"How are we going to get back?" Mairin asked mournfully. Her teeth had begun to chatter and she couldn't help shivering.     Michael shrugged, "I'm afraid I don't have all the answers. Let's just hope we came to the right place." He faced the direction the light was coming from and saw it was another tunnel through the rock. He estimated that it was only about one hundred feet to the opposite end. The opening appeared to be covered with some kind of plant growth which only allowed filtered light to pass through. He reached over his shoulder and pulled his spear loose from its strap, then pointed toward the passage, "We go that way." They followed the tunnel to its end, grateful that it was dry, uninhabited, and warmer than the one they'd just left. A thick screen of bushes at the mouth of the tunnel blocked their view of what lay beyond. Riobeard was the first to push aside the bushes and peek through.     "Wow!" he exclaimed, and his voice held a tone of awe. The others moved forward to look through with him. The first thing to strike them was the bright sunlight. Then, as their eyes adjusted, they saw before them acres and acres of broad green meadow, carpeted with tall grasses that danced in the wind. A flagstone path led directly from where they stood to a circle of yew trees about thirty feet away on a low rise of ground.     "Where's the sunlight coming from?" Aine asked as they stepped out through the bushes. She shaded her eyes and scanned the sky in wonder. As bright and warm as it was, the light seemed to have no visible origin. The cloudless sky shimmered with a warm, pearly, iridescent light. She looked back the way they'd come and, other than the bushes, there was no sign at all of rocky prominences or walls or cliffs or even the tunnel. It was as if they'd stepped outside of the world, into something not quite real. The sweet breath of the wind brushed by Michael and he inhaled deeply. It was intoxicating, reminding him of the drowsy scent of wildflowers on a hot summer day.     "This place is gorgeous!" Eirinn laughed with delight running out into the tall grass and letting the warm air soak into her chilled skin. Then, with an exclamation of surprise, she bent down and plucked a bright yellow daffodil out of the grass. Michael smiled at her indulgently, then picked a few flowers himself, handing one to Aine and one to Mairin.     "Where's mine?" Riobeard asked, trying to look affronted. Michael laughed and shot his one remaining flower at Riobeard, who ducked. "Let's hope you're a better aim with that ---" Riobeard's words were cut off abruptly as he jerked his head up to listen to something. "Did you hear that?" he asked.     "I didn't hear anything," said Michael. He stood still and listened. With the next breeze came the faint tinkling of bells, like the delicate pealing of wind-chimes.     "It's coming from there," Aine pointed up to the circle of yew trees. Michael looked at the trees and listened to the bells calling. For that was what they were doing, he was sure of it. He shot a quick glance at the flagstones leading up to the trees. Could it be that simple? Follow the yellow brick road? With a sudden conviction that this was where they needed to go, he headed off in that direction, expecting the others would follow. The yew trees grew so close to each other that their branches intertwined and wove gracefully together above the trunks. Michael stepped under the arch formed by the branches, and was about to enter the enclosure, when he felt suddenly compelled to leave his spear outside. He leaned it against the trunk of the nearest tree and glanced up to see the anxious but excited faces of his companions. He gestured for them to follow him, turned, then walked through.     The interior was a circle of packed dirt, completely empty save for one object: standing erect at the center of the circle, its base inserted into a hole in the ground and its head glowing like molten silver, was a spear.     "That's got to be it!" Aine said softly from beside Michael, "We found it!" She brushed past him and walked quickly toward the spear, reaching for it. Before anyone could shout a warning for her to stop, two large black shadows had disengaged themselves from the tree tops and were swooping down on her with blood-curdling screeches. Michael leaped toward her and pulled her down to the ground, but not before a sharp claw raked at his head and tore some of his hair away.     "Everyone down!" He looked up and saw two huge ravens, black as death, lifting away from them into the air. Their wingspan must have been twice the length of a man. They soared up high above the trees and circled menacingly. Then they drew their great wings in close and began to plummet, sharp claws extended.      "The Guardians!" Eirinn shouted at Michael, "Show them the Eriu's necklace!" Michael had all but forgotten about the necklace. He had been wearing it for so long that he was no longer aware of it against his skin.     "Quick!" Mairin screamed. Michael fumbled frantically at his collar, trying to pull the chain out. When he had it, he took the whole thing off and sprang to his feet, holding it up so the birds could see it clearly. The ravens didn't seem to notice at first, they just continued to plunge from the sky. In frustration, Michael took aim and hurled it at them with all his might, then dropped to the ground and threw his arms up over his head and face to protect them from the attack of razor sharp claws and beaks. When none came, he hesitantly lifted his head and saw that the birds had completely vanished. Standing silently next to him were two of the most beautiful women he'd ever laid eyes on. One of them was holding the necklace in her outstretched hand.     "Where did you get this?" The woman holding out his necklace hissed at Michael. Her presence seemed to tower over  him, yet as he slowly stood, he discovered that his eyes were level with hers. Without taking his eyes off of her, he reached behind and grasped Aine's hand, helping her up to her feet.     "It was given to me." She turned and looked significantly at the other woman, who stood a few paces away. As they talked quietly together, Michael's gaze travelled over them in fascination. The contrast between the two was striking. Both were exquisitely beautiful, dressed in such a fashion that that the curves of their breasts, waists and hips were highly accentuated. The likeness, however, stopped there. The woman who held the necklace had hair as golden as sunshine, which cascaded loosely all the way down to her waist, and her eyes were cold blue ice. The other woman had long wavy hair that shone like a fiery sunset. Her eyes were as green as malachite, and looked just as hard. The blond woman turned back and caught Michael staring at her. She smiled in an odd, superior way, and her eyes glittered with a sudden look of voracious hunger. Michael flushed, unable to look away, then a movement to his right broke the spell, and he swung his head to see Riobeard, Eirinn and Mairin regarding them both curiously. At the same time, Aine yanked on his hand, which still gripped hers tightly. He let it go. She shook it and flexed her fingers with a grimace of pain, then addressed the women, "Are you the Guardians of the spear?"     The red haired woman nodded, "We are." Her voice rasped like dead leaves in the wind. "I am Macha, and this is my sister Badb. Why do you come here?" She glared sharply at Michael, "And how is it that you carry the symbol of our Lady Eriu?" There was a long silence as no one answered her. Then Mairin shook her head in annoyance and stepped forward.     "Eriu sent us. To get the spear and bring it back to Her. It's supposed to help with restoring Her powers so Indech can be overthrown." Then she explained everything they'd gone through, finally glad to be able to tell someone the entire truth about why they were here and what they were doing. The two women listened carefully to each word. When she had finished, Badb's eyes shone with a keen intensity.     "Ever since our sister betrayed us to join forces with Indech, we have waited for someone to come for the spear."     Riobeard's eyebrows went up with interest, "Your sister?" There was another lovely like these two somewhere?     Badb's blue eyes narrowed at him, "Morrigan. She always sides with the victor, no matter whom it may be." Her lips curled in an angry sneer, "And there her loyalty lies." She held out her hand and offered Michael his necklace back. He took it back and slipped it around his neck, carefully not looking into her eyes again. He had a feeling he could easily become lost in those hungry eyes - and there wouldn't be much of him left afterwards. Her lips curved into a smile. She walked over to the slender spear which thrust out of the ground and placed her hands over the blade. When she removed them, the head of the spear was covered with a crimson leather hood. Both of her hands gripped the shaft, and a clearly visible current of blue light crackled around them, running down the shaft into the ground. Then she yanked it up out of the whole.     "This cover must never be removed except by Eriu Herself. Once removed, the spear MUST draw blood." She held it out to Michael. He nodded and went to take the weapon from her, but she maintained her grip. He looked up at her in surprise. "You must all lay hands on the spear," She insisted. Aine, Riobeard, Mairin and Eirinn gathered around Michael and Badb, each gripping part of the spear shaft.     Just as Michael opened his mouth to ask why, Badb hissed, "Remember my words, "and released her grip. It sent a sudden shock wave through him. Heat prickled under his skin, searing his blood, then coursed down the entire length of his body. The last thing he was aware of before he passed out was the raucous caw of a bird and the beating of giant wings against the air.
	Tigherna sat cross-legged on the grass, practicing a tune on the beautiful whistle Eriu had given her. Eriu sat quietly beside her. The green of Her gown disappeared into the green of the grass around her feet. She listened carefully, and gently encouraged Tigherna whenever she grew dismayed at her own slow progress. After several days of struggling with which finger went over which hole, Tigherna thought just maybe she was finally sorting it all out. At first, the best she could do was produce a high-pitched squeaky toot, something resembling the angry squeal of a pig. Eriu, who was an accomplished musician Herself, had patiently worked with her, teaching her the correct fingering. A few times, Tigherna had become so frustrated that she had angrily flung the whistle aside and stomped off to pout. Eriu had just waited, saying nothing, until Tigherna had decided on her own to return and try again, feeling more than a little guilty for having tossed aside such a beautiful gift. Now, after days of practice, she was beginning to be a bit more proficient. She piped out a couple of simple tunes, "Mary had a little lamb" and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star".      "Very good, Tigherna," Eriu smiled. "You improve with every hour."     Tigherna grinned, flushing at the compliment. But then a pensive look came over her face. "Thank you. But I don't really think "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is going to help much when it comes to finding your Spirit. What exactly am I supposed to learn?"     Eriu sighed softly and drew Her knees up to her chin, "By the time we're done, you will be able to play any piece of music you want on that instrument. The most important pieces you learn will be the three Magic Strains."     Tigherna's eyes widened, "What are those?"     "I'll show you." Eriu held out Her hand and Tigherna placed the whistle in it. She lifted it to her lips and blew gently. Out of the instrument flowed the most heartbreakingly bitter-sweet music Tigherna had ever heard. It tugged at her heart, conjuring up all the pain-filled memories she had so carefully hidden from herself. With a shock, she realised that some of the memories weren't even her own. They were the collective pain of the generations that ran in her own blood. The memories brought a hard burning lump to her throat and her eyes filled with tears. She was just about to burst out crying when the tune Eriu was playing suddenly changed. It became gentle and lilting. A heaviness came over her, reminding her of that deliciously lazy feeling she'd sometimes get on a toasty summer day when the gentle breath of the wind could melt her whole body into a deep relaxation. Against her will, her eyelids began to grow heavy. She yawned widely and lay down on the grass, resting her head on her hands. Her eyes began to flicker shut when, abruptly, the tune changed again. She jerked upright in surprise. This time the tune was lively and rousing, trilling joyfully. She felt laughter bubbling up from deep within her, tickling her heart. Before she knew it, she was rolling on the grass laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath. Tears raced down her cheeks and she held her belly, laughing hysterically. Then, suddenly, the music stopped. Tigherna lay gasping for air, drawing in great rasping breaths and wiping her cheeks. She tried hard to regain her composure. The strange thing was, now that Eriu had stopped playing the whistle, Tigherna wasn't exactly sure what she had been laughing at. Eriu looked down at her with amusement in Her emerald eyes. When Tigherna was seated upright again, She handed her back the whistle.     "Those are the three Magic Strains. The first one brings intense melancholy, the second, sleep, and the last, joyous laughter." Tigherna wiped the last of her tears dry, looking at Eriu in wonder.     She took a long, quivering breath,"I couldn't control myself at all. I couldn't stop!"     Eriu nodded, "That's right. The three Magic Strains cannot be resisted. The only one unaffected is the one who plays the music. Everyone else's response is uncontrollable."     Tigherna suddenly looked quite daunted, "And I have to learn how to play all three?" Eriu nodded, and the expression in Her eyes told Tigherna that She was not only serious, but that She was confident that Tigherna WOULD learn them.     "Well," Tigherna sighed, smiling. She looked at the whistle in her hands, "I guess I'd better get started."
	Why am I looking at my feet? Michael wondered groggily as the tips of his toes dangled before his eyes. I know, he thought, I'm dreaming again. I'll wake up in a minute. He closed his eyes, hoping to snuggle down into that blissful pre-waking state that was so cosy. Usually, after his alarm clock rang, he'd pull the covers up around his neck and drift off comfortably for a few precious moments, when he wouldn't have to think about or plan anything. But this wasn't pleasant. He was aware not of his comfortable bed supporting his sleepy body, but of a sharp pain from something hard digging into his stomach. And the blood pounded in his ears, throbbing between his temples. A sudden gust of air blew over his face and he could feel his hair being ruffled by it. His eyes flew open and he nearly choked in surprise. "Oh, this is brilliant!" He WAS looking at his feet! He found himself draped over the highest branch of a very tall oak tree, his head hanging on one side and his feet dangling on the other. He lifted his head and tried to peer through the branches, but they were too thick with foliage to see where he was. "How am I supposed to get down from here?" he muttered to himself.     "I suggest you do it very carefully," a voice said from somewhere below him. He looked farther down the tree and saw Sine hanging the same way he was a few branches down. Then he also recognised Aingeal, Mairta and the other Dighaine struggling to maintain a tentative balance on even lower branches. The fogginess in his brain began to subside, and with its passing came the awful prickling sensation he had come to associate with Eriu's transports. He now realised what had happened, but it still drove him crazy. A new location, a new group of people, a new quest, but the same old Michael. When was he going to get to rest? Of course, he didn't actually feel tired, but he was beginning to feel a bit used. He swung himself around on the branch so he could sit on it and let the blood return to the other parts of his body.     On a lower branch, Mairta yanked on the bottom of her dress, trying to pull it down over her thighs. "I'm not exactly dressed for this kind of thing!" She grumbled. She couldn't quite remember what she had been all dressed up for before Eriu brought her here, but she was sure it wasn't for climbing trees. Her shoes had already slipped off her feet and landed at the base of the tree trunk.     "I think I can manage to get down," Aingeal announced, as she pulled herself upright, mentally plotting her course down the tree. She clambered slowly from one branch to another, carefully moving downward. At last she reached the lowest branch, which still hung about eight feet off the ground. Undaunted, she gripped the branch, swung down and dangled from it, gauging how far she would have to drop. Then she let go and landed neatly on the ground. "Nothing to it!" She called up.     Once everyone saw the ease with which Aingeal had manoeuvred down the tree, one by one, they carefully copied what she had done until they were all safe on the ground.     Dighaine rubbed her stinging palms together, looking critically back up to where they'd been perched. "You'd think someone like Eriu would be able to put us down on some place solid!"     "No I wouldn't!' Michael laughed to himself, thinking of the stream and the cliff. He looked around to see what kind of location she'd dropped him into this time. 'Their' tree was one of several majestic oak trees nestled together on the floor of a narrow valley. High, mist-shrouded mountains rose steeply around them, hunching over the valley like giant stone sentinels listening to each others' secrets.     "So I guess this is the north," Mairta said as she slipped into her shoes, "I wonder where we should go to find the sword?"     Sine pointed between two of the mountains, "I think I see a path going through there. It might lead us out of this valley. Let's go that way."     "How do we know the sword isn't right here somewhere?" Dighaine asked, scanning the valley with her eyes. "We shouldn't leave until we've at least had a look around."     Michael smiled and shook his head, "No. It won't be here." Everyone looked at him in surprise.     "How do you know?" Sine asked. Her voice held a note of scepticism.     "Because we had to travel for several days before we found the cauldron and the spear."     "What?" she cried, "What are you talking about?"     Michael was hesitant to try explaining something he didn't understand himself - how even though the rest of them had all just left Eriu moments before, he himself had already been away for weeks, maybe months. So he didn't attempt an explanation, he just told them that the cauldron and the spear had been retrieved. At least, he thought they had. He had no way of verifying it, but he felt there was a good chance those other two 'treasures' were already in Eriu's possession.     "Well then," Dighaine turned to Sine, "Lead on!"
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