I staggered back. Madness! We were no longer in Erek's home, but outside now, in a forest. There were trees everywhere, and-
No, no, not a forest- a valley. I recognized it now. The Hork-Bajir Valley.
"What's going on?" Erek asked, his true form showing.
"I'm not sure," I said, mentally cursing the Ellimist. "But I think we're in the Hork-Bajir Valley- the original one, where Toby-"
I stopped. No! That couldn't be what the Ellimist wanted- could it? I just shook my head. "Let's see if we can find anyone."
We walked along the edge of the valley, cautiously heading deeper and deeper in. I caught sight of a couple young Hork-Bajirs hanging from the trees and I couldn't help but smile.
"Hello, Cassie."
I stopped and Erek almost ran into me. I felt sick, weak. What right did I have to do this to either of them? I knew I should go, save the others, but Erek? Toby?
They should be done with it.
"Toby," I said, staring at her. She was a full grown Hork-Bajir now, and I knew she had a mate and a son- another seer whom she was teaching. Shegave me one of those frightening Hork-Bajir smiles. Perhaps it was my imagination, but it looked… a little sad.
"You know why were here?" I said, baffled.
"I knew you would come eventually," she said. "Ever since the others vanished, I knew that one day you would come, and take me away from this." She swept her arm over the valley, with all its inhabitants.
"I shouldn't ask you, either of you, to do this," I started to say, but Erek cut me off.
"You should," he said sternly. "We wouldn't let you do this alone, you know that."
"I will do all I can to help save Tobias, who freed the first of us," Toby added.
I felt new tears forming, but for once, they were happy tears. "But you've done so much for us already."
"We are all on the same side," Toby said sternly. "There are no debts to be paid between us. We all go as friends, to help our friends."
Erek nodded in agreement and I swallowed. "Okay, then Ellimist," I said. "Now what?"
YOU MUST FACE HIM.
Before I could even realize it, the valley was gone. Stars! A great gathering of them, all around, blindingly bright. Suddenly, we were everywhere and nowhere, we were everyone and no one, all at once. My breath caught in the throat I wasn't sure was there. "Face him? How? Where? What's going on?"
YOU WILL FIND IT IN A UNIVERSE THAT SHOULD NOT EXIST, BUT DOES. A BLENDING OF WORLDS THAT WAS ONCE CREATED USING THE TIMEMATRIX. I WILL TAKE YOU THERE, BUT BE WARNED.
THE ONE KNOWS YOU ARE COMING.