The Lost World
Fanfic Season Six
Disclaimer: The Lost World doesn't belong to me, which is too bad, because
the losers who started it didn't even finish it! Boo! Of course, they
started it, so I really shouldn't complain. It also really belongs to Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle, but I don't give him much credit, because he wrote it
all wrong - no MK, what was he thinking? No time travel, no lizard people,
no sex scenes in the river, no human eating plants. Come on, Doyle, that
just isn't how you do it!
I'm joking guys, don't get mad at me.
Anyway, this is just my interpretation of how the story should end. Each
chapter is a separate episode, so there should be about thirteen pretty
long chapters, but I'm not sure yet.
The only thing that belongs to me is the language. No borrowing, please
;).
*************************************************************
Episode 1: Journey to Avalon
"Is this what I'm supposed to do, Mother?" Veronica pleaded. "Am I
saving the plateau or destroying it? Help me, Mother!" And with that, the
entire plateau collapsed onto itself. All that was left was one tiny point
of light. It sizzled and sparked. Had anyone been there to see it, it
might have seemed to pulse, but only enough to be dismissed as imagination.
But as it pulsed, it grew. From the center of the metal spiral,
lightning struck, a tiny hurricane growing larger with each moment.
The plateau was reformed, tree house first, the pendant in Veronica's
hand sent out a few more sparks and then calmed. Finn sprawled on the
floor of the tree house, a few feet away from the center of the plateau,
mumbled incoherently and stirred awake.
She hurt all over, and the daylight was glaring. She opened her eyes
reluctantly. "Vee!" she cried, rushing to Veronica, who was knocked out
cold."
"Mm?" Veronica responded, coming to.
"You saved the plateau!" Finn caught Veronica in a choking hug..
"Ooof!! How? What did I do?"
"I dunno. Who cares!?"
"Finn, we don't know what was wrong with the plateau before, and we
don't know what happened just now. For all we know, those time
fluctuations are still out there!"
Yeah, you're right," Finn conceded. She looked out the window.
"Nope, all good."
Veronica rolled her eyes and laughed a little. "Come on, we better
find the others."
******************************************
The woods around John were empty now, no conquistadors in sight No
ripples in time, either. A pteradon flew overhead.
"Never thought I'd be glad to see that. I must be in the right
time." He looked around. He was alone. "Marguerite! Marguerite!" There
was no answer. He began walking in the direction he had last seen her.
******************************************
"Noooooooooooooo!" Marguerite opened her eyes and realized that she
was struggling against nothing and screaming for no reason. She looked
around, unbelieving. No more Druids. She was lying uninhindered on the
sacrificial table. She rolled off of it immediately. "I must be back in
the right time. Of course, the cave should be gone, John blew it to
smithereens So I'm in another time with something worse, knowing my
luck." She walked around the cave, cautiously, not wanting to cause a
geologic shift. She knew this place too well. "John?" She had intended
to shout, but it sounded more like a whimper. "John?" A thought occurred
to her. She walked to the place where she had seen the body last time she
was here, the one she had become convinced was her own. She had to see.
She looked inside the tomb. The body was still there. Marguerite
registered dimly that the body was about the same age as it had been when
she was trapped in there with Roxton. Then she noticed something she
hadn't before. A scroll. It looked ancient. Hmm, she was pretty sure
that hadn't been there the last time. Marguerite was here. Hopefully she
wasn't in the future. Finn's description of New Amazonia came to mind.
She wasn't sure what exactly "totally pukeable" meant, but the look on her
face as she said it told enough. Marguerite unrolled the scroll.
Yi esara ai Feli Bladri. Yi cajeara davici lal perp ya tribri finacal straera. Si se enyariarel propagera dep ai ankhi kital, quep esarel yai ankhi. Ai feli bladi finacal fanakaraa inep ai Huerni dep Sacari, quep faukarela ap ai taholi quep haniaudie febralie esarele comp sie parasiarele esera. Ai feli dinoarela, sep ai Ecsbosi Wiskri buyarela. Aie Decesie deltafarelae ap Avalon, ai Ecsbosi Wiskri., ai Feli Bladi, ai Claisei, ai Serpbliei, ai Fantomi, ai Amaseiei, sep ai Sacaiei.
Marguerite groaned. Just because she could figure out bizarre and cryptic languages didn't mean it was her favorite hobby. Still, she spread it out on the table and set to work, remembering happier things that had happened in this same place. Hmmm. Much happier things. Marguerite focused on the parchment. The only word she recognized was Avalon, the place that Veronica's mother had fled to. Alright, the word next to that, ap, had to be something in relation to a place. "In," "At," "From, or "To." Maybe "Near." Well, it was a start. After wading through the strange words for several hours, mind blurred, and unable to work, she fell asleep over the table, head slouched in her arms. And a woman came to her in her sleep and showed her the way. Her melodic voice whispered the words, no more substantial than a breeze in the strange language, but Marguerite understood every word, not knowing how. "I am the chosen one. I placed this scroll for my again - child (Marguerite understood this to mean reincarnate, though how, she could not tell.) One may know her by the sacred mark that is my mark. The new chosen one will awaken in the House of Love, that has re - arisen at the moment that all things are as they should be. The chosen one will understand, and the Lost Father will return. The Seven will journey to Avalon, the Lost Father, the Chosen One, the Warrior, the Protector, the Gateway, the Prophesier, and the Magician." Marguerite, in that twilight state between asleep and awake, fumbled for something to write with, but when she looked at the parchment again, the words were as clear as if they were written in English, though she could plainly tell that they were not. A word reached out to her from another time, heard with the same musical intonations she had heard in her dream. "Lingdacaj'hal." The name of that strange tongue. A language she had never heard of, let alone learned, in this life. And she had learned just about every language there was to learn. She laughed a humorless laugh. What was she thinking, that was in the regular world, not this Godforsaken plateau. ************************************ So far, Veronica and Finn hadn't encountered any of those strange ripples in time. Good thing, Finn thought, If I never see New Amazonia again, I'll be happy. Beside her, Veronica was having much the same thought. She could deal with dinosaurs and apemen, but slavers, never again. Armed with only their knives and crossbow, the two plateau natives trekked in the direction of Challenger's footprints. "George!" "Hey, Professor!" No answer. "Professor Challenger!" Veronica tried again. Some distance to their right, they heard a small groan. Challenger was on the jungle floor, bruised up pretty badly. "Relax, George, you're going to be fine," Veronica told him in her most reassuring voice. "Just a bump." "As long as you don't think you're a fisherman again," Finn concurred. George smiled up at the two. "Can you walk okay?" Veronica asked. George tried his legs. "Good as new." "Good. We better find the others." Finn grinned. "Three down, two to go." Veronica suddenly seemed troubled. "No." Her gaze was clouded and she seemed far away. "No, what, child?" Challenger's face showed concern. "Not two. I don't know, but not two. Something tells me there's more to it than that." "Vee, you are seriously weirding me out." Veronica shook it off. "I'm sure it's nothing." Challenger said nothing, he didn't want to disturb Finn, but he was sure there was more to it than that. Veronica still looked dazed. He would not press the issue. "Let's find Marguerite and Roxton." ********************************************** Lord Roxton's voice was getting sore, but he kept shouting. "Marguerite!" He called again. He paused, pensive, looking around. He knew this place. He'd been here recently. This was the pit where Challenger searched for specimens. Where Marguerite had gotten sidetracked, as usual, by the possibility of finding gems. This was the cave. But that couldn't be right. There shouldn't be any cave. It was gone. Roxton cursed under his breath. This couldn't be the right time. But then he heard a sound that made him completely forget the time warp problem (AN: It's just a jump to the left.). "John?" "Marguerite!" Her voice was coming from inside the cave. Before he knew what he was doing, he was in the cave and the most beautiful sight he could have imagined was standing before him. Marguerite Krux, alive and unscathed. "John!" She ran to him and kissed him warmly, and for just that moment, the worries of the plateau were lost. She brushed his face gently with her hand. "Are you alright?" When he'd confirmed that he was, she kissed him again, very briefly this time. When she drew back her face was serious, and etched with something Roxton couldn't recognize. "You need to see something." "Why is this cave still here?" "I'll show you." She yanked his arm and practically dragged him into the cave. She took him straight to the table in the center of the room. John smiled. "I remember this place very well. Right here, as I recall." He pointed to a soft spot on the ground. "Not now, Roxton, this is serious." John's face registered hurt, but Marguerite was examining the scroll closely, not paying attention to anything else. "I thought that was, too," John said quietly. She either didn't hear or didn't give any note. "This scroll talks about the Seven." "But what does it say about the cave? Does it explain what time we're in?" "It says the House of Love will be restored. That's this place." "Well, that I understand." He leaned to kiss her, but she ignored him. John squinted at the ancient text. "What language is it?" "Lingdacaj'hal." "Never heard of it," John commented. "Nether have I. I found this with that body. The one with my birthmark." John started to protest, but she continued. "When the Druids tried to kill me, they said I had to die because I was the Chosen One. Obviously, they mistook me for her. The scroll says that the reincarnation of the Chosen One will be know by the sacred mark, her mark." "Marguerite, you're scaring me. What are you saying?" "I know it sounds crazy, but I think I'm the Chosen One." "Marguerite-" "Don't get jealous, we're all in here." "My name is in there?" "No, but it talks about the journey to Avalon." John frowned thoughtfully. "Isn't that where Veronica's mother is?" "That's right. Veronica's here - the Protector. That's what they called her, the protector of the plateau. It says the Seven will journey to Avalon." "But there aren't seven of us." "There will be. I don't know how, I don't know why, but there will be." Her eyes had the same glazed look as Veronica's. "And we're in the wrong time," Roxton pointed out. "This cave shouldn't be here." "No, we're in the right time. It says here that at the right moment, when everything is as it should be, the House of Love will be restored. That's this place. That's when we will journey to Avalon." "Which one am I?" "Ai Claisei, the Warrior." "How do you know that?" John was puzzled, but somehow, this sort of thing on the plateau, just made sense. "I'm not sure, I just do. I know that the function of the Warrior in our quest is to protect the Chosen One, keep her safe." She fell into his shoulder. "You are my Warrior." Roxton wrapped his arm around Marguerite, and with his other hand, stashed the parchment into his satchel. They left the cave. Voices. Voices calling them by name. Veronica's voice. They were at the cave. Challenger, Veronica, and Finn hurried toward Marguerite and Roxton. Marguerite swiftly detached herself from Roxton's grasp. "Are you both alright?" "We're fine," Marguerite answered for both of them. Challenger looked to Roxton for confirmation. There was a stone in Roxton's voice. "Just fine." "Hey, didn't this cave blow up?" Finn asked. "It's a long story," Marguerite said. But we are in the right time." "The important thing is, we're all together," Challenger said with as much cheer as he could muster. Lord Roxton looked to the sky. "We should make camp for the night." Challenger nodded. "Agreed. We can head back to the treehouse tomorrow." "No," Marguerite interjected. "We can't. The plateau is still in danger. We're still in danger. We must go to Avalon." "Avalon? Marguerite, what are you talking about?" Veronica asked. "I found this scroll in the cave. It says that when things are as they should be, and the Hou. . . that cave stands again. It names us specifically. It says we must go to Avalon. Us and two others. I don't know who." "Marg, don't be ridiculous," Finn spoke up. We can't go doing whatever some old piece of paper tells us. It's just junk." "No," Veronica said. "She's right. We have to go to Avalon. I feel it." They all turned to Challenger, somewhat automatically. "Something very strange is happening on this plateau. Veronica knows more about the plateau than anyone. I say we do what she feels is best." Finn threw her arms in the air with distain. "We'll head out in the morning." ************************************************* "That scroll." That was all Veronica said. "What does it say, Marguerite? Exactly, I mean." Marguerite translated. "Who do you think the others are?" Marguerite shrugged. "There's one thing I don't understand. It says that everything will be as it should be, but it can't. Not until Ned comes back to us. To me." Marguerite put a hand on her friend's shoulder and said nothing. She just stood there. Marguerite had no sooner laid down to sleep when she felt an arm reach around her. A voice whispered in her ear. "Good night, dear." A kiss on her neck, and she smiled a little. "Don't, John. Someone will hear." "I don't care. Let them know." "I care. They can't know. Let's get something straight, Roxton. Nothing happened. Nothing has ever happened. Nothing ever will happen." "Funny, that's not what you said while we were trapped in that cave. You told me you love me, Marguerite. Please, don't tell me that was a lie." Her voice wavered. "I don't want to talk about this. Go away." He rolled over so that his back was to her, and tried not to think about the way he felt. Beside him, Marguerite did the same, and a tear rolled down her cheek. ************************************************* At first light, the explorers set out in the direction Veronica pointed them in. They had been traveling half a day when Roxton spotted something in the distance. He stopped the group and used the scope on it. "What is it?" Marguerite asked, the first words she had spoken to him all day. "Looks like a large animal, maybe a brontosaur, but it looks like it's laying down." "Bizarre," George commented. "Could it be dead?" "Possibly, but if it is, it just died, there's no smell, and it died of old age, there's no blood anywhere. But it doesn't look there are scavengers around anywhere. A body like that should attract every raptor on the plateau." "I think we should go see what it is," Veronica offered. "It seems important." "Are you sure, Veronica? You of all people should want to get to Avalon in a hurry." Challenger noticed that glazed look in her eyes again. "No, George, we have to go look." Finn shrugged, not knowing what to think. She looked at Marguerite, who was nodding. The group headed toward the felled animal. As they grew closer, the thing started to take shape, or rather, to loose it, for it had no particular shape at all. It was a big, taupe, leathery blob. Not an animal at all. As they got closer, they saw something else, something small, moving around the larger form. The group held back a little. Veronica was first to understand what they were seeing. She ran, top Veronica - speed (which is pretty darn fast) at the fallen balloon. The others stared with confusion. "Veronica?" His voice was puzzled at first, then overjoyed. "Veronica!" A young man sprinted toward her. "Is it. . ." Marguerite managed. "Yes," a great smile broke out on Roxton's face "Malone!" But Ned and Veronica had already found each other, and he had lifted her into an extraordinary embrace beside the felled balloon. It seemed as though they were about to kiss, but Ned pulled back, remembering Veronica's 'just friends' idea (what was she thinking?). "I have missed you so much, my. . .friend." He went on to greet the others, leaving Veronica to feel as lonely as she had when she had returned to find him gone. "Challenger, it is good to see your face again." "Likewise, my boy, you have been missed." "Staying out of trouble, Marguerite?" he asked with a tone and a look that indicated very clearly that he didn't believe that she was. He gave her a friendly hug. "Absolutely not, but it's harder when I've nobody to pick on." "John." The two men exchanged a brotherly hug. "Have you been well?" The hunter nodded. Finn and Ned stared blankly at one another for several seconds before Challenger intervened. "Finn, you've heard all about Ned Malone." She nodded. "Ned, this is our friend Finn. She's from the future." He said this with the same excitement as he had the day they had traveled to New Amazonia and found her there. "On this plateau, that doesn't even surprise me. It's good to meet you, Finn." He extended his hand. Finn, with all the caution learned by being an orphan in a hostile world, took it with a somewhat questioning glance. "Hiya." He nodded. "If my family has accepted you, you are my friend. I'm a writer, I would love to interview you about the future." "Cool." Ned looked confused. "It's quite warm." Finn giggled hysterically at this strange young man who was part of her family. He was exactly as Vee had described him. Veronica approached warily. Finn and Ned were getting along awfully well. Her eyes narrowed, and the green - eyed monster (No, not Marguerite, the OTHER one) ate her heart. She could feel it gnawing at her stomach. She felt sick. She mustered up a smile. "So, Finn, you remember everything I told you about Ned?" There was a definite edge in her voice. "Uh-huh. You were right, he's really cute." Veronica turned red. "Ned, we need to talk." She turned to the younger girl. "Excuse us for a minute." Finn looked a little hurt. "Sure thing, Vee, whatever." She hung behind the two as they went on. "Hey, Professor," she called to the older man. "Whatcha doin'?" He was leaning over the ground with a jar and some very scientific looking stuff. "Collecting samples." "Oh." Sounded boring, but she wanted something to do. "Can I help?" "Well," the older man didn't want to turn the child away. He liked her curiosity, and tried to nurture it, but she couldn't help, and she would probably get in the way. He thought hard about what to say. "You're welcome to join me, of course, but I'm afraid I'm not much company when I'm doing research I don't think you would like it very much." "Okay." Finn pouted, like a small child who had been told Daddy didn't need her help. She wandered, meandering, in the direction of Marguerite and Roxton, who were having a heated discussion, about what, she couldn't tell. ************************************ "Do you love me or not?" He almost hated to give her the second option. He raised his voice a little too high. "Quiet, Roxton, I don't want to talk about this." The whisper was a hiss. "We need to talk, Marguerite. There is something between us, you can't deny that." "I don't," the heiress conceded. "I thought things were finally going right. You told me you love me. Did you mean it or not: yes or no. Answer that, at least. I need to know. Marguerite turned a bit to make sure a tear on the other side of her face didn't show. She opened her mouth to answer. "Hey, what's wrong?" They had been joined by the youngest family member. "Nothing, Finn." Marguerites voice had thorns in it. "But you're -" "Nothing is wrong, Finn." She gestured with a nod of her head. "Tag along with Challenger." Finn was visibly hurt, and Lord Roxton saw it. He summed up the situation quickly. Everyone was paired off, himself and Marguerite, Challenger with his specimens, and perhaps the hardest of all for Finn to deal with, some new stranger with her dearest Vee., the one she could always talk to. Poor girl must feel awfully isolated. He moved around Marguerite (noting, on the side of her face he could now see, the solitary tear track), and walked by Finn's side. "How are the reading lessons coming?" He asked. Marguerite huffed. "Don't complain, Marguerite, you didn't want to talk, remember?" "Okay, I guess, but this hard vowel, soft vowel stuff. . . it's really messed up." John nodded and said something reassuring. He debated bringing up the topic of Malone, finally decided it was unavoidable. "How do you like your new house - mate?" Finn pondered the question. ****************************************** "I've missed you so much," Ned said to Veronica "I thought about you everyday I was out there. Wanting to come home to you." "I've been thinking about you, too." She blushed a little, looked down, as though there were cue cards on the jungle floor. (Actually, there are, I dropped them there. Oops. ;)) "Veronica, I know we said 'just friends, but, honestly, I don't know if I can be near you that way. It would hurt me too much." Veronica breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. 'Just friends' was the dumbest idea I've ever had. I love you." They kissed for a long time, while the others walked on, pretending not to notice. "I love you, too." And the six marched on to Avalon. Marguerite, trying desperately not to think about the man next to her, silently blessing and cursing Finn for her interruption, concentrated on figuring out the scroll. Who might the Seventh be? She had an idea, but it was too wonderful to contemplate, and she had to push it out of her mind. It simply wasn't possible. ************************************************** As they set up camp that night, Ned Malone caught up on the news. How Finn came to be a part of the family, Veronica's newfound information about her parents, and her role as protector of the plateau. "Any news of Summerlee?" The others bowed their heads in sadness and said nothing. Challenger finally spoke up. "We found his hat. There is no news of him in London. We fear. . ." "He is not dead," Ned said, as though it should be plain to see. "I do not sense him." "Ned?" Veronica prodded. "If he were in the other world, I would know. He hasn't crossed over the threshold, and he isn't present here. He's somewhere, alive." There was silence for several minutes. Marguerite showed him the parchment and explained. "Avalon? Do we know where that is?" "I know it's due North," Veronica answered. "We'll just have to play it by ear." "And what do we do when we get there?" They all froze. Marguerite answered after some time. "None of us knows that yet, but we will."
***************************************************** As the first evening star rose in the sky, a soft copper light, like a perfect sunset, shone before Marguerite. Her hair flew back as if the power of the wind had hit it, when there was no wind, only power. The woman appeared again and spoke in her strange voice.
Ai ecsbosi wiskri buyararel. Febrali eserela markri.
And she was gone.
Marguerite awoke to Roxton shaking her shoulder, and calling her name with concern. All the others were gathered, looks of anxiety on their faces. "Are you all right, Marguerite?" Roxton touched her face gently. "I'm fine." "What was that?" Veronica asked. "The woman who showed me the scroll was here. She told me something." She turned to John. "It was the woman whose body we found in the cave." "How can you tell?" "She has my mark. She's the chosen one," Marguerite explained. "And now I am." "Are delusions of grandeur common around here?" Finn enquired. Veronica poked her in the ribs. "If you're the chosen one," Veronica said, understanding better than the others, "What do you have to do?" "I have to lead the restructuring of time." Marguerite said this in a daze, as if she didn't understand what she was saying. "The timeline is wrong. Destruction is imminent, not only on the Plateau, but the entire world, the Cosmos. We're the only ones who can save it, make it right." "No pressure," Finn interjected. Challenger looked at Finn thoughtfully. "Did we do this? Did we disrupt the timeline by bringing Finn here?" He put an arm around her protectively. "No," Marguerite answered. "She needs to be here. She is one of the Seven. The Prophesier." "The what?" Finn seemed confused. Marguerite put a steadying hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "You are the seer. You know what is to come. You must teach us the history of the future." "What did the Chosen One tell you? Before you passed out, I mean." Ned wanted to know. "She said, 'The Lost Father returns. All will be revealed.'" "The Lost Father?" Roxton said, puzzled. "Who's that?" "I don't know," Marguerite lied. Better not tell them, in case something went wrong. "But I know his duty in our quest. He has been to Avalon. He will lead us. And he will tell us everything that we need to know. ********************************************* That night, Marguerite dreamt, yet she knew it was more than a dream.
Aieca, the Chosen One spoke. Taroholi ti te bradara? Ti dinoara quep ta sacari litundrarel ap se. Si esara podri quep ai Claisei sacacrela ai Feli Bladri, sep esarela comp sa perp sevni febral.
Without understanding how, Marguerite answered. "Mep yi esara haunhal." A tear streaked down her cheek. It was over. *********************************************** "Where are you going?" Ned heard a familiar voice behind him. "He was settling in for the night. "To bed." He pointed to his sleeping area "You're going the wrong way." "No, I'm not, my bed's-" "Over here," Veronica finished, disappearing into her tent. "I let you get away once.." She touched his face. "I'll never make that mistake again. *************************************** Finn was the first to wake in the morning. From the East, swift hoof beats rang. Finn, ever cautious, and a child of the plateau, reached for her crossbow. The sun was behind the stranger, rapidly approaching on a white horse, and it was difficult to see him. He seemed to Finn kingly and strong - definitely a threat. She raised her bow. "Finn, no." Marguerite held out her hand. "He is the Lost Father." The Lost Father rode in all his majesty to the camp. "Whoa, slow down. Oh, dear. How do I um. ..get off this thing. Bloody beastly creature. Oh, dear." The Lost Father fell off the horse. ************************************************************************ That's it for now! Stay tuned for more exciting episodes of The Lost World. R&R! Luv, LMR
Next week: "The force of chaos sent them," Ned said explaining. "Look out Marguerite, they'll be after you." The raptor moved behind her in a flash, and before any of them could tell what was happening, the raptor had latched onto her saddled.
Yi esara ai Feli Bladri. Yi cajeara davici lal perp ya tribri finacal straera. Si se enyariarel propagera dep ai ankhi kital, quep esarel yai ankhi. Ai feli bladi finacal fanakaraa inep ai Huerni dep Sacari, quep faukarela ap ai taholi quep haniaudie febralie esarele comp sie parasiarele esera. Ai feli dinoarela, sep ai Ecsbosi Wiskri buyarela. Aie Decesie deltafarelae ap Avalon, ai Ecsbosi Wiskri., ai Feli Bladi, ai Claisei, ai Serpbliei, ai Fantomi, ai Amaseiei, sep ai Sacaiei.
Marguerite groaned. Just because she could figure out bizarre and cryptic languages didn't mean it was her favorite hobby. Still, she spread it out on the table and set to work, remembering happier things that had happened in this same place. Hmmm. Much happier things. Marguerite focused on the parchment. The only word she recognized was Avalon, the place that Veronica's mother had fled to. Alright, the word next to that, ap, had to be something in relation to a place. "In," "At," "From, or "To." Maybe "Near." Well, it was a start. After wading through the strange words for several hours, mind blurred, and unable to work, she fell asleep over the table, head slouched in her arms. And a woman came to her in her sleep and showed her the way. Her melodic voice whispered the words, no more substantial than a breeze in the strange language, but Marguerite understood every word, not knowing how. "I am the chosen one. I placed this scroll for my again - child (Marguerite understood this to mean reincarnate, though how, she could not tell.) One may know her by the sacred mark that is my mark. The new chosen one will awaken in the House of Love, that has re - arisen at the moment that all things are as they should be. The chosen one will understand, and the Lost Father will return. The Seven will journey to Avalon, the Lost Father, the Chosen One, the Warrior, the Protector, the Gateway, the Prophesier, and the Magician." Marguerite, in that twilight state between asleep and awake, fumbled for something to write with, but when she looked at the parchment again, the words were as clear as if they were written in English, though she could plainly tell that they were not. A word reached out to her from another time, heard with the same musical intonations she had heard in her dream. "Lingdacaj'hal." The name of that strange tongue. A language she had never heard of, let alone learned, in this life. And she had learned just about every language there was to learn. She laughed a humorless laugh. What was she thinking, that was in the regular world, not this Godforsaken plateau. ************************************ So far, Veronica and Finn hadn't encountered any of those strange ripples in time. Good thing, Finn thought, If I never see New Amazonia again, I'll be happy. Beside her, Veronica was having much the same thought. She could deal with dinosaurs and apemen, but slavers, never again. Armed with only their knives and crossbow, the two plateau natives trekked in the direction of Challenger's footprints. "George!" "Hey, Professor!" No answer. "Professor Challenger!" Veronica tried again. Some distance to their right, they heard a small groan. Challenger was on the jungle floor, bruised up pretty badly. "Relax, George, you're going to be fine," Veronica told him in her most reassuring voice. "Just a bump." "As long as you don't think you're a fisherman again," Finn concurred. George smiled up at the two. "Can you walk okay?" Veronica asked. George tried his legs. "Good as new." "Good. We better find the others." Finn grinned. "Three down, two to go." Veronica suddenly seemed troubled. "No." Her gaze was clouded and she seemed far away. "No, what, child?" Challenger's face showed concern. "Not two. I don't know, but not two. Something tells me there's more to it than that." "Vee, you are seriously weirding me out." Veronica shook it off. "I'm sure it's nothing." Challenger said nothing, he didn't want to disturb Finn, but he was sure there was more to it than that. Veronica still looked dazed. He would not press the issue. "Let's find Marguerite and Roxton." ********************************************** Lord Roxton's voice was getting sore, but he kept shouting. "Marguerite!" He called again. He paused, pensive, looking around. He knew this place. He'd been here recently. This was the pit where Challenger searched for specimens. Where Marguerite had gotten sidetracked, as usual, by the possibility of finding gems. This was the cave. But that couldn't be right. There shouldn't be any cave. It was gone. Roxton cursed under his breath. This couldn't be the right time. But then he heard a sound that made him completely forget the time warp problem (AN: It's just a jump to the left.). "John?" "Marguerite!" Her voice was coming from inside the cave. Before he knew what he was doing, he was in the cave and the most beautiful sight he could have imagined was standing before him. Marguerite Krux, alive and unscathed. "John!" She ran to him and kissed him warmly, and for just that moment, the worries of the plateau were lost. She brushed his face gently with her hand. "Are you alright?" When he'd confirmed that he was, she kissed him again, very briefly this time. When she drew back her face was serious, and etched with something Roxton couldn't recognize. "You need to see something." "Why is this cave still here?" "I'll show you." She yanked his arm and practically dragged him into the cave. She took him straight to the table in the center of the room. John smiled. "I remember this place very well. Right here, as I recall." He pointed to a soft spot on the ground. "Not now, Roxton, this is serious." John's face registered hurt, but Marguerite was examining the scroll closely, not paying attention to anything else. "I thought that was, too," John said quietly. She either didn't hear or didn't give any note. "This scroll talks about the Seven." "But what does it say about the cave? Does it explain what time we're in?" "It says the House of Love will be restored. That's this place." "Well, that I understand." He leaned to kiss her, but she ignored him. John squinted at the ancient text. "What language is it?" "Lingdacaj'hal." "Never heard of it," John commented. "Nether have I. I found this with that body. The one with my birthmark." John started to protest, but she continued. "When the Druids tried to kill me, they said I had to die because I was the Chosen One. Obviously, they mistook me for her. The scroll says that the reincarnation of the Chosen One will be know by the sacred mark, her mark." "Marguerite, you're scaring me. What are you saying?" "I know it sounds crazy, but I think I'm the Chosen One." "Marguerite-" "Don't get jealous, we're all in here." "My name is in there?" "No, but it talks about the journey to Avalon." John frowned thoughtfully. "Isn't that where Veronica's mother is?" "That's right. Veronica's here - the Protector. That's what they called her, the protector of the plateau. It says the Seven will journey to Avalon." "But there aren't seven of us." "There will be. I don't know how, I don't know why, but there will be." Her eyes had the same glazed look as Veronica's. "And we're in the wrong time," Roxton pointed out. "This cave shouldn't be here." "No, we're in the right time. It says here that at the right moment, when everything is as it should be, the House of Love will be restored. That's this place. That's when we will journey to Avalon." "Which one am I?" "Ai Claisei, the Warrior." "How do you know that?" John was puzzled, but somehow, this sort of thing on the plateau, just made sense. "I'm not sure, I just do. I know that the function of the Warrior in our quest is to protect the Chosen One, keep her safe." She fell into his shoulder. "You are my Warrior." Roxton wrapped his arm around Marguerite, and with his other hand, stashed the parchment into his satchel. They left the cave. Voices. Voices calling them by name. Veronica's voice. They were at the cave. Challenger, Veronica, and Finn hurried toward Marguerite and Roxton. Marguerite swiftly detached herself from Roxton's grasp. "Are you both alright?" "We're fine," Marguerite answered for both of them. Challenger looked to Roxton for confirmation. There was a stone in Roxton's voice. "Just fine." "Hey, didn't this cave blow up?" Finn asked. "It's a long story," Marguerite said. But we are in the right time." "The important thing is, we're all together," Challenger said with as much cheer as he could muster. Lord Roxton looked to the sky. "We should make camp for the night." Challenger nodded. "Agreed. We can head back to the treehouse tomorrow." "No," Marguerite interjected. "We can't. The plateau is still in danger. We're still in danger. We must go to Avalon." "Avalon? Marguerite, what are you talking about?" Veronica asked. "I found this scroll in the cave. It says that when things are as they should be, and the Hou. . . that cave stands again. It names us specifically. It says we must go to Avalon. Us and two others. I don't know who." "Marg, don't be ridiculous," Finn spoke up. We can't go doing whatever some old piece of paper tells us. It's just junk." "No," Veronica said. "She's right. We have to go to Avalon. I feel it." They all turned to Challenger, somewhat automatically. "Something very strange is happening on this plateau. Veronica knows more about the plateau than anyone. I say we do what she feels is best." Finn threw her arms in the air with distain. "We'll head out in the morning." ************************************************* "That scroll." That was all Veronica said. "What does it say, Marguerite? Exactly, I mean." Marguerite translated. "Who do you think the others are?" Marguerite shrugged. "There's one thing I don't understand. It says that everything will be as it should be, but it can't. Not until Ned comes back to us. To me." Marguerite put a hand on her friend's shoulder and said nothing. She just stood there. Marguerite had no sooner laid down to sleep when she felt an arm reach around her. A voice whispered in her ear. "Good night, dear." A kiss on her neck, and she smiled a little. "Don't, John. Someone will hear." "I don't care. Let them know." "I care. They can't know. Let's get something straight, Roxton. Nothing happened. Nothing has ever happened. Nothing ever will happen." "Funny, that's not what you said while we were trapped in that cave. You told me you love me, Marguerite. Please, don't tell me that was a lie." Her voice wavered. "I don't want to talk about this. Go away." He rolled over so that his back was to her, and tried not to think about the way he felt. Beside him, Marguerite did the same, and a tear rolled down her cheek. ************************************************* At first light, the explorers set out in the direction Veronica pointed them in. They had been traveling half a day when Roxton spotted something in the distance. He stopped the group and used the scope on it. "What is it?" Marguerite asked, the first words she had spoken to him all day. "Looks like a large animal, maybe a brontosaur, but it looks like it's laying down." "Bizarre," George commented. "Could it be dead?" "Possibly, but if it is, it just died, there's no smell, and it died of old age, there's no blood anywhere. But it doesn't look there are scavengers around anywhere. A body like that should attract every raptor on the plateau." "I think we should go see what it is," Veronica offered. "It seems important." "Are you sure, Veronica? You of all people should want to get to Avalon in a hurry." Challenger noticed that glazed look in her eyes again. "No, George, we have to go look." Finn shrugged, not knowing what to think. She looked at Marguerite, who was nodding. The group headed toward the felled animal. As they grew closer, the thing started to take shape, or rather, to loose it, for it had no particular shape at all. It was a big, taupe, leathery blob. Not an animal at all. As they got closer, they saw something else, something small, moving around the larger form. The group held back a little. Veronica was first to understand what they were seeing. She ran, top Veronica - speed (which is pretty darn fast) at the fallen balloon. The others stared with confusion. "Veronica?" His voice was puzzled at first, then overjoyed. "Veronica!" A young man sprinted toward her. "Is it. . ." Marguerite managed. "Yes," a great smile broke out on Roxton's face "Malone!" But Ned and Veronica had already found each other, and he had lifted her into an extraordinary embrace beside the felled balloon. It seemed as though they were about to kiss, but Ned pulled back, remembering Veronica's 'just friends' idea (what was she thinking?). "I have missed you so much, my. . .friend." He went on to greet the others, leaving Veronica to feel as lonely as she had when she had returned to find him gone. "Challenger, it is good to see your face again." "Likewise, my boy, you have been missed." "Staying out of trouble, Marguerite?" he asked with a tone and a look that indicated very clearly that he didn't believe that she was. He gave her a friendly hug. "Absolutely not, but it's harder when I've nobody to pick on." "John." The two men exchanged a brotherly hug. "Have you been well?" The hunter nodded. Finn and Ned stared blankly at one another for several seconds before Challenger intervened. "Finn, you've heard all about Ned Malone." She nodded. "Ned, this is our friend Finn. She's from the future." He said this with the same excitement as he had the day they had traveled to New Amazonia and found her there. "On this plateau, that doesn't even surprise me. It's good to meet you, Finn." He extended his hand. Finn, with all the caution learned by being an orphan in a hostile world, took it with a somewhat questioning glance. "Hiya." He nodded. "If my family has accepted you, you are my friend. I'm a writer, I would love to interview you about the future." "Cool." Ned looked confused. "It's quite warm." Finn giggled hysterically at this strange young man who was part of her family. He was exactly as Vee had described him. Veronica approached warily. Finn and Ned were getting along awfully well. Her eyes narrowed, and the green - eyed monster (No, not Marguerite, the OTHER one) ate her heart. She could feel it gnawing at her stomach. She felt sick. She mustered up a smile. "So, Finn, you remember everything I told you about Ned?" There was a definite edge in her voice. "Uh-huh. You were right, he's really cute." Veronica turned red. "Ned, we need to talk." She turned to the younger girl. "Excuse us for a minute." Finn looked a little hurt. "Sure thing, Vee, whatever." She hung behind the two as they went on. "Hey, Professor," she called to the older man. "Whatcha doin'?" He was leaning over the ground with a jar and some very scientific looking stuff. "Collecting samples." "Oh." Sounded boring, but she wanted something to do. "Can I help?" "Well," the older man didn't want to turn the child away. He liked her curiosity, and tried to nurture it, but she couldn't help, and she would probably get in the way. He thought hard about what to say. "You're welcome to join me, of course, but I'm afraid I'm not much company when I'm doing research I don't think you would like it very much." "Okay." Finn pouted, like a small child who had been told Daddy didn't need her help. She wandered, meandering, in the direction of Marguerite and Roxton, who were having a heated discussion, about what, she couldn't tell. ************************************ "Do you love me or not?" He almost hated to give her the second option. He raised his voice a little too high. "Quiet, Roxton, I don't want to talk about this." The whisper was a hiss. "We need to talk, Marguerite. There is something between us, you can't deny that." "I don't," the heiress conceded. "I thought things were finally going right. You told me you love me. Did you mean it or not: yes or no. Answer that, at least. I need to know. Marguerite turned a bit to make sure a tear on the other side of her face didn't show. She opened her mouth to answer. "Hey, what's wrong?" They had been joined by the youngest family member. "Nothing, Finn." Marguerites voice had thorns in it. "But you're -" "Nothing is wrong, Finn." She gestured with a nod of her head. "Tag along with Challenger." Finn was visibly hurt, and Lord Roxton saw it. He summed up the situation quickly. Everyone was paired off, himself and Marguerite, Challenger with his specimens, and perhaps the hardest of all for Finn to deal with, some new stranger with her dearest Vee., the one she could always talk to. Poor girl must feel awfully isolated. He moved around Marguerite (noting, on the side of her face he could now see, the solitary tear track), and walked by Finn's side. "How are the reading lessons coming?" He asked. Marguerite huffed. "Don't complain, Marguerite, you didn't want to talk, remember?" "Okay, I guess, but this hard vowel, soft vowel stuff. . . it's really messed up." John nodded and said something reassuring. He debated bringing up the topic of Malone, finally decided it was unavoidable. "How do you like your new house - mate?" Finn pondered the question. ****************************************** "I've missed you so much," Ned said to Veronica "I thought about you everyday I was out there. Wanting to come home to you." "I've been thinking about you, too." She blushed a little, looked down, as though there were cue cards on the jungle floor. (Actually, there are, I dropped them there. Oops. ;)) "Veronica, I know we said 'just friends, but, honestly, I don't know if I can be near you that way. It would hurt me too much." Veronica breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. 'Just friends' was the dumbest idea I've ever had. I love you." They kissed for a long time, while the others walked on, pretending not to notice. "I love you, too." And the six marched on to Avalon. Marguerite, trying desperately not to think about the man next to her, silently blessing and cursing Finn for her interruption, concentrated on figuring out the scroll. Who might the Seventh be? She had an idea, but it was too wonderful to contemplate, and she had to push it out of her mind. It simply wasn't possible. ************************************************** As they set up camp that night, Ned Malone caught up on the news. How Finn came to be a part of the family, Veronica's newfound information about her parents, and her role as protector of the plateau. "Any news of Summerlee?" The others bowed their heads in sadness and said nothing. Challenger finally spoke up. "We found his hat. There is no news of him in London. We fear. . ." "He is not dead," Ned said, as though it should be plain to see. "I do not sense him." "Ned?" Veronica prodded. "If he were in the other world, I would know. He hasn't crossed over the threshold, and he isn't present here. He's somewhere, alive." There was silence for several minutes. Marguerite showed him the parchment and explained. "Avalon? Do we know where that is?" "I know it's due North," Veronica answered. "We'll just have to play it by ear." "And what do we do when we get there?" They all froze. Marguerite answered after some time. "None of us knows that yet, but we will."
***************************************************** As the first evening star rose in the sky, a soft copper light, like a perfect sunset, shone before Marguerite. Her hair flew back as if the power of the wind had hit it, when there was no wind, only power. The woman appeared again and spoke in her strange voice.
Ai ecsbosi wiskri buyararel. Febrali eserela markri.
And she was gone.
Marguerite awoke to Roxton shaking her shoulder, and calling her name with concern. All the others were gathered, looks of anxiety on their faces. "Are you all right, Marguerite?" Roxton touched her face gently. "I'm fine." "What was that?" Veronica asked. "The woman who showed me the scroll was here. She told me something." She turned to John. "It was the woman whose body we found in the cave." "How can you tell?" "She has my mark. She's the chosen one," Marguerite explained. "And now I am." "Are delusions of grandeur common around here?" Finn enquired. Veronica poked her in the ribs. "If you're the chosen one," Veronica said, understanding better than the others, "What do you have to do?" "I have to lead the restructuring of time." Marguerite said this in a daze, as if she didn't understand what she was saying. "The timeline is wrong. Destruction is imminent, not only on the Plateau, but the entire world, the Cosmos. We're the only ones who can save it, make it right." "No pressure," Finn interjected. Challenger looked at Finn thoughtfully. "Did we do this? Did we disrupt the timeline by bringing Finn here?" He put an arm around her protectively. "No," Marguerite answered. "She needs to be here. She is one of the Seven. The Prophesier." "The what?" Finn seemed confused. Marguerite put a steadying hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "You are the seer. You know what is to come. You must teach us the history of the future." "What did the Chosen One tell you? Before you passed out, I mean." Ned wanted to know. "She said, 'The Lost Father returns. All will be revealed.'" "The Lost Father?" Roxton said, puzzled. "Who's that?" "I don't know," Marguerite lied. Better not tell them, in case something went wrong. "But I know his duty in our quest. He has been to Avalon. He will lead us. And he will tell us everything that we need to know. ********************************************* That night, Marguerite dreamt, yet she knew it was more than a dream.
Aieca, the Chosen One spoke. Taroholi ti te bradara? Ti dinoara quep ta sacari litundrarel ap se. Si esara podri quep ai Claisei sacacrela ai Feli Bladri, sep esarela comp sa perp sevni febral.
Without understanding how, Marguerite answered. "Mep yi esara haunhal." A tear streaked down her cheek. It was over. *********************************************** "Where are you going?" Ned heard a familiar voice behind him. "He was settling in for the night. "To bed." He pointed to his sleeping area "You're going the wrong way." "No, I'm not, my bed's-" "Over here," Veronica finished, disappearing into her tent. "I let you get away once.." She touched his face. "I'll never make that mistake again. *************************************** Finn was the first to wake in the morning. From the East, swift hoof beats rang. Finn, ever cautious, and a child of the plateau, reached for her crossbow. The sun was behind the stranger, rapidly approaching on a white horse, and it was difficult to see him. He seemed to Finn kingly and strong - definitely a threat. She raised her bow. "Finn, no." Marguerite held out her hand. "He is the Lost Father." The Lost Father rode in all his majesty to the camp. "Whoa, slow down. Oh, dear. How do I um. ..get off this thing. Bloody beastly creature. Oh, dear." The Lost Father fell off the horse. ************************************************************************ That's it for now! Stay tuned for more exciting episodes of The Lost World. R&R! Luv, LMR
Next week: "The force of chaos sent them," Ned said explaining. "Look out Marguerite, they'll be after you." The raptor moved behind her in a flash, and before any of them could tell what was happening, the raptor had latched onto her saddled.