Chapter 15: Full Circle

In that strength breeds strength, so does positive actions send vibrations of light through the Web of Existence, making it everybody's business to do right. Right by the Four Laws of Creations, not man's convoluted efforts to control the ridiculous.

Not realizing the significance of the encounter with the White Sorceress, the Companions start to walk their horses down the beach, heading in a southern direction, which in the end will bring them to their ultimate destination, the Rye Mountains.

They walk and ride in grace and wonder along the coastline, admiring the beauty of a kingdom that turned black so long ago. They ride for most of the night. Just as they are about to make the decision to turn into the forest and camp for the night, they come upon a town with torches lighting up the streets that are giving it an eerie orange glow. The town is alive with action.

"What do you think?"

"I no like it."

"I agree with Maddox. It is much too late for the whole city to be up and about, unless they are connected to the Masters in some way." You can hear it in Tork's pitchy voice when he is under stress.

"That may be true, but we are running low on supplies again, and all this salt air has made me thirsty." says Kyle.

"Well, the supplies we can get off the land, but I am also thirsty, and perhaps we might be able to get some badly needed information," adds Lynx. "I say we make it too easy for us to be tracked. Let us leave before we are seen." "For some odd and unsettling reason I do not think the Masters are worried about us, because if they were, they would have tried harder to stop us at the Cross Over Bridge, or at the very least pursued us personally once we did make it across. Besides, I think Tork's new friend will warn us of any danger. Not to mention either my sword's powers or mine should detect any threat, and for that matter I think Tork's powers have grown to the point that he should also be able to sense any pending doom.

"We will sit here for a while and watch to see if we can catch sight any Masters or Clan Soldiers, and if everything at that point looks safe enough we will go in." "I do not know, Kyle. We cannot count on the White Sorceress to help us, and I am not positive about my ability to detect danger. You know it is weird, but I did not feel any danger at the Cross Over Bridge."

"Perhaps you did not detect any danger because there was none. At least not at the level of which you can sense right now, but in truth I did not sense any danger either. I am beginning to wonder if something larger is starting to interfere. With them not pursuing us personally, and our senses being diminished and the appearance of the White Sorceress, it almost feels as if greater powers on both sides are taking a more direct interest."

"We must stay hidden. Have element of surprise on our side." "My big friend, we have not had surprise on our side since we crossed the bridge. They may not know where we are exactly, but they do know where we are headed, and that is just as good for them."

"Now Maddox need drink."

Lynx speaks with an eagerness that makes everybody shoot him quizzical looks, "Yes, let us quench our thirsts as well as our concerns."

"Alright, but let us take it slow and easy. You know, look before we leap." "What?" inquires Tork.

"Oh, nothing, it is just a saying from my kingdom of Parrethia. Is everybody okay with this? Good, let us proceed with caution."

They walk quietly with their horses in tow up to the outskirts of the town and look in. What they see there are dozens of people, not all of them human, dancing and chanting around an old lady who is in the center of the town square stirring a huge cauldron. The Companions just stand there gazing at the weird happenings, not letting themselves be seen.

Then, as they are contemplating on whether or not they still need a drink that bad, a figure tries to jump out of the cauldron. It is not quite human and it is not quite animal, but whatever it is, it is screaming. The screaming is a horror-filled inhuman screech that seems to come from the depths of the abyss itself. It also makes up their minds for them that they no longer need a drink, at least from this town. As they are turning around to head back into the forest they see the White Sorceress off in the distance. She stays there long enough for them to catch up to her.

Without any of them having to ask the question, she answers their thoughts, "She is a Black Witch and they are her followers. She does not have powers like wizards or even like I had, but she does have a hold over those poor souls. They are evil." "Then when we win this war I shall return here and destroy this place." Trinity the White Sorceress bows to the honor of the young Mystic Wizard and then disappears.

"I think it is time to get off the beach and out of the open. The forest has been our greatest asset; she beckons to me once again. Let us ride and leave this accursed place behind us, and then we will look for a suitable place to make camp." Kyle has always had a strong bond with nature.

They ride for a while until they come across a stream. They follow it against the current until they find a decent place to camp for the night.

After they pitch camp and relax a little, Kyle has to let his thoughts be heard aloud. "Do not misunderstand me, the White Sorceress is most assuredly a divine intervention, and a most welcome one at that, but why in all honesty would she take such an immediate affection to you, my young Mystic Wizard?"

Now the other two are looking at Tork expectantly.

Tork speaks from a place of reverence and pride, "It is because Trinity, the White Sorceress, and my great-great grandfather Tomac, were lovers before the Great War. They had two children, one a boy who was to follow in the footsteps of his Mystic Wizard father, and a girl who was to become the White Sorceress and queen of Owen. The boy ran off to fight in the war and nobody ever knew what had become of him. That boy was my Great Grandfather. The little girl, of course, we saw back there in the graveyard."

"Then the White Sorceress is your great-great, however many greats, grandmother?"

"Yes, Lynx, she is. Her heartbreak is profound, and being around me seems to ease that a bit."

Lynx ever thoughtful, "Then you truly are destined to become ruler of Owen one day?"

"Perhaps, but that path has yet to be shown to me. I do what I do because it feels right to me. I cannot look to the future, or I will get lost in the here and now." "Sound wisdom, my little friend. Now we sleep, tomorrow we ride."

They awake to themselves and the ground being covered with frost, for the season is beginning to change in earnest and the weather is getting colder.

They mount and ride further upstream. They ride until the vegetation gets so thick that they have to dismount and trail away from the stream. The forest is so thick that they have to walk in single file. This part of the forest is ancient. For most of the trip Kyle is up front hacking away with his sword, Tork is next, Maddox, and then Lynx is bringing up the rear. They have walked some distance in the thick vegetation, and at times, because of the thick canopy of the trees, it seems as if nightfall is just around the corner.

Kyle's arms grow exhausted, so he exchanges positions with Maddox. It is obvious it is going to take a great effort from everyone if they are going to continue to make forward progress, so Kyle takes the rear position so everybody will take their turn before he has to give it a go again.

After only several minutes of Maddox taking his turn trudging through the forest, nearly taking out small trees with a single swipe of his massive battleaxe, they hear Kyle gasp, call out and then fall silent. His horse rears and neighs in panic.

Maddox whirls around to see what is happening, only to find Kyle's horse standing there alone. "Kyle gone!"

Lynx and Tork run over to the area but see nothing. They search the area frantically for more than an hour, but they find no trace of their brave new friend. They have thousands of questions, but no answers. They search a while longer, but in the end, disheartened, they have to give up the search.

With tears in his eyes and fire in his heart, Lynx says, "Let us go for now, my friends, we will continue the search after we win the war."

"No, I not leave without him. He must be here somewhere. He must be!" "Maddox, I do not want to give up either, but we must continue on with our mission. Kyle would be the first to say that, you know that." It is amazing how clear and calm Lynx can speak common when the need is great.

Still, that does little to ease their sorrow. They practically have to drag the giant minotaur from the area. Saddened and confused, they head back out on the trail. "Bring his horse, perhaps he will catch up." adds Tork. Not wanting to give up on hope.

It is almost afternoon by the time they get back on the trail. They travel upstream for leagues and leagues until it seems that time has no substance and reality has no basis. Stunned by the all too mysterious disappearance of their friend and ally, they just wander aimlessly as though in a trance. Never forgetting their mission. Never losing hope. The ground starts angling uphill at a slight measure. They try to follow the stream the best the terrain will allow. Finally, when the ground starts to level out again and the forest undergrowth is finally thinning out, they come upon a lake. The water is cold, no doubt fed by the mountains, and the water has an emerald green tint to it. It is beautiful. "We will water and feed horses here. We make camp and rest until dark, then we must head back out." Maddox has come to grips that there is more at stake than any one person.