Brayson gave a shallow smile. "I see your point. I a.s.sure you, I'm not a fan of death. The way George ended this man requires answers. Only the most ancient elves know this secret, and it's forbidden to speak of it."

"Forbidden? What secret? It isn't forbidden for you and I to share information at all. My position as King of Southern Grayham allows us to speak freely. I studied your laws before I came, and I know this to be the case."

"You're correct. But I still cannot share a secret of this magnitude. However, I can divulge this. The two kingdoms below are at odds with one another, yet this has nothing to do with George."

Sam moved to look out one of the office windows. "Your lands are beautiful. I wouldn't be so sure that George isn't involved. He's a man who looks for every angle. I studied his tactics after he went missing on Grayham. After gathering the full story, I surmised that George used those around him to do his dirty work. He did it without lifting a finger. He managed to create a war that he never fought in."

Sam turned from the window. "Brayson, I a.s.sure you ... if George is on this world, he's looking to gain as much power as he can. I would wager my crown on it that your kingdoms are at odds with one another because of something he has done."

Brayson took a seat in his chair. "If what you say is true, then I need to stop George before he speaks with the Source. Come with me."

Brayson reached for the king's shoulder, but before they could teleport, Fisgig appeared. The phoenix's voice was filled with urgency. "Master, your Mystic Learner gave me quite the shock. He has been visiting with the Source for a fair series of moments now. His power is stronger than the others. He's even stronger than you were before you received your gift so many seasons ago."

Brayson lowered into his chair beneath the weight of the news. "Then we're too late. Now it's up to the Eye to determine whether George will receive its gift or not."

Sam looked past the phoenix's presence. "What do you mean, it's too late? Let's barge in there and destroy him before he has the chance to finish his visit with this Eye. What is the Eye anyway?"

Brayson leaned forward. "The Eye isn't something you can barge in on. Once the Source has initiated his conversation with George, no one can enter the Ancient One's cave until this blessed event has transpired. The dragon's magic is too powerful. Even I cannot pa.s.s through it."

Sam slapped the side of the Head Master's bookcase. "d.a.m.n it! We need to level the playing field." He put his hand to his chin and then played with the scruff of 3 Peaks growth. "I think I know a way to do just that. Brayson, take me to the swamp of the beast you call Grogger. I'll go in after the missing piece of the Crystal Moon while you take Shalee to meet with this Source. She's powerful. She'll be able to end George once she has looked into this Eye and receives the same gift."

Brayson stood. "Your queen is not ready for a task of this magnitude." The Head Master paused. "Unless she has also eaten the heart of another."

"What are you talking about?" Sam replied, stunned. "Why would Shalee eat someone's heart? Her magic has grown at a remarkable rate, and she also carries the memories of Yaloom inside that irritating brain of hers."

Fisgig spoke. "Are you referring to the G.o.d Yaloom?"

"Of course, I am. Who else would I be referring to? Have you ever heard anybody else go by that name?"

The phoenix shook his head. "What do you mean she possesses Yaloom's memories?"

The King of Brandor took the moments to explain the details of Yaloom's demise.

Fisgig looked up at Brayson. "I cannot believe such a thing is possible."

Sam looked out the window and spoke before Brayson could. "When I was on Earth, if a bird began to talk, I would have said, I cannot believe such things are possible. But I've come to understand that it doesn't matter how something is possible. It just is. So ... shall we go get my wife?"

Without saying a word, Brayson stepped forward and waved his hand. The trio vanished.

On the far side of the Head Master's office, Hosseff removed his hood and appeared. The G.o.d of Death had been listening. As the light in the room penetrated the haze of his face, his appearance changed into his human form. He thought, Ba.s.sorine must have had a hand in the expedited growth of Shalee's magical foundation. I must know more.

The shade walked around Brayson's desk and waved his hand across one of the windows. He watched as it zoomed in on Grogger's Swamp. The image of Shalee came into focus. Fascinating. Yaloom's memories are now yours to call upon. I wonder how long it will be before you're capable of summoning the power to use the memories that will allow you to teleport to Ancients Sovereign. It was clever of Yaloom to make you his tool. I would have expected far less from him. Using your son's death to find a way to live again was brilliant. He just may find his way back to G.o.dliness after all.

Grogger's Swamp Shalee entered the swamp the night before. She had to use her magic to adjust her clothes to keep the leeches away from her skin. As she waded through the marsh, many mutated creatures, some with teeth the size of her fingers, perished as a consequence for their attacks. On one occasion, a large, bird-like, catfish-spearfish looking whatever-in-the-heck it was, swooped out of the fog and tried to stab her with its point.

Now, fellow soul ... you'll have to bear with me on this one. This bird-like, catfish-spearfish thing was so messed up looking that Shalee was unable to describe it to me in great detail during my interview with her. Based on our conversation, no description of its grotesque nature could show the detail of its deformities. Anyway, the thing flew, it looked creepy, and it was dangerous. Enough babbling, back to the story.

Shalee managed to avoid the bird-fish's attack. She ducked as the creature flew past her position and stuck into another beast that had been stalking her from behind.

Shalee was walking within a protective barrier of magic when Brayson appeared with Sam and Fisgig at his side. The trio stood within a protective barrier of their own, and had appeared close enough to give Sam the chance to speak with Shalee.

"Sam! What are you doing here?" Shalee inquired while she studied the king's companions.

Sam's response was direct. "You need to go with the Head Master. Your skills are needed elsewhere. I'll go after the missing piece of the crystal."

"Why?"

"Just go with Brayson, and he'll explain."

"Are you still angry with me?"

"Look ... this isn't the moment to play 'Let's Make Shalee Feel Better.' You're in trouble, and you know it. Just go, and save me the irritation. We'll speak once I've had the chance to calm down."

Brayson spoke up. "Shalee, I am Head Master, Brayson. This is Fisgig. Come into my magic where I can keep you safe."

Shalee did as instructed.

Sam turned to look at Brayson. "Is there anything I should know about Grogger?"

Fisgig answered. "The creature will try to swallow you if he finds you. I'm not sure where the crystal could be, but if you were swallowed by the toad, the acid inside its stomach will digest you over 10 seasons. It'll be torturous."

"That's disgusting," Shalee responded while staring at the phoenix. "So you can talk, too?"

Sam was irritated by Shalee's surprise that a bird could speak after all they had gone through since their arrival on Grayham. He ignored the queen and turned to Brayson. "Okay, okay. The acid is no problem." He lifted his sword of the G.o.ds. "Right, Kael?"

"This is correct," the blade responded. Kael lifted from the king's hand and floated over to Brayson. "Head Master ... I may be able to feel the crystal's presence if you were to magnify Sam's senses. I should be able to draw from this power and use it to rule out large areas of the swamp to narrow our search."

Brayson waved his hand over Sam's head. "It's done. Will there be anything else?"

Sam thought a moment as Kael returned to his sheath. "Something more suitable to wear while trudging through the swamp would be nice. I don't care for leeches."

Shalee snapped her fingers. "I got this one." She moved to stand in front of her king. She leaned in and motioned for Sam to bend down. She whispered in his ear. "I'm sorry. I do love you."

Standing back, Shalee lifted her hand and pa.s.sed the top of Precious across Sam's clothes. The cloth altered its appearance and sealed, protecting Sam's skin. "The leeches won't be able to get to you now. But, the water will seep in like a wet suit. It'll keep you warm."

Sam wanted to say something kind, but his anger would not let him. Instead, he barked out an order, "You should get out of here! You need to get started on the trials!"

The Kingdom of Ultor Deep Beneath the Surface of Crystal Lake The leader of the Ultorians was standing in front of a watery likeness of Gregory Id. The White Chancellor's image had taken form at the base of the steps that ascended to Ultor's throne. Except for the spot where Gregory's image stood, the Ultorian King's coral castle was clear of the element and remained dry inside. A barrier had been cast to keep the water out, but every so often, the barrier dropped and allowed the water in to refresh the skin of the castle's inhabitants.

The colors of Ultor's flesh were marvelous to look upon as the White Chancellor used his personal mirror inside his tower-palace to look through the watery eyes of his likeness that he had summoned to stand before the Ultorian King.

Farun Ultor bowed to show his respect for Gregory's position as did the chancellor in front of his mirror. When Gregory bowed, so did his likeness.

"For what purpose have you chosen to visit my reef, Chancellor?"

"Thank you for speaking with me, Your Majesty, but I fear the reason for my appearance is far from pleasant. War is about to consume the lands above, and I have come to request your a.s.sistance to keep the Order from spreading darkness across the territories of Kerkinn. There's no telling what my brother would do if he managed to seized control of Western Luvelles."

King Ultor drummed his fingers across the arms of his throne, and the sponge it was made of coddled his fingertips. "I understand your plight, Chancellor. You know that all Ultorians have sworn allegiance to the light arts. But our dedication to this magic never included a promise of bloodshed."

Farun stopped drumming his fingers and leaned forward. "I don't mean to trivialize the urgency of your call, Lord Id, but you know I govern a peaceful race. Even if I wanted to order my legions into battle, my men could not rise up to fight a land based altercation that would most certainly last for many Peaks. Our skin would dry out, and we would perish from such a rash undertaking if we did not retreat to the confines of the lake. For me to order my kind into the fray, you will need to lead the enemy to our sh.o.r.es."

Gregory thought a moment. "The battle will not reach this far north. Perhaps the goswigs would a.s.sist. Your Majesty, would you speak with them for me?"

Farun Ultor nodded. "Speak your message that you wish me to deliver."

The chancellor took a moment to formulate his response. "Please ask the goswigs to support Lord Dowd's call for war. Tell them that I said their magic would be a powerful force. They would be allowed to pa.s.s beyond the gates of Inspiration without fear of imprisonment for abandoning their masters. Further, they'll be entertained and given gifts of coin to spend as they so choose until the moment arrives for them to march with the Paladins of Light to the Battlegrounds of Olis. Upon completion of the war ... should light prevail, of course ... I shall personally see to it that all wanted goswigs are no longer hunted. They will all receive pardons for their transgressions against their masters."

The pressure of Ultor's hands displaced the color of his knees as the king stood from his throne. As soon as he removed his hands, the color quickly returned. "I shall speak with Strongbear. If he chooses war, the goswigs will join your ranks. But I will not force his claws into service."

"Understood," Gregory responded. "Thank you. The goswigs could have no finer protector than you."

From inside his tower, the White Chancellor bowed again in front of his mirror, and his watery image inside Ultor's throne room responded in kind. "I do hope the goswigs arrive ready for battle."

The king also bowed. "Let's hope they trust in your promise."

Gregory watched as his mirror went dark. It was sitting at the center of his bedroom chamber not far from his bed as he lowered onto its end.

The White Chancellor had no idea he was being stalked. From behind the mirror, a sinister smile crossed Marcus' face as he peeked around it to glare at his younger brother. The Dark Chancellor was standing within another spell of invisibility, and he was about to end Gregory when Brayson suddenly appeared at the foot of the bed with Shalee and Fisgig at his side.

Without offering much of an explanation, Brayson touched Gregory on his shoulder and teleported the group away from the White Chancellor's tower-palace.

"d.a.m.n you, Brayson!" the Dark Chancellor shouted as he stepped out from behind the mirror and his invisible veil. The next lengthy series of moments was filled with agitated swearing, but the chancellor was forced to stop. Marcus could hear Mykklyn's heavy paws thump against the floor of the tower as the lioness ran toward Gregory's bedroom chamber to investigate the noise. As she crossed the threshold, Marcus vanished.

When the chancellor reappeared, he was in his own bedroom chamber. A moment later, he started laughing. "How coincidental and fortunate for you, little brother. Brayson saved your miserable hide yet again. But no worries. Your life's source will stain my hands before I'm finished."

Brayson appeared with the group inside his shrine on the southern end of his island. He motioned for the darkness to dissipate, and a moment later, it was replaced with a soothing light.

"What's going on, brother?" Gregory questioned as he watched Brayson walk to the back of the shrine to retrieve the key to the Source's temple from the chest that protected it. "Why have you brought us here? I have much to accomplish and only a few moments in which to do it. And who is this human female?"

Brayson took the moments to introduce Shalee, and then he explained the details of their current predicament. "I'm sending the two of you to speak with the Source. I'll teleport ahead of you to let the Ancient One know you're coming. I'm going to need your a.s.sistance once you've looked into the Eye."

"After all these seasons, why would you do this, brother?" the chancellor queried.

Brayson put his hands on Gregory's shoulders. "I need you to trust me. We're going to need more power to fight the forces that will come out of the Kingdom of Hyperia. Boyafed will send his Argont Commander to rally the mercenaries of Bestep. He'll continue to the forest of Shade Hollow and ask the Serwin King to follow him. I also imagine that Boyafed will meet with Ka.s.sel, and we both know the numbers of the Hyperian King's army. But the one thing I fear most is that Boyafed will call upon the debt Balecut owes him."

"Not Balecut," Gregory protested. "We can't defend against his tactics."

Shalee spoke up. "Who's this Balecut?"

Fisgig was the one to respond. "He's a powerful wizard who lives in the Petrified Forest. He can summon the power to bend the moments in which we live. Even though this power won't work against Brayson or Gregory, he is feared by most every other being on this world."

"So you're saying this Balecut character can manipulate time?"

Fisgig's feathered face appeared confused. "I'm not familiar with this term, 'time,' Shalee. Please explain."

"It means the same thing as the moments you just referred to as being bendable, but it'll be easier to explain later when we have enough time, or rather, enough moments in which to explain it."

"I think I understand," the goswig replied. "With Balecut slowing the moments in which we live, this could give the dark army a significant advantage if we fail to prepare for his tactics. This is why it's so important for one of you to successfully look into the Eye. Brayson will be able to teach you how to summon this cherished power once you've received the Eye's gift."

"I understand," Gregory responded. "I hope the Source finds me worthy on this occasion."

"Don't worry about that," the Head Master responded. "He will."

Shalee was deep in thought, so much so that she seemed distant.

Brayson snapped his fingers to capture her attention. "What has your mind tied up, Shalee?"

The Queen of Brandor took a deep breath. "Is it safe to say that one of us may never return from this little outing?"

Brayson lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "Both of you may never return from this journey. You can have no doubt in your abilities, Shalee. You must find the courage to go before the Eye and look into its light. The Source won't stop you once you arrive ... I'll see to that. But you'll still need to find your way through the Void Maze in order to get there."

Gregory nudged Shalee. "This will be an easy task. I've done this before. I'm far more powerful than I was the first series of moments I went through the trials. We will be standing before the Source's cave within a respectable amount of moments. Just stay close to me."

Shalee lowered to a stone bench that was inside the shrine. "Head Master, Sam told me you possess the strongest magic on Luvelles. Why don't you stop this Boyafed fellow from recruiting Balecut?"

"My position as Head Master, though powerful, does not allow me to choose a side in war. I don't want this war to happen, but if I were to force those on Luvelles to stop, it would be an abuse of my position. All I can do is try to act as peacemaker." Brayson placed a hand on Shalee's upper arm. "You are not bound by the same rules as I am ... nor is Gregory. You'll be able to use your newfound power to put an end to this war. While you're gone, I shall try to find what's causing the tension between the armies. I plan to start by speaking with your friend, George."

Shalee cringed. "George ain't no friend of mine. Is he the one that's behind all this?"

"I can't be sure," Brayson replied, "but if what Sam told me is the truth, perhaps he's the best choice to begin my investigation."

"Oh, it's true alright," Shalee confirmed. "The guy is a total jerk." She turned to look at Gregory. "We should get going."

Gregory redirected his gaze. "Brother, I need you to deliver a message to Lord Dowd. He must finish gathering his forces without me. I already spoke with Ultor, but Dowd will need to do the rest of what he has requested of me on his own."

Gregory took Shalee by the hand and grabbed the key to the Source's temple out of Brayson's. After placing it inside his robe, the next thing Shalee knew, the duo was standing outside the entrance to the Void Maze.

CHAPTER 19.

I'm Drunk as a Skunk and Need Some Lovin'

The Dark Order's Temple BOYAFED WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE for the Petrified Forest when the G.o.ddess, Mieonus, appeared to him. He was standing without his shirt inside his bedroom chamber that was located inside the temple of the Order. With lightning reflexes, the dark paladin jumped back, grabbed his blessed long sword and took a defensive posture.

The G.o.ddess smiled. "At ease, Boyafed. I'm not here to harm you. Do you know who I am?"

Boyafed pointed the tip of his blade in Mieonus' direction. "Speak before I cut this conversation short."

Mieonus put her finger on the tip of Boyafed's blade and pushed it aside. "How clever you must consider yourself. I'm Mieonus. You may kneel before me now."

The Order leader knew the name. He took a knee and bowed his head despite the fact that she was not his G.o.d. "Did Hosseff send you, G.o.ddess? What must I do to serve my lord?"

Mieonus hated the way the paladin's statement sounded. The thought of being the shade G.o.d's personal errand girl made her want to vomit. Dismissing her irritation, she glided across the room. Her red gown clung to her hips as she moved, and her black, lifted heels clicked against the white marble of the floor as she stopped next to the side of Boyafed's bed.