Arik stared up at the night sky as he reclined on the beach. His eyes panned the black sky as if he was trying to memorize all that he saw.

“It is an awesome sight,” Tanya said softly as she slid down beside him. “It is hard to believe that even someone as evil as Sarac could wish to obscure this beauty from everyone. I shall never tire of seeing it.”

“Nor I,” smiled Arik. “Soon this will be visible all over the world. It will be a message of hope for all people.”

“It will also be a warning to Sarac,” reminded Tedi. “As the areas of Darkness become less, the Dark One will know right where to find us.”

“It certainly will be a beacon for Sarac’s Ravens who are following us,” agreed Tanya. “Perhaps we should get some sleep so we can depart early in the morning.”

“Wise words,” commented Alex from the darkness of the palm trees lining the beach. “The hole in the Darkness will not go unnoticed by Sarac’s Ravens. I do not want them to descend on Barouk so we should leave at dawn.”

“Who are Sarac’s Ravens?” asked Wylan.

“A large group of Sarac’s henchmen,” offered Jenneva as she watched the last of the curious villagers disperse from the beach where they had gathered to watch the magic unfold. “They number around one hundred with twenty of them sure to be mages. We had a conflict with them on the way here.”

“And it was not a pleasant conflict,” interjected Alex. “They can disrupt the flying spells of our unicorns. We managed to get well ahead of them, but no tracks can be completely covered, and they have good trackers. You boys must be exhausted after your ordeal today.”

“We are,” nodded Arik, “but who knows when we shall see such a night sky again.”

“Perhaps never if we continue to sit here and watch this one,” frowned Tedi. “I vote for bed. Where are we heading in the morning?”

“A good question,” mused Jenneva. “The townsfolk have gone back to their homes. Why don’t we utilize this time to see where the Sword of Heavens will send us next?”

Arik nodded and rose. He withdrew the glass bead from his pocket and walked towards the campfire where Niki sat quietly staring at the flames. As everyone followed Arik, Niki saw the group approaching and stood up to see what was going to happen. They gathered around the fire while Arik drew the Sword of Heavens and then tossed the glass bead into the flames.

A brilliant white cloud of smoke rose over the campfire. The smoke spiraled upward and mushroomed. As the group stared at the white smoke, an image began to form within the cloud. The image shimmered at first, but soon stabilized. Several intakes of breath from the gathered Rangers broke the silence of the night’s still air.

The image that was formed in the bright cloud was a large circular room with several tunnels branching off of it. The walls were covered with colorful paintings depicting dwarves at work in their various professions. Other paintings pictured dwarves and elves working side-by-side. The walls were also adorned with weapons and armor fashioned in both gold and silver. Three quarters of the room was filled with tiered benches in a circular arrangement. The last quarter of the chamber featured a platform with two golden thrones upon it. Sitting in the thrones were a pair of dwarves wearing golden crowns adorned with rubies. The male dwarf’s crown was intricately carved with rubies seated on each upswept pinnacle, while the female’s crown was a simple golden circlet with a single ruby placed is the center over her forehead.

The benches were filled with dwarves, and they all stood as the king and queen rose. The king was clearly taller than the dwarves in the audience, but the queen even towered over him. Another dwarf entered the chamber and walked solemnly towards the thrones. He halted in front of the king and bowed low. When he rose, he extended his hand towards the king and opened his clenched fist. The king nodded regally and reached out to take the large red ruby from the dwarf’s outstretched palm.

The dwarf delivering the ruby bowed again and took his place in the audience. The king stared at the ruby for a long moment and then held it up for all to see. The king’s voice startled the Rangers as he spoke softly to the audience of dwarves.

“You are all aware of the significance of this gem,” declared the Dwarven king. “Your duty to our people is to protect this ruby with your life. Let no dwarf remain alive while it is imperiled, for when it is gone, so too is the small protection we receive from it. Without that protection, we shall succumb to the evil inherent in the Darkness. I ask you all to recite the pledge now.”

In unison the entire roomful of dwarves began reciting the pledge.

The Ruby holds the Darkness back

And keeps the Dwarven people safe

Its power foils strong attack

The Ruby makes the Dark One chafe.

Abruptly the vision in the cloud winked out, and the bright white smoke instantly dispersed. The Rangers stood silently for a long time before anyone spoke. Alex stiffened as he heard a noise from the bushes behind him. He signaled to Arik, Tanya, and Tedi and then drew his sword and swiftly swiveled. Tedi, and Tanya smoothly spread out and drew their swords while Arik hefted the Sword of Heavens. Wylan picked up on the tension and drew his sword. He looked around the campsite for intruders and saw none. Slowly he moved close to Arik to protect him.

“It will be easier on you if you come out of the bushes slowly,” Alex demanded of the unseen foe. “Make no sudden movements and keep your hands clear of your weapons.”

“It is me, Bin-lu,” sputtered the young Lanoirian as he stepped clear of the bushes with his hands high above his head. “I am a friend of Master Khatama’s.”

“Do friends sneak up on other friends at night?” accused Niki.

“He does know Master Khatama,” offered Tanya.

“I was not sneaking,” frowned Bin-lu. “I have business in the morning with Master Khatama, and I did not wish to walk back to my uncle’s farm to sleep. I often sleep near the beach. The light and noise awakened me.”

“Bin-lu is a friend,” smiled Arik as he sheathed the Sword of Heavens. “It was his boat that we destroyed. Without his help we would never have made it to the Island of Storms.”

The campsite relaxed as Alex slid his sword into its sheath. The Rangers gathered in a circle and sat on the sand to discuss the vision. Bin-lu eased into the circle and sat next to Tedi.

“It appears that your theory is correct, Arik,” offered Tanya. “The gems are proceeding in the order you described. The dwarves did not appear anxious to lose it though. Do you think they will really fight to the last dwarf to keep it from us? That king sure sounded like giving it up was not an option to them.”

“That king was King Tring,” offered Alex.

“And his wife was Queen Trana,” added Jenneva. “We have been in that chamber not twenty years ago. They welcomed us warmly the last time, but much has changed since then. We also do not know if the vision represented the present or the past. King Tring may no longer rule the dwarves of Dorgun.”

“At least we know where to go,” interjected Alex. “The dwarfs have tunnels into the Southern Mountains on the border with Sordoa. We will leave for there at first light.”

“Then we will be heading straight towards Sarac’s Ravens,” frowned Tanya. “Shouldn’t we try to go around them?”

“We will if we can,” agreed Alex, “but they will not be expecting us to be coming towards them. Perhaps we can use that to our advantage. Let’s all get some sleep. It will be an early start.”

The Rangers split up and proceeded to catch some sleep. Only Tedi and Bin-lu remained sitting near the fire.

“I am sorry about your boat,” apologized Tedi. “I really thought we would bring it back safely. We almost did, too.”

“I heard the story,” Bin-lu nodded solemnly. “It was not your fault. From what I heard, you and Arik are great sailors. There are not many in this city that would have even attempted the journey. You should be proud.”

“I am glad you are so understanding,” replied Tedi apprehensively. “Is there something I can offer you for my necklace back? I mean, I know we had a deal, but that necklace means a great deal to me. I will give you anything you want. Anything that I have or can get.”

Bin-lu’s lowered his eyes to the sand and slowly shook his head. “I too have failed in my promise,” Bin-lu said softly. “The necklace was seized by the Emperor. I was foolish and let it be seen by the wrong people. They arrested me and took me before Emperor Hanchi. I had no choice. I could give them the necklace and go free, or let them kill me and take it off of my dead body. I am very sorry that I have failed you.”

Tedi’s eyes moistened as he pictured the necklace. It was his only memento of his mother who had been kidnapped years ago. He felt a rage boiling inside him as he thought of losing the necklace. It had been his only prized possession. As he turned to look at Bin-lu again, he saw the young Lanoirian with his head bowed in disgrace. He remembered how the loss of his mother had nearly destroyed his father. Tedi realized that some things might be better remembered in a less intense way. Tedi swallowed the lump in his throat and forced a smile to his face. He put his arm around Bin-lu and comforted him.

“You did the right thing, Bin-lu,” soothed Tedi. “I valued that necklace over all of my possessions, but it is not really worth your life. Perhaps it is better this way. I do not need that necklace to remember my mother. She will always be in my mind.”

Bin-lu brightened somewhat and looked into Tedi’s eyes. “Thank you for understanding,” he smiled weakly. “I will make it up to you.”

“No, Bin-lu,” smiled Tedi. “Do not even try. There is nothing that could replace that necklace, and besides I lost your boat. We had a deal and we both did our best to keep our end of the bargain. You owe me nothing.”

“I will try,” declared Bin-lu stubbornly. “So will you and Master Khatama and Niki. You must promise me that you will not leave Barouk without talking to Master Khatama in the morning.”

“What are you talking about?” retorted Tedi quizzically. “What does Master Khatama or Niki have to do with my necklace?”

“They have nothing to do with your necklace,” smiled Bin-lu. “They have much to do with something else though. You will find out in the morning.”

“I doubt it,” frowned Tedi. “We will be leaving before anyone is up. I do not know where Master Khatama and Niki are going, but the Rangers leave Barouk before first light.”

“You must not leave the city yet,” insisted Bin-lu. “It is very important. It is more important than your necklace.”

“What is more important than my necklace, Bin-lu?” prodded Tedi. “I cannot believe that anything can be that important. Tell me what you are talking about.”

“I cannot,” frowned Bin-lu. “Only Master Khatama can explain it. You must have trust in me. You will be pleased.”

Tedi almost shot back that he had trusted Bin-lu before, but he stopped himself when he realized how unfair that was. “I cannot promise to meet with Master Khatama in the morning,” Tedi stated. “If he is awake before we leave, I surely will talk with him, but my allegiance is with Arik. I must follow him and protect him. I have sworn to do this, and I will not fail my vow.”

“I understand that Arik is special,” nodded Bin-lu. “Would it be permissible for me to travel with the Rangers?” asked Bin-lu. “I am a very good fighter. I can cook, and will not get in the way. You will be glad that I am with you.”

“That is not my decision to make,” responded Tedi. “You could ask Arik in the morning if you are up early enough, but I must warn you that you will likely die. There are some very bad people who would like to see Arik dead, and they do not care how many others must die to accomplish their goal.”

“I do not live my life in fear,” Bin-lu declared bravely. “I know that Arik stands for something greater than anything else in the world. I want to be part of that. Plus when we return from Ongchi, the Lanoirian army will seek me. It will not be safe for me to remain here.”

“Why would the army seek you?” queried Tedi. “Why are you going to Ongchi?”

“Not just me,” grinned Bin-lu. “You are going too. I know you will go when you speak to Master Khatama.”

“Look Bin-lu,” sighed Tedi. “I have already said that I am going with Arik. Nothing will change that. There is nothing Master Khatama can say to me to make me change my mind. I do not know if you are trying to seek revenge for your imprisonment or if you have some other wild idea in your head, but do not expect me to go along with it. Nothing is more important than fulfilling the Ancient Prophecy.”

“It is only a small side trip,” pushed Bin-lu. “We can catch up to the others in a day or two. It will cost you nothing and will bring you great happiness.”

“No,” Tedi declared frustratingly. “It is late and I need to get some sleep. If you want to join with us, you should sleep here in the campsite. I will wake you before we leave. You can ask Arik when you get up.”

Tedi rose to leave, and Bin-lu frantically grabbed his arm. “Please,” pleaded Bin-lu. “I am not supposed to mention a word of this, but it is something you must know. I could not forgive myself if you left Barouk without knowing. Please sit.”

Tedi looked down at the young Lanoirian and sensed his urgency. Tedi sat down next to Bin-lu. “Please be brief,” Tedi said softly. “I really do need sleep.”

“When I was arrested,” Bin-lu nodded eagerly, “I was taken to the Imperial Palace to stand before the Emperor. I met a woman there who stared at the necklace I was wearing. She stared at your necklace.”

“It was a very expensive necklace,” nodded Tedi as he rose to leave, “but if you think the Rangers are going to attack the Imperial Palace to retrieve it, forget it. It is my loss, not a loss to the Rangers. I am sure I will get over it eventually.”

“You do not understand,” frowned Bin-lu. “This woman was not Lanoirian, and she recognized the necklace. She said it used to be hers.”

Tedi’s mouth fell open and his eyes grew wide as he stared at Bin-lu. He sat back down and his muscles tensed throughout his body.

“She knew your name,” continued Bin-lu. “Your mother is alive.”

“What did she say?” inquired Tedi.

“She said to tell you that your mother is alive,” Bin-lu stated. “She teaches children in the Imperial Palace. She said to tell you that she loves you, but you are not to try to see her. She said you would surely die if you go there. I promised her that I would tell you, but I promised Master Khatama that I would not say anything until he talked to you. You forced me to decide. I hope I have done right.”

“You have done right,” Tedi mumbled as his mind whirled.

Tedi rose and started pacing a circle in the sand around the campfire. Bin-lu could see the tenseness in the Ranger’s body and wondered what was going through his mind. After a few minutes, Tedi returned and sat next to Bin-lu.

“What do you know about this Imperial Palace?” asked Tedi. “How many men are stationed there? Where is my mother located?”

“I now understand why Master Khatama wished my secrecy,” frowned Bin-lu. “You must not do anything rash.”

“Rash?” shouted Tedi in fury. “Is it rash to want to see your mother again? Do you really think that I am leaving Lanoir with her still in that palace?”

“Of course not,” soothed Bin-lu. “We understand that rescuing her must be accomplished. We have already developed plans to get her out of the country. That is why you must talk to Master Khatama in the morning. It is very important.”

“Rescuing who?” asked Alex as he and Arik moved out of the darkness and into the dancing light of the fire.

“My mother,” Tedi replied as he rose unsteadily. “Bin-lu saw her in the Imperial Palace in Ongchi. We must go rescue her.”

“And we shall,” smiled Arik as he walked over and hugged Tedi. “I am so happy for you Tedi. We will find a way to get her out of there.”

“How does Bin-lu know it was Tedi’s mother?” asked Alex as Tanya appeared from the darkness.

“She recognized the necklace,” Bin-lu explained. “She also knew Tedi’s name. There can be no doubt about it.”

“We will need information on the palace,” responded Alex. “You do realize that we may not get out of there alive? This will not be like sliding into Tagaret. We are foreigners here, and we will easily stand out.”

Tedi broke his embrace with Arik and stared at Alex with fury in his eyes at the suggestion of doubt. Alex’s face remained impassive, and Tedi finally nodded sadly.

“You are right, Alex,” Tedi said softly. “It is wrong to expect the Rangers to jeopardize their mission for the sake of my mother. Placing Arik on the throne is far more important than any of our lives. But I cannot leave Lanoir without her. I beg you, Arik, to release me from my pledge. I will not be able to live with myself if I abandon her.”

“You take me wrong,” Alex declared. “I am merely pointing out the dangers that we will be facing. I do think that Arik should not be involved though. He is the one person we cannot afford to lose. Perhaps I can go in myself easier than a bunch of us.”

“I am going with you,” stated Arik. “If it was my mother I would expect everyone to go. Why shouldn’t Tedi have the same right?”

“Because he is not destined to be the King of Alcea,” interjected Tanya. “Fulfilling the prophecy is more important than all of our lives. I am not saying this to be mean, Tedi. The fact is that the world depends on our success. We cannot risk it.”

“So I should abandon my mother because it is inconvenient?” snarled Tedi. “Have you no heart at all?”

“I have a heart,” Tanya replied firmly. “And I am not suggesting that we abandon your mother. What I am saying is that the prophecy is more important. If you have doubts about that, ask Alex and Jenneva. They abandoned their child to find Arik. Do you think that was an easy thing for them to do? Do you think that was any less painful than the situation you are in?”

Alex stiffened his body as he glared at Tanya, but she ignored him and continued, “Arik is essential to the prophecy. There is no way we can risk his life for your mother. Alex and Jenneva have devoted their lives towards seeing this prophecy fulfilled, and Arik needs them to guide him. That leaves you and me, Tedi. If you want to rescue your mother, I am all that you have. We are expendable.”

“Are you saying that you will go with me?” a bewildered Tedi asked.

“I am,” nodded Tanya as Jenneva, Niki, and Wylan joined the group. “Alex may be right about a smaller party succeeding anyway. Plus I have some skills that Alex and Arik do not.”

“This is all unnecessary,” interrupted Bin-lu. “Master Khatama already has a plan. We have been working on it the whole time you were on the Island of Storms. The Rangers can continue their journey, and we can catch up to them in a few days.”

“Perhaps we should get Master Khatama and find out what his plan is,” suggested Jenneva. “I never saw him leave with all of the commotion.”

“I will get him,” offered Niki as she turned and headed down the path towards the wagon.

“Who is supposed to go to Ongchi with this plan?” asked Alex.

“Just four of us,” answered Bin-lu. “Master Khatama, Niki, Tedi, and myself.”

“Do you even know how to fight?” frowned Alex as he stared at the young, thin Lanoirian.

Bin-lu smiled as he rose and picked up a coconut from the beach. He turned and tossed the coconut to Alex. As Alex reached out his arms to catch the coconut, Bin-lu twirled swiftly. The Lanoirian’s leg rose chest high as he twirled and his foot smacked into the coconut just as Alex managed to get a grasp on it. The coconut went sailing off into the bushes.

“Can you handle a sword?” grinned Alex.

“I have no experience with a sword,” admitted Bin-lu, “but I can make use of other weapons well. A staff or a couple of small sticks can be deadly weapons.”

Alex reached into his pouch and pulled out a Lanoirian Star and handed it to Bin-lu. Bin-lu grinned as he picked up another coconut. He handed the coconut to Alex and indicated that he should throw it into the air. Alex tossed the coconut high and Bin-lu casually tossed the Lanoirian Star after it. The coconut fell to the ground near the fire and Alex walked over and pulled the Lanoirian Star out of it.

“I will take that as a yes,” nodded Alex. “Still I would feel better if you had some time to train with us first. Unfortunately, we do not have the luxury of that time right now. I do not want to meet Sarac’s Ravens in this city. Too many innocents would die in the course of the battle. It is imperative that the Rangers leave Barouk soon.”

“Does this mean that you will let me join the Rangers after we free Tedi’s mother?” grinned Bin-lu.

Alex smiled at Bin-lu and turned to look at Arik. Arik grinned and nodded his head. Everyone’s smiles quickly disappeared when they heard Niki’s scream. The Ranger’s dashed along the path and came to a halt beside Master Khatama’s body, which was lying face down in the sand.

“Is he dead?” Wylan asked as Jenneva and Tanya knelt beside Niki as she leaned over the magician’s body.

“No,” answered Jenneva. “Neither is he conscious. Help me roll him over, Tanya.”

Tanya and Jenneva rolled Master Khatama’s body over so that he faced upward. Jenneva felt his pulse and pried his eyelids open.

“Was Boris doing any magic tonight?” Jenneva asked.

“Not that I know of,” answered Niki. “The last I saw him was when the Sword of Heavens pierced the Darkness. I lost track of him after that. Why do you ask?”

“Because he appears to be suffering from magical shock,” replied Jenneva.

“What is magical shock?” queried Wylan.

“It is like an overload,” answered Tanya. “As if he was channeling way too much power through his body. I cannot believe that Master Khatama would ever make a mistake like that.”

“Nor can I,” agreed Jenneva. “Although he has been acting rather strangely recently. Is it possible that his memory loss could cause him to make such a mistake?”

“Even if it was possible,” answered Niki, “what magic would he have been performing as he walked back to his wagon? It doesn’t make any sense. He is losing his memory though. When I started traveling with him, we used to talk about Fredrik and me. Yesterday I mentioned Fredrik and he had no idea who I was talking about.”

“How about an overload from someone else’s magic?” asked Alex as he silently drew his sword and looked around the wagon.

“I don’t see how,” speculated Jenneva, “unless….”

“Unless what?” asked Tedi.

“Unless he was somehow tuned to the Sword of Heavens,” responded Jenneva. “The Sword of Heavens emits tremendous magical energy when it pierces the Darkness. It can be felt for hundreds of leagues away. Normally I would say that it would not affect a magician, but Boris is not just any mage. He is THE mage. Who knows what ties he has to the Sword of Heavens?”