Swanheart

Chapter Nineteen

The Master Plan

"Tanith!"

She felt the insistent tugging at her robes.

"Tanith, please!"

She felt a small hand shaking her shoulders and eventually fingers wrapping around her hand, squeezing urgently.

"Tanith, in the name of Axana, wake up!"

She could hear the desperate voice of a boy calling out to her. She knew him. Why was her mind so clouded? She tried to speak his name, but no sound was released from her throat.

"Tanith, he is coming!"

Somebody was coming, yes. Her ears picked up the sounds of footsteps, caused by heavy boots on stony ground.

Locks clicked and rattled as a key turned.

"Oh, Tanith, please wake up!"

The despair in Tyrel's voice tugged at her heart. She wanted so much to comfort him, to reassure him that everything would be well, but her body felt so heavy. Something was wrong. She couldn't move. Something was paralyzing her limbs. She couldn't see. Darkness had wrapped around her completely. Her heart began to race. The shackles had drained her magic almost completely. She had been rendered defenseless. Whatever dark spell had been cast to subdue her, she was powerless in its wake. She remembered that she had been under that spell before; when she had been carried from the battle field her beautiful Pavan had been turned into by the evil of the masked sorcerer.

The door opened, hinges creaking.

"No!" Tyrel cried out, stepping protectively in front of the High Sorceress, whose prone body lay unmoving on a pile of straw. "Leave her alone!" His legs apart, he lifted his arms, hands clenched to fists. "You took everything away from me! I will fight you!"

Frightening laughter rang out, echoing through the cell.

"You have been here for so long and still your will remains unbroken, defiant boy. It is astonishing. You would make a fine warrior for my ranks." The dark wizard walked closer, his eyes glowing eerily silver from behind the demonic helmet. "You have no fear, I like that. Why don't you join us and help me deliver peace to Yuron?"

"Never!" the Prince of Ashkyhra spat bravely.

The masked sorcerer exhaled sharply. "What a pity. Somehow though I knew you were going to say that. Your parents taught you well. Xandir would be proud."

Tyrel felt his belly grow hot with fury as the name of his father fell.

The dark wizard took another step forward and was looking directly into the boy's eyes. "Too bad Shadow Warriors don't feel a thing, or else he would express his pride." He chuckled as he saw the expression, which turned from disbelief to shock, on Tyrel's face.

"You didn't... he would never..."

"Yes, it is true. It is surprising what souls will do with enough pursuance."

With an angry yell, Tyrel flung himself at the man, who was responsible for his father's death and also the suffering of Yuron's inhabitants.

Calmly, the masked sorcerer raised a palm, his fingers splayed. The energy blast that erupted from his hand hit the Prince of Ashkyhra full force in the chest. He slumped over, knocked out cold, his small body coming to rest in a twisted position.

Tanith was struggling, trying in vain to free her mind from the darkness. She had heard Tyrel fall and as his cries had stopped so suddenly, she thought the worst. Her eyes burnt with unshed tears under lids she couldn't force to open. 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I let you down, Tyrel. At least now in the Different World there will be no more pain for you. Farewell, my young friend.'

"Touchy. I never knew about your sentimental side."

The sarcastic remark cut through the sadness. 'Just kill me already like you did so many others and get it finally over with!'

A gloved hand reached out, caressing her cheek tenderly. "No, my fierce one. You should have been appointed to guard the gem of fire. It would have fit you so much better and you would have been a much better choice than Ranya. It was so easy to take the fire gem from her. She wasn't even there to protect it."

Tanith's heart began to pound at his remark. So, he had managed to get his hands on another piece of Asram's Stone of Creation.

"Yes, one by one the jewels come into my possession. I truly am the Deliverer of Peace und the Chosen of the Spirits."

'You are nothing but a madman!'

He chuckled low. "Your pitiful insults have no effect on me whatsoever. Anyway, if it will ease your pain, the boy is alive, just sleeping. He still has an important role in my Master Plan. As for you, you will not see the Different World for a very long time yet to come."

'What do you want from me?' Fear seized her, as she felt strong arms slide under her to lift her paralyzed body.

Holding the High Sorceress of Pavan in an embrace, the dark wizard carried her from the cell. "Your destiny will be fulfilled when the new moon rises and the stars have aligned with the constellation of Ishkelor."

The words sank in and the revelation shocked her to the core. Ishkelor, the dark stars, was known as a constellation that had a very important role in the rituals of dark magic.

'Noooooo,' Tanith sobbed in her mind, because she couldn't give voice to the blood-curling scream that desperately wanted to escape her chest. 'I will not allow you to turn me into a Shadow Warrior!'

He laughed. Yes, she was the perfect choice as he had known from the beginning. "Souls will be reunited and your destiny will be fulfilled soon."

*****

Slowly Alannah's conscience shook off the embrace of sleep. She kept her eyes close, letting her other senses take over. Listening, there was no sound. The mattress under her back was soft and the blanket, which was wrapped around her, held her warm. She felt rested. A tiny smile appeared on her face while she basked in the peace and quiet of the moment. They were safe for right now and in this instant it was all that mattered to her.

The Women of Kharas had come to their rescue, freeing them from the clutches of a greedy slave trader and his bunch of thugs. The warriors had taken them to the swamps, where their tribe had built a village. In the welcome seclusion her magical powers could be restored and they could recover from the ordeal of the past days. Still, there were so many questions she had and she was determined to get an answer to all of them.

Releasing a sigh of contentment, Alannah turned on her side, reaching out with her right arm. Her eyelids fluttered open as her hand fell on the mattress, the spot beside her cold and the second blanket a rumpled mess at the foot of the bed. Sitting up, she looked around the room, hoping for a trace of her best friend. "Leigh?" she called out softly.

There was no answer.

"Terrulli?"

There was no sign of the Animorph either. The bedroll where Terrulli had curled up the night before was vacant in the corner.

"Cerulia?"

Not even the white wolf was present.

The princess frowned. "Where are you all?" Alannah muttered to herself and rose from the bed. After washing and getting dressed in simple, light-green pants and shirt that had been laid out for her, she slipped on the soft brown boots. Her other clothes had been taken away for cleaning and mending, just like those of Leigh and Terrulli.

The princess opened the door and left the hut. It actually was one of many tree houses that the Women of Kharas had built on the branches of enormous mangrove trees. Bridges, made of wood and ropes, connected the trees and houses. This particular one belonged to Enori and she had insisted that Leigh, Alannah and Terrulli should have it during their stay at the village.

Alannah inhaled deeply the fresh morning air, while her eyes scanned the surroundings, looking for familiar faces and people. She did not have to search long.

Leigh was standing a few feet away from her, her hands gripping the rope balustrade of a bridge. Cerulia was sitting beside her. The knight's eyes were fixed on a platform, where several warrior women had gathered.

Their faces were turned to the sky as they sung their morning prayers, their beautiful, pure voices carrying far, asking for protection and blessing from the Spirit of wood, Denora.

Cerulia's ears twitched and her head whipped around. She quickly raced over to Alannah to greet her.

Obviously enthralled by the song, Leigh didn't notice the princess' appearance until Alannah stood right behind her and wrapped her arms around the knight's waist.

Placing her chin on Leigh's shoulders, she gave her a gentle squeeze. "Good morning, my brave, little knight."

"Good morning to you, my precious princess," Leigh responded and turned to face her best friend.

Alannah was glad to see that the bruises on Leigh's face had considerately faded, thanks to Neva's healing abilities.

Cupping her cheeks tenderly, the knight scrutinized Alannah in turn. "How are you feeling?" she wanted to know. Though the dark circles under the princess' eyes had faded somewhat, Leigh was still worried about the after effects that the shackles, which Ramon had used to drain Alannah's magic, might have caused. The day before, the princess had been so exhausted and weak that Leigh had to practically carry her to bed after Alannah had relaxed in a bath and almost passed out in the hot water.

Alannah smiled. "Better. I have more energy."

Leigh returned the smile, feeling relieved. "Good."

"I think I slept like a rock. I didn't wake when you left."

"Oh, we were very quiet like little mice and tiptoed out of the house, didn't we Cerulia?"

The wolf gave a little growl in agreement and pressed herself against Alannah's legs to be patted again.

Lovingly the princess rubbed Cerulia's head. "Where is Terrulli?"

"Over there," Leigh answered, pointing at the platform.

Alannah found the Animorph sitting cross-legged on the platform, watching the Women of Kharas with rapt fascination.

They had finished their prayers and had taken up combat stance. Soon after, their weapons and bodies moved so quickly that the human eye had trouble following the motions. They jumped and kicked, somersaulted and whirled, brandishing swords and staffs until all was just a big blur. Their battle cries echoed through the air.

Leigh was simply amazed.

"Would you like to join the sparring?" a merry voice asked.

Turning around they saw the tall, raven-haired warrior named Enori coming towards them. She stopped in front of Alannah and smiled. "You can, you know?"

"Oh no, thank you very much," Alannah declined. "I don't think I would survive one single minute."

"What about you, little one?" Enori inquired, her voice bearing a challenging undertone.

Leigh shook her head.

"Why not? Come on, I promise, I will be easy on you, little one," Enori said, fixing her piercing blue eyes on the knight.

The hard stare made Leigh nervous and it took all her willpower not to squirm uncomfortably on the spot. Whenever this particular Woman of Kharas looked at her, she felt as if the warrior was gazing right into her soul. What she was searching there for, Leigh had no idea. The use of the nickname 'little one' embarrassed her further. "Maybe another time," she replied. Feeling heat creep into her cheeks and the tips of her ears beginning to glow, she averted her eyes. "I'm not little," she grumbled under her breath.

"I will take your word for it," Enori responded with a quirky grin and a wink, leaving her off the hook, though Leigh couldn't tell if the tall warrior had heard her last quiet comment and had replied to that instead. "Actually, Queen Neva sends me, inviting the three of you to join her for breakfast. I know you have many questions and there are a lot of things that we need to talk about."

"Hey! Terrulli!" Leigh shouted at the top of her lungs. Once she had the girl's attention, she waved at her, indicating for her to come over.

The Animorph jumped up, quickly crossed one of the rope bridges and joined them.

"I still can't believe that you are here," Alannah said, walking next to Enori, who led the way. Leigh, Terrulli and Cerulia followed. "What does your Mother think of this? She always wanted you to follow in her footsteps one day. You were supposed to be the next Queen and High Sorceress of Slidur. Now, here you are... a warrior... with a tribe of women that is legendary and has a frightening reputation. The tales that are told..."

"You have no idea, do you?" Enori interrupted her, smirking.

Drawing her eyebrows together, Alannah stopped walking and looked at the tall woman, who had been her closest confident and friend at the Wizardry Academy. "What do you mean?"

"Alannah, my Mother knows all about this," Enori said, spreading her arms. "In fact, the Women of Kharas wouldn't be if it weren't for my Mother."

The Princess of Chitaan blinked in confusion, but slowly understanding dawned. "You mean..."

"Yes," the warrior confirmed. "Queen Samira founded the Women of Kharas. We are the elite force of Slidur. She also chose the swamps as our headquarters."

"So, is this where we are? We are close to Slidur?"

"Yes. Nobody in their right mind would enter the swamps willingly. The risks to get lost and die here are just too great. This spot is wonderful for training our warriors and to perfect our usage of magic."

Terrulli whistled through her teeth. "I'm intrigued. I want to know more about your tribe."

Turning to face the Animorph, Enori raised an eyebrow, looking at her with a serious expression. "If we reveal our secrets it means we will have to kill you."

Terrulli paled.

Alannah swatted the warrior's stomach. "Stop scaring her."

"Hey, I didn't come up with the rules. That was my Mother."

Alannah rolled her eyes. "Come on, Enori, you can't be serious."

Chuckling, the warrior admitted that she had just been playing. "Though, I would love for Leigh to join our tribe."

The knight frowned, wondering once more what Enori was up to and about the true meaning behind her words.

Alannah cocked her head, giving Enori the sweetest smile. "Sorry, but she is already taken."

A warm feeling traveled through the knight's chest and settled in her heart as she heard that.

Enori released a heavy sigh. "Ah, too bad. She would have made a great addition, even without magical blood."

They started walking again and soon reached Neva's tree house.

*****

Cautiously, Burak looked around the corner, only to draw his head back quickly and flinging himself against the wall, not daring to breathe for every small noise could betray them.

In the sparsely illuminated corridor his eyes found that of Rovannah and Indira. There were no words needed. His glance was enough to indicate to the women to retreat further into the shadows.

Footsteps could be heard, slowly coming closer, then fading.

The Queen of Ashkyhra slid soundlessly to his side. "How much time do we have until they will be back?" she whispered.

"Not much," he replied.

"That is not helping," Indira remarked, slightly miffed. "You are the General. You should know how often they are passing through here on their watch rounds."

Burak turned to the woman. "Lately, the dark wizard has not confided in me and he most certainly didn't reveal his master plan to me," he hissed harshly.

"You are of no use to us then," Indira retorted strongly, crossing her arms.

She still didn't trust him that much was obvious. He couldn't blame her though. Were their positions reversed, he would probably do the same. Burak was questioning his every step as it was, wondering if he was now acting on his own free will, or if all of this was just another scheme from the masked sorcerer. Shaking off the bad thoughts, he said, "Listen. All I know is that the masked sorcerer and most of his army have left. I don't know how many guards stayed behind and I have no idea how often they go on rounds. Let's just move as fast as we can, alright?"

"That would be best," Rovannah intercepted, effectively forestalling another sharp comment from Indira, who glowered at the soldier.

He nodded. "Follow me, but be quiet," Burak ordered, stepping around the corner.

Rovannah felt shivers race across her back as she saw the door, which was the entrance to the cell that kept her son and Tanith prisoner. 'Your suffering will end now,' she thought.

Burak unlocked the door with the stolen key. No matter how careful he was, it still caused noises that echoed loudly through the corridor. Somebody was bound to hear it. "Hurry," he exclaimed, shoving the Queen and her servant into the cell. "We have to get out of here!"

Rovannah's heart stopped as she saw the fallen body of her son. "Tyrel, oh Tyrel, what did he do to you?" she whispered, gathering him into her arms. Stroking his face, she regarded him closely, trying to detect any signs of life. Inwardly, she prayed to Axana. Her fingers found a strong pulse and she closed her eyes briefly in relief. "All will be well."

"Where is Tanith?" Indira asked, looking accusingly at Burak. "Why is she not here?"

The General stood dumbfounded, not having an answer. "I... I don't know," he stammered. He was just as surprised that the High Sorceress was gone. "She should be here."

"We have to search for her," Indira insisted, looking to her Queen for help. "We cannot leave her behind in the clutches of this monster."

Burak was staring at the wall, trying to figure out where Tanith could have been brought. It made no sense to him. Returning his thoughts to the present, his trained hearing picked up noises that sounded uncomfortably like advancing soldiers. "This is our only chance. We need to get out now," he said.

Rovannah held her unconscious son to her chest. "Indira is right. We can't leave Tanith behind. We have to..."

"We are running out of time," Burak declared firmly. "All will be lost if we are discovered. We will join the resistance and come back for Tanith later. Now work the transportation spell that will get us out of here!"

"I can't," Rovannah croaked through a dry throat.

The General looked at her, disbelieving. "What do you mean, you can't? You are a magic-wielder!" He was beginning to panic. Only a few more minutes and the guards would arrive. If they found them in the dungeons, he knew that their lives would be forfeit.

"I can't cast the spell in these confined quarters. It doesn't work through walls. We need to be outside," the Queen explained.

"Then let's make a run for it," Burak growled.

Before the women knew what was going on, he had taken Tyrel from his mother's arms and placed him over his shoulder. Breaking into a run, he dashed out of the cell with Rovannah and Indira hot on his heels. Now they too could hear the soldiers that began swarming the corridors.

"Axana, be with us," Indira muttered under her breath.

*****

As they entered Neva's home, Leigh and Alannah were surprised about the simple interior of the Queen's hut.

Catching their glances, Neva smiled. "It is not what you expected, is it? Sorry, but there was no tree strong enough to carry the marble palace I originally had in mind," she joked.

"I like it," Alannah replied, grinning. "It reminds me so much of Loreen's cabin."

With an inviting gesture, Neva led them to a low table that was surrounded by large green cushions. "Please, have a seat my friends and make yourself at home. Breakfast will be served and we will talk."

Alannah noticed that Enori had stopped next to the door. "Are you not going to join us?"

The dark-haired woman shook her head. "I already ate."

After they had taken a seat, several warriors brought in trays, which were loaded with food. A big variety of bread, cheese, fruits and vegetables were put on the table, as well as cold, roasted meat. With a bow in direction of their Queen, the women left.

"Dig in, there is more than enough for everybody," Neva said, reaching for a slice of bread. She put some meat and cheese on it, wrapped the bread around it and engaged in a lively conversation with Terrulli. The girl had so many questions about the life of the Women of Kharas and she didn't hold back any. Neva was more than happy to explain all about the warrior tribe.

"You truly are a source of wonders, Neva Hawkseye, Queen of the Women of Kharas," Terrulli said.

Neva inclined her head, smiling. "Thank you, Princess of Ashkyhra."

"I can't wait to see when you practice your magical skills. This is all so fascinating," the Animorph gushed, dipping some bread into a bowl with creamy cottage cheese.

"Yes, very fascinating. How did you end up in the troop of Ramon's thugs?" Leigh interrupted, steering the conversation into another direction. "I don't want to seem ungrateful, because I'll be forever in your debt for saving us, but why did you conceal yourself at first? Why did you alter your appearance?" the knight asked, looking expectantly at the Queen.

"I didn't do it to deceive you, you have to believe me. It was necessary because I was on a mission."

Leigh drew her brows together. "What mission?"

"Several young girls had disappeared from their villages," Enori chimed in. "At first it only happened in Slidur, but soon word reached my mother that similar incidents occurred in other parts of Yuron as well. Always beautiful girls were kidnapped, those just on the brink of womanhood."

"Virgins," Alannah whispered. "That bastards."

"They were abducted during the night, they vanished during the day, sometimes even without a trace," Neva continued. "We were sent to investigate the matter and eventually the tracks guided us to Ramon and his men. He and his group were robbers and slave traders of the worst kind. Everything they got their hands on was turned to money, one way or another. At first I just followed behind them but soon found that I needed to be closer to get a real insight. I changed my appearance so they wouldn't sell me as a love slave, because nobody would want or pay for a woman with a destroyed face. I needed to gain their trust so that I could stay with them to gather information. My healing abilities appealed to them greatly, so Ramon kept me around in order to sew his men back together in case they got hurt. I traveled with them, keeping my eyes and ears open. Via Dreampath-walking I communicated with my warriors..."

"But why this game of hide and seek?" Leigh wanted to know. "Why did you not just summon your warriors as soon as you knew who they were and then stop them? I don't understand..."

"I needed more information. You heard his last words, didn't you?" Neva asked.

"What, you mean his crazy ramblings about the Dark Age coming and that his master will avenge him?" the knight asked, slightly confused, wondering where this conversation was headed.

"Then you know whom he followed."

"You think he was a follower of Cerrn?" Leigh shook her head. "But it can't be," she insisted. "Cerrn is a myth, a shadow of a dark past, long forgotten. "

"Long forgotten indeed, but that doesn't mean he is gone. A myth? Hardly. The Pearl of Zimahil was supposed to be a myth. Still, you hold it in your possession," the Queen pointed out. "The masked sorcerer is supposed to be a myth. Still, he is causing chaos in all of Yuron. The Deliverer of Peace was supposed to be a myth," Neva paused to grace Leigh with a smile. "Still, here you sit, right in front of me."

The knight averted her eyes. "Cerrn was banished by Asram and his children a long time ago," Leigh continued to argue.

Neva nodded, her face serious. "Yes, that is true. There have been signs over the years that he is regaining power. And now the masked sorcerer is paving his way to return and Ramon was a spy for him."

"What?" Alannah exclaimed, shocked.

Terrulli's mouth fell open.

"That is why I had to be so careful when near you," Neva explained. "If he had found out who you really were, all would have been lost."

"Do you think he knew who we were?" Alannah asked.

"I doubt it or he wouldn't have attempted to sell you as slaves. I didn't know at first who you were. I had no clue that it was you until I saw the ring and how Ramon was so fascinated by it. From Queen Samira I heard that armies are rising all over the country and that they are gathering in Chitaan, answering to King Zaylan. I couldn't let Ramon know that you were from Chitaan and it was our good fortune that he didn't look at you closely when they kidnapped you."

"That's why you changed my pendant and why you visited my dreamscape to talk," the knight responded.

Neva's eyes locked on Leigh's. "I wish I could have told you more then. A lot has happened since your stay with the Elves of Ilumera. They found that even one of the High Councilors at Shircon was in cohorts with the dark forces. More pieces of Asram's Stone of Creation have fallen into the hands of the masked sorcerer."

Silence ruled after the latest revelation. Their minds were in a whirl, trying to comprehend what had been said.

Leigh felt like the walls were closing in on her. She rose on shaky legs.

Concerned Alannah looked at her. "Leigh?"

The knight stumbled away from the table. "We have to return to Chitaan immediately."

Neva rose as well, declaring in a firm voice, "The Women of Kharas will join you in battle."

*****

Silent and unmoving, he sat in the darkness of his tent, his blood-red cape around him to ward off the chilly air that tried to creep into his bones. The eyes behind the demonic mask were closed, though he wasn't asleep. His mind was wide awake while he waited. His other senses traveled out of the tent and to the camp. He heard the mumbled conversations of his soldiers and the crackling of several campfires. The smell of burnt wood mixed with scents of cooking meat and boiling stews was carried to his nose. He took in the scraping noises of whetstones on blades and spears, his lips curling in a sneer. In a couple of days, his army would reach Chitaan, answering the provoking step that King Zaylan had taken.

"Chitaan," the masked sorcerer mumbled. "Everything will come together at Chitaan." His glowing, silver eyes flew open. "I had to wait a long time for this day and now it finally has arrived. My army is ready and my Shadow Warriors are anticipating the coming battle. The stars have almost aligned with the constellation of Ishkelor. Cerrn is with me. So, Zaylan, you think you can defeat me?" He chuckled. "You don't have the slightest idea of what is coming your way."

Rising, he reached out his hand and his staff floated from its place in a corner. The red jewel on top glowed brighter as he caressed it gently with his other hand. "Zaylan, Zaylan, you are gathering your friends around you. You are raising armies. You called the Elves for help. You think you'll be invincible with the help of the last four gemstones? You think you have everything under control and dare to challenge me?" A little flame shot out of the gem, dancing over his hand and along his arm. It didn't burn him. He let it race along his shoulders, across the other arm, before it vanished in his palm. Carefully, he placed the staff on his bedroll. "I control fire. I control stone. I control earth and the Sacred Golems of Pavan. My magical power is stronger than you could ever imagine. Yuron will be mine and you don't stand a chance, no matter what you intent to send against me. Not even the Spirits themselves could stop me from taking what is mine..." his monologue trailed off as he became aware of a strange tingling sensation in his head. "Yes, yes talk to me..." he breathed, excited.

No words were forthcoming. Instead the tingling turned to piercing pain. Tearing off the helmet, he clutched his head with both hands, groaning.

"Fool! What were you thinking?" the voice hissed angrily. "Didn't I tell you to get rid of him? Now your General has helped them escape!"

"Plan," was the only word he was able to croak, for the pain increased and he fell writhing in agony to the ground, blood trickling from his ears and nose.

"What?"

As sudden as the pain had started it faded to a dull throbbing in his temples. With great effort he got on his knees, gasping, "It's the final puzzle piece in my grand scheme."

"Explain yourself!"

He knew he didn't have much time to sort his thoughts. From earlier encounters he knew that the presence was anything but patient. "I know that they have escaped. I set it up so that they could. I have tried everything to get the location of Ashkyhra's gemstone out of the boy. Burak gained their trust..."

"...so they will lead him right to the stone?" the voice finished for him, sounding skeptical.

"Yes. I made sure that they heard about the resistance gathering in Chitaan. They will be there when we arrive, as well as the other stones," the dark wizard responded, wiping the blood from under his nose. "Our master plan can be carried out, now that everything is in place and the final figures have taken action."

"Still, you are relying far too much on Burak. You think you have him under control."

"I enhanced the spell. Burak is doing what I want him to do."

"Mark my words, he will betray you eventually."

"If he does, I will kill him," he vowed.

"Where is the sorceress?"

"In the caves of Noctar, as you wished. She is being prepared."

"Good," the voice purred satisfied.

The dark wizard released a relieved breath as the presence vanished from his mind. Shakily, he crawled to the helmet. Closing his eyes, he pressed it against his chest in comfort. "I mustn't disappoint Cerrn... I mustn't disappoint Cerrn..." He repeated that for several minutes, rocking back and forth.

As his lids opened, his eyes were glowing again and his body had stopped shaking. Calmly, he looked at his fingers, rubbing his thumb over the dried blood. Doubts about his General were rising once more. "Burak, you better not disappoint me, or it will be your blood on my hands." Then his mind turned to a different matter, causing his fingers to tighten around the red horns on top of the helmet until his knuckles turned white. "Zaylan, be prepared. I'm coming for you and all of Yuron."

*****

After the breakfast with Queen Neva, Alannah and Leigh had returned to Enori's house, where they waited for their meager belongings to be returned from cleansing.

Terrulli had gone to watch the battle preparations at Neva's side.

"I think our little Animorph really likes this place," Alannah stated, wanting to make light conversation. Ever since breakfast there was such tension in the air and the knight was even quieter than usual. "It wouldn't surprise me if Terrulli asks to join the tribe once there is peace in Yuron again. It would be good for her. And just imagine how the reputation of the Women of Kharas would grow, once an Animorph joined their ranks. Neva seems to be quite taken with her as well. Don't you agree?"

Only silence greeted her and she looked at Leigh, who stood with crossed arms, staring unseeingly out of the window.

"Leigh, what is it?"

Alannah's gentle voice brought the knight out of her thoughts. She jumped slightly, looking startled at the princess. "Is there anything you need?"

Smiling, Alannah grabbed Leigh's hand and tugged lightly, wanting her to sit down next to her on the bed. "Yes. I need to know what's going on in that head of yours. You are brooding again and you have not heard one word I said."

Sighing in defeat, Leigh ran a hand through her short hair. "Yeah, I'm sorry."

"What are you thinking about?"

"I'm just wondering when we can finally leave. I'm feeling restless. I just want to get out of here and return to Chitaan as soon as possible."

"I know, me too. I still can't believe that Cerrn might be trying to enter our world again. Father and the others must be worried sick about us too. But that is not all that has you concerned, is it?"

Leigh's eyes darted nervously around while she searched for the right words. She wanted to pick them carefully, not wishing to hurt her friend. "How is it that you can always see right through me?"

"Because I have known you a very long time," the princess responded, smiling. "I think I know what it is."

"Really? Are you a mind-reader now? I'm most certain you have not been taught that ability by the Elves," Leigh teased.

"It is about Enori, am I right?"

The knight's eyebrows went up in surprise. "How..."

"You feel intimidated by her. Her comments are annoying you, especially when she calls you 'little one'." Pleased with herself, Alannah leaned back.

Flabbergasted, Leigh stuttered, "Well... how... uh... is there something we can do about it?"

"She likes you."

"Now you are joking," the knight replied, frowning. "If she likes me then why is she belittling me?"

Alannah looked at her, suppressing a smirk. "She is not. Father used to call you 'little one'."

"Yeah, when I was a kid," Leigh stressed the last word.

It was on the tip of her tongue to say that Leigh didn't seem to mind when Alannah called her 'brave little knight', but a knock at the door interrupted her. "Come in," she called.

A blonde warrior entered the hut. Her name was Una and she had been among the three Women of Kharas, who had first entered Ramon's camp. "Leigh, Enori wishes to see you on the training grounds."

"Why?" the knight asked, taken aback.

"Bring your sword and follow me, please," Una said matter-of-factly and walked outside.

"Each and every one of them is just a big fountain of information," the knight grumbled sarcastically, while belting her sword. Looking expectantly at Alannah, who was still sitting on the bed, she wanted to know, "Are you coming, or what? She is your friend after all."

"Enori asked just for you," Alannah replied sweetly, batting her eyelashes.

"You are having way too much fun with that," Leigh remarked, pointing a threatening finger at the princess. "Once we are back in Chitaan I will make sure that you don't spend so much time with Ranib and Wyan. You are getting as bad as they are with giving me a hard time."

"Awww," Alannah cooed, pouting. "Is my brave little knight scared of the tall, bad warrior woman?"

"Alannah, stop it," Leigh demanded, not caring that she sounded pitiful.

"Or what?"

"You are going to regret it."

Instead of a smart comeback, the knight was hit smack in the face by a pillow.

After the first second of shock had passed, Leigh's face darkened. "That was a big mistake, my precious princess," Leigh growled playfully, picked up the pillow that had dropped to the floor and jumped at Alannah. Under a lot of chuckling and giggling, the pillow fight soon turned into a wrestling match, which had them ending up in a tangle of limbs on the bed. Leigh was on top and announced with a triumphant grin, "Do you yield?"

Laughing, the princess wrapped her arms around her waist. "I do, I do, oh, mighty knight of Chitaan."

"Oh, I think I like the sound of that."

Alannah was glad that the nervous tension was gone. Unfortunately, she felt one grow inside her of a complete different kind. Suddenly aware of Leigh's curves pressed so intimately against her own through only a thin layer of clothes made it hard for her to catch her breath. Her enticing lips were so close; it would only need a small move of her head to reach them with her own. In her mind she wondered what it would feel like if her hands were to slip under the light green shirt to caress the skin there. Searching, she looked into the clear green eyes, hoping to find just a small trace of her own passion reflected there.

The knight's heartbeat picked up and she felt a wave of warmth spreading through her from head to toe, as she found herself getting lost in the soft brown orbs that were locked on hers. "Sorry, I must be squashing you," Leigh mumbled in apology and got up, mistaking Alannah's glance. If only she could tell her how wonderful it had felt and how she wished she could stay in the princess' embrace far longer. 'I've got to get a grip on these feelings here. I need to concentrate on what's lying ahead,' she scolded herself.

"It's alright," Alannah said. "You don't weigh much without your armor, you know?"

"I know. It's about time that I get it back," Leigh replied with a wink. "I sure would feel better with it when I have to go face your friend on the training grounds."

"It will be alright, trust me. Enori is a good woman and she doesn't mean any harm. She really likes you. She just wants to get to know you because she's intrigued by you."

"And why is that?"

"Oh, I might have told her a little bit about you when we were at the Wizardry Academy."

Releasing a deep breath, the knight looked at her seriously. "By the Spirits, you did?"

"Yes," Alannah confirmed, nodding. "Only good things."

"If you say so, I believe you."

"It will be fine. Now go and see what she wants."

"I just hope it won't take long, because we really need to return to Chitaan," Leigh said, before turning on her heel and leaving the hut, joining Una, who took her to the training grounds.

*****

Burak's mind was still reeling from everything that had happened in the past few hours. Poking with a stick in the glowing remains of a small campfire, he still could not believe that they had managed to flee from the masked sorcerer's dwellings.

The guards had almost detected them as they were scurrying through the corridors of the dungeon. Burak was unable to tell if a higher being intercepted or if it was just pure luck that had led them to a hidden tunnel in the walls. Rovannah's transportation spell had taken them as far from the Plains of Darkness as her weakened powers could. They had found refuge in a secluded forest area.

"You need to rest," the Queen of Ashkyhra reminded him.

Burak slowly shook his head, not looking at her. "One of us will have to stay awake to guard." It had been too easy. He couldn't shake the feeling that they had not seen the last of the dark wizard.

"Yes, that is a wise idea, General. You had better be alert!"

The booming voice caused him to jerk upright and he found himself staring into the demonic mask that concealed his Master's features. His face drained of all color. "My Lord...," he whimpered. So he had found them after all. How foolish of him to believe that they could escape his clutches.

"That is not how a loyal servant behaves. Just what were you thinking?" A gloved hand reached forward, closing tightly around his throat, squeezing, crushing his windpipe. "You were not thinking at all. Using your brain was never one of your virtues. Nobody crosses me and then walks away to tell about it. Didn't you know that?" The grip around his throat tightened and with superior strength the masked sorcerer lifted him up until he was ensnared by the dangerously glowing silver eyes. "You didn't think I would find you, did you? I trusted you, but you have betrayed me, Burak. Now you will die."

"Noooooo!" Jumping up from the ground, his hands flew to his throat, only to find that everything was as it should be. Breathing heavily, he looked around, wild-eyed. There was no trace of the masked sorcerer. The women and the child were sleeping soundly a few steps away. Rovannah and Indira were curled around Tyrel, sharing body heat. The boy had yet to wake and Burak hoped that whatever spell the dark wizard had cast on him would not have a long-lasting effect.

Slowly, he sank back to the ground, wiping cold sweat off his forehead. He shivered slightly as he remembered the glowing eyes. Burak was sure he would never forget them for as long as he lived. "Just a bad dream," he reassured himself.

Checking the sky, he realized that dawn was only a mere hour away. "I just hope this nightmare will soon be over," he muttered under his breath. Looking at his sleeping companions, he decided to let them rest a little longer before he would rouse them. They needed to conserve their strength, because what lay ahead of them was not going to be easy. For the moment their goal was a simple one: Safely reaching Chitaan.

*****

Enori was already there as they reached the grass-padded platform, twirling a staff. Next to her lay a pile of metal that gleamed in the sun.

To Leigh it looked distinctively like armor.

"Ah, there you finally are, little one. I already thought you had gone lost," Enori greeted, switching the weapon easily from one hand to the other. "Thanks for bringing her here, Una."

The blonde warrior's cheeks flushed in a bright red as Enori smiled at her.

'I guess she has a certain effect on everybody,' Leigh thought as she saw that.

Finding herself tongue-tied, Una bowed briefly and almost tripping over her own two feet, she hurried across the rope bridge, back to the center of the village to assist with the final battle preparations.

Enori's smile faded as she watched her leave and sadness flickered in her bright blue eyes.

'Look at that. The big bad warrior isn't that hard after all... interesting.'

"Uh... Enori? You wished to see me?" Leigh asked tentatively, drawing the raven-haired woman's attention.

The tall warrior blinked and turned to her. "Yes. I need to talk with you about a few things."

The knight swallowed hard. "Oh... alright," she uttered, not knowing what to expect and a bit apprehensive about the other's true intensions.

Enori laughed as she saw the expression on Leigh's face. "Loosen up, little one. You look like a rabbit caught in a snare, about to be eaten by the cunning fox. I'm not going to hurt you."

Relief flooded over Leigh's features.

Enori raised one slanted eyebrow and added after a moment, "At least not too much. I want to spar with you."

The knight stood frozen to the spot. After having seen what these fierce warriors were capable of doing, she knew she wouldn't last longer than a minute, if at all. "Uh... do you think that's a wise idea?"

Smirking, the taller woman let go of the staff, crossed her arms and bent down until she was eye to eye with her opposite. "Are you scared?" she purred.

Caught off guard, it took all of Leigh's willpower not to squirm. Now she knew how Ramon must have felt in Enori's presence. Her mouth opened but nothing came out, something she was glad for because a very girly squeak or a cowardly whimper would have embarrassed her further. "I... I mean..." she finally stuttered, "you are one of Alannah's closest friends and I really don't want to hurt you... I..."

Due to Leigh's obvious flustered appearance, Enori decided to took a step back, giving the knight her personal space. "Pacula, our blacksmith and weapon's master has adjusted your armor," she said, picking up the pile of metal, effectively changing the subject.

Leigh was astonished. "Why?"

"To make you more agile in battle," Enori explained. "During your swordfight with Ramon I found you couldn't move so well." She held up her hand to forestall the knight's objection. "I know your body still had to cope with the aftereffects of the gurah. Even though you gained some energy through my sword, I still could see that your armor was weighing you down. Try it on and see how it feels."

Leigh agreed with a nod. After she had put it on, she was surprised about the lightness. Breaking into a spontaneous run, Leigh jumped and kicked, admitting that the armor made her indeed more agile. "This is amazing," she announced, returning to Enori. "But will it still protect me as well as it did before?"

"Let me give you a little demonstration of how strong it is, little one," Enori said, picking up the staff once more. "Prepare for the impact," the warrior warned, gripping the weapon tightly with two hands to swing it like a huge club.

The knight tensed and squeezed her eyes shut, gritting her teeth, waiting for the blow. Suddenly, she felt reminded of Master Yan's rather harsh lessons in enduring pain. Then she had not been allowed to wear any armor, supposed to ward off any blows with just concentration and muscles. Most of the time, the lessons had resulted in a nice collection of bruises on her abdomen in all kinds of sizes and colors.

"There."

She heard a dull thud as the wooden staff connected with the metal and almost toppled over from the force. Leigh's eyes flew open and she looked at Enori in wonderment. The staff had splintered. "I hardly felt a thing."

"I know." Enori smiled, pleased. "With your old armor this blow would have made the metal reverberate like a giant bell, rattling your bones, taking your concentration from the matter at hand. This one absorbs the blows. Wood, stone, metal, none of those will stand a chance against your new armor."

Leigh thought about that for a moment and then voiced her deepest concern. "Will Shadow Warriors be able to penetrate it?"

The warrior's smile faded, leaving a serious expression on her face. "There is no element known, be it magically enhanced or not, that can keep a Shadow Warrior at bay. You are holding the only weapon there is."

"The Pearl of Zimahil," Leigh finished for her.

"Yes. How will you use it though?"

"Paquin, Lord of the Mermen, shaped it into a ring for me so I wouldn't lose it," the knight responded, staring at the white ring that graced her right hand. "He showed me how to use the pearl with my mind's powers. It can turn into whatever weapon the situation is calling forth; sword and the likes for close combat, crossbow or bow and arrow for distant shots."

Enori rubbed her chin. "Interesting. What do you do when having to face more than one opponent at the same time and not all of them being Shadow Warriors? Say, for instance, you have transformed the pearl into a crossbow to redeem a Shadow Warrior from afar. You are preparing for the shot when all of a sudden you are attacked by a soldier of flesh and blood. Your first instinct would be to reshape the pearl, but as you know, it will not work against a human."

"I have been trained in two-handed combat. I can wield two weapons at the same time," Leigh pointed out. "But you are right, one second of hesitation, having to decide which weapon to use, could mean my end."

"I have talked about this with Pacula and Queen Neva. If I may, I would like to offer a suggestion."

"Please do."

"Can I have a look at your sword?" Enori asked, holding out her hand.

Reluctantly, Leigh pulled it from its sheath and gave it to her.

The tall warrior took it into a firm grip and swung it a few times before eying it critically from every possible angle. "A great sword, wonderfully balanced," she praised, turning it over to look closely at the hilt. "Right here would be best, I think," Enori said, pointing with her index-finger at the center of the pommel.

The knight drew her brows together, gazing at her sword, trying to see what Enori was getting at. "What do you mean?"

"We could embed the pearl right here. In your hand it would activate. Your sword would be coated with a powerful, magical layer that will take care of the Shadow Warriors, while the metal underneath would still be deadly to normal soldiers," Enori explained calmly.

"I don't know," Leigh said, skeptically.

"Think about it. It would save you precious seconds in the heat of battle not having to think up the perfect weapon. Sometimes there is just not enough time to think too long and too hard when instincts take over and you have to act," the warrior replied, returning the sword to its rightful owner. "You are the Deliverer of Peace, little one. It is your decision. Nevertheless, the Women of Kharas will fight by your side."

"Thanks, I appreciate it. And I will think about your suggestion." Sliding the sword back into its sheath, Leigh asked, "How much longer until we leave?"

"It will take about another hour to get the horses ready," Enori responded.

"What?" Leigh looked at her in disbelief. "You intend to go to Chitaan on horseback? Do you know how long that will take? What if Chitaan is already under attack? There has to be a better way... a faster way."

The left corner of Enori's mouth went up to show her notorious smirk.

The knight shook her head slightly. "I have not known you that long, but that look usually means you have something up your sleeve."

Enori's smirk turned to a grin and she patted Leigh on the shoulder. "All I can say is wait and see, little one. You are among the Women of Kharas, Denora, the Spirit of wood and nature is with us and we have ways of traveling quickly."

"Let me guess... magic?"

"Magic," the tall warrior confirmed with a nod.

*****

Continued...