He was running through the forest, his body aching. It seemed like forever since he had time to rest. He knew he couldn't stop or It would catch him. He needed to find the Guardian. The only way It could be defeated was by the Guardian. A buzzing sound caught his attention, his head whipped up, fear on his face. "NO!" he screamed. Wildly looking around, he found a dead tree that had fallen over with time. He ran for it, praying that it would hide him from the Lost One.

Ducking into the dead log, he waited, breath stilled. The buzzing noise was getting louder. He trembled. He knew he was the last one to find help and if he died before finding the Guardian, then all hope would be lost. The buzzing was so loud now that it made his head hurt. He whimpered with the pain. D'Rae, the kind old mage that lived outside of the village, had taught him how to still his mind. To concentrate hard enough to block the pain but he was too scared now to concentrate. The pain became overwhelming as the buzzing got louder. It sounded like thousands of voices screaming in rage. It just kept getting louder and louder. He knew that in a few seconds that his screams would start and that it would attract the attention of the Lost One.

A bright white light at the opening of the log attracted his attention. He stopped moving, holding onto his head. The bright light was coming closer and he waited, knowing that he didn't succeed. He knew he was going to die. The bright light came through the opening of the stump and surrounded him. The loud buzzing noise suddenly stopped and a hate filled scream ripped through the air. The young man turned towards the scream, his long black curly hair hitting his face. He was confused. The light wasn't the Lost One. It had protected him, but he didn't know what it was.

Turning back to look at the light, he noticed a silhouette of a man standing in the middle of the light. He gasped in surprise and fear, falling backwards onto the log, the rough bark scraping his hand. The man in the light raised his hand towards the shaking man and a sense of peace flowed through him. Eyes widening with wonder and awe, the young man just stared at the light, wondering for the first time this night if maybe he was already dead. Maybe this was the man or being that was going to take him to the afterlife.

The man in the light chuckled softly "No Dreyac, you are not dead."

"Wwwhat...How?" stammered Dreyac, sure he had not spoken aloud.

"No, Dreyac you didn't. I can hear your mind. I am the Keeper of the Gate and you my young friend have been chosen for a quest of great importance." He said, kindness and amusement dancing on his face.

"But what about the Lost One? I have to go find the Guardian. Only he can defeat it."

"Ah yes, but do you know where the Guardian is?" he asked softly.

"Well no, I was just told to run and find the Guardian. I don't know where to find him but I thought I would look for him. Ask around. I mean, surely someone knows where the Guardian is." Dreyac exclaimed, suddenly feeling very stupid.

D'Rae never told him where the Guardian was; only that he needed to be found and only Dreyac could find him. D'Rae had thought there would be more time before the Lost One would gain its freedom but it had gotten free three years before the prophesied time. D'Rae had not been able to teach him everything he needed to know before he was killed in the attack on the village. Dreyac was fortunate that he was on the outskirts of the village when it was attacked, or he too, would have been killed. As it was, he was alone. No one in the village could have survived the Lost One's attack.

Looking at the Keeper curiously, "Do you know where the Guardian is?"

"Yes."

"Where is he? How can I find him? Will you point the way?" Dreyac asked excitedly.

The Keeper looked at Dreyac with sadness. "I am sorry Dreyac but there are no more Guardians in this land. All except one were killed trying to defeat the Lost One. The last Guardian and his Companion disappeared after the Lost One's defeat. That was a thousand years ago. There has never been another Guardian since."

"But that can't be! D'Rae told me that I was the one to find the Guardian. How am I to find him if there are no longer anymore in this land?" shouted Dreyac, angry at the hope that had built when the Keeper said he knew where the Guardian was. Wait! He said he knew where the Guardian was.

Looking at the Keeper, "You said you knew where the Guardian was. How could you know where he is if there are no more?"

"I said that the last Guardian and his Companion disappeared. I never said that they died."

"What?"

Dreyac was confused. How could they not be dead? If it had indeed been a thousand years since the last Guardian and Companion, shouldn't that mean that they were dead?

"I don't understand."

"Before the Lost One was released the first time, an old and wise seer had foreseen the future battle and realized that after its defeat and capture, the Guardians and their Companions would die out. It was known that the spell that was used to hold the Lost One prisoner would ultimately give out and that it would have to be defeated and captured again. Foreseeing this, the seer asked the Great Mage Council for help. Ultimately, they decided to have one Guardian and his Companion sent from this world to another, using a Gate that was built by magic. The last Guardian J'Merell and his Companion B'Laire, after defeating the Lost One, agreed to go through the Gate until such time that they were needed again. Two protectors were sent along to watch and guide them. One from the Wolf Clan and the other from the Panther Clan."

"If they were sent a thousand years ago, should they not have died from old age?" asked Dreyac.

"Time is different going through the Gate. Here a thousand years have passed, where on the world they were sent to only a few years, maybe decades have passed."

"So if you know where he is, why don't you go through the Gate and get them."

The Keeper sighed, "Alas I can not."

"Why?" asked Dreyac, confused

"I am too old to go through the Gate. I will not survive it. You see, my young friend that is where you come in."

"Uh...me?" Dreyac squeaked nervous.

"Yes, you."

"Why me? I mean I know I was to find the Guardian and his Companion but surely you do not expect me to go to another world. I mean what would I know about this world. I was not trained. D'Rae had only started my training two years ago. Surely that is not enough time to be of any use?" Dreyac asked, agitated.

"While it is true that you are not fully trained, nevertheless you do have some training and with my help you can find the Guardian."

Dreyac stared for a moment, lost in thought. He knew that this world needed the Guardian and his Companion. If they were not found this land would be lost. The Lost One was weak now but growing stronger each time it killed. He had to find the Guardian, but he was afraid. What if he failed? He knew nothing of the world they were sent to. How would he even find them?

"How can you help me?" asked Dreyac, still lost in thought.

"As I told you before, I am the Keeper of the Gate; I have been in charge of the gate, waiting for the time that it would be used to find the Guardian and his Companion. For a thousand years, I have waited. I am old and tired and I would like to finally meet my afterlife. I will open the Gate and before you pass through it, I will give you my magic."

"What? Um...how? "

"I will basically send you my life force, the essence of my magic. It will be as if you suddenly gained the knowledge of several years of training. You will have my control over your magic and the knowledge of the spell that is needed to reopen the gate once you have found the Guardian and Companion. Plus a few more extras that are needed."

"Why would you do this for me?" asked Dreyac, starting to feel uneasy about the whole thing. "I mean why would you give up your life for me. I understand the need to find the Guardian but still..." he trailed off, amazed at the offer of the Keeper.

The Keeper looked at Dreyac, sadness growing on his face. "Everyone I have ever known is dead; my life before becoming the Keeper of the Gate is gone and has been gone for a thousand years. I am alone, in a time that is losing its magic and the old ways of life. There is nothing for me here now."

" Once my duty is done, I want to rest, join my friends and family in the afterlife. This world needs the Guardian and Companion and I am too old to do it myself and you are too young and untrained to do it by yourself. So combining my knowledge with yours is the only way I know that has a chance of helping you find the Guardian and Companion."

" Will you do this Dreyac? Will you allow me to give you my knowledge and magic? Go through the Gate and find the help that this land needs?" the Keeper asked, looking intently at Dreyac.

Dreyac sat still for a moment, gazing the moss that covered the log, in thought. Raising his head, he looked at the Keeper, determination in his eyes.

"Yes. I accept your magic and knowledge. If that is what is needed to help find the Guardian, then that is what I shall do."

The Keeper smiled at him, a look of pride on his face. "I knew you were the one. Come, we need to leave this place." The light grew brighter as the Keeper backed out of the log.

Scrambling forward to the end of the log, Dreyac looked out, tentatively, trying to see if there was any sign of the Lost One. Seeing nothing he crawled out and stood up, brushing his hands off on his pants. Looking around for the Keeper, he found him leaning on a huge tree. The light around the Keeper had dimmed and was in fact getting dimmer until only a man was standing there.

Gazing at the Keeper curiously, he noted that the man looked to be in his middle fifties, with long white hair. Looking at the man you would never have guessed that he was over a thousand years old. Until you looked into his eyes. His eyes were full of age, wisdom and loneliness.

"So, where is the Gate at?" Dreyac asked.

"We need to walk to the edge of the forest, away from any place that the Lost One might be lurking. So far, it has made its killings within this forest but it has been reaching out farther and farther from where it had been imprisoned. All of the villages in the forest have been destroyed and the wildlife here is nearly gone. Before to long, the Lost One will get stronger and then will move beyond the forest. I do not want to take the chance of being attacked. I need all my concentration to open the Gate."

"Alright then, let us go. The sooner we go, the sooner I can find the Guardian."

Walking towards the edge of the forest, Dreyac looked around; taking in what might be his last few glances of his land. He had no doubt that this could very well get him killed or lost but he knew he needed to do this. That his land needed him to do this, but he was so very scared. At one point in his life, he had felt excited about being the one that needed to find the Guardian, now he wished to be an ordinary young man.

"We are here." the Keeper said.

Lost in thought, Dreyac had not realized that they had reached the edge of the forest. Looking at the Keeper, he started to shake, knowing that soon his life would irrevocably change.

Grinning weakly at the Keeper, he asked, "I don't suppose I could change my mind?"

Looking solemnly at Dreyac, the Keeper replied "Yes you can."

"Really?" exclaimed Dreyac, looking startled.

"Of course, but then there would be no one to find the Guardian and his Companion and then this land and all that surround it would eventually be killed or forever changed."

"Oh." Dreyac replied in a small voice. "I guess that means I need to do this." Sighing, he looked at the Keeper, "I thought I should ask."

The Keeper smiled, "Do not worry my boy, you will be fine and I know you will find them. It has been written."

"WRITTEN?" squeaked Dreyac.

Looking at the young man, the Keeper looked astonished. "Yes written. Did I not mention that?"

"NO!"

"Oh..well..um..then." the Keeper looked at little flustered. "Sorry, I was so concerned about getting you to agree that I guess I forgot."

"Well tell me!" demanded Dreyac

"It was written that the sole survivor of the Bear Clan would be the one to find the Guardian. From the line of Nomis, which is your father's line."

"But I have no father. I was found in the forest. I was raised by D'Rae, who was definitely not my father."

"You are descended from the Nomis line. Your father was killed while hunting and you were left alone in the forest. You are the last of the Nomis line and the lone survivor of the Bear Clan. You have the mark on your shoulder. As you know all those born into the clans are marked by their protectors. The bear claw mark shows all that you are indeed of the Bear Clan."

" You are also the last to survive the attack on the village. D'Rae knew the possibility that maybe the village would be attacked. You have been the last survivor twice. You are the person who was written about. The old seer of the Bear Clan village foretold your coming a thousand years ago. Every clan mage knew that. That is why D'Rae was training you. He knew you were the one. He told you that you were the one."

"So he knew that the whole village was going to DIE!? And he did nothing? "Dreyac shouted angrily.

Grabbing Dreyac by his shoulders, he held him still and looked him in the eyes. "He knew that to save the land, people would have to die. When you were found in the forest, D'Rae saw the mark on your shoulder. He knew you were of the Bear Clan. Other members of the clan have been killed over the last thousand years."

"Those who thought they could harness the power of the Lost one decided that they would kill every last member of the clan so that there was no chance for the Guardian and his Companion to come back. For many years the mages thought that all members had died. All was thought lost. A hundred years ago, an old shaman from a far away village came to the Council of Mages. He had a vision while walking on the spirit plane. The Wolf and the Panther guides told the old shaman that the last few surviving members of the Bear clan were hiding deep in the forest."

"The shaman knew that they had to be protected. He knew that you would be of this line. He gathered his tribe and found others that had no clan or no village and made his way to the forest. After many days of searching he found the last remaining members of the clans. Only an old man and a young woman who had a son were left. They built up the village deep in the forest."

"The old man and woman stayed in their home in the forest but the young boy was allowed to go to the village. Many years later, he found the woman who was to be his wife and she had you. Unfortunately, she died giving birth to you. Your father, being devastated by her death, took you and disappeared. You were gone for several years."

"D'Rae figured that your father moved you deeper into the forest. You were found in the small hut that your father had built for the meat that was hunted. D'Rae, who was descended from the old shaman, had decided to go deeper into the village after a visit from the Panther guide. He found the body of your father, who was attacked by a large animal and killed."

"He heard you crying in the hut. Apparently, you had been there for several days. You were hungry and scared. D'Rae looked you over and found the mark on your shoulder. He knew then why the Panther guide had visited him."

"He took you back to the village. You were only four years old. D'Rae contacted me, letting me know that you had been found. I am all that is left of the Mage Council. They knew that they were going to die. It was written and they accepted that and those who didn't were able to leave the village, taking a life oath never to tell of your existence or the location of the village."

"D'Rae believed he had years to train you with what knowledge he could. You only came into your power two years ago. He didn't know that the spell would weaken sooner than prophesized. I am sorry for your loss and I wish there was time to properly mourn them but there is not. You must find the Guardian or there will be more deaths."

Dreyac stood there stunned. He was the reason the whole village died. His entire life made sense now. All the strange looks of sorrow and fear that he had seen directed towards him. Some even looked at him with horrified awe. There were never any looks of love. D'Rae raised him because it was his duty. How hard it must have been to raise the boy you knew when eventually get the whole village killed. With a rising sense of guilt and pain, Dreyac broke down, sobbing.

The Keeper looked at Dreyac and sighed with sadness. He didn't realize that D'Rae had never told the boy of his destiny. Oh he knew he couldn't have told him of all of it, but still he should have told him something more. He knew Dreyac hadn't had time to grieve for the lost lives of the villagers and now to find out that his very existence was the cause of their deaths, well he needed the release.

He grabbed Dreyac by the shoulders and enveloped him in a hug and held him as he sobbed. It was the only thing he could do. He understood the sorrow of having everyone you knew dying. He also knew that there was nothing to be done but to comfort the young man in his arms.

Dreyac's weeping had softened and he laid limp in the Keepers arms. He looked up at the Keeper, sniffing, and whispered softly, "I knew that I was different. I was treated like an outsider. I knew that D'Rae had found me in the woods and raised me but they had always looked at me in sorrow and some looked at me in fear."

" I never understood why. It was always the clan's duty to raised the orphaned children, even ones not of the clans, but the others were raised with love and joy. Only D'Rae treated me with any affection. Now I know why I was feared and pitied. I was to bring their death. How could they not hate me?" Dreyac hid his face in the Keepers tunic and sobbed.

The Keeper knew there were no words that could soften Dreyac's pain. It was something that the young man would have to work through. He hoped that in time, he would understand and accept that which he could not changed. Running his hand through the course black hair, he hummed softly, trying in his own way to bring comfort. Finally, the crying subsided and Dreyac lay there exhausted. He hadn't had the time to mourn the death of all he had known.

With the attack on the village and running for his life from the Lost One to finding the Keeper, he hadn't had the time to fully realize that his life as he knew had forever changed. The guilt he felt, knowing he was the reason for the attack on the village, was nearly overwhelming. He remembered the times when the other villagers turned from him or looked upon him with fear. A few even pitied him. Even D'Rae treated him coolly. Never getting too attached or showing much affection.

He wondered what it must have been like for D'Rae to raise the boy he knew would one day be the death of him. D'Rae always did believe in prophecies. Dreyac sighed and pulled away from the Keeper. Rubbing his hands over his eyes to wipe away the excess tears, he looked at the Keeper.

"I guess it is time to open the Gate. If this is what is written then I had better not make the sacrifice of the Bear clan and the villagers pointless." Standing up, he brushed off his clothes and looked around, a look of great sadness on his face. The Keeper watched the young man, saddened by the loss of innocence. He sighed and stood up.

"Come. Let's begin."

The Keeper walked to the edge of the forest and stopped. He waited for Dreyac to catch up. Looking around, hearing the silence of the forest, which would normally be teeming with sounds of animals and insects, he sighed. He knew in his heart that Dreyac would be able to find the Guardian and his Companion; he only hoped that it would be in time. What was once a life filled forest had become a barren, lifeless place. He knew that if the Lost One was not contained once more in the spell, this land and those beyond would not survive. Their very existence relied on one young man.

Turning around, he looked at Dreyac intently, trying to see what the seer from the past saw, what made her so sure that the young man would be the one that brought the Guardian and his Companion home. Dreyac stood over six feet tall, with dark skin. His long black hair reached the middle of his back, some strands hanging behind his pointed ears. It had dirt, leaves and small branches tangled in it. It was still hanging loose from his terrified flight. Looking into the warm brown eyes, he saw the pain, sadness, and fear reflected there. He also saw the strength and determination that had allowed him to survive the death of his entire village and the hunt of the Lost One.

His vision suddenly shifted and he saw another image taking Dreyac's place. The image was of a man with dark skin. The Keeper sucked in a breath, surprise filling him. It was Dreyac, but different. He was older, a middle aged man. His ears were no longer pointed and his hair was worn very short. He wore wire frames that held glass over his eyes. His eyes, though, were Dreyac's eyes. The warm brown eyes were showing frustration and pain, but also a determination that he saw just a few seconds before. Behind him, through the window he saw odd metal buildings, made of material that he had never seen. He knew then that this was not his world. This must be where the Guardian and his Companion was had gone.

Hearing a low rumbling growl, the Keeper looked around. Standing next to the man in his vision stood a beautiful black panther. He was staring straight at the Keeper. The Keeper's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. He knew that the panther was the spirit guide of the Guardian, he just didn't expect to see him.

"Keeper of the Gate, the time has come for the Guardian and his Companion to come home." Growled a voice in the Keeper's head.

"They are needed here to help contain the Lost One. Send the young one to through the Gate. Your time for rest has come. Wolf and I will be with him, to help guide him to the Guardian and his Companion. It will be a difficult journey. The trip through the gate has affected the Guardian and his Companion in ways that were not expected. They forget who they are and why they were sent away. Wolf and I will help the young one so that the same thing does not happen to him."

"I understand" acknowledged Keeper.

"Did you say something Keeper?" Dreyac asked softly, curious as to why the older man has suddenly stopped. It looked as if he was in a trance. He saw D'Rae looked this way many times when he went into a trance. Pain flared in heart for a moment at the thought of man who had raised him. Later, he thought, I will think about him later.

"It was nothing Dreyac." he denied. He didn't think that he should let Dreyac know that his journey would be difficult. He already had enough to deal with.

"Its time to open the Gate and for you to receive my power and knowledge." The Keeper turned and walked to a rock formation that was hidden behind some old dead trees. The Keeper knelt at the bottom of the formation and fumbled around as if searching for something. After a few minutes, his face broke out with a look of triumph. Dreyac heard a faint clicking noise and then a rumbling sound was heard.

Startled, he looked around. Glancing at the rock formation, he saw part of the rock was opening. Apparently the Keeper had triggered some mechanism that made the opening in the rock. The Keeper stood and brushed off his trousers.

"There!" he exclaimed with satisfaction. "I wasn't quite for sure if it would still work after all these years. I almost forgot where the trigger was. Getting senile you know. Old age and all that." he said with a mischievous grin on his face.

Dreyac grinned back at the Keeper. Looking towards the opening, curiously, he asked "What is in there?"

"Ah, I decided that after the Seer said that there was to be a young man to find the Guardian and His Companion that I would put a few things together and hide them away for when the journey takes place."

tbc......

I know that this wasn't a great place to leave off but I had to stop there because I got busy. I will try to update more at a later time.