I don't own anything. I just like to write

Amazing

"Sometimes I swear that Merklynn only gave us these powers so that he would have ready and willing helpers." Feryl grumbled as he drove the Capture Chariot along the dusty road.

"Feryl." Cryotek rebuked him. "We have our power staffs recharged, out city is secure and we are not in any grave danger. I believe that we can spare some of our time to help Merklynn."

Feryl sighed like one deeply wronged. "What was it he wanted us to get? The twisted horn of a newt?"

"The Twisted root gem." Leoric corrected him. "Apparently we will find it in the Castaway Region."

None of the Knights noticed the small green beetle scuttle away along the branch. Mortdred was already thinking of the praise that Darkstorm would give him when he received this news.

"We just have to enter the Minority Maze to find it." Ectar said. "Sounds like a nice place."

"Why can't we ever go to somewhere called the fun zone?" Chase asked.

"Remind me to ask Merklynn next time we're there." Witterquick told her.

Feryl slowed the Capture Chariot as they passed the sign for the Castaway Region. The Knights took in the surrounding area and the accusing stares of the people.

"Looks like a warm welcome." Arzon muttered under his breath.

"We are looking for the Minority Maze. Do any of you know the way?" Leoric asked.

The crowd said nothing, but continued to stare in an unfriendly fashion at them. Ectar flipped a gold coin from one hand to the other.

"We would be willing to pay a guide." He said, as though he didn't expect this to sway them.

A few hands raised. "I know the way." A small little runt of a man called out. "I'll take you."

"Thank you." Leoric pretended not to notice that Ectar had flicked the coin to the man.

Witterquick heard Chase laugh behind her hand as Ectar tipped her a wink. She was glowing today. Her easy smile took in everything around her, as she laughed and worked with the other Knights. He himself couldn't resist the feeling of well-being that seemed to emanate from her, and he could see that it was effecting the others as well.

"Come on." She stood waiting for him as Leoric followed their guide.

He leapt gracefully down to join her.

They followed their less than friendly guide to where the forest started to encroach on the town.

"That's where you start." The little man grunted, waving his hand at the forest.

"Where do we come out?" Cryotek asked.

"Dunno." The man shrugged. "Nobody ever has."

Witterquick snorted and rolled his eyes. "Oh come on." He said when the man glared at him. "Well somebody must have."

"No one I know." The man sniffed. Then turned his back on them and hurried back towards the centre of the town.

The Knights looked apprehensively at the bleak wood.

"Well, lets get on with it." Leoric said starting forward, the others fell into line behind him.

O

They had been walking for over an hour before they came to the fork in the path.

"I don't think much of this maze." Arzon complained. "We've been walking for ages now and this is the first split in the path that we've come to."

Leoric looked as far as he could down both paths. They both looked equally promising.

"We'll split into two teams." He announced. "Witterquick, Galadria, Arzon come with me on the left path. The rest of you take the right path."

He watched Witterquick and Chase to see how they would react to this order. He had no issue with their relationship save if it endangered the rest of the Knights. What happened if they had to work with others? What happened if the good of the team came before their feelings for each other? The Knights shifted into the two teams and waved goodbyes to each other. Calling out comments on who would get there first and what they would get as a reward. Leoric was pleased to see that Witterquick and Chase fell into the teams just like everybody else. He smiled to himself, he was proud of his Knights. He saw Chase hanging on Cryotek's arm, trying to get him to tell a story of before he became a Spectral Knight. Then the heavy trees blocked them from sight.

O

"Please Cryotek. Just one. For me. Please."

Cryotek laughed as Chase pulled his arm in frustration. She wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Just one little story. You saw how long it took us to get to that split path. What if we have to walk the same distance again? We need a distraction. Tell us a story."

She looked pleadingly up at him tugging on his arm like she was a little girl instead of a Knight. "Oh oh, tell the one about how you saved the brother and sister who were trapping in that cave."

"Chase you have heard that one before. At least twice. You must know it by now."

"Then tell me one I don't know. Tell me one that I haven't heard before."

"I truly think that you've heard them all."

"I can't of. There must be another one. Please Cryotek, please."

"Yes, please Cryotek, please." Ectar made his voice a comic impersonation of Chase's. "I can't listen to her whine like this all the way."

Chase seized this. "See, Ectar wants you to tell us a story."

"I don't think I went that far." Ectar muttered dryly.

Feryl laughed as Chase shushed him.

"Oh alright." Cryotek sighed dramatically like it was a huge deal, then launched into a story that he'd clearly had prepared.

Ectar kept his eyes on the surrounding area as they walked. Maybe he was too suspicious, but he didn't like these trees. They fenced them in, blocking their sight. They couldn't see a danger until it was too late. He did not want to be caught unawares. He could hear Cryotek's story building up for the big finale, Chase was hanging off his every word, but managed to catch Ectar's eye and flash him a smile. She reminded him of when he had visited his brother. Then she'd wanted to hear stories of his police work and the crooks that he'd caught. He felt the flash of the bittersweet pain he always had when his thoughts turned to his brother. Delkin had missed so much of Chase's growing up. It wasn't fair, yet he had enjoyed every minute he spent with his niece. He almost felt like her father. He cursed softly at that thought. It was unfair to Delkin to think like that. Chase had been thrust into his life after Delkin's death. It was unfair that such a cruel twist of fate should in one hand take away his brother, but in the other give him the daughter that he'd never had. Whenever he felt happy at the way his life had turned out, he felt like he was betraying Delkin. Chase snapped his out of these dark thoughts by switching her attention from Cryotek's arm to his.

"Your turn." She proclaimed.

"Hu?"

"You didn't think I was going to let you get away without telling us one of your tales did you?" She teased him. She gave his arm a tug for good measure.

Ectar sighed, smiling despite himself.

"I don't know any Chase."

Her eyes widened in comic shock. "That is so untrue."

Ectar grinned at her.

"Hey." Feryl pointed ahead of them to where the path split into three roads. He looked back at them. "Which one do we what?"

"Should we split up again?" Chase asked.

Ectar shook his head. "I think we're safer in a group."

Cryotek nodded his agreement. "So, which one do we choose?"

"We'll go straight." Ectar decided at last. He started forward and the other three followed him in.

O

The Maze had finally started acting like one. Leoric sighed as he was faced with a decision yet again. Every two or three steps, it felt like, he had to make a choice. Which path? Which way? Which direction? He could be taking them round in a huge circle for all he knew. Arzon had tried flying up to guess at the right way. There was a strange kind of magic surrounding the area. When he was in the air he could no longer see the other Knights. Not that that should come as a huge surprise, Leoric thought darkly to himself. Everything these days seemed to be involving magic that hindered them in some way.

"Any ideas?" He asked the others.

"Any path could be the right one." Arzon said with a shrug.

"What do you think Leoric?" Galadria asked.

"I don't know." He admitted. "We could be going in circles."

"I could run down one path and see where it goes?" Witterquick offered.

"No. I don't want to split up any more." Leoric told them. "I don't trust this place not to move around us."

"We must be near the centre by now." Galadria said looking around them. There was nothing in sight to support this claim and she sighed wearily.

"My power staff could take me there." Witterquick suggested, already pulling in out.

Leoric held up a hand to stop him. "But how would you get back? You may need us when you get there."

Witterquick nodded, replacing his staff.

"But you have given me an idea." Leoric drew his own staff. "We need some help, so I'm going to ask for it." He planted his power staff firmly in the ground and recited the charm that bound it. "Whispered secrets of a shattered age, renew thyself upon this sage."

"What do you wish of me Leoric?" The blue owl asked gazing down on them with its huge eyes.

"How can we get ourselves through this maze?"

"One route in and another out." He seemed to smile. "Try to the right." Then faded away.

"One route in and another out?" Witterquick wondered.

"Of course." Leoric snapped his fingers. "Most mazes work to a set system. If you always take a certain fork then you will eventually find your way through. To get in we have to take the right hand path."

"Then what are we waiting for." Galadria said leading the way.

O

The Knights walked in silence. Ectar nodded to himself. They could feel it too. Something was watching them. He did not like being watched. The straight path had led them into an even denser set of trees. It was almost like being in a tunnel as the branches of each side met over head. He glared sharply into the dark woods surrounding them on both sides. What are you waiting for? Ahead he saw the trees start to thin out, sunlight was filtering through the branches. The came out into an open plain and froze. Five giant figures stood watching them. The didn't move, neither did the Knights.

"Can they see us?" Feryl asked.

Ectar nodded. "Oh yes they can see us." He said as one of the figures swivelled its head to look at them more closely.

"Then, why aren't they moving?" Chase asked.

"They want to see what we do next." Cryotek answered.

Ectar pitched his voice to be heard. "We don't want to fight you. But we need to get past."

The figures roared and charged.

"Obviously I said the wrong thing." Ectar muttered. Then he glanced quickly at the others. "Ready? Good. Go!"

"Three suns align, pour forth their light, and fill this archers bow with might." Cryotek roared. His power staff came to life, the archer took aim and fired. The arrow shot through one figure and carried on to hit a second before it disappeared. The figures shattered like china, falling to the ground with a crash.

"They're pottery!" Feryl wondered.

But they didn't have time to discuss it. The other three figures were on them. Weapons clashed and struck, the figures may be made out of pottery, but they made up for it in size and strength. Ectar dodged as the thing took another swipe at him. Although their blows dented and slightly shattered the figures they didn't stop. And the figures could do far more damage. Sooner or later one of those wild swings was going to connect and then there would be trouble. Cryotek deflected a blow and managed to knock the figure's weapon from its hand. The figure gave a grunt, reached over and pulled up a tree. It swung it at Cryotek who dived for cover as the trailing roots almost swept him off his feet. Chase and Feryl were working together to keep one of the figures confused. Every time it swung at one of them, the other struck at it. Their blows seemed to have no effect, but it also couldn't devote all of its time to one of them. It had to keep trying to keep an eye on both of them.

"So what-" Feryl ducked a wild swing. "Do we do now?"

"These things-" It was Chase's turn to duck. "Are clay, right?"

Feryl grunted his agreement.

"And clay it just- Mud, right?" Chase sprang back from the figure. "And what happens to mud when it gets wet?"

Feryl nodded and struck at the figure to get its full attention.

"Lake, tide, rain by the hour, lend me now water's power." The water spirit erupted from the staff, took in the situation, nodded and then disappeared. The skies above darken as water laden clouds crowded closer.

"Storm coming!" Chase yelled, as the clouds opened and the rain poured down.

The figures continued fighting, but had to pause when their arms started to drip to the ground. Every part of them appeared to be melting. Their heads slipped into their bodies as their necks vanished. Until they were just three lumps of brown clay. Then the rain started to slow and finally stop. The sun came out again and the water steamed off the Knights.

"We should leave before they dry out." Chase said. "I don't think it will take them long to put themselves back together."

Ectar nodded trying to wring the water out of his hair and armour. "Next time do you

think that you could manage a localised downpour? Specifically, not over me?"

Chase smiled. "I'm going to take that as a thank you."