Kianne's Journal - Archive

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[1/24/2004]

Ayla, Andrella, and I traveled together today to chop trees and hunt deer for hides. We simply wandered around chatting while cutting logs. Andrella laughed that she wasn't very good at it, but it was probably because she was trying to use a gargs sword like a saw.

We also did a little mining with Sophie, and here I laughed at my inadequacy because I wasn't finding very much useable ore. Even the ore that I did find was of the wrong type; I came away with bronze, Verite, tarnished green copper, and who knows what else, but no silver. I think the ingots are going to be the most challenging thing on the list.

Finally we took a break to ransack Blackthorn's castle. Before opening the moongate, I warned Ayla to walk where we walked, because we would come out on Blackthorn's balcony and I didn't want her to accidently enter his secret chambers (just in case he'd left a "present" for us).

We went through the Orb's gate and entered Blackthorn's room. Everything was quiet. Andrella went immediately to the desk and I opened the armoire.

There was a nice robe in there, an elven cloak, and a wizard's hat. I found a bag of potions and opened it.

"Hey... Have you ever seen one of these before?"

I pulled out a glass bottle filled with red liquid. The potion shimmered. On the outside of the bag was written Invulnerability.

Andrella whistled when she saw the word. "Are these what I think they are?" I murmured. Potions to make one invulnerable?

"Clear that armoire out!" Andrella grinned.

I piled all of the items into my bag, coming across three staves in addition to the other things. They were enchanted with Greater Teleport spells. Greater Teleport? Hmm, this warranted some testing.

Soon the armoire was bare and Andrella had emptied the desk as well. We opened the doors to the bedroom--they were no longer locked--and wandered into the third floor room. It looked pretty much as I had last seen it; the Chaos stone was there, and on a table were three items of interest: the skull helm of Larix, the Warden's Axe, and the sword of Holy Judgment that I had given Blackthorn from Hakura the Paladin.

We took everything--though I'm still not sure what we should do with this sword, since Hakura had wanted Blackthorn to have it--and went down the stairs to the second floor. We checked the table and the shelves but found nothing interesting. Moving on to the first floor, I winked at Andrella as I pointed out the communications crystal we had hidden there. No one had yet to find it. We left it there just in case Batlin does buy the place.

Outside, we noted that the gate was no longer locked, and we checked for more teleportation tiles, but found nothing out of place.

I started to head back inside, because I wanted to check out Blackthorn's secret chambers. But then I had a thought. "Hang on, I want to try something," I told the others, digging out one of those staves. I held it forth, pointing the staff at the balcony high above, and chanted. "Vas Rel Por!"

The magic picked me up and deposited me safely three stories up on the balcony floor that I hadn't even been able to fully see while looking from below. Just as I had thought. This spell is a more powerful version of Teleport, with less restrictions.

"Whoa!" I heard Andrella gasp. I turned and waved at her cheerfully with my free hand. "Those are nice!" she grinned.

"Aye, I can see many uses for them," I grinned evilly. "Want one? There are three here, one for each of us!"

"Aye, I do!" Andrella responded.

"Come on up!" I invited. Then I laughed as a joking thought occurred to me. "Come into my castle!"

Andrella laughed. "Cassidy Hall!!" she christened it, and I nearly fell off the balcony. I should have known better than to give her ideas.

Ayla and Andrella reentered the castle and came up the stairs. I went down to join them, and we met up on the second floor. "Thank you for welcoming us into Cassidy Hall, Lady Cassidy!" Andrella grinned.

"Don't start," I snickered, handing her and Ayla each one of the staves. "Don't use it now," I added. "Save it for special occasions. And stop bowing!!"

Andrella and Ayla burst into laughter.

"You two..." I chuckled as I led the way back into Blackthorn's bedroom.

"Okay, be on your guard," I warned them. "Just in case."

"You want to check the chamber don't you?" Andrella grinned. When I nodded, she whooped, "I knew it! We're doomed!"

I laughed and jabbed her with an elbow. "Now have I ever led you wrong?" I paused. "On second thought, don't answer that."

Andrella made a motion like she was counting on her fingers. "I said not to answer that!" I laughed, and she winked.

We entered the chambers but found them to be blessedly empty. I checked the bookshelves, then the table, picking up the Guardian's book with a shake of my head. "It's a good thing Lord British was able to get out of here," I chuckled, thinking of the cheese. "I should have warned him."

Andrella stood at the other side of the table, gazing down at the pages of an open book. "Armageddon."

I blinked. "He has that here!?" She passed me the book, and my hand trembled a little when I took it. "I hope Lord British didn't see this..." To read of such an awful future...

After a few moments I buried the book in my pack and went on with the exploration. Andrella by that point had opened one of the two metal chests. "Whoa! 280 empty bottles," she snickered.

"What is it with mages and empty bottles?" I agreed with a grin.

"Ooo, stone to flesh scroll," she said next, pulling it out and tucking it away.

"What was he doing with that?" I muttered, but of course none of us had an answer.

Finally we had inspected every corner of the place. The clay objects and the green paint were long gone, so there were no clues remaining to that. Deciding we had done all that we could, we returned to the Keep.

"Ah, it was good to go through there without worrying about Blackthorn popping in on us," I chuckled. Then I paused. "You have checked on him recently, right?" I asked Andrella with a smirk.

She nodded. "Aye, but I should check on him now. Let's go poke him."

We went inside, where Andrella dug the gem of imprisonment out of a chest and placed it on a table. "Hey Blackie!" she grinned, waving at it. "Feeling a little cramped?"

I snickered. "Let's not be cruel," I said teasingly.

"Aww, but cruel is fun," Andrella giggled. She peered more closely at the gem. "Look, he's glaring at me."

I couldn't resist the curiosity. Leaning over her shoulder, I stared into the gem. The tiny Blackthorn next to his tiny house was standing there shaking his fist up at us and mouthing curses.

"You want some ale or maybe some old cheese!?" Andrella laughed. "It's good and moldy now!"

I was snickering so hard I almost couldn't stand up straight. Ayla grinned, "You will be forever in his heart, Andie."

"No, not me," she winked. "Kianne...."

I laughed. "Okay, that's enough." Talking of Blackthorn was making me hungry. I dug out some fish steaks and started munching on them. I didn't notice at the time, but Blackthorn was staring at me as I ate, looking pretty hungry himself.

"Okay, that's it, I can't watch him starve," Andrella stated, and solved that problem by putting the gem away.

"We do need to decide what to do with him," she mused after she had done so.

"It's on the list of tasks," I chuckled.

Andrella responded, "If you wouldn't mind, could you send a list of tasks in parchment? I can't keep track of it all."

I giggled. "Sure, once I get them all sorted out."

Which, I think, is exactly what I am going to go do now...

---

[1/30/2004]

Starfire agreed to try mining for silver for us after I told her she could keep any gold and anything else that she found. We allowed her access to the mine that was normally restricted to Crafters of Britannia members. I trust her enough to keep her word that she would give us the silver.

Andrella told me later that she'd bumped into Starfire and learned she was rather disappointed that Blackthorn was gone. Starfire's words were, I think, "Darn. He was a good source of money." I couldn't help but snicker.

We pulled in every blacksmith and miner we knew, but even with all of the extra help, we still were only at about 200 of the required 800 ingots. After some discussion we decided we could ask around and perhaps find a faster means of obtaining silver. Also I had Batlin at the top of our list and our agenda--I didn't want to give him too much time to do anything nefarious. But we also needed to speak with Lord British, and at any rate, we had been invited to an informal dinner at the castle, so that made it easy to decide what to do first.

At the castle, we found Lord British seated with Dupré and Shamino. A little wistfully I wished that Iolo could also be there, but I didn't speak the thought out loud. We sat down after the greetings and the waiters silently served us.

After some small talk, I commented to Lord British, "I realized that I never did tell you what it was that Batlin did on..the other Britannia." I refrained from my usual habit of calling it "my" Britannia. It isn't really mine, I just really don't know how to refer to it. It was never given a separate name like the Shadowland, that I knew of.

"Dupré spoke a few words of it," Lord British commented.

"I didn't tell you half of it," Dupré responded instantly with a chuckle.

I smirked. "Well, what did you tell him?"

Lord British answered for him by asking, "He was the leader of a group that followed the Guardian?"

I nodded. "The Fellowship." I couldn't keep a slight tone of disgust from my voice.

"That's right," Dupré spoke up. "I forgot the name; how could I?"

I smiled for a moment, then grew serious and explained about the Fellowship being a sort of cult with three Principles. Unity, Trust, Worthiness. I still can remember them after all these years. And the promise of "The Voice" which members were told they would only hear when they advanced to the higher circles of the order...but of course, the "Voice" was really that of the Guardian himself, and I personally became sick and tired of hearing it.

"The Guardian needed people here to do his dirty work for him I guess," I finished.

Lord British nodded slightly. "As he employed Blackthorn..."

I agreed. "They didn't have the golden rocks, so they constructed a gate out of blackrock." I guess that required a lot of manpower. Also I assume the Guardian had been hoping that his cult members would worship him when he finally arrived, rather than fighting against him as an invader. "The Fellowship was designed to look like an innocent thing on the surface," I explained. "The newest recruits didn't even know what it was all about."

"The Guardian spoke to Minax and Blackthorn in our presence," Lord British mused. "And he promised them their desires."

"That's gall for you. He wasn't worried about you overhearing," I murmured.

"He had not planned for our rescue at all," Lord British agreed. "He underestimated you."

I grinned. After chewing a bit of food I commented thoughtfully, "I don't think he's noticed you're gone yet. He hasn't said anything to me in a while."

"By destroying the blackrock communicators, you have stopped his contact with this world," Lord British explained. I considered that. Even with me? It seemed like the Guardian could always irritate me, black cube or no.

"However," Lord British finished, "I did not find the black cube Blackthorn was using."

"You think he still has it?" I asked in surprise.

He nodded. "Perhaps it is in his prison with him."

I had forgotten about that. Now we have to make doubly sure we don't say anything in the presence of the gem of imprisonment.

"Yet," Lord British finished, "I heard no mention of the druid Batlin while there."

I frowned slightly. Perhaps he is indeed innocent after all. Well, we will speak to Batlin soon, so I will find out more then.

"If I may bring up another subject..?" Andrella spoke up then. When we all nodded, she went on, "I have been thinking a lot about the Valencian Knights. Jarred, or the golden knight as he has been hailed, has only destroyed the name." She paused. "I'm not sure about all of this Star Mage mumbo jumbo. As far as I'm concerned I am a Valencian Knight and I would like to reclaim that name."

"A very good knight too," I smiled. But there's nothing wrong with a warrior using magic--after all, look at me.

Andrella smiled. "I am asking, Lord British, if perhaps you would be able to aide me in this quest."

"I will do anything I can, Andrella," he agreed with a nod of his head.

Quest? Andrella explained a moment later. "I would like to train an army in the ways of the Valencian Sword," she said. "The true Knights of Valence, the knights I once knew. Like my father. We would fight for you, milord, and Britannia."

I realized my fork had frozen on the way to my mouth, and I was now holding it motionless in midair. I lowered it back to my plate and made sure I wasn't staring. Andrella had mentioned nothing of this to me prior to now--oh, she's made no secret that she detests what Jarred has done with the Knights, but she never mentioned wanting to reform the group herself.

Lord British was speaking, but I was tuning everything out, my thoughts in a whirl. Training knights can't be an easy task. While I have no doubt Andrella is more than capable of it, I know it will occupy a lot of her time. How could she be overseeing an army when she is running around looking for cogs and silver ingots?

My own heart said I could not impose on her and take her away from what she needed to be doing. But for a moment I thought ruefully that I would never find another warrior like her. I would have been dead a hundred times over if it hadn't been for her swords.

Was this what Lord British had warned about friends?

Lord British was talking about a Lord Saitor, the commander of the Order of the Silver Serpent at Serpent's Hold. "I understand what you want to do," he was saying. "Like Lord Saitor, you want a stronghold to train these Knights." Andrella nodded.

I didn't want to say anything to her, but I couldn't help myself. "If you're busy training..." I sent to her privately, but couldn't figure out how to finish the thought.

She understood perfectly where I was trying to go. "Kianne, don't you ever for one minute think that I would not drop everything to help you," she returned.

"I don't want to impose though."

"You have never been nor never will be an imposition." I could almost hear her smile in the tone of her voice.

I didn't say anything more after that. But I quietly made a decision that I would see what I could do on my own, and only ask her for help in the things that I could not possibly accomplish by myself.

"Lord Saitor still wants war with the Ophidians," Dupré commented, not aware of the silent conversation of course.

"When I ordered a truce, Lord Saitor was not pleased," Lord British agreed. "But he obeys my orders."

"For the Knights of Valence, I would see to it that every order is obeyed," Andrella agreed. "And I would do it for the love of this land and for my king."

Lord British nodded thoughtfully. "You are the High Knight and a Knight of Valence. There would be many who would offer you their allegiance I am certain."

"I have to do this to reclaim the tarnished name of my father," Andrella said to me suddenly. "You aren't upset with me, are you?"

Apparently she had taken my silence as anger. I made sure my tone was light, that she could tell I would be smiling at her if I were speaking out loud. "Not at all. I understand. You need to do what you need to do."

"And with the uneasy alliance with the serpents now..." Lord British finished with a shake of his head. "Omar is not easily pleased with us. He demanded Blackthorn--he did not ask. And even then would he be pleased?"

"Probably not," Andrella grimaced.

"This is where I see a growing advantage," Lord British explained. "Lord Saitor has decided only to train Guards. Knights trained by your sword could prove the force of balance we may need one day. In addition, this could alleviate the strained relationship Britannia has with Serpent's Hold."

Shamino nodded, and I smiled. I have had other companions decide they needed to take their lives down another road. Mariah, Geoffery...even, in a way, Dupré, Shamino, and Iolo now. I did not begrudge any of them for their decisions and I will not be angry at Andrella. I will find another way.

"You would start by selecting a location for a stronghold," Lord British said to Andrella. "Then we could post recruitment orders at the guard posts and such."

"Thank you, milord. I am forever in your debt." Andrella smiled. "I will look around for suitable location and get back to you on that."

"Lord Saitor may be of assistance to you, if you choose to speak with him," Lord British suggested. "He is stubborn, but his words are wise."

She nodded.

"On a side note," the king went on. "While inspecting the vaults, we have found that several priceless treasures have been stolen, or looted during Blackthorn's rule."

I made a sound of disgust.

"I would like to ask that you keep an eye out for these items during your adventures," he finished.

We nodded in agreement. "What was taken?"

Lord British looked to Dupré, who gave an embarrassed smile because he seemed to have misplaced his list. Shamino gave a wry smile and stood up, walking over to silently hand Dupré a small scroll of notes.

"So you have Shamino hold the important stuff so you don't lose it?" I teased Dupré with a wink. Andrella found this particularly funny, I think, because I have been keeping a list of tasks for all of us to reference.

"He knows how to take care of things," Dupré agreed with a chuckle. "Look at his sword on his belt!"

We directed our gazes in that direction reflexively. I hadn't realized it before now, but Shamino is wearing the glass sword I gave him. I keep mine carefully tucked into my backpack, and he wears his at his hip. I have no idea how he doesn't break the thing carrying it there.

"All right, here is the list." Dupré got back to business and began reading from the scroll. I got out my own parchment of notes and had my quill and ink ready to copy them down. "Platemail helm of Sir Geoffrey..."

Poor Geoffrey...

"A gemmed chalice... A unicorn horn..." he went on, but I couldn't resist breaking in.

"Ooo, I've never even seen a unicorn here," I spoke up.

Lord British nodded. "It was a gift from Michael a long time ago."

"Now where did he get a unicorn horn?" I chuckled. Certainly not from Earth...

"From a unicorn?" Andrella teased, and I whacked her with the feather end of my quill.

"A silk string harp," Dupré continued, and I resumed writing. "Staff of the Magi... A deck of golden virtue cards... Captain Johne's spyglass... The sandalwood box, and a Ranger's cloak of ghosts."

"It's a Ranger Spiritual cloak," Shamino spoke up.

Dupré chuckled. "Ghosts, spirits, the same thing right?"

I reflected on the list, reminiscing. Lord British's sandalwood box, I remember that. And Captain Johne. And... "Virtue cards? Like what the gypsy used?"

Dupré nodded as he started rolling up the list. His arm bumped his mug and he ended up spilling ale on the scroll.

"Oops," he chuckled, and we snickered. "That's okay," I grinned, waving my piece of parchment in the air. "I have my copy!"

Dupré gave a sheepish smile and mopped up the spill with the scroll. Andrella snickered.

I grew serious again. "We'll keep an eye out for them, Lord British."

"Thank you, of course. Someone must know what happened to them... But do not stray from your course."

"Someone besides the man in our gem?" I smirked.

"I heard he left the vault open for his lackeys," Lord British mused.

"Barney!" Andrella let out. I had been just about to say that.

"Like Barney Oakley, yes," Lord British agreed.

"He is spending some quality time cleaning the streets on public duty," Dupré winked. We grinned.

"Aye, we should check on Oakley," I agreed. "And Batlin first."

"Well, I would hope Batlin is true to his word," Lord British commented. "For the Druids of Justice have a strong presence."

I nodded in agreement. "I do hope so. We will see."

Lord British changed the subject abruptly. "Oh, did I already mention that your hourglass has been enchanted?"

I looked surprised. "Oh, it is?"

Shamino stood up. "I'll go get it."

He left the room and returned shortly, holding the glowing hourglass in his hand. I thanked him as he passed it to me before returning to his seat.

Before we left, we asked Lord British if he knew of a place to obtain a lot of silver. "Lord Saitor, the Order of Silver Serpents, surely has an excess," he replied.

Makes sense. Well, we were going to go there anyway.

"Get ready to be ripped off," Dupré piped up.

"They will not be," Lord British admonished. "Lord Saitor is a fair man."

We thanked him, said our farewells, and stood to walk from the table.

"Good luck, and may the Virtues walk with you," Lord British said as we left.

Outside, I got out the Orb of the Moons. "Did you want to go to Yew first, or Serpent's Hold?"

Andrella considered. "Well, I don't know."

I laughed. "Let's do Yew then," I winked, and opened a moongate.

"See, you're a good leader," she grinned. I snickered.

The Orb's gate places us right next to Empath Abbey, so we explored there first. I looked briefly into each room as we passed, knowing I would recognize Batlin as soon as I saw him. At first we had no luck. Then I wandered over to enter the room with the Candle of Love, just to look at it for a moment. I took one step inside and stopped cold.

He was sitting there, on a bench in the front, meditating. Andrella came in around me and paused, waiting for me to take an action. I was still for a moment, just thinking of the memories. Batlin didn't appear to be carrying as much weight on him now, but otherwise he looked the same.

While I was pondering whether to interrupt him, he suddenly blinked his eyes and lifted his head.

I greeted him pleasantly, as I would a stranger, but his eyes opened wide when he saw us.

"Miss Cassidy, and Lady Valence!" he gasped.

I was taken aback. I had been planning to try to see if he showed any signs of recognition, because in the back of my mind I was a little curious as to whether this was the Batlin from my world. After all, Batlin had run from that last fight before the Black Gate, so that meant he could still be alive. If he was the same, that would change a few things in our dealings with each other. But I figured in that case he would try to hide any sense of recognition. Hearing him announce our names with such a look of happiness took me by surprise.

"What a surprise and an honor to meet you," he smiled kindly as I blinked at him speechlessly.

I finally got my mouth to work, but it didn't do what I was intending. I had planned to simply ask his name as I would when striking up a conversation with any townsperson. But what came out instead was, "Are you Batlin?"

He nodded, and I realized now I had to explain. "We have heard of you," I said, keeping it simple. I carefully kept my voice pleasant, hiding any trace of suspicion.

He looked honored and humbled. "You have heard of me?"

I nodded and asked casually about the Druids and Justice, but I couldn't seem to get him to say anything that I could use to innocently broach the topic I really wanted to be discussing. He seemed to realize this and with a smile asked if we wanted to go for a walk. I agreed, and the three of us wandered out of Empath Abbey and into the woods.

We stopped by a gigantic yew tree, where Batlin seated himself on a log, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. Andrella sat down under the yew tree, but I remained standing.

Batlin smiled at me. "What is on your mind? I can sense there is more to your visit then the Abbey."

I knew then that I wasn't going to be able to get him to bring it up himself, so I resigned and tried to think of a good phrasing. "Well, truth be told," I replied carefully, "we heard you were trying to form, was it, a council of Druids?"

He nodded his head with a proud smile.

"I was curious and wanted to learn of it," I explained, because it was the truth.

"A council of Druids, you say?" he responded. "No. It is a Following of Druids. It is for anyone really."

I succeeded in catching myself from falling over. "A...Following?" I managed to repeat, although my throat almost got stuck on the word.

When he nodded with that guileless smile of his, I forced a pleasant smile on my face. "Tell me about it."

"I call it The Following," he began. I could practically feel Andrella's thoughts behind me, but I didn't look at her.

"Has it to do with Justice?" I asked innocently. "I follow the Virtues." My smile was genuine this time, although a little wry.

"I understand completely," he agreed with a nod of his head. "I would never disrespect the Virtues."

Here he goes, I thought. I was seeing sudden visions of meeting Batlin in Britain. No disrespect, he'd say, but the Virtues are outdated! I forced myself not to grit my teeth.

Batlin seemed to be considering his next words. "Well, let me ask you a question first. Do you feel the health of this forest? The miracles of the animals around us?"

I nodded, not knowing where he was going with it, but patient to get there. "Aye, life has always amazed me."

"I as well, and so many of us here in Britannia," Batlin agreed. "A miracle. But, may I ask Miss Cassidy...?"

"Kianne, please," I interrupted.

Andrella stood up silently, brushing herself off. Batlin simply nodded his head and asked, "What Virtue breathes life into these woods? Into the air we breathe?"

I was taken aback, and was unsure how to respond. "What Virtue?" I repeated in confusion.

He nodded his head, giving me a look of total understanding. "I know. There is no true answer is there? The Virtues are of self worth. Emotions. I speak of more than one self."

Unity. I forced myself not to grimace.

"A world where all things are equal," he went on. "Your two legs make you the same as an orc. You both have hearts. Souls..."

I would argue whether orcs have souls, but then, Guthnor had found one somewhere, so I guess anything is possible.

"Now I know," he tacked on, "many almost worship you. The Avatar."

I blinked. "I do not ask for worship," I responded instantly. "I don't want it, even."

Batlin nodded. "I understand. And many look up to ladies like Miss Valence. It is the way of the world...or so far it is. That is what I wish to change."

"To change?" I echoed.

"As you said, you are equal to us correct? You are not above the common people of this land?"

That, at least, I agreed with. "Aye," I nodded.

He smiled. "Then you understand."

I understood one thing at least. "The Virtues are not meant to be the answer to the universe. They are a way of living one's life." It seemed absurd to me to try to take them and then apply them to this.

"I seek to show those that following the Avatar will not bring peace to this world," Batlin explained. "No disrespect, but the answer to life is far deeper."

He was sounding more and more like his old self the more he talked. I had to fight to keep my voice steady over the growing sense of disappointment. He hasn't changed at all. "What..will bring peace to this land then?"

"The Following of the Elements of Life," he replied with a smile. "Earth, Water, Air, Fire. The true masters of this world."

I nearly choked in surprise. Okay, now this was a new one.

"It is even more complex then that," he went on while I stared at him like a fish out of water. "There are advanced Elements..."

"You...are seeking to become Elementalists?" I finally got out.

"Seeking, yes," he replied easily. "The journey is the pleasure of knowledge. Do you see? There is so much more then the simple virtues."

Words that Dupré had spoken were swimming in my head. The Guardian and four Elemental lords...

He seemed to mistake my stunned expression for confusion. "You can't understand yet," he decided with a nod of his head. "It will take years of study for you to see the truth I speak. But you are listening and that is a start." He beamed.

I was speechless. "Does he not realize he's speaking to an Elementalist?" Andrella giggled privately to me.

Apparently not. I was baffled. "The Guardian was tasked with killing an Elementalist...and this guy wants to make more?"

"I am so glad to be able to share this with you," Batlin was going on. "Would you like to be a follower?"

I had no idea how to answer. By being an Elementalist, wasn't I already one? "Well..."

"I know," he sighed at my hesitation. "You fear that it will break your grasp of the Virtues..."

I failed to see how being an Elementalist would do that. In fact, I think they might be connected somewhere, but I am still searching for the link. Eight Virtues, eight Elements, one circle of a rainbow...

Batlin turned. "Would you like to begin the journey, Miss Valance?"

"I have some knights to train," she responded with an easy smirk.

He nodded slowly. "I understand. But you should know that the... Did you say knights to train?" he interrupted himself suddenly.

When she nodded, he mused, "I knew you were a High Knight...but a leader?"

I snickered. A very good one, in fact. "No offense," Batlin tacked on immediately. "But may I say..?"

"Speak with caution," Andrella grinned.

I was getting the distinct impression he was rubbing her the wrong way.

"If you trained knights with the knowledge of the Following," Batlin explained, "they would be the strongest knights of all. Strength lies in far more than skill. The Elements can help. Put fire in their fists."

"And lightning on their swords," I grinned. That was one of my favorite tricks, once I'd discovered how to apply my magic to my weapons.

Batlin gave me a smile like he was speaking to a young child. "Now, Cassidy," he admonished gently. "Lightning on swords... Do not exaggerate the Elements."

Exaggerate? I'd have given him a demonstration if I was able.

"I will make sure you are clear first," I assured him with a grin. Andrella laughed.

"But tell me," I continued seriously before we could get too far off topic. "If someone wanted to join, what must they do?"

I was waiting for him to tell me that we had to take a test...

"Well, they must first have a strong grasp of the Elements," he began thoughtfully. Check, I thought wryly. Batlin continued, "The willingness to give their souls to the circle of life..."

Give their souls?

"...and the knowledge that you are only dirt."

Somewhere along the line, he had gone from speaking about an abstract "they" to addressing us directly as "you." Andrella bristled. Batlin smiled at her reaction. "Yes, I said you are dirt."

"He's insulting!" she grumbled privately to me.

"Now," Batlin chuckled, as if reading her mind, "before you hit me..."

Actually, the whole dirt thing didn't confuse me at all. Our bodies are, after all, composed of the same elements as the rest of the world. That did not shock me. I was still hung up on the statement before that. "Is the goal to leave the body as just the soul?" I asked in bafflement.

"Okay, we can take baby steps," Batlin smiled. I wanted to say, forget the baby steps, just go to the end. But I refrained. "I know, the Elements are hard to grasp. You are getting ahead of yourself."

Yeah, and no wonder.

"Listen to the wind," he went on. "What does it say? Let the wind guide your heart to the answers." He smiled. "I can help, of course. But we need to start with the basics. You must admit that you are one in the same with the dirt you walk on. The air you breathe. It is all a part of you."

He was making some semblance of sense to me, although it sounded to me like he was twisting the Elements around into some sort of cultism. No surprise, I suppose, given that this is Batlin we were talking to.

Andrella, on the other hand, grumbled, "Why must we be dirt and soulless bodies?"

Batlin sighed. "I can speak to the wind..." he started.

"Why can't we be fire?" Andrella interrupted impatiently. "Or leaves..? Why dirt?"

I chuckled. "She's definitely not Earth," I commented to Batlin. If I had to guess, I'd say she leans toward Fire, but that is just me.

"Now stop that, Miss Valence," Batlin protested. "You joke, but..."

"No, I'm serious," she broke in. "I don't want to be dirt."

"I can help thee," Batlin assured her gently. "Let me be your voice to the Elements until you are ready. I will guide your soul."

The Voice. I felt suddenly cold. "Be her voice to...?" I echoed warily.

He nodded. "Why would I need a voice?" Andrella asked a little irritably. I think she was tired of being talked down to.

"A voice to the Elements?" I asked again.

"Yes," Batlin said, "for their wrath can be mighty."

I had a sick feeling about this. "They have personalities?" I asked, knowing suddenly where this was leading.

"Oh, yes, they do," he agreed, confirming my fears. "They have names as well. But again...you are stepping ahead."

Stepping ahead my foot. He's not talking about Elements--he's talking about Elementals!

"Let me guess," I said dryly, and started to name the Elementals that Dupré had mentioned to us.¹

But Batlin interrupted me before I could speak further. "No guessing."

I sighed. "All right. What are their names?"

"Relax," he said. "In time."

"If she's stepping ahead," Andrella pointed out wryly, "perhaps she is prepared for it."

"Slow down," Batlin urged. "Walk through the woods for a few days. Let the wind guide you. Bask in the beauty of the nature."

"I would like to know more about these Elementals," I told him stubbornly.

He looked interested. "Then you are ready to Follow?"

I held back a growl of frustration, feeling like I've been through this before. And I have. The Batlin I'd dealt with before was just as frustrating to get any sort of information out of. That's why I'd eventually joined the Fellowship, just to get him to answer some of my questions. But still... I wasn't sure I wanted to do that here.

"I'm not sure," I said finally.

"I can understand that," he nodded. "When you decide to Follow, let me know. The first test is simple..."

I almost did fall over that time.

But then he once again took me by surprise by saying something new. Instead of giving me a mockery of the gypsy's test of the Virtues, as had the other Batlin, this Batlin said, "You must first give up an item of priceless worth. To prove that you are willing to understand."

I blinked. "Oh?"

He nodded his head at the necklace I wore. "Your ankh." His gaze shifted to Andrella. "And your shield."²

I started in surprise. "Forget it," Andrella snapped instantly.

Batlin smiled pleasantly. "I knew it was too hard for you. I understand."

"Too hard?" she echoed dangerously. "I see no point in it right now. Has nothing to do with difficulty."

"You feel the shield is worth more than anything right now," Batlin guessed.

"No, I just don't want to give it to you," Andrella responded.

Batlin made a little shrug. "Then break it, cast it into the sea. Be rid of it."

Andrella was practically snarling. "I like it you fool. I don't want to be rid of it." She snickered a little. "No offense, of course."

Batlin didn't appear offended. "What is it worth? Let us take small steps. I will buy it from you. Is that better?"

"It's not for sale," Andrella informed him stubbornly.

"I see." Batlin turned to me. "And Miss Cassidy?"

"I will let you know," I told him uncommittedly.

He smiled kindly. "It is a bold step I know. But once you give yourself to the journey, you will be rewarded with priceless knowledge and peace. Two things you will never find in this material, virtuous world."

I had no idea how following Elementals would lead to peace...except, perhaps, peace through tyranny.

"You know... I think I might have to join this group of his just to get him to answer some questions," I commented privately to Andrella.

"Is that something the Avatar can do?" she responded. "Cast away the Virtues?"

"I wouldn't be," I assured her. Although, funny that Batlin selected for me to give up the item representing the Avatar. It could have been simple coincidence...or he could be trying to get me to cast away the Virtues. "It would just be for the purpose of getting answers. I did it with the Fellowship too."

She seemed to understand. "Though I know it's not permanent, what if the townsfolk hear of it?"

I hadn't thought of that. Back when I joined the Fellowship, half the people in Britannia didn't even believe I was really the Avatar, so the issue hadn't really come up.

"This is something we will have to take into consideration," Andrella commented. "With careful thought and planning."

I agreed.

Meanwhile, Batlin was going on, "You can fight forever, Miss Valance and Cassidy, but you will never win against the Elements: the only true force aligned against you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Allied against us?"

"The only force you align yourself against," he corrected himself. "The Elements are constant. It is not they that must change. You must conform."

"But they are our foes until then?" I asked dryly.

"No," Batlin answered. "But they will not allow you peace until then."

I didn't point out to him that the Elements weren't the things that were denying us peace at the moment.

"You will never enjoy a hurricane, or the beauty of breathing fire."

"Breathing...fire...!?" Andrella repeated as if Batlin had just sprouted two heads. "Oh, yeah, that's on top of my 'to do' list."

I snickered. I was tempted to say, just for fun, that I only enjoyed hurricanes if I was the cause of them. But I didn't.

"Now I am getting ahead of myself," Batlin chuckled at himself. "Just think about it."

I nodded. "I will." That was certainly true.

Batlin smiled. "And when you are ready to take the first step..." He let the sentence trail off, since we all knew the end to it.

He then turned to Andrella with a smile. "Even though you mock, I am not angry. For it is your soul that is burdened, not mine. If it makes you feel better to vent..."

"I don't remember being burdened before," Andrella returned. "So therefore I see no release of a burden you pretend that I have."

But Batlin simply continued to smile. "You feel it. You just don't want to admit yet. Do not worry," he added. "You have all the time you need."

"I admit that I don't want to admit that what you speak now to me is merely gibberish," she responded, and shrugged. "However, I am but a humble knight. What would I know?"

She spoke it in a sarcastic tone, but Batlin smiled. "True. What would you know?"

I was afraid sparks were going to start flying--either that, or Andrella was going to bash him over the head with her shield--so I quickly jumped in. "Thank you for speaking with us. I appreciate your time."

He nodded with a ready smile. "I will be here to help you at any time. And Miss Valence," Batlin added. "Take a deep breath and a long look at your reflection."

"Feel free to ignore him," I chuckled privately to her.

As if reading my mind, Batlin went on, "Do not respond. Just think about it."

"Only because you worry of my response," Andrella grinned. Then she turned. "I have nothing more to say anyway."

"Farewell for now," I waved to Batlin as we started to walk away.

Behind me, I heard him whisper, "Small steps..."

I formed a moongate to Serpent's Hold, hastening our departure from Empath Abbey and Batlin, but Andrella was still steaming by the time we stepped onto the island. "The audacity!" she grumbled. "Who does he think he is!? I am not dirt!"

Helplessly I burst into giggles. "Andrella, he didn't mean it like that...!" I snickered. Then I shook my head at myself for defending him. "He was like that before too..."

We started walking toward the keep. "I may be jumping ahead," I chuckled wryly, "but I wonder if this has anything to do with Pagan's Elementals."

"I'm not sure. There has to be a way to find out though."

I nodded in agreement, and we wandered into the main area of the Serpent's Hold castle. In the large courtyard stood several rows of training dummies. A man wearing dark armor emblazoned with a silver serpent was instructing several guards in battle routines.

"That would be him I presume," Andrella murmured as we came to a halt. She stepped closer. "Lord Saitor?"

The man in the armor turned and glanced at us. "At ease!" he told his guards, and they resumed their own duties.

"My apologies for the interruption," Andrella continued as he walked over to us. "If we could take a moment of your time?"

Saitor examined us critically. Then without warning he suddenly reached out and grabbed the ankh around my neck. "Hey!" I protested, my hands shooting up to ward him off. He released the ankh and stepped back.

"The Avatar?" he grumbled in a deep voice. Then he tapped Andrella's shield with his bardiche. "And...you must be Andrella."

He was already rubbing me the wrong way.

"Well," he finished. "Should I be honored? What do you want with me?"

"First of all," Andrella began, "we are not here to be honored, of course not. We came here to ask about getting some silver ingots."

"Then why act insulted?" Saitor demanded, and I frowned in confusion. He added to me derisively, "Can none touch the ankh of the famous Avatar?"

I held onto my patience with both hands. After all, this man is a commander under Lord British. "Apologies. It's just that a motion like that toward my neck..." I gave him a smile. "I was startled, is all."

He nodded slowly. "Good senses, actually. But you should have pushed me, not squeal."

I rolled my eyes. Well, I could have punched him...

Saitor turned to Andrella. "And what kind of High Knight wears a feather hat?" He shoved at her hat with one hand, covering her eyes with its brim.

"One that enjoys looking stylish," Andrella smirked as she pulled it back up.

"Fancy matching colors." Sarcasm was dripping from every word. Abruptly Saitor got back to business. "So you want some silvers?"

Andrella nodded. "Aye, we're interested in a bargain."

"Why would you think I am a bargaining kind of guy?" Saitor demanded. "Do I appear friendly?"

Actually he appears to be a bully. But I didn't speak that out loud, of course.

"Well, I'm sure you can negotiate just as well as the next commander," Andrella chuckled.

Saitor gave a brief nod. "I could then. But silvers are stiff."

Wryly, I noted that Dupré had been right.

Andrella asked for his price, and in his roundabout way Saitor agreed to trade us rare colors of ingots for silver ones, plus 15 gold per ingot. Andrella told me that Sophie has a stash of different colored ores, plus we had dug up quite a collection while mining for silver.

"Did you want to ask about the knights?" I asked Andrella privately as we were preparing to leave.

"If I have any questions, I can ask him," she responded. "But right now I don't think I want to spend much time in his presence."

I couldn't argue there, so we told him farewell and headed out.

A couple of footnotes.

Dupré came around that evening, and we told him about our conversations with Batlin and Saitor. Two in one day, I chuckled.

Also, Andrella at one point asked me privately if I would be her advisor for the Knights of Valence. I told her of course I would do what I could to help, but I know little about ruling or knighthood.

"You would merely be helping me keep my head on straight," she grinned.

"You do need help with that," I teased her. She took a mock swing at me. I laughed. "But, really, what would my duties be, other than that? I do that anyway." I winked.

"I'm not sure what other duties you would have," she responded. "Let me think about it."

I chuckled and agreed.

---

[1/31/2004]

Andrella had obtained the needed ingots from Sophie, so today we went back to Serpent's Hold to make the trade. We found Saitor on the roof of a building, sparring with a guard. And the doors were locked.

"Someone is at the door, milord," the guard spoke up.

"Nice try," Saitor grunted without slowing in his attacks.

Andrella pounded on the door.

"No, really," the guard insisted.

Saitor finally broke the combat and stepped to the edge of the roof to look down at us. "Well, looky here."

I grinned. "We've come to do business."

"Good," he said. "I'll be right there."

He spoke with the guards for a moment, then turned back to the edge of the roof. With a running vault, he leaped right off the rooftop and landed on his feet on the ground near where we stood.

I applauded.

Saitor chuckled. "That wasn't a show. I'll give you a show. Andrella! Draw your blade!"

I rolled my eyes a little, but Andrella didn't hesitate. She pulled out one of the gargs swords and her shield.

"Wait," Saitor commanded with a look of disgust. "What the heck... That's a gargish blade! Why!? What is wrong with the craft of man!?"

"Did I say there was something wrong with it?" Andrella countered.

He just spat on the ground at her feet.

"Excuse me!?" she let out, and swung at him. He blocked quite skillfully, but she didn't let up. He was forced to take a step back, then another, losing ground to her.

"Enough!" he commanded finally, and Andrella stepped back.

"Well then... Gargish blade or not, I see you have a little bit of skill..."

More than a little, I smirked.

Saitor turned to look at me. "What kind of bow is that then?"

I shrugged and pulled it off my back. He didn't surprise me when he eyed it with a critical manner. "Looks kind of puny to me."

"Want to see its arrows?" I asked innocently. Andrella snickered.

"I've seen the best marksmen of this land," he returned. "You think you are better?"

At least he wasn't saying that only wimps use bows, as Soth had. I shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

"Wager," Saitor offered. "I'll bet you 200 gold. You can't get an arrow past me."

I don't normally do bets, but 200 gold wasn't that much. I lifted the bow. "Past you? Or hit you?" I smirked.

"You can't hit me," he scoffed.

"Let's just see." I aimed at a place where his armor would take the blow, just in case. With a quick and smooth motion, I drew back the bow and fired a single shot.

Even though he had called for it, I think I took Saitor a little by surprise. He made a belated move to block it, and I'm not sure where the arrow hit on him.

"What the--!?" Saitor growled, and circled me. "Where's the quiver? What kind of arrow...?"

I grinned at him.

"Magic, eh?"

I nodded.

"You know magic is for those who lack true strength."

Andrella rolled her eyes. I didn't feel like getting into an ego match. "Better than carrying a dozen quivers," I quipped.

"We didn't come here to play with you," Andrella snapped, interrupting. "We have business."

Saitor accepted the change in topic. "Let's do it. What do you need?"

Andrella hefted the bag containing the colored ingots and gold. "We need 600 pure silver ingots."

Saitor started. "What!?" He turned abruptly to me. "Did she say six hundred?"

I smirked slightly. "You heard right."

He stared at us. "What the heck are you doing? Making an army?"

I laughed, but Andrella responded, "I didn't come here to answer your questions."

"Well then...I see." Saitor sighed a little. "600 ingots you say? I'll see what I can do."

He went back inside, leaving us standing out there waiting on him. After a few minutes he reemerged.

"Bit of a snag," Saitor told us. "We don't have it here."

"What?!" Andrella protested. "You said yesterday you could get me what I wanted!"

"Yeah, before you said 600."

"I don't care," she snapped. "You shouldn't boast about things you can't really accomplish!"

"What?" Saitor stared at her as if he'd never had anyone talk back at him like that before...and who knows, he probably hadn't.

"You heard me," she told him in a fiery tone. "Don't go flapping your jaw if you can't do what you say."

He laughed a little. It wasn't a pleasant sound. "You think I can't get 600 ingots at the drop of my hat?"

"No, I don't think you can."

Saitor suddenly turned. "Let's go."

He led us through the castle grounds, where he entered several blacksmith shops demanding silver ingots. After the third shop or so he told us to stop following him, and went off on his own.

"Say," I commented to Andrella when we were alone. "Do you think I won that wager?"

She laughed. "Want me to bring it up when he comes back?"

"Sure," I agreed. "I'm just curious where I hit exactly. There is no arrow to mark the spot."

Saitor came back shortly thereafter, lugging six hundred ingots. "And you said what?" he demanded of Andrella, huffing a little as he dumped the bag down. "Who can't accomplish what?"

Silently, I had to hand it to Andrella. She sure knows how to get people to give her what she wants.

"So I guess I was wrong," she acknowledged sweetly. "You can get them."

He took the colored ingots and gold we'd provided in exchange, counting to make sure everything was there. "I can get anything."

"I'll remember that when I build my army," Andrella smirked.

"What, a gargish army?" Saitor countered. "To go along with your pretty little blades. Oh, and magical arrows!" He laughed mockingly.

I shook my head. Andrella spoke up, "By the way, where'd she hit you? And what about that 200 gold?" she snickered.

Saitor gazed at her for a moment. "Two hundred gold..." he growled out, then dug into his belt pouch and flung that amount in gold coins onto the floor at our feet. "Bah. Good day then."

He spun on his heel and stalked out.

Andrella and I picked up the coins. "I guess that answers that," I chuckled.

We returned to the keep to gather up the rest of the items needed for the telescope. Then I formed a moongate to the telescope and we quickly traveled there.

We found Gorjez in his usual place. Andrella had to clap her hands twice this time just to get his attention. He was very absorbed with the telescope.

Finally he turned with a startled look. "Oh! Good morning!"

We smiled. "Is the comet still there?"

Gorjez nodded gravely. "Oh yes... It is terrible. Scary. It chills me to the bone."

I blinked. "Why?"

Gorjez lifted his hands, as if the world was coming apart at the seams. "It's red!"

I was struck with a sudden, peculiar urge to laugh. In my mind's eye I was remembering Nystul and the empty bottle. He had said "It's empty!" with the same sort of tone of voice as Gorjez had used to declare the comet's color.

"It is!" I agreed. "I knew we weren't seeing things."

"Did you hear me?" Gorjez practically wailed. "I said a red comet! It's horrible!"

I frowned. "But what's it mean?"

Before he could respond, Andrella said encouragingly, "Perhaps you will find out with the upgraded telescope."

Gorjez looked at us hopefully. "You mean--!?"

"We have gathered all of the items," Andrella affirmed.

Gorjez clapped his hands together in excitement. "Excellent!"

Andrella handed him the bag, and he fell over from the weight of it. We quickly apologized, but Gorjez wasn't hurt. "Oh my goodness," he chuckled as he left the bag on the ground.

He sorted through the items, muttering to himself and writing on the backs of some of the scrolls. "Oh my," he finished. "This is terrible news."

"What is?" Andrella and I asked in unison.

Gorjez shook his head. "This...this will take almost seven days to upgrade!"

I think Andrella and I both visually relaxed in relief. "Well, that's not too bad at all."

But Gorjez wasn't finished. "Worse yet! The comet will again need to be located!"

For a few minutes he was torn between the two issues. "What will I do? What a dilemma!" he moaned. Apparently he didn't want to stop watching the comet long enough to upgrade the telescope.

He was growing more agitated by the minute and I was afraid he was about to lose it. Finally I tried, "But think of the twin moons theorem!"

Gorjez halted. "Ahh, yes. The twin moon theorem!" His eyes lit up. "That is the answer! Now I need to work immediately! If you will excuse me...!"

And he ran off.

Andrella chuckled. "That's the first time we'll ever see him run away from the telescope!"

Andrella and I went to Lord British's castle next. I wanted to tell him what we had learned from Batlin. We found the king and Nystul in the library, with the mage seated at a table working with piles of paper and books and such.

"Nystul is coming close to a unique discovery," Lord British told us after we had done the customary greetings.

"Oh?" we asked, interested.

"Shhhh," Nystul protested. "It's a secret right now!"

We chuckled. "Let's give him a few minutes then," Lord British smiled.

I nodded. "I thought we should tell you how it went with Batlin..."

"Shhhhhhhh!" Nystul complained.

Lord British smiled and shook his head. Gesturing, he led us further into the room where we lost ourselves behind rows upon rows of shelves of books.

Once we were out of earshot of Nystul, I described to Lord British my reservations about Batlin, and about his "Following" and the Elements. I also explained why I was worried about the coincidence between this and the Elementals that Dupré had mentioned.

Luckily, Lord British remembered all of their names, and was able to supply them for me. "Pyros, Stratos, Hydros, and...ah yes, Lithos."

I mused thoughtfully. "Pyros and Hydros are easy. I assume Stratos is Air, so that leaves..."

"Lithos is of earth I believe," Lord British supplied, and I nodded with a smile.

"The Guardian only spoke of them," Lord British explained. "He mentioned that there was no possible way you or Andrella could survive..."

I blinked. "Survive?"

Lord British nodded. "Of course, the Guardian always spoke in mockery. But he said the Elements would bring an attack so devastating that the Avatar and the Time Mage would fall to their knees."

"Gah." I had to admire his confidence. But I couldn't seem to be overly worried about that particular threat. "Here's the thing," I explained. "Elementals can't fight together--they are weak against each other. So they'd have to take us on one by one or at least in separate areas."

Lord British nodded thoughtfully. "The Guardian did mention something about that..."

I nodded as well. "They are either very powerful or very egotistical."

"More than likely, the latter," Andrella snickered.

"He said the Elements would form an alliance that would transcend the very fabric of reality," Lord British told us.

I stared at him as a thought dawned on me. "They couldn't possibly...merge?" I frowned. I was at one time a Master Elementalist which, by very definition, combines all of the Elements together. But I can do that because I am not an Elemental. I am not so tightly attuned to a single Element that I can't stand up to its opposites. Elementals have both the advantages and disadvantages of being composed of a single Element. I've never heard of them merging and surviving...

"It was the words of the Guardian, with the help of the Star Mages it would be possible," Lord British told us gravely. "Yet, Mondain wiped out every last Star Mage..."

I wanted to question more, but Nystul appeared just then. "Guess what!?" he burst in excitedly.

We turned to him. "What?"

"It's just like I said, British! The Virtues can be invoked!"

I blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Nystul turned to me. "Well, see! Give me your bow, Kianne!"

Baffled, I handed it over with a little bit of hesitation--I didn't want him to accidently shoot someone.

He took it and looked it over for a moment. "And the Stones of Virtue!"

Those were in the bank. I still had no idea where this was going, but I used my bag of holding to fetch the Stones. Without comment I handed them to him.

Nystul paused then, looking quite comical as he stood there with the stones pooled in his arms, one hand's fingers clutching at the bow, the other trying valiantly to keep from spilling the stones onto the floor. After a moment it dawned on him that he couldn't do anything when his hands were full. "I can't hold them all!" he protested, passing them back. "Just give me the yellow one!"

I did so, and Nystul held up the bow and tapped the stone to it, as if expecting some result. Lord British and Andrella backed away to avoid becoming targets for accidental arrows...or accidental explosions.

"Darndest thing..." Nystul muttered when nothing happened. "I would have sworn..." He scowled for a moment, then his face lit up with understanding. "Oh! The stone has not shifted!"

I was more confused than ever. "Shifted?"

"Shifted!" Nystul repeated. "Shifted! Shifted!"

Andrella frowned. "Moved? Rotated? Changed? Blended?"

Nystul spun to face her. "You," he said, and thrust out his hand. "Hold the stone."

She was clearly confused, but she didn't argue. "Um.. Okay..."

Nystul then turned to me. "And you hold the bow."

I was happy enough to take it off his hands, but I still had no idea where this was going.

"Now," Nystul rubbed his hands, looking back at Andrella. He threw up his arms in a gesture of anticipation. "Cast your spell on it! Shift it!"

"Cast a what?" Andrella repeated. "Are you looney?! I can't cast anything!"

"Don't call me Looney!" the mage protested. "I'm Nystul! Now listen. The stone has to be powered with like...one hundred years of Compassion or something!"

Time magic. Time Mage. I should have protested right then and there, but I had forgotten what Nystul had said about time magic...

"I can't cast any spell on it," Andrella reminded him. "What are you talking about?"

"Hmmm..." Nystul pondered that. "Need something." He tapped a finger on his chin as he tried to figure out what it was we were missing.

It happened without warning. Andrella gave a sudden gasp and stumbled in pain, and I swear for a brief moment, it was like I was seeing an image superimposed on her. An image of time passing, of things five years from now. It lasted only the smallest of split seconds, but it terrified me all the same.

Pandemonium erupted. Even Nystul seemed startled. I heard myself crying out Andrella's name as if from very far away. Lord British jumped forward and put an arm around her, supporting her when it seemed she was going to faint away.

"What happened!?" I asked in panic.

Andrella shook her head weakly. "I.. I don't know..." With a shaking hand, she held the stone out to me. "I can't.. hold this..."

I took it from her instantly, moving to put some distance between it and her. "This too? But Andrella! You carried them all for so long!"

"I didn't carry them in my hand," she pointed out.

I looked down at the stone in my hand and blinked. "Ahh! It's dulled!"

Nystul looked over my shoulder. "Oh yes! It shifted! Touch it to the bow!" he urged excitedly.

I wasn't worried about the bow. "Andrella...."

She straightened up. Lord British tried to heal her, but she still looked a little ragged. "I'll be fine," she assured us.

"Do it!" Nystul was pestering me.

I finally sighed and lifted the bow in one hand and the stone in the other, looking at them for a moment. Whatever this was all about, it didn't seem to matter as much to me, because I was more concerned about Andrella. But Nystul didn't let up. So I held the stone to the bow and tried to activate it.

The Stone of Compassion glowed briefly at my touch, like the Orb of the Moons. The next second I was hit with a wash of emotion so sudden it nearly knocked me to my knees. A deep awareness of suffering coupled with the wish to relieve it...

"Yeah!" Nystul praised while I staggered and Andrella and Lord British watched in surprise. "You invoked it! See??"

I blinked at my bow. Its polished silver surface was a dull yellow now. "I...?"

"What does that mean?" Lord British supplied for me, since I was having a hard time putting words to voice.

"What does it mean!?" Nystul repeated. "She just invoked a hundred years of Compassion! And she didn't age a day!"

I stared at him, reminded instantly of Andrella.

"With the way that bow holds magic," Nystul explained, "you can use it to shoot the power of Compassion! Imagine that!"

"Shoot...the power of Compassion?" Lord British echoed, mirroring my own thoughts exactly.

Nystul looked enthusiastic. "Shoot someone!" he requested of me.

"Wait," Lord British protested. "The guards would not understand."

"I'm not shooting anyone," I agreed, still dazed. "Besides, what...effect does that have?"

Nystul grinned at me. "Well, what power does Compassion have, Avatar!?"

His cheerful attitude rubbed me a little wrong after what Andrella had gone through. Strained near the breaking point, I responded without thinking about the words before they rushed out in a fit of frustration. "Compassion is caring about others! How could I hurt someone with that!?"

I knew the answer then. But I was so exasperated over the entire situation, coupled with concern for Andrella, that I simply wasn't thinking straight. Plus, we had previously been discussing the Elements, and the yellow color of the bow had reminded me of that. For a moment I thought maybe it would fire bolts based on Lightning or Air...and that certainly isn't beneficial. Although, come to think of it, Wind sometimes has some healing powers...

Lord British broke in then, calming his mage with a word. "Nystul." He nodded his head. "Let them explore the possibilities."

Andrella agreed. "Well, let's go to the keep, Kianne. You can shoot me there." She smirked.

I reached out to her. "Andrella, I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize," she told me sternly, but with a smile.

"Will you be all right?" Lord British asked her.

Andrella nodded slowly. "Thank you," she added to all of us.

"Well, one thing is certain!" Nystul stated finally. "Andrella and I can go on a date after she shifts the rest of those stones! She'll be a fine old hag then!"

"She's not doing that!" I protested immediately, and quite stubbornly.

"Not in your wildest dreams, Nystul," Andrella snickered.

Apparently not insulted in the least, Nystul wandered off to eat a leg of lamb, and Andrella and I prepared to leave the castle. "Get that look off your face," Andrella chuckled at me.

I shook my head slightly. "Well, I'd say 'I told you so' but..."

"Told me so?" she asked.

I nodded a little dismally. This is one time I wish I'd been wrong. "You are a star mage. But the magic has such a cost..."

She put a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay, Kianne. I'm fine. I just need some rest."

Lord British glanced at me. "Kianne, Nystul did say that bow will age its user with every shot."

"It will?" I asked hesitantly.

"Well, perhaps not you with your immortal blood," he agreed. He looked at Andrella sadly.

I definitely cannot allow anyone to use this bow aside from myself. Luckily, almost no one ever does. "Well, one thing's for sure," I chuckled ruefully. "You're not doing that again, Andrella."

She snickered. "Aww...you're no fun. Let's go test that bow!"

"Don't joke, you scared me," I protested.

Andrella grinned. "Bah! The bow?"

I laughed weakly and shook my head. "I suppose we can try..."

"I'm sorry. I had no idea that would happen," Lord British commented.

"Don't apologize, my king," Andrella replied calmly. "I've said before that I am eternally in your debt." She grinned. "Though that's five years closer now."

Andrella!" I protested with a pained look.

She shrugged. "Well, I thought it was funny."

Lord British bade us farewell, and we left the castle. I was still moving somewhat numbly, but Andrella seemed to have restored her spirits.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked her worriedly when we were in front of the Keep.

Andrella nodded. "I just need to get some rest. But I want to test your bow!" She grinned. "Come on, Kianne!"

I gave her a rueful smile. "This had better be worth it..."

"When has Nystul ever steered you wrong...?" she teased. "Oh, wait a minute..."

I laughed weakly. "Andrella, you don't have enough years to lose..."

"Hey, are you calling me old?!" she snickered.

"No, just..." I sighed and blurted out bluntly, "You will be if this keeps up."

"Bah." She waved away my concern. "I'm fine. I don't want to touch another stone any time soon though."

Or any time at all. I sighed again and dug out my bow from my backpack. I had stuffed it in there during the confusion earlier. When I drew it forth, I was surprised to see it had returned to normal. But the Stone of Compassion was still shifted, so, Andrella suggested, I could probably just redo the invocation. I did as she said, and sure enough, the same sensations occurred a second time, and the bow turned yellow again. At least this time I was ready for it.

"Now...shoot me," she grinned, standing in front of the keep with her eyes closed. "I'm ready for it! Shoot me with Compassion!"

I smiled faintly and shook my head a little at her cheerfulness. I already suspected--no, I think I knew, somewhere in the back of my mind--that the shifted bow wouldn't harm her. But, just in case, I aimed at a nonlethal area and drew back the string.

The yellow-white arrow of light struck her with no force. She didn't even flinch from the blow. Instead, it seemed to burst on contact into a shower of glittering sparkles that carried over her like a gentle breeze. It was almost like the effects of a healing spell.

"Wow, I feel a lot better!" she grinned.

I hit her with a few more, and she giggled that the arrows didn't even hurt at all.

"Healing." I shook my head in amazement. I've channeled Elements through my bow before, but I had never before fired healing power from it.

"Well..." I said finally. "Thank you, for what you did, though the price was too high."

We went inside by my insistence, where I gave her food and told her very sternly to sit down. She did so dutifully, eating thoughtfully. And she responded to my comment, "I guess I don't have a choice in any of it. I have to be a mage." She shrugged with a rueful smirk.

"You don't have to be," I protested.

"Apparently it's what I am supposed to do."

But I shook my head. "You don't have to cast any more time magic."

She looked at me seriously. "Kianne... I will do what I must. For this land and for you."

I didn't want to hear it. "I don't care what anyone says. We'll find another way!"

"There's no other way," she responded calmly.

"We don't know that yet," I pointed out firmly. "We don't even know what Kilmas wants." Then I considered that thoughtfully. "You know, even if Kilmas is younger than you, he's probably old and gray by now."

She chuckled. "You probably have a point there."

I left her then to let her get in bed and get some sleep.

---

[2/6/2004]

We visited the telescope today to check to see if Gorjez had finished upgrading it. He had said a week, and it had been a week. When we arrived, the telescope didn't look any different, but Gorjez was in his usual place before it, gazing attentively through it, so I assumed it was functional.

Andrella got his attention, and though Gorjez greeted us in the same friendly manner as before, he still looked worried.

"This is terrible," he moaned. "This is a very bad sign. And yet at the same time," he shook his head, "it is a miracle to behold!"

"What's wrong?" I asked, wondering if now he would be able to explain the meaning of this.

"The comet!" he gasped. "It is red! No, blue! No, white!"

We frowned in confusion. "The comet is changing colors even more?" Andrella asked.

He let us look through the lens after some hesitation (apparently afraid we'd bump the telescope and knock off the alignment). The comet was wildly flashing. I have no idea what it means, of course, but as far as I'm concerned it's just a natural order of things until I hear otherwise.

"I did read an interesting story once," Gorjez commented, "of a lost civilization decimated by a comet of blood!"

I blinked. "So this has happened before?"

He shrugged and checked the alignment on the telescope. "Well, it was fiction."

I sighed a bit. "Well, anyway," I changed the subject. "Can you calculate the twin moons theorem now?"

Gorjez spun back around. "The Twin Moon theorem!" he repeated loudly. "Oh my! Ohhh!" Gorjez put his hands to his head, his eyes as round as saucers.

I had certainly gotten his attention. "And?"

Gorjez looked at us. "I forgot all about it!!"

I fell over.

Andrella stared at him. "What have you been doing all week!?"

"Well," Gorjez fretted, "when you gave me the supplies it was too late in the night for me to get started. So I dropped off the supplies at the bank. I forgot to go back!"

"You didn't upgrade the telescope??" I demanded in total disbelief.

"No! My apologies! I will get started on it right away!"

He ran off, and Andrella and I looked at each other and sighed heavily.

"Well... I guess we have to wait another seven days?" Andrella commented finally.

"What do you want to bet it will happen again?" I responded wryly.

"We should start calling him Nystul Junior," Andrella snickered.

Gorjez came back, panting, and carrying a bag with some of the supplies. But then he began worrying over the possibility that the comet would be gone before he was finished with the repairs. "I better get one last look," he moaned a little, and fixated himself in front of the telescope.

Andrella rolled her eyes. "Good grief," she muttered. Stalking suddenly over to the telescope, she lifted a gauntleted hand and gave one of the huge gears a good solid punch. Whacked free from its fastenings, the metal disc pitched lazily through the air like a frisbee and clattered down onto some other gears with a musical clanging sound.

I stared in disbelief, trying to shake off the giddy urge to giggle uncontrollably. Gorjez, for his part, didn't even hear the ching of the gears; instead, he exclaimed, "Oh my! The comet is gone!"

"You don't need to worry about the comet," Andrella told him, and he blinked as he looked away from the lens of the telescope and noticed what she had done.

"Why!?" he shrieked as if his heart was broken.

"Get to work, okay?" Andrella asked with a sweet grin. "Please."

Gorjez looked like he wanted to tear his hair out. "This is going to take months to get back into alignment!"

Andrella shook her head. "No. Upgrade the telescope. Forget the stupid comet."

He looked at her, seemed to notice she was serious, and nodded his head. "It might take a few days to get it done..."

"Get it done as soon as possible," she ordered. "I'll be back to check on you every day until then."

His head bobbed up and down. "Okay!"

"And I don't want to hear anything about a comet," Andrella added.

"I better get to work!" Gorjez agreed, and quickly ran off.

When we were alone again, I raised an eyebrow at her. "Remind me to never make you exasperated."

Andrella chuckled. "Well, I'm sorry, but I can only take so much."

"I noticed," I smirked. She laughed.

I took out the Orb of the Moons. "Keep?" I asked. "Or do you want to keep harassing him?"

Andrella laughed again. "No, I'm ready to get out of here."

We left before Gorjez returned...but I trust Andrella to keep her promise to check on him daily.

Since we couldn't summon Kilmas after all, we were left with unexpected free time. Andrella took me to show me the island she had chosen for her stronghold. We chatted for some time as we scouted for the location of the keep and the other buildings. Finally, I decided there was one other thing I could be doing. And it was one of those things I could do alone.

"I guess if we can't talk to Kilmas, I could run a few errands," I spoke up, gazing absently into a fire burning in a large brazier in the center of a marble building already on the island.

"I'll go with you," Andrella smiled.

I gave a little laugh. "You don't need to. I'll bore you or worse."

She winked. "I doubt it. And if we talk to Batlin I'll be good."

I nearly fell into the fire. I have no idea how she knew that was what was on my mind. A weak chuckle made it out of my throat. "You don't need to be talking to Batlin any more."

"I won't be," she grinned. "You will."

I gave her a wink. "Exactly. So I'll see you later."

"No way," she laughed. "You're not leaving me."

I took a breath, sighing a little. "Look, you wouldn't want to join the Following anyway..."

"You're right, but I will quietly listen."

She was still grinning in her cheerful manner. I gave her a surprised look, wondering why she would want to put herself through something like that. As if seeing the question in my face, she added, "I can't leave you alone, Kianne. I can't do it. So I'll chase you all over the Shadowland if I have to."

Taken aback, I found myself sputtering a little. "He's not going to run me through or anything," I giggled. I swallowed. "I mean, I appreciate the support, but I'll be okay. This is something I can...I don't know..." I shrugged. "...Do on my own."

"You want to do things on your own?" Andrella asked, serious now.

I was still too surprised to formulate an answer. "Want to?" I gave a shrug, struggling to explain. "Sometimes friends go their separate ways. I understand."

"If you don't want to be alone, don't push me away," she insisted. I felt like we were talking about two different topics.

"But you'll be busy," I explained rather lamely.

"Not too busy for you, so stop saying that."

"You don't have time to run around with whatever errands Batlin will send us on."

"Sure I do," Andrella grinned. "What else is a High Knight to do?"

"Train your knights?" I asked pointedly.

But Andrella surprised me. "Nope. I will train two captains. They will train the rest. And I can do it at my own leisure."

I blinked. "And that's it?"

She nodded and explained it more to me. I hadn't realized a leader of a group could have so much free time. I guess I totally misunderstood and thought she would be leaving the group, like Geoffrey, and all the others...

"So are you done trying to ditch me?" Andrella grinned when she was finished.

I could only shake my head with a chuckle. "I'll be glad to have you along."

We visited Lord British's castle first, by my own insistence. I needed to return the ankh before speaking with Batlin. I only hoped Lord British would understand.

We found the king on his throne and greeted him casually. There were the usual two guards on duty nearby, and I glanced at them with a little concern. "I have a...bit of a request," I tried to explain without going into details. I really didn't want anyone else to know what I was about to do.

Luckily for me, Lord British took the hint wonderfully, and suggested we take a walk. The guards remained in place and allowed the three of us to wander down the hallways alone.

Lord British stopped by a window and I smiled appreciatively at him. Then I explained that I was going to join the Following.

"I understand," the king responded with a short nod of his head. "I hope you find what you seek, but be extra careful."

I nodded my head.

"I declined Batlin's bid for the Chaos Castle," Lord British added thoughtfully. "He smiled warmly, but I had the faint feeling he was hiding a truly deep anger. He asked then if my decision had anything to do with the Avatar."

I blinked in surprise. "He did?"

Lord British inclined his head. "Though curious as to his inquiry, I refused to answer such a question."

I nodded again. "That is one point. If he is in fact in league with the Guardian, he will know of me." I grimaced a little. It was a risk I had decided I was just going to have to take. Certainly the Guardian would see through my attempting to do what I had done previously in the past. However, there is no proof that the Batlin here has anything to do with the Guardian. And, I had decided, the only way to find proof is to join and find out what his group is about.

Andrella told Lord British about the location she had chosen for her stronghold, and I learned as a total aside that Paws has merged with Trinsic here. That would explain why I could never find Paws.

Finally, I got back to the more difficult topic. Looking at Lord British, I told him, "I have come to return the ankh."

"Temporarily," Andrella inserted.

"I understand your task, and why you are going," Lord British assured me. "I will hold the ankh in the safest keeping."

I gave him a smile of relief and lifted the golden chain over my head. "Thank you, Lord British. And afterward, you may decide whether I am still worthy of it." I gave him a determined look as I handed him the necklace. "But I won't let you down."

He nodded with an understanding smile.

I glanced at Andrella. "Sure you want to come?"

She nodded. "Aye. But I'm not bringing my shield."

I started. "What?"

"It'll sit nice and cozy in my bank box until I pick it up," Andrella snickered, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"This is going to be interesting..."

We found Batlin alone in a room within Empath Abbey. He greeted us with the same kind smile as before--or rather, me, I suppose, since to be honest for the entire incident he acted like Andrella wasn't there. Andrella for her part stood quietly and didn't interrupt.

After the obligatory pleasantries, I took a steadying breath to say what I'd come here to say. It took a lot of effort just to keep my voice steady and my smile on my face.

"I'm interested in joining the Following."

Such easy words, yet I was surprised at myself for how I'd managed to get them to come out sounding pleasant rather than forced.

Batlin's eyes lit up and he smiled brightly. "You are ready to take the first steps towards universal peace," he grinned in delight. "You are prepared to begin a new journey--a walk away from the Virtues. Dare I say you seek more than the Virtues?"

Carefully controlling my voice, I responded, "Aye, I would like to learn."

Batlin exhaled in relief, as if he had been holding his breath in anticipation of my reply. "Then your ankh..." He blinked as his eyes focused on my neckline and he realized I was no longer wearing it. "Oh, where is it?"

"I have returned it," I told him simply. "I've given it up as you said."

Batlin beamed. "You are prepared indeed! Shall we begin with a walk?"

I agreed, and he led the way out of Empath Abbey and around to the water's edge nearby. Andrella followed us completely silently and stood off to the side.

"You see the water," Batlin noted, tilting his head briefly toward it. "It is the substance of this land. That is where you shall begin. By the life of the land."

Water. Easy enough.

"Where there is water, there is life," Batlin went on, then asked unexpectedly, "What do you think you should do with that knowledge?"

What would I do with it? "Learn more," I suggested, since after all I was only just beginning.

"Well, you see, you thirst for the knowledge," he explained, and I didn't even attempt to debate the point. "Just as the earth thirsts for the water. And just as, deep in the land, there are areas dry of the life of the land, so are the souls of those who rely solely on the Virtues."

I think I was successful in keeping a grimace off my face. At the very least I'm sure Batlin would have commented on it had I not otherwise.

"They thirst for more, and they will find no sustenance without the Element of Water. Would you agree?"

I nodded easily, letting everything he said wash over me like water too, without causing an outward reaction. "Aye."

"And those who are thirsty, you must want to ease their troubles?"

"If I can," I agreed.

Batlin smiled. "Then, there is a very easy way. You must recruit three people into the Following."

I blinked.

"They must be friends of yours, those who once looked up to you being the Avatar. Tell them the truth, that there is more than the Virtues."

My mouth was refusing to work. "Three?" I managed to get out.

Batlin nodded his head. "Send them here, to the Abbey. I will be waiting to quench their thirst."

"Shamino, Dupré, and Sami?" Andrella suggested privately with a chuckle. I was too distracted to reply at the moment, but her words did get filed away in my memory. "Or I guess I will have to be one of them?"

Andrella or Dupré... They would both react the same to Batlin, I'd think.

Batlin was still talking. "You see, those who once looked up to you must see that even the Avatar seeks more."

"I will do what I can," is all I could commit to, my mind still whirling.

"I will allow you to decide who to send to me, but know this," Batlin warned with a pleasant smile. "I will know who are your friends."

And just how would he know that? I didn't focus on that statement at the time, but reflecting on it later really began to raise my suspicions.

I was still trying to get my mouth to work through my flurry of thoughts. "Not all of my friends are...ready, I don't think..."

"They don't have to be ready, just thirsty," he assured me. "Once they hear that you are trying to join the Following, a true friend would stand by you and take that journey with you."

I think there was an insult in there, but I merely nodded. "I understand."

"Might I suggest...a scribe, a warrior, and a ranger?"

I raised an eyebrow at him in surprise. Batlin smiled sweetly. "Just a suggestion."

A scribe, a ranger, and a... How in blazes did he just happen to suggest the exact same three people Andrella had jokingly named? Of course, she had mentioned them by name, whereas Batlin spoke only their professions, but...

"You may choose, but choose wisely," Batlin said. "For there are some who are opposite of Water."

That was certainly true, but I feigned ignorance. "Oh?"

"Those who do not seek knowledge," Batlin explained. "Those who deny their souls the peace of the Elements. They will suffer needlessly. I hope to alleviate their pain."

I frowned, since that was what I had been trying to point out earlier. "Would those opposite of Water join?"

"They may wish to, but at this time I am not seeking those."

So I need to find three people who are willing to join--not opposites of Water like Andrella. Heh.

Batlin smiled. "When you have given three recruits, then I will allow you to join the Following."

And I haven't even joined yet. I resisted the urge to let out a gusty sigh. "I understand," I said.

Too well.

"I hope you do," Batlin responded cryptically.

I said farewell and walked away. Behind me, I heard Batlin whispering something, but I couldn't make out the words.

Andrella paused to admire some grape vines hanging nearby, and I think she was using it as a front to try to listen in on what Batlin was saying. But after a few moments he wandered off, and was completely out of our earshot.

I formed a gate back to the keep silently and walked inside with the same emotionless expression that I had held through most of the conversation. Once we were safely inside, with the doors shut firmly behind us, I exploded.

"Argh!! He had to make this difficult!!" I let out a gusty sigh and flopped down onto a bench. "I don't want to drag other people into this!"

I sighed and murmured reflectively, "A ranger, a scribe, and a warrior, he said...It's like he was reading your mind..." I drew up my legs and wrapped my arms around my knees.

"Aye, that was a little odd," Andrella agreed. "So odd that I didn't even notice it at first."

We discussed the possibilities for a little while. I was so bothered by the entire thing that I popped the cork on a bottle of ale and gave that a try. It didn't help. I still couldn't think of a good solution.

Finally we decided to talk to Shamino and Dupré. We traveled to Moonglow to find Shamino, and discovered Dupré and Shamino standing outside the inn chatting. Talk about coincidence.

We retired to my house where no one would overhear, where we sat around the table and Dupré broke out the ale. Andrella and I described what had happened.

"Batlin is using you. Of course, you are probably aware of that," Shamino commented, and I nodded miserably.

"Yes, I know, but I was hoping to learn something out of it..."

"He has been whispering to his friends that he was close to having the Avatar join," Shamino mused. "He believes that with you joining, a landslide of recruits will follow."

"Why does he care though?" Dupré asked rhetorically. "What's the Following all about?"

I shrugged. "Got me. That's the whole point of this exercise..."

"He knows things that he has no business knowing," Shamino said. "I am curious as to how he finds these things out."

I nodded my head. I am as well. "I could be barking up an empty tree for all I know," I sighed.

"That still brings up the question of how he knows so much," Andrella reminded me.

"Your suspicions are well founded," Shamino agreed.

"Yeah," I grumbled, "but may be good for nothing if I can't get anything out of him. Where am I going to find three friends to drag into this mess?"

Dupré gave a nervous chuckle as he noted there were three people sitting around the table.

"And that's not even the point," I added with a wry grin when I noticed the look on his face. "The point is I don't even want to."

"I could never join druids," Shamino murmured. "It is not something I could act."

"And I would never force you to," I assured him.

"You know I'll help you if I can," Dupré spoke up.

I nodded slowly. "Thank you, but..." I sighed.

"I have an idea," Andrella spoke up. "What if we ask our certain little friends? Lita could be one of the three."

"Would she bite his head off though?" I chuckled.

Andrella winked. "Not for the right price."

"What would be wrong with that?" Dupré grinned at almost the same time.

We laughed. "Okay, I guess I phrased my question wrong, before," I snickered. "I should have said, where am I going to find three friends who won't terminate Batlin's existence?"

We snickered some more, then grew serious again. "I will say, Batlin is a smart and charming man," Shamino spoke up. "He is trying to fool you, but you are trying to fool him..."

I sighed a little. "The worst of it is, if he is with the Guardian, then he knows I'm just playing along. I thought that was a risk I could take, but..."

"That is why a battle of wits might be the hardest battle to win," Shamino agreed.

"And so far Batlin has been better at it than me," I sighed.

"Don't let him make you believe that," Shamino responded. "He is just a step ahead for now."

"Well, look at the corner he's got me in!" I protested.

"Aye, he's playing a familiar game," Andrella agreed. "You just have to learn the rules yet."

"Kianne always takes care of us, giving us more ale time," Dupré teased.

I giggled, then shook my head. "Well, look, how could we turn this around in our favor? Shamino can't join, Andrella would club him..."

"I told you I'd behave," Andrella snickered. "Sheesh, she never listens to me..."

"But you'd have to give up the knights, and I can't ask that."

"Why would I have to do that?"

"Well," I said reasonably, "the shield, it's a symbol of your status, isn't it? Just like the ankh..."

"Batlin would be eager to say the new Knights belong to the Following," Shamino broke in.

"Yeah, and I'd be eager to put a hole in his head," Andrella grinned.

"See!?" I laughed, throwing up my hands in a gesture of exasperation.

"Oh, did I say that out loud?" Andrella teased.

"And she says I don't listen to her!" I snickered.

"That's why you make the plans, Kianne," Dupré chuckled.

I shook my head ruefully. "I don't know. I just don't know what to do."

"Kianne..." Andrella spoke up suddenly. "I just remembered something. Did you hear Batlin whispering something as we were leaving?"

I nodded. "Yeah...but I couldn't make out the words."

"Would he be talking to the Guardian you think?"

I hadn't thought of that. "Ugh, I hope not."

"Who would he be whispering to? Himself?" She chuckled.

"Blackthorn used to murmur things under his breath as we were leaving," I commented.

"Aye, and it turns out he was talking to the Guardian."

"I didn't think of that..." I murmured slowly.

"Nystul has said that he no longer detects any of that blackrock," Shamino pointed out.

"But the Guardian could talk to me and I didn't have blackrock," I reminded him. Dupré nodded in remembrance.

"He may be able to speak with you," Shamino commented, "but, can you speak to him?"

I blinked. "Not that I ever knew, but I never knew if he could see and hear all that I was doing. Sometimes, it seemed like he did."

"I remember hearing Blackthorn telling him things you did," Dupré spoke up. "But if the Guardian knew it already, he wouldn't need a report."

It was a good point.

"In my opinion," Shamino said, "Batlin truly believes in what he is saying, whatever those druid things are. But why does he seem to have a plan?"

"That is basically one of the things I'm trying to find out," I agreed.

"I'm not sure if he's a threat right now," Andrella piped in. "I think he may one day become one." She smiled suddenly. "Then can I cut his head off?"

I laughed. "If he doesn't run away, Andrella. He's experienced at that."³ I winked.

"I can run too," she teased.

I shook my head. "I'll be honest. The whole Elements thing really caught me by surprise. I mean, talk about coincidences and all..."

"That is true," Dupré agreed. "I mean, not even I knew you were into that Element stuff. But the Guardian knew."

"I am trying to find any connections with Batlin and that Hook," Shamino revealed. "If we can prove Batlin has dirty hands..."

We nodded in agreement.

"But," he went on, "he seems to know that I am looking for that. I just mean, I can't find anything on him. Like he is either really skilled at hiding these things...or he has nothing to hide."

I sighed a little.

"The latter of course we know can not be true," Shamino finished. "He does have some kind of connections, for he has more gold than a municipality. A druid never values that kind of wealth."

"Well, I still think that the Cleaners of Britannia may be helpful," Andrella grinned.

That's the code name Starfire and Lita used when they, erm, investigated Oakley's house.

"Cleaners?" Dupré asked. "My house could use some..."

"It's not the kind of clean you'd want," Andrella snickered, and winked.

"Ohhh..." he said as understanding dawned.

I folded my hands together. "Okay, where's Batlin live?"

We laughed, but Shamino answered seriously, "He lives next door to Iolo's hideaway, in a room at the healers."

I blinked. "Next to Iolo's? I don't believe in this many coincidences..."

"You mean you don't believe Batlin!?" Dupré teased.

"I guess we should have let him buy Chaos Castle," I chuckled. "Then we would have listened in."

Andrella giggled. "We have it bugged," she told the others.

"I am not surprised," Dupré chuckled.

"But as Lord British said before, he wouldn't want a war in town," Andrella pointed out. And she was right, of course. Besides, as Shamino mentioned, it seemed silly to play straight into Batlin's hands, at least any more than we already had.

"So, basically, the gist of it is," I chuckled wryly, "I just walked right into a trap."

"Maybe," Shamino responded, "but it is now a challenge of wits. You have chosen to face him head on..."

"And drag three friends in?" I complained irritably. I shook my head. "You know what is ironic? I'd be fine encouraging you guys to try out Elemental magic if I knew that's what it was all about. But I'm not. I'm not even sure he's talking about the same thing as I am. He doesn't talk like it's a magical force... I think maybe he's talking about a totally different thing. Like, worshiping Elementals maybe? I don't know..."

"The Elements are not a common pantheon," Shamino commented.

"But what if the Elemental lords promised him riches or something?" I pointed out. "You know, for accomplishing something via his cult..."

They nodded. "It is intriguing, and perhaps only you can find that answer."

"Me and three friends," I grumbled.

"Shamino, you sure are a lot of help," Dupré chuckled.

"I only try," Shamino chuckled.

"Well, perhaps you should sleep on it," Andrella suggested to me. "I've heard that is a good problem solving technique."

"So is ale," Dupré suggested.

"She tried that," Andrella laughed.

It was late, so I thanked them for the advice session and gave Dupré and Shamino a moongate back to Moonglow. Once Andrella had left, that left me alone to try to think of a way out of this.

What am I going to do now?

I'm still not sure I even want to drag anyone else into this, but putting that aside, who could I ask? Shamino has refused, and I'd never force him to do something he does not wish to do. Dupré and Andrella have agreed, although I really don't know if either would very much enjoy the experience. But even if I allowed them to do it for me, who would be the third?

Sygil and Navien I haven't seen in weeks, and at any rate, Sygil has his own problems with the Black Sword to worry about. Sami would, I hate to say, probably be a perfect candidate as far as Batlin is concerned...which is precisely why I do not want to involve her. Although I can't say with any honesty that I believe that the Following would directly be a threat to her, I just have misgivings getting her involved in something like this.

Iolo could not if he wanted. Perhaps Jaana? I don't really know her very well in this universe, but she is a Druid, or was, so maybe she would be a good candidate? I do rather hate to have to ask her, not because I doubt she has what it takes not to be taken in by the rhetoric, but because I don't feel as though I really know her well here.

I suppose could just go to Batlin and tell him I don't know how to recruit for a group when I am not even yet a member of that group myself. Besides, I don't go around evangelizing to people, it's not what I do. All of that would be the truth. But he might see it as a cop-out, or suspect that I am being disingenuous in this whole thing...

I don't know what to do. I hope some sleep helps...

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¹ See archive 12, entry 12/12/2003.

² See archive 13, entry 1/16/2004.

³ Batlin runs away from the player twice in Ultima 7, once when he sees the Avatar has the Cube, and again during the final battle when he realizes his side is losing.

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