The sun dipped below the horizon and stained the clouds red. The ship Virtue cut through the waves like a knife, and left Serpent's Hold harbor behind it.
"We'll have to head east, almost to the Isle of the Avatar, and then head north, to avoid the pirates of the Den."
"I assume that Captain Selene doth know what he's doing. At least we have a good wind to begin our journey."
"Indeed."
Long moments passed as both men looked over the stern at the sunset.
"Believe it or not, Geoffrey, I have never ventured this way before."
"To Moonglow?"
"No, no; I have indeed been to Moonglow. During the quest to find the missing Lord British, for instance. No, I meant the Isle of the Avatar."
"Truly? I had thought thou hath visited there on that self-same quest?"
"Nay. We did seperate, and I did not accompany the Avatar to that place."
"I have been there, several times. But thou knowest that, dost thou not?"
"Aye, I do. Tell me, what was it like?"
Geoffrey laughed. "Which time, Sentri? The first time I went it was a stinking swamp, with creatures that spit poison at you each time you turned your back. Then one traveled deeper into the mountains, where crevisses appear at thy feet without warning, and cracks give off noxious fumes that do burn one's flesh. In the center of it all was the Great Stygian Abyss, where the Avatar destroyed the skull of evil Mondain, and where we finally found the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom.
"Years later it became a much more clement place, holding the Shrine of Codex until the Codex was cast into the void, in the aftermath of the whole False Prophet affair.
"And now, I'm told that a village hath sprung up there. I hath never been there, however."
All sunlight was now gone. The two watched the moonlight reflect off of the ship's wake, as behind them a voice called for the running lights to be lit.
Several minutes later, Sentri spoke again. "So. Why us?"
"I do not follow thee. What dost thou mean, 'why us'?"
"Well, thee I can almost understand. Thou wert his friend before he even became the Avatar. Later thou didst become the captain of our Lord British's royal guard. But me? I got drawn into this more as a friend of Dupre's than anything else. Plus... 'tis a magickal ritual to try to call him home. We are mere men-at-arms. Why were we called also?"
Geoffrey laughed. "I have seen thee fight, Sentri. Thou art no mere anything. But, to thine question. Firstly, do not forget that it is not just the Avatar we hope to call home, but his travelling companions as well, including thy dear friend Dupre."
Sentri smiled and broke in with, "True. Which is why I convinced out Captain Selene to allow me to include as cargo a cask of Jhelom's finest."
"Oh? I wish thou hadst not told me. If this voyage is long enough, I may work up a thirst... but, to continue. Also, doth thou think this endeaver is entirely safe? True, I am certain that all involved here have tried to keep it secret, but just in case, we will be there to guard our friends' backs while they are vulnerable, spellcasting. Remember though the Fellowship be broken, the Guardian may still have friends here.
"And finally, when they finally return home, they will be surrounded by all their truest friends.
"Think on that, Sentri. I, for one, am off for bed."
With that, Geoffrey walked off, to his cabin, and left Sentri contemplating the waves.
"A stowaway!?" Captain Gargan cried. "Bring the little water rat here!" His first mate nodded and quickly left the cabin. The captain considered, and then poured himself a small glass of something out of his silver flask, and sipped it slowly. He felt the warmth flow to his limbs. It had already been a stressful day, and now this...
"Captain?"
"Get in here, Ian."
The door opened and in walked the first mate, dragging with him a boy, perhaps twelve years of age, with short blonde hair and frightened eyes.
"All right, boy! What is the meaning of this? Just who out of Deceit dost thou think thou are?"
"Sir? My name is Spark, sir. I didn't mean to make any trouble. But I... I
need to get to Moonglow. I can make myself useful, sir... I'll scrub floors or
whatever, just please don't put me off..."
"Dammit boy, thou'st put me in a difficult position." He looked closer at the boy. "Wait. Boy! Spark! It hath been two days since we embarked. Hast thou eaten in all that time?"
"A few scraps, sir, that I brought on board with me, is all, sir."
"Harumph.Mr. Fenderson, go and fetch the boy a few more scraps, to eat."
Ian Fenderson nodded, and left the two alone.
"I remember thee, boy."
"Dost thou, sir?"
"Aye. I've been on the waters for quite a few years now. But I'll never forget the events of three years ago. No Britannian will. But specifically, I remember a certain murder in Trinsic, and I remember seeing the boy who was orphaned by it.
"And I remember who solved that murder. Thou didst travel with him for some time, didst thou not? And now thou dost need to travel to Moonglow. Well. Considering who my other passengers are, I can make some guesses that perhaps I shouldn't be able to about why."
Then he looked stern again. "So why didn't thou not offer to work your way
across the sea before we left land?"
"I found out about thy ship too late. I did barely make it aboard as it was."
"Harumph again. And I might have said 'no,' aye?"
"No! No..."
"Well as of now, consider yourself a dockhand on my ship, boy. My first mate will be back at any moment with food. I will inform him. Oh, and try not to be too surprised when thou dost meet, or meet again if rumor be true, our most important passenger."
"And who would that be? Sir."
Captain Gargan told him.
Spark's eyes widened with awe.
Singly, and in small groups, they drifted into the port at Moonglow, save one who rode down from the Lycaem. Finally, by the dark of the moons, they were all together, and they assembled at the circle of stones, just across the bridge.
("That's funny," remarked Geoffrey to Mariah as they walked over.
"Hmm?" murmered Mariah.
"It is drizzling out. I thought these big magic ceremonies always took place either under clear skies or torrential downpours. Says so in the books."
Mariah chuckled, then returned, "Thou canst read?"
Geoffrey gave her a sour look.)
In the darkness, Mariah spoke, "All the Mages, true and otherwise, who will be assisting or lending thy power to this rite, to the center of the circle."
Jaana, dressed from head to foot in her brown healer's robe, nodded, and stepped inside the circle of stones. She was followed, in turn, by her true friend Julia; then by the wizard Rudyam of Cove. There was a pause, then Nystul, court magician to Britain, entered the circle. Mariah looked inquiringly at the final person she had hoped to include in the inner circle.
"I am sorry," apologized the deep voice of Lord British, "but I'm afraid that I cannot. I yield to none in my admiration for the Avatar, and I owe to him even more than anyone else. But I also owe it to my people, and I owe it to my daughter, to not get entangled such perilous workings. I will help if it looks that it would tip the balance. I will fight if we are beset from without or if something comes through. I am sorry, but I cannot help more."
"My Lord?" asked Spark shyly, "Then why did thee come at all?"
British looked at Spark fondly but said seriously, "Because I feel the need to be here. And also because, these are my friends, too, that we seek to bring home."
Nystul, Jaana, Julia, and Rudyam joined hands, leaving a space for Mariah.
"Now, others, to their places. Geoffrey, my Lord British, and Katrina- an it please thee, stand just within the stone circle. Thy job is to protect against any foul things that may come through.
"Sentri, Tseramed, Galtraxen, and Spark, form a triangle outside the circle. Spark and Glatraxen, neither of thee are as combat tested as the rest, so do keep an eye on each other and stand together."
"To be honored to serve in any way," smiled Galtraxen.
"Aye aye, miss!" enthused Spark.
"And Amber?"
"Yes, Mariah?"
"Stand against a stone of the circle, and stay out of the way."
"I wil be guided by thy wisdom," Amber smiled, and moved to the side.
"To be not scared?" the gargoyle asked Spark as they took their positions.
"Me? Nah. One of my best friends when I was growing up was a gargoyle!"
Galtraxen laughed aloud. "To be thankful that it to have been a long time since I to have provoked that responce! No, to mean of the magic, and the danger."
Spark smiled bravely. "When I was younger I traveled with the Avatar himself!" He chuckled. "Made Iolo and Dupre feel old. But this doesn't scare me." Galtraxen saw Spark's hand tighten on his sling, however.
Mariah stepped finally into the circle and joined hands, Jaana to her right, Nystul to her left. "I believe that, if the gate openes, it will open in the vicinity of the highest concentration of our friends. That way they can more quickly find the rest, and the gate will not need to be held open as long.
"Are thee all ready?"
"Aye!"
"Indeed."
"Very well then. Let us begin."
There were lengthening minutes of silence then, whie Mariah did summon up the energy from within herself and her companions.
The sky began to drizzle with slightly greater intensity, but still merely drizzled.
Mariah began her invokation: "We gather here, now, at this time when the moons do not guard the way between worlds. We gather now, here, at this place where the veil is thinner and a gate once stood. We are gathered, here and now, to open the way, and open the gates, and to call our friends home.
"In Vas Por!"
The circle released hands, and Jaana tossed into the center a handful of Sulfuric Ash, while Julia on the other side did the same with a small amount of Blood Moss. Mariah watched with approval, then brought a bit of the root of mandrake to her mouth, and bit into it.
She felt the power in her increase tenfold. She could see, in her inner vision, the place in the fold of reality that she was seeking to tear, briefly, to call her friends home.
Nystul spoke, "With this we seek to build a web to bridge the gap between worlds, to open the way and the gates." And he opened his hand and flung a portion of spider's silk into the center.
Mariah could see, now, a glow in the air before her. Faint, yes, and only visible to her mandrake enhanced senses- but she was determined to make it manifest.
"In Rel Vas Ort Por!"
"Rudyam, the seed!"
Rudyam nodded, and, with a slow, underhand motion, tossed a small piece of blackrock into the center, a piece that once, not too long ago, had been known as the Orb of Moons. "To give the gate form," he said, "and to contain it, that it not swallow this land whole."
Mariah crushed a black pearl in her hand, and sprinkled the dust over the blackrock.
"Kal Ylem Rel Por!"
A red sliver of light appeared on the ground, and began to spread upwards and grow wider.
"By..." Spark checked himself with a glance at Lord British. "By the Virtues!" he said instead. "It worked!"
"No, not yet," replied British, "there is nothing on the other side."
The gate swelled to its full size, blazing and lighting the clearing red. "Open, open," Mariah intoned.
"This will not happen, yet," a voice called from above, soft but with infinite authority. They all looked up and saw the incandescant figure of the Time Lord, standing in the air above the gate. He was cloaked in a glowing blue robe, its hood hiding his face. In one hand he held close to him an hourglass, and one could see that it was chained to the Time Lord by a manacle on his wrist.
In the blue light of the Time Lord, the glowing red of the portal became sickly and wan.
"It is my responsibility to safeguard the sanctity of this reality. Tell me, then, why I should allow this gate to open."
Mariah looked taken aback, but Lord British called out, "Time Lord! Dost thou know me?"
"Aye, British, I know thee. And I do know that I did grant unto thee the authority to open such a gate. But there are conditions, and laws. Thy gates serve only to call the Stranger to our land from Earth."
"The purpose of this gate, Time Lord, is to call him here from the Serpent Isle, along with his Britannian companions."
"British, Lord of Britannia thou art, but thou hast no authority over me.
Thou canst not order me to open this gate, and it pleaseth me that thou dost seem to know this."
"I do. I seek but to explain, and to plead the rightness of this cause."
"Art thou aware that the Guardian doth still dwell just outside our world, and that he continues to seek his way in?"
Lord British looked troubled.
"This gate could possibly be turned to this design. I canst not allow that to happen."
"Lord. We seek to recall the Avatar, who once already has thwarted the Guardian's plans."
"I understand this."
"Canst thou not guard this gate, and prevent this thing you warn of from happening?"
The Time Lord thought for a moment.
"I can.
"Yes, I will do this thing. I do not stand in the way of this gate."
He started to fade in the sky. As he faded they heard his voice one last time:
"I, too, owe much to the Avatar."
When he was finally gone, the light from the gate burst into fullest splendor once again. It stood, a solid red, giving off a fierce glow; and then it began to deepen, and shimmer, and colors rippled across its surface.
And then, a sibilant voice eminated from the gate. "I am the
Great Earth Serpent, who wards the Serpent Isle. I have communed with your Time Lord. This gate may open, for a short time. One, and no more than one of thee, may enter, to gather thy friends." Then the voice was gone.
They started looking around the clearing at one another, all except the mages in the center, who remained focused on the gate.
Lord British then broke the silence. "Geoffrey. It falls to thee. Art thou willing?"
"Yes, my lord. Wish me luck, all." And with that, Geoffrey took a deep breath, and with measured step strode forward through the gate.
Several minutes passed in silence. Then, all of a sudden, Rudyam collapsed. The other four Mages winced but then stood firm. "He gave as much as he could give," declared Mariah, "and it drained him. Do not worry - we can continue to hold open this gate."
The rain remained a steady drizzle, but then there was a flash of lightning, followed immediately by an immense crash of thunder. These were followed by another, and then a third, in rapid succession. "This is no natural storm," called out Lord British. "Time grows short!"
"What is it?" shouted Sentri over a boom of thunder.
"I believe it to be the Guardian making an attack on the Time Lord. That it is manifesting here makes me wonder if perhaps the Time Lord did underestimate his opponent."
Sentri shuddered, but then quickly breathed a sigh of relief as Geoffrey stepped back through. "They're coming!" He was followed a few seconds later by Gwenno, who winced at the weather change and at a sudden peal of thunder. She opened her mouth but then seemed to think better of it, and closed it without speaking.
A minute passed, and then Iolo and Shamino ran through the gate. Iolo looked about him at the lightning and exchanged glances with Shamino, then cried, "Close it! Close it!"
"But the Avatar!" cried Nystul. "What of..."
"We're it!" boomed Shamino. His mouth moved but thunder drowned him out for his next few words, "...explain later! We promised, close it!"
Mariah nodded, weary, then closed her eyes and concentrated. Then her eyes opened and widened. "I cannot!"
Hideous laughter boomed all around them.
"Time Lord!" a voice that could only be the Guardian's echoed, "I defeated you once before, do you not recall? It was folly to believe you could stand against me now!"
The portal darkened and then, the color rippling outward from the center, turned black. All who looked into it could see through it, and what they saw on the other side struck fear into their hearts. They saw the Time Lord, standing, between the Gate and the Guardian. The means of the conflict was obscure, and all watched them with dread.
Then another shape took form within the blackness, and the Great Earth Serpent said, "Yesss, Guardian, the Time Lord will stand against thee, for he does not stand alone!"
No one could articulate how they knew, but they saw that the battle had become a near stalemate. But still, it didn't end.
"What is happening?" Julia shouted.
Iolo grimly responded, "Only the Great Earth Serpent has joined with the Time Lord. I fear that Chaos and Order are thinking that, should it fall, they would be free of the Balance that the Avatar restored." But soon after he finished these words, another form and voice entered the frey, a voice that was maddeningly familiar to the observers.
"Guardian!" Chaos/Dupre called out, "I too stand against thee, and will for all time!"
"What? How?" sputtered Geoffrey. Sentri looked on, dumbstruck. Shamino looked at them sadly and said only, "Later."
"Order!" Chaos said, "will you not join us?"
"Order!" the Guardian echoed mockingly.
"Yes, join them, and stay imprisoned in Balance forever! Look on me, and see that I am the alternative to Balance!"
"Oh, shit," Shamino cursed under his breath. He then spoke aloud, "Balance is much more than the sum of its parts. If Order joins them, the Guardian will be overwhelmed. If not, though..."
The Order Serpent's form appeared in the blackness. "Guardian," it said, "I know thee. And even Balance is preferable to thee!" It slid over to the other Serpents and
twined with them. The three called out in a single choral voice, "Guardian! We are the Balance Serpent, and we do stand athwart thee!"
"Begone, Guardian!" the Time Lord's voice came again, once more strong. "This is not thine gate!"
And then, with a wail, the Guardian vanished. The gate crumbled, and it was over.
The storm ceased, and only a light rain remained.
