The Stranger

The Golden Ostrich

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It's been five days since Second Catherine appeared and mother has finally allowed us to make our trip to Crater Island. We traveled by an underwater cart this time, rather than MagLev, although the ride was just as spectacular. I could see the dim shadows of Sunners and even a Whark as we rocketed along through the transparent walls of the shaft...as it rose from the ocean the wind caught my long hair and I felt as though I were flying on the wings of a great ink beetle.

We entered a small cave and there was a nasty turn before we came to a halt. I moved to climb out of the cart but Ophene stopped me.

"Don't bother," she muttered. I gave her an odd look, but before I could question her reasoning, the bottom of the cart dropped out and I found myself dumped ungracefully onto a long metal slide. We landed in a warm metallic bin with a loud clang and a rather dizzying effect on the landscape.

Ophene, apparently used to this sort of travel as well, was quick to get on her feet and walk to the end of the metal walkway the bin was stationed in. I followed suit and clambered down the latter after her, landing on the dry earth.

The pool that stretched out before us was incredibly bright blue...I thought at first it was because of the sky, but when I looked above all I could see was clouds.

Ophene handed me a waterskin and pointed out to the pier.

"It's coldest at the center," she said. I nodded and walked out, still gazing at my eerie surroundings. There was a large round building on the right-hand side of the lake, covered with odd levers and valves. As I squinted over the blinding waters, I realized there was a person standing amidst them all, frowning at a slit of a window. She turned and suddenly caught sight of me. Her body froze and she watched me expectantly, as though waiting for me to run.

I kept my eyes on her as I stooped and submerged the skin in the lake. She was dressed oddly...not a scrap of Rivenese cloth to be seen, and it appeared that she was wearing pants! My mind began to race...this couldn't be anyone other than Second Catherine.

Ophene sat on the shoreline, her feet submerged in the water, completely oblivious to the woman everyone so feared. She smiled at me and tipped her head back to stare at the clouds...

The air bubbles had ceased to rise to the surface, so I pulled up the sack and tied it off...my gaze never left the woman, and hers never left mine. Although my curiosity willed me to stay, I knew Ophene would soon grow tired of sitting on the shore, so I turned to walk away. Before my bare feet could carry me two steps, however, a voice echoed across the lake like the sharp twang of a harp string.

"Wait!" I turned and saw the woman, arm outstretched towards me. "Please...could you turn that valve on for me?"

Ophene had leapt out of the water with a wild start, her eyes darting across the land in search of the speaker.

"Ythaime!" she yelled, beckoning for me to join her. I ignored her motions though and flipped the valve handle into the proper position. The woman turned and flipped another valve, then rotated a crank until a large rubbery hose was angled away from the building. Water poured out onto the ground it a steaming puddle.

Ophene had realized the source of the voice by this time and was standing, mouth agape and ankle deep in the water, staring at Second Catherine.

"Linus!" she finally managed to call. The woman turned and smiled cheerfully.

"Thank you very much...I'm so tired of walking back and forth between there."

I wasn't listening to her though...my eyes were locked on Ophene. The woman jumped down from the walkway surrounding the building and walked across the shore to greet her brightly. They embraced momentarily, and then my sister motioned for me to join them. I half-walked, half-ran awkwardly down the pier...how in the name of the Gahroh Hehvtee did Ophene know this strange woman?

I shuffled onto the shore and gave Ophene a bewildered look. She laughed.

"Ythaime, this is Linus, the dubbed 'Second Catherine'. She's here to free the Rivenese people on Atrus's behalf."

I nodded rather dumbly. "How...?"

She gave me a soft smile and said, "I joined the Black Moiety shortly after father disappeared...my friend Dyn'saime once told me a rumor he had heard regarding their location. I followed his directions and found them...it's really quite ingenious, how well Catherine has hidden them away.

"On Linus's third day in Riven, she too discovered the Moiety...I was there when she was brought to us by two of the guards, and agreed to help her in anyway possible. She explained her quest to me and I filled her in on any details I knew about Gehn...then we parted and here we are now."

I stood dumbfounded...I had enough questions to fill every sheet of paper Gehn had ever harvested and use every drop of his precious inks. Finally, I blurted out,

"What happened to father?"

Ophene's face clouded over. "That's a still a mystery to everyone in the Moiety...no one knows what became of him, but he is a great hero among us. He saved many of the Moiety the night he vanished...doubtlessly at his own expense."

I clenched my fists in anger...hatred of Gehn spilled through my veins.

"I want to help you," I said.

"Ythaime..." my sister said softly.

"This isn't right that we're forced to live like this...I'm old enough to take care of myself now."

She nodded. "I know. I knew you'd want to join eventually...you're so much like father."

"Will you take me to the Moiety?" I asked.

"Tonight...it's too risky during the day." She turned to Linus. "I'm sorry, I've been rambling too long."

"Not at all," she said. "You said Gehn's office is on this Island, correct?"

"Yes."

"There's a tunnel in that building there...shall we see where it leads?"

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Gahroh Hehvtee: Sacred Writings

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Author's Note: cliffhanger! *sorta* Yes, I know Linus is supposed to be a boys' name, but I hate being restricted by a mere difference in body parts. Please review!