Aeronwyn and Keri had run through the night until the chanced upon a shallow stream. At the stream, Aeronwyn had walked across with Keri then twenty paces after exiting the stream where the ground was hard again, she said "Stop now. Keri, as carefully as you can, heel first, walk backwards in your own footprints until you are in the stream again." Keri was puzzled but did as Aeronwyn asked. Aeronwyn followed suit and when they were back in the stream led Keri upstream for an hour.
Finding a place where the bank of the stream was rocky, Aeronwyn led them out on the same side of the stream they had first entered. Keri was freezing, her feet blue from the cold mountain water. "I am sorry Keri. A few minutes more and we can rest." Aeronwyn forced them to move until she spied a large outcropping. As soon as they were on the rocky floor she said, "Let's rest." Keri collapsed, exhausted.
Aeronwyn took Keri's feet, removed her boots and applied some healing magic. Within a few minutes, the colour had returned and Keri, grateful but exhausted, fell asleep on the stone. Aeronwyn looked down at the young woman and smiled. She is doing so well. This must be very hard on her. Aeronwyn rubbed her own feet warm then eliminated the mage light. Although it was dark, the rocky outcropping was open to the sky and the full moon shone down. As Aeronwyn's eyes adjusted, she realized that she could see quite well.
Off in the distance the fire they had started could just be seen as a faint flicker of red light. They had climbed quite a ways as they pushed upstream and Aeronwyn was able to see down into the forest. Only the outline of the trees were visible in the moonlight but she could see the cliff face they had climbed down in the distance. Such a short way with all that effort. It would be good to know what our pursuers are up to but hopefully my little backtracking will throw them off our trail for a while. Aeronwyn knew that most people who tried to lose pursuers in water went downstream. It was easier and often the direction they were headed anyway. By heading upstream, Aeronwyn hoped to gain them as much as a day.
Satisfied that they were as safe as they could be, Aeronwyn chanced getting a few hours sleep herself. She lay her pack down as a pillow and stared up at the stars until she drifted off.
"She doesn't care. Look at her, running all over the world trying to save everyone. As if she could! Chosen one? I didn't choose her!" The being that spoke was a giant, naked except for a loin cloth, he carried a staff illuminated by three stars that circled it at the top. His beard was silver, braided with gold speckles and reached down to the middle of his chest. Aeronwyn thought him the most beautiful man she had ever seen. The disappointment in his face and voice made her want to cry out but she found she couldn't speak.
Another voice answered his. "She has no plan, it's true. We have waited all these thousands of years. What cost a few more? And you did so choose her, don't deny it now. She is our only hope." The voice spoke and it was as if a hundred wind chimes were going off all at once. The music in the voice was glorious. Aeronwyn moved her head so she could see the speaker. Like the first being he was magnificent and tall but this one looked young and cheerful. On his head was a wreath of gold and silver with stones set that Aeronwyn couldn't decide if they were diamonds or more stars.
"You can hear us, can't you Great Lady Rhiannon?" The third speaker was a woman who Aeronwyn immediately recognized from the likeness in the temple. Althene nodded. "Yes, it is Althene. Thank you for caring for my little priestess. She is the first one I have chosen to serve me since the cataclysm. I have...aided her although she doesn't know it yet. Rhiannon, we yearn to be free. You must complete your task."
