My fairly large party walked the couple of miles out of town and approached the area on the map where that black spot was. Maylia easily found tracks that were only a day old, since she was on the ground and not on a horse. We quickly followed them to another large rocky mound that we had checked many times before as we passed through the area while searching. There hadn't been anything remarkable about it then, and now I wondered if it had been concealed before.

“I can't see the snake inside; but, we've checked this mound several times already. The snake either works fast to clear a spot for itself or it was already cleared and we couldn't tell.” I said.

“The tracks are new, so I think it can clear out a spot for itself quickly.” Maylia said. “I don't see anything different, either.”

“No other signs of the snake?” Allirynn asked.

“Unfortunately, no.” I said. “Which means it's not here or it's inside that crack.”

“We should go around the mound and see if there are any other tracks.” Maylia said.

“We'll be right back.” I said to the others and held a hand out to her. She took it and I used my Stealth technique and shared the energy with her. We both faded from everyone's sight to their surprise, except for Afyne, who had seen us do it several times already. Maylia and I quickly made our way around the mound and were relieved to not find any tracks or other holes in the rocks, so we went back to the group and I dismissed the technique.

“How did you do that?” Imiryl asked.

“It's a special technique that I've been using since I was a kid.” I said. “Since it uses energy to mask...”

“You can share that energy with someone else, like you shared mana with me.” Diofra the mage said.

“Almost.” I said. “Maylia could already move silently and this is an extension of that.”

“So, they need to at least have some experience with it to share as well.” Diofra said, and I nodded.

“What do we do now?” The guard asked.

“We're moving back a little ways and Imiryl is going to cover this whole place with ice and snow.” I said. “I want it thickest in the middle, if possible.”

“You want it buried?” Imiryl asked.

“For the most part, yes.” I said. “I'll make a path to the only hole in the rocks, where it's sure to come racing out into the warmth, and Allirynn and I will be there to catch it.”

“We should take it out from a distance.” Allirynn said.

“We would, if it was actually in there.” I said. “Both Maylia and I can see that it's not... at least not in the parts we can see. Neither of us can see the crack or inside of it.”

“You can't?” Afyne asked, surprised.

“I think it won't reveal itself until we're close enough to it.” I said.

“Are you talking about the snake or the crack?” Imiryl asked.

“Both.” I said. “That's why I want Allirynn with me. With his reinforced body and unarmed combat experience, he is the best suited to grab the thing.”

“You don't want the glory?” Allirynn asked.

“Glory?” I barked a laugh. “If you think killing monsters gives you glory, then you're more than welcome to have it.”

Allirynn frowned, so I clapped a hand onto his shoulder.

“I didn't say there wasn't glory in it, I said I don't want it.”

Allirynn thought of all the creatures he had fought since he was young, and he did believe that it gave him glory. “Why not?”

“I've got more than enough stories to tell people when I feel like telling them.” I said. “Which isn't very often. Even then, I save the details and some of the more... sensitive ones... for those I really care about.”

Both Maylia and Afyne's faces flushed slightly red at those words.

I turned and looked at the guard. “Evus, you stay beside Afyne and if anything approaches her...”

“I'll give my life to save hers.” The guard said.

“I'd rather you defend her until you die.” I said and he gave me an odd look. “Yes, there's a difference, so remind me later to teach it to you.”

Evus nodded and stood beside Afyne and my horse.

“Maylia, I need you on the right flank. If we need the distraction, attack with impunity.” I said and she nodded. “Diofra, what offensive spells can you cast?”

“I'll need five seconds for Lightning Bolt, ten seconds to cast Fireball, fifteen seconds for Blades of Air, and thirty for Rolling Earth.”

“Do you have anything for extra protection to others?” I asked.

“I have a Mana Shield spell; but, it's stationary and constantly uses mana.” Diofra said.

I thought about that for a minute. “Is there any way you can partially cast a spell and then hold off on finishing it?”

Diofra opened her mouth, I assumed to say that it wasn't possible, then she smiled. “If you can share some more mana, I can charge my mana crystal and can cut the casting times in half.” She said and took out the crystal. “I don't have the ability to pause a spell, though.”

“How many times can you cast Lightning Bolt?” I asked and took her hand.

“Until my mana runs out.” Diofra said and then caught her breath as I pushed mana through her and right into the crystal. She looked at it and the crystal started to fill up. “How are you doing that?”

“I felt the mana funnel through you when you cast the other spell.” I said. “The crystal's full.”

“That's... you're amazing!” Diofra said and I smiled and let her hand go.

“You take the left flank and like Maylia, if we need the distraction, let loose with as many bolts as you can.”

“It'll be like a lightning storm.” Diofra said with a huge smile.

“Get into position you two, and Imiryl will make the snow and ice.” I said, and Diofra and Maylia moved off to where I indicated.

“Do you want me to drop it around you?” Imiryl asked.

“Don't worry about us.” I said. “You just cover this place with as much ice and snow as you can and as quickly as you can.”

“You'll all freeze if I do that.” Imiryl said.

I smiled. “Prove it.”

Imiryl looked at Allirynn and he nodded. “All right.” She said. “Give me a minute.”

“You have twenty seconds.” I said and pat Allirynn's shoulder. “Let's go.”

We walked over to where I wanted to stand for the creature's predicted emergence from the rocky outcropping and I used Presence to form boxes with pitched tops around Diofra the mage, Maylia, Allirynn, and myself. I then made a path with the same angled roof all the way over to the opening in the rocks. I had just made everything solid when about a foot of snow dropped down on top of the entire area. I laughed and Allirynn grinned at me, then he stopped grinning when strong icy winds swirled around us with more snow and nothing touched him.

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“What's going on?” Allirynn asked and looked down at the dry ground in a square around him.

“I'll explain later.” I said as I saw the snake appear, practically out of nowhere, and it thrashed around in the icy cold wind inside the rocky mound. It quickly found the exit because it still had warm ground in front of it, and it slithered through the opening as fast as it could move.

“Here it comes!” I said and absorbed all of the solid Presence boxes I had made. “Imiryl! Cover it with snow!”

The blowing icy winds shifted and concentrated on the path I had made and the foot of snow around it was pushed on top of the giant snake. I used several large Mana Presence Hands to throw even more snow on top of it and then rolled a large rock over the hole it had come through and blocked it. The snake hissed and rolled around to get the snow off of it.

“Now!” I yelled and used the several Mana Presence Hands to try and grab the thing around the neck, and Allirynn ran forward as more mana infused itself into his muscles and bones, then he jumped and tackled it. Both I and the snake were surprised at how effective that was, and it could only flail around the parts of its long body that he didn't have a hold of. When it realized it wasn't going to get away, it tried to curl itself around him.

“Distractions!” I yelled and drew my mother's Light sword and made the proper adjustments while I waited for the right moment. “Imiryl, that's enough!”

The snow, ice, and sleet stopped to give everyone a clear view, then the tail of the snake was hit with a Lightning Bolt, then another two seconds later, then another. The whole snake jerked from each hit, and then Maylia was there and jabbed her sword into the middle of the thing's body. It didn't react at all, so she turned to the side and ran with her sword still inside the snake. It definitely noticed that and tried to roll over to get its lower body away from the extreme pain, and that was my cue.

I used Mana Presence Run and activated the Light sword which was now six feet long. With Allirynn to hold it steady and it was distracted by so many other concerns, it didn't notice me at all and it couldn't twist its exposed neck out of the way. I sliced through it like a hot knife through butter and its head flopped off and landed on the snow covered ground. I was grateful that it hadn't had time to cover itself in mana, because the Light sword wouldn't have been as effective if it had.

“It's dead!” I yelled and everyone stopped attacking. I turned off the Light sword and hooked it to my belt, then walked back over to Allirynn and the head of the creature.

“What happened?” Allirynn asked. “It's still struggling!”

“The body doesn't realize the head is gone. Can you hold it for a few minutes so it doesn't hurt anyone?” I asked and he nodded. “Thanks.”

“Is it really dead?” Diofra asked as she trudged through the snow over to the path, then she jogged over to us and saw the severed head. “I guess so.”

“Does anyone like snake meat?” Maylia asked as she came over to us, as did the others.

“I heard that it tastes like chicken if it's cook right.” I said and everyone looked at me as I wrapped a cheap sheet around the giant snake's head and stored it in my bag of holding. “I've never had it myself, so I don't know if that's true.”

“I don't think eating something from another world is very appealing.” The guard said, and I heard the disgust in his voice.

“Don't knock it until you try it.” I quickly glanced at Maylia to make her blush a little.

“Now what?” Diofra asked.

“We send it back.” I said. “According to the queen's note, even though it's always there, the crack appears visually when you put things through it.”

“How are we getting this gigantic thing all the way over there?” The guard asked.

“Easily.” I said and looked at Imiryl, then waved my hand towards the rocky mound. “Miss Ice Maiden, please make us a solid ice path to our destination.”

Imiryl smiled and nodded, then trotted the horse along as she created a five foot wide sheet of ice all the way over to the mound. Allirynn didn't have to be asked to drag the thing, and once the carcass was all on the ice, it slid with almost no resistance. Afyne rode my horse and we all went over to the rocky mound together.

“Hold on. I've got this.” Diofra the mage said and cast a spell. Her mana crystal was about half empty now, and the rock I had put there rolled out of the way and the smallish hole that the snake had squeezed through expanded out. The rocks and dirt rolled out of the way as well to make the opening big enough for us all to walk through.

“Rolling Earth?” I asked, and she nodded.

“I've only used it to make avalanches.” Diofra said.

“Don't sell the spell short. You could make a quick pit trap with that.” I said.

“You mean, use an offensive spell defensively?” Diofra asked, surprised.

“Sure, why not.” I said. “It should work.”

She had a contemplative expression on her face as we all went into the rocky mound and I waved Allirynn forward. He gave the snake's body a push and it slid along the ice towards the center of the mound, then a huge gaping maw appeared out of nowhere and started to swallow the huge snake.

“AHHHH!” Afyne screamed.

“Afyne!” I snapped, and she stopped and looked at me. “It's not what it looks like.”

“But... but...”

“I would never endanger you.” I said and looked at the mage “Diofra, did you make a Truesight square?” I asked, and she nodded and handed it to me. I held it up and everyone saw that it was just an illusion. It was actually a large crack, and through it was a dark and weird looking world with a handful of other giant snakes waiting there. They looked at us through the portal with blank eyes. As the dead giant snake's body slid through the portal, the other snakes reacted. They started to fight over the carcass and Allirynn gave it one last push to get the tail end through the crack.

I handed the Truesight square back to the mage. “Now is the fun part.” I said sarcastically.

“What do you mean?” Diofra asked.

“Now I have to ask for help.” I said. “Imiryl, fill this place with ice and snow and make it as cold as possible.”

“What about you?” She asked.

“I'll be fine.” I said. “Everyone, please go back outside.”

“No, I'm staying right here.” Maylia said.

“Me, too.” Afyne said. “It scared me! I want to see it gone!”

“As do I.” Allirynn said.

I looked at the others and their faces were just as determined. “Just don't freak out, all right? I don't know what's going to happen, or if anything is going to happen.”

They all nodded and I sat down and covered us all in a solid Presence box. “Go ahead, Imiryl.”

She did as I said and filled the whole place with ice and snow, about four feet deep, and it covered everything except us and the portal. I used several mental techniques to calm myself and entered a meditative state, then I started to pray to god for help.

*

“Maleketh!” The Goddess Chaiya was quite upset as she materialized inside his blue area. “You're still blocking me from seeing Hunter.” She said. “Why won't you let me detect where he is?!?”

Maleketh laughed. “He knows what happened to him now.”

“That's no reason to stop me from telling the emissaries his location!”

“You know his view on authority... especially your authority... and he flatly refused to meet with your head acolyte when she asked to see him.” Maleketh said.

“He's my emissary and my chosen hero.” Chaiya said. “What am I supposed to tell the other emissaries when they ask me, again, where he is?”

“You could say that his whereabouts are not necessary for them to know right now.” Maleketh said. “You know that he wants nothing to do with them.”

Chaiya sighed. “I didn't think he hated Kara so much.”

Maleketh laughed. “He doesn't hate her. He knows it was her that visited him as a child.”

“Then what's going on?”

“She betrayed him, of course.” Maleketh said. “Several times, actually.”

“How?” Chaiya said, feigning ignorance.

“It was only little things at first, as you very well know.” Maleketh said. “A word here, an odd comment there, then she only taught him what was necessary and not everything he needed to know.”

“He wasn't a part of The Order. She wasn't allowed to teach him everything.”

“She was supposed to be his master.” Maleketh said. “She also tried to get him to open up his defenses to make him vulnerable.”

“Only to her.” Chaiya said. “She wanted to be closer to him.”

“She wanted to manipulate him.” Maleketh said. “She wanted to make him into her prince.”

“Making a man better is not a crime.”

“I won't comment on that.” Maleketh said. “When she turned on him in The Order council chamber to side with the people she knew had wronged him, that was all he needed to cut his ties with her. Everything before that were mere annoyances that he could accept and ignore... then she killed him.”

“He forgave her for that!” Chaiya exclaimed.

“Yes, with regret.” Maleketh said. “He has a kind heart; but, it's also been hurt more than any heart should be.”

“Yes, he has suffered through some...”

“Some?” Maleketh interrupted and his anger sprang forward. “He lost two sets of parents! He was tortured both physically and mentally! He also lost what could have been the two great loves of his life!”

Chaiya backed up and turned her head slightly away.

“I have humored you and this mission of yours, since it affects all of us.” Maleketh said. “However, I will not disregard his wishes. If he does not want you to find him, then I will continue to block you from sensing him.”

“Maleketh, you know I designed the group to work together.” Chaiya said, her tone subdued. “They can work on their own for a while; but, you know that they need his sharing ability and he will need their healing ability.”

Maleketh sighed and calmed down. “Yes, I know. I will talk to him the next time he asks for help and let him know. If he decides, on his own, that he will at least meet with them to discuss things, I will let you find him.”

“Thank you.” Chaiya said and touched his arm. “I couldn't ask for anything more from you than that.”

Maleketh huffed. “He's going to say no.”

“Really? Even when his god asks him to consider it?” Chaiya asked with a smile, then she faded away.

“Dammit.” Maleketh said and sighed. “She convinced me to do what she wanted. Again.”

Maleketh felt a tug that he hadn't felt in a few days, so he walked over to what seemed like a random spot and a table appeared. On the table was a large mirror, and then the reflection faded and showed him what Hunter was currently doing. He smiled and swiped a hand and rolled it back a few minutes and moved his hand over it the other way to watch it in fast forward. He nodded at what he saw and dismissed the mirror and table, then he closed his eyes to initiate astral projection and responded to his staunchest supporter's earnest and reluctant request for help.