A/N: Okay, it was a long time in coming, dang it! It is a long chapter!

Chapter 13: The Meleka

Aurora led the way in their flight. She knew little of this area from word of mouth, which was a far better cry from what her companions apparently knew. Galen and Narrinda knew nothing beyond their world in the West. Abinia was a useless pile, and he never had left Zelkiden before now. Aurora did not trust Rhluska as far as she could pull out his intestines, and, besides, he only knew a few miles from the cave’s entrance. Their final companion kept silent. Her own sketchy judgement would have do. Not to mention, without using Rhluska’s aid, she would be able to find a place that the gwamin did not know about. According to him, if he could be trusted, the gwamin had no desire to leave their own domain.

It did not take long for Aurora to grow tired of Narrinda’s slow paced stead. She grabbed the undead spirit by the scruff of the collar and pulled her onto her own horse. Narrinda complained quite verbally at first about leaving her steed behind (and it would probably wound end up eaten by some unsavory creature), and Manle was none too happy about the arrangement either, but the cursed spirit soon accepted that her mule could not keep pace, and thus, it was an endangerment to her living companions. All in all, she could still ride in a more dignified way than being strapped across Aurora’s lap.

Aurora slowed their pace at the beginning of a wooded area. The adrenaline rush leaving her veins made a harsh reminder of the cold frigid air of the coming winter. Narrinda struggled to right herself into a sitting position before the goblin woman, and Abinia collapsed forward panting on her neck. With disgust, she pulled the reigns of her horse to bring the party to a halt. The goblin man perked up at the sudden change in affairs and soon fell from the horse to the ground in a most undignified way. Galen did not fare much better, and he soon joined his companion face down in the fresh snow. Rhluska dismounted and staggered, but unlike the others, he managed to keep his feet longer. He finally collapsed to his knees and panted fiercely. Aurora mumbled several nasty comments about her weaker male companions. Narrinda, realizing that they were going to stop for camp, fell from the horse and stumbled to her feet. After several missteps of disorientation, she finally stood before her master for orders.

Aurora shook her head and ignored the undead spirit. Although she herself was tired to the point of exhaustion, she knew she had to tend to the horses. She felt it no use to argue out her differences with her companions. She felt it was below her to attack the gwam while he could hardly stand or protect himself. She smirked. She was certain that it would make no difference to him if the tables were turned. Besides, he may not be as tired as he seemed, and she didn’t want to take the chance that he would defeat her and her unborn child. It would be best to fight after both of them had rested.

Narrinda settled herself down in the snow. Aurora turned on her and shot her a glare that if there was any power backing it would have would have melted the snow around the undead spirit. The Wichtlein was unaffected. After all, what could the goblin do to the undead spirit. Narrinda pulled her legs up to herself and rested her head on her knees. She needed the rest physically as she did spiritually. The distance of her home and the tentacles of the curse still pulled at her, and each step further became harder.

“You could start a fire going or do something else useful. These clowns are likely to freeze out here in the snow,” the goblin complained.

Narrinda looked up. Her normal well kept appearance was in disarray. Her normal smooth movements were now jerky and clumsy. Aurora felt a chill run down her spine that had nothing to do with the wintry air around her. Her unnatural companion was covered in dirt and the blood of her companions. The long ebony hair now hung in matted clumps in her face. She had acquired the appearance of what an undead spirit should have.

“I don’t know how to start a fire,” she answered flatly.

Aurora swallowed down her misgivings and took her hand away from her sword hilt. What could she do to her anyway. She thought back on her time with the spirit, and Narrinda had never started the campfire. The dark green eyes of the gwam watched her. He huddled into himself with the cold. She observed that neither he nor the goblin were dressed for this weather. It was a good 30 degree colder outside of the caves. It irked her, but she finished tending the horses and threw her spare cloak to the shivering gwam.

“I would hate for the cold to take you before I do,” she remarked.

He did not answer, but glared at her with his emerald eyes. Although his pride made many a strong argument, his common sense won out, and he accepted the cloak and tied it around himself. Aurora gathered the wood for the fire. Heaviness gathered around her knees and ankles. She clenched her fists and bit her lip. She would not surrender to such weakness with the enemy in camp. Rhluska shook his head and got up to help her. She growled and glared at the response, but she finally gave into his aid. The setting up of the camp was for his own survival as well as her own. She rummaged her companion’s supplies and threw one of Galen’s cloaks over Abinia’s shivering body.

“I suggest that you rest as well, goblin woman,” the gwam responded as he finished the preparations.

She glared at him again, but he did not pay her any attention. He found his corner of the camp and curled up to sleep. She blew out an exasperated breath. She couldn’t fight him now even if she had the initiative to do so. She looked to her small companion. Narrinda sat huddled up in a ball with her chin on her knees.

“Can you keep watch over us?” she asked, “Wake me if something dangerous comes our way.”

Narrinda nodded silently. “I will not sleep tonight. My mind is too full.”

The goblin woman nodded her acknowledgment. It felt odd to put her faith in the damned, but Narrinda had given her no real reason to feel otherwise. She was too tired to worry about it, as she curled up opposite of her, and she was soon in a deep sleep.

Aurora woke to the smell of cooking meat. Her blurred vision cleared to the sight of Galen and Rhluska cooking coneys over the campfire. The gwam pulled the borrowed cloak around himself tighter as a chilled winter wind swept the camp. Abinia, dressed in Galen’s cloak, was outside the camp and from the sounds of it, he was retching. Aurora frowned. The gutting of the game did not sit well with him. Narrinda sat near her. Her clothes were back in order. The blood was wiped from her face and hands and her clothes. She presently sat struggling with the rat nests in her hair.

“Good morning, Aurora,” Galen happily announced, “Rhluska caught us some breakfast.”

The gwam shrugged and pulled the meat from the fire. The goblin woman narrowed her eyes at her small companion. Narrinda gave her no acknowledgment, as she tamed an exceptional knot from her black strands. Aurora grabbed her up by the collar of her cloak.

“What part of keep watch did you not understand!” she demanded, “You allow this damn gwam go off on his own! There is no telling how many of them are now on our trail.”

“None,” grunted Rhluska, as he bit into his meat. “You have no concept of how far we are from Zelkiden, and my people will not travel this far to regain the map. It was the charge of my family, and it is my responsibility to hunt it down and return it. If I wanted to betray you, it would not take much for me to overcome your undead guardian there to kill you.”

“Hey! Jerk! I am more formidable than I look!” Narrinda protested as she tangled her fingers in her hair. At the realization of what she had just done, she uttered a foreign curse and started on untangling herself from the mass.

“I have other guardians, and they have all failed me,” the goblin woman griped pointedly at her companions.

“I went with him, and Abinia was with us for awhile, but hunting is not in his blood like I would have thought it would be for all goblins,” Galen explained.

“And what does a gwam know about hunting on the outside?” Aurora demanded.

“I have been outside the caves several times,” Rhluska answered, “I know a few things, and hunting these rodents is not much different than hunting what lives in the caves.”

Feeling such matters were settled, Galen blushed and handed her the cooked meat. “You’ve always eaten cooked meals around me . . .” he started.

“It make no never mind to me,” she replied. She pointed towards the one outside the camp. “And what about him?”

“He’ll come around once he is hungry enough,” Rhluska stated, “and he definitely gets cooked meals.”

Aurora glared at the gwam for his response. “Before we go further,” she announced, “I would like to get several things straightened out. We need to now where we are going, what we are to do once we get there, and most importantly, what are we going to do with that thing!” she growled, as she indicated Rhluska. The gwam only frowned at her as a response. “I would like to kill him and be done with it, and I think that we need to leave the other piece of trash behind in the snow as well.” Abinia returned to the camp and looked up at words that usually referred to him. His face was pale and haggard looking, but he made no comment.

“That is what separates your race from ours,” snorted the gwam, who was getting tired of this goblin. “We would never leave behind one of our own if we could help it . . . even if he was of no practical use. True enough, my race has no love for yours, and I am no exception, but Abinia has turned me a good hand, and I owe it to him to stand up for him as I would one of my own.”

A wicked smirk crossed Aurora’s lips. Narrinda and Galen looked to each other. A sharp response was forth coming from their leader. Galen took hold of Aurora’s arm which startled her out of a remark that they may all regret. Narrinda moved between the two warring factions and held up her hands. She made a silent prayer to her god that they would listen to her and they wouldn’t start a fight. There would be no one that could stand in their way if they chose to go at each other.

“Why don’t you two have a contest of skills,” she suggested, “The rest of us will stay out of it. The both of you seem to appreciate the skill of arms.” The two fighters grumbled a response. “You will not kill each other, but if Aurora wins, Rhluska, you pledge yourself to our cause. If Rhluska wins, then, Aurora, you must give the book back to him. I will be forced to take it to its proper place. Do the two of you accept this challenge?”

The gwam glared at the little mediator, and then he looked up at the goblin woman opposite him. “Do I have a choice. I dishonor my family either way, but I have no choice.”

“Then, Rhluska, you accept the challenge and swear on your honor that you will not kill Aurora? You will accept the outcome of this challenge no matter which way it may go?” Narrinda queried of the tall black creature.

Rhluska clenched his fists to his sides and locked his jaws. “I have no choice,” he hissed through his teeth, “I accept the challenge.”

“If you lose, you will let us have the map,” Galen added plainly.

“I will no longer challenge you for the map. I must continue to ask you to return it, but I will neither steal it or take it by force,” he declared flatly.

“Aurora, will you give up the map if you lose?” inquired Narrinda.

The goblin woman planted her feet firmly apart. She crossed her arms and narrowed her amber eyes at her three companions. She spat on the ground in front of Rhluska. “No! It is the only way to rescue Morithil!” she cried out, “Why should I give up my only hope for my husband? I’m certainly not going to do so for the imaginary honor of some bloody gwam!”

“Because Rhluska came this far peacefully,” pointed out the pale Abinia, “It is his job to guard the map. It is no different than your quest. If he fails his job, his chief will exile his wife and family from the tribe. They will be marked as outcasts to all gwamin tribes.”

“You are a goblin!” Aurora complained, “Don’t you know anything about the enemy? They care for nothing but themselves!”

Rhluska moved to attack her, but Abinia stood in his way. Galen took hold of Aurora to hold her back. Although tempers were flaring, the weak restraints held back the angered contenders. Narrinda crossed her arms and turned to the fuming goblin woman. “Shut up, child,” the undead spirit commanded, “I don’t care what the gwamin have done to you. I have heard about terrible things that the goblins have done to the Wichtleins and humans, but I do not judge you by these things myself, and you have gained my trust and you have gained Galen’s trust. I have done things myself, and I have gained your trust. Let us not prejudge at this time. There is no reason for this arguing about who has honor and who has no honor. Aurora, this is your only way to gain the map. If you kill Rhluska unfairly, I think none of us will be much willing to help you anymore.”

Aurora looked around at her party. The thought of what use are they anyway came to her mind. “Traitors!” she growled.

“Aurora! We are not traitors. Fair is fair!” Narrinda protested.

The goblin woman grunted. “I will abide by the rules of unfaithful companions. I will relinquish the map to him if I must, and I will finish my quest alone if I must.”

“You will not attack him after he has the map?” the spirit demanded.

Aurora crossed her arms and threw back her head. “I will not attack him further,” she returned.

“Pledge it!” the smaller ordered.

“You are my accursed useless servant! I need not pledge a damn thing to you,” she stated through gritted teeth, “I own your freedom.”

“Aurora,” Galen pleaded, “listen to reason.”

“If I lose the challenge, I will not attack him again,” she relented reluctantly.

“Rhluska, you will not challenge for the map again?” Narrinda requested.

“If I lose,” the gwam announced flatly, as he looked about his audience, “I will not challenge you for the map again, but I will neither leave you nor will I aid you in this errand of yours.”

“That we will accept,” Narrinda declared, “Understand. If you seriously hurt Aurora, we will kill you though. She is with child, and she is our leader. We have given our words that we would protect her and her unborn child.”

Rhluska pulled himself up to his full height. “I will not harm her. I respect her unborn child,“ he proclaimed. He eyed her and added in a less clear voice that no one noticed, “That’s why the females shouldn’t fight.”

Aurora spat at him. “Don’t lie, you scum sucking . . . “

The others held the fighters back from an oncoming quarrel. “You have a lot to learn, young goblin woman. I am a father of four children. I am putting their lives at stake because of your damnable mission.”

Aurora pulled herself free of Galen. Abinia let go of his captive as well. The challengers for the map stood eye to eye in a vicious stare off. Abinia looked to Galen and shrugged. He knew many a woman that could be as hard headed as the present one. He was more than a little impressed, and Rhluska was Rhluska. Narrinda shook her head and grumbled something about the blood thirst of the both of them and the danger that the unborn child was being put in. Galen collected the spear from the horse and gave it to the waiting gwam.

The two figures threw off the heavy winter cloaks that they were wearing. Aurora threw back her dark hair and folded her fingers around her sword hilt. She planted her feet apart and drew out her sword. Rhluska smiled as his fingers positioned themselves on the shaft of the spear. The three companion casually backed away before they would be trodden under foot. At the unspoken word or sign, the two fighters engaged in battle. Aurora soon realized that if she had thought the gwam to be an easy prey, then she was gravely wrong. Rhluska was quick on his feet and many incoming blows Aurora found hard to fend off. The attack of the spear coming towards her was deflected by the flat of her sword. Aurora strained her muscles as she had kept her opponent at bay. His hot breath smelling of the cooked meat reminded her that she had not partook of their meal. With a surge, she pushed him back. He landed easily on feet. She pursued him with a savage attack of the sword. The threats of her companion’s desertion was long forgotten. Rhluska jumped out of the way of the blows. He twisted around and managed to trip his opponent with the dull end of the spear. She fell backwards in the snow. Her body was motionless as the gwam approached. His spear was held tight in his grasp. All he had to do was knock the sword from her hand and pin her to the ground.

She lay motionless in the snow. Rhluska held the spear tight as he approached her prone body. Odd for her to be unconscious. She did not hit the ground so hard, and she did not hit her head on any rocks. He crept closer. When he was in range, she kicked out at him. She made contact, but it was not strong enough. He just stumbled as he jumped out of the way. The goblin gained her feet with amazing speed. The thought of the purpose of her quest gave her strength. She focused her mind on the hatred she had of the gwamin and what they had done to her. Her sword blows broke the staff of the spear. The force toppled the gwam to the ground. The force of his opponent’s blows told him that the rules of the challenge would not be upheld and he was now fighting for the preservation of his own life. He smirked. That was a goblin, and he knew well enough their treacherous ways.

The gwam disappeared into the darkness. The grip on her sword tightened. Her breath hung heavy in the cold damp air. Leave it to a gwam to run away. There was no sign of her opponent. The shrubs and the trees could well hide him where the darkness could not. Her ears pricked up at sound, but there was no sign of her attacker. A crack of a branch was not enough to save her. The gwam was on her back with a blade to her throat.

“Surrender, goblin. You have lost,” he ordered.

A self satisfied smile crossed her lips. She dropped her sword, and the knife at her throat eased its pressure. She wasted no time in lifting his lithe body over her head and pinning him to the ground. She pounced on her prey and wrestled the dagger away from him. She snatched it and placed the blade to his throat and applied pressure enough that his dark blood began to pool at his collar bone. It would be so easy to end his life now. She wanted to, but her senses returned to her. This was only a challenge not a battle. She pulled the dagger away and licked the blood from it. She then tossed the weapon in the snow by his body.

“I will not kill you. I can tell for whatever your reasons, you had no intentions of killing me. I have won,” she announced, “Do you agree before I indulge in my instincts?”

“You have won,” he agreed.

Aurora nodded. She picked up her sword and return it to its sheath. The gwam sat up and rubbed his shallow wound. He picked up his discarded dagger and replaced it back in his boot. He got up and collected the pieces of his broken spear. He shook his head and pried the spear head from the useless staff.

“You now may crawl back to your caves,” Aurora declared.

“I go with you. I will let you have the map, but I am duty bound to accompany it. I swear to make no attempt to retrieve it . . . physically at least. I am bound to return the map to its place.”

Aurora drew her sword again. Rhluska prepared himself for another fight, but Abinia grabbed him from behind. Galen took hold of her arms and stared her in the eyes. “You will be becoming encumbered with the child soon. I am no fighter, and I am a far cry better than Narrinda and Abinia at fighting.”

“I will not help you,” Rhluska informed them as he narrowed his emerald eyes at Aurora. She returned the glare with a smile.

“I don’t need your help,” she remarked.

Abinia let go of his companion and walked away from him. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he picked up some of the cooked meat. His yellow eyes looked up at the stoic gwam. Rhluska felt some portion of his meal argue with him. This goblin knew too much.

“Would you seriously allow Aurora to die if her life was endangered?” he asked as he bit into his meal.

He eyed Abinia without dropping his resolve. “Why should I? She harbors no love for me.”

“Rhluska,” he jibed.

“My job is to guard the map! That’s all! The goblin woman and her problems are not my concern.

“Rhluska.”

The gwam grimaced. His hands fell to his side. He grumbled several unpleasant words. He turned his gaze to Aurora, who chose to ignore this whole incident. She like her male goblin counterpart, picked up one of the splints of meat and ate. A sigh escaped the gwam’s lungs and he dropped his head. “I will protect the damn goblin woman if I have to.”

“I need no gwam to protect me,” Aurora announced between bites of meat.

“Shush, girl,” Narrinda retorted, “You will take what is given, and he is not an unskilled fighter like the rest of us.”

“How do I know that the gwam will not betray me when I most need him.”

“I will serve you, Aurora,” Rhluska replied, “As long as you do not tread across the lines of my own codes.”

“Hmpf!” she grunted, “and what are those bloody codes?”

“For one, I will not kill my own,” he submitted.

“And your race is dedicated to destroying mine,” she pointed out coolly.

“Yes, we are, but if I say I will protect you, I will protect you. I am no liar or oath breaker.”

Aurora sighed and reluctantly gave in. She held out her hand for the gwam to sit at the camp. “Alright. You win.”

Accepting her invitation, he sat down on the opposite side of the fire. “Why do you need the map?” he asked.

Aurora looked at him. She swallowed down a glob of meat and answered, “We are on a quest to destroy the Shadow Demons, because my husband has been captured by them.”

The gwam nodded acknowledgment. “Many of my people have fallen victim to them. They feed on the soul of the victim. Was your husband contaminated by them before the conception of your child?”

“Do not speak of Morithil in that manner!” she ordered as she gripped the hint of her sword.

“Just answer my question, woman!” he retorted back. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he added, “I mean no disrespect to your husband by my words. It is important for me to know.”

“I became with child a couple of weeks before.”

“This is good. If he had been touched by the Shadow Demons before the conception, then it would drain your life and soul upon its birth and become one itself.”

“You lie!” cried the goblin woman. She jumped to her feet ready for another fight with the insolent creature.

Rhluska sighed and shook his head. “I have no need to lie to you. I have seen it happen. You can believe what you like, and I need not disturb you further with what is not.”

They finished eating their meal. The discussion of what next came up. Narrinda fidgeted at the suggestion since the need for her to read the map came up. A white arrow shout at Rhluska and tore his borrowed cloak before it embedded into the ground. A wave of relief washed over Narrinda. Rhluska drew his dagger from his boot and prepared to fight, but Galen held up his hand and took the arrow from the ground. The gwam nodded and put his weapon away. The young human unrolled the note on the arrow. He glanced over the beautiful script before him. He blinked at the message and looked at his companions.

“My friends,

“We are in need of rest, and this is not the place to do so. I can take you to the Meleka. They are friends of mine. They will accept you. I am not sure of the reception they will give the gwam. I do not approve of his presence, but it is out of my hands. You need to head north east for awhile. You will see a woodland. They will greet you there. Do not fear. They are healers. Many of you are hurt and need their attention.”

Galen found a map attached. Aurora muttered several crude remarks about all these maps and notes. The party packed their items and prepared to move out. The three male members and Aurora looked over the map. The two goblins were fairly clueless as to how to read it. Rhluska and Galen were able to figure out the direction and moved out to it. They left the wooded area where they had camped to a vast snow covered plain. They walked for several miles, before they saw their destination in the distance. They soon came to the grove of green trees that should not have been so in this time of the year. Birds sang happy cheerful songs. The air was warm here, unlike the freezing snow outside of this place. The four tall members looked at each other in puzzlement of the anomaly. Narrinda, who had been quiet through this trek of the journey became nervous. Her feel was to break free of her companions and flee. A change in the air floated to the olfactories. Although wary of the unnatural, Aurora looked up at her new surroundings. She wanted to draw her sword and attack this weird place, but another part of her felt the calming effects. She breathed in the fresh warm floral scented air. This seemingly unreal place unnerved her more than the woods where she had found Narrinda. At least that place made no effort to try and gain her trust.

Narrinda, for her part walked behind the group in a rigid apprehensive way. She jumped and turned around periodically. She held out her hands as if trying to touch something or ward off some kind of attack. Having her concentration elsewhere, her capability of walking in some semblance of normality was thrown off. She stumbled and fell on uneven ground and roots of the trees. Aurora, noting her delay and clumsy actions, took out her anger on her as an outlet of her frustration against the inability to do anything about the magic around her. She grabbed the small undead creature up by the collar. An arrow shot through the air and embedded itself at Galen’s feet. He picked it up and read the message.

“Do not fret, Narrinda,” it read. Galen moved to hand it to Aurora. She glared at him and pushed his hand away in disgust.

“What am I to do with that?” she growled.

Narrinda looked up from her position. “Thank you, White Arrow,” she answered. Aurora pulled her up to eye level with her, then letting out an exasperated breath, she put her companion back on the ground. The spirit dusted herself off and looked up at her comrades. Her shoulders dropped with her efforts of being cheerful. She looked down. “It is my own guilt that bothers me. The Meleka know that guilt.”

“So, this is nothing new,” remarked Aurora, “We all know you’ve done horrible things. Galen and I have heard stories, and I am certain that the gwam and Abinia can figure out that you weren’t cursed for picking flowers in the wrong garden.”

“It is more than that, Aurora,” she answered. She turned her face to look up at the goblin woman. Clenching her fists, she opened her mouth to explain, but could not speak. Dropping her head as if the strings that animated her were released, her voice came forth at last. “The Meleka are very powerful beings, and they hold life precious above all else. You, Galen, Rhluska, and White Arrow have killed in defense and for some valid reason. Abinia, I doubt, has killed anyone or anything or knowingly been responsible for anyone’s death. The Meleka are the source of the Healers of Meleka, who are forbidden to kill or be killed. The murder of one of their own comes with a heavy price.”

“And did you kill one?” Aurora demanded.

Narrinda shook her head. “Not to my knowledge. The Wichtleins had no need of their skills, and we weren’t very hospitable to strangers. The Elders had the power of healing among other things. The Meleka know the details of what I did and what I am afraid to remember. They can read the soul. They know that although you have killed, you have had reason. Although they do not approve of such things, your soul has merit. Me, I feel their disapproval burning in me. I have destroyed many lives just to feel the thrill of the coming death.”

The goblin woman stared at her. The words bothered her. It was so easy to forget that they were traveling with the damned. Narrinda’s carefree nature, cheerful chatter, and her laughable vanity made it easy to forget that she had done things that could well make Aurora cringe inside. Yet, this was old news, and she accepted her companion’s wrong doings when she accepted her as a fellow adventurer. Everyone had the right to prove they had some worth, and the spirit had given her no real reason to distrust her since she had known her. Even the incident with the damn gwam was not true betrayal. It was a vast difference of opinion, but Aurora knew that if there were to be death blows, the Wichtlein would have stepped in.

The goblin woman looked up at the unnatural leafy green trees. She knew Narrinda spoke true about their souls being scanned. She did not like the magic prodding in places where it did not belong., but she could not imagine what she could do about it. Her hatred fumed with incense, but she knew the force did not disapprove of her or the menfolk, who didn’t seem to notice anything awry. They laughed and talked as if nothing was wrong. Galen and that worthless goblin Abinia did not seem to care that there was a gwam in their midst. She sneered. This Abinia was a blood traitor and should die for his association with the murderer of their people. The gwamin were specifically bred to kill goblins.

She looked around herself. The scenery was calming. The light cascaded down through the leaves, and the thought of home filtered into her mind at the sight. She thought of her husband and his family, and she felt suddenly ill. She was tired of fighting and all the struggle that there was to finish out this quest. She swallowed back the nausea. She had to finish it out if she ever wanted to see Morithil again. She touched her growing belly. This child needed a father. She knew too well what goblins did with orphans that could not defend themselves. Goblin women were not known for living through the experience of childbirth. She did not believe that she would see this child or others of her making, no matter what Narrinda said. She wondered if Morithil’s brothers and sisters would care for their own brother’s child. She wondered if it would be safer to leave the child in Narrinda’s care. Out of the whole group, strangely enough, she was the one she trusted the most, and it may help amend for some of her crimes. Closing her eyes, she didn’t want to admit that she care for any of the people around her. She only cared for her immediate family.

The party stopped. They did not know why, but somehow they knew that this was the place where they would meet with their hosts. Aurora blinked her eyes for a few moments. She should say something or do something. She drew in a deep breath and stepped forward from the group. She made a bow to what, she did not know. She cleared her throat and announced, “I am Aurora. I am on a quest to destroy the Shadow Demons and free my husband of their curse.”

“We know,” came the musical voice that sounded like many, but it spoke in perfect unison. The group looked around for the speaker(s), but there was no sign of anyone or anything. Aurora felt the twinge of deja vu, but she did not think that the explanation would be as easy as the one she found with Narrinda. “Do not try and understand. We are not physical beings as you are familiar with. We are all around you, but you cannot see nor touch us. Do not fear. Your companion has requested our help for you, and we accept his plea. State your needs, and we shall provide what we can.”

“At what price?” Aurora demanded as she narrowed her eyes.

“Only one of you will pay, and her price is a private matter. The rest of you have come as friends of someone we consider part of the family, and we do not ask for payments from friends.”

“White Arrow is one of you kind?” the goblin woman asked with her curiosity peaked.

“No,” the voice answered, “We cannot leave this place, nor can we exist apart from each other. He is solid in this world for the most part. He was a foundling child. We took him in as one of our own, but he is not a Healer, like most of those we find.”

Suspicion built more in Aurora. They told these strangers too much about themselves. She drew in another deep breath. For what trouble it may cause, she would go ahead and accept their offer. She was tired. The others were tired as well. Abinia was wounded. White Arrow had trust in them. Maybe she should put aside her misgivings and accept their help. The archer seemed to have her best interest at heart.

“We seek a couple of days rest and some food.”

“Proceed forward. You will find what you need in a clearing ahead of you. Narrinda, you will stay behind. We will have words with you.”

Aurora looked towards her smaller companion. Narrinda was able to create an exasperated sigh and her shoulders dropped in defeat. Once she noticed Aurora staring at her, she perked her self up. She shooed her onward like her normal self that the goblin woman was used to. Aurora nodded and went forward with the other three. Narrinda pulled herself up to her full unimpressive height and waited out her judgement.

“Your companion that you and your friends call White Arrow claims that you have merit. His insistence is the only reason that we allow you enter upon these hallowed grounds. He asks that we listen to your request.”

“I need to translate the map that we are to follow,” she answered drily. She knew what their answer would be before it was uttered.

“We know that much. This is only a few moments job. Your sight is not needed beyond that point,” the voices answered coldly, egging her onward.

“I’d like to keep the sight,” she admitted.

“What makes you think that you are worthy?”

“I am sorry for what I have done. I think I have learned something over the centuries. I am not a very strong creature, and I am not fully ready to know what I did in full detail. I do cringe at the vague inklings that I see in my memories. I want to make up for some of the things that I have done, although I can’t remember the deeds. Still, I can do some great goods for this world if I try. My sight would help me along a lot.”

“White Arrow plans to help you in the redemption, and he could be your sight in this matter. There is something else that you feel is in our power.”

“I would like to lose the curse of the nightmares. I would like to dream like normal for a change, and I am certain that the seed of my deeds will create enough nightmares to keep me entertained,” she answered as she shifted her weight from foot to foot.

“You will lose the ability of prophecy with it.”

“ I am lousy at translating them. What good are they to me anyway if I don’t understand them. Not to mention, they are always horrible forebodings,” she complained.

“They could prove useful, especially to the one who rescued you.”

“I don’t think so,” replied Narrinda.

“Especially that last dream sequence you have had.”

Narrinda’s back straightened. A pain shot through her body. If she had had a throat, she would have swallowed hard at their words. They knew too much of her mind. “The revelation of that dream would be more trouble than it is worth.”

“For you or Aurora?” they asked cannily.

“For us both!” she argued. She straightened herself and gathered her courage. She knew she had to be right on this one. “If I turn away from the quest, she will die at the climax. The quest will be left unfinished.”

“If you continue?”

Narrinda lowered her head. Her voice was almost inaudible. “I will stand by her child with blood on my hands.”

“Which is more important?”

“Why ask me?” she cried out. “Either choice is bad for me. Not to mention, I am a wayward spirit. What do I know of what is right and what is wrong?”

“Which do you think is more important?”

“I would continue if it were up to me,” she replied quietly, “and I would try to stay away from her child.”

“You know the ways of prophecy. It is impossible. What you have seen will happen.”

“Will the child survive otherwise?” she queried.

“You are the prophetess. You tell us.”

Narrinda looked down. In all the dreams, in all the alternative realities possible, she could not see what happened to the child. “I don’t know.”

“You will tell Aurora this prophecy,” the voice answered.

“Why?” she cried out. This was the worse case scenario for her. How could she tell her master . . . her friend that she was going to kill her child. Aurora was not the type to listen to the whole explanation. She would fly off as soon as she heard the first part and not listen to the rest. Narrinda clenched her fists and stomped her foot. She stood firm. “Don’t I have enough trouble as it is!” she demanded.

“Your trouble is self made.”

She could not argue that. Self loathing crept into her. Still, she had to stand firm. “I don’t want her child dead.”

“But you will continue the quest, although you know what the results will be.”

“I don’t want Aurora to lose her life and soul to these things either!” she complained. She looked down again and muttered, “The child will get another chance as long as the soul lives.”

“Excuses.”

Narrinda wanted to argue. She wanted to cry out against their cruelty towards her. How could they be so cold to what was to happen? They were suppose to be healers. They were suppose to care for all living things. She knew that she was defeated, no matter how irate they made her. She had made her decision, but she had to stick with it. “Aurora will not take this well,” she muttered to herself more so than she did anyone else. She looked up to her tormentors, but her shoulders were slumped.

“After all of this, do you still want your sight?”

“What does my being able to see have to do with this?” she asked with the feeling of incense growing in her being.

“Much. You wish us to give you your sight, but we wish you to be honest with your friends. Aurora has the right to know that the child is in danger.”

“But what good is it for the unity of the party if she thinks that I will murder her child? It will be like I want to kill her child, and that is the last thing I want to do. What good will this quest do if she is doomed to fail because I am not there to stop whatever is to happen to her. She will lose not only her child but her husband and her self. You know she will send me back to the forest, and I have no will to deny her demand. She will not believe me if I told her the worst awaits if I don’t go.”

“You must convince Aurora that you are needed. What you want is a selfish thing. You do not need your sight to finish this quest. You only need your sight for a few minutes to read the map. It is your decision as to how bad you want your sight. Aurora would learn to accept you for this failing. She has already accepted Abinia for less reason than your handicap. We would not have asked anything of you if you were not of evil deeds.”

“I guess, and I know of my evil deeds, and I have no excuse for what I am,” she relented.

“We are not done with you yet. You must do another thing equally as hard,” they added.

She looked up. “Is not my condemnation by Aurora plenty?” she protested.

“No. That is something that should have been admitted a long time ago.”

“Speak on.”

“We require of you to look upon your own reflection to see what you have become. If you do not cry out, you will have your sight. If you do, then you will lose it again after your task is done.”

“You are sadistic! What good will that do?” she argued.

“You cannot recall your horrible deeds, so this is a just punishment for avoiding those memories. You must see what you have created of yourself.”

“My fingers tell me enough!” she exclaimed, but she knew the battle was lost.

“We think not. These are our terms for service. Do you accept them?”

“Is it enough?” she proclaimed. Her fists were clenched to the breaking point at her side. Thoughts of if this is what it took to be redeemed, then maybe she would be better off being damned came to her mind.

“We are being kind in our demands. We would prefer not to do anything for you at all. The only reason we even consider what you ask for is because White Arrow begs it of us. These are our terms, do you accept them?”

“What about the nightmares?”she asked.

“That will be your own doing. The sight, if you should gain it, will disperse many of them. We cannot change what you are or what you did. Do you accept these terms?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“You can always give up. You can read the map and return to the darkness.”

“Give up?” she demanded. Her courage was surging through her again. “Do I know the meaning of the word? I waited for seven hundred years in a silent airless forest in the darkness for a taste of freedom and a friendly voice. What did I know of seven hundred years before that? All I had experienced before was 25 short years. I know more of hope and waiting than you could ever guess.”

“Then this should be an easy test for you,” they returned. Narrinda muttered something that was best left unheard by all involved. “Join your companions. We will wait and see how things turn out.”

Narrinda threw up her hands in disgust. She went in the direction that her friends had gone. She was welcomed by the feasting group. They asked her many questions about her interview, but she did not feel inclined to answer them. She sat down a little off from their circle and hid her face in her arms. She could not express her feelings or her troubles to them as of yet. Her companions were in too good of a mood to be brought down by her despair. They ignored her, because she had become sulky of late, and this was not unusual for her anymore. They swapped tales of their own adventures. Narrinda drifted into that sleep state she had become used to. The horrors of sleep did not come this night. Her dreams only reflected the words of her companions and the tales thereof.