Kianne's Journal - Archive

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[11/7/2003]

Andrella and I were in my house, discussing the upcoming trip to Felucca, when outside we heard a moan like a zombie. Startled, I spun around, my bow already in my hand. A zombie, out here? I went to the door and threw it open.

Outside, heading slowly for my house, was the same zombie that Soth had been using as a lackey when we'd gone to get the cogs. He'd killed it then, but it appeared to have been pieced back together. And not very well, from the looks of how it struggled to walk forward.

"Soth? Are you back?" I murmured with narrowed eyes as we walked out onto the grass to face the zombie.

The zombie moaned a few times. "M..aster... go..ne..."

I almost felt sorry for the pitiful creature.

Andrella frowned as the zombie moaned incoherently. "Egor?"

"E...gon..." the zombie insisted.

"Egon!" she repeated. I guess that was its name after all.

Egon was carrying a parchment. While Andrella and I stood there watching with confusion, the zombie stretched out its hand toward me, as if offering the book to me. Unfortunately, it was so badly decomposed that the arm cracked from the stress and fell off from the shoulder. With a singlemindedness that was almost chilling, the creature leaned over to pick up its arm with its other one. But this movement just caused the entire body to fall apart, and Egon collapsed into a pile of flesh and bones, lifeless once again.

We stood for some time staring at it in complete bafflement. Finally Andrella stepped forward and carefully picked up the old tome that the zombie had been carrying. She brushed it off a little and passed it to me.

"Phew, let's go back inside," I suggested, and we retreated inside the house where we couldn't smell the rotting flesh.

"What is this?" I murmured, frowning down at the parchment in my hand. Was this a message of some sort from Soth?

Dusting it off, I opened it to the first page. It appeared to be a journal, I realized immediately. The first section was penned in the same handwriting of the note that Soth had once written for me.

I let Andrella see, but it was difficult for us both to read it at once, so I read parts of it out loud for her.

"‘Sheviliamuarin, the white dragon of the clouds. A young dragon, by standards of the wyrms, but a powerful and unique dragon. You see, she had long ago found the core of Exodus in the lost treasures of...’" I broke off. "Exodus! So Soth had known!"

"What?" she gasped in surprise.

Rapidly I read further. Little did she know that the Core bound itself to her, injecting her with wisdom and strength far beyond her own. She became consumed by its power, it transformed her into a bloodthirsty, demonic fiend...

The journal revealed that Soth had indeed stumbled across Shevilia after Minax had killed the dragon following the destruction of Terfin (although Soth hadn't known about Minax of course). He raised her as undead warily, curious to see what would happen. I repeated this part to Andrella, and she responded, "Ah...it makes sense." Then she chuckled. "For someone who claimed to know a lot, he sure did get kicked in the end."

Soth went on to note that Shevilia was the most intelligent undead creature he had ever encountered. Right about here, the handwriting changed. For a few moments I debated why the writing was almost illegible now. Then I remembered. Shevilia had been the source of Soth's curse. Eventually he had become ethereal, unable to hold a pen, so he must have had something else writing for him. Maybe even Egon, given the looks of it.

Soth described how he had discovered that Shevilia seemed to emanate an aura that helped ease the pain of his curse. He wanted the core of Exodus for himself, but he didn't know how to obtain it.

"Why am I not surprised?" Andrella sighed.

I shook my head. Soth had walked beside Shevilia, thinking she was easing his pain, and all the while she silently laid her curses upon him.

Then my eyes fastened on one of the final sentences, and I felt myself grow still and a little cold.

She took an immediate liking to the golden shard of immortality. Even her greed held over in death. I allowed her to carry it, knowing she would let no harm come to it...

He had known! He knew the golden rocks were pieces of the Gem! I shook my head, reflecting at how close he may well have come to fulfilling Shamino's nightmares.

"His own selfishness and greed framed him," Andrella commented. "There is a moral here somewhere." She snickered.

I chuckled. "We have to make sure he never comes back."

We met with the others at the Keep. Shamino was there, but he was coughing and limping and didn't look well. Yet he refused to admit there was anything wrong with him, simply smiling warmly at us whenever we asked him about it.

"I come with more important news," he told us. "Draxinusom has summoned for you, Kianne."

"I would like to meet with him," I nodded. But we had been planning to go to Felucca today to finally destroy the black void golem.

"I would like to see him as well," Shamino nodded. "And Andrella must go." He smirked. She grinned. "Oh, and Andrella," he added. "You had better be ready. Blackthorn will be calling for you."

"Oh?" we asked in surprise.

"It won't be now," he nodded. "But he is making preparations now I am sure--to hand the kingdom over to you, Andrella."

I was surprised, but Andrella seemed to understand instantly.

"Oh no, I don't think so," she smirked grimly. "He's not getting away that easily! He wanted to be King...let him be King."

I thought it was a good opportunity for us to reinstate Andrella as regent, but I scratched my head. "That doesn't sound like him at all."

"He knows you will be saving British soon," Shamino explained. "He does not want to be caught on the throne."

Andrella's grin grew wider. "I want him to be seated on that throne when British comes back."

Finally, I understood. I couldn't help but shake my head a little though.

"So are we going after the golem?" I asked, changing the subject.

The others nodded, but Shamino suggested, "Perhaps you should see Draxinusom first. He is a wise gargoyle. He will surely have some insight to the golem."

I agreed that it couldn't hurt, so we went outside where I formed a moongate to the forest city that Shamino had gotten me coordinates for.

The underground forest was more like a swamp, but the air smelled a lot more clean than is typical for a swamp, and the water was not as murky. Gargoyles wandered the city going about their ways. None of them attacked us or spoke with us.

Shamino led the way, and we very quickly came across Draxinusom. He was just as I had remembered him, a tall gargoyle with dark skin. The circlet crown once again rested upon his head.

We greeted him and I introduced Navien and Ayla. He already recognized Shamino, of course, as well as Andrella because of her swords.

Draxinusom asked Shamino if it was true that the serpent wars had ended.

"It is true," Shamino nodded, covering a cough with his hand.

"At the last," Draxinusom sighed with relief. "And your British?"

"He will be rescued soon," Shamino assured him.

But Draxinusom was already nodding. "To know this, I do. But it is a wonderment to see you alive."

"I am glad to be alive," Shamino responded. "And lucky."

It wasn't luck, I wanted to point out, but I remained silent. He hadn't escaped by luck; he had sacrificed himself so that everyone else might live.

"Is it British still not happy with us?" Draxinusom asked Shamino, catching me a little by surprise. I'd thought the relations between the gargoyles and the humans had been repaired once the Codex had been returned to the void. Well, there was that caste system that evolved in the 200 years after, but...

"I do not know, Draxinusom," Shamino was saying. "I have not seen him for a long time."

But we'll fix that, I thought.

Draxinusom frowned. "Then it will remain a wonderment."

"I am sure he will understand," Shamino assured. I was idly wondering what exactly they were referring to, but I decided I would ask at a better time.

Draxinusom nodded. "Then I must of wait to speak to him." He turned to me. "The Avatar of the legends then. At the last. Is it you who are to face the killer of Avatars?"

Killer of Avatars? I assumed he meant Minax; after all, she had killed Michael. So I nodded my head. "Aye, we plan on it." I couldn't commit to more than that, since I was honestly still unsure as to how we were going to defeat Minax. I only knew that we must.

Draxinusom did not appear surprised. "I did know of you long ago. The Codex did tell us,and I did know you were the one coming. But many of us did not believe it."

I blinked. The Codex? How had he viewed it? "But the Lens..?"¹

"The Lens is not gone," Draxinusom replied, understanding my question. "But the Codex is."

I stared at him, completely uncomprehending. The Codex being gone was utterly unfathomable to me. "It is?"

Draxinusom nodded. "To be known the Avatar destroyed it." When he saw I was rendered speechless, he went on, "It was to be, the Codex foresaw it."

I was shaking my head by then. "How could this be?" No Avatar would ever destroy the Codex!

"The killer of Avatars did it," Draxinusom clarified.

"Minax...destroyed the Codex?" I gasped in barely a whisper.

"She is the killer of only one Avatar." Draxinusom shook his head. "The Black Void is the killer of them all."

I could do nothing but stare at him. "All...?" I managed to force out.

"To be the golem who is hunting and killing worlds and their Avatars," Draxinusom explained. "And then the Minax and the Mondain brought him to this world to be the killer here. It was here he became the black void. Here when he found the Codex."

I was still staring at him. I felt like a fish out of water. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a thought repeated fiercely, Michael would never do this! This was the golem's doing, the void left behind when Michael was killed!

"But the wisps said..." I murmured helplessly, then licked my lips and frowned. If Draxinusom had gotten his information from the Codex, then it must be correct...

Instead of being insulted, Draxinusom looked interested. "What did of the wisps say?"

"That the black void was formed when the Avatar was killed..." I replied slowly. I couldn't bring myself to call Michael by name. "But...I thought that happened here..."

"To be known the wisps can see much of other worlds," Draxinusom nodded. "My knowledge comes from the Codex only."

"The Codex could not be wrong," I assured him. "I'm just not understanding..."

Draxinusom explained, "It is said the golem will come for it and the Codex is what made the golem turn against Minax. It was to be. The Codex showed the golem, the killer of the Avatars, who he was. It was for not us to question. Not many had believed my words, but the black void was the Avatar. My words were not welcome here. To be shunned and outcast from the island..."

I listened with mute amazement, just shaking my head a little in disbelief. Not the Avatar. Not Michael. Or...was it?

Draxinusom looked at me. "But I knew the black void was not the Avatar we waited for. For there is one of the Avatars who could not be killed by time and gates. An immortal Avatar."

My head shot up in surprise.

"It is known to be you now," Draxinusom went on. "For when I said to all that an immortal Avatar was coming, they had to be confused at how the Avatar could die if he was immortal."

Somewhere in the back of my mind, in the flippant part of it which was still functioning, a tiny thought surfaced: Very easily. Ha ha.

The key isn't that we don't die, but that we come back to life afterward...

"It was too confusing to me, but the Codex knew," Draxinusom finished.

"And the Codex is gone..." I murmured.

"To be so," Draxinusom nodded grimly.

"What of the other shards?" I asked. Surely there is a shard somewhere on which the Codex still exists!

"The other worlds that the Black Void walked to are no more," he said. I grimaced.

"But there is more to your quest, Immortal Avatar," Draxinusom warned me. "Something you cannot yet fathom."

"More still?" I couldn't help but gasp out. Something worse than even all of this?

He nodded. "To have needed to see you for this, for without the Codex you may not ever know this. I was said to tell you when you came."

I tried to nod my head, but I'm not sure the command to perform the action ever reached my muscles. I understood what he was saying. Normally, I would be able to view the Codex if I was given a Sacred Quest, which occurred when there was something important that I needed to accomplish. But without the Codex...

I took a breath and braced myself. "What is the more to tell?"

"The shards of immortality must be destroyed." He nodded his head slightly. "And for this to happen is not a thing anyone else can do."

Andrella gave me a glance. I knew we were thinking along the exact same lines, as usual. Nystul had once told us that if the golden rocks were destroyed, Britannia would be destroyed as well.

"But what happens when they are?" I asked Draxinusom carefully, knowing the Codex would have told him.

"If they are destroyed by Mondain as he is wishing," Draxinusom replied, "the world of this will collapse. To be only you who can change it."

I nodded slowly. "How do we do this?"

"Each rock is to be contain a small shard. The very core itself."

I'd thought those rocks were a little big to be pieces of the Gem of Immortality...

"It is when the rocks are broken the core will be activated," he finished.

I frowned at a sudden thought. "Just a shard? Not even the entire gem?"

"No, it will be together," Draxinusom said. "It must be all. If Mondain takes it, he will win."

I shuddered at just the thought.

"To be anyone who touches the shards to be forever powerful," Draxinusom described. "And have the lasting of ever life. But that is why only you must take it. Only one who is immortal can destroy it--for it is your own immortality you must sacrifice."

I felt as though someone had just dropped me into a bottomless pool of freezing water. I was numb from head to toe, and although Draxinusom continued speaking, I didn't hear anything that he said, his voice muted as if reaching me through a deep sea.

It didn't occur to me at the time, but looking back, I wonder now if it is not a matter of opposites. We know that anyone who possesses the Gem of Immortality gains eternal life. Apparently, if that person is already immortal, the power of the Gem is reversed, and the person loses his immortality instead.

Draxinusom looked at me with understanding in his eyes. "To know you have much to think about. But to know that only the Avatar can do this. The Codex said it was so: the immortal Avatar."

"Kianne must die?" Shamino asked slowly.

"No, she is not," Draxinusom replied. "She is to live at last."

To live, only to die...

"To grow old as us all." Draxinusom gazed at me. "To know the sacrifice is great to you. But to be the one we waited so long for. It is not a choice made today. To be thought of by you before the shards are together. For one of you will have to take it. To be one to gain power or one to destroy it?"

I forced my mouth to function, focusing my mind on what is truly important. "But the world will be safe if we destroy it?" I said 'we' instead of 'I' for I know that I am never in this alone, and I would never have accomplished anything that I have done if I was by myself.

Neither to live alone, nor to die alone...

Draxinusom nodded. "Forever it will be."

That settled it then. "We will have to beat Mondain to it then." My expression was grim.

"To go and know what I told you to be true. To hope you are the one we waited for." Draxinusom paused, then added meaningfully, "Though I know you to be. It is you who must know it now."

I nodded numbly, my head moving as if it belonged to someone else. "Thank you, Draxinusom."

"To be always welcome," he assured us. "Farewell, immortal Avatar and her company, and Andrella, the lady of swords."

We said our farewells, and I turned to walk a short distance away before forming a moongate using the Orb. My fingers were cold and felt as though they were bound to the moonstone, too numb to be peeled away. I was surprised with myself that I was able to even concentrate enough to create a moongate to the Keep. We're lucky we didn't end up in the ocean somewhere.

Sygil was there at the Keep when we arrived, but I was barely aware of his--or anyone's--presence. I stood gazing blindly at the red moongate, my mind elsewhere.

Shamino paused beside me. "I had no idea, Kianne," he said to me softly. I think there was pain in his expression, but I was too dazed to read it. "I am sorry, I didn't know..."

I shook my head mechanically. "It is all right." I lifted my gaze, finally seeing him and the others. It was as if I was looking at them for the first time. A wan smile rose to my face. "Perhaps I have lived long enough already."

Sygil looked confused--and no surprise, as he hadn't been there to hear the conversation.

"There must be another way," Shamino protested, but I barely heard him.

"Let us all go inside," Andrella suggested, and we followed her advice without comment. Andrella and Sygil trailed behind the rest of us; I learned later that she was filling him in briefly on what had taken place.

"I must apologize greatly," Shamino began when we were inside. "I should have known what Draxinusom wanted. I should have gone to see him first."

But I shook my head. "Hearing it from you, or from him... The news is the same."

Shamino looked at me helplessly. "No, it can't be so..."

I shrugged, my face a stone mask. "It's not really much of a price."

"You don't want to grow old--you don't need to," he protested.

"It was unfair anyway," I returned with sudden pain in my eyes. "Look at you." I had stayed young, while he had grown old overnight...

"Yes, look at me," he agreed. "You don't want to become like this."

I sighed. "What choice do we have?" I asked him quietly.

He gave me a depressed look in return.

"Curse the Codex..." Shamino muttered finally, coughing. Then he let out a jagged sigh. "Forgive me, Avatar..."

I shook my head, deflating. "I can't believe it was destroyed..."

Sygil came in right around then. "Can we believe it was destroyed?"

Shamino and I both nodded. "If Draxinusom said it," I began.

Shamino finished for me, "I would want to believe it." He nodded his head at me and pointed out, "How did Draxinusom know you were immortal? The Codex must have told him something."

I nodded in agreement. Sygil spoke up, "I am sorry I was not with you just now, but I have a few questions..."

I turned to him, suddenly remembering sheepishly that he must be hopelessly lost. "I'm sorry, Sygil, you must have a million questions."

He smiled wryly, then quickly grew grim. "Do we necessarily have to do what was explained? Could there not be another way?"

I was about to point out that what the Codex said should be followed. But Shamino was speaking then. "British may know." He turned to look at me. "Do not dwell so much on it, Kianne. I do not wish to lead you on with false hopes, but I will not give up so easily. I don't want to lose another Avatar..."

I gave him a helpless look, unable to find a response to that.

Shamino coughed again, and Andrella finally broke in with concern, "Shamino, you should get some rest."

He nodded in agreement. "I am sorry."

"A gate to Moonglow?" I offered, trying to keep the worried look off my face but, I suspect, failing miserably.

"Do you have the rune to Dawn?" Shamino asked me.

"Coordinates, aye," I nodded. I'd never marked a rune, because I didn't need to.

"I would very much like to rest there," he said. "Under the stars."

Ayla gave him some honey and lemon for his cough, and Sygil gave him some elven wine. I formed a moongate with the Orb and went through with Shamino to make sure I had put the gate to the right location.

"I will think much on it, Kianne," he assured me once we were standing in the clearing.

I nodded my head. "Thank you, Shamino. Sleep well."

Then I returned back through the gate to the Keep where the others waited.

"There has to be another way," Sygil was saying.

Navien looked at me as I returned, probably thinking that I needed something to take my mind off the situation. "What is our next task?"

I took a deep breath and returned my thoughts to the matter at hand. "The golem, first and foremost."

Andrella nodded. "We need to make our move," she agreed. "Kianne, correct me if I'm wrong," she added with a wink, "but I believe we are going to just go into the gate which leads us to Minax's throne room."

I nodded my head. Andrella and I had gone back and forth about it back at my house, but there really seemed to be no good solution. As I had pointed out, there was every possibility Minax would be there in the throne room when we opened the moongate. And even if she wasn't, surely she had posted guards around the blackrock gate, or some other trap for us. There was very little we could do to get around this. The element of surprise was going to be our only advantage, and even that was dwarfed by the fact that Minax knew we were coming. She just might not know when.

"That was the best I could come up with," I nodded my head, chuckling slightly.

"We will need a plan directly following that," Andrella stated. "My idea is to protect Kianne at all costs. We hold whomever back and she takes care of the Void."

"We don't know where the blackrock gate is, though, exactly," I pointed out. "I could try to just run for it, if we can pinpoint it..."

"I have an idea," Navien suggested. "We could distract whatever may lie before us...while Ki runs around while invisible."

Andrella and I had discussed something similar. We had already discarded the idea of using the cloak. I would probably be unable to open the gate with the cloak on, so we couldn't risk it. But the rings of invisibility that I possessed lasted only a short while, and I could break their invisibility at any time by pulling off the ring--unlike with the cloak.

Andrella nodded her head. "Any oppose?"

We all shook our heads. "So," I mused, "I'll carry the skull and the keys and go in invisible?" We weren't sure if the bags of holding would work in Minax's castle, which is also something Andrella and I had discussed earlier.

"I think that's the plan," Andrella smiled.

"Once I find the blackrock gate I will just go through," I warned them. Then I hesitated. "I hope all of you will be safe."

"Do we follow you?" Ayla asked.

"Everyone needs to stay behind me," I replied, reminding them. "Keep me between the golem and you." I smiled wryly.

They nodded in understanding. We went outside the keep to make the moongate. "Everyone ready?" I asked, holding the Orb with one hand and my parchment full of coordinates with the other.

They nodded again. "It is a good day to die," Ayla teased.

To die, yet to live...

I activated the Orb, slipped the ring onto my finger, and we all piled through.

Rather to my surprise, we did not come out in the throne room itself, which was rather ironic, because I was thinking perhaps it would have been better if we did not. We landed just before the steps that lead up to the front entrance to the castle--inside the moat, but not yet inside the castle. The courtyard looked very much like the mirror of it that is Lord British's castle, but it was utterly quiet. No birds sang from the trees, and no fruits burdened the branches.

As had been said, everything is dead in Felucca...

I moved immediately toward the entrance of the castle, but was startled to come across a magical barrier sealing the doorway. My invisibility wore off as we were trying to figure out a way though. I grumbled a little in frustration, now thinking that we should have come out in the throne room after all.

Suddenly we saw Minax approach us from deeper within the castle. "Hide!" Andrella gasped to me. I did so, but only because I was carrying the skull of Mondain on me, and I didn't want Minax to get it. I would have faced her directly otherwise.

Minax teleported herself onto a rampart above the entrance. "Well, look at this," she chuckled evilly, gazing down at our little group. "And where is the precious Avatar? Oh Avatar...I know you are here."

The others seemed to be at a loss for something to say, and were focusing on trying to find another way into the throne room--our goal. Minax's eyes narrowed. "Well, we will see if my little spells can get you out."

As if on cue, suddenly Garn rode up on an ethereal horse. He looked much the same as before, except that his skin was sickly pale and his eyes were empty of life. He reared his horse to a halt a short distance from our party, then spun about and rode the other way, as if trying to lure us into chasing him.

"Don't follow," Andrella directed. "It's just to get us away."

More Sin warriors appeared, running directly for our little group and attacking immediately. They were accompanied by enchanted weapons--swords, maces, even spiked gauntlets--all of which floated through the air as if being carried by invisible men, moving and attacking on their own.

My friends retaliated. I looked up, still hidden, and saw that Minax had disappeared.

Deciding to risk it, I revealed myself and grabbed up my bow, firing at the enemies. Andrella spun and slashed with her double swords, Navien stood back to cast spells, and I saw Sygil and Ayla darting here and there, supplementing the attack.

Garn returned after a few moments, commanding his little army silently. We held our ground and fought them off. Finally, his forces depleted, he tried to flee. But when he ran up to the magical gate that was blocking off the entrance, he couldn't seem to get through.

Andrella chuckled. "You can't even get in. So what's the story, Garn?"

He didn't reply. Apparently realizing he was cornered, he abruptly came at us directly. I noticed he was pursuing me primarily. No surprise there. The others interceded on my behalf, throwing themselves in his way and forcing him to face them.

At first, Garn seemed to suffer no damage from any of our strikes. This was turning into a stalemate, and I wondered how much longer we would be able to keep up this little dance where he would chase me, I would struggle to elude him, and the others would jump in his way. If we couldn't hurt him, this could go on forever.

So finally I pulled out my ancient katana and my shield, no longer keeping myself at a distance but instead allowing him to approach. Others took out their ancient weapons as well, and we teamed up on him. The powerful weapons sliced through his defense, exploding with green fire. As soon as he began taking damage, I switched back to my bow, sure that my arrows would now harm him.

It took a little while, but finally Garn fell.

We spared a moment to catch our breaths. Navien spotted something on the corpse and picked it up, handing it to me.

"The Pysche!" I gasped in surprise. This was another piece of Exodus!

I was so absorbed with this new turn of events that it took me a moment to realize that the magical gate blocking the entrance was now gone.

"It disappeared when Garn went down," Andrella nodded.

We moved forward into the castle. "Careful all..." I breathed.

Inside the doors, right before the hall that leads to the throne, we were met with a couple of daemons. "Holy..." Andrella breathed, not bothering to finish the curse as she readied her long blades.

"Someone try Dispel," I suggested, already firing my bow at the nearest one.

Navien chanted, but the daemons remained. "They are real."

"Worth a try," I sighed.

We worked together, all of us teaming up on the daemons one at a time. Rather to my surprise, but much to my relief, we were able to defeat them both without suffering a loss.

I took a step into the entrance of the throne room and blinked as the scene before me registered on my mind.

The throne was empty, but just to the right of it, fencing constructed out of blackrock enclosed a small space. The only entrance into the enclosure was a gate built into one wall of the fence. The floor of the makeshift prison cell had been partially dissolved, as if it was being eaten away. Trapped within the little cage was a large swirling mass of inky blackness that seemed to suck the very light out of the air.

"Everyone get back!" I gasped, realizing instantly what I was looking upon. It's funny, but when we were told that the black void golem had been sealed beyond a blackrock door, I had thought of a door closing off a room. A tiny little cage within the throne room hadn't occurred to me.

The others gathered into single-file behind me, and slowly I approached the prison, the skull of Mondain held in one hand like a talisman. For a few moments I stood in front of the gate, but still several steps away, gazing warily at the swirling non-light of the golem. It didn't look anything like the black void golems that Soth had loosed upon us. This looked like a shapeless vortex into nothingness.

I fished out the three keys, so that I was holding them in one hand, the skull in the other. But still I hesitated. "Michael?" I murmured, staring at the golem. Was he truly here somewhere? Or had he become...this?

The golem made no sound even remotely approaching speech. I had hoped to learn something from it before destroying it, but it looked as though we would be unable to. "Stay back," I urged the others, and walked up to the gate. It was nerve-wracking getting that close to the golem, with only blackrock bars separating me from it. Nevertheless, nothing untoward happened to me, perhaps because of the golem's confinement, or more likely because of the skull.

It took me a few moments to fit the three keys into the lock on the gate, since I was using only one hand. The others waited tensely behind me. Finally, the gate unlocked, I wrapped the fingers of my left hand around one of the bars. My right was gripping the skull.

"Here goes," I murmured, and threw open the gate.

The golem didn't immediately move, perhaps because I was blocking the way. I couldn't give it a chance to get loose and harm the others. With a wild overhand throw, I flung the skull of Mondain directly into the center of the void.

Energy exploded from the golem instantly, crackling and flaring like lightning. I stepped back, shielding my face with my upraised arms. The golem hissed and swirled, twisting as it escaped the enclosure to wander into the rest of the room. I threw out my hands protectively, instinctively trying to shield my friends, but the golem was not approaching us. Lightning forked from the golem again, and I blinked as I realized the shapeless void was beginning to take form. It was gradually shrinking, the sparks and flares of energy occurring less and less frequently, as the blackness took on a human shape.

I stared as I realized it was a man. Even though the entire form was still black as pitch, I could see enough details to make out that he was wearing armor and carrying a sword.

Finally the explosions stopped altogether, and the black humanoid form shifted, as if gazing about itself.

I was staring speechlessly. "M-Michael?" I finally managed to sputter.

The golem turned, and a voice came from somewhere in the depths, sounding distant and hollow. "I am...Michael."

I was too stunned to think of something to say. The golem glanced down at the skull that was still visible in the void that was his chest. "The skull!" the echoing voice gasped. "You found it! What is it doing to me?"

I winced. "I'm sorry. It was to destroy the void..."

The golem shifted. "Who are you...?"

"She is the Avatar," Andrella responded, but I threw her a look. The last thing I wanted was to give Michael the impression that he was no longer wanted or needed here.

"I am Kianne," I spoke quickly, trying to cover up Andrella's words, but I was not fast enough.

"She is..?" the golem asked. "Is this the Shadowland?"

"Aye," we told him. My mind fished for something encouraging to say. "Shamino knew you were still alive." If Michael could still be considered to be alive...

"Shamino..." the hollow voice echoed, and was silent for a moment. Then, suddenly, it laughed. "Well, it looks like the world does go on without me. I told him it would!"

I was surprised. His inflection and exuberance suddenly sounded like a boy from Earth. And I don't know why I just wrote 'boy.' Michael must have been in his twenties at least, probably older. He was certainly not a boy...

"I'm sorry he isn't here to talk with you..." I said, but Michael didn't seem to hear.

"Wow, this is some amazing stuff," he piped up cheerfully. "So you are the Avatar, huh? Congratulations! If that is in order at least."

I hesitated at first, then spoke from the heart. "And you as well. You are remembered fondly."

"Yeah, I wanted to come back here," he agreed. "My old friends, Shamino and Lord British!"

My mind was whirling desperately. "I wish there was some way we could help you..."

"Help me?" he repeated. "Nahhhh! I can't stay even if I wanted to. My mom is waiting for me. She's been really sick and all. I never had time to leave her side..."

I blinked in surprise. "Are you going to Earth?"

"Yeah!" he glowed. "I live there."

"Like that?" I asked him skeptically.

"Oh, like this? Noo!" He laughed. "I don't know how this happened. All I remember is the moongates. They kept appearing outside at night. I knew they wanted me here... But I couldn't go."

I was staring at him open-mouthed. "You couldn't?" From one Avatar to another, that concept was simply unfathomable to me.

"No, you see, my mom needs me," he explained. "My mom cried all the time and she said she always wanted to be with me. I couldn't leave her, not even for one minute."

Now I was frowning. "But that's the last you remember?"

He paused as if reflecting back. "I remember... Mondain..."

I found myself grimacing.

"I heard the gate open outside like usual," Michael went on. "As bad as I wanted to go I couldn't. Then something strange happened that night. I heard the door creak open to my room. I had just watched a scary movie with my mom, so I was a little jumpy."

"What's a movie?" I heard Ayla ask softly behind us.

The golem didn't hear her. "But then I heard footsteps. I looked out from under my covers...and Mondain was standing there."

I stared at him. "On Earth!?"

The golem made a nodding motion, his hollow voice cracking a little with nervousness. "Yes, he came for me. He had a knife in his hand and an evil grin."

I was aghast. How could Mondain have found him, traced him back to Earth and just walked up to his bedside?

"I knew it could not be so," the golem sighed. "I had defeated him a long time before that. But before I could say anything, he whispered to me..." He paused as if speaking the next few words required a lot of effort. "He said I had to come with him, or he would kill my mom..."

I felt a little dizzy just imagining the sheer horror of what he must have gone through.

"I thought it was a nightmare," he stated. "The next thing I know he was trying to pull me up. But I can't walk on Earth."

That took me a little by surprise. Surely he could walk on Britannia. But how could that be?

"So he had to drag me," Michael recounted. "But he wasn't strong enough. Of course I wasn't strong enough to fight him...so he just cast a spell on me while I was laying there." His voice broke. "I remember hearing my mom crying. She was talking with the doctors, asking what was wrong with me. I remember her crying..."

"How long ago was that?" Sygil asked, but the golem just shook his head and said he didn't know.

"Is that all you remember?" we questioned.

The black void shifted, and this time when it spoke, the voice was fading out. "You can't l..t h..m d..str.. th.. Sh..do..lan..."

I blinked. "Michael?"

"I can h..ea.. m.. mom, sh..s cal..in.. me..."

"Wait!" I gasped, but too late. The golem itself was already beginning to fade as well.

"We won't let him destroy the Shadowland," Navien assured Michael quietly.

"Good luck to you, Michael," Sygil chimed in.

I stared at the golem helplessly. We couldn't let him return to Earth as a black void! But was he even returning to Earth at all? Or was he simply...blinking out of existence? Oh, if only we had more time!

"Goo.. luc.. Ava..ar..." The echoing voice was barely able to be heard at this point.

"Goodbye, Michael," Andrella whispered as the golem faded away.

I gazed sadly at the final swirls that the black void made before it vanished entirely. "I hope you are well, Michael..."

A thick book with a glittering blue cover dropped to the floor.

"The Tome of Stars!" Andrella gasped, and I knelt down beside it to pick it up.

"All of that, for this..."

The others gathered around me. "Let's get out of here," someone suggested. I nodded and stood up, fishing out the Orb of the Moons. I half expected Minax to appear at the last minute and try to stop us, but nothing contested us as we filed through the red moongate.

Once we were safely on the grass in front of the keep, and the moongate had closed behind us, I opened the Tome of Stars. I was rather shocked to see that most of the pages were blank. No, not blank, I realized, but the writing on them was all but invisible. It was as if the text was gradually fading into and out of view. I could read coordinates for the "Star Chamber" and about half of the numbers for the coordinates to Earth--or at least, I assumed the numbers were incomplete, because they didn't look like any coordinates I had seen. I managed to make out the word "Pagan" on one page, but to my eternal frustration, I was unable to decipher the coordinates.

I passed the book to the others to ask if they could see anything that I could not, but nobody was able to make out more of the text.

"Maybe this is magical..." I murmured when I held the book again. I tilted it at various angles, trying to figure it out.

"I wonder if it has to do with the phases of the moons and stars?" Andrella suggested.

"Gah," I grunted. "I always hated waiting for the phases of the moons."

Andrella snickered. "Well, it's only an idea."

But a pretty good one. That thought hadn't occurred to me. "We could ask Shamino and Gorjez," I suggested. "Shamino...needs to know anyway." I grimaced.

The others nodded. I looked down at the tome in my hands and expelled a sigh. "All of that, and we still can't free Lord British!"

I think the others shared my frustration, yet we decided that the only thing to do was to speak with Shamino. But we didn't want to get him up, since it was late at night and he needed rest in his condition. So we decided to wait until morning.

As for me, I don't think I'll be sleeping this night. I have a lot to think about...

---

[11/11/2003]

I sat at my table turning pages on the Tome of Stars. There has to be a trick to it. Come on, Michael, we're both Avatars, why can't I figure it out?

Finally, frustrated beyond reason, I flipped it closed and dropped my head onto my folded arms. The desire to finally be able to free Lord British and the others burned at me, and to be so close and yet so far was beginning to wear at my patience. Having exhausted all possibilities regarding the Tome of Stars, my mind wandered off onto other topics.

The first thing that surfaced were memories of Michael. But I shoved them away, finding them too painful to contemplate.

That left my mind pondering the topic of my own immortality.

By this point, dread and despair had given way to fatalistic acceptance. It was the only way I could deal with the situation. I had always followed the Codex's instructions to the letter before. I couldn't find the hope that this time might be any different. Besides, hope was too painful. Fatalism, at least, left me with a numb feeling inside to replace the pain. I embraced it, knowing that Mondain would have to be stopped, and knowing too that the Gem would have to be finally destroyed, and whatever I had to do to accomplish that, I knew already that I would do.

Having returned to my former calm, my mind began dancing around the deeper issue to settle on lighter, but related, topics. I realized suddenly that I have no idea how old I am. I had stopped counting a long time ago, when the years became meaningless to me. I lifted my head and considered the question, welcoming this new puzzle to ponder because it was not one which made me frustrated or tearful. I must be at least 60 by now, I knew, but as the years blurred, it could well be closer to 80. Still very young for an immortal, but old for a normal human being.

Once mortal, would I, too, feel my age, as did Shamino?

I shook my head and jumped at the sound of a knock on my door. A quick glance out my window showed me that it was Andrella. "Come in," I called to her. "The door's unlocked."

I smiled at her as she walked in, welcoming the interruption. She had Garn's Blood Armor, at least that which had survived the battle. We were missing the chest plate and arms, but she had the helmet, gauntlets, and leggings. I examined the bright red armor, surprised at how lightweight and flexible it was for platemail. But even if we'd had the full suit, I don't think I would have wanted to equip myself with something Garn had worn.

I glanced down at the Tome of Stars on the table, and she followed my gaze. "I just don't get this book," I sighed.

"We should go see Shamino," she agreed, nodding.

I picked up the Tome and took out the Orb, forming a moongate right there in the middle of my house. Normally I don't do that, but this time I figured it probably wouldn't matter.

We found Shamino in the clearing where Dawn's gate appears. He had his camp all situated. We exchanged greetings, then, my mind returning to the item on the top of its list, I thrust the Tome of Stars toward him. "Do you know how to read this?"

He stared at it, taking the book with trembling hands. "Michael..."

We nodded, not having to say much, as simply seeing the book itself answered a lot of his questions. "He..." I began, but my throat was too tight for me to force out the words. "Michael..." I tried again.

Shamino looked up at me nervously.

Finally I released an anguished sigh. "I'm sorry, I can't," I whispered. "I'm..too close to the situation. I can't."

The strength gone from my legs, I dropped to a sitting position in the grass, burying my head in my arms. I couldn't tell him that Michael had chosen not to come. I couldn't!

In the awkward silence that followed, I heard Shamino swallow. "What has become of Michael...?"

"He returned to Earth, we think," Andrella began. Silently, I thought that we could only hope he'd returned to Earth. And that he hadn't gone back as the black void, because if he had...there would be no Earth to return to...

"So he was here..." Shamino murmured.

Andrella scratched her head. "Well... he was..in the golem I guess."

"Is he well then? Did you stop the golem?" Shamino wanted to know.

"The golem was destroyed," Andrella assured him. "Michael... Well, the gates kept calling for him on Earth. And he couldn't come. He said his mom needed him."

I pressed my eyes closed. She had certainly cast it in a better light than I probably would have. And for that reason I couldn't trust myself to speak.

"His mother..." Shamino repeated slowly, then suddenly chuckled lightly. "It was always Michael to say that. We knew the truth."

"The truth?" Andrella repeated.

"Michael was always sick on Earth," he explained. "He always tried to comfort his mother. She took it kind of hard from he said." He shrugged. I had lifted my head by then to watch them, unable to force myself not to listen. "When Michael's mom found out he was sick," Shamino went on, "she was devastated. He always tried to tell her it was okay, but she knew he was hiding his pain."

"He said he couldn't walk on Earth..." I commented slowly through the tears in my throat.

Shamino nodded. "That is why I always wondered why he would not stay here. He was a hero, a duel-wielding warrior. He said on Earth his muscles didn't work. He called this his fantasy land." He sighed a little. "He wished he could bring his mother here, but alas...it was not possible."

"No one else could enter the gates?" I guessed.

"His mother didn't believe in fantasy, he said." Shamino shrugged. "Maybe she never saw them."

I silently considered that.

"But he must have really loved his mother," Shamino finished. "He told me, Shamino, there are many Avatars...but I only have one mother."

I stared at him. Michael had known about the alternate universes even back then? I had only found out recently, when I had landed on a foreign Britannia. Not only that, but Michael had basically decided to give up being the Avatar because he knew someone else would come along and do it for him?

My disbelief must have been evident on my face, because Andrella sent to me quietly via private telepathy, "Let me ask you this. Do you feel that in Michael's decision to not come that he abandoned us? Or the land?"

I didn't take the time to note how astute she was. "Not us," I replied with a tight chest. "He abandoned Shamino and those who died waiting for him..." I shook my head, unable to keep the pain out of even my mental voice.

Shamino was talking about how Michael could be a mage or a fighter, a bard or a paladin, but I missed most of the words while focusing on my private conversation with Andrella. She, on the other hand, deftly juggled the two topics at once. "He said Mondain came to Earth and cast a spell on him," she explained to Shamino.

Shamino gasped in horror.

"He was asleep in his bed," Andrella went on. "Mondain came in and cast a spell because he couldn't walk to the gate, or something like that."

"On Earth no less..." I found myself muttering.

Shamino growled with frustration. "Michael had no defense on Earth! Mondain must have known... He had no chance of beating Michael here--Michael was too strong here!"

"Is that how he was taken that long ago you think?" Andrella mused. "All this time you have been waiting and he was taken prisoner..."

But was he? I frowned. "He mentioned the doctors after he mentioned Mondain casting the spell," I pointed out in confusion. "Why was he still at home?" I scratched my head. "I wonder what the spell did..."

"Mayhap the wisps would know of his fate?" Shamino suggested. The same thought had occurred to me as well. But, I didn't want Shamino to be there when we summoned the wisps. What if they had bad news? What if Michael was dead...or worse?

As if reading my thoughts, Andrella picked up where we had left off. "I think you need to know," she commented to me. "You don't have the whole story yet. I think it's important you speak to the wisps."

I nodded my head a little, agreeing. I know I don't have the whole story, and I can't judge based on what I know. But, no matter how much Michael loved his mother, it still hurts me, deep inside, for some reason, that he would make a conscious decision to abandon Britannia. His mother was not in any sort of danger by his absence, after all, so why couldn't he have, at the very least, gone and told Shamino and Lord British that he couldn't stay? Or something?

I sighed at myself. My thoughts were poisonous and shouldn't be tolerated. I cut them short and responded to Andrella, "We probably should. We will need something to trade," I reminded her with a chuckle, "but we can summon them and ask what they may want."

Shamino was flipping silently through the Tome of Stars. That brought me back to the topic at hand. "All I see is empty pages," I commented in frustration.

"This book, Michael had written so much more." Shamino shook his head. "How could his words have been erased?"

Then he blinked. "Oh wait, they are appearing..."

I waited with bated breath as he squinted at the page, but finally he shook his head. "They vanished before mine eyes."

I let out a sigh. "This is strange," Shamino agreed. "It seems as though the words are there, but we can't see them."

"It wasn't like this before?" I asked him.

"I never knew." Shamino shook his head. "Michael was smart. He must have encrypted this somehow."

I let out a sigh of frustration. "But without the coordinates to Pagan, we can't free Lord British!"

Shamino was silent for a moment, gazing at the few words that were visible. "The coordinates to Star Chamber..."

I nodded slightly. "Mondain's lair, right?"

Shamino affirmed. "That is where Mondain was when Michael slew him."

"Maybe there would be answers there?" Andrella suggested. "Or just Mondain?" She laughed.

I frowned. When I had first seen those coordinates, I considered for a moment using them, but had discarded the idea immediately. "We can't return from there even if we go, can we?"

"From the Star Chamber?" Shamino asked.

I nodded. "From any place that is not on Britannia..."

Shamino considered that. "I believe the Star Chamber is part of this world, or a part of this multiverse."

I blinked. "It is?" Hadn't they said Mondain was not in this world?

"I say that only because Michael went there and returned here." He shrugged.

I considered that slowly. "He...was the original Avatar, wasn't he?"

"I don't know..." Shamino shook his head. "He was my Avatar." He chuckled.

I scratched my head in frustration. "I don't remember what happened after Mondain died... Isn't that funny?"

"You killed Mondain?" Shamino asked.

Slowly, I shook my head. "I thought it a dream for a long time." Lifting my eyes, I gazed at him. "Now I wonder if my memories are actually those of Michael."

"Be wary," Shamino warned me. "Minax plays games with time, and if Mondain could reach Michael..."

I nodded. "I know: why didn't he come after all of us?" I took a breath. "But it makes sense that only one Avatar had to kill one Mondain. After all, the universes weren't split until after that."

"Michael understood all of it," Shamino mentioned. "He understood the multiverse long ago. He spoke of multiple Avatars and worlds. He told me that we didn't need him here."

Distantly, I wondered how he could ever think that...

"I thought he was lying to me." Shrugging, Shamino finished, "He was right. You are the Avatar we waited for. Michael knew he was not coming back. It was I who did not believe him."

I just stared at him helplessly, my thoughts in an uproar. If Michael had not abandoned the Shadowland, then was it I who was too late to help? Were all those years spent calling for the wrong Avatar?

Shamino handed me the Tome of Stars and struggled to stand. Andrella and I immediately moved to help him. "Shamino..."

"I am fine," he assured us. "Really."

I couldn't repress my frustration. "How can you continue to say that?"

But instead of answering, Shamino looked down at his camp. "Look at this mess," he chuckled, and began to clean it up.

We gave him a hand in silence. Finally, with everything packed away, Shamino straightened up and looked at me. "Draxinusom was right too," he said suddenly. "He said you were the Avatar we waited for. He even told British that."

I gazed at him, unable to find something to say.

"British called to the gargoyles for an alliance," he went on. "Draxinusom made a stand. He said the gargoyles would not fight--for it was not time for the Avatar to come."

"Not time?" I repeated.

"Draxinusom said we were wrong to wait for the Avatar. None of us believed him. We all hoped in the midst of the war the Avatar would return." He sighed. "It was too late when we realized Draxinusom was right."

I was confused. "What else could have been done? Either wait, or fight..."

"Draxinusom had suggested we trade the Vortex Lens to the serpents for peace," Shamino explained. I blinked in surprise. He shrugged. "British refused, and the serpents would not negotiate at that time."

"Shalilissta had an amazing respect for our Virtues..." I mused.

"It was Shalilissta and British who ended the wars," Shamino agreed. And Shamino's own selfless sacrifice, I thought. "But Shalilissta was not queen when the wars began."

I nodded. That made sense.

"Those were dark times." Shamino shook his head. "And as Draxinusom said, the Avatar was not to come to our aid. Lord British, as everyone, refused to believe it. But either way, it was meant to be."

An Avatar abandoned them...but which one?

"But I will always wish I could have seen Michael once more," Shamino commented, and I gave him a pained look. "Just to tell him it's okay. I understand now."

I found myself wiping the back of my hand across my eyes.

"He always told me he was not always going to be here. I would laugh, thinking he only jest." Shamino shook his head with a smile.

Finally I sighed. "I don't know what to say. I'm sorry." The pain felt fresh again, and I shook my head. "He was your friend..."

"My friend..." Shamino repeated. Then, unexpectedly, he finished, "And you are the Avatar." He gave me a warm smile. But I was at a complete loss.

"I lost many friends in the wars," Shamino murmured. "And Michael was one of them. But at least you can stop Mondain."

I nodded numbly. "I'll do whatever I can..."

"But," Shamino mused, "I still wonder if there is a way for you to do without the loss of your own immortality."

I gave a little shrug, my fatalistic shield protecting me from any emotion. "I don't know. The Codex always gives clear instruction."

Shamino sighed heavily. "And just like that you would give it up?"

I could not find an answer to that. "Would the Codex have said it so if there was another way?" I asked instead.

"Would that be something that the wisps could answer as well?" Andrella suggested.

"Perhaps," Shamino agreed. He glanced at me. "If you give up your immortality...would your age catch you? Mine seems to have, but it seems to have been double." He chuckled slightly. "I feel older then even British now."

It was the same thing that had crossed my mind earlier, but I still had no response. Andrella protested, "You were stoned--your body was probably in shock all those years. That can age one a lot sooner."

Shamino nodded in agreement. "It sure did."

"Nevertheless," I sighed, "whether I do or not, it won't matter by that point." Mondain would be defeated. The gem destroyed. Even if I died, it wouldn't matter, as my task would be complete.

My final task...

There was a pained silence. Finally, Shamino spoke up, "The only thing I know for certain is in Dawn, the body does not age."

I blinked, trying to figure out why he had brought that up. Andrella queried, "So Kianne would have to go to Dawn?"

"I couldn't stay there forever," I protested before Shamino could answer.

"That is all I know for certain," is all Shamino would say. He nodded toward where the gate to Dawn would appear. "Gorjez says the moons will be in alignment in..." He paused to count on his fingers. "Ten days."

I was startled. "Wow! That soon?"

"Then again," Shamino smiled, "he also gave you coordinates that put us practically on top of a tree in Terfin."

We laughed.

"Well, we shall see," I chuckled. "Be sure to let us know when the gate opens."

Shamino nodded. "If you ever see the wisps again, ask of how Michael is doing. But don't tell me if it's bad," he grinned.

I was a little startled, because I had been thinking the exact same thing, only it was something I was unable to voice.

"I have my own memories and perhaps that's all I need." Shamino smiled at me when I fumbled for something to say. "I am glad to have lived to see the day when the Avatar returned. Mondain's days are numbered."

I smiled grimly. Andrella grinned. "Aye! Kianne's got his number," she snickered.

I laughed. "Right here in this tome!" I agreed. Then I grew more serious as I glanced down at the deep blue cover. "I could just go there invisible..." I voiced my thoughts out loud.

"How many times do I have to say it?" Andrella laughed. "You're not going alone and putting yourself in danger!"

I snickered. "I think it goes something like: 'You're the Avatar! You have to be careful!'"

We all laughed. "There, that's right," she agreed.

I scratched my head and pretended to be pondering it. "Okay, then: I open a gate and you go in invisible." I grinned to show her that I was teasing.

She laughed and pointed out that a bright red moongate opening up into his lair would be just a little obvious. But sitting here, I wonder if we will have any other choice. It really depends on what information the wisps can give us. Since the Star Chamber is the only workable set of coordinates we have...

"Keep looking to the tome," Shamino suggested to me. "I am sure its secrets will be revealed."

I sure hope so...

---

[11/21/2003]

Today I had no sooner stepped out of my house when I experienced a surprise.

I have been carrying the Tome of Stars with me everywhere I go in hopes that its words would someday become visible to me. So far, no good. However, it was today that I noticed that the Orb was glowing slightly. But when I moved the Orb away from the Tome, the glow stopped.

It was reacting to the book!

Immediately I stepped out onto the grass in front of my house and tried activating the Orb. To my utter surprise, it now operated much like the Orb that I had known on my Britannia. I can still focus on coordinates to open a gate, but in addition, the Orb now also contains a number of preset locations. Obtained from the Tome of Stars? Perhaps, although I noticed right away that it also contains the two locations that I have used the most often: my house and the Shadow Keep. Perhaps it has some sort of memory?

I quickly made a gate to the Keep to tell Andrella the news. We tried out a few of the locations, and I made a mental note to go through and record the rest.

There is no location stored for Pagan, but perhaps soon the Orb will gain that location from the Tome as well? I will continue to keep it next to the Tome just in case.

We visited Gorjez to see if he could tell us of the Tome. But he had other news. The gate to Dawn was scheduled to open the very next morning. We realized we couldn't possibly miss this chance. He warned us that the gate would stay open only a few seconds. That wouldn't leave us a very large window.

Also, Gorjez was unable to tell us anything of the Tome, but he referred us to Sami. It seems she had just won the young scribe of the year award at the academy, apparently largely because of the thesis she had done on the ethereal mounts. We knew we would have to visit her very soon.

But first we went to the clearing where the gate to Dawn opens, and staked out the location of the gate.

Shamino was there, as usual. We greeted him and chatted a little. I stood staring anxiously at the general location where I expected the gate to appear. Every once in a while I would cast a glance at the sky, waiting to see if dawn was breaking yet.

Soon, we would be able to see Iolo!

"The elves are an honorable race," Shamino commented to us as we waited. "Be reminded that you will be strangers to them."

We nodded in understanding.

"Well, not Kianne if Iolo had anything to say, I imagine," Shamino finished with a chuckle.

I gave him a grin. "Iolo will recognize us if nothing else." I was sure he could make the elves understand we posed no threat.

We stood in silence for a few more minutes. I was too wound up to sit, and at any rate I was tensed and prepared to leap into the gate the moment it materialized. Okay, so it was a somewhat rash proposition, since we really didn't know whether the Orb would get us back or not. But it wasn't like this isn't something I don't do a lot...

"I am curious," Shamino spoke into the silence suddenly. "The dread lord was sent away, was he not?"

We nodded. "Aye, he was."

Shamino gazed up at the trees surrounding the clearing. "I had hoped in my heart he was the reason for the plague of death on this land. Yet the trees still have not found peace."

I lifted my head. "Now that you mention it, that is strange..."

"Nature itself has bowed to the strange force." Shamino shook his head.

I frowned. "What else could be causing it?"

"I wish I had the answer," Shamino sighed.

I considered that. Whatever was causing the phenomenon had to be something that abated a little while after the Guardian entered this world, for the trees had regained their leaves for a time being, and the flowers had bloomed cheerfully for a while.

I was just opening my mouth to speak when a thread of orange light peeked over the horizon. Simultaneously, a red moongate sprang up in the grass not more than three paces from me.

The words died in my throat as I threw myself singlemindedly at the oval of light. The back of my mind registered the fact that the gate was red, rather than blue, but I filed the data away for later.

I came out in a jungle not very different than the one I had left. Elven rangers patrolled the edge of the clearing, and one elite warrior was standing before the gate. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the rest of our little band had also managed to get through the moongate before it closed.

"Halt!" the elf before us snapped. "Who are you to enter Dawn?"

I was about to respond, but Shamino beat me to it. "I am Shamino, and this is the Avatar."

Privately, I found myself smiling a little in amusement. I had been about to introduce myself by name, because that is habit for me. During the quests on my Britannia after I had become the Avatar, in particular the last one which had led to the destruction of the Black Gate, I would always introduce myself as simply 'Kianne.' Invariably, someone in my party--usually Iolo--would then speak up, "She's the Avatar!" This often led to a lengthy discussion as we tried to prove to whomever we were speaking with that I was indeed the Avatar. Then I'd usually give Iolo a friendly whack for starting the whole thing to begin with.

The elven ranger glanced from Shamino to the rest of us. "I have heard of you," he commented. "Iolo's friend?"

I broke into a happy grin at just the thought. "Aye. Is he well?"

The elf inclined his head. "He will be happy to see you, but first you must meet with the lord of elves."

I simply nodded. I had waited this long to meet up with Iolo, so the further distraction didn't bother me very much.

"He is north," the ranger finished. "Shamino, guide them."

I looked around in excitement as we walked north. The land looked very similar to Britannia, but as Gorjez had said, the stars did not shine here. The sky appeared to always be a rainbow of color, like a perpetual dawn.

"Even the trees here..." Shamino murmured as we walked.

I grimaced. The life was fading in the land even here.

We reached a fine log building with pennants on either side. Shamino instructed us to wait outside, and he walked inside to find the lord. He was met at the door by a distinguished elf whom he introduced as Lord Erimani.

"Shamino, it has been a long time," the lord smiled, and embraced Shamino in a warm hug.

When their greetings were done, Shamino turned to face us. "This is Kianne Cassidy and her company."

We bowed respectfully and greeted him. To my surprise, Erimani returned our bow. "I have heard so much about you. And Shamino..." he added as the two stepped onto the grass, "how is it that you have returned?"

Shamino smiled. "The stories are long, my friend."

"I enjoy long stories," Erimani chuckled.

"Then we have plenty," I laughed.

Erimani's eyes twinkled kindly. "Another time. I am sure you would like to see Iolo."

We nodded eagerly.

The elf lord gazed at Shamino for a moment, then nodded his head. "Iolo is west, though he may not be home at this time. Shamino. I would like to speak with you soon."

Shamino affirmed that he would return shortly, and we thanked Erimani before heading west. I was so anxious that I could barely hold myself to a walk, but even then I was outpacing the others. There was a large blue tent in a clearing over there, and a figure was sitting on a wooden chair in front of it. I had to get closer before I could confirm his identity. But then there was no denying it.

I broke into a run and crossed the rest of the grass in a few seconds. "Iolo!"

"Kianne!" The man stood up, his weathered face spreading into a broad grin.

I came to a halt before him, stopping just short of throwing my arms around him, but he simply enfolded me in a huge bear hug. "It is you!" he praised. "It has been too long!"

He was wearing a robe instead of his bardic tunic, yet the robe was finely tailored of a shimmering material, definitely elven quality. Iolo looked his years, but appeared to be in good health, which I was glad to note.

"It's so good to see you," I smiled.

He finally released me enough to hold me at arm's length where he could fix me with his gaze. "Oh my, look at you! I thought it had been longer. You don't look a day older!"

My heart turned over as it always does when someone brings the subject up, but I forced the smile to remain on my face. "Give me time," I teased it away.

"How I have waited to see you!" He beamed at me.

My smile broadened as the painful subject was left behind. "I as well!"

Iolo chuckled. "The gates to Dawn could not have chosen a better time to fail!"

"Tell me about it!" I agreed with a small laugh.

"Oh! I wish so Gwenno was here..."

"Where is Gwenno?" I asked, scared for a moment.

"On a walk with the elven queen," he responded, and I nodded in relief. "They went to the mountains far north. And Shamino!" Iolo turned to face the ranger. "Well, look at you, old fool!"

I couldn't help but snicker behind a hand.

"Indeed." Shamino nodded slightly. "But not as old as you."

"It won't be long!" Iolo assured him. We chuckled.

I introduced everyone in our little group. When we had gotten around the entire circle, Iolo nodded his head toward Shamino and teased, "And who is this old man in the green again?"

"Oh, him?" I made a big show of scratching my head. "I forget."

Everyone snickered. Shamino chuckled and shook his head.

Iolo passed out elven wine--I love that stuff--and we chatted for I don't know how long. Without sun or stars, I couldn't keep track of the time. Even then, we didn't even begin to get all through all of the adventures we've had. Luckily, Iolo was already partially informed, having learned of some things through Erimani, who had ties to the castle.

"Now we just need to find a way to Pagan," I mentioned at one point, which brought our small talk to a close.

"Pagan," Iolo repeated. "Oh my. I should have known you planned to go there."

I sighed a little. "We haven't much choice at this point."

"What was I thinking to assume you had another plan?" Iolo chuckled.

"Well, another plan would be helpful," I grinned sheepishly. "But I don't know of any other way to rescue them."

Iolo sat back. We'd given him and Shamino the two chairs, and the rest of us were sitting in the grass. "Let me hear the tales of Kianne the bard, then I might offer my old man wisdom."

Shamino muttered something about Iolo certainly being old enough to have wisdom. I responded with a giggle, "I'm not a bard!"

Iolo sniffed. "You had so much potential."

The others snickered. I chuckled. "Well, you know, I was close..." Andrella grinned at me; she and Sygil have made bard jokes in the past. I shook my head. "As to the tales...How much time do we have?"

Everyone laughed.

"Well, it's only been twenty years since I have seen you," Iolo pointed out with a chuckle.

"At least it wasn't two hundred this time," I snickered.

"It feels like it," Iolo commented.

"You look like it," Shamino chimed in.

We snickered, but Iolo threatened, "One more old man reference and I will show you my skill with a triple crossbow."

I immediately ducked. We laughed some more.

"I never got that firing three bolts at once thing..." I commented teasingly. "One would hit and the others would go off to nowhere!"

"Oh, you tried too hard." Iolo waved his hand. "But then again, when you hand a triple crossbow to a kid like Spark...!"

"I already said that was a mistake," I laughed, then leaned back. "Well, should we do a condensed version of events?"

"Condensed... I suppose that is all you can do at the moment?" Iolo asked.

I hesitated. "Well... We could stay for hours, but I do want to get to Pagan. It has been too long in the waiting already..."

"I understand," he responded. "And in truth it is necessary. My advice would only be to avoid the Guardian if possible."

I just nodded. I had every intention of doing that, but I wasn't sure if it would be possible.

"Did the wisps not help you?" Iolo asked me.

"To be honest, we ended up asking them about the void." I shrugged a little. "But we were planning to contact them again. We need something to trade though. And anything we give them, the Guardian could find out. Which means Blackthorn would find out, which means Minax would hear..." I shook my head. "So it has to be something unimportant, like the Book of Mantras..."

Iolo considered that. "At my house, you might find a book or two they may enjoy. I had borrowed a book of the orcish language once, and of course I was unable to return it." He chuckled.

"Ohh, thanks." I was happy to have possibilities to work with. But I hesitated at something that had been implied in his words, yet left unspoken. "Iolo, will you be returning with us?"

For a few moments he didn't speak. "Now that is a question I was hoping to avoid..."

I looked at him worriedly, and he shook his head. "Kianne, it was Soth who slayed me last. The pain he wracked on my body was unbearable. He burnt my house... and all my belongings... everything..."

"I'm sorry," I sighed, a pained expression on my face.

"It is not your fault," he assured me.

"He is gone from Shadowland now," Sygil pointed out.

Iolo nodded. "I presumed he was gone. I knew Kianne would take care of him for me." He chuckled. "I even told him that. He laughed like I was joking."

I couldn't help but laugh myself. "Oh, I bet he loved that."

Iolo chuckled and continued, "Then I bought the house in Yew. Then Oakley taxed me so hard for buying the house in Yew."

We grumbled. "Ol' Barney Oakley," Andrella muttered.

Iolo sighed. "I was out of everything. Then Gwenno got ill. Without the money to heal her, I worked to gather the reagents needed... Then I became ill..." He sighed again. "Long days followed until British helped me and Gwenno get here."

"I'm sorry I was not there..." I said quietly.

"Oh, stop," he returned. "You were on your way." He chuckled. "You always wanted the weight on your shoulders."

"Well... I could have helped, maybe." I shrugged.

"You are helping." He smiled, then shook his head. "As much as I would like to help you...you have more capable hands than mine at your side."

"You are always welcome, you know," I assured him. "But I understand."

"I know you would let this old man bog you down," Iolo chuckled.

I gave him a smile. "You didn't bog us down before."

"Aye, hear that, Shamino?" he teased.

"Oh, she is just being polite," Shamino returned.

The others laughed. I pointed out, "Shamino didn't bog us down either."

"Shh," Iolo joked. "You don't have to have to tell him that."

Everyone grinned. I stood up to stretch. "Well, we would visit often, but the gate, as you know, is a little finicky."

"Erimani said the gates are returning to normal," Iolo commented.

I nodded. "Still, it'd be nice if I had coordinates."

"Coordinates?" he repeated. "You could come here with coordinates?"

"Of course she could," Shamino broke in before I could respond. "She has the Orb of Moons."

Iolo looked from him to me. "You still have it? I thought it was ruined!"

I shook my head. "Oh, no, this is Lord British's. From this world."

"Oh! Well then! If all you need are coordinates, Erimani should be able to help you."

I was a little surprised. "Do you think he would mind?" I knew the elves were reclusive, and I wasn't sure their leader would want us to just be popping in at whim.

"Of course not!" Iolo smiled. "He knows you as well as I do."

I winked. "Bard storytelling?"

He nodded. "You were the topic of many songs. Are the topic!"

I laughed and blushed. Myself, I've always liked Stones.² I think I'll stick with that.

Iolo took us to Lord Erimani's cabin, where he described our desire to have coordinates so that we could use the Orb of the Moons to come and go as we pleased. Erimani agreed without hesitation. "You are like an honorary friend," he smiled, and asked for us to wait outside.

I should make note that inside the building he has some very nice artifacts, including two moon blade swords, one each representing Trammel and Felucca. It would seem as though these elves have harnessed Lunar magic, which is quite powerful, as it is a combination of both Light and Dark.

We did as he requested and he returned shortly, coming up behind us so silently that his approach was almost unnoticeable. Erimani handed me a scroll containing the coordinates.

I unrolled the scroll briefly to check its contents. "Thank you!"

"Keep them safe," Erimani instructed me. "For the secrets are not to be seen by any others."

I nodded. "I will."

Erimani excused himself, and the rest of us gathered in a loose circle to talk. "We can visit at any time now," I smiled, then had to chuckle. "Assuming the Orb can get to and from here."

"Grand, then perhaps next we meet you can be our guest," Iolo smiled. "Mine and Gwenno's."

"I would like that," I agreed.

Our discussion swerved off-topic for a time, getting into elven women and doors and carrots...well, I won't get into that.

"I know you have issues to deal with," Iolo spoke up finally, and nodded his head back toward his tent, where we had left Shamino behind because he had dropped off to sleep while we'd talked. "Perhaps you should let Shamino rest here a bit? He seems of old age and health..."

I considered that. "That may be good for him. Will his health improve?"

"Aye," Iolo assured me. "The forest here will invigorate him. I have never felt so good myself."

I smiled. "All right then. We will keep you all informed." I held up the scroll with a wink.

We decided we needed to wake Shamino and at least tell him that we were leaving, so that he wouldn't be surprised if he woke up with us gone. We began to walk back to the tent, but we'd hardly taken a few steps when suddenly Erimani was standing beside us again. I honestly have no idea how he can slip through a forest so silently like that.

"Pardon me," the lord said to Andrella. "I could not help but notice the gargish blades. I would like to ask kindly that you walk with me."

I was a little surprised, but Andrella nodded her head. She excused herself from the rest of us, and the two of them walked off into the trees.

Those of us that remained glanced at each other, then turned and resumed our course.

When we reached the tent, though, Shamino's chair was empty.

I was a little startled and we quickly began circling the surrounding woods, searching for him. Finally we found him sitting on a log by a pond. Well, Sygil found him, and called the rest of us. "See, ye just needed a ranger," he teased.

Shamino glanced up at us. "I wondered where everyone went."

"We have coordinates to Dawn," I told him, and we explained about Erimani.

"How long did I sleep?" Shamino asked.

"Four days," Iolo responded instantly.

"Iolo!" I protested, whacking him. I turned back to Shamino. "Ignore him."

"That was a bad joke," Shamino informed Iolo.

"Actually, you fell for it so it was a good one," Iolo grinned.

Shamino chuckled, then asked, "Where is Andrella?"

"She insulted an elf, so...poof!" Sygil teased. Shamino gave him a shocked look, so Sygil laughed and tacked on, "Just kidding."

I smacked my forehead. "Sheesh, you guys!"

Iolo turned to Shamino. "Shamino, perhaps you would like to spend a few days in the woods with me? You know, to stay out of the way of the young ones."

"Hey, now!" I protested.

"I almost liked the sound of that, until the second part," Shamino chuckled.

I put my hands on my hips. "Neither of you are in the way." I glared a little at Iolo, then turned back Shamino. "But, it may help you heal."

"Heal?" he repeated. "I'm not sick."

"Shamino, don't lie," Iolo returned immediately. "You look as old as me, and you are half my age."

"Well... Perhaps a day or two," Shamino agreed reluctantly. "But no more."

"We can come back at any time," I smiled at him. Privately, I couldn't help but be a little relieved that he wasn't going to spend all of his time in Dawn. It may be selfish, but I like to see my friends.

"While you are here," Iolo teased Shamino, "maybe you can find an elven girlfriend."

"You think so?" Shamino asked. I have no idea if he was taking Iolo seriously or not.

"You never know until you try," Iolo grinned. I rolled my eyes.

"If you find one, ask if she has a sister," Sygil joked.

"And don't open doors for her," I teased with a wink.

"Open doors for her?" Shamino repeated, puzzled.

I grinned. "Iolo will tell you."

"I'll tell you all about it," Iolo agreed, nodding his head, "after you take a nap."

Shamino shook his head. "You are getting as senile as Nystul."

"Ooo," I breathed.

"Now that is just plain rude," Iolo agreed.

"Nystul is hard to beat," I snickered. Then I shook my head. "I sure hope he's okay..."

"So do I," the others agreed.

I clapped my hands together, as if banishing the thought that anything horrible might have happened to them. "So... We're off to find a way to Pagan. Two days, you said, Shamino?"

He nodded. "Two days. No longer."

"I wish you more luck then ever," Iolo stated.

"Thank you, Iolo." I smiled. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you. And we will have a dinner soon." He grinned.

"I look forward to it," I said, and we made our leave.

When Andrella returned, she explained that Erimani had dueled her with the two moon blades. Of course, neither had really gone all out, and Erimani had sheathed his blades after a minute. He'd told her that she should face the queen sometime.

We also visited Iolo's house--I still have a rune marked to there from all those days ago--and found the books he had mentioned. There was one on the orcish language, as he had said, and another about wisps. I took only the one on the orcs, since I figured the wisps wouldn't need to read about themselves.

Finally, we went to visit Navien, who was in jail again, as usual. Blackthorn came in while we were speaking to him, which was rather irritating. Andrella hid herself because she's been avoiding Blackthorn ever since what Shamino had told us. Meanwhile, of course, Blackthorn was talking through the other side of his mouth, because he gloated that he had to keep Navien jailed because necromancy is, as he said, evil. This coming from a guy who once demanded that Navien to be his lackey because he was a necromancer. Of course, I couldn't call him on it, because Blackthorn doesn't know that I overheard that little conversation. I was kind of hoping Navien himself would bring it up, but he didn't.

The event ended with Navien being moved to the cell across the hall. Apparently Blackthorn actually got wise and decided that if Navien kept getting free, maybe there was a security hole in his previous cell.

It also made the coordinates we'd gotten from Gorjez rather useless...

---

[11/22/2003]

I went to bed without a resolution about Navien, but Andrella brought it up the next day. Last night, she and Sygil had suggested getting some new coordinates from Gorjez and freeing Navien using the Orb. I refused at first. It's not that I thought Navien deserved to be in jail, but that I wasn't sure freeing him would be of any use. It seems as though he gets out of jail for a few days and then just ends up right back in it. Besides, I pointed out, we can't have Blackthorn learning about the telescope, or we put Gorjez's life in danger.

This morning, Andrella and Ayla offered to make sure the guards at the jail hall were distracted while I opened the gate. After some discussion, Andrella finally convinced me to go ahead with it. She had spoken at more length with Navien, and he truly is a kindhearted soul, and he promised to be more careful this time.

So we went to Gorjez, who was, as usual, peering into the telescope and completely oblivious to the world around him. Andrella clapped her hands to get his attention, and he was so startled I think he almost bumped his head on the telescope as he spun about.

We apologized, and he smiled in his easy-going manner. "And what can Gorjez do for the Avatar and the lady of loud clapping?" he teased with a twinkle in his eye.

Andrella and I laughed.

We warned him, as Andrella put it, that we needed more coordinates that required the waiver. Heh. Then we asked for the location of the jail cell across the hall. Gorjez considered us for a moment, as if wondering what in the world we were doing with these locations. "You know," he mused finally, "Gorjez cannot be responsible for what you do with these coordinates."

We laughed and nodded. "I said it required the waiver," Andrella grinned.

"Cell block two..." Gorjez finally turned back to the telescope and went to it. After a few moments he produced some coordinates. "I hope that is right. But you know...Gorjez cannot be responsible for the wrong coordinates."

We smiled and assured him that he was fine. After thanking him, we returned to the Keep and made plans.

I reminded the others that the gates that the Orb creates cannot be dispelled. I'd tried it once just out of curiosity, and the spell had no effect. So they would need to be sure to distract the guards until the moongate closed on its own. They nodded.

While they went off to the Yew Jail, I Recalled to a section of the Trinsic jungle where I found a quiet place out in the middle of nowhere. Just in case a guard or someone did see the gate and decided to try going through, I didn't want to make it obvious that we were the ones who had created it.

I waited until Andrella gave the word over telepathy, then I opened a gate using the Orb to the coordinates that Gorjez had given us. As soon as the gate had formed I hid myself, again as a precaution.

Navien came through almost immediately, and we waited until the gate closed. Nothing untoward happened.

Finally I revealed myself and stepped toward him, the Orb still in my hand. "Gorjez came through for us..." I mused faintly. He hadn't failed yet. "I'll let them check the Keep before we go back there," I added to Navien. He nodded silently.

Andrella gave me the notice that it was all clear, so I raised the Orb to make a gate.

"Ki," Navien interrupted me. I paused and looked toward him. "Do you believe necromancy is an evil art?"

I hesitated for a moment, not sure what to say. "Let's not go there," I suggested lightly. And I tried to pretend I didn't see the hurt look on his face as I formed a moongate back to the Keep.

Sygil joined us back at the Keep, and Navien went off quietly to go stock up on reagents. The rest of us headed to the Lycaeum to try to find Sami. Gorjez had suggested she might know something about the Tome of Stars.

We found her sitting at a table transcribing a book. "Greetings Sami!" I smiled. "We heard the good news! Congratulations!"

She jumped up, beaming. "Kianne! Did you get a copy of the book?"

I shook my head. "No, I haven't seen it yet."

"I have one saved for you!" she grinned. "I knew they were selling out!"

She handed me a thick volume titled Shadow Steeds. It must have been at least three hundred pages. I was surprised she had discovered that much to write about. I thanked her and opened it to the first page.

"Have you seen the prize yet?" Sami asked excitedly.

"Prize?" We shook our heads.

Sami waved her hand. "Come on!"

She led us outside to an open area covered by a marble roof. A display case had been added, housing another copy of her book, the gem of entrapment that Andrella and I had filled for her, the first Wand of Shadows from Cove, and a golden trophy for excellence in scribing.

"Wow!" Andrella gasped, and we examined the contents of the case.

"The book really caught on!" Sami beamed. Then she giggled. "The funny thing is, most people think it's a work of fiction!"

We laughed.

Sami gestured. "But it was thanks to Kianne and Andrella that my work was accepted! Look at the gem!"

She went into a glowing account of how Andrella and I had gone into the icy depths to catch the Shadow Guardian. I was distracted because I was skimming through the book she had given me. "Wow, I didn't know this about the Elven Moon Band..."

"Oh yeah! The Elven Moon Band!" She grinned.

The book described how a band of elves had been decimated by a group of powerful monsters. With their deaths came a curse upon those monsters to become the Shadow Guardians. The ethereal mounts are actually remnants of the steeds the elves once rode into battle.

"I found out that the Fire Elf was actually a Moon Rider," Sami mentioned, and shuddered. "He turned on his own band..."

I finally closed the book. "I look forward to reading this through properly," I smiled.

"I had to rewrite parts," Sami mentioned. "The scholars said I had to take out all the parts about you beating the guardians. They said you would write a book if you wanted to," she giggled.

"Oh, speaking of which..." I was reminded. "What do you know of the Tome of Stars?"

"I know it's the tome of the Avatar, Michael!" She smiled.

"Do you know how its magic works?" I asked her.

"Is it magic?" She was surprised.

I fished out the Tome and handed it to her. Her eyes grew wide as saucers and she handled the book as if she was afraid it would crumble. "Oh!"

"The pages seem to be protected somehow," I commented as she carefully opened it.

"This is amazing!" she glowed, flipping pages.

"Do they look blank to you?" I asked her.

Her head bobbed up and down. "They look blank...but the pages are made of link paper!"

I blinked. "Link paper?"

She nodded again. "It's a kind of paper that a linked object is needed to see."

I stared at her. She lifted her head to glance briefly at me. "Do you know what this is linked to?"

"Maybe the Orb?" I pulled out the Orb of the Moons and held it out. "It was reacting to it earlier..."

She held the Tome under the Orb and we gazed intently at the pages. They remained blank.

"I don't think that's the link," Sami decided finally, "but it does react to it!"

I considered that, rolling the Orb in my fingers. "I wonder what it's linked to..."

"The link is always written on a page," Sami informed us, and began quickly flipping through them again. "Like if the linked object is a mirror, it should say where the mirror is..."

I opened my mouth to speak, but she'd already discovered the one page with visible writing. "Star Chamber?" she read out loud.

I groaned. I was afraid of that...

"Wow, I wonder where that is?" Sami looked up and noticed our expressions. "You know where it is?"

I nodded my head slightly. "We have an idea."

She could tell we weren't looking forward to it. "What's wrong?"

"It's a very dangerous place," I explained, not wanting to tell her that it was Mondain's hideout. "Or so we are led to believe."

"Are you scared?" she asked instantly.

I blinked. "Well... Maybe a little," I chuckled honestly. "If we mess up, it would be very bad."

"Well, the linked object should be there." She closed the Tome and handed it back to me. "I know you can face whatever is there. You always face your fears!"

I smiled at her confidence. "Thanks for the help. We really appreciate it."

"That would be great if I helped!" Sami beamed. "You know, since people think of me as a fiction writer, my next book is going to be about you, whether anyone believes it or not!"

The others laughed. I blushed.

"So be ready to tell me all about it!" she grinned. "I have a lot that Dupré told me already started! That's why I was your biggest fan before you even came here!"

I almost fell over in surprise. The others just kept grinning. I wasn't sure what to say, so we gave her our farewells and headed back for the Keep.

I placed Sami's book on the table in the Keep so that everyone could read it at their leisure. Then we left for Yew with Trellik's whistle in hand.

It took us a few minutes this time to summon a wisp, but finally one responded to the whistle. As usual, it floated closer to us and sat there in the air shimmering for a few moments as if sizing us up before speaking.

"The Avatar is greeted."

I smiled. "We would like another trade."

"A trade of information is always accepted," the wisp agreed. "What do ‘you’ seek knowledge of?"

I asked with bated breath, "Is it possible for us to trade for coordinates to the world known as Pagan? Or information on another way to get there?"

The wisp pulsed for a few moments. "There are many coordinates to the world known as ‘Pagan.’ 6,798,798 coordinates to be exact."

I tried to narrow it down. "We are looking specifically for the one known as Lord British." I was a bit reluctant to say as such because I knew this may end up tipping off the Guardian as to what we were trying to do. But I didn't see any other choice.

The wisp was silent for another moment. "The council denies the information sought, as a trade was already made preventing that knowledge."

I stared at the wisp. This was a response I had never received before. "A trade preventing it?"

"The entity known as ‘The Guardian’ has asked that all information regarding his prisoners be kept secret from the one known as ‘you.’"

I wanted to hit my forehead. No, I wanted to fall over. I wanted to do any number of things, and none of them were particularly productive.

Andrella stepped forward. "Can I trade you information regarding the coordinates of Lord British's location?" she asked, since, logically, she is not me.

The wisp considered her. "And what is this entity known as, ‘Xorinia’ asks?"

"I am Andrella Valence," she replied.

The wisp glowed. "‘You’ are accompanied by ‘the Avatar’ yet you seek the information withheld? ‘Xorinia’ denies your request."

So much for that idea. I considered sending somebody back without me, someone that the wisps would not know. But then I decided that as long as we were here, we may as well get some other answers. "Well, then, instead of that," I spoke back up, "can we ask for information about the whereabouts of the Avatar known as Michael?"

"That information was previously granted to ‘Kianne Cassidy,’" the wisp pointed out.

I nodded my head. "Aye, it was. But we'd like to know where he is now. An update, if you will."

"A discussion you seek with ‘Xorinia’ regarding the entity of ‘Michael’ is acceptable."

"I have a book here of the orcish language if that is useful to you," I offered, nearly holding my breath.

"A ‘gift’ you bring though the information you seek is only an expansion?" The wisp almost sounded surprised. "Or only to discuss ‘Michael’?"

I was taken aback. "Well, I'd like to discuss Michael. I didn't realize that is part of the last trade."

"Understood. It is part of the previous trade, as the previous information was not enough," the wisp affirmed.

For a brief moment I considered offering the book as a gift to the wisps anyway. Perhaps that would get us on their good side. Then I remembered they don't have a good side. They are neutral in the truest sense of the word. In fact, the only time I have ever seen them show concern for anyone is when they warned me that the Guardian was bad news.

So I discarded the idea. "We will trade the book later then for something else. Please tell us of Michael."

The wisp bobbed a little. "‘Michael’ is now gone from any sort existence," it intoned in its almost monotonic manner as if it was reciting a recipe. "‘You’ vanquished the only energy left of ‘him.’"

I stared at the wisp in pure horror. I'd had no idea... Michael doesn't exist anywhere anymore? "So he... died?" I managed to get out through a tight throat.

"As ‘Kianne Cassidy’ knows, there is only one reality on the world of ‘Earth.’ ‘Michael’ was murdered long ago with his family by ‘Mondain.’"

"With his family?" I gasped.

"‘Xorinia ’ is pondering how to best explain it clearly." The wisp floated up and down a little bit. "The information is difficult for ‘you’ to understand."

I was still trying to let the news sink in that Michael was gone. "Michael said Mondain cast some sort of spell..."

The wisp decided, "‘I’ will go in order of the events leading to ‘Michael's’ murder."

We nodded.

"‘Michael’ killed ‘Mondain,’" the wisp enumerated.

So he was the original Avatar...

"‘Michael’ adventured much more in the reality of ‘Britannia.’ ‘Minax’ reversed time in the reality known as ‘Earth.’"

I blinked. She reversed time...on Earth!? I may have been on Earth at the time. Why didn't I notice...?

"Therefore," the wisp went on logically, "‘Mondain’ never died."

I frowned. How did reversing time on Earth help Mondain on Britannia?

The wisp answered my unspoken question a moment later. "‘Mondain’ killed ‘Michael’ in the reality of ‘Earth.’ ‘Michael’ still existed in the memories of many of this land. Only the reality of ‘Earth’ was changed. The changes to ‘Sosaria’ were not reversed. ‘Minax’ changed ‘Earth’ to prevent ‘Michael’ from killing ‘Mondain,’" the wisp explained. "The shattered gem was not repaired, and could not be repaired by their magics. The entity ‘you’ encountered, ‘The Black Void,’ was only the combined memories of this world and the mirrored realities of ‘Sosaria.’"

And the mirrored realities?

"Words cannot explain these events," the wisp finished finally. I had to agree there.

The wisp's next words landed like a bombshell. "‘He of time’ is the one who chose this to happen."

I blinked. "He of Time? Do you mean...?" The Time Lord chose this to happen!?

"‘He of Time’ prevented ‘Mondain’ from changing ‘Sosaria,’" the wisp clarified, and things began to make sense. "But ‘he’ could not prevent the murder of ‘Michael’ on ‘Earth.’"

I nodded my head slowly.

"‘You’ are understanding of the information?" the wisp wanted to know.

"More or less," I chuckled slightly.

"Words cannot convey the actions and reactions of ‘Time.’ ‘Michael’ was murdered in a vicious manner. ‘Earthlings’ are accustomed to murder. It was unresolved."

The police couldn't figure out who killed Michael, huh? No surprise there. It's not like they're accustomed to mages coming through dimensional portals and offing their adversaries.

The wisp asked, "Is this acceptable?" And I had to nod. What else could it say?

"‘Xorinia’ is summoned and must depart soon," the wisp warned. I nodded again. I supposed that we would have to send someone to ask for the coordinates to Pagan another time.

"Thank you for the additional information," I told the wisp.

For a moment it did not answer, hanging in midair. Finally it announced suddenly, "There is a strange request that has been reminded to ‘Xorinia.’"

"Request?" I repeated.

The wisp pulsed. "‘Xorinia’ is receiving the request now."

So someone was asking the wisp right at that moment? This was the first time I knew of that I'd ever been speaking to one wisp while someone else was simultaneously conversing with another one. "From whom?"

The wish replied by saying, "‘Soth’ is unsure how to convey his anger at this world."

"Soth!" I gasped, and I heard several others in our group echo the word as well. "On Krynn?"

"Affirmative," the wisp said, and I felt a brief sensation of relief that I had opened the moongate correctly. It's not like I owe Soth any favors, but I'd promised him to return him to Krynn, so I was glad I had been able to keep my word.

Of course, that immediately caused me to wonder what in the world Soth is so angry for if he is finally home...

"‘Soth’s request is denied," the wisp declared finally. "‘His’ words will not be repeated by ‘Xorinia,’

"Why was Soth's request denied?" I had to ask.

"‘Xorinia’ will not transfer emotions of ‘evil,’" the wisp responded.

Ho boy.

"Is there anything else ‘Kianne Cassidy’ seeks at this juncture?"

I let out a little sigh, because I was still curious about Soth. "No, I suppose not."

"‘Xorinia’ has departed," the wisp stated as a way of saying farewell, and faded out of view.

---

[11/23/2003]

We went to Dawn today to pick up Shamino as we had promised. The Orb of the Moons worked as usual, and Erimani's coordinates placed us a short distance from Iolo's tent. We found Shamino there with Iolo, practicing his archery on a butte.

"How are you doing?" I smiled at them after we'd said our greetings.

"I'm ready to get out of here," Shamino responded. "I don't know how much more singing I can take."

We laughed.

"Nice bow." Andrella nodded at Shamino. He was using an elven bow of Iolo's craftsmanship.

"Oh," Iolo spoke up, reminded, "Shamino said you have your silver bow, Kianne."

"Oh yeah." I pulled it out and showed it to him.

"At last I have seen it," he smiled. "It is magnificent."

"It would have come in handy on our Britannia," I chuckled.

"Truly a marvel to behold," Iolo nodded.

"Did you want to try it?" I asked him.

"I would love to," he responded, and I handed it to him. "Look out, Shamino," he grinned. "Let me show you how it's done."

Shamino grumbled. The others snickered.

Iolo knew already that the bow did not need arrows, but there was still a look of delight on his face when he drew back the magical bowstring and an arrow of light appeared between his fingers. He positioned himself, aimed, and released.

"Bull's eye!" he crowed. I swear Shamino was gawking.

"Good shot!" we praised with grins.

Shamino walked over to the butte. "No arrow left behind..."

I looked toward him. "Oh, it won't."

Iolo gave the bow one more impressed look before he passed it back to me. "It's a shame you didn't have this before!"

"I know!" I grinned.

"The elves would be interested in that," Iolo mused. "To draw a string so silently, and such a piercing arrow... Which reminds me. I asked for a favor from an elven blacksmith."

"Oh?" we asked.

He dipped into a chest and came up a moment later holding the finest suit of chainmail armor I have ever laid eyes upon. Each and every chain link was painstakingly encrusted with amethysts. The whole thing took on a kind of purplish hue, but its colors shifted from anywhere between fuchsia and blue depending on how the light happened to hit it.

Iolo handed me the tunic and leggings, and I spent some time running my fingers over them, marveling. "Wow..! This is gorgeous!"

"I knew you would appreciate such a delicate material," Iolo smiled. "You always did have exquisite taste."

I passed the pieces around the circle so that the others could take a closer look. "I want to try this on..." I chuckled.

"It's yours," Iolo laughed. "Of course you should!"

I stared at him. "Mine!?" I gasped.

"Don't act silly." Iolo winked at Shamino. "And you asked, 'Why is it purple?'" He laughed again.

Shamino held up his hands. "I was just curious!"

Andrella was next to me and handed me back the armor. "Try it on!" she urged.

I needed no further encouragement. I dashed into Iolo's tent where I quickly stripped off my silver chain and replaced it with the amethyst. I left my outer tunic off for the time being, so that everyone could fully see the armor.

The others clapped when I emerged again from the tent. I did a little twirl, watching the armor sparkle in the light. "It's so pretty!" And it fit perfectly.

"Ahh," Iolo smiled. "So fitting."

I turned to him. "Thank you, Iolo. This is something I will definitely treasure."

"It is my pleasure." He smiled.

I looked at the cloth tunic in my hands. "Oh, I can't cover this up. I need to find another tunic."

Iolo chuckled. "Always so stylish."

"I thought you said that about me," Shamino spoke up.

"Until I found out she gave you that stuff." Iolo turned to me. "You did make Shamino look nice," he added to me with a grin, and shocked a laugh out of me. I'd just given Shamino that armor for good protection. Well, okay, and because the blackrock seemed to suit him...

I felt my face growing red, but I played it up for all it was worth. "I need to rethink my color scheme. Get a new tunic, dye my cloak..." I rubbed my hands. "You know what this means..."

"Shopping!!" Andrella grinned.

We all laughed. I turned to Shamino. "Are you sure you want to come with us, Shamino?"

"Let me think," he teased. "Listen to another of Iolo's same songs, or..." Shamino looked at the bard. "Iolo, can I make a request?"

We laughed some more. "No," I pointed out in all seriousness, "we can drop you off at...well, where do you want to go?"

"I do need to get back to scouting," Shamino agreed. "How has Blackthorn been?"

"I've been avoiding him. I wouldn't know," Andrella snickered.

I tucked my tunic into my pack and admired the armor some more. Iolo glanced at me and commented, "I had so many of your other things...until Soth destroyed it all..." He shuddered.

I nodded slowly. "I always wondered what happened to everything I was carrying when the Black Gate was destroyed."

"Dupré and myself found ourselves here somehow," Iolo mused. "That seems like so long ago."

"I never asked," I realized. "How did that happen?"

"When the gate was destroyed, there was just a large flash," Iolo explained. "Everything went black. I could hear Dupré calling. I grabbed him and we didn't let go of each other. As our vision cleared...we were here."

I shook my head apologetically. "I didn't realize the gate would explode like that..."

"Well, I half suspected such a thing." Iolo chuckled. "But I knew it would do little to stop you, telling of how dangerous it was."

I grimaced. "True, given the way that wand reacted with blackrock..." I sighed, feeling as though I had failed everyone, somehow, by letting them get caught in the explosion. I should have guessed it would happen, and told the others to stand far away...

"It was all for the better it seems," Iolo shrugged. "The Time Lord has his ways, I suppose."

It was ironic he brought up the Time Lord. "Sometimes I wonder..." I mused quietly. "What happened to our Britannia? What if they are calling for me..?" Like they were calling for Michael here... "I'm not on Earth anymore to see the gate..."

"From what the Draxinusom said," Shamino spoke up, "the black void traveled to many Britannias, and destroyed them...erasing things."

I gave him a stricken look. "Not ours," I protested. "I hope not ours. What of all the people we knew? Lord British, and everyone..."

The thought was just too painful to bear. It was true that this Britannia is special, and I have some of my old friends here as well as many new ones. But many of my old friends are still missing, and Lord British... Well, though I respect this world's British as much as the last, it just isn't the same.

The Lord British I had known had called me his friend...

"I wonder what's real sometimes," Shamino murmured. As I had before in the past, I found myself thinking again how strange it must be to know that there are alternate versions of oneself.

"Well, we know one thing," Iolo pointed out. "There is only one Mondain, and only one Kianne."

"Because each world had a different Avatar, right?" I asked. "None of us were duplicated?"

But Shamino shook his head. "Only one immortal Avatar. So said the Codex."

I blinked.

"Only one who could withstand the tests of time," Iolo chimed in. "For age has no hindrance on you as it does all of us."

I was silent.

"I told Iolo about that," Shamino mentioned.

I gave him a small smile. "Did you tell him all of the long stories?"

"No," he replied. "Every time I began to, he was reminded of a song."

We laughed. "Ahh, that reminds me..." Iolo grinned, and I laughed harder.

"Well, I do need to tell you everything at some point," I agreed.

Iolo nodded. "I plan on returning to Britannia as soon as British is back."

I beamed at him. "That's great to hear!"

"I long for the peaceful sound of the bustling city," Iolo reminisced. "Of course, with Blackthorn there, it's not so peaceful," he chuckled.

"I hope it will be soon now," I smiled. "But..."

"But?" he queried.

I shrugged. "Well, it would have been nice if the wisps weren't so darn stubborn. But--a promise is a promise. Got to respect them for that."

Iolo nodded his head slowly. "I am still astounded that you were able to get their attention."

"Oh, that whistle works wonders," I grinned.

"They usually only spoke with Emps of this land," Iolo pointed out. "Even when I played the flute, they did not hear it."

I was surprised. "It didn't work for you?"

He shook his head. "I believe it is more then the sound."

"That's odd..." I frowned.

"I sought wisdom from them during the serpent wars," Iolo explained. "Yet they did not respond to my call."

"That's a shame," I said.

Iolo smiled a little. "But with your return, it seems the wars are distant memory."

"Indeed, that is true," Shamino agreed.

"Now we just need to get Lord British back," I grinned.

"I have no doubt you will," Iolo stated.

"Now, just to make plans for the Star Chamber..."

Shamino looked at me. "You are going?"

I nodded slowly. "Looks like we are going to have to. It's the only way to get the coordinates to Pagan."

"The danger of the place is immeasurable," Shamino pointed out, and we nodded. "He can slay beyond the protection of the lands."

We were well aware of that, as Sariff had painfully proven.

I commented, "Andrella suggested though that maybe the shards of the Gem will protect us? I mean, if Mondain could kill us, he would have by now..."

"I hope so," Shamino nodded. "But this land does not have another Avatar."

I grimaced.

"Here, take some elven wine along," Iolo offered, handing me two bags stuffed full of the wine bottles.

"Thank you," I replied as I tried to figure out how to stuff them into my pack.

"I'll carry some," Shamino offered.

I handed him one of the bags. "Now, if only I had a skiff..." I teased.

"Oh boy," he laughed.

"Boat? Who needs a boat?" I went on with a grin. "Who says skiffs can't go across the ocean?"

The others laughed. "There is only one I know who would try," Iolo chuckled.

Andrella patted me on the shoulder. "I've got my trusty Avatar to get me where I want to go!"

We laughed some more. Iolo shook his head in remembrance. "Aye, I am glad to see that the Orb functions so well here."

"I am even more so," I agreed with a nod.

"Otherwise," Iolo finished with a twinkle in his eye, "Andrella may have a skiff in her pack!"

I laughed. "Hey, now there's an idea..."

"No.. uh uh.. no way," Andrella protested.

"She didn't ask Dupré either," Iolo said to her in a stage whisper.

I pretended to ignore them. "Anyone know where to buy skiffs?"

"Come on, you're giving her ideas!" Andrella laughed.

"Well, we should be going," we decided after all of the laughter had calmed down.

Iolo nodded. "Gwenno should be back in a few days."

"Just in time for Lord British's return!" I grinned. "Hopefully."

Iolo reached for his lute. Immediately Shamino stood up. "Okay, we need to go."

"I was just about to sing," Iolo protested, and we all laughed again.

"Okay, okay, one red gate out of here," I winked. Then I paused. "Iolo... Thanks."

"Luck be with you," he replied. "I will be thinking of you."

"Till then," I nodded, and formed a moongate.

---

¹ In Ultima 6 the Codex is placed within the void. Thereafter, the tome can only be viewed using one of two special Lenses. At the closing of Ultima 6, Lord British had one Lens, and Lord Draxinusom possessed the other.

² Stones is a song written for the Ultima series which describes the shrines that were built as monuments.

---

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