From inside the Source's cavernous home on Luvelles, Lasidious shook the remaining pieces of the Crystal Moon as he held them together in the palms of his hands. After he finished, he placed the crystals back into the pockets of his robe and stared into a shallow river of lava that flowed through the dragon's cave. The images of Sam, BJ and Shalee shimmered within.

The G.o.d of Mischief laughed as he watched the misery on Sam's face. Lasidious looked up and found the ancient dragon's ma.s.sive set of eyes and shouted, "He'll fight again alright! He'll definitely fight again! You'll see!"

The Source's voice was booming. "You find much pleasure in toying with mortals. I have seen many who call themselves G.o.ds fall because of the games they've played with those they created."

Lasidious frowned, "You worry too much. I am the Mischievous One for a reason."

The dragon leaned back and spread his mighty wings. A torrential wind filled the cavern. Lasidious' hood flew back from the top of his head as the dragon responded. "Perhaps you're right. Or perhaps your fate will be the same as those who perished before you."

"Baaahh!" Lasidious vanished.

The dragon's laughter shook the mountain. Many of the stones laying across the top of the cliffs toppled.

After feeling the quake, Shalee pulled BJ aside and told the trainer this was her series of moments to handle Sam's despair.

BJ did not argue and left the room.

Shalee turned to Sam, "Sweetie, you have no choice. You must fight. You said it earlier when you fought the Minotaur. You're fighting for everyone. Brandon knew what he was doing when he entered the arena. He knew there was a chance of not leaving alive. It's obvious he was a good father, and he taught his children the arena is a place of honor. But my goodness, Sam, you can't let this trip you up."

"Okay, okay. Hold onto that thought. You're not making sense. Brandon didn't have his wife use magic to help him absorb punches like you did for me. This guy should have kicked my a.s.s. The punches he hit me with, and the kick to my chest, should have knocked me out. He died because we cheated him out of victory. There's no honor in that. I'm tired of killing. I'm tired of justifying my actions because I need to save this world. How can I face Brandon's family knowing what I've done? How could you expect me to continue?"

Shalee moved close and placed her hand on Sam's heart. Her voice was soft, but firm. "I want you to listen to me, Sam, and I mean you listen well. You trained to make Brandon submit, not kill him. I saw you swing. You couldn't even see. It was dumb luck that you won. We both know there's more at stake than one man's life. If we don't find a way to gain an audience with the King of Brandor and find the stupid pieces of this Crystal Moon, everything we've done will have been for nothing."

A soft look appeared on Shalee's face. "Answer me this, Sam. With what you know about Brandon, don't you think he would've chosen to die so that you could go on to save the rest of his family? I do."

Sam thought long and hard before he responded. "I don't agree with your logic. I believe Brandon would've wanted to spend every last moment he could with his family ... even if he knew the world was coming to an end."

Sam moved to sit on the edge of the bed. He grabbed one of the pillows and threw it across the room. After he watched it hit the door, he continued, "This place p.i.s.ses me off! The G.o.ds are morons! I'll keep fighting to save these people, but I won't dishonor Brandon's death by allowing you to use your magic on me again. I will fight like every other man. If I'm supposed to die, then so be it. I won't look Brandon's family in the eye and know that I plan to cheat others out of victory."

Kael pulsated as the blade hung from Sam's hip. "I think you've finally become a leader, Sam. I could not be more proud."

Sam reached down, unsheathed the sword and lifted it in front of his face. "Shut up! Who asked you?"

Brandon's memorial was like no other Sam had ever seen. It was held at the Peak of Bailem-Brandon's favorite moment. Brandon had always said, "A hard-working man's Peak is over when sun reaches its highest point because he wakes so early."

There were thousands of people who surrounded the family as they stood on top of a hill. The family lifted Brandon into the air and laid him on a stacked pile of wood. Josephine and the children surrounded the pile with torches.

For the first series of moments since his arrival on Grayham, Sam listened to a prayer being shouted from the top of the hill. The prayer was addressed to Ba.s.sorine.

A tear fell from Sam's eye. He knew their words were falling on ears that did not exist any longer. He did not have the heart to tell them their G.o.d was dead. Maybe it did not matter, since every soul ended up in the pages of the Book of Immortality anyway. Why destroy the beliefs of a family in mourning. It did not seem right.

To Sam's surprise, Brandon's father called him over to stand next to Josephine and handed him a torch. As the man squeezed his arm, he looked in the fighter's eyes. "My son would have wanted you to light the pyre with his family. It's a privilege to have the warrior who defeats you in battle honor you in this manner. It will help begin the healing process for this family."

Sam took the torch, then looked at BJ. The trainer nodded. Sam turned to light the fire.

Late Bailem had come and gone and the party was just getting warmed up. Sam was sitting on one of the many chairs the family had set up around the farmhouse, watching a scene like nothing he had ever experienced. As far as he could see, people were eating and laughing all across the farmer's land. No one appeared to be sad, not even the family. They all celebrated to honor Brandon as their fallen hero.

The moment came to give the toast. Each of Brandon's nine brothers took a turn. Delbert, Brandon's father, also spoke, followed by Brandon's wife. Once she had finished, Josephine turned to Sam and asked him to make a toast of his own.

It was agonizing. It was not the idea of speaking in front of thousands of people, but more the pressure of speaking about a man he knew so little about. The fact so many people loved Brandon made him feel like the fallen was worthy of something grand. He thought for as long as he could, and then he addressed the crowd.

"In all my seasons, I've never met a man who was so beloved by everyone who knew him. I consider myself humbled to have met such a warrior. I only wish I could've known his qualities outside the arena. From what I know of Brandon's life, I believe he was the kind of person I would've cherished. I will forever remember this Peak. The love that has been displayed here is worthy of the G.o.ds' recognition. I know Ba.s.sorine will reward Brandon for a life well-lived. Let's raise our gla.s.ses and celebrate this fallen hero, husband and devoted father."

The crowd erupted as Sam finished his speech. Many of them moved to place their hands on his shoulders. Once the crowd settled, Sam turned to Josephine and whispered in her ear. He led her to a less crowded spot and handed her a pouch full of coin. "I've decided to give the winnings I received from your arena to help ease this family's burden. Take it, and know that I care. I will forever be there for you should you need me."

Overcome with emotion, Josephine held the bag close to her chest and cried. "Sam, you're a good man. I ... I'll..."

Some of the women noticed Josephine's demeanor and sought to console her. It was not long before they realized what Sam had done, and soon thereafter, the gathering also knew of Sam's generosity.

Sam would leave Haven with a reputation as not only a fighter known for his barbaric victories, but also as a man of compa.s.sion and kindness. His actions on this Peak would catapult him to a new level of glory.

Siren's Song, the Home of the Wisp of Song 5 Peaks of Bailem have Pa.s.sed George, Amar, Kepler and Maldwin had gathered at Angels Village before continuing on to Siren's Song, a journey that took more than 4 Peaks. Dusk was approaching when they entered the mist, which reminded George of a cool, foggy evening in Florida.

They followed the river flowing away from Griffin Falls. The moisture in the air became more dense the farther north they walked. The mist created a climate that gave life to vegetation unlike anything George had seen since his arrival. Soon, darkness fell and Amar's staff was necessary to light the way. After many long moments, they stopped to lie down. With so much moisture in the air, they could only hope to get a good night's rest.

Kepler growled, "The mist has saturated my coat. I feel heavy. How can I prowl in these conditions?"

Amar lifted his staff, waved it in a circle and whispered a command. The moisture covering the demon-cat evaporated.

Maldwin's nose twitched with excitement. "A yay alesoot tenguan yo maiyne."

The jaguar nodded. "Tele pomayn og foway."

Maldwin cleaned one of his front claws as he responded. "Nep, nep, osay poryolamay."

George cut in, "What the h.e.l.l are you two jabbering about?"

Kepler chuckled, "He wants Amar to keep his magic to himself. He said if it is used on him, he will give Amar nightmares. I, for one, appreciate the burden of my soggy coat being lifted.

"You're welcome," Amar said as he set the staff on the ground and motioned for the rat to relax. Once he saw the rodent lie down, the mage reached into his robe to retrieve his pipe.

George gave the mage a look of disgust, "Don't light that nasty thing around me. You're going to end up smelling like your brother. Do you really want to smell like him?"

Amar looked at his pipe, then at George. He was torn between defending his brother or agreeing with George's a.s.sessment. After a while, he simply put the pipe away.

As they slept, George dreamed of Abbie. In his fantasy, Lasidious had returned his baby girl to him. They were with Athena, fishing. On Abbie's first cast, she caught a good-sized trout that almost pulled her into the water. The dream was good, until the darkness fell across the pond. The next thing George knew, he was standing alone, and both of his favorite women were nowhere to be found. He called to them, but there was no answer. He knew the darkness had swallowed them. George panicked. He screamed over and over again, desperately hoping for an answer.

The vision changed as a speck of light appeared. It was small at first, but grew as it drew closer. The light turned into a large sphere. George was scared, but he could not run. He looked for an escape, but all he could see beyond the light was blackness. The ball was floating through the air, and just as it was about to crash into him, an electrifying scream filled his head.

George woke with a start and sat up. Confused, he scanned the area around him, but his eyes could not see anything beyond the light of the campfire. His companions were asleep, and his clothes were still saturated. He turned to grab his bag from behind a ma.s.sive root that protruded from the ground. Inside it, he found a torch and pulled it out. Something told him he needed to leave the group. He could not explain the feeling, but somehow he knew it had to be done.

He stood, careful not to make a noise, grabbed his pack and walked toward the sound of the river. Once he was sure the light would not wake the others, he lit the torch and headed out.

The elevation changed at a rapid pace. It was not long before he was hiking, not walking through the darkness. The hillside grew steeper, elevating his heart rate as the river rapidly made its descent over the rough terrain.

He kept moving, pressing ahead with sheer determination. Eventually, he reached the top of the hill where the area flattened in front of him. George stopped to take a few deep breaths. He was not sure how long it had taken to get to this point, but it had been quite the hike.

A large pond stretched in front of him for as far as he could see. He should not have been able to see anything, but a strange, greenish glow filled the air that seemed to emanate from the pond. To the far side of this body of water, Griffin Falls could be heard crashing against the rocks. It was the epic force of the falls that caused the mist to fill the sky.

From the depths of the pond, a light appeared and made its way to the surface. George recognized the light as it approached. It was the same light from the sphere in his dream. He now knew it was the wisp creature of the mist who had awakened him and called him to this spot. The water fell from its smooth surface, and soon the large ball of energy was floating in front of him.

There was a long silence as he stood watching. He was about to speak, but the air filled with a song. The sound was beautiful, heavenly in fact. Though the lyrics were in another language, somehow, George could understand their meaning. Through song, the creature called itself a wisp. Further, it requested to be called by the name Cadromel.

"I know why you have come, George. Have you brought the envelope?"

George removed the envelope from his pocket and held it in front of him.

This seemed to satisfy Cadromel. "Are you prepared to surrender it in exchange for information?"

George nodded, "I'm ready to listen."

Once again, the lyrics filled the night air. The harmonics of the wisp's heavenly sound reverberated against the water of the pond. George watched as tiny waves beneath the sphere rolled away as if a pebble had been dropped beneath it. As the wisp's song came to an end, the gentle roll of the waves dissipated.

George looked at the center of the wisp's ma.s.s. "I understand. I already know the question I would like to ask. I would like to know how I can use my ability to rule this world?"

The energy moving inside the wisp looked like a controlled storm as it released short bursts of baritone notes. It felt like the creature was laughing.

"What's so d.a.m.n funny?" George queried. "Don't you know the answer?"

The wisp went silent. The orb's light dimmed, and the energy within its spherical body stopped moving. George was about to say something else when, suddenly, the creature released a blinding light that was combined with a thunderous, ba.s.s-toned eruption. Within this much darker melody, a powerful message was delivered.

George heard it loud and clear, despite having to cover his ears.

"Who are you, mortal, to speak to the wisdom of the ages in a manner most unbecoming of the G.o.d whom you represent? Kneel before me on the banks of this pond, or the information you seek shall forever remain locked within my eternal mind. Bow now, or leave my home none the wiser!"

Frightened, George did as he was told. He rushed to take a knee and lowered his head. He kept his eyes shut to protect them from the blinding light that penetrated the night. His mind ran wild with thought. He had no idea the wisp thought he was here to represent a G.o.d. He now believed it was Lasidious who was responsible for sending him on his quest ... not this supposed mage named Morre. "I'm sorry, Cadromel. Please forgive my rudeness."

The wisp's light faded, and its song went silent. An extremely long series of moments pa.s.sed before the sphere decided what he wanted to do. As Cadromel hovered with his light diminished, he thought, This mortal possesses the knowledge I desire on his person. If I send him away without revealing the answer he seeks, I'll never know Lasidious' mind. Ohhhh, how I miss the Peaks of slaughter. If only I could devour this mortal and take the envelope from him. Curse the Collective and their laws of governance over the temple. Why do they protect the weak?

George was too nervous to move. He might as well have been a statue. Never in his life did he feel more insignificant than he did at this moment. It felt like sweat was pouring from every gland, and his mind was screaming, Stay still, George! Stay still. Just be still. Don't p.i.s.s this thing off anymore than you already have. Who knows what this freaking thing will do? Holy h.e.l.l ... I miss home.

The glow within Cadromel's sphere returned. I shall give this insolent human what he's after. I want him out of my sight.

The wisp's melody was soft and carried a sense of peace as it delivered the information necessary to rid itself of George's presence.

Soon, George knew all about the Barbarian Kingdom. The barbarians would not know of his ability, and he would be able to enter Bloodvain's arena without suspicion.

Once again, the light of the sphere became blinding. When George removed his hands from his face, the wisp was gone and so was the envelope. He had to wait for his eyes to adjust before he headed back to camp.

Though shaken from the experience, George now knew how to put his power to its best use. But had he created an enemy while gaining this knowledge? His face was a series of chaotic expressions as he chastised himself all the way back to camp.

When he finally made his way down the mountainside, the others were awake and night was fading fast. They expressed concern about his absence, though Maldwin's worry was the only genuine expression in the group.

George informed them of his meeting with the wisp. "I now have a plan. I'm going to fight for the Crown of Bloodvain."

"What?" Kepler growled. "Are you an imbecile? The barbarians are the most ruthless two-legs throughout the territories of Southern Grayham. They don't allow magic in their king's arena. You won't be allowed to challenge their champion."

Amar jumped into the conversation, "I agree. How do you expect to do this when you're commanding the arts? Without your power, you'll be pummeled into a pile of garesh."

"What the h.e.l.l is garesh?" George questioned.

Annoyed, Amar replied, "You know ... garesh ... when a horse lifts its tail and drops it to the ground."

George laughed. "I get it. A pile of garesh, he says. I think I like that. I'm gonna start using it."

Maldwin chimed in, "I like cheese, George!"

The group turned to look at the rat.

Kepler shook his head. "He just wants to be part of the conversation. This is the only phrase I've been able to teach him so far." The jaguar smirked and shrugged. "I thought it would be funny."

George chuckled. "I like this d.a.m.n rat." He leaned down and scratched the top of Maldwin's head. "You guys are right. The Barbarian King won't allow anyone who uses words of power or magical items in his arena. The king will only allow a fighter to wear a fur cloth to cover his family jewels."

"Family jewels?" Amar quizzed.

George rolled his eyes. "For real? You really don't know what that means? This place drives me nuts." George grabbed his sack and lifted. "Family jewels is another name for your nuts, Amar. You know, the part that hurts when I kick you between the legs for interrupting me?" George released his grip and let them fall back into place. "Where I'm from, we also call it 'your junk.' Don't make me kick you in your junk."

Amar had to grin. "I apologize. By all means, please continue. My junk is fine without your foot being placed against it."

Kepler snarled, "Humans!"

Maldwin shouted at Kepler in his own language, wanting to know what the humans were discussing. After Kepler explained, the rat rolled over onto his back and began laughing as he reached down with his front claw and grabbed between his back legs to express his understanding of the word, "junk."

Again, George laughed. "Now, that's the funniest d.a.m.n thing I've seen."

The group enjoyed a pleasant series of moments before George continued the conversation. "Anyway ... as I was about to say ... the king won't let me in the arena in anything but a cloth. There are no weapons allowed. Think about this for a moment. I don't need to speak words or use magical items. My ability works naturally, and all I have to do is touch someone. Not only that, but I can turn a specific part of his best fighter to stone, and they'll never know it."

"Yes they will," Kepler responded. "Barbarians harvest the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and the brain before placing them in jars as part of their pa.s.sing celebrations. They'll know if you have done something when they open their champion up and see that his insides are made of stone."

George thought a bit. "What do they do with the rest of the body?"

"Well..." the jaguar collected his thoughts, "for those barbarians who are held in high regard, they burn them on the Blood Sea. It is the sea that swallows them. Then everyone returns to their lair to celebrate."

"There you have it," George blurted. "I'll turn the parts to stone that won't be cut from the body. The sea can cover up the truth. I'll turn the inside of their champion's Adam's apple to stone, or maybe the inside of a small part of his brain so he can't get signals to the rest of his body. This would give me the moments I need to move in, smack him around a bit, make it look real and then run. I'll figure it out before we get there, I'm sure."

Amar stood, looked at Kepler and then started to pace. "George, when Lasidious told me I should travel with you, I didn't imagine that you had this kind of nerve. If you pull this off, you'll be ruler of the Barbarian Kingdom. We would be enemies of Brandor."

Amar ma.s.saged the end of his chin. "My family lives in Lethwitch. If we become enemies of Brandor, you must promise we won't attack Lethwitch."

George nodded. "You're right. This does present a problem. Athena's family is also from Lethwitch." He agreed not to attack the area only because he cared for Athena's family.

George pulled out his map. The moment had come to formulate a better plan. "Kepler, it'll take you at least 20 Peaks to reach the Blood Sea platform since you can't ride the hippogriffs. Why don't you go to the platform and wait for the rest of us to arrive?"

Amar stopped him. "Without kicking me in my junk, I need you to listen. We have a problem. We cannot fly to the Blood Sea platform. The hippogriffs do fly there, but they won't take someone out of Brandor and fly them into barbarian territory. The rule of the kingdoms states: no being may fly into a kingdom he's not from. The only exception to this rule is Angels Village, because it's protected by the G.o.ds. The closest landing tower anywhere near Bloodvain's is in Gessler Village. This is a place where the roughest crowds from both kingdoms have a tendency to migrate. This village is considered neutral territory, and it's not owned by either kingdom."

Kepler jumped into the conversation. "That's because I dominate the pa.s.ses surrounding the village. Gessler has been a continual supply for me when building my skeleton army. I stay out of the village for the most part, but on occasion, I enter to find a fool. I catch 40 to 50 victims a season as the walk through my pa.s.s. I don't understand why they go to Gessler when they know I prowl this territory. Perhaps it's because-"

"Kepler, will you get to the point?" George snapped.