The End of the Circle

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

I just don't understand it, Sheol thought as he concluded the experiment for the fifth time.

His hands were not as steady as they once were, but he knew that he had performed the ritual correctly.

"Sheol, are you up here?" he heard from the stairwell.

"Yes...I am" he replied absently. "You can come up if you'd like"

"Are you still working on this?" she asked.

"Yes, I am" he responded, looking around for something...anything...that he could have done wrong.

"Hey...don't ignore me when I talk to you" she chided.

"I am sorry Jade" he said. "I have just been so distracted by this experiment."

"Experiment? In what? Nostalgia?" she asked with a bit of a smirk.

Sheol just looked at her, standing there in the moonlight, looking as lovely as ever he thought. But she wasn't. Not really. The years had taken their toll upon her.

Once, Jade was an exotic beauty, with dark hair, green eyes, a slender build, and sharp features...now, she was a bit frail, her hair turning grey, and her gait a bit shuffled. The wounds of the past had rendered her partially lame in her left leg.

However, her eyes still were as bright as the moon on a clear night.

Sheol got up from his work table, and made his way over to her.

"I don't think I can do much more this evening" he said with a sigh.

"How long have you been up here?" Jade asked.

"Oh...I don't know, I forget" he replied...but he was lying. He knew fully well that he had been in his lab for almost nine hours.

It was time for sleep.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

Mornings came early in those days, and Sheol was up before the sun.

He made his way up the stairs, and back to his work bench. He cast a spell, and lit the candles in the room.

Let's see now... he thought, as he reached for his glasses.

He read the scroll twice, and then proceeded.

"Ahk Een Nak Sok, Vas Nos Een So Kanpa!" he spoke.

Suddenly, a small, dim, blue portal opened before him.

"I have done it!!" he spoke aloud.

"Done what?" he heard from behind him.

"Jade, I have done it!! I have done it!" he exclaimed.

She stood there regarding the saucer-sized portal and said "Ok, what do you plan to do with it now?"

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"It is a temporal shift..if we just..." was all me managed before the small blue disc faded completely out.

Jade just stood there regarding him. His skin hung from his bones like a sack, and his hair was almost gone. What was left was as white as the snow on Ice Island. His face was covered in bags and wrinkles, and his eyes looked listless and grey.

"Come dear, come back to bed, it is early...and cold" she pleaded.

"NO!" he shouted...turning his back to her.

She just stood there for a few moments, and then turned to go back down the stairs.

"I love you" he said after her.

"I know" she said back to him.

This brought a smile to his face.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

For the rest of the day, he tried and tried to recreate the experiment...but to no avail.

"Damn it all!" he said, as he threw his scroll to the ground.

He got up to leave his work bench, and then he heard a strange sound from downstairs.

"Jade...are you alright down there?" he said from the top of the stairs.

"Jade?" he asked again, as he made his way down the stairs.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

He went down the stairs, and called out for her again, but got no answer.

"Jade?" he said, as he rounded the corner into the kitchen, and then he saw her, lying on her back...dead.

"Oh my gods!! Jade!!!" he said as he rushed to her.

"Jade!!! Answer me!!!" he screamed, his voice wavering.

He looked her over...there were no wounds. She had just died.

"Jade..." he said, rocking her gently in his arms.

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[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

The funeral was small, yet elegant. Since their days in the Protectors of Virtue, Sheol and Jade had done well for themselves.

"I am sorry to hear that she passed" Anasazi offered to Sheol.

He didn't answer. Inside, he was dead.

"If you need anything...you know I am...um, you know that I will..." Anasazi got out.

"Yeah. Thanks" is all Sheol said, as he watched Anasazi limp away.

"Sheol?" he heard.

He turned to see who it was.

"Ahu??" he asked, in disbelief.

"Yes. I am so sorry..." he said.

"I haven't seen you in...what...twenty years?" he asked.

"I think that is right...it is hard to say" Ahu responded.

"What happened to you? I mean, um, you weren't involved in the war, right?" Sheol asked uncomfortably.

"No...I wasn't. I was, otherwise engaged" Ahu responded. "I understand that you were not involved either?"

"No" Sheol said with a sigh, "We weren't."

"Jade was an amazing woman" Ahu said..."even though I only met her a few times."

"Yeah. She was." Sheol managed.

"What is it that you are waiting for?" Ahu asked him.

This gave Sheol pause.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"What do you mean Ahu?" Sheol asked...knowing that he was walking into one of Ahu's verbal traps. He knew that a twenty minute rambling soliloquy was coming, and that at least two tangents that added another fifteen minutes would be involved.

Ahu didn't launch into one of his diatribes however, he just merely said "It's been time for years", and added "Sheol, it has been good to see you again. Take care."

And with that, Ahu was off.

I always thought that guy was slightly off his rocker Sheol thought as he watched the wild looking old man walking away, with his crazy shoes. Now I know it for a fact.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

Later that night, Sheol sat alone in the tower that he and Jade had built together. He looked around at the things they had collected in their days together. Rare artifacts from all over the world, strange magical items that they had discovered on their many adventures with the guild, and just as many more they had discovered together after.

Looking at each treasure brought back a flood of memories. This went on for hours.

Sheol awoke in the middle of the night, sitting in one of the chairs in the dinning room. He had dozed off. The tower was dark and cold, and it suddenly struck him...extremely empty.

He stood up, to make his way to bed, but down deep inside, he really didn't want to go into the bedroom.

Once in bed, he found that sleep did not come as easily as he would have hoped. His thoughts were all over the place, memories mostly, and regrets...regrets of things he had always meant to do, but hadn't done.

But his thoughts, for some reason, kept going back to Ahu's words.

What did he mean? What is it time for?
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[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"You missed one! Quickly! Cut off his escape route!"

"I am working on it" she replied and thought to herself, I am only so fast!

Working her way around a tree, and through a shallow ditch, she did manage to flank him. He realized that he was cut off, and tried to surrender.

But it was no use, he was done for. She was on top of him before he could react.

"Tag!!! You're out!!" she said, laughing.

"No fair...you cheated" he said.

"How's that? Cheated?" she asked.

"If your sister hadn't told you, I would've gotten by!" he said.

"That's not cheating, that's teamwork" she replied.

A deep voice from afar signaled the end of their game.

"That's it Abi, dad is calling us...let's go".

"Okay Morgana" Abigail replied. "Better luck next time boys!"

"Now Abi!" Morgana said.

As the two walked away from the clearing, Abi said to her sister, "You know, I think Jonathan has a crush on you."

"He's just a kid Abi" Morgana answered.

"Yeah? And what are you?" she answered.

"I am a young lady" Morgana replied.

Abigail laughed, "Lady? Ha!!"

"Hey, I will be sixteen this winter" her sister replied, "so yes, a lady."

"Whatever" Abigail said.

"Besides, if I wanted to meet a young man, I would be in Britain, or Vesper, not watching you and your friends play" she replied.

Abigail didn't say anything...she just smirked at her sister.
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[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

He woke violently in a cold sweat. He looked around the room, but it was still dark.

Sitting up in bed, he tried to clear the fog of sleep from his head.

"Just a dream" he said aloud, as he struggled to find his spectacles.

His eyes adjusted more to the darkness, and he looked over at the space next to him in the bed, not really hoping to see her there, but just making sure. And of course, the space was still empty.

He realized that he would get no more sleep that night, so he got out of bed, and made his way to the library.

He selected a text on Mysticism, and proceeded to pick up where he had left off, but his mind would not focus on the words on the pages.

He sighed, put the book down, and just leaned back in the chair, letting his mind wander.

I wish Jade could have seen that he thought. She would have loved seeing those two as normal children.

The first light of dawn began to peek through the drapes in the library. Sheol knew that he should get up and make breakfast, but he just couldn't muster the energy.

What are you waiting for? he thought as Ahu's words echoed in his mind.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

The day was brutally cold...at least, Sheol thought so, as he went outside to gather fire wood. The wind cut right through the coat he was wearing, causing pain in his joints.

Blasted winter he thought as he grabbed the first log from the stack. He pulled at it, but it would not budge.

Frozen he thought.

He let out a sigh, and tried a few of the other logs on the stack with the same result. As he looked upon the stack, it became obvious to him that there had been freezing rain during the night. A thin layer of ice coated everything around him.

"Bah!" he said, kicking at the stack of logs until a few fell from the top onto the ground.

Pulling his coat tightly around him, he managed to gather the logs.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

He started carrying the logs into the tower, and noticed a few snow flakes falling. His attention was distracted for only a moment as he thought back to a time when he and Jade had started a snowball fight with Anasazi and Bill Blas. He was smiling as he was walking...until he slipped on the ice in front of the steps.

Hitting the ground hard, one of the logs he was carrying slammed into his face.

"Son of a..." is all he managed before a second log hit him in the gut.

He collected himself, and stood up. His nose felt wet and cold, so he touched it with this hand, and looked down to see if there was blood...only to find that the only thing he could see was a blur.

"My spectacles" he said, as he tried looking around for them.

After a brief search, he gave up.

Gathering as much of his dignity as he could, he picked up a couple of the logs and carefully made his way up the steps back into the tower.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

He made his way into the main hall, and placed the logs on the floor near the fireplace. After doing that, he felt his way up the stairs. In the bedroom, somewhere, was an extra pair of spectacles.

This wouldn't have happened if Jade was still here he thought.

This caused him to pause, and sit down on the top stair. He could feel the blood from his nose down by his mouth now, so he took a moment to wipe it off with the sleeve of his coat.

He sat there, for what seemed like an eternity at the time, before he finally got up and made his way into the bedroom to find his spare spectacles.

Eventually, after some searching, he found them and put them on...only to find the right lens cracked.

Of course he thought to himself as he made his way back downstairs to start the fire.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"Well, better get out there and find the other ones" he said aloud as he made his way back down the stairs.

But when he opened the front door, he realized that he was wasting his time. The snow had started falling harder, and anything out there would be covered by at least a half an inch of snow.

He just stood there looking at the snow covered yard, the logs he had been carrying strewn about.

He shut the door, made his way into the main hall and started a fire with the logs he had.

It took him a while to move out of the main hall...it was getting nice and warm in there. But eventually he made his way back upstairs to clean himself up.

After that, he sat in his chair in his lab for a long time, just watching the snow fall from the window.

With a sigh he thought, So this is all that's left.

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[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

She had been to Britain many times, but never alone. She was not used to having so many people around her, and without her father there, it was making her a little uncomfortable.

Ordinarily, her father would not have sent her, alone, on an errand such as this, but she was getting older, and she needed more responsibility. In addtion, he had been called to Skara Brae on business.

Morgana rode through the streets on her white steed, Rayder. She had tamed him some time ago, and the two of them had developed a rather special bond.

Everywhere she looked, Morgana saw people going to and fro. Tradesmen selling their wares, warriors seeking repairs for their armor and their weapons, and thieves, seeking to part both of them with whatever they could.

"You there! Stop in the name of the King!!" Morgana heard, as she turned her head to see a pair of Royal Guards chasing a raven haired girl, no older than she was, and very slight and pale.

Something inside of Morgana stirred, and she said to Rayder, "Let's go boy!"

With that, she was hot on the tails of the guards, and their suspect.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"You there! Guards!" she yelled.

They ignored her, and kept running after their suspect.

It was only a matter of moments before Morgana overtook them, and positioned herself between the young woman and the guards, causing the chase to come to an end.

"Wait!" Morgana said.

"Move out o' the way lass!" one of them said, trying to get around Rayder.

But Morgana guided Rayder to block his passage.

"Listen girl...if you don't move that horse, right now, I'll run you through" the other guard said.

But Morgana didn't respond, instead, she turned Rayder quickly, and galloped over to the young woman they were chasing, and offered her a hand up.

"Get on!" Morgana said, as she helped the poor young woman onto the horse.

Without a word, the black haired girl climbed up on to the horse, and with that, the chase was on.

"What did you do?" Morgana yelled back to her passenger.

"What?" the girl asked.

"I said, what did you do to get the guards after you?" she replied.

"I stole some bread" the girl replied.

"Why??" Morgana asked in disbelief.

"Because I was hungry" the girl answered.

"Hold on!" Morgana said as Rayder jumped a ditch.

The guards were stuck, the ditch was full of vines and briers.

Morgana looked back, and a smile covered her face.

"Nobody catches us, do they Rayder?" she asked.

"What?" she heard from behind.

"Nevermind, just hold on" she replied.

After a brisk ride, they reached the edge of the Skara forest, and there they stopped.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

They were in a clearing, and the two dismounted the horse.

"Okay, so tell me why you were stealing. That's not legal you know" Morgana said.

The young woman just regarded her for a moment and replied, "Well, yeah...that's why its called stealing."

Morgana was taken aback, "So why then?"

The young woman looked a bit shocked, and said "Who are you?"

"I am Morgana, LeFay"

"MoonlightMyst" the young girl answered.

"I guess you don't get to the city much Morgana" she said.

"Well, I do, but usually with my dad" Morgana answered.

MoonlightMyst just turned her gaze, and looked upset.

"Hey, what is it?" Morgana asked.

"Nothing...can I go now?"

"I guess. Just don't steal anything else" Morgana replied.

"Well, I have to eat" Moon replied.

"You mean, you don't get food at home?" Morgana answered.

"No. Okay? No. I don't" MoonlightMyst replied, looking at the ground.

Morgana sensed something, and just put her arms around Moon and said, "Its okay. Whatever it is, its going to be okay."

The young woman cried, and just held Morgana...and eventually said, "I can't go back there. I won't."

"You won't have to. I promise."

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[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"Wha...What happened?" he said as he awoke. Looking around the room, Sheol realized he had been asleep again.

His hands and feet were numb from the cold, the fire in the main hall must have gone out.

He stood, his back and legs aching as he did.

He made his way down the stairs, and into the main hall.

Surely enough, the fire was out. He looked outside, and the snow had gotten pretty deep.

Okay he thought, making his way to the library. There is more than one way to skin a mongbat.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

After gathering some reagents, and finding the appropriate runebook, he cast the spell "Kal Ort Por!"

Nothing happened.

"Kal Ort Por!!!" he tried again. Again, nothing.

Really? he thought.

"Kal Ort Por" he said again with a sigh.

This time he found himself in Trinsic...and there was no snow to be seen.

Thank the gods!

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"Is that you Sheol?" the shopkeeper said.

"Yep. How are you Horace?" Sheol asked.

"Oh, you know...old" Horace said with a smile.

Sheol just laughed.

"What brings you by? Are you looking for a gift for that beautiful wife of yours?"

Sheol's smile turned into a frown.

"Did I say somethin' wrong?"

"No...it's okay" Sheol answered. "Actually, I just came to get some new spectacles Horace."

Suddenly it dawned on Horace. In fact, he had been at the funeral.

"Oh, gods, Shee, I am sorry. My old mind just forgot..."

"It's ok. Happens to all of us eventually" Sheol said, but he wasn't refering to the memory lapse.

What are you waiting for? echoed through his mind.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

A few days past, and Sheol was packing up a few of Jade's things. He figured that he didn't have much need of them, and that someone less fortunate might.

He was packing clothing into a box, when he felt something very strange, and very wrong.

He couldn't breathe, and his arm was wracked with pain. He sat there, for a few moments, trying really hard to catch his breath. An overwhelming sense of doom overcame him, as he slipped into blackness.

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[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"I don't care! You do not interfere with the work of the Royal Guard!!"

"But father, they were going to KILL her, just for trying to find food" she replied.

He was so angry he could not speak.

"I did what I thought was right" she said.

"What you did..." he had to stop, and calm himself before he continued. "What you did was illegal. Have I taught you nothing?"

That really hurt, and she began to cry softly.

He just stood there watching her fight back the tears...but said nothing.

Inside, her heart was breaking, but she refused to let him see it.

"Very well father. If that is how you feel, then I will leave" she said.

"Leave?! And go where?!" he lashed out at her.

"Does it matter?!" she shouted back.

"What is going on?" Abigail asked, as she entered the room. "And who is that outside?"

"Some street urchin your sister brought home! Now get to your chores girl!" he replied tersely.

"Street urchin?! What? Don't talk about her that way!" Morgana shouted.

But she had barely gotten the words out when she felt the sting of the back of his hand across her face.

She stood there for a moment, just staring at her father. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and rage blazed in his eyes.

Without a word, she ran outside.

"You come back here young lady! This instant!!" he shouted.

But it was too late, she was already out of the door.

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[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

His eyes began to open, he couldn't move.

"H...Help" he said.

His head felt like it was being stomped on by an Ogre Lord, and he could not feel anything from the waist down.

"Help!!" he manged louder.

He managed to roll himself over, and he crawled to the front door.

If I can just rest, for a few minutes, I can open the door he thought, as he slipped back in to blackness.

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[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"What happened?" MoonlightMyst asked as Morgana came running out of the cabin.

"Nothing! Come on, let's go!" she replied, choking back tears.

"Go? Go where?"

"Come on!!" Morgana spat.

The door burst open behind them, and Morgana's father came out.

"You listen to me young lady! Get yourself back in this house, right now!"

"No!!" she said, turning her back to him and running into the forest.

"Morgana!!" he said, as he ran after her...but he realized that she was already out of sight in the fading light.

He turned to regard MoonlightMyst.

She didn't say anything at first, she was too afraid...but it was more than that, she could see the hurt in his eyes.

"I...I'm sorry sir" she managed. "She was just trying to help."

"Why, I mean, who...what are you doing here?" he said.

Moon was really afraid..."P...Please, don't hurt me" she said as she collapsed into a ball.

This really took Greyson aback.

"Uh...um, I...um...are you okay?" he asked.

"Just get it over with...I won't fight you" MoonlightMyst said.

Greyson was now very confused.

"I...I'm sorry, what?" he asked.

As he spoke, he realized that MoonlightMyst was taking her clothes off.

"Whoa!!! Hey!! No!!! Stop that!!" he said...unsure as to what to do.

Suddenly he heard a voice..."Daddy, what is going on??"

"Abigail...I uh, um..." he said.

Abigail looked horrified as she ran back into the house.

By the gods!!! What is going on here??! he thought.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

Taking off his jacket, he it put around MoonlightMyst and said "Girl, stop that immediately and go inside."

She was crying, and obviously, in her mind, she was somewhere else.

As he tried to help her up, he could not help but notice scars on her back and legs.

"Who did this to you?" he asked. But he got no answer...just sobs.

"Abigail!! Please come and help me!" he said.

Damn it! Why didn't Morgana tell me? he thought.

"ABIGAIL!!!" he shouted.

The little red head appeared, scared and crying.

"Abigail, listen, I need you to take her inside. Get her a blanket, and something hot to eat. I need to go and find your sister. Can you do that for me?" he asked.

Abigail just stood there, traumatized.

"Abi...I need your help here...and so does she" he said in a very reassuring voice.

"O...okay" Abigail said, putting her arms around MoonlightMyst.

Where has she run off to now? he thought as he surveyed the woods. Darkness was upon them, and finding her in these woods at night would not be easy. Even though he knew these woods like the back of his hand, she did as well...and she was smaller, and craftier.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"Morgana!! Please! I need to talk to you dear! You were right about that girl!" he yelled...but there was no answer.

He made his way carefully through the forest in the moonlight. As he did so, it occurred to him that he was completely unarmed.

"Morgana??!!" he shouted again.

Where are you? he thought, growing a little desperate. Okay, if I were her, where would I go?

He thought for a few more moments, and then made his way to the stables. To his surprise, Rayder, and the other horses were still stalled.

"Rayder...can you help me find Morgana?" he asked softly.

The horse seemed to pay him no mind.

What the hell am I doing? he thought.

He looked around the stable, and decided that she was not there.

Ok, the creek he thought, as he left the stables.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

He moved quietly, but he realized that he was not moving silently.

I should never have taught her how to move silently...what was I thinking? he thought.

Surely, he knew that eventually a day might come when his daughters would try to sneak out and see some boy. Training them in the ways of the woods, in the ways of the hunter, in the ways of stealth...was that really a good idea?

None of this would have happened if her mother was still around he thought. This gave him pause, and he had to sit down.

Greyson LeFay was a strong man, a tough man, but something inside of him broke in that moment, and sat he there, in the darkness, weeping.

He felt something touch him, but he realized very quickly that it was his daughter...putting her arm around him.

Something about that caused him to snap out of it, and a smile came to his face.

"Where have you been?!" he asked, putting his arm around her as well.

"Oh...about 3 or 4 steps behind you the entire time" she said.

He just pulled her closely to him, and held her there in the forest.

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[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"Can you hear me? Hey!"

"Huh??" he managed.

"Sheol, can you hear me?" he heard.

He tried hard to focus, but he couldn't.

"Who is that?" he said.

"Oh, I am sorry, here you go" the voice said, handing him his spectacles.

His eyes took a moment to focus, and even when they were, he didn't recognize the woman he was gazing upon.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Not sure...but you are okay now" she said.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"You don't remember me?" she asked.

"No...I guess I don't" he replied, still groggy.

"I am a little offended" she said in a joking tone.

He took a moment, and tried really hard to recognize this woman. She was probably in her late 40's, early 50's ... her hair was ash blonde and greying, and she was slight, but not frail. If it were not for the eyes, he might not have actually recognized her.

"Katie?" he asked.

"See? You do remember" she said with a warm smile.

A bit of panic ran through Sheol's mind, and he tried to get to his feet.

"Hang on there...just be still" she said, trying to calm him down.

"What...I...why are you...I mean..." he said, as he started to feel a little faint.

"Just relax. I am tryin' to help you" she said.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

Sheol was confused. His head was still hurting, badly, and his eyesight was fading in and out.

"What are you doing here?" he managed.

"I came by to see you. I heard that Jade had passed on, and I felt badly 'cause I didn't know in time to make the funeral" she answered, holding the old man in her arms, "I really liked Jade."

Sheol felt another blackout coming, but managed to collect himself.

"You...you just...how did you get in my tower?" he asked.

"Oh, you know me" is all that Katie said.

Sheol tried once more to stand...but that was all it took to cause him to fall into blackness once more.

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[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"My beauty, can you ever forgive me for striking you?" Greyson asked his daughter.

She didn't say anything at first, she just embraced her father...and then said "Of course."

Greyson returned her embrace, and the two sat there in the darkness for several moments just holding one another.

"I...I just want so much for you to be the most you can" he said.

Pulling away, and looking into her father's eyes, she replied, "I know father. I am doing my best."

He felt a warm feeling in his heart. Suddenly, it was not only love he was feeling in his heart for his young daughter, but it was pride. Pride in the fact that she was becoming a remarkable young lady.

"I know you are my dear, I know you are" he said, as he pulled her tightly to him. "I am sorry that I doubted you."

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

After a few moments, he said to his daughter, "We need to get back. That friend of yours is in bad shape."

Morgana asked, "What do you mean?"

Greyson decided that it was better not to explain fully.

As the two stood to leave, they heard a noise.

Jumping to their feet, they spun around to see a troll.

"Run Morgana! Run!" Greyson shouted.

The troll took a swipe at him with his club, but Greyson dodged the blow.

He looked up, to see the mighty beast raising his club once more for another attack. He braced himself, awaiting the blow...but instead, he heard a thud, and a squishy sound.

The troll fell.

He turned to see his young daughter holding her bow.

"Are you okay father?" she asked.

For a moment, he did not answer. He just thought about the past...about his daughter running out into the winter night, and her being attacked by a lizard man.

"Father!" he heard...and realized that it was just dark enough that she might not see him.

"I am okay! Thank you...my lady" he said...and he felt a tear steam down his face.

"You came after me unarmed??" he heard.

This caused him to laugh.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

They arrived back at the cabin, and made their way through the front door.

Both were a little surprised to see what they saw...MoonlightMyst was sitting on the floor, playing dollies with Abigail.

They shared a glance, and made their way into the living room.

"Are you feeling better child?" Greyson asked.

Moon looked at him, but averted her gaze.

Walking over to her, he put his strong arms around her shoulders and said, "Abigail, can you do daddy a favor and fetch some water from the well?"

"Of course daddy!" Abigail said, as she ran off to grab the bucket.

"Now, I am sorry if I frightened you earlier. It is obvious that you have been through quite an ordeal. If you don't mind...could I ask who gave you those scars?" Greyson said in a gentle tone.

MoonlightMyst did not say anything.

"It's okay" Morgana intimated to her, "you are amongst friends here" she added, taking Moon's hand.

The young girl burst into tears, and pulled Morgana to her. Morgana held her close.

"Please...please don't send me back there" MoonlightMyst implored, "I cannot take it."

"We won't" Morgana said, rocking her gently in her arms.

After a few moments, Moon had calmed down.

"Morgana, can you give me a moment with her alone?" Greyson asked.

"Is that okay?" Morgana asked Moon.

Reluctantly, she nodded...and Morgana went outside.

Greyson sat himself on the floor near her, but did not touch her.

"Please, I need to know what has happened to you" he started.

MoonlightMyst just looked away at first.

"I am one of the King's trusted advisors. If someone has hurt you, or...worse, I can make sure that person is brought to justice" he assured her.

It took a while, but eventually Moon told him a horrific tale of abuse, sexual assault, and mistreatment.

He embraced her very gently had told her, " Do not worry young one, justice will come to those that have done this to you."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"Sheol!!" he heard, as he regained his consciousness.

"Who...who is there?" he said.

"It's me...Katie. Come on. Wake up now!" she replied.

Katie? he thought.

"Sheol...listen, I need to know something...can you help me?" she asked.

"I...can try" he replied.

"What did Morgana know about Raven?" she asked.

His mind did the best it could under the circumstances...but he could not recall anyone called Raven.

"Ra...Raven?" he answered.

"Yes! You pathetic old man! Raven!" she said, slapping him across the face.

Suddenly, he recalled who she was talking about...a newer guildmate, she mostly kept to herself.

But he decided it was better that Katie did not know...

Sheol blacked out again...

...or so it seemed.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"Useless!!!" Katie screamed aloud as she slammed his head to the floor. "I guess I will have to find out for myself!"

Sheol remained motionless...as he watched her ascend the stairs.

Now what is THIS all about he thought.

He gathered himself, feeling better, but making certain not to move a muscle.

A few moments passed...and he reached into his pocket, retrieving a rune.

"Kal Ort Por" he spoke softly...and with that...

...he was gone.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

Travelling via recall was never Sheol's favorite thing. In fact, he enjoyed gate travel much more...unfortunately, this was no longer within his ability.

He found himself face down on the stone steps of Anasazi's villa.

"An!!!" he cried out, barely able to move. "Anasazi!!"

But there was no answer.

He crawled up the steps to the door, and laid there...trying to catch is breath.

"Anasazi!!!" he shouted once again.

But again, there was no answer.

He surveyed his surroundings.

He was in Trammel, so he knew that he was safe from the random passer-bys...and he looked upon the cyrstal blue waters and the white sands.

I forgot, you got the beach he thought to himself, as he felt himself slipping once again into the blackness.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"How is she?" he asked.

"She is sleeping, finally" Morgana answered.

"That is good" Greyson answered, taking a large sip from his pint of ale.

"Father...what happened to her?" Morgana asked.

Greyson didn't answer right away. He knew that his young daughter was not that young any longer, but he was unsure of what she knew about male female relations.

After a few moments, he said "Something really awful my dear. Something I'd rather not repeat. Let's just say that someone very, very, bad hurt that girl very badly."

"What are we going to do?" Morgana asked.

Again, Greyson was at a loss. On the one hand, this was not within his jurisdiction. This girl and her father lived on the other side of Britain according to her...not in Skara Brae or the surrounding areas. Then again, Greyson LeFay was not the type of man to ignore a crime as greivous as this.

"Well, for now at least, I think that it is better if she stays here" he said.

Morgana seemed a little apprehensive.

"Is this because of the guards being after her?" she asked.

Greyson looked into his daughter's eyes, and then said "No...I am afraid it doesn't."

"What is it then father?" she asked.

Taking another large sip from his cup, he gathered his courage and said with a grim smile, "I think it is time that we had a talk my beauty".

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

"Sheol!" he heard, as he felt himself coming to.

"An?" he managed.

"What in the world?" he heard, "What happened?"

Sheol's eyes were not focusing. He struggled to see who it was that was addressing him, but to no avail.

"Anasazi? Is that you?" he asked.

"Of course it is you old coot. What in the world are you doing?"

"I can't see An, and that woman is trying to kill me" he answered.

"Woman? What?" Anasazi asked. "Here, you dropped your spectacles."

With his spectacles in place, his eyes began to focus better, but not as fully as they should.

"Come on, let's get you inside...you'll catch your death out here" Anasazi said, helping his old friend into the house.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

Anasazi helped Sheol into a chair in the foyer, there was a fire burning, and Anasazi's house was quiet and warm. Sheol was feeling a little better.

"Now what is this business about someone trying to kill you?" Anasazi asked.

"What?" Sheol asked.

"Outside, you said some woman was trying to kill you. What happened to you?" Anasazi asked.

As hard as he tried, Sheol could not remember saying that.

"You okay Shee?" Anasazi asked, look at his old friend's eyes.

"I don't know...I don't remember everything" he replied.

"Just sit there and rest a minute...I will get us some tea" Anasazi said.

"Tea?" Sheol asked. "What? You out of the good stuff?"

"Ha! That's more like it!" Anasazi said. "I'll get us some of that Brandy we used to drink on top of the guild tower...I still have two bottles in the cellar."

"That sounds good" Sheol said.

As he watched Anasazi disappear down the stairs, he started trying to remember everything that had happened...but unfortunately, the last thing he remembered was getting new spectacles in Trinsic. He felt sore, and tired, and his head was swimming.

Okay now, just try to think...what happened? he was thinking when Anasazi came back up the stairs.

"Here we go...the good stuff" Anasazi said with a smile. "Let me get the glasses."

Sheol just sat there, trying to remember...but the one thing that kept echoing through his head was...

What are you waiting for?

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

They moved into the den, and sat in the high back chairs and talked and sipped brandy for hours. They relived old times, and talked about their days of glory.

They talked about the guild, and about Clean, and Morgana, and Dalamar. They talked about the Great Conscript War against the AoD, and they talked about John Henry, ...and Jade.

"I miss her so much An. I just don't know if I can go on without her" Sheol said.

Anasazi didn't say much at first, but then managed, "Yeah, she was one of the good ones."

"I just haven't felt right since she passed on, you know?" Sheol said, taking another sip of the brandy.

"Well...you don't look right either" Anasazi said, and the two shared a half laugh.

But Anasazi was actually serious. There was something wrong with Sheol's face...especially the right side of it. It looked...lifeless...and his right eye was not following along with the left.

"Shee...you might want to go see a healer" Anasazi said, finishing the last of what was in his glass.

He got no answer.

"Shee?"

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

Anasazi was the only member of the PoV to attend Sheol's funeral.

A few friends of Sheol turned out to say goodbye, but it was a very small affair.

Sheol was buried in the cemetary just north of Britain, along side of his wife, Jade.

It was blustery outside that day, and the skies were grey and thick with clouds. As they lowered his body into the ground, Anasazi noticed the first snowflakes falling.

The mourners dispersed, most of them old, driven away quickly by the bitter cold...but Anasazi remained there, long after his friend had been commited to the ground.

"Well, I guess this is it bud" Anasazi said aloud, looking at the freshly covered mound.

"I brought this along" he said, producing a bottle from underneath his robes. "I figured, well...just one more, you know, for the road."

He stood there and watched the mound grow white beneath the cold winter's snow, sipping the last bottle of the brandy.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

In silence, Anasazi stood and watched...sipping the brandy, until he heard a voice from behind him.

"Got any more of that?"

He turned to see Ahu, looking wild as ever.

"Well now, Ahwhojenux, I thought I was the only one of us that showed up" he said.

Ahu didn't really mind the mispronunciation of his name, he was used to it.

"You can just call me Ahu" he replied, stepping up next to Anasazi.

"I am glad you could come" Anasazi said.

"Well, I didn't come for you" Ahu said in a gruff tone.

Anasazi seemed perplexed, and asked "Now, whatever does that mean?"

Ahu didn't answer, he just looked down at the mound and said, "I guess he stopped waiting."

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

This did not satisfy Anasazi.

Anasazi was a very complex man. Few people ever really got to know him. He was sort of an enigma. He was so charismatic, yet he had a strange and twisted sense of humor. Many often thought that he was like royalty, until he pulled some really disturbing prank on them. This could account for why he never married. But few really knew him, knew him the way that they should have...for he was one of the most caring and sincere people that anyone could ever know. He was just, well, a bit of an ass sometimes, and that didn't endear him to many.

"What? What in the world did I ever do to you?" Anasazi asked.

Ahu regarded him for a moment, and almost didn't say anything, given the venue, but he could not remain silent.

"Do you remember, one night out by the Unity Arch? We had just finished a guild event, and everyone had gone, except for Robin and I" Ahu asked.

Anasazi was drawing a complete blank.

"I am sorry...I can't say that I do" he replied.

"You cast incognito on yourself, and you were pretending to be MoonlightMyst. Do you remember that?" Ahu asked.

It took him a moment, but Anasazi did remember. In a spurt of laughter, he said "Oh, yeah...hahahaha...I do. That was priceless! Robin was ready to take my head off!"

"I didn't find that very amusing" Ahu said.

"It's been what, twenty five years ago?" Anasazi asked. "Come on now...just let it go" he said, offering Ahu a sip of the brandy.

Ahu declined...and turned his back to walk away.

But as he did, he said back to Anasazi, "So...what is it that you are waiting for?"

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

Tides are dark, time sift through fingers like ripe wheat in the hair of the goddess that fills our eyes with fires intense ; long and elated my decision to harbor some deliberate truths.

Are you new to the lands of britannia ?

As a companion, I am entitled to help you.

Are you aware of how many subtelities narcissism can take in my mind ; almost as complex as the scent of a flower. Can a flower contain more life instructions than a human.

Is this rice more complex than I ?

This rice was honest, this rice has a skin that glows fluorescent green yellow in the river of my tears. I weep and yet...

I am forbidden to see, what will inevitably cause my end, do you see now ?

Do not think I am either amused or lenient ; I stand a the door of the garden of virtue. None shall enter ; not even the great Lord British or fireball throwing skull masked cool blooded sweetheart... not until they smell human and only human.

Well... why is everyone going away ?

*laughs at himself*

You let me be humanity's representant then, for the intergalactic counsil. They cannot wait anymore ; they hoped for more of us. I will shake the hand of the time lord now, for he presides.

Well, fare thee well avatar, I expect to see you in shape and ready for a new adventure soon !

*enters the garden, alone and faces the unknown*

Tutuututu ! no no no...

Who are YOU ?

No, yes... I am there, but I'm also here.

Yes multi-location, don't look so jealous, I'm a companion after all !



No you cannot enter until you let me smell you.

Go away and come back when you are ready then ! Some things are serious in life ; which is one thing that makes an adolescent more responsible than a kid. A kid would not realise the sacredness of marriage and it's unfathomable ties to money.

My hand is cut and the blood that flows from my wrist is joy, for the shadowlord's infection was rid of me. The silmarils, the tobril, I am...


writting the future...

*Ahu and the garden shift into another dimention*

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

Anasazi threw him a look that could kill.

"What the hell does that supposed to mean?" he asked.

Ahu did not answer...he merely turned to walk away.

"Don't turn your back on me. You and I have always had problems. I know that you think that you can get into people's heads with those bizarre riddles of yours, but trust me young welp...you have met your match" Anasazi fired.

Ahu merely turned and smiled at Anasazi, and continued to walk away.

What in the hell is wrong with that guy? Anasazi thought.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

What am I waiting for? Anasazi thought to himself.

"Damned weirdo" he said out loud, as he made his way back to his horse.

...

The ride back was cold, but uneventful. It seemed that more and more, that was the case. Yet, Anasazi could not seem to put those words out of his mind...

So...what is it that you are waiting for?

He mulled it over a thousand times...but he was determined not to.

It was the emphasis on the word YOU that Anasazi could not shake.

What does that mean?...Does he expect me to die too??

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

A few days passed, and Anasazi had pretty much forgotten Ahu's cryptic words. Yet, somewhere inside of him, they echoed ever louder.

He looked out into his yard, and the snow had covered his grass. Even here in the tropical region, winter seemed even harsher than ever.

"Damn it!" Anasazi said aloud, as he realized that he left his axe outside, "Gonna rust for sure!"

He opened the front door and made his way outside. The cold cut right through him, and he felt something unusual upon the air.

Standing there on the steps of his villa, he detected the scent of something...something evil.

Without delay, he went back inside.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

Now what is that?! he thought to himself.

He managed to peek out of the door, to see a corpse lying in his front yard, only a few feet from his steps.

He placed a rag over his nose, and proceeded out into the bone chilling cold to have a closer look.

It didn't take him long to recognize the body.

"Morgana" he said out loud.

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

The body lay fresh, as if recently slain...it made no sense. But there it was, bleeding, and still lukewarm to the touch. However, the rotten stench would have gagged a goat.

What in the name of the gods is this all about? Anasi thought as he began to drag the body to the steps.

"Wait a minute" he said out loud..."it is always worth a shot!"

And with that, he let out the words...

"An Corp!"

Could it be?

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

And from the dead she rose, her eyes solid white with no pupils, no iris...and she looked for a scant moment at her former guildmate, and for a split second, he could see the deep, beautiful, eyes that once defined her.

"Morgana?" he asked as the battered corpse lie looking upon him.

"Flee...come with us" is all she managed before her eyes returned to solid white...and she returned to the land of the dead.

What does it mean? he thought to himself. And then he considered Ahu's words...

"What is it that you are waiting for?"

As he watched, her corpse melted into the snow...

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

He awoke with a jolt. Calling out her name...

"Morgana!!" he shouted, his heart racing.

He took a moment, and gathered his senses...

...he had fallen asleep. It was all a dream.

But he had to be sure.