Chapter 12: The Chosen Path

They travel for several hours in silence, each pondering that which once was and that which will be again, as the Valley of Dreams eased shadows cast across the mind of creation and kind.

The silence is broken when Maddox asks, "Why we traveling west and not south towards my Rye Mountains?"

Kyle answers, "I know not why I travel the direction I do. All I know is my vision has directed us down this chosen path."

From the rise of the sun is how they know which way they are headed. Even though they still do not know where they are.

It is mid-day now, and the foliage of the forest is getting much thicker. At times it seems like it is night again, where only pools of sunlight give reassurance that it is still day.

As they are riding, Tork says, "I think I just saw something bright riding in the forest, several different times now." They all stop and look around, but see nothing so they resume their journey.

This time, while startling the others, he yells out, "There it is again!" and he takes off after it, almost throwing Lynx off the back of the horse.

Without question, Maddox and Kyle charge after them. Finally Tork gives up at Lynx's insistence and they ride back to the others.

"I know I saw something. I am sure of it."

"Did anybody else see anything at all?"

Both Lynx and Maddox shake their heads no.

"But I know I saw it!"

"We do not doubt you, our young friend, but whatever it is it does not seem to mean us any harm at this time. So let us continue on. Just keep a leery eye open." Soon afterwards, right where they would have been if not for chasing the unknown figure deeper into the woods, a patrol of twenty Clan Soldiers come thundering by. The foursome dismount and keep their horses calm and quiet while they ride past. "That was close. Perhaps, my young Mystic Wizard, you have a new friend watching over us."

"I do not know about that, but it does seem like too much of a coincidence, does it not?"

They basically all just shrug their shoulders and go back on their way, accepting that nothing will surprise them anymore.

They ride for the rest of the afternoon without incident, until it becomes more than apparent that they are not alone in this desolate part of the Blackheart Forest. There, about thirty paces to everyone's right, appears the figure that Tork saw previously.

"That is it!" he yells.

It is a lady with long golden hair that seems to be alive with fire. She wears a long flowing white dress that almost touches the ground from atop her brilliantly snow white horse. She stands there staring back at the star struck foursome. With a pause of uncertainty they sit there in silent awe.

Tork yells out to her, "Thank you, my lady, for your help earlier." She nods her head in compliance, then starts turning away from them to go back to where hence she came.

Tork yells out to her in his sometimes-squeaky teenager voice that is on the cusp of changing to a man's. "Wait, please, milady, I would like to ask you some questions."

They start following her, but before Tork can even finish his sentence she disappears into the unknown.

They look at each other, because they all saw the same thing, and that was that she did not disappear into the foliage of the forest, she dissipated until she was no more. They travel in the direction that she appeared and disappeared. They ride for half an hour, and once again off in the distance she appears to them. Maddox remarks, "It appears the fair lady wants us to follow her." "Yes, I do believe you are right my, friend. She has caused us no harm so far. Perhaps she is the reason we were directed onto this Chosen Path," responds Kyle. So they once again ride to where they last saw her sitting atop her spectacular stallion. From there, they ride through some thick berry bushes and come upon a beautiful lush green pasture of a field, with dozens of wild horses running and playing on it.

Maddox looks over, "Well, my little friend, there your horse to ride. All you have to do is catch it and tame it."

Lynx slides down off of Tork's horse and grabs a rope and starts heading towards the herd, picking out the one he likes best. The horse he picks out is a smaller brown and white one. As he starts to get closer, the herd starts to spook and is ready to break into full panic.

Kyle calls out, "Lynx, wait, and we will go and surround them and then you rope the one you want."

So Lynx waits until he hears the signal that everyone is in place. He starts moving towards the one he wants. The herd breaks and runs for the tree line, but Maddox is there to turn them back in the direction of Lynx. When they see him, they turn in unison to go for another tree line, but this time Kyle is there to turn them back.

Now Kyle, Tork and Maddox have them heading right towards Lynx. As they go by, Lynx lassoes the one he wants. The horse picks him off his feet and starts dragging him. Tork quickly comes up on the other side and throws another rope around the horse. The horse rears and pulls Tork off his horse and he hits the ground hard, but he does not let loose of the rope.

By now Kyle and Maddox are laughing uncontrollably. Finally, after he gets his breath back, Kyle comes up and throws another rope around the horse's neck.

Maddox then comes up and takes Lynx's rope from him and tells him, "Get on and break him in."

At this point everybody but Lynx is laughing. They have the horse corralled and secured as best they can with a horse in full panic mode, and now it is time for Lynx to mount him. He runs and jumps on, and within a second he is flying off the horse's back through the air until he hits the ground with a thud. Lynx is getting mad now, because everybody is still laughing, so he jumps right back on and goes flying once again. This time he says, "You think it is so funny, you do it!"

"Okay, my little friend." says Maddox, still laughing.

He walks up to the mad beast and almost gets kicked in the head. He ducks the kick, which barely grazes one of his horns, and then Maddox jumps on the infuriated animal. He lasts a bit longer because his weight surprises the animal, but his fate is the same in the end. Maddox goes flying, and when he gets up he is no longer laughing, but Lynx is. He runs over to the beast and jumps on his back and gives him a bear hug around his neck, and holds on for dear life. The animal fights for as long as he can, but Maddox's weight is too much for him, and finally he calms down and Maddox walks him around for several minutes before turning him over to Lynx.

After it is over they all have a good laugh about it, albeit some are sorer than others. Then they saddle it with a blanket and bridle him the best they can, and then they head out once more.

They travel for nearly two hours. They see no more of the Fair Lady who seems to be directing them towards something. Through the trees they begin to see a little village up ahead. They make the decision to go in and get what information and supplies they can.

As they are riding in, they begin to notice something very odd, and that is that the people are hurrying to get off the streets. All but the men who just stand there staring at the strange mixture of riders who are now entering their village. As they make their way further up the street, they notice as they go by the people, the men fall into the streets and start following them from a safe distance behind.

Maddox, not liking it, turns around and faces them down, "You want something, friends?" But the people just stand there holding their ground, not saying a word. Maddox is getting mad, and then he gives a fierce growl and starts moving towards them.

Kyle says him, "Stop, brother, and let it be, because this is their village and we are the unwanted ones." Maddox pulls back with a death stare as a warning, and then he joins back up with the others once again.

They ride a little further through the village until they come upon a man who seems to be giving orders. Not with words, but with his hands and head gestures. Kyle rides straight up to him, "Excuse me, Sir. I am sorry that we are intruding on your privacy, but we can use food and drink and maybe some information if you will be so kind."

The huge muscular red haired man just stands there shaking his head no. Then Tork speaks up and says, "Sir, my name is Tork Mentor and I am a Mystic Wizard, as were my father and my forefathers before that. We would appreciate any assistance possible."

When Tork says that he is a Mystic Wizard that makes some of the people turn and look at each other for an instant, but in the end the response is the same. The man just stands there staring at them shaking his head no.

Tork turns to Kyle, "It is strange, but I feel no danger here."

"Yeah, me neither. I grant you they are not the friendliest of folk, but if there was danger here my sword would be reacting to it."

Maddox adds, "Good. this place looks like a tavern. I say we go in and get some drink."

So they dismount and walk right past the people and walk into the tavern. They walk up to the bar and order four drinks from the bartender. The bartender just stands there staring at them, making no effort to get their drinks.