Chapter 14 - Riverside Rescue

The first hour or so of the boys journey went swiftly and quietly.  It went swiftly because the current was both gentle and steady.  It went quietly because the boys were deep in thought.

Andres' mind was focused on food.  He was rather miffed that Romanix had sent them off without so much as a snack.  He wondered when they'd ever enjoy a decent meal again--one where everyone sat down and relaxed, without having to gulp down their meal for fear of being caught by some jerk with a crooked jaw that was intent on killing them.  Andres just wanted some peace and quiet and food.

Cable, in the meantime, was trying to decide whether to be anxious or relieved.  He couldn't help but be a little anxious.  After all, he held a ring around his neck that was destined for the next King of Aberdeen.  Slumbutter and Dor-ko would stop at nothing to find him, tear it from his neck, and then kill him.  That was enough to unsettle any young boy, wasn't it?  At the same time, he was relieved to be out of the cave.  The cave was nice in that it was safe, but it was very confining.  He felt that he needed to be on the move.  There is nothing quite like the anxiety that a boy feels when he is forced to be still while there is a mission to be accomplished.

So the boys proceeded in silence as they moonlit trees passed them by.  But after awhile, Andres--who really hated the feeling of being alone--began to be rather unnerved by the extended quiet.  Finally, he spoke up.

"Cable, are you worried?" he asked.  He would have asked, "Are you hungry?" but that would have just made him more hungry.  He figured it was best to avoid the topic of food altogether.

"Yeah, I figure I'm probably kind of worried," Cable replied.

"Hmmm...would you say that you're a little bit worried, or a lot bit worried?" Andres asked.

"Well, I'd say that I'm a little bit worried.  Not a lot bit, but a little bit," said Cable.

Andres pondered this a moment.  Then he asked, "Don't you think that's strange?  I mean, here we are, riding down a river we've never been on before.  We're headed into a castle we've never seen before.  Bad guys are after us, trying to find the ring.  If they catch us, they'll probably kill us.  We have no idea how to actually get to the castle.  If we somehow get to the castle alive, we have no idea what we're going to do.  So it seems like it's pretty much hopeless.  We're just kids, right?  So why aren't we really really really worried?"

Cable appreciated the question.  Cable had been pondering these very thoughts for the last hour or so, and he liked how Andres had put it into words.  Brothers can do this, of course--no one has insight into the inner workings of a boy's mind than his brother.  Cable replied, "You're right, Andres.  We ought to be worried.  We ought to just give up and try and find our way home.  But you know, I'm starting to learn some stuff from this trip."

"Stuff like what?" Andres interrupted.

"Well, stuff like the time when we left Kylus' cave to look for the Hermit.  Do you remember how hungry we were when we saw that wagon on the road?  All we could think of was the food that we saw.  And so we chased after what we saw, instead of just following Kylus' orders.  That's when we got into trouble."

Andres had to jump in.  "Don't say 'we', Cable.  I was the one who ran out into the road.  You didn't do anything wrong."

"No, Andres, we both went out there.  I'm just as much to blame as you are.  But anyway, the point is this--sometimes it's much better to just do the things that you've been asked to do, whether you understand it or not.  Sometimes our eyes can fool us, right?  It's like there are two paths to follow--the path that seems good to our eyes, and the path that seems right to our heart.  As far as I'm concerned, we're on the path that seems right to our heart.  Plus, as far as I can figure, we're on the path that seems right to the High King.  So that's probably why we're not as worried as we ought to be."

Andres had to admit that Cable was right.  Time and again, when the boys had done the seemingly obvious thing to do--the path that seemed good to their eyes--they just got into trouble.  Andres had been in trouble many times before, and usually it didn't bother him too much.  But now it was a matter of life and death.  If ever there was a time to start to be obedient, this was it.

As they continued their drift down the moonlit stream, Andres piped up again.  "Hey Cable, you know what's kind of weird?  It was only about a week ago that we were fighting with bamboo sticks.  It was all just playing around.  Now it's for real.  When we get to that castle, we could be fighting for our lives.  It just seems strange to me that it could all change so quickly."

Cable didn't answer right away.  He glanced up at the moon, then down at the river, and then over at the riverbank.  He was trying to find the right words--trying to piece this puzzling quest together.  Finally, he spoke up.  "Hey Andres, do you remember the time we went searching for treasure in the middle of the night?  We'd seen that tall oak tree on that hill on the other side of the pond, so we pretended that it was flag that pointed to buried treasure.  But we didn't want anyone else to know.  So we snuck out at midnight and paddled across.  We pretended that the chipmunks and squirrels were really lions and tigers.  So we shot 'em with our slingshots.  We pretended that bamboo sticks were like machetes, and we slashed our way through a pretend jungle.  When we got to the top of the hill, we pretended that the acorns were gold nuggets, and we filled our pockets with them.  Then we slashed our way back to the shore.  When we got there, we were hungry.  So we grabbed a big log, pretended it was a cannon, and thumped a jackrabbit with it.  We started a fire and cooked the poor critter, but as far as we were concerned, we were eating wild antelope.  Then we crossed back to our side of the pond.  When we got out, we drove our bamboo into the ground and pretended like we'd claimed a new land for the king.  Then we laid out under the stars and went to sleep."

Andres nodded as Cable told the tale.  Andres didn't actually remember the part about the jackrabbit, but he didn't want to let the truth get in the way of a good story.  So he let it go.

Then Cable asked, "Andres, do you remember what Dad did when he woke us up beside the pond the next morning?"

Andres replied, "Yeah, I think he scolded us a little bit, maybe spanked us, and then made us go to our room or something.  It wasn't anything too bad."

"Yes, that's right--it wasn't anything too bad," Cable said.  "Well, while you were on your bed taking a nap, I crawled over to the door and listened to Mama talk with Dad.  And Mama said, 'Torey, if those boys keep playing like that, they're gonna get killed some day!'  And Dad said, 'Hannah, remember this.  The boys aren't just pretending, and they aren't just playing.  Hannah, they are practicing.'

"Well," Cable continued, "I think they were right.  The time we spent playing around was getting us ready for this trip.  That's another reason why we're not as worried as maybe we could be.  Do you remember what Mama said just before we fled from our home?"

"You bet I do," replied Andres.  "She said something like, 'This is the job you've been prepared for these past ten years, ever since you first came.'  I was confused at the time.  And I still can't figure it out."

"I don't really understand the 'ever since you first came' part of it, either," said Cable.  "But the first part--the part about being prepared--well, I guess I kind of understand that.  Dad knew we were preparing for something.  That's why he wasn't too hard on us when we when boating in the middle of the night.  We were practicing.  And now we've just gone on to the real thing."

With that observation, the canoe once again descended into silence.  This was the boys' second canoe ride on their quest, and Cable especially had come to appreciate them.  All the other times, they were actually doing something, and they almost had no time to think.  But the canoe rides provided some time for the boys to reflect on all that had just happened.  Cable was glad for the chance to give his body a rest and to let his mind work a little bit.

As the boys continued to paddle downstream into the unknown, the moon intermittently moved behind some high, thin clouds.  During those time, Andres--the more intuitive of the brothers--came to sense something.  It seemed as though the riverbank was lined with people that were watching them and silently cheering them on.  Andres was almost certain that hundreds of people were emerging from the woods to watch the boys and wish them well.  But every time the moon emerged from the clouds, it seemed as though the people disappeared.

Finally, Andres spoke again.  "Hey Cable," he half-whispered.

"What?" Cable replied.

"Do you get the feeling that we're being watched?" Andres asked.

"Well, I'm sure Dor-ko and his gang are looking for us.  I hope they aren't watching us just yet," said Cable.

"No, that's not it.  I'm wondering if you feel like anyone else is watching--some of the good guys."

Cable strained his eyes and looked toward shore.  As he examined the riverbank in the faint moonlight, he too thought he saw dozens of pairs of silent eyes looking at him.  "Yes, now I see it," Cable said.  "Or, at least I think I see it."

"Yeah," Andres said, relieved that it wasn't his imagination.  "I think there are all kinds of people out there, and it's like they want to say that they are rooting for us.  But Slumbutter and Dor-ko have been in charge for so long, that they are afraid to say anything.  So they just silently watch and cheer.  Oh well, I don't blame them for being quiet.  I just wish I could see them more clearly."

"It's like everything else on this trip," Cable interjected.  "The best stuff is the stuff that's a little hard to see, but is just as real.  I don't know about you, but knowing that people are cheering us on is enough for me.  Let's keep going."  And the boys paddled with renewed vigor. 

After another hour or so, the boys were encouraged yet again.  For when their stomachs started to grumble, they instinctively reached for their satchels.  Inside, they found some sticks of smoked meat.  It appeared that Brandonio had snuck them some snacks when they weren't looking!  Cable began to feel a little guilty for getting so annoyed at the little man.  The boys sunk their teeth into the meat and were refreshed yet again.

As morning began to dawn, and the silent witnesses by the side of the river began to fade from view, the boys came to a fork in the river.  Cable began to panic.  "Hey, Romanix never said anything about a fork!" he cried.  "What are we supposed to do now?"

Andres began to look around for the owl, who had seemingly given guidance to them every other time they faced a difficult choice.  But he was nowhere to be seen.  And now the current was picking up.  The time of decision was upon them.

Finally, Andres said, "Maybe they both work.  Let's go to the left."  Cable didn't find that too convincing, but he was glad that at least they'd reached a decision.  He steered the canoe to the left.  The current was swift as the river narrowed a bit after the fork.  The boys maneuvered through intermittent whitewater for about 10 minutes.  Then the river broadened.

And then the boys realized that the river had just emptied into a pond.  At first, they hoped that this was near their destination.  But as they looked around in the increasing light, they saw nothing but shoreline and trees.  There was no castle, there were no building, there were no people.

"Great," mumbled Cable.  "Wrong choice.  I knew we should have gone right."

"You're the one that was steering!" said Andres.  "If you thought we should have gone right, why didn't you?"

"Because you sounded so sure that we should go left!" argued Cable.  "You make it sound like your the expert, and then you lead us to some dead-end!"

"Hey, you're the oldest!  You're supposed to know what to do!" yelled Andres.  "Just because you did something dumb, don't blame it on me!"

And with that, the boys stood up and moved toward the middle of the canoe.  They were tired, and their nerves were frayed, and they did what brothers have done for generations--they fought.  But this was a short-lived fight.  For as soon as Andres threw a punch, Cable grabbed his arm, and together they plunged into the water.  The cool water seemed to cool their heads, and eventually they gave up fighting and just started swimming.

But their frolic in the river was abruptly ended by a piercing scream.  "Help!" a high-pitched voice yelled.  "I need help!  Please!  Please!!!"

The boys turned to their right.  About 20 yards away, they saw a young person standing on the shoreline.  It appeared to be a girl.  She had a pouch in her hand, but her attention was directed to the woodline.  As the boys listened, they could hear howling.  "Wolves!" bellowed Andres.  "Let's go!"

With that, the boys swam with all their might toward the shore.  The screams from the girl continued to come; she didn't even seem to notice that the boys were behind her.  Andres and Cable watched as the wolves slowly approached the girl, their mouths open and slobbering.  "Grab your dagger!" yelled Cable.

Andres reached for his satchel and tried to find his dagger.  But in the panic of the moment, his fumbling hand simply couldn't find it.  And the wolves were closing in on the girl.  So when he reached the shoreline, he did the only thing he could think of.  And a very brave thing it was.  He simply ran to the girl and jumped on her.  The attacking wolves sunk their teeth into his arm, but he wouldn't let go.  He just gasped and grasped the girl as close as he could.  As he kept her covered, he heard what seemed like a distant voice in the background, telling him not to give up.  Then, when he couldn't take the pain any more, he passed out.

Chapter 13 - Onward to the Castle

The boys sat in rapt silence as Romanix told his tale.  Andres typically couldn't listen to a story while sitting in one place.  Usually, he'd have to do somersaults or whittle on a piece of wood to occupy his body while his mind listened.  But he found that he could hardly move a muscle while Romanix spoke.  His mind was racing, trying to see how he and Cable fit into this remarkable tale of intrigue.  He thought that history is pretty exciting stuff when you are actually a part of it.

Romanix continued to pace around the room, his hands gesturing, as though he were reliving the event even as he told it.  "As I left the king's chambers, a horrible thought struck me.  When I'd been talking to the king, the ring was no longer on his hand.  For the first time since assuming the throne, he failed to wear the ring!  I wondered--had someone stolen it?  Had Slumbutter taken it, and then gone to summon this army of black knights?  For some reason, this thought never struck me until after I'd left.  It was just as well.  Time was of the essence, and there was no time for questions.  Little did I realize that it would take 10 years to answer this question!

"I ran to to castle ramparts and drew my horn.  Blowing it with all my strength, I summoned the White Knights to battle.  At the sound of three blasts from the horn, the White Knights quickly realized that danger was imminent.  They raced to put on their armor.  As was our custom, the knights had 20 minutes to prepare and then rally in the castle courtyard.

"But as I looked down from the castle ramparts, a strange sight greeted my eyes.  Below me, I saw Prince Dorian, fully dressed in his silver armor.  I saw him race toward Queen Krystara, who was standing in the courtyard with her two sons, Cornicus and four-month-old Abello.  Dorian swiftly grabbed the boys out of Krystara's arms and ran toward his horse.  As the queen wept aloud, Dorian--without even turning around--mounted his horse and galloped out of the castle.

"While I pondered this strange spectacle, I raced down the castle stairs to assume my place in the courtyard.  Within minutes, our army of White Knights was assembled.  My commands to them were succinct.  We were to take our positions around the castle and defend it--and the king--to the death.  I led one group outside the castle.  We'd built a berm around the entire fort, and my group would defend from that position in order to slow down the advance.  A second group of knights stayed inside the castle, assuming their positions at the castle's windows and atop the ramparts.

"As my group charged outside the castle, we ran into a hail of flaming arrows.  The black knights had stunned us with their swiftness!  They were less than a quarter of a mile from the castle!  My men took our positions and fired back.  We were all sharpshooters, fully confident in our ability to tackle any enemy.  But the numbers of the black knights were overwhelming.  Our army, perhaps 1500 men, was staring down an onslaught of about 10,000 black knights.  Yet not a man flinched.  We stood our ground and held back the assault.

"For nearly an hour, the brave White Knights kept our enemies at bay.  But then a trumpet sound was heard, and a tall black knight charged to the foreground.  I could tell from his height and from the unique design of his armor that it had to be Dor-ko.  The black knights seemed to be revived at his presence.  With a gruesome and terrifying yell, the black knights attacked with renewed strength.  The flaming arrows grew in intensity.  Their line drew relentlessly closer to ours.

"As I looked through the smoke and across the field, I saw the tall black knight facing me from perhaps only 30 yards away.  Seeing an opportunity, I quickly drew an arrow and prepared to let it fly.  But...alas, I was too late.  The tall black knight drew his arrow first, and it struck me in the shoulder before I could let my arrow fly.  I tumbled to the ground in great pain.  It felt like my arm must have nearly been ripped off by the blow.

"At that point, the black knights charged the castle. 

"I tried to get up, but I found that someone had jumped on top of me and was holding me down.  I expected that, at any moment, a sword would be thrust through me and my life would be ended.  But that didn't happen.  I simply was held to the ground.  I could feel the feet of thousands of black knights treading upon the ground and charging my king and my home.  And I was helpless to do anything about it.

"Finally, the great weight atop me departed.  I quickly jumped up and looked toward the castle.  The black knights had slain our first line of defense, and they were preparing to enter the castle itself.  Just a few yard from me stood the tall black knight.  He had been the one to jump on me and pin me to the ground!  As I drew my arrow, he turned to me and raised his helmet.

"To my utter amazement...it wasn't Dor-ko at all.  It was...it was...it was Prince Dorian.

"He didn't flinch when he saw me draw my arrow.  Rather, he simply pointed to something behind me.  I instinctively turned.  And sitting behind me, I saw the owl--the messenger that the king had shown me less than an hour before.

"Boys, this was when I faced the hardest decision of my life.  Would I run to the castle and fulfill my own command--to defend the king at the cost of my life?  Or would I obey the king and follow his messenger?  I alternated looks between Dorian and the owl.  Dorian pulled his mask back down and continued his charge into the castle.  Oh, how I wanted to send an arrow through the heart of that traitor!  But the king...oh, the king had made me promise to follow the messenger.  And so I was faced with whether to do what I thought was best or to do what the king had ordered.  Against my own will, I turned from the battle and fled, following the owl as I left the battlefield.

"I threw my armor off as I ran.  Boys, to be honest, I secretly wished that some black knight would find me and run me through with his spear.  I hated the thought of being a coward and running from the battle.  I would rather die than be judged a coward!  But just as the men had to obey my orders, so did I have to obey the king's orders.  And I ran to the mountains.

"Well boys, the owl led me to a tall cliff near one of the mountain passes.  At that point, to my distress, he disappeared.  I didn't know what to do.  However, I did know that I was completely exhausted.  In order to steady myself, I reached up to grab a branch that was protruding out of the face of the cliff.  And, to my great surprise, two rocks moved and an opening emerged.  The branch was some kind of secret lever that triggered an opening to a cave.

"With nothing better to do, I entered the cave.  And guess who I met inside?  It was Brandonio.  After the king's coronation many years before, he come out to this spot to build a cave dwelling for himself.  When he saw me, he quickly took me in and cared for my wounded shoulder.  He gave me food and drink and put me to rest.

"And I've not been outside since.  The king told me to follow his messenger, and this is where he has led me.  I won't move again until he leads me out.  That, boys, is the end of my story."

Romanix shook his head as he sat down, apparently exhausted by recounting his drama.

Cable was the first to break the silence.  "You know, this kind of makes sense, now that I think of what Kylus had told us.  He said that he saw Dorian come out of the king's chambers during the battle.  He also said that Dorian tried to shoot him, just as he'd tried to shoot you!"

Then Andres jumped in.  "Yeah, and when Kylus went into the king's chambers, he found a headless body with the king's clothes on.  So it sure looks like Dorian became a black knight, charged the castle, and killed his own father."

And then Devlin spoke up.  "Hey Andres, didn't you say that you saw the owl, leading you to the branch that opened up the cave?"

When Romanix heard mention of the owl, he rose to his feet.  "You've seen the owl?" he asked.  Andres shook his head up and down as hard as he could.  Romanix then began to pace again.  Andres figured he'd have to be pretty good at pacing, since he hadn't been outside for 10 years.  As he paced, Romanix thought out loud.  "Boys, this is strange.  After ten years of silence, the owl has emerged again.  He is directing your steps, and--more than likely--he was directing Ronaldus' steps as well.  So it was likely the owl that directed Ronaldus to send you on this mission.  And yet, I can't understand what it means!  Your mission couldn't possibly be to turn the ring over to Dorian, could it?"

Cable then interrupted Romanix.  "Ronaldus didn't say anything about turning the ring over to Dorian.  He just said to find Dorian and to guard the ring.  Isn't that what he said, Andres?"  Andres nodded.

"Well boys," Romanix said, "there remains but one thing for you to do.  You must go to the castle.  That is the last place that I saw Dorian.  If the owl led you to me, then I must lead you to your next destination.  And I see no other way--to the castle you must go!"

Andres was deeply troubled by this.  "But Romanix, how is that going to work?  We'll just march in there, and he'll take the ring and throw us in prison and the kingdom will belong to Slumbutter or whoever else wants to put the ring on his finger!  We're doomed!"

"No, my son," answered Romanix gently.  "Those who are guided by the High King's messenger are never doomed.  It is true, I have no idea how this journey will end.  But that's not our job, is it?  We are simply to obey and follow our calling.  You've been called to a great mission, boys.  You will either see it to its end, or you will die in the attempt.  In either case, you're serving the High King, and there is no greater joy in all this world than to do that!"

Andres couldn't really see how their could be joy in "dying in the attempt".  But it was too late to go back now.  "Let's go, guys," he said.  Cable and Devlin began to put on their sandals.  The boys donned their satchels.

Once again, Romanix interrupted.  "No, Andres--Devlin cannot accompany you.  The mission to find Dorian and protect the ring was given to you, not to Devlin.  He must have another mission.  He will stay here.  You and Cable must follow me."

Andres and Cable reluctantly shook hands with Devlin.  They hated to leave their new-found friend.  But Romanix was not terribly sentimental, so he didn't permit too much time for good-byes.  Instead, he grabbed a torch and led the boys to the back of the cave and down another set of stairs chiseled into the rock.  At the base of the stairs was a small opening.  Romanix and the two boys crawled through it, and soon they were outside.  Once again, it was a clear, moonlit night.  They stood by a gently-flowing river.  Romanix guided them over to a canoe hidden in the brush.

"Ah, this is the first fresh air I've breathed for 10 years!  I hope I shall soon have occasion to do it again," said Romanix.  Then, changing his tone, he continued.  "Boys, this is Brandonio's canoe.  You must take it and follow the river.  It will take you to within a stone's throw of the castle.  What awaits you there?  I do not know.  But you must continue your mission.  I hope to see you soon." 

Romanix shook the boys hands, staring each of them in the eyes as he did so.  With no further words, he crawled back into the cave.  The boys looked at each other without speaking, hopped into the canoes, and continued their quest downstream.

Chapter 12 - Putting Some Pieces Together, Part 2

Romanix paused as he recalled the story to the boys. For the first time since they'd arrived in the hermit's lair, the boys saw a smile come across the hermit's face. Andres figured his cheek would crack under the strain of this new facial phenomenon. Romanix turned around, as though embarrassed. But as he did so, he said, "Boys, that was perhaps the most exciting moment of my life."

Cable felt compelled to interrupt for a moment. "So Romanix--are you actually saying that Brandonio is a great fighter? He was part of the raid on King Bagowind himself?" Cable couldn't imagine that this could be true.

"Yes, Cable, yes," Romanix replied. "Appearances are deceiving, aren't they? Brandonio has the heart of a lion. I owe my life to him, as you'll see.

"But anyway, the cheers seemed to go on forever. Brandonio seemed rattled by the commotion. He snuck up to Maximilian and secretly asked if he could go. He said, 'Brandonio would love to serve the king up in the mountains, if the new king will please let me go. Brandonio doesn't really like loud noises; no, he doesn't like them at all.' And the king graciously nodded, granting him permission to leave.

"At any rate, in the midst of the cheering, Maximilian finally raised his hand. He held high the golden ring that I had given him. The people gradually quieted. Maximilian then declared, 'From now on, no one shall reign over the Kingdom of Aberdeen unless this ring--the ring so graciously given me by Romanix--rests upon his finger.'

Maximilian then placed the ring on his finger, and the cries of 'Long Live King Maximilian' began all over again."

Andres was beginning to put some of the pieces of this story together in his head. "So...this ring that we are carrying--is it the same ring? Is it the ring that you gave to Maximilian way back then?" he asked.

"Yes, Andres, I believe it is," Romanix replied. "But before we go into that, let me finish the story.

"The first thing that King Maximilian did upon assuming the throne was to set all of the adult slaves free, and to restore their homes and property to them. This, of course, made many of the young people--the people of my generation--very nervous. They feared the wrath of their parents. But what followed was a great restoration of families. Many young people brought their whips and their clubs and laid them at the feet of the king. They then went to their parents, as they were released from the labor camps, and begged their forgiveness. The parents, in turn, asked for forgiveness from the children that they'd so long ignored during their youth. It was a difficult time, for parents and children alike had been scarred by the hard labor and enslavement that Bagowind had begun. But at the king's urging, families gradually came back together again.
And peace was restored.

"As for me, I also searched for my parents, that I could gain their forgiveness. But I never found them. I feared that they had been slain by Bagowind when I abandoned the fields and followed Maximilian.

"However, not all of the young people sought the forgiveness of their parents. Remember this, boys! Bitterness will always lead to great trouble! For you see, some young people, with their property stripped from them by the king's decree, fled the kingdom to the lands west of the Jagged Mountains. Rather than seeking restoration, they sought escape. In doing so, they followed Dor-ko rather than Maximilian. Dor-ko gathered a band of malcontents in the western lands, and these rogues spent their time raiding the king's woods and capturing travelers who happened to be journeying alone in the outer reaches of the kingdom. We'll hear of those malcontents again a little later.

"But for those that chose to stay within the kingdom, a time of great peace followed. The king immediately decreed an end to the oppressive taxes that Bagowind had instituted. And he began a great tradition--the Sunday feast. On Sunday afternoons, all people were invited to a feast on the castle grounds. Any person—rich or poor, great or small—could bring his petition to the king at these feasts. And the king would attend to his people's concerns, sometimes listening for long hours into the night.

“During the first feast--I will never forget this, boys!--the king interrupted the proceedings and called me to his throne. I came before him and bent my knee, as was the custom. While I knelt there, he drew his sword and touched each of my shoulders. With that, he said, 'Rise, Romanix.' As I stood, he declared to everyone, 'I have just declared Romanix the First of the White Knights of Aberdeen. He shall be the general of the King's Army. Does anyone wish to join him?' Within minutes, over a thousand young men volunteered to serve.

I was overwhelmed. Here I was, a man who had once been a rebellious young man, filled with greed to the point of enslaving my parents. And now I had been asked to be the king's general. Amazing!

"Well, the White Knights of Aberdeen were a jolly band of soldiers. The king acquired horses and armor for us, and we patrolled the kingdom in search of Dor-ko and his followers. Our task was a simple one--to keep the people safe. And that is just what we did. I was honored to be the leader of such brave and selfless men.

"A couple of years later, we had another memorable Sunday feast. That was when Maximilian took the lovely Valeria to be his wife. Oh, what a grand wedding that was! The feast began on Sunday afternoon and went all through the night. Nobody wanted to leave, and the king refused to send the people home. The people came to love Valeria almost as much as they loved the king himself.

"And then a year later, a son was born to them--Prince Dorian. The king now had an heir to the throne! Dorian quickly became a favorite of the White Knights. Before he was old enough to walk, he loved to have us carry him on horseback through the woods. By the time he was three years old, we had him shooting a bow and arrow. When he was five, he could shoot better than most of us. There seemed to be no limit to his talent, nor to his personality. He was a jovial young boy who loved the woods and who loved mischief as well.

"But shortly after Prince Dorian's fifth birthday, great tragedy befell the kingdom. For that was when the beloved Queen Valeria fell ill and died. Oh, how the kingdom mourned her loss! The king was utterly devastated. The love of his life had been taken from him in the flower of her youth. The Sunday feasts were halted for a time as the people grieved.

“When the feasts began again, the king found that he had great trouble listening to the people's every petition, as he had done before. He just couldn't shoulder the burden himself, in addition to dealing with his great loss. So he asked Ronaldus and Slumbutter if they would be his advisors. Anyone wishing to come to the king would go to Ronaldus and Slumbutter first. The king would then listen to all of the petitions that could not be handled by either of his advisors. This seemed to lighten the burden on the king, and—over time—Maximilian seemed to heal from his heart's great wound.

“About 10 years after losing Queen Valeria, the king met Krystara while on one of his hunting
expeditions. After a brief courtship, the king married once again. The people came to love Krystara just as they had loved Valeria. You see, the people loved their king, and they wished to see him happy once again. When Krystara restored joy to the king's heart, the people rejoiced as well.

“In time, she too bore children for the king. First, there was Cornicus; then, two years later, Abello was born. The castle was filling up!

“But all the while, trouble was brewing. Grave trouble.

“You see, Slumbutter proved to be faithless advisor. Though he started out loyal to the king, he soon became greatly jealous. Unlike Ronaldus, who was content to be the king's exalted servant, Slumbutter wanted to assume the throne himself. So whenever he met with people, he told them that the king was really too busy to hear their concerns. He told them that he, Slumbutter, was the only one who really cared for them. And in doing so, he stole many of the hearts of the unsuspecting people.

“As a result, many people moved west of the Jagged Mountains and pledged themselves to Slumbutter and Dor-ko. Slumbutter promised them that some day, he would overthrow the king. He said that when he, Slumbutter, was king, then finally there would be justice in the land—that finally a king would rule that would listen to his people! And many fools listened to him.

“One day, about 10 years ago, the king called me into his chambers. His face was deeply troubled. I knelt before him and asked, 'What is the matter, O king?'

"He asked, 'Romanix, have you seen Slumbutter this past week?' I replied that I had not. He then said, 'Romanix, great trouble is about to come upon us. Come to the window.' I followed him to the window, which looked away to the southeast. As I looked, my heart sank within me. For in the far distance, I could see a cloud of dust rising into the air. An army of black knights was slowly approaching.

"The king said, 'We have been betrayed, Romanix. Slumbutter has deserted us, and even now is leading an army to attack us. Faithful Ronaldus has been sent on one mission, and now I send you on another. Please--flee to the mountains. I will need you there in the years to come, to encourage people who seek the restoration of the kingdom.'

"I couldn't believe what I was hearing, boys! So I turned to the king and said, 'What do you mean, 'the restoration of the kingdom'? We shall defeat these rogues today! No one shall take this kingdom from us!'

"But the king was not deterred. He said, 'We are not prepared for this onslaught, Romanix. Please, I beg of you, flee to the mountains. A place has been prepared for you. The kingdom may fall today, but it will not be forever. In the meantime, I need you as a lantern in the mountains--a beacon to those who will seek the restoration of Aberdeen. I will need you to give hope to the seekers. Please, go!'

"But I could not bear to leave. I said, 'O king, please let me stay and defend the castle! I cannot flee in the sight of the brave White Knights who have sworn to defend you!'

"The king relented. He said, 'Romanix, you may stay for now. But I plead with you--when the High King's messenger tells you to go, you must go.'

"I asked, 'Who is the High King's messenger? I don't understand!'

"Then the king snapped his fingers. At that time, I looked at the mantle over the king's fireplace. Previously, I had seen a statue of an owl. But at the snap of the king's fingers, the statue seemed to come to life. It flew across the room and alighted on the king's shoulder. 'Romanix,' he said, 'this is the High King's messenger. He has guided me from the land across the seas to Aberdeen. He has guided my every step since I've been here. And he will guide us through the troubled times to come.'

"Well boys, was I ever startled by this! I said to the king, 'I've never seen this messenger before! I don't understand!'

"The king replied, 'The only people who see the messenger are those to whom the High King chooses to reveal him. He has chosen you this day, Romanix. Please, heed the messenger! Now go your way and prepare to fight. But above all, prepare to follow.' And with those words, I left the king's chambers, donned my armor, and prepared to rally the White Knights for battle.

Chapter 11 - Putting Some Pieces Together, Part 1

The three boys huddled together in a larger, more brightly lit room. They found themselves standing before a stocky, rugged man whose unsmiling glare seemed to be staring right through them. It was almost impossible to discern his age. He walked around in a stately manner, as an old wise man might do. But his black hair and his piercing eyes suggested a younger age. They instantly feared him--not in the same way that they feared the evil Dor-ko, but in the same way that a child fears a parent whom they do not want to disappoint. It was simultaneously unsettling and comforting.

The dark-haired man finally spoke. "Where did you get this?" he asked, holding up the coin that Andres had given to Brandonio.

The boys remained silent for a moment, fearful of making a sound in the presence of this imposing figure. Finally, Cable spoke up on behalf of the trio. "We got it from a man in our village," he replied. "He's the one that sent us on this mission."

"What was his name?" probed the rugged man.

"His name was Ronaldus, sir," replied Cable.

The name seemed to stir something in the rugged man. He turned his back and began to pace around the room. He shook his head and gestured with his hands as though he couldn't believe the news. Then he turned and asked, "Are you sure, boys?"

"Yes, sir," said Cable.

Without raising his voice, yet with great enthusiasm, the rugged man then declared, "He's alive! Ronaldus is alive! Then there is indeed hope. Yes, there is hope for this oppressed kingdom." Then he paused and turned back toward the boys. "Tell me, what did he ask you to do?"

Andres piped up this time. "He told us two things, sir. By the way, are you the Hermit? I kind of expected someone with gray hair and a big beard. That's what I figured a hermit ought to look like."

"If you answer my questions first, I promise I shall answer as many of your questions as I can," answered the rugged man. "Now tell me, what did Ronaldus ask you to do?"

The mildly chastised Andres immediately said, "He told us that first, we need to find King Maximilian's son, Prince Dorian. And then he said that we need to guard a ring that belongs to the true King of Aberdeen. That's pretty much all he said to us. Then he gave us each a bag of coins and told us we could use them to tell whether someone was a friend or a foe. Ever since then, it seems like we've been running for our lives. Do you have any food?"

The rugged man seemed to ignore the request and turned to Cable. "How did you find me?" he asked the elder brother.

"Kylus--the man called the Watcher--sent us here, sir. He said that you would explain everything," Cable replied.

The rugged man absorbed the news in silence. Turning to Devlin, he asked, "How about you, son? Were you sent on this mission by Ronaldus as well?"

"No, sir, well...not really," Devlin answered. "But I think Ronaldus sent these two guys to find me, I'm pretty sure. You see, he's my father. I haven't seen him for 10 years."

More silence followed. The rugged man seemed very comfortable with silence. Andres figured that anyone that lived in a cave probably had to learn to enjoy silence. Cable wondered how he was able to live with Brandonio's annoying manner of speech. Finally, the rugged man approached the boys. In a very unexpected gesture, he actually knelt before Andres and Cable. After remaining on one knee for a moment, he rose and spoke.

"My name is Romanix, and yes, I am indeed the Hermit. Brandonio, please fetch some food for our guests. They shall be here for awhile."

The boys turned to each other and exchanged silent glances of wonder. Cable was glad the Brandonio did not say anything, but instead just left the room. Romanix also disappeared into another room for a moment, then returned with a large canteen. Handing it to the boys, he said, "Please drink your fill and relax. I have much to tell you boys." The boys obeyed. Cable was skeptical of drinking water that had been stored in a cave. But to his surprise, it was perhaps the coldest and most refreshing drink he's had. He was immediately energized, as were his two companions.

A few moments later, Brandonio entered with what appeared to be some pieces of smoked venison. The boys made themselves comfortable as they sunk their teeth into the delicious (and surprisingly filling) slabs of meat. As they did so, Romanix spoke again.

"Boys, let me tell you my story. Perhaps it will help you better understand why you are here.

"I grew up in this kingdom. When I was about 4 or 5 years old, a very wicked king took over. His name was Bagowind, and he swept into power with many great promises. He told all the adults--including my parents--that he would shower them with wealth beyond their imagination. All they had to do was come and work for him. We were relatively poor at the time--happy, but poor. So my parents, focusing more on what they didn't have than on what they did have, leaped at the chance for great wealth. They went to work for the king. And so did most of the adults.

"The king fulfilled his promise. He showered the adults with beautiful homes and all sorts of luxuries. Of course, my parents had no time to enjoy these things, since they had to work all hours of the day and night in order to earn them. But they didn't seem to mind. As long as they had just a little more than their neighbors, they seemed to be satisfied.

"While the parents worked, however, the king rounded up all the children for 'instruction'. During this time, King Bagowind taught us to despise our parents. He said our parents were just mindless servants of his. When we got old enough, he would give their wealth to us and turn us into the masters of our own parents. That's what the rogue told us! And we believed it...every word of it. We came to hate our own parents.

"So when we turned 18 years of age, King Bagowind rounded up our parents and put them labor camps scattered around the kingdom. He put us in charge--us kids! We were elated, but we were fools. If we'd been thinking, we'd have realized that the same thing would happen to us when we had kids. We'd have our wealth for a time, but eventually our kids would come to hate us and then overthrow us. And the circle would continue.

"But we weren't thinking clearly, and so we went to work, driving our parents as slaves in the king's fields. We too never had time to enjoy the wealth that the king had given us. But most people didn't seem to notice. We were rich, right? Wasn't that all that mattered?

"One day, about 30 years ago, a group of men emerged from the woods and approached a group of us who were working the fields. They were led by a tall, handsome man who seemed to be about 25 years old, though he carried himself as someone who was much older. He declared in a booming voice, 'We come in peace, for the time being. We have come from far away to overthrow the evil King Bagowind. Who wishes to come and join us?'

"No one stirred at the offer. The parents who were working the fields didn't dare to move, lest we should beat them. Those of us who were supervising the parents didn't dare to move either, lest we lose our position of authority. No one loved the king, but no one wanted anything to change. Still, I couldn't help but think--this might be my last chance! I was tired of the long days, and I was oppressed with guilt for having been so cruel to my parents. Though no one else moved, I through down my whip and my club and said, 'I'm done. I'm going with him.' And I left. I was the only one.

"The man that I followed was General Maximilian.

"We went back into the woods and joined a larger group of men--perhaps about 100 in number. They were cheerful men who loved the General and who loved their mission. They had been sent by the High King, who rules over all kingdoms, to set the oppressed people of Aberdeen free. They welcomed me into their midst and treated me like one of their own. And for the next few days, we worked together on a plan to overthrow Bagowind.

"One day, two of the men came into the camp, having been on separate missions spying out the land. The first man said that he'd witnessed a great bonfire. It turned out that the bonfire was really my house burning to the ground. King Bagowind had ordered its destruction when he'd heard of my desertion. I was strangely relieved. I knew at that point that there was no going back. The temptation to go back to my old life had vanished.

"The second man said that, while hunting in some woods, he'd found an underground passage. As it turned out, it led directly into the castle! The camp stirred at the news. We immediately made plans for a midnight incursion into the castle to overthrow the king.

"After two more days of planning, the operation went into motion. We all armed ourselves for battle. After sunset, we moved through the woods to the underground passage. The passage was long and seemingly endless. But finally, we burst through into the castle. The room was empty. We cautiously found the nearest door and opened it. Outside, a sentry sat on the floor, sleeping. General Maximilian awoke him and asked, 'Where does the king reside?' The sentry tried to yell, but Maximilian covered his mouth. He then demanded, 'Tell us where the king resides, quietly, and your life shall be spared.' The sentry pointed to a nearby stairwell and said, 'Go up two floors. His room is the second on the right.' Then he fainted. Maximilian told one of the men to guard him, and he led the rest of us forward.

"We made our way up the stairwell, then came to a landing. We turned to the right and saw two sentries standing. These ones, however, were alert. Upon seeing us, they blew their horns. Withing moments the great corridor was filled with guards. A great hand-to-hand combat ensued. Confusion reigned, and much blood was spilled. And still, we hadn't managed to get into the king's room.

"In the midst of the madness, Maximilian grabbed my shoulder. He said, with a calmness that defied the chaos around us, 'Follow me!' He grabbed three others as well. Somehow, we slipped through the crowd and came to the doorway to the king's chambers. Maximilian kicked open the door, and the five of us entered. I think you've met, or at least heard of, all of us--Slumbutter, Ronaldus, Brandonio, Maximilian and myself.

The king's bed was surrounded by four other guards, who were armed and poised for battle. The king leaped from bed; one of the guards handed him a sword. We drew our swords as well and began to duel. Slumbutter, Brandonio, and Ronaldus had little trouble with their guards; they were all slain within minutes. Maximilian made quick work of Bagowind. The old man actually died of a heart attack before Maximilian even engaged him in combat. However, I had great trouble with mine. We dueled back and forth, with neither of us gaining the advantage. Finally, my enemy knocked me to the floor and prepared to drive his sword into my heart. But before he did so, Maximilian spoke out. He declared, 'Brave warrior, beware what you are about to do! If you plunge that sword into Romanix' brave heart, my sword shall be plunged into yours. Spare him, and you shall be spared. Your situation is hopeless. Decide!'

"To my great relief, the warrior withdrew his sword and placed it in its sheath. He then turned his back to Maximilian and headed to the door.

"You've met this man before as well. His name is Dor-ko.

"As Dor-ko exited the room, the fighting in the great corridor immediately stopped. It was as though, when our enemies saw Dor-ko leave the room, they knew that the king was dead. They all laid down their arms--all but Dor-ko. He simply walked down the stairwell and disappeared. At Maximilian's orders, no one followed him.

"I got to my feet, rejoicing at still being alive. I walked up to Maximilian and bowed at his feet. I then pulled a ring off my finger. It was a golden ring that my parents had given to me while a child, and it was the only thing of value that I still had. I said, 'Sir, please take this. All I have, I give to you and to your service.'

"When the other men in the room heard me, they all cheered in unison, 'Long live King Maximilian! Long live King Maximilian!' The sound, it was said, could be heard throughout the kingdom. There was no question--he was to be our king."

Chapter 10 - The Hermit's Lair

"Hmmm...what are these people doing here?  Brandonio thinks this is very strange.  Yes, very strange indeed.  Hmmm...what shall Brandonio do?  Strangers are in the cave.  Strangers are very strange.  Hmmm..."

Cable could hear the voice in the recesses of his consciousness.  It was a curious voice, and it didn't make much sense to Cable's muddled mind at the moment.

Cable then felt something warm behind him.  He opened his eyes, and saw that he was in what appeared to be a vast cave.  The room was very dimly lit.  He couldn't see the ceiling.  A silence ensued once again, and Cable closed his eyes again.  When it came to choosing between being awake and being asleep, Cable would almost always choose the latter.

The voice continued.  "Hmmm...Brandonio wonders if maybe the people are dead?  Could they be dead, Brandonio?  Hmmm...let us see..."

At that point, the warm feeling on Cable's backside became rather painful.  He abruptly emerged from his slumber and leaped to his feet.  That's when he realized that his hindquarters had been set on fire!  He dropped back to the floor and rolled around.  The small flame was quickly smothered.

At that point, Cable turned around and saw the source of his torment.  The voice he'd been hearing was that of a rather small man who kept wandering around the room, talking to himself.  The torch that he was carrying was the only source of light in the cave.  That's when Cable came to his senses and realized that the three boys must have immediately drifted off to sleep after escaping into the cave.  The exhausting events of the preceding two days had finally caught up with them.

The little man with the torch turned toward Cable and said, "Hmmm...one of them awakes!  Brandonio says, he must therefore be alive!  That is good news, very good news, good for the boy to be alive, yes!  But what about the others, Brandonio?  Let us see..."  The little man stooped down and placed the torch next to Andres' backside.

Cable darted over the Andres, gently pushed the torch away, and tried to wake his brother up.  Then he bellowed, "Hey, quit setting us on fire!  That hurts!"  He was not intimidated by the little man, even though he was older and had a torch.

"Hmmm...what do you think, Brandonio?  He's a very bold boy.  What will Master Romanix think?  Oh my, strangers in the cave is very strange.  Brandonio does not know what to think.  Hmmm..."

As the little man continued to talk to himself and pace around the room, Devlin and Andres slowly rose to their feet.  The boys had been asleep for many hours, and it took them awhile to remember what had brought them to this cave.  Andres was the first of the boys to put all of the mental pieces together.  He finally blurted out, "Hey mister, does the Hermit live here?"

The little man pondered the question.  "Hmmm...the strange stranger asks a question.  What do you think, Brandonio?  Should you answer the question?  Hmmm...let us think.  Okay, strange boy, Brandonio will answer you.  As a matter of fact...what, Brandonio?...oh yes, good point...well, strange boy, Brandonio wants to know what you are doing here first!  That's right!  Before Brandonio will answer you, you must answer him!"

Cable got rather aggravated by the little man's odd manner of speaking.  "Would you stop talking like that?" he demanded.

"Hmmm..." the little man replied.  "Brandonio thinks that one of the strange strangers is rude.  Well, if that's how it is, Brandonio will just leave.  That's right, he will."  And the little man turned and started to walk away, taking his light with him. 

As darkness started to envelop the boys, Andres--who was no fan of the dark--piped up.  "Hey, Brandonio!" he yelled.  "Would you please take a coin for your troubles?  After all, you did provide us some shelter, and that was really nice, since we were just about to be killed.  We do appreciate it." 

At the mention of his name, Brandonio turned around.  "Oh my," he said, "no one besides Master Romanix has called Brandonio by name for many many many years!"  He appeared to wipe a tear from his eyes.  "How did you guess Brandonio's name?" he continued.  Cable shook his head in aggravation.  Andres, on the other hand, chuckled to himself as he reached into his satchel, pulled out a coin, and handed it to Brandonio.

Brandonio studied the coin intently.  "Hmmm...what does Brandonio think?" the little man said to himself.  "The strange strangers bring a strange coin.  Very strange.  Brandonio must show this to Master Romanix.  Yes, Brandonio must do this now!  Master Romanix will want to see this, won't he Brandonio?  Yes, he will!"  And the little man started to walk away.

"Hey!" Andres blurted out.  "Don't just leave us here, Brandonio!"  He figured he'd get better results if he called the man by name.

"Oh yes, the strange boy says something wise.  Boys!  Brandonio says that you should follow.  But please be silent.  Master Romanix treasures his silence.  Follow, follow, follow!"

The three boys closely followed Brandonio as he meandered through the strange cave.  Andres was right on the little man's heels.  He couldn't bear to be too far from the light, and he rather enjoyed listening to the odd man's dialog with himself.  Cable was behind Andres, ready to protect his brother if need be.  But Brandonio's muttering was driving him crazy.  Devlin, ever the cautious one, was in the rear, constantly looking over his shoulder in case they were being pursued.

Eventually, they came to a spiral staircase that had been chiseled out of rock.  The little man stopped for a moment and turned to face the boys.  "Brandonio invites you to climb the stairs now.  But please--do not harm the bats.  If they bite, it is just their friendly way of saying 'hello'.  Yes, yes, it is!  And Brandonio also warns you not to fall.  No, falling is not fun.  Do not fall.  Yes, that is good advice, isn't it, Brandonio?  Yes, yes, it is!"  And with that, the little man began to climb.  And the boys followed.

After what seemed like nearly 10 minutes of climbing, the boys came to a landing.  Cable was relieved on two accounts--he'd seen no bats, and Brandonio had kept his mouth closed for the entire ascent.  Then Brandonio turned and said, "Be silent for a moment, strange strangers.  Brandonio must tell Master Romanix of your arrival and show him your coin.  So please relax...yes, Brandonio urges you to relax!  And don't fall down the stairs!"  With that, the little man--and his light--disappeared.  Cable was relieved for a respite from the irritating voice. 

Andres, on the other hand, hated the darkness.  He edged closer to Cable and asked, "Do you think he's just going to leave us here?"

"I hope so," Cable replied.  "I think I'd rather just sit and decompose in a cave rather than listen to that man talk again."

Andres was about to object when three small doors opened before the boys.  Each boy walked through a different door, and together they entered into a square chamber about 30 feet across.  A circle had been marked out in the middle of the room.  The chamber was lit by a series of torches mounted on the walls.  A deep voice then resonated throughout the room.  "Boys, enter the circle," the voice demanded.  The boys could see no one, but they obeyed immediately.  There was something about this voice that commanded their respect.

"Boys," the voice continued, "look across the room."  Again, the boys obeyed.  As they did so, three more small doors opened on the opposite side of the room.  As they gazed at the doors, they could see that their names were etched in stone above them.  Each of the boys had two doors with his name above it--one on the side from which they had entered, and one on the opposite side. 

After a moment's pause, the voice resumed.  "Boys, you have a choice to make.  You may turn around right now and pass back through the door which you entered.  If you do so, Brandonio will escort you back to the village of Corrin.  I give you my word that you will be given safe passage.  If, on the other hand, you wish to continue your mission, you must pass through the door on the opposite side."

Cable was the first to reply.  "Sir, what will happen if we continue our mission?  Will we be safe that way, too?"

"I guarantee nothing, if you go through that door," the voice stated.

The boys turned to each other and passed around some questioning looks.  None of them dared to speak.  Then Andres took a step out of the circle toward the opposite door.  "I've had enough of thinking," he declared.  "I'm moving on."  As he entered his door on the opposite side, his door on the side toward the staircase slammed shut.  There was now no retreat for him.

Devlin was the next to move.  "There is no way I'm going back," he declared.  "If I do that, I'm sure to get caught and returned to slavery.  I'd rather live a dangerous life as a free boy than live a safe life as a slave."  And he passed through his door on the opposite side.  As with Andres, Devlin's door on the side of the staircase slammed shut.

Cable now stood alone in the circle.  He simply couldn't decide.  He asked, "If I go back, will my dad be okay?  Will Andres and Devlin carry on with the mission?"

At that point, Cable's door on the opposite side--the side which Andres and Devlin had entered--slowly started to close.  Then he heard the voice.  "This is not a time for questions!" it bellowed.  "It is a time for decision.  And make no mistake...failing to make a decision is indeed a decision.  What do you choose?"

Cable was tormented.  Decisiveness was not his strength.  But he didn't want to be alone, and the thought of returning to Corrin with Brandonio as an escort was too much for him to bear.  He therefore dashed to the opposite side and dove under the door, just before it closed.  He then stood to his feet and joined his two companions in the presence of Master Romanix.

Chapter 9 - Reunited

Before we can continue the story, we must now go back several hours, to the time of Andres' impulsive dash out of the woods to assist Devlin.  This, of course, was the unwise act that led to several hours of captivity for Andres.  When Cable had seen Andres burst out into the open, he knew that it could only lead to trouble.  He also knew that he should stay where he was, regardless of what Andres had done.  But he couldn't just leave his brother out on the road by himself, could he?  So Cable followed him, knowing that nothing good could come of it, and knowing that The Watcher's orders applied just as much to him as they did to Andres.  However, before doing so, he carefully removed the ring from around his neck and tucked it underneath some leaves near a large stump. 

Cable, like Andres, was bound hand and foot and carried to a remote farmhouse.  He had been slapped and beaten and blindfolded and tormented for what seemed like days, because when you have no idea when a particular trial will end, the difficulty indeed seems eternal.  Still, through it all, Cable remained steadfast.  He gave no indication that he knew anything about the ring. 

Now as we recall, Andres had managed to escape in the middle of the night.  When the man with the crooked jaw--whom we now know as Prince Dor-ko--discovered the escape, his oppression of Cable turned particularly brutal.  Finally, after throwing Cable against the wall, he pulled out a dagger and said, "Boy, if you don't tell me where that ring is right now, I'll run this blade through your heart."  Well, this was too much for even brave Cable to endure.  So he broke down in tears and muttered, "It's in the woods...I got my hand loose while we were riding...I...threw it by the road somewhere...I'll help you find it."

To his great credit, Cable did not tell Dor-ko exactly where it was.  This meant that Dor-ko had to keep him alive, at least until he showed him where the ring was.  But in Cable's mind, he had utterly failed in his mission.

So Prince Dor-ko bound his hands and tied Cable to a leash.  The leash was tied on to Dor-ko's saddle, and thus was Cable forced to march behind Dor-ko's horse.  Cable was terribly weary.  He had not slept for nearly two days.  He was weakened by hours without food.  Many times, he stumbled and fell and was dragged for a few yards, before rising to his feet again.  And throughout the journey, Dor-ko continued to bellow out, "Where did you throw that ring, boy?"  Cable's response--"I think it's just a little bit further up the hill"--was always met with a grunt and with a quickening of the pace.

And so it was that, after about 3 hours of this merciless trudge up the mountain, Cable was on the verge of giving up.  He figured that if he just fell down and gave up, one of two things would happen.  He would either be dragged to his death by the horse, or Dor-ko would jump down and kill him.  In either case, he would be out of his misery in a few moments, and Dor-ko would still not have the ring.  That had to be better than this cruel journey with no end in sight!

Suddenly, at that moment, when he was about to slump down in failure, Cable's world was transformed.  For this is what happened, as though in slow motion.  First, he heard a boy's voice cry out, "Now!"  Then he saw a boy run toward him.  He saw Dor-ko look toward the woods.  He saw a stone fly through the air and strike Dor-ko in the forehead.  He saw Dor-ko grimace, then tumble off his horse onto the path.  He turned back toward the woods and saw that the boy running toward him had a dagger in his hand.  He saw the boy grab the rope that bound him and slice through it.  Then he saw that the boy was Andres!

Finally, Cable realized what had happened--his brother had set him free!  He saw the other boy run out of the woods as well.  Recognizing him as the boy that had set the trap for him, he was amazed to see him take the rope that had fallen to the ground and tie up Prince Dor-ko.  Meanwhile, Andres was jumping up and down and shouting, "We did it!  We did it!"  Cable had never remembered seeing him so excited.  He just wouldn't stop jumping.

While Andres was celebrating and Cable was dumbfounded, Devlin alone was left with a cool head.  He grabbed both boys by the arm and said, "Quick, let's get out of here before Dor-ko wakes up."  At Devlin's urging, the boys dashed back into the woods and re-joined the path.  Andres handed Cable his satchel, and they resumed their trek.

The excitement of the rescue sustained them for awhile.  Andres introduced Devlin to Cable, and the two boys quickly became friends.  They exchanged stories.  Cable marveled at how the hooded man had somehow followed them and set Andres free.  But soon fatigue and exhaustion overcame them.  Cable, who had experienced a more severe beating than Andres, was especially weary.  He pleaded with the other two boys for a chance to stop.  Finally, he just sat down and refused to move.

Andres pleaded with his brother.  "Cable," he said, "the hooded man told us--he was giving us a second chance, but this time we can't fail!  If we stop, that goon with the crooked jaw might catch us.  We've got to keep going!  We can't stop till we reach the hermit!"  As tired as Andres was, he couldn't bear the thought of being Dor-ko's prisoner again.

Still, Cable could not be persuaded.  He started to drift off to sleep.  Devlin quickly grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him.  Cable mumbled, "Leave me alone."  But Devlin would not be deterred.  Taking Cable's face into his hands, he asked, "Cable, weren't you sent on this mission by someone?"

"Yes," Cable replied groggily.

"Well let me ask you this--would you be sent on a mission that you couldn't complete?  Would you be asked to do something that you really couldn't do?"

"Hmmm..." Cable thought.  "Maybe the man didn't know how weak we really were.  If he did, he wouldn't have asked us."

Devlin would have none of it.  "Actually, maybe you are the one who really doesn't understand.  Maybe the man was the only one who really knew what you could do, if you just didn't give up!"

Cable mulled this over in his head as best he could.  It was a good point.  This Devlin seemed pretty insightful, as far as boys go.  But still, he was tired and just wanted to go to sleep.  Devlin shook him one more time.  "By the way, who sent you on this mission, anyway?" he asked.

Cable replied, "It was a guy that was in the village where we grew up--the village of Corrin."

"How old was he?" Devlin asked.

"Well, it was tough to tell, because he usually wore a hood.  He pretended to be blind.  I think he was maybe 50 years old or something."

"Oh..." Devlin thought aloud.  "Was he about six feet tall?  Did he have a deep voice?"

"Yes, yes, that's about right."

"How long had he been in the village?"

"Our dad said he'd arrived there about 10 years ago.  He'd wandered into town, begging for food.  Like we said, he'd pretended to be blind.  But I think he was just watching us, waiting for the right time to send us on our mission."

"What was his name?"

"Ronaldus."

At this revelation, Devlin started pacing around.  He scratch his head and rubbed his chin and began walking faster and faster while going in circles.  Finally, he jumped and said, "Just as I hoped!  He's alive!  He's alive!"

Andres jumped into the conversation at this point.  "What do you mean?" he asked.  "Who's alive?"

"My father!" replied Devlin.  He seemed to be laughing and crying at the same time.  "Ronaldus is my father!  Dor-ko had said he was dead, but he's not!  He's alive!  And just maybe he sent you here to save me!"

This was just the news that the boys needed to revive their spirits and continue their trek up the mountain.  They could persevere through the fatigue and hunger for a little longer, knowing that their journey was filled with purpose.  The boys wondered at how something that was filled with such difficulty could end up bringing so much joy.

At long last, the boys reached the crest of the hill.  As the sun was rising after a seemingly interminable night, Cable recognized where they were.  They had reached the spot of Andres' fateful dash out of the woods.  Cable cautiously stepped off the trail and found the stump that he'd used as a landmark the day prior.  Sure enough, the ring was still there.

But as he grasped it, he heard an approaching noise.  It sounded like hoofbeats.  The boys immediately stopped and listened intently.  They all reached the same conclusion.  Dor-ko was on their trail once again!  And by the sound of the hooves, he wasn't far behind!

They looked around.  Cable looked off to his left.  For the first time, he saw the sheer cliff that The Watcher had told them about.  The base of the cliff was about 100 yards distant, through yet more woods.  "That's where we need to go!" he shouted.  "That's where the Hermit is!"

"But how do we get there?" asked Andres in a panic. 

"We just run into the woods and hope that we get there before Dor-ko!"  And with that, the boys headed into the woods and away from the road.

The woods were a thick mix of maple trees, pine trees, and undergrowth.  Every step was a challenge.  They were constantly pushing through branches that snapped back into their companions' faces.  At one point, they stopped and listened.  They heard more branches snapping behind them.  Dor-ko was following.

Finally, the boys pushed through the last of the trees and came to the cliff.  They had reached their destination, it seemed, but there was no place to go.  The cliff face was steep.  There was no place for a foothold.  And behind them was Dor-ko.

Then arrows started flying.

Cable shouted, "We're doomed!"  Devlin cried out, "Grab your daggers and get ready to fight!"  But Andres remembered the words of Kylus--"You will find out when you get there".  He looked off to the right.  He saw a branch sticking out from the cliff.

On the branch was an owl...the same owl they'd seen before.

Andres shouted, "Follow me!" and ran to the owl.  Without exactly understanding why, he leaped into the air and grabbed the branch.  The owl disappeared.  And as he did so, two rocks separated, creating an opening in the cliff.  The boys dived into the opening.

The rocks slid back.  The boys were hidden in total darkness.  And as they sat there, they could hear arrows pinging against the outside.  Once again, they had escaped just in time.  But what awaited them now?

Chapter 8 - Devlin's Story

Andres freed the boy without uttering a word.  Although he knew he was doing the right thing, he found very little satisfaction from doing so.  After all, this boy was the reason that Cable was still locked up somewhere, his life in danger--if indeed he was still alive.  Without looking at the boy, Andres cut through the ropes and headed back through the woods to the trail.

The boy followed.  Andres subtly tried to pick up the pace and somehow get away from the boy, but it was to no avail.  The boy was always on his heels.  Andres hoped his silence would be sufficient to give the boy the hint that he was not wanted.  But no deterrent seemed to work.  Finally, Andres blurted out, "Why are you following me?"

"Where else am I supposed to go?" the boy replied.

"Go home or something," Andres said.  "Look, you're free now.  Go lure some other kid into a trap that ends up almost killing him."  Andres kept walking.

The boy caught up and put his hand on Andres' shoulder.  "Hey, I'm really sorry about what happened.  You've got to believe me."

This caused Andres to stop.  "Why do I have to believe you?  Here we are in the middle of some woods that I've never seen before, surrounded by who-knows-how-many wolves and other animals that want to eat us, and it's all because you thought it would be so funny to trick us into getting caught by that evil guy with a crooked jaw!"  Andres paused to catch his breath.

The boy replied softly.  "Will you let me explain?  I promise that if you don't want to see me ever again after I explain stuff, then I'll turn around and you'll never see me again.  But please, let me just talk for a minute."

Andres didn't really want to hear anything.  He rather enjoyed silence.  But the prospect of getting rid of the boy was too good to pass up.  "Okay.  Go ahead and talk.  But you'll have to do it while we're walking.  And anyways, what's your name?"

"Devlin.  What's yours?"

"Andres, if you've got to know."

Here was Devlin's story:

"All right, Andres.  You've got to realize something.  That guy that grabbed you and threw you in the cart...he is my master.  I've been pretty much his slave for the last 10 years.  It's been an awful life.

"You see, my very first memory was from 10 years ago, when I was almost 4 years old.  I was playing in the castle, because that's where I lived.  My dad was an advisor to King Maximilian.  See, the king had two advisors--my dad, and another guy named Slumbutter.  Anyone that wanted to see the king personally first had to meet with one of his advisors.  Both my dad and Slumbutter got to live in the castle.

"Well, as I was playing on that day, I smelled a little bit of smoke.  Then my dad came in, along with my mom.  My dad gently grabbed me, pulled me close, and said, 'Look son, I've got to leave for a little bit.  I've got to do something to help the king.'  His voice was calm, but I could tell he was worried.  Then he said, 'Son, you've got to do exactly what your mother asks.  And you've got to be brave.  I promise I'll be back as quickly as I can.'  Then he hugged me and kissed me on the forehead and ran out of the room.

"I never saw him again." 

The boy paused, and--for the first time--Andres turned and looked into his eyes.  He saw a couple of silent tears roll down his cheeks.  Andres' hard heart was melting just a bit.  Then Devlin continued.

"My mom told me that we needed to pack some things and leave the castle for a little while.  She, like my dad, was calm on the outside, but I could tell she was worried on the inside.  The smell of smoke grew stronger as we packed a few things.  Then, as we were preparing to leave our room, there was a pounding on the door.  My mom went to answer it.  She cracked the door open and looked outside.  Then I saw a hand reach into the room, grab her, and pull her out.  The door was slammed, and I was left in the room alone.  I tried to get out, but all the doors were blocked.

"I was left in that room for hours--just 3 years old, and all alone.  Can you imagine that, Andres?"

Andres didn't answer, because he really couldn't imagine it.  Andres was beginning to feel bad for his rude treatment of Devlin.  But whenever Andres felt emotions that he didn't know quite how to handle, he just kept silent.  So the boys kept walking, and Devlin kept talking.

"Finally, after what seemed like forever, Slumbutter came into the room.  Beside him was a tall man with a face that looked all bruised up.  His jaw looked broken.  But no matter how hurt he may have been, he looked scary to me.  Slumbutter turned to him and said, 'Take the boy away.  He is yours.'

"I sceamed, 'What do you mean?'  Slumbutter told me, 'Look boy, you are lucky that I'm letting you even live.  Your father and Prince Dorian had planned to overthrow the king today.  They killed the king, and they planned to make themselves rulers of the Kingdom.  I had to call in the black knights to put down the rebellion.  Your father and Prince Dorian have been slain for their treachery.  Your mother has disappeared.  And you are going to go with Prince Dor-ko.  Do what he says, boy!  Or you'll end up like the rest of your wretched, rebellious family.'  So the tall, scary-looking guy grabbed me and took me away."

Andres had to interrupt.  "Wait a minute!" he said, putting some mental pieces together.  "Do you mean that the man with the crooked jaw is actually Prince Dor-ko?"

"Yes," answered Devlin.  "That's him.  He has one job in life--to find and kill the enemies of King Slumbutter."

Andres gulped.  He was thankful for his escape from Dor-ko's clutches.  But if his job was to kill, why had he let the boys live?  It must have had something to do with the ring.  Andres' mind was racing.

"But anyways," continued Devlin, "from that day on, I went from being a child in a castle to a slave in a shack.  Dor-ko took me outside and threw me into a small building that had been used for the kings dogs.  He told me to stay there till his wife came and got me.  He said that she would tell me what to do.  It was dark.  I crawled into a corner and cried all night.

"At daybreak, a woman came and pulled me out of the shed.  She obviously had no pity.  She said, 'Come and eat, boy.'  She never called me by my name.  But it was just as well.  Her name was Boris, and she was as mean as Dor-ko."

Andres stopped in his tracks.  "Boris?" he asked.  "Her name was 'Boris'?"  Andres welcomed the brief bit of comic relief.  He found it much easier to laugh than to lament.

"Yeah, her name was Boris," said Devlin as they resumed walking.  "It was perfect for her.  I was her slave from that day on, and she always carried a stick to hit me with if I wasn't working hard enough.  I did all the cooking and cleaning and anything else they wanted me to do.  It was kind of like never getting to be a kid.

"But anyways, one day--when I thought no one was looking--I was playing with Boris' cat, whose name was Biff.  I was about 10 years old at the time.  As we were playing, she ran out of the room and went through a doorway that was open for the first time in my memory.  Now I'd been taught to not explore the castle.  But curiosity got the best of me, and I followed the cat through the door.  It led to some stairs which wound down into a dark basement of some sort.

"I soon forgot about the cat and started looking around.  I found myself in a long hallway that was dimly lit by some torches that were set on the wall.  It looked like some kind of dungeon.  At the far end of the hallway, I heard a soft voice crying.  I went down, and peer through some bars into what was a prison cell.  Some light shone into the cell from outside, through a window that was no bigger than a kitten.  As my eyes adjusted, I saw a woman in the corner. 

"I asked, 'Are you okay, lady?  Why are you crying?'

"The lady replied, 'I've not stopped crying for the past 10 years.'

"I said, 'What's the matter?'  And when I asked that, the woman stopped and came over to me.  She put her face close to the prison bars and looked at me.  Her beautiful face shone through the dirt and grime of the prison.  Tears came tumbling out of her eyes and made rows through the dirt on her cheeks.

"And then she said, 'Devlin, you're still alive!'  It was the first time I'd heard my name called in 10 years.  That's when I knew that it was my mom.  She wasn't dead.  She'd just been trapped in this prison.  I never knew that, just underneath where I was working as a slave, my mother had been living in misery.

"We talked for a long time.  She told me that I shouldn't believe anything that Slumbutter said--that he was a liar, and always had been.  She said that Slumbutter had organized the rebellion himself and blamed it on dad.  And if he'd lied about the rebellion, then maybe he'd lied about the king being dead as well.

"I finally kissed her goodbye and promised to come back again.  Oh, how I hated to leave!  I would have preferred a lifetime in prison with her over life in the castle under Slumbutter's rule!  So I climbed back up the stairs.  And who should be waiting for me...but Boris.

"She grabbed me and beat me worse than I'd ever been beaten before.  She said that if I ever went to that dungeon again, she'd throw me in one of the cells and throw away the key and let me rot to death.  And then she said that I wasn't to work in the house any more.  From that point on, I was to be Dor-ko's slave.

"Well, that wasn't so bad.  He was awful, of course, but at least I got to be outside and feed horses and clean stables.  Then, just a few days ago, Dor-ko disappeared for some reason.  And yesterday he came back and said, 'Boy, there are some kids that I want to find.  If you can help me find 'em, I'll let you go see your mother again.'  Then he described what you looked like.  He didn't tell me that he wanted to harm you.  But I guess I should have figured that out.

"So anyway, when I saw you come out of the woods, that's why I smiled.  I thought that my trick would give me a chance to see my mother.

"But I was wrong.  After he threw you in the back of the cart, he told me to get in, too.  I told him that he'd promised I could go back to the castle and see my mom.  He told me to shut up.  During the whole ride down the hill, I begged him to let me go.  Finally, he stopped the cart and dragged me into the woods, with his hand over my mouth so no one could hear me.  Then he tied me to a tree and said, 'If I can't shut you up, then I'll let the wolves do it.'  And he left me there to die. 

Devlin paused at that point.  Andres, after a few moments of silence, said, "All right, Devlin.  I guess we'd better stick together."  They shook hands.  The boys continued their climb up the mountain.

After another hour or so, they heard some sounds off to their right.  Devlin whispered, "Follow me," and Andres followed him off the trail.  They skirted through some woods, and soon found that they were very near the road that they'd come down the day before.  They saw a strange sight--a man on a horse, dragging behind him a boy.  The boy was tied up; only his feet could move.  If he failed to walk, the horse would drag him.  He was obviously a prisoner.

Then the man on the horse--whose face was difficult to see in the darkness--called out, "Where did you throw that ring, boy?  Where?!" 

It was Dor-ko.  Cable was still alive!  Devlin turned and looked at Andres.  They knew that it was time to act.

Chapter 7 - Rescue

Andres was miserable. He had never been more miserable in his entire 10-year life.

Andres was sitting blindfolded in a cell. His hands and feet were tied up, and he was leaning against a wall while sitting on a dirt floor. It was the middle of the night, or so he guessed. When you're blindfolded, pretty much everything looks like the middle of the night.

He was exhausted. His body craved sleep. But he just couldn't relax as he thought through the events of the past 12 hours or so.

After being caught by the man with the crooked jaw, Andres and Cable had been immediately tied up and thrown into the back of the cart that had supposedly been broken down. It took the man about 30 seconds to replace the wheel and begin driving away. The whole thing had been a trap, and they'd walked right into it. Andres fumed when he thought about the boy that had lured him out of the woods. If he ever saw that boy again, well...he'd get back at him!

The man with the crooked jaw had driven the cart down the road. It seemed like they were on the road for hours. And the worst part was, Andres was lying in the middle of a cart full of fruit, yet he could eat none of it. His hands were tied up, so he could only look at it. His stomach growled uncontrollably. It was so loud that the man with the crooked jaw actually heard it. He'd stopped the cart for a moment, jumped in the back, and held a fruit out to Andres' mouth. But when Andres tried to take a bit, the man with the crooked jaw just pulled it away and laughed.

Andres had hoped that they'd be led to a city, where they could perhaps cry for help. But they never came to a city, or even a small village. Instead, they came to some remote farmhouse located just off the road. As they pulled up, the man with the crooked jaw went up to Cable and said, "So tell me, boy...where is the ring?" To Andres' total astonishment, Cable had replied, "Mister, I really don't know what you're talking about." The man slapped Cable across the face with the back of his hand.

In that moment, in Andres' young mind, Cable was nothing short of a hero. He had the ring around his neck, yet he remembered that his job was to guard it--with his life, if necessary. And so he'd kept the secret. And despite getting slapped, he remained firm. What a brother!

At that point, the man with the crooked jaw took the boys' satchels. They then were led off and put into separate rooms. That's when things had gotten really miserable.

When Andres got to his tiny little cell, his hands were untied. A shiny red apple lay in the middle of the floor. Andres grabbed the apple and, without hesitation, sank his teeth into it. Yet while the outside was crisp and fresh, the inside was completely rotten. Andres grimaced and spit out his bite on the floor. The man with the crooked jaw laughed--a dreadful, evil laugh. He then tied Andres back up, blindfolded him, and threw him on the floor. He locked the door and walked away.

Andres hated being alone. It was perhaps his worst fear. He couldn't help crying a little bit, but he knew it wouldn't do him any good. No one would hear. No one cared.

After about an hour, the door to Andres' cell opened. The man with the crooked jaw came in and yanked off his blindfold. He stooped down to look in Andres' eyes. He asked, "Tell me, boy...WHERE IS THE RING?" When Andres heard the question, he was more proud than ever of Cable. Obviously, Cable still hadn't said anything about the ring. Well, Andres thought to himself, if Cable can keep a secret, then I can to. So Andres had replied, "Mister, I'm afraid I can't help you."

This earned him a slap across the face as well. It hurt tremendously--his nose started to bleed from the blow, and a ring on the man's finger had opened up a cut on Andres face. But Andres saw the man secretly shake his hand in pain. Andres knew that his head was just as hard as the man's hand! Some day, that dumb man would learn to stop striking Andres on the head! The man, still shaking his hand, replaced the blindfold and left the room.

Every hour or so after that point, the man had returned to ask the same question and administer the same slap. The only way Andres could keep track of time was by looking for any sunlight during the 30 seconds or so during which the blindfold was removed. Once night fell, the beatings seemed to subside for awhile. But Andres had remained fearful.

So here was Andres, alone in his cell in the black of night, reflecting on his utterly miserable condition. And then he heard footsteps approach again. He heard the man pull back the bolt and open the door. He felt the hands grasp his blindfold and yank it off. He prepared for the question he dreaded and for the painful slap that would inevitably follow. He couldn't bear to open his eyes.

But instead, he heard a voice...a familiar voice. It said, "Open your eyes, Andres. Take and eat." At first, Andres refused. Once he got into a habit of disobeying someone, it was hard for him to break it. But he again heard the same gentle voice. "Open your eyes, Andres. Take and eat."

When Andres opened his eyes, he saw a hooded man in front of him. He squinted to try and get a look at his face. But the light was not good enough; all he could see was the hooded man's eyes. However, that was enough. He recognized the eyes of the man that had befriended them the night before. As this realization slowly dawned on him, Andres took the apple. The bite filled him with a warmth and hope that surprised him, and encouraged him. Within 30 seconds, he devoured the rest of it.

Once the apple was finished and the core tossed on the ground, the man spoke again. "Andres, here is your satchel. I'm giving you Cable's as well. Take out the dagger, for you will need it. You must run, without delay, in the direction to which I will point you. If you do not turn to the right or to the left, you will come to a trail. I have created this trail for you, Andres--that is what I was doing yesterday, when you first saw me. Follow this trail, but keep your eyes open. Someone desperately needs your help. Now go! Your journey to the hermit has resumed, and this time you must not fail!"

"Is Cable okay?" Andres asked.

"Son, this is no time to ask questions. This is the time to act. Go!" ordered the hooded man. So Andres grabbed his dagger, threw the two satchels over his shoulder, and ran in the direction that the hooded man had designated. He figured that he was going so fast, he might have been able to beat Cable.

The trail was steep, much to Andres' disappointment. Why was nothing easy on this journey? But he pressed on, fearful that the man with the crooked jaw would discover his absence and chase him down. That fear lent wings to his feet. And as he climbed higher, the air grew clearer. He was excited to resume his quest. He just hoped that he'd run into Cable soon.

Though it was night, the nearly-full moon still cast a glow on the trail and illuminated Andres' path. Andres kept looking around for Cable. Occasionally, he'd call out Cable's name. After one such call, he heard a reply. "Help me!" cried out a boy's voice from the woods. "I'm surrounded by wolves! Help me!"

Andres immediately recognized the voice. It was the voice of the boy that had lured him out of the woods yesterday! Andres answered, "Serves you right!" and started to resume his trek. But the voice called out again. "Please, save me! Please!"

Andres then remembered the words of the hooded man. He'd said that someone would need his help. He had not said that it would be Cable. And if the hooded man had set him free, then the least he could do was to release someone else. If Andres had learned anything from the hooded man, it was that freeing people was important whether they deserved it or not.

So Andres left the trail and ventured into the woods. The cries picked up in intensity--"Help! Help!" And as Andres got closer, he started to hear the panting of the wolves. He came to a slight clearing, and as he looked, the moon cast its light on a boy, lashed to a tree and circled by three wolves. Andres fought off his first instinct to run. Instead, he held his dagger high in the air and charged at the wolves and cried out, "Away! Away! In the name of King Maximilian of Aberdeen, get away!" He wasn't sure exactly why he said that. What did a dead king have to do with anything? But he figured that a mighty task like chasing wolves called for special eloquence. And that was the best he could do.

To his surprise--and great relief--the wolves fled. Instead of using his dagger to stab wolves, he used it to set the boy free. And the strange adventure continued.

Chapter 6 - Journey to the Hermit

The boys had been spellbound by Kylus' tale.  As Kylus paused, a deafening silence overtook the cave.  Finally, Andres spoke up.  "So, how did you find us?" he asked.

Kylus became agitated and started pacing around some more.  "If you would stop interrupting me, I would get to that!" he muttered.  Andres turned to Cable and silently mouthed the words, "What did I do?"  Cable just shrugged and turned once again toward Kylus.

"After I reached this portion of the cave," the hairy man continued, "I saw a glimmer of light.  I followed the shaft of light and found a small opening to the outside.  I immediately crawled out, relieved at being able to breathe fresh air.  For awhile, I'd wondered if I'd ever make it outside again.

"After catching my bearings and realized where I was, I headed back to the woods where I had been hunting just a few hours earlier.  I felt bad about having left the elk lying dead on the forest floor.  So I snuck back through the woods, found the body, and dragged him back to this cave.  It took hours, for the elk was heavy, and the woods were teeming with black knights.  But the more of those rogues that I saw, the more determined I became to get the elk back to my hideout.  I would not leave the beast for those villains to devour!

"Finally, I reached the cave.  I made the opening larger, dragged the elk in, and then pulled some brush over the opening to conceal it.  Well, the next day or two was spent dressing the elk and drying the meat.  I lived off the meat of that elk for a month.  I didn't dare to hunt again, for I could constantly hear people walking through the woods, as though searching for me.  But after a few weeks, it seemed as though they gave up looking.

"Do you see those bones in the corner?" Kylus asked, turning back toward the boys.  "Well, that is the elk.  His name is Ralph.  He's been my only company all these years.  Haven't you, Ralph?"  At this point, Kylus went over and patted the elk's skull.  Cable shook his head; Andres chuckled inside.

"Ever since that time, I have wandered through these woods, watching," Kylus continued, pulling himself away from Ralph.  "Well, last night, I laid down to sleep, but my soul was agitated.  I couldn't relax.  So I went outside and gazed at the stars.  The full moon was out; it was a beautiful night.  I decided that I'd go hunting.

"But as I was heading out, a flap of wings startled me.  I looked up and--for the first time in 10 years--I saw the owl.  There was no doubt; it was the same owl that had led me to the trap door in the castle.  As I stared, it slowly rose through the air and headed down toward the river.  I figured I should follow.  Perhaps this was the moment I'd been prepared for all these years!  I reached the riverbank after a five-minute walk.  And there you lay, gasping for air.  Not only that, but a stranger in a canoe was pursuing you!  I didn't know who it was, so I fired a couple of arrows toward him, just to scare him a bit.  He changed course, and I dragged you up to the cave."

The boys marveled as they heard Kylus conclude his tale.  Could it have been the same owl that had guided them down the river?  Cable asked, "So mister, how did we get to the riverbank?  The last thing I can remember, we were about to tumble over the waterfall."

Kylus replied, "I don't know, son.  I don't know how you got there.  This is strange, very strange.  The wolves howling, the man pursuing...I just don't understand it."  He paused and turned toward the bones.  "What do you make of it, Ralph?"

The elk remained silent.  Kylus nodded.

At this point, Cable grabbed the ring that was dangling around his neck and showed it to Kylus.  "Do you think it has something to do with this?" he asked.

Kylus peered intently at the ring.  He grasped it gingerly and looked at it from every possible angle.  "Could it be?" he turned to the bones and asked.  Ralph was still silent.

"Could it be what?" Cable asked.

"Well...if it is what I think it is, you are in great danger."  Kylus walked over to the mouth of the cave and listened.  "Listen," he said at last, "while it is still somewhat dark, it is important that you leave.  The stranger is still pursuing you.  If you stay here, I fear that you--and I--may be found.  Already, I hear a stirring among the birds.  A search party will soon be sent.  You must go!"

"Go where?" asked Andres, feeling suddenly a bit nervous.

"You must go see The Hermit," Kylus replied.  "He will explain everything.  I could tell you more, much more, but there is no time.  Here, grab your satchels and follow me."

The boys did as Kylus said.  As they came to the mouth of the cave, Kylus turned to them and gave them some parting instructions.  "As you leave this cave, turn to the left.  In a few yards, you will come out to an open field.  You must run across this field as though your life depends up on it...for it does!  At the far end of the field, you will see a towering fir tree.  This marks the start of a trail.  If you stay on this trail, you will be safe.  It is narrow and, in some cases, a little hard to follow.  But you will be safe, for Slumbutter's henchmen have not yet discovered it."

"Who is Slumbutter?" asked Cable, who was the master of asking questions in order to delay having to do something he really didn't feel like doing.

Kylus growled.  "There is no time for questions!" he declared.  But relenting a bit, he continued.  "He's the wicked king of this realm.  At least, he calls himself 'king'.  But he's a thug, as is his right-hand man, Prince Dor-ko.  They rule the Kingdom of Aberdeen with an iron fist.  If I'm right, my guess is that part of your job is to help restore the rightful king to this land...whoever that might be.  But off you go!

"Oh, and one more thing...as you follow the trail, after while you'll notice a road lying off to your left.  Do not go to the road!  If someone needs help--if they really need help--then you may lend a hand.  But other than that, stay away!  The trail will be your guide.  It will wind high into the mountains.  When the trail reaches its peak, you will find yourself at the foot of a cliff.  The Hermit dwells atop the cliff.  That is where you must go."

"How will we get up the cliff?" asked Cable.

"You will find out when you get there.  No one ever finds out until they get there.  Just remember--beware of the road.  And never choose the easier path over the more difficult one. 

"Now, on your way.  The open field is visible to the enemy, but hopefully he sleeps and you will be safe.  I would go with you, but my calling is to watch, not to guide.  So run!  Who knows if all of Aberdeen has awaited your arrival?"

With those words implanted in their ears, the boys emerged out of the cave.  The sun had not yet risen, though the full moon still shone.  The boys turned to the left and ran.  They broke into the open field, fixed the fir tree in their sights, and raced across the open field.  In some ways, this was not unusual--the boys raced wherever they went, and Cable usually won.  This time was not different, except that this time, they really didn't care who won.  They just didn't want to get killed by an arrow flung from an unseen enemy.

The boys soon reached the tree, apparently without incident.  They found the trail and resumed their strange journey.  The boys moved quickly at first.  As the sun rose, a towering cliff was visible in the distance.  They immediately recognized it as their goal, and they pressed on with vigor.

As the hours wore on, the trail grew steeper, and the boys grew weary.  They eventually saw the road off to their left, and they made every effort to conceal themselves from the people and animals that walked on it.  But secretly, they wished they could dash over to the road and catch a ride on one of the horse-drawn wagons.  They could see people munching on fruit, and it made their own hunger all the more unbearable.

Eventually, in the late afternoon, they came to a fork in the trail.  One leg continued upward, while the other descended downward.  Andres looked down longingly.  He was tired of going up.  "Hey Cable," he said, "why don't we head down this trail just a little bit.  Maybe there is an apple tree or something.  I'm starved."

Before Cable could chastise his brother for wanting to choose the easier route, they heard footsteps.  A man came around the corner of the trail, a hood drawn tightly over his head.  The boys were startled--it was the first person they had encountered on the trail all day.  Andres reached into his satchel and pulled out a coin.  "Excuse me, sir," he said, offering the coin.  "Do you happen to have any food we could buy?  My brother and I are about to die of hunger."

The hooded man paused and looked at the coin.  Andres tried to see his face, but could only see his eyes.  His eyes seemed to sparkle.  "Well," he said at last, "you don't look like you're starving.  But it's easy to work up an appetite here in the mountains."  He reached into his pockets, pulling out the reddest, shiniest apples the boys had ever seen.  "Keep your money, my friend.  Take and eat."

Andres sunk his teeth into the apple without another thought.  The more cautious Cable paused for a moment before eating, as though waiting to see if Andres would keel over from poisoning.  When he seemed assured that Andres would be all right, he too grabbed an apple and ate.  It was the juiciest apple he had ever eaten.  They couldn't have imagined a more refreshing morsel of food.  After having eaten just one, they felt completely refreshed.

The hooded man took his walking stick and snapped in in half over his knee.  He handed each half to one of the boys.  "You'll find that these will make your journey easier," he said.  "Now, let's be going."

"Where are you going?" asked Cable.

"I'm going to find my son," said the hooded man.  He then grew silent, and the boys asked no more questions.

After perhaps two more miles of hiking through the mountains, the hooded man suggested that they pull into a clearing and rest.  The boys felt assured in the man's presence, as though they hadn't a care in the world.  They fell asleep immediately.

When they awoke the next morning, the hooded man was gone.

As the boys continued on their journey, hunger gnawed at their stomachs once again.  Suddenly they heard a cry coming from the nearby road.  "Help!  My cart is broken down!" the voice called out.

"Let's go help him," Andres whispered.  "Kylus said we could help someone if they needed it."

"I think we'd better just go," Cable replied.

But Andres would not be deterred.  He left the trail and walked quietly through the woods toward the road.  When his view was clear, he could see a cart loaded with fruit on the side of the road.  A wheel had fallen off.  A boy was trying, in utter futility, to replace it.

Andres couldn't get his eyes off the fruit.  It didn't look quite as red and shiny as the hooded man's fruit.  But it still looked good.  And he was hungrier now than he was when he'd met the hooded man.  Unable to resist--and not wanting to resist--he burst out of the woods.  "Can I help?" he asked.

Cable, unwilling to let his brother go out alone, followed him.

The boy seemed startled, then smiled.  Andres thought this was a strange reaction.  But then he looked up.

On the other side of the cart, a man stood up.  He was a tall man, and his jaw stuck out to the right.  He said nothing; his sneer said enough.  The boys gasped.  The stranger who had come to their village had found them.