The days have been many, and still no word from
our founder, Lore Denin. Destiny growing more and more vexed everyday
decided to ask a favor of a very dear friend, a favor that was treacherous,
a favor she felt she had no right to ask. She prepared her pigeon for
flight, with a message detailing her thoughts. If she got no reply she would
understand, but it does not hurt to ask. She kissed her pigeon and set it
into flight, waving as it flew away. She paced the floor of her home knowing
the others that lived there were watching her closely, they worry about her
so. So much has happened in the past few months that have kept her in a
constant state of dread. The girls of the home, all very close and
protective of each other, did not know what she was up to, but they watched
her closely anyway, they would fight anyone or anything that tried to harm
her.
Later that
afternoon Destiny's pigeon returned to her with a reply to her message, she
read the parcel and announced she must leave for a while. "I will return
very shortly, please do not worry, I am just going to visit a dear friend."
The girls all looked at each other and nodded their approval as Destiny
exited the room. She mounted her charger and spoke the words that take her
where she wants to go. And within a short moment she was at the home of her
trusted dear friend. She tethered her horse and knocked on the door, in the
blink of an eye the door opened and revealed a sight for her sore eyes, Lady
Messenger. "Do come in Destiny, I have been expecting you, I have been so
very busy and am glad to take a break to see an old friend." She smiled and
motioned her into the room, offered her a comfortable chair and some herb
tea.
"Lady Messenger, I am here to ask you a
great favor, I know it is a harsh thing I am going to say, and I know how
hard it was for you to complete this task last time it was asked of you."
Lady Messenger nodded as if she already knew what Destiny was going to ask.
"The ancient portal, you wish it open again." She looked Destiny square in
the face and smiled. Destiny could never understand how her friend always
knew what she was thinking. "You know I was thinking the same thing Dest. I
miss him too." Destiny managed a smile and looked to floor for strength, but
found none there. "I want to go in there Messenger, that is where this all
began and the only way to trace where he is now." Messenger looked up from
her tea and nodded thoughtfully. "Destiny, Lineage is a very large place,
remember how long it took Lore to come out of there?" Destiny just looked at
her friend and said nothing. "Only one person can enter the portal, and that
person will not be you Destiny, you have too much at stake right now." I
know of your sisters troubles, and you need to stay near her and see to her
safety." Destiny stood up and paced the floor, irritated that Messenger
would not let her investigate Lore Denins disappearance. "If I do not go we
may never find him Messenger, I have to do this, we need to find him!" She
sat back down and nearly cried. "You are right Destiny, we need to visit the
origin of his desertion, and we will. Only it won't be you, I will go in
your place. I have nothing holding me here right now, all that busy work I
spoke of earlier is near finished and I am worried about him too." Destiny
looked dumb founded, why would Messenger risk herself in that place? Of
course she loves Lore like we all do but to go to Lineage? "Destiny, trust
me. Lore and I talked many hours of his adventures in Lineage, I know more
about the place then anyone. I will be ok there, and I will find out where
he is, I promise you I will find who took him. "Destiny began to
understand why Messenger wanted to go in her place, reluctant she nodded her
approval and gave Messenger a hug. "I thought I would be asking a lot of you
just to open the portal again, now I have you going through it Messenger,
how do I deserve such a friend as you?" Messenger laughed heartily and
patted Destiny on the back. "You know I would do anything to find Lore, even
go to Lineage, please don't be such a fussbudget. You will need to open the
portal though, I will not be able to open it "and" go through." Destiny
nodded eager to help any way she could.
Once back at home
she told Akara the account of her visit with Messenger, and that she would
be sending Messenger to Lineage the next day. "You mean to tell me YOU
were going to go to Lineage single-handedly!" Akara took Destiny by the
shoulders and squared her to look at Akara, "What were you thinking? Why
didn't you talk to me about this? You know we need you here. I would be
beside myself with you away in some parallel world alone!" Akara sat down
and shook her head, "Sometimes I just do not know what I am going to do with
you Dest." She looked up and a new thought came to her, "Messenger alone in
that place? What is she thinking? Is there anyway I can go with her to keep
her out of trouble?" Destiny shook her head, "I am sorry Akara, only
one can enter the portal, Messenger knows more of the land and the people
there. You will just have to trust her, she knows what she is doing." Akara
sunk in her chair, a look of despair came over her and she nodded in
resolve. "Tomorrow then, I will open the portal for Messenger and she will
walk through it alone, but I am not fearful for her, I know she will return
with news of who has taken Lore."
The following day Destiny returned to the
home of Lady Messenger with the tomes of the ancient portal and a gift for
her dear friend, a single crystal, a communication crystal that would span
the universe and beyond. "I took this from the man that murdered my father,
it is one of the things he seeks from Lorel and me." Messenger looked up
surprised, "I have seen men destroy countries for a bobble such as this. How
have you kept it without anyone knowing?" Destiny smiled, "It was disguised
as reagent, I found a magic spell that made it appear to be a garlic clove,
Obadiah showed me how to make things look like something else." Messenger
grinned and laughed, he will need to show me sometime, I might have a bobble
or two myself." The two looked long at each other then shared a long goodbye
hug. "Please Messenger, even if you do not find a trail to Lore, come back
to us safe." Messenger nodded in agreement then she closed her eyes as
Destiny opened the tome and started to repeat the mantra's from within it. A
few short minutes passed and the emerald green glow of the portal appeared,
taking one last look around, Messenger stepped through and vanished. Destiny
immediately began to cry, she knew Messenger would be alright, but there was
always a chance we would never get her back. We will pray everyday
that we do.
The Crystal Speaks
The night was thick with the unknown and despair, no word
from Lady Messenger as of yet, and the wait was driving Destiny insane. The
crystal she gave Messenger should be charged and ready to relay a message
from anywhere in this vast galaxy, and beyond. No word meant either
Messenger has not found anything, or she was unable to use the crystal.
Either way was not good news for the ANKH. Sosarian knocked at the door of
Destiny's villa, he shook his cloak as she answered the door, the rain had
gotten it a bit drippy and he did not want to track her floor. "Hail milady,
how are you this night? Do you mind a little company?" Destiny smiled
broadly at her good friend and invited him in. "I was about to pour some
herb tea milord, would you like some?" Sosarian nodded in acceptance of her
hospitality and she offered him a chair near the window. She handed him a
steamy cup and took a chair near the one she offered him and noticed he
looked a tad morose. "Why the face Sosarian? You look as if you lost your
best friend." At the words he just heard he perked a bit and turned his head
to peer out the window. She noticed him stiffen a bit then relax, he turned
a little in his chair to face her and acted as if he were going to say
something but an unseen force made him relent. "Spit it out my friend, I
have a good ear, what is on your mind?" He smiled at her and laughed a
little, "Yes, I do need to get to the point don't I? I saw something, or I
should say I saw someone." Destiny sat forward in her chair, eager to hear
what came next. Sosarian sat back in his chair and crossed his legs and
began to tell her what he saw. "I was in Trinsic, I was purchasing some
provisions, when I saw this man, a dark sinister looking thing he was. He
said he was looking for you, he mentioned that he had an old debt to collect
from you. Something you have that he feels is his. Destiny, tell me who this
could be." Destiny shook her head and replied, "I have no clue who it could
be." Sosarian looked as if he did not believe her, but did not push.
"Honestly, I have not a clue." she repeated. She was lying, she knew who it
was, but she did not dare involve her friends, this was her battle. She
quickly changed the subject. "No word from Lady Messenger yet, I fear for
her Sosarian, I really do." She sank in her chair and held her crystal, the
receiver that would carry Messengers words to her when the time was right.
She cupped it to her heart as if that would make it bring her the news she
wished to hear. Sosarian looked as if he could feel her pain, "Hang in
Destiny, Messenger is a tough cookie, she will be fine. She probably has not
even had time to find a place to lay her head, much less contact you." He
flashed her a warm smile and finished his tea.
The mere
thought of what Sosarians chance visit with the dark man in Trinsic would
bring gave her chills, she had to make sure he did not find her, or worse,
find her sister. She recalled back many years when she first encountered
him, and how she vowed to ruin him for good. She thought him dead, she
witnessed Akara sinking her broadsword deep into his head, no one could have
survived the savage attack that Akara dealt him when she found him trying to
take Lorel back to Vesper to stand trial for his dirty deeds. But somehow he
did survive, he was stalking her and taunting her every move. Why did he
hate her family so much? He killed her father, her mother went mad and
married a scoundrel who pretty much just turned Destiny and her sister over
to this beast that was bent on haunting this family from the time Destiny
and Lorel were small children. Since the day he murdered their father before
their eyes, Destiny had promised he would pay with his being, she will keep
that promise. Sosarian stood up and walked toward the door, "I have put a
tail on your dark enquirer Dest, I am going to keep an eye on him, I do not
trust him. He is after something and I am going to find out what it is." He
turned the door latch and stepped outside, turned to look at her and nodded,
"I am also placing guards around the villa, if he comes near he will be
apprehended." Destiny bit her lip as she tried to figure out how to call
Sosarian off her enemies trail, she worried they might all be in danger. "I
really don't...." Sosarian cut her off, "It is done, goodnight Destiny." He
hopped on his steed and trotted off, she was helpless to stop him. Just as
he rode away, the crystal lit up and she could here a faint voice.
"Everything is ok, I found a place to lay down, the people here are nice so
far, please do not worry." The voice faded away and the crystal grew dark
and Destiny stared at it for what seemed only a second, but was really quite
a few. She placed the crystal in her satchel and headed off to bed. Soon
this will all end, she hoped, but she knows better, a long road lay ahead, a
long road indeed.
