Widderkin - 13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13.

"Time to get up you two. Mr B’s just finished taping cardboard over the hole in the window and we've got drinks waiting for you ... Unless you want me to bring them in here?"

Rhys's movement and Woorawa's voice brought Kieran fully awake and his opening eyes took in the very cheeky grin, which grew even more cheeky as Rhys disengaged himself.

"What's happened? Is Tan ok? Have we been asleep long?"

"Thirty minutes. Tan just woke up so we decided you could too. Mr B says we’re having a big council of war."

"You’re out of your costume. Aren’t we going to finish the ceremony?"

"Yes, but not tonight. We don’t know how well this healing thing with Tan’s leg will work or how long it will take and Mr B thinks you’ll need an even bigger sleep after that.

"I bet I will. What about all the glass?"

"We've got most of it but get dressed and keep your shoes on just in case … Your drinks are getting cold."

Kieran smiled at the hurry up then held his arm out so Woorawa could drag him to his feet. The drinks weren't cold and after quickly changing they took them to Tan's bedroom.

Whoo! He was smiling but his leg looked awful.

"Holy cow, Tan! Does that feel as bad as it looks? It's got twice as big."

“It's gone kind of tight and it’s still throbbing but it doesn't hurt as much ... Unless I touch it."

"Are you ready for Rhys's magic hands? We’ll start as soon as we finish our drinks. Hey, is your foot still all right?"

"My foot is perfect. Have a look."

Everyone had a quick but cursory look while Rhys made jokes about which other parts of Tan were perfect. The lump did indeed look awful but there was an excited sense of optimism as everyone took their place. Kieran took hold of Rhys's free hand and looked at all the expectant faces.

"Something tells me this is going to take a lot longer, but I really think the opal’s going to make it happen."

He opened his free hand to show the beautiful gemstone and on impulse made it sparkle for a few seconds with a range of colours.

"Wow! What happened, Kieran. It looks like it it's alive."

"That was me, Rhys. I'm getting a feel for its energy before I start."

Mr B squeezed Kieran's shoulder.

"Let Rhys's hands help you more often this time, Kieran. Do you think you can stop yourself from reaching that level where you perspire from so much effort?"

Kieran nodded. Of course he could. It just meant getting a regular boost from the opal rather than waiting till he felt he needed it.

After five minutes the swelling was half the size and Kieran knew they were going to be successful. The next five minutes was the most interesting for him as, besides taking all the swelling away, it taught him a huge amount about calling on the opal, and by the time he called a break he’d learnt how to build a kind of pool of energy that Rhys could draw on continually, how to manipulate different streams of energy at the same time, and how to vary the amount of its focus.

"Why are we stopping? The lump’s gone but there’s still something wrong."

"I want a drink and a think for a few minutes, Rhys, then we’ll get it finished. Put your hands on Rhys's head, Mr B and Woorawa, so we can all get an energy boost."

Mr B and Woorawa both looked surprised.

"What for? All we've done is watch and we said we'd only do this if we needed it ... And doesn't it need to be from his hands?"

"It's a little experiment I want to try, Woorawa. You won't feel as much as usual and you can touch him anywhere."

A moment later everyone suddenly smiled.

"That felt good, but what was the point, Kieran?"

"How Rhys’s healing works is a complete mystery to me, Mr B, but I’ve found out I've got some control over it and I wanted to see if I could reduce how much gets through."

"And that's related to the thinking you want to do?"

"Yes, if I can reduce it I should be able to invert the process and increase the effect. I've got enough to go over in my head while everyone gets another drink ... What can you feel with your leg, Tan?"

"Nothing. There's no throb or anything."

"Test it with your fingers because Rhys and I both know it's still not right."

Tan experimented then held his finger in one spot.

"Yes. Right there, but I can only feel it when I press."

"And that's your shin. It fits with Mr B's idea about a bruised bone."

Everyone, including Tan, walked to the kitchen to make their drink.

"I can’t see any glass. How did you clean it up so well?"

"We swept and vacuumed, Rhys, but there’ll still be tiny slivers we couldn't find. We'll have to go over it three or four more times before it's safe for bare feet."

Kieran put his drink down and turned toward the lounge.

"No we won't! Watch this!"

The first thing everyone saw was a glow of light from all the kitchen windows and every glass object around them.

"Whoops! I didn't mean everything."

The glow stopped as abruptly as it had started and Kieran pointed to the lounge where twenty or so bright little spots of light glittered from various positions all over the carpet.

"How did you do that?"

"Easy, Rhys. I did the search thing for any glass. When we finish Tan’s leg I'll make them shine again and it’ll only take a few minutes to pick them all up with the vacuum cleaner.

"I can't keep up. It seems like you learn how to do something new every few minutes."

"Not really. I already knew how to search and how to make things glow. It clicked in my mind to put them together."

"Yes, I understand that, but every single glass thing glowed. A few days ago you had to struggle to make three of us glow at the same time, and just then you made far more things glow like it was nothing. I think fixing Tan’s leg made you stronger."

"It's the opal, Rhys. I did figure out a lot of things with Tan’s leg but I used it sort of automatically for all the glass."

"Make all of us glow then. I bet you do it easily."

"After we’ve finished Tan’s leg. That's what's important at the moment."

"Yeah, of course it is, but I still want to see you try, and if this next bit of healing’s as hard as Mr B thinks it might be you could end up even stronger. Hey! The best test will be making a light without the opal. I can't wait ... No ... I mean yes, I can."

Now he turned to Tan.

"Come on, Tan. We’re going to make your leg as perfect as your foot."

Everyone was smiling. Rhys's excitement and eagerness to get going was catching. Back in Tan’s bedroom the set up was the same except for Kieran's request that Mr B and Woorawa keep their hands resting on Rhys's head the whole time. That got some curious looks but no comments.

"Are we all ready?"

Kieran surprised the group, including himself, when, after only five or six minutes he sent an invigorating burst of well-being and announced that Tan’s leg was as good as new.

"Are you sure, Kieran? The cut took twice as long as that."

"Rhys’s touch isn't doing anything in that area any more, Woorawa, so it must be right."

"So you did something different? You thought it was going to take about twenty minutes when you started."

"Yes, I've worked out how to let Rhys use extra opal energy without getting overloaded. I think we could fix the cut in less than a minute now."

Everyone stared at him, except for Tan who was probing the area where his shin had been injured.

"This is hard to believe. The bad spot has definitely gone because it feels exactly the same as the rest of my shin. Maybe the bone wasn't bruised as much as we thought?"

"It would have been, Tan. Did you see how Rhys's hands kept glowing without a stop? Energy was pouring in and he used way more than he did for the cut and the lump put together."

In fact Kieran could hardly believe how much. For the whole five minutes he’d worked a balancing act of steadily drawing more and more energy and at the same time giving Rhys just the right amount to cope with it. Tan jumped up from his bed, took a few steps to test his leg, then gave Kieran and Rhys a heartfelt thank you hug.

"It's like ... Like healing potions in a role-playing game except for real."

Rhys loved that and started gesturing toward everyone with his hands.

"Like in Myst! I'm the healer and Kieran’s the great wizard. Turn Woorawa into a frog, Kieran, and when my hands touch him he'll be himself again."

Kieran was about to tell Rhys he was an idiot when he realised he could actually do this. Well, not a real frog of course, but a false idea in their minds for a few moments would make them think that. This would be fun. Holding his hands out dramatically he formed a large blue globe of light and directed it to hover above Woorawa.

"Kieran, what are you doing?"

Kieran didn't answer, just clapped his hands together and instructed Rhys, Tan and Mr B’s minds that the blue globe had enveloped Woorawa and in his place was a metre high bullfrog. He exploded with laughter at the three sets of goggle eyes, and then again when Woorawa asked why they were were staring at him so weirdly.

Tan laughed first.

"Use your healer hands, Rhys. That's what you’re meant to do."

Rhys held his hands out then abruptly pulled them back.

"Not yet. Woorawa’s the best frog I’ve ever seen."

Totally bewildered, Woorawa looked at Rhys.

"Why are you calling me a frog?"

Rhys's eyes goggled even more.

"And you talk to me."

Now even more confused, Woorawa looked to Kieran for an explanation.

"Rhys wanted you to be a frog so now you are. When he puts his hands on you you’ll turn human again."

Understanding dawned and Woorawa laughed and couldn't help checking himself.

"I must be a pretty good one then."

"You are. You’re as high as my waist and you even laugh."

"I’m giant? ... For Tan and Mr B too?"

Mr B answered.

"You’re a super-size version of the frogs we saw at the Valley of the Eagles, Woorawa, and Rhys is right about the talking and laughing. It gives an air of unreality that is beyond bizarre.

Put your magic hands on him please, Rhys. I'm finding this too weird."

Rhys moved close but as his hand reached out Tan grabbed ahold of it.

"He’ll feel froggy, Rhys, but healing him with your hands won't work."

Now it was Kieran's turn to be puzzled.

"Why not, Tan? I was about to make it happen."

"It’s a kiss that turns a frog into a handsome prince. Everyone knows that."

Kieran bubbled with enjoyment at this brilliant idea.

"Hey, yes. Kiss him, Rhys. It's the only way."

There was a new explosion of laughter at Rhys's expression.

"Not yet. I like him like this. He’s a nice frog."

"Pucker up. You have to do it now because Mr B’s not comfortable with talking frogs."

"As if! He knows it's all in his mind."

There was a twinkle in Mr B's eye.

"I'm still adapting to the idea, Rhys. Please kiss the frog."

"You just wait, Tan. I'm going to get you for this ... Is he going to taste froggy?"

Kieran nodded.

"Great idea, Rhys, now that you mention it."

"Ha, very ha!"

He puckered up though because he was enjoying this as much as everyone else really, and when his lips seemingly made contact Kieran covered Woorawa with a green glow for a few seconds and dismissed the frog image.

"Any more interesting ideas we can try, Rhys? That was fun."

"Lots of ideas, except I know you’ll make them backfire on me. Anyway, now that Tan’s leg’s okay we have to stop mucking round and clean up those glass splinters so we can get serious about the brick attack."

Rhys was right and the mood turned from frivolity to purpose.

***

Kieran finished returning the vacuum cleaner to its storage place near the laundry door then paused to listen to the muted sound of Woorawa's chanting. It was odd that he'd started by himself. Probably he wanted to teach Mr B something. Kieran headed for the lounge but once again paused. This time he cocked his head to listen more carefully. That was even odder. The chant was the one he used when they practised their mental barrier contest, not any of the ones they'd practised for the ceremony. Well, he must be reviewing it to Mr B.

Kieran sent a light touch to check and reeled in shock. Woorawa's barriers were straining at their limit from some kind of attack, and an instant of consideration showed they were wavering. After all their practices Kieran understood exactly how Woorawa's barriers worked so another instant had them bolstered and rock steady. Pressure built again in a way that Kieran didn't understand. Never mind, a burst from the opal would help and he could puzzle over this strange attack.

He reached for energy and reeled with shock again. It wasn't working and, worse still, there was no sense of connection. Automatically his hand grasped the gemstone dangling from the chain around his neck. Burrimul had insisted they see a jeweller as a way to keep it close when he was swimming. Using his direction sense he reached. Yes, there it was, but just a trace. With one great push of effort he rebuilt the connection to its normal level and directed a stream of energy to Woorawa.

At this stage Kieran received his third shock. These few short seconds had brought him to the lounge entrance where he could see Woorawa chanting with his eyes closed. The shock was the others, all slumped on the carpet, apparently asleep. Asleep? That couldn't be. A minute ago all of them had been brimming with life from the burst at the end of Tan’s healing, excited by it, and curious about Mr B’s ‘council of war’.

The connection to the opal began to close again and with a touch of annoyance Kieran locked it open and directed a surge of energy against whatever was affecting it. The pressure stopped abruptly and the opal was completely his again.

Woorawa's chanting stopped. What was happening now? Kieran checked and rushed not only to reinforce the again failing barrier, but to add a barrier of his own against pressure now surging way beyond anything Woorawa could possibly manage. Kieran held it though, quite easily with help from the opal, and the strangeness quickly changed to partial understanding. His flicker of interest passed with the realisation that this was supposed to send Woorawa to sleep like all the others. Well, more help from the opal would stop that. Copying the style of pressure as best he could, Kieran called even more opal energy and pushed back powerfully. Woorawa's eyes opened.

"Why did you get so rough, Kieran? I thought ..."

His voice trailed off when he took in the three inert bodies.

"... What?"

"They’re asleep, Woorawa, and something tried to do the same to you till I stopped it."

"That wasn't you? ... Are they all right?"

"I think so. It feels just like sleep but we’ll know as soon as we wake them."

"It can't be ordinary sleep. We were too full of energy and excited. Wake Rhys first in case you need his hands. Kieran, I'm glad it wasn't you ... It was scary."

"I know. Something tried to stop the opal working too, and I only just got to you in time. I'll tell you about it as soon as we get everyone awake."

Kieran moved towards Rhys and felt a throb of migraine pain so powerful he nearly lost his balance. His eyes lost proper focus and the kaleidoscope of weird colours was so disorienting he dropped to his knees to stop himself from overbalancing.

"What are you doing?"

Kieran winced. The distorted tone of Woorawa's voice was an assault on his ears.

"Migraine! … Awful! ... Help me reach Rhys … Make it go away."

“Fight it, Kieran. It's not a migraine. It's an attack to put you to sleep ... Make a barrier against it till I get you to Rhys."

Kieran pulled meaning from the confusion of sound and sight and Woorawa’s supporting grip on his arm was a life-saving reprieve from the pain and chaos battering his senses.

An attack? Of course. The supporting shield he'd given to Woorawa moments before now sprang into place for his own mind and the world steadied long enough to let him get to his feet. After a few assisted steps the assault renewed. Kieran leaned against Woorawa and built his mind barrier to a level where he could ignore all the pressure. Yes, it was pressure, directed pressure, not quite the same as the pressure against Woorawa but very similar and that meant he knew how to counter it.

Defiance flared, along with a touch of anger and, with help from the opal, he reversed the pressure and flung it back to wherever it was coming from.

"Go away and don't try that again!"

The supporting grip disappeared and Kieran blinked at Woorawa's shocked expression. What? ... Oh!

"Did I say that out loud? It wasn't to you, Woorawa."

Woorawa visibly pulled himself together.

"Thank goodness for that. My legs nearly started running ... You fought off the attack didn't you?"

"Only after you made me realise what it was. It was so bad I could hardly think."

"Are you all right? … You did it without Rhys?"

"Yes, I figured out how to push back with the opal. Hold Rhys's head while I help him."

Rhys recovered the instant the burst of opal energy reached him and, in short order, Tan and Mr B were also looking to Kieran for explanations.

***

Reeling with shock, High King Aglaron relaxed the group shield and directed attention to his stunned advisers. The automatic shield activation had snapped the intricate links between Maynor, Uirebon, and the Human World, and he watched with little understanding as first Uirebon and a short moment later, Maynor, returned to local awareness.

Their very first step in reinstating Keryth's conditioning was now awry and understanding was imperative.

Uirebon rallied.

"My Lord, you terminated the process?"

"Not at all, Uirebon. Our group shield acted to protect us from that unexpected but powerful response directed at Maynor and severed the link to Keryth. When we return our shields will be controlled rather than automatic."

"I failed My Lord. The Dark Child was aware of my attempt at control and consciously resisting with a curious combination of mindset and a natural barrier which unaccountably firmed beyond my ability."

"We all failed Uirebon. Keryth has somehow linked himself with an instrument of power and my attempt at examination was brushed aside then completely blocked."

Maynor spoke.

"I learnt many thingsfrom Pethron’s mind before the links were broken. The instrument apparently augments his natural resistance and must be helping other abilities surface with his human persona. I counsel an immediate return before he grows even stronger. I was on the point of taking control when the link was broken."

"Are you sure of your control, Maynor? It was the response to your effort which triggered the shields."

"My personal effort alone was almost successful, My Lord. Against the combined power of three Realm Lords, a triad of triads, and abundance of Nexus energy he cannot stand. But we should return immediately. That young representative of the Ancient People has been helping Keryth to explore and develop both his abilities and the link to the instrument, which Pethron’s mind sees as a gemstone called a black opal."

Aglaron raised a containing hand.

"In essence I am in full agreement, Maynor, but rush without understanding could very well counter the value of speed. Enlighten us with the information you gained from Pethron first."

"Time is against us and there is much to consider, my Lord."

"Much?... Explain."

“I learned that the human I shielded and guided to challenge Keryth responded far beyond expectation and caused an aggressive and dangerous physical action. A missile showered Keryth’s group with glass and injured one of them. My poor judgement must be rectified."

"Physical violence! Show me."

A selection of Pethron’s memories flowed and Aglaron, after a moment of review, spoke rather abruptly.

"The challenge against Keryth ceases, Maynor, and the artificial aggression must be removed from the young challenger’s mind before it manifests with even greater severity."

Uirebon hastened to mediate.

"My Lord, this relatively minor element of the situation will be quickly and easily rectified. We failed to take account of the propensity for some humans to express their aggression so physically."

"Not so minor for the challenger, Uirebon. His mind could well face turmoil as it attempts to understand actions beyond its norm ... but you are right. Information regarding Keryth is more pressing. Continue, Maynor."

"The Dark Child’s urgings have somehow stimulated Keryth to develop surprising new abilities."

"New? ... That does require explanation."

"The first to appear was the ability to locate an object or person he has been associated with. He used it to find the warrior, and Pethron’s mind has knowledge that Keryth was able to locate the opal giver from halfway across the dry continent."

"That is a useful ability, Maynor, but not uncommon."

"I agree. The next ability is really an expansion of his childhood affinity with animals to a broader level of conscious mental manipulation.

Also, according to one of their discussions, he examined the changes we made to him and his companions’ memories and partially copied our techniques."

"Conscious mental manipulation is fundamental to us. He may be accessing his previous training."

"That is not possible, My Lord, without breaking the underlying conditioning I gave him and that hasn't happened. It's his degree of control that is so surprising. Just moments before we intervened he turned the dark skinned friend into a giant frog. The image was strong in Pethron's mind and functional for both touch and sight."

"Two senses at once is competent but not surprising."

"My Lord, he held the appearance with three onlookers simultaneously."

"That is surprising."

"Not as surprising as the light he can call into being, real light."

"... The introductory skill for anyone training to use Nexus power. Keryth was so instructed some fifty years ago."

"Pethron watched him kindle the light without help from the instrument of power."

"Without help? How can that be? Real light requires energy which must come from somewhere ... Do you have any explanation for this, Uirebon?"

"Keryth can only be using energy from the instrument of power in some way we don't understand ... or maybe he retains some of its energy without realising he is doing so? Otherwise he has some other source of energy at his disposal."

"Such as?"

"Natural energy of the world around him, or maybe even his own life force, though I hope not, as that is fraught with danger."

"We can draw energy from our bodies? Why have I never heard of such an ability?"

"The knowledge is restricted."

"From me?"

"Of course not, My Lord."

"I see ... Well, under oath of secrecy Maynor may also hear of it."

Maynor made the sign of committal and, with his liege, gave attention to Uirebon.

"My Lord, some eighteen centuries ago one of the High Lords discovered he was able to augment personal strength with life force from his subjects and attempted to take the Nexus from your father. Something went terribly wrong and all his Court and two thirds of his subjects were drained of life in a matter of seconds."

"The Great Death and foundation of Lady Narello's Realm?"

"Indeed. Your father admired Narello's resourcefulness and gave her control of the almost depopulated domain."

"What knowledge do you have regarding this life force?"

"None, apart from the frightening consequences of its use I just related."

"Search for understanding. Keryth may be in danger."

"There is nowhere to search, My Lord. After three centuries with no sign of the ability reappearing, your father agreed with me that it was lost with the death of his brother and all his line."

"My uncle was the High Lord you speak of? Brother contested with brother?"

"Times were stormy and your uncle had more ambition than wisdom. Ambition has ever been the bane of the Realms."

"You knew him, Uirebon? He was before my time and my father never spoke of him."

"His ambition and strength unnerved me and I inherit my reticence regarding him from your father. The Great Death was a dark time for all the Realms and when Keryth returns we must examine this use of life force, if that is what it is."

Maynor nodded worriedly.

"My Lord, I fear that it is. Pethron's memory shows Keryth was reduced to exhaustion in a matter of seconds when he produced light. We must regain control and, for his own good, prevent any further experimentation. Without supervision he may be in great danger."

Alarm crossed the High King’s countenance.

"Uirebon, combine every flow of power and direct it to Maynor. We return to the Human World as soon as the triads can be made ready. Keryth must be protected."

***

Five friends gathered for explanation before starting the now doubly pressing council of war Mr B had earlier called.

"Whatever it was nearly got us, Rhys, and we could have lost you again. You didn't feel anything because you were asleep but Kieran saved me just in time then frightened the life out of me when he collapsed on the floor with the migraine thing."

"Collapsed? ... It was that bad, Woorawa? ... How did he get better if I wasn't awake to help him?"

"I don't know. One second he was on his knees and about to fall on his side and the next he was on his feet looking so angry I nearly ran out of the room."

Kieran hastened to explain.

"It was the strongest migraine I've ever had, Rhys. They usually build up slowly, but this time it happened so quickly I couldn't think. Woorawa snapped me out of it by telling me to fight and as soon as he yelled I knew he was right and I copied the barrier he uses for our mind fights."

"Wow! And it worked. Have you ever done that before?"

"Not for myself. I’d built an extra barrier for Woorawa a few seconds earlier to protect him and I used the same pattern for myself, so he kind of saved me twice. As soon as I made the barrier I got better."

"So our theories about some kind of attack are right?"

"Definitely, Mr B. First of all I nearly lost the opal. Then it was a fight to protect Woorawa, and then straight after that it was the migraine."

"How could you lose the opal? It's round your neck."

"Not the opal itself, Rhys. Something stopped it from helping me and I had to use the search thing to get back my proper connection."

"Why do you say separate fights, Kieran? Don't you think it was all part of one big effort to put us to sleep?"

"No. The first fight didn't have any effect on me. It was just about control of the opal."

Kieran thought back.

"The other fights were different too, Mr B. The more I think about it the more it feels like three separate attacks."

"We should be saying six attacks, Kieran. Three of us collapsed on the floor without warning and I don't know about Tan and Rhys but I have absolutely no recollection of anything happening at all. One moment I was watching Tan light the candles and the next I was on the floor with Rhys touching my forehead."

"Me too. When I opened my eyes I thought Kieran must have tried some new trick because I couldn't remember lying down."

Tan nodded and then Woorawa spoke up.

"Check them all, Kieran. You might be able to tell if anything happened to their memories ... And me too. I know I nearly lost it at one stage."

Woorawa was right and Kieran gave himself a mental kick for not doing that straight off.

"Everyone touch Rhys. We’re all going to get an energy boost before I start."

Rhys smiled when Kieran and Tan held a hand each and Mr B and Woorawa put their hands on his head and then there was a collective burst of assorted exclamations at the boost of well-being.

"Whoo! That was stronger than last time, Kieran."

"I know. I made it extra in case any of us need it. Keep your hands in place while I concentrate."

A minute later Kieran opened his eyes to four sets of wondering looks.

"Something was different for Mr B and I don't know what it was so I made it normal, a bit like I did with the professor and the administrator’s memories. Everyone else is okay ... As far as I can tell."

"How different, Kieran. You’re making me feel uneasy."

"There was nothing bad, Mr B, just your memories seemed to be a lot more open than everyone else's so I sort of pushed them back where they should be. You’re more complicated too, but I think that's because you’re an adult."

"You can move memories round to different parts of our heads? I thought you could only change them."

"It wasn't really moving and it wasn't really me doing it, Rhys. When I saw something odd I guided your healing energy the same way I did for Tan's leg and that's what made the change."

"That’s another new thing, Kieran. When did you learn to do that?"

"It's not new, Rhys. I did tell you when we were fixing Tan's leg."

"That's different to fixing someone's mind."

"I haven't got a clue about fixing anything. That's all you. Without your touch nothing would even happen."

"We'll have to practice everything as much as we can. Every single day ... and I don't think half an hour is enough."

"Are you changing the subject, Woorawa?"

"Talking is important Mr B, but we’ll understand the healing stuff better by doing it. The same as everything else."

"Doing it? That means someone has to get hurt."

Woorawa jumped up, went to the kitchen drawer, returned with a knife, and startled everyone by jabbing it into the palm of his hand.

"Holy cow! You’re crazy, Woorawa!"

"No I'm not. You and Kieran will fix it in less than a minute."

Woorawa pressed against the cut to staunch the bleeding then presented his hand to Rhys. He was right about the time because this was smaller than Tan’s cut and Kieran did know exactly what to do. A moment later Woorawa rubbed where the knife point had gone in and brandished his hand for everyone to see.

"See. I'll jab it in deeper tomorrow ... Anyone else going to have a try?"

After a wary pause Rhys took the lead. Kieran followed and by the time they’d all had a turn it was clear that without Rhys's touch nothing would heal.

"Why do you want so much extra practice, Woorawa? You reckon there’ll be another attack?"

"Of course there will, Rhys. Whatever they were after tonight didn't happen so they'll be back for sure. They want us all put to sleep so they can change our memories and get rid of you again. I think they don't like you being here because your magic hands keep stopping them from getting through to Kieran."

There was a general murmur of assent at this.

"I reckon that's right. Rhys was in the first group to collapse on the floor and that fits with the idea of stopping his healing. What do you think, Kieran?"

Kieran gave Rhys a very special look.

"That means we’ll protect him from now on. The migraine attack’s the one that makes me forget things and I fought it off all by myself this time."

Woorawa interrupted.

"Only just, Kieran. If you'd had the three attacks at the same time we’d all be asleep now. What if they all join together next time?"

That was scary and Kieran had a think before he answered.

"You’re right about having lots of practice, Woorawa. I’ll have to get stronger."

"The opal makes you strong enough."

"As long as I can last long enough to call on it, Tan. The energy only comes when I call it."

"Why don't you keep some with you all the time? You said you gave Rhys a big pool of it to make the healing go faster. Could you do that for yourself?"

"Well, I ... Tan that's brilliant. Hang on a second while I experiment."

Kieran opened his hand and made the opal sparkle as the indication for the others that he was using it. Yes, a store of energy for himself was even easier to control than the healing pool he'd placed with Rhys.

"Put the candles out, Tan, I’ve made a kind of reserve pool and I want to see if I can use it instead of my opal. I think I've called the right amount to light them all."

When Tan finished blowing out the candles Kieran concentrated on the flame starting technique but only managed to relight three out of the six.

"You can only do half of them?"

"Blow them out again and I'll have another try."

"So you did something wrong?"

"Yes, Rhys. I wasted energy for the first three. I'll do better this time."

When Tan's head was pulled back, five candles lit up and Kieran laughed at all the querying looks.

"Bad judgement again. I didn't use enough for the fifth one and had to have a second go at it. It needs lots of practice."

"So, it's fairly hard?"

"Not really. I could have called a bigger bank of energy but that feels like I'm wasting it."

"How big can you make the bank? Enough for twenty candles?"

"Yes, but I won't do that straight away. I’ll build up without rushing this time, Mr B."

"Another thing to practice. Kieran, I've been thinking about what you said you did to help Woorawa and it's given me an idea that might be a good help for all of us."

Kieran was surprised that Mr B seemed to be moving to something new before they’d talked out this energy pool thing.

"What?"

"Well, the rest of us are all helpless against these attacks and I didn't think there was anything we could do about it, but then you said you gave Woorawa an extra barrier because his own wasn't strong enough. Can you do the same for Tan and Rhys and me?"

All thoughts about the energy bank disappeared from Kieran's mind. No wonder Mr B had been so insistent on this council of war.

"Yes, I think I can. Woorawa, fight me off as hard as you can so I remember what I did."

Woorawa's eyes closed and he started his chant. Kieran pushed till the chant hesitated, then reinstalled the extra barrier that had saved Woorawa. He dismantled it, then rebuilt it to establish the technique, pushed again and then again. With each careful push he added extra opal strength to the barrier and then a matching amount to himself. Woorawa stopped his chanting.

"Don't stop. I want you to keep fighting."

"What for? I can't feel you doing anything."

Kieran increased his pressure slightly, without a matching boost to the barrier, to show Woorawa that he was indeed being attacked. Woorawa took fright and backed away with his hands warding.

"Too much! Too much! Take it easy, Kieran."

Kieran instantly strengthened the barrier then wondered why the small increase had had such a strong effect.

"Whoo! Did you mean to do that, Kieran? It was bad."

"I've got the barrier working so well you can't feel how hard I'm attacking, and when I let a bit of pressure through you weren't ready for it."

"That wasn't a bit. It was a lot. I would have flaked out if you'd kept going … Another thing to practice."

"I'm still going, Woorawa, but your barrier is stronger."

"You’re attacking now ... while I'm talking and not even concentrating?"

Kieran gave a nod and, with much finer control this time, allowed a few moments of pressure to get through. Woorawa closed his eyes with effort then opened them again when the pressure stopped.

"You’re confusing me, Kieran. I don't know how to resist you when I can't feel anything."

"You will when we work on it, but you can relax now because I'm switching to Rhys."

Rhys looked worried and grabbed Kieran's hand.

"Are you going to frighten me the way you just did to Woorawa? I can't stop you like he can."

"You won't have to, Rhys. Just fight against me the same as every other practice and that will show me how to make a barrier that suits you. I might frighten you once before I get tuned in properly."

"Tuned in? What does that mean?"

“Your levels will all be different to Woorawa's, Rhys, and I'll have to work out how much you can take."

"Still sounds scary!"

"You won't feel of thing ... Except for the mental torture."

"Ha very ha!"

After working out Rhys's barrier Kieran did the same for Tan, Mr B and himself then practised till the pattern for each was clicked nicely into place.

***

In very short order all three triads returned to full operation and with admiration High King Aglaron watched his Lore Master open nine separate paths of power, meld them to a single, stable focus, then transfer control to Maynor.

There would be no mistakes this time, no careless assumptions, no lack of power, and no automatic shielding cutoffs.

With only a minor change from Uirebon regarding the handling of the triad power and a commitment to extra Nexus energy on his own part, Aglaron could find no fault with the strategy Maynor had so hastily prepared and proposed. Very interestingly, he’d insisted that Keryth's unusual method of shielding was a major factor of concern and after urgent discussion it was agreed that the combined strength of three triads, three High Lords, and directed Nexus energy all wielded as one would be available if necessary.

There would also be no division of strength this time, and after the few seconds it would require to control the companions all attention would focus on Keryth so Maynor's control pathways could be quickly re-established. When Uirebon added his personal resources Maynor looked for the fourth and final supporting link from his liege. Aglaron constructed their four defensive mind shields, backed them with the Nexus and also added his own resources. The intricate web, designed by Uirebon and controlled by Maynor, locked into place. Maynor tested every link for stability then reached for the Human World.

With startling ease contact was made and a quick burst of energy directed to the minor task of controlling the companions. Aglaron watched with surprise as the triad’s defensive shield flared against a rebound of energy. How could that be? A second, more determined effort dissolved the resistance and four minds instantly moved to a state of deep sleep.

Success. There could now be no interference from the warrior’s healing hands. That resistance was a surprise though, and in the seconds while Maynor refocused the triad’s power, Aglaron instinctively checked all four shields. Yes, Maynor also was a master in action.

He watched Maynor's exploratory push against his son with approval. Without precision, care, and proper calibration, such overwhelming power was extremely dangerous.

A shield? Already in place?

The exploratory push increased in strength and again Aglaron admired Maynor's careful approach.

Pressure built and the shield wavered. Yes, with a little more strength it would crumble and Maynor would be able to take over. Aglaron took quick stock of Keryth's level of resistance. Extraordinary indeed, a match for the triads by themself, but helpless against the overwhelming strength of three High Lords.

When the shield firmed Aglaron briefly marvelled at his son's fortitude and for a fleeting moment felt a perverse inclination to give him aid. No, all this was for his own good and the good of the Realm. One more small increment of force would overcome this resistance and the plan would be back on course.

An inflow from Maynor's personal Nexus energy made the increment and Aglaron watched in anticipation for the success of their efforts. Keryth's shield held and Aglaron sensed the surprise from his two High Lords. Maynor gathered more strength and tried again but without success.

Surprise quickly gave way to shock and then disbelief as resource after resource was added to the pressure against this impossible shield. Maynor directed the total power of all three triads till finally there was an indication of progress.

The shield faltered, altered, then altered again in what appeared to be an effort to adapt.

Maynor called on the full potential of Uirebon’s strength to take advantage before the shield steadied. Too late. An instant before Maynor applied what was now an unprecedented marshalling of power, Keryth's shield steadied and the onslaught raged, ineffective, while Maynor used every method at his disposal to probe and infiltrate this mysterious barrier.

With total disbelief Aglaron followed their agreed plan and ceded control of his own personal resources, resources almost matching those of Uirebon and Maynor combined, and watched the new level of power latch and hold.

How could this be possible?

A desperate call came from Maynor for direct access to Aglaron's link with the Nexus, the ultimate power source maintaining the very structure of the Realms. Yes, there was desperation in the call for this final contingency, but true to his word, Aglaron relinquished all control and watched Maynor instantly wield the extra power with renewed confidence.

The pressure mounted then held,

and held,

and held.

Understanding came to Aglaron that instead of using a final hammer of brute force Maynor was now waiting while Kieran expended his energy. Once again Aglaron approved. This new tactic eliminated the risk of any damage from overwhelming force. Nothing could hold against this amount of Nexus energy and when Keryth was finally drained, as he must be, his shield would falter.

Seconds passed and the combined power of three triads, three High Lords and direct Nexus energy raged against the strange shield till once again something wavered and changed.

Aglaron's new anticipation changed to shock when all four shields under his control flared to their full defensive strength.

Kieran could attack?

A rapid analysis revealed that all was secure and a second flare-up confirmed this. Amazement turned to satisfaction at the thought that the two attacks must be efforts of last resort.

Aglaron watched for any sign that he was right and was rewarded, after several seconds, when the shield started to waver again. This must be the moment. The waiver increased and the shield changed. It changed abruptly and Aglaron tried to understand why the pressure against it had suddenly fallen away. Why was Maynor retreating when they were so close to success?

A surge in demand from the Nexus, the only resource not outputting at full capacity, restored the pressure but at the same time started a tremor of apprehension in Aglaron's mind. The flow of energy under Maynor's control had increased to restore the right level of pressure?

That was wrong.

The feeling of wrongness flashed to certainty when the sense of pressure diminished again. Aglaron applied a tracing overlay to the converging streams of energy directed by Maynor and watched a significant portion vanish through his son’s shield boundary. Keryth was taking it? Full realisation of where this could lead was instantaneous and Aglaron sent Maynor an imperative hold command. If Keryth was absorbing the energy being thrown at them their whole strategy was futile ... And even dangerous.

He reached for his last reserves of power just in time to bolster their four shields from a shockingly powerful attack.

Before responding to the bewilderment and dismay emanating from Maynor and Uirebon, Aglaron frantically sought for some response to this now hopeless situation.

"Maynor, we cannot prevail. In the moments we have left to us direct all our resources to the construction of a portal to the High Realm. Our last hope is to take the warrior and use him as a lever for negotiation."

The four shields wavered. Maynor's response was almost instant and the sleeping warrior’s body disappeared. The shields crumbled and Aglaron wrenched control of his Nexus energy just in time to protect himself.

***

Kieran opened his eyes with a feeling of satisfaction that his last push-back had worked so well and looked to where he'd seen Rhys collapsed on the floor. A burst of opal energy combined with his healing hands would be a good start at recovery for everyone. Satisfaction changed to puzzlement when the rapid glance showed Tan, Woorawa and Mr B slumped exactly as he remembered in the moment before he nearly lost it himself, but no Rhys.

Maybe he'd healed himself and gone to get something? Kieran reached but his tracking sense didn't work. Was it damaged or shellshocked or something? No, there was Woorawa, and ... Yes, there was Burrimul far away in Alice Springs … Rhys was gone.

"Rhys! Rhys! Rhys!"

Kieran reflexively squeezed his opal for help and called again. Worry receded with the wisp of contact that came to life. Wherever he was he would be found.

Kieran looked at Woorawa lying here on his side, Tan slumped at the table and Mr B asleep on the sofa with his head leaning back and mouth slightly open and decided to let them wake naturally while he had a good think. After putting a cushion under Woorawa's head he sat at the table and waited patiently. Woorawa was first and Kieran shooshed him so as not to wake the others. That only worked for the few seconds before Wooroowa realised Rhys wasn't there.

"Where’s Rhys?" He whispered.

"I don't know unless I use the opal. We’ll work out what to do when everyone else is awake. "

The wait for Tan, and then Mr B, to wake up was a long ten minutes and for the whole time Kieran's worry about Rhys built a reservoir of anger and defiance against whoever was doing all this. Twice he used the opal to reassure himself that the tenuous connection was still working, and just when Tan woke he thought to make a proper check of their memories.

"Where’s Rhys?"

Mr B's first question when he woke was the same as Woorawa and Tan’s, but this time Kieran was ready with a more detailed answer.

"Whoever did this has taken him somewhere, Mr B, and it must be a long way because I can't sense where he is without the opal."

"A long way? How long have I been asleep and what happened, Kieran?"

"It was the big attack you predicted, Mr B, and it was far worse than anything we talked about. The shields I gave you dissolved like tissue paper and all four of you crumpled so quickly I couldn't do anything, and then I nearly went with you. If we hadn’t just done that practice I wouldn't have had a hope. We'll talk about it more when we get Rhys back."

Tan broke the silence that followed.

"My watch says it's only fifteen minutes since we went to sleep, so he can't have gone far. We can use my car to find him again."

Kieran shook his head.

"It's not like that, Tan, and I know the car won't help. Something really weird happened right when I worked out how to chase them away. Rhys just disappeared and I’ve played it over and over in my mind while I was waiting for you all to wake up."

"He couldn't just disappear. They must have made him walk out."

"He didn't walk, Tan. One second he was there and the next he wasn't. I'm really worried about him so we're going to help him."

"What do you mean, Kieran? It will have to be you because we can't do that sort of thing."

"Doesn't matter, Mr B. We’re all in this and we’ll look for him together. If there was a way to make him disappear then there has to be a way to bring him back."

"You've got some kind of clue from your mind playback?"

Kieran nodded at Woorawa.

"Yes. When I use the opal to find Rhys the playback thing comes to me as well."

"They’re both about Rhys so that does make sense ... What you want us to do?"

Not that he’d doubted their willingness to help for a moment, but the obvious eagerness buoyed Kieran's spirits.

"First of all you’re getting a new shield each, but this time it’ll be linked with mine so the only way you’ll be overcome is if they get past me. When I connect to the opal I want you all to think about Rhys as hard as you can."

"How? Make a picture of him in our minds or something?"

"Exactly, Tan. I'm going to see his smile and his laugh."

In fact, Kieran had a far more personal memory.

"Anything else?"

"Yes, hold my hand so we’re all in contact with the opal."

In Kieran's mind this was an extremely important moment and, holding out his hand, he surrounded the opal with blue glow and made the colours sparkle with life. Woorawa reached through the glow, touched the beautiful gemstone, and then surprised Kieran by closing his eyes and starting a soft chant. Mr B covered Woorawa's hand and then, with a decidedly awed look, so did Tan.

Energy flowed.

Kieran built the shields.

More energy flowed and the tenuous link with Rhys grew stronger.

"Come home! Come home!"

Kieran called, not aloud, but using more and more energy from the opal. Rhys was there now, almost like normal but sound asleep. A pool of energy would trigger enough healing to wake him so Kieran started sending through the link. No, give him a shield and join it with the others first. The opal responded and a moment later Rhys's mind cleared.

"Rhys, come home!"

With the help of the opal the call crossed the link and registered in Rhys's mind.

"Kieran?"

The spoken question was immediately swamped with bewilderment and disorientation as Rhys’s eyes took in his surroundings. Kieran felt the strangeness through the link and along with another heartfelt call to come home, sent a feeling of reassurance and comfort. Something touched Rhys's shield.

"Kieran? I can feel you. Where am I?"

Kieran couldn't answer, which was a concern. More worrying was the second and stronger pressure against Rhys’s shield which had just registered through the link, with the implication that someone had their attention on him and must be working to control him again.

"Come home, Rhys!"

The call strengthened, the opal responded, and the link between Rhys and his friends changed. Kieran recognised something of the pattern he'd seen when Rhys disappeared, seized it, added to the call and built on it.

Whoo! The structure of shields and connections faltered and Kieran, knowing he was about to lose everything, opened himself to the opal in a way he'd never done before. Energy came in a deluge. The strange pattern built, crescendoed, and flashed to completion.

For an indeterminate time reality dissolved and Kieran lost everything. Shields disappeared, links dissolved and his mind was battered by the deprivation of every sense.

Awareness returned with a confusion of weight and movement. What? Oh, someone was lying on top of him. No, two people. Awareness changed to partial understanding as Woorawa rolled to the side, Tan wriggled to a kneeling position, and Mr B cradled his head in his hands.

"KEIRAN!"

The mighty shout came from behind and Kieran whirled to the familiar voice just in time to register Rhys's happy features in the dusk before being squished in a welcoming hug.

The hug ended and five sets of smiles quickly gave way to bewilderment.

"What did you do this time, and where are we?"

In the gloom of evening, Kieran looked past several impossibly massive tree trunks to rugged hills several kilometres away silhouetted against the darkening sky, then back at Rhys.

"I haven't got a clue, Rhys. We were trying to call you back but we must have come to you instead. You've been here longer than we have so you should be telling us."

"Ha, very ha! About a minute longer. And I'm not the one who does weird things all ..."

Rhys crumpled to the ground. Kieran groaned in annoyance at himself for not thinking properly and, reaching for opal energy, forcefully blatted the interference from Rhys's mind. As he knelt beside Rhys he rebuilt all the shielding which had dissolved in the chaos of moving then constructed the pool of energy Rhys would access to heal himself. Everyone rushed to help and by the time Woorawa was reaching to support Rhys's head his eyes were fluttering open.

"They got me again?"

"Only for a couple of seconds, Rhys. I was so excited about seeing you and thinking about what happened, I forgot our shields. They won't get you again because this time I blasted them to oblivion."

Rhys bounced to his feet.

"I hope not. I'm getting sick of waking up on the ground. Kieran, what happened? How did we get to this weird place? ... Those trees are too big?"

The whole group gathered together, looking to Kieran for whatever he could tell them.

"It was the worst attack ever, Rhys. The first shields stopped them for about a second but then they clobbered me so hard I nearly fainted. I fought them off but then you disappeared from the floor in the lounge. When Woorawa and Tan and Mr B woke up we used the opal to track you. We tried to call you back but instead of that we came here. Someone really is after you because that was their third try since you got here."

"What will we do now? They might still be after me ... Or all of us."

Mr B broke the silence of everyone considering what to do.

"Can you use your tracking to tell us which direction home is, Kieran? If they brought Rhys to this place they must know where it is and we should move."

Everyone agreed and Kieran made the blue arrow they were all used to but when he thought of home nothing happened. The call on the opal still didn't give any result.

"Look for a person, Kieran. Try the professor first and then Uncle Burrimul."

Looking for the professor didn't work but when Kieran thought of Burrimul there was a murmur of excitement when the arrow started spinning.

"What does that mean?"

"It's the same as it was for you, Rhys. There's a connection when I boost with the opal but direction isn't part of it."

"That doesn't make sense."

"It does to me. Earth doesn't have trees like that so we must be somewhere else ... like another world."

Everyone swivelled for another look at the two great trunks reaching to the sky.

"We might be in a forest no one's ever found before, Tan."

"Everywhere’s been explored and trees like that would definitely show up on satellite scans. Look at them. They make the giant redwoods in America look like babies. That one on the left is wide as a house. Looking at it’s giving me goosebumps."

Rhys made a strange kind of laugh.

"We’re in Myst and they’re the Emperor trees."

Rhys had given Kieran a beautiful illustrated edition of the book after they'd seen the movie together but he was only part way into it.

"I haven't read about them yet, Rhys. What are Emperor trees?"

"Two giant trees that rule all the forests around. They’re so big that forest people have their town in them."

Heads lifted again.

"There’s no town up there. Kieran, I think Mr B’s right. We should move and find somewhere to hide and camp before it gets too dark ... Those hills might have a cave or some sort of shelter."

Rhys took a few steps then stopped and looked back.

"Come on. Let's move before it's too dark and someone comes to look for us."

They wouldn't be able to reach the hills unless this twilight lasted an unusually long time, but moving did seem to be the most sensible idea so Kieran nodded to the others and stepped after Rhys.

"Everyone keep an eye out while it's still light enough. There might be clues about where we are. Woorawa, you can watch behind while Mr B and Tan watch a side each. Rhys and I will pick the way forward."

"It won't be hard, Kieran. The big trees seem to be the start of a forest but this way’s nearly all open. I wonder if it gets cold at night time. And what about food? We haven't got a thing."

"I don't know, Rhys. We’ll just have to huddle together if it's too cold and there’s nothing we can do about food in the dark."

"Hey! There must be animals. We better listen carefully too."

Kieran wondered why Rhys sounded so definite and asked.

"We've hardly seen any long grass. Remember how short it was in the cleared area near the trees? And all these open patches are the same."

"That doesn't have to mean animals. The grass might be short naturally."

"There have to be animals of some kind."

"I suppose ... We’re not going to reach those hills. It’ll take a while and it's already darker after just a few minutes."

After another five minutes stars were appearing and the hills had become dark silhouettes so Kieran stopped everyone.

"Let's head for that clump of trees. If the moon doesn't come out it could get pitch black and we won't even be able to see the trail."

Tan made a curious snorting sound.

"If there is a moon."

After a moment of speculative silence Mr B queried whether they were on a trail.

"I don't know, Mr B. It's clear enough."

The trees were about a hundred metres to the side of their line to the hills and the group headed for them purposefully till Woorawa gave a soft call.

"Look. There are lights."

Everyone froze on the spot and stared. Distinct in contrast against the darkness, five or six pinpoints of light glittered brightly in the distance.

"And they’re at the base of the trees. They must be looking for us. You were right, Mr B ... It looks like five lights but it's hard to tell because they keep moving. How many can you see, Woorawa? You've got the best eyes."

"... I think it's six ... It's definitely six. Two of them just separated from the others ... And one of them’s coming this way. Will we run for the trees or what?"

Kieran looked round then pointed to a dimly seen depression behind a slightly raised patch of ground.

"Over there! We'll watch from the mound and hide in the dip if we need to."

Two other lights moved away from the trees in a different direction and disappeared from view. Attention snapped back to the closer light which looked to be coming straight at them.

"Look how fast it is. It can't be walking."

Rhys was right, and the closer it came the faster it looked.

"Shoosh! I can hear something ... It sounds like horse’s feet."

Kieran beckoned everyone to crouch because the light, now obviously following the line from the trees to the hills, was approaching the point where they'd turned off.

"Sheba! It’s stopped."

Rhys's muted warning was unnecessary and everyone dropped prone in the gully. Woorawa raised his head to look past a small plant and whispered to Kieran who was right next to him.

"It's coming towards us again. It's tracking somehow."

Kieran's heart started pounding as he lifted his own head just enough to see what he could. The light was low against the ground and sweeping back and forth with enough brightness to reveal the partial features of a horse. Kieran reached for a mind the way he did at home or at College and encountered a weird nothingness. A boost of energy from the opal had no effect and with a real shock he understood that he couldn't get through. The horse was now only twenty meters away and since it was inevitable they'd be found he leapt to his feet.

"Stand up, everyone, and get ready. It knows where we are and I can't stop it."

Light flared brighter, bathing the five companions in strong relief, and at the same time making it hard to distinguish the mounted figure looming above. Kieran took a step forward and held up an open hand in a hold gesture.

"Who are you and what do you want with us?"

"I seek the marked one. Submit to the sovereignty of the High Lord."

Puzzling over the terminology, Kieran was about to respond when Woorawa ranged beside him.

"We are visitors, lost and looking for a way home. We hope you can help us."

"Do you submit?"

Kieran felt a kind of outrage and took over.

"Your Lord is not our Lord and we will not submit. All we want is some help and guidance."

There was a flurry of movement and a rope lashed round Kieran's upper body. In the instant before it tightened he thought it was a whip. It seemed to constrict further, paralysing him and toppling him helpless to the ground.

"Submit!"

Kieran's outrage flared to a new level. His body might not be working but his mind was. In a flash he found the mind of the horse and sent messages of fear and loathing for the frightening thing on its back that wanted to hurt it in every possible way. Kieran couldn't see because he’d fallen on his side and couldn't turn his head, but the result was spectacular. The horse panicked and in a wild frenzy of bucking and contortion sent its rider crashing to the ground. The light extinguished.

"Get him! Get him!"

Kieran heard the great yell from Rhys and sensed the movement as his friends rushed forward. A strange cry sounded and then even more strangely there was complete silence. Desperate to know what was happening Kieran jerked his head to see. It worked. Rhys and the others were climbing to their feet. In seconds Rhys was supporting his head and Woorawa was pulling at the rope thing.

"Are you all right, Kieran?"

"Where is it? I couldn't see."

"It disappeared. When it attacked you the horse went crazy and it fell off. I knew we had to get it while we had the chance."

"But where is it?"

"Who cares? Did he hurt you, Kieran? Do you need any healing?"

"That rope thing paralysed me completely. I couldn't even move my head."

"It was starting to stand up but when Rhys and Woorawa crashed into it it just disappeared."

Rhys's hand was now resting on Kieran's forehead but a quick burst of energy from the opal showed he didn't need any healing. Kieran stood up and looked towards the now barely discernible Emperor trees.

"All the lights have gone. I hope that means no one else is after us."

"Did this hurt when it went round you, Kieran? I thought it was whipping you."

Woorawa was holding the rope thing, though in the fading light it looked more like a strong cord.

"There was no pain, just instant helplessness. We’ll have a good look at it later. Let's get to the trees before there’s no light left."

"What about the horse?"

Tan pointed and straight away Kieran reached. His steadying and friendly thoughts dispelled it's nervousness and brought it ambling to join them.

"Wow! It’s big. Is it safe, Kieran?"

"It's as friendly as anything and it wants to stay with us. Climb up on that saddle thing and ride it, Rhys."

"No way. I've never even been on a horse and it's dark ... Hey, look. There’s another one of those rope things."

"Go on. Up you get, and you can lead the way for us because it can see better in the dark than we can."

"Um! ... You sure? What if it runs off with me? I'd have to dive off because I wouldn't know how to stop it."

"Trust me, Rhys. It won't. But if you’re too nervous Woorawa can ride it instead."

Rhys laughed, which was a relief after the dramatic encounter, then used the foothold thing to cautiously climb onto the saddle.

This four-legged addition to the group and Rhys's interaction with it held everyone's attention while they moved to the clump of trees.

***

The shocking pressure on the shields vanished, and after making the imperative check that all flows of Nexus energy had regained their full function, Aglaron gathered himself and probed the well-being of the two High Lords slumped beside him. Maynor would require the full attention of a healer adept. Uirebon, though stunned and exhausted, would have to cope with a short assisted session of wakefulness and Aglaron wearily directed his rudimentary healing skills to reviving him. Uirebon's eyelids fluttered then he pulled himself erect.

"My Lord?"

"Keryth destroyed our shields with so much force I had to break all our links. Your healer is approaching but before he ministers I must have your knowledge of what happened after my son destroyed our linkage and your shielding. I was forced to abandon you before the warrior was taken but I detected traces of a portal to Maynor's realm so I presume we might have at least one positive outcome for this fiasco?"

"Yes, My Lord, but the situation has become even more complicated. Your order for a portal was almost too much for Maynor, and lacking both time and strength for a full construction, he used his personal portal instead. The effort completely overwhelmed him but he did manage to transport the warrior to his Glade of Trees."

"It is inconvenient but hardly a complication. All we need do is collect him."

"In the instant before Maynor lost consciousness he passed me his link to the warrior's mind and I acted to do just that. I dispatched mounted Fetches to the Glade and was keeping the warrior in a state of sleep when a new shield appeared in his mind and my control was brushed aside."

"The warrior can shield himself against a High Lord?"

"No, My Lord. He was asleep. The shield came from Keryth in the human world. The shield was suddenly dissolved and through the eyes of the awakened warrior I saw Keryth in human form gathered in the Glade with all his companions. An instant later I was swatted to oblivion like a gnat against a giant."

"Maynor must have moved the whole group to his Realm by mistake."

"He didn't. The warrior was by himself well after Maynor was overwhelmed. Keryth must have constructed his own portal."

"There has to be another explanation. Only High Lords have the required knowledge and training. Uirebon, give me the link to the Fetch. If Keryth continues to use these strange new shields it might be our only way of locating him."

Uirebon concentrated then looked to Aglaron with distress.

"My Lord, there is no link. The Fetch is gone. Keryth must have overwhelmed it physically and dismissed it."

"Was it a full Fetch?"

"Indeed, My Lord, mounted for speed and strength, and equipped with restrainer cords. It was the only agent with no susceptibility to the strength of Keryth's mind."

"I see, but now we have Keryth roaming Maynor's Realm in human persona while Maynor is out of action for at least twenty-four hours. Sleep now, Uirebon, and we will talk in the morning when you have regained a modicum of strength."

***