Disclaimer: If I owned it, I wouldn't be working for the government.

"So I was thinking," Tarin said conversationally as the four trudged through the wetland, "being that she has a long heritage to draw from, this witch might know something about how to break the spell from Marinaeis."

"Really?" Xak said, "I would think that the elven sorcerers would be at least as capable as this witch, if not more so."

"You'd be surprised," the thief responded as he jerked his boot from a mud hole it had gotten stuck in, "Elven wizards aren't great at thinking outside the book."

The white mage raised an eyebrow at the analogy, but continued on in silence while Blotch said "Is that why we left the crew to gather supplies at the shoreline?"

"That and Zane," Tarin said casually.

The black mage jerked his head in the thief's direction, and Xak chuckled lightly. Returning his attention to the land in front of him, the warlock said "There is no knowledge that is not power, especially in the realm of magic."

"It is true," Xak mused, "While one might dismiss her as a rural hedge witch, the secrets her line of spellbinders has uncovered in their solitude could be revolutionary."

"It could also get us turned into brooms," the fighter said with a shudder, "Why did you have to tell me about that, anyway? I'd have been much better off not knowing."

"As I said," Zane said matter-of-factly, "there is no knowledge that is not power."

"Yes, but ignorance is bliss," the warrior replied.

Tarin and Xak both chuckled, and even the black mage let out a quick breath that could have been a laugh. The four travelers continued on for the better part of an hour as the wetland turned to plains, spattered by sparse evergreens and rodent holes. As the sun rose to its zenith, a large, rocky hill came into view, the mouth of a cave sitting at its base. The light warriors slowed to a halt a few strides from the entrance and could see stairs carved into the stone leading deeper into the earth, torchlight emanating from within.

"Well," Blotch began, "I don't know about you three, but I'd definitely call that a witch's den."

"Your dependence on children's stories never ceases to amaze me," Tarin said flatly, provoking another chuckle from the mages, and a grimace from the warrior, who responded by lightly thumping the thief on the back of the head.

Blotch and Tarin both laughed as the thief jumped to the side in recoil, but the four companions quickly quieted as they composed themselves for the upcoming encounter. Blotch began drawing his sword, but Xak put a hand on his elbow and shook his head, saying "I believe we have a better chance avoiding a transformed existence if we do not threaten the witch who has the final say."

After a moment of comprehension, the warrior sheathed his half-drawn weapon and started forward, followed by his allies down the stairway. The cavern was well lit and fairly straightforward, leading into a tunnel which stretched on in a single path wide enough for all four to stand comfortably abreast, populated only by torches, cobwebs and brooms which moved about on their own.

Blotch jerked to a stop when he saw the brooms, causing his companions to halt as well, and stared. Without taking his gaze from the brooms, the warrior said quietly "Those brooms are moving by themselves."

Tarin twitched nervously, but Xak simply walked to the nearest broom and picked it up to examine it. After a long moment the white mage chuckled and said "There is nothing to fear. The enchantments on this appliance are nowhere near complex enough to be a polymorph spell."

"Normal brooms, then?" Zane said as he advanced to the broom Xak was holding.

"Yes," the white mage replied, handing the broom in his hand to his friend, "given a simple enchantment to keep the cave clean."

The black mage examined the broom for a moment, then placed it upright on the ground where it simply continued to sweep dust out of the path.

The warrior shrugged and started forward but Tarin held back saying "Are you certain?"

Blotch looked back at the thief and said "Well, they are the experts, are they not?"

After a moment's hesitation, Tarin sighed and started forward again, quickly catching up to the others. The tunnel wasn't particularly long, and about halfway to its end was a small wooden door set into the wall. The four stopped as Zane stepped forward and placed his thin hand on the door and concentrated. The black mage opened his magical senses to the environment, taking in anything relevant to the dark arts.

After a long moment, Zane said "I sense a presence of dark magic, but . . . it is not volatile. Strange. Xak?"

The white mage stepped forward and placed his hand on the door next to Zane's and closed his eyes. "Sadness," Xak said after a moment, "shame, distress and . . . fear."

The two mages let their hands fall and remained silent as Blotch said "Nothing to worry us, then."

"I wouldn't be so confident," Tarin chided, "A fox is small and frail, with minimal aggression, but when cornered and frightened it can be more ferocious than any wolf."

"And this fox is a black mage," Zane added.

"She may even be a wizard," Tarin added, but the black mage shook his head.

"No," Zane stated, "She has power, perhaps more than I, but not enough to be a wizard. Not by half."

The four looked at each other for a moment, then, finally, the black mage drew in his breath and pulled the wooden door open. Inside was a large chamber filled with chests, shelves, workstations, books, phials and items too strange to identify, dimly lit by candles scattered haphazardly wherever there was room. And at the far wall, behind one of the tables was the most beautiful woman Zane had ever seen.

Unkempt blond hair hung in strings about her face, her wizard's hat several paces away on the floor, her black robes were dirty and torn in some places and she glanced about, almost in a panic as she sat curled on the floor and cried "Who's there?! I'll turn you all to brooms, I swear it!"

"I am afraid that threat will not work on us," Xak said politely, "I have already read the enchantments on your cleaning supplies."

Zane narrowed his concealed eyes slightly as he noticed that it wasn't until the white mage spoke that the witch faced him. Tarin stepped forward and offered "Please, miss, we're not here to hurt you."

"Stay back!" the witch shouted in the thief's direction, waving her hands furiously.

"Oh, this is ridiculous," Blotch said finally as he began advancing, "Why should we be catering to this hedge witch who lives in filth? Listen here, woman, I am—"

"Blotch!" Zane barked loudly, much to everyone's surprise, "Can't you see she's blind?"

The warrior blinked in surprise then looked more closely at the witch huddled in the corner. Before he could speak, Zane stepped forward and said "Please forgive us for our intrusion, lady. I am Zane, a black mage from Coneria. My companions are Tarin, a thief from . . . abroad; Xak, a white mage from Pravoka; and Blotch, a fighter from Crescent Lake. Blotch and myself are confirmed to be Light Warriors, the other two still await their trials."

The witch stared at the black mage for a moment, then slowly drew herself up, regained her composure and said in a much calmer voice "Come forward, Zane of Coneria, and only you."

The black mage walked slowly over until he was less than a stride away, and the witch raised her hand slowly, reaching beneath Zane's hat, carefully drawing her hands across his face. Finally she let her hand fall and said "You speak the truth. You have much potential, Zane."

The black mage gave a brief thanks and the witch addressed all four, saying "I am Matoya, the Witch of the Conerian Wilderness. To what do I owe the honor of the Light Warriors' visit?"

Tarin began to speak, but Zane spoke faster, saying "We've been thrown off course, on our way to Elfland to see to Prince Marinaeis' plight."

"Plight?" Matoya said quizzically.

Tarin grabbed Xak's elbow to hold him back, grinning while Zane said "He's been cursed to an endless sleep."

"Hm," the witch said stroking her chin, "I have much experience with enchantments, and can break most. What kind of magic was it? Black of course, but was it from the schools of Elfland?"

Zane hesitated before answering "I'm not certain. The spell was cast by Astos."

"Astos!" Matoya hissed, "That motherless worm stole my crystal!"

Tarin released Xak's arm and the two approached together with Blotch as the white mage asked "Crystal?"

Matoya jerked her head in Xak's direction, seeming to have forgotten he was there, then said "Yes . . . Tarin?"

"Xak," the white mage said pleasantly.

"Xak," the witch said apologetically, "The Revelation Crystal. An immensely powerful artifact held by the Witch of the Conerian Wilderness for hundreds of years. The vision and divination based powers it conveys to the possessor are more valuable than any sword."

"But it demands a heavy price," Tarin concluded, "your natural sight."

Matoya lowered her head and said "Yes. Without it, I cannot see. I could break Astos' spell with a tonic made from an herb unique to these hills . . . but without the crystal, I couldn't begin to brew it."

"We'll get your crystal," Zane said, "and Astos."

"You would do that?" Matoya said reluctantly.

"I will," the black mage answered, "You have my word. Is there anything we can provide you with until we return?"

The witch shook her head saying "My brooms see to my daily needs. Although . . ."

"Yes?"

"It's a little embarrassing, but . . . I can't find my hat."

Zane looked left then right and walked to where the conical, wide-brimmed hat lay on the ground, scooped it up and returned to the witch, placing it gently on her head, saying "There. Now you look like a proper mage."

Matoya smiled despite herself as Zane bid his farewell and made his way to the door with the other three. At the threshold, the black mage lingered momentarily as he gazed at the witch, now feeling her way to her chair. Silently he closed the door and headed toward the exit of the cave behind his companions.

As he rounded the stair's corner to the mouth of the cave, he saw Xak smiling at him and Tarin and Blotch failing to hold in their laughter a few paces away. "What?" Zane demanded without preamble.

Tarin and Blotch no longer bothered trying to hide their amusement, and Xak chuckled lightly as he said "We're just happy to see you so . . . interested in Matoya, is all."

"Of course I'm interested," Zane said irritably, "She's the only means we know of to awaken that elven prince."

"Oh, come on," Blotch said jovially, "you never lead a dialogue like that. And not only that, but you were more than just polite, you were nice!"

"Come on," Xak said kindly, "we should get back to the ship before sunset."

Xak, Tarin and Blotch set off the way they came with Zane trudging behind, muttering "It's about time."