"We're almost there," Chris said, as they walked up the mountain.
"How can you tell?" Kaylyn asked. "It looks all the same."
"Oh no, it's all very different," Chris told her. "The flowers over
there are white. That means we're getting closer to my village."
"And how do the flowers tell you where you are?" Joey asked.
"They're different colors all over the mountain. The white ones are
close to my village," Chris explained patiently.
"That is crazy," Joey told him.
That you are, his mind laughed.
Shut up, Chris told his conscious.
Chris is crazy, Chris is crazy, Chris is crazy, it sang.
Why are you doing this to me? Chris asked.
Because you're close to home and I can.
I hate you.
Do not, Chris. I'm part of you, so you have to love me.
"Chris?" Willow repeated. "Chris are you ok?" She grabbed his shoulder
and shook him.
Chris blinked. "Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine."
"You spaced out and we were worried." Willow smiled at him. "Which
way should we go?"
"Go to your right," Chris told her. "And continue to walk up. The village
is just over there," he said, gesturing a little to their right and higher
up. "In a little bit we should be able to see the smoke from the fires
and then the huts."
"Not much further to go," Willow told the others. "Hopefully we'll
arrive by noon."
***
"Are you sure you want to try to find our way out of the forest?" Justin
asked. "We could just stay here and be happy for the rest of our lives."
He pulled his shirt on and ran his hands through his curls.
"Yes, Justin, I'm sure I want...." Her voice trailed off as she glanced
up and saw a sight she never expected to see.
"Sam? What is it? What do you see?" Justin asked, looking at her when
she stopped talking. He followed her eyes and drew in a breath, awed by
the sight in front of him.
***
"We're almost there," Willow said. They could see the tops of the huts
in the village. "Chris, you take the lead."
Chris skipped jauntily down the path, whistling.
The others followed him.
Chris was greeted by people left and right, but he didn't stop. He
lead the others to a wooden house set somewhat apart from the other houses.
"This is the home of the witch, Katta," he told them. "She is very
powerful and can answer all of your questions."
Suddenly the door opened and out stepped a woman. She looked like no
witch any of them expected. She had curly white hair, kindly blue eyes,
and her plump figure was dressed in a bright blue dress with a white apron
over it.
"Christopher! I've been expecting you, you naughty boy. And two of
your party has been lost?" She looked over the group. "Ah yes, just as
I thought. Well, all shall still be well. Come in, come in."
Chris was the first one to walk in, followed by Willow and Josh. The
others followed them.
"Sit, my children, sit." Katta walked to a chair near the fireplace.
"You have many questions, do you not?" She looked at Josh. "Especially
you, my fine young king. Wanting to know about your lost sister, yes?"
Josh nodded and she continued. "Well, you already know her, although you've
once again lost her."
"Who is she?" Josh asked.
"That I cannot tell you," Katta said. "'Tis for you to figure out."
"But we came to you for- Oh!" Josh exclaimed. "Someone I know yet have
lost again. Are you talking about Sam?" He thought for a minute. "Yeah,
you're talking about Sam. I thought she seemed familiar. Now we have to
find her again."
"Ah yes, finding your friends shall be a great challenge for you."
Katta's eyes grew even mistier. "A great evil faces you, greater than any
you have ever known. The only thing that will protect you from this great
evil lies at the ends of the land, in a time and place only great leaders
can find. This weapon, too, will destroy this great evil."
"What is she talking about?" Joey asked.
"Shh," Willow hissed. "I'm trying to pay attention here."
"It will protect you against this great evil, but only if it is guided
by a strong hand, sharp mind, and pure heart. It takes two to wield this,
for it being wielded by one is something that is as evil as the evil you
face." Her eyes sharpened. "Go my children, go and find your friends. They
you will need in this long, arduous journey to the ends of the land."
"That was a complete waste of time," Lance said, as they made their
way down the mountain.
"Oh no, no it wasn't," Willow said. "We know Sam is Josh's sister and
can take over the throne."
"But she only gave us a bunch of riddles about this great evil," Joey
said. "And the weapon that can fight it."
"She was talking about the sword of Aerin," Willow said. "And the stones
that form the hilt. Once put together, the Sword of Mists is the most powerful
weapon in all the land."
"Do you know anything else about it?" Josh asked.
Willow shook her head. "No. Sam does, her grandmother taught her all
about the Sword of Mists and Stones of Light."
"We need to find Sam and Justin then," Lance said.
"Yes, we do," Josh agreed. "I'm not letting my sister be ruined by
some prince sowing his wild oats."
***
"Oh my god," Justin breathed. "Is that... Is that what I think it is?"
"Yes, it is." Sam stretched out a hand, her fingers grazing the white
muzzle of the creature standing in front of her.
"But it's impossible."
"No," Sam whispered, a smile lingering on her lips as her touched firmed
and she ran her hand down the nose of the magnificent beast. "It's not
impossible. Love, even expressed love such as we have done, is pure to
them."
The unicorn touched it's silver horn to her forehead, then slowly backed
away, it's white body melting into the mist surrounding them.
Chapter
Twelve
The
Quest Index