Snell walked up to the wall and used his finger to draw a circle. A faint light on the wall glowed as he moved his finger.

“Okay everyone place your hand in the circle here.” Snell put his own palm on the wall.

“Where’s Tibby? We can’t continue without the little guy.” I started looking around.

“Tibby has went back to Ezog. Little guy didn’t even need his earplugs to cross that river after all. We have another skiff on this side of the river anyways. We will see Tibby soon enough.” Zoran placed her hand on my shoulder.

“I miss Tibby already. Why did he go back?” I felt sadness at the thought of Tibby making that trip back to Ezog by himself.

“Goblins were banned from the tamers forest after the wars for land. Ogres tried to take this very place we are about to visit. Since the enchantress put up these walls no goblins or ogres are permitted to enter.” Elena had her eyes closed again. It seemed like anytime she recited something from the library she did this. It was almost as if she was reading the very passage in her mind.

“Tibby will be safe Zen. I sent Hansi to keep an eye on him. Hansi will meet up with us after ensuring Tibby’s safety.” Lucy rubbed the back of his head. “That brave bird has the keenest eyes I’ve ever seen. I kind of feel lonely without him up there.”

“Hurry and put your hands in the circle. Biggest mistake anyone makes is thinking they can get in without a previous visitor. Now hurry all of you.” Snell was watching the circle he had traced. It was steadily growing brighter.

We all put our palms against the wall where Snell had drawn the circle. The circle flashed with each touch and grew dull again.

“You almost reset the spell. Why did you wait so long?” Snell was starting to grow impatient. “This took all I had to draw. Now I have to hold it until we are accepted. You have no idea how tiring it is.”

I tried to imagine the wall opening in my mind. I knew deep down that Snell was just worried that the forest wouldn’t accept us. I looked at the circle and imagined it growing as bright as it could. Slowly it started to light up to an intensity it had yet to reach. The circle started to split in half. The wall opening in on itself. Almost fading like a piece of paper.

We all walked through the opening one at a time. First went Elena, then Zoran, then Lucy, after him I entered followed closely by Snell. I couldn’t hold in my gasp. It wasn’t because the sight was extraordinary, it was though. It was the feel. The natural magic that hung in the air. This was a place someone could get lost in the feeling in the air. A world of it’s own.

“Welcome to the tamers forest. Welcome to Eden.” Snell looked at us each in turn. “Now that you have been accepted to Eden we welcome you to the very small population that knows this places true name.”

“That means no writing this down in your history books Elena.” Lucy took the pen as she had started scribbling notes. “None of the other librarians you had mentoring you wrote this down and neither shall you.”

“Right Lucy. We need to take everyone to the oath stone. Bind them to their word.” Sell motioned for us to follow. “This is history that does not pass from pen to paper. No. It’s a history that passes between mentor and pupil. This is a place for those who have deserved the right, not those that wont venture.”

We followed Snell in silence. The feeling of the air never releasing it’s hold. Eden. What a perfect name for such a magnificent place. Why was it kept so secret? We all knew about the tamers forest, but I could have never thought that it would have a name as magical as it’s own air.

“Where here. Now Elena, Zoran, and Zen. Kneel down and place your hand upon this stone.” Snell knelt us down onto one knee.

In front of us was a completely square obsidian rock. It was as tall as two of Ezog stacked on top of each other. The air around the rock had a slight shiver. If only Shino were here to see this. He would have loved this.

All three of us placed our right hand on the surface of the obsidian rock. It felt like it was alive. It was almost like the rock knew every thought inside our heads the moment we touched it. It felt as familiar as being inside of Nirvana again. I felt a fog lifting over my brain.

“Repeat after me.” Lucy touched the top of our heads in turn. “By the light in my eyes, and the fire in my heart.”

We repeated the phrase he gave to us.

“I will forever keep this forest in my mind and my heart. I vow to guard Eden with my life and to save those that Eden births into my path.” Lucy took a huge breath as we followed his lead in the chant. “May Eden guide me as I keep her safe in both heart and mind.”

I felt the air shiver harder as we finished repeating the words Lucy gave us to say. Something had attached itself inside of me. I couldn’t be completely sure but I had a feeling that if I were to ever say Eden’s name out loud after I exited this place I would surely die. My one look at Zoran and Elena assured me I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. Guard the forest. In both mind and heart. Only one person had shown me the meaning that hid behind those words. Shino.

“You have all done well.” Snell helped Elena stand. “And it seems someone has already had a familiar decide to join them. Elena what is that baby’s name going to be?”

“I will name him shadow. I mean he really does seem like my shadow.” Elena bent down and placed her hand on the ground. A baby snake no longer than her little finger crawled on to her hand.

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“That’s a baby ring neck Elena. He will be a good companion.” Snell was examining the little creature. “A good one at that. Nice red belly and that little ring there matches nicely. Don’t worry the bites not harmful. Do you feel the little one yet?”

“I mean he’s as small as a worm Snell. What do you mean feel him? He’s smooth.” Elena was looking at Snell.

“I will let it surprise you Elena. Soon you will understand each other. You and shadow are two parts of a whole now.” Snell patted Lucy on the back. “She got the familiar you wanted so long ago Lucy.”

“Actually I wanted a basilisk. But that’s rare. Even from the stories of old it was rare. And even more rare were the new creatures. Not even Zen’s kind were guaranteed something that rare.” Lucy kicked at the dirt by his feet. “The thing is nobody knows just who will get what familiar. Some are never even chosen. I mean look at Drakon. He wasn’t even accepted in. Or Dad before he passed was allowed in but never had a familiar.”

“To true Lucy. We may fight and bicker but we have been fortunate.” Snell threw his arm around Lucy’s shoulders. “We have many thanks to give. So does Elena now. And Zen it’s time for us to make our way to the tomb.”

“You mean it’s in the forest?” I looked skeptically at Snell. “Why would a grave be here?”

“That’s the thing Zen. It’s not a grave. It might be called the tomb but it’s far from a grave.” Snell patted the ground. Baby jumped down from under his beard. “It’s been a long time since you were home Baby. Go have some fun.”

At that exact moment we heard a screech. Hansi came diving out of the sky. He landed by Baby. Baby climbed up between Hansi’s wings and he took off again.

“Every time you tell Baby to have some fun why does Hansi fly off with him?” Lucy seemed to let his scowl deepen. Somehow it seemed like that was Lucy’s way of smiling at Snell. We all laughed and started on our way. Snell leading us deeper into the forest.

As we hiked deeper into the forest the landscapes surprised me. There seemed to be many landscaped mashed into one. Rivers running through deserts, that in return turned into frozen tundra’s or small forests. We walked through one certain part of Eden that had a lake of lava with a bird resting on the ring.

“The Phoenix is still here. She has been a protector of Eden for longer than any.” Snell whipped a small tear from the corner of his eye. They say her tamer was cursed. Not dead but not alive. The first tamer ever known of. She gave her own body for that of this Phoenix. She made the river to protect this place from an evil that’s worse than the dark.”

“The first tamer Snell?” I glanced at Elena. “Could it be possible that the river is the first tamer?”

“Nonsense Zen. Nobody can become a river.” Lucy was chuckling at me.

“Was the first tamer named Padma?” I could feel myself starting to become white. Padma had said she was a tamer.

“Nobody knows Zen. You would have to ask the Phoenix. Only she would truly know.” Zoran patted my back. “Let’s go ask her.”

Zoran, Elena, and I walked over to the Phoenix. I crouched down in the edged of the lake. I looked at the Phoenix with it’s shiny feathers. The lava seemed to absorb into her bright red. She was the most beautiful bird I had ever seen.

“Would you mind me asking about your friend?” Even though the Phoenix didn’t look at me I knew she was listening. “Did you happen to know Padma? The moon child who is the river protecting this place?”

The Phoenix finally looked at me. I could see the sadness in her eyes. She gave a slight chuckle in her throat. It was almost a cry.

“I will help her my dear. We shall save her from that river and destroy those that put her there. You don’t deserve the loneliness put up on you.” The Phoenix walked over to me and brushed her head against my cheek.

“I think she likes you Zen.” Elena went to touch the Phoenix. Before she could the Phoenix jumped into the air and flew to the other side of the lake.

“I guess we better head back to the others.” Zoran helped me to my feet. “I guess you know more than you have been letting on Zen.”

“I’m not hiding everything I just haven’t had time to tell you guys all that’s happened. We have been going through a ton since we left the river.” I could still feel the warmth where the Phoenix had brushed my cheek. “I will tell you all soon.”

“Zen what happened there?” Snell looked genuinely curious. “That Phoenix has never let anyone close to her. Let alone actually touched them.”

“I asked if she knew Padma?” I glanced around. “Elena would have met her is she hadn’t passed out in the river.”

“Padma? I think I heard that name in a dream.” Elena glanced at me. “You were in that dream too Zen. Padma was a weird water person though.”

“Then you know about moon children?” I glanced at her hopeful.

“It sounds familiar. It’s fuzzy to think about though. But I can recognize the name Padma.” Elena was scrunching her face. “We should find somewhere to sit and talk. Maybe eat also.”

Snell found us a small glade to sit in. In the very center was a natural fountain shooting about waist level into the air. It splashed into a pool at the base. Jumping into fountain were little silver tadpoles.

“Ah fortune frogs.” Snell glanced at them. “We will eat and talk here. Zen you seem to have had an adventure under water. The frogs will keep us company during your tale.”

We made a small fire and ate as I explained the under water trip I had taken. I had to explain some parts twice as I got distracted by the silver tadpoles. Everyone stayed relatively quiet through out the whole explanation. When I got to telling them of the reincarnated and the immortal Elena looked down.

“I think I saw the reincarnated in my dream. He was a knight. He told me that I would not be able to save any moon child. That I was unchosen and that the unchosen stood no chance.” Elena started plucking the grass she was sitting on. “He also said that it was the unchosen’s fault that Padma wound up as that river.”

“I can believe that Elena. But at the same time we still don’t know who the reincarnated is.” I glanced at her.

I continued on with my tale. When I finished they all looked at me expectantly.

“So how do you expect to actually help Padma Zen?” Lucy looked at me. “It seems like you have decided to climb a mountain with no peak.”

“There has to be a way. I have a feeling that she didn’t deserve the curse that’s been put up on her. I just have to find a way to help her. Even if I have to fight any army of darkness that plagues us to this day. I will save her from that prison.” I glanced at my feet. “I just wish I knew where to start.”

“I know where to start Zen.” Snell looked at me. “We start by getting you to the tomb of the enchantress. You are not alone. You have all of us and we are going to help you all we can.”

“Let’s do this. I’ve been aching to see this tomb anyways.” Zoran stood up. “Let’s get you to the enchantress Zen.”

“We don’t know where her tomb is though.” I looked at Zoran.

“Of course we do. In fact we’re almost there now. The tomb lies back in the enchanted woods. The trees are made from emeralds. And behind those woods is our next destination. The cliffs of time. The home of the stone of beginnings. That’s where we need to go.” Snell stood up. “The only problem is that I can’t find the stone now like I had done so long ago. It tends to travel and only the best tracker can find it. It breaks my heart to say but Zoran is the best tracker the world has known.”

“For now let’s focus on making it to the emerald forest.” Zoran started to chuckle. “Now it’s time for us to make like a tree and leaf.”

We all groaned but not without the biggest grins. We covered the fire and gathered all our gear. Ready to set out for what may ever come our way.