�Oh? Does this story go something like, �Once upon a time?�� Marguerite asked.
�As a matter of fact, it does.� Abigail cleared her throat and began. �Once upon a time, long before humans walked the earth, life began. Every so often, there would be new surges of creation and a fresh burst of life. As you know, the plateau is the source of everything. When man first learned of this phenomenon, he kept it secret. A group of people took it upon their shoulders to protect this sacred place and to help make sure that each new cycle was brought about safely.
�After a while, several people started thinking about the tremendous opportunity that was in front of them. Like any other human, many nurture their instincts for greed and power. These few banded together and vowed to take the power of the plateau for themselves. There was much unrest and in the end, the group split into two lines of people; the Protectors and the line that Mordren is descended from. To ensure that the greed of these few did not lead to destruction, the Protectors built Avalon and forged the pendant that Veronica now carries with her. That medallion lets the wielder control the lines of energy surging through the plateau. It was risky to create an object of such power, but it was necessary to make sure the plateau and the rest of the world remained safe.�
�I�m sorry Abigail,� Marguerite interrupted, �but what does this Protector, Anti-Protector business have to do with me? Shouldn�t you be telling this to Veronica?�
�It is necessary for you to know of the past for you to be able to fully understand the present and the future.�
�Well don�t let me stop you then.� Marguerite was greatly tempted to roll her eyes at yet another statement which didn�t make sense. Why was it that those who had the answers to everything seemed to find it better to speak in riddles instead of actually answering straightforwardly?
Abigail smiled and Marguerite got the sense that she knew what she was thinking. �Let me try this a different way, Marguerite. Do you remember at dinner when I was explaining to everyone what the storms truly were?�
Marguerite nodded. �Yes, of course.�
�How?� Abigail asked.
�How what?�
�Tell me what I said.�
�Oh.� Marguerite remembered back to earlier in the evening. �Well you said that there�s a new cycle of creation every several hundred years and that the Protectors are always there to make sure that evil doesn�t get control and plunge the world into chaos.�
Abigail shook her head and held up her finger. �You�re forgetting something.�
�Such as?�
�I also told you that good and evil are constantly locked in battle with each other trying to gain higher ground over the other but never succeeding.�
�What�s your point?�
Abigail sighed and shook her head. �You already have the answer, but you do not know it. If you have two forces that are equal to each other, say like fire and water, what happens?�
�Look Abigail, I�m not in the mood for games and riddles. Why don�t you just come out and say whatever you�re tip-toeing around?�
Abigail held up both of her hands at the same height in front of her. �When you have two equal yet opposite forces, they are always in balance. Neither one will win over the other.� Abigail shifted one hand higher than the other. �So if the Protectors represent good and the others represent evil, and we know these two forces are equal, how can either side win over the other?�
Marguerite shrugged her shoulders. �You guys ate all your vegetables?�
After putting her hands down, Abigail rolled her eyes. �Believe it or not Marguerite, I�m not telling you all this because I like hearing the sound of my own voice. There is a point to this.�
Marguerite put up her hands in defeat. �All right, I�m sorry. Go ahead.�
�Thank you. Now, as I said these two forces are balanced. As much as each side tries, it is always met with a stalemate. Long, long ago, just after the split occurred, something unforeseen happened; a third line was started. One of the Protectors joined with one of Mordren�s ancestors. This third line was the solution to the problem. These chosen ones are the deciding factor. They alone are what push the balance in one direction or the other.�
�So this person who is half Protector, half �Anti-Protector� is actually the one who has the power? Why aren�t we out there looking for this person? We need to get them on our side, although I don�t know why anyone would want to willingly destroy the world.�
Abigail�s smile was grim as she looked at Marguerite. �That is one way to put it, yes. But I�m afraid it isn�t as simple as you make it. This person has ties to both sides and even though they would like to deny it, it is part of who they are. It will be a difficult decision for this person to make even though to you or me it might seem mindless. It is not as easy as good triumphs over evil. Evil has won before.�
�What happened?�
�It happened during the last cycle. There was a powerful druid priestess named Morrighan��
Morrighan! Marguerite�s eyes went wide as she heard the name, but she kept listening. She had to know why she kept coming across this name during the past few weeks.
��she was revered by most, hated by others. As a leader she was competent; she seemed to do what was best for her people. The next cycle happened to fall in her lifetime and she was indeed the Chosen One of that generation. However, when the time came for her to choose, the temptation was too great and sided with evil. Everything from the previous cycle was destroyed and the world was plunged into a dark age.�
She couldn�t help it, Marguerite�s jaw dropped in amazement. �You mean the Dark Ages? They were caused by one person?�
�I�m afraid so.�
The mention of Morrighan had already set off warning bells in Marguerite�s mind. She began putting together things that before seemed unrelated. Her dream from the cave where she and Roxton were trapped, her most recent disturbing dreams, and this new information from Abigail seemed to point to the fact that her latest dreams may not have been a vision of things to come but of things that have already come to pass. While Marguerite was relieved, she still didn�t understand. If her dreams were indeed of Morrighan and the past, why was she having them? What did they have to do with her? �Abigail, as much as I�m enjoying story time, what does all this have to do with me?�
Marguerite watched Abigail lean back and fold her arms in her lap as if she was done speaking. �I think you already know the answer to that, Marguerite.�
�No, I don�t. Not unless you�re trying to make the ridiculous notion that I am this Chosen One person?� Marguerite chuckled but stopped when she saw that Abigail was not laughing. She was simply looking at her and confirming what Marguerite deep down knew had to be the truth. �But how can you know this? How can you be so sure?�
�Believe me, I�m sure. Haven�t you ever wondered where your wonderful knack for languages came from? How you�ve known things that you couldn�t possibly know? These are just some of your abilities, but you have more that you have not yet uncovered.�
�But I don�t even know who my parents are, how can you be so sure I�m the right person?�
Abigail�s expression changed to one of dismay. �This is your destiny, Marguerite. Things were supposed to be different, but there are many paths in life. The path that was chosen for you was not the one you ended up taking, but in the end you still arrived at the same place.�
�What are you talking about?! I�m tired of your riddles! What do you know about my parents?� Marguerite rose out of her chair in anger.
Abigail stood up as well. �Marguerite, please calm yourself. I-� At that moment, Abigail groaned and clutched at her chest.
�Abigail! What�s the matter?� Marguerite barely had a chance to react before Abigail�s eyes rolled back into her head and she fell. Marguerite managed to catch her and lower her gently to the ground. �Abigail!� Marguerite quickly checked for a pulse and was relieved to find it, it was weak, but it was still there.
�Help! Help! Somebody help me!�