Di Cutach a Bealach.
(Two shorten the road.)
Irish Proverb

Samhain (Saur ha'n), literally translated as "summers end", was the last cycle of the ancient Celtic year beginning on what is now November 1. It is believed that on this one night, from sundown on Samhain to sundown the next day, the barrier between the human world and the Otherworld, known as the Shield of Skathach, was at its weakest allowing either humans or spirits to easily pass. Since evil spirits and demons feared the light special lamps were carried at night and bonfires were built on the sidh's (burial mounds) to prevent them from passing through. It was a time of life's endings and beginnings and the family and friends that had died that year were honored and remembered at the Fleadh nan Maribh (Feast of the Dead). It was a time of reflection and rest, a time to try and divine what the future holds, a time of power when the gods and goddesses offered inspiration, insight and wisdom to humans that were ready and willing to accept. It was at this time of the dark moon that from the east would come all wonder.

The voice and a sharp pain in her back almost forced her awake. The dream clung close, lingering warm and inviting on the edges of her consciousness. Slipping back into it would be easy but the voice called to her with such power and familiarity that she dare not ignore it. Trying to open her eyes they felt like lead weights as if someone were holding them down with their hand. She would have begun to panic except that the dream reached for her, called to her with a lover's voice, seductive and passionate, soothed her, darkened all awareness all pain and as much as she wanted to surrender to it she suddenly became uncertain and fearful of it's overwhelming power.

She drew back searching for the voice, eyes fluttering, but the dark wrapped itself around her in a tight embrace, whispered promises, murmured, requested, enticed, invited, demanded until she had not the strength nor desire to stop it.

She felt the dream flow around her and found that she was exactly where she'd left it, floating on her back in the ocean. The water supported and shaped itself around her like a second skin and she lost herself completely in the warm, gentle rocking and soft sounds of the lapping waves. It couldn't have been any more perfect unless she were walking along the shore barefoot, her feet wrapped in frothy water and wet sand, and as if someone read her thoughts she found that she was.

For a moment she stopped, a little disoriented but it was soon forgotten as she watched wave after wave, golden under the sun, rush up on the beach then recede leaving in its wake wet, glistening sand.

Following the sounds of squawking her eyes rose upwards. Squinting against the bright, golden light she raised one hand to shade her eyes. The gulls drifted above her, their white bodies and wings a sharp contrast against their near perfect blue of the sky. The golden sun captivated her and she dropped her hand, closed her eyes and tilted her head back to bask in its warmth. She sighed contentedly as the gentle breeze wrapped her in its warm embrace drying her skin and hair and her toes curled under squishing warm sand between them.

The soft sounds of the waves and squawking of the gulls gently broke the silence but then wings began flapping frantically and screeching filled the sky. A shiver of fear ran through her and she jerked her eyes open just in time to see the gulls, then the sun swallowed up by dark clouds moving swifter than she thought possible.

For a fraction of a moment right before the sun disappeared, a single ray of golden light hit her chest and filled it with its warmth and something tugged at the small of her back. Then as suddenly as it appeared it was gone replaced by a chilling wind lashing against her face. Wrapping her arms around her and lowering her head she began to walk up the beach looking for shelter noticing the faint impressions in the sand from her feet were quickly wiped out by the blowing wind. Bits of sand and scrub blew against her skin bringing with it rain that felt like small needles. She turned sideways hoping to provide less of a target.

Her legs felt heavy and she looked down and saw that her feet were no longer making faint impressions in the sand but sinking into it further and further. Each step required effort and small beads of perspiration from the effort began to form on her brow and a thought suddenly formed, "Quicksand." She stopped and tried to back out but her right foot wouldn't come loose of the sand. She reached down and wrapped both hands around the knee and calf and pulled as hard as she could, but they slipped off from the sweat and rain. The wind suddenly picked up, blew her off balance and she fell backwards.

The force of the fall knocked the breath out of her but also pulled her foot loose. After a moment of gasping for air, she saw a piece of driftwood out of the corner of her eye and stretched her arm for it. Her fingertips brushed it. She tried again, stretching her body to its limit. She had it, her fingers working their way along the wood for a better grip. Suddenly the sand seemed to reach up and grab her right leg, constrict tightly around it and pull causing her to loose her handhold. Scrabbling for the driftwood and out of reflex, she pushed down on her left foot and before she could stop herself, it too became captured. Looking over her shoulder she saw the driftwood retreat farther and farther away as the sand pulled her deeper and deeper into it.

Up now to her knees in sand, it began to swirl around her, turning into an inky-blue, black whirlpool that spun faster and faster and pulled her deeper and deeper into its darkness. As it reached her waist she twisted as hard as she could, arms and head moving frantically, hands reaching, searching for anything to keep from sinking. Swirling sand hit her skin with such force she whimpered. Eyes burning and gagging, she turned her head away in a vain effort to keep it out of her mouth and eyes.

A seductive voice itched her ear as it whispered, "Come to me and our destiny will be complete."

The pull of the inky black whirlpool spun her around. Numbness settled into her body as dizziness engulfed her and darkness edged her vision. There was no feeling except for a twinge in the small of her back. It was the same one she'd felt earlier, only this time it was becoming more than annoying and rapidly creeping up her spine twisting and intertwining into her backbones until her whole backside tingled.

Through slitted lids she saw the piece of driftwood just to her right. Twisting against the force of the whirlpool she reached for it. "Almost, almost, just a little more," she chanted. Missing it, she stretched her body to its limit until she felt like it was going to snap in two. Groaning from the effort, sweat dripped down her face and into her eyes. Any other time it would have bothered her but it helped relieve the burning from the sand. Through watery eyes filled with sweat and tears of fear and frustration she watched the driftwood slip through what was now sweat-slicked fingers.

An anguished moan of frustration echoed around her. She tilted her head back and concentrated on breathing in a regular pattern, forcing her body to relax, and gathered her strength for another try. The whirlpool battered her around like a leaf in the wind. She winced in pain.

Her face felt warm. Peering through squinted lids she saw just a glimmer of a pale, golden light and felt something warm on her chest, then it was gone and suddenly she began to feel more than a tingling in her back, it was changing, strengthening, intensifying. Starting in the small of her back it began to move slowly upwards, like a surging wave, lifting one piece of backbone at a time then gently laying it down before picking up the next. Rolling upwards, faster and faster, it hit the back of her neck, stiffened her body, arched her spine and pushed her upper body forward with enough force to reach the weathered wood. Her hands tightened around it and eyes jerked wide and she stopped.

For a few moments she just stared. Instead of holding onto a knotted branch and fighting a whirlpool of darkness she found herself on her hands and knees in a small niche on the face of a tall cliff. She backed up until she hit wall and kept pushing hoping maybe the wall would give and she could crawl inside. She was an arm span away from the edge. Her fear of heights surrounded her like a thick fog, her heart pounded against her chest, stomach began to rebel and she could feel the bile rising up into her throat.

Thoughts whirled in her head. She was breathing too quickly, it was breathtaking cold and she could see her breathe in the air. "Keep looking straight and relax, slow down, relax," she repeated out loud. She tried closing her eyes but it only made her more nauseous and unsteady so she concentrated on her words, stared straight ahead, breathed deeply and evenly hoping to slow her heart and stop the overwhelming trembling that had taken control.

She felt a compulsive urge to look over the edge but instead felt herself push harder into the wall trying to mold herself to it. She looked right, then left, then up and saw no way out. The sky began to darken. It wasn't a slow and gradual process like when day turns to night but it turned black so quickly it stole her breathe along with the light.

It felt as if thick bands bound her chest and if her arms hadn't been so stiff from the cold she would have reached up to remove them. Her eyes ached and a chill ran through her body. She wasn't sure if it was from the breath-taking cold or the darkest, densest inkiest-blue blackness she'd ever seen. In the total absence of both light and sound the air flowed around her and down her throat until she choked.

Perspiration broke out on her forehead and dripped into her eyes and off her palms. Her heart felt like it had jumped in her throat and she swallowed hard trying to push it down. Ears roared and her pulse pounded as her lungs fought for air. Her body felt heavy and she could feel herself falling forward right to the edge, one hand dangling off. Pushing one last breath out of her body her eyes closed and she surrendered to the darkness.

"Brryynnnn," was drawn out and echoed off the walls of the cliffs. Her brain was so sluggish from the cold she didn't recognize it as her name but the way her body responded to it she assumed it was. Her back began to tingle again, getting stronger by the moment, now racing faster and faster up and down her spine. When it reached the back of her neck, the hairs stood on end and it forced her head back, arched her up and flipped her over onto her side. She coughed and gasped, spitting and choking as air flooded her lungs like water filled a dry creek.

A voice soft and calming echoed in her head, "This is the search for your true self and will lead you home." Her eyes cracked opened and out of the corner the darkness had parted for the bare glimmer of a pale, golden light. Fresh spring air gently blew on her face and she inhaled deeply filling her entire body with the warm earthy smell and exhaled the last of the darkness.

Slowly and carefully she pushed away from the edge and scooted toward the wall. Her eyes were rooted on the golden light and the thought of not keeping contact with it filled her with more fear than hanging on the side of a steep cliff.

It held her captive, reminding her of a sun on the verge of rising. She watched intensely as it brightened and spread, fracturing the dark and driving penetrating ribbons of an incandescent, golden hue toward her and wherever it touched, the darkness dissipated.

As the gold tendrils reached her she was so completely absorbed and mesmerized by the intertwining and interweaving ribbons of light that she stood staring in wonder as they encircled her. She didn't hear the deep rumbling of the mountain or feel the ground shaking below her feet or see the rocks falling around her. The only thing she felt was familiar warmth not unlike a hug from an old friend.

Breathing deeply, she gathered as much of the sense of comfort in as she could and it filled her with such utter peace and contentment that the cliff edge was forgotten and she stepped forward trusting the light knowing that it would support her. It drew her forward, gently embracing and welcoming her. A voice filled her. She didn't hear it so much as felt it. "Treasure the strength within you for it is your light and will lighten the world." She never heard the sound of falling rocks and the screaming of the defeated dark.

Her eyelids lifted wearily. Expecting to see golden light, disappointment flooded her as she saw only murky, dark gray. She keenly felt the loss of that warm, golden light. She thought for a moment she was back on the cliff, but the sensation of movement was gone and in its place there was a strange hollow sound, no, more a whooshing sound that forced her eyes as far to the right as possible. Orange and red suddenly illuminated the hazy gray, sparking a faint memory, something about the dark stealing the soul of the earth, but before she could make sense of it, it quickly faded away.

She sensed the presence before she saw it. Into her peripheral vision a tall, black figure with what looked like wings floated toward her. Quicker than her mind could form any thought of movement, it covered her like a blanket, carefully tucking in the sides under her as if she were a mattress on a well-made bed. It was completely black. The sides of the cover were so tightly wrapped around her she couldn't move even if she wanted to, reminding her of stories she heard from the Ionia tribes, of the strange burial rituals of those of the desert, who wrapped bandages around their dead.

Then she felt a burning heat in her feet that soon started to flow upward through her body. Feeling as if her blood had suddenly turned to liquid fire, agony flared within her as it flowed swiftly through her numbing her legs, stomach, chest and arms, slowing her heartbeat and breathing. As the numbness reached her head, it captured her will as it had numbed her body smothering all resistance. Surrendering with an anguished moan, her eyes closed and she succumbed to the dark.

"Brryynnn," a gentle whisper like wind through the trees. She peeked out through narrow slits, the shiver having forced her awake, her spine still tingling and the hairs on the back of her neck still standing on end. Through the opening in her lids her eyes flicked up and down, right and left, searching for the sound, but found nothing save for another surge of orange and red that highlighted the gray then faded away.

That voice rolled around in her mind stirring up faint memories. She searched for it, but the memory stayed just out of her grasp and when the dark blanket again settled over her, all was forgotten. Tightening around her like thick bands her breathing became slow and shallow. Pushing against the bonds, it matched her force for force and although would give way, refused to break.
The burning heat again boiled in her blood and began its agonizing flow upwards. Unable to stop it she could offer little opposition.

"Brryynnn!" This time stronger and held even greater urgency. Eyelids snapped up at the command and her breath caught. A footrace of tiny creatures ran up and down her spine, strengthening, intensifying and the feeling of the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Two words protect and danger reverberated in her mind becoming louder and louder screaming at her to do something, anything. She jerked her head back, stiffened her body and arched her spine pushing until she felt the breaking of the dark bonds.

Halfway up the pain exploded within her forcing her back down. She'd experienced many things in her short life but being kicked in the head by a horse was one she'd missed, although instinctively she knew it would have been a blessing compared to what she now felt. She tasted blood in her mouth having bit her tongue.

Everything became secondary to the hammering in her skull. Eyes tightly shut, eardrums threatening to pop, she became firmly convinced that her only relief would be for her head to explode, and as soon as possible wouldn't be soon enough. A kaleidoscope of colors exploded behind her eyelids swirling and mutating until they dissolved into nothingness and the gradually the pounding subsided and the colors went away. She sighed in relief thinking the worst was over then the nausea hit.

Grimacing, she swallowed hard focusing all energies on defeating the rapidly ascending flow of bile. Then, just when she thought she'd lost, for she'd had more than enough to drink on more than one occasion to recognize what that taste of sour foam in the back of her throat meant, the tide suddenly turned. Her forces were claiming victory and she relaxed as the battle within transformed into a bad taste, a throbbing throat and a hollow ache in her chest.

Thinking hurt, breathing hurt, fighting down the nausea had hurt, every muscle in her body hurt. Slow and easy, she thought, one step at a time, seeing first. Opening her eyes, she blinked in a quick, steady rhythm, trying to relieve the cold that chilled her tears and bring better focus into her world.

"OK, four to go," she muttered as she peered down her nose and watched fine grains of dust rise and fall with each breath. "Smell is good," for accompanying the dust was the not the warm dirty, smell of earth, but the cold, damp, musty smell associated with wet, underground rock. She licked her lips and closed her eyes as she spit out the dry tasting dirt. "One more," she mumbled, her hearing picking up a faint dripping sound and a slight scratching noise that became immediately associated with small claws scurrying across rock.

Now aware and alert she looked straight ahead and saw her arm stretched out. Following it with her eyes, she saw her hand and beyond that noticed everything was sideways. The soft pillow under her cheek twitched and she realized she was lying on her side, her head resting on her upper arm. The twitching increased causing her shoulder to spasm, and she knew she had to move.

"All right now body, come on." Urging her body to move and howling in protest for the effort, she pushed up with her right hand and leaned into her left elbow. Gritting her teeth in anguish, she accidentally caught some of her tongue. "Uhhhh," she grunted, body tensing tightly as muscles rebelled against the movements.

Blinking slowly, she braced herself on her left elbow, looked around, saw no immediate danger and continued to push herself up to a sitting position. She stretched and groaned with satisfaction as the bones of her spine silently slipped back into place. A dull throb had settled right behind her eyes. Closing them, she reached up and moved her thumb and forefinger across hoping to wipe away the pain. Unfortunately the effort only made it worse so she stopped her fingers at the bridge of her nose and squeezed. Soon the pain reverted back to the original dull throb. "Sometimes it's better to leave well enough alone," she winced while slowly opening her right eye, then her left, and blinking a few more times.

Twisting around, she shifted her weight to left knee, leaned on her left arm while she pulled her right knee up till her foot was down, tested the weight, put her right hand on her knee and pushed up.

Rising, a glint of metal caught her eye, which she recognized as her sword. Stopping for a split second she reached down, grabbed it, and finished her rise up to a standing position. She lifted it protectively in front of her while she waited for her vision to adjust to the grayness. Eyes quickly cooperated and soon she could make out wet walls of underground rock surrounding her. A cave.

"First instincts," she smiled and nodded almost imperceptibly, and heard a soft voice, "stay true to your intuition, no matter what you see don't give in to the destructive forces around you, you carry the seeds of a new beginning, patience, courage and faith, Brynn."

She turned quickly, sword slicing through the air, eyes flickering left and right scanning the area. One end was closed and the other open with the outline of two figures standing before a fiery pit which appeared to be the cause of that occasional whooshing sound when the pit spewed forth flames, steam and heat outlining them in an eerie dancing red, orange and gray light.

One of the figures appeared to be a male child around 10 or 12. Before she had a chance to turn to the other, a familiar tingling had already started at the base of her spine. Her breath caught as it rose in intensity and speed, dancing upward, ending at the back of her neck and causing the fine hairs to rise while at the same time sending a shiver echoing throughout her body. Her breath caught as she recognized this quickening and knew she wouldn't need an introduction to that one. Caitlin.

Something pulled her forward, not that she needed much encouragement, for the sense of danger nearly suffocated her. The closer she got, the harder it was to catch her breath and the louder her heart pounded in her ears. Thump, thump, thump, almost there. Her chest tight, breathing labored, sure her heart would explode any minute, ears roaring, thump, thump, thump, almost there. She swallowed. Muscles tightened as she fought a shiver, which ended in a cold sweat that covered her like a blanket. "Caitlin," she rasped.

Caitlin turned to her, smiling, "I knew you'd come, what took you so long?"

Brynn relaxed at her words and smiled, "I needed more direction." Then she saw Cait's eyes and her expression abruptly changed. Lips parted slightly, eyes widened and she just stood there stock-still, staring at Cait's eyes.

What looked back at Brynn were not Cait's familiar yellow-specked green but were instead an extraordinary almost incandescent golden hue, as if they were lit up from behind, just the opposite of Brynn's dark brown eyes. They bore through the dimness of the cave to Brynn, as if it were the light of a dawning sun crawling across the earth, covering everything in its path. She felt the warm light reach out, wrap around her, and pull her in.

The whooshing sound filled her ears. She suppressed a shiver as the cold crept back into her bones. Looking over at the child her smile dissolved for it wasn't the face of a child that was looking at her, but the face of pure evil, the face of death and destruction.

No more than two arms length away, Brynn held her sword pointed at the child, or thing or whatever it was. Eyes never leaving the boy, Brynn held her hand out to her while ordering, "Cait, step back."

"Brynn, what's wrong? It's just an innocent child."

"No. It's evil. Can't you see? Please, listen to me. Step back!" she begged, thrusting her hand out further.

"No!" Cait said, voice intense as she put her arm in front of the boy and gently pushing him behind her. "I won't let you hurt him, Brynn. He's just a child."

They both stood facing each other, neither one moving, neither one giving in. The muscles in Brynn's hand were tight and beginning to cramp, lips and eyes froze on Cait as she balanced on the edge between helplessness and anger. She'd lost control as if she'd ever had it when dealing with Cait. That mind of her own was going to kill them both one day, only not today, for she'd decided she was going to be just as stubborn as her friend. "Two can play at this game," she mumbled.

Facial muscles tensed as she spoke through clenched teeth, voice angry and impatient, "Cait!" She stretched her free hand farther shaking it for emphasis while she spoke each word slowly and with emphasis, "Take my hand now!"

"No!" Cait replied emphatically, anger now in her voice. Pushing Brynn's hand away she stayed in front of the boy. "He's just a child, what's wrong with you?"

Brynn watched transfixed, barely hearing words much less tone, as the boy grew taller before her eyes and the face of death looked at her, forked tongue slithering in and out of his mouth. He hissed at her, "You don't think you can defeat me, do you Brynn?"

Brynn's eyes hardened and her jaw clenched so tight she was breathing through her teeth, cheeks puffing out with each breathe. Caitlin seeing Brynn's reaction realized something was wrong, seriously wrong. Cait's head followed her eyes as she slowly turned and saw what Brynn had been warning her about, the face of pure evil. The evil laughed, spun her around, and struggling uselessly she felt a scaly arm slither across her chest and pull her tight to him. " What more do you want from me?" she pleaded. His forked tongue licked the tip and hot breath hissed in her ear, "I'm surprised you don't know."

As he spoke, the orange and red flames shot higher behind them, giving the appearance of a fire curtain and two figures playing out an old drama. "You're too late Brynn, she's mine now," he sneered as he stepped back into the flames taking Caitlin with him.

"Never!" Brynn yelled as she dropped her sword, tightened her eyes and launched herself at them, stretching her arms out. Only feeling air she fought down panic and stretched farther searching with her fingers. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she felt fabric in her hand, tightened her fingers around it and held on for dear life.

Still being pulled across the floor, Brynn scooted around until she was sitting with her feet in front of her. She pulled back while at the same time she pushed down hard, digging her heels in, trying to stop her forward momentum. Finally they found a niche and she looked at it for a moment caught in a flash of memory and quickly shacking her head reached her other hand out to grab some more fabric. Looking up, her face fell when she saw that she hadn't grabbed Caitlin but the Evil.

Despite the heat from the pit, icy vengeance filled her eyes. Then hearing a rustling, she leaned forward seeing movement below. She breathed out in relief when she saw Caitlin hanging over the flames, grasping onto the Evil one's sleeve. She ground her teeth, tightened her grip and pulled back willing all her strength to her fingers, hands, arms and legs.

"Let go Brynn!" Caitlin yelled above the hiss of the steam, voice filled with desperation,
"We have a chance to free the world of evil. He'll just bring death and destruction if you don't. Let go!"

"No, hang on!" Brynn screamed, voice pleading. "Hang on, hang on," echoed off the walls of the cave.

The Evil one twisted around grabbed both Brynn's hands with his free one and pulled, pushing off the edge of the precipice with both feet. "What are you doing?" Brynn yelled at him desperately searching with her feet for the niche.

"Bonding," he smiled.

Brynn felt her body, then her feet lift off the ground, and still holding onto his robe flew out and over the edge of the pit. The last thing she heard was her name and Caitlin's yelled at the same time, blending together and echoing off the walls of the cave.
Everything and nothing swirled in front of her as the darkness pulled her down. Spiraling out of control, the wind rushed around her body filling her ears pulling her deeper and deeper. Something grabbed her shoulders and shook. Turning around to confront her assailant she found nothing but total blackness. She tried twisting away, but as hard as she fought, she was held fast and couldn't break free.

"Brynn." She jerked, hearing her name as if from a distance. A vague glimmer of recognition rose in her mind. She focused her hearing, intent on finding the source, but the rush of the wind filled her ears as gusts buffeted her body forcing it around and around. Reluctantly she switched her attention to controlling her descent.
Then her body bucked as she hit bottom forcing all the air out of her lungs in a loud whoosh. All senses shut down as her lungs took total control, determined on drawing in what was so desperately demanded. Unfortunately, along with the air also came the dust, whose thick bed she'd disturbed when landing. The more she coughed, the more her body shook and the more the dust stirred. "Calm," she screamed to herself. Her first impulse was to jump up but an unpleasant memory involving a horse stopped her. "Act, don't react." her mind ordered. "If you try and can't stay up, drowning in a sea of dust isn't exactly high on your list of priorities". She quickly decided, "Lie still, probably less risky and certainly less painful."

Fighting the cough reflex resulted in guttural noises and forced liquid to drip out of her nose, sputter out of her mouth and settle on her lips and chin. Lying there, barely breathing, waiting for the dust to settle she looked straight ahead. Her eyes blinked frantically, attempting to force enough moisture into them to remove the dirt and get some kind of focus. After a few moments, she could make out quickly moving multicolored clouds that pushed and overlapped each other forming a murky, black and blue sky. Glancing right and left, she couldn't see much else, except that everything was very still and very quiet. Too quiet.

Although a part of her just wanted to lie there and remain cushioned in the dust's warm embrace, she couldn't. Something pulled at her. She had feeling in her arms and legs for they ached too much not to so taking a deep breath and gritting her teeth she slowly moved her fingers and toes.

"So far, so good. No pain, no horse. Wait, where did that come from?" Unable to recall, she mentally shrugged and turned to more pressing matters, figuring out where she was. Slowly, she carefully bent her right knee, moved her right arm across her body and turned on her left side bracing herself up on her left elbow. Coughing out the little bit of dust that rose up, she waited a few moments for it to settle, before taking a breath, and pushing up while muttering something about falling getting to be a bad habit.

Loosely connected dark cloud of cinders and soot clung to her as she stood and as she wiped them off she noticed a thin, gray film covered most of her body and clothes. There were no sounds except the soft crackling of fire, she smelled smoke and wetted her lips, tasting something that came out as a question, "Ashes?" As far as the eye could see the smoke hung low to the ground forming a thin mist. She was no longer in the cave, but standing in a flat, barren, black land.

Tiny wisps of smoke curled from the edges of the nearest shrub and as she touched it with her hand, it disintegrated between her fingertips leaving nothing but black soot, as if a great fire had swept through and left nothing standing but skeletons of the vegetation. The ground itself was charred and made crackling noises under her boots. The thick hot air and the feeling of evil that pervaded this bleak landscape increased her unease.

Walking to the top of the nearest hill she saw a group of six large stones, three times as wide and twice as tall as a man, standing upright forming half a circle. Inside were three more similar-sized stones leaning haphazardly against each other. Her face squinted in confusion, "What?" she breathed softly upon seeing the dolmen. "Why would
a portal tomb be??" Fire suddenly shot up forming the outer edges of the ring. She jumped, automatically covering her face smothering any further questions she may have had.
A familiar feeling danced along her spine almost taking her breath away and the quick intake of air resulted in a sharp, throaty, "No!"

Her thoughts were on one thing as she started running towards the circle, oblivious that her feet were forming three-foot clouds of dust that rose and stayed there. If someone had been watching they would have been amazed to see a dark headed, dark-eyed young woman riding on top of, and seemingly in total control of, the dark rolling waves of soot, dust, cinder and embers that curled beneath her.

Reaching the outer edges, the fire died down allowing access into the center. Before going any farther, she reached for her sword, but hands, slick with sweat, caused her to fumble while pulling it from its scabbard. Leaning it against her leg, she wiped her face, mouth and hands on her leggings, reached back down, grabbed it, and squeezing it tight between her hands she walked across the threshold.

The fire shot back up again as soon as she crossed, enclosing her within. It was hot and sweat began to drip down her back forming a shiny sheen on her body, mixing with the layer of dust. Beads developed on her upper lip and forehead and she tasted salt and dirt as it dripped down, hitting the edges of her mouth.

Walking into the center, she could make out two figures. Disbelief, confusion and suspicion rolled through her upon recognizing Cromm Cruaich sitting on a throne within the leaning stones. She knew Cromm, the god who demanded blood sacrifices on his holiday, Samhain, but didn't know the robed figure that stood to his right.

Meeting minor gods in their own world was unusual, but not unheard of, and she'd search for a reason later but right now her mind was only focused on one person. Refusing to reveal her mounting fear and anxiety, her eyes, cold and icy, kept emotions hidden behind a mask. Her heart pounded against her chest and breathing increased as she raised the point of her sword, tightened her grip with both hands and extended it towards him.
"Welcome Brynn," Cromm said, smirking. "Yes, welcome," echoed the robed figure standing next to him.

Cromm laughed, "Pardon my manners." He waved his arm toward the robed figure, which had by now, removed his hood revealing a man, tall, dark hair, dark eyes and dark skin. "This is Air c' Beir, the one who brings forth. He brought her to me and she will bring me to the world. She's the key, you know." Brynn knew whom he was talking about for she'd recognized the quickening earlier, Cailtin.

"Where?" her mind raced as she struggled against herself to remain still and expressionless, her eyes the only betrayal as they frantically moved left, circled to the right past Cromm and Air then reversed. At first she didn't see the movement, but the second glance to the right found the answer to her question. The name of her friend came out as a whispered breath, "Caitlin."

Cromm and Air were forgotten and as their eyes met, Brynn was unprepared for what she saw and stood transfixed, for Cait's eyes, usually yellow-specked green were now an extraordinary hue of incandescent gold, almost as if they were lit up from behind. Her mind had a vague recollection of another time and place when her eyes looked exactly like this, but that memory slipped from her consciousness when she felt the warmth surround her reminding her of the sun, not the heat of this fire.
With her heart pounding against her chest and her hand trembling she sheathed her weapon and reached out to her friend. The voice in her head repeating, "Get to her. Get to her." As their fingertips touched, the earth cracked open and flames shot up between them. Brynn yelped from the blinding agony of the fire on her hand and although she tried to reach her, the flames seared her skin and finally with a scream of frustration she pulled back.

"You see Brynn with Cait's help my fires will be released, searching and destroying all the light of the world and a new kingdom of darkness will begin among the charred remains."

"Nooooo," Cait yelled struggling with them, 'I'll never help you."

Although, she could no longer see her, she could hear her voice calling for her, "Brryyynnn."

"Caaait?liiinnn," she yelled running back and forth in front of the flames frantic to break through, "where are you?"

Her breath was entering and exiting her mouth so hard that the heat had evaporated all the moisture, leaving her tongue, throat and lungs to feel as if they themselves were also on fire. Her mouth was so dry it hurt and her tongue darted out to capture sweat beads on her lips in an attempt to locate wetness and relieve the pain. The pressure of the firewall pushed heavily on her ears, filling them with only the sound of the blazing inferno.

"Find her, get to her" echoed in her head as she pushed closer and closer finally catching a glimpse of her behind the wall of fire.

"Brynn!" she struggled against the hold Cromm had on her. "Shut up!" Air yelled at her.
"Brynn!" she yelled still fighting. "Shut up!" Air screamed again and slapped her on the left side of her head and she slumped, unmoving. Feeling a slight stinging sensation and a faint metallic taste in her mouth, Brynn reached her hand to her left cheek. The flames parted slightly, like a curtain, as she looked up seeing Cromm still holding Cait and laughing at her, "Some protector."

A buzzing started in her ears, at first soft, like distant thunder, then swiftly and without mercy it swelled into a torrent of raw, primal rage that crashed through her, then receded, then surged and crashed again and again each time stronger and stronger, resulting in a low threatening growl, "Don't? touch? her." The dark, raw anger hardened her eyes as it slowly consumed her from within, the force of the black fury almost driving her to her knees. She tightened her eyes and a hissing groan escaped her lips as she fought against it. A voice echoed in her mind, "Pain will poison your soul, let that happen and she doesn't have a chance."

Her back spasm forced a tingling to shoot up and down her spine increasing in speed and intensity until she felt an rush of calm flow through her taking away the anger and leaving only a sense of familiarity.

Her eyes fluttered, blinked and opened and she saw Cait's tear-filled golden eyes looking at her through wavering walls of heat and flames causing her to feel a small spot of sun-like warmth in the middle of her chest. Looking down she touched it then heard a soft, familiar voice in her mind, "No Brynn, hatred darkens life, love lightens it."

As soon as the last word trailed off, her chest heated and not unlike the surface of water after it's disturbed by a stone ripples of warmth gradually spread throughout her body then left, leaving in its path a faint tremor.

"Cait," she yelled, anger and fury now replaced with frustration and fear. "I'm coming, show me the way." She ran frenzied toward the opening, but by the time she got there it had closed. The walls of flame roared in front of her, coming perilously close. She felt the uncaring heat burn the fine hairs on her arm, but she couldn't give up, not now, she was too close. She took a step back, and put her hands up to cover her face and turn her head. She peered around her hands and through her fingers looking for her, but Cait was gone, imprisoned behind a curtain of fire. The flames roared higher and she raised her hands protectively as they drove her back until she couldn't go any further and was completely surrounded by the fiery inferno.

The air scorched her eyes, tongue, throat and lungs so much she had to concentrate to breathe. Tears and sweat mingled on her forehead and ran in rivulets on their journey down her face, paused to burn both eyes before continuing on to drip off her nose, lips and chin. What was left rolled down her neck and disappeared into her clothes. What the clothes couldn't hold found it's way down her legs and accumulated in her boots, leaving clean trails on dirt covered skin. She could feel the heat burning the fine hairs on her arms and legs.

Her throat was raw and her body trembled. The flames swam in her vision as she bent over, lowered head and put her palms on her thighs fighting to keep conscious. She felt her knees weaken signaling the loss of the battle. "No. Have to try. Have? to?" she panted, breath labored. Forcing herself up she staggered forward a step before slipping. She winced as her knees slammed against the ground.

Swaying for a moment as if her body couldn't decide which way to fall, the momentum finally forcing her forward. Her palms hit first and she remained on all fours for a second before her right arm collapsed and with a grunt her elbow hit first soon followed by her shoulder. She lay curled up on her right side. Gods, it was hot. Her ears roared from the noise of the fire and she moved her left hand and arm up to cover her ear and face. She burrowed her nose into her shoulder keeping it as close to the ground as possible to try and keep the searing heat and smoke from her lungs. As she lay there crumpled over, she heard Cait's voice, "Brynn, look at me."

"Can't," she gasped, "I failed you."

"Look at me," Cait called tenderly demanding. Using her left arm for support, Brynn pushed up on her right elbow and again saw Cait's face looking at her through the heat of flames wavering as if she were looking through water or in one of those funny mirrors they had seen with the traveling performers. Cait's voice filled her head, "can't you see that you could never fail me." Emotion filled Brynn's face and she wiped her eyes and looked again and something caught her attention.

Her cheeks, something red was dripping down her cheeks. "What was?? Tears? No, tears aren't red. Fire, she's on fire!" Adrenaline pumped through her veins forcing her up till she was braced on her right elbow using her left arm for support. She closed her eyes fighting the dizziness that swept over her vision and by the time they opened again, Brynn realized that she wasn't trying to put out a fire for her expression wasn't one of pain it was one of concern, for her. "Not fire, what?" Her eyes narrowed, then opened in surprise as the force of realization hit her. "Blood!" she gasped. Tears of blood trickled down Cait's cheeks, leaving red trails on both sides, joining under her chin and dripping off.

Sweat ran into her eyes mingling with tears and heat, blurring her vision. Frustrated, she reached up, swiping them with the back of her left hand then looked again. Her heart sank when she realized she was gone. "Nooooo!" she screamed and reached out into the fire. A sigh of relief escaped her lips when the darkness consumed her and drew her down into the black spiral.

She felt hands on her shoulders and her body shaking. She tried to see who or what was bothering her, but could make out nothing beyond the blackness. "Get to her, find her. Noooooooo!" she yelled as she fought against them and turned away.

Her anger rose as the more insistent and louder the voice became, the harder she shook, and the more it yelled her name. She thought she saw a muted gold light, but it faded as quickly at it had appeared and she struggled against whomever or whatever had hold of her. Alas, it was useless, as she was pulled deeper and deeper into the swirling darkness.

She was falling. She felt bushes and rocks cut her skin as she flailed her arms wildly, trying to grab for something, then her body hit and the wind was released in a loud whoosh. She saw arms and legs and sky and arms and legs and sky and realized she was tumbling over and over, downhill. She put her arms above her head to protect herself as she rolled around and around down what she finally could make out as the side of a hill.
Then she hit water.

She plunged to the bottom and tried to push herself up, but was pulled under and out into the rapids. At first the water swirled around her like a hand's sweet caress, but soon the fingers of the hand hardened and clasped tight, effectively stopping any movement. Feeling the hand tighten resulted in frantic movements to escape the deadly grasp, but the harder she fought, the tighter the fingers clenched, forcing air out and pulling her deeper and deeper.

Then hearing a familiar voice, her head lifted, eyes involuntary squinted against a bright, golden light. Putting her hand in front of her face, she tried to turn away but couldn't. She stared, mesmerized eventually being able to make out something, no, someone in the middle. Caitlin, it was Caitlin, coming for her.

But somehow she seemed different. Brynn couldn't quite put her finger on it then saw it, her eyes. For they were not the yellow-specked green eyes she grew up with but an extraordinarily golden hue, almost incandescent, as if lit from behind.

She felt a small explosion in the middle of her chest and looked down just for a second, carefully touching it certain she would find some kind of bloody wound. Instead her fingertips felt warmth, only at one spot, but soon it spread throughout her chest and then to every part of her body. She looked back up and saw Cait stretching out to her, reaching down for her.

The warmth that had flowed through her body a few seconds ago was now eclipsed by a rage to escape and reach her friend. "Get to her, get to her," her mind screamed repeatedly as she stretched her arms up, flattened her body, and frantically kicked her legs as hard as she could. Keeping her eyes on her salvation she battled the grip but despite her efforts couldn't seem to get closer than an arm's length.

With every muscle in her body crying for oxygen, her vision edging with darkness and her chest tightening with pain her desperation to reach her lifeline magnified so lowering her head and closing her eyes she willed every ounce of strength to her legs.

Feeling something, she looked up and saw Cait's fingertips no more than a hair's breath away. "Almost, almost," she gave one great kick and stretched her body as far as she could.

Then, she was stopped so suddenly her mouth was forced open and what little air remained, escaped and bubbled up past frenzied eyes. Water entered as something wrapped around her ankles and pulled her deeper and deeper into the darkness away from Cait. "Nooooo," her mind yelled in frustration as she tried to twist away.

"Let me go! Let me go!" she screamed and choked as water entered her mouth and began filling her as she reached down, grabbed her prey and tried desperately to gain release. She fought for control but exhausted by her efforts, couldn't keep the water out, was out of air, and way too deep to make it to the surface.

Looking up she saw anguish covering Cait's face as she reached for her. A halo of bubbles formed around her head as she mouthed, "Bryyynnn!" Caitlin and the golden light slowly became smaller and smaller and disappeared as whatever had her pulled her down, returning her back to the darkness.

Fueled by the look on her friend's face, her frustration and anger turned into raw rage as she set her mind, "You want me, you got me." Twisting around and putting the intruder into a headlock, she pulled their arm behind them and just held tight, feeling both spiraling down. Grinning, her last conscious thought was that she would at least be taking her enemy with her.

Brynn's eyes flew open in surprise when she realized she was gulping in air instead of water. The spiraling slowly stopped, the darkness gradually turning from gray to? red? She blinked several times and her vision cleared enough to realize she was staring into red-colored hair, the back of a head.

"Brynn, it's me, Cait. It's OK," Caitlin sputtered out as she tried to twist around. She reached up and wrapped her hand around Brynn's arm as it encircled her throat, "a dream, just a dream."

"No, gone, gone. Couldn't save. No, " Brynn's mind screamed as her eyes closed, denying the image. Although her mind refused to accept Cait being alive, instinct took control and she loosened her grip, allowing her to twist around and face her.

Brynn's hands fell to her sides as Cait reached down and grabbed them. Brynn's body was still shaking and her muscles trembling as Cait held her hands, talked very softly and gently, reassured her that if she opened her eyes, she'd see what was real. Slowly opening and closing her eyes for what seemed to Caitlin to be the hundredth time, Brynn looked at her as fear, shock, surprise, then sadness covered her face.

"Caitlin?" Brynn questioned, reaching up gently placing her hands on her upper arms, holding her at arm's length and finally, really looking at her.

"I'm here," Caitlin smiled and nodded assuring Brynn she was all right. Brynn closed her eyes allowing her heart and breathing to slow. Then she remembered. Her eyes opened wide and began to fill with tears as fear flooded her when she realized she just had her friend in a strangle hold. She reached down and held her hands visually checking her arms for marks, and seeing none, moved up to look at her throat.

"I'm fine Brynn. Look at me," Caitlin's voice gently pleaded. Brynn started to look up then stopped, afraid to find fear, anger, gold, and red? Gold and red? Where'd that come from? Her eyes narrowed and brow wrinkled while she searched her memory. Muscles tensed and breathing quickened at the thought of what she'd find if she did what Cait asked.

Cait felt the lurch, "Hey, look at me," she said again more gently than before. Brynn felt a squeeze on her hand.

Expecting the worse, Brynn looked up under hooded eyes and saw Cait's familiar yellow-specked green eyes reflect nothing but worry and concern. Those eyes, not red, not gold, but what they should be. "A dream, thank the gods, a dream." Brynn breathed out a sigh of relief and slumped. "A dream. It was all a dream, Cait was fine, she was fine, they were fine."

"Hey, you OK," Cait gripped tighter as concern etched her face, mistaking her sigh and slump as a signal of pain.

"Yeah, OK, bad dream." She swallowed and as she looked at her, sadness covered her face and her eyes shimmered with tears. Her voice trembled, barely managed, "I?I didn't?I didn't hurt?"

"No," Cait smiled back finishing her sentence.

Brynn closed her eyes forcing back the tears, breathed out and swallowed the lump that was in her throat.

"Wanna talk?"

Brynn started to say something, then glanced to her right and scanning the faces of their friends, Flynn Corr and Aine, saw that same look of concern.

Embarrassed, she lowered her eyes, "Maybe later," she murmured, "go back to sleep." She gave Cait's hand a final squeeze, pushed herself up, added wood to the fire, reached down for the quiver of arrows and put them around her back. She then grabbed her sword and bow and disappeared into the forest, muttering, "I'll get us something to eat."

Caitlin got up, rubbed her eyes, stretched and followed her after motioning the others to go back to sleep. It was close to sunrise, the darkness that had dominated the sky was gradually turning to gray as the sun pushed upward toward the horizon.

Brynn stopped when she reached the overhang, sat down on the cold ground and looked out over the river that they had camped by the night before. Clenching and unclenching her trembling hands while taking deep breaths she tried to calm down.

Being outside, particularly near water always soothed her. The gurgling sounds of the river as it flowed over the rocks mixed with the early morning sounds of the animals and insects, the breeze as it rustled the leaves and the sweet smell of the earth captivated and relaxed her into nature's hypnotic rhythm.

She and Caitlin and the others had sat on this same overhang just last night. "Goddess bless," Brynn exhaled and ran her fingers through her dark hair, "was it just last night, it seemed like an eternity ago," she thought watching her hand shake as she held it in front of her. Caitlin had explained that this was the river known as the Danube named after Danu, the Celtic mother goddess, also called the 'waters from heaven.' She said that water was important to the Celts because it's where eisee, wisdom and knowledge, is given. She then went on to tell the legend of the Danube, how Danu flooded the sky to form the river so that the waters could nurture her sacred oak groves. Dagda, the father of the good gods and goddesses of the Tuatha De Danann, was the son of Danu and Bile. Caitlin explained that the goddess Domnu and her children were the gods and goddesses of evil and struggled with the Tuatha for control of Hibernia and that the struggle continues but most often unknown to humans who are protected by the De Danann.

The thought of Domnu and her children, one of which was Cromm, caused a shiver to run through her body. "Those dreams, Caitlin." Brynn looked around, didn't see her yet, although she could sense that she wasn't far away and wouldn't leave this alone. She had tried to cover her tracks, but dawn wasn't far away and it was lit well enough so that she would be easy to follow, especially since Brynn had been giving her lessons in tracking.

Brynn gave a little snort of surrender and looked up at the sky, "Just a matter of time, she'll be here soon and she won't let this go. If she doesn't figure it out from being anam cara, then she'll surely figure it out as soon as she touches me, that's what I get for hanging out with a dechetal do chennaib."

Brynn and Caitlin and the others were from Hibernia and lived in an area known as Mide. Cait was of the O'Dalaigh fine, a family of learned scholars and poets of the clan Ui Failgu, under the leadership of Cenn Faelad. Brynn was of the Ui Chennselaig clan from the south. Her family moved north when her father, a free warrior in service to Cormac was involved in putting to death twelve princes of Leinster in retaliation for the murders of thirty royal princesses of Leinster and over one hundred of their handmaidens. He was so upset at the waste of life and carnage that he retired from service and with Cormac and Faelad's permission, moved north to live with his wife's fine, the O'Dalaigh's. Brynn's mother was a poet and her father became a woodworker for the clan.

Brynn's true name was Brina and she smiled remembering how she became to be known as Brynn. The first time she saw the Ui Failgu clan's common area she was in awe, hers had been a clan of war and this was one of peace. A huge common hall sat in the center behind a defensive palisade and the outskirts were fields surrounded by stone. There were ovens, a cheese house, a drying rack for grain, a husking area, a smithy, woodshop, livestock pens, and storage areas for grain.

Three groups comprised the Ui Failgu's, the landowners and warriors, the artists, poets and Druids and the free men and women who worked the land. The clan was dedicated to the goddess Brigid who was the patroness of arts, crafts, healing, poetry, learning, livestock and produce, along with the rites of spring. As their family walked into the great hall to meet the Ri, who at the time was the elder Faelad, a small golden haired girl who seemed to lighten the room wherever she went came up to Brynn, smiled and held out her hand, "I'm Caitlin, it means 'pure' and I'm going to be a Druii one day, what's your name?" "I'm Brina, it means 'powerful', and I'm going to be a warrior." She grabbed Caitlin's hand and shook it. Caitlin put her other hand on top of Brynn's, "I've been waiting for you Brynn we're of the same blood and we'll make a good team." "It's Brina," Brynn insisted. "Brynn," Caitlin said unable to say the 'a' ending. Brynn knew even then what battles couldn't be won and just laughed, "Brynn," she said and that was her name from then on. After that first meeting she and Caitlin were inseparable and wherever one was so was the other and Cait was right, they did make a good team.

Brynn remembered when Meara, the head Druii of the clan, told Caitlin's parents she was a dechetal do chennaib, one who could sense the feelings of others through touch, and that they were anam cara. Caitlin and Brynn were both 5, about 12 winters ago. Brynn's smile faded upon thinking of this for that's the winter her family died of the fever sickness that took so many of the clan and Brynn herself was sick for a long time. Caitlin's mother who was a filidh, a learned poet and a healer, worked to help her, but they were afraid the sickness had taken too much of a hold. While Brynn lay there burning up with fever, Caitlin came into the room and touched her. Caitlin's mother became alarmed and concerned that this close contact would make her sick too. She moved to grab Caitlin away and when she touched her, she felt something that later she would have a hard time explaining to Meara. She felt Brynn getting stronger as if Caitlin were willing her strength to her. When Caitlin released her she told her mother, "She'll be fine. You don't have to worry about Brynn." Caitlin's mother pulled her into a hug and felt heat coming off her. She immediately put her to bed and called for Meara. By the time she arrived, both Caitlin and Brynn were sleeping peacefully and their fevers were gone. Later Meara told them all about dechetal do chennaib and that she felt they were anam cara. Caitlin's parents agreed and told Meara that they would take responsibility for Brynn now that her family was gone. "With the closeness between them fosterage wouldn't be good for a while yet." Caitlin's mother and father agreed, "They'd just find a way to get back to each other," she said, "besides Brynn needs someone right now." "Tomorrow I'll go and make it official with the Ri," Caitlin's father exclaimed. Meara smiled and said to herself, "And Caitlin needs someone too."

Brynn smiled, "Anam cara," the celtic word for soul friends. Somehow, and no one had been able to explain it, her and Caitlin had developed a bond, a connection between themselves. Meara explained that soul friends were blessed with affection, understanding and belonging. It acknowledged a special friendship, one that supported, encouraged, challenged and kept each other in the light and away from the dark.

After that day, Caitlin could pretty much sense when something was different about Brynn. She couldn't always put a name to her feeling and it wasn't that something was necessarily wrong, just different. At first, Brynn tried to deny Caitlin's perceptive abilities toward her as much as she tried to deny her ability to sense Caitlin. She wanted to be a warrior and warriors were strong and if their feelings could be sensed it would be a dangerous weakness, but as much as she tried to deny or hide it, she finally gave up. "Oh well," she reasoned to herself, "sometimes the Gods give us gifts we shouldn't question, just accept and give thanks."

From then on, Brynn, Caitlin, Aine, Corr and Flynn had formed the core of their group. Out of the five, Caitlin alone had shown the ability to sense how others felt by instinct and touch. As they grew older, Brynn, as well as the others, had dedicated herself to the war goddess Morrigan. Caitlin had dedicated herself to the goddess Brigid, the patroness of their clan.

At this, Brynn looked at her right wrist and saw the intricately braided silver strands that formed the bracelet Caitlin had given her for her last birthday. It looked like a miniature torc, neckring. It encircled her wrist with interlacing strands of silver all coming together and forming one large strand. The ends were golden, one an intricately carved bird, the symbol of the Druids, and on the other a similarly carved goose, the symbol of warriors.
Caitlin had them blessed by the High Druid and told her they were now bonded to the divine powers. Brynn was more interested in human intervention than divine, but she accepted it with a hug. Caitlin had a duplicate and would wear it always and wanted Brynn to do the same. She said that it would remind them of each other and that way they would never forget. Brynn smiled as she touched the bracelet and turned it around her wrist noticing how the light rippled across its surface.

Hearing a sound from behind, Brynn instinctively reached out for her sword as it lay next to her bow and arrows. Looking over her shoulder, her body tensed then relaxed upon realizing it was Caitlin. Her ears picked up muttered curses as she heard clothes snagging and tearing on what she assumed were the brambles and thorns that she had easily avoided. The closer Cait got, the louder she became until she broke through the undergrowth and emerged into the small clearing where Brynn had settled herself on the outlook.

"Couldn't make it easy on me, could ya?" Caitlin spat fighting for possession of her cloak with a rather thorny bush.

"Wanted to see if you were paying attention to my lessons," Brynn smiled watching as she eventually won against the bush, walked over and flopped down next to her. Brynn watched her face light up with total pleasure as she earnestly began the attack to remove the many pieces of annoying vegetation that dotted her clothes, hair and skin. "Well, I guess I will next time, look at this hole," she sighed, "I just bought it, it'll be hard to mend." Cait said smiling wickedly as she gave the offending thorn an extra tight squeeze before tossing it out over the water with a flick of her wrist.

"That's true," Brynn agreed and grinned silently wondering where Cait got her clothing sense. Most Celts liked bright colors, but Cait's outfits were, well, they were way more than that. The vivid rich hues of her blue leggings, the color of the sky, were divided from her yellow blouse by a leather waist belt, very ornately embossed with silver and cobalt blue which held a medicine pouch, small dagger and wand. Rawhide braided with white feathers and white beads were tied to the tops of her boots. She had several pieces of jewelry, a leather necklace with an amber stone in the middle, surrounded by beads and feathers and several pieces of silver clipped on both ears. Rings, of all kinds of metal and stones, adorned many of her fingers and her right wrist held many silver and cobalt blue bangles while the only bracelet on her left wrist was the match to Brynn's. Her cloak as green as fresh grass and embroidered throughout with yellow thread was crossed in front of her and held in place by an ornate shoulder brooch. Her attached hood was fringed in fur and hung down her back.

She looked like a walking rainbow compared to Brynn's drab colors of brown leggings, maroon blouse and dark green cloak. Green and blue beads and feathers tied with braided rawhide hung from the tops of her boots. Her necklace of small green stones shone in the sunlight and her left ear held a silver clip of interwoven lines, which represented the celtic circle of life. It was the only piece of jewelry she'd had from her mother and felt it brought her luck. In the other ear was another silver earclip only this one was in the shape of an oak leaf that had one green bead, one blue feather, a small silver star and a piece of clear quartz hanging from it. She wore only one ring on her left hand. It was her father's, a small dragon with green stones for eyes, head and tail almost meeting as it wrapped around her finger. Like her ear clip she believed that it too brought her luck and the protection of her parents. Her waist belt, also from her father, was cut down to size and carried her sword and dagger.

They were both about the same height and builds, neither taller nor shorter than the other women of the clan were, although Brynn was a little more solid than Cait, probably due to her warrior training. Brynn's shoulder length thick hair and eyes the color of rich, fertile earth couldn't compare to Cait's deep-red, curly shoulder length hair and eyes the same color green of her cloak, with just a speckling of yellow, that flowed through her eyes as the yellow threads flowed through her cloak.

Both their clothes had beads and small silver ornaments woven throughout just as they were also woven within the one or two small, tight braids they wore on the sides of their heads and within the looser hair in the back. Brynn's only question was that Cait's jewelry seemed to shine and tinkle more than hers did, even though the same silversmith made them. "Oh well, something else you don't question."

Cait's wand, which was no longer than her forearm, was shoved into her belt. Made of hazel with a rose quartz crystal the size of a walnut tied to the top, Meara had given it to her just before they left, pointing out that Brigid favored hazel groves and the tree itself was linked to divine insight and knowledge.

Her shoulder-tall staff, also made of hazel, was leaned up against the tree and was basically a worn natural tree branch. As Brynn glanced at it, she had a hard time distinguishing it from the tree itself finally making it out only by the top which had rattles, feathers, beads and small bronze attachments shaped like birds, dogs, swans, geese and salmon and trout. Cait always carried a dagger no longer than the length of her forearm, as did Brynn, but Cait only used hers for cooking and eating, unlike Brynn who used hers for well, other things.

Once Brynn tried to use the staff as a weapon and it's one of the few times Cait became angry with her. "This is not a weapon," she yelled, face reddening, eyes blazing, as she pulled it from Brynn's grasp. "It symbolizes Druid power and allows us to communicate with the deities. It's not like a piece of iron that can be easily replaced," she said calming down after seeing the shock on Brynn's face. "It's fitted to the individual. It has to feel right. You understand, don't you Brynn?" she pleaded.

Brynn didn't really understand until then, for she had been trained to use anything as a weapon, sword, dagger, rock, branch, anything within her grasp, but seeing and hearing Cait she realized the staff was more important that any of her weapons. To replace iron would be easy, to replace the staff it would be difficult at best, if not impossible.

Brynn's thoughts were interrupted when she felt Cait's hand on her shoulder, "Are you all right?"

"I need some time, Cait," she said gently. Caitlin sat down on her left, barely touching shoulders. She glanced to the side and saw Cait give her a little grin that just turned up the right edge of her mouth. Brynn returned her half-grin then turned to gaze out onto the water. With those simple gestures Brynn's tension began to release. They sat that way, side-by-side, mesmerized by the movement of the water and the sounds of nature for least a quarter candlemark until Brynn lowered her head, then turned, eyes upward. "Cait, I?"

"It's OK Brynn. It was a bad dream."

Brynn dropped her eyes and stared at her hands as she shook her head back and forth, "No, I hurt you."

"No you didn't Brynn. You grabbed me and held me, but you didn't hurt me. I think we were both more scared than anything, you for yourself and me for you. I never feared for me," Cait's voice filled with emotion, "you would never hurt me."

Brynn hesitated then looked warily at Cait, whose green eyes now sparkled with yellow and seemed to glow as the feelings of trust and conviction flowed through to Brynn. Seeing the familiar green comforted her and she smiled slightly fighting the moisture welling in her eyes and the tightness in her throat, "No, I would never hurt you."

Caitlin returned her smile and reached her arm up and across Brynn's shoulders giving her a squeeze. Brynn smiled back as Cait gave a final tug, removed her arm, placed both hands in her lap and looked up as the sun on the verge of rising sent ribbons of varying intensities of light upward and outward. Brynn took the time when Cait wasn't watching her to wipe away her tears with the heel of her hand.

"Besides," Cait paused, closing her eyes and lifting her face to brightness, "this is all my fault. I'm hurting you."

Brynn, surprise on her face and in her voice, looked over at her questioning, "And just how do you figure that?"

Cait opened her eyes and turned to peer into Brynn's, "Because I know about the dreams, and I didn't sense them from you. I've been having them too, only not as bad as yours."

Brynn willed her eyes to remain neutral and silently jutted her chin out in challenge, "She's trying to trick me into telling her what they are."

Cait continued to look at Brynn, smiled and slightly nodded in acceptance of the challenge. She moved her head back and forth a little as Brynn's eyes followed her, finally Cait grinned, "nice try but I can read you like a book, the eyes are the windows to your soul." She turned back to the sunrise, "they're about me," her tone serious, "you see me in a cave, you try to help and we fall, then I'm in the middle of fire and you try to reach me and can't, then?"

"I fall and I'm drowning and you try to reach me but I can't reach you," Brynn finished.

Cait turned back to her, "I see the same things, but they aren't that vivid for me. I've tried to shield us from them, but, they've become too strong and I've only succeeded in shielding myself. They've passed from me to you. This is when being anam cara isn't so much of a gift," she sighed turning away.

Brynn touched her arm. "It's always been a gift. Even now. We've just got to figure out the meaning."

Cait looked at her and smiled weakly, "I know the meaning."

Brynn silently waited.

"I guess I should tell you why I left Alba."

Alba was called the Wood of the Oaks and it was the center of Druid studies and only those who were truly gifted were accepted. Caitlin left for Alba around Laghnasadh of her 10th year, about the same time that Brynn, Aine, Corr and Flynn entered the Battle Academy. The studies for the Druii took 20 years, but Caitlin and Brynn saw each other every summer and knew each had to follow their hearts, besides anam cara always brought out the best of each other.

Everything went as expected the first six winters. Caitlin returned home every summer until this past Solstice, when unexpectantly she returned and stayed. When Brynn asked her why she was back, she just said she needed to leave for a while and talked of traveling to other places, seeing the world and other people outside of their clan.

Although Brynn had never pressured Caitlin about it she knew something had happened but Caitlin had seemed so remote so unwilling to talk about it. She tried to see if she could sense something but it was as if she had put up shields to her. She just figured she would tell her about it sooner or later. She once asked Caitlin's parents, who she'd adapted as her own after her parents died, if they knew what had happened and they were just as concerned as Brynn but like Brynn they also knew she would tell them in her own time.

Caitlin's need to leave infected her and the others. At the feast of Imbolic, they graduated from the Battle Academy and received their horses as part of the ceremony. They then told their families that they would be leaving to travel and see other places. They didn't put up too much of a fuss, knowing that young people needed to find their own way. Caitlin's parents knew that as long as she was with Brynn she would be all right and vice versa.

They had been traveling for seven moons now. They had traveled south into Gaul and Italia and had seen many wondrous things. Occasionally, there had been bandits, but mostly it was an uneventful experience. They were now somewhere in the western Gaulish Empire, camped next to the Danube.

"I was having visions, bad ones, similar to yours," Caitlin's voice shook Brynn out of her memories, "about Cromm Cruaich."

Brynn looked at her, "He was in my dream."

"Yes, I know, he's entering your dreams through me. We have to go back. I can't shield us any longer," she closed her eyes in pain.

"Why would Cromm be in your dreams?" Brynn asked gently.

"Back at Alba, the Cromm sect was growing. There were bad harvests to the north and his followers thinking that blood sacrifices would renew the land set up his idol and altar at Mag Sleacht. They were sacrificing children, Brynn."

Looking at Brynn the sunrise reflected off the tears in her eyes. Brynn reached out and held her hand feeling her tremble.

"The Druids meditated for guidance and many saw someone who they felt was the key."

"Key," Brynn thought quickly, "Cromm said something about that in my dream, 'she's the key'." Brynn stopped, "You?" she said hope filling her heart but she already knew the answer.

"And some saw you, but, you were always with me."

Brynn raised her eyebrow in surprise, "Me?"

"They said I was the key. They figured that they saw you because of our bond."

"What do you think they meant by you being the key?"

"I think they thought I was the key to his destruction."

Caitlin took a deep breath, "I went along with the group of Druids to stop him. We reached Mag Sleacht and at sunset, the rays of the setting sun showed the entrance to the Otherworld. The others began to chant and I and five of the elder Druids went through the portal."

Although Brynn had never taken her eyes off of Caitlin she could tell by the way she was looking out at the water that she was somewhere else. She gave her a small nudge with her shoulder to bring her back.

Caitlin looked over, gave a forced smile and turned back to the water, "When we broke through to the other side, we found ourselves at a dolmen. There was an altar and behind that a throne. We found ourselves encircled by fire. He kept yelling that I was the key to his return." She paused and lowered her voice. "I was scared, Brynn, more than I've ever been and not so much of Cromm, but of myself. I've never felt such rage and anger. I saw him in my mind. I saw blood and destruction, bodies and death."

Her body trembled along with her voice and Cait clutched tightly to Brynn's hand as tears began to trail down her cheeks. Voice quivering she continued, "I tried spells and shields to keep him away from me, from us, but either I wasn't strong enough or not learned enough. Once the others heard him say I was the key they encircled me. There was a great battle. Energy waves and power filled the area, but he broke through. One by one they fell until it was just Elven and I. He turned to me and put his hand on my head and smiled saying, 'It is not your time, find the light, little one, then you will know,' and I felt myself being pulled back to the plain."

She released her hand and turned to Brynn face filled with anguish, "I tried Brynn, I really did, but?" her voice trailed off and she paused for several minutes, crying softly into her hands. Brynn put her arm around her shoulder and pulled her to her. Cait leaned into her started to shake and began to cry in earnest. Brynn rocked her gently and hummed an old children's tune. They sat that way for some time until Cait finally settled, straightened and as Brynn dropped her arm, Cait wiped her eyes and smiled at Brynn, "Thanks."

"Sure, that's what friends are for."

Brynn stayed close enough so that their shoulders were touching and sat that way for some time until Cait broke the silence.

"When I awoke, I was on the altar covered in blood. The other Druids, who had waited wanted to know what had happened," she then turned to Brynn.

"I couldn't tell them but what I saw, they just nodded as if to understand."

"Is that why you came back home?"

"I stayed at Alba till Solstice. I couldn't stay and take a chance on letting him use me to get into this world, on being responsible for killing everyone, on failing them again," then so quietly, Brynn barely heard it, "They died because of me, because I'm the key."

"Caitlin, you may be the key, but the question is, to what, the Druids said it was his destruction, Cromm said his return."

"It doesn't matter now, I can't run anymore. He's reached me and now he's reached you and I won't have you hurt. I can't stop him here, I have to go back, but, I'm?"

"Scared," Brynn said, gentleness and understanding in her voice.

Cait turned to face Brynn, "Yes, for both of us, for might what happen if I do and what might happen if I don't."

Brynn looked into her eyes, "We all have to face our fears, Caitlin, that's why we have friends, and we all make mistakes. It's our mistakes, doubts and fears that lead us to wisdom, faith and courage."

Caitlin just looked at her.

"You know, sometimes, the hardest person to forgive is yourself," Brynn continued and looked at Cait waiting for a response and when it wasn't forthcoming, "besides," she slowed, her eyes moving in thought, "that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger?" still no response, she raised her eyebrows in question, "or maybe the pain of our past can be our greatest strength?" her voice trailed off.

Surprise danced off the yellow flecks in Cait's eyes as she looked at her then smiled and threw her head back laughing out loud. When she was done, she looked at Brynn who was also smiling, "Sorry, but you're certainly full of surprises today, you sound just like a bard."

"I remembered them from my mum's book."

"Been waiting long to fit them into the conversation?"

Now it was Brynn's turn to laugh, "Pretty long and now you've got all I read so far."

"Then I'm sure one of them will work for me," she turned her serious face to Brynn, "you know it will be difficult to fight him with me not being a full Druid, only a half one."

"It's not completing the training that's important, it's what's in your heart and following it, courage is the direction you're moving, not where you're standing."

"Another one?"

"Not from my mum, from you."

Cait stood, squaring her shoulders, somber mood returning, and reached down to Brynn, "Then you know I have to do this alone."

Brynn took her hand and pushed up with her legs while Cait pulled, "I know you feel that you do, but I'm going with you."

"No," Caitlin said firmly turning to her as she let go of her hand and reached for her staff.

"Caitlin after all we've been though, if you think you're doing this on your own, well, no, anam cara."

Upon hearing the words that described their friendship, Caitlin lowered her head leaning it into her staff. Brynn walked around in front of her.

"Not fair, Brynn," she said into the wood.

"Who said life was fair?"

Cait looked up at her, the yellow in her eyes sparkling.

"Did it work?" Brynn asked.

"Yes," she replied grudgingly.

"All right then, let's go, can't keep Cromm waiting can we?"

It was just then that the sun broke the horizon captivating their attention. They both turned to look at the soft, pale light that was hanging low in the sky. It filtered through the trees and reflected off the water giving almost a mystical quality to the moment. Something caught the corner of Brynn's eye and glancing at Cait she thought she saw a strange incandescent golden glow in her eyes. Turning to look Cait turned to her and the glow was gone, if it had been there at all. Cait smiled indicating 'let's go' with a nod of her head and turned into the woods. Brynn shrugged it off and followed, then heard Cait's cursing about the thorns. Brynn let out a breath, shook her head, and chuckled as she walked over to help.

Both voices blended together in good-natured arguing. "It's not funny." "OK, do what I do." "Ouch!!" "You're not watching." "Did you ever think you're not teaching the way I learn?" "Did you ever think you're not learning the way I teach?"

By the time they got back to camp, the sun was higher in the sky. Corr, Flynn and Aine heard them before they saw them. They could tell they were discussing Brynn's experience in the last tavern. "Don't you think you went a little overboard, it wasn't really that big a deal?" "Well, what do you consider big?" The rest was drowned out by Cait's rich laughter soon followed by Brynn's. As they broke through the forest line, Cait and Brynn were wiping tears from their eyes. Aine and Flynn had the supplies packed and Corr was adding wood to the fire.

"Well," Corr said, noticing the lack of food, "Too busy reminiscing to find something to eat?"

The three looked at each other and grinned.

"Sorry, we'll eat later," Brynn said as she looked at Caitlin, "there's something important you need to know."

They all listened intently as Brynn relayed the story Cait had just told her.

After she was done, Aine looked at the others who nodded to her, "Well, I guess we better get going."

"Wait a minute," Caitlin yelped, "you don't have to come, too. It's enough that Brynn's involved in this."

"Caitlin," Flynn said softly, "that's what friends are for."

Caitlin just sighed, again. "Not fair," she muttered.

"Who said?"Aine started.

"I know, I know, who said life was fair," she said, frustration entering her voice, "OK, OK, it worked, and I hope you're all happy. What did you do anyway, practice this?"

"Practice makes perfect," Cait's green eyes turned to fire as she looked at Brynn. Then Brynn laughed and looked at Caitlin whose eyes began to sparkle with yellow as she too started to laugh and was quickly joined in by the others.

The trip back was pretty much uneventful. When they reached the port city, they booked passage on a merchant's ship heading north toward Hibernia. After several new moons of travel the group was glad to be within a day's journey of home. They had traveled hard to get there and were all tired, dirty and smelly. Brynn couldn't wait to take a nice, long hot bath and change into some new clothes and as she sniffed the air she knew the others felt the same, "I probably smell just as bad as they do."

When they reached the outskirts of the tuath, the signal went out that they were home. Their families were waiting for them. The reception was more than what they expected. Everyone hugged and laughed and cried. They all said how much they had grown. "It had only been seven moons," Brynn thought, "but they were right, they had grown."

The next morning after everyone had bathed and eaten, in that order, Meara showed up at the O'Dalaigh homestead and stuck her head into the main house. "Meara," Caitlin yelled and hugged her, "I missed you."

"As I missed you," Meara said hugging her back and allowing Cait to lead her over to the eating area, "Did you find what you were searching for?"

"Yes, that's why I'm back," Cait said offering her a place at the table.

"I'm glad, Samhain's tomorrow, there's not much time."

Brynn was sitting at the table in the central area of the main house eating and half-listening, nothing out of the ordinary when Meara and Cait talked of Druid matters, but after hearing what Meara had just said, her ears perked up, her eyebrows raised and she glanced at them out of the corner of her eye, suddenly very interested in where this conversation was headed, but not wanting them to know she was.

"The Cromm sect has reached north of here. Nearby villages have been raided, for sacrifices. We've been spared so far, but it's just a matter of time. If we want to stop him, it will have to be now."

Brynn saw Caitlin turn as pale as snow and jumped up to grab an elbow as she felt her breath catch. She started to sway and with Meara on one arm and her on the other they helped her down. Seemingly oblivious to their attention, Cait started to tremble as her vision fixed downward on her palms. Brynn still holding Cait's elbow followed her line of sight and her eyes widened as she saw what was causing the lack of color and shallow breathing. Brynn stared in disbelief at Cait's palms for they were covered in blood.

Brynn glanced over at Meara for help and as their eyes met she knew Meara saw it too. Brynn somehow knew what they were seeing was the blood of those sacrifices, of those Druids and the future if she didn't do something.

Brynn sat next to Caitlin holding one elbow Meara sat on the other side holding the other. They heard Caitlin whisper and anguished plea, "No, the sacrifices."

Brynn moved in front of Caitlin covering her palms with her own expecting to feel stickiness but feeling nothing but flesh very softly and gently spoke to her, "Look at me Caitlin." When she didn't look up, Brynn moved her hand under Caitlin's chin lifting it until their eyes met then quickly returned it over her palm. Cait gripped her hands tightly but it was little compared to the grip she felt on her heart when she saw the fear that was etched in Cait's face. "We're in this together," she squeezed her hand, "We'll stop him. Meara will help us."

When she heard her name Meara squeezed her arm, "I have a plan."

Brynn looked at Caitlin then at Meara, felt the tightening around her heart loosen and let out the breath she'd been holding. She smiled reassuringly and squeezed Cait's hands and when it was returned, she squeezed one more time, released her grip and returned to the table next to Cait. Sitting close enough to occasionally brush her arm, she tried to continue her meal but after looking at it for several moments lost her appetite and pushed it away turning back to Meara and Caitlin when she heard Meara say, "Brynn knows?"

"As does Flynn, Aine and Corr."

"You're blessed with many friends, Caitlin."

"Or cursed, depending on how you look at it," Caitlin said with a slight grin and a glance towards Brynn.

"Yeah, how can you be so lucky?" Brynn asked returning the glance with a half-smile and looked at Meara.

"Where are the sacrifices to be held? What do we need to do?"

"The sacrifices are held on the plains at Rannach Crom Dubh tomorrow night."

"Then, I need to ride up there today to see what's going on."

"Great," Caitlin said, "I'll go with you."

"It might be better if you stayed here," Meara said.

"She's right, Caitlin. If you are the key to his return, we need to surprise him, not deliver you. I'll take Flynn and Corr with me. Aine and Meara can stay here. I promise I won't do anything but look, OK?" Brynn grinned at her.

Caitlin looked at her and knew when to give up, "OK, but,"

"But what?"

"But, be careful."

"I promise. I'll get Aine and the others. We'll be back around nightfall and meet you at Meara's."

While Brynn, Flynn and Corr rode north, Aine, Meara and Caitlin settled in at Meara's, who being the head druii of the village lived on a crannog, an artificial island that had been constructed in the middle of a small lake and was palisaded on all sides. They shared their stories of the road and Meara was impressed at the growth she'd seen in them.

Towards mid-day, Meara asked Aine if she would make some tea.

Then suddenly Caitlin felt a chill in the air and shivered. "Do you feel something?" she asked looking at Aine and Meara. Meara jumped up, grabbed her wand, stood on one leg and raised her arms above her while she chanted.

When Aine saw Meara jump up and begin to chant, she jumped up too. Something was wrong, everything was too quiet, too still. The sky had darkened covering the sun and the wind had started to pick up lashing rain, leaves and bushes against the wall of the house. Thunder cracked and lightening flashed across the sky momentarily brightening the room. Caitlin stood up and began to walk toward her.

Without warning, the fireplace roared spewing forth all its contents, ashes, soot, cinders, embers and logs across the room. One log hit Meara throwing her against the wall where she slid down and lay very still. Caitlin rushed towards her but was hit by another log and hurled into Aine who grabbed hold and held tight. Between the thunder and lightening and roaring of the fireplace Cait barely heard Aine's yell, but felt her grip tighten. Looking at her friend she saw her eyes widen and fix on the fireplace. Following her gaze, she saw tendrils of flame creep out of the fireplace and snake across the floor towards them, its fiery fingers searching, feeling for what Cait now knew to be her. She tightened her grip on Aine.

They turned to move towards the door, but the flames encircled them, backing them up against the wall. The fingers reached out licking at Cait's ankles. She kicked at them, mumbling words, hoping to come up with some kind of spell that would turn them away. Tiring of this game, the flames reared back and quickly struck, wrapped around Cait's ankles and pulled. Feeling her weight shift Aine held tighter to Cait as the fiery fingers pulled lifting Cait's legs behind her. Aine gritted her teeth and planted her feet as they both moved their fingers down till they grasped each other by the elbows and as Cait held on, Aine pulled, effectively suspending Caitlin between her and the fire.

Their hands clutched desperately for each other and it didn't take a dechetal do chennaib for Aine to feel the fear running rampart through her friend, in fact it was running rampart through her as well. For a moment her body was pulled in two directions. Then she felt a snap. "Cromm, noooo. Brrrryynnnnn," Caitlin's screams echoed off the walls as they both lost the struggle and she disappeared into the flames.

Miles to the north standing on a ridge and overlooking Rannach Crom Dubh, Brynn felt a chill in the air and shivered, "Do you feel something?" she asked looking at Flynn.

They watched as the sky suddenly filled with dark, menacing clouds. Pinpricks of rain, brushes, twigs and leaves hit them as the wind picked up and they dismounted. Thunder cracked and lightening flashed across the sky momentarily blinding them. Holding tight and trying to calm his horse Corr turned just in time to catch Brynn as she was hurled into him as if hit from behind. He quickly grabbed her reins out of her hand she frantically searched his arms for a handhold and without turning handed them both to Flynn. Grabbing her behind her elbows he tried to keep her upright. Feeling her weight shift, Corr and Brynn held tighter to each other as Brynn's legs were lifted up from behind, as if a great force had hold of her ankles and was pulling. Corr gritted his teeth and planted his feet as they both moved their fingers down till they grasped each other by the elbows and as Brynn held on, Corr pulled, effectively suspending Brynn between him and whatever had a hold of her.

Looking at Brynn, Corr saw a far-away look enter her eyes as she yelled, "Noooooo, Caaaittttliiiinnnn."

Then as suddenly as the clouds had covered the sky, they separated and opened up to the sun. As the light peeked through the darkness, Brynn felt a snap and the force gave way. Setting himself for the impact of Brynn's feet on the ground, Corr grunted and pulled trying to keep them both standing. Still holding each other's arms, they looked at each other and then looked at Flynn and said the same thing at the same time, "Cromm,"

They mounted and took off for the village. When they reached the house, Brynn didn't even wait for the horse to stop. She jumped off and pushed open the door followed closely by Flynn and Corr. Meara was sitting at the table while Aine was placing a bandage around her head.

Brynn looked wildly around the room and noticed the ashes and logs lying everywhere. "Caitlin?" her eyes pleaded.

Aine's pained expression told Brynn all she needed to know. Caitlin was gone. Brynn stood stock-still, not because she didn't know what to do, although that was part of it, but she couldn't move. She felt chilled and nothing else except the blood draining from her body. She didn't feel herself breathing or her heart beating and she was so sure that her blood was all over the floor that she feared looking down. Looking at Aine, she barely managed to whisper, "What happened?"

Aine's eyes shimmered with tears as she told her how the weather changed and how the fire tendrils grabbed Caitlin. "She yelled his name right before she disappeared, I tried Brynn, I really did, I'm sorry." Brynn squeezed Aine's arm in support and turned away with one word on her lips, "Cromm."

Meara watched as feelings of anger, frustration and fear washed over Brynn. Meara called her name but got no response.

The buzzing in Brynn's ears started softly like distant thunder, then swelled until all outside noises including Meara were muffled. Swiftly and without mercy, a torrent of raw, primal rage crashed through her, then receded, then surged and crashed again and again, each time stronger and stronger and with it like driftwood rode guilt, frustration and fear. Closing her eyes, she tried to fight against it, control it, but it continued to increase in its intensity almost driving her to her knees. Her hands were so tight and locked in place that Meara feared she would soon see blood dripping from between her fingers. She pulled her head back and upward, lips curled, breath quickly entering and exiting her body through bared teeth and clenched jaws. Sweat broke out on her body, matting her hair, dripping down her arms to hands that were so tightly locked in place Aine feared she would soon see blood joining the water that dripped from her fingers.

The dark waves continued to roll through her with growing intensity, increasing in rhythm. The black fury surged through her like a flash flood filling a dry creek after a storm. Weakened in the struggle, the black fingers reached in and met little resistance and in one last great effort, an inhuman hissing groan of defeat tore from her throat, as the blackness captured her will and numbed her body.

Her breathing slowed and she slowly lowered her head, eyes fluttered, blinked and opened surprising Meara with the cold, unfeeling eyes that leveled at her.

"Brynn," Meara said again more forcefully, then in a more gentle tone, "We'll find her."

Brynn turned to her, every muscle in her body tensed ready to lash out, her bared teeth exhaling a deep growl, lips puffing out with every exhale. "Like a captured animal," Meara thought, "fighting for release." Most anyone would have backed away, but Meara stood her ground, reached out and gripped her forearm, for along with her other abilities, her touch could soothe grief or anger. She knew this wasn't Brynn, but someone else's influence.

Brynn's blazing eyes looked at her hand then without hesitating she snarled and her lips formed a feral grin as she reached over and wrapped her hand around Meara's wrist. Meara felt Brynn tighten her grip and knew she was very close to having every bone in her hand broken, she concentrated using all her ability to force calm through her arm and hand.

Aine, Corr and Flynn's eyes moved from one to the other and would later swear that Meara and Brynn looked as if they were in the center of what could only be described as a blue whirlwind, the myriad of emotions forming a blue haze that crackled in the air.
Just as Brynn tightened her grip, she felt an uplifting rush of calm roll through her, chasing the dark. A tingling started to move up from the base of her spine and hit the hairs on the back of her neck forcing them on end. Her eyelid snapped up and her breath caught, jerking her head slightly. Protect and danger reverberated in her mind. Her grip loosened as the two waves, one dark and one calm crashed into each other, the calm the larger of the two, easily sweeping over the other.

Brynn released Meara abruptly and eyes and were wild and uncontrolled a few moments ago were now confused. Blood warmed her neck as feelings of shame and embarrassment threatened to choke her. She had to swallow hard to get the words out, "I'm sorry, I?I don't know what happened."

"I do," Meara smiled knowingly, patting her arm, "Cromm feeds on rage and fear, the more there is the stronger he becomes, the pain will poison your soul, let that happen and she doesn't have a chance."

Brynn stared at her after hearing the words from her dream, Meara's mouth was moving but she didn't hear anything until, "Brynn," Meara called forcefully, "are you listening, you need to free your mind of the remaining anger or you won't be any help to any of else. Take some deep breaths and center yourself."

Brynn's shoulders dropped in surrender and nodding slightly she walked over and sat down, straightened her back and closed her eyes, concentrating on the deep breathing Cait had taught her as a technique to clear her mind and focus. They watched as Brynn's face visibly relaxed and when she reopened her eyes although the darkness was gone, wariness and suspicion remained, her voice soft and even, "OK Meara, what is she the key to? You saw both our pictures so I'm involved too, what's going on?"
"I've thought long and hard about this and consulted the council. There was a great disagreement on whether to tell you or not, but, because you are anam cara, my argument finally convinced them."

"Tell me what?"

Meara looked at Aine, Corr and Flynn, "Please excuse us."

Brynn's arm shot out staying them, "No. They're our friends, they stay."

Meara nodded, "I guess they'll find out soon enough if they continue to travel your path," she paused and looked directly at Brynn, "Have any of you ever heard of the Arrey and the Gardey?"

Brynn glanced at the others who nodded their heads. She looked back at Meara, "The watcher and protector, a child's tale, something to tell them so they aren't scared of the dark. What about it?" Brynn's voice betrayed her unease, she didn't understand much less believe some of the Druid ways but from what she'd seen and experienced she couldn't discount them any longer.

"Oh, the Arrey and Gardey just aren't stories, they're real and becoming more real every day." Meara paused and scanned their faces then centered on Brynn whose heart had begun to beat against her chest and breathing quicken. When her stomach began to knot painfully she knew that somehow her answers lie in this children's tale, and they were answers she probably wouldn't like.

"Do you remember the story Brynn?"

"Not well," she said in an even, controlled tone, "I haven't heard it in a long time. I was never really afraid of the dark."

"Then I'll have to refresh your memory."

Brynn leaned forward a little and interlaced her hands fingers tightened around each other as her eyes sent the message to Meara, "I'm waiting." Everyone else was already sitting and looked first to Brynn then to Meara.

Meara cleared her throat. "Many years ago the head priestess of our tribe had a vision. She saw the earth tremble and great cracks appear. Out of the cracks arose great walls of fire and steam accompanied by a deafening roar as if a thousand voices together were announcing an arrival. The higher the flames rose, the higher the voices proclaimed as everything the fire touched resulted in death and destruction. Many of the strong tried to fight the fire but all fell. Then from a far-off land, two women, one light and one dark appeared to challenge the fire. Wherever they stood together against the fire it receded back into the earth. During the battle, the dark one was so intense on fighting the flames that she turned away from the light one not noticing they had become separated. The priestess then saw a child of beauty in the fire calling to the light one for help. She herself gasped as the light one reached into the fire to save her. The dark one saw her and battled the flames to reach her. When she did, she tried to pull the light one back but it was too late, for she refused to let go and became angry and pushed the dark one away. The priestess' face grimaced along with the light one as she saw the flames envelop her hand and felt the pain race up her arm. She then saw the light one's face turn to horror and followed her sight and she too saw that what was once a beautiful child had transformed into the face of death. The priestess screamed along with the light one as the fire roared and the light one tried to get loose, but was pulled further into the flames. The priestess saw red lightening flashing between the light one and the evil one. The light one tried to pull back but the evil one held tight and as they struggled the red lightening intensified and the light one seemed to grow weaker and fade to a faint glow. The dark one screamed for the light when she saw her pulled further into the flames. She reached out for her but suddenly she stumbled and fell to one knee, her hands in front of her first stopping then balancing her. The priestess looked at the dark one and saw her hands momentarily glow red, then fade leaving her hunched over, pale and weak as if all the blood suddenly drained from her body. She knew then that the evil was devouring the light, the lifeforce from the light one and taking the dark one's as well. "Dark one," the priestess tried to yell above the noise. The dark one jerked her head back as if she'd heard the priestess and saw that the light one was almost engulfed by the flames. The dark one yelled for her, violently shook her head, and with great effort pushed herself up and forward and reached for the light, grabbing hold. The light looked to the dark and begged her to let go, to save herself, but the dark one refused to listen, tightened her grip and yelled to the light to grab her hand and hold on and reaching the other hand in pulled back with all her might. The priestess sighed in relief as she saw the dark one finally pull the light one back, but she was pale and drained and too weak to stand so the dark one gently laid her down and stood over protecting her from the danger. She battled vainly against the flames, but wasn't strong enough without the light one to stand by her. The priestess gasped in horror as she saw the dark warrior drop to her knees and cover the light warrior with her body. The priestess could hold still no longer and saw herself race to them and helped the dark cover the light. The flames surrounded them, threatening to envelop all and amidst the noise of the flames and mournful sounds, the priestess heard the light one call to the dark. As the dark bent down to her, she heard the light one whisper, "No, hatred darkens life, love lightens it. Together." The priestess saw the light reach for the dark and the dark looked to the priestess. They both reached down and helped the light to stand. The dark turned to the priestess, smiled slightly and nodded 'thanks'. The priestess stepped back allowing the light to lean into the dark. The dark had her right arm behind the light, supporting her and the light had her left arm behind the dark, leaning into the support, seeming to gain strength from it. As the stood together, a bright, incandescent, golden light began to radiate from the light one and flow to the dark one. The priestess fell back and the light swirled around them, interlacing and interweaving strengthening the light and dark and forming an impenetrable golden shield around them. Holding their arms up, palms out, the shield enlarged pushing further around and in front of them and wherever the golden light touched, the flames died, the cracks filled and the earth healed."

Meara paused for a drink of water, then continued looking directly at Brynn. "This vision was the foretelling of a soul, an Arrey, a watcher, an observer of ancient custom, one who lives in the light and has within the potential to destroy much of the darkness of the world. Beside the watcher stands the Gardey, the protector, who serves as the guardian of the light. At the times when darkness threatens the land, the Arrey and Gardey will be called to the challenge, like now, with Cromm. "

Anyone looking at Brynn would have thought she looked drained and weary, but Meara knew better, she was desperately trying to control a racing heart, panicked breathing and knotting stomach. Blood ran like ice through her veins and she clenched her hands tight to stop trembling almost to the point that Meara thought she was going to break them. Realization of what this child's tale actually meant flooded through her and she was so overwhelmed by it that all she could do was lean back in the chair and blink a couple of times. Her mouth parted slightly as if she wanted to say something then thought better of it and closed her mouth swallowing hard.

Meara smiled to herself and waited.

All eyes were on Brynn who was oblivious to the attention, her eyes moved right and left as if she were trying to remember how to speak, then her voice broke the silence, her words slow and deliberate, "Caitlin's that soul, she's the watcher."

Meara nodded, "She doesn't know, the knowledge is within her but it's only revealed through impression and intuition. Sometimes it's very clear, sometimes it's not and sometimes she'll have to go through great lengths to find out, like now."

Brynn sat still for a moment then her face tensed again, she leaned forward and cold again filled her eyes as she spoke, "You knew Caitlin had this light?"

"Caitlin's birth was very difficult. Her mother was very sick and wavered in and out of consciousness. During this, she had a vision. Brigid appeared to her and told her of the prophecy and that this baby was the chosen one. She told her she should name the child Caitlin meaning 'pure one'. When the child started to come, we had momentarily left the room not expecting her to move. Cait's mother had gotten out of bed to get help and like the great goddess Brigid herself, Cait was born at sunrise on winter solstice while her mother was walking over the threshold of the door. Cait's father grabbed her mother and I grabbed Cait as she came out. Children born 'inbetween' not in or out are said to be magical and blessed by the gods and Cait being left-handed adds further support."

Brynn was breathing quicker now and in a pleading voice, "Why didn't you tell us? We could have been prepared. We could have protected her."

"No one can be prepared for the future and what it brings. You just have to take it as it comes. If and when the time was right, it would be revealed. There will always be those, like Cromm, who know of her destiny and will try to stop her, by any means possible. This is why there must be a Gardey," Meara said as she looked directly at Brynn.

Brynn looked back, repeating Meara's words in her mind, "Protector, light, together."
And for the second time that afternoon, her mouth parted slightly and she leaned back in the chair, her only actions a couple of blinks and a hard swallow, "I'm the Protector," she said slow and deliberately, a statement rather than question.

"Yes, when your family died and Caitlin's family took you in, Morrigan appeared to me and told me that your name meant protector and that the other half of the prophecy had been fulfilled. I already knew what Caitlin's mother had been told and witnessed the circumstances of her birth and when Morrigan came to me, the ancient vision was complete."

Brynn was exhausted, physically and emotionally, and becoming resentful of the interference in their lives. She pushed up off the chair her voice betraying her emotions, "You talk of this as being our destiny, as being foretold. Sounds like we have no choice."

"No," Meara said adamantly grabbing her arm and locking onto her eyes, "you always have choice, that's what determines our future. Everything we do, every decision we make changes it in some way. Look," she reached for Brynn's wrist and turned her hand, palm up, "Here you are in the middle," as she pointed to her palm, "and these fingers are the choices that we can make. If we make this choice," she pointed to the thumb and traced along it, "we travel down this path. If we make this one," she pointed to the forefinger and traced it, "we travel down another. Each choice we make leads us down a different path," she said as she pointed and traced the rest of her fingers. "Every time we make a decision, we change our future. There's no chance here Brynn, you don't wait for something to happen, you achieve it, just as you did with Caitlin. As your friendship grew and strengthened your souls connected, no one but you could have chosen that path."

Brynn sat down deep in thought, focused on her bracelet.

"Tell me about the dreams Brynn?" Meara asked in a soft voice sitting next to her.

Brynn raised her eyes to look at Meara, no longer surprised anymore by anything connected with Cait, the druids and this prophecy.

She returned her gaze to the bracelet and for a long time fingered it with her left hand. Finally breaking the silence she sighed, then nodded and spoke in such a soft tone everyone strained to hear, "They started about five moons ago when we were in Italia. There were four separate ones, they all happened in the same order in the same night. In the first one I was walking on a beach, then the sand turned into quicksand and began to swallow me up. When I thought I'd saved myself with a piece for driftwood I found myself hanging off a cliff and a golden light came and rescued me. The second one involved a cave and Caitlin being pulled into a fire pit by an evil demon. I was able to reach them but the demon pulled us both over into the fire. The third had Cromm Cruaich and one he called Air something, he talked about 'bringing her forth' and that 'she was the key'. He kept a wall of fire between us so I couldn't reach her," she closed her eyes in pain and tears began to well.

"That must have been the worse one," Meara thought.

Brynn took a deep breath, released it and continued, "In the last one I was rolling down a hill and hit water. I was drowning and Caitlin came for me but I couldn't reach her. In the last three I," she paused, "I was separated from her and every time I tried I was always a fingertip away and couldn't get to her. I remember being angry, no more than that, raging, and guilty and afraid."

"At Cromm?"

"Yeah, and at myself for not being able to reach her, for not being able to save her," Brynn's voice began to break and she spoke so softly only Meara heard her, dropping her eyes she looked away in pain, "I was the protector and I failed her."

"You could never fail her Brynn," Meara exclaimed.

Brynn looked at her earnestly as she continued, "besides those were dreams, they weren't real, but could be foresight of what is to come. Knowledge is power and it will help us be better prepared." Meara squeezed her arm and Brynn smiled weakly as Meara asked, "Do you remember anything else about those dreams?"

"Words and phrases, hatred darkens life, love lightens it, something about staying true to my intuition, that this was a beginning, something about the seed, the words patience, courage and faith, that I would find my true self and it would lead me home, that the strength was within me and will lighten the world, and what you said earlier, that pain will poison my soul and that I could never fail her."

"Important words to remember. Don't ever doubt yourself or your ability to be the 'protector'. You must keep mind, heart and soul in agreement of purpose and one with Caitlin or the pathway that is your connection will be severed. The only thing keeping him in the Otherworld is her light and once that's extinguished he'll be able to enter."

Brynn's heart began to race. "Then we have no time to waste. Her life is in danger, we have to hurry?" She jumped out of the chair but Meara stopped her.

"Sit Brynn, sit, he'll not harm her or you for if he destroys the light he's doomed himself to the Otherworld forever. You and Caitlin are anam cara and share the same light, if something happens to one it reflects through the other like a mirror only becomes brighter and stronger," Meara sat back down.

"He can only take it if she offers it?" she paused and looked thoughtfully at Brynn, "The question is, Caitlin won't offer the light of her own free will so what is his plan?"

Meara's voice faded and Brynn squinted as the last light of the setting sun flashed across her face. She felt a tugging in the small of her back, stretched and rubbed her back as she walked toward the window thinking to herself, "What plan indeed?" Leaning against the ledge she watched the setting sun descend below the tree line, the light reflecting off the water and lighting what looked like a pathway toward the sun. The sky surrounding the sun was a fiery orange that filtered through the scattered clouds turning them into brilliant shades and intensities of blues, pinks reds and purples. The bare limbs of the trees seemed to be skeleton fingers reaching for the light and pulling it down into the Earth as the rapidly encroaching dark laid siege to and claimed what once belonged to the light. She smiled and thought that if Cait were here she'd point the sunset out to Brynn and retell her story about sunrises and sunsets. A few moments passed and by now the sun's glow had disappeared below the trees and horizon and dusk had settled over the land. A muscle spasm in her back forced her to shift her weight to the other foot while she massaged the annoying spot. Lost in thought all outside noises were muffled as she concentrated on the sunset, "Sunsets, sunsets, something about sunsets. What was that story?" As her mind drifted she found herself on that overhang in Italia, with Cait watching the sunset.

The sun was just setting and they were both watching the sky. "What do you see?" Cait asked.
"I think it's going to rain, when we get back I'd better check to make sure the horses are tied tight."
"That's it," Cait said surprised, "that's all you see."
"Well," Brynn looked again, "the sun's setting."
"And?."
"And if Corr and Flynn don't catch some rabbits before it's down we'll have to settle for vegetable strew again."
"And that's it."
Brynn just looked at her not sure of what she wanted her to say.
"Look at the sunset Brynn. Look at the brilliant colors and how they fill the sky. Do you see them?
"Well, now that you mention it, they are pretty."
"Pretty, Brynn they're beautiful but," and her voice tinged with sadness, "sunset is the time of day when the dusk captures the sun and slowly extinguishes it until there's nothing left but darkness, as if in the sun's struggle to stay it gives one last great effort to light the sky. Some say this is the time of day when the dark steals the soul of the earth."
"But it always comes back in the morning," Brynn said trying to make her feel better.
Cait smiled and nodded, "Yes, at dawn the sun burns so bright that the dark can no longer hold it, that's the rhythm of life but it's the people I worry about, "
"People," Brynn said exasperated, " how did people get into this, I thought we were talking about sunsets."
"We are, sunsets are like people. It reminds me of a story I heard."
Brynn let out a small groan, everything reminded Cait of a story. Truthfully she really liked it when Cait told her stories and although she remembered all of them she had to pretend she didn't. She couldn't let Cait know that, it'd take the fun out of it for her, so she groaned.
Cait smiled at her and swatted her arm, "Come on Brynn, this is a pretty good one, it's about a warrior, you'll like it. But first you have to know about the Druid beliefs."
Brynn sighed.
Cait turned to her, " I heard that, OK then, what do you know of the Druid journey of life?"
Brynn's pressed her lips together, her eyes rolled up, then left, then right, then down. She turned to Cait with a sheepish grin.
Cait smiled smugly, "Thought so. You really should listen Brynn, this might be important someday. Now, where was I, oh yes, the Druids believe that life is a journey from light to dark much like the path the sun travels and that its up to humans to learn to balance their lives between the two. Although people yearn for the light they realize that the dark has its purpose too, to keep reminding us how much we miss and long for the light. Well, once there was a man who lived in the light. He fell in love with a beautiful maiden and they married. Not long afterward the maiden was killed. The pain poisoned his soul and because of the anger and hurt and grief this man sought out his wife's murderer and killed him. Still this did not quench his feelings so he became a hired soldier just so he could keep killing because that's the only thing that made the pain go away, but it was only temporary. He felt that the sun had turned its back on him, so he turned his back on the sun and embraced the darkness, hiding there until the light of his soul was extinguished leaving nothing but the darkness," she pointed to the horizon, "just like the sunset."
"Is that the end? Usually your stories have better endings."
"Did I say it was over? A friend found the man and knew that once the soul has been awakened by the light it can never really go back to the dark, that his friend had been hiding from the light for so long he forgot what it was like to live in it. So, with a great determination and a willingness to search, his friend looked just right and went to great depths and through support and encouragement and challenge he helped his friend face the sun because then he could not see the darkness and Brynn," she turned to her, eyes wet and reflecting the red glow of twilight, "when that happened, his friend's soul awoke and like the dawn breaking within him, it became a rebirth, a new beginning and his light burned so bright and strong that the dark could no longer hold it."