/Wake up,/ a gentle voice echoed around the cavern in which the wounded traveler who had given up all hope slept. /Rouse yourself. There is work to be done./ The man groaned and his hand tightened upon the large gash in his side. At this point, waking him up had been the cruelest thing the person owning the voice could have done. But still it was enough to wake the male, or at least force his eyes to open. He saw before him a plain woman with brown hair and eyes, who was more beautiful than life itself in his eyes. "Kalari? Have you come to guide me to the realm of the dead? Has Decessus sent you for me in her sted?" /It isn't your time to die my love. Dying now would condemn far more than me. Arise Remus and find the dragons. Arise and bring hope back to Carodos./ Slowly the man sat up, looking at the woman before her. She was clad in the softest of whites, and a gentle glow came from her. Weirdest of all was the fact the he could, just faintly, see the profile of the stone behind her body. So this really was just a spirit coming to him. "I can't. I've failed. They are waiting for me to come out, the Egsu. I was supposed to save you and I failed." /You will only fail if you fear your power and refuse to use it. Now stand my love. You need no go out there to find dragons. You need not even stay upon Carodos. Not yet.../ He stood at her bidding, and the barely living man reached out towards the vision of the woman he had loved. His hands passed through her and touched the bare rock of the back of the cave. "Kalari..." /The claw. Place it here. It will open the way,/ she whispered, touching a small break in the stone. Always obedient, Remus removed the precious object from his neck and pressed it into the slot. Much to his shock the cave wall seemed to collapse, and gave way to a pure dark passage. /Go now Remus, and when you return, you will be strong again./ The trust he place now into what could quite possibly be but a figment of his imagination was strong though, and without even thinking about it, Remus stepped forward into the darkness. The tunnel seemed to go on forever, only to stumble into another stone floor. Before he passed out yet again there was the sight of a female above him. Had his hearing not faded with the blood loss, he might have heard the girl shouting for help for him. Part 11 Back to Main Page