Leaving the Scriptorium, Uber calmly looked around. He knew the kids would most likely be heading home, but which way did they go? He knew at least three ways to get to there dwelling, which was just outside of the east gate. A part of him thought to try and think like a teenager. But realization sunk in and he remembered that he didn't do much thinking when he was that age. He grinned, and decided to take the main road.

He mostly walked in the middle of the main road. This way he could see both sides of the somewhat crowded street. As he scanned the street, something to his left caught his attention. It was a group of City Guards. Normally, he wouldn't thought about it , but there was something that caught his eye. They weren't walking in formation. And Uber being a former solider and in a military family, he found this odd.

"That guy's posture is all wrong." Uber thought, seeing one of the men walk with a slouch. "City Guardsmen are trained to walk up right. Almost second nature to them. Fatorians hold them in the highest honor. They can't be the real thing."

Uber decided to shadow the group. He moved in close enough to hear what a few of them were saying to each other. After several moments, he knew it did not take a genius to tell him that they were not City Guardsmen. Real Guards would never allow themselves to be followed this close where they could be heard by someone.

Suddenly a man came running towards them.

"This way guys!" he shouted. "They somehow found out we were following them. They took off. There heading for the east gate!" They all began running up the main street.

Uber was going to follow them, but he knew a short cut. He headed right and ran between two buildings, down an alley and up another street. After several moments of running, he saw Nina and Stephen run past them, going up a side street. He was about to call out to them when he saw two guardsmen chasing them.

Still Running, he drew weapon, that was already cracking with energy. Uber learned it was easier for him to run with his large sword pointed out in front of him as if it was a lance. This way his running was balanced, and any one that got in his way, learned quickly and the hard way to stay clear. He angled over to his left, and called on a burst of speed. He caught up with the man on his left and using the tip of his sword, tripped the man up before he knew what was happening. The man fell face first onto the ground and Uber knew he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. The other man hearing his partner fall, turned to face Uber.

"Who are you?" he asked in a thick western accent. "You are interfering in City Guard business." A smile broke out across Uber's face.

"City Guard business?" Uber said. "Last time I checked, Fatorians can only become City Guards. Am I wrong....West lander?" Seeing that his ruse was found out, the man drew his sword and rushed in.

Right away Uber could tell that he was a mercenary. He moved in blindly, swinging his sword. The textbook style of a man who attacked in a group or mob.

"Your not worthy of blooding my sword." Uber said. The two swords met with a clash of steel.

"Then I'll be more then happy to bloody mines." he said.

He was about to say more, when Uber forced the two weapons high above there heads, when he slammed his head into the bridge of his nose. The man screamed, falling back holding his nose, which was now spraying red with blood. Uber drew back his sword.

It would be so simple to take this fool's head off with one cross cut. Instead he drove a hard right fist to the side of the man's head. He went down, with blood still flowing from his nose.

Uber sheathe his sword when he heard a voice called out to him. "Sir Uber!" it was Nina. He and Stephen ran towards him.

"Are you kids alright?" He asked, placing his hands on her shoulders. She was trembling. The two were breathing heavily, but they nodded saying that they were alright.

"Why are the City Guards chasing us?" Stephen asked, taking deep breaths. "We done nothing wrong."

"There not City Guards, Stephen." He replied. "They're mercenaries. I'm sure there after your map."

He was about to say something to Nina, when he heard shouts behind him. The rest of the mercenaries found him. "Damn He muttered. He didn't expect them here this soon. "No time! Let's move!" They ran down one of the side streets.

As Uber and the kids ran for the city gates, a crossbow bolt hit Stephen. The boy went down. Uber dropped to one knee, Stephen was hurt badly.

"G-Go! Leave me.....Save Nina!" Uber saw the mercenaries close in on them.

Being a former solider, 'You didn't leave your wounded comrades in battle.' He stood in front of Nina and the injured Stephen and drew his sword. He chopped the crossbow man who for some reason was leading the mercenaries charge. Uber blade cut though the wood stock of the crossbow and the forearm of the mercenary. He went down screaming.

The other mercenaries stopped in there tracks, when they saw there fellow mercenary fell. But that wasn't all. Uber sword, now bloody from the crossbow man's blood began to glow. And it was much different from the kind of glow when the enchanted weapon charged up. Instead the whole weapon was glowing in a brilliant golden light. Uber could see that the weapon was changing in his very hand. The large bastard sword blade change from a wide triangular blade to the standard narrower broad sword blade. It also changed it's color from silver to gold. Uber didn't have time to observe his weapon's changes. He pointed it at the mercenaries.

"Leave or Die!" Uber said flatly, his eyes narrowing.

Suddenly a roar of laughter rose from there ranks.

"Alright boys, were after the map! Kill this fool! Finish off the boy, but don't hurt the girl. She'll be my little plaything tonight. You can have her after wards." Several of the men cheered.

"She cute enough for sloppy seconds!" one of the men called out.

Uber looked back to see Nina holding onto her unconscious brother in her arm. He could see the terror in her eyes.

"I won't let them hurt you." he whispered to Nina. He didn't know if he heard him.

Uber was seeing sheets of red rage. There sick taunts set off something inside of him. So without giving them a chance to make the first move, Uber screamed a battle cry and rushed in for the attack.

Nina held onto Stephen tightly. She tried her best to treat his wound. She was thankful that he was wearing his leather tunic or she was sure the bolt would of went though him, instead of lodging in his back. She removed the bolt easy enough, and she tore a piece of her dress to plug the wound and stop the bleeding. She feared for Stephen's life. His skin was pale and his skin felt clammy to the touch. She wasn't thinking about her own safety at the moment. She was sure Uber was skilled with a sword, but she didn't know he would fare against so many men.

"Don't worry, brother." she whispered. "Sir Uber will save us. I have faith in him, so hold on."

She was jarred out of her thoughts, when she heard a blood curling cry, from a man that collapsed on the ground bleeding from hideous wounds. She looked up to see Uber tear into the men with a cold ferocity she never seen before. His blade came up and around, taking the head off one man, then swept up and down to parry another. A quick double handed slash opened up one from hip to hip, then Uber side stepped to his right and sliced opened two more mercenaries that moved to flank him.

Nina have seen sword fights before, but she never seen a person fight with such ease. Low sweeps sliced up into thighs and groins, opening arteries, careful parries directed blades past him by just enough, then the blade would perforate a bowel, pierce a heart or cut a throat with the ease of slicing a loaf of bread.

The screams and blood letting would of made her sick to her stomach. But she couldn't take her eyes off what she was seeing. Armored men getting sliced apart as if they were coming at him naked. Men who was boosting arrogantly was now begging for the gods mercy.

As soon as the last mercenary fell, Uber stood motionless for several moments, his sword still in a two handed grasp, in the attack position. It took Nina calling him several times for him to finally respond. It looked as if he was coming out of a trance or returning to the person he was.

"Nina, are you alright?" he asked, moving to where she was knelling, and sheathing his sword. "How is your brother?"

Nina was about to answer him, when a sound behind Uber caught his attention. The sound of running feet coming closer towards them. Uber expecting the worse, turned to face them, drawing his bloody weapon once again.

Suddenly, a dozen or more City Guardsmen entered into the area. Uber could tell right off that these were real City guardsmen, so he lowered his sword.

The lead solider, a Captain stopped in his track at what he saw. Uber was sure what was going to happen Seeing dead men dressed in City Guardsmen uniforms. No doubt a fit of rage will come over him and his men. Uber knew he had to think fast or he would have to use his sword and more blood would be spilled.

"Stay your hand Captain!" Uber shouted "Before you order your men to attack. Take a good look at these corpse. They have the same unit badge as you do. Are any of these men part of your group?"

Uber could see that the Captain was a level headed man. He ordered several of his men to check each body to see if they were known to them. After awhile, each of the men told the Captain that they didn't know who any of these men were. The Captain walked over to where Uber was standing.

"There mercenaries." Uber said, before the man had a chance to speak. "They were after these kids." he sheathed his sword.

"Now why would they do that?" he asked.

"They wanted a map that they translated. The head caretaker of the Royal Scriptorium is most likely responsible for this." he turned and walked over to where Nina was still holding on to his brother. He knelt down and whispered to Nina to let her brother go. She released her hold on her brother and stood up. Gently, Uber gathered Stephen into his arms. Stephen moaned.
He asked Nina to stay on his left, so she could keep an eye on her brother's wound. They were about to leave, when the Captain stood in front of them, his arm extended.

"I can not allow you to leave." he said firmly. But Uber was not in the mood to hear it.

"Captain?" Uber said. "This boy was hit with a crossbow bolt. He's loss a lot of blood. I'm taking him to a healer. I don't know if he's going to live. But if he dies because you and your men held me up? I promise, I will draw my sword and more blood will be spilled." The Captain saw death in Uber's eyes. He moved to let them pass.

Uber told him, that he would be at the Healer Shandra, in the area near the north gate, if they wanted to ask him any questions. They walked as fast as possible, Uber trying not to jar Stephen around too much in the process. They stopped once to change Stephen's dressing. During this time, a man offered to carry the three of them in his horse drawn cart. Uber smiled.

"The people who ran this city were more or less corrupt. But the people who lived here were some of the most good hearted people I've ever met."

And that was a good thing too. For they made it to the healer much sooner then if they walked. Uber knew there were many healers in Fatoria, but Uber knew the healer Shandra for several years, and she rarely asked questions.. Unless it was necessary.

As soon as they reached the modest two story stone building, Nina rushed inside as Uber gathered up the injured Stephen and carried him inside.

"Thomas, my dear boy." A voice called out to him, as he walked into the building. "What have you gotten yourself into this time?" Even though Uber was worried about Stephen's condition. He had to smile when he heard, that cranky, motherly voice.

The healer Shandra, like Rand, was adept in healing magic. Years earlier, she taught her trade to the students for the Church of the Spiritual Flame. The largest in Fatoria. But during that time there was a power take over in the leadership of the church.

Forced out, the leaders that had an open mind to magic and those who were not believers in there faith. In came the leaders who wanted nothing to do with magic and only those who believed in there message. And there message that dealt with healing, was faith healing. This proved to be disastrous for Shandra and other magic healers like her. Teachers who worked for the church for years found themselves out of work. Shandra could only shake her head with sorrow. At that time, the war was still going on, and healers were in great need.

But when the church change the magic healers with faith healers....{though the use of heavy bribes} All of the army's magic healers who were hired though the church were out of work.

The army tried it at first, but nothing good came out of this. Solders and mercenaries died from wounds that that magic healers cured with in minutes. Less then a week, the army got rid of the faith healers out right and hired the magic healers themselves, over objections of the higher ups in Command.

Shandra was hired to use her healing skills in the field instead of the classroom. She never felt more alive during that time, even though she was wounded several times herself. After the war, she opened up her own clinic, not too far from the church that once employed her.

Many of the other teachers opened up there own clinic, just to show the church that they were needed and wanted in Fatoria. It was this time when Shandra healed a wounded Uber and Gunner, and they been friends ever since.

"The boy was hit by a crossbow bolt." Uber said placing the boy on his stomach on the examination table. "He loss a lot of blood, but I'm not sure how much."

Before Shandra started, she removed the dressing to his wound. She cut away his tunic, so she could see how much damage the bolt did to him.. To her relief, there wasn't any damage to the boy's spine as she could see. She raised her left hand and cast a slow healing spell over the wound. Nina gasped in amazement, as she saw the flow of blood stop. There they cleaned the wound, and casted another healing spell, that made the wound slowly close up. No doubt, it was her first time seeing healing magic at work.

"Come with me, Thomas." Shandra said, after finishing her spell.

The two left the room, not before Shandra asked her assistant to keep an eye on Stephen condition when he wakes up. Nina stayed by her brothers side.

"Now, Thomas," Shandra said, taking a seat in her office. "What happened to him?" Uber smiled.

"You know, I don't go by that name these days."

"And you know, I will not call you by what you call yourself, these days. By the gods, Thomas! What in the world was you thinking to come up with such a stupid name?"

Uber kept quite. What could he say. Not like he could say anything to change her mind.

"I should go and tell your grand father, Thomas." she said with a evil grin. "I'm sure, Sir Albert would order your execution....or whip the hide off you."

"If your trying to scare me. It's not working, Old mother." Shandra smiled.

Uber always called her that. For the main reason, he saw here as a second mother, after he left the military. Her words always had a calming effect on him. And he was always grateful for that.

Uber told her everything, from his first meeting with Nina and Stephen in the Scriptorium to the attack on the boy and fight with the mercenaries after wards. The doctor looked at him and told him that she was not surprised by what he told her.

Shandra said this wasn't the first time that she seen or heard about this. The only difference is that Stephen and Nina are still alive to talk about it. She told him that those children owe you there lives, and Uber said he had someone to thank. They talked for about twenty minutes.

Shandra was about to tell Uber that Nina and Stephen's lives are most likely still in danger, when Nina came into the room.

"Doctor, Sir Uber!" she shouted. "It's Stephen, he's...."

They both got to there feet and hurried to the examination room They saw Stephen awake and struggling with Shandra assistant.

"Hold still, Stephen, your bleeding once again." He said, trying to cast an healing spell on him.

"No! No magic!" he shouted trying to get to his feet. "My faith doesn't allow it."

"Faith?!" Shandra gasped. "Don't tell me your one of those followers of the Spiritual Flame."

"I am." Nina was about to say something, when Uber stepped up.

"Stephen. You would of died if it wasn't for the doctor's healing magic." he said firmly. "Now let the doctor heal your wound and you can go to the church after wards."

"I will not allow this!" he shouted. "The Abbot skills will heal me." Uber looked at Shandra.

"Can we take him to the church, without healing him?" he asked.

"Of course!" Shandra replied. "He'd most likely die from blood loss before he reached the church. And the Abbot can give him his last rites instead."

Nina moved towards her brother her brother and pleaded with him to reconsider his stand. His expression darkened, as he shoved her sister away and told her to be quite. Uber caught her before she fell.

"Stephen! Have you lost your mind?!" Uber shouted.

"No one tells me what to do! Not my sister! Not even you!" Uber was about to reply, when Shandra spoke up.

"Enough of this!" she shouted, noticing how much blood the boy was losing. "Thomas! Sedative!"

Uber looked at her oddly, as if he didn't know what she was talking about. It last for only a few seconds. He walked over to where Stephen was still trying to get to his feet.

"Stephen." Uber said. "Wait a minute, what is that?" He asked pointed to something to his left.

As soon as he turned his head to look, Uber reeled back and punched Stephen right to the side of his head. He fell back on to the table without making a sound.

"Sedated, doctor!" he said, shaking his hand.

"Good! Now, heal him up and get him out of here, or I'll kill him myself." Shandra said.
"This is going to cost you extra, Thomas." Uber's eyes went wide for a second, then slumped his shoulders.

"By the gods!" Uber sighed. "Who ever thought 'faith healing' would be so costly to me." He reached into his tunic and pulled out the small bag of gold coins. Not bothering to count it, handed the bag over to her. Nina was speechless at what she saw.

Uber waited for the assistant to cast the healing spell on Stephen. When he was finished, Uber asked her to reinforce the spell, just to be sure.

"Not about to have this fool, die on my watch."

Uber scooped the unconscious Stephen in his arms, and threw him over his shoulder as if he was a sack of grain.

As he began to leave. Shandra stopped him.

"Keep a close eye on them, Thomas." Uber nodded, then said where he could be found if anyone was looking for him. Nina followed.

"Gods! All wrong." Uber muttered, after finished translating the eighth map the caretaker of the Royal Scriptorium of Fatoria brought to him. "Another fake." He was angry. He had a urge to rip it all the map and parchments to pieces. They were all copies.

Rand-Tor's words rang in his ears... {There are people. Some in very high places of authority and power that do not wish for those secret to be known for one reason or another.}

"Gaining of power for ones self and greed are the main reasons, if you ask me, Rand." he thought.

Once again he was indebted to Rand-Tor. The knowledge he passed onto him was priceless. The scholar's touch spell that Rand shared with, more or less branded his translation book onto his brain. With this new knowledge, he rewrote his own translation book.
Hell, he didn't even need a translation book to translate the ancient writing of the Pondor and several other great civilizations.

His thoughts were once again back to the question of Rand and the others. 'Why did he leave them'?

He couldn't lie to himself. He missed them. Gunner was right. He felt like he was part of a family. And being an only child, it was a good feeling.

"It would be so easy to go back to them."

He couldn't count how many times he said this since he left. But he knew what the answer was. It was his pride. His own, selfish, overbearing pride.

"I just can't stand being a number two to Rand. Even though....it's where I belong when I'm with him." Uber sighed in spite of himself.

He took a moment to look around the study area. It was a large room, well lit, with fine marble pillars, hand polished wood floors and walls, with large stain and glass windows.

Uber was sure that this place was something other then a scriptorium back in the days. He was sure they didn't spare gold in the building of this place. He could only guess what the areas that wasn't open to the public looked like. He looked around, noticing all the people, mostly old men, reading, writing or translating. Uber sighed.

"They looked like they belonged in a old closet. Gods! There is no life in them. They move like there zombies. I pray I don't move around like that if I reach there age." He muttered.

He was about to say more when, his eyes caught a pair to his right. It was a pair of teenagers. A boy and a girl.

It seem to Uber that they were brother and sister, with few differences. The boy looked around eighteen, with a wiry frame, much like his own when he was that age. He had close cropped dirty, blond hair, with a pair of gentle blue eyes, that complemented a hard, from jawline.

The girl looked the same age. Maybe a year younger, maybe two. Unlike the boy, she had shoulder length, honey blond hair that was braided and hung over her left shoulder. Another difference was her eyes. Where the boys eyes were blue, her eyes were a sparking green color, kind of like Merc. The only similar feature of the two was the firm jawline.

It wasn't odd for young people to be in the scriptorium. It was the wide eyes look of excitement on there faces that caught Uber's eye.

"That was me not so long ago." Uber thought with a smile. "My eyes had that gleam of amazement. My head filled with thoughts of treasures, and the joy of thinking how easy it would be for me to find them."

But it didn't quite work out for him. He ran in countless dead ends. Paths that lead no where, and countless days of frustration. And he had to thank Rand to show him who was leading him to one dead end after another. This very scriptorium. More like, the people who ran this place.

He couldn't express who much he hated the people here, or the ones who they took orders from. At that moment the boy spoke.

"I give up sis." the boy said with a sigh. "I'm not getting any where with this translation. It's leading me around in circles." Uber smiled. Clearly remembering himself saying more or less the same thing a time ago.

"Are you sure you marked the correct spots?" the girl asked, moving where the boy was sitting.

"See for yourself." he replied, moving the map towards her. After a few moments of looking at the map and cross referencing with the translation book, she put it down and nodded.

"No problem there." she finally said. "Could we be looking in the wrong area?" The boy raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders slightly, saying it was possible.

Uber looked and saw that the two was using a translation book given to them by the scriptorium.

"That's where you should be looking. That damn translation book." he thought bitterly.

He was about to get to his feet and offer to help, when a voice to his left caught his attention.

"Ah! Sir Pendragon." it was the caretaker. "Have you any success in the translation of these particular parchments you asked about?"

The caretaker was an old man, with white hair and a long white beard. Other then the slumped posture, his eyes were clear and his hands were steady. He wore a long Grey robe with Fatoria's crest on it's left side.

Uber felt the urge to throw the papers in the old man's face, but he remained civil.

"No sir,I did not." he said respectfully. "But I'm sure it's just me being tired and all. It's been a long couple of days for me."

He was about to say more, when he noticed the girl coming towards them with the translation book in hand.

Uber was sure what was going to happen. She would ask him questions about the translation book, no doubt saying she was having trouble with it. Then he would offer her another book, which he was sure that it would lead them, to even more confusion. He would know, the old man did it to him a while ago. And more then once.

Thinking quickly, he asked the caretaker for a book he knew that it would take him some time for him to retrieve. Clearly irritated, the old man walked off saying he would be back momentarily. He told the girl that he would help her as soon as he returned.

As the old man walked off, the girl seemed a little upset with getting brushed off like that without getting the chance to speak. Seeing the girl was about to head back to her table, Uber made his move.

"Excuse me." Uber called out to her. "You have a moment?" The girl turned to face him, as he walked towards her.

"What you want?" she asked in a soft voice..

"First I'd like to apologies to you for sending the caretaker away when you clearly wanted to talk to him."

"Why would you do that?"

"I'd be happy to explain, may I sit?" Uber asked. The girl pointed to where the boy was sitting, looking at them.

After they sat down, Uber asked the girl was the boy her brother. She nodded. Uber first thanked them for hearing him out.

"I take it you wanted to speak to the caretaker about the translation book you was holding in your hand." The two looked each other for a moment, then nodded. "My guess is that you are having trouble pinpointing the location on your map. Am I wrong?"

The two still said nothing, but he could see that they were clearly surprised by what he was saying, so he continued.

"You wanted the caretaker's help." Uber said flatly. "See if you were doing something wrong with the translation, but that's not where the problem lies. It is not your translation skills. It is the translation book itself. It's a fake."

"H-How do you know this?" the boy asked "Who are you?"

"My name is Uber Pendragon." he knew what was coming next.

"Uber?" the girl asked. "That's a strange name."

"I know," he replied with a smile. "Sounds kind of stupid when you think about it. But there's history behind it."

"I'm sure there is." the boy said. They all laughed. I take it that isn't your given name." Uber said it wasn't.

"And you are?"

"My name is Nina Cutler. And this my older brother Stephen." Uber reached out to shake the boy's hand.

Moments after the introduction were completed. Uber went into what he knew about the doctored translation book. He first pulled out his own, then asked Nina to hand over the book that they were using. She handed to him.

He then placed the two books on the table in front of Nina. Then he asked her to slowly and carefully compare each book side by side... He asked her check each page in both books at the same time, to see if any of the translated phrases or symbols were any different.

After a few minutes. Nina said there were five differences with in the two books.

"So there is a few mistakes." Stephen said "This means nothing." Uber looked at him and smiled.

"I take it that your new to this. Nina nodded, and told him that there parents were adventures before them. When Uber asked asked Nina about there parents. She looked away and told him that they died searching ruins in the south. Uber sighed inwardly.

"Well, this explains a lot." Uber thought to himself "These kids have no clue what they're getting into." He should know. IT was the same for him when he got into this life.

"It mean plenty, Stephen. Uber said firmly. "You know one mistakes on a map at the least can end up leading you in circles. And at the worst, putting you in the wrong place all together." Stephen nodded. But Uber could see, he hated the fact that he agreed with him. Right there Uber came up with an idea.

"I would like to put what I told you to a test." Uber said pulling out a small bag out from his tunic. "I would like you to go over your map once again. But this time using my translation book. Now if I'm wrong and it leads you to the same place on the map as the other book did, I'll give you two this bag of gold coins, then I'll leave you two alone, never to bother you again. But if I'm right. You two will mostly find what your looking for on the map and you'll have to accept what I was saying is true. So?... Care to try your luck?"

The two were silent for several moments. Was it because they were shocked to speechlessness or was it the bag of gold. Uber wasn't sure. But what ever the reason he had to chuckle inwardly. Finally Stephen spoke.

"How do we know if this isn't some kind of trick to get our map?" Uber nodded in agreement.

"This is true." Uber had to agree. "So how about this? Me and Nina will go though the translation book together, while you move over to the other side of the table with the map. This way you can pinpoint the location on the map without me seeing it. And like I said before, if it comes up in the same location as with the other translation book, the gold is yours."

Finally after some prodding from Nina, he agreed to Uber's challenge. Uber and Nina sat together, while Stephen moved over to the other side of the table with the map in front of him. Before starting Stephen asked a question.

"Why are you doing this, Uber?" He asked looking at him. Those blue eyes seem to bore into him."Are you looking for something from us if what you say is true?" Uber smiled, then spoke.

"Two reasons." he said. "I don't want you to end up like me." The two said nothing. Not sure where he was going with this. "I don't want you to feel the anger I felt when I found out I was lied to. The sick feeling in my gut when I found out the location on my maps were all wrong. And all that time I figured that I was doing something wrong. But it was a friend that opened my eyes to the truth. That there are people in authority and power that do not want the secrets getting out to commoners like us. They can't stop us from find or buying maps. But they can sure make it damn near impossible to find what your looking for. I don't want you to lose that gleam in your eyes That excitement you had when you were translating your map. It was like I was looking at myself years ago."

"And what is the second reason?" Nina asked.

"That's simple." Uber replied. "One day someone is going to ask you for help. If you believe what they say have merit. Give it to them." Nina and Stephen nodded in agreement.

For the next couple of minutes, the three worked slowly and carefully. Uber and Nina taking extra seconds to translate the information to Stephen. Stephen repeating what was translated, then painstakingly following the information that lead him to the final point on the map. After the last translation was past onto Stephen, he marked it on the map. Then his eyes went wide.

"Sis!" Stephen called out. "Look at this!"

"What is it, brother?" Nina asked sliding over to her her brother sat.

After several seconds of looking where her brother was pointing to.

"By the gods!" Nina nearly shouted, looking at her brother. "Are you sure?" Stephen said he triple checked it.

"No doubt it, Sis. Everything, Sir Uber said was correct."

Uber stayed where he was. Letting them see that wasn't showing any interest in seeing there map. But he couldn't help smiling, and picking up his bag of gold coins and placing it back into his tunic.

"So? What are you two planning to do now?" Uber asked, turning to face them.

"What do you think?" Stephen said "We're going to explore these ruins" Uber wasn't surprised. He would of done the same.

"I understand. But there is something I must urge you to do."

"And what is that?" Nina asked.

"Hire yourself a tracker and a sword arm or two for protection. I need not remind you, it can be dangerous." Nina nodded.

Nothing was said for several seconds, then Stephen leaned over to Nina and whispered something to her. She smiled and looked one towards Uber.

"Sir Uber?" she asked softly. "Are your services for hire?" Uber arched his eyebrows. Clearly he wasn't expecting this He took a deep breath before speaking.

"They are. But I think you should go to the guild and hire who you need there."

"Why?" Nina asked.

"Because you don't know me. Stephen could be right and the only thing I want from you is your map."

"Your just saying that." Nina said shaking her head. "I don't believe your that kind of person."

The way she looked at him, Uber wondered if she could read his thoughts. He seem to run into a lot of girls and women that could do that lately. Mentokka, Merc and now Nina. "I must be a magnet to these girls. Am I sounding like Gunner?" He thought to himself, worried. "But why me?" Uber asked.

"You seem to be a fair man. You have knowledge about this, and the sword you wield tells me you can take care of yourself." Stephen said

"And protect others." Nina added. "Will you help us... Please." They waited to here the words.

Uber was feeling conflicted. There was so many things he wanted to do, now that he was on his own. But looking into those green eyes of Nina. It was like talking to Mentokka. He could never say no to her. And history was about to repeat itself.

"Very well, you two." he said, taking a long sigh. "You got a deal. I guess I'm a sucker for a pretty face." He looked at Nina. She blushed slightly.

"I knew you couldn't resist my good looks." Stephen said in a mocking tone and flash his eye lashes at Uber. They all laughed.

The three spent the next few minutes going over where they should meet to talk about there agreement. Uber asked the two of them to keep quite about about this. Too many long ears in the city. With nothing more to say until later. Nina and Stephen rose from there seats.

"We want to once again thank you for helping us, Sir Uber." Nina said, the two bowed with respect.

"You know, you don't have to keep calling me, Sir" The two smiled.

"Well, we could call you 'Uncle', but I don't think you'd like that." Stephen said, his smile got broader. They all laughed again.

As the two walked off, Uber returned to his table, to wait for the caretaker to return.

Minutes later, as the old man returned, he thanked him for the book. The caretaker asked him about the two youngsters that was sitting at the other table. Uber told him that they were having trouble with there translating, so he offered his help. Uber noticed the expression of the caretaker changed form cheerful to angry. But it only last for a few seconds. Uber didn't think about it, after he received the book and the old man walked off.

He took his seat and was about to open the book, when something made him turn around. He looked to see the caretaker talking to a man. Uber wouldn't of thought much about it, but the way the old man was talking and his hand gestures, he was sure he was describing someone.

"Or maybe two people." he muttered.

After they finished talking, the man walked away, heading out of the Scriptorium.

Uber turned back around and thought for a moment. At first he thought he was over reacting. But thinking more on it, he wouldn't put nothing past these people.

"Fake translation books." he thought to himself. "Why not robbery...maybe even murder? By the Gods! Stephen! Nina!"

Uber stored all his belongings into his hip saddle bag, and strapped on his weapon. He was hoping it was nothing. But it was better to be safe then sorry.

Rand woke with the rising of the morning sun with Merc sleeping soundly in his arms. He looked down at her sleeping form, brushing away several strands of her red hair from her face. He didn’t expect this. He thought it would be a light dinner, with the two of them talking about training and other similar things. But instead this happened. Thoughts of Thrya came rushing back from that place in his heart that he thought long buried.

"Do I dare think those thoughts?" Rand thought to himself. "Even after all these years, Thrya’s death still hurts. Could Merc fill that one spot that I though was lost to me?"

Even though his thoughts were strong, Rand thought it would be best if he wait to hear what would be Merc’s feelings about this. Could she be thinking about being a wife and a mother of his children? Was it a one-night thing, for all he done for her with her training? Was she attracted to man that he is now? Taken the form of Rand the Younger, he’s almost thirty years younger then his original self. Or maybe, she has dreams to live her life on her own. It was safe for him to say, he had no clue.

He gently rose from the bed trying not to wake Merc, but she stirred all the same. Rand told her that he was going meditate by the stream. She rose up also, saying that she was going to cook some breakfast for the two of them when he gets back.

As he walked he knew he wouldn’t be able to do much meditating this morning. His thoughts were being bombarded, and there was no way for him to line them all up in one neat pile.

There was Merc that was in his thoughts. He could sense that Mentokka had become one with her magic. Even though he had his doubts, but once again, his ’Little Girl’ proved him wrong. He was so proud of her and Tosh.

But now, though his magic he felt the turmoil the two of them were feeling for each other. He knew what was wrong. It was there magic. It intensified there deep feelings of desire for each other. It would be so easy for him to come to them and tell them what needed to be done. But he sensed that they want to solve this on there own. Once again he felt proud for his kids, with a touch of regret, knowing he won’t be apart of it. But he also knew if they wanted his help, they’d ask. He couldn’t blame them, for he know what they must be going though. In truth, he blamed himself, having them living alone in the grasslands.
Thoughts of incest is nothing a person wish to brag about, much less talk about.

Back in the days, he fought with those kind of feelings, when he got introduced to his magic for the first time. It was directed towards his cousin who was three years older then him. Her name was Ada, and she had the reputation of being a bit of a flirt, and she always enjoyed teasing Rand when the families met. Yet, Rand adored her, when she told him stories of her time when her family traveled to other lands, and the different cultures. Rand was sure she stretched the truth some what, but he didn’t care. Like his magic, her stories lit a fire in him. She was a little taller then Rand, with black hair, that was flowed past her shoulders. She had large, doe eyes that shimmer a soft brown color. Her body was fit with small breasts and long, firm legs. She always kept herself in great condition.


But this day, it was Rand that moved on her. Ada wasn’t prepared for what Rand had planned for her. He asked her would she go for a walk with him. He took her to a wooded area several yards away from his family’s house, his secret place. Without his full knowledge, Rand’s new found magic broke down most of Ada’s defenses, for she was a girl that knew her way around when it came to relationships and one time flings. Rand kissed her with such passion, it left her gasping for air and shaking. When she looked in her cousin’s eyes, she didn’t see a fifteen year old boy, she saw a man that was going to make love to her, like one of her male lovers that was nearly twice her age. It was at this point, where Rand practically had most of her clothes off, when his better judgment stopped him. He looked at her with eyes wide with shock, not believing what he was about to do.

Ada could see the change in him quickly got dressed and took Rand into her arms, for she knew what happened to his cousin. They talked for about an hour, and it was Ada thought that it was Rand’s newly acquired magic that intensified the feeling he had for her. Ada was magic sensitive. Rand never knew if she could use magic, but she knew people who was adept in it. Years later, he told his brother about what happened between the two of them. he just smiled and nodded. His brother asked Rand did he ’go all the way’ with her. Rand nodded, embarrassed. He told him that it happened a couple of days later, in his room when they were alone. They went slowly, with Ada showing him what to do step by step. After they were done, Rand thought his first time was nothing short of pure ’magic’.

His brother confessed to him that Ada was his first time also. the two brother could only wonder how many other cousin did Ada seduce, for to Rand’s knowledge, there another six male cousin, and four female cousin. Smiling, Rand knew he wouldn’t put nothing past her.

"Ah, Ada." Rand thought happily. "How you always bring a smile to my face. I wonder how your is doing? Its been so many years, since we spoke."

Ada was only a memory, now it was Merc that was in the center of his thoughts. He decided to go back to the restaurant and have breakfast with Merc. He was hoping that she will tell him her feelings for him. But if she doesn’t. It would be alright, he wasn’t going to rush her. He was sure she must be going though a storm of emotions right about now.


Merc cook the breakfast in silence, more or less. Humming a song she remembered her mother sang when she cook her food. How important her mother was in her life. She was so full of life when it came to cooking. She would take her out to the woods to pick mushrooms and other herbs. She would take great care to point out the differences between the ones that was safe to eat and the ones that was harmful. Merc was told to write and chart down everything that she learned. growing up, she would take pains taken care to try and research everything that she was taught.

She realized that a lot of what her mother taught her was more or less, ’Old Wives Tales’. but there were plenty of things that was still important to her. Every now and then, she would look though that old and worn book and go though it. There was one passage that always read and smiled. It was story her mother told about.

"My grand mother use to tell me tales about a race of people that lived in the high north thousands of years ago. They had great powers, and it was said that the food they ate was blessed by the gods. When I asked if they still were alive, she shook her head and told me no, but there magical recipes were hidden though out the known world."

Growing up, Merc always looked at magic and magical things with a kind of ’Yeah, whatever’ kind of attitude. Not a part of my life, so why think about it.

Then the Tor family came into her life, and suddenly she was washed in magic. Seeing Rand, Tosh and Mentokka using magic as simple as normal people breathed air. Her mother was very leery about people who used magic. Some of that rubbed off on her. But seeing how they lived, laughed and loved like any other family. She could see that her worries were misplaced.

"No different from anybody else, even though Uber was right, they are crazy some times, but Uber is a bit crazy also. But in a good way."

But, her mother got so angry when it came to her father and men in general. When she asked her about it, she would brush off her questions or change the subject altogether. But hearing it everyday while growing up, it had to rub off on her in some way. She looked at Master Rand in that way. A man that never married, never had children of his own. You’d think that he was the kind of person that her mother shouted, cursed and grumbled about.

But she would of been so wrong about Rand-Tor, what a father he would of been. Merc would of loved having him for a father, but she loved her father, no matter what her mother said about him, and eventually drove she him away. She remembered crying long into the night when he left, never to be seen by her again.

"Am I looking a Master Rand as a father figure or a lover?" she thought, as she wrestled with the thought."It has to be a lover. I gave my virginity to him. I wouldn’t of given something as special as that to a friend, like Uber, Tosh, and even Gunner....{Sigh}!"

Merc could only wonder what Master Rand was thinking about now. Was his thoughts being pounded as hers were. Do she tell him her feelings, open her heart to him. What was her feelings about him? A husband? Father of my children? Why was it so hard? It shouldn’t, but there it was.

Without realizing it Merc had more or less finished cooking, even though she was lost in thought about Rand. She was not about to ask how she done it, though. When Rand entered the restaurant, Merc had to take a moment to steel herself, for she knew, it was going to be an some what uncomfortable breakfast for the two of them.


* * *

"Lovers?" Tosh whispered. "You know what your saying, sis?" Mentokka nodded.

"I’m sure it the magic inside of us that is most likely intensifying our feelings for each other. But to say there the thoughts were and not there and were not feeling them. We be both lying to ourselves, and each other." Tosh had to agree to what she said, but.

"I don’t want to have those kind of feelings about you, Mentokka. Your my sister! And I still fight with thoughts of going to bed with you. It hurts me so bad it’s almost physical pain. And not because I don’t want to. Its because I do." Mentokka could see Tosh shaking. He got up and turned away from her. She was about to say something, but Tosh spoke first.

"I love you, sis". he blurted out. "I love you so much, I can’t breath sometimes. As much as I’m ashamed to say it, but it true. When I took off your clothes to put you in bed.....I stared at your naked body for a long time. That’s why my hands were shaking. Not because I was out of focus. I was very focused. Fighting those terrible urges." Mentokka couldn’t speak, yet Tosh went on. "As much as I want you, I fear we’ll never look at each other as brother and sister any more. We won’t laugh and joke about the silly and stupid things we always talk about and do. I fear, if I take you in my arm to hug or embrace you, I’d have to kiss you passionately. Right now I’m scared what your thinking about me. Do you see me, like some kind of monster with thoughts only of ravishing your body."

Mentokka could hear his voice quivering. She could hear the thickness of passion in his voice also. She knew that her brother had though about her. Sexual thoughts. But she never knew the intensity of what he was going though. She always marveled how Uncle Rand had such a strength of will, and now she could see it in his big brother. She was sure that a lesser man would give in to his desires. But not Tosh, it would be so simple to offer herself to him and end his torment sexual thoughts and passion for her. There was nearly nothing she wouldn’t do for him.Yet, when she heard his fears, it only made her love him even more.

"Tosh," she said sitting up on the bed, bring her knees up to her chest. "You never have to fear that I won’t see you as my brother. Your too important in my life. Besides, I had those kind of feelings for you also."

"There’s more, sis." he said turning to face her. "I wanted to tell you this years ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell you."

"What is it, Tosh?" Tosh remained silent for a long time, with his eyes closed.

"Sis? I married Patti because........" he stopped short.

"Patti? Your wife? What about Patti?" she looked at him intensely

"I married her, to......to get away from you." Mentokka was wide eyed with shock. "It started back then, when you were twelve. All those times I’d carried you on my back. All those times you’d run into my bedroom saying your were having nightmares. You’d climb into my bed an huddle next to me saying that you wasn’t scared any more. That’s when those....sick feelings started coming to the surface. at first I didn’t think much about it, figuring it go away. But it didn’t. It slowly got worse."

"Are you serious, Tosh?" He nodded, Tosh was too overcome with shame to say anything, he wouldn’t look at her. "Are you telling me you didn’t love Patti?"

"It’s nothing like that!" He said, looking up at her."I loved her. It’s just I asked her to marry me a whole lot sooner."

"Do you blame me for this?" she asked, worried.

"No!" he shouted. "Never in a thousands life times, I’d never blame you. I’m to blame for this. Me, and me alone! If it was for my weakness.....Patti and Little Tosh might still be alive." Right then, Tosh feel to his knees, sobbing. A hand covering his face.

Mentokka was seeing her big brother fall apart right before her eyes. The Older Mentokka told her that he did this in front of her. Something about Patti and little Tosh. She realized that ’This’ was the source of his pain and torment.
He must of thought he buried them deep down in his soul. But things like this always come back up to the surface to reopen old wounds.

And just like the older Mentokka before her, she got off the bed to take him in her arms.

"Go ahead brother, let it all out. Don’t think you have to grieve for them by yourself."

And some where inside Mentokka, the older Mentokka whispered to her to remove the pain and guilt he was feeling. She smiled closed her eyes and nodded.

"Tosh," Mentokka whispered. "Forget about the pain and guilt. Just remember Patti and Little Tosh in life. When they made you happy about life and living."

Suddenly, her hand started glowing, and the two of them was surrounded in a glowing light. Tosh stopped crying, muttered her sister’s name, then slumped unconscious, falling forward. Mentokka eased him to the floor. She rose to her feet to put some clothes on. She looked down at her brother and she was that he was smiling. And she knew that he was going to be alright.

And it was good thing too, for deep inside of her, her new magic was telling that she needed Tosh whole and strong for things ahead for the Tor family.

A pause in the fighting. The younger Mentokka stared at the older version of herself, battered and bruised. The fight lasted for less then a minute, and the older women clearly had the upper hand on her younger opponent.

"This is not suppose to be happening!" the younger Mentokka thought. "I'm fighting myself. It should be a stalemate at best. I know what is coming, but I can't seem to counter in time, she's beating me to the blow, damn near every time. I'm hurting in places I did not know exist."
The older women chuckled, clearly hearing the younger girl thoughts.

"Come on, sis. Your not thinking." the older Mentokka said sharply. "
What did Uncle Rand say to you about this kind of fight?" The younger girl seemed puzzled by what she said. The older women told her to take her time and think about it, and she promised not to attack her when she did.

Even though her body was racked with pain, she sensed only truth in her words. She paused for several seconds more, before closing her eyes and going to that place that was a well of knowledge for her, Uncle Rand's teachings.
She thought about what the older Mentokka said to her.......(This kind of fight)
What was this kind of fight? She was fight against a older version of herself.

Like going though separate pages in a book, Mentokka looked intensely for the scenario that which she was looking for. She remembered something about it on her own, but not enough. Then after awhile she remembered. It was the time when she asked Uncle Rand to train her in secret. She fell to the ground hard. The receiving end of a forearm smash to her face. After a few moments her head cleared and the ringing in her ears stopped.

"By the gods!" Mentokka shouted. "What am I doing wrong?" She rose to her feet to face her Uncle that was grinning slightly.

"What are you doing wrong, Little Girl?" Rand repeating her question. "Nothing. You matched me blow for blow."

"I must be doing something wrong?" Rand answered her question with another question.

When you tried to beat your brother in a fight, what was the one thing he always had on you?" Mentokka though about for several seconds.

"His strength. He always out muscled me. He's far stronger then me. That's why I wanted to learn his style to see if I can beat him this way instead." Rand smiled. It took Mentokka several more seconds for the answer to sink in.

"That's it!" Mentokka all but shouted. "The key is strength. I'm losing because I'm not strong enough." Rand's smile got larger.

"Now you understand, Little Girl." Rand said, placing an arm on her shoulder. "Tosh wins because he stronger then you. It doesn't matter if you learn his style. All you end up being is a weaker version of Tosh."

"And you beat Tosh because your stronger then he is?"

"Just barely." Rand said grimly. "He's still growing. He'll best me one day, as it should be. As I believe, one day you will, in the magic." Mentokka didn't understand what he meant at that time, about her getting more stronger then him. But she finally understood why she couldn't beat her brother back then.

Mentokka opened her eyes and looked at her older self. "Strength." Mentokka muttered quietly. "I'm the weaker version of myself. She's stronger then me." The older Mentokka smiled and nodded her head.

"You finally understand, don't you?" The younger girl nodded."You'll need 'Big Brother's help."

"But why would you......" The older women cut her.

"Question me later, sis. Go see Tosh." She wanted to protest, but she thought better of it. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes once again.

"Help me, Big Brother." she thought. "Help me, Tosh."

Tosh continued his visual by his sister's bedside. Minuets earlier he was filled with dread. Mentokka's body was shaking as if it was responding to physical blows.

"Mentokka!" Tosh shouted. "What's wrong?" Suddenly, images rushed into his mind of his own magical trial. Right there he was sure his sister was going though the same thing. Fighting for her life.
As much as he wanted to help her, he knew there was little he could do to help her other then stay by her sister's side and hoping for the best for her. Several moments later, Mentokka's body relaxed. Tosh moved closer to see if she was alright.

"Sis?" Tosh whispered, taking her hand."Are you alright?

"Help me Big Brother." Tosh's eyes went wide when he heard her voice. "Help me, Tosh."

Instantly Tosh thought the worst. His sister was in need of his help. She must of been losing her fight, and was asking for her help. Tosh closed his eyes and offered his sister his very life force. "My life is yours,sis."

Mentokka instantly felt, his big brother's life force enter her body. "No Tosh!" she shouted.
Tosh must of thought that she was in trouble, and he was giving her his very life force to her. She knew she had to stop him before he killed himself for her. She forced herself back to consciousness.
She opened her eyes and saw his brother was in deep in himself slowly drawing his life force out of his self and into her.

"Tosh....stop." she said weakly, trying to release her hand from her brother's grasp. But her brother was too deep into himself to hear her. Calling up all of her strength, she slammed her fist into her brother's chest, breaking his contact with his magic, and falling off the bed.

"Brother.......listen to me." she gasped. Tosh rose to his feet and moved to her side once again. "I don't.....need your life.....force."

"But you called out to me, asked me for my help." Tosh said. "What do you need?" a small smile broke out across her tired face.


* * *

Gunner, struck on the head with stunning force for the second time in as many minutes, lost consciousness. But not for long. When he regained his senses he found himself being carried several meters off the surface of the marsh, his body still helplessly clutched to the breast of a flying dragon of enormous wingspan. His left arm and shoulder was were in agony, though the animal had shifted its powerful grip and was no longer holding him directly by the injured limb.

He thought the dragon was going to drop him at any moment. He knew a grown man must be a very heavy load--five minutes ago he would of thought it was impossible load--for any creature that flew on wings and not by magic. And obviously his captor was having a slow and difficult struggle to gain altitude with Gunner aboard. No mattered how its great wings labored, it was unable as yet to rise any higher above the tree tops.

From being sure the dragon was going to drop him, Gunner quickly moved to being afraid that was not. Then it gained more altitude despite the evident odds, he progressed to being fearful that it would. Either way there appeared to be nothing he could do. Both of his arms were now pinned between his body and the scaly toughness of the dragon's. He could turn his head, and when he turned it to the right he saw his crossbow rifle protruding from between the scales near the joining of the animal's left leg and body. The wound was lightly oozing blood. If Gunner had been able to move his right arm, he might have tried to grab the weapon, not like it would of done any good.

The great wings beat on, slowly winning the fight for flight. Despite the color of the dragon's blood, its scales, and everything thing else about it. Gunner began lightheaded to wonder, if it was really drop him.
This thing couldn't really carry me, he kept thinking to himself, and kept expecting to be dropped at any moment. No flying creature ought to be able to scoop up a full grown-men, but still.....

Now for a time, terror threatened to overcome his mind. Gunner clutched with his fingernails at the scales of the beast that carried him. Now he could visualize it planning to drop him when it had reached a sufficient height, like a seabird cracking shells on rock below. In panic he tried to free his arms, but it ignored his feeble efforts. Once again Gunner lost consciousness. When he came to again, his abductor was still carrying him in the same position. They were in smooth flight between two horizontal layers of cloud, for a time that seemed to Gunner an eternity, and must in fact have been several hours. Gradually the cloud layers thinned, and he could see that he was being carried over what must be part of the great swamp, at a height almost to great to be frightening at all. The cloud layers above had now thinned sufficiently to let him see from the position of the sun that his flight was to the southwest.

"Let me go!" Gunner shouted. When he heard the dragon groan and for a few seconds look down at him, he quickly changed his mind. "No, no! Correct that! Do not let me go! Hang on tight! Don't drop me, Mr dragon!" Gunner thought it would be better if he just keep his mouth shut, before he unknowingly say something that would get him killed....or worse.

Eventually there appeared in the swamp below an irregular small island, bearing a stand of stark trees and marked at its edge by low cliffs of clay, or something close to it. At this point the dragon turned suddenly into a gentle downward spiral. Gunner could see nothing below but the island itself which might prompt a descent. And it was atop one of those low, wilderness cliffs of clay that the dragon landed.

Gunner was dropped rudely onto the rough ground, but he was not released. Before his stiffened limbs could react to the possibilities of freedom, he was was grabbed again. One of the dragon's feet clamped round his right leg, lifted him, and hung him up like meat to dry, with his right ankle wedged painfully in the crotch of a tree some five meters above the ground. He hung upside down and yelled.

Gunner's screams of new pain and fresh outrage were loud, but they had no effect. Ignoring Gunner's noise, the dragon spread its wings and flapped heavily off the cliff. It descended in a glide to land at the edge of the swamp, some twenty meters below. There, moving in a cautious waddle, it position at the edge of a pool. Placid as a wool beast, it extended its neck and lapped up a drink. it continued to ignore the rife which still stuck in its hip.

"What now?" Gunner thought. "Now that you drank. You going to dine?" With that thought in mind, Gunner was brought to desperation. Gunner contracted his body, trying to pull himself up within grabbing distance of the branches imprisoning his leg. But his right arm, like his whole body, was stiff and sore, ans his left arm could hardly be made to work at all. The fingers of his right hand brushed the branch above, but he could do no more, and fell back groaning. Even if by some all-out contortion he were to succeed in getting his foot free, it might well be the price of a bone breaking fall onto the hard ground at the top of the cliff.

Sounds of splashing drew Gunner's attention back to the swamp. Down there the dragon had plunged one taloned foot into the swamp. Shortly the foot was brought out again, holding a large snake. Gunner thought squinting into his upside-down view of the situation that the serpent was as thick as a man's leg. It coiled and thrashed and hissed, its fangs stabbed uselessly again ts the dragon's scales. The head kept striking even after the dragon snapped off a large section of its midsection., allowing the tail section to fall free.

Gunner drew some small encouragement from the fact that the dragon seemed to prefer snake to human flesh. Hoping it didn't see him as dessert. He tried again, more methodically this time, to work his way free. But in this case method had no more success then frenzy.

Gunner must of fainted again, for his next awareness was being picked up once more by his captor. He was being held against the dragon's breast in the same way as before, and his arms were already pinned. Gunner screamed at the dragon to let him go before it decided to take off once again. For he was sure the dragon was going to drop him from a very high height this time. As it turned out, this day was full of surprises,....so?
Why not another?

The dragon brought the still screaming Gunner closer to its face. Terror filled him. He was sure that the dragon was going to promptly swallow him whole, or with several bites.

"Be Silent, Human!" The dragon roared. Gunner wasn't expecting that.

"You! You..you..you..you...can Talk?!"

"In all my years, I didn't think it was possible. But, your giving me a headache!"

"S-s,so...so sorry." Gunner at this point had a dying urge to piss on himself, but though strength of will, and a bit of luck, he held it in. "Are you going to kill me?"

"If I was, don't you think I would of done it already?"

"P-point taken, Mr. dragon." Gunner said in a small, frightened voice. The dragon groaned. No doubt thinking about its next move.

"Now human." the dragon said calmly. If you considered a dragon talking/ roaring calm. "If you promise to behave yourself and be quite, I'll let you ride upon my back, agreed?"

Gunner wanted to shout that he agreed to its terms, but he also wanted to ask him to let him go, but thought better. He nodded his head and kept him mouth close.

"Very well, human." the dragon said placing Gunner on the ground. "Climb onto my back, and we shall be off." Gunner took several moment to stretch his stiff and sore limbs before climbing up on to the dragon's back. He wedged himself in a small area where the dragon's neck and shoulders connected. "Hold on tight, human!"

"You can call me, Gunner, Mr. Dragon."

"I do not plan on knowing you long enough to want to know your name.....Human!" The dragon roared, as he spread his massive wings and leaped into the air.

Gunner was taken by surprise as he felt like he was going to fly off the dragon's back. He felt like he was being shot out of one of his father's huge cannons. He grabbed on to the dragon's scales and held on for all he was worth. Even though he promised not to speak, he couldn't help screaming.
The dragon took off with a little extra speed, no doubt to enjoying the fact that he could add a little more terror to this human.......without killing him.

Gunner was sure he heard the dragon chuckle.


* * *


Mentokka returned to the area where her the older Mentokka stood waiting her. The look on the younger girls face told her that she was successful with her task. "I take it, your ready for the next round, sis?"

"Like you said before.....Question me later when this is done......Big sis." The younger said with a small smile on her face. The older women nodded and went into her fighting stance. Once again, the two Mentokkas were joined in battle. The older women started cautiously, noting how differently her younger self stood her her fighting stance. "This shouldn't take long." the older women chuckled to herself, before she threw her first punch.

The younger Mentokka saw her older self completely different.What she got from Tosh made her think that this wouldn't take long.

The older women threw her first punch and the younger girl block it with a stiff forearm, then countered with a straight punch to the older women's chest. The blow made the older women stagger back a few steps. The younger Mentokka couldn't believe how much strength was behind that blow. Not giving the older women time to recover, she ruched in with a hard forearm shot to the older women's nose. The older Mentokka's head snapped, blood erupting from her nose, but the younger girl didn't let up. She went low, with a side kick to the the side of her left knee.. The older girl, already staggering, fell to the ground. The younger girl jumped on her fallen opponent and slammed her fist to the side of her head. she reeled back and hit her once again. Blood flew. The blow snapped her head to the side. The Younger Mentokka was about to deliver the finishing blow when she stopped herself.

"By the gods, what am I doing?" she asked, seeing the blood on her hands. "Forgive me, sis. I didn't mean for this to...." the older Mentokka cut her off.

"W-what are.... you d-doing?" the older women said though bloody lips. "Finish it! Its the only way. The magic..... must be controlled.......n-not the other way around."

The younger girl looked at her older self with shock. "You want me to win. Why?" The older Mentokka coughed up blood, and the younger girl helped her sit up.

"I've touched your soul.....I've touched Tosh's souls. its been so long, I forgot what the feeling between the two of us was. Tosh and I went our separate ways years ago. I never knew how much I needed Big Brother in my life....h-how much he needed me. I let the magic control me. And it drove Tosh away. and Uncle Rand was powerless to do anything....anything but watch the family fall apart. I'm sure that is what killed him. I won't let you make the same mistake."

Tears welled up in the younger Mentokka's eyes, as she heard her older women words.
"Uncle Rand.....dead? Tosh is gone away?"

"I'm sure this is where it all began....Me letting the magic take control. W-where everything started to fall apart. This is why you must finish this."

"I can't," Mentokka cried. "I can't do this......not to you. I can't kill you! Your me! There must be another way!" The older women shook her head painfully.

"Its the only way, sis......y-you'll understand after wards. You must do it! Think of it as a favor for your big sister."

The look in the older Mentokka's eyes told her there was no changing her mind. Every time the younger Mentokka asked her about what she would understand when it was over, she told her to simply trust her. She asked her what she had to do.

"Kill me," she whispered. "We both know your more then strong enough to it. You must control the magic."

Tears were now streaming from here eyes, she knew that the older women was right. But the thought of killing her was tearing her apart.

"It will be quick......Big sister." the older women smiled and closed her eyes.

"It will be alright in the end, you'll see, sis."

Still holding her up, the younger Mentokka moved to where she was holding her up, but kneeling behind her. She placed her hands on both sides of the older women's head. She knew what she had to do, but she was faltering. "Do it, sis."

Mentokka screamed and called all her strength and broke the older Mentokka's neck with a quick jerk of her hands. The older women crumbled to the ground, quietly.
The Younger Mentokka didn't move for a long moment. At this point she was sobbing uncontrollably now, not believing what she done.

"Why do you cry, sis?" The older Mentokka's voice called out to her.

"Big sister? Is that you?" Mentokka asked fanatically looking around. "Where are you?"

"I'm inside you, sis." the voice replied. "The magic is now yours. this way we both get something out of this."

"What do you mean?" Mentokka asked totally confused by what the voice was saying.

"You get full control of the magic. and though you, I get to have Tosh and Uncle Rand in my life once again." though her tears, Mentokka smiled and nodded.

"Go now. I'm sure Big brother is worried about us."

Mentokka closed here eyes and disappear in a flash of golden light. Using her new powers for the first time.

Mentokka woke to see, Tosh soundly sleeping in the chair next to her bedside. "Brother?" she called out to him. his eyes flew open when he heard her voice.

"Sis!" he said, moving closer to him. "Are you alright?" Mentokka nodded gently.

"It's all over, Big brother. The trial is over. The magic is mines. Time to give back what I'd borrowed from you." She took Tosh by the hand and the strength and stamina returned to him.

Tosh smiled, feeling his strength returned to him. "Like the return of an old friend."

"Speaking of old friends." Mentokka said sitting up in her bed. "Why didn't you tell me you met the older Mentokka in your dreams?"

"To tell you what? That we came to blows. I think I nearly broke her nose, and she nearly broke my jaw? And talking about other things. Oh yeah, now that is something to brag about."

"Tosh." Mentokka said softly. She told me everything. "Your feelings about me." Tosh said nothing, just looked away from her, no doubt embarrassed about what she said.

"We need to talk, Tosh." she said talking her brother's hand once again. He nodded. "I also need to tell you my feelings for you. And by the time we are done. I don't know if we will see each other as brother and sister anymore, it could all change."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"By the time our talk is over. We might become.......Lovers."

Tosh remained silent and expressionless, but inside he was sure his heart skipped a beat........more then once.

Mentokka woke up in an area she had no knowledge of. Her first instincts were to call out to Tosh, but she realized that she wasn't in her bedroom, and her big brother wasn't watching over her.

"It's time, Little Sister." a voice called out to her from behind. Mentokka turned to face her older self. Even though she knew what the older Mentokka looked like, she still looked at the older women with amazement. It was almost hard to believe that this women was going to be her in another ten years or so. Just the overall thickness of her body made the younger Mentokka glad she wasn't a man looking upon her. And the dress she was wearing brought all this out.

"Little Sister?" Mentokka said, tilting her head slightly.

"What's wrong with it? I'm an older version of you. I think the term kinda fits, when you think about it. I'm the closest thing to a sister you have next to Merc."

"From your point of view, maybe." she snapped. "Besides, I'm already a 'Kid Sister' to someone already."

"Tosh," The older Mentokka said grimly. "How wrong I was about him."

"What do you mean?"

"For the longest, I only felt his raw emotions. I figured if I just looked into his mind, I'd know all that I needed to know about him. But I was so wrong about him." the older Mentokka said shaking her head.

"Mentokka?" she asked feeling strange calling the older women that. "What are you trying to say?"

She looked at her younger self and smiled. "What I'm saying is, looking into the mind only gives you half the picture. Without also looking into his heart, I never truly understood what he really felt or what he was going though." She paused and smiled once again at her younger self.

"It seems that Uncle Rand was right once again." The younger Mentokka said.

"What do you mean?"

"It's all about Head and Heart." The two girls laughed, for they knew that there Uncle will always be a part of there lives in one form or another.

After several moments of laughter. The two looked at each other, there smiles disappearing off there faces. For they both knew what would come next.

"Are you ready, Mentokka?" The younger girl nodded, for no words were needed. "Very well, prepare yourself, Mentokka-Tor!"

The younger Mentokka rose her right hand over her head, and muttered words under her breath. Suddenly her hand began to glow. She drew her hand into a fist and in a flash of light, Mentokka's clothing turned into a white fighting robe, a pair of Grey, short pants, and leather wrappings on her wrists and ankles.

The older Mentokka kicked off the sandals she was wearing and walked over to where the younger version of herself was standing. "When ever your ready, sis."

Instead of speaking, the younger Mentokka remembered the words Uncle Rand told her before an important fight. "Take a few moments to stretch out your muscles out. A few phantoms punches helps get some of the tension out of you, Little Girl."

After a few moments of stretching, the younger girl starting throwing several punches. Most were them were thrown slowly, then she picked up the pace and threw them with greater speed. After awhile she stopped, breathing hard. She kept her eyes closed, letting the chi flow though out her body. Moments later she opened her eyes and spoke. "I'm Ready."

"The rules are simple. Win." The younger girl nodded, only because she was too tense to speak. "The prize is the full control of the magic." The two fell into similar fighting stances.

Neither move for several moments. The two looking at each other with expressionless stares. And as if someone gave the word that only the two of them could hear. The two came together in a wave of punches and kicks.

* * *

The night passed in a fog of love and plenty of good sex: Sitting, standing, reclining and kneeling. Rand woke, exhausted. He turned his bleary eyes at the still sleeping Merc.
"Gods!" he thought. "Where did she get such energy?"

It was true. Even though Merc was a virgin, Rand was gentle the first time. He couldn't remember the last time he had to use his magic to help him in love making. He was sure he used less effort in magical battles that nearly killed him several times in the past. "I hope this doesn't mean, I'm getting too old for this?"

Merc woke with something that sounded like a sighing-grunting sound. He looked over to see Merc, with her disheveled red-hair. He had to admit, it gave her a kind of 'wild girl' look. So different from usual well-kept look. He liked it.

"You know, Master," Merc said moving close to him. "I was told doing it for the first time, would be painful." Rand slipped an arm around her as she snuggled closer to him.

"And?"

"And it wasn't that bad. I'm sure you had something to do with it."

"I clearly heard you cry out, Merc."

"I remember hearing you cry out, Master." Rand rolled his eyes.

"Only because you were biting me." The two laughed.

Merc slipped a hand onto his penis, and to his alarm, it was responding again.

"What the...." Rand thought to himself. "I always though the 'Little Bastard' had a mind of it's own. This confirms it!"

"Ready for the next round?"

"I do believe this is going to kill me."

Bite your tongue!" Merc said, throwing a leg over him and settled down, guiding him in. "I don't want to go down in history, as the women who killed Rand-Tor."

Rand made a gratified noise.

In the haze of sexual pleasure, the two of them had things on there minds.

"Please, Master Rand," Merc thought. "Prove, my mother wrong about men. Don't hurt me like they hurt her."

"I'm not going to see the morning," Rand thought. "This is going to kill me...... But, I can think of worse ways of leaving this world."


* * *

Under a hazy sun, Gunner walked though the lush forest that lead to the small sleepy fishing Village called Stillman Rivers. No doubt named after the person who founded it.
The ground was flat and more or less even, not too many rocks to get in his way either. Any other times this would of been an enjoyable trek for the Tracker. But Gunner was grumbling. The words Mentokka was more or less stuck in his head.
{ 'Your going to be All alone....Don't do nothing I would do, pretty boy.'}

"That Mentokka!" Gunner shouted. "I don't think, I can ever recall any women I dealt with, that leaves me in emotional knots as that girl does."

Any other time, he would just pocket his pride and move on. But not this girl. Mentokka-Tor was like a addiction.

But what was it about her? Her looks? Yes! She was beautiful. But plenty of girls he dealt with were that. Was it because she could fight. And beat him more times then he dared to admit. "Skip that!" He muttered

Was it the fact he never been alone with her. Her brother Tosh watching over her like a hawk. Is it her natural up-beat nature? She's damn near always the center of attention.

He was jarred out of his funk when he heard something in the under brush a little ways behind him. "Was someone following me? Gunner thought out loud. "Was so lost in thought about Mentokka......I better keep my wits about me." Gunner removed 'Viki' from it's holster behind him and quickly loaded it.

He decided to pick up the pace a little, taking longer steps, like he saw Master Rand done on several occasions. If someone....Or something was following him, he wanted some room if action, or running was needed. Suddenly he heard a multitude of feet pounding closer towards him. He turned his head to see men in half armor, wearing the colors of Fatoria, leaping from there mounts to surround him. What were they doing out here? He was no where near Fatoria, or the areas they patrol.
An overeager spear-man held his weapon at his throat.

"Drop it, varlet! the soldier ordered.

Training under Master Rand, Gunner could see this soldier was a raw recruit. His stance and grip of his weapon was all wrong. Totally off balance.

He dropped his weapon. But before the weapon hit the ground, Gunner side stepped the spear point, and rushed towards the soldier, grabbing the shaft of the spear and pulling it out of his hands. The off balanced soldier feel to the ground. A well placed stomp to the chest and quick flip of the spear point, and gunner had the spear on him instead.

"Varlet?" Gunner said, grinning. "Your kidding, right?"

Before the other soldiers could react. Another inhuman voice interrupted. This one was a roar, projecting itself at ground level though the under growth.

Gunner's blood went cold, for he clearly recognized that sound from before. "No! It.... can't be!" Gunner muttered as he dropped the spear and reached for his rifle. Coming out from the under growth, he saw it. The glossy, metallic black color, The folded wings. The eerie hissing sound that sounded like a fire being doused with water. It was the dragon from before. But it seem to got a tad bit bigger. And it was looking at Gunner with fire in his eyes.

Suddenly the soldiers scrambled into action. most of the men got back up on there mounts, drawing there weapons. Gunner was frozen with fear. How did that dragon survive the fight with the soldiers. Not like he stuck around to find out the out come.

The soldiers were about to make there move, when the dragon learn a new trick since the last time Gunner saw him. Flame jetted from a red cavern of a mouth, the glow of fire reflecting, resonating, though meters of the surrounding fog. A soldier atop of his steed, ten or fifteen feet from the dragon, exploded like a firework, his armor curling like paper in the blast. Gunner felt the heat from where he was standing.

"Fire?" Gunner muttered. "It's breathing fire?"

Without pausing, the dragon changed the direction of it's charge. It snorted, making an odd sound, like metal bells. Once more it breathed fire from nose and upper mouth. This time the target, another man on beast back, somehow dodged the full effect. The riding beast screamed at the light brush of fire, and veered the wrong way. One forelimb caught it by one leg, and sent it and it's rider twirling though the air to break there bones against a tree.

All around Gunner, men were screaming. He saw the soldiers and there riding beast in full, desperate retreat.

The dragon changed his direction once again. Now it was coming straight for Gunner.

Gunner ran. Ran like he never ran before, not even thinking about looking back.

A hideous, creature bellowing filled the air behind him. It sounded like the grand father of all dragons, and the noise it made was followed by human screams. He wasn't planning to turn back and risked his neck to save the soldiers that drew weapons on him earlier. Gunner deliberately stepped into thigh-deep water to put more distance between him, the soldiers and that dragon. With the up roar fading in the distance, Gunner was starting to believe that he was going to escape. But another roar more or less threw that idea out the window. He glazed upward, and literally could not move. He thought no one has ever seen the like of the thing descending on him now. "A Flying Dragon,....Oh....my....God!"

Gunner brought up his weapon, praying the Goddess of Luck 'really' pull his butt of of the fire this time. Only at the last moment, when it was too late to do anything else. "A shot in the eye," Gunner thought. as he took aim "Hit the eye and it will fly away."

He got the shot off, but was more or less drowned out with the violence of which it grabbed and lifted him banged his head against it's scaly breast., a blow hard enough to daze him.

Gunner knew, before he slid into unconsciousness, that his feet had been pulled out of the water, that nothing was in contact with his body now but air and dragon scales. He felt rhythm of great wings working, and then he knew nothing more, as the blackness claimed him.