The Legend of the Seeker: Trinity

Chapter One: Marked

A statue of Darken Rahl stands in a town square; there is a rope around his neck. The crowd is loud and cheering.

"Bring him down!" A woman shouts.

Another rope is thrown around the neck of the statue as people around cheer. The ropes tighten as the men pull on the statue. Women with a child in her arms smile as they watch the statue of the tyrant topple and break on the ground, the crowd cheers in celebration around them.

"Never forget this day Rachel. Tell your grandchildren that you were there when the word came that the great Darken Rahl was gone forever." The woman tells her daughter.

"Where did he go?" The child asked.

"Thanks to the Seeker that monster is dead and rotting for all eternity in the Underworld." The woman smile at her daughter.

Darken Rahl wakes up on the ground. There is green light all about him as he takes in his surroundings. People lay naked writhing and moaning in pain.

"Kneel before the Keeper." A deep voice says.

Rahl quickly flips onto his belly pressing his face into the dirt.

"Forgive me Master. I have failed you." He mutters into the ground.

"No, you have succeeded. Exactly as I intended."

Darken Rahl lift his head up. "My lord?"

"And now you will help me expand my dominion to the world above."

"Yes Keeper." Rahl smiles. "But I must warn you, there is one who will stand in your way; as he stood in mine."

"There is no escape from death. Even the Seeker will belong to me."

"To the seeker!" A man says raising his goblet.

"To the seeker!" Everyone says, raising their goblets as well.

Richard, Kahlan and Zedd all watch on with smiles as they raise their goblets. The crowd quiets as the children sing.

"When shadows long o'er take the day and evil doth enslave us."

Richard leans over to Zedd keeping his voice low. "This is flattering, but we should get on the road soon. If we leave now we can put six leagues before the moon goes down."

Zedd takes his gaze from Richard and looks out over the crowd. "And offend our hosts?"

"Kingdoms fall The Seeker then shall."

"The tyrant's only been dead a week. Savor each victor Richard, as though it were a juicy leg of mutton." Zedd picks up a piece of mutton with the tip of a knife. "You never know when it'll be your last."

"Well that's encouraging." Richard says as Kahlan smiles at him.

The children finish their song and the crowd applauds them. Richard and Kahlan also clap and smile. A young girl walks over to them, Kahlan gives her a hug.

"That was lovely." Kahlan says.

"Rachel. Come." Zedd hold his hand out to her. He laughs as he sets Rachel on his lap. "Sit child."

"Are you going to stay here with us?" she asked. "It's nice here."

Her mother; Mather watches with a smile on her face.

"I wish we could." Zedd says. "But Richard and I need to see Kahlan safely to Aydindril."

"Why are you going there?"

"That's where the Mother Confessor presides." Richard answers as he smiles at Kahlan.

Martha smile at them. "The Midlands under the rule of law and justice." She reaches her hand out to Kahlan who takes it. "I never thought I'd live to see the day."