroyed during that battle that raged in the skies. But the battle on the ground was not won. With the loss of their machine I think the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran went to ground, they set a cordon around their city of dark mechanical warriors. They still stand sentinel today I believe." Thor looked at the small army assembled before him. He felt a sadness that so few may be required to engage the army of Startmektoken. He couldn't help feeling dread at this prospect, for he felt that so few seasoned soldiers, even T'Iea soldiers, would not be able to overthrow such an enemy force. He shook his head and continued. "After they returned home all knowledge of the machine was lost, but the one who had the knowledge to control the machine, the Pnook JDC promised that he would hide it from prying eyes until it was needed once again."

"Needed once again?" Questioned R'Thy'Uln, "needed by whom?"

Thor looked at him and shrugged. "I do not know. But its return here signifies something, of that I am sure, perhaps my sister is on board, perhaps she is in the east and summoned the Pnook and the machine, I cannot be sure. But rest assured R'Thy'Uln the machine fights for us, it is on our side." Then with the slightest look of doubt in his eyes he said under his breath, "at least it did."

R'Thy'Uln appeared to search Thor's face for a few seconds. "That is yet to be proved. I wonder onto whom its hammer will fall.

Your stories, unbelievable as they may seem have become reality again. I find we are added to the cast list in this play, perhaps we can help in the final act eh?" R'Thy'Uln smiled at Thor, then he called over two guards that had been patrolling the perimeter of the camp, he spoke to them in a low tone. When done he returned to where Thor stood. "I think perhaps Thor we had better go and see what may transpire here. The final chapters of the book unfold, we would be wise to witness what we can, for it could be a storm is rising, a storm the like of which we have not witnessed before. Its ferocity perhaps threatens to destroy us all. Come, there is only one way to find out we will follow the path of the machine and see for ourselves if any mischief is at hand." At this he hurried off giving orders as he went.

Thor stood just outside R'Thy'Uln's tent; the leader had gone in some minutes before and bid Thor wait outside. R'Thy'Uln's camp seemed to come alive with frantic activity, the T'Iea quickly responded to their orders and within minutes ranks of soldiers started to gather, standing to attention in front of R'Thy'Uln's tent. Thor looked along the ranks as they lined up and was pleased to see that both Neth'Gore and Orln stood to attention amongst them.

When the ranks were assembled the flap of tent was cast to one side and R'Thy'Uln stepped outside. The order was given and the small army of R'Thy'Uln moved off, not in a formal column for that would be too easy to detect, but they each seemed to take their own path, or in small groups of three, the old T'Iea tactic of Trete'Y'Thego. So Thor, Orln and Neth'Gore travelled as they had before, but they also had R'Thy'Uln with them. It would take just over a day and a night to approach the encampment of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned to see whether or not the Leviathan's being in the region had anything to do with the renegade T'Iea army, for both Thor and R'Thy'Uln had grave misgivings as to the uses it may be put to if this were the case. Other groups were sent around the perimeter of the area that Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned army was known to inhabit and see if the Leviathan machine itself could be found. Several rangers were sent ahead to path-find and report anything they needed to avoid or be aware of. These rangers were also employed as messengers to travel between the various scattered groups of the army to communicate and report.

Thor had come to a decision as they went. He was formulating a separate plan. He needed to make contact with the renegade T'Iea, he had his orders to find them and he wanted to see for himself what may have befallen them. One along would be far less a threat than an army and he also did not want to place R'Thy'Uln and his army in danger. They may have enough in the way of enemies as things stood. He also knew that they were probably viewed as deserters in the eyes of their old commanding officer and he did not want to risk the added dangers and wrath of that commander upon them. What he didn't yet know was how he was going to manage to persuade R'Thy'Uln to allow him to get away alone, or how he may make contact with the renegades without arousing suspicion, or placing others in danger.

After several hours' fast travel Thor and his three T'Iea companions grew alert, they sensed that they were followed, or at least observed. But nothing could be seen across the flat moorland through which they travelled.

Orln slipped off into the forest to take a look. When he returned he reported. "There are several Goblins following us, the one you call Niepre is with them. They do not seem to harbour any malice or foul intent; rather they just seem to want to follow us. Perhaps they are curious as to what we are intending to do?"

R'Thy'Uln said nothing even though they looked towards him for a possible answer, after all he knew the goblins better than any of them, but he remained silent.

Then Thor had an idea, he placed a hand on the shoulder of R'Thy'Uln and brought the small company to a halt. "R'Thy'Uln is it possible that we can persuade the goblins to help us? I have a plan to infiltrate the camp of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned hopefully without suspicion. It may be a good thing to have someone on the inside to try and find out what their plans are and if they have any influence over the Leviathan machine. But, to be successful the plan will need the goblins. What do you think?"

R'Thy'Uln nodded, "yes, with Niepre amongst them we have a translator and a sympathetic ear perhaps."

"Good, then perhaps we can persuade the goblins to aid in a plan I have, it will be dangerous but if all goes well the risk will hopefully be minimal."

R'Thy'Uln's eyes narrowed in concentration, "first tell me, what is this plan?"

## Chapter 30. Heir to the Gatekeeper

Amndo rose early the following morning, earlier even than Jonas, at least he hoped this was the case. He knew what he must do, but he did not want anyone else to know, this he must do alone, he only wanted to risk what belonged to him, that is himself. He crept through the house not wanting to meet with anyone that may ask awkward questions of him. It was an easy task to get from his room to the tower rooms that Serinae occupied when she lived in the house. He only had to travel the guest quarters section and none of Solin's staff were up, even if they were then they would not enter here yet so as not to risk disturbing any of the guests too early. Not that the house held any other guest than himself, but it seemed the house rules prevailed at all times, even when only one guest was staying. Never the less Amndo found himself treading carefully and stealthily through the corridors, it made him feel a little unclean somehow, like a sneak thief especially as he had enjoyed the openness and hospitality of this house and its staff many times in the past. He hesitated at the top of the staircase that led to the banqueting room below. He listened carefully, no sound came up the flight of stairs so he crossed the landing quickly. It just felt so wrong to be doing this; somehow it felt like a betrayal of trust. He chided himself for being so overly sensitive and tried to persuade himself that the staff wouldn't care one bit in reality what he did as long as it didn't affect them or the house adversely.

Amndo stopped; he was surprised for he stood in the main room of Serinae's old suite. He couldn't recall climbing the turret stairs or entering this room, his thoughts being elsewhere. He looked around, a covering of dust lay everywhere. It was also in the air, he stifled a sneeze making his eyes water. He walked across the room and opened the bedroom door in an attempt to get out of the dusty environment, but to no avail for here also a coating of dust lay everywhere, the act of opening the door had already caused a great cloud of the stuff to rise up into the air.

He walked forward the room was dimly lit, he looked at the windows, something like parchment had been glued across them as if to purposely keep out much of the light. He searched around trying to find any clue as to where the small keyhole may be, he knew it was near here but there was no obvious sign. He sneezed again for he was crouching down at floor level in his search and much disturbed dust now hung in the air. He stood and moved across to a large picture window and opened it slightly to let in some fresh air. He took a few deep breaths. As he did so a stiff sea breeze caught the open window and flung it open wide, the frame banging loudly against the outside wall of the house. He winced as sunlight streamed in through the open window; a million dust specs sparkled in the beam of sunlight like a tiny shards of glass.

He tried to reach the open window now flung back wide against the outside wall. But he could not stretch his army far enough to grab hold of the latch. He tried to work the window closed by turning the exposed hinge, but his fingers weren't strong enough or the hinge was too stiff. He groaned and turned to look for anything on which he could stand and thereby extend his reach. But his eyes caught site of something else. A bright patch on the wall opposite, something glinted brightly at about waist height. Amndo walked across and there on the wall as if soaking in the sunlight a little circular hole could be seen. It was as if the sunlight shone through the hole and whatever was on the other side drew on the light and reflected it back through. That shape, thought Amndo, by the Maker it was a keyhole! But he had no key. But he already suspected that it was not the key itself that initiated the portal. The key just belonged to someone else, it was an innocent thing, it just unlocked a small hidden cupboard, this cupboard in which someone kept a small thing of value. Amndo smiled long ago someone had locked something in this cupboard and left a cryptic clue as to the whereabouts of the key. But someone else had played upon that clue to hide something far greater, far more dangerous. His smile left his lips as he thought of the unfortunate individual who had fallen prey top that trick and caused all the events that followed to happen.

Amndo inspected the hole carefully, there must be a keystone, a portal stone somewhere in there somewhere, but whoever created this little deception was careful to hide the obvious. Amndo sat back upon his haunches. He looked at the light being reflected out from the small hole, it looked brighter than the sunlight streaming through the window and illuminating the wall into which the key hole could be seen. He was curious; maybe the light coming back out wasn't light at all but something else? Bah! He needed an T'Iea here, someone familiar with the arcane signatures, someone who could decipher the energy. He smiled; perhaps if Solvienne was here she could most probably identify the form of arcane energy. A carefully focussed beam of energy that connected the outside world with the keystone that was most probably mounted on the inside rear wall of the cupboard where it couldn't be easily seen. This portal was possibly at best created as a joke, a surprise. At worst it was created to capture someone unawares, or even perhaps allow them access by choice if they knew about the portal and about where it led and finally decided to use it.

But now was the time to prove his theory, to make a little experiment. Amndo Slowly extended his hand until it hovered slightly above the beam of energy being reflected back through the keyhole. He took a deep breath and lowered his hand breaking the beam. He saw the energy light a small round area of his palm.

Suddenly, time seemed to slow, the keyhole grew in size until it appeared to be so big that Amndo could have walked through like a passageway. Amndo began to get curious as it then started to increase in size in another way. Seemingly it began to stretch out before him like a long tunnel. He looked behind expecting to see the sunlight streaming through the picture window he had opened and could not reach to close. But the tunnel seemed to stretch out in that direction to. Then he perceived that he was moving rapidly down the tunnel, he felt nothing, yet could quite clearly see the tunnel walls moving rapidly by. The tunnel itself was filled with light. It started to wind about as if it led around unseen things. Each sharp movement left, right and up, down did not affect him. He smiled; he was very used to the physical manifestations caused by travel through a portal. After all he was very used to similar forms of travel, although he had not experienced a portal quite like this one before. Its dynamics were subtly strange to him, he marvelled at the ingenuity of its creator, the one called Tezrin, he would have been an interesting person to talk with, a T'Iea with much knowledge of portals, knowledge he could only have gained by talking to the keepers. But the keepers guarded their knowledge jealously; they would not normally divulge anything to another race. This was a mystery, one that Amndo had long considered, one that made him shiver. It was a shame the thief was dead, all that knowledge and experience lost, especially the knowledge of the name of the keeper who had broken the code of silence.

Suddenly in the distance a dark circle began to grow rapidly. Strangely it appeared as if he was catching up with something else that was travelling down the tunnel. He was closing on it rapidly. But as he suspected no impact came, no bone crushing, flesh splitting impact. As he suspected what he had seen rushing towards him was the exit of the portal, he braced himself ready to switch on his muscles in case he fell through upside down or in some other undignified manner. But he needn't have worried for he felt the ground exert pressure upon the soles of his feet, his knees buckled slightly as the weight of his body was once more exerted upon them.

He looked around. He found he was standing in a small area enclosed by cliffs of red rock. The cliffs went up higher than he could see, at least from this acute angle. But they did seem to get lost in the clouds and the blue of the sky high above. Some plants grew here, no trees at all but some kind of low shrub grew in clumps around the place, they were a little sickly looking as if they did not receive sufficient rainfall to gain their proper proportions, they reminded Amndo of the heather and other heath growth around where Deanola's encampment was built in the eastern lands. The earth was red, a deep red colour, he bent down to touch it. It was, moist soil, almost like a peat bog in consistency, firm yet with a higher than normal water content. Hmmm, so the plants suffered from too much water, not too little. Yet, to his surprise the earth did not smell of mould and old rotted things.

He walked forward following down the ravine made by the cliffs on either side. But he knew this was not really a ravine. No, he had been here once before. Long ago he had entered this place with the human mage Deanola. He strode to one of the cliff faces, strange horizontal and vertical marks could be seen in places, these were obviously not a natural features for when he looked closer each line was as straight as a die and all the same dimensions. Curiosity got the better of him, so he took a small dagger from within his robes and scraped at the surface along some of these lines gently. He smiled in realisation, revealed beneath the red dust he found a smooth surface, a manufactured surface. One thought came into his mind, 'bricks'. His thoughts from his previous time here were confirmed. These cliffs were not cliffs at all; they were the remains of walls. Pnook-made walls he suspected, the remains most probably of the ancient Pnook city that he knew must lie somewhere here in the east. He continued down the ravine, what perhaps must have been a street in the old Pnook city of long ago.

The whole place was filled with an unnerving silence, not a single sound could be heard not even his own footfalls on the soft ground. Before long though he became aware of a familiar sight. At regular intervals along the way depressions in the rock wall could be seen. Not natural features but clearly carved out of the rock for a purpose, for he knew them to be the sarcophaguses of the Startmektoken. He had seen many before in the facility beneath the Rust Desert when he had passed through with JDC, Jonas and Nar'Allia many years before. Yet these were part of the feature of these ancient walls, they were here built into these walls from the very start. A growing fear knotted Amndo's stomach, yet all these were empty, the bio-machine soldiers called Startmektoken which they had once contained were gone. But it was not the fear of meeting one or more of these monsters, the fear he experienced was generated by other thoughts a realisation of something far darker.

He started in shock as he came across one such monstrosity, it hung clear of its sarcophagus leaning forward upon bended knees, the tube that connected it still ran from the back of the Startmektoken into the sarcophagus, but it was stretched taught as if refusing to let go of the soldier. The Startmektoken itself was covered in dust and debris, it obviously had not moved in a very long time. As he proceeded still further down the ravine. More of the dead Startmektoken, if that's what you could call them, also lined the ravine. Amndo knew that at least part of these monstrosities were biological so he assumed that they could actually die of some causes natural to the demise of the biological components, even old age perhaps. Some were in a similar posture to the first; others had fallen upon their faces onto the ground in front of their resting places. One had actually made it a few steps beyond the sarcophagus before it had pitched forward and lay still. Amndo stepped around the beast looking warily down as if he half expected a hand to suddenly reach out and grasp his ankle, drag him to his doom. Amndo quite childishly he supposed afterwards, kicked the dead machine in the side of the head, but at least it made him smile. But the smile was wiped from his face as the eye of the machine glowed and the head turned slightly towards him. Amndo jumped back in shock, but the head again stilled and the eye dimmed, grey ooze dripped from the eye. Amndo felt a degree of sadness, for it looked like the deadly machine soldier had used its last miniscule reserve of energy to cry a single tear. Amndo frowned at the thought as he hurried on down the ravine road at a quicker pace being careful not to disturb any others that lay prone upon the damp ground.

As Amndo turned one last bend in the road there before him he stood a great wall, stretching off to the left and to the right. This wall looked very different than the ancient ones he had been walking alongside for the last half an hour or so, this wall was a much more modern structure or so it seemed, but then it occurred to Amndo that perhaps this was an illusion perhaps it was just that this wall was better maintained. But in any event he knew he had reached the outer defences of the city of R'Iggorr'Thegoran. Directly in front of him a great gateway stood closed, either side a turret rose vertically high into the air. The gates themselves were immense. As he approached he could see they were made almost entirely of iron, or some other ferrous metal for rust could be clearly seen across each gates surface in many places, but this was just a surface discoloration not any deep weakening oxidisation of the metal.

But his thoughts were forgotten as a great clanking noise started, the sound of many mechanical devices crying out in stress at being forced to move accompanied by the cry of tortured metal, the bang and crack of rocks and stones being crushed into dust under the great weight of the opening gates. A gap appeared in the centre, light shone forth from beyond and within the city. Amndo peered through the opening gates, but could not see its source from where he stood. He stepped forward slowly at first but faster as he remembered the role he was here to fulfil; he shouldn't show hesitation for in the eyes of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran he was here to become something, to fulfil a destiny.

Once through the gates Amndo stopped, within the gates attractive architecture could be seen. The buildings rose up to a fare height, plants hung for the balconies and trees, big trees grew in great courtyards. He had not been into many T'Iea towns, but this one impressed him, it was in deed beautiful, at least as attractive as he expected from any T'Iea city. A movement caught his eye; a group of figures had stepped into view. One in hooded robe strode forward, arms crossed in front of him. Amndo immediately felt a strong arcane presence probing his mind; he reeled back from it, shocked at the pure malice that lay within the strength of its intensity even though it was held in check. He had felt it before, it had held him before, held him immobilised, it was the evil presence within the Rift. But this time Amndo was prepared. The keepers have a capability, it allows them to split their consciousness into two parts, the amount of their conscious mind they held in either of these two parts was adaptable depending upon how much activity needed to be processed within either half. It was a neat trick, he didn't know why he could do it, but it allowed him to adjust time in part of his mind whilst allowing normal time to flow in the second part. It had many practical values. So he gathered his being, his intellect. He gathered all that was Amndo, his character, his learning, his very soul, everything that made him Amndo and was good and unsullied and quickly split his mind, shut this into a separate place, he then entered there himself and locked this place away with a mental key from the inside. Then once he was satisfied that the door to this place was shut and safely secured, he let go and allowed the world outside to do whatever it would with his body and what remained within the remaining half of his conscious mind.

The hooded figure said two words. "Welcome Gatekeeper." but Amndo, the real Amndo, did not hear them.

Sometime later, Amndo aroused himself from his meditations and finding the mental key he risked unlocking the door in his mind then opening it up a little he looked outside. The part of his consciousness he had left beyond the locked space appeared to be asleep; he probed around further and saw a sleeping malice there in his mind. Quickly he placed a ward around this alien intrusion, he shuddered at the thought of the violation, he felt physically sick, nauseous at what the evil intelligence within the Rift may have done to him. He then remembered he had a job to do, but he found himself pitying the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, he understood why Serinae was so desperate to save them. He knew then that the Rift somehow controlled them, controlled their very being, he didn't know what would be left if the Rift was ever removed, he hoped that some of the true T'Iea character even still remained within them, that it could be saved and recovered and could grow back. He opened the door of his sanctuary fully and let his true awareness and inner being flood back out into his inner self. His senses returned, firstly that of touch, he was lying on a soft bed. He listened, an inner pop sounded in his ears, but all he could hear was the blood rushing around his veins and the sound of his own breathing. Then sight, but wherever he lay he was in total darkness, then smell, there was a pleasant aroma to the air, slightly floral, somewhat spicy. Taste was the last to realise, his mouth felt dry, a little stale. He tested his muscles; he was not restrained in any way so he sat up.

He felt around him, a table, a bed head, soft pillows. He drew back the bed cloths, turned so his legs hung down the side of the bed, his feet touched a cool tiled floor. He was still fully clothed. He slid off the bed and felt his toe against something else that lay there. He bent down, his staff lay on the floor. He grasped it and raised it, he allowed a dim glow to shine forth. He found he was in a large room. He had just risen from a large bed, a canopy of fine linen was held above the bed by four ornately carved posts, one in each corner of the bed. He stood and moved towards a dark area on one wall. He felt a warm breeze, a window then. But as he got closer he could see that this was an opening out onto what looked like a veranda. He walked out into a typical night sky. Stars shone down from above. He realised then that for whatever reason the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had not replaced the shroud over their city, but then the gatekeeper, the one who had placed the shroud there had not returned. City yes, he must be in R'Iggorr'Thegoran, the city of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. He strode to the edge of the veranda and realised that in fact it was some form of wide balcony, for he now looked out over the city. The architecture and layout was indeed typically T'Iea in design. But then why not he supposed, after all the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran were just as T'Iea as any other of their race.

A slight sound behind him made him turn. It had sounded like a sigh. He peered back into the room but could see nothing, so he risked a little more light from his staff. There was something on the floor at the foot of his bed, a pile of bedclothes? Perhaps he had knocked them onto the floor when he rose, or even dislodged them in his sleep. He walked across. Something beneath the mound moved. He stepped back. A shape rose from the floor, bed cloths fell down and there before him sat a T'Iea woman, she was naked, at least the part he could see, her eyes still closed after sleep. She was beautiful, her dark long hair although in need of grooming was shiny and well looked after. Her skin a golden brown as if she had spent much time in the open air beneath the sun. She stretched and yawned, thin but elegant arms stretched high above her head and she grasped her hands together were they met above. Her arms had elegant tattooing starting at the shoulder and running to her wrists, several colourful bangles slid down her arms to her elbows as she yawned and stretched. Her neck was long and narrow, her breasts rounded and beautiful, pushed together by her raised arms in a very alluring manner. Suddenly she stifled a scream, her eyes were wide in terror as she grasped hold of the bed linens that had fallen down around her and raised them to cover her upper body. Amndo immediately stepped backwards, his first instinct was to apologise, he did not know she was there. But before he could utter a word, the young T'Iea prostrated herself upon the floor, held her hands toward him and cried out sobbing, "master, forgive me master, I did not hear your rise."

Amndo was lost for words, he stepped forward, bent down concern upon his features, he held out a hand, she did not move, she was shaking visibly, obviously in great fear perhaps for her very life. He bent further and grabbed her by the upper arm intent on helping her rise. But she screeched, snatched back from his grasp and scuttled backwards on all fours until her head and back hit against the far wall. Here she raised both arms in front of her head as if about to ward of a blow. "Please master, be merciful, I did not hear you, I slept too soundly. Forgive me." She wailed forlornly.

He stepped forward, "I will not harm you child, here please stand." He held out his hand once more, he had grasped a robe he found draped across the end of the bed; she looked up at him fear on her features, terror in her red watery eyes. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she stood shakily to her feet. She grabbed at the offered robe and held it against her person, then she backed against the wall as if trying to get herself as far from his outstretched hand as possible. She looked at his hand there in front of her and slowly shook her head. Amndo could not help but look at her but he turned to preserve her modesty. He heard her cross the room behind him. When he thought enough time had passed he turned once more to look at her. She was indeed beautiful; she now wore a short silken top, barely enough material to cover her upper body. Her midriff was bare, and she wore a long silken skirt wrapped around her hips in a matching material to the top a golden broach kept the material closed and in place. If he were T'Iea and probably younger, he was sure he would find her irresistible. She appeared both very athletic and very feminine. He shook these thoughts from his mind, he once again thought like a keeper, not like the Rift wanted him to think. He realised there was nothing upon her feet, the skin was stained with dirt and dust. She was also perhaps a little thin, too thin perhaps, for although beautiful, her muscles were visible beneath her skin just a little too much, she carried not an ounce of fat upon her frame.

Amndo was shocked; he just stood there and gapped. She seemed to calm somewhat as he stepped away from her. But she continued to shake in fear, the occasional sobbing sound came from her throat as she stared at him with bright green eyes heavily made up with dark shadow, but skilfully applied. This made her eyes look even more piercing. He smiled, she flinched.

"Do not fear me child, I shall not harm you. Come what is your name?"

She stuttered as if she faltered, she obviously tried to be extremely cautious, eventually she said. "You, you know my name master, I, I am the minion." She looked questioningly at him, her features mixed with a confused expression.

He detected both great awe and fear within her being. Whoever she was, whoever he was supposed to be he struck fear into her soul. This he was not used to, he felt ashamed. "No your real name my child, what name did your parents give to you eh?"

She looked at him curiously and dried her eyes on the back of one hand, then she looked down from his gaze and said, Shak'Ee'Roe, my name is Shak'Ee'Roe. She repeated her name twice more as if she were unused to hearing it, or had just remembered it after a long time."

Amndo detected a faint smile upon the T'Iea woman's lips as she said her name again; it was as if to say the name gave her great pleasure, or perhaps the memory of something pleasant. But she frowned and looked up quickly, staring at him at him once more with piercing bright eyes refilled with fear. Then it struck Amndo, this could be a problem. He was obviously introduced to this T'Iea woman after he had set the ward around the Rift Amndo. Now the real Amndo had returned, the real Amndo was in charge once again and he of course had no recollection of earlier events. What was he to do? It would be far too risky to drop the ward and bond mentally with that part of his mind that had the memory of this girl. He had to play along somehow.

"Master?"

Amndo looked up at Shak'Ee'Roe, she continued to look questioningly at him. He had to do something, allay her suspicion, he had to have time to think, so he said with some truth, "I am hungry child, go fetch me something to eat, some fruit perhaps, yes, some bread and fruit. Perhaps a little water."

Shak'Ee'Roe nodded with some enthusiasm, he suspected she was glad to be given the opportunity to get out of his presence, to remove herself from this strange behaviour being exhibited by her master. But also she was obviously programmed to honour his every command immediately. He watched her as she grabbed a grubby shawl from the pile of cloth upon the ground that must have been her bedding and putting this around her shoulders and over her head she bent down once more and retrieved a dagger which she slid into the waistband of her skirt. She then walked briskly across the room and opened a door. She darted through the opening, bowed low and shut the door behind her. Amndo sat on the bed, by the Maker, he hoped against hope that his other self, the Rift Amndo had not done anything harmful to the poor girl. But what could he do? If he started showing too much sympathy towards Shak'Ee'Roe how would she take it? She may become suspicious and talk to someone else, raise the alarm with the guards perhaps. She may even in some perverse way resent his attempts at kindness. She was a dark elf after all.

He pitied the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran at that point, he suddenly thought how they were so similar to the T'Iea he knew, they were no different really, just deluded, perverted by an evil malice that affected their minds. He then felt great hatred for the Rift. He stood firm in that moment that he would do everything in his power to save them from it. Do everything in his power to remove such evil from the world. He would destroy the Rift and he knew how to do it. But deep down he suspected that even if he were successful then that was just going to be the start, the first beginnings on a greater road to recovery. Not just for the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, but for all of the races. He ate the fruit that Shak'Ee'Roe had brought him. As he did so he invited her to eat with him. She declined, even though she looked hungrily at the food. "You do eat don't you my child?"

Shak'Ee'Roe nodded.

"Good. Then I release you from your duties to go and eat."

Shak'Ee'Roe appeared hesitant, but he shooed her towards the door and opened it for her. She darted through and he closed the door behind her. A few minutes later he opened the door, he thought he would have a tentative look around his new home. To his surprise Shak'Ee'Roe sat at the foot of the wall opposite, her knees drawn up and her arms hugging her legs. She stood immediately.

"Go. Go and eat my child." Shak'Ee'Roe looked confused. Suddenly he thought of his own responsibilities to the Grand Master in TeraT'Inu'Itil, so he said, "go and eat, return to me when you have done so and be quick about it."

He thought she actually smiled, but she nodded as she said, "thank you master, I will be as quick as I can." She skipped off down the hallway and disappeared round a corner at the far end. Amndo was concerned for her so he did not travel far from his rooms. When she returned he was reading having found many books upon shelves in an adjacent room. The rest of the day passed similarly, he kept asking Shak'Ee'Roe to do odd things, he felt it his duty to set her tasks of varying sorts. Some were mundane, but she smiled and bowed undertaking the task without question every time.

The next morning when he awoke Shak'Ee'Roe had already risen; breakfast was laid out upon the table on the balcony that overlooked the city. Shak'Ee'Roe was looking out over the city from the balcony, her back towards him. She was humming a tune and slowly swinging her hips from side to side in time with the music.

Amndo was mesmerised, to his horror he found himself admiring the young woman's figure, relishing the movement of her lithe body, heat arose within his being. He struggled within himself, gave himself a mental slap across the face, this was so unlike him. But then this was not him.

But Shak'Ee'Roe had turned aware of his presence; she bowed low to him and said, "at your wish Gatekeeper?"

He went out and sat at the table. But he was not hungry, he ate sparingly, mainly to please the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran girl, he still felt very sorrowful for her and a little ashamed at himself, even though he was sure that he had not done anything to be ashamed of. He was more ashamed that this girl should act in such a way towards him, as if she were born purely to do his bidding, whatever that may be. This made him feel very uncomfortable. He wanted to get on with the real reason he was here, wanted to make a start and not stay any longer than he needed to. He stood, wiped his mouth on a napkin placed by his side and said, "Shak'Ee'Roe, you will take me to the Rift, to the bridge that spans the void."

Shak'Ee'Roe bowed low and said, "of course, as you wish master, come I will show you the way immediately."

They walked through the city. It was indeed similar to other T'Iea city that Amndo had been in, not that he had been to many. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran whatever their distorted views were still very much like any other T'Iea. The streets were full of people going about their daily routines. The architecture was similar in many ways but it was missing something. The other T'Iea city's he had experienced showed another influence, as if some other culture had left its mark, enhanced the pure T'Iea in subtle ways. But then why not, the T'Iea in the world had mixed with other races, some of those other races influences must have rubbed off upon the T'Iea, it was inevitable. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran on the other hand did not have the benefit of that inter-racial communication; they had kept themselves alone for centuries. They had remained isolated from all others in the world. It was strange for it occurred to Amndo that because of this self-imposed isolation they were probably closer to the true T'Iea race in many ways than their cousins in the west.

They passed through the artisan quarter. Something here was very different. Amndo knew of the renowned expertise of fashioning things that the T'Iea possessed, he knew that they made many things of great renown. But here in this place he thought he saw much more. There were skills being shown here that he had not seen before. Many arcane skills and forms could be detected both sides of the street in the many workshops and smithies that lined the way. The T'Iea here were exhibiting the skills of their kin that was for sure, yet more was going on here, something additional and unexplained was happening. But it was happening normally as if it were common place, had always been here. He couldn't place his finger upon it at first, but then it occurred to him. That same isolation that had kept other racial influences away from the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had also preserved their knowledge, these skilled craftsmen were working with pure T'Iea practices and knowledge that had not been influenced from outside. Things were being made here that other T'Iea societies did not make. The T'Iea he knew had forgotten much. In contrast here the T'Iea had not forgotten, they still retained that old knowledge.

But they came out of the end of the street into a wide, open area. Amndo turned his attention to his surroundings and looked forward. They had stepped out onto a narrow structure. He stopped dead, something within him told him not to step any further. He raised his eyes slowly; He looked up the narrow structure. So there it was. It looked much the same as it did the last time he was here. The broiling mass of the Rift energy swirled beneath his feet as he walked out upon the bridge that spanned the gaping hole in the world's surface. It was like a gaping wound, a wound that would not heal, a festering sore oozing poison and infection just waiting to strike out and corrupt the rest of the body. He smiled at this thought, the simple irony was exactly that for the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran were in effect just waiting to strike out and infect the rest of the world with their particular strain of belief, or to be more accurate the beliefs of the thing that had corrupted them. He stared ahead of him, there, sure enough confirming his previous suspicions from what he had read in the Pnook city of Scienocropolis, there high upon the very apex of the span sat the black shiny block of stone. The largest keystone he had ever seen. He could feel it. Feel the focussed power within the stone, even above the brooding malice in his heart and mind that came from the Rift below. He knew the stone was an inanimate object but he felt as if it posed an enormous threat, a controlled intelligence filled with malice. It was a window, an open window through which could be seen a vista of complete evil. It was all he could do to demand his mind and body walk further and approach it.

Shak'Ee'Roe ushered him onwards; she kept looking from him to the block and back again, as if she feared it also. Or at least felt his fear.

He could not show fear, if this continued he risked everything, risked discovery. He strode purposefully forward right up to the massive stone and stood there regarding it. Slowly he brought up his hands and reaching out he placed both palms upon the block. He was surprised, he felt nothing. Nothing grabbed at him, tried to draw him in. He felt relief. So it was true then, what he had suspected. Something in his very being mapped him within the energy field of the Rift, a signature that mapped him as the Gatekeeper. It was amazing; he wanted to know how it was done. Wanted to understand how the Rift reacted, what it did to change his makeup to recognise him as the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran Gatekeeper. He was almost disappointed that he had locked the Rift Amndo away and thus had missed the process to make the change in his mind and perhaps his physical body. He relaxed. He chided himself, he was not here for his own selfish desire to explore and discover; no, he was here to see what could be done, he had promises to fulfil.

He pressed upon the stone harder. He directed his concentrated thoughts into the stone through his palms and was rewarded by the presence of intelligence. He knew this presence he had felt it once before, yet on that occasion it had been an unstoppable force of malice, intent on dragging him into its very being. Now it brushed against him like a kitten around his ankles. It almost adored him, looked to him as master and one whom it should spend all its energy and very existence trying to please. Amndo laughed inwardly, it was almost intoxicating he had to admit. This presence had never known a physical form, at least not flesh and blood. It had known many individual entities, many nodes as the Rift knew them. Amndo imagined it to be like the queen bee, inert and sitting inside the deepest reaches of the hive. Her workers and soldiers fussing around her, seeking to please her, do her smallest bidding. He dug deeper, the nodes weren't here, he wondered why, he was shown a picture, machines flew around above and below him, the landscape was wrecked. The machines communicated with each other and with the Rift. They all desired destruction, desired conquest and total annihilation of an enemy. The Rift commanded them, sent them to do its bidding and they obeyed without question. But he knew these nodes to be individual machines of battle; they were filled with memories of war and constant untiring battle. But the nodes were all gone now, nearly all gone. One type however remained. He saw a vista in his mind, moorlands stretching out as far as the vision could detect. The vision changed slightly, as if he had adjusted his vision, then it changed once more. This process became faster and faster, until he felt he was spinning around an axis, all the while looking out on the moorlands that surrounded him. Suddenly he knew. The Rift was showing him the moor surrounding the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran city; it was showing him through the eyes of its remaining nodes. These nodes of course, they were the cordon of the Startmektoken that surrounded the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran city. The unsleeping and vigilant mechanical army. But then something unexpected happened. The Rift suddenly turned its attention and completely focussed upon another node. A lone object, far away at the moment, but moving towards the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran city none the less. The Rift was probing, trying to discover the identity of this node. But Amndo knew of it, he knew what this node was, he had travelled the world in it, had left it in the far north with the ognods. Amndo suddenly understood, so the Leviathan does not belong to you then. As soon as he had mentally voiced his suspicion he regretted it. The Rift stabbed at his mind, it almost turned on him as if he had made an accusation that it recognised as truth yet did not want to admit to.

Then something within the Rift started to become suspicious, he felt it falter, pull back slightly as if it had made a mistake. Amndo recoiled from the stone, he did not want to be suspected as being a spy so against all his desire and pushing all the alarms and warnings in his mind he quickly locked all that was precious to him away behind the locked door of his psyche and let the malevolent intruder in his mind free to take over his conscious being once more. He was vaguely aware of the Rift rushing in, just in time he shut the mental door and locked it tighter than ever.

## Chapter 31. Home from Home

JDC had flown the Leviathan back down outside the temple and there it hovered close to the snowy ground. Retta and Solvienne disembarked onto the snow around the temple grounds. Solvienne stood in the ankle deep snow, she tried not to look but she couldn't help herself, her eyes, as if having a will of their own gazed fixedly at the body of the void beast where it lay. She was thankful that an overnight fall of fresh white snow covered much of what remained of the now ruined and frozen flesh.

Retta withdrew the sword she carried across her back. She lay her other hand upon Solvienne's shoulder and smiled at the T'Iea when she turned and jumped in fright at the unexpected touch. "Come, the beast is still dead, have no fear. Let us hope that the keepers have no more surprises eh?"

Solvienne looked nervously back at the Retta. She found she was still in two minds. The body of the beast reminded her of Retta's obvious doubts and mistrust. But she thought she knew Amndo, she didn't want to believe he was on the side of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, or any other evil force for that matter. Yet he was obviously party to all their plans. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had control of the Rift in the east; they would be best positioned to understand if there were other Rift vents. But then maybe he wasn't working with anyone else; maybe he had his own plans and agenda? But either way why would he toy with them, get their hopes up and then try to kill them. It just didn't make sense. Perhaps by now he had made it to the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran city, perhaps he had not been able to resist the rift and like Minervar been completely taken in by it. Solvienne's dark thoughts were then brought to an end, she felt rock and stone beneath the soles of her boots instead of the soft drifts of snow.

They were once more inside the temple, the stench of the void beast still permeated throughout the stone building. Solvienne hoped it was just left there from the dead creature, not from a second beast that may be lurking waiting to slaughter them where its mate had failed. They walked the way they had before, making their way back to the Hall of the Acolytes. The way had changed somewhat, it now proved to be a little more difficult, the void beast had brought down more masonry and the fresh debris lay thicker in places about the rooms. Solvienne felt a kind of sadness that a place of worship to the Maker had been so disdainfully destroyed; a place of intense faith and spiritualism abused in such a way, so many hopes and aspirations of so many people had taken place within this building over a millennia of time, now it was laid to waste, smashed out of all recognition as a place of worship. She shook wrapping her arms about her as she gazed once more upon the blood soaked doors where the grizzly handiwork of the void beast had been hung for all to see. Retta however had been back here several times over the last day or so, she had spent most of the previous morning removing the bodies and remains and with the help of JDC and the leviathan they had cut deep graves into the frozen soil and rock outside the temple and buried what was left of the soldiers with ceremony. Then JDC and Solvienne had left Retta to her lone vigil and to her prayers. The ognod queen had taken the rest of the day to morn, Solvienne wondered what it was she mourned, the soldiers yes, but many other things it seemed to Solvienne also deserved a period of quiet remembrance.

For the first time the two companions strode through the large wooden doors, they found themselves in a relatively small chamber. It was circular and contained nothing except a low circular wall looking like a large well. They approached the low ancient stone wall. Several metres below them within the well-like structure there lay the broiling, swirling mass that was the Rift. They stood in silence looking into the black oily morass.

Retta broke the silence, almost as if voicing her own thoughts. "My people came across this in ancient times. Back then it was within a cave in the mountain. We believed it lead to heaven. We believed it led to the place where the Maker resides. This temple was built around the site as a shrine. But it was also the purpose of the temple to train monks and the faithful. Sometimes such people believed that if they cast themselves willingly into the Rift they would meet face to face with the Maker himself. When the monks lived here many were welcome, there was once a regular ceremonial ritual held for those who decided to take the leap of faith, those who wished to test that faith, to go into the unknown. The hall of the acolytes was always full of those who wished to make the journey. Many cast themselves willingly into the Rift in those times; but none were ever to be seen or heard from again." She was silent for a while, deep in her own thoughts.

Solvienne allowed Retta the time to think.

Retta broke the silence. "That was the reason I was here last you know. I was here to witness those who wished to enter the Rift, those who believed that the Rift would reveal the way to the Maker."

Solvienne nodded her head but remained silent.

Retta again spoke. "I came because my father was one such believer."

Solvienne looked at Retta, "your father, he cast himself in there? Into the Rift?"

Retta looked at Solvienne and nodded. "Yes. He believed he had no future here in the world. He believed that what lay beyond the Rift would give him new hope. He had lost faith in this world. He had tired of it. He agreed that his people should change; yet he himself could not do it. He handed governance to me, for he had faith that I would change ognod society for the better. Yet he lost faith in himself." She looked down into the well of the Rift once more, again lost in her own thoughts. "I hope he yet lives, perhaps even with the Maker himself. My father's heart was true. He was misguided sometimes perhaps, but I am sure that in the end he understood."

Solvienne looked at Retta and nodded slowly. "You have done well and are still doing, a marvellous job Retta, of that I am sure. Your father would have been proud of you and what you have done. But do not be too frustrated with time. What you seek to change in your people is of ancient origins. It will take much time and effort to make even the smallest of changes. But you are determined; out of all your people you will succeed. Of that I am also sure Retta.

Suddenly Solvienne gave a gasp, she was staring down into the Rift. The black morass of its substance stirred, a shape was slowly forming in the oily blackness. Even before it was fully formed Solvienne recognised the materialising form. It was a face, circular in shape, two small slits for eyes and a slit mouth. "A Dolan she whispered."

Retta looked questioningly at Solvienne.

The young elf smiled back, "a Dolan, a gate seal. A device for opening secret doors." Solvienne smiled and said, "it's a sign, from Amndo Retta. I am sure of it." She reached out and grasped Retta's big hand once more, she said, "goodbye Retta. Thank you for everything you have done. I will look for your father; if we meet I will surely tell him how much his daughter has accomplished and how much she loves him."

Retta clung onto Solvienne's hand she frowned. "Be careful T'Iea one, do not trust this Amndo, do not lower your guard. He has yet to prove he had nothing to do with that beast. Do not trust the keepers. There are perhaps reasons they have stayed out of the world, kept themselves separate. Hidden away in their city in the voids."

Solvienne stared into Retta's face, she remembered once more her misgivings, but she cast such thoughts from her mind. "I will remember your words Retta, but I have to believe differently and besides if Amndo sent this message then he doesn't expect us to have died at the hands of that beast." Solvienne smiled and without further delay, she stood upon the low wall she looked into the oily swirling mass and without further hesitation and after taking a deep breath, she stepped off the edge.

She felt herself fall. Her stomach feeling the slightly nauseous sensation that weightlessness gives, but that only lasted for a few seconds. She entered the blackness of the Rift and all sensation seemed to cease. She lost all feeling, lost all sense of direction. She seemed to just be hanging in mid-air. For what seemed like hours she felt nothing. She concluded she may be dead, thought that jumping into the Rift was a stupid idea after all. Thought that if she had died then her mother must also be dead and this whole thing, all the time and effort to rescue Minervar was after all just a dream, a fateful waste of time and effort. She closed her eyes and smiled as she thought how stupid she had been, how naive to have hoped. How foolish to have so much faith in something that was now so obviously not to be. A fools hope, a misguided faith. But then she became slowly aware of what looked like stars starting to shine through the total blackness. It was like drawing black curtains away from in front of her eyes. Each time a drape was removed something else could be seen. The bright stars grew and dimmed slowly until they all seemed to merge together.

She gasped. There in front of her eyes several glowing shapes had formed. They looked like coloured disks, floating in front of her. They formed a ring slowly rotating horizontally in front of her eyes. On each of these disks something shone brighter, it seemed to flicker like a flame. The disk currently in front of her seemed to grow in size as it slowly passed in front of her face, as if it swerved out of its orbit and moved to be closer to her, presented itself to her. It contained within it an axe, a double headed axe, very similar to the battle-axes the Grûndén wield. After some seconds of remaining stationary in front of her eyes this disk moved away out of direct view and was replaced by another. The second disk had upon it a little square coloured object, at first Solvienne did not recognise it, but suddenly she remembered what it was, a chip, one of the Pnook biplextor devices, this one in turn moved out of her direct field of vision. She thought this bizarre, what in the Makers name was the purpose of these of such devices being presented to her here in the Rift? The next disk contained a pyramid-like structure, this she wondered about. Then it occurred to her from Minervar's descriptions what she looked at was a depiction of the keepers temple in their city of TeraT'Inu'Itil. The next had upon it the depiction of a great tree, golden in colour, massive in size. Quite how she knew it was massive was beyond her for there was nothing else within the depiction that would give the tree a sense of scale. This she was curious about. The next had the depiction that she had seen in the city of the ognods, it was of the two twins of which the ognods spoke, Grouund and Gruoond in the typical pose depicted in many places throughout the ognod city, they were seated facing each other their knees drawn up under their chins and their clawed fingers resting atop their knees. The last disk had upon it a strange representation one that made her jump. There was a six pointed star and in the centre of this star was a face, it looked upwards as if it gazed at the heavens, the hands either side framing this face with palms upwards. As she watched she could see that these disks continued to rotate slowly before her eyes.

After the disks had passed her by a few more times it occurred to her that she was being given a choice, where to go from here. Each disk had upon it something that would convey an unmistakable message to any of the elder races that viewed them, the only one she was not sure about was the figure holding up its hands within the six-pointed star surrounding it. She let the disks rotate once more and suddenly she knew exactly where she needed to go. She waited until the disk that had upon it the depiction of the great tree, for she knew this tree, somehow she knew the shape, it occurred to her that it was similar to that carved tree upon the door that led into Solin's secret room in the house in Amentura. She slowly reached out with her finger and touched the disk. Immediately a bright light shone forth, it seemed to light up her finger and then move up her arm to her shoulder, she tried to retract her finger but it was impossible. Panic rose within her, but she could feel the tingling sensation that had accompanied the light as it moved up her arm was now moving across her body, filling her whole being. The last thing to be filled with this strange light was her head. As soon as it reached her mind she felt like she had blacked out, but the memory of the picture of the tree upon the floating disk shone through her mind like a beacon. She found she was staring at a portal, through the haze of distance she could see a forest, a forest of great trees, the same trees. She smiled, giggled and walking forward entered the portal.

When Solvienne opened her eyes; she sat upon a hard rock floor. She rose slowly, becoming aware of a gentle humming in her head. At first she thought it may be the beginnings of a headache, maybe she had landed heavily and was now about to pay the price. But no, her head felt fine. She rose and walked across this big open area. It was fairly dark, she appeared to be within some sort of cave, or cavern for the feeling of a vast space was around her. She looked behind where she had been sitting, what looked like a stalactite grew up from the floor, she looked above at the ceiling, but to her surprise no matching stalagmite hung down. Her gaze returned to the stalactite, it was smooth and glossy and on the top set within a golden coloured clasp was set a jet-black shiny stone, a keystone. Before she could stop herself her hand had reached out and touched the stone. Her vision blurred and within seconds the spinning disks once more presented themselves in turn in front of her eyes. She did not touch any; she took her hand away and the images faded, she was once more in the cavern looking at the stalactite rising up from the floor. She turned and walked slowly away.

Before long she noticed many glowing lights were appearing below her as she walked towards what looked like the edge of some vast cliff. She walked forward towards the nearest light. To her surprise it became larger as if she was approaching something close, not far away as she initially thought. She laughed at her mistake, there in front of her she could see that the source of the light was in fact a small creature she recognised, it was a N'Ip'Chuk, it clung to the rock wall of the cave, in fact there were many of the small glowing beetles, they seemed to be everywhere. Her eyes became wet with tears, why she did not know, joy perhaps for that was what she felt in her heart. Then to her left she perceived something else. A dark circular area seemed to flicker there. A portal? She walked around the great platform until she came to where this thing was set into the wall of the cavern. She looked through. On the other side she could see a forest at night. She laughed. Whatever was this? What in the Makers name was a portal back to the forests of Gel'Te'Ertenya doing here? A portal to her home? But then she became more curious. For the trees that showed within the portal were not the trees of Gel'Te'Ertenya. No, these where not Oak, Beach, Yew or Ash, neither were they any form of Spruce or Birch or Pine. No these were the same trees that she had seen after she had touched the spinning disk. Something took hold of her, some old forgotten memory, a thought she never even knew she had. She felt many new things within her being, things she had never experienced before, yet they felt normal, as if they had lain dormant for an immeasurable time and were awakening. She ran towards the portal, but then realising it was not a portal at all, it was an exit, and entrance, it was the mouth of this cavern. Once through she stopped, basking in the warmth of this place. She turned to take a last look at the cave entrance through which she had just passed, it was set into a cliff face, she stood outside at the foot of the cliff that rose up into the night sky above her. Many stars shone there, but the patterns they made were not familiar. She turned back a laugh of deep joy sounded from her lips, she felt so elated, not knowing exactly why, but she couldn't help but, squeal in delight.

Solvienne danced and skipped down the shallow slope towards the waiting trees. She felt the gentle caress of leaves and soft blades of grass beneath her hands as she dropped down to sit upon the lush green carpet. She looked up to see the glint of moonlight shining behind gently swaying branches. Yet the moon itself was not the moon of the world as she remembered it. It was smooth for a start, no craters existed anywhere upon its surface and it was a pure white colour and a little larger than the moon she was used to seeing every night.

The air was warm here; it somehow felt warmer than where her family made their home in Gel'Te'Ertenya. Yet the warmth was not a sensation born of the weather or the time of year, it was a warmth of the spirit, it felt marvellous, it felt wholly fulfilling, she felt elation flow through her deepest being, felt a tingle of pure happiness erupt within her heart. It all felt somehow familiar, as if she remembered being here before. But how could this be? She and her brother were born in Gel'Te'Ertenya, they had never lived anywhere else. She stood slowly, taking in all the details of her surroundings as she did so. All her senses felt alive; she felt she could see more, smell more, feel more.

Solvienne walked forward, something within her; something in her T'Iea'Tarderi makeup rejoiced to be here. She felt strong, rejuvenated somehow. She knew this place, yet she was sure she had never been here before. She walked slowly, the green grass beneath her feet was thick and lush, many flowers grew here also. She giggled and slipped out of her boots, she clutched them to her breast as she wiggled her bare toes in the lush grass and felt some kind of connection, a spiritual connection with the land. A myriad of colours spread out from her feet across a meadow that made her smile. She took in a deep breath; the delicate scent of the flowers filled her nostrils and excited her very being. She felt, no surely she couldn't be, but she felt that she had indeed come - home. Yet this was not the place she recognised as home. But she laughed, she couldn't help it, she laughed and danced and ran about, she just had to, an irrepressible energy had risen up inside her and she had to use it somehow or she thought she may burst. It felt like every sensation within her had been amplified greatly. Felt like her T'Iea being had been supercharged somehow, she thought things she had never conceived before. Long lost memories came flooding back to her, thoughts she had lost but didn't even know they had gone. She could remember every finite detail of her life so far, every experience, every act, everything she had ever known all come flooding into her being. She held her head, she thought it may expand vastly to contain all of the information that seemed to be flooding into it, but no it did not change. She grasped her hair in both hands and twirled round and round viewing all of it, trying to take it all in.

Where was she? What was this place? It felt like she had returned to somewhere lost in time, somewhere she knew, she gasped, somewhere she knew she belonged. She thought of home again, she had returned home? Eventually she lay on her back in the warm grass, even after all that energetic activity she breathed steadily and without labour. She looked upwards once more, the branches of the trees spread out over her in a complete canopy of hues of gold and green, but the lowest of the branches were far higher than any she had seen in her life. The tallest and most ancient of oaks in Gel'Te'Ertenya would easily have grown beneath the lowest boughs of these great trees with room above to spare. She looked down and around to see where the great trunks of these trees must be. She could see them all around her, but the nearest was at least a hundred metres away and each trunk was at least that far away from its nearest neighbour. This was a dense forest, yet the trees gave each other plenty of room to live. She rose once more and sitting in the grass hugged her knees and then standing she walked slowly across to the nearest trunk, as she approached she could see that this tree was at least as big around the girth as a large T'Iea'Tarderi house. She touched the bark. She removed her hand quickly, she had felt a tingle. Slowly she returned her hand to the bark of the tree, again the tingling sensation came, but it was a feeling of welcome, of acknowledgement. It was a sensation of great age and long lived wisdom. She ran her hands over the smooth bark, she giggled at the response she felt through her fingers. Suddenly other thoughts seemed to add to the one she first encountered, others thoughts welcoming her, she imagined many people in her house all greeting her with open arms. The forest, this forest was welcoming her. With a sharp intake of breath she realised it was welcoming her home.

She remembered her T'Iea'Tarderi brethren talking of old times and how the trees held spirits in the ancient past and how those spirits had withdrawn from the world. She had not experienced such a sensation herself and she had found it difficult to believe. Yet here it seemed those spirits remained. Or perhaps this place, wherever it may be, was where those spirits had withdrawn . She felt an overwhelming rush of elation once more. She stepped back and twirled around her hands held high and laughed once more. Suddenly it dawned upon her, suddenly she knew exactly where she was, she knew. It was the most marvellous feeling; she was in Elit G'fedrel, the place where the spirits reside.

An hour or so later Solvienne walked, not in any particular direction for it was a pleasure to do so. The morning was breaking, the night was receding and the light was shining forth from above. The leaves fluttered high above her in the warm gentle breeze as if shaking the last vestiges of a gentle sleep from themselves. The leaves she noticed where all almost circular in shape. Suddenly she realised that all these trees, perhaps the entire forest consisted of the fabled trees that her people called the S'Apli'Baum. She span around, her arms held out horizontally to her sides and looked around at the forest once more. She span around several times. Then her eyes caught site of a figure standing, watching her. She stopped, the smile went from her face, she wondered if she should run, but she couldn't believe that anything harmful or with ill intent could be in tis place, she felt that the trees, the spirits themselves would not suffer such here. Instead she scrutinised the figure more closely. The figure was dressed in a long robe, at this distance Solvienne could not make out any real detail but she had the distinct impression that the figure was a T'Iea female. The figure held a longbow pure white in colour, almost as long as the figure was tall. The bow shone as if it was made of some white metal that reflected the light, yet Solvienne doubted that this was a reflection. Rather the wood of the bow gave off its own illumination. She stood still staring as the figure started to walk slowly towards her. Solvienne felt no fear, she just knew that any form of evil could not enter here, even if it did, it would not survive for long.

Solvienne walked forward towards the figure. The figure also began to walk faster. As they approached one another Solvienne could see a wide grin on the figures face, she knew that grin. Oh how she had missed that grin. Her eyes felt wet with tears as she ran towards the figure. The other started to run towards her and they met in a tight embrace. Solvienne wanted to say "mother" but the lump in her throat prevented her speaking as tears ran down her cheeks. Hot tears of joy as the other figure hugged her close and whispered into her ear, "Solvi, my daughter." The two women stood like this for many minutes, neither wished this moment to end, each wanting to maintain the reality and surety of this physical contact, each felt the love of the other pouring forth, in soundless unification.

Eventually Minervar gently pushed herself back from Solvienne's sobbing embrace, she smiled down at her daughter, she asked, "how are they Solvi? How are Thor, Narny and Iolrreas?"

They sat upon the grass and talked for what seemed like hours, spoke of everything that had transpired to both. Firstly Solvienne told Minervar that everyone was alright. But then with sadness in her eyes she told Minervar that Iolrreas had also disappeared and no one knew where he was after he had left to try and find her.

Minervar sighed, "he is a good and strong man Solvienne. I am sure your father is still with us somewhere, the Maker willing."

Then Minervar stood back and rubbed the wetness from her cheeks upon the sleeve of her robe. She smiled widely and said, "I knew that you would not give up on me. I knew that you would find a way. Every day I came here to the portal to see if anyone had found the way. At first I couldn't believe my eyes, for there you stood." Minervar gripped both Solvienne's hands and spun her around. She laughed "But, come, before we say any more, there are others here that I would like you to meet."

"Others? Who Momma?"

Minervar just smiled and holding onto Solvienne's hand tightly she led the way through the great trees.

"This is an ancient place Solvi, it is as the forests of old used to be. It is the forests of the stories and lore we learnt as children. It is the place that we would call."

Solvienne said, "Elit G'fedrel."

Minervar smiled and giggled at her daughter. "we, always believed Elit G'fedrel was the place the spirits reside, but now I know it is the place where the T'Iea reside, or at least did so until we forgot how to return here, or were unable to do so. Your remember Narny's mother Solvi? You remember how her family were emissaries of the T'Iea in the keepers realm of TeraT'Inu'Itil?"

Solvienne had heard the story many times, she nodded in affirmation.

"Well that place, TeraT'Inu'Itil, it is similar to here. But that is the place of the keepers. It is their realm. Each of the elder races had access to something similar."

Solvienne was reminded of the disks in the Rift, the disks that passed in front of her giving her the choice of where to go. She nodded in agreement and understanding.

Minervar continued. "Each of the races had emissaries in each other's secret homes at one time. But for whatever reason TeraT'Inu'Itil remains the only one still in use and therefore the only one that still hosts emissaries from the other elder races."

Alas Elit G'fedrel I do not believe is our original home, but a kind of home-from-home if you will. The ancient fathers, when they brought the elder races with them to aid in the construction of the great machines, well they created places like this, like Elit G'fedrel for the elder races to live in whilst toiling on the machines."

Solvienne was again reminded of the disks slowly rotating in front of her eyes. "Yes, I was given the choice when I jumped into the Rift, it gave me the choice of where to go. I chose here, because of the tree. But why did we and the other races leave these secret homes? Why do the keepers still remain in theirs?"

"Alas Solvi the answers to these questions remain a mystery. Perhaps it has something to do with the ancient fathers not returning, I do not know."

"So our people once lived in the voids in affect."

Minervar nodded in understanding. "Yes. I suppose we would call it a place belonging to the voids, yet all places are in the voids as you call it. In essence the voids or void is what holds everything in place; it is the table top of creation onto which the atlas of the universe has been laid out by the Father of all. But I think that description falls far beneath the reality of it. But my poor miniscule mind cannot grasp the concepts that are involved."

"But how, Momma how do you know all this?"

Minervar laughed. "Partly I think I worked it out for myself. I came to this place in the same way as you described. But Solvienne so did another. Come, there is someone who I would like you to meet, someone who filled in the gaps for me." Here she smiled, a slight mischievous look upon her T'Iea'Tarderi features.

Solvienne laughed for she knew that look, ever since she could remember she knew that expression.

Minervar said with a wink of her eye, "I would like to introduce you to an old friend of mine. You will love her immediately, of that I am sure."

Solvienne looked at Minervar, something was dawning in her mind. So she said, "it's Serinae? She is here, isn't she mother?"

Minervar giggled and nodded her head, "oh yes. Seri has tried to explain everything in great detail, but she is wasting her time on me I fear. She arrived some time ago. Out of the blue she came, I cannot tell you how excited I was to see here once again after all these years. But she can tell her own tale. Come I will take you to meet her."

Solvienne giggled, "yes I would like that, I would like that very much."

They continued through the forest. Solvienne marvelled at the flowers that grew beneath the trees, she marvelled at the birds that flew around them and the wildlife that abounded here.

Then Minervar stopped and pointed, "we are here."

Solvienne looked in the direction in which Minervar indicated. A gentle slope led down into a lush valley, this in turn led to a river that flowed through wide water meadows, she could see between the gaps in the great tree trunks to the gently flowing crystal clear waters. Flowers of all colours grew here as well as the lush green grass and rushes and brightly coloured Iris that hugged the riverbank. They walked forward, down the gentle slope. As they approached the river through the meadows, Solvienne gasped in wonder. The river widened and a large inlet appeared like a lake adjoining the river. The waters here where still and clear, many lilies grew bobbing their flower heads above the waters. Fish swam lazily in the gentle current. Several circular shaped little boats were pulled up on the grassy bank; some were upturned, probably drying in the heat of the sun.

Solvienne looked up above, suddenly she realised that the great trees formed platforms high above. Their branches and boughs had been fashioned into large areas and upon these areas had been constructed, no that was not the correct word, had been grown, numerous dwellings. An ornate bridge like structure spanned the river between the trees, it looked like the great trees on either side had reached out and grasped hands, fingers intertwining. More dwellings set higher in the trees could be seen on the far side. It was a city, a city in the trees, no, a city of the trees. It reminded her of the T'Iea'Tarderi town where they lived in Gel'Te'Ertenya. Yet it was nothing like that village. This was a vast city, it spanned she did not know how many trees. The only similarity was that both places were set high in the trees. But this city was, what was it? It was fantastical, immense. Many T'Iea must have lived here at one time; it would have been a bustling, busy place.

"Welcome to our home Solvi, at least the home I have lived in for the past," Minervar paused, "I don't know how long actually," she giggled. "This is how the T'Iea used to live Solvi, long ago in another world, a world far from here, that is where our hearts and souls really lie, this place was made by the T'Iea in a place given them by the ancient fathers to make us feel at home whilst we aided them in their toil, it was designed to make all feel at home, a home from home, for the machine would take many, many generations of man to complete and the elder races would be away from their true home for a very long time."

Solvienne was speechless.

Minervar smiled and said, "come my daughter, one thing at a time, firstly let us make or introductions."

They continued to walk down into the river valley. As they approached the river Solvienne could see many ripples on the surface, the clear waters revealed many different kinds of fish swimming lazily in the slow current. Along each bank grew many kinds of plants some had fruits growing heavy on their branches, Solvienne recognised some, others she did not. She reached out to grasp one she did know that was a particular favourite of hers; she hesitated and looked at Minervar who nodded her consent. So Solvienne picked the fruit and bit into its succulent flesh savouring the flavour. Then up ahead she marvelled at what she saw. One of the great trees had been, well she was lost for words, she didn't know how, but the trunk of one of the great trees had been fashioned, or grown into a spiral shape, she could see as they approached that the wood and bark of this tree grew into what was quite obviously a covered spiral stairway that twisted around several times and disappeared into the canopy above. They approached and started to climb the stair, it was wide, probably at least three metres. Solvienne marvelled at the way it seemed to be part of the tree itself.

Soon they arrived upon a platform. Many covered walkways looking similar to the stair way they had just climbed yet were horizontal of course, they led off in many directions, some led to more stairways that went up further to various vast platforms at various heights above the one on which they stood. But Minervar led Solvienne across a walkway that ended at a larger platform on the same level. A platform on which stood four large dwellings. One in particular caught her eye. This one had been adorned with floral displays and other artistic designs, carved wooden things, collections of shaped wooden branches, a door mat made from weaving together a number of fronds from the reeds that grew along the river bank, golden and red in colour, the colours of autumn. But it was the figure that stood in the doorway that made Solvienne gasp.
Chapter 32. A Fine Welcome in the East

JDC gasped for air. He hadn't run so far in years and he was suffering the consequences. His heart pounded, pain tightened across his chest, a nauseous, stabbing feeling in his gut. He gasped in lungful's of air, coughing fits interspersed with wheezes and spitting gobs of horrid fluid from his aching lungs didn't help the smelly, dusty atmosphere within the sackcloth bag that they had pulled down over his head tying a rope around his neck before binding his arms. He didn't want to think what the bag may have once contained for it stank badly within. But they tugged upon the rope regularly even dragging him along when he fell to his knees. He knew his captors were T'Iea, yet he didn't expect such a reaction from them when he hailed them across the heather. He thought he had made a mistake, mistaken the high T'Iea he thought he saw who now in truth were T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, yet they wore the armour of the T'Iea legions. Not the black armour of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. He concentrated on the thump, thump, thump of his boots on the heather, tried to just think of placing one foot in front of the other. He couldn't hear the passage of the T'Iea of course, they were light footed, how did they do that, run without any sound, it was infuriating.

Then they stopped, he only found out when the rope pulled taught in the other direction and almost garrotted him as he fell over backwards. He gasped bent over double, lying there upon the ground trying to relieve the pressure across his chest. His thoughts turned inwards towards his current predicament. He had left the northern wastes after Solvienne had passed through the Rift. The ognodess, the one called Retta had told him Solvienne was gone, she did not know where. Retta seemed just resigned in some way that Solvienne was unlikely to return. He did not really know what to do next, or where to go for they had not discussed that. At first he was resigned to return to the Pnook city in the Rust Desert. He thought he might cross the Trad Ocean flying west but something had drawn him here, back to the east, back across the great divide. Perhaps it was the promise of the great Rift that was here; perhaps its power drew him nigh. Perhaps it was the eastern men, for they out of all the races of peoples upon the world seemed to take a neutral, maybe even a resigned attitude towards the great Leviathan battle cruiser.

Suddenly the sackcloth bag was untied and ripped from his head, he shouted in pain, the rough edge caught his nose, he felt warm wetness trickle down onto his lips. He closed his eyes for they felt full of grit and dust; he wanted to rub at them but could not for his hands were tied. The sun was brilliant, it blinded him, he wanted to lay his head down but someone had hold of the rope around his neck and he was forced to hold his head up or be strangled, his neck muscles wrenched in pain. He heard voices all around him, T'Iea voices talking in their own language. He picked up the odd word, but did not understand most of what was said, at least not enough to make out what was being discussed. One word though was repeated, this word T'Erne'Ret, he knew translated into a reference to his own people the Pnook. He also heard reference to the Rust Desert said in the common speech; obviously there was no translation into T'Iea for that particular part of the world.

Booted feet approached, someone shouted close to his ear, "I'ren'nualle T'Erne'Ret!" The rope around his neck was tugged hard and his head jerked up once again with a loud cracking noise from his vertebrae, he screamed in agony. Through the veils of pain that hung in front of his eyes he could just make out a T'Iea face staring at him with anger in the eyes. He went to say something, but a coughing spasm started and he spat thick saliva containing traces of blood onto the ground. The elf said something with a hint of disgust in the tone of his voice, a sneer upon his features and went to kick JDC in the ribs. JDC's eyes bulged as the air was forced out of his lungs with the sudden impact, he wheezed trying to gulp air but he couldn't control his diaphragm from its spasms. Again the booted foot was drawn back, JDC could do nothing but prepare himself for the second blow, he closed his eyes anticipating the sudden pain, but it did not come. A shout from beyond and behind the T'Iea warrior broke the silence. JDC opened his eyes, his T'Iea antagonist glared at him before stepping backwards and standing to attention saluted.

JDC looked upwards straining with his weakening neck muscles raising his watering eyes as far as he could and looking up through his eyelashes to get a view of the newcomer who had shouted with such authority. A tall elf approached bedecked in shining golden armour, coloured bars on his right breast denoted the elf as a high ranking officer, this JDC knew. The T'Iea blue eyes stared at him from beneath the golden helm that hid all of his other features, the eyes bore into him to the extent that JDC had to look away. The elf continued to stare, then as if coming to a decision he turned walking back the way that JDC suspected he had come. Long blonde hair protruded from beneath the helm and swished around as the elf turned and walked away, he gestured with one hand as if beckoning to JDC, indeed his two T'Iea guards picked him up under the arms and half dragged and half carried him across the heather following the T'Iea officer.

They came to a part of the moor that was strewn with dark boulders, many of these large rounded rocks protruded out from amongst the heather. Something in his mind clicked, he looked at the lichen growths on the rock, it seemed to follow some pattern as if it grew around purposeful carvings below. He realised he had seen similar rocky outcrops before, a long time ago in the distant past, he had forgotten, but he recognised the carvings, they were Pnook in origin. To his surprise the officer strode right up to one rocky outcrop and reaching out seemed to pull on a loose canvass that covered the rock, then he bent down and disappeared behind the rock. JDC with his captors then approached, but this time when the canvass was moved JDC saw that in fact it was the flap of a tent and he could see the interior as he was pushed through roughly and fell to the floor, one of his captors followed and placed his booted foot onto JDC's back so that it was impossible for him to stand or even move. The other guard placed his boot upon JDC's cheek pinning his face to the ground. JDC could just see the T'Iea officer in front of him remove his golden helm and place it upon a stand. He then took up a large goblet from a table and poured himself a long draught of what looked like a deep red wine. Moving around the table he sat upon its edge, one foot raised upon a chair. He rested the elbow of the arm and hand that held the goblet upon his raised knee and leaning forward took a long swig of the wine, he scrutinised JDC as he did so, he then waved his hand and the pressure of the boot was removed from JDC's cheek, a further gesture from the office and the booted foot was also removed from his back. JDC was then hauled to a sitting position and the bindings at his wrist removed as was the rope from around his neck.

The officer raised his head and pointed towards JDC with the middle finger of the hand that held the goblet, he spoke this time in the common tongue, "hail to thee master Pnook, I must apologise for your treatment, but my soldiers have good reason to be suspicious of all who walk these parts alone, many spies of the enemy may be found here and I would hate them to discover our camp." He placed the goblet from which he drank onto the table beside him, then retrieved a second goblet from somewhere behind him and into this he poured the same liquid. He then came round to where JDC lay and offered a hand. JDC took this and was lifted to his feet; the goblet was thrust into his other hand as the elf said, "perhaps a glass of wine?"

JDC nodded as he was allowed to stand on his own, anything would be welcome to wash the filth from his mouth and to ease the dryness of his throat. He took the offered goblet and drank deep and long.

"Your people, the Pnook, once they lived in this region and are known to have been in league with my enemies in the past, you understand our precautions I hope?"

JDC then remembered. Yes once long ago he had been here, when the old Pnook city of Mechno Babaptruek had existed, before it was destroyed by the invading army of the ognods. JDC frowned, despite his other pains he felt angered, he spluttered, his anger grew in his voice, "in this instance you are mistaken, the Pnook have not lived here in the east for many, many ages and we have never been allies of any T'Iea for even longer, ever since the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran forfeit our trust allying with the ognods and destroying our city." JDC knew he risked retribution by saying such things but he was angry at his treatment and the mistrust that these T'Iea so obviously afforded him.

The T'Iea officer raised his eyebrows and smiled. "In one way I am truly glad to hear that master Pnook. So then I wonder why it is you have come here. Certainly not to return to that old city of which you speak for that lies in ruin and in any case much of it is beyond our access." He looked questioningly at JDC, his eyes boring into Pnook who once more averted the gaze of the T'Iea officer.

JDC breathed a small sigh of relief, he had hedged his bets on that last answer and felt rewarded that he had obviously got his assumptions right, these were not T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran after all. JDC thought for a while, but was brought back from his thoughts by a sharp prod in his back which almost had him sprawled once more upon the ground. He took this as a hint, he was being asked what he was doing here and what his intentions may be. "I, I came searching for friends, the humans that live here in the east, they were once our allies in our joint struggle against the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran of this region."

The T'Iea officer, looked at JDC without expression. "You were here before? Most interesting. Then I assume you are something to do with the large flying craft that we saw pass over us some hours ago. Perhaps you come to do battle once more master Pnook?"

JDC looked at the officer, how his head was cocked to one side questioningly. He was either very knowledgeable or he was guessing well. But JDC thought, had he? Had he come to take up arms once more against the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran? JDC looked once more towards the expectant officer, he thought he would be truthful and at the same time put a question and try to get some understanding of the T'Iea intent. "I had no plans to make war; I just sort a place to hide the machine from those who may choose to use its powers - unwisely."

The T'Iea officer smiled. "I know of what you speak master Pnook, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had such a machine for a while, they experimented with the machine, we watched with great interest from afar as they attacked the local populace, playing with the great fire power that these machines have. Long ago master Pnook, two such machines battled against one another in the skies to the east, we watched the battle with much interest, one machine was destroyed, it fell to its ruin upon the ground in flames." Then with a sly look in his eye he added, "we saw you do battle with their machine, high above in the sky. I congratulate you on your triumph; I found your battle tactics very impressive. You certainly have proved that you know how to use the power of your machine with great skill if you allow me to make such a compliment. Come, perhaps you may enlighten me, tell me more of the great power and technology you possess and have used to such great effect."

Any surprise JDC felt at the accuracy of the T'Iea officer's assumptions vanished as he felt a flush of pride and a smile came to his lips.

The T'Iea officer held up his hand as if to delay JDC, he then turned, JDC did not see the faint triumphant smile upon his lips as he waved at his guardsmen, "leave us. Ask one of the healers to come forth immediately and administer to our guest." The guardsman saluted and turning on the heel of his foot he left the tent. The T'Iea officer waited a few seconds until they were alone and then said, "please forgive our unfortunate initial mistrust master Pnook, I would dearly like to make amends by offering you the hospitality of our camp. But first let me introduce myself, my name is Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned, I am the commanding officer of this expeditionary force." The elf smiled warmly at JDC and bowed.

Another elf, a female, entered the tent. At a nod from Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned she approached JDC who shrank back fear shone in his eyes. "Do not fear master Pnook, she is a competent healer, she will see to your discomfort, the least I can do after being responsible for your rough treatment caused in my ignorance. I only wish to make amends and to offer you respite from your wounds. Only if you agree of course."

JDC nodded and allowed the healer to do her work. It did not take long and JDC began to feel much relief. It may have also been something to do with the wine for his goblet was replenished a number of times after he had drunk its contents, in fact JDC found he was starting to actually warm to the T'Iea officer. Following another apology from the elf JDC said, "think nothing of it master Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned, you were right to exhibit such precaution, especially in this part of the world where you may be surrounded by enemies." JDC held out his goblet in hope and was greatly rewarded as it was filled once more with the wonderful red T'Iea wine. He found that his mind and his tongue were both loosened and when prompted by Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned he was only too happy to tell his story of how he recovered the Leviathan from the Rust desert and what he had managed to discover about the machine and its capabilities. Not once did he mention any others that may have aided him in this task, after all they were not actually present when the machine was captured single handed and flown from its lair, they didn't actually help as such and he wasn't asked if he had any accomplices after all.

Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned proved to be a good listener, he didn't say anything or interrupt JDC, he just made encouraging noises and raised his eyebrows in surprise at some of the embellishments that JDC found himself adding into the tale. JDC imagined he saw some admiration in the way the T'Iea officer regarded him, in any event he was enjoying himself, the rigors and pain of some hours before forgotten in his self-veneration and astonishing achievements.

## Chapter 33. Elit G'fedrel

As they approached the door-less entrance the T'Iea women stepped through, a wide smile upon her face, her platinum coloured hair loose and flowing down around her shoulders and ending in a point at the base of her spine. Her bright jade green eyes shining, full of life and vitality. She wore soft doe-skin leggings and a matching sleeveless jerkin over a light brown and green shirt that had flowers and plants embroidered upon it. Her feet, like Solvienne's were bare. She giggled and walked forward and grasped Solvienne's hand looking deep into her eyes.

"You are most definitely the lady Serinae," said Solvienne.

The other elf laughed out loud and nodded, she then moved forward and brought Solvienne into a hug. "And you young lady, are most definitely the lady Solvienne."

Solvienne smiled and looked from one T'Iea woman to the other and in a voice touched with emotion she said, "I am so overjoyed to see you both here, I cannot express my gladness. It all just seems too good to be real, a dream, I have to keep reminding myself that I am awake."

"Aye, it has been a long road, for all of us I feel," said Minervar. But there is one other in our little party that needs an introduction before we speak further, come." Minervar indicated the doorway into the dwelling, Solvienne nodded and passed through.

The interior was as neat as the exterior; it was cool and well lit. Everything was here that Solvienne expected to be present in a T'Iea'Tarderi home. She scanned around the room and walked further in. A movement to her left caught her eye. A figure walked through from another room an elderly woman not a T'Iea but a human female stood there a smile upon her face.

"Deanola?" Whispered Solvienne.

The human woman dropped her gaze and nodded slightly in acknowledgment of her name. "Would you like tea child?"

Solvienne smiled, "that would be lovely, yes thank you."

Deanola left the way she had come and soon returned with a teapot and cups, "shall we sit outside? The sun is up and the morning is fair."

The four stepped back through the door and sat on chairs around a table that was set outside the dwelling on the large platform high in the trees.

Solvienne looked around. The wooden platform on which they sat was highly polished, it had the look of ages and many feet must have trod here to polish the wood into such a sheen. Tree boughs passed at all angles, vine like structures grew amongst the leaves and branches displaying large colourful flowers that attracted many bees and other insects as well as colourful birds that made a humming noise as they hovered upon wings moving too fast for the eye to see. These creatures provided the only sound that could be heard other than the occasional rustle of leaves on the warm breeze.

"Where are we? I mean, are we the only ones here?" Asked Solvienne.

Serinae responded, "we are the only ones yes, at least that I have found so far. As for where we are, I don't really know. Apart from the fact that this is an old place, it is also apparent that it was built by T'Iea, ancestors of ours presumably, a long, long time ago. Why they left never to return, I do not know for sure. This was once a place obviously freely accessible to our people, perhaps like many things that the T'Iea no longer remember, the way in and out has been long forgotten, although the door is still there as you know. I suspect that the world, that is the world we knew and were born into became home. Perhaps it had more appeal for some reason and we abandoned this place. I believe this place to be a sanctuary, a place for the T'Iea to live whilst the world outside recovered from the cataclysmic war that had been fought. This place slowly became myth and legend. But it remained as a link, to those who had the natural skill to use it. We are tied to this place even still Solvienne, there is an unbreakable link to it within each of our beings, an unbreakable cord, you must have felt its presence when you first entered?"

Solvienne remembered the feelings of elation she felt and she nodded slowly in understanding.

Serinae smiled and continued. "As I travelled the world I sort many things that the T'Iea told of, very few I found. I sort the great forests of S'Apli'Baum," she indicated the trees that surrounded them. "I had all but given up ever finding them. I suspected that they had all been lost from the world. Little did I realise that in fact these great trees never resided in our, that is, the world of man, apart from some deep rooted memory within each of us perhaps, or the wood from these trees that we took with us into the world of man. But the trees themselves, the great forests of S'Apli'Baum, they were here in this place all along. It seems my friends that much knowledge has been lost to us. She indicated the now pure white glowing long bow that Minervar had leaned against the outside wall of the dwelling.

"You can have it back Seri, you know you can at any time." Said Minervar.

"No. I do not want to become the ranger once more, those days are over for me." Replied Serinae.

"Wait." It was Solvienne, "you said that the bow was Serinae's, yet her bow I remember to be black in colour, this one is far from black?"

Minervar spoke, "it was black, but it became what you see now as soon as we entered this place, it seems to recognise where we are somehow, or at least it reacts to this place. I think this was where it was made, I think that these dwellings were populated mainly by T'Iea artisans who travelled here to make things, using skills and knowledge that we have long forgotten and lost. It still connects here, even when it is in the world of men. Like us it is tied to here, somehow it remembers what was here, how it was made and imbued with the attributes it has within. As long as this place exists the bow carries that memory of its crafters with it wherever it may go."

Solvienne looked at Serinae, "but how did you come to be here Serinae? Was it here that you went after the great machine was put to rights and you disappeared?"

Serinae seemed lost in thought for a while, then she stood and walked to look over the edge of the platform. She lent upon the balustrade that ran around the edge and said, "no, I did not come here. My invitation extended only to another place. A similar place to this I presume in many ways in that it also resides outside of the world of men." Then after a minute of or so where she was obviously deep in thought she said, "I went to the city of the ancient fathers via a portal opened by them, or what was left of them. I did not go through the Rift, if I had I might have come here earlier, but then I would not have gained the knowledge I have now, been able to learn so much in the city of the ancient fathers. That city is named At'Lan'T'Ys." She walked back to where they sat once more and taking her seat remained quietly thinking." But it is more, much more than that."

Serinae smiled and nodded her head. "You know Tezrin sought to lead the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran back here to Elit G'fedrel. His misguided intention was to invade this place, to take it by force. The irony is that he didn't need to, for this place already belonged to them as T'Iea people. But he never suspected this in his wildest dreams he never figured that out."

Solvienne was thinking rapidly, "yes, but he did not succeed, you saw to that, you both saw to that. But can't the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran still access this place , they have the Rift still?"

Serinae looked at Solvienne. "Yes, they have the Rift, but their use of the Rift does not include its use as a hallway to reach these places. They use the Rift for other purposes for they seek only the power that lies within it, the same power that mankind also sort. But the Rift also contains a corruption of mankind, an evil malice that men intended to fight a war they could never win. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran are a product of that corrupted energy and like the deluded malice they missed the true use of the Rift altogether. There is an irony in that they could have fulfilled all their wildest perverted dreams long ago if they only knew what the Rift really did." Here she laughed. It was not a laugh of amusement, but a laugh in recognition of some deep irony at her words. "Perhaps we have to thank mankind for that."

Solvienne thought of the spinning disks that she had been presented with on entering the Rift. She asked about the one that had the star and the upturned face. "Was that disk not to the one that would lead into At'Lan'T'Ys, the sanctuary of the ancient fathers?"

"The Rift was originally a way that all the elder races could get to and from their homes to their places of toil whilst they helped to build the great machine. What you describe is the access disk for the great machine itself. Only the ancient fathers themselves could provide access to At'Lan'T'Ys." She remained silent for a moment. "Perhaps the most surprising thing, the one thing that took my breath away when I found out, was that At'Lan'T'Ys is not just a city in the true sense of the world. It looks like a city, has all the buildings and boulevards that you would expect. But it is not just a city Solvienne. Its real purpose is something else. It is in fact a vast ship, an interstellar star ship able to travel vast distances across the outer void, across space and time. It is in that vast machine, that star ship in which we all travelled here to the world of men to start with."

Solvienne said, "then it is true. The ognods knew this, they have always known it. They knew of the great star ship." She went on to describe the tapestry that hung in Retta's private room at the back of the throne in the ognod city. But then she had another horrified thought, suddenly the true ramifications of what Serinae had said earlier hit home. Solvienne stood, she had a troubled expression upon her face. "But the Rift, the Rift gives access here! That is how I got here, that is how we all got here. By the Maker all the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran have to do is go through the Rift and they can get to here, get to any of the sanctuaries of the elder races." She placed her hand over her mouth a deep look of shock upon her face.

"Yes they can," came the reply. "But do not fear Solvi, in their wildest dreams this has not occurred to them. At least not yet. Their thoughts and desires have not shown them this simple thing. They do not yet understand what the Rift can do, where it can lead them. It is strange, for they in their ignorance and greed sort to use the Rift for other purposes, it had never occurred to them to explore within it, only to exploit its power and energy in other ways."

"But surely it's only a matter of time before they discover this?"

Minervar then spoke; she had a deep pained expression on her face as she said. "it is possible that they will discover this yes. But at the moment their thoughts lay in other directions. They do not know that the Rift itself is a gateway. As Seri said, they only know it as a source of great power, power that can be used by their leader, the one they call the Gatekeeper to use to create portals and other arcane constructions. But they and their Gatekeeper only seek to pervert that energy for their own satisfaction and use." She looked at Serinae briefly and continued. "We must stop them Solvi, we must remove the risk of them finding this place, at least in their present state. We have to save them Solvi, save them and then show them the truth."

Solvi frowned. "Tell me what happened Momma, tell me everything since last we met?"

"Minervar lowered her eyes, it is a painful story Solvi, for me it is a story that is full of sorrow and deep regret." She paused for a few moments. "I was taken from Amentura, ported into the dark elf city in the east, that I now know. I was frightened, alone, I did not know what to do. I entered the city and was met by the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, met by the Guardian of the Gate. He seemed to be expecting me. They called me the Gatekeeper, they seemed to know me. But it was not me personally they knew, it was the position that they thought I held that they knew."

Here she looked solemnly at Serinae, who smiled back and nodded.

So Minervar continued, "Tezrin was in league with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, he was the Gatekeeper before me. When he did not return and I entered the dark elf city via the route he had created, then the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran assumed he was dead and he had passed the responsibility of Gatekeeper to me. I had to play along for fear of my life. What I didn't realise is that the knowledge that the Gatekeeper is required to hold does not come directly from the Rift, but from an evil source that is present somehow within the Rift and uses the vast portal stone. They do not use the Rift itself directly but the energy that is controlled by the evil entity stored and concentrated in the vast black portal stone that stands above the Rift. That is partly why they have not discovered the original capabilities of the Rift itself. They took me to the portal stone above the Rift and performed a ritual." Minervar shuddered and held her hands crossed in front of her holding her shoulders as if she tried to hug herself, comfort herself. Her face darkened. "Serinae is right, the Rift contains something Solvi, something else. Whatever it is it uses the Rift as a home and a source of power. It is not the Rift itself that has corrupted the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran it is whatever this thing is, it is a parasite an evil parasite, a blight on the Rift. It got hold of me, held me and told me many things. Told me how to create portals through time and space, told me how the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran were right and true, told me that by becoming one of them I would help put all the wrongs of history right in the world. It showed me in an instant everything about the world and the people that lived in it. Only what it showed was all a lie a distortion of the truth. But it got into my head and it took me over. I became ......." Minervar held her head in her hands and wept. Serinae and Solvienne stood and came to comfort her.

"It's alright Mini," said Serinae. "You no longer have to bare that burden."

Solvienne sunk to her knees in front of her mother and held Minervar's hands tightly clasped in her own. "A good friend of ours, a keeper named master Amndo, he guessed much of this momma. I now fear for him, for I think he is with this evil entity within the Rift. I can only hope and pray that he has managed to somehow resist this thing."

Minervar looked up, tear stained cheeks and red eyes looking directly into Solvienne's. "The Rift entity showed me terrible things Solvi, it told of the destruction of the world, how man fought man in a terrible war. How they created great machines of destruction that eventually turned on their masters and sort to rid the world of the race of men totally. It showed me how it claimed to have saved the world. I began to love this story, revel in the destruction. I did terrible things, unforgivable things Solvi. I may not be the Gatekeeper any longer; I may not have that burden of which you speak Seri. But I have another burden, the burden of my memory and what I have done. I was studying other things Solvi, I was supposed to heal, not kill, not murder."

Serinae also knelt, "Mini, if you seek forgiveness, the Maker will grant this to you. Lay your fears and your sorrow at his feet; he will take them from you. Make you whole once more."

Minervar smiled at Serinae, "I know Seri, I am sure of what you say, but it is all too raw at the moment, too soon, the guilt I feel is still within me. I have undertaken many evil deeds, I don't know if there is enough forgiveness to redeem me."

Serinae stood and walked away, "Mini, it wasn't you that did these things, it was the evil intelligence within the Rift, it is the same for all the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. That is why we must destroy the Rift and also destroy the evil entity within it. We will redeem them all Mini, you wait and see. Even those with evil still in their hearts, we will save them of that I am sure."

Solvienne stood and said, "what are you talking about Serinae? What do you mean? Destroy the Rift?"

It was Deanola that stood and spoke. "The men of the east, my ancestors used energy from the Rift to take over the machines of war sent by the enemy. Many machines fell under its influence; they were sent back to attack their masters. Whatever commanded these machines found out through the returning machines the existence of the Rift, it then desired the power within the Rift, so it came and corrupted the Rift and used it as a source of limitless power. Due to the entity within it, the Rift went out of control, it was too late, we could do nothing to stop it except hide and pray that one day things would change. One day the sky people came, those you call the ancient fathers, they wanted to place a beacon in the world, a navigational aid that they could use in their travels in their great interstellar star ships. So it was long ago the ancient fathers built a machine, you know this. The machine itself has a secondary function it as a safeguard against natural disaster, the ancient fathers wanted to keep their navigational beacons secure so the machine was also supposed to protect the world from many things, to keep everything in balance. This meant that it would protect the world from the evil intellect within the Rift by trapping it there. But the ancient fathers did not foresee the effect the intellect combined with the arcane powers in the Rift can have on the T'Iea race. The entity grew and became a form of malicious intelligence somehow, a remorseless intelligence that sort to destroy, probably like the machines of destruction that fed upon it. The ancient fathers brought the elder races here to aid in the construction of the machine. When construction was finished the elder races stayed here. I don't think this was intentional. Something happened to the ancient fathers, they disappeared, they were unable therefore to take the elder races back to wherever they came from originally. The result was that the T'Iea along with the other races remained here. They were marooned here and it was inevitable that one day the T'Iea would become corrupted by the Rift energies. Or at least some of them. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran came about when a group of T'Iea stayed overly long in the world of men and were subjected to the Rifts influence without returning here to nullify these effects. Long ago this happened. One by one they fell under its influence, they became changed by it. Their minds became changed. Perhaps in a way it was good that the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran guarded the Rift as they did, for not all T'Iea became affected by its power, for the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran would suffer no others to get close to the Rift in case they stole their power or even tried to destroy the Rift. Here in this place, the place you call Elit G'fedrel you are protected. On returning here any effect the Rift may have had upon you is nullified, it is partially why the ancient fathers built this place as a sanctuary. All the races, needed a sanctuary to which to return after being subjected to the world at that time, for the world was full of poison and corruption caused by the war. Somehow we must destroy the Rift only then will the corruption within it cease.

Serinae spoke, "it is true what Deanola says Solvi, some of our ancestors got too close to the Rift and they were corrupted by the entity within it. The ancient fathers were not to know this neither at that time were the T'Iea. But because this particular part of the Rift became corrupted during the war then the T'Iea that were here suffered the lengthy exposure to the Rift energy. Neither the Rift or the ancient father's great machine are evil in themselves as such, it was just an unfortunate side effect of prolonged exposure of the Rift to the war that raged across the world. But now we have a chance to put that right. If we destroy the Rift and the malevolent intelligence it contains. Then I believe we can release the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, return them back to the race of T'Iea."

Solvienne thought for a moment. Something far greater had occurred to her. "You are almost right Serinae, but I believe master Amndo when he said that it is the machine that must be destroyed. There is too great a risk that the entity may discover the machine if it doesn't know about it already. It would then have the technology of the ancient fathers at its disposal and from there it may well discover the far greater power that is the city of the ancient fathers, the place you called At'Lan'T'Ys. We need to destroy the machine quickly so that the entity does not have a chance to react. If the entity reaches At'Lan'T'Ys then we are lost. For that city contains a far greater power than anything we, or the Rift entity has ever dreamed of."

Serinae thought for a while before continuing. "I learnt many things whilst I was in At'Lan'T'Ys. One thing I learnt was that the great machines source of power is from something called a Dark Core. This Dark Core is basically pure gravity, so much gravity, so strong that nothing can resist its attraction not even light. It is the most powerful thing in the universe save the Maker himself. If we were to release the Dark Core by causing a sudden and catastrophic failure of the machine, then I believe the Dark Core will suck everything into itself, it will feed hungrily on the gravitational energy within the Rift and consume it, allowing nothing to escape."

"But what other effects would destroying the machine have upon the world. We already know that the machine malfunctioned when changed by the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, by Tezrin. His meddling caused catastrophic disasters. Surely destroying the machine will also cause problems."

Solvienne shrugged. "Since that conversation with Amndo I have been thinking long on this matter. I'm afraid we cannot be completely sure, but the world existed before the ancient fathers came, so my hope is that the results of destroying the machine will place the world back into a similar state it was in before they arrived. Like Amndo, I don't believe that the machine is needed any longer to keep the world on its correct path, I believe the natural forces that the Maker created are enough to do this. All that will happen is that the machine will no longer protect the world from other disasters that may befall it. But at least the Rift and the evil entity may be weakened and we may have a chance to destroy them both."

Solvienne had another thought. "But we would destroy the capability for the ancient fathers to visit this world, we would be affectively marooning ourselves here."

"Serinae nodded solemnly, "yes, yet that's effectively what has happened to us anyway. We have been here longer than any can remember. The ancient fathers have not returned to fetch us, if asked I doubt that the majority of the elder races would want to return to a home that they do not remember and there is also the risk that the home of each of our origins no longer exists anyway."

"But Seri, you were with the ancient fathers, they could tell us what we need to know. Couldn't they?"

Serinae laughed, "yes I was with them, but you have to understand the place where I was, in At'Lan'T'Ys, well it was not as you think, the ancient fathers themselves no longer lived there. It may have been a place where the ancient fathers did live and may live again if they ever came back from the void. But the people I met there were generated images, not real flesh and blood. That is why we viewed them as spirits when they walked upon the world."

"Solvienne looked up, "so if we destroy the Rift, we will lose access to Elit G'fedrel and the other sanctuaries?"

Serinae sighed, "I do concede there is a chance if we destroy the machine, we may destroy the Rift and if we destroy the Rift then the portal to these places may also be destroyed, but all the sanctuaries were created before the ancient fathers built the great machine so there is also a chance that these places will remain independent of the machine, as long as At'Lan'T'Ys survives."

Minervar looked at Serinae and then said, "so Tezrin, somehow he found some of this out, he was planning on invading Elit G'fedrel with his T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, he planned to take it over for himself and them, he then hoped that the great machine would then destroy the world?"

"Yes, Mini. Although we didn't know it at least not then. Tezrin knew how to get into Elit G'fedrel, but thankfully he didn't know about At'Lan'T'Ys, thank the Maker."

Solvienne thought for a while, she remembered once again the elation she felt on entering here. She smiled and then asked. "Exactly how big is this place?"

I tried exploring north and south, west and east. On each occasion I turned back after walking for several days. I did not find the end of the land in those directions. I followed the river to the north there lies a mountain range, snow-capped, it is from where the river flows. To the east and west the forest extends as far as I walked for several days. To the south there I came to an ocean that extended beyond the horizon. There are soft sandy beaches there and cliffs that have caves set with in them. I spent some time exploring the caves, but they extend a long way and interconnect. I did not go that far into them for fear of being lost. In any event it is safe to say that this place is big, probably at least as big as the continent of Dahl'Ambronis, if not bigger. It rains here to and this place also has two seasons a hot summer and a warm wetter season, it is really quite pleasant."

Solvienne nodded, she remembered the coloured disks with their depictions of different places upon them when she had first stepped into the Rift. She then asked, "then it makes sense that the ancient fathers, they could have created similar places for the Grûndén, the Pnook, the ognods even?"

Serinae smiled, "yes they did, I can confirm that, they also created such a place for the keepers, as you know it is called, TeraT'Inu'Itil. The keepers still reside there. For some reason the other elder races decided to live in the world we abandoned the void places like this created for us. The keepers stayed in TeraT'Inu'Itil however."

Solvienne was thinking of what Retta had told her. She had said her father threw himself into the Rift like the ognod monks of old, yet there was no sign of him or them here. But if they had a separate place created for them then surely they would be there now? "The Rift is the link to here, it also will allow access to the places designed for the other elder races, it gives you the choice, as to where you want to go. We came here because we are T'Iea and recognised the picture of the great tree. Ognods would go, well to their own place."

Solvienne thought of the depiction of Grouund and Gruoond on one of the other disks. She then looked at Deanola, "why then did Deanola end up here with us?"

"Serinae nodded and said, "that's easy, Deanola just followed Minervar, she guessed that Minervar would choose the tree above all the other options. Of course the ancient fathers did not design a void for human kind because they are native to the world. They would feel more at home in the world itself. Because Deanola dropped into the Rift with Minervar an elf, she naturally was directed into the T'Iea portal from the Rift and ended up here with Minervar."

Deanola laughed and said, "I am thankful for that, I doubt I would like the place where the ognods came from, or the Grûndén for that matter and I don't think I would like the Pnook's home world as much as I like this one."

Minervar then spoke, she had a terrible feeling, "but Seri if we destroy the Rift we may also lose the ability to come to this place. Maybe even destroy this place as well."

"I do not know Mini, I'm sorry. But we did not need the Rift to access TeraT'Inu'Itil all those years ago. I think then that the keepers may also hold the secret to coming to these places, these other voids as well. They are the experts, we could just ask them? As to whether or not these places will be destroyed, I think not. I can't believe that the ancient fathers built these voids based on the existence of the Rift. I think the Rift in actuality is nothing more than a convenient large multi-directional pathway leading to many different places. All that would happen is that access using the Rift would be stopped if the Rift were destroyed. I agree access would become more difficult and be controlled by the keepers. But no, I don't think these places would actually suffer because the Rift was no longer there."

"So," said Solvienne, "we are forgetting two things. Firstly how do we access the machine hall and secondly how do we destroy something as vast as the great machine, I'm thinking that the ancient fathers built in safeguards and other processes so that the machine could not be destroyed easily?"

Serinae smiled broadly, "The first is easy, we can get into the machine hall from here, there is a dual-way portal to the north, I have used it many times to keep watch. You Solvi used the portal system to get here."

Solvienne nodded in affirmation. "But I jumped into the Rift that opened into a temple in the ognod lands."

Serinae nodded, "Yes, when the machine was under construction and many of the elder races lived here in these sanctuaries, away from the world and the knowledge of men, the portal system was set up by the keepers to allow transit to and fro. I don't know how, but I believe some of the elder races learned rudimentary knowledge from the keepers about the portals and were able to redirect or even create their own transit portals for their own use, probably by tapping into the Rift. My guess is that the ognods had such a secret portal which took them into their mountain home. This must have been created after the ancient fathers seemed to have abandoned them. Who knows perhaps the other elder races after seemingly being abandoned also created similar pathways after they decided to move out of the sanctuaries and go and live in the world of men."

Again Solvienne nodded in agreement as she thought about the many spinning disks she perceived after jumping into the Rift. Then something occurred to her. She got excited as she said, "the disk, the one with the star and little face upon it?"

Serinae nodded and smiled. "Yes, you guessed correctly. That one takes you into the anteroom of the machine hall. Getting there is in fact easy. I suggest that we make preparations and undertake that journey sooner than later. As for the second point Solvienne, the one of destroying the machine, that is a different matter altogether; there you have me at a loss." Serinae scrutinised each of the faces around her before she spoke again. "Out of all the people in the world; I am gladdened to be making this journey and undertaking this task with you assembled here rather than anyone else I can think of." But then her face took on a look of great sadness.

Minervar walked forward and took hold of Serinae's arm a concerned look upon her face. "What? What is it Seri?"

Serinae looked into the eyes of her friend. "There is one thing that I have not mentioned, I have been a coward, skirted around this single fact, but I must tell you, must warn you. There is no guarantee that we will be able to escape the machine hall once the destruction of the machine is started. If the machine dies in such a way that the portals we may use to escape become closed then we will be trapped. The machines destruction may well herald our own death."

Both Minervar and Solvienne hugged her once again and she knew at that moment that she had the support of her friends whatever the consequences of their actions. Serinae thought for a while, she wiped the tear that was slowly making its way down her cheek, then added almost as a whisper, "but there is one other who I would have with me, perhaps a selfish desire to share this final act with someone who has played an important role in all this so far, someone that I could not have accomplished so much without, yet she most probably doesn't know she has played such a part. But do I have the right to ask it of her? Yet perhaps the Maker will see to that dearest wish before this is over."

## Chapter 34. The Bitterness of Betrayal

Amndo had switched sides once more, it was more difficult this time to push the malevolence that was the Rift side of his psyche, back into its prison cell within his mind. He was surprised at its increased strength. This worried him, for it was plain to see that every time he made the switch he weakened in some way, either that or the Rift Amndo grew in strength. There would come a time perhaps when the Rift Amndo would not be pushed aside any longer and he would be stuck with both characters, he would switch from one to the other, forever locked in a battle for his mind and his sanity. He frowned, should this occur he would become mad, of that he was certain. But for now he was Amndo the keeper and was back in his room within the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran city, he had much to think about.

He instructed Shak'Ee'Roe to leave him. She was reticent at first, complaining that her place was with him, he had almost lost his temper with her, something that surprised him, a sure sign perhaps that the two sides to his character were becoming equally prevalent in his psyche. He had just managed to get his anger under control, shocked at himself for what he was becoming. She had looked at him as if expecting a volley of profanities, almost as if she wanted it, conformation perhaps that he was who he said he was. He told her to go and visit her parents or to amuse herself with friends. She looked confused, but eventually she left the room and closed the door behind her. Amndo hoped she was slowly getting used to his strange ways. He had decided that there was no time to lose. Any delay not only threatened him but he also did not like the idea of relinquishing his mind and body over to the Rift entity again, if it discovered his deception he had the nasty impression that it would take great delight in ending him in the most unpleasant way possible.

A minute or so later Amndo exited his room. He stood in a wide corridor, he looked up and down. chose a direction and walked. After turning a corner he was confronted with a closed door. He opened the door and stepped through. As he did so he was aware of two T'Iea standing one either side of the doorway. He felt panic rising within him, they were heavily armed and wore armour of some black hard material. He hesitated and turned, but the two guards stood to attention and presented their spears towards him in an act of salute. He smiled and waved them away, he didn't feel confident enough to speak, but he knew from the Rift Amndo that it was not necessary to say anything; he knew that side of him only felt contempt for the guards. He strode off down this corridor and found himself at the top of a flight of stairs. He hesitated, but soon found his feet descending the staircase.

At the bottom there was a wide-open area, a sort of entrance hall he presumed, it was much like any other T'Iea mansion he had ever been into. In fact a lot of the features of the place reminded him of the lady Solin's house in Amentura. Before he could step forward four figures came into view, a T'Iea in robes and three soldiers dressed much the same as the guards he had passed in the corridor before. They stood before him barring his way.

The figure with the escort strode up to him and after bowing low said, "My Lord Gatekeeper. Do you desire anything My Lord?" He then looked around as if expecting something else to be apparent but missing. "The minion My Lord? I shall find her, she has deserted your side, she will pay for such insolent behaviour."

Amndo just stared at him trying to figure out exactly what was going on. Then he suddenly realised the minion, he must have referred to Shak'Ee'Roe. But the robed elf was sending two of the three guards away to find the minion and to drag her back here to await punishment. Amndo panicked, he did not want any harm to come to Shak'Ee'Roe, certainly not through any fault of his, so before he could think he shouted, "WAIT."

The guards stopped immediately and turned, they stood to attention awaiting further orders.

Amndo stared at them. He felt embarrassed, his stopping the guards was one thing, but now he had to think up some compelling reason why Shak'Ee'Roe was not there with him. He hoped his silent indecision did not last as long as it seemed to him. "I have sent the minion upon a personal errand at my express orders; I do not wish her returned yet." But then he feared that his ignorance may have fallen ill on Shak'Ee'Roe. He felt she should be returned to him so that he could keep an eye on her and prevent anything happening to her. So he gave an order. "No. I have changed my mind. Go find her, when she has completed the task and is ready, then and only then, return her here to me." He was going to add that she be returned unharmed, but felt that was going a little too far and may raise suspicion in the mind of these T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. He just hoped they would be lenient when they found her.

The three soldiers saluted and went in three separate directions. The robed elf bowed before Amndo and said, "at your pleasure My Lord Gatekeeper."

Amndo recognised the robed dark elf; he was the mage at the gate when he first arrived through the portal. He felt anger rising within him, so he said to the robed figure, "go, I wish to be alone, I have important business elsewhere."

The robed elf bowed and turning on his heel went back in the direction he had come. Amndo walked out of the hall into the open air. He once more walked through the city until he stood again upon the narrow bridge overlooking the vast chasm in the ground which held the Rift. He looked into its dark substance, something within him jerked, his mind reeled. He staggered back away from the thing, he felt his wards buckle and bend with the strength of it. The Rift presence within Amndo was trying to rise up. Just at that moment one of the guards returned, he was dragging a small figure behind him, the figure appeared to be trying to hold onto a tray of fruit, but the contents of the tray was being scattered about for the figure was finding it difficult to stand upright. The guard then flung the figure forward and Amndo realised it was the minion, the girl Shak'Ee'Roe, no the MINION! Mental turmoil was going wild inside his mind, he thought he had command of the Rift Amndo, but here above the Rift itself, that part of his consciousness was getting stronger, fighting hard to come to the fore. The minion lay crying and grovelling at his feet. No, not minion, she had a name, she was a person. Amndo's head started to throb. Anger, great anger rose within him, anger at the mistreatment of one who could not defend herself and anger that something else within him should be trying to make him think differently. The anger rose and rose, as each facet of his character came forward it boosted the anger, but for different reasons, things were getting out of control. Anger rose until he thought he would burst with it, he looked up at the guard, who saluted and sneered at the figure curled into a ball on the ground in front of him. The guard lifted his booted foot and placed it heavily into the small of Shak'Ee'Roe's back knocking the wind from her lungs; she gasped and cried out as she was flattened against the stone of the causeway. At that moment something snapped within Amndo's mind and all went black.

Amndo found himself floating, swimming in a sea of darkness. He looked around, could see nothing, he felt numb, distanced from his senses. He was confused, what had happened. Slowly he remembered, remembered great anger, like nothing he had experienced before ever in his life. The Rift entity, it had been trying to break through his ward, had it succeeded? It was possible he supposed that his anger had released it. But he didn't have the time to gather his real self and hide in the safe place. What then had happened? He then felt a sharp pain, it felt like someone had hit him hard across the back of the head, he turned but only more darkness appeared there. Then he understood, the Rift Amndo had control of his senses, he was just a thought a memory, or would be if he didn't find some way back and soon. He closed his eyes, felt around for any sense. Sight was not his, hearing neither. What was left, taste no use, smell none, touch? Yes what was that? He felt his fingertips, something there, he immediately plugged all his being into that sense. Then he felt it, a hand in his. A grasping hand a tight grip. He pushed through the darkness towards this feeling. There, yes, another's touch, he recognised it as the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran girl Shak'Ee'Roe. He concentrated, her intellect was shaped by fear, but it was clear and close. He sifted through the fear, the pain, until he found it. There the broiling black morass of the Rift with the deep malice of the intelligence within. He crept up and imagined the staff in his hand; he held it forward and illuminated the staff. The light shone out like a bolt of lightning. The Rift squirmed, fell backwards, then it seemed to gather itself once more. The moment that Amndo waited for. He severed the mental unity with the minion Shak'Ee'Roe and fought his way back. The mental Rift presence within him faced away from him, looking in the direction in which Shak'Ee'Roe's presence had receded. It was thrown off balance as it searched for the elusive presence. He imagined bringing his staff up and struck mentally with all his might. The Rift Amndo now stunned sunk to its knees he imagined hitting it once more it felt good so he carried on hitting it. Only when his anger subsided did he open the ward, he flung the Rift Amndo through and closed the ward once more. His senses reeled. They all seemed to come back online together; he felt that his senses had gone into overload for they all pummelled his brain for attention. He stood and took deep breaths trying to calm everything down, it took a few minutes but slowly he managed to separate the inputs going into his brain and calm them to a manageable level. He became aware, a figure lay at his feet, there was a lot of blood on the ground and his heart jumped a beat. He bent down Shak'Ee'Roe was unconscious? Or dead? So he gently picked her up in his arms. He sighed in relief as she stirred and awoke, he held her until she could stand on her own once more. He looked down. Another figure lay sprawled a little further away. It was the soldier. His skull had been crushed, his brains had splashed all over the stones, his face was unrecognisable for his head exhibited massive physical damage. A crimson mess also clung to the end of the staff that Amndo was holding. He retched. But ran, several T'Iea stood around a look of curiosity upon their faces, luckily none of them had a military look about them and none seemed to be carrying weapons of any sort.

On he ran, up the bridge over the Rift, pulling Shak'Ee'Roe along behind him. He reached the black boulder and flung his hand out to touch it. At the same time he released the ward from inside his mind. The Rift entity sprang out at him once more but this time he was ready. Amndo was too quick, he mentally dodged the surge of power as he touched the Rift stone, he pushed. The Rift presence's momentum was too great, it became overbalanced and Amndo dodged right past it mentally and focussed all his attention into the stone. The Rift seemed to shudder. At the same time Amndo looked into the Rift and saw his way out. The Gatekeeper was just that, the keeper of gates, Amndo was a keeper, an expert on gates and portals. He quickly made the necessary connections. He was about to flick the switch, but something distracted him. He briefly detected a signature presence he least expected, he was shocked to find a portal link already there, already made; a regularly used portal already existed, but how? This threw him completely, it shocked him to the core, he hesitated, faltered in his concentration and he lost the connection in his shock and disbelief, the Rift saw its opportunity and struck at him. He gasped as he felt a physical shock in his chest, something pushed upon him, he overbalanced and fell from the bridge he was vaguely aware that the girl Shak'Ee'Roe grabbed at him, he felt a tug upon his arm and she toppled over the edge with him, she still held onto the sleeve of his jacket.

Amndo opened his eyes, not daring to hope. But yes, he was alive, he checked Shak'Ee'Roe, she was still conscious, her grip onto his arm bit into his muscle and he winced. Best she stayed that way, at least for a while. He looked at the disks in front of him, being presented to him one at a time and he laughed, how he laughed, this was the funniest most amusing thing he had ever seen in his whole life. His amusement was fuelled by relief as well as sudden and total realisation. Why had he not guessed before? He waited until one particular disk showed in front of him, the one that had the depiction of the ognod twins famous in ognod folklore, then making sure he had a tight hold on Shak'Ee'Roe he placed his finger there and thought of a Donal, the energy manifested into a small round disk with the depiction of a slit-eyed face. Amndo released this disk and it stuck there like a badge upon the larger disk that rotated away from his vision and was replaced by another. He recognised this disk, his heart gave a leap and he reached out and touched it. His signature flowed into the disk, confirmation of his racial makeup was made and the connection grew.

When he opened his eyes, he sighed, he was there, he had succeeded. He stood shakily to his feet. He was home back in TeraT'Inu'Itil once more. He laughed, he cried tears of joy, how could he have been so stupid, the Rift, of course he now knew what the Rift really was, well at least to the ancient fathers. His thoughts and suspicions were confirmed. They had tamed the Rift and at the same time they had tapped into its energy for their own purpose, why shouldn't they, the Rift was a source of the right kind of energy, just because they had subdued it didn't mean that they shouldn't use it for their own ends. He smiled at the irony of it, he laughed at the unbelievable irony. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had made a mistake, an enormous oversight, they didn't know it, only he knew it. They didn't need a Gatekeeper. Why hadn't he thought of it before? He in turn didn't need the black portal stone, at least not to get home. But he should have known this. But then he felt panic. If the Rift entity knew what he knew then they were all doomed. Yet he suspected if it did have this knowledge then they would have perished long ago, no the entity did not know, in all its wildest imaginations it did not suspect. He smiled, for all its intelligence its blind ambitions had hidden this discovery from it. He had to keep it that way.

But then he frowned, now he knew something else, something far darker perhaps. He looked around at the familiar landscape, the green trees. The temple across the fields. But he would never see it the same way again. He remembered the connection, the signature in the portal stone above the Rift. There was a portal link between the dark elf realm and here, an old link that had existed for a very long time, created in ancient days. Not only that but the portal was in fairly regular use. But that surprise paled into insignificance compared to the knowledge he had gained from the portals signature, the Key to the portal, the one who maintained it, he didn't want to believe, but at the same time he could not deny. The signature was unmistakably that of a keeper. But his thoughts were returned to the present, there was a groan, he bent down and helped the shaky Shak'Ee'Roe to her feet. She cowered seeing his face and said, "Master? Gatekeeper?"

Amndo smiled and said, "ummmm, not exactly. Errr possibly not any more at least. I err, I, well I have a confession to make. Come let us walk, I will try and explain."

Shak'Ee'Roe looked at Amndo with a sly expression upon her face. "I don't understand master, you are not the Gatekeeper?"

"Well, yes I am in a way. At least I was. I was met by the Guardian of the Gate and underwent the initiation and was made the Gatekeeper and the Rift accepted me, as a result I have the capability and the knowledge."

Shak'Ee'Roe nodded slowly, a suspicious look still on her face. "Yet you remain strange, you do not say the words I expect, or act in accordance with what I have been taught." She shied back a suspicious look in her eyes.

Amndo held up both hands in a gesture of submission. "Listen Shak'Ee'Roe I mean you and your people no harm, quite the opposite in fact. It is true I am not here to exert any authority over you or them, but I am here to aid them, even to teach them perhaps. But what I talk of is not the kind of aid or teaching either you or they will necessarily expect."

Shak'Ee'Roe, eyed Amndo with great suspicion once more then she looked around at her surroundings for the first time and said slowly and deliberately, "where have you brought us? This is certainly not within the city boundaries, we are no longer in R'Iggorr'Thegoran of that I am certain."

"No. We are not. We are now in the city of my birth. We are in TeraT'Inu'Itil. The city of the keepers."

"So you are a spy then. An outsider sent to spy on us." Then with a sly smile she said, "or is it that you spy on them, the keepers?"

Amndo felt a little sorry for her as she looked hopeful at her last comment. "Shak'Ee'Roe you have to understand I am the Gatekeeper, but I am also something else, someone else. This is difficult to explain. Just understand please that I mean no harm, but also understand that my goals are perhaps not the goals that you may expect.

Shak'Ee'Roe narrowed her eyes and looked sternly at Amndo and said through gritted teeth, "you will send me back now. I wish to return home to R'Iggorr'Thegoran immediately."

Amndo considered her request, but he needed to know one thing before he made a decision. "If I send you back without me, if you return without your master, the Gatekeeper, what will happen to you?"

"I will be seen to have failed in my duty, they will suspect me of deserting you. They will beat me, punish me, it is likely they will execute me if you do not return."

Amndo nodded. "Listen to me Shak'Ee'Roe, I brought you here because I wanted to save you, that is the reason we stand here now. I killed a guard back there in R'Iggorr'Thegoran. They will probably execute me as well if I return."

Shak'Ee'Roe replied. "No they will not. The actions of the Gatekeeper are never questioned. They will not think twice about your killing a guard. They would think you had your reasons, they would not question them."

Amndo was running out of time, he had to bring this conversation to a conclusion, if Shak'Ee'Roe was not on his side then he was in danger of being unmasked, originally he had thought that the dangers of such a discovery would only be relevant in the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran city, but now he knew that such a discovery also had its dangers here to. "Listen to me Shak'Ee'Roe, what do you believe? Do you believe I am the Gatekeeper?"

Shak'Ee'Roe thought for a few minutes, at least this seemed to calm her. "You have not done anything to make me feel you are not. You are strange though, the way you speak to me as if I am an equal, you have not beaten me or punished me. You have not sought to abuse me in any way. This is not the behaviour I expect from the Gatekeeper."

Amndo raised his eyebrows in surprise and rubbed his chin, what could he say to that? He glanced down at the floor and shaking his head shrugged as he said, "ok. This is good, then my command to you is that you continue to think like that. You will follow me everywhere and call me Amndo, for that is my name."

Shak'Ee'Roe, frowned, she seemed a little unsure. Eventually she seemed to come to a decision. "I will do as you ask, but I will call you master, or Gatekeeper as is fitting. As for me, you may call me whatever you wish. But my true title is minion, it would please me better if you called me this."

Amndo sighed in submission. He looked up in the direction of the city. "Come Shak'Ee'Roe, my traditions do not allow me to call you anything other than your true given name, I'm sorry. But now let us see what sort of reception we may be given. He found himself thanking the Maker that there were no obvious outwardly physically differences between T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and other T'Iea, only internal sub cultural differences that he hoped he would be able to explain away should the need arise. He was also thankful that Shak'Ee'Roe was a servant girl and not a warrior of any kind; at least her general attitude was one of subservience and not of evil ambition. But in truth he was not sure which one of these he liked the least.

The first place that Amndo headed for was his home. He wanted to get settled in before he arranged a meeting with the Grand Master; perhaps if he acquainted Shak'Ee'Roe with his home surroundings, he may be able to persuade her to stay there whilst he went about other business. He had a spare room and he offered it to Shak'Ee'Roe whilst they were in TeraT'Inu'Itil, but she took all the bedclothes and dumped them on the floor of Amndo's room, at the foot of his cot, she insisted saying that she could be ready to fulfil his every ordered command. Amndo gave up trying to argue.

The following morning Amndo intended seeing the Grand Master. It would be foolish for him to delay this meeting with his superior, to tell him of everything that had happened since he was last here in TeraT'Inu'Itil. Shak'Ee'Roe was still asleep at the foot of his cot. He decided to try and sneak out without her knowing. Perhaps it was only his own embarrassment at having an over attentive and beautiful female T'Iea as a constant companion that made him feel like this, but he tried to tell himself it was because the presence of a T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran in TeraT'Inu'Itil. So he carefully created a portal that would take him into the entrance hall of the temple, it was a regular way for the keepers to travel within the city, it would not cause any suspicion. The portal formed and Amndo took one last look at the sleeping form at the foot of his bed.

He strode through the portal and found himself within the temple, he quickly closed the portal once more. He then walked in the direction of the Grand Masters chambers. He nodded greetings at various people along the way, but eventually found himself in the anteroom of the central administrative offices of the temple. He sat on a wooden bench within a large square room, numerous doors were set around the walls, each had a similar wooden bench set outside. Most were populated by people waiting. Amndo shared his particular bench with several other people, all of whom he assumed had appointments, or wished to speak directly to the Grand Master on that morning. They all sat there looking straight ahead, some had scrolls upon their laps, others just clasped their hands together. After a while a door opened and a keeper exited the grand Masters office, a temple official by the way he was dressed. Amndo had a fleeting glimpse of the Grand Master himself sitting at his wooden bench in his office. The Grand Master looked up just at the moment the door was closed but not before Amndo had made eye contact with the Grand Master. A few seconds later the same door opened from the inside, the Grand Master himself stood in the entrance way and came over towards the bench on which Amndo sat. The Grand Master held out his hand and came right up to where Amndo sat with the other visitors. They all stood. One keeper forgot he had several scrolls upon his lap and the act of him standing suddenly made them roll off onto the stone floor and roll away in several separate directions. The unfortunate keeper was sent rushing around trying to retrieve his documents.

The Grand Master did not seem to take notice instead he grasped Amndo's hand and shook it, "Amndo, Amndo my old friend, it is good to see you after so long. Come, come we have much to discuss." The Grand Master pulled on Amndo's hand and arm, but Amndo said. "but Grand Master I was not first in the queue to see you, I only sat waiting for a chance at the end of your official meetings?"

The Grand Master looked at him and smiled, "nonsense, nonsense Amndo. I am sure these fine people will not mind a short delay, I have been waiting for your return, I wish to speak with you first before any other formal business. Come."

Amndo looked in the direction of the others who were still all standing in respect, they all gave a resigned smile and bowed their consent apart from the unfortunate individual trying to retrieve a wayward scroll from beneath a wooden cabinet across the other side of the room. Amndo just looked at them with an apologetic expression.

Once in the Grand Masters office, the door was shut and Amndo found himself sitting across the other side of the wooden bench from the Grand Master. The old keepers expression had changed, he now wore a look of concern, of worry as he said, "so Amndo, tell me quickly where you have been and what do you know?"

Amndo started to explain where he had been in the interim, following their last meeting. He started by explaining his traveling to the Pnook city with JDC and their still having the Leviathan machine. He glossed over these events however, for a more important subject was on his mind, important news that would not be easy to say. He would have continued his explanations but at this point the Grand Master seemed to take a particular interest. He waved his hand in the air in front of him saying dismissively, "yes, yes, yes," he then asked several questions concerning the Leviathan machine and its current whereabouts. In fact whenever Amndo tried to steer the conversation around to his suspicions, the whole conversation returned to questions about the Leviathan machine. Indeed, as far as the grand Master was concerned, the whole conversation seemed now to hinge on information about the Leviathan. It was as if the grand Master sort confirmation about his suspicions over the capabilities of the machine of war. Indeed the Grand Master did not seem at all interested in anything else. Something about this started to trouble Amndo, surely the Grand Master would be more interested in the greater matters that Amndo had to report, the things that effected them all in the long term, the things that had a bearing upon the health of all the races and their future. The things that held great scope, especially one in particular about how in the key stone he had discovered the signature of a keeper and how a permanent link had been made between the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran realm and here to TeraT'Inu'Itil. This was vitally important information concerning the security of TeraT'Inu'Itil, but the Grand Master was not giving him the chance. Amndo started to become a little frustrated.

Suddenly there was a commotion from beyond the door, shouts and sounds of furniture being knocked around in the outside anteroom of the office, a loud crash was heard. Amndo turned and looked at the door to the office. The kerfuffle seemed to get louder as the Grand Master came around his desk heading for the door. But there was a bang on the outside of the office door which burst open suddenly and in strode Shak'Ee'Roe, closely followed by two temple guards. Amndo looked surprised at her, but he groaned in resignation. Shak'Ee'Roe came to stand beside Amndo, she shook her arm free from the grasp of one of the guards and gave him a look like daggers. She turned a look of satisfaction on her face and was about to say something when she made eye contact with the Grand Master and hesitated, the Grand Master in turn was staring at her. Amndo looked up, he was about to try and explain when something took the words right out of his mouth, he was sure he detected a look of recognition pass between Shak'Ee'Roe and the Grand Master.

The Grand Master recovered quickly, he smiled and ushered the guards back outside saying encouraging words to them about how there was no problem, there was no threat. The door to the office was quickly closed. Before Amndo could say anything Shak'Ee'Roe seemed to recover herself and addressing Amndo said, "Gatekeeper, you left without me this morning, I have come as my vows demand to be by your side and at your service."

Amndo closed his eyes and groaned, he waited for the Grand Master to call for guards, to have them both taken into custody as enemy spies, he groaned again for he wanted to explain things in a better fashion than to have the Grand Master discover them in this manner. He spluttered, "Grand Master, I can explain, I tried to tell you before but you only seemed interested in the Leviathan machine, but I hope this intrusion will change your mind for I have many important things to say. Much has happened and I have learned much, if you just let me ..........." But here his voice trailed away, for the Grand Master was obviously not taking the slightest notice of him.

The Grand Master just stood there, leaning on the door with his back to them breathing heavily and as if churning thoughts over in his mind. Eventually he turned his head and after glancing quickly at Shak'Ee'Roe, he looked back at Amndo and said, "is this true? You are the one titled Gatekeeper?"

"Grand Master, I, well yes in a way, I, please before you call the guards it is not as it seems. We have a plan in place ......" But once more his words trailed away. Amndo was looking at the expression upon the Grand Master's face. The Grand Master was smiling, actually smiling.

"Grand Master, I ....." Amndo stopped; a sudden thought had entered his head shutting off the words coming from his mouth. Many thoughts actually, things he had, well not forgotten, just pushed to the back of his mind. Pieces of a puzzle were falling into place and they fit, Amndo did not like them. No, not one bit. He thought once again about the identity he had detected in the keystone above the Rift whilst he had attempted to make connection to here. He knew then the signature in the Rift of the person regularly travelling back and forth from here in TeraT'Inu'Itil to the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran city of R'Iggorr'Thegoran, to be the racial signature of a keeper, but though he tried to look further the Rift wouldn't give the actual personal identity of this person, that information had a close set ward upon it. But Amndo knew then, suddenly in that moment who the identity of the keeper was. So he decided to play his hand and take a gamble on that identity. So he swallowed his shock at the realisation and the abhorrence that it caused. He became the actor once again; only he hoped that this time he was better at it, for this time he had a leading role.

He bowed. "Grand Master, I have come to fulfil the desires and destiny of these people," he gestured towards Shak'Ee'Roe. "I have come to continue the work of Tezrin my predecessor. He failed, I intend not to repeat that failure."

The Grand Master looked at him for a long time. Amndo was trying desperately to hold the feelings of panic down within him. He knew he was either going to be executed on the spot or something else may happen.

The Grand Master seemed to reach a conclusion, then strode across the Amndo and patted him on the back. "So, my friend you are full of surprises. I must say you don't seem quite like your predecessor, but you are a keeper not an T'Iea, you retain your own intellect I see, even though the great Rift has opened your eyes?"

Amndo inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, but he also was repulsed by this reaction. He brought his thoughts quickly under control. "This is true Grand Master, my desires and ambitions are the same, they run true to my calling as Gatekeeper, but I do not bow to the cruel desires of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran or the necessity of the Rift to enforce my will, I would rather do things, let us say the easy way, my way." He then looked to Shak'Ee'Roe and said, "the minion will attest to this."

Shak'Ee'Roe looked from one face to the other, she seemed to come to a realisation and she smiled the biggest grin Amndo had seen her make, in fact it was probably the only grin he had seen brighten her face. She shook her head in acknowledgement, "it is true, my master has a strange way about him, but he is not T'Iea by race. I assume then that his ways are his own. But I will still serve him as Gatekeeper, this I have sworn to do."

Seemingly satisfied, the Grand Master nodded his head slowly and turned away saying, "how was it you suspected me Amndo?"

Amndo was reticent to answer this, this whole conversation could still be a trap, a trap to ensnare him. But he thought not, he was sure of his suspicions, so he decided to put them to the test. "When I was probing the great key stone above the Rift I detected another's presence, it was unmistakeably the presence of another keeper. The Rift did not release the actual identity of this keeper, but this did not stop me having my suspicions. I decided to return here and ask your opinion and in that way find out one way or the other. I knew I would either be welcomed as a bringer of valued information, pertinent to the cities security against the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran or as an ally of the true path."

The Grand Master smiled and rubbed his chin. He then said, "then we are indeed allies Amndo, we shall work together for the true ways and we will be triumphant."

Amndo then realised he needed a plan, something to convince the Grand Master of his sincerity in the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran desires. He was racking his brain, aware that every second of delay may diminish the Grand Masters confidences in him.

Amndo found himself asking, "can you grant access once more to the machine hall Grand Master? I understood that you had severed all access since Tezrin's time, but I desire to get back there and assess what he discovered and to perhaps put his plans back into play once more. I believe such a victory shall advance my status with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran."

The Grand Master turned back and said with a smile, "so you want a quick political victory eh?" The grand Master smiled. "Yes Amndo, one way remains, I have not used it, but I am confident that it will work, I have kept this secret awaiting the right time to act. It seems that time has now come. But there is one thing on which I insist. I too hunger for recognition, too long have I languished here, helping in small ways, warning, passing on information. But now I to want to show my true value. So if I help you then you will have to help me. In the meantime we shall keep our meetings secret; we are too close to victory now. Just tell me when and we shall both go through to accomplish what Tezrin started. We will be successful in this Amndo, of that I am sure. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran will gain what they wish and we will bask in that glory and gain our long awaited reward."

Amndo bowed in return and stepped from the room. He decided to walk back to his home. All the way back he was thinking. So, the Grand Master himself is in league with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. Of course how could he be so blind? No wonder Tezrin had been able to accomplish so much, become a Key to a void, be able to freely travel the voids and access the machine hall. Why hadn't this occurred to him before, why hadn't it occurred to any of them? It explained why the Grand Master sort the Gatekeepers key and portal in Amentura and sent Amndo to find it. The Grand Master could have become the Gatekeeper, could have wielded all that power. If that had happened the consequences would have been dire. He found himself thanking the Maker that Minervar had found the key and she had become the Gatekeeper. In itself not a desirable thing, but it had stopped the Grand Masters plans at least. When Retta had jokingly asked about his acting skills, he had never thought in all her jesting that those skills may become so important! He only hoped that he had done a convincing enough job. Yet he felt uneasy. The meeting with the Grand Master seemed to go too easily. He was too easy to please, to readily in agreement. What they discussed was complex, dramatic in its intent yet they seemed to have glossed over it quickly and without any real detail. There had to be more to it than this. What was he missing?

## Chapter 35. Once More in the Machine Hall

So there at last they found themselves within the anti-room of the machine hall. Minervar felt wetness in her eyes, tears overflowed and started to trickle down her cheeks. She stood once more in this place of sorrow remembering two deaths that had occurred here many years before. Being here somehow brought it all back. She heard once more as if an echo in her mind the insane screaming of Tezrin as he fought to fulfil his perverted plans. She felt once more the pang of deep sorrow at seeing Jondris's body lying there in a pool of his own blood, his life seeping away before her eyes, how she was unable to do anything to save him as she was held immobilised by the blade at her throat. She herself was at that same moment slowly succumbing to the poison that even then coursed through her veins, Tezrin had corrupted her body with the cruel snick of his dagger. She remembered the two spirits, the R'Alacry Fer'Def that had appeared before her and aided her, taught her powers of self-healing that she didn't know existed. She now knew them to be generated images from At'Lan'T'Ys, images created by the intelligence left behind by the ancient fathers themselves. She shivered as she heard clear in her mind the terrible wail of pure dismay that came from Serinae as she had without hesitation shot her arrow through Tezrin's neck ending his life and in a split second destroying part of her own.

Minervar wrapped both her arms tightly about her, no, this place held no fond memories, only evil lay here, fell spirits of the mind and by the Maker she knew how that felt of late. Something brushed against her shoulder, she looked that way a hand rested there, a hand she knew.

"Momma?"

Minervar looked at Solvienne, saw the concern on her daughters face. Minervar shrugged and smiled, "nothing, it is nothing." She walked over to where the two bodies once lay.

Solvienne walked to the other side of the chamber where Serinae stood her hand extended, a small aperture could be seen in the wall. A portal started to open in front of them, the portal was widening., she breathed a deep breath and held it as they watched the portal opening ready to take them through into the Machine Hall.

Serinae gave a little snigger and smiling walked forward, "come my friends, come and see what we helped construct all those ages in the past. Come and see the labours of our ancestors." She smiled at them and walked forward, without any hesitation she passed through the portal and was gone.

"Oh no you don't my friend, I am not losing you like this once again. No way," she ran forward straight into the portal. She almost bumped into Serinae as she stood looking out over the vista that now presented itself in front of them.

So there they stood, once again within the machine hall. As she looked around her at the massive place, it seemed to Minervar that they had come full circle. The three T'Iea women gaped at the enormity of the place. The wide platform on which they stood ended in a sharp cliff edge beyond which they could see millions upon millions of flashing lights of all colours running across their field of vision. To their left stood the control panels, now silent and dark. Minervar recalled Retta and Tnie sitting there in front of these panels, following the instructions from the ancient scrolls they had been given by the ognod Gruntuk, Retta's father. They walked to the edge of the platform to see the great machine in its entirety.

Solvienne stood aghast, even Minervar's descriptions fell short of actually seeing this place. It was impossible to see the full extent of this place, it ran off and disappeared into the far distance whichever way she looked. It almost looked like a vast city, but where a city would be creating all manner of noise there was total silence here. It felt wrong, so much activity going on below them in complete silence.

Minervar suddenly got the impression they were not alone, her attention swung around to the far right. She was shocked to see a figure sitting cross-legged upon the ground, back straight and leaning against the rear cavern wall. The figures eyes were closed, hair hung down over the shoulders and down across the figures female breast. Her legs had on soft doeskin breaches that stopped just below the knee, where they met with the top of the boots she wore. Fine stitching in patterns of leaves and flowers covered both the boots and the breeches, her sleeveless leather jerkin similarly fashioned in typical T'Iea'Tarderi make. But over this she wore a bright chainmail shirt. Two arms deeply tanned, the feminine but knotted muscles showing through the brown skin. The muscles of a fighter, for two short swords lay out before her upon the stone floor. Two bronze coloured bracers adorned her arms. Her hands were laid upon her thighs palms upwards. Her breathing came in slow methodical moves. One other thing bothered Minervar, she gasped as she looked at the dirty blood soaked linin wrapped around the figures hands.

The other two women turned to see what it was that held Minervar's attention. Solvienne gave a small cry. Serinae smiled broadly. Minervar turned and she placed her hands upon the arms of her companions bidding them wait where they were, but Solvienne had already started towards the figure. As Solvienne approached the figure, the T'Iea woman sitting upon the floor took a deep breath and opened her eyes, they shone blue and bright beneath the deeply tanned skin of her face. Minervar came to stand by the side of Solvienne tears already ran down her cheeks. The T'Iea woman sitting on the floor looked up and a smile shone in her face. More was said in that smile than a million words could have said. The figure stood slowly and the three women embraced. No words were said as Solvienne and Minervar led the other woman back to where Serinae stood looking her arms crossed and a broad slightly mischievous smile upon her lips.

Serinae looked upon the sun browned face, the smile, the eyes staring back at her, she immediately felt the gaze of someone she knew of old, she thought of a time long ago in a tavern in Tent Town, a small T'Iea girl stood upon a box turning a handle of a spit above a roasting fire, those same bare arms, thinner then, moved a hand in front of her face to remove the wayward fronds of hair from her sun soaked cheeks, just as the same hand did that exact same thing now. Serinae smiled as her gaze went to the women's hands wrapped in the linin bandages.

The women looked at her hands, raised them up in front of her, "ah, blisters, nothing more than a few blisters. I made a journey Seri, one that you must have made a long time ago, but I wish I had brought some thicker gloves with me."

It was all Minervar could do to stop the tears flowing; her breathing came in spasms as she tried so hard not to burst out crying. But through the sobs of joy she managed to utter one name, "Nar'Allia." Then the two women were in a tightened embrace, tears from both flowed freely as they stood there enjoying their reunion. They had known one another for long years, but a sudden parting had left them both waiting for this moment, but each realised that this was not the place they would have liked to be reunited. Each felt a sense of loss that now at last they were together but they had run out of time. No time to ask all the questions that they wanted to be answered, no time to live their lives filled to overflowing with adventure and discovery. So, in understanding they both nodded to each other, for at last the final stages had come. This would be it then, perhaps one last final act together for the greater good of all.

Nar'Allia released her hold on the Minervar, who stood back eyes downcast, cheeks wet with tears. She thought of all she had done, it all seemed to pale into insignificance, it was all just a dream now that Minervar was found. Then she looked at Serinae, a smile crept over her mouth.

Serinae stepped forward and Nar'Allia ran to her and hugged her close. Neither woman said anything. They had said it all before, many times and now they had at last met once again face to face; there was nothing they could add.

Minervar said in a voice faltering with emotion, "how, how did you find your way here Narny?"

Nar'Allia looked at her stepmother thinking on what to say. She was conscious that Serinae was also listening and she had hoped that no one would ask that question of her. "I ummm. Well I found an old passage that led here, a passage that none of us except one perhaps would have known existed." She looked at Serinae before she said hesitantly, "An old way, a secret way. One that was formed from an act of love yet changed into one of betrayal." Nar'Allia continued to look at Serinae. She was unsure how the T'Iea ranger would respond, unsure what emotion would rise within her. She loved Seri for what she thought she was, but love for another can be a powerful force, something that would drive many feelings. Love could change someone forever, change nations, change worlds. Love was at the heart, at the root of everything, love itself is - everything. To not know it would make someone barren, but likewise to know too much could equally destroy. Nar'Allia looked questioningly at Serinae, she scrutinised her face searching for the T'Iea deepest, closest emotional secrets. But in the end Nar'Allia smiled, she saw no malice there, nothing to cause her to mistrust. She knew, just knew that Serinae was whole, was real, was Serinae, just as she expected.

Serinae smiled and took Nar'Allia's hands and stared long into her eyes as if gauging something before she finally spoke. "I have so much to thank you for, so much I wanted to say to you. But you know that don't you?"

Nar'Allia just stood her hands held by Serinae's outstretched hands. "Yes, in another time another place perhaps I would have so much to say to you. So much to ask you. Yet now I have the opportunity it all seems to pale into insignificance. We are here, we have a task to do, we have a people to save and redeem, they have waited long enough, suffered long enough. Let us save them Seri, save them all, here, now. It is their one chance, their one hope."

Serinae smiled and pursed her lips, she hugged Nar'Allia. "Your courage puts me to shame my sister."

Minervar thought of the heavy weight of guilt upon her heart, all the actions she had done, the evil she had been part of. She breathed deeply a smile on her face; she would be free of it, free of the guilt once and for all. She smiled at Nar'Allia and Serinae and said, "no. No we cannot delay."

Serinae stepped forward with Nar'Allia and grasped Minervar and Solvienne, the four T'Iea women walked together like old friends. They continued to hold one another as if they felt some great release in that they at last were able to actually revel in the others presence at long last. Then after some time Serinae stepped back.

Nar'Allia clasped her hands together in front of her and she said whilst she stared into Serinae's jade green eyes. "We must destroy it Seri, you know that. The machine. It must be destroyed; it is the only way, the only resort to save those of or kin that reside in the east. The rift has hold on them, it could easily take us too if we are not careful.

Serinae pursed her lips, she looked deep into Nar'Allia's eyes and said slowly and with much deliberation, "yes, Narny I know. I have known for a long time now. My only regret is that I fear that in destroying the machine we will also witness our own demise in one form or another."

Minervar stepped up to her old friend and said, "I think we all suspected as much Seri, do not fear. We are resolved to this fate. We will save many at the cost of a few."

Nar'Allia suddenly frowned, she wanted to say something. She needed to resolve something in her heart, something that had been bothering her for some time. If she was indeed going to die then she needed to get this out and in the open, she could not take it with her to the Maker. "Seri? You know I found your Dolan, the one you gave to Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd, I also read some letters, private letters, they were there in your room in Dĩmmĩ's house. I want to apologise for prying. I hope you will forgive me this intrusion into your personal life."

Serinae shrugged, but her lips quivered with supressed emotions. It was a few minutes before she could say anything. "Those events belong to a time long ago, a time very different from now; it matters not, for they no longer have any meaning at least in the present, or in the future perhaps. I put paid to that long ago."

Nar'Allia felt encouraged by Serinae's response so she continued, "I must ask another question of you, I hope I am not being disrespectful."

Serinae smiled, "I have no secrets Narny, at least not know, ask what you will, I will answer."

Nar'Allia smiled and taking Serinae by the hand she said, "Tezrin, he, well the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran I guess made a Rift portal beneath Gwéldølĩn. Deep in the tunnels, this is how I got to be here. I jumped into the portal, it looked like the Rift in the east, I guessed it would take me to the machine and it did but it also gave choices I think, choices to other places."

Serinae dropped her eyes to the ground and nodded. Yes, I arrived here in a similar way but from another starting place. There are certain entrances to the Rift around the world that give such choices of destination. Their history goes back before these times when the elder races had other knowledge and other ideals.

Nar'Allia nodded. "Tezrin described it as a short cut. A short cut for him to meet with you?"

Serinae sighed, "yes. Many years ago we both were in the employ of the Grûndén king. But Tezrin had already started to make his dark alliances with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. I did not know then, at least for certain. The Grûndén king would sometimes send us on separate errands and missions. I just thought that Tezrin wanted a way for us to meet where the Grûndén could not detect us and become suspicious of his activities." She paused as if thinking back to those times. "We did meet below the city, whenever we could, down there in the labyrinth below Gwéldølĩn. Somehow Tezrin had found out about the existence of the Rift connection down there. He never told me how he found it; it couldn't have been the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran for they never used it as a route to and from anywhere. This makes me think that Tezrin had another secret accomplice, someone who knew that the Rift was in fact used by the elder races as a highway for travel. But Tezrin kept this secret. Sometimes it was the only opportunity we had to meet for many years of man at a time. Perhaps that was reason enough for Tezrin not to divulge the whereabouts of the Rift to his masters, I like to think so." Serinae's voice faltered, she too a few seconds to compose herself, Minervar held her hand tightly, she looked up and smiled. "I didn't know where the Rift he used led to and I never asked, I didn't want to know. He always came to me, I never went to wherever he would go. But after a while my suspicions were aroused, when you love someone with all your being, it is easy to detect the slightest changes in their persona and Tezrin was changing. I shut all such thoughts to the back of my mind, but it hurt greatly and the effort to keep these thoughts locked away was painful." She dropped her gaze back to the floor, she wiped her hand beneath her eyes.

Nar'Allia walked forward and embraced her as did Minervar. She told Serinae of her journey through the mines and the labyrinth below the dwarven city in the mountains.

Serinae took a deep breath and stood back, her eyes were dry, but Nar'Allia's shoulder was damp. "It was only recently that I fully began to understand the purposes to which the elder races had adapted the Rift. "We always met beneath the city; there is a wide terrace where the labyrinth opens out onto the side of a cliff, we met there, I never had to travel further, so I didn't actually know where the portal or the Rift connection was located. I never found the landing with the little ferryboat that you described Narny. I guess Tezrin must have built the boat or brought it there."

Nar'Allia remembered the platform that she and the Grûndén stepped out upon, the one where she stood aghast at the beauty of the place. She realised that must be the terrace of which Serinae spoke.

Solvienne spoke. "But Seri, this means that Tezrin new about the Rift, new that it led to the sanctuaries, I saw similar boats in Elit G'fedrel. He must have known."

Serinae just smiled. ""I like to think that there was still some good in him." She paused once more, no one wanted to interrupt her thoughts. But she sighed and continued. "I must have become careless; in the excitement of our meetings I became increasingly rash perhaps. I think that the Grûndén suspected something and followed me one night. They did not make their presence known however. The next time I went down the tunnel to meet Tezrin I found a guardian there, a Doglomite had been placed within the tunnels, it was allowed to roam freely and I could no longer gain access. Tezrin was also denied access the other way. I tried on many occasions to get past the thing but it was impossible, I had to wait for Tezrin to return to Gwéldølĩn by normal means before I could meet him."

"But the Doglomite is dead Seri, it must have died a long time ago for all that remain are its bones, I saw them myself."

Serinae sighed, "yes, Tezrin said that he knew someone who could dispose of the Doglomite. I didn't ask anything more, but I suspect that the person of whom he spoke was actually a keeper for they have the power to transport such creatures between the voids so why not also understand how to destroy it. But I didn't care what was done, for in those days what was important to me was our meetings. I somehow denied within myself what Tezrin was becoming; I didn't want to believe he had made dark alliances, especially with one among the keepers. I was stupid Narny, so stupid. I should have seen, should have known where my denial was leading." She remained quiet, deep in thought.

But eventually she took a deep breath, "but after a while, many years of man passed and my time with the Grûndén was coming to an end, the agreed number of cycles was nearing completion and my masters in the guild wanted me to return to Ter'Resell for they had other tasks for me to complete. Tezrin however they wanted to remain. The Grûndén king had negotiated that one of us would stay, it ended up being Tezrin. So it was I had to make a decision. Deep down I knew that Tezrin was getting deeper into the council of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, I think he realised I knew as well. This forced other ideas into my head. The security of Gwéldølĩn was at stake. For the Rift enabled secret access to the city, an army intent on invasion could quiet easily gather in the tunnels below the city and attack. Tezrin still kept this secret though from his masters, but with me gone from the city and out of danger, perhaps Tezrin would have allowed this to happen, perhaps that was what his evil masters intended. I had to make the most difficult decision of my life."

Here she wiped her arm across her forehead, her hand shook. This was obviously very painful for her to relate.

Nar'Allia thought perhaps she had never told this story to any others before.

Serinae continued her story. "I could not allow the Grûndén as an innocent party to remain in danger. I spoke with someone I trusted in Gwéldølĩn." She thought for a while, "He told me much, filled in some of the blanks in my life. You know Narny there is a secret society amongst the elder races, they have always guarded their members true identities. This society has but one requirement for membership. That requirement is that the person must have been alive at the time of the building of the great machine or to have passed that membership to a son or daughter, who can then in turn pass it on down the generations. This society was tasked with the knowledge of the Great Machine, to keep its memory and existence alive. There are only a handful of members left now, only a few of the Society once called the Compendium of the Combined. This person in Gwéldølĩn, the one of whom I speak was one of them, but it is of no matter now, harm cannot come to him any longer. It was Ĝørtmûnd Fløwsélld. Ĝørtmûnd told me that he had long suspected that the Compendium of the Combined had a traitor in their midst, he had spent years trying to find out who it may be, but he never managed to identify this person. But anyway, we hatched a plan.

Ĝørtmûnd played his part well; he approached Tezrin on the pretence of being in league with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran himself. To prove this he told Tezrin all he knew about the building of the great machine. He took a risk by telling Tezrin that the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran obtained their knowledge of all this from the Compendium of the Combined, he gambled on the traitor being close to the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran that is how they knew about the biplextor devices and the machine itself and how to reprogramme the biplextor devices to make the machine act differently. Tezrin could not deny that Ĝørtmûnd knew things that no other could possibly know, so he placed much trust in him. I suspected that Tezrin knew one other who was a member of the Compendium of the Combined. I am sure this person was not a dark elf, I think this person was a keeper, the same one whom I mentioned before in relation to the killing of the Doglomite in the labyrinth below Gwéldølĩn. This made it far easier for Ĝørtmûnd to persuade Tezrin. Anyway, they had many more meetings and eventually when Ĝørtmûnd was sure he had Tezrin's trust he told him that the Grûndén suspected Tezrin of having relations with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and he advised Tezrin leave via the Rift to save himself from capture and execution."

She sighed before carrying on with the story.

"I'm afraid that our scheming may have had far greater consequences than any of us first imagined. But one day Tezrin announced he had to go away. I played my part difficult as it was, but it was easy asking him not to go, but I knew he would leave as he always did especially now that he thought he was fleeing for his life. I managed to plead with him to allow me to go with him to the Rift connection to say goodbye. I knew he would not allow me to go any further than the gate way and as usual I agreed to this demand. So we went down beneath the city, we stood outside the gateway, he kissed me, my resolve faltered I admit, for I knew that this would possibly be the last I would see of him. But the Maker gave me the strength and I was able to complete what I had agreed with Ĝørtmûnd. Before he passed through Tezrin said I should follow him when I could. he gate closed and that was that. But then all the pretence and stress of what I had just done came flooding to the fore, my life came crashing down, I was in grief, I couldn't fight it. I left the guild and resolved myself to a life as a mercenary, a hired thief, a hired hunter. I didn't care, the loss of my love was so painful I just didn't care, I couldn't have cared if I lived or died at that point. So I travelled and got paid work whenever I could, I was surprised to find that I was in great demand. But eventually time and events began to ease the memory. I thought I was over my grief and when I was offered a private contract with the Grûndén. I became curious, I wanted to know what had happened in Gwéldølĩn, so I took the opportunity.

It was during this time that I met up with Solin in the Smòlt Erûûn. She offered me a position with her and I took it. We travelled back to Amentura. On the way to my great surprise Tezrin apprehended us, he must have been keeping a watchful eye on me after he realised I was not going follow him through the Rift. He introduced himself as a friend and colleague of mine, he made sure that whilst he was around I did not have the chance to be with Solin alone and therefore could not disclose my suspicions to her. Well, much to my dismay Solin offered him a job as well, a position to work alongside me. Tezrin suspected that I knew he had strong ties with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, he wanted to keep me in his sight." Here she giggled, "funny isn't it. Once we couldn't be parted for our mutual love, now we couldn't be parted for our mutual mistrust. I had an unwitting ally in Solin though, I think she became suspicious of his true intent, Tezrin knew he couldn't achieve anything whilst in her presence so he eventually he disappeared one day, never to return to Amentura."

Ĝørtmûnd remained true to his word and never divulged anything of the Rift below the city, or Tezrin's betrayal. To my great relief all my friends in Gwéldølĩn remained just that, my friends.

Nar'Allia's thoughts returned to the Grûndén and the security of their city. Tezrin was still able to use the Rift. She asked Serinae about this.

Serinae responded, "I discussed this with Solin and she provided an unexpected answer. When we had first met Solin she had given both Tezrin and me a little token each. She joked that they were an emblem of our friendship. These things were little disks that could be programmed to lock and unlock certain things."

Here Nar'Allia cried out. "You mean the Dolans Seri."

Serinae nodded. "So it was I never heard from Tezrin or saw him again for many years of man. Then one day years later and out of the blue I received a package, I recognised the hand writing it was Tezrin's. He sent me a message requesting me to meet with him in Ter'Resell. So I agreed and it was during that meeting he asked me to help him track down and recover that necklace." I accepted, perhaps out of our old relationship, but also I sort to keep an eye on him, I wanted to know why he needed such a thing. She looked at Minervar and said, "I think my sister that you probably know much of the rest of the story. I'm sorry about dragging you into this all that time ago in the tavern in Corbond."

Minervar just took Serinae's hand and pursed her lips with a sigh.

Nar'Allia seemed a little confused, she had obviously been thinking about something else for quite a few minutes. She said slowly, "there were three Dolans altogether that Solin had acquired from the Pnook. One we know for sure belonged to Solin, she gave it to us when we left the great wood last time, it opened a secret room in her personal suite of rooms in her house in Amentura, a room full of odd things. The other two have less than clear origins though. One we found in the little cupboard in your old rooms in Amentura Seri. We always thought that one had belonged to you. She looked at Serinae questioningly.

"Not quite," was the answer. Solin's you are right about yes of course, she dabbled with the Dolan's found out how to change them to unlock whatever she wanted, I remember the excitement on her face when she told us that she had been successful in unlocking the secret of the devices. She suggested we use ours in a similar way, she said that she would change ours accordingly all we had to do was ask. I felt then that these Dolans had some special significance, they obviously weren't just tokens of historical interest and I was loathed to change mine in any way, at least until we discovered what they were really for, what they were designed to unlock and give access to. But that leaves the other two Dolans. You are almost right Narny, but they were the opposite way around. The one hidden in the key cupboard in my old rooms was Tezrin's. He gave it to me long ago, I insisted on having it as advanced payment for my services in finding that necklace. I wanted his Dolan and that was the deal, I would find the necklace, he would give me his Dolan. As I said, I never changed it at all, I was reticent to change it and also never found a use for it I guess, for there is nothing that I wish to lock away and hide, apart from the Dolan I was given of course. I gave mine to Ĝørtmûnd, I told him what it could do. He listened and to my great relief agreed to modify it, to use it to control access to the Rift below the city and to keep it secret.

By this time Solin was continuously trying to implicate Tezrin with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, she wouldn't let it go. One day I lost my temper with her, a stupid reaction, but somehow her telling me what I already suspected, well it angered me. I had to get away so I left the house and wandered the wilds for a while. It gave me time to think. I returned to Ter'Resell, to the ranger's guild, I intended to tell them everything, but when it came to it I didn't. My absence from Tezrin tempered my view of everything and I still hoped to change him, return him to the one I loved so much. Also I didn't know who it was that was aiding Tezrin, it may have been someone in the Guild. So it was I didn't reveal any of my suspicions. But Tezrin somehow found out I had gone there, he suspected that I had told my masters of his deceit and treachery. I believe he must have placed the arcane ward on the little secret cupboard in my rooms in Solin's house at around this time. Quite what his intentions were I will never know. Perhaps he just wanted my capture so that he could keep me under control."

She looked sorrowfully at Minervar, "I'm so sorry Mini, I didn't know that you would use it accidentally."

Minervar just shook her head slowly a thin smile on her lips.

Serinae continued. "I never used the cupboard again, it only contained Tezrin's Dolan, as I said I always suspected that there was more to those things than met the eye and I wanted his so that he would not discover their true use. I thought no more about it at the time. But of course he had already discovered what they unlocked and used it, gained something of immense power. But I had no intention of changing it or using it I just left it there. However I hid the key to the cupboard by sowing it into the sleeve of an old sparring jacket. I left a message in Amentura also, a hint as to the key's location." She looked up at both Nar'Allia and Minervar and said, "but then you know that don't you." She took Minervar's hands and repeated, "I am truly sorry Mini, had I known what Tezrin had done I would have attempted to ward the cupboard or destroy it. It is one of my deepest regrets that you were placed in such an intolerable and dangerous situation."

Minervar kissed Serinae on the forehead, "please Seri do not chastise yourself, you weren't to know and it was my own silly curiosity that made me place the key in that lock. I just couldn't let it go."

Serine smiled at her and continued. "Ĝørtmûnd adapted my Dolan, he used it to lock the old Grûndén door deep below the city, the Dolan was tuned to control the Grûndén access to the Rift. The Grûndén would never know, they did not use or even remember their access to the sanctuaries, but Ĝørtmûnd knew, he was a member of the Compendium of the Combined, he knew all along where all of the elder races access points were. So he set a lock upon it so access was denied from either direction."

Serinae walked away, she went over to the edge of the platform and gazed downwards at the ancient father's great machine. "You know, I have always tried to do what I thought right at the time. Sometimes these decisions worked out fine, other times not so well."

Minervar stepped forward she unstrung the longbow from around her shoulders and held it out towards Serinae, "come Seri, let us do this thing, this decision I am sure is right, we should delay no longer."

Serinae looked at the bow, slowly reached out and grasped her long bow once more. More moisture filled her eyes as she thought about all that had happened. She thought of her mother and all her kin who had used this bow before her. It felt good to once more hold the wood, feel the energy within. She felt once more the ancient presence of her people, felt their power, the ancient and mysterious power that accompanied the bow. She caressed the wood slowly with her hand, her eyes closed she had visions of tall trees, unending forests, sunlight streaming through the almost perfectly circular leaves. She pictured her people as they were, content and whole, as one with the world. She knew this forest although it existed many ages before she was born, before anyone was born. For the forest in her mind existed in another world a place covered in such a forest, a time before the axe and the fire, before the building of houses and towns and ships to sail upon the oceans. A time of peace, true peace. Then she ran her fingers up the length of the bow, felt the top notch. Slowly she placed the bottom of the bow in her instep, held the top of the bow, pushed with her knee and with her other hand placed the bow string into its slot in the top of the bow. She thought about all the times she had watched her mother do just this, thought about all the times she had done this simple act herself. The long bow sang to her, the voices of her people of old, the skills of those artisans and the knowledge they possess, she listened, she was sure she could hear their haunting lament.

Nar'Allia came forward she had taken off the belt on which the two short swords hung, she was holding this out, offering it to Serinae. The ranger looked at the swords, she smiled and just stood there looking. Finally she seemed to come to a decision and taking the belt she made to strap it around her waist.

"Wait, Seri. There is something else of yours that you need to put on first. "Nar'Allia slipped the chainmail over her head, the rings tinkled melodiously as they always did. This too she held out for Serinae to take. The ranger did so. Last to be offered back to their original owner were the bracers that accompanied the short swords.

Before long Serinae stood in her garb, she thought of the irony that the last time she had worn these things was right here in this very place. Here she had discarded them, thinking that she would never use them again. Yet here it was that she once more took up her chattels, put on the mantle of a ranger, one last time. But there was a problem, she had all her gear once more, yet one thing was missing, her quiver and arrows to shoot with the bow. She looked down to her side were the quiver once would have hung on her belt and sighed.

A tear ran down Minervar's cheek, she stared at Serinae, remembered a T'Iea ranger that evening in Corbond. A T'Iea ranger that she was so envious of, someone who had a wealth of life's experience, someone she admired as the model for her race. Someone who offered the promise of adventure. She remembered she and Jondris had shared a simple innocent meal together in the Tavern in the human town, witnessed a series of events that would change her life and change her forever. She remembered every detail of that evening, that single moment in time that could have quite as easily passed her by under different circumstances. The moment that Serinae had first walked into her life. She shook her head slowly remembering now how much change had happened from that simple meeting. How could one pathway in life, one innocent situation change so much of everything?

"You may need this lady Serinae," it was Solvienne who spoke, she was holding out the quiver in one hand.

Serinae took the quiver slowly, she looked at it long and hard, then she clipped it to her belt and took in a deep breath. "However, I still find myself without a single arrow to fire."

Solvienne beamed, she looked very pleased with herself, she withdrew the hand that was behind her back and offered what she held to Serinae. It was the strange bulbous arrow that Amndo had given her. "Someone gave me this arrow saying that it may be needed before the end, but alas I believe that more than one of those arrows may be needed to bring about the task which we face?"

Serinae laughed, she took the arrow and placed it within the quiver. "That is not a problem Solvi, you will see."

They all glanced down at the quiver and the arrow. A few seconds passed and there replicated in the quiver were a number of arrows, all looking identical to the one that Solvienne had given Serinae, but they had a translucent look about them as if they were only half there. Serinae slipped one slowly from the quiver, she looked at the arrow long and hard, she seemed to inspect it, turned it between her fingers as she did so it became denser, more real somehow. She looked into the eyes of the three T'Iea women.

Solvienne took her arm, "Seri, we all knew what this task would entail in the end. We are all with you. The Maker, Eny'Nin'Rel, he will give us strength. We all go willingly even unto death, for we would save our race, save the greater for the loss of a few. Eny'Nin'Rel will reward us, accept us into his halls of this I am sure."

Serinae, smiled and looked upon Solvienne, she reached out and holding the young T'Iea head in one trembling hand, closed her eyes and kissed her upon the brow. "Your faith puts mine to shame Solvi. I will see you in those halls of which you speak before long, for we have much to talk about of that I am sure. I look forward to our sitting there in the garden of his creation. We shall see such laughter and enjoy such tales." Serinae then winked at Solvienne and turning towards Minervar and Nar'Allia said, "as will all of us."

Minervar held the hands of both her daughters and smiled, all she could do was smile, no words could explain all of the emotions of joy and fear intermingled in her heart just at that moment. Her whole body felt tingle with anticipation, one final adventure it seemed loomed in front of them. One final experience before the unknown. But then perhaps she would find that the greatest adventure of all may lay before this coming moment.

Serinae turned. She notched the arrow and looked upwards towards the six shining Brĩschlåûndérgré high above where they all stood. Then without further thought she brought the bow up in one fluid motion and drew upon the bow string looking along the arrow shaft at the shining Grûndén crystal masterpieces that hung high above her. In that moment she remembered Gwéldølĩn, remembered the years she had spent there, smiled as she remembered Dĩmmĩ and how she would now never perhaps fulfil her promise to go back there to that wonderful place and visit her friend once more. She breathed in slowly; she loosed the arrow on its path of destruction. Her eye, all of their eyes followed the path of the arrow as it shot up getting smaller as it flew. Then it disappeared from view all together, lost in the bright light from the globes. It seemed to take an eternity, Serinae feared for one moment that the bow had failed her, here at the last, at the end of it all, her bow had finally let her down. But then a flash of light, so bright that they had to close their eyes. When they reopened them they could see tendrils of destructive energy, tiny and thread like at this distance, but Serinae smiled. One of the great globes became engulfed in the tendrils, it appeared to be swinging slightly, but after a few seconds the threads died and the Brĩschlåûndérgré still hung there in the roof of the cavern where the Grûndén had placed them in an ancient age, a time that very few now remembered.

Serinae drew another arrow and shot it on a similar path, then without hesitation she shot four more in quick succession before she dropped the bow to her side. They heard a sound like the clap of thunder. Slowly at first, one of the Brĩschlåûndérgré seemed to swing and fall to one side, it nocked against a neighbour and then it fell. Serinae felt sad, that she should be the instrument of destruction of something so beautiful. That she should destroy the great works of the Grûndén. She closed her eyes waiting for the impact. When it came, the great hall shook; an ear splitting crash heralded the great globes weight smashing into the machine below. She said under her breath almost as a prayer, "so begins the next age of this world, may it be an age of peace, an age of understanding, an age of great reconciliation."

The four T'Iea walked forward to look over the edge of the parapet. They couldn't resist seeing with their own eyes the damage such an impact must have had upon the machine. They all held hands and watched even as their fascination turned to horror as two more Brĩschlåûndérgré fell to their destruction upon the machine below. As each globe smashed into a trillion shards of crystal the stored light energy from within seemed to flow outwards like molten metal, sparks erupted from the flow, where each struck the machine a small fire started and spread rapidly. Satisfied that they had instigated the destruction of the machine they walked across back to the wall where the actuator for the portal back to the anteroom was located. Even as they walked another of the Brĩschlåûndérgré fell.

Serinae placed her hand upon the spot that would actuate the portal. She withdrew it and tried again. She hung her head and turned to face her friends. They all knew that the portal was inoperative; they all knew their only possible route of escape was now closed. Not a word was said as fire and heat spread rapidly out behind them heralding the doom of the great machine.

They waited in silence aware also that the machine would not die alone.

## Chapter 36. A Decision of Allegiance

Amndo stood once again in the Grand Masters office, Shak'Ee'Roe stood by his side. The Grand Master entered and shut the door behind him. He looked across the office to where Amndo stood; the Grand Master had a calculating expression upon his face. He looked briefly at Shak'Ee'Roe and lowered his gaze to his desk; he walked across and sat down. He nodded slowly before he looked upon Amndo once more and said as he lent forward placing both arms flat upon the desk top. "So Gatekeeper, are you ready for your part?"

Amndo took in a deep breath. He wondered if he should make small talk, would he bring suspicion upon himself if he seemed too eager. In the end he thought that if he was to play a dark elf sympathiser, or even worse their Gatekeeper, then he should perhaps be focused on doing the task he was set upon, he should probably not be passing the time of day with pleasantries. He would in fact be eager to do his part, be successful, be seen to be upholding the goals of his people, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. But he felt strange, this whole situation felt strange. He had an existing relationship with the Grand Master, all his life he had served this leader of his people. He had felt secure, was sure of that position and sure of the Grand Master, who he was, what he stood for. Yet it was now obvious that in fact the Grand Master was not the person whom Amndo had known at all, but someone with a dark secret. Amndo wondered how and when the Grand Master had become embroiled with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, was it the elf Tezrin who had made the first contact, been key in romancing the Grand Master to the cause of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran? Amndo felt guilty, for he was now just as bad, he was pretending to be something he was not, but his pretence was in direct opposition to that of the Grand Master.

Amndo felt Shak'Ee'Roe looking from him to the Grand Master and then back again as if sizing up each of them and the situation in which they found themselves.

The Grand Master cocked his head to one side a slight frown on his face. "Master Amndo?"

Amndo was brought sharply back from his thoughts by the familiarity of the grand Masters use of his name. The Grand Master had called him Amndo not Gatekeeper. Was this a reference to their former relationship; was it a ruse to catch him out? Amndo took another deep breath, he wanted to get going, get out of this current mood of indecision, so he said, "I am Grand Master, I am ready. Lead us to the portal that we may pass through and reach the machine hall." Amndo did not know what the response would be, but he looked directly at the Grand Master, daring him to say something, anything.

The Grand Master nodded slowly, he looked towards Shak'Ee'Roe once more before he spoke, "then follow me."

Amndo let out his breath; he hoped it did not seem to be so obvious a gesture of relief.

The Grand Master stepped to a blank wall; he reached within his robes and withdrew his hand.

Amndo looked at the hand and thought; he has the keystone, the one that Tezrin was the keeper of after he had murdered the original Key that held that position.

The Grand Master used the keystone and opened a portal, once it was fully established he stepped back and gestured that they should go through.

With some feeling of renewed confidence, Amndo bowed and out of habit and reverence to his old master he waved his arm with an open palm in a gesture of genuine politeness he said, "after you Grand Master."

The Grand Master looked slyly at Amndo and said, "so you don't trust me then, at least not enough to pass through into a portal leading to a destination you cannot be sure of?"

Amndo went to correct the Grand Master, to tell him that he only offered the way out of respect, but he remembered the situation they were in and smiling partly at his own stupidity and partly for the benefit of the Grand Master he said, "would you?"

The grand Master chuckled to himself and said, "sadly no, I would not. So have it your way then." He gathered his robes tightly about him and walking forward vanished from sight through the portal.

Amndo went to walk forward, but Shak'Ee'Roe stopped him and said, "I will go first Gatekeeper." Before Amndo could say anything in response she was also gone through the portal. Amndo couldn't help notice that she drew her dagger from where it was concealed in the waistband of her skirt as she walked forward. He felt panic rise in him as he in turn jumped through the portal, he dreaded what he may find the other side. But as he made the jump his senses adjusted and there on the other side stood the Grand Master and Shak'Ee'Roe. The latter stood with both her hands behind her back.

The Grand Master said slyly, but in a tone that dripped with something resembling reassurance, "so you see Gatekeeper, nothing to fear here." He drew his arms in a broad circle about him as if substantiating his words.

Amndo pursed his lips and just nodded a response. He looked around him. They stood in a large cavern. Illumination came from veins of crystals in the walls. He had seen this before in the mines that the Grûndén in the void planes had dug. The crystal he knew had a unique ability to transform arcane energy into light. These crystals were one of the minerals that the Grûndén coveted; the mineral was of great value to them. He supposed as Grûndén lived and worked underground they perhaps they prized this crystal as a way of lighting their subterranean world.

"This was one of many anterooms that the Grûndén constructed circling the cavern in which the great machine is housed. These anterooms performed as a staging areas for the construction going on within." The Grand Master smiled.

Amndo was surprised for it was Shak'Ee'Roe who was the next to speak, "so how do we get into the machine hall itself?"

The grand Master shot a look at her, a look of malice, but he covered this quickly with a smile. "A good question minion, "the last word he said with a tone of disgust, he then glared at Shak'Ee'Roe, she glared back at him unflinching, all the time moving her hands around behind her.

Amndo fearing the worst decided to try and intervene in the obvious dislike that these two had for one another. "Grand Master, you have the key stone? Another portal perhaps to get us from here into the machine hall?"

The Grand Master slowly took his gaze from Shak'Ee'Roe and looking at Amndo said with a blank expression, "of course, each staging area has a permanent portal into the machine hall. Each of the Combined Races had their own staging area and could initiate access in this way."

Amndo picked up on the Grand Master's reference to the Combined Races. This he knew to be an ancient term, one that was not in regular use today. He knew it was an old reference to what they now knew collectively as the Elder Races.

The Grand Master seemed to be weighing something in his mind before he said, "but there is something I want in return."

Shak'Ee'Roe made a sort of disgruntled noise, as if she was expecting as much.

Amndo looked at her, she was frowning deeply. What could the Grand Master want in return for access to the machine hall? Amndo at least was not expecting this. He looked at the Grand Master a puzzled expression upon his face.

"What I want Gatekeeper is something equal in value. I also desire to show my value to our allies, give them proof of my worth, why should you get all the credit for these actions eh? What I want is to be able to present them with something equally as exciting, equally as favourable in their eyes." He waited a few moments looking deeply into Amndo's eyes then said, "what I want is sole command of the Leviathan machine you spoke of earlier, I want the machine."

Amndo looked at him a shocked expression upon his face. Suddenly the tables were turning. He felt that he was losing some control over the situation at hand; he needed to play for time, get his wits together.

But before he could answer the Grand Master again spoke, a half smile upon his mouth. "Now, now Gatekeeper, you are about to get what you want, access and the power to control, or even destroy the great machine, why shouldn't I have an equally valuable gift for my allies eh? Or are you intending to give them the Leviathan to?" The Grand Master waved his finger in the air in front of his face and made a tutting sound with his tongue whilst he shook his head from side to side. "But that would be a little greedy of you would it not?"

Amndo was taken aback by the Grand Masters reference to him destroying the machine. Was it said in jest, or did he suspect something? But he said, "I do not have the Leviathan machine Grand Master. It remains in the hands of my ...." His voice trailed off, he almost divulged his relationship with the Pnook JDC, that would not do at all. So instead he said, "the machines pilot. I do not even know for sure where it may be now."

"Come, come Gatekeeper, you do not fool me, you must have a portal installed to take you there, it would be a simple task to retrieve the machine. A fair trade I feel." He looked at Amndo with a questioning expression. "Think of it as a 'machine for a machine' so to speak." The Grand Master chuckled, as if he found his little joke amusing.

Amndo didn't know what to say, he knew the grand Master had taken an interest in the Leviathan, but that was before he suspected the grand Master of being in league with the dark forces. Now he knew, he was loath to hand over the Leviathan machine to the grand Master and effectively to the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. Or it may be the grand Master intended to keep the machine for his own dark plans. No one had yet calculated that into their suspicions, he certainly didn't want to complicate matters by allowing such a thing. But how could he refuse? The Grand Master thought that he was the Gatekeeper, if they both were supposedly in league with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, then why wouldn't the Gatekeeper give the Leviathan into the hands of an ally? But then if the Grand Master was in league with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran why wouldn't he freely grant access to the machine hall to an ally. Before Amndo could come to a decision he heard the Grand Masters voice raised in anger.

"I am wondering if you really are who you claim my old friend, you seem reticent, indecisive even. We are both seeking a common goal after all. What do you care if I want the kudos of giving our allies the Leviathan machine?"

Amndo was also finding his anger rising, he was angry at his own indecision, he was dismayed at the Grand Masters apparent betrayal, he was annoyed that the Grand Master should raise his voice, push him into a corner. Before he could stop himself he said, "I would never give the Leviathan into your hands, you want it for yourself. You suspect me of wanting to destroy the machine don't you? With the machine gone you suspect that the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran will also change. You will then use the Leviathan for your own ends whatever perverted thoughts you have."

Before Amndo knew it the Grand Master had withdrawn a long dagger with a shiny black blade from within his robes and held it threateningly in front of him. "Why shouldn't I have the machine, it is mine after all, I had it constructed. I placed it back in the Silo long ago to keep it safe, but I didn't foresee that my accomplice the T'Iea would find the way to access the Silo and be able to steal one of my weapons. Then another T'Iea managed to steal another. You will relinquish the machine to me you don't know the half of it, you don't even suspect in your wildest dreams what the Leviathan machine means to me. It is mine, it belongs to me, you have no claim on it, no preference over the machines rightful owner."

Amndo stuttered. "Who are you?"

"I am your Grand Master, that is all you need to know."

"No. You are more than that, the evil within you is like an ancient stench, it is very old and festers in your psyche, it is like a pariah, a great malice waiting to pounce. It is clear to me there is more to you. Much more."

The Grand Master laughed, quietly to himself at first, but his laughter increased in volume until he was bellowing. But the sound subsided after a minute or two. He drew himself up with a hint of pride in his tone he said, "very astute of you Gatekeeper." He circled menacingly around Amndo, his eyes burning with darkness like obsidian marbles. "I had a name once, long ago in another age. A name long forgotten in the past, one that I have kept hidden for many lifetimes, a name that would still perhaps instil fear into our people. For some may remember that name from old."

Amndo thought for a minute. He knew the history of his people, there was one name above all others that the keepers feared, one name that brought shame to the keepers although the true reasons were lost to time, that name was still, even now shrouded in fear and mystery, it was even used sometimes as a pseudonym for evil. "He disappeared long ago, that evil was laid to rest, the old regime, the old priesthood was routed, all were captured or died."

The Grand Master smiled and bowed low. "No. not at all he escaped, I am living proof. I survived and I returned. I took up my rightful position once more. I remain strong Amndo, the weak are so easy to influence, so easy to overcome."

Without knowing it Amndo whispered the name, "Borhran. By the Maker, you are Borhran!" Amndo's eyes darted towards the Grand Master. "That name is to be despised, it is evil, pure evil. The acts undertaken in that name were demonstrable, unforgivable acts against our people and the elder races. I spit upon that name." Amndo's anger flared and he realised too late that he had said too much.

The Grand Masters voice dripped malice and hatred. ""So even now after all this time my identity is still held in awe. But alas, you also reveal your true identity, you are not the Gatekeeper after all. You disappoint me my friend. I see now you have resisted the call of the Rift entity, as did I, it is a gift we have, the keepers, we are not so easily manipulated as the T'Iea it seems." He sneered at Shak'Ee'Roe briefly, "stay out of this minion," before he walked forward and lunged towards Amndo.

Amndo was surprised at the speed that that Grand Master, Borhran, moved. He jumped backwards, a shocked look on his face; he knew that he was not going to be quick enough. He focussed on the blade that the Grand Master held; it travelled towards him, towards his heart at a great speed. Even as Amndo tried to step backwards out of the way, he tripped and fell. This may have saved his life, for the blade caught in his clothing at a flat angle. He felt the floor smash into his back, he was winded by the impact, he felt a painful stinging sensation in his chest and a warm wetness trickle down his skin.

The Grandmaster bent over him, hate shone from his face, the dagger was centimetres from Amndo's throat, there was red blood on the blade. "I am sorry my old friend, but I have spent too many lifetimes biding my time, waiting once more for the opportunity to rise again and take my rightful place amongst the Combined Races. With a Leviathan machine once again in at my command I will be invincible, just as I had initially planned all those ages ago. I see that I cannot convince you; well you know too much, I cannot permit you to live with such knowledge. I will not risk failure again." The dagger moved down towards Amndo's chest, where it was positioned over his heart.

But the Grand Master jerked back up once more a shocked look upon his features; he swayed reaching behind him as if he sort something. He looked down at the front of his robes. Blood ran freely down the cloth dripping onto the floor and soaking into the now sodden material. Amndo looked on in horror, he could clearly see, there protruding from the Grand Masters chest the point of a dagger. Judging by the flow of blood from around the blade and the way that the flow pulsated, the dagger had obviously gone right through his heart. His eyes showed a look of shock, before the lids fluttered closed. He fell to his knees and then pitched forward onto his face. Amndo scuttled backwards out of the way. The Grand Master's skull struck the hard floor with a sickening crunch and he lay motionless.

Amndo wrenched his vision from the still form and looked at Shak'Ee'Roe, she was gazing down at the body a snarl upon her lips. But eventually she looked up towards Amndo and smiled, a triumphant look upon her face.

But this moment of elation passed, her face suddenly screwed up in pain. Amndo watched in disbelief as she fell backwards clutching her head.

Amndo made to stand, to go to her, he was afraid that she had fallen to some ill thing linked to the Grand Master's death, a hidden poison perhaps. But as he went to stand he swayed a little, a wave of nausea flowed through him, he put his arm behind him and leant on the wall. Amndo felt a pain in his temple as if something had been wrenched forcibly from his mind, something withdrew from his consciousness. Something that he had kept locked away, guarded and cocooned within his psyche. It had been there for a while and he had become accustomed to its cries, its constant pressure for release. Now it had suddenly gone, disappeared without any warning. He knew what had happened, the Rift entities presence had left him. Even though it was buried within its locked prison within his mind, he still felt the release as it passed from his being. The temporary void it left disorientated him for a short while. He shook his head, his eyes focussed slowly.

After several minutes he felt well enough to open his eyes once again. There on the floor in front of him a form huddled. His features saddened, he thought in his mind 'oh no'. It was Shak'Ee'Roe. He knew what was wrong with the T'Iea, he had himself felt it. The loss of the Rift entity from his mind was a strange feeling. What must it be like for this T'Iea when she had lived with the Rift entity's presence within her all her life. She must be experiencing the same loss but magnified many fold. But there was nothing he could do now, the Rift entity was diminishing, maybe had even gone altogether, that meant only one thing, someone had reached the machine room before him and caused the destruction of the machine. Who and how he did not know, he had to find out, he stood and walking across to where he knew the access portal to be he placed his hand there on the spot and waited the few seconds for the portal to open.

## Chapter 37. Cheating Death

Together they watched as fires spread ever wider across the machine hall below them. They had sort the portal that would have allowed their escape but the search was in vain. As they suspected, the machine on reacting to an emergency situation had shut down all access into the hall, a safety measure perhaps. But they were already in the hall and now without escape. The last of the great globes crashed downwards. As it hit the floor a blast of searing hot air touched their faces and stung their skin. The spreading devastation going on below them was frightening; the heat was unbearable even at their high vantage point on the control platform, the noise deafening. The machine it seemed was not going to die easily. The four women were forced to walk backwards shielding their faces from the rising temperature around them a breeze blew ever stronger from behind them as the fires below sucked all the oxygen from the atmosphere. Explosions increased in intensity and regularity from the machine floor far below. A dense fume caught in their throats, an acrid smell of a pungent mix of chemicals from the burning materials that threatened to kill by poisoning them; that is if the heat or reduced oxygen did not suffocate them first. They stared in horror and wonder at the destruction they had caused. Fire, dark smoke and flames now spread faster and faster towards them until the many square kilometres of floor area in the machine hall became a vast cauldron of flaming heat and pawls of dense choking smoke.

The four women were forced to step as farther away from the edge as they possibly could and eventually seek shelter against the wall of the cavern to escape the intensity of the conflagration below and to find the last pockets of breathable air. They huddled, their backs against the wall where moments before the portal to the anteroom once stood open. The flames rose up now ever hungry for oxygen on which to feed, the towers of fire became tall enough to be seen above the edge of the parapet. The vibrations of the shuddering ground could be felt increasing in intensity. The women lay prostrate coughing violently, tears streaming down each of their faces; they writhed on the floor as choking pain burned in their lungs and throats.

Then something started to happen in the very centre of the machine hall where the fires must have been at their hottest and the destructive forces most violent. Everything seemed to start to move, to rotate, only at the very centre to start with. It looked to be some kind of whirlpool at the centre of which was a tiny black dot. The whirling increased and widened, the centre started to spin faster and faster and also started to expand the spread the swirling mass ever farther outwards. Rock and other matter on the very edge of the whirling mass was ripped apart and dragged inwards increasing in speed and also decreasing in size as if two great hands were crushing it into an ever smaller space until it was whirling around and around at a rate that was almost faster than the eye could see. In the very centre the tiny black dot started to drop downwards. It now appeared as if everything swirling around was being sucked into this vast funnel disappearing from sight down the relatively tiny black centre. The parapet upon which the women crouched shook violently and started to tilt downwards towards what remained of the machine hall. Rock and material from below the parapet was being pulverised and sucked into the black funnel. The women gasped, for now they caught sight of the black hole threatening to suck them into its deathly embrace.

Serinae screamed above the din, a look of anxiety in her eyes, "THE DARK CORE."

Minervar gaped as she regarded the look of fear on Serinae's face, never had she seen the T'Iea ranger exhibit fear, it chilled her to the centre of her being.

The funnel towards the very centre, just before it disappeared into the dark core took on the look of a swirling oily mass; it looked just like the Rift. But this was different; whereas the Rift seemed just to swirl and broil around itself, here the Rift itself was also disappearing down the dark core in the very centre of the funnel. Minervar let out a cry as she imagined then that the Rift was here, it was groping for them, it wanted to draw them in with it, to smother them and destroy them. The last action of its own demise.

Nar'Allia heard a loud scream. She looked around in alarm wondering who it was that had made the noise, fearful that one of them had lost their footing as was now plunging headlong into the dark core, but the others did not seem to have made a sound, she realised then that it was she who had screamed.

Eventually the floor was undermined by the amount of material that had already disappeared and on its way into the dark core, it now sloped so much that it threatened to pitch them into the ugly blackness below. Then something else appeared, the rock and other material that was being sucked into the centre seemed to clear and become less dense, they could see ever more clearly between the mass of rock and other matter swirling around at incredible speeds. They gasped as one, for there between the spinning mass they could see many points of light, bright pinpoints. Stars, they could see a myriad of stars beyond where the dark core sucked on everything it could reach like a hungry animal. The women looked on in fear and wonder, the stars were beautiful and they could not take their eyes from the vista that spread out before them. The view was widening, within minutes a billion stars shone all around as if they stared up at the night sky. They were shocked back into the present by the rock shelf on which they stood starting to move. It started to follow the edge of the spinning mass; it was as if they rode on the deck of a ship in an ocean of swirling matter surrounded by the stars of the universe. The rock beneath them pitched and started to spin around its own centre like a wheel. If they slid over the edge it would be to a briefly painful death, crushed to an infinitely small space. They lay there prostrate upon the stone floor trying to get a grip on whatever they could to stop the centrifugal force from spinning them off the platform into oblivion. Solvienne drew her knees up to her chest, Minervar tried to console her by holding her arm tightly.

Serinae closed her eyes. She fought the panic that rose within her, beat it back. Never before had she felt such fear, it was that thing, the Dark Core, it was coming for her. She would have rather met the Maker at the point of a sword, than via this unearthly thing. At least if she died fighting she had a degree of control. This thing she could not fight or even control in any way, it would always have the upper hand and she knew it.

Something else vied for her attention, she felt a tug on her arm, she looked around to see Nar'Allia shouting something at her, Nar'Allia was coughing, blood dribbled over her bottom lip and down her chin, but she held onto Serinae's arm and was pulling hard. Serinae felt sorrowful, she was the cause of so much hurt, now she was hurting those she loved, she watched Nar'Allia's once beautiful face now a mass of contorted features, wanted to apologise to her for causing her such pain. Then Serinae's attention went to something over Nar'Allia's shoulder. It was an odd looking area in what was left of the wall to their right, her heart leapt in recognition, for there she saw an open portal through which a figure, a hooded figure had appeared. She suddenly realised it was not pain that contorted Nar'Allia's features it was the effort of trying to get her attention.

The figure was standing by the open portal, his or her hand upon the rim keeping it open and also stopping the figure from sliding down the sloping, spinning floor and out into the starry blackness of the outer voids below. The figures hood was still up obscuring the face, but the figure itself was gesturing towards them with some urgency, waving at them to come forth, the figure was shouting at them, but nothing could be heard above the din. Something clicked in Serinae's mind, she was reaching towards the other huddled women; Serinae was already tugging at Minervar's hand.

Minervar turned but could not hear what either Nar'Allia or Serinae was saying, the din of many millions of tons of swirling matter colliding was now so loud it was difficult to hear voices. But Serinae was indicating something across the rocky platform. Then Minervar saw the open portal, she grabbed at Solvienne's offered hand and eventually all four women slowly made their way across the tilting, spinning floor. Another larger explosion rocked the shelf, a large piece of rock separated from the main part and started to slide downwards towards the dark core, it increased in velocity as it was sucked further into the centre, eventually it seemed to explode and separated into millions of particles that were all sucked into the dark core in a matter of seconds. The remainder of the shelf on which they rode was now lighter and began to increase in speed and also be sucked downwards at a faster rate. Minervar was at the rear, she lost her grip upon Solvienne's hand. She slipped and started to slide backwards towards the edge of the shelf. Both women screamed in alarm. Serinae turned, she motioned to them all to sit down; she slid back down the sloping floor towards Minervar whose progress towards the edge of the parapet had slowed due to her lying prostrate upon the floor trying desperately to grab hold of something, anything. The edge of the parapet was now being eroded away by the swirling dark core below, lumps of stone and other material were being broken off just beyond where Minervar's feet lay. All this material was being sucked down into the funnel of blackness. Serinae reached out with the long bow in her hand as far as she could and Minervar managed to grasp the end. She then pulled herself hand over hand up the length of the bow until their hands met. Serinae smiled at Minervar and nodded knowingly, she then swung one of her blades around and it bit deep into the rock surface, they hung there upon the sloping floor for a few seconds getting their breath back, but the noxious fumes and dust from the swirling mass and its methodical destruction were heavy here and they started to once more cough violently. Minervar tucked her feet up under her for the eroding edge of the shelf was still creeping towards her. Serinae pulled hard and Minervar was able to get some purchase upon the floor with her feet. Thus they scrambled back hand over hand towards where Solvienne and Nar'Allia waited just by the open portal.

"The portal, get to the portal Solvi, do not wait, go now." Shouted Serinae between hacking coughs, her green eyes aflame.

So still looking behind her Solvienne scrambled on her hands and knees towards the open portal. The figure that waited there stretched out a hand and as soon as Solvienne felt their fingers grip she was dragged up and tossed through the open portal.

Solvienne lay upon the floor of the anteroom; it was so incredibly silent. No more the deafening sound, the only sound her heavy, rasping breathing. It seemed like hours passed but eventually Minervar appeared, she gasped in lungful's of fresh air, staggered across the floor and fell onto all fours coughing and gasping, blood specs shone on the stone beneath her. The next through were Serinae and Nar'Allia almost together, their faces were black with dust and dirt, but they were alive. They joined Minervar in coughing violently and vomiting black filthy looking liquid.

Serinae after recovering, other than from the odd cough, instinctively had one of her short swords, held up defensively. They waited and soon the hooded figure stood in front of them and with a whoosh the portal closed. There was utter silence, apart from the sound of pulsating blood rushing in through their inner ears. Serinae raised her sword, but she did not attack yet. For both Solvienne and Nar'Allia were holding onto one another and approaching the hooded figure, they both grabbed the figure in a hug, the figure laughed out loud in glee. Minervar, a broad smile on her face walked to where Serinae stood. She grasped Serinae's arm and smiled into her face.

They watched as Solvienne and Nar'Allia both laughing with joy as they stood back from the figure who reached up and removed the hood from its head.

Serinae pursed her lips, a keeper then, not a T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, she breathed a sigh and lowering her blade walked forward as did Minervar.

Nar'Allia calmed herself and smiling at Serinae and Minervar said, "Momma, Seri please meet an old and trusted friend, this is Master Amndo."

Serinae took the hand of the keeper and shook it. "We have to thank you for a very timely rescue master keeper."

Amndo nodded at Serinae. "I am sorry I was not earlier in coming, I was ummm, delayed I'm afraid. The silence on this side of the portal seemed incredible, their ears still rang with the percussion of the last few explosions of cracking, tortured stone. Amndo looked at the T'Iea women and smiled. Then he looked beyond them, two bodies lay upon the ground. No one had noticed them in the confusion; they all turned and were shocked to see them there. Amndo strode over and gently removed the robe that had fallen over one face.

Minervar gasped, for there staring opened eyed in death was a face she recognised, "the Grand Master?" She asked questioningly.

"Yes," said Amndo, "it seems we were not completely rid of the old priesthood after all. The Grand Master kept his true identity and intent hidden from us for all these years. He was in league with the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. But only to feed his own dark ends." Amndo looked at Serinae and said, "I'm sorry my lady Serinae, he was also in league with one you know, the former Gatekeeper, the one named Tezrin."

Suddenly lots of pieces fell into place in Serinae's mind, the pieces of a puzzle that had long lain untouched upon a table, now they were formed, finished, placed in the right order. Serinae smiled, at last the final twists in the tale had straightened, for there on the table of her imagination the completed puzzle formed a picture, as she looked at what she saw, she felt no emotion, she was too tired for that. She thought she should feel something, for there in her mind's eye was a picture of a young T'Iea male, his hand extended offering a goblet of T'Iea wine, his long dark hair tied behind his head in a ponytail, his wide grin just as she remembered it, his eyes smiling, the left one slightly closed as if in a cheeky wink. She thought of Tezrin, his companionship, hunting by her side, she thought of their sitting together singing in the light of a campfire, just the two of them somewhere in the wilds. She thought of his stern concentration as he wielded his sword and aimed his bow. She thought of the two of them in a tight embrace deep in the labyrinth below the Grûndén city, a stolen time of intimacy, a personal moment grasped within a life of servitude to their masters. She wiped a tear from her dirt stained cheek as she remembered the two of them, both slightly embarrassed, sitting in the cool garden room of Tezrin's parents house in Ter'Fin'Ealle as the hot summer sun lit the multi-coloured hues within the garden outside. The voices of their parents talking and laughing. A time that seemed like a million years ago, a moment lost in the vastness and the innocence of the past. She smiled her eyes still slightly moist as she felt with absolute surety and whispered as she felt awash with the most incredible feeling of release and peace. She had finally after all this time felt able to forgive. "I will see you once more yet my love and my brother the Maker willing."

Amndo went across to the second huddled form that still lay on the floor, not the one that was surrounded in a pool of crimson, but the one that was huddled into a ball, her arms gripped tightly around her knees as she lay on her side breathing heavily. He took her in his arms; she shook and moaned, she was obviously in some discomfort. But another stood by his side; the lady Minervar. She looked sorrowful, she indicated that Amndo should lay Shak'Ee'Roe gently to the floor, this he did.

Minervar felt a deep sorrow, the T'Iea girl that Amndo so obviously cared for was in great distress, Minervar looked at her features, she exhibited the beauty of their race. Minervar knew she had to do everything she could to ease her pain. She felt it was the least she could do for her own salvation, a form of repentance for her own cruelty to these people, her own people. She felt an old anger rise within her, why should these people carry on suffering; even in their salvation they still felt pain. She cradled the young T'Iea in her arms and rocked her back and forth. She held a hand to the girl's forehead. She made soothing noises and was rewarded for the young girl opened her eyes and stared into Minervar's. At first the she struggled against Minervar, both physically and mentally. Minervar closed her eyes and projected soothing thoughts. It worked, the young girl relaxed a little. Minervar projected thoughts of a soft bed a soft down pillow, a white room with an open window a soft warm breeze blew in from the wooded glade outside. The scent of pine and tree blossom flooded the room. The young girl awoke with a start, but no fear lingered in her mind, but a memory, something that was hidden all these long years, perhaps something this girl had never experienced in her life first hand, yet something that was inbred, hardwired into her very soul. Something uniquely T'Iea, placed there by the Maker, Eny'Nin'Rel himself, a part of himself in fact, a true gift, the most basic ingredient of life, the most basic reminder of the creators presence, something that could never be erased, something that would be left even when everything else was stripped away, something that could be clung onto in the darkest of places to show a light to the way home.

Minervar's concentration was broken by a voice, "thank you mistress." It was Shak'Ee'Roe's shaky voice deep in Minervar's mind. The young girl then seemed to sigh and relax.

Minervar smiled as she gently stroked the forehead of the T'Iea girl, brushing her hair away from her eyes, she whispered, "be free child, be free of it at last. It has gone, you can return, return to your people. Rejoice in the truth for you are now free to do so." Minervar lay Shak'Ee'Roe's now sleeping form onto the ground. She stood and looked at Serinae. The two women embraced. Minervar with a feeling of absolute surety, whispered into Serinae's ear, "we can save them Seri. Now the Rift entity has gone we can save them. It is simple, as simple as a word of kindness, a single act of love, we can bring them back even after all this time, the creator's presence remains within, even after all that has happened, after all this time. We can return them to their true home."

Serinae smiled at Minervar, "I never doubted Mini." She looked around her, "the trouble is we are here somewhere in the voids and they are far away in the world of men, to the east of the great spine, I don't know how we can get there in time. I fear that if their return from the Rift's influence leaves them vulnerable this may be viewed as a weakness by those who do not understand. None may survive to be welcomed home if we cannot do something soon." She then looked towards Amndo and said, "Am I right Master keeper that we are in one of the anti-rooms that accesses the machine hall?"

Amndo nodded his affirmation. "Yes my lady, the anteroom that leads from my city. It is part of the void that hosts TeraT'Inu'Itil thankfully, for the void that held the machine room has been completely destroyed by now. Alas with the machine gone the portal system that utilised the Rift is now also gone."

Solvienne then asked, "how is it Amndo you managed to use a portal into the machine room after we had destroyed all access?"

"Ah well Solvienne, you see I managed to get hold of the grand Masters personal key stone, possibly the same one that Tezrin had fashioned a long time ago. But this key stone is independent of the Rift so is still usable."

Serinae said, "hmmm," whilst she nodded her head. But then she asked, "am I right in thinking that this room then may enable access to the voids? Even to the sanctuary places the ancient fathers built to house our peoples whilst the construction of the machine was being undertaken?"

Amndo looked sad as he replied, "alas mylady, with the machine gone we would need the means to open a portal to that place, the key stone I acquired from the Grand Master is locked and cannot be modified. But yes, if a portal was opened then access should be possible."

Serinae reached down to her old quiver, she grasped something that hung from the rim and tugged sharply upon it. Whatever she held came away in her hand. She offered it to Amndo. He looked into her face questioningly. She nodded to him in affirmation. He extended his hand and looking down saw there upon his palm lay a black shiny pebble. He said, "a keystone?"

"Aye master keeper, these have served me well, they link to a place I only recently found out about, at least its true identity. A place where the old ways still exist, a place long forgotten by the T'Iea because we abandoned it in madness too long ago." She sighed then said, "I think you will find it has imbued within it the signature of a place we T'Iea call it Elit G'fedrel, if you can use it then we can get to that place of safety and from there perhaps we can go elsewhere."

Amndo stared at the stone and held it tightly gripped in his palm. He closed his eyes and before long there before them appeared an open portal. They could see beyond the portals entrance a land full of trees, large trees.

Serinae helped Minervar to carry the prone form of Shak'Ee'Roe, Amndo ushered them through and before long they all stood on a hillock overlooking the forest of great trees. Serinae and Minervar carefully lowered Shak'Ee'Roe to the ground.

"I did not think I would be seeing this place again, it gladdens my heart to return. More than you can imagine master keeper. Thank you."

Amndo looked at Serinae, "it is your resourcefulness we need to thank My Lady, it was the portal stone from that quiver of yours that enabled the connection to here."

"Come," Serinae grasped onto Amndo's arm, "there is someone I would like you to meet, someone who I believe you know."

Shak'Ee'Roe stirred and Minervar helped her to her feet, she stood there shakily. But the party made their way down the slope and entered beneath the trees. After a little while a figure approached them. An old human women, rough animal skins adorned her but it was warm here and the cloak she wore was off her shoulders. Amndo looked at the woman, her unadorned shoulders and bear arms were covered in tattoos.

Amndo whispered, "Deanola." He bowed to the old mage. Deanola bowed back.

Serinae continued with a smile. "I see you remember."

"Yes, many years ago, we were allied once there in the east. We fought together, as did you My Lady."

Serinae smiled, she remembered the three of them, but she also remembered that she was not actually there, at least not physically, but she had still met Amndo, at least she knew his presence. He was trapped within the grasp of the evil intelligence within the Rift, the Rift entity. She had used the resources and connections offered by the ancient fathers great ship of the stars to counter the Rift entity. It was an artificial intelligence, a creation of mankind, she had found a way of countering it, introducing damaging sub-routines to get around its defences and make it release Amndo. She could not have done it on her own, only with the resources within the star ship had she proved successful. She smiled at Amndo. "Well there will be time to reminisce I am sure, but that time is not now. We need to get to the eastern lands of which you speak the lands from where Deanola originally comes from. With the machine destroyed and with it the Rift, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran are made vulnerable, they will be confused I think like this young girl," she gestured towards Shak'Ee'Roe being supported by Minervar. "Many others may take advantage of this vulnerability and attack, worse still take control of whatever lay within the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran city. There is weaponry there that should be feared greatly for they control an army that is practically invincible."

Amndo sighed. "When the ancient fathers designed the machine to control the Rift they only thought to bring the Rift back under control, they did not intend that the Rift be destroyed, after all it was not theirs to destroy. So the ancient fathers machine supported the Rift, kept the Rift going. But now the destruction of the machine would have upset the controlling nodes of the Rift, it should be dissipating as we speak if it has not done so already." The Rift entity is now destroyed my lady He looked towards Shak'Ee'Roe, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran will indeed be made temporarily vulnerable, the further physically from the Rift the sooner they will feel it fade and dissipate. That is why the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran very rarely left their city and even then for only limited periods of time."

Minervar lowered Shak'Ee'Roe's carefully down onto the soft grass at her feet, she stirred slowly and eventually awoke. She didn't seem to fear where she was, didn't even seem surprised. Instead she stood and glanced all around her, she then giggled like a small girl and started to dance around her arms flung out swinging around her; she kicked off her boots and relished the feel of the grass upon her toes. "I am home. There is a memory long since dead that has risen to the forefront of my mind. I am healed."

Serinae laughed, "indeed welcome home my sister, welcome to your true home. May you live in peace, love and light for the rest of your days." She watched as Shak'Ee'Roe wandered about under the trees looking up at the sunlight streaming through the boughs alighting upon the greenery beneath. It was like looking at a child awakened to the wondrous beauty. "You see Amndo, how we must gather them, all of them and bring them here to be healed as Shak'Ee'Roe has so surely proven."

Deanola stepped forward, she said, "perhaps I can aid you, this is a task for me, do not fear. There is something else that the elves taught me, well one in particular. If he yet lives and is still there, in the east, he will aid us. But you will need to get me back into my world, into the same space and time as he if I am to deliver a message."

Serinae asked, "Master Amndo can you take us there, take us back into the world of men?"

Amndo looked disappointed as he said, "alas with the Rift gone, any links that once existed between this system and the world of men will also be destroyed and I'm afraid that many, if not all of the nodes have also been destroyed. I would have to investigate what portal capability we have from here, this could take many weeks' even months."

Serinae looked downhearted, Minervar came to her side and gently grasped her hand. "Are we to be thwarted sister, here at the last, finally robbed of our goal because we have become prisoners here in this place and unable to undertake the last and final task to save our people."

Minervar said, "there must be a way yet Seri, we have all come too far to give up now. So much has been done; I will not accept that we shall fail. Not now."

Nar'Allia and Solvienne clustered around the two older T'Iea a sorrowful look in their eyes, they were talking consoling each other, soft words were being spoken.

Amndo looked at them, he felt unworthy, rejected, unable to take part in what was being said.

The women started to walk in the direction of the village in which they had been living. Deanola grabbed his hand for a few moments and tried to persuade him to follow them. But he took his hand away and turned his back on her.

Later that day Serinae was out searching for Amndo, she was worried as were the rest of them for they hadn't seen him since they left him to return to the cave where the portal system once could be found, he wanted to see what was left. She was calling his name occasionally but so far no sign of him could be seen. Then suddenly she heard a crashing noise, as if a wild boar charged through the undergrowth intent upon attacking its aggressor. She turned to see Amndo running headlong towards her, he had gathered up his robes above the knee so that he could run as fast as possible, he was shouting something illegible between gasps of air. Eventually he stooped by her side gasping in lungful's of air and at the same time trying to say something, explain something. All Serinae could make out between sobs and gasps where "dullard" and "idiot". She allowed him to lean upon her shoulder and they began to walk back to the city in the trees. After a cool drink of water Amndo eventually found his voice. "I have been a complete fool, an absolute idiot, but I have thought of something, why it did not occur to me before I shall never know. But my ladies I think I may have it. I have the answer to getting to the east." He looked at each of them a broad smile upon his lips. He nodded, "but, it relies on the other side of a portal being there in the east but I suspect that is where it lies, it will greatly surprise me if it does not. But the good thing is that if it does not lie there then we will have the means to get anywhere in the world within a few days at most, of that I am sure."

"Then take us master keeper and quickly if you please."

Minervar stepped forward. "Let us all go, I would like to see if access back into the world is possible, if there is a chance I would like to return. "She went over to Nar'Allia and holding her hand and smiling she said, "we each have a son and a husband there that we would dearly like to see once more."

Amndo nodded, "perhaps then my lady you will step back here and also the rest of my ladies if you please we will go there to this place and we shall see."

So it was that they all clustered around Amndo he held out a hand and Serinae grasped it, she in turn held out her other hand and Nar'Allia held that one. Shak'Ee'Roe went to grasp Serinae's other hand but she seemed reticent to do so; the ranger smiled at her and said, "sister, you have seen enough in your life, you need rest and I see you would like to remain here and I can't say I blame you for that. Amndo no longer is your responsibility; you are free to do what you will. So I would ask a favour of you?"

Shak'Ee'Roe nodded and smiling cocked her head to one side listening.

"I would ask you remain here. If we are successful then you will be able to welcome all of your people home." Shak'Ee'Roe seemed to weigh these words, but without a word she stepped back and turning walked back in the direction of the city. Serinae and the others watched her go. So it was that all the remaining women made a physical link to Amndo once again. He looked at them all and smiling reached inside his robes. When he withdrew his hand he held a portal stone. He looked at it as it lay there in the palm of his hand. The T'Iea company also looked at the stone. In the silence a number of prayers were said in earnest.

Amndo closed his eyes in concentration.

## Chapter 38. The Madness of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned

Thor stumbled along the uneven ground, he could not see. A dirty blindfold had been tied about his eyes, a wooden yoke placed around his neck and his wrists tethered tightly to this yoke. The yoke bore down upon his shoulders rubbing on the skin and making his shoulder joints ache. Short respite could be had by taking the weight by lifting it with his arms, but this made the ropes at his wrists dig into his flesh, the rawness burned already. The muscles of his outstretched arms soon tired of the great weight of the heavy wood upon them and he was forced to allow the full weight of the wood bare down once more upon his body. His knees and ankles were sore from the constant falling and tripping over tree roots. To add to this discomfort a dirty length of thick corded rope had been tied around his neck, it bit into the skin like sand paper and he could feel stinging moisture beneath. His captors tugged upon the rope, they played their part well so he did not complain.

Once more he tripped and fell, this time his head hit the trunk of a tree a glancing blow and he was dazed. But he was aware that the goblins around him had stopped their incessant chattering noise as they communicated with each other and now they stood still. The forest itself was silent, no bird song, not even the buzzing of insects. Thor shook the dulled feeling from his head and listened. He could sense the goblins stood close by him. Good, they had understood and were doing exactly as they had been instructed. He could feel their warm breath sweeping over him as they clung to his arms and legs as if they sort solace and protection from the touch. He could feel their clawed hands through the thinner leather between his armour. Their chattering now came in short whispering bursts. Thor couldn't understand what they said, but he caught hints in the tones of their speech that they had become fearful and nervous.

Suddenly the goblins became silent once more; this was quickly followed by a whooshing sound and a thud. The goblins started to screech and chatter in alarm. Thor smiled inwardly, they had been found. He knew the sound of an arrow in flight and the thud as it struck a tree close by. His plan had worked perfectly – so far, but now came the dangerous part. When the Goblins had detected the presence of T'Iea they had immediately closed in around Thor, the hope was that the T'Iea would not risk shooting at the goblins as they were so close to Thor. The T'Iea would not risk injuring one of their own, especially as they could not see who it was. The goblins continued to shout and chatter loudly, they continued to play their part perfectly. Another arrow thudded into the same tree, this time a little lower than the first. The goblins screamed in alarm and then Thor felt the many clawed hands release him and he heard many running feet disappearing away from where he lay. He prayed to the Maker that he would spare all the goblins from harm. Then he lay still listening. All he could hear was the sound of his own laboured breathing as his chest heaved with dull pain; the effort of breathing with his arms spread wide in such an uncomfortable fashion was increasingly difficult. He waited for his new hosts to arrive.

The next thing he knew he was being lifted to a sitting position and the blindfold was removed. Bright sunlight blinded him as his bindings were cut and the yoke removed from his shoulders, it was such a marvellous feeling of relief to be able to rub life back into his wrists and arms. The pain of his released chest muscles stabbed at him for a while until he was able to get his breath back. Water was splashed onto his skin around his wrists and his neck, it felt cool and good. By this time his eyesight had returned and there in front of him stood a T'Iea warrior, a ranger by the look. The ranger stood back regarding him. Thor could not see any features of this person, a leather facemask covered the lower area of the face and a full face helmet with eye holes covered what remained.

Thor attempted to assure the ranger. "I thank you for your timely rescue, I thought I was destined for a fate worse than death."

The ranger reached up and removed the helm and then pulled the facemask down so that it hung loose around their neck.

Thor wondered at the sight. For before him stood a T'Iea maiden, once free of the helm her long jet black hair dropped to her waist, her piercing blue eyes shone with defiance.

Thor bowed low, "my lady, I am in your debt, I thank you."

The ranger just stood there in front of Thor, she cocked her head slightly to one side regarding him closely. "I do not know you. From whence have you come?" At the same time she pushed the long leather coat she wore away from the scimitar that was slung at her waist, she reached across her body and rested her hand upon its hilt. An obvious visible warning that she would not hesitate to use it. The other hand still held her long bow, an arrow remained notched but the string undrawn. A short curved metal blade attached to the end of the long bow was poised at his throat. Her eyes bored into his.

Thor knew that if his plan was to succeed he needed to justify his presence in these lands within the next few seconds or risk capture of the wrong sort, even death depending on the demeanour of the ranger that now stood in front of him. From the look in her eyes he did not want to try testing the extent of her tolerance, he decided the best recourse was the truth. The truth would sound right and not cause him to exhibit any tell-tale hint or suggestion that he was lying. "My orders are to seek a T'Iea army, one commanded by Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned. I had been sent here with my Trete'Y'Thego to seek out this army. But we were attacked by those creatures in a ravine a few days ago and I became separated and was captured."

The elf regarded him closely, her features still remained expressionless. But her eyes narrowed slightly as she loosened the scimitar by pulling on its hilt a few centimetres.

Thor stared at the thick and heavy blade, he couldn't help but look at the movement, he knew that she was struggling to understand how a T'Iea Trete'Y'Thego could have managed to fall fowl of a troop of mere goblins. Their training and experience should not have allowed such a mistake to happen.

But Thor was prepared; he knew he had to give a viable excuse for such an unthinkable thing to have occurred. "We had a guide, a Grûndén mercenary and his troop. The arrangement was made in the west of the mountains. But this Grûndén turned out to be traitorous. He led us into a trap."

The ranger's eyes remained fixed upon him. "A Grûndén you say. How did you come by this arrangement?"

"We met a company of Grûndén on the western side of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri, we were in a Tavern in a human township called Penitence Glade, they offered the arrangement. They knew of a secret way, a tunnel beneath the mountains, a mine they called it. I thought it made sense to ally with them, for this tunnel would save days of trudging over the higher passes of the mountains of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri." Thor noticed that the ranger's eyes opened slightly and lit up at the mention of the tunnel through the mountains. This was good, the T'Iea army here in the east obviously did not know about the way beneath the mountains, a choice piece of information for Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned. Thor felt safer now; this ranger would hardly dare do anything that may keep such intelligence from her commanding officer. After a few seconds of allowing this information to soak into the ranger's mind he added, "I have never had cause to doubt Grûndén before. Perhaps next time I will think twice."

In a flash she had recovered her composure. "You were foolish to trust the Grûndén in those human towns, they are nothing but renegade mercenaries and cut throats. They have no honour or allegiance to the king under the mountains. They only look out for themselves."

Thor bowed. "A lesson well learned my lady, of that I assure you."

She lowered the sharp end of the bow and releasing her grip upon the hilt of her sword she let the blade slide back fully into its scabbard. She stood back. "I came across a group of Grûndén and human men many days ago. I followed them for two days and nights along the rock escarpment to the west; I listened to what they had to say in their camps. They mentioned three T'Iea. They also mentioned that their 'client' would not be happy when told the three T'Iea had escaped. But they also mentioned that the three would be 'goblin meat' by now, they joked about how well the T'Iea would be cooked." She narrowed her eyes, waiting for his response.

Thor looked at her real surprise shone in his face. He laughed at the joke about cooking. "They must have been the same Grûndén. They directed us into the ravine where the goblins attacked us."

The ranger did not laugh; she still kept the same expressionless face as before. She let the coat fall back and adjusted her gear as she said, "perhaps then you will be pleased to hear I slew them all."

The manner in which the ranger said those words, the ease with which she told of the deed in a factual way without remorse, without any feeling at all, shocked Thor.

The T'Iea ranger smiled slightly, as if she had made some subtle point. "Do not concern yourself; I made sure they did not suffer in their deaths." She gestured to him with the tip of her long bow and indicated that he should walk in front of her. "Come then, I will take you to my commander, he shall decide what should be done with you."

During the journey Thor tried to make small talk, but the ranger would not discuss anything. She remained behind him, when he turned to look at her she always made sure she moved out of the field of his direct vision. Thor was starting to find this behaviour infuriating; there was something very odd and disconcerting about receiving T'Iea tactics instead of administering them. After a while he gave up trying and just looked around him at the landscape instead. He dutifully followed the taps on his arms that she levied with her long bow every now and again to indicate he should change direction.

Later that same day Thor stood to attention in front of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned, he introduced himself when he was instructed to do so.

Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned rubbed his chin and stared at Thor. "I don't recall our meeting before this day?"

Keeping his eyes in front Thor said, "no, sir. We have never met."

"So, to what then do I owe this pleasure?"

For the same reasons he had told the truth to the ranger, Thor decided to stay with the truth once again. He told of how the generals in Ter'Hadsnefel had asked that he seek out Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned for they grew concerned at not having heard from the region for a long time. He also added how he sort an alliance with the eastern men against the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran threat and this was a promise made to one of the easterners. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned raised an eyebrow at this, obviously the ranger had made her report whilst Thor was made to stand outside the tent under the watchful gaze of the sentries, but of course Thor had not told her this choice piece of information. Thor did not say however that he searched for his mother who was lost in the region many years before and that perhaps he hoped to access the Rift and try and find her.

"You spoke of a secret way, a Grûndén mine you called it beneath the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri. I have never heard of such a thing before?"

"It is true sir, my companions and I took that road with our Grûndén guides I could describe where the entrance may be found if you wish?"

"I have despatched a Trete'Y'Thego already, the mage is one of earth discipline, they will find it and secure it. But my young friend, what interests me more is your presence here."

Thor nodded and reached inside his tunic. He then gave Te'Onolan'u'De'Yiun's sealed envelope, to Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned and after saying how he had been instructed to give these sealed orders, he stepped back once more, stood to attention and saluted.

Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned looked at Thor and then at the envelope he had been given. He turned his back on Thor and walked a few paces away, he broke the seal on the envelope and taking out the parchment within he read the contents a number of times. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned kept his back to Thor but turning his head to give Thor a black look he asked, "what do you know of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran?"

Thor thought for a moment, what should he say. He knew quite lot really, but how much should he divulge to this general. Thor decided to tell much of the story, he left out the fact that his mother may have been, may still be the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran Gatekeeper. But he told of his sister Nar'Allia's travels in the region, he even told of the Leviathan machine, after all the chances were that Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned already knew of the existence of the machine, it was hard to miss after all as it flew low over the landscape. He could tell he had Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned complete attention, this was good, the general seemed to relax and place some trust in Thor, obviously Thor was confirming much that the general knew of as fact already.

Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned inquired about the Leviathan. Thor confirmed that although he knew little of it and he had not been aboard or seen the machine with his own eyes, he told of how the Pnook called JDC, in company with his sister and a keeper companion, had found the machine from somewhere in the Rust Desert and how they had travelled in the machine right around the world. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned wanted to know why they were there in the Rust Desert. Here Thor told the one untruth in the whole story, he said that his sister was a T'Iea academic, formerly of the order of De'Et'Niale'Ternaven and was acting under direction of the only other remaining member of the order, one Solin De'Teinde. If Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned recognised Solin's name he did not show any signs of having done so. He just thought for a while nodding his head slowly. Thor had gambled on the fact that Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned had been away from Ter'Hadsnefel for so long and also had no communications with the council of generals that he would not know of these activities.

"It seems I have missed much since being out here in the east." Was all Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned said. He then turned inwards to his own thoughts. He was remembering how JDC had not mentioned any others being with him when he had found the Leviathan machine. Why would he do this, so then a Pnook with secrets, deceitful intent, perhaps he had his own agenda for being here in the east. Perhaps the T'Iea generals had sent the Pnook and the Leviathan; perhaps this soldier here with him now was part of that plan. Anger started to rise within him. Anger he had felt before and found increasingly difficult to control. Yet this anger gave him something, gave him power, gave him strength especially if he embraced it.

After a while of watching Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned pacing up and down inside the tent Thor asked, "Sir, do you have a response to those orders sir? Perhaps I can return with them?"

To Thor's utter surprise on hearing this Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned turned on him, immediately anger flashed across his face. "You dare speak to me of those back in the city, those cowards. They sit there in their great halls, no doubt spreading evil words about me. That is partially why I have not sent any reports back for some time. They have deserted me, left me to die out here without reinforcements, without aid. We have been abandoned, left to survive alone."

Thor replied, "no that cannot be true, why would they issue these orders if they did not support you here? Ter'Hadsnefel remains faithful to you."

"Remains faithful?" Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned thumped his fist down upon the table. "They deserted me long ago, how can they remain faithful?" Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned's anger seemed to increase, he shouted, spittle flew from his lips. "Even my own race, my own soldiers have deserted me, those criminals they leave to walk free, yet they imprison me to a life of hardship, may the Maker curse them all. It is I who have suffered here in this forsaken land, it is I who have kept the enemy, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran at bay holed up in their city unable to leave because of my acts of bravery and honour to my race, yet those I protect shun me, take all my hard work and the blood of my soldiers for granted. I am not recognised for my suffering while they grow fat and lazy in their city."

Thor was shocked to hear this sudden outburst; the reference to R'Thy'Uln's outcast soldiers did not go unrecognised. Thor to felt anger at the injustice of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned's harsh words. "Those criminals of whom you speak, they are your own soldiers. I have met them, they are honourable still. Let R'Thy'Uln help you my lord, he has many warriors all able to aid you, let him back."

Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned turned on Thor, hatred shone in his eyes, "so, that is it. You seek to persuade me to take back those deserters, those renegades. Never, never will I let those traitors back into my ranks, may they rot here and may their bones be crushed under the feet of my true warriors, those who have remained faithful to me. The deserters deserve banishment and death. I will not fight alongside those that have seen fit to question my command."

Thor saw the futility in arguing with this man, he now tried to formulate a plan of escape from this camp and warn R'Thy'Uln of this madness. orT"Then by your leave my lord I will deliver your message to them. I am sure they would fight with you if you gave them the chance, they remain faithful to the original reasons that your army had been sent here. Honour them sir, by taking them back, they will perform their duties well, of that I am sure."

Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned smiled, he seemed to calm himself. A more calculating expression appeared upon his features. He sat back down and rapped his knuckles twice upon the table. Immediately the two T'Iea guards that stood outside entered the tent and stood behind Thor.

"No you will not leave, it is too late now my friend for we are on the eve of battle. You will fight for me now. No you will not leave." He instructed the guards to take Thor into custody and watch him until it was time to march. "We march on the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran tomorrow." He seemed to sigh in a very satisfied manner. He turned and clutching his hands behind him he rose on his toes a couple of times before he said, almost to himself, "I have found an allegiance from a most unexpected source, an unforeseen twist in the tale has seen fit to reward me with another army to command, one that will not be so easily swayed by traitors and harbingers of doubt and deception. One that will fight without tiring and without need to fill its belly or rest when weary. No. Soon we march to absolute victory and I will return to Ter'Hadsnefel a hero. I will show those that doubt and despise me. You will see." More was being said, but Thor had been led from the tent and he could not pick out the words.
Chapter 39. The Storm Clouds Gather

Thor stood amongst the soldiers of the T'Iea army of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned. It was early morning; the sun had just risen across the moors. A gentle breeze blew the light wisps of early morning mist around and brief glimpses of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran cordon of Startmektoken, a kilometre or so across the heather could be seen. The Startmektoken stood in but a single line and beyond them could be seen the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran army dressed in their black armour and tall helms, banners held high on the morning breeze. Thor counted fifty four banners in all, fifty four Ruen'N'Y'Thego each comprising of roughly fifty soldiers so in all an army consisting of roughly of two and a half thousand. Thor looked around him. Almost as a mirror image the T'Iea army that surrounded his position stood in their own armour, their banners also caught upon the stiff breeze. The only difference, they stood alone, no mechanical army stood as a forward front line, ready to take the battering of the initial assault when the muscles that wielded sword and shield were still strong, the mind focussed and fresh with excitement. The time when the true horrors of battle were not yet set to sap the strength, overrun the mind and drain all courage. He shook his head. Was this to be it then? This battle, this waste of life, it would end here on the whim of a madman? He looked into the faces that surrounded him. He saw his fellow T'Iea, their facial expressions set and grim, he wondered what they thought, did they have wives, husbands, sisters and families back in the west. Did they even remember them?

He stared once again at the single thin line of Startmektoken soldiers across the heather, he thought surely this puny cordon would not stop a determined attack; surely the T'Iea army of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned would break through easily. He remarked as much to the soldier that stood accompanying him and also assigned by their commander to make sure that Thor did not desert the battlefield prematurely. The soldier explained that this single line was but a small part of the Startmektoken army that the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran controlled. They had attacked once before, the metal soldiers were tough to the extreme and very difficult to fell, only a lucky blow or accurate shot could cause any mortal damage. He also told how many of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned's army fell that day; he spat hatred as he spoke. But he also pointed out that the line of Startmektoken was regularly relieved every two or three days, so he thought that even these metal monsters needed some rest at regular intervals. Thor thought about the sarcophaguses that Nar'Allia described and how normally the Startmektoken stood dormant within them. How then were they to attack this impenetrable wall of mechanical soldiers? What real hope did they have against this indestructible foe designed in the ancient past to fight for mankind, because mankind had lost their soul and their will and could fight no longer.

A dark shadow fell over them. Something big blotted out the still gathering sunlight shining down from above them. As Thor looked up he gasped for there in plain view flying quite low an enormous shape drifted silently. He knew immediately what it was; he looked at the depiction of the serpent like dragon that adorned the side of the machine. It really was the great Leviathan machine. But what was it doing here? Then Thor had a thought. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned had suggested that he had allied with another army. Surely he didn't mean the army of Startmektoken that were on board the Leviathan. Thor had grave misgivings, had JDC allied with the renegade T'Iea army? The dark shape continued to fly slowly towards Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned's encampment some five kilometres away. To those that were there to see it, the craft seemed to hover for a while and then descend slowly until it disappeared from view below the shallow rolling hills. As it descended, Thor could quite clearly make out the large doors in the underside opening. First one, then another, then all started to drop open. He watched until the craft disappeared beyond the horizon.

His T'Iea escort spoke with a hiss between his teeth, "but this day shall be different, victory is ours this day and we will avenge our fallen comrades at last."

Within half an hour Thor thought he heard the heavy tramping of many feet. He hoped that the Startmektoken army from the Leviathan was marching to the battleground. He watched in fascination in the direction that he thought they would come. But as his ears became accustomed to the sound he became aware that this sound was not coming from the direction in which the Leviathan flew. But was in fact coming from the direction of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran realm. Before he could turn he noticed the soldier's faces around him frowning and looking intently at something behind him. Thor turned and there marching across the moor beyond the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran cordon came more Startmektoken soldiers. Many more, for their ranks eventually appeared to be several lines deep. He stood his mouth slightly open as he watched the monsters fall in line behind the cordon of their brothers that were already there. Still more came. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran had obviously witnessed the arrival of the Leviathan machine and decided that reinforcements would be necessary to counter this new threat.

The soldier that stood with him as if reflecting Thor's thoughts said, "they have brought up reinforcements and the die is cast." His hands slid around the thick shaft of the great double bladed halberd he held, they twisted this way and that as if polishing the wood, but the obvious nervousness the soldier felt came through loud and clear, as did the creaking of his leather gloves upon the wood.

Then they heard it. The self-same sound as before, identical it was to the sound of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran Startmektoken soldiers marching to the battle front. But this sound came from the direction in which the Leviathan had disappeared. Sure enough a second army of Startmektoken marched up from the other direction appearing over a slight rise in the moorlands. The ranks of the T'Iea parted to allow them through. Ten or twelve abreast they marched and once they had reached the foremost ranks of the T'Iea army, the Startmektoken spread out like an opening fan until they also formed a cordon before the T'Iea army of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned. Thor could see smiles of relief upon the soldiers around him, he also felt relief for the Startmektoken that fought for them would give them an equal advantage and perhaps things did not seem so hopeless after all. When the Startmektoken had finished their march and all was silent again the two armies of abominations faced each other, expressionless, in unison and with a sound like thunder they drew upon their various weapons and stood each in a stance dictated by the weapon they bore.

The mists drifted in from across the moor as did the silence, Thor thought it almost suffocating, only the few small sounds, the odd creak of leather armour, the occasional sigh of breath, the odd muttering of a soldier perhaps saying a prayer, a curse, or even wording the lyrics of a song.

The level of expectation felt amongst the T'Iea warriors of both sides was high. Every one of them stood staring at the two armies of Startmektoken soldiers as they faced each other waiting. The minutes ticked by and seemed like hours. Then suddenly both at the same time the armies started towards each other. It was impossible to tell which if either started to advance first. Thor thought that he looked into a mirror. The marching army of Startmektoken warriors that belonged to Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned and the army of the same soldiers belonging to the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran if belonged was the right word to use.

The sound of their feet upon the heather was loud, the very earth shook with the rhythmical pounding, every boot was lifted and dropped at exactly the same time. Once the cordon had moved off, the heather behind them lay crushed, stamped into the very earth upon which it grew, a few clumps here and there had miraculously survived, the purple flowers still shone defiant in the ever increasing sunlight, it made Thor glad somehow that even these unstoppable warriors could not completely destroy the Makers creation.

Suddenly the two armies clashed. The noise was deafening in contrast to the comparative silence that prevailed before. The ferocity of that first engagement was astonishing. Thor actually stepped backwards a few steps, as did the soldiers assigned to guard him, a murmur went through the ranks, perhaps they uttered prayers of thanks that it was not them that faced the monsters across the field.

They watched in horror as the two front lines of warriors fought a close hand-to-hand battle. As one fell another would step up from behind and continue the attack. It was clear that neither side defended, the only tactic at least that Thor could tell was an all-out offensive from both sides.

Towards the rear of both ranks there appeared warriors with large odd-looking tube like devices strapped to their backs. Some sort of projectiles that looked like bright globes of orange fire were fired high into the air from these tubes, Thor remembered Nar'Allia's descriptions of the bolts fired from the energy cannons mounted within the Leviathan machine. These mortars tossed their energy projectiles high above the warring sides and over the front line to land amongst the enemy in the rear most ranks. Thor could not see the effect that these mortars were having because of the close packed ranks of soldiers. If any of these projectiles flung from both sides caused any destruction he could not see. The only apparent effect was that thick palls of grey smoke started to rise and drift across the battlefield from the area in which these balls landed engulfing both armies hiding them form view.

A soldier a few ranks from him shouted something, it probably wasn't a word, just an exclamation of something. Thor looked up in the direction the soldier pointed. To the east upon a hillock there appeared figures of some kind. Short stunted figures bearing long sticks, or they may be spears, Thor could not tell from this distance. More and more figures joined with those already standing there. Goblin men thought Thor. Have they come to witness this battle, to gloat perhaps, come to see who the eventual victors would be, perhaps even hoping to benefit from the spoils of war. Or had they come to take a side, be as allies to one or other of the opposing forces that now fought below. The goblins had suffered probably from both parties in the past. He doubted they would have an interest in the survival of either force. Perhaps then they had come in the hope that both sides would perish or be diminished to the extent that they could deal with the remaining forces and oust the T'Iea from their lands once and for all.

Then he was surprised to see taller beings, human men standing amongst the goblins. Easterners he guessed. He knew of these people again from Nar'Allia's tales. So they two had come to witness the shame of his people. The shame of T'Iea fighting against T'Iea. All of a sudden he felt a need to be away from here. What he witnessed he did not want to be part of. He wanted to be back in the west. Back amongst his people. Away from this desperate act born of hatred and malice. But he could not tare his eyes from the pitched battle that went on before him. For the only thing that kept the two T'Iea armies at bay were the front line of Startmektoken warring below. What good would it do anyway, both armies were identically matched. Neither could possibly win, all they could do was to destroy themselves and remove, or at least diminish the threat of the Startmektoken to both sides. Thor shivered. For once that had been accomplished, then it would begin. The real battle would start, the battle he feared the most, not for his own safety, but for the continuing sanity of his people. He was sure now that the two T'Iea armies would eventually meet on the field and they would fight. Above everything else, it was this he feared. This he did not want to be a part.

The armies of men and of goblins stood upon the rise gazing down at the two armies, they would witness Thor's shame, the shame of the T'Iea.

## Chapter 40. The Meeting of Many

Amndo had made the connection, the now familiar sight of a portal materialised before them. They passed through, following Amndo. Once the odd feeling of the transition had receded Nar'Allia opened her eyes, she felt the ground once more firm beneath her feet. They had alighted upon a firm metal deck. At first Nar'Allia thought Amndo had returned them to the Landtrain, but as she looked around it became abundantly clear that this deck was not the same as in JDC's machine. There was far more room here, it was definitely not the cramped confines of the Land Train cluttered with all manner of stuff that JDC had accumulated over the years. She was smiling for she knew exactly where they were. She laughed out loud, she laughed and laughed, nothing could stop her for she recognised immediately where they were. She turned to Amndo and said, "master keeper I might have guessed you would have a back entrance into here."

Amndo smiled at her, "but of course my lady."

They stood in a large room, desks, many desks were laid out before them, coloured lights shone and blinked everywhere, but the rest of the room was in low light, a red light like blood. But the one thing that Nar'Allia searched for she found at last. There across one of the desks stood a figure, a small figure looking down at the control desk.

To Nar'Allia's amusement, Solvienne had stridden over to the figure and was addressing him, "come master Pnook, we have work to do, we demand urgent passage on the Leviathan."

JDC turned with a start, he rubbed his eyes and after jumping off the stool on which he sat and backing away to the far wall, he suddenly recognised who had interrupted him. "Solvienne? Is that you?" He rubbed at his eyes, "by the maker my girl, you have a habit of turning up in the most surprising ways. But tell me, where is that wayward sister of yours? The one that gives me all the trouble?"

Nar'Allia laughed.

Solvienne smiled and gestured across the where the others stood. "Look I have brought friends with me." She watched JDC as he peered around her. His eyes moved from one to the next and eventually a broad smile crossed his features as he ran forward and quite uncharacteristically hugged Minervar and then Serinae as they bent down. Then he turned to Nar'Allia and as she kneeled he hugged her to. "You found her Narny, you actually found both of them."

Nar'Allia laughed, "well, not exactly, at least I was not the first. Solvienne must take the credit for that."

JDC wiped his eyes, she looked at him, by the Maker he was actually crying, tears of joy ran down his face as if the emotions of many years had suddenly bubbled to the surface and boiled over. Wetness drenched his cheeks and dripped to the floor. Serinae and Minervar approached him and held a hand each trying to console him, but they knew these tears were of joyous origin and they smiled at him until he managed to regain his composure.

He sighted Solvienne; she had her arms crossed viewing the strange scene before her. He stood as tall as he could, wiped the remaining tears upon the sleeve of his jacket and said, "Oh, of course," he said in a faltering voice, "wherever you wish to go milady, I am ready to your every command." But before any of them could say anything JDC placed a finger in front of his mouth as if to quieten them. "But there is a slight but rather annoying little problem we must address before we can go anywhere."

A few minutes later Serinae stood to one side of the entrance door to the control room of the Leviathan, Nar'Allia stood on the other. Both held a short sword, one each of Serinae's. Everyone else stood over by the main control desk on the side away from the door, all except JDC who was standing by the door opening mechanism waiting for Serinae's nod. When she made the gesture JDC touched the control and the door opened allowing access to the hall beyond. There was a couple of seconds delay and then through the door from the hallway, in strode two T'Iea soldiers in full armour and regalia of the Legion of the Wind. They walked though regarding JDC with fire in their eyes.

"You are forbidden to leave this place," one said. But before he could say anything else he was turning on his heel, his sword raised high. Some sixth sense had told him of danger behind and he had turned to face that danger. He managed to ward of a blow from a short sword, he noticed that the flat of the blade was being used not the sharp edge of the blade itself. But he had no such misgivings, he swung his sword around and the blade was stopped in mid-air by the same sword he had deflected moments earlier. He snarled as he saw his attacker was a female T'Iea ranger wielding a single short sword. He smiled and laughed; this was going to be easy.

Nar'Allia had stood behind the other elf, after his compatriot had turned he also turned in defensive mode, training had kicked in automatically and now the two T'Iea soldiers stood back-to-back defending themselves form these two T'Iea women. They parried and toyed with their adversaries. Perhaps today would not be just the same boring duty as sentries outside the door of the control room of their general's latest fearsome acquisition after all. They both smiled enjoying the sparring. One though was not smiling quite so much; the ranger was good, very good in fact. He had to adjust his fighting, step up his concentration. She was unhindered by armour, she fought swapping the sword from one hand to the other, feigning, striking, parrying. He was thankful she did not dual wield two of these swords for already she had nicked his armour twice after getting in behind his defences. The other disconcerting thing was that the nicks went right through his armour as if it wasn't there. He began to breath heavier feeling the warm trickle of blood upon his skin below the places where the sword had penetrated. His partner detected this and pressed home his assault upon the other female, he no longer wanted to risk having this one alive for too long in case his partner needed help. So he pressed forth his attack with renewed strength. Nar'Allia was forced to step backwards as blow after blow from the T'Iea warrior's sword fell down aimed upon her unprotected form. It was all she could do to deflect the blows. Let alone press forward with any attack of her own.

Minervar had her hands up to her mouth, she was afraid for both her daughter and for Serinae. But whereas Serinae seemed to be equal if not slightly better than the soldier she fought, Nar'Allia was in some difficulty that was apparent. A sudden feint and stab caught Nar'Allia unawares and the tip of the soldier's sword pierced through the leather at her shoulder, the leather hung down sliced through, blood flowed and dripped to the floor. Nar'Allia shouted in pain as she dropped the sword from her hand and clutched at her wounded shoulder. The soldier hesitated relishing the victory and that was his mistake for as he smiled and raised his sword for the killing blow. Something small hit the wall behind Nar'Allia and mad a whining noise as it bounced off the metal plate and shot across the other side of the room where it bounced off the far wall and with most of its energy spent fell to the floor.

Amndo touched a spot on his cheek whatever had shot past him had grazed him and he felt warm blood seeping from the wound.

Nar'Allia she was watching the eyes of the soldier about to deal her a mortal blow. But he stopped dead and clutched at his chest, a small round hole appeared through his chest plate just under the arm, the hole was surrounded by a ring of shredded metal, it looked just like the exit hole of an arrow head, but no point could be seen. Blood seeped though and then poured forth through the hole in spurts as his pumping heart worked to supply his body. The soldier stopped in shock, he dropped his sword hand and then looked down, he seemed surprised to see the wound there. He actually tried to put a finger in the hole. He turned and looked up and around at each person trying to fathom out whom it was that had pierced him. Nar'Allia's eyes rested upon JDC, a projectile weapon held in his hands, the barrel of which still smoked. He still had the weapon levelled for a second shot if necessary as the soldier collapsed to his knees and then fell head long onto the deck of the Leviathan.

Serinae still kept the other soldier busy; she detected the look of worry upon his face for he knew that his comrade had fallen. She manoeuvred across the floor and flicked the short sword that Nar'Allia had dropped with her toe and caught it. She now fought with both swords, renewed fire shone in her eyes. The warrior looked shocked, even slightly terrified. A few repeated blows and expertly executed lunges and he was disarmed, he yielded lifting his arms high in submission, the tip of one of Serine's swords caressing his throat, the other held like a dagger at his heart. The expression upon the soldiers face was one of horror as Serinae's green eyes flared and bored into his. She gestured with the tip of her sword that he should make his way over to the wall of the room and sit on the floor. His gaze held Serinae's all the way across the deck. There was something else in that gaze. Serinae had seen the shock of defeat many times before, but this was accompanied by another expression, recognition accompanied by much fear. Serinae cocked her head to one side and asked, "Have we met?"

The soldier did not seem to hear, but then he suddenly seemed to come to his senses and he said, "no milady, but I know your face, I have a seen a depiction of your features upon a statue, perhaps carved in your honour."

Serinae seemed puzzled, the soldier stooped to one knee and bowed low. He remained in this posture until Serinae bid him look at her once more by moving his chin up with the tip of her sword. "A statue? Where?"

The soldier smiled, but his expression changed suddenly to one of deep calculation. Serinae frowned recognising that the soldier was thinking of a way out of this, she turned her head slightly trying to guess what his next action would be, the soldier was planning something she knew, she could see it in his eyes. She watched his muscle tones carefully trying to predict any sudden movement. But what he did next she least expected. Suddenly he pitched forward, before she could do anything her blade slid neatly and effortlessly into his neck and the tip showed through the other side. The soldier gurgled, blood spattered as air from his lungs expelled through the wound to his severed windpipe it ran down the front of his chest armour and pooled at his knees on the floor. Serinae felt his body relax through her blade as life left him and a dead weight suddenly manifest itself upon her sword. She stared into the soldier's eyes as they darkened and died, she made a sharp movement with her blade that withdrew it from his body and he fell forward. Blood splashed over her feet.

Serinae's hand dropped and her sword swung by her side before her grasp failed and she the blade clattered onto the metal deck. She looked sorrowful. "I came here to save not to slay. But it seems my old life is not going to leave me easily."

It was Minervar who walked across to comfort her. She had a sorrowful look upon her face. "These were not T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran Seri. These were T'Iea soldiers from somewhere else."

JDC stepped forward, "they are of the legion milady. They hail from Ter'Hadsnefel, originally."

"How do you know this master Pnook? What were they doing here? What intent do they have?"

JDC spoke, "I am sorry milady. They are commanded by one Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned. As far as I can gather they came here under orders from the generals in the west to seek out and to contain the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. But my suspicions lead me to believe that somehow they have been affected by the Rift and have been taken in a similar manner to the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran but not in the same way. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned's dark ambition is to wipe out the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and then take over whatever they have as his own. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned desires the Rift Seri, I have seen that madness in the eyes of T'Iea before. He has been taken by the Rift. There is dark work here Serinae. It is not only the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran that have to be feared."

Serinae sighed; it was as if an extra burden had been placed upon her. She sat in silence contemplating what she had just heard. "So the Rift entity is not destroyed then. The Rift entity still controls the minds and actions of our brethren." She looked at Amndo the question flashing in her eyes.

"I do not know my lady, I do not understand. The Rift must be gone, the entity needed the power of the Rift to survive, I do not know why it still exerts such influences over the T'Iea in the area. But then something dawned on his face, a sudden realisation. Of course! What a fool I've been. I was too busy with the thought of the Rift and the energy within, I failed to remember the great key stone above the Rift, it would store arcane energy, probably a lot of arcane energy. I must get there, get to the vast Key Stone above the Rift." He looked pleading with the T'Iea.

"That is not all I'm afraid." Everyone looked at JDC.

"Not more woe master Pnook, surely?"

JDC looked timidly at Serinae, "I'm afraid I have added to this woe considerably. But first let me show you something. He walked back towards the control desk he had left and gestured for them all to come over.

Nar'Allia immediately recognised the controls for the Startmektoken army; she also recognised that the bays that held the soldiers in the belly of the Leviathan indicated that they were empty.

JDC looked guiltily at Nar'Allia. "Despite my promise to you Narny they are released, they do battle with their T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran counterparts, see here." JDC pointed to a screen that showed much movement and other information in a language she did not understand. Lines of many bright dots moved to and fro upon the screen, every now and again a light would wink out.

"Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned captured me, for I in my misguided belief thought the T'Iea soldiers of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned to be true still to Ter'Hadsnefel. He made me relinquish control of the Startmektoken that the Leviathan carries over to his control. They now fight for him. A while ago I dropped them off to aid his army, the two guards we have just slain were set upon the vessel to ensure that I did not take it away, or try to recover the Startmektoken, for Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned wishes to also use its fire power in the battle he plans against the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran."

Serinae spoke, "it matters not, we need to get to the battle front, we have no way of knowing from here if the destruction of the machine has had any effect. We had better get started."

Nar'Allia addressed her companions, especially JDC. "But JDC you can stop the Startmektoken. You said yourself that they are controlled from here, from the Leviathan machine. We could thwart Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned's plans by removing them from the battlefield. He would be forced to face the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran Startmektoken warriors using his own men. That may make him decide against an all-out attack."

JDC responded, "of course Narny, if that is what you want I will do it immediately." He looked down at the control desk once more.

Suddenly Serinae's eyes shone. "No. JDC do not withdraw the Startmektoken. Leave them to battle their brethren, if that is the plan. They are well-balanced forces with any luck they will utterly destroy themselves against one another and remove the threat they pose. It will take time to do so and time is exactly what we need at the moment. We must go and see what the situation holds; at least the battle between the iron monsters will delay any further action by the two T'Iea armies, at least for a while."

After a short flight the company disembarked the craft down the spiral steps that wound down from the underside of the machine. Once they were all off the Leviathan JDC flew the craft out of reach once more for they couldn't risk it falling under the control of any who would use the machines offensive capabilities to further their own end.

Nar'Allia looked around her, as did the rest of the company. She had been here before. There in front of her stood a black stone, an enormous black stone at the pinnacle of a stone bridge over a chasm. They stood upon the bridge; yes she knew exactly where she was. She looked across to Minervar, she seemed a little confused. The large black stone stood upon the pinnacle of the single span. But where before it had stood above a deep fathomless chasm where the Rift substance boiled and swirled; now it stood upon a slight depression in the ground where rocks and soil and other matter had appeared to fill in the Rift chasm.

Amndo was wondering at this, he was right, the Rift energies were gone, whatever forces held the chasm open, held the rock in place had now disappeared allowing the chasm to be reclaimed by that same rock. T'Iea buildings stood around the edge of the chasm. The streets lay all but empty, only a few people could be seen. Amndo expected to see faces in pain, individuals in turmoil, yet they seemed to be going about their everyday business as normal. But surely by now with the Rift itself gone the evil entity that it harboured should also be gone. They population of this city should be in a terrible state, similar to the reaction that Shak'Ee'Roe experienced, but then Shak'Ee'Roe had been much farther away from here. He felt a tug on his arm; Minervar was pulling him closer to Serinae. They had begun to attract attention. People now looked towards them, Amndo did not see a friendly attitude in their eyes, rather they burned with the fire of hatred. A young boy dropped the package he was carrying and ran off.

A larger crowd had formed; they murmured to each other and pointed towards the companions standing on the bridge. The young boy returned, he had three well-armed soldiers dressed in the black armour of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran with him. As the three guards approached the bridge they drew arms. Serinae snarled, she offered Nar'Allia one of her short swords once again and together the two T'Iea women strode down the bridge to meet the threat.

Amndo wanted to hold them back, but somehow he knew it would be no good. His heart sank. He looked towards the great black portal stone. He was obviously right, it would act like a massive storage jar for the Rift's arcane energy. Not only that but it may contain enough energy to maintain a semblance of the Rift and certain things within it. He frowned, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran within close proximity to the keystone were not free of the Rift entity after all, the entity still lived and Amndo knew exactly where, it lived within the stored energy of the stone. He scolded himself once more why hadn't he anticipated this? He said nothing to the others, he needed to move quickly without any long drawn out explanations. He started off up the bridge towards the portal stone. Everyone else did not see him go, their attention was focussed upon the three soldiers.

Serinae said, "Deanola, quickly you must do what you have to. Try and make contact with your master, we will hold off any interruption." With this she gave a cry and started off down the ramp of the bridge towards the three T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran soldiers.

Deanola closed her eyes and concentrated. She felt deep within herself, she probed for a long unused, almost forgotten link in her mind. A link placed there long ago by a T'Iea mage, her teacher. The one who had rescued her from her curse, saved her from what she may have become if she didn't have the knowledge given freely to her by this teacher, this saviour. He had turned her curse into a gift. She was unpractised but she found the link, made the connection, she gasped in mental pain as the other grabbed her probing mind with uncharacteristic violence. For a brief moment she felt great anger, felt the pain of death and battle. She felt the mental surge of the mage rush into her mind, nothing she could do would stop this onslaught from the powerful mage. She felt the mage grasp those parts of her brain that sustained life and then start to squeeze. She felt herself cry out in pain but the foreign mind had already cut off her ability to make sound. She fell to her knees, both Solvienne and Minervar rushed forward to support her. She recoiled and said a name in her mind. To her great relief the anger calmed and another emotional presence filled the gap, one she knew well, she waited, like a child at school waits with hand raised to answer a question from the teacher, hoping against hope that it is they the teacher chooses.

At last she heard a strong but kind voice from the past in her head, one she knew oh so well said from within her mind, "Deanola? My student. My love?"

Solvienne looked at Deanola, tears were streaming down her face. But these were no longer tears of sorrow and of pain. These were tears of absolute joy.

## Chapter 41. The Final Conflict

The battle raged. The construct armies of Startmektoken on both sides fought each other with breath taking fury. They were a shocking wall of aggression, impenetrable. R'Thy'Uln could not see beyond the Startmektoken, bar the occasional glimpse, for much smoke and fume hid the true nature of what was happening on the battlefield. But occasional glimpses revealed the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran army that stood in wait on one side, as did the army of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned upon the other. Weapons crashed against each other, projectiles ricocheted from thick armour, very occasionally one of the constructs fell, showers of sparks exploded into the surrounding air and crackling blue arcane energy shorted itself back into the ground from whence it had come. The noise was deafening, the clamour of war. Yet for all the clashing of steel and other din associated with battle, one thing was missing. There were no screams of the dying, no grunts of exertion, no shouts of abuse or cries of hatred, or cheers of victory. To the T'Iea that watched in horror, this seemed an unworldly silence in the midst of this battle.

It was impossible to tell one side's army from the other, only the Startmektoken themselves knew whom they served and whom they fought. Thor didn't know who it was that had programmed the constructs that fought for them, only that whoever it was remained within the great flying machine that had dropped the Startmektoken to the ground and set them upon their course of destruction, the machine had then flown off, back into the skies from which it had come. It all happened so suddenly, without warning, from a deep brooding silence to complete and utter mayhem. Immediately the sky darkened as each army fired whatever ranged weapons they carried, projectiles of unknown kind had dotted the blue skies, they erupted onto the ground and onto the opposing sides, many had fallen under the barrage. But suddenly they had increased their speed and the two armies had crashed together in complete mayhem and the bitter butchery of close quartered hand-to-hand fighting had started. But that was several hours or so ago now, they still fought, tirelessly it seemed for neither side was weakening or gaining any ground on their opponents.

Thor thought how they did not seem to attack anything other than their enemy counterparts and this was the reason that Thor had no idea which Startmektoken fought for which side. He was pleased however that they just fought each other. If one side or the other won then may be the time to think quickly about how they may be destroyed, he whispered a prayer that the machines on his side would prevail. Thor looked around him at the faces of the T'Iea army that surrounded him, a bright pensive madness in their eyes, he had to look away from those faces, he somehow feared them more than the Startmektoken.

R'Thy'Uln went to stand by Orln and Neth'Gore. Once more the three of them were together, it felt good. Behind him his comrades stood ready to fight and around them the strangest scene of all met his eyes. There in amongst the undergrowth a vast army of goblin men stood ready to move forward, ready to give their lives for him. He had no idea so many inhabited the region; he had never seen such a gathering. There at their head stood Niepre, the goblin man surveyed the battle raging in the distance, waiting like them he supposed for the outcome. But that was not all for in amongst the goblin men there also stood men from the east. Wild men able to change their form and fight in another way should they wish to do so. Many wolves and wild cats stood there also, Thor knew these were the men of the east in their other form, those that had a second form, a shade as they called it, that could fight effectively against the enemy if necessary. But the most unexpected sight had met his eyes. Something he never expected the strangest of sights, something from out of his wildest of dreams. For there in several places goblin men rode upon wolves and large cats, they held tufts of hair in one hand and a stone weapon in the other. He felt somehow out of his depth; felt there was so much more here than first met the eye. He felt proud and at the same time a little saddened that such as these would see fit to fight alongside him, allies to his T'Iea army. But the gratitude will have to wait, the deal he struck, that was something to worry about later, now he had to contend with the outcome of this current battle. His attention turned once more to the battlefield below, the two armies of Startmektoken still fought, but there was no way of knowing if either side was to be victorious.

R'Thy'Uln thought it was a strange feeling glimpsing the enemy within arrow striking distance yet not being able to engage with them. It was as if they waited in the wings, waited on the side-line of a murderous battle until it was their turn to fight and perhaps to die. It was a horrible feeling, being reliant upon the success of an army that was beyond their control, a tireless army that had a pre-programmed intent and would not deviate from that plan until it was either wholly successful or it had utterly failed.

Neth'Gore resisted the temptation, the small persuasive voice within his head that told him to summon heat from the very air and ground around him, concentrated it and work it into a ball of fire and then fling this at the nearest T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran soldiers across the field of battle, beyond the warring Startmektoken soldiers. He knew deep down that the fireballs would hit and they would deal death and pain. Neth'Gore felt a well of hatred bulge upwards inside him. He knew what it was, the dark presence in the Rift was struggling to overcome him, it recognised him for what he was, a T'Iea with a strong knowledge and ability with the arcane, it wanted him, wanted his strength and intellect, his head hurt from the exertions of keeping it out. He knew he could not give in to it, for to do so would render him so dangerous, he would not be able to distinguish between friend and foe alike. All would be a target for his hatred and his death dealing, he would lose his mind, like the T'Iea armies that faced each other down there. But he knew the Rift presence didn't care, it just wanted war, it didn't care who fought, who died, it didn't care who won and who lost, it just wanted the battle, to relive its past once more. He fought an internal struggle that many others had lost. He found concentrating on other things helped, for he also kept part of his mind tuned in for the tell-tale presence of any enemy battle mage, he was sure that he would come up against a number, but so far none had materialised. This worried him, for he began to doubt his training, began to doubt his ability, yet it was an ability that had never let him down in the past. Perhaps the Rift was also denying him this ability, perhaps it was shielding the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran mages that must be somewhere upon the field of battle. He knew it was playing some kind of perverse game, amusing itself, some twisted intellect of ancient design was enjoying itself, finding sport in this conflict. It had told him as much, told him how he would enjoy such sport. Neth'Gore shook his head, moved to his right, instinctively Orln and R'Thy'Uln moved with him. Their training taking over as they moved to protect one another from any offensive move that may be presented to them.

The battle raged for an unmeasured length of time. Such destructive forces were hell bent on destroying each other. But the two armies of Startmektoken warriors were still well matched; in fact they were identically matched for they had come from the same place. They were in fact part of the same army, created by men in the distant past. Yet here they battled each other. So they fought until the last of them fell in opposition.

Suddenly the fighting stopped, as quickly as it had started. All that remained standing there with weapons shouldered or replaced were several Startmektoken soldiers, all presumably from one side for they did not fight each other. Which side they represented no one could say, but without an enemy to fight they just stood still put away their weapons and waited. Their orders had been carried out, they had accomplished what their masters had wished and commanded them to do. So now they waited, for new orders perhaps. Or even to be recovered by the Leviathan machines that would have disgorged them onto the battlefield in ages past.

Neth'Gore frowned, he would not allow them to wait, he could not risk even a few of these terrible warriors being revived from their inactivity and perhaps turned upon the T'Iea armies that now faced each other across the smoking battle field. He stood and walked forward. R'Thy'Uln stood also, his eyes held a question, what was Neth'Gore doing? He would break their cover. His friend continued on down the hillside towards where the remaining Startmektoken stood immobile amongst the burnt and flattened heather.

Both R'Thy'Uln and Orln walked after him and then as one his army of T'Iea and the goblins and easterners also stood and started to make their way down the hillside after Neth'Gore.

Below them the two armies of T'Iea those of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and those of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned stood stunned in the sudden silence. They eyed the several remaining Startmektoken with suspicion; they waited to see what the remaining metal soldiers would do. But then orders where shouted and the deeply conditioned and disciplined minds of the soldiers took over. The two T'Iea armies were marching towards each other, they would engage in battle within minutes.

Neth'Gore pulled at the arcane energies that surrounded him as he had so many times before. But something else felt the bending of the gravitational field. Within seconds he felt the Rift entity attempt to enter his consciousness, hatred filled his mind. He faltered, but he was strong, he had excelled his masters in the halls of learning, he was a natural talent and he was very experienced in battle. He placed a barrier between his consciousness and the attempted invasion. But he wanted the power that the Rift entity tried to seduce him with, he needed it and he let it through.

The Rift entity faltered, it had been hasty. It had felt the pull on the arcane around its field of effect. Immediately it had sought that node and found a T'Iea mage. All of the other T'Iea mages throughout the ages it had overcome easily, but this one was different, this one was strong, this one had a will of iron. The Rift entity made a decision, it would not waste time trying to subdue this T'Iea, it was a shame for such a servant would make a fine addition to its collection. But it had other things to consider, there was a battle to consider, a war to win and it knew how to do that. No it would feed the T'Iea mage with the power he desired. Feed him more than enough, it would be his downfall, greed would get the better of him in the end.

Neth'Gore felt the power within him, impossible amounts, far greater than anything he had felt before. He knew there was a risk, a great risk, but he needed more power than he could muster normally. He raised his hands. Felt the well of arcane energy travel through him from the earth below, he waited until he could hardly stand, hardly bare to have any more energy channelling through his being, he let it go.

A hurricane of hot air blasted Thor's face and stung his eyes as he marched forward, the soldiers in front of him faltered in their advance. Thor looked between the shoulders and heads of the soldiers in front of him, he gasped. There six hundred metres in front of him down in the hollow where the Startmektoken had been fighting he saw the remaining monsters that had just been standing there suddenly engulfed in what looked like liquid flame, they seemed to burn and melt, parts dropped off them and seared the ground itself where they fell. One by one the metal soldiers melted into the ground, the heat was almost unbearable even at this distance.

The army of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran and those of the army of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned stopped dead in their tracks. The fire and heat before them meant they could not make forward progress. Eventually the flames died down, where each of the silent Startmektoken soldiers once stood there was a molten mass, a rounded pile of slowly solidifying metal that seemed to have been welded to the very bed rock of the ground beneath their feet. But the way was soon clear the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran could be seen marching forward again, so Thor and the army of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned marched forward once more to engage them. Thor raised his sword, his stomach felt a sickness as he prepared to rain blow after blow down upon his enemy. But then something else happened; out of the corner of his eye he saw what appeared to be another army. This army was rushing towards them from the right flank; already the foremost soldiers were driving a wedge between the two armies of T'Iea. This was happening at such speed and ferocity that both the T'Iea armies stopped. But after a couple of seconds the field commanders ordered them forward once more and with a cry and with screams the foremost ranks engaged. The battle commenced.

R'Thy'Uln ran down the slope towards where the two T'Iea armies approached each other, he was screaming orders at the top of his voice, "Keep them apart! Keep them apart! Keep them separated." He looked anxiously to his left and to his right. His rag tag army were there, many of the faster runners, especially the eastern men in animal form and some with goblin riders were already way ahead of him, wolves, big cats, bears and wild boars drove a wedge between the two T'Iea armies. Hawks and eagles flew in from above, many fell as he watched. Tears fell from R'Thy'Uln's face as he witnessed many die under the blades of the T'Iea. Then in equal horror he watched as a group of goblin men ran up to a soldier in dark armour and seemed to engulf him by climbing up his legs and torso they hung onto his arms stopping him from raising his sword, teeth bit into any unprotected flesh, armour was ripped from the soldier and flung to the ground. The soldier's helmet, the straps chewed through, was torn from his head and flung to the ground. The soldier fell to his knees under the combined weight of the goblins. Then to R'Thy'Uln's horror the goblin man that had reached the soldier's head drew back his arm and plunged a long stone dagger into the soldiers eye. The goblin man withdrew his weapon; blood gushed forth as the soldier fell forward. Even before the dead body had fallen to the ground the goblin group had abandoned it and ran towards a second soldier. The horrific process was repeated. R'Thy'Uln looked away. But then he was himself amongst the battling sides. His sword was already bloody, he didn't even remember striking out with it, but now he was fighting for his life and had to trust that what he had started would all work out in the end.

Neth'Gore became aware that something had struck him, he felt a presence a probing in his being, his mind was under attack, at last he thought with some relief, another mage was here. Yet this intrusion was subtler than an all-out assault upon his being. He was taken aback; he did not think that any of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran mages would be so skilled, so restrained. His experiences with the Rift entity was that it possessed no such restraint, it wanted action, it thrived on extremes of madness, it wouldn't care if they were all destroyed in seconds as long as it got what it desired. This did not feel like the Rift, or anything to do with it. So far the battle had not produced any enemy mages to potentially counter his arcane energies. He had been surprised for all his training had been focussed primarily on battle tactics between mages, he fully expected that he would be forced to battle like with like, be engaged in what the T'Iea called D'Ere'Gru'D'ethne'E, 'the dance of the minds', a duel between battle mages. He directed a lot of the hate that remained within him towards this intrusion upon his mind, ready to crush it. But to his surprise the intrusion recoiled at his hate, it stepped back, he rushed forward and grasped the intrusion in his mind, this was a human and he sort the important centres of the brain, sort to close it down, he found the centre for speaking and shut it off, he pushed forward, there he found the nerve controls for the heart, he reached for them.

But then something frail about it made him withdraw the hate he projected, inadvertently he lowered his guard a little and he heard his name, a female voice said his name into his mind. The voice pleaded with him to stop, implored him to listen. His heart leapt, he knew that voice although he had not heard it for many long years of men. Long ago that voice had meant so much to him, he suddenly realised it still did. He had fallen in love with that young human female, he had not meant to, but he felt so sorry for her, sorry that she was shunned by her own people as a dangerous outcast. They had abused her, cut her, marked her as outcast. He had taken the young wisp of a girl, taught her, made it his goal to rescue her.

In sudden realisation he let his love slip past, the presence warmed, it caressed his mind, many old memories flooded back, warmth and intense intimacy, the strongest of desires and needs, the most satisfying of fulfilment. He shook his head. Was this a trick? Was this the Rift presence once more trying more subtle tactics? But he knew the fate of that voice, had felt saddened at the news, greatly saddened, for the one in his thoughts was greatly skilled, it had been an honour to teach and nurture that skill. At last he projected one phrase in response, a question, "Deanola? My student? My love?"

The presence rushed forwards once more, realising it was recognised, great adoration spread before it, "yes, T'Neth'Gore, it is I. Forgive me my unprompted intrusion, but I have important tidings that may change the course of the battle that rages about you."

Suddenly Orln was aware that something was strange, he looked to his left, soldiers fought in close, hand to hand, blood flowed from the many already wounded, a red mist seemed to hang in the air. He was surprised to see that Neth'Gore just stood there amongst the mayhem his eyes closed. Orln, lowered his bow, his next arrow already notched and ran to the side of his friend, afraid that he had been hit and stood there in pain, perhaps even mortally wounded. A T'Iea swordsman approached Neth'Gore, raising a heavy looking broadsword. The soldier looked surprised as he was flung backwards a couple of metres, an arrow embedded deeply in his chest. Orln ran, notching another arrow, he could see that Neth'Gore's face still held the expression of deep concentration he associated with the battle mages using the arcane energies. Orln shouted as another soldier approached Neth'Gore he had a sword raised ready to strike. Then Orln recognised the second soldier it was Thor. Orln shouted, Thor turned, nodded towards Orln, suddenly his eyes shone forth with a renewed light and Thor made his way defensively to the side of his comrades. By the time Orln reached them Thor was pulling his blade from the rib cage of a T'Iea soldier.

Thor shouted above the din of battle, "what is it? What ails Neth'Gore?"

Orln's response was to shake his head and shrug as he peered into the face of his friend. Neth'Gore just stared into the distance his eyes seemingly vacant.

From his left Thor caught a glimpse of another body of soldiers approaching at a fast pace. Some were T'Iea, some goblin men and in between men of the east. He looked and was shocked to see R'Thy'Uln his sword drawn a war cry upon his lips and the light of battle shone in those eyes. Around him were his soldiers, the ones Thor had met in R'Thy'Uln's encampment. The Goblin men looked like terrible daemons running as they did on all fours wielding various weapons, clubs, swords, slingshots, some even had short bows and arrows. Some rode on the back of beasts. The eastern men also ran there, many in their shade form. A fusillade of arrows and stones went high up and over Thor's head to land amongst the renegade army of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned. Many fell dead or injured. But it got their attention as they all turned towards this new until now unforeseen threat. They formed up in a defensive line as the T'Iea and goblin army passed by Thor and his comrades and slammed into the waiting T'Iea army. The shouts and screams shook Thor to his soul; he shivered uncontrollably.

'So this was it then', thought Thor, 'we finally come to it, the shame of the T'Iea. He felt great sorrow that T'Iea fought T'Iea upon this battlefield so far from home. He felt the useless, blatant futility of it. He hung his head in sorrow and dropped to his knees.

## Chapter 42. Amndo's Choice

Amndo took no notice of the clashing of swords at the foot of the bridge. He did not notice Deanola's absent concentration. His thoughts were elsewhere. Something else held his attention above all else. He continued up the bridge that once spanned the Rift. He approached the large black block cautiously. It seemed to hum at him with power. He could feel the skin on his face crawling with the energy flowing around the stone. He stopped, a force pressed against him as if someone held him there at arm's length; he was leaning against the power that emanated from within the stone. He frowned as he felt the presence, the intellect that laughed at him, mocked him.

"So my old friend you come at last". A voice spoke inside Amndo's head. "I have been waiting for your return with anticipation – Gatekeeper."

Amndo hesitated at the words. He felt a deep disappointment that what he feared most, now proved to be true. It still existed even though the machine and the Rift had been destroyed. The entity was still there drawing on the power stored within the stone. He took in a deep breath and pushed against the force. He felt the pressure reduce; it gave way as if someone no longer restrained him.

"Come then Gatekeeper, come and sit with me at your rightful place by my left side. Together we can do great things; together we can put things once more to rights."

Amndo hesitated at the words, but continued after the merest pause and stood before the great block, a feeling of dread mixed with the finality of acceptance. He could almost see the hate reflected in the stone, feel its malice; it was like standing in the presence of an old adversary, with no escape from the inevitable. He frowned and whispered, "so be it." Then leaning forward he placed both of his hands upon the block. Immediately he was struck, it was like a hammer had smashed into his head. He fell to his knees. A vice like presence held onto his mind, he knew he would not be able to throw it out this time.

"Welcome Gatekeeper, now at last you can fulfil your true calling. I find I am in dire need of a physical form to transport me and you will provide the means."

Serinae had just sliced through the sword arm of one of T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran soldiers. She was aware of the clatter of his blade as it fell onto the stone beneath their feet. She was watching carefully to see what his next move may be, but he held his arm, blood ran down between his gloved fingers and dropped to the ground below. The guard withdrew, backing his way down the bridge. She breathed in and lowered her guard. Nar'Allia was still battling another of the guards, the remaining one. The last lay dead behind her. "Come Narny, stop toying with him, end it now and put him to rest." Serinae flicked hair from in front of her face and with her eyes shining brightly shot a piercing gaze at the soldier. She threw the other sword into the air and Nar'Allia caught it by the hilt. She went into a defensive stance with the two blades just as she had done many times before. The soldier had fear etched all over his face and as soon as Nar'Allia pressed home her attack, with renewed vigour and two swords; the guard dropped his weapon and ran back down the slope of the bridge. Serinae smiled at Nar'Allia and turned to look up the bridge towards the great black keystone. Her eyes followed Amndo. He had gone up the slope of the bridge that spanned the gulf below and was now standing in front of the great keystone. She started to walk up the bridge herself; she had a distinctly bad feeling about this, she remembered a time before, but surely unlike then, this time there was nothing to fear, but she could not shake off the feeling of dread that now filled her mind. Just then Amndo appeared to reach out and touch the block, his body convulsed and he fell to his knees his body continued to shake violently. She ran forward up the bridge and on reaching him she grabbed hold of his shoulders and tried to pull him back. Something heavy smashed into her chest and she was thrown backwards. She lay there gasping for breath. She managed to voice the words, "oh no. Not again." Her words were cut short. A tendril of energy snaked out from the stone and stabbed into her, she cried out in pain and anguish.

Amndo tried to retaliate but he knew it was no good, not this time. They had fought this battle before and now the Rift entity knew him too well. Serinae was not where she once was, she did not command the power and energy of the ancient fathers. Amndo quailed, as he knew that she would not be able to help him this time. It was like some ferocious beast had him by the throat, he felt immobilised, his life forces draining from him as he watched and there was nothing he could do. He reeled about trying to maintain his consciousness despite thoughts in his mind telling him to let go, to embrace the darkness and have peace.

The Rift entity was enjoying this, it felt joyous. But then a presence made itself known. Somewhere a powerful channel had made a connection. It knew the signature, it was T'Iea, but this one was different, this one was strong. It recognised the basic elements of the signature for it had felt it before. This female T'Iea signature had once controlled vast amounts of energy, limitless energy, so much energy that the entity had not been able to overcome the signature, not that time once before. But now the signature did not have such energy at its disposal. The entity smiled, it relished the prospect of having this new T'Iea signature as a slave, for this would be far better than the weakling keeper, the current Gatekeeper. This new Gatekeeper would be far more powerful a far more fitting slave. This new Gatekeeper had the knowledge of an energy source far beyond anything that the entity had experienced before, it wanted that energy, it would demand to know where the energy could be found, then it would make the slave take it there. But This signature knew something else, the entity could read the memory of it, this T'Iea female new of a means of transport that would allow the entity to leave the stone, not only that but to be able to travel freely across the world and even beyond, far beyond. The Rift Entity was beside itself with excitement. It released most of the pressure it was applying to the Gatekeeper, for the keeper no longer interested it and diverted all its thought towards the source of the drain, towards the female T'Iea signature.

Serinae's body convulsed. She felt despair, for the first time in her life she had made a fatal mistake, she was not under control of this situation; she knew she was unable to win this battle. She felt something alien, something terrifying enter her mind and start to search through her thoughts. There was nothing she could do against this violation. Her mind, her memory was being stripped apart by this monster in her head; all she could do was watch as it sorted through her most private things, it tossed aside old memories aside like scraps of paper.

Amndo dropped to the ground, he gasped for breath. The Rift entity had released him, but why? He gasped in air and tried to steady his swirling mind. He felt for the black stone once more and touched it. He probed beyond his body, probed for the entity. He found it, he couldn't miss it, a massively high concentration of arcane energy provided a beacon to its location, but this energy was focussed away from him. He turned his attentions elsewhere, his suspicions were correct, like all key stones this one also was able to store a great amount of arcane energy, only its mass was of such a size the amount of stored energy was truly enormous. He smiled, as he had guessed right. He now guessed that the entity had escaped the Rift just as the machine was being destroyed and had indeed entered the keystone. Now in its eagerness to be mobile and have an escape route it had indeed entered his body and mind, but it had partly left him to turn its attentions elsewhere, something else vied for its interest. His own body now played host to a tendril-like appendage that connected him with the Rift entity and through it to the stone. Amndo quickly detached the tendril and redirected it to the stone, bypassing the entity. With the Rift entity itself gone he was free to search the power within the stone and he did so. He soon found what he searched for. Like all artificial intelligences without the capability to repair itself like its biological counterparts the Rift entity had fallen into the habit of making copies of itself at regular time intervals, making multiple copies of itself in a separate place, so that it could repair itself should any unwanted corruptions occur. The entity had stored all of these images in the stone. There, he found them, many of them in fact, for the entity had been a part of the Rift for many ages. He looked for the latest image; he opened it and took a look inside.

The rift entity was having fun, it was sorting through the feeble mind of this T'Iea looking at each and every memory until it found what it searched for. There, a memory of a vast place, a place of infinite power, a technology that went far beyond anything that the entity had ever seen. A craft then, a craft like the drones it had designed, but this craft was capable of so much more. It felt excitement well inside. This craft could traverse the heavens, it was not confined to this world, it could go anywhere and in any time. The entity needed to know where the craft was, it searched through the T'Iea's mind, but it did not find the location, the T'Iea didn't know, didn't have a clue where she had been. Only that she had been there! So failure after all. The entity prepared to withdraw and kill the T'Iea female, it would make sure that the death was a long and painful one, how dare this weak T'Iea raise the entity's hopes only to dash them once again. But the keeper, the Gatekeeper was still available, perhaps he knew more. Then the entity had a sudden feeling; something that was precious to it was being probed. It released Serinae and turned its attentions once more to the Gatekeeper.

"What are you doing?" It was the Rift entity, some alarm had gone off and he had been seen. The Rift entity raced back towards him, but Amndo was too quick. He opened the backup image and quickly reloaded it. The Rift entity disappeared for it was not expecting or able to resist the sudden reinitiating of its subroutines. Never had it thought that someone, other than itself, would ever be able to do this. Quickly Amndo searched the reloading subroutines present within the image, he hoped that this image contained everything, everything that was the Rift entity and also everything that was the Rift. He hoped the Entity had not been selective in what it preserved. His hopes were rewarded. He knew he didn't have long; the entity having been rebooted would take a few seconds to re-orientate itself, to reload all its functions and subroutines. He followed certain subroutines, but none seemed to have what he was looking for. But then he found one particular subroutine and opened it. He prayed to the Maker that it was the right one. Suddenly relieved for there before him spun several bright shining disks. He looked at them as they moved across his field of vision. He removed this subroutine, detached it from the image and dragging it away, placing it into the stone, into a fresh spot; it would remain there within the stone for as long as the arcane power the keystone possessed lasted. This would be his final gift to his friends, he hoped they would find it and it would allow them to go back home. Then he systematically erased all the other images that the entity had created. Satisfied he turned his attention back to the bright disks that spun in front of his eyes. There he saw an image that pulled at his heart, he would have given anything at that moment to touch that image, to be able to return there. But he could not. Instead he found the one he looked for, a disk depicting a six pointed star, in the centre of this star was a face, it looked upwards as if it gazed at the heavens; the hands either side framing this face with palms upwards. He felt he entity crash into his mind, but it was weak, not all of the subroutines had reloaded yet. So before it could do anything Amndo reached out with his finger and touched this disk. Immediately he felt the pull of the portal, just as he felt the Rift entity complete its reboot, as it came back online he reached out and grabbed it like a beacon, he created an arcane tendril that connected them, it was like two people with a rope tying them together. He heard the Rift entity scream in frustration as he engaged the portal; he made sure that the tendril and the entity were also pulled through.

It was over in a couple of seconds, Amndo exited the portal along with the entity in tow, not onto a firm surface, but into a star filled space. He remembered the last time he was here, the destruction and mayhem. But now it was quiet and beautiful this place where once the void containing the machine hall had been. Now this void was open, stars shone everywhere around him, it was breath taking. But an ache shot through his chest, he gasped, tried to breath in air but he was in a vacuum, there was nothing to breath and his lungs began to complain even as his eyes bulged, he wanted to close them but he also wanted to see what lay before him. He smiled; he knew his final vision would be the beauty portrayed by these billions of points of light, billions of galaxies of star systems, countless Nebulae their beautiful coloured gasses spanning vast distances across the outer void, myriads of suns some dying, some in their prime, others young and just born. Somewhere he knew one of those suns played host to a world where he would feel at home. He looked around as if such a place would be just there, a stone's throw away in relation to the infinite void that surrounded him. He was surprised, for something deep in his memory seemed to recognise where he was, or at least what he was looking at. He seemed to understand that he had travelled this way before, well almost this way. He felt a familiarity like he had come back, returned after many years, many ages of being away.

Amndo didn't hear but he Rift entity screamed within his mind repeating over and over, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE YOU FOOL? YOU HAVE DESTROYED US BOTH." It desperately looked around trying to find some other host to escape to, but there was none.

Amndo's attention turned to a small dark spot, how far away it was he couldn't begin to guess at, but he could begin to feel its pull upon him. He knew that soon that crushing attraction would become unbearable, irresistible but he smiled, for he knew he would be long dead before he even got close to it. His lungs burned in his chest. He exhaled his last breath, the water vapour froze immediately. The Rift entity screamed at him as he felt the pressure of his blood building in his veins. He knew it was only a few seconds before his skin could no longer contain that building pressure, he didn't want to think of the consequences.

The Rift entity screaming repeatedly at him, "YOU HAVE DESTROYED US, YOU FOOL!"

Amndo felt a deep satisfaction, he felt fulfilled. He would have sighed if he had air in his lungs to do so. He would have closed his eyes but they now bulged so much his eyelids would not close around them anyway there was no moisture left to make tears it had all frozen solid. He was thankful to the Maker that he felt no pain. Then just nothing, a void was all that remained.

Serinae stirred, how long she had been unconscious she did not know but it could only have been a minute at most. Many hands grasped at her. She felt her upper body being lifted to a sitting position, someone held her tight, hugged her close. Her sight returned and through the haze of pain she could make out the face of her friend Minervar. She felt a sudden panic, an old fear. She looked towards where Amndo's body lay upon the bridge one hand still held against the black stone block. His eyes were lifeless, Serinae knew for she had seen death in many guises and at that moment Amndo's face looked no different from any other devoid of life's presence. As she watched his body began to shimmer, start to look translucent, it formed once more as if something fought within, fought to reform it, but then it seemed to break apart forming into a multitude of miniscule spherical globules that floated in the air in front of her. These elongated into a thinner and thinner line until they all disappeared.

The panic within her subsided, all terrifying thoughts diminished. She felt a great empty sadness and became aware once more of others around her, hands on her shoulders, voices that seemed a million miles away. She lay back down heavily upon the stone of the bridge and turned on her side drawing her knees up to her chest; a tear ran down her cheek.

Unseen by the T'Iea upon the bridge the inhabitants of the city of R'Iggorr'Thegoran fell to their knees clutching their heads in pain.

## Chapter 43. Reunited

Neth'Gore allowed his conscious self to return to his surroundings, the noise of battle once more deafened his ears, he saw his friend Orln with strung bow standing before him in defensive pose. Just as it had many times before the rangers training had taken over, Thor stood also to protect him with his sword, Neth'Gore knew he was safely guarded as long as these two remained alive. So he returned his conscious spirit to the connection with Deanola. "But you are dead, I heard the story, you fell into the Rift, it would have consumed you, no living mage would have the capacity to resist such a concentration of energy."

The presence saddened, he felt an inward sigh, he saw briefly a room in a hut, a large hearth burned in the centre, a metal cauldron hung on a greasy chain above the open flames. He tasted the broth that he knew bubbled within, it had been a favourite of his, he saw the smooth white skin beneath the animal skins, the long waist length dark hair, the sleeping form beneath his fingers caress. But that was a long time ago now. He had joked that the only payment for his teaching would be the recipe for that broth, but the real payment was a mutual promise far greater, a life's happiness and companionship. But it was not to be, his commander had gone mad, turned into something evil. He had gone to help those that remained unsullied, to rescue his friends, to try and help sort out the mess that now polluted the minds of his comrades. The presence lightened, it smiled. He saw that girlish smile once more, the young human female face, not more than eighteen years of age she was then, the unkempt thick hair, the tattooing upon her shoulders and back and further down the deep scars in the young skin. Her people had systematically marked her for what she was and whipped her, treated her as outcast, something to be feared, something to loath, something less than human. He remembered her eyes, partly blue in blue, fiery and piercing with an inner anger and a defiance that belied her shortness of years, yet still they did not wholly exhibit the mark of the arcane. He felt a mixed emotion; he had loved that young girl. He still felt a great love, he let that emotion sail forth. What he got back was a burst of love. How she had the love to return after all that she had gone through was still beyond him.

He smiled; it felt good to bathe in that emotion. "Speak my student, but be swift."

"I will, but better still see what my eyes have seen, see my memory, I will allow it."

Neth'Gore raised the level of the connection between them, he felt the familiar, refreshing presence of the female mind of Deanola, he smiled inwardly as he remembered suddenly that which he had forgotten, times gone by when he was training her, he still marvelled at her innate skill. He found his vision blur and he felt the Rift, he felt its overwhelming power, it made him gasp, he almost severed the connection accidentally as he faltered, but then he realised that it was not him that weakened the connection, it was the failure of the arcane energy that kept the link open. The Rift he could no longer feel it. The Rift had been closed. He then viewed another place. There was a trained healer; she stooped over a T'Iea girl. He knew this girl to be a T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, yet not. The Rifts signature was there but it was weakening, waning as a memory. He could sense the pity the love that emanated from the healer; it was directed at the girl who was almost immobilised with fear and pain. But almost immediately these things left her and the she changed. She became like them, she had lost the hate within, the signature of all T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. She had been cured, yes cured!

Neth'Gore mentally nodded at Deanola expressing his understanding, he probed for the Rift entity, the presence he had let in, the presence that had given him so much intoxicating power and he had used this to destroy the last of the Startmektoken. He winced as once more the assault of energy came. "My student, the Rift it is emptying, destroyed even, but something else remains, some driven intellect that is able to wield great power. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran are not free, The Rift is diminishing as you say but something still holds sway, still controls them!"

He felt the shock of disbelief, the despair flow in waves into his mind. Then heard a few words in his head, "Master. Please save them, save them all."

Neth'Gore wanted to know more; he wanted to know what had happened, what they had done wherever they were. He wanted to know what had befallen his student since they last had met. Yet he perceived the anxiety that lay within Deanola, the need to delay no further, things needed to be done and soon, the sooner, thus to save more of them. But he did not want to leave her, for it occurred to him that this may have been his last chance to speak with his love, but he also knew there was no time for sentiment. He severed the connection, he came back. The battle raged, the two opposing forces had met at last, he felt despair, regret, a deepening feeling of great disappointment that his people should be fighting each other. The waste of it, the madness that it had come to this. But hope sprang within him, a fools hope perhaps, but it was his task, his and only his to put an end to the insanity. But there to his utter horror, his former brethren fought the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, only they weren't T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran any longer they were now also his brethren. He stood in horror, horror at the cries of pain and death. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran army had fallen back, they were in obvious confusion, the soldiers to the rear held their heads, some sat upon the ground their weapons discarded. But a battle still raged. In front of him many fought, T'Iea lay dying in the trampled heather, but also others, Goblin men. He felt shocked. He shouted for everything to stop. No one heard. They could not, the noise of battle was louder than anything and took over the mind, closed the ears to all else. His gaze swung around the battlefield, he sought a way to stop this, but how? Thousands fought against one another. Then he saw something there to his right, the T'Iea commander Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned was shouting orders, spurring his soldiers on, spurring them on to massacre the army that comprised of deserters from his own ranks, but not only those hated deserters but also the despised goblins.

It occurred to Neth'Gore that the madness of his race had now switched sides, who were the evil ones now? Who of his race held such a deep malice within their hearts now?

He had to do something, he had to save them, he now fully understood Deanola's words, save them all. Both sides now needed his help, but neither side was going to listen for different reasons. He knew what he had to do, but it would take an immense amount of energy to do so, his own reserves where low, he could not stand another sap of energy; he would use it all and die. He knew his masters had warned against maintaining one form of energy whilst at the same time trying to create and maintain others. One form at a time they had warned, more and the amount of energy required would halve the reserves of the mage exponentially. But he knew the Rift entity could provide it and he knew why it would be willing to do so. He faltered, then he did something he had not done for an age, something he felt he would not do ever again, for circumstances had persuaded him that the one who could help had deserted them long ago. He prayed, he prayed to the Maker, to the Master of all for help, for strength, for steadfastness of mind and for forgiveness. He prayed for them. He prayed for them all. Then it was time, time to give, he only hoped it was enough for long enough. He opened his eyes and felt deep within himself, he pulled at the energy deep within the ground below his feet and raised his hands, he spoke, shouted words of arcane import, words that focussed his channelling and slowly drew his hand over his head.

The Rift entity almost cried out in triumph, it allowed energy from the great stone block to flow forth and feed the T'Iea mage, he wanted it, the Rift entity gave it.

Neth'Gore imagined a fence, a barrier; it was thin but strong, made of flame, bright red and orange, but cool. He opened it between a T'Iea soldier in dark armour that had raised his sword ready to strike another soldier that had the emblem of the legion upon his breast, the sword fell but it struck Neth'Gore's barrier and the blade shattered like glass. Neth'Gore felt the blow, he reinforced the barrier, energy flowed through him like a wave. The T'Iea that wielded the sword was flung backwards he fell heavily upon the ground a look of disbelief on his face. Neth'Gore returned his attention to what he must now do, he struggled but he began to stretch the barrier in both directions horizontally, slowly at first but then with an ever quickening pace, he felt the energy flow into him, he placed no constraints upon it and it filled him, but it was also draining from him like water flowing off his back as he drew himself up out of a lake, it was frightening how fast his reserves flowed from him. His mind began to feel stretched, his head started to hurt, his heart began to pound within his chest, the effort of creating flame with no heat, the energies were opposite, unnatural. He felt his being falter, he was afraid he had failed; his own energy reserves were gone. He now relied wholly upon the energy that was passing through him to survive. But then he felt strength once more, it flowed through him and around him, was it the Rift entity itself, had it gotten through his barriers after all? No, this was different; no malice was in this force. Suddenly he laughed for it intoxicated his very being. It filled him like he had walked from the mouth of a cave into bright sunlight. He felt more strength, more power than he had ever felt before, far more than even the Rift possessed, it was wonderful, it was astounding. The barrier expended rapidly. It grew and divided and saved. He was aware of a presence, something he had not felt before. He looked to his left, a being stood there, a being of light, the brightness was intense, he was forced to look away or be blinded. But the face of the figure was burnt into his retina, a female face, fair and smiling. He looked to his right, another stood there, equally as bright but this one was male, he nodded encouragingly to Neth'Gore.

The Rift entity reeled back. Something else had struck it like a hammer blow, something it had not felt before. The energy it was allowing to flow into the T'Iea mage was being reflected back. Within milliseconds all of it was rejected, blasted back at the Rift entity. Safety measure it had put in place years before buckled under the stress and then parted like rivets snapping from a plate of stressed steel. If it could the Rift entity would have cried out in fear, it felt confusion; corruptions were entering its sub routines and shutting them down one after the other.

Neth'Gore felt elated. The power flowed more freely and the barrier raced across the ground. It weaved in and out of the two armies separating them, Neth'Gore just stared, he no longer controlled the power that flowed through him, he no longer directed it, he was just a conduit for it to pass through, he smiled, he felt so alive, he laughed out loud, he had never felt anything like it before. Limitless power. Power that created the universe, no that was not it, before that, this was power that enabled the creation of the power and the laws that created the universe. This was something far more complex, far more interwoven with everything. He looked once more for the two figures, the female looked concerned she held his arm, the male one was smiling and bowing towards him, he went to bow back but pain shot through him, unbelievable pain, it felt like his chest had exploded. The female figure held his head gently, she hugged him close, whispered in his ear, but he could not understand the words she spoke, if they were words at all. Neth'Gore felt his heart spasm, no he didn't feel, he saw. The pain he experienced was real but it didn't hurt somehow at least not any longer. His arms and shoulders seemed unbelievably painful to look at but he didn't feel it, his heart faltered once, twice and stopped, his eyes glazed over and he went limp. Neth'Gore felt free, the figures either side of him had changed they looked as normal as he, yet they weren't T'Iea, or any other race he knew. They were now solid, as solid as he, but he looked down upon his own body lying there upon the heather. He smiled, for they smiled at him. He knew he had been saved. If they hadn't come the Rift entity would have his soul by now, He nodded his thanks, they seemed to lift him gently, he rose, light as air, he needed little muscle power if any to raise his being. He had one wish, an overriding urge. He looked towards the female figure, she nodded encouragingly. He sort something, found it, felt the love that was there, relished the emotion. "Goodbye my student. My love."

He heard the words in response, words that faltered with tears and deep emotion. "Be at peace my master, be at peace. Wait for me. Look for my coming, for it will be soon enough."

The barrier continued to move snaking across the ground at great speed, whenever it touched a soldier of either side, he was flung to the ground. The barrier did not differentiate between T'Iea of either army or goblin or human. Soldiers looked side to side, they quickly learnt to move aside from the barrier. Soon the two forces were moving, backing away from each other, away from the passage of the flaming barrier. The army of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned to one side of the barrier, the army of R'Thy'Uln to the other, beyond them the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran army in disarray. In some instances the two forces lost soldiers to the wrong side of the barrier as it spread. But at least the soldiers no longer fought, they just staggered back looking at the barrier as it made its way across the ground.

Both Thor and Orln knelt supporting Neth'Gore who had fallen to his knees, Orln ripped the helmet from Neth'Gore's head, blood dribbled from his nostrils. Orln felt for a pulse that was not there, or if it was it was very weak. They lowered Neth'Gore to the ground upon the soft heather, his face was outlined with the purple flowers, the flowers caressed his ashen white cheeks as his dying eyes stared upwards to a blue sky, he held out a hand to Orln and grasped his forearm tightly, "forgive me my brother, I go now to rest, think ye not any less of me," his voice sounded rasping, "go to them, stop them my brother for they no longer fight as enemies."

The ranger grabbed him and hugged him. Thor rested a hand upon Orln's shoulder. Orln lowered Neth'Gore's body gently to the ground.

A tear slid down Orln's cheek. It landed on the heather next to the body of his friend.

## Chapter 44. An End To It

Orln stood with tears running down his face. His comrades looked on helplessly; fear and anxiety tainted their features. But soon he perceived the two warring sides had been separated, they stood there looking at the fiery barrier and at the opposing forces to either side. To his utter horror and disbelief, the soldiers of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran army were dropping their weapons and were holding their heads in their hands, some had fallen to the ground, some sat around in obvious pain. What had happened? Was this some kind of terrible weapon of confusion that Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned had kept secret? Thor, Orln and Neth'Gore stood between the armies, they stood upon the anvil and the hammer if it fell it would smash them to pieces. The T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran appeared helpless now; Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned's army would slaughter them without remorse. They turned but the soldiers of the renegade general did not move, they also stood aghast at the vision before them. Something or someone was moving through the throng, soldiers could be seen to part and allow whomever it was to pass.

Thor looked up, some warning vying for his attention, he saw Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned the T'Iea commander break through the lines of his army, he stride towards them a look of pure hate upon his features, his eyes glowed with the heat of battle, he raised his great sword above his head and was about to bring it crashing down. But suddenly Thor's sword was raised and the familiar clang of blades meeting cut through the still and silent air. The two T'Iea glared at each other. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned twisted his sword and flung Thor's to one side, Thor was forced to role and bring his sword back up defensively as blow after blow fell down upon his upturned blade. Thor feared the look of pure hate that was in the others face. Spittle flew at him as Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned screamed illegible words. Thor tilted his blade to one side; his opponent's blade slid down and struck a rock. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned dropped the blade and grasped his jarred wrist. Thor had the time to slip to one side and stand; he raised his sword and stood looking at the T'Iea general who had withdrawn a long dagger from his belt. He advanced on Thor once again. Thor fell back further, he sought time to gather his wits and decide how to counter this fierce onslaught. But whatever he seemed to do this experienced fighter seemed to know what he was doing before he did himself.

Orln looked on in horror as the two T'Iea danced and parried, stabbed and withdrew. He could see that Thor, although a good swordsman did not have the experience of his opponent, a battle hardened soldier with years of campaigns behind him as he was progressively raised up through the ranks to get to his current elevated position. But something else fought within Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned, something that Orln despised, an evil presence that was deeply rooted, an integral part of this old commanders being.

Thor's arms were tiring, his muscles ached and he knew a few more defensive parries would make him drop his sword. Thor decided that he might have a slim chance if he could get the higher ground, so he started to swing around still defending and dodging his opponent's blows. He had his back to the hill, perhaps if he could feint a blow then jumped backwards he would be able to raise his sword for one good strike, perhaps even disarm his opponent, give himself enough time to try and reason with the soldier. Sure enough an opportunity came, Thor raised his sword as if to block yet another blow, but he dodged to one side and let his sword arm go limp. The strike came but as a glancing blow, deflected off Thor's sword. Thor found his sword propelled down, he used this force to continue the downward movement and then swing it around and back up, the added momentum should apply enough force when brought back down to give a bone jarring blow to the others weapon and maybe disarm him. Thor felt a relieved sigh leave his lips as indeed his opponent's dagger jarred and twisted from his grasp, it landed three metres away in the heather. But to Thor's dismay he found himself slightly off balance and his foot caught in something behind him. He found himself falling backwards, his sword was flung from his grasp, he was slightly winded as he hit the ground.

Suddenly to Orln's horror Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned picked up Thor's own blade which he raised above his head and Orln saw that no mercy lay in those eyes, he saw to his horror that he was about to plunge the blade into Thor's chest. The ranger did not hesitate; he swiftly took an arrow, notched it and drew on the bow string. Orln released the arrow and it sped on a path that would have taken it directly between the eyes of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned, but to his surprise the arrow was nocked from its path by another shaft. He turned to see where the shaft was fired from. He instinctively ducked as another arrow sped out from the mists, he cried out in alarm, but his cry was not heard for another's voice screamed in pain and frustration. He turned back to see who had been hit.

Thor could not take his eyes from the shining blade hanging high above where he lay, it would be brought down and his life would end. But his complete surprise Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned did not bring the blade down, instead he dropped it to one side as if his grip had weakened and he was no longer able to support the weight of the weapon. Thor watched as his sword dropped, the flat of the blade bounced harmlessly off his leather armour. Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned fell forward to his knees as he cried out in pain and anguish, his features screwed up in agony, he clutched at his right arm. An arrow, a T'Iea arrow, stuck out from a wound at his right wrist. The arrow had been shot with such force that it had passed right through the plate metal wrist guard and entered the flesh beneath; the cruel looking iron arrowhead had passed right through and out the other side, blooded pieces of bone and skin hung from the tip. The only thing stopping the arrow from passing right through was the fact that the shaft had split and the damaged shaft had caught in the steel of the armour plate. The hatred in Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned's eyes died, he cried again in pain, but his eyes showed fear and not hate. He seemed to be seeing the vista in which he found himself for the first time as if he had awoken from a dream for he looked about him in shock whilst he clutched his injured arm. Then he looked beyond where Thor lay. Thor raised himself upon one elbow and turned to look behind him, he looked at Orln.

Orln bent down, he helped to pick Thor from the ground, he then shrugged whilst shaking his head, "not my arrow."

Thor looked beyond where Orln held him, about fifty metres distant he could just make out a figure walking through the smoke and fume of battle. His eyes focussed, a T'Iea ranger, a female, strode cat-like towards them another arrow notched in her ebony coloured long bow. He saw her take up the tension of the bow once more and her eye levelled along the arrow ready to release it. Her arm and nerve remained steadfast even as she stalked forward. Even from this distance Thor could see her green eyes burned with an inner fire, the chain mail coat she wore shone like crystal glass flashing in the sunlight. She shouted but one word in both T'Iea and common speech, "DOLN'HER'T - ENOUGH!"

Two soldiers came forth to support Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned carefully under the arms; they made to haul him away. But they stopped as a second female voice shouted, "LEAVE HIM! That is a task for me."

Thor knew that second voice he looked into the swirling fume that remained form the battle and saw a second T'Iea female come to stand by the side of the first. He tried to speak, tried to cry out but the lump in his throat would not allow it. The second T'Iea female happened to look his way and recognition shone in her face, "Thor? My son!"

The battlefield was quiet, unbelievably silent compared to the noise that had raged but moments before. The only sound was the crackling of smouldering flames as some of the fallen Startmektoken were being consumed by whatever unholy fire the projectile weapons contained. They stank as they burned, a greasy patch of melted material upon the heather was all that remained after the fire had done its work, a reminder to the deadly folly these creatures represented in ancient times but no more.

Orln lowered his bow and cast it to one side, he collapsed to his knees and again held the still form of Neth'Gore in his arms, the tears had dried from his cheeks. Now he just felt bereft of emotion, like an empty shell. So much had passed through him in the last few hours he felt hollow, drained as if his very soul had been laid bare upon the heather and trampled into the mud.

Thor hugged his mother close, Minervar smiled at him and then easing him to one side she bent to administer to Neth'Gore. A deep sadness appeared in her eyes as she looked at Orln and said, "I am sorry. I can do nothing, only the Maker can help him now." She rose and went to help Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned who was supported by two of his soldiers; he had fainted by the look of him.

By now the barrier that had appeared between the warring foes had disappeared, the two T'Iea armies just stared at each other their weapons fallen by their sides. The only noise was the slight wind that blew across the moor rustling the heather and the laboured breathing of the soldiers that surrounded them.

Orln laid his friends body once more upon the heather and stood slowly, his breathing came in rasps. Thor came to his side and placed his hand upon his shoulder. Orln gazed into Thor's eyes for a second. He walked forward. He strode through the soldiers of his own army until he stood in front of where Neth'Gore's barrier had once been. There he could see a feint movement in the heather, it looked like a strip of oil running across the moor, but it seemed to fade and disappear before his eyes as it snaked away to his left and right. He knew this to be the mark of the arcane flowing back into the earth. He looked at the army that faced them, not a single soldier exhibited any emotion in his, or her face. They just looked blankly towards where he stood. Orln pulled at the leather straps that held his quivers in place; he unstrapped both quivers from his back and dropped them to the ground. He reached slowly to his side and withdrew a dagger from its scabbard and opening his hand let it slide from his palm and now lay upon the heather. He lifted his booted foot and brought it down upon the blade, a metallic ring heralded the blade snapping in two.

Nar'Allia strode across the battlefield, many T'Iea stood or sat around holding their heads or just with glazed looks upon their faces. They did their best to administer aid wherever they could, most of the soldiers seemed to come out of a daydream, the moment Nar'Allia addressed them, her voice seemed to jolt them back into consciousness once more. Nar'Allia looked up after releasing the hand of a T'Iea bowman lying prone in the mud, she picked up a sword and thrust it blade first into the mud above his head. She repeated this several times until she perceived there in front of her across the heather another soldier stood; he had removed his helm and his eyes looked directly into Nar'Allia's. They stood their staring at one another, both breathing heavily. Nar'Allia gasped and cried out in dismay she ran forward, her breathing came in sobs. The former T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran reached to his side and withdrew the small dagger that hung there and this was discarded. The warrior looked at the weapons lying there, he looked at the broadsword he had already dropped, he rose and turned towards where Nar'Allia ran straight towards him.

They both slowed to within ten metres of each other, then the two T'Iea walked towards one another, they stood an arm's length away and suddenly they fell into an embrace. Both hugged each other. Nar'Allia could only say a single word as a whisper, "Father." If they could hear anything other than the sound of their own sobbing breath they would have heard the noise of a thousand weapons being dropped to the ground as the two armies took up Orln's lead. But the only other sounds they could hear were the creaking of their leather armour as it rubbed together rising and falling with the sobbing of their tears.

Thor stood amazed at the scene around him. T'Iea that had a short time ago been fighting one another fiercely were now walking together across the field of battle. They held each other, they bent administering to the dead and dying, healers from both sides healed and relieved pain regardless of which army their skills were used upon. Soldiers bent and checked any they could find, they planted a weapon, a sword, a bow, a spear, vertically into the ground by the head of the fallen soldier to mark him or her as being alive and in need of a healer. Thor looked up after pushing an arrow into the ground by a fallen T'Iea archer who was moaning. He knelt for the tone of the voice was female; she had a goblin stone dagger pushed deep into her shoulder, much blood had pooled onto the ground where the blades point had protruded out the other side of her body. A dead goblin lay face down by her side, an arrow through his or her eye. Thor gently slid the female ranger's full-face helmet from her head, dark hair spilled out over the heather, the T'Iea moaned and then opening her eyes she smiled at him. He recognised the ranger; she was the one that had captured him during his deception with the goblins. He smiled in return cradling her head in the crook of his arm, for some reason tears came to his eyes. He did not let go until a healer bent to his side and started to administer to the T'Iea woman.

The ranger held tightly onto Thor's hand not wanting to let him go, she nodded as if acknowledging something unspoken, something that did not need words. He smiled and nodded at her.

The healer inspected the dagger and the wound for some minutes before she said, "do not fear young man, she will be fine, the wound is clean and is not poisoned, it can be knit and she hasn't lost too much blood."

Thor waited, he held onto the ranger's hand hard and cradled her face to his chest as the healer prepared to draw the dagger out of her shoulder. To take her mind off it he asked her name.

She whispered through clenched teeth "Yu'Enia."

He just had time to tell her his in return before he winced as he heard the blade scrape against the bone until it was free. Yu'Enia cried out in her agony, her blue eyes welled with tears. He felt he should say something, her grip tightened, her fingers bit into his arm, she shuddered and his hand was released as she fell into unconsciousness. So in the end he just thanked the healer then stood. He glanced around; there across from where he walked he saw two T'Iea sitting on a raised hillock holding each other close. Where they sat was well within the land that the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran held and one soldier did indeed wear the black hardened armour of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran. Something compelled Thor to walk over to this duo. When he reached the place Thor cried out in relief and joy for there he saw the face of his half-sister, he shouted something illegible just for the sheer joy of this reunion and ran forward to greet her. Nar'Allia threw her arms about Thor's neck. It was then that the second T'Iea raised his eyes to Thor. His face was drawn and haggard, but the features Thor recognised. Thor gasped, he knew those eyes. Thor reached down and helped the T'Iea to stand. The T'Iea smiled, he made his shaky legs support his weight, as he stood tall. Thor grasped the T'Iea's shoulders and drew him into an embrace.

Orln stood, he clasped the forearm of his old friend R'Thy'Uln once more, they together mourned the passing of one of their number. As they stood there in silence, a small diminutive figure approached them. They turned at the presence and saw the goblin Niepre standing there in a haphazard collection of armour, parts of steel, other parts leather, some even pieces of wood strung together, he also exhibited bloody weapons about his person. He bent, crouched down and placed one hand upon the ground in the manner of greeting of his people.

"Siiirrrr, Pixiiies arrre donnne nowww. Pixiiies goooo now. Ellvvves arrrre thankkkking Pixiiies?"

R'Thy'Uln turned and he stood to attention and saluted the small goblin man, "yes Master Niepre, we thank and honour your people for their aid and bravery." R'Thy'Uln looked around him; many dead goblin bodies littered the ground. R'Thy'Uln did not know what to say, but in a faltering voice he spoke. "We thank you for your sacrifice."

The goblin man stood and removing the leather helm from his head he dropped it to the ground, he then looked directly into the eyes of R'Thy'Uln. Thor thought he saw some kind of challenge in that look, as if the Niepre sort to dare R'Thy'Uln in some way. "Theeeen baaarggaiin is dooone noow. Ellvvves go noow." The goblin turned without waiting for any answer and strode off in the direction of where the rest of his people awaited him. R'Thy'Uln stood amazed for hundreds of Goblins crowded around the area, once again far more than he ever thought existed. When Niepre reached them their ranks parted to let him pass through, he disappeared into the throng, many hundreds strong. Then they all turned and silently walked away. None turning back to acknowledge any farewell.

The T'Iea watched them go. Orln looked at R'Thy'Uln, who smiled wryly. Orln asked the question that was on his mind, "what was that all about?"

R'Thy'Uln sighed. "The goblin men suffered when we arrived here. They suffered unjustly at the hands of Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned who had become misguided. When we left Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned in disgust for what he had become, we made a decision to aid the goblin men in any way we could. I suppose in a way we tried to make good the suffering that had been inflicted upon them, tried to show that not all the T'Iea were so disposed towards them. So after a lengthy period of mistrust and showing them that in fact we meant them no harm, we trained the goblins to fight, we trained them so that they could protect themselves from any who would harm them. A few days ago I approached Niepre and asked if he would go to his people and make a request, see if they would aid us in this battle to rid the eastern lands of all the T'Iea that held malice against his kind. To my surprise and great relief he agreed. But he stipulated one thing in return. His demand was that when the fighting was over and peace once more descended on the eastern lands, then the T'Iea, all of the T'Iea you understand, would leave the east and go back over the mountains, never to return. Well I agreed, I said that if I survived I would make that happen. It is to this promise that I must hold. We must go Orln, all of us, there is nothing for us here now, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran threat has at last been removed from the world."

"What about Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned and his army?"

"We will take Te'Onolan'u'De'Hu'uinned back to Ter'Hadsnefel, there he may be tried for what he has done and in the process I hope that you and the rest of my loyal soldiers will be pardoned of any accusation of desertion. What will happen to the rest of his army I do not know, but I am sure that as they were just following the orders of their commanding officer then no punishment shall befall them. I will promise them this on my life; if any have to be made an example of then it is myself I shall offer for the satisfaction of our generals.

Orln shook the hand of his friend and nodded saying, "let us hope my friend that it does not come to that. Far too many have died this day already, I would wish for no more bloodshed to satisfy any misguided foolish thoughts or any personal vanity."

## Chapter 45. A Place of Rescue

All around Thor on every side he saw a T'Iea city of a style similar to many other T'Iea cities, but subtle differences in architectural design and the materials from which the city was built did tell it apart somewhat. A sure sign that these T'Iea architects lived in isolation from the rest of the T'Iea world and its adaptations of trends and fads of design. So this was R'Iggorr'Thegoran, once the city of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran, but no longer, it had become a city of the one united race of T'Iea. The beauty of this city was unmistakable. It seemed the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran for whatever befell them under the presence of the Rift entity retained their love of beauty and culture. Perhaps some things can never be changed by evil intent, only disguised perhaps, hidden by foul intent but always there, ready to rise once more.

The population of the city had been persuaded out of their homes by the returning united armies of the T'Iea. The entire population now surrounded the depression in the ground where the nemesis that was once the Rift had been. Most looked, expectant, as if they waited for someone to tell them what to do, where to go. Soldiers mixed in with merchants, maids, dignitaries, all where here beneath the warm midday sun shining down from a deep blue cloudless sky. There was a fragrant aroma of flowers upon the cool breeze that blew across the vast open space. Yet all the people remained quiet, silent without comment, in an air of anticipation and the hint of excitement. Life was returning and Serinae's heart rejoiced.

On the bridge that once spanned the Rift, next to the great black stone stood a number of figures. It was towards these that the population of the city looked. From one end of a street a number of other figures spilled forth into the open area. Those that stood by the black stone noticed the movement and waited for them to approach. The crowd had parted to let them through. Solvienne was part of this group of new comers, she shouted and ran up the slope of the bridge to where she had noticed a certain figure standing looking at them. She threw herself at a T'Iea male who stood there smiling at them. One word escaped her lips as she shed tears of happiness, "Thor." They grasped each other tightly.

Then her facial expression turned to one of increased joy, she had seen another figure an older T'Iea male, he caught her eye and smiled. She let go of Thor and went across to where this other stood, then grasping each other's hands they stared into each other's faces. Solvienne looked into her father's eyes, a deep knowing look passed between them.

Minervar had followed Solvienne up the span; she looked at her husband and her daughter, tears in her eyes. "Nar'Allia," she said to the figure standing next to her, "thank you for not giving up on me. For not giving up on both of us." Nar'Allia nodded and took her stepmothers hand. She looked over to where the twins and Iolrreas stood and walked over to join them taking Minervar with her. In that moment the family was complete once more. They were together again and they each felt a deep satisfaction tinged with great relief.

The crowd parted once more, but this time for a single figure. A T'Iea male strode through the throng of onlookers at the base of the bridge. He walked up the span and stood in front of Serinae, he wore the hooded cloak of an academic. He stared at her, keeping eye contact even when she stared back at him. But he tilted his head in respect. She asked with a smile, "do I know you?"

"Perhaps not my lady," came the reply. "Yet I and my people are indebted to you, for you have saved us many times over. My name is Teathe'De'Turon, I am beginning to remember much, but my life of late has been full of darkness." He gestured to the T'Iea people standing around them. "Like them my soul feels great pain, it endures much torture, for black have been my thoughts for so long." He hung his head in sadness as he continued. "I remember still the pain and injustice I have wrought to my own kind and to others. Once I was proud of those acts." He shivered. "But now I remember them with guilt and loathing."

Minervar had been looking at the T'Iea male and Serinae for some minutes, a realisation came to her and a feeling of dread and disgust washed through her thoughts. She crossed to where they stood, "you are the Guardian of the Gate. You welcomed me into the city when I first arrived through the Gatekeepers portal. You had me face the evil presence in Rift, it changed me – forever."

Teathe'De'Turon sank to his knees before Minervar, tears ran down his cheeks. "You must despise me, many must hate me for the suffering I have wrought." He reached down to his waist and drew a dagger from its sheath. He offered her the dagger hilt first and placed the point over his heart. He grasped her hand and placed it upon the hilt of the weapon. "Push the weapon and have your revenge lady, at the same time relieve me of my misery."

Minervar clenched her fist around the hilt of the dagger, his invitation almost tasted sweet to her. She felt the hilt of the dagger in the palm of her hand; saw the long cruel serrated blade and its tip pressed against the cloth of the T'Iea robe. She looked into his eyes and saw agony there. But she no longer felt hate or malice, not even pity, she understood the torture he felt, knew of the pain he harboured. What would killing him achieve? Nothing was the answer. She had come here to save these people, all of them, not to exact vengeance upon them or on any individual. Suddenly she felt a great sense of joy. A joy that a different relationship was possible now. The joy and the relief of forgiveness, true forgiveness. She grasped the hilt tighter and drew the dagger away from his breast and turning she threw the dagger far out over the depression that was once the Rift, she watched as it arched up high and tumbled down bouncing once upon the ground. Turning back she reached down and grasped Teathe'De'Turon's arm and pulled him up to a standing position. "No. There has been too much hate. Too much suffering. It stopped with the Rift's destruction. Someone close to us, a true friend sacrificed himself to rid all of us of hate and malice, he took it, took the evil with him willingly, even unto to his own death. I will not sully his sacrifice and his memory by falling prey to my own selfish emotion. We cannot allow such hate and revenge to manifest itself within our hearts once more, to do so would truly destroy us."

Nar'Allia walked across to join them. She looked at Teathe'De'Turon and said, "I know your name."

Teathe'De'Turon turned to look at Nar'Allia his head cocked slightly to one side. He said, "my Lady?"

Nar'Allia looked at the T'Iea's face, "I have seen your name, it was written in a book in a house in Amentura. Your name, it appeared in some kind of ledger." She thought for a while then added, "it was the only name, the only name for a given year, the last and final year." She smiled and taking the T'Iea's hand she said, "I know someone, master Teathe, someone you should meet, she will be overjoyed to learn that after all these years, after all that has happened, she is in fact not the last of her order, for another has survived."

Serinae had wandered away from the crowds and was now examining the dark portal stone, the massive key stone that stood upon the bridge above the Rift. JDC went to stand next to her. "So milady, what do you understand of the great stone?"

Serinae smiled. "It is the largest single piece of this certain mineral I have ever seen. It makes me wonder how the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran came by it." She then smiled. She remembered a conversation she had with Amndo whilst they flew in the Leviathan a few days before. Amndo had told her, "for many years the keepers had a pact with the Grûndén to mine the voids. The Grûndén sort many minerals, for their knowledge of the earth is great and they are able to fashion many things from what they dig out from their mines." He had leaned forward and touched the chainmail coat that Serinae wore. "Their skills are great. But it was not only weapons and armour of immense strength that they discovered how to make. No, they learned how to forge this black mineral; they forged it into the vast block that we see before us. How they did this I do not know, maybe it is a skill that even they have now forgotten."

She remembered asking. "Amndo, one thing I do not understand?"

Amndo had looked quizzically at her.

"Deanola. She is human, she should have died of old age long before we managed to arrive back in Elit G'fedrel. The day she fell into the Rift with Minervar she was an old woman and many decades of man had passed when we eventually arrived, yet Minervar tells me that Deanola doesn't seem to have aged a day since when they both first arrived."

Amndo had then chuckled. "The passage of time in in the sanctuaries is different from here within the world of men. It has always been the case in fact since the sanctuaries were built by the ancient fathers. They designed Elit G'fedrel and all the sanctuaries as well as the machine hall to be outside of time in relation to the world of men. The main reason is that the machine as a navigational beacon had to operate in zero time so that it had no effect upon the travels of the great star ships in which the ancient fathers traversed the voids. In other words, because they took effectively zero time to travel vast distances when compared to the passage of time within the world of men, then the machine that guided them also had to work in zero time.

"Wait Amndo, do you mean to say that whilst we were within Elit G'fedrel then no time had passed in relation to the world?"

"Put into simple terms yes, at least very little milady, perhaps a few minutes at most. It is impossible to stop time altogether, if that were to happen then the very fabric of the universe would fail. But you are right in your assumption. Elit G'fedrel as you call it and all the other sanctuary places are linked to a time clock that is derived from the ancient father's great star ship. The elder races are in turn linked to the sanctuaries. It is why the T'Iea and the elder races do not age. Our lives, all our existences are tied to the ancient father's great star ship. We do not wholly exist in the world of men, our presence here is metaphysical. What I mean to say is yes, we are in the world, yet our innermost being resided elsewhere, it is difficult to explain the concept without using my own language. I suppose the T'Iea would say that our bodies lived within the world, yet our spirits resided in Elit G'fedrel. Little time passes there whilst we are in the world so we go on living." His face brightened as he said, "it is similar to the principle applied to your quiver of arrows, how it bridges two physical places and both of these places exert an influence. But they can't both exert the same influence, to do so would destroy the bridge. So the two places find their own natural stasis, this can be influenced by anyone having the detailed and complex knowledge available."

"But now the machine is destroyed, how will that affect things?"

"Well milady, whilst we are in the sanctuaries I don't think it will affect us at all, worldly time still stands still there as long as the link to the great star ship remains, worldly time has no effect in the voids just as void time now has no effect in the world. The sanctuaries remain tied to the power of the ancient father's great ship of the stars. But now that the machine is destroyed and with the Rift gone, the connections have been lost to the world and thus to anyone remaining within it. I believe that if we were to continue within the world of men time would pass for us in the same way as it does for mankind."

Serinae remembered answering. "So, if we were to stay in the world then we would age as men do, we would eventually fade from the world as do men. We would eventually die. Are we trapped then, destined to the same doom as they?"

Amndo had just nodded. She remembered his anguished look and she regretted that she had not sort to comfort him then for that was the last time they had spoken at length. Her thoughts returned to the present and she reached out with her hand and touched the keystone. It felt warm to her touch, it vibrated gently at her touch like a purring cat.

She remembered something else that Amndo had told her. "Whilst I was in contact with the keystone I found a presence there, a presence that linked to the Grand Master, I knew then that he used the large stone above the Rift as a portal, but also as a power source. The stone can act like a storage jar for arcane energy; because of its size it has the capability to store massive amounts of such energy and power."

Her face beamed with a smile, something was formulating in her mind, she concentrated. Then with great delight she found that she could enter the stone, see what it contained. Much of it was empty now, it was just what Amndo had described a benign store of arcane energy. So it didn't take much searching to find it. There it lay, within the stone, Amndo's last legacy to them all, there within the stone was his gift. He had placed all the signatures of the entrance portals to all of the sanctuaries within the keystone, reconstructed and redirected all of them, she saw them all and joy rushed into her heart even as a tear ran down her cheek. She knew that all the time the keystone retained sufficient arcane energy it would function in that way, it would be the gateway to all of the sanctuaries. But that energy would dissipate slowly over time, further if the energy was used then the natural energy loss will be advanced. She knew that every time a portal was opened then the keystone would use up stored energy and now with the Rift gone there was no way to replenish that which was lost. She prayed there would be enough energy to last at least a few hundred years of man if the energy was used sparingly.

JDC's touch on her arm brought her back from her memories. She sighed and wiped a tear from her eye. Amndo had done so much, sacrificed everything for them, for them all. She hoped that he was conscious somewhere, hoped that the Maker had seen fit to gather him into his presence. Serinae wished to thank Amndo sometime, somewhere; above everything else she hoped and prayed that she would have that opportunity. Her last thought was of Amndo explaining to her how her own signature was imprinted into the stone, for she had been present within it all those years ago. She was now also a Gatekeeper, in fact the only one, and she could now command the energy within the stone above what was once the Rift. She shook her thoughts from her head and told JDC.

At the end JDC said, "so the portals that join the sanctuaries they can still exist, at least for the time being?"

Serinae laughed again, "why of course master Pnook, do you not see? This fact will be invaluable in persuading the elder races to return to the sanctuaries. Of course they will not be forced into leaving the world, but I should imagine that most will go when faced with these facts." She took in a deep breath and looked around her at her surroundings. "It is time to leave the world of men JDC. It is time the elder races gave the race of men the chance to forge their own destinies. We are, we have always been just visitors to this world and like all good visitors we must leave at some time, we must not overstay our welcome. For our hosts must get on with their own lives." She thought for a while and sighing added, "and we must get on with ours."

"But if what you say is true, then eventually the world will be without any usable source of arcane energy."

Serinae nodded her head, "perhaps master Pnook they will be better off without it." Without waiting for a response Serinae turned to the throng of people below and around them. She smiled and looked across all the faces that looked up at them standing there above the chasm. She went back to where Teathe'De'Turon was standing and she took his hand and said, "my friend, we can go home. All of us can go home. Back to our true home, once more the T'Iea will be reunited in a place of great healing, all the wrongs shall be righted, all will be made whole once more, all will be forgiven."

Serinae shook her head and wiped a tear from her cheek. She looked across at the mass of faces, the pain that Teathe'De'Turon's face still reflected, also showed in all those faces that she looked into. She had saved them from one thing. The Rift was gone, the effects it had upon these people, her people, had also gone. They were free of it, free of its control. Yet they were now bound by other shackles. Shackles of self-loathing, of guilt. She realised that they weren't saved yet, much needed to be done to heal them further. She knew just the place to do that though, a place made for the T'Iea long ago, a place for whatever reasons they had abandoned. Yet that place of healing awaited them.

She addressed Teathe'De'Turon, he had been listening to the conversation that Serinae had just had with JDC. Serinae knew that he understood much. "Can you aid your people? Persuade them to go through a portal back to Elit G'fedrel. There I am sure they will find peace at last."

Teathe'De'Turon nodded, "I am sure they will listen mistress Serinae, they would welcome the opportunity for a new life." He looked around him at the former T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran city. "This place will always be a reminder of darker times."

She looked at Teathe'De'Turon. "That is good, you will tell your people the good news?"

Teathe'De'Turon nodded and smiled.

Serinae turned to Minervar, Solvienne and Nar'Allia. She did not hide her excitement as she repeated the words, "we can go home. We can all go home."

A few weeks later R'Iggorr'Thegoran, the city of the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran was all but empty. Serinae had sent emissaries, volunteers who had agreed to go to the other elder races and tell them of what had happened. Serinae herself had gone to the Grûndén, to the city of Gwéldølĩn, she was known there and she wanted to fulfil a number of promises she had made. She also wanted to pick up certain things she had left there. Nar'Allia had asked what these were, Serinae would not say, but Nar'Allia knew Serinae, knew the former T'Iea mercenary, knew the sentimental side of the battle-hardened ranger. Nar'Allia smiled knowingly, she understood that Serinae wanted to retrieve the letters that had been written to her from Tezrin.

A flow of people, T'Iea mostly, but Grûndén and ognods were coming over, or under, the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri, sometimes in family groups and sometimes in great numbers. Minervar was disappointed that fewer Grûndén and ognods were coming; she feared that these peoples may have decided to stay in the world of men. Or perhaps there was just fewer of them than she had expected.

The Pnook also were flying in on airships they were performing a steady transport service to and fro from Scienocropolis and the western continent, bringing those who wished to go. On one such delivery Nar'Allia was standing with JDC watching the Pnook embark from a large airship, she remembered it as the one in which she and Tnie had travelled to Gwéldølĩn. JDC suddenly gasped and ran forward. Nar'Allia watched him run across to the ever-growing group of Pnook that were spreading out around the airship. Once all had disembarked the airship rose once more into the air and flew away back to transport more from Scienocropolis. When it had disappeared into the distance Nar'Allia once more turned her attention to JDC. The crowd of Pnook had dissipated, been welcomed and taken away by fellows of their race. But two Pnook stood upon the ground where the airship had dropped its cargo. JDC was holding the hand of another Pnook, a smaller person, almost a child he looked to Nar'Allia's eyes. But she recognised him. Her heart leapt for joy for there stood Citac, the Pnook kings son. She walked over towards them and was surprised, for Citac looked different. He turned at her movement and his eyes actually fell upon hers. He smiled.

JDC turned also and said, "milady Narny, please meet Citac, my long serving companion, he has returned to us."

Nar'Allia bent and shook the hand of the Pnook, she kept hold of his hand looking deep into his eyes. "Yes I remember master Citac well. Yet changed it seems? Returned indeed, returned in more ways than one I think."

Citac smiled at her words. "I must apologise milady, for I do not remember our meeting, strange has been my life in the past. A dream it seemed to me. I remember a great loneliness; I was the only one in that place where I was. A city but an empty city. I did not feel or seem to have form, yet JDC tells me that I was with him, here in this world, but I have little recollection of it. My only thoughts are of the city in which I was aware. What I did in this world I could not tell. It is as if I lived in two places at the same time, my consciousness in one, my sub consciousness and physical form in another."

For some reason Nar'Allia thought of Serinae's old quiver. That two had a similar ability to that described by Citac. "Perhaps master Pnook you formed a bridge. There is a place, a place where your people travel to now as we speak. A sanctuary. If you go there I feel that you will recognise it, you will feel you are home. But this time you will go home with all of you, complete."

Citac looked at her, he had a strange expression upon his face. But something dawned upon his thoughts. He nodded as if in some understanding or agreement. "Show me. Please show me, I wish to go there immediately to this sanctuary of which you speak. My people need me, I have a task to do, one long overdue."

JDC directed Citac to where the Pnook just arrived on the airship where going. He nodded, and walked after them. Once he turned and looked at JDC and Nar'Allia, they both bowed in deep respect. The true Pnook King had returned, he walked to re-join his people and take up the responsibilities he was born to undertake. Nar'Allia couldn't help but notice JDC wipe a tear from his cheek. She cocked her head to one side and smiled.

Many of the elder races continued to come, all those who wished to return to the sanctuaries were coming to the city, many it seemed wished to go, driven by some inbuilt desire to return to places that they had long forgotten yet remained burned into each individual soul. There was an air of expectancy a feeling of great change across the world.

A stiff breeze blew around Nar'Allia as she stood on the outskirts of the city looking out over the moors. She waited hoping perhaps to see someone, someone she had to thank and say her farewells to. She sniffed at the cool air; she could smell the passing of summer. There was freshness on the breeze, cool air blowing down from the mountains of the Tolle'Fornosse'Veetri. She reached up and held wayward fronds of her hair from blowing across her face. Something moved upon the heather, she screwed up her eyes trying to see what it was. Perhaps nothing. Yet there it was again. Yes, a grey wolf walked towards her, sitting upon the back of the wolf a hare washed its ears. She watched as the animals came nearer, following a worn animal track through the course growth that covered the ground. The purple flowers had all but gone, spent after the heat of the summers passing. The hare jumped down from the wolf's back, the wolf stood upon its hind legs and the air shimmered. She said a name, "Alonso?"

"Hello Nar'Allia." He took her hand and squeezed it in a mark of mutual trust and affection. But then his smile broadened and he knelt on one knee and bowed his head. Nar'Allia reached down to make him stand once more but he would not do so. "My Taekla," was all he said.

Nar'Allia was shocked, why would he call her by that title? But then she felt a presence behind her. She turned and there leaning on a thick staff stood Deanola. Nar'Allia pursed her lips in realisation. She stood to one side and it was Deanola who walked forward and gripping Alonso's arm made him rise.

Alonso looked into the woman's eyes. "What is your bidding my Taekla?"

Deanola smiled, she held Alonso's hand, he looked down at the hand holding his with an air of reverence. "There is a city behind me, an all but empty city. The previous inhabitants seem not to want to live there any longer. It seems a waste to let it fall into ruin." She smiled broadly, "I think Alonso it is time our people returned to civilisation once more and perhaps the Pixie would like to share in our good fortune. There is a long road to travel, but the past is now gone and the road is at least straight and clear. We have an opportunity to change our future, a future that we may command. We will gather the clans Alonso, invite them to taste another way of life, a way with a bright future, some may agree, I hope so." She surveyed the moorlands around her, she breathed deeply of the fresh cool air. "Winter is coming; I would prefer a thick stone walled house with a strong roof and a warm soft bed, these old bones cringe thinking of the cold drafts blowing within my croft." She paused thinking before she said, "I heard a name, an elven name. I was told it was the name the ancient fathers had for their vast ship of the voids, the same great ship of the stars that many ages ago heralded the beginning of our salvation, even though that salvation has been long in coming. I think Alonso it would be wrong of us to forget such a name, to forget such an act of immense grace and benevolence." There was a tear in her eye as she said, "many have died to save us, paid the ultimate cost for their selfless acts. I know my own gratitude shall never falter; I for one will honour their name to my last breath. So we will call this new city of men, this new start for our race, Atlantis. Yes, the city of Atlantis, in honour of the ancient fathers and all who have aided us." Deanola turned to Nar'Allia, she looked deep into the T'Iea eyes, smiled broadly and grasping Nar'Allia's shoulders she kissed her brow.

Nar'Allia then hugged the two elderly humans, Alonso bent down and picked up the hare and cradled the small animal in his arms. Then the two people turned and walked away arm in arm, back over the heather leaving Nar'Allia standing once more alone. Her last view of them was of the hare, it seemed to look back towards her. She waved. The hare after a few seconds leapt from Alonso's arms and landing upon the soft ground skipped high into the air, turned lithely in mid-flight and was then gone down the far side of the ridge.

## Chapter 46. The Beast Laid to Rest

Serinae was looking up into the sky. Today was the day that they had arranged with JDC to bring the volunteer emissaries back from the various places they had been sent and she was expecting to see the Leviathan machine at any moment. Sure enough the sky was darkened by a looming shape above. The Leviathan, it had returned. She watched as the vast craft slowly descended and gently came to a halt just above the ground. The spiral stair descended from the belly of the beast and JDC jumped to the ground after descending down with the stair. As soon as the stair stopped moving many people came down and alighted upon the ground spreading out like a pool of water pouring forth. Serinae walked forward a broad smile on her lips. She hugged a rather chatty female Grûndén who seemed to be scolding her for some reason; she then hugged another male Grûndén in full plate armour. Serinae had told the male Grûndén that he would not be needing his armour where he was going, but he had just winked at her and said, "ach lassie, ye nat be attemptin' t' undress me now eh? Serinae had laughed. She then spied a timid looking Pnook, he came across to her and held his hand out in greeting, she disregarded the hand and picked up the little man in a long hug. She then greeted an ognod female with a knowing nod. But it was the elderly looking T'Iea female standing behind these old friends that brought a tear to her eye. Serinae grasped the outstretched hands of her old friend, Serinae smiled as the two of them stood looking at one another. Many passed them by as they stood there acknowledging each other only with a silent understanding.

JDC had been watching this spectacle, he stood there with the two T'Iea and with a sigh and nodding at each in turn he said, "well milady Serinae, milady Solin, we did it in the end after all."

Serinae looked at him and sighed, she smiled with her whole face, her green eyes alight with delight. She nodded slowly and said, "you know master Pnook, I think we really did at that!"

But JDC turned and pointed at the great Leviathan machine. "What happens to the leviathan, we cannot leave it here, there is too high a risk and I don't think it will be a wise idea for any one race to take it with them into their sanctuary, apart from the fact of course that the thing is so big the drain on the remaining arcane energy within the stone would most probably be too great and a waste of a precious resource."

Nar'Allia and Solvienne joined them and the assembled friends looked towards one another, searching each face for an answer a glimmer of an idea.

It was JDC who spoke. "I feel kind of responsible for it, it was me who brought the monster back into the world. I have also learnt to my cost that I cannot be entrusted with its safekeeping. But alas I cannot return it to where it was hidden. No it must remain here in the world of men. Yet I am loathe to give it to any one faction, for there is always the risk that they will use it for ill purposes. The Leviathan was part of a great war once, it is wholly a machine designed with war in mind, it is it's only use."

Nar'Allia thought how she had continuously had misgivings about the machine. She did not want to give the responsibility of its management over to anyone. Many would perhaps agree to look after the thing, but in the end none could be trusted, for the machine would outlive them all and who knew what circumstances would come in the future.

JDC spoke. "I have been thinking and I do have an idea where it may be taken and secured from prying eyes, at least for a while."

"What do you mean by saying 'for a while' Master Pnook?"

"Well I think I can hide it somewhere away from the eyes and knowledge of men, at least until mankind regains the technology to discover it once again. Even then they may not have the technology to recover it for many more years. Or if they do then that technology may extend beyond that which the Leviathan is constructed and it may be just a piece of historical junk anyway, a curious antique from a time long gone."

By this time the others had joined them, everyone was looking towards JDC.

Thor spoke. "Why can't we just destroy the machine?"

JDC looked at Thor, "a good question. But you see to destroy the machine we would need a technology equal to, or better than the technology contained with the Leviathan itself. We would also require an immense source of energy. I don't think master Amndo would have liked us to drain the large key stone of its energy and waste all his hard earned toil, in any event I suspect that the key stone does not contain enough stored arcane energy to do the job. It is too great a risk, we could drain all the remaining energy from the stone and be marooned her in the world and still have a Leviathan machine to contend with." He looked at them all in turn, no one spoke so he said, "I want to make a suggestion. You see I still have the chip with me that contains the original map set that was on board the Leviathan when I first ummmm, took control of it. Back then when the chip was made many ages in the past, the landscape of the world was vastly different." He looked towards Solvienne as if wanting some kind of agreement.

She said with a nod of her said, "yes, I remember, the sea levels were much, much lower than they are today, the continents where vastly different shapes, the islands in the Sea of Beadreas where still the uppermost peaks of a great mountain range that now of course lies deep beneath the ocean."

"Yes, exactly," said JDC, "you see if we were to hide it deep in one of the trenches that we know exists between the islands of that archipelago, the trenches which were in ages past deep valleys between the mountains, I am sure it would remain hidden and undetectable for many ages to come."

"But how would you get it there, you would have to take it beneath the waters deep down in the ocean and then even if you got it there how would you return to the surface? There are no portals now to do the job."

"Ah well, you are of course right Solvienne, but you forget one of the amazing features of the Leviathan. But I will come to that later."

Solvienne looked curiously at the Pnook.

JDC smiled and continued, "first let me explain something else. If we use the original map set ........" He thought for a while and then said, "perhaps it would be easier to show you than try and explain. Come." He gestured for them all to follow him back on board the Leviathan machine.

They all gathered within the main control room. JDC reached inside his jacket and produced his little leather wallet in which he kept his collection of Biplextor devices. He sorted through them and eventually held one of the chips in his fingers. He powered up the crafts navigational desk and pressed a button that opened a small access panel. He withdrew the chip that he found behind and replaced it with the one he had just retrieved from his wallet. He then closed the access panel once more and stood looking at the navigational control desk. They all gathered closer to see what would appear.

After a few seconds a map appeared it was obviously the original map that the Leviathan was kitted out with many years in the past, perhaps the one that it was fitted with originally when the machine was constructed. JDC adjusted some controls and the map seemed to move away from them as if they rapidly flew to a great height. Once he was satisfied he moved another control and the map moved accordingly beneath the glass screen, it was if they flew over the world's surface at an impossible speed. Soon however he stopped and zoomed back in to a more detailed map. The sensation was that they plummeted back down to almost ground level. When Nar'Allia looked at the statistical data showing on the navigation console it reported that they were some twenty thousand meters above sea level. But this was a sea level in ages past, for they looked at the peaks of a great mountain range.

As JDC slowly manoeuvred it below them the ground rose and fell rapidly as they went over the high peaks of the mountain range. "What we are seeing here is the mountain range that Solvienne rightly pointed out now forms the islands of the Beadreas. Of course the sea level is as we discussed was much lower and the mountain peaks you see here had yet to form what we now see as islands. But if you watch closely." JDC moved the map away from the nearest peak over what looked to be a vastly deep valley. He then proceeded to zoom in again and once more they felt they were dropping down. He slowly took them down and around until a small dark dot appeared. He centred the map over this dot and again zoomed in. Soon patch of blue showed beneath them on the map table. As he continued to zoom they could see that what they now viewed was a vast lake, an inland sea in fact, that nestled between the high mountains to either side.

"Here is one of many large lakes, all that remains of the seas that perhaps once flowed around here before the water level dropped because of the insatiable need for water in the human city of old. Now if I change the maps mode so that it shows relief patterns." He switched from one mode to the next until he said, "aha. Here we are."

What the map now showed was the same landscape yet overlaying it were many winding lines with numbers repeated along them at regular intervals. JDC explained. "These lines that are now showing are contour lines. They originate from more modern map data, data that I in fact gathered recently. The shape of the land has changed somewhat in the intervening years, this is due in main to continental drift but also to erosion by the sea's and weather. I managed to overlay the data on this old map, but I believe it is roughly accurate. These contour lines give height, or depth data corresponding to the current day sea level. The present sea level is represented by this mark of zero metres, he pointed at this figure with his finger. He zoomed further in over the waters of the lake and the contour lines got much closer together as they made odd patterns roughly following the edge of the lake waters where they washed against the land. "As you can see there are numbers marked along the lines, these numbers give an indication of the depth of the landscape below the current sea level. You will see that the contour line that runs roughly around the edge of this particular lake has the number minus seven thousand, three hundred metres. "

Nar'Allia looked closely at the numbers, the first line that was drawn within the borders of the lake was minus seven thousand, eight hundred metres, the next line in was marked minus eight thousand, two hundred metres"

JDC nodded and said, "yes, just so. But if you now look at the other lines that are drawn more towards the centre, what number would you associate with the deepest part of this particular lake?"

Nar'Allia ran her finger across the map looking at the various contour lines and the numbers associated with them. She quickly established that the deepest part of the lake was not actually in its centre; rather there was a deeper part towards one end of the lake. She read the number out loud. "minus fifteen thousand, five hundred and fifty seven metres to be precise."

JDC nodded, "yes the waters in this particular area reach over fifteen thousand metres deep by todays reckoning. Now you can see that the bottom of this particular lake, is now submerged well below the modern sea level which we can guess at with comparison with a modern map, we can deduce that the bottom of this lake today is in fact correspondingly at least some fifteen thousand metres beneath the current sea level." He looked around at the assembled faces, "a good place to hide something you do not want found eh?"

They all nodded their agreement. But again Solvienne asked, "that's all very well but once more I have to ask, how would you fly the machine down there and get back out again yourself?"

"Aha, said JDC. "Now that's the neat part. I mentioned perhaps you had forgotten a feature of the Leviathan? I perhaps have tried to explain this in the past, but I will refresh your memories if I may. The Leviathan was designed with many automated features, thus minimising the need for a large crew, most of the time I have flown it alone, even operating weaponry and other features on my own. Well, using these automated features I can programme a set of coordinates into the navigational controls of the machine and tell it to fly to these coordinates either immediately or at a set date and time in the future. I can also add another figure instructing it to then fly to a specified altitude even if this set altitude is in negative figures. The Leviathan will follow this instruction all by itself without any operator intervention, and without anyone needing to be on board. I believe there are inbuilt safety mechanisms to stop the Leviathan from crashing into solid ground, but I also believe that to instruct it to fly beneath the water will not be a problem." He stood up and smiled at them.

"You are a genius JDC. But how can you be sure the machine will fly beneath the waves as well as it does above them?"

"I have tried, when I was mapping the contours, water is just another medium as is the air, the Leviathan can be sealed completely from the outside world as you know and the engines and controls work just as well in water as in air."

So it was that a few hours later they all stood back as the Leviathan machine slowly rose up into the air vertically and flew off. They watched until it was but a small dot in the blue sky above them. Then it moved off in an easterly direction. They all kept their eyes fixed upon it until it disappeared from view. Nar'Allia felt mixed emotions towards what she witnessed. She couldn't help missing the machine that she had spent so much time on board, yet she also couldn't help feeling a sense of relief that such a potentially powerful and destructive force was once again laid to rest and no one was able to use its power ever again for any reasons, whether they be of good or bad intent.

## Chapter 47. True Identity

Solin sat dozing in a chair, a glass half full of wine sat upon the small occasional table beside her. Voices could be heard from the kitchen, they belonged to Nar'Allia and Lo'Rosse, they were laughing and talking with Minervar and Iolrreas whose back could just be seen through the open door. The four still bathed in the joy of their reunion, catching up on old tales and enjoying the family moment.

Serinae sat in the parlour adjoining the kitchen drinking tea. One of the first things she had done on her return was to reacquaint herself with her favourite drink. She looked long and hard at the twins over the rim of her teacup. They were also here in the room. Solvienne was sitting reading as usual. The two women had just arrived back from Amentura, to the house that Solin had there, before they had all left finally for their home in Elit G'fedrel. Solvienne had wanted to check up on the place one last time, after all she was still curator of all that the house contained. Serinae didn't know why she wanted to go, partially of course it was to escort Solvienne, but also part of her wanted to see the house once more. They ended up spending many weeks there gathering things and filling Solin's secret room with many items that they did not want to be left lying around. The wooden door with the carving of the great tree, the S'Apli'Baum upon it was closed and sealed for the last time. Serinae had the Dolan safely hidden in her pocket.

Before they left Jonas was bequeathed the house and its contents, his family had been custodians of the place for many generations and he was asked to continue that role, but now also to take up the additional responsibility as curator and guardian. This position he accepted without question in the full knowledge that successive generations of his family line would also be taught from an early age about the house and its contents so they in turn may take on the responsibility. Serinae and Solvienne understood that Jonas and his family would continue to guard the house and keep the wealth of knowledge within safe. They also knew that much that the house contained would have to be kept a closely guarded secret, they were satisfied that Jonas fully understood the reasons for this and the possible results if the houses darker secrets became accessible to those who might misuse them. On the final day when the two women left they knew neither of them would ever return. Serinae had a feeling of reticence as she stood there looking through the gate at the gardens beyond. So many memories, so many thoughts raced through her mind. But eventually Serinae had just felt some kind of great relief flow over her, as if for some reason being there really heralded the end to her trials and tribulations.

Thor coughed; he brought Serinae back from her thoughts. He was standing his hand on the mantle of the fireplace, deep in his own thoughts.

Serinae smiled behind her cup. She took one final sip and placed the cup back upon the table next to her. She sat back and said, "I know you two love stories, I believe a favourite used to be the one that Minervar would tell about our little adventure all those years ago. She told me that you insisted on her telling the tale over and over when you were younger." She waited until she was sure that she had both Solvienne's and Thor's full attention. Then she added, "well let me tell you another story, something that will set the record straight if you will."

Solvienne had looked up towards Serinae and closed the book placing it upon her lap. Thor walked from where he stood and went to stand behind the chair on which Solvienne sat, both looked at Serinae in anticipation of what they may about to be told.

Serinae laughed inwardly, she had caught the merest glimpse of a smile at the corners of Solin's mouth. She resisted the temptation to throw a cushion at her. But she knew the old T'Iea too well to spoil her fun.

So Serinae began. "Long ago, before history, perhaps before time itself, Eny'Nin'Rel in his wisdom decided to create his children. Beyond measurement was his being within the void with only his own conscience and his own thoughts. It is said he came to desire other beings with which he may converse, to teach and share in his infinite wisdom and knowledge. So he set about making the first race. He created them with much care and love; he made them in his likeness and poured into them his spirit. With this gift he gave them great capability of intellect, second only to his own. It was his intention to have them live with him in the void, so he created a place on which they may live, a place that he could visit when he had a wish to do so. So he, threw the myriad of stars out into the void, and created the suns and the void balls. One such ball he created lovingly, he poured out his creativity into this place making it like a garden. Onto this place he set his children. They wanted for nothing. The place on which they lived was perfect in every way, designed with great care to satisfy their every need.

For many, many millennia this was enough and the children of Eny'Nin'Rel lived there in great harmony and bliss. But soon they began to feel lonely, for there were not many of them and they sort the company of others, so in his great love for them Eny'Nin'Rel placed them all into a deep slumber. He took them up and divided them into two groups, one group he made male and the other he made female. He set them back onto their home and awoke them. The children of Eny'Nin'Rel began then to reproduce in great numbers, they thanked Eny'Nin'Rel for this gift and every one of them that was born worshipped Eny'Nin'Rel and loved him with all their heart as a child would love their father. Eny'Nin'Rel loved them in return and was greatly pleased with them. He watched as their numbers increased and although he knew every single one by name he saw that they enjoyed the company of each other greatly and Eny'Nin'Rel became increasingly happy to allow them their time and to be masters of their own destiny and he did not visit them as often as he once did. Although he knew their every thought he was content to allow them their time to discover and develop without his close watch upon them. These first-born children, this first race grew great in knowledge, wise in counsel and gained much knowledge and immense power.

The first-born began to understand the inner workings of the universe, the sciences. They eagerly made discoveries; they sort explanations and their minds and intellect expanded greatly. They began to learn much about how Eny'Nin'Rel made the universe and everything within. They set their path to understand the most intimate designs of Eny'Nin'Rel himself. So it was they discovered the most powerful of energies, the energy that holds everything together, the energy from which perhaps Eny'Nin'Rel himself is formed, although that you understand is just my own speculation, do not take it as truth, for truth it may not be. This power we T'Iea know as D'Arcane'Juuone or the power within, we are familiar with it because of the first-born. For you see they discovered that this energy when harnessed could be used to transport them great distances across the void. They could leave behind their home which Eny'Nin'Rel created for them, even leave the place in which their home was but a tiny infinitesimal part and visit other places far away across time and space."

Solvienne interrupted Serinae with a question. "So the first born, they are what we call the ancient fathers?"

Serinae just smiled, she glanced at Solin who was still feigning sleep but was obviously listening intently to the tale.

Instead of answering Serinae continued. "The first born spread and multiplied, they chose uninhabited worlds and built great machines within them, machines that gathered and controlled vast fields of arcane energy that spread across the galaxies and the void and powered their machines of travel. In this way the first-born explored the void extensively in their great ships of the stars. They created other great machines as they went enabling them to go farther and farther across the endless void. When they discovered a void ball able to sustain life they colonised it, leaving many on the place to live and to prosper, they built a great machine there also to ensure that the colonists maintained contact with the rest of the first-born and to provide a beacon telling others that this place was already colonised. The race of the first-born diversified, adapted to many millions of different worlds on which they lived. But deep inside they were all from the same source, from Eny'Nin'Rel, the Maker of all, each kept something of him deep within, something that linked them all together.

Serinae watched the two faces in front of her; she watched the thoughts fly across the features of the other two T'Iea. She watched as realisation dawned in their eyes.

It was Solvienne who spoke first, "by the Maker the world of men was one such place wasn't it?

Serine's eyes burned a vivid green as she stared into Solvienne's eyes, she watched as the young elf's mind churned and turned the thoughts that raced through it. "But we were all of us there to, the elder races. In the world, that void ball, those first born, those we know of as the ancient fathers brought all the elder races to the world of men, but why? The T'Iea race, the Grûndén, the Pnook, the ognods, all were brought there by the first born, those we call the ancient fathers."

Serinae smiled and nodded. We all came yes, after all the elder races, or should I say the Combined Races as they were then known, had made contact and united and had designed to work together for the good of all.

It was Thorandill's turn now to speak, "even the keepers, they were brought as well?"

"Yes," was Serinae's response, "all were brought long ago in the past." She glanced at Solin as she said these words. Now the old T'Iea was no longer feigning sleep she was awake and looking at her friend intently, a smile on her lips.

Both Nar'Allia and Lo'Rosse on hearing the story had come forth from the kitchen and both were leaning on the wall in the open door way. Minervar and Iolrreas could be seen listening behind them.

"But this kind of ties in with the tale that Minervar used to tell us, but there are subtle differences," said Nar'Allia as she wiped her hands dry upon a towel.

"Yes," said Serinae, "differences I did not know, differences I did not discover until recently, for after I left Minervar in the machine hall all those years ago, I found myself transported to a place where the ancient father's legacy survives and lives. It is with their great knowledge I had been spending my time. It is there that I have been learning and planning and plotting the acts of recent times."

So the spirits, the R'Alacry Fer'Def, they are, or were, the ancient fathers?"

"Exactly, yes." was the response from Serinae. The place is called At'Lan'T'Ys, the city of the ancient fathers and the technology it housed had the ability to create images of beings long gone but remembered by the same technology that the city contained. A super intelligence, a calculating entity able to adapt, manage and maintain, it created the R'Alacry Fer'Def as a form of communication, it was a way of influencing events within the world of men.

Nar'Allia remembered the vision of the ancient fathers in the cylinder she and Solvienne had found in Amentura. "When Solvi and myself were in Amentura, we discovered a strange thing. Behind the door that was unlocked by Solin's Dolan." She looked at Solin who had her elbows resting upon the arms of the chair, her hands were in front of her face her lips rested on the tips of her fingers as she stared at the floor in front of her. Nar'Allia continued as she realised no comment or explanation was forthcoming from the old T'Iea. "We found the message cylinder, the one that the image of Venetra came from and related the tale, somewhat similar to that you tell Seri, but not exactly the same?"

Serinae remained silent.

Nar'Allia continued, "we found out that we could change the message, make a new message of our own."

Still Serinae and Solin remained silent.

Nar'Allia looked towards Solin. "Who are you Solin? Who are you really? It seems to me that you have control over all our destinies somehow. You always seem to know what is going on and you seem to be able to influence matters most subtly. You haven't had any direct involvement in all that we have witnessed through the years, yet somehow you are always there, suggesting this, suggesting that." At this Nar'Allia walked around to stand in front of the elderly T'Iea, she had an air of accusation upon her features and the tone of her voice. "You made that message, the one that Minervar and the others witnessed in the House in Amentura didn't you Solin? It was never from the ancient fathers at all was it? You knew that Serinae's friend. The easterner Teouso would be able to figure out how to access the message didn't you? In fact I am willing to wager that you arranged it all, even told Teouso what to do to make it look like he stumbled upon the solution."

Solin looked deep and hard into Nar'Allia's eyes and after a second or two looked up at her and smiled. "Yes Narny, I'm afraid I did. You are correct on all counts."

Suddenly something jolted Solvienne's thoughts, something so wildly preposterous, something so unbelievable that she had to voice it. She went to stand next to her older sister in front of Solin. She faced the elderly T'Iea and said, "Solin, you aren't a T'Iea all are you. You are one of the first born, one of the race of the ancient fathers. Possibly the last remaining one in this world." She stared at Solin accusingly.

Solin gazed at Solvienne, her blue in blue eyes burned bright, then she glanced at Serinae.

"Oh no!" Solvienne gasped in shocked realisation. She turned to look at Serinae. "You aren't the last. There are two of you, both in this room. How many more are there? Tezrin! Don't tell me that Tezrin was one also. You have kept this secret, kept it for so long." Then she looked suspiciously at Solin and asked, "what exactly are you doing here. What purpose, what true purpose do you have? You have manipulated all of us from the start. What was the original message in the cylinder? The message you erased?"

Serinae stood, "please sister be calmed, it is not as you think."

Solin held up her hand, the room went silent. She sighed, but then she giggled. "It's alright Seri, please sit." Solin threw both hands up in a submissive fashion a smile upon her lips. "So, the game is up! We are discovered. I knew you were a clever one Solvi."

Solvienne smiled as if she had won a game. She went to stand with Nar'Allia and her mother as if showing a force of solidarity against an aggressor. But the expression on Solin's face brought the suspicion back once more. She narrowed her eyes and pointed an accusing finger towards Solin. "You are making fun of me Solin."

Solin then seemed to grow serious as she said, "yes, Solvienne, I am sorry, I cannot help myself, but you are a clever one never the less, but before all your thoughts run riot and begin to journey along the wrong road, please listen to me as I will furnish you with an explanation and answer your questions." She stood slowly. She took in a deep breath and said, "but please do not question my heritage, my identity, for this remains true and unsullied at least. I am still T'Iea as have been all my forbears." She held up a hand demanding continued silence, "but, in truth, I am not making fun of you for your assumptions are in reality quite correct. You have stumbled upon the true identity of those people we call the ancient fathers. But I assure you Seri and myself are not the last of the race of the ancient fathers to remain, oh no, far from it."

Thor strode forward and said, "so where are the others then of whom you speak, why do you keep them hidden as you have your own true identity, what is your purpose? Such secretive behaviour does not bode well in my mind and if you keep your secrets to do harm or mischief then friend or not you will answer to me."

Serinae had again stood, her eyes were burning green as she stared at Thor, she had no weapon. Thor felt uncomfortable at her stare; he was in no doubt of the danger she presented should he make the wrong move now he did not think she needed a weapon to be a dangerous opponent. Thor frowned at her expression, his heart was beating fast. Serinae seemed to calm, her eyes dimmed as she said, "Thor please be seated, no one means ill of any kind towards anyone here, of that you can be assured."

Solin went to stand by the side of Serinae and took her hand. She looked at their clasped hands for a moment. "Please everyone do not be alarmed, I beg you to hear me out."

Thor shook his head and returned to where he was standing before.

Solin continued, "as I said, we are not the only ones, we are not the only representatives of the race of the ancient fathers. That is what we learned from the cylinder, the original message was made many millennia in the past, it spoke of many things, much of what we are now revealing to you in fact. For you see there are many that may bear the name of the ancient fathers, both within this world and beyond it." She looked at the faces of each person around the room and said, "the ancient fathers stand here, in this room before me. I see them."

Nar'Allia looked around the room. She was expecting some ghostly images, expected to see the strange and elusive beings she knew that images of the ancient fathers appeared, the R'Alacry Fer'Def as the T'Iea called them. Yet she could not see anything that resembled such.

Then everyone started to talk at once, a great hubbub of voices resounded within the room.

Only Serinae and Solin remained silent. They stood there still with their hands clasped together and uncharacteristically waited with downcast eyes.

Eventually calm once more descended and Nar'Allia was the first to speak, she addressed Solin. "So if we are to believe this, then the race of the ancient fathers does not really exist for I do not see them here. Then what about the other elder races, what part do you wish us to believe about them?" She frowned.

Solin pursed her lips, then she smiled at Serinae.

Minervar had seen that look many times, a glance that spoke of deep friendship and unspoken understanding.

Then Solin turned once more to look at Nar'Allia. "No, you are correct my child, the race of the ancient fathers does not exist, well not as we imagine them. But then the ancient fathers are not really a race of people as such, they are actually an assembly of races. Once long ago this assembly called themselves The Combined Races."

Nar'Allia flung her hands up in an expression of disbelief, "then you talk in riddles Solin, I expected more from you."

Solin began to speak once more. "You remember I told you how the first born spread across the galaxy, how they populated worlds that could sustain life? Well living for hundreds of thousands of generations on those new worlds forced adaptations, the process of evolution works everywhere, it is necessary for long-term survival. Evolution made the necessary adaptations changing the first born both physically and mentally. Eny'Nin'Rel created his children to adapt to a changing environment, to evolve, to change, to ensure they made the best of what they had. He made them to survive. If you don't see it for yourself let me enlighten you. The T'Iea our people, we are one such adaption, a race formed and fashioned, moulded by the environment in which we lived. So you see the ancient fathers did not desert this world, they have been here all the time." How could they leave? Seri is proof they did not! She has been there, to the great city within the ship of the stars. If that is still here, then so must they be. Don't you see?" She smiled broadly. Then she repeated herself. "Do you not see? Do none of you see?" The ancient fathers never left this world. They are you, I see them in your faces, all of you are the ancient fathers. We did not come here as workers, as artisans of some higher, superior race. No, not at all, we came here as equals, each race with knowledge and expertise of their own, all equal. For we are, all of us, all the elder races, we are the Combined Races, we are the ancient fathers."

Solin waited as this information sunk in to each of them standing there.

It was Minervar who spoke to break the silence of their thoughts. "So while we are at it then, what about the race of men? Are they a part of this alliance of which you speak. Can they call themselves ancient fathers, one of the Combined Races also, can they lay claim to that lineage?"

Solin lowered her gaze, "ah, that is the question of all questions my child. That is the cause of all this. Everything that has happened. The answer is yes, in a way they can, for they too are children of Eny'Nin'Rel." She held up her hand warding off any more questions. "For that reason alone we are all here. Long ago men had advanced in technology to a point where they were approached by the Combined Races Combined Races to become part of the assembly, to be a part of this great alliance. But something occurred before that was finalised. The race of men are unpredictable. They decided to have a war." She shook her head sadly, "they had to have a war. A war that changed everything. An event so catastrophic that we became marooned on this world and were changed because of it. The war affected all. We were lucky though, we had our sanctuaries to retreat to and we watched as humankind destroyed themselves, for it was not our way to interfere with the choices of men. But in the end we decided that we needed to help save mankind, we made an exception. But this act had other effects upon us. Man was saved but some if not all our races suffered the consequences of our interference.

But then something happened to make us abandon our home, the great city of the stars where Serinae found herself invited to. What that single event or series of events was I cannot say, that portion of our history is lost to us I'm afraid. Perhaps the answer remains somewhere in the Star Ship, perhaps one day we will find out. But whatever happened, whether by accident or design, we came to live within the world of men. This act isolated each race, made us insular, turned us against one another. Where once we had allied in our common roots, we now separated. We began to diminish, we began to forget, to lose much of the knowledge we had. We became lost as it were on this world of men. So," she looked at Serinae once more and said, "we put together a plan, a master plan. A last ditch effort to make things right, an attempt to save all from another war, or worse. For this is what would have surely happened. We had already seen the ognod's attack the other elder races. We felt it wouldn't be long before the T'Iea, the T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran to be precise, would decide to take aggressive action and so it would go on until nothing and no one was left."

"But how did you discover all this?" It was Minervar who spoke.

"In the course of my academic career I discovered much that indicated at some of the history. But I admit now to something, I had a head start. I really did travel the northern lands; I really did meet the guardian, the old ognodess. She really did show me the way to the cylinder and Serinae here really did save my life. The cylinder showed us much, it held a message from one of those who travelled upon the great star ship, the city of the stars, that person had a hand in all the events of that time. But the message was a diary of one individual, we were still missing pieces. The part that filled in all of the gaps was the discovery of the Book of Truths. I know now that the human monks wrote it, I believe it was a collection of truths to remind the race of men, make them think, well it made me think to.

The three of us spent many years travelling and researching so much that eventually a pattern began to emerge. It became apparent that so much that was on this world did not actually belong originally to it. Then changes in the elder races also pointed at evolutionary adaptations, not all of them good. Things like the ognods increasingly experiencing problems with reproduction. The T'Iea increasing vulnerability to their darker side. Even the Pnook seem to be suffering from minor mental instability, increasing sharpness of anger and the like. Only the keepers and the Grûndén seem unaffected in obvious ways, but then the keepers remain in their natural environment, in TeraT'Inu'Itil their city in the voids and the Grûndén remain mostly hidden from the world in their own created environment which I suspect is closely modelled on what they remember of their real home. Neither of these two races spending much time within, or upon the world itself. Yet human kind seem unaffected by any of these symptoms, they remain unchanged as if the world agreed with them more. As if they belonged here, which of course they do.

"The three of us? You said the three of us?" Nar'Allia asked.

"Yes, we were three. Once. Seri, myself and ...."

"Tezrin." Solvienne said quickly before Solin could say the name.

Serinae smiled, "no, not Tezrin Solvienne. He came later and of course for very different reasons. No not Tezrin. If you have not guessed already, the third in our little band was the Grûndén Ĝørtmûnd, or Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd Fløwsélld to give him his full title.

Solvienne smiled and shook her head. She did have a look of surprise on her features, but this soon changed to an expression of realisation. "When we were in the machine hall, Serinae mentioned a society, a secret society. But I can't recall the name."

Nar'Allia said with some realisation, "The Compendium of the Combined." She then looked at Solin.

"Yes Solvienne Ĝørtmûnd was a member, in fact he held a special place within the society for he was the last surviving member of the original cast."

Solvienne became very excited and animated. "Yes. Yes, that's it, you were a member Solin, are still!"

Solin smiled and nodded. "My family were original members and like many others, the responsibility passed to me in due course yes."

Solvienne turned towards Serinae. "So Serinae must be a hereditary member also?"

Serinae looked at Nar'Allia. "It is true my mother was a member. My father however was not. So I did not inherit that responsibility. Hereditary membership was strictly restricted to those with both parents involved directly in the machines construction." Serinae was looking Solin, fire burned in her green eyes. "My father even though he was most probably around at the time of the building of the great machine had no direct - involvement, as a result he did not fulfil the necessary criteria for membership."

Solin quickly carried on. "So it was, the Combined Races built the machine. We built the machine. The machine helped to lessen the effects of the arcane upon us, but some still fell under the evil that the Rift contained and played host to. Amndo almost worked out the whole story for, the Rift was infiltrated by an evil intelligence, the Rift entity I think is what Amndo called it, not a physical presence, but none the less it had great intelligence, was able to learn and adapt. I think it was of a similar essence to the intelligence that controls the great star ship itself. But Amndo realised most of this, he learnt much through his selfless sacrifice and we have a lot to thank him for."

Solvienne thought of Amndo, she felt a little guilty of suspecting him of having sinister purpose when in fact he had saved them all, his final sacrifice had done more to save them than any other single event. She sighed. "There is one thing I still do not understand. The great machine, Tezrin's plan was to upset it and through that destroy the world. When you put the machine to rights the world was also put to rights once again. If the world needs the machine to keep stability, why then has nothing happened once we had destroyed the machine and along with it the Rift?"

Solin giggled to herself. "That can easily be explained my child. We misunderstood the true purpose of the great machine. Well to an extent. It is true that it was built to control the Rift, but more to keep the evil intelligence within the Rift imprisoned. It also functioned as a navigational beacon for the Star Ships." She sat back in her chair scrutinising Solvienne's face. "We also know that the Combined Races used the machines connections to the Rift as a highway, a road to get from one place to another. The one thing we mistook the machine for was s a controlling force critical to the well being of this world. It actually was never that and as such when the machine was destroyed it had no effect upon the stability of the world, it never did have. Apart from once of course, for when Tezrin foolishly toyed with the machines controlling biplextors he did actually cause the machine to malfunction and through the machine he was able to control the outflow of energy from the Rift increasingly destabilise the worlds orbit around the sun."

Solvienne had a sudden thought, a horrifying thought. "By the Maker, so when we destroyed the machine and the Rift along with it we freed the evil entity within it." She looked horrified. "We had done the one thing that could have destroyed the world as we know it!"

Solin stood and walked to Solvienne she took both her hands in hers. "What you say is true, but it was necessary to free the entity, the machine and the Rift as well as keeping the entity in check also protected the entity. All the while the Rift existed we could not counter the entity, could not destroy it. But remember Solvienne, the entity was making progress in freeing itself. Long ago the great keystone above the Rift was placed there, probably by the first corrupted T'Iea to keep a way open for the entity, to create a chink in the prison wall. Over the ages the entity has worked at that chink and it would not have been long until it could escape. If that were to happen then I think we would be in a far more precarious situation. It was better in the long run to have allowed the entity to escape on our terms forcing it to abandon the dying Rift and enter the one place where it could survive at the time – the great keystone. If it had freed itself, it would have chosen a more mobile host and we would have found ourselves in a far more dangerous situation. For then it would have been free to expand its influences upon the world at a rapid rate. I doubt Solvienne that any of us we would have survived. It would have quickly taken over the entire T'Iea population and through us waged a war once more upon the world that would have destroyed all the other races including mankind. Not only that but eventually it would have found the Star Ship in the voids and I am sure from there it would have travelled out into the greater universe." Solin shuddered. "That would have been unthinkable."

Nar'Allia spoke, "so you knew all this Solin? Right from the start?"

Solin turned to Nar'Allia, she was shaking her head as she said, "no Narny. That's just it I did not know half of it, only now in hindsight do I fully understand. Our success, our being here now, our saving grace boils down to one thing and one thing only. That rarest of resources. The totally selfless act of personal sacrifice made by one single individual when faced with the opportunity to save millions of others."

All of them were silent, they were all thinking of and thanking Master Amndo.

## Chapter 48. Full Circle

They all stood within a clearing in the forest of Elit G'fedrel. The vast trees, the S'Apli'Baum, stood high above them but even so much sunlight reached down in a speckled pattern to light the forest floor. The air was warm and mildly fragrant. High in the trees within the T'Iea city a gentle breeze blew through the leaves causing a distant rustling noise. Nar'Allia stood holding hands with Lo'Rosse, their son held between them leaning back against their knees; he played with a wooden toy sword.

Solvienne and Thor stood next to them both silent, Thor looked at Solvienne who screwed up her nose in a grin and pulled her shoulders together in an expression of delight and giggled. Thor shook his head slowly at his sister's expression for he knew it so well.

Serinae stood dressed in new calf length breaches and tunic of supple leather and new boots. Subtle stitching and colouring depicted flowers and other fauna of the wilds. It had taken Minervar several days to convince her to remove her old garb and discard it for new. Serinae had complained bitterly arguing that there were many years of service left in them and the crafting that made them was now a rarity and they would be difficult to replace. But she had conceded after Minervar had hinted with a screwed up nose that Serinae would be seeing those many years of service alone in that case. But what really clinched it and probably gave Serinae the excuse she needed was when the ex-T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran leather smith that Minervar had commissioned to make the new clothes showed Serinae his designs. To Serinae's great delight, like so many of the artisans of the old isolated city of R'Iggorr'Thegoran kept alive the long lost skills of the rest of the T'Iea race. She couldn't resist commissioning him to copy the designs of her original clothing and make her a new set..

Shak'Ee'Roe now Serinae's apprentice stood by her side, she was adorned as a ranger of old, with two short swords at her sides a long bow of white wood across her back, a shirt of bright shining chain mail armour, two bronze coloured bracers upon her forearms. An Ornate quiver hung by her side clipped to her leather belt, it held within many equally ornate arrows. But these arrows where not ethereal as you may expect; no, these arrows she had crafted herself and had solid shafts, expertly forged iron arrow heads and flights of red and orange feathers. Serinae smiled thinking once more how the T'Iea skills of long ago would now be revived once more.

Minervar held the hand of Iolrreas, who turning kissed her cheek; he smiled a knowing smile and winked his eye at her. He then left her standing there. Minervar smiled, she clasped both hands in front of her and rocked forward a couple of times on her toes as she watched her husband as he walked over to join two T'Iea standing side by side beneath an arch formed of living wood bedecked with flowers, berries and variegated vines leaves. As Iolrreas approached her side the female T'Iea standing there turned in greeting.

Solin looked up at Iolrreas and smiled, her features had changed dramatically, she looked years younger, once more returned to the time of her R'Golea'Foed. She leant across and whispered, "Iolrreas, thank you for consenting to give me away, it is a great honour."

Iolrreas smiled at her and leaning sideways towards her whispered back out of the corner of his mouth, "I assure you my lady that the honour rests with me." Then he leaned farther forward and looked across to where a T'Iea male stood very close next to Solin's other side. Iolrreas smiled and reaching across the front of Solin to Teathe'De'Turon the two men shook hands.

A cough sounded in front of the three of them.

They turned back to where the T'Iea dignitary stood smiling and the wedding ceremony began.

At the celebrations afterwards Minervar stood chatting to Solin as her new husband was led away by Iolrreas and Lo'Rosse to where Orln and Thor stood in the entrance of the Inn. They talked of the promise of the Brew Masters latest ale, especially brewed for this occasion and how he had excelled himself with this one. They laughed at the name the brew master had given the ale for when asked he had called it 'The Final Lesson Ale'. The two women watched them go. Minervar smiled as she saw Thor wave move off in the direction of a beautiful T'Iea female clad in flowing white silk, she had waved at him, her jet black hair cascaded down her back, it was interlaced with many flowers and leaves. Minervar smiled, she recognised the young T'Iea woman as a new friend that Thor had met recently, her name she believed to be Yu'Enia. She smiled even more as she saw both Lo'Rosse and Orln shake their heads at Thor. Iolrreas grasped both of them by the shoulders and steered them away, they disappeared inside the Inn. Minervar watched her son and his new friend embrace and then proceed to chat, she sighed and eventually she asked, "so what will you do now Solin?"

The older elf smiled and took Minervar's hand in both of hers, she considered the question. She looked towards Serinae where she stood chatting to a group of T'Iea, she recognised them as members of the newly formed artisan's guilds. Shak'Ee'Roe was standing by her side, she seemed to be in fits of laughter for some reason, Solin smiled gently at the young T'Iea male who seemed to hang on Shak'Ee'Roe's every word and was laughing with her. She looked at Nar'Allia holding the hand of her son, Nar'Allia had one hand laid gently on the now very obvious roundness of her expanding belly. Solvienne was entertaining a group of children with some simple tricks, she waved her hands and small flowers exploded into the air around her, the children trying to jump about and catch as many as possible as they slowly floated down to the ground.

She looked around at the vista of home, the T'Iea's real home. She looked at the gathering of many T'Iea, her people. Not a race split into three, no longer in separation as the T'Iea'Tarderi the Wood Elves, or the T'Iea'Denarin the High Elves, not even T'Iea'Neat'Thegoran the Dark Elves. At last once more complete, the T'Iea once again a united people. Many stood around chatting and laughing. They were all happy to be here. Here amongst the great trees, the S'Apli'Baum in the forests of old. They were content, she was content. There was nothing left to do except of course let nature and the will of Eny'Nin'Rel take its course, for there was nothing she could do to change any of it. After all she didn't need to.

Solin remembered a conversation she had with Serinae when they were catching up on events of the past. They were discussing where Serinae had been, where she had found herself when she had left the world of men so long ago. Solin had asked her old friend if there was any possibility of going there, somewhere she had not been in her long life, she felt would dearly like to go. Serinae had thought for a while, had smiled broadly at Solin, she had shrugged her shoulders and made a comment about Solin never being able to let go of the academic life. She had smiled and lifted Serinae's hand and kissed it, whilst looking deeply into her eyes. Serinae had then said, "why not. Yes, of course, but I'm afraid it is still by invitation only. Or perhaps you can find a guide, someone who knows the secret of how to reach that place."

With the memory of that meeting fading, Solin took in a deep breath of the fragrant air, she looked around at the high trees and closed her eyes. She squeezed Minervar's hand gently, then looking at Minervar's quizzical expression she said, "you know Mini, I feel like going on a long holiday. A really long holiday. I shall take Teathe of course and show him some sights. He has led a somewhat sheltered life of late, he needs to get out more." She gave that melodious giggle that Minervar loved so much.

Minervar laughed, "I would have thought that travelling was the last thing you would want to do Solin, after all have you not seen most everything on your many trips?"

Solin smiled a sly look on her face, "ah yes, I have seen most of the world of men. Perhaps the parts that I have not seen are not even worth going to see. But it is not there or even here in Elit G'fedrel of which I am thinking. As beautiful as it is, this will of course always be my home to return to." She stood deep in thought for a few seconds whilst Minervar looked at her quizzically. Then she continued as she clasped both hands behind her and rocking backwards and forwards on her heals and toes she said, "No it is not Elit G'fedrel that I am thinking of."

Minervar looked sideways at Solin, still a questioning look upon her face. "What are you scheming now My Lady? Another secret no doubt?"

Solin just stared back, then as if coming to a decision she said, "no I am done with secrets. But yes that's it, I think I will do some travelling." She turned and looked towards where the men had disappeared into the Inn. "But the only thing is I will need a Helmsman." She thought for a while and said, "perhaps our dearest friend Master Amndo may have once consented to that position, but now I will have to find another, what do you think?" Minervar seemed astonished, but before she could make a response, Solin reached inside her robe and held something in the palm of her hand. Both T'Iea looked down as she opened her fingers one by one revealing a small black shiny stone. Solin added, "Yes, I will ask the keepers, I will ask them the first opportunity I get." She giggled at the perplexed look on Minervar's face.

Late that evening following the celebrations everyone had retired to their homes high amongst the trees, or to the Inn. Serinae was in the parlour room of her own house; she found she relished the solitude. The door to the balcony remained open allowing a cool breeze to blow through the room carrying a fragrance upon it that excited a long forgotten memory deep within her mind. She was suddenly weary but she did not feel like going to her bed. It was as if her life had caught up with her at last, she felt a deep tiredness. Not fatigue, but a sensation of at last being at rest after much arduous but rewarding toil. She shook her head and pondered on making a trip to the artisan quarter of the city. There was a busy place both night and day, she found herself constantly drawn there, for many of the T'Iea they had rescued from R'Iggorr'Thegoran remained very skilled in many of the arts and crafts of old. Much that she thought lost in time had been revived and she revelled in being there, watching the artists hand as it were. The smiths and artificers had come into their own, for here it seemed in Elit G'fedrel, their skills thrived and grew for after all here was where those skills were originally honed and fine-tuned.

But after a while she rested her head back against the chair, her eyes closed. Her mind wandered. She remembered how long, long ago gentle fingers would stroke the back of her hand as it rested upon a similar chair in a very different place. She remembered the soft kiss that was placed gently and affectionately upon her forehead. She imagined she could detect something else, another's scent upon the breeze, an exciting aroma she knew from old, from another age, a perfume to her nostrils that she cherished as belonging to someone she knew very well and had been very close to. Suddenly she thought she heard a gentle laugh, one that she also knew well, but possibly it was just her imagination thinking back to a time long gone. She opened one eye just to be sure, but no one stood in the room with her.

She smiled and sighed, drew her bare feet up onto the chair and wrapping the hem of her nightdress around them she enveloped both arms around her knees, she then spoke as if another was in the room with her. "Tezrin, be still. Wait for me there in the halls of Eny'Nin'Rel, for my time will surely come. But in the meantime please give my love to your father and both our mother's, tell them I will join them soon enough."

She was perhaps rewarded by a warm glow within her being. There she sat in the chair in front of the hearth her eyes closed. She dreamt of woodlands and seascapes, of high mountains and white beaches, of white city walls and the beauty of waterfalls cascading downwards lost in the mists below. She sighed at these thoughts, all the cherished experiences of a long life. She remembered all of those she had known, those she had the honour of knowing, of fighting alongside for goodness and for truth and light. Those that had shaped her, moulded her, made her who she was. She was thankful to them all, even those that she had treated less than favourably at times. She silently thanked them all and asked for their forgiveness. She drifted into sleep.

Then he came gently to her as if billowing upon the fragrant breeze. A pure bright light shone all around, no not around, from within him, he was the source of the brilliant light, it shone from him. He approached with a beaming smile, both arms held out. She was not frightened, how could she be, here was pure and unconditional love. He took her up as if she were but a feather and held her gently in the embrace of his everlasting love, surrounded her in the warm glow of the light of truth. She looked upon that smiling face through a curtain of joyful tears. A fatherly face, a face full of knowledge, full of the knowledge of everything. Pure features unblemished and unmarked by anything sour or tainted, a face radiant with the extreme beauty of perfection and purity. Serinae felt an overwhelming sense of deep satisfaction and peace. In an instant all fatigue and tiredness was gone from her, she felt a vitality within her deepest being like never before. In that moment he spoke and she understood everything, it was all so simple, so obvious, so easy to comprehend now that he had explained. It was all so easy. All her life's questions had been answered in a single moment and she understood it all. She giggled and thought of the promise of a time of relaxation, of a new life spent doing, well doing the things she wanted and not what she was bound by other forces to do.

A book lay upon her lap, one slender hand held it there, she had been reading it earlier. She had borrowed it from Nar'Allia, the title on the cover was Nu'Er'Etalle. All the muscles in her body gently relaxed and she exhaled a final long breath. As her body completely stilled her arms released her knees and they both tilted to one side, the book slipped gently from the crook of her arm. It slid from her lap and landed with a dull thud upon the woollen rug that covered the floor. It lay open at the page she had last been reading.

To any able to understand the ancient T'Iea text written within the pages they would have read ......

'The Parting of the Chosen'

The great battle is done, the war is won.  
My life's tasks I have striven to fulfil.  
Some good has come of all I pray.  
For this legacy I can now pass on.  
To whoever may take up my rod.

For at last my labours have all but ended.  
Naught is left for me, but the great journey.  
One last final effort, before I rest eternal.  
The ship has come hither to carry me home.  
The pure white sails are unfurling.  
The light of the Everlasting shines forth.

Farewell all trials and tribulation.  
All I have, I count naught in gain or loss.  
I return naked as the day I was born.  
All that I am I hold within me.  
My heart of hearts is overflowing.

My friends! I must leave you one last time.  
Do not mourn; my passing is but a moment.  
Until again we meet upon those sacred shores.  
See the white armada sailing forth born upon his breath.  
I will wait for you, look to the sea for your coming.  
Do not weep for me, for I pass beyond the veil.  
Rejoice, for I am chosen for great reward beyond value.  
I receive at last what I have but hoped for in my dreams.

The Everlasting is calling me hither.  
I can linger no longer upon what I know.  
His gentle voice I can no longer deny.  
For I see the way lined with silver and gold.  
The gates of gilded light are swung open wide.  
They welcome my return home from whence I once came.

Someone had written in a neatly flowing, well scripted hand alongside the text:

This T'Iea poem, famous for being inscribed upon the crypt of one 'Te'Onolan'De'Frostnosse', a T'Iea General, a ranger by all accounts, attached to the Legion of the Wind at around the time of the Sedral'coronis'et'na'tyuosd.

Te'Onolan'De'Frostnosse's black marble crypt may still be seen where it remains amongst those of notable disposition within the great House of Sleeping in Ter'Hadsnefel – (at least it was there the last time I was in the city!).

It remains perhaps a lasting reminder to our people of all that is good and right.

Someone had signed their initials alongside the note, – S.De.T. Then they had added, perhaps as an afterthought, or maybe someone else had added this note for the pen and ink, as was the hand in which they had been written were different, somehow brighter, fresher:

Sadly, the actual author of the poem remains unknown.

THE END

## Epilogue

It took many hundreds of years of man but the elder races slowly dwindled from the world. Most decided that they would return to the void dwellings, the sanctuaries where the Combined Races once lived, those places where for many centuries they had lived and worked in their toils. The Combined Races slowly disappeared from the world leaving it to the race of men once more. But humankind struggle to believe what they cannot see or hold and after several generations of men had passed no man lived that actually knew of the Combined Races first hand, so they became but myth and legend.

The Keepers remained close to the world of men for many ages so that any of the Combined Races left behind who wished could traverse the void ways to where the rest of their race dwelled.

The Combined Races all did well now that they were returned at last to their natural environments. The T'Iea peoples to Elit G'fedrel, the Grûndén to Târgrûûn Døe, the Pnook to Babaptruek the Ognods to Groouunden and of course the Keepers who remained in TeraT'Inu'Itil which had always been their sanctuary within the voids.

Some individuals of the Combined Races did stay behind however within the world of men. They remained by free choice until one by one they died of old age or of other causes. These few became legend in the eyes of mankind, for they still outlived generations of humans. But human kind is forgetful and these few became treated in the main with some mistrust as successive generations of man either forgot, or the stories told by their forefathers became confused or just too unbelievable to accept. So it was that many of the Combined Races that remained upon the world hid away from it, went to live in the more remote corners of the world, away from the narrower minds of mankind. There came a day of course when the last remaining survivor died, alone and unseen by any other, an event not noticed by anyone except Eny'Nin'Rel, the father of all. Then truly only the stories of old remained.

But every now and again a strange skeleton of an unexplained being would be discovered or strange unexplainable item or other remains. But no human could remember what these were, so stories were made up to explain away the unknown. Within every human culture stories abound of gods and heroes of the ancient past, of beings with supernatural power and strength. Of dwarves and of giants. Of the little folk and of the faery. Tales of mystical beasts, some reputed to be helpful and some mischievous if not malevolent. All human societies share something of these stories a variation from the long forgotten past without any plausible explanation. A way perhaps of explaining away the unknown with a wave of the hand.

Sometimes humans themselves exhibit strange characteristics, unusually great age, or strange unexplainable feats of mind and body, manifestations that seem to go beyond that of normal human capability. Throwbacks perhaps caused by ancient bloodlines where a maiden of one of the Combined Races had married a human male or visa-versa. Also stories abound of ghosts and ghouls, beings from the spirit world, beings without physical form that seem trapped between worlds. Tales of great fire breathing beasts from the clouds able to reign mass destruction down upon the world, or stories of hairy monstrous man-beasts living in the higher mountain valleys. Even of great sea monsters rising from the depths.

But with the Combined Races gone, it was inevitable that men quickly forgot the existence of the ancient places and the other races they once shared the world with. Men of different casts told tales of lost cites, reality and imagination became swirled together, romantic notions told of places like the honoured halls of Camelot, the desert gold of El Dorado, the snow bound mysticism of Shangri-La and of course mythical cities of ancient wisdom and power like Atlantis. Many men sort these places, driven by the romance of them, or by the promise of riches beyond imagination. They made it their life's work to discover. Many were sure at times that they had found them and even unto utter ruin would not concede that such places did not exist.

But still to this day some archaeologist may find an odd looking artefact or dig up what remains of an ancient city. Find some item the explanation or location of which defies all knowledge. Hints at lost civilisations with a culture and understanding that belies belief. Strange outlines that can be seen from the clouds and mysterious artefacts found deep beneath the oceans and in the more remote corners of the world. Stories told by lone travellers and the ranting's of the dispossessed. Tales with no scientific explanation and therefore deemed as having no grounding in reality.

On a wide open moor in the east remains a hill upon the pinnacle of which for some inexplicable reason there is a large block of stone. Jet black is this stone, perfectly smooth and oblong in shape, it glistens in the sunlight, it is made of some strange dense material, nowhere else in the world can this mineral be found. It shrugs off rain and does not erode even though it is battered by the elements almost constantly. It will not be moved or marked in any way. The men that live in the surrounding lands do not go near the hill on which lies the block of stone. They say it has evil properties and all those that touch the stone or even approach it are taken ill and die or are driven mad, or even disappear never to return. They say the place is guarded by a secretive race of mischievous, diminutive beings they call Pixies. Ghostly visages have been reported as being seen in the area throughout history, spirits roaming the heather as if lost or searching.

But what of the house in Amentura? All that knowledge and history, that culture and science. Well it is still there of course. The town of Amentura then? I hear you ask, where is the town? Who knows, maybe it has become a city known now by another name. Maybe you will find it, if you look in the right place. Maybe you will find it where you least expect. Perhaps see some of its knowledge reflected in the musings of others, or see it in your children's abilities and interests. Perhaps you will see it in the face of another. Maybe even discover part of it within yourself when you least expect it. I encourage you to look for it always. Never ever close your mind my friend. Treat nothing with triviality; never brush something off as impossible or improbable, for everything has roots in something, whether those origins are remembered or not with the passing of the generations. Embrace your thoughts, explore your notions and do not discard any fruits of your imagination for they are all, all of them very precious.

Remember always that more often than not, the most extraordinary things that may happen come from the most insignificant of beginnings. All that is needed is a little faith. I say again, be adventurous my friend, open your mind wide, ignore that small voice that may tell you differently, trying its best to hold you back, to place a barrier to your imagination. Do not allow yourself to be bound by the confines of the world, any world. Refuse the selfish limitations imposed by the will and thoughts of others. Grasp every opportunity, for who knows where it may lead.

In the silent moments, look for Amentura my friend; I assure you it is there, but a short journey away if you only wish to attempt it. For the only barrier stopping you is the one you create yourself.

But I, dear reader, I am thankful. For I count myself fortunate to have lived in such a time, a time of Serinae and of Minervar and of Nar'Allia and all of their companions and kin. A time to be proud of. A time worthy of remembrance. For I will remember all of them, to my final hour.

So then, until that hour comes who knows; I may even write more, for on this great journey I have the feeling that I will have plenty of time to do so. Until that is to a time when the Maker calls me home and all the answers to all the questions are made clear at last.

So, until then, I remain your servant as always.

Solin De'Teinde.

My dear reader,

So there you have it. The end of the story. Well at least this part.

It has been unimaginable fun writing it and I wonder what will come next. So perhaps you have a suggestion? Maybe there is something in this tale that you would like expanded upon, or perhaps explained in greater detail? Well drop me a line. Who knows if I am persuaded I may pack up my pen and paper, go and seek out Solin and ask her what she knows!

The author may be contacted at Solin.DeTeinde@btinternet.com.

Until then perhaps you may wonder how the elder races came to be in the world? Or what the events were that the Grand Master – Borhran undertook that struck such fear into the elder races? Perhaps you would like to know more of Serinae's parentage? Then there is the mystery surrounding the evil entity within the Rift? And of course there is that great Star Ship hidden in the voids?

If you would like to learn more of the ancient history hinted at throughout this trilogy, then perhaps you would like to read the next and still future book –

'In the Meadow of my Dreams'- A prequel to the trilogy 'A Twist in the Tale'.

In the meantime if you enjoyed this book and indeed this trilogy (or perhaps you found it lacking in some way), then please do leave a constructive comment on the book download page. It is likely that your views and remarks are the only ones available to any author like myself submitting works for download, thus they are all invaluable feedback and gratefully received.

