| The wind blew harshly through the air as Brendan, Trek, Thetric, Kean, and Penelopie stood at the base of Black Hill. The blackened oak stretched toward the sky and seemed set apart from the rest of the lustrous green valley. Brendan could still hear the voices of the Lorghes as though they were standing right next to them all. �It looks so gloomy.� Penelopie whispered as they all stared. �No wonder they call it Black Hill.� Another harsh gust of wind swept past their faces as Brendan took a step forward. �What are you doing?� Penelopie grabbed his arm tightly. �I have to get the next step.� Brendan stared at Penelopie. �You can�t.� She hesitated. �You must go on to Flottantville and the only way to receive the next image is to touch the tree.� Penelopie snatched the necklace from his hand and rushed toward the oak. �Penelopie, no!� Brendan and Kean both yelled as they stepped forward. Penelopie gazed at them with a strange smile on her face as she reached for the wood. �To save the world.� She whispered as she placed a hand upon the trunk. The air filled with a bright lime green and yellow light. Brendan stared into the blinding glare as Trek, Kean, and Thetric closed their eyes. Within the glow, Brendan could see Penelopie fall away from the tree and lie motionless upon the dead earth. Slowly, the light faded away. �Penelopie?� Brendan rushed to her side. He kneeled beside her and placed his hand upon her chest. �She�s still breathing!� With her in his arms, he ran to his horse. �We must reach the Cour de Fa� whilst we still have time!� Brendan laid her body over Moonlight�s back and then sat behind her on the saddle. Trek, Kean, and Thetric climbed onto the other horses and the group galloped away into the sunset. Penelopie�s eyes slightly opened but all she could see was blood red. �Brendan?� She moaned. �I-Is that you?� Penelopie could feel the tremors from Moonlight�s quick gallop. �Yes, it�s me.� Brendan placed a hand on her hair. �Hold on, Penelopie. Please, hold on.� Penelopie closed her eyes and a flood of color erupted in her mind. She could see the scene at Dead Tree on Black Hill all over again. She could hear herself whisper, �To save the world� to Brendan and the others. Then, the light came. A red figure emerged from the tree and touched her on the forehead. She could feel the burning from its fingers as though they were on fire. That was when she fell and the glow dissipated. Penelopie then saw a flash of her lying in a bed in the Cour de Fa� � dying. �Hurry, Brendan.� She stammered. Brendan gazed down and pushed Moonlight even harder. Please don�t die. Brendan thought as he, Kean, Thetric, and Trek galloped into the Forgotten Forest, the entry to the Cour de Fa�. Please, don�t die. He gazed toward the sun that was quickly setting. The group hurried past many trees in the forest before finally coming to a wall of vines. Slowing their horses, they slowly pushed past the vines and strode into the legendary Cour de Fa�. A giant marble castle that stood four stories high stood in front of them. Suddenly, a woman, short with transparent blue wings, stumbled out of the fairy engraved door. �Penelopie!� She exclaimed when she saw Brendan, now standing, holding Penelopie in his arms. �What happened?� Brendan, still stunned, bowed his head. �I�m Brendan.� �I�m Lezibet.� The woman gently took Penelopie�s limp body from Brendan�s arms. �Queen Lezibet.� Lezibet ran inside with Penelopie in her arms and Brendan, Kean, Trek, and Thetric all followed closely. They ran past many rooms and climbed two twisting flights of stairs. Finally, they entered a room decorated in pale green and white. Lezibet laid Penelopie on the bed and then walked back to Brendan, Kean, Trek, and Thetric who were standing in the doorway. She hugged them all. �Thank you for bringing her back to me. I am much obliged.� Lezibet bowed her head. �There is nothing else you can do here but wait.� She pushed them gently into the hall and shut the door behind her. Slowly, the group began to walk down the long, greatly decorated corridor but stopped short when Lezibet approached them. �I have a question.� Brendan gazed about the immense hallway. �Falry Peltrick and Mallowry Hemmins are supposed to be visiting here.� He paused. �Have they yet arrived?� �Sorry, but they have not. I have not seen them for seasons.� Brendan gazed out one of the tall windows and watched the sun completely set past the vast horizon. �Would you mind if we slept here tonight? It would be greatly dangerous for us to travel in the dark.� Brendan and the group walked down the hall with Lezibet. �Of course, but,� She paused as they stopped outside of two giant doors, �might I ask why it would be dangerous for you to travel by the moon?� �The fact is,� Trek hesitated, �we carry a delicate and hazardous package amongst us. We have become the Guardians of the Eye.� �No wonder Penelopie took a fancy to you.� Lezibet opened the doors and ushered them inside. �This shall be your room.� She shut the doors behind the boys and the group could hear her footsteps fade down the hall. Kean, Thetric, and Trek gazed about the four beds inside the vast room. �It�s almost like,� Thetric paused as he sat on the bed furthest to the left, �she expected us.� The other three chose their beds and sat upon them. The beds were feathery soft and were covered with baby blue satin sheets and pillows. In the corner of all the sheets was a peculiar symbol. It consisted of a triangle with a circle of stars around it and a small tree full of leaves in the center. They had been woven into the sheets with silver thread. �We might want to get some sleep.� Trek crawled underneath the bedding. They all lie underneath the satin lining and drifted into a deep sleep �She seems awfully familiar, doesn�t she?� �Who are you?� Brendan thought as he listened to the echoing voice in his mind. �I am you.� �But how?� �A part long forgotten and left in the past.� �What is your name?� �She seems awfully familiar, doesn�t she, Brendan?� �Yes. Who is she?� �You know her.� �How?� �Have you lived your whole life in Soir Vert?� �No.� �Xornon. You know her from Xornon when you and Vincent lived there six years ago.� �Vincent�� �Vincent Vanderchauff; he was your friend, too.� �Well�� �You don�t remember them, do you? You have forgotten everything.� �Not everything.� The distant sound of crying echoed within his mind. A mournful cry as though from a creature in mortal pain sounded within him. �I�ll show you so you can remember.� A bright light flooded his mind and the crying grew louder. �I don�t want to remember!� The light grew even brighter and the crying ever louder. Then, it all faded into a scene of Brendan standing in front of a bed with a redheaded girl lying face down upon it. She was crying and Brendan gazed at her. �Are you all right?� Brendan asked as he kneeled beside her. She looked up at him with pleading eyes and wiped the wet streams from her face. It was Penelopie. �What are you doing here?� �She had always rejected you; pushing you farther and farther away but you never gave up. You always liked her.� �Yes.� �She always hung out with kids that you didn�t like.� �I tried to protect her but�� �But she didn�t want your help. She didn�t like you.� �Why did you come here, Brendan?� Penelopie sat up on the bed. �I just wanted to see if you were okay.� Brendan stood. Penelopie jumped off of her bed. �Of course not! My father just died in an explosion in the valley past the canyon!� �I�m sorry. I didn�t mean to�� �You never mean to do anything but you�re always messing things up.� �That was harsh, wasn�t it?� �I still don�t know why she ever said that but, when she left that day for the canyon, I still followed.� The wind whipped past Brendan as he followed Penelopie toward the narrow ledge that crossed the canyon that connected Xornon to the valley. �Penelopie, don�t!� Brendan yelled for her as she took a step onto the ledge. �Leave me alone, Brendan!� She took another step. �What�re you doing?� �I�m going to see my father and don�t try to stop me!� �But the wind is picking up and it�ll blow you right into the gulch!� Penelopie turned toward Brendan. Vincent was now standing behind him and staring at them both. �You mean you actually care?� �Of course, I do.� Brendan stepped forward. �I always have.� Penelopie smiled and began to walk back across the bridge toward Brendan and Vincent. Brendan and Penelopie�s fingers touched and then it happened; a giant gust of wind blew harshly and threw her off of the ledge. Brendan grabbed her wrist. �I held on the best I could. I didn�t want to have to watch her fall.� �Do you remember what happened?� �Please, stop.� Brendan could feel himself shake. Brendan held tightly onto Penelopie�s wrist as she dangled over the edge of the gorge. �Please, don�t let go, Brendan.� She gazed pleadingly into his eyes. �Don�t let go� �I won�t.� Brendan clutched her wrist with both hands. �I promise, I won�t.� Then, a shadow fell over him. Brendan gazed up at Vincent. �What are you doing?� Brendan cried out as Vincent raised his foot. �I�m getting rid of useless baggage.� Vincent stomped upon Brendan wrists and hands. Brendan cried out as his grip loosened and Penelopie fell into the ravine. �No!� Brendan yelled as he reached out for her, tears running down his face. He stood and glared at Vincent. �You.� Brendan stepped toward him. �You were supposed to be my friend!� Brendan grabbed Vincent by the collar of his shirt and raised him into the air. �She would have broken you!� Vincent hollered as Brendan moved him toward the edge of the canyon. �Not as bad as I�m going to break you!� Brendan lifted Vincent and threw him, screaming, into the gorge. Then, the scene faded to black. �You have never forgiven him, have you?� �Never, but how did she survive? Did Vincent also live through the fall?� �Why don�t you ask her?� �I think I will.� �Well, then, wake up!� Brendan slowly opened his eyes just to see Penelopie sitting on the edge of his bed. �Penelopie!� Brendan almost yelled as he pulled her close to him. �Not so loud.� Penelopie ran her fingers through his hair. �It is very late and your friends are still at rest.� Brendan slowly pulled away from her. �I�m so glad that you�re all right.� �Well, I didn�t hold onto the tree long enough for it to kill me.� She gazed into his eyes. �No, no.� Brendan stared back. �The fall in the canyon.� �What?� Penelopie stared strangely at him. �What did you say?� �You had forgotten, too.� He paused as they stared deeper into each other�s eyes. �Xornon, the valley�Vincent.� �You were there.� She stood and paused. �You were the only one who ever cared.� Brendan climbed out of the bed and walked toward her. �I�m so happy that you�re okay.� They entwined their fingers. �How did you ever survive?� Penelopie gazed down at their hands. �I woke in a clinic somewhere in the West Continent.� They both sat on the bed. �I was so cold. The nurses told me I had been asleep ever since I had been found in the South River ten days before.� Penelopie�s eyes teared up. �For a while, I had forgotten what had happened. I stayed in the clinic for days before finally recollecting it all.� She closed her eyes. �For weeks, I kept dreaming about the look in Vincent�s eyes that day, that hateful, vengeful look. I would wake, crying and thinking I was still in Xornon, that I was still dangling in the canyon.� She gazed into Brendan�s eyes. �When I saw you in Vecrive, I knew it was you. But I wasn�t sure so, I pretended not to realize.� A tear rolled down her cheek. �But you knew.� She smiled happily as her eyes seemed to light up. �I could feel the pain in your dreams when I entered the room. I could feel all the anger. So, I sat by your bedside until you awoke.� Penelopie gently hugged him. �Penelopie,� Brendan pushed her away, �do you think Vincent could have also lived through the fall?� �I don�t know.� She paused. �I really hope not.� There was a long pause and Brendan gently stroked Penelopie�s hair. �We�re traveling to Carpathia Garden in the morning.� Penelopie gazed into his eyes. �Take me with you.� �I can�t; it�s too dangerous.� �I�m going whether you want me to or not. You can�t just leave me here for Vincent to find if he did survive.� Brendan hesitated. �You may be right but,� he gazed toward Trek, Kean, and Thetric still soundly sleeping, �what about the others?� He gazed back toward Penelopie. �They may not want you to go for fear of almost losing you again.� He bowed his head. �I know how it felt when I thought I had lost you.� He lifted his head and gazed back into her eyes. �I thought about you a lot after the incident in the canyon. Everyone else in Xornon did, too, but I think I may have thought a little too much.� Brendan closed his eyes but opened them after a few seconds. �No matter what I did, I would always have flashbacks of memories of what we would do together if we did anything at all.� �Go back to sleep.� Penelopie smiled and stroked his hair. Brendan laid back down and Penelopie covered him with the satin bedding. �Go to sleep.� Brendan began to drift off to sleep. The last thing he heard was Penelopie�s sweet voice speaking to him. �I�ll still be here in the morning.� �It seems like she always wondered where you were.� The voice again flowed through Brendan�s mind from the darkness. �Like she always knew you were out there thinking about her.� �Yeah.� �You almost cried when she told you about what happened after she woke.� �Yes. Just imagining what she went through�� �You should have told her how you feel.� �Yes.� �So, why don�t you?� �There seems to be something inside that isn�t right. Something�s wrong.� �It�s inside you. You�ll find the answer soon.� �When?� �Wake up!� Brendan opened his eyes. The room was filled with light from the open window. Brendan gazed around and noticed that Trek, Kean, and Thetric has all already risen and left the room. Penelopie still sat on the edge of his bed. �I told you I�d still be here.� Penelopie grinned when she noticed that Brendan was awake. Brendan smiled at sat up. �I brought you some fresh juice and bacon. I hope you quite enjoy it.� Brendan smiled as Penelopie handed him the glass and set the plate of bacon on his lap. Brendan took a small sip of the juice. �You were talking in your sleep.� �What was I saying?� Brendan gazed at her. �I don�t know. You were mostly mumbling, making sounds instead of talking. I could only make out one word and that was �wrong�.� She hesitated. �Tell me, what were you dreaming?� �I don�t remember.� He hated lying to her but, right now, he felt he kind of had to. �It all faded when I woke.� Penelopie frowned. �Oh.� She stood and walked toward the doors. �Hurry and eat. There�s going to be a very important gathering held in the garden soon.� She turned toward him. �Bring the Eye.� She walked out of the doors and left them open behind her. Brendan stared for a moment and then went about eating his breakfast. After finishing his meal, Brendan slowly climbed out of the bed and exited the room. As he walked toward the stairwell, he marveled at the beauty of the great hall in the castle. It was really beautiful. Kean seemed to be the only one not allowed to attend the meeting. He stood, hidden behind a pillar as the gathering began. �Brendan,� Lezibet motioned to the man at the far left who had brownish hair to his shoulders, carried a satchel of arrows, and had a bow slung over his shoulder. �This is Zurchor, the Archer.� She motioned to the next man who had short blond hair and carried a long, black-handled sword that�s sheath was attached to a wide leather belt buckled about his waist, �Leosat, the Mage.� She motioned next to a stout man that carried a silver sword within a silver sheath that dangled from his waist by a blood red sash, �Orson, the Slayer.� Lastly, she motioned toward a figure that stood far into the shadows and had short brown hair. The figure walked toward them. He had clear grayish wings and carried a broad, silver axe. �And Farshen, my son.� Lezibet turned toward Brendan who had Trek and Thetric standing beside him. �Of course, you already know your friends Trek and Thetric.� She turned back toward the other four. �We are all aware of the problem that has arisen itself here. The Eye is here but it cannot stay. It puts the entire court in danger.� She paused. �You four have been gathered here to help these three through their journey so they may reach Flottantville.� Kean ran abruptly from behind the pillar and stood next to Brendan. �Four.� Kean gazed at Penelopie and Lezibet. �You were not assigned the possession of the Eye, Kean.� Lezibet scolded. �Yeah, but it�s personal now.� He gazed toward Brendan. He hesitated and then looked back at Lezibet. �They have burned the valley, our hometown of Soir Vert.� �What?� Brendan stared as Kean faced him. �They torched it all shortly before I met you at Vecrive.� Trek, Brendan, Thetric, and Kean�s eyes all filled with tears. �Everyone is gone. They slew them all.� Brendan sat and a tear rolled down his cheek. �But, why?� Kean kneeled beside him and placed a hand on the back of Brendan�s shoulder. �I don�t know, Brendan but I�m going to help to make sure that they never do it again.� �Help.� A muffled voice called from the edge of the Cour de Fa�. Brendan gazed up at Kean. �Did you hear that?� �What?� �Hush.� Brendan stood. �Somebody, please.� The voice called again as if in pain. Brendan bolted down the stairs and toward the edge of the trees where the voice called. The rest of the gathering all chased after him. As they neared the edge of the Cour de Fa�, they could see Brendan on the ground, clutching someone to his chest. They slowly approached and Brendan gazed up at them. �It�s Mallowry.� He stammered. Trek, Kean, and Thetric ran to Mallowry and kneeled down to him. There was a deep gash in his side. �Mallowry?� Thetric whispered. Mallowry weakly opened his eyes and stared at all of them. �What are all of you doing here?� He managed to speak. �We needed help.� Kean grasped his hand. �Don�t let them have the Eye, Brendan.� �I won�t.� Brendan could feel Mallowry slowly slipping away. �I promise.� Brendan stared up at Lezibet with tear-streaked eyes as she approached. �Why did he have to die?� Brendan clutched Mallowry closer to him. �Why did they have to kill him?� �We�ll give him a proper farewell.� Penelopie took Mallowry from Brendan�s arms. An owl screeched as the gathering carried Mallowry�s body to the Blessed Lake in the Cour de Fa�s garden. Thirteen Golleths sat on their horses outside of the Cour de Fa�s perimeter. Selphar glared evilly at the surrounding trees. �Sir?� Phelchan blurted out. �What is it?� Selphar turned his horse. �What do you want?� �Word has come that they are planning on leaving the Court to travel to Carpathia Garden�� ��on the other side of the Sleeping Forest.� Selphar grinned. �We have them now.� Brendan stood on the edge of an underwater canyon in the center of the lake. Mallowry�s body floated with Brendan�s hands underneath him. �Go ahead and let go, Brendan.� Penelopie whispered. Brendan gazed pleadingly back at her. �It�s so hard.� Penelopie waded out to Brendan�s side. �I know, Brendan.� She hesitated as she placed her hands underneath his. �So, I�ll help. We can let him go together.� Together they slid their hands away from Mallowry�s body and watched as he slowly sunk and disappeared into the blackness of the ravine. Penelopie hugged Brendan tightly to her. �It�ll be all right, you�ll see.� She shrunk away. �Everything will be fine.� The group of nine slowly walked toward the horses that were lined in front of the palace. They all clambered onto the horses� backs. Trek gazed down at Lezibet who stood beside his horse. �I guess this is goodbye.� He nudged Therton forward. �Not goodbye,� she smiled, �just another journey but, this time, you go as the Gathering.� They all smiled as their horses slowly began to gallop and the sun slowly rose into the sky. A gentle breeze pushed past them as they approached the wood. As they reached the edge of the Cour de Fa�, Trek stopped Therton. �Stop.� Trek whispered as his hands shook slightly. The Gathering stopped and stared back at him. �What is it, Trek?� Penelopie slowly gazed about the woodland perimeter. �We might want to take the road.� �But, we�re supposed to stay off the roads, Trek. Why would we want to risk it again?� Brendan was worried as he spoke. �Just trust me.� Trek directed his horse to the road and pushed Therton into a steady gallop. �We want to take the road.� One by one, they quietly galloped down the long stretch of dirt pathway where they would enter the Carpathia Garden in hope of getting the fourth step of the map and continuing their long journey to Flottantville. Worry began to settle in Brendan�s already confused mind. Whatever happened to Lemmins? He thought as they galloped through the valley while, miles to the west, Lemmins flew toward them dragon-back. In the back of his mind, Lemmins hoped that he was not too late to save them. Knowing that Thetric was traveling with Trek and Brendan gave his subconscious a shock because Lemmins knew how Thetric was. He just hoped that Thetric had not caused problems already for, who knows what the Golleths would do to them and any others that had joined the journey of the Eye? |
| * Three * �E slitheta pae tactilla re e loki ca wailo datoure. Me las sheton su dette va su necht. Me las fertte su rid kella.� |
| *** |
| *** |
| *** |
| *** |
| RATE ME!!! |
| 2.0 stars |
| 2.5 stars |
| 4.0 stars |
| 4.5 stars |
| 5.0 stars |
| 1.0 stars |
| 1.5 stars |
| 3.0 stars |
| 3.5 stars |
 |
