1

A few days later, Angriz and I arrived at the Weirdling's glen. My guide placed my hand upon a tree. "Wait here until I'm able to introduce you. She doesn't like strangers to be brought unannounced. I'll bring her to you."

"Alright."

"One more thing: she's not like anyone you've met before."

"Alright," I said again.

I waited until Angriz tromped off before I laughed to myself. It seemed heartless to remind him everyone here was unlike anyone I'd ever met. Still, I found myself wondering what he meant. About ten minutes later, Angriz returned with someone who had a much lighter tread.

I noted an unfamiliar odor. I recognized Angriz's scent. He smelled like hot steel, with a faint tang of pine. This came from his preference for sleeping on pine boughs. This new scent, which, while not unpleasant, was unfamiliar; flowery, but with a faint acrid undercurrent. They stopped a few feet from me.

"Carter, this is Soo-jau. She is the Weirdling I told you of."

"Angriz," a soft voice said. "I wish you would stop using that common term. Please identify me the proper way."

Leather creaked as Angriz bowed. "I'm sorry, Lady Soo-jau." He directed his next words to me, "She is Vaush-Tauric."

"What's in a name?" I said.

"Well said," said Soo-jau. "A flower by any other name smells the same."

'She misquoted William Shakespeare to me, and has no idea who he is. I find that funny as hell for some reason.'

"Thank you, my lady." I held my left elbow in my right hand, and tapped my lips with my left index finger. "Speaking of scents, yours is interesting. What is it, pray tell?"

"Carter!" Angriz sounded shocked I would ask such a question.

Soo-jau chuckled. "You are smelling my relaxation salts."

"Another scent is beneath. Something acrid."

"Indeed," she replied. "Tell me, how does Angriz smell to you?"

"Huh?" Angriz sounded confused.

I ignored him for the moment. "Like hot metal and pine. He likes sleeping on pine needles."

"Can you guess why hot metal?"

"Maybe because he breathes fire."

"You are correct. What breath weapon do you think I possess?"

"I would say one of acid."

"Yes."

"Are you a full dragon, Soo-jau?"

"I am. Only full dragons can ever be Vaush-Tauric."

"Angriz tells me you will be able to restore my sight."

"We'll get to that, but first, I wish to perform a test. Come here."

She took me by my hand and led me further into her glen. Water gurgled into a fountain. She released my hand and moved away. I marked her movements by listening to her footsteps through the grass. I turned my head so I would be able to follow her light step easier. The sward sprung up as her feet left the ground. She levitated.

"Why are you flying?" I asked.

"You heard me rise?"

"I did."

She nodded as if my answer was what she was expecting. "This is part of the test. I suspected you might be able to track my movements by sound. Your head movements confirmed my suspicions."

"Hunh."

"Carter, does magic exist in your world?"

"Not real magic. We possess tricks we call magic, or illusions, but they are really slight-of-hand and misdirection."

"Were you always without your eyes?"

"No."

I told her about what happened. I got chills reliving the experience. As an atheist, to have witnessed the appearance of a real angel was...startling to say the least.

"You seem to take the existence of magic rather well," she said.

"In my world, I deal with things which to others would seem to be magic more often than not. Something we named nuclear physics deals with splitting atoms. We call this process fission. This generates an enormous amount of heat. My friend and I once experimented with creating the opposite, called cold fission which generates a tremendous amount of cold. I am used to the unusual, which, I guess is why I'm not terrified about being in a whole other world."

"What are atoms?"

"In simple terms, they are the building blocks of everything."

"What about not simple terms?"

"Well, as I learned, an atom is the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element, consisting of a nucleus containing combinations of neutrons and protons and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus by electrical attraction; the number of protons determines the identity of the element."

"Hmm. I think I prefer the simpler way of saying it. I can learn a lot from you."

"And I from you," I said. "Now, what about the remainder of this test?"

She laughed. "Alright. This part is simple in concept: Catch me."

"That's all?" I asked, suspicious.

"Yes."

I sighed and agreed. 'This is silly.' I lunged to where I had heard her voice from last, hoping to catch her off guard. This time, the laughter came from my right and a little behind me. I whirled and leaped. I landed hard on my stomach, my hands clutching the empty air. The air left my lungs in a rush as I slammed into the ground. Belly flops on the ground are painful, let me tell you. I groaned and rolled to my feet with care, cussing as I did. Further laughter came from my left, close by, so I swung my arm outward, intending to grasp her at the last moment. Soo-jau laughed again as my hand closed on empty air. Though I sensed no mockery in her constant laughter, only fun and enjoyment of the game, I found myself growing angry. I whirled left, then right, becoming angrier and more disoriented as I flailed about. I ceased talking, my only sounds grunts and gasps. I think she sensed my anger because her laughter also halted.

I found a scaled face with a flailing hand, and clamped down. A grunt and faint "Ow." To my shame, I realized I had Angriz and caused him some pain. My anger melted away to be replaced with concern.

"I'm sorry," I said, releasing my grip. "Are you okay?"

He pulled away. "No worries."

With a clearer mind, I had a flash of inspiration. I stretched my hand out until I touched his leather clad chest. I moved to my right, stretching my arm out. I took two steps further away.

"Angriz," I whispered. "Do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Hold your breath for thirty seconds."

He took a deep breath, and did as I requested. I shouted, startling Soo-jau. A brief gasp of surprise revealed her presence to my left. I waited, counting to three in my head. She moved to my right as I anticipated. I leaped at her without turning my head. I manage to wrap my arms around her waist. Our combined weight overcame her levitation spell, bringing us both crashing to the ground. I released Soo-jau, and rolled to my back so I lay beside her. She panted in unison with me for a bit. Angriz resumed his normal pattern of breathing. A moment later, she sat up.

"Congratulations," she said. "None ever caught me. How did you?"

I smiled, happy with my own cleverness and another chance to teach.

"After I hurt Angriz—"

"You did not," he said.

"My shame caused my temper to evaporate," I continued as if he hadn't interrupted. "When able to think again, I had a flash of inspiration: my hearing improved tenfold after I'd lost my sight, so I wondered if I might be able to hear you moving through the air. I had him hold his breath, and shouted. I guessed the suddenness of my shout would surprise you. You gasped and I knew where you hovered. I figured that you wouldn't stay in place after giving your position away, so I listened as hard as I could for you to move. When you did, your mass caused a breeze. The day was otherwise calm so I knew where you ended up. The rest, you know."

"Ah. Excellent," she said with some pride in her voice.

I tingled with the sincere praise. I rose to my feet and held out my hand to her. When she accepted, I pulled her up from the grass.

"So, did I pass your test?"

"You did, Carter Blake. All of them."

"All?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes. I wished to test your character, you adaptability, and your hearing. I figured you might get angry, though the speed with which you regained your composure surprised me. I admit, though, I did not expect you to catch me. I planned to call an end to the test when you tackled me."

"So, what happens now?" I asked.

"Now, I begin my preparations. We will learn if I am able to aid you. Return tomorrow."

2

Angriz and I approached the Vaush-Tauric's home early the next morning. We were met by someone other than Soo-jau. She had a different scent and a lighter tread.

"Welcome tae Lady Soo-jau's home," a euphonious feminine voice said.

'Wait a moment. I recognize that accent. The speaker is Gaelic!'

Ignorant of my inner consternation, Angriz replied, "Thank you, Keeper Dearbhaile. This silent one beside me is—"

"Carter Blake. My mistress told me much of ye."

"You're Gaelic," I blurted.

"Gaeilge atá tú?"

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry. I said, 'Are ye Gaelic?' I thought ye might be."

"No, I recognize the brogue."

Keeper Dearbhaile giggled. "A gift from me mother. She be from Éire."

I recognized the old name of the country I knew as Ireland. "Der va la?" I said. "A lovely sounding name."

"Thank ye. Your pronunciation be excellent, Laird Blake! No one else evair gotten it right on the firs' go."

"When did your mother leave Éire?"

"In 1125 AD."

Lady Soo-jau approached before I asked Dearbhaile anything else. I turned towards her. Soft hands pulled the cloth from my face. A brief inhalation came as one of the women got sight of the empty holes where my eyes had been. The two women stood close to me, so I didn't know which one made the sound. A sudden exhalation of air against my face, and blinding pain ripped through my skull, centered on my eye sockets. I clapped my hands to the re-injured area as I screamed in agony. I fell backward to the ground, feeling as if someone had filled the holes with crushed glass and was grinding the shards into the delicate tissue. After an eternity of pain, I slipped into unconsciousness.

3

I came to with a faint headache. I sat up and clutched my skull, trying to keep my brain from leaping for freedom. I sensed someone nearby, but didn't say anything. I wanted them to identify themselves first.

"Good. You are awake."

I recognized the basso profundo of Angriz. I turned to where I heard his voice coming from. I still could not see.

"It didn't work, Angriz," I said. I tried to keep the disappointment from my voice, but I don't think I succeeded.

He gave a low chuckle. "I'm sorry. I forgot to light the fire."

A familiar sound rumbled from him. When I saw a stream of fire race from his mouth to the fireplace, I recognized it. Then, "Holy crap, Angriz! I can see again!"

I leaped to my feet. In my excitement, I got my feet tangled in the blanket I'd been covered with, and slammed into the floor. I groaned in pain, and then remembered I was no longer blind. I sprang to my feet, exuberant, and made to throw my arms around my friend in my exuberance, but spotted the blood-caked claw marks on his face.

"What happened to your face?"

"I forgot my place and Lady Soo-jau reminded me," he said sotto voce.

"I believe I will speak with her about this," I growled as I headed for the door. 'Even if she did fix my eyes, no one gets away with hurting my friends.'

"She forgave me my lapse."

I stopped. "Is this a dragon thing?"

"Indeed."

"But, you're only a half-dragon. Why're you being held to the same standards as a full-blood?"

He cleared his throat. "It's...personal, Carter."

"Damn." I sighed.

When Angriz didn't reply, I looked around and discovered a log cabin style room. What appeared to be mud chinked walls stood in a pentagonal shape. Tapestries hung from the walls on my left and right as I faced the fireplace; on the left, a forest scene with a deer drinking at a brook. The right hand one looked to be of the night sky. A fan of astronomy, I walked over to learn what constellations I could come up with. When I approached, the wall-hanging seemed to become three dimensional. I smelled something like heated rose oil. It grew stronger until I was about two feet from the arras. The stars now surrounded me, to my delight. I'd never seen anything so remarkable! I reached out to try to touch one of the stars before I stopped myself. I did the same thing at the movies. As my hand approached, one of the stars grew larger until I spotted planets revolving. My jaw dropped as a grin grew on my face. 'This is awesome! I gotta ask if I can have one of these!' I reached for one of the planets next.

A sudden knock startled me. I blinked, and the tapestry reverted back to its two dimensional form. I opened the door. When my eyes fell upon the gorgeous woman on the other side, I forgot all about the tapestry. Her robes were palest azure trimmed with silver thread. Her hair, a fiery dark orange, hung over her right shoulder in a braid. Her eyes were the color of grass, her lips like sun-ripened strawberries and her flawless skin like ivory. A smudge of brown paint marked her high cheek bones and a golden necklace with a small bird pendant rested just above the swell of her bosom. Most surprising, her ears were pointed and pushed out a little through her hair. 'Lady Orwen, you are the most beautiful woman I know, but this lady; she is magnificent.'

"Are you an elf?" I asked. Realizing how it must have sounded, I slapped myself in the forehead.

"Nae," she laughed. "I be a half-elf. Me father be the full-blood."

The memory of our previous meeting surfaced just then.

"Oh, yeah. I remember now. Your mother came from Éire."

"Aye."

"So this is what you look like, Keeper Dearbhaile," I said, my voice husky. "You are beautiful."

"Thank you, Lord Blake," she said, blushing.

Her burr was almost gone. 'Curious. I'll have to ask her about that.'

Angriz spoke up from over my shoulder. "Is Lady Soo-jau waiting for us?"

"Oh, aye! The Lady sent me tae learn whether Laird Blake had risen and tae invite ye both tae dinner if he had."

She turned and hurried off. I gave into temptation and watched her hips sway as she glided away. After she was out of sight, I turned to Angriz.

"Please tell me I can bathe. I reek," I said.

"Indeed," he replied.

He led me to the back of the house where he opened a door and gestured me inside. I entered and saw a bathroom which wouldn't have been out of place in a mansion back home. The hardwood floor resembled black oak. The ceiling appeared to be glass. As I watched, clouds scudded across the sky. I gathered from their swift movement a storm would hit soon. I looked back at the rest of the bathroom. The tub, hidden by a line of actual shrubs, was the size of an Olympic pool yet not artificial in form. The builders constructed over a natural pool. I glanced to my right. 'And over a brook as well.' Across from where I stood, buffalo grass grew right up to the edge of the water. The pool itself was strewn with cattails and water lilies. Bullfrogs and crickets chirred nearby. A single willow tree made up one wall, The others were marble and the white of fresh snow. 'I'm in someone's sacred meadow.'

I don't know how long I stood, mesmerized by the beauty before me. A knock at the door brought me back to my senses. I shucked my clothes in a hurry as I called back to the door. "Yeah?"

"Just checking to make sure you were still alive," responded Angriz.

I laughed as I slid into the warm water. "What would you have done if I had been under water and missed your knock?"

"Came in, and when I found you were okay, drowned you for worrying me." He chuckled.

"I'll be done in about ten minutes."

"I'll inform Lady Soo-jau."

I finished my ablutions in a hurry and found a pile of clean clothing someone left for me along with a four foot length of deer hide to dry myself with. I toweled off and dressed, then went to look for my friends. I took in all the sights, like a starving man at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

The theme I noticed in the bathroom continued throughout the house: Three walls of pure white marble with the fourth being the trunk of an enormous tree. The flooring continued to be black oak and the ceilings were all glass, or maybe crystal. The place had to have been constructed with magic. There was no other way that it could have been built without shaping the tree by cutting it.

Soon, I found my way to the dining area, appointed in a Japanese and Roman blend. 'I wonder how they achieved this effect. Have other people come here besides me and Keeper Dearbhaile's mom?' The table was situated low to the ground, and at each side was a couch. An older woman with blue tinged skin reclined at the far end of the table from me. Angriz and Keeper Dearbhaile knelt at the table to the woman's left and right sides. From this positioning, I assumed she was Soo-jau, the Weirdling. As I crossed the room, I continued to look around. The wall behind Angriz was a huge stained glass window depicting a blue dragon lying with an emerald one by a wooded glen. Dearbhaile sat in front of ranks of gladiator statues lined a marble wall. On the other side of Soo-jau stood three wooden Tiang Roman pillars that rose to the ceiling. To either side of the pillars were shoji, a sliding rice-paper partition. What appeared to be Tatami mats rested on the floor. Servants came and went: bowing, placing platters of food, removing empty ones and refilling cups and glasses. I approached the table and bowed forty-five degrees to everyone, beginning with the lady and ending with Angriz.

"Please forgive this one's lateness," I said, imitating something I'd seen in a samurai movie. I was inspired by the scenery.

"Nothing to forgive, Carter," said the lady on the couch.

I recognized her soft voice. She was indeed Soo-jau. She gestured for me to sit at the table. When I began to take a position near Angriz, the Lady beckoned me closer to her.

"You shall sit at my right hand."

I did as she bade. A servant placed a brace of rabbit on a plate before me. The rabbits were roasted to a golden brown perfection. The aroma wafting upwards into my nose had my mouth watering. With a surreptitious glance around me, I noted the others were eating. So, without further hesitation, I began to devour the rabbit. I spotted a bowl of green vegetables. I pulled them over and began to scarf them. Angriz and I had only been traveling for a couple of days, but I felt as if I hadn't eaten any vegetables in forever. Next was a tureen of a stew with thick chunks of boar floating near islands of potato; here and there were carrot pieces sticking up like a jagged reef. Though I'd been eating for the last twenty minutes, the scent of the herbs and spices coming from the stew caused my stomach to give a loud growl. A muffled chuckle came from my left. I glanced at the Vaush-Tauric's apprentice, then resumed my eating. She slid a platter of fresh biscuits over to me. I murmured my thanks, grabbed a biscuit, dunked it in my bowl of stew and took a large bite, moaning with pleasure at the taste.

"Hungry, Carter?" Angriz asked.

Rather than responding with sarcasm, I grunted and continued to eat. Seeing a plate of fish had been placed within reach, I pulled it to me. A massive belch threatened to erupt from me. I did my best to stifle it, but it still managed to rumble through despite the tightness of my lips. Again, from my left, came a muffled giggle. My face heated with embarrassment.

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"Compliments to the host's kitchen!" said Lady Soo-jau.

This caused everyone else in the room to give a shout of laughter. I ducked my head and paused in my eating. I hated the shame that welled up within me. This reminded me of that time in kindergarten when my class got to visit the White House and have lunch with the President of the United States. We won a contest by being the kindergarten class that raised the most money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I belched at the table, causing almost everyone to laugh. I was pulled from my seat by the teacher and lectured on how "nice people didn't do things like that at the table."

A warm hand touched my shoulder. I glanced over to Keeper Dearbhaile. She had a look of concern on her face.

"Are ye unwell, Laird Blake?" She said in a soft voice, fingering her necklace.

"Yeah. Just reliving a bad memory. I'm okay now."

"I apologize if me laughin' caused ye pain."

"No," I lied. "It's something else."

I put on a big smile for her benefit. She gave me a warm one in return, then patted my shoulder and returned to her meal. I'd been so focused on her that I hadn't noticed that conversation had resumed around me. I continued eating as well when Lady Soo-jau spoke to me. "I understand Angriz has begun to teach you how to fight with a sword."

"Correction, ma'am, he has begun to teach me the care of a sword and the various parts of a sword."

"What are the common parts of a sword?"

"A sword is comprised of a tip, edge, fuller, tang and hilt, which is made up of the guard, grip and pommel, Lady Soo-jau."

"Excellent. What is the best way to care for a sword?"

"First thing in the morning, the sword is removed from the scabbard, wiped down with a cloth - rabbit skin is best, but deer hide will do in a pinch - then the edge is sharpened. After sharpening, the blade is wiped down with a grit cloth and then buffed with a polishing rag. At the end, you rub a light coat of oil over the length of the blade and re-sheathe."

"Excellent, Carter. You are taking to your lessons well."

I smiled with pleasure at the compliment. I had heard similar words from Angriz, but they seemed different somehow when Lady Soo-jau said them.

"Carter," boomed Angriz. "Tell the Lady what you have learned about pumice."

I decided to add what I learned about it from my world, in addition to what he had taught me.

"Pumice is a term for a volcanic rock that is solidified frothy lava created when super-heated, pressurized rock is ejected from a volcano. It has a sulfurous odor, yet is excellent for cleaning swords. If dried blood, rust, or other undesirable element is on the blade, a light scrubbing with a pumice stone will clean it off in a matter of moments."

"Excellent, my boy. I am a grand teacher, am I not, Lady?"

"You are indeed, Sir Angriz," she said with a chuckle.

"Lady Soo-jau," I said, changing the subject, "how is it that you were able to restore my sight? I was told that the magic of this world wouldn't affect me."

"I used ancient draconic magic to heal your sight. Who told you that magic couldn't heal you?"

"Lord Mordecai. He told me I was immune to magic."

She scowled. "That is odd that Mordecai would tell you this. He is no beginner. I'd wager he knows more of magic than I."

As I puzzled through this line of conversation, I was well aware of the gorgeous half-elf woman sitting to my left. Every movement, and change in breathing I noted. I know: you are wondering how I have these reactions to Lady Orwen and Keeper Dearbhaile if I have feelings for my lab partner Daphne Sinclair, right? Allow me to remind you: I am fourteen years old. According to what biology teaches us, I should be reacting like this to just about any female within "breeding age".

I searched for something to say when there was a streak of gray before my eyes. I blinked and was fascinated by something familiar perched upon the table near my plate. The creature came forward and rubbed his head on my left hand like a cat. I grinned, at the same time, Keeper Dearbhaile shrieked. Somehow I knew this was the Slitter which had adopted me at Victory Keep.

Keeper Dearbhaile leaped to her feet in fright. She pointed her finger at the Slitter and electricity began to play over it. I put my right hand out and the Slitter ran up my arm and huddled on my shoulder. I looked at her and waited with a calm that wasn't one hundred percent real. She looked at me with a sheepish expression and lowered her hand, the electricity dying away as she did.

"He's a friend," I said.

"I'm sorry."

"Shocking that a Slitter can be friendly, huh?"

"Aye," she said.

"This one was raised by Lady Orwen to help defend her home," I explained. "For reasons I haven't fathomed, this one has decided to adopt me."

The Slitter clambered up to my head and curled its fingers in my hair as he sat. Seconds later, he made a series of sounds that were similar to underwater flatulence. I burst out laughing. I couldn't help myself: it was funny. What made it even better was seeing Keeper Dearbhaile laughing as hard.

Lady Soo-jau ignored our laughter and made the same type of sounds herself. I fell from my chair, convulsed with laughter. The Slitter leaped back to the table in seeming disgust. I was soon joined on the floor

by Keeper Dearbhaile. The Slitter and Lady continued to take turns making the sounds. I laughed so long and hard, my jaw cramped and ribs began to ache.

I was hauled to my feet. "Control yourself, Carter." said Angriz.

Having a seven foot tall half-dragon growl at you is a sobering experience, let me tell you. My desire to laugh withered. I turned to Lady Soo-jau. Out of the corner of my eye, I detected Keeper Dearbhaile returning to her feet, solemn. She brushed off her robes and sidled behind me; making me the sole focus of the Vaush-Tauric's wrath if any came. She played with her necklace again.

Lady Soo-jau continued to make the sounds with the Slitter. I noted a rhythm to the sounds which escaped me earlier. Then, it hit me: they were conversing!

"They're going to be a while, Carter. You should retire for the evening," Angriz whispered.

"Why are they going to be a while?" I asked.

"Slitters are used to conversing with Treebeards which are the only race with the patience to chat at length with them. Introductions will last several hours."

I had heard that somewhere before, but couldn't remember where.

"Got it," I said. I looked over my shoulder to the half-elf woman standing behind me. "Keeper Dearbhaile, would you show me back to my room? I'm worried I'll get lost."

"O' course, me laird," she replied.

I burst out laughing.

"What is funny?"

"Sorry. Private thoughts caused me to laugh."

"Fair enough."

I read the same thing about characters in a book by J.R.R. Tolkien a while ago. I stretched out in my bed after Keeper Dearbhaile left me to enter my room, and closed my eyes.

4

I found myself in a high school gymnasium decked out for a prom. Somehow, the decorating committee still couldn't hide the odor of sweaty socks. At the other end, a stage sat with instruments at attention, waiting for the band. Tables, with white coverings and lit by Chinese lanterns which floated in mid-air, were scattered around a wide-open, levitating section of floor I assumed was for dancing. The lanterns and LED Christmas lights provided the only illumination, and yet were all that was needed.

I felt myself drawn to this large guy who reminded me of Angriz. He was taller than me, broader shouldered and narrower at the hip. He had dark gray eyes, cinnamon colored hair in a ponytail and a Van Dyke beard. He wore a black three-piece suit with a lavender shirt. He was talking with a much shorter woman. The top of her head came up to the bottom of his ribcage. Her hair was a dark golden brown, her eyes the color of a Hershey's Kiss. Her skin was a light tan. The young woman's lips were a moist looking bright pink. She had high cheekbones and a heart-shaped face. A lilac blouse, black jeans and black sneakers trimmed in white made up her outfit. In her left ear was the black and yellow emblem of Batman. In her right ear was the red and yellow "S" shield of Superman.

She smiled up at him as he bent to kiss her. Just by that, I somehow knew they were in love, and they were not destined to be together. She moved away from him and he went over to the stage where some folks had begun playing music. The large man climbed up onto the stage, which had risen into the air, and passed the man on the keyboard a note. As he hopped back down and approached me, I heard the opening notes of Breaking Benjamin's "I Will Not Bow" begin. They are one of my favorite bands.

"Hello, Carter," he said to me.

"How do you know my name?" I asked with puzzlement.

He smiled. "Follow me."

"Where?" I said, the hair on my neck stiff.

"You'll see."

"Why should I trust you?

"Carter, don't you realize when you're dreaming?"

He led me past the stage and through the steel double doors I remembered from my time in public schools. I followed him, wanting to know how he seemed to know me, striding through the door. Rather than a school hallway, or a parking lot, I found myself walking along an asphalt road that wound through a mountain, or else we were underground. Either way, the tunnel was huge.

It looked like it would run for miles before we came to a destination, yet after five steps, we were before this titanic door. Victory Keep could go through it with feet to spare. It swung open in silence and the big guy sauntered through. Again, I followed him.

I was in some sort of control room. The sights amazed me. Ten meter screens with their images from various spy satellites lined the walls with techs sitting in front of their control panels typing. Sixteen operators chatted into their headpieces with various operatives around the world, and many assistants scurried about the place. I watched as the huge guy crossed the mirror polished granite floor to the middle of the room where a much smaller man stood studying reports and on occasion looking up at the central screen. He pointed at the screen the other guy was looking at.

It showed the cold, dark reaches of space. There flew a huge, dense mass of rock. It was potato shaped, cratered from meteor impacts and the size of the state of Texas. It flew right at the camera. Before I shouted a warning, the big guy spoke to me.

"If you have my back, I'll have yours. That's how I work."

Then alarms whooped, and klaxons screamed of danger. A loud speaker shouted:

"Warning! Warning! Impact from heavenly body imminent! Warning! Warning!"

The ground shook beneath my feet and...

5

I awoke with a start. Sunlight streamed through windows I hadn't noticed before. I took a few minutes just to look around the room, savoring the joy of sight which was something I hadn't realized I had taken for granted. Things I would have overlooked before I had become blind, I now took pleasure in. 'Sight is awesome!' There was a mural on the far wall from where I sat. It was of a forest clearing with a blue dragon which sat, posture regal, upon a stone plinth and at her feet was a clan of elves kneeling worshipfully. I assumed it was a female because my hostess was. I took a deep breath and turned my thoughts to my dream.

I remembered it with extreme clarity. I've never been able to do that before. There was the tall, muscular man with the cinnamon hair and uncomfortable Armani suit; the curvy woman with the dark hair who was about my mother's height; that strange, yet familiar, control room with its many screens, the technicians, polished granite floor and the sleepy, rumpled looking man who stood in the center; and the asteroid which I knew was going to destroy everything the big man knew and loved. A rapid knock at my door, startled me. 'By all the hells! I almost soiled myself!' The urgency of the knock caused me to leap from the bed, dash to the door and yank it open.

"What is it?" I said to a surprised Keeper Dearbhaile.

Her eyes grew large as they traveled down and then she blushed scarlet. Wondering why, I glanced down as well. Imagine my mortification when I realized I had forgot I'd slept nude, just for the experience mind you, and had answered the door that way. I gave a yelp of embarrassment and jumped behind the door. I stuck my head around the edge and repeated my question.

"O-Oh!" she stammered, playing with her necklace. "Lady Soo-jau sent me to get ye. She said 'tis urgent."

"I'll be right there!" I shouted as I slammed the door.

My face aflame, I scrambled to where my clothes hung drying from the washing I gave them the night before. As I began to get dressed, I ran myself down for not being smoother with the accidental flashing. I wondered how Angriz would've handled it. "Nah. He wouldn't have answered the door that way. He's always aware of everything," I said to myself.

For once, I was glad to have simple deerskin clothing rather than my jeans; it just pulled on and I was ready to go. I picked up my shoes and carried them in my hand as I re-opened the door. Keeper Dearbhaile stood waiting with her hands clasped in front of her. Not knowing how to handle what happened, I resolved to not say anything about it unless she did.

"Let's go," I said.

"Aye," she replied.

As she led me to the Vaush-Tauric, I asked, "Where's Angriz?"

"With Lady Soo-jau."

I nodded and said nothing more until we were before the Lady. This morning she wore a light red dress which flattered the color of her scales and was seated on a raised dais on a bronze throne with ornate designs. Something about her posture told me she was upset.

"Carter Blake," she began without preamble, "your original quesst hass come to a conclusssion. Your sssight isss ressstored. Now you have a choissse: you and Angrizzz may go to the ressscue of Adora Orwen and perhapsss sssave her life; or you may go north and perhapsss encounter the architect of thisss war. What will you do?"

I paused for several moments. To tell the truth, the sudden hissing from my hostess scared me. After a bit of thought, I assumed it was due to her being upset and was able to put my unease behind me.

At last, I said, "You didn't indicate a direction for the rescue attempt."

The Vaush-Tauric sighed. "I do not know the direction she is to be found. All I was able to learn is: To aid her, you must first journey to Rivorei City. There, you will find your clues as to where she is hidden. Know these things as well: One, there is not time to achieve both goals. Whichever you decide, you lose the other. Two, thirty days from today, Adora Orwen will be dead and the architect will be gone to another realm. Three, if you and Angriz split up, you will both die."

I thought about this for a couple of minutes. Then, I had an idea:

"Would you aid us, milady?" I asked.

"I cannot," she said. "Because of what I am, I am both bound to this location and forbidden from interfering."

"What is a Vaush-Tauric?" I asked. "And why are you forbidden from helping?"

"She is a conduit to the draconic gods," Angriz rumbled.

Smoke rolled from his nostrils. Something told me he was upset by this choice.

'Why me?' Aloud I said, "Angriz, your thoughts would be appreciated."

"From a strategic perspective, it would be best to go after whoever is behind this war. However, Lady Orwen has been my friend since she was a child."

For some reason, hearing it in Angriz' voice crystallized it for me.

"What a minute!" I exclaimed. "I thought Drago was behind this war?"

"He is a pawn in the scheme of someone else," Lady Soo-jau said.

"Alright," I said. "We know what happens to Lady Orwen if we fail to rescue her. What happens if we find this architect? Will stopping him stop the war?"

"No, but the number of people who die will be limited."

"Hellfire," I said. "Why must I make this choice? I'm only fourteen!"

"A man's age," Angriz said.

"Not where I'm from. I don't want this kind of responsibility. This is nuts!"

"Nonetheless, Carter, you must take this on." Lady Soo-jau spoke in a soft voice meant to soothe.

"Why?" I demanded. "Because the Great and Mighty Mordecai pulled me from my world? Or because Morgrid the Soul-forger ordered him to do so?"

"No," she said. "You must because you are the Walker of Worlds."

"What the hell is that?" I shouted.

"I cannot say," she said. To her student she said, "Keeper Dearbhaile, you are to go with these men and aid them in any way you are able."

"Aye, Mistress."

"I will now take my leave of you," the Vaush-Tauric said. "Good fortune to you all." She vanished like a dream in the morning light. I looked at my friends and let out a sigh. "What should we do, Angriz?" I said.

"Wherever you lead, I shall follow, Carter."

"And I also," said Keeper Dearbhaile.

'These two are adults declaring they're going to follow me. I don't even shave!'

'Why are you doubting yourself?'

'No one's life has ever been in my hands.'

'Come on, how is this a question? Faceless strangers versus your friend, Lady Owen. There's no contest.'

'Any other time, I'd agree, but what would she say if we told her we rescued her instead of trying to stop the war?'

'Who says she needs to know?'

Internal argument complete, I knew what needed to be done. I looked at Angriz and Keeper Dearbhaile who waited, expectant.

"We're going north," I said with as much conviction as I could muster. "It would be selfish of us to let innocent people die just to rescue our friend."

My companions nodded agreement and we walked from the throne room.

6

Around midmorning, we viewed a huge column of smoke. Gloom covered the sky like something belched from the gates of Hell. It was the second day after we left the home of Lady Soo-jau "What do you think is on fire, Angriz?"

"I don't know Carter. The town of Rivorei is ahead of us and could be what is burning."

"Oh, I hope nae! We should hurry an' see if we can aid them."

"And how would you propose we hurry, Keeper Dearbhaile?" said Angriz. "We're on foot, remember?"

She rolled her eyes, reached into her pack and pulled out three wooden toy horses. She set them on the ground and waved her hands over them, intoning...something, "Uoy fo deen evah ew. Efil ot emoc."

The toys grew and widened. Hair covered flesh replaced wood. Coppery hooves became keratinous, the thread mane and tail became real hair and little bead eyes turned into real ones. Soon, breathing flesh and blood animals stood pawing the ground where only toys had been.

The closest horse to me was huge, every bit my height with a straight facial profile, broad forehead and wide muzzle. The animal was well-muscled and strong, with an arched neck, high withers and a sloped shoulder. The coloring was bay, with white markings. Despite knowing next to nothing about horses, I knew what this kind was due to them being in beer commercials. Standing next to the Clydesdale was a smaller horse, silver in coloration. The horse's mane and tail were pure ivory. The last one was black.

All three, smelling of sunlight and hay, were saddled and seemed eager to run. Though gentle looking, all three scared the hell out of me. 'Keeper Dearbhaile is nuts if she thinks I'm climbing on of these things.' I looked from the horses, to Dearbhaile, to Angriz and back again.

Dearbhaile must have sensed my unease. She came over and taking my hand, laid it along the side of the Clydesdale. She talked in a soft voice and ran my hand along its back. The big animal pushed against my hand. The horse lowered its head and she guided my hand along the steed's side and neck in a back and forth motion. The mount snorted and pushed harder on my hand. I broke into a smile, which grew wider with each passing moment. I was so entranced by what was happening with the stallion, I almost didn't notice when Dearbhaile released my hand and rested hers on my hip.

"Scratch his ear," she whispered. I did as she suggested and was rewarded with almost being knocked off my feet by the horse's enthusiastic reaction. After a couple of minutes scratching the big horse, Dearbhaile lead me to each of the others, allowing us to get used to each other. As I scratched the silver's ear, hands lifted me by my waist and setting me on her saddle. I grabbed the saddle in a white knuckle grip and spun in place to scowl at Angriz as he swung up into the saddle of the Clydesdale. Keeper Dearbhaile was already atop the black.

"W-what the hell, Ang-griz!" I stuttered.

"Keeper Dearbhaile wanted us to hurry, Carter. We've spared ten minutes for you to get to know the horses, now we ride."

"I don't know how!"

"You'll be fine. Hold the reins and grip his sides with your thighs. He'll stick with the others."

I must say, the half dragon was pretty cavalier with my safety. I felt dizzy and twitchy, like my insides were trembling. The sun beat down. My chest was tight and my heart racing. 'I'm going to fall off this animal and it's gonna step on my head, and I'm gonna die!' Sweat poured down my face and I'm sure my eyes were bugging out. I tried not to look at the ground which was too far below me.

Keeper Dearbhaile took pity on me: she wheeled her horse around and took the reins from me. "Hold on tae th' pommel," she said. "I'll lead yer horse for ye."

I held on for dear life.

7

The midday sun beat down on our head when we arrived at the remnants of the town of Rivorei. The fires, having consumed all they could, had all but burned out. The acrid stench of smoke, burned wood and charred flesh hung in the air like a wet blanket. The horses refused to get any closer, so we dismounted, tied their reins around some trees, and entered on foot. The city walls, once proud evidence of the town's prosperity, were melted like wax candles. We walked through the sagging, gaping hole in the wall. I was amazed by the scale of the destruction and the absolute silence. I was cognizant of Keeper Dearbhaile sliding her hand into mine, but at the edge of my awareness. The cobblestones underfoot were still warm from the fires that just raged through the city . A charred wooden wall had the blackened remains of a person hanging from a spear through the gut.

We found ourselves walking through what had been an alleyway, the buildings on either side slumped from the fire. I stepped in something squishy and wet. Looking down, I realized I had my foot in a stream of a thick pinkish brown liquid with a greasy film. 'What the hell?' I went to one knee and dragged my finger through the slurry. I caught the stench of sewage and blood. I recoiled so hard I fell on my butt.

I noticed something odd sticking out from the mess. I fished the thing out and dried in on my pants. It was a flat, grey stone with some odd etchings on one side. Keeper Dearbhaile helped me to my feet, her eyes brilliant with unshed tears. She moved further into the ruined city and I stuck the stone in my pocket without thinking about why I did so. I turned to ask Angriz what he thought had happened here, but he was gone. I turned and headed out of the alley.

I found him in the center of what must have been the market square. The scattered piles of burned wood and bodies made identifying things difficult. Men, women and children lay about, hacked into pieces. Some had arrows, or spears, in their backs as if they had been killed as they tried to flee. He was looking at a huge emerald flag hanging above a pyramid of slain townspeople. In the center was an emblem of a colossal silver dragon clutching a dozen spears in one fist and the throat of a vampire in its other.

"Shit, Angriz. Isn't that the flag of the Orwens?" I said.

Eyes still fixed on the flag, he nodded his head.

8

Near sunset, we stopped to set up camp. Angriz maintained his silence all day. Once we had a fire going and tents up, he said in a gruff voice he would return, and headed off into the growing darkness.

"Any idea as tae what be goin' on with Sir Angriz?" Keeper Dearbhaile asked.

"Indeed," I said. "Now, I'm not a telepath, but I'd be willing to wager my services for three years, no task refused versus you answering five personal questions he is angry we aren't going after Lady Orwen and by what happened in Rivorei."

"What kind o' personal questions?"

"Any I may devise."

"That wager doesn't seem fair tae ye."

"Don't worry about me. Do you accept?"

"Nae."

I smiled. "Are you afraid I am correct?"

"Nae. I just think if yer goin' ta risk servitude, Laird Blake, I should as well."

I laughed. "Are you certain? Remember, I have traveled with Angriz for a while."

"Aye. I be certain. The loser gives one year of absolute service tae th' other fer one year. That, I'll agree tae."

"Done," I said. "While we wait for his return, how about we begin preparing dinner?"

"Good idea. How does rabbit stew soun'?"

"Excellent, milady," I said. "Would you do something for me Keeper Dearbhaile?"

"Of course, milord."

"Call me 'Carter.'"

"Really? Thank ye so much!" She gushed.

"I don't understand. Why are you so happy I invited you to use my first name?" I said.

"Oh, 'tis a gran' honor, mi-, um, Carter. For me people, th' use o' birth names without titles be only for ones considered equals."

I grinned, then volunteered to get the rabbits. Before I could head out, Angriz strode into the firelight. He carried a four point buck under one arm. He let the carcass drop to the ground near the fire.

"Dinner," he announced.

He began to clean the deer for dinner. As he worked, I decided to talk with him, and to be cautious as he wielded a wicked looking knife.

"Angriz," I ventured.

"Yes, Carter," he said.

"I'm sorry my choice upset you."

He heaved a sigh. "No need," he said. "You made the more difficult choice. To be honest, it is the best one. Lady Orwen would have been quite displeased when she learned we had chosen her rather than ending the war faster. I admit I was angry with you for your choice. However, I realize I was being unfair because I had vowed to go wherever you lead and I refused to help you choose. Most important, you are not at fault we are in this position. I hope you can forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive, Angriz. I know you care a great deal for your friends. I would despair if you did not."

He nodded in acknowledgment of my words and finished preparing the buck for our meal. "We also have the mystery of what happened in Rivorei."

"What do you mean?"

"Rivorei was a town which belonged to Lady Orwen. It makes no sense for it to have been destroyed; even less as she has been abducted."

"Maybe that's why?" I said. "A punishment for being involved in her abduction."

Angriz shook his head. "The children wouldn't have been killed if that were the case."

"In the history of my world, sometimes the children were killed so no one would have to worry about them getting revenge when they grew into adults."

He shook his head. "Neither the Orwens, nor their people behave this way."

I let that go. He seemed pretty innocent for a warrior. I shoved my hands in my pockets, not sure how to continue. I felt the odd piece of stone I found earlier. I showed the rock to him.

"Have you ever seen anything like this before?"

He looked at the medium sized piece of slate with the odd etched shapes. "No, but the markings resemble Dwarven runes. Maybe Keeper Dearbhaile will be able to translate them."

Keeper Dearbhaile placed a large kettle of water on the fire as we talked. I don't know where the pot came from, but I guess she conjured it. She added various vegetables and spices to the heating water. I took up an ax and walked over to a grove of maple trees. Spotting a couple of young ones, I felled them and began chopping the green wood for another fire. From the corner of my eye, I spotted a strange green light playing around the outside of the pot. 'Is she using magic to cook the food faster? I hope it doesn't change anything within me. Better not say anything to her. I don't want to hurt her feelings.' When I had a sufficient quantity, I stacked the wood in a pyramid shape. I ringed the stack with medium sized rocks from the forest floor.

"That's goin' tae produce a lot o' smoke," Keeper Dearbhaile observed.

"Indeed."

She had claimed both hind legs of the deer for her stew by the time I finished with the wood, so I began carving the remainder of the meat into chunks and strips. Angriz drew another knife from a hip sheathe and joined me at my labor. Just as Keeper Dearbhaile announced dinner was ready, Angriz breathed a thin stream of fire over the maple wood. The intense heat of his breath dried the wood just enough for ignition.

While the deer meat smoked, we sat down to our meal.

"The stew is delicious, Keeper Dearbhaile," I said. 'What kind of rabbit is this again?"

"Ach, shut yer mouth, ye galoot," she said to my teasing. "Thank ye for killin' tha deer, Sir Angriz."

I passed her the stone I'd shown Angriz. "Can you translate this? Angriz thinks the etchings are Dwarven."

She tossed the rest of her biscuit into her mouth, brushed off her hands and took the stone from me. Her eyes widened and she leaned closer to the fire, tilting the stone to the flames.

"Where did ye find this, Carter?"

"Back in Rivorei. After I stepped in that muck."

"This is part of a larger one, but this section seems to be orders from Drago the Clanless to his troops!"

"What do they say?" Angriz asked before I could.

"I can nae make out all of them, but they seem tae be sayin' that the next target be Hawgrave City."

"Hmm," mused Angriz. "That's three days to the east. We don't have time to help them."

"But we have tae do somethin'!"

"Dearbhaile, can you can use your magic to send them a message?" I asked.

She gave me a comical look of surprise. "Aye!" She slapped herself in the forehead. "Why did I nae think o' that?"

She pulled a small bird charm from her necklace and whispered for a few seconds. She cast the charm in the air, and to my delighted surprise, it flew east. After dinner, I gathered the dishes and took them to a nearby stream to wash them.

Just as I finished, the Slitter that adopted me leaped up onto my shoulder. It had a tendency to come and go as it pleased. I turned my head to look, and got poked in my cheek with a sharp claw. I recoiled from the pain, and a knife flipped by my face, missing me by about a centimeter. I almost vomited at the sight of my attacker as it stalked out of the bushes.

The somewhat humanoid creature was gaunt with two long, pale, writhing tentacles beneath its arms which hung near to its knees. It had a flat face, broad bat-like nose, pointed ears, wide mouth and six inch fangs. Wicked talons capped its skeletal fingers. Its hairless, waxy gray skin was covered in weeping sores that oozed a pale greenish fluid.

Something had me rise up on the balls of my feet and go loose limbed. The gruesome creature launched itself at me as if my movement signaled the attack. The world slowed to a crawl. In slow motion, the creature flexed its leg muscles and sprang for my throat. The world then returned to normal and the creature was still running towards me. My brain froze in bewilderment, and my body tried to follow. But my momentum kept me traveling backward and I tripped over a root as the thing sprung as I foresaw. Tripping saved my life. The creature flew over my head as I slammed into the ground. I rolled to my right and rose. The monstrosity scrambled to its feet and charged again, swinging its arms in arcs, leading with its scythe-like claws.

Again, the world slowed. I detected myself backing up in a hurry, wheeling my arms out of reach of those vicious claws. I backed into a tree, stopping my movement with my right foot sweeping back into the tree. I kicked off the trunk with the same foot. My foot rocketed forward and caught the creature underneath its jaw. Once more, the world snapped back to normal. This time, I was waiting for things to speed up and began the exact movements I had just seen myself do.

The creature seemed confused by the circling of my arms, but pressed forward nonetheless. At the perfect moment of my retreat, my right leg swung back, hitting the tree and halting my movement. I swung forward again, bending my knee and snapping my leg straight as it whipped through the air. My foot flashed forward and exploded under its jaw. The creature's mouth crashed closed, breaking many of its teeth. It wobbled, dazed. I came forward, caught it by the back of its head and with a twist of my body, rammed it face first into the tree I had kicked off of. Bone crunched and a blue fluid squirted as its skull was crushed.

I let the creature slump to the forest floor and bent at the waist, panting from my exertions. I made the unfortunate choice to catch my breath right above the body as a foul stench wafted up. I vomited my dinner on the creature's carcass. I staggered away, wiping my mouth. I sat down hard on an up-thrust root and rested. Several minutes passed as my heartbeat and breathing returned to normal. My eyes kept trying to return to the dead thing, but using all my resolve, I continued to avert them again. After about twenty minutes, I got up and walked over to the forgotten dinner dishes. I paused to rinse my mouth of the flavor of bile, gathered the dishes and returned to camp, wondering how the hell I'd just done that. 'Where did I get this fighting skill? Is it a spell?'