Aquitain couldsee a look of disbelief on the face of Navarro but also a look ofwide-eyed surprise on the face of the guide Gizel.
‘I can’t believe that. How did they detect the Mentarinspirits, they’re invisible and how were they driven away. It soundsas farfetched as your other stories.’
‘Perhaps you should ask this young woman with you. I think shehas heard something of what has happened.’
‘He may be telling the truth.’ said Gizel.
‘Yesterday I was with Rosanllea when a Trixie was brought toher to tell a tale. He said the night before the ball the skyturned red from horizon to horizon portending a great event. Hetold her the legendary Warden of Moonmist was reborn as a smallgreen statue. The Warden woke the Dragon throne which had beensilent for an age and brought the Royal Healer Yllandril back fromthe dead.’
‘The following night at the Spring Ball, the Queen was killedin one of the Lords’ games. A great druid Queen, a Trixie friendcalled Dragonfly contested the throne but was turned to stoneduring the contest. Many Elendari and Trixies fled that night andthe following day including the Trixie that told us the story, asthey were afraid of what might happen.’
‘Good grief!’ said Navarro. ‘You mean it’s true! But ... butthat’s incredible and I suppose you’re that Warden?’
‘Yes.’ replied Aquitain. ‘and the cat creature there holds thespirit of Moonbeam who is the druid Queen Miranda also known asDragonfly who challenged for the throne of Moonmist.’
‘I am?’ replied Moonbeam quite surprised.
‘Then I am really a princess!’ said Tigerlillyexcitedly.
‘Yes you are.’ replied Aquitain.
‘Now will you please release Moonbeam to me.’
‘Does the Moonmist Collective exist? asked Gizel becomingquite excited as well.
‘Yes.’ replied Aquitain. ‘I have talked with it.’
‘Oh. By all the Powers. You’re saying that it’s true.’ statedGizel amazed.
‘What do they look like?’ she asked.
‘They are a collective of all the spirits of the people thathave died on Moonmist. They communicate using singing crystals.’ hereplied.
‘Do you know of them?’
‘Yes! Yes there is a legend of their existence.’ she repliedexcitedly.
‘No one believes they exist and you have met them. Oh By allthe Powers. It’s true Navarro he is a Warden returned to us to helpus against the Mentarin.’
‘He’s fooling you Gizel. He must be!’ repliedNavarro.
‘I will stand aside but only if Moonmist wishes to go withyou.’
Tigerlillyremoved the hardened air barrier and Moonbeam grabbed the flowerand kissed it.
‘Yes. I know this flower.’ she said and ran over to Aquitainhugging into Aquitain’s big stony body and returning the flowerwhich changed to a golden snake found its way to his neck andreformed as a collar.
‘Yes it is just as I remember in the dream when you saved mefrom the rats.’ she said.
Aquitain shapechanged back to his Miranda body form as he thought that it mightbe less frightening.
‘Good. Now all of you please listen carefully and don’t beafraid. I’m going to create a dome over us for protection andprivacy.’ he stated loudly.
He formed alarge hardened air dome 10 paces across and turned its outer sideblack and its inner side glowed with white light. He created abench out of hardened air for Navarro and Gazel to sit on. Navarrowas certainly impressed but Gizel was almost in a state of ecstasyas if she was in the presence of a god.
The Felynxcontaining Miranda’s spirit suddenly kneeled facing Aquitain andusing mind speech that only he could hear began talking.
‘Greeting, Lord Aquitain, I know that you can see my Mentarinspirit in this Felynx body with the Princess Miranda’s spirit. I amthe one that guided you to find her in the dream world. I am alsothe one that guided you here to find her. I know that you can killMentarin in spirit form so I am at a great disadvantage. Pleasehear me out before you take any further actions.‘
‘Okay you have my attention Mentarin.’ said Aquitain ratherinterested to hear what it had to say.
‘My name is Katarina. I was a mind wizard like you. Myspecialty was weather. I was hired to create rain or storms or stopthem but that’s a long time ago. I was also a tutor of Mirandabefore she became a druid. So I have kept an active interest inher. When you released Lord Granite you really created a lot ofenemies. I am a friend of Miranda’s and not one of yourenemies.’
‘You may or may not know that your actions have caused theMentarin to split into two factions. One that favours Lord Borse,the founder and leader of the Mentarin and one who likes to callhimself the Dark Lord who was Lord Borse’s second in command whohas now rebelled against Lord Borse.’
‘The Dark Lord suspects that your mission involves finding andreleasing Lord K’wala which could well lead to the release of LordBorse. He would prefer that Lord Borse is not released and washolding Miranda as a hostage to prevent you from continuing yourmission.’
‘I am on the faction that would like to see Lord Borsereleased consequently I have helped her escape and have deliveredher to you.’
‘I heard that you vanquished that hideous monster Schlum. Youhave gained much admiration among the Mentarin for that feat as itwas widely disliked. I also see that you have saved PrincessMiranda’s body for her and from that I can see you are anhonourable man.’
‘May I have the honour of returning Princess Miranda’s spiritto her body. I’m sure you need no help to tend to your ownspirit.’
Aquitain formeda my link with Moonbeam and asked her whether she could confirmthat Katarina was her tutor only to discover that much of hermemory had been blocked and she was very confused.
Katarina spokeagain.
‘Unfortunately, the Dark Lord had a session with PrincessMiranda before I was able to arrange for her escape. I believe hemay have blocked her memories. He has done that
