"You okay?" Kenny groaned, as they landed on a heap on the ground.
"I think all my injuries are internal," Max groaned, as they both stumbled to their feet.
"Think you can run?" Kenny asked, as they dashed toward the surrounding the woods.
"Never wanted to run more," she replied, "Where exactly are we heading?"
He grabbed her hand in his, as they wove in out around the trees, "You think that I know? Far away from the castle for now."
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"Is something supposed to be happening?" Skeeter asked, as he watched as Ginny sat still on the floor.
"Ssh," Jimmy said, as he watched her take a deep breath.
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"I need to catch my breath," Max panted.
"I think we put enough distance between them and us for now," Kenny conceded, "They have to know that we're gone by now."
"What do they want with us?" she asked softly, "The Queen . . . She mentioned some sort of ceremony taking place tomorrow night."
"What?"
Max shrugged, "I don't know. Something about keeping us apart until then. I was eavesdropping, I didn't get the specifics."
"I'm not letting you out of my sight ever again."
Max wrapped her arms around him and held him close, "What are we going to do?"
"We'll figure it out, Max. We got out of the castle, didn't we? We'll get home too, I promise you."
"Ah, isn't that sweet," a voice said from behind them, "Lost in the woods, children?"
"Who are you?" Kenny demanded, pushing Max behind him.
"You're in my woods, and you want to know who I am?" the man said, as he nodded to the trees, as more men on horseback appeared, "The King knows what happens to his people when they come into my woods."
"We're not his people," Max spat, "I'd kill the son of a bitch if I had a chance."
"Really, woman?" he mused, "A meek little creature like you?"
"You really don't want to piss her off," Kenny commented, as he pulled her closer to him.
"You didn't come from the village?" another asked.
"It's complicated," Max said.
"Explain it then."
"First tell us who you are," Kenny countered.
"Us? Cast offs from the village. They want us dead, we're not good enough for their little village," the first man said, "We wander the land, taking care of ourselves."
Kenny and Max exchanged a look before Kenny sighed, "They can't be any worse than what we just came from."
"Yeah," Max agreed, as she watched the men apprehensively, "Why not?"
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"I can feel them," Ginny sighed, "Their very essence is so far away."
"Well we know that," Jill said, "Can you talk to them?"
Ginny nodded, as she focused all her thoughts on the missing two, "No!"
The others watched in horror, as the small woman flew across the room and then laid still.
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"So you are the chosen two," he sighed.
"Chosen for what?" Max asked, as Kenny finished their story, "No one will tell us!"
"The chosen two fallen into our lap," he continued over her question, "What an interesting development."
"We should go," Kenny hissed her ear.
"Uh, where?" she asked, gesturing to the people surrounding them, "This keeps getting worse."
"Come with us," the man demanded.
"Where?" Kenny asked.
"To our home. We have many plans to make."
"Not until you tell us what we are chosen for," Max countered.
"You aren't in any position to bargain, woman," he said, as he pointed his sword at her neck, before turning to Kenny, "You'd best keep your woman quiet."
"I'm with her," he said, "We're not going anywhere."
"I wonder how the King would react if we sent his chosen ones back in pieces?" he mused, as he grabbed Max, "You're coming, now."
"Let go of me!" she yelled, as he set her on his horse with him. She twisted her head back to see Kenny getting the same treatment, before they were all galloping through the woods.
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"Ginny?" Jill asked, as she helped the other woman sit up, "What happened?"
"I can't reach them, not before it is to late. They won't let me," Ginny whispered.
"Who won't?" Jimmy asked.
"That place, it wants to change them," Ginny continued, "They're fighting it, but they don't even know what they're fighting against. They can't win, not in the end."
"Fighting what?"
"Not what, who."
"Fine who?" Jimmy asked.
"The Gods."
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Max grunted, as she was tossed off of the horse and onto the dirt, "Thanks for the ride."
"Look what we brought," the man said, as he gestured to the people in the camp, "Who would have thought that we would find the chosen ones wandering around our woods?"
"The chosen ones?" a woman asked, "Are you sure? The ones that defeated the evil?"
"What do you think that they're going to do to us?" Max asked lowly.
"Use us as bargaining chips with the King?" Kenny offered, as he wrapped his arms securely around her, "You okay?"
"All things considering? Sure."
"You will not be used as bargaining chips with the King," the man interjected, as he smiled at them, "Let me introduce myself. I am Nando."
"What do you want us for, Nando?" Kenny asked.
"Want? That bears some thought," he mused, "I suppose opposite of what the King and Queen want. Nothing would please me more."
"And what do they want?" Max sighed, feeling frustrated by the riddles they were getting for answers.
"You really don't know?" Nando asked, "I suppose you don't, or you wouldn't have ran. Tomorrow, the solstice . . . once it pasts, it will be too late."
"Just once I'd like a straight answer," Kenny replied.
"Who you are," Nando trailed off, "We must keep you from them until tomorrow night passes."
"Then what happens to us?" Max asked.
"That will be interesting to see," Nando replied, "You're not of this world, but . . . You are chosen . . . If the ceremony is not completed, it could lead us to a new destiny. One were the King and Queen are not in power anymore. Destroying prophesies . . . You must remain with us if you even want a chance at surviving."
"All we want is to go home," Kenny countered, "Back to our world. Apparently our wizard abandon us here."
"It takes a very powerful wizard to open portals between worlds," Nando agreed, "Why don't we make a deal? Stay with us until tomorrow night, until the solstice passes, and we will help you find your way home."
"What do you think?" Kenny asked.
She shrugged, "It's better than going through this ceremony that everyone else seems to want us to."
"Fine," Kenny agreed, "The King knows that we're gone, so they're going to be looking for us."
"They don't know these woods as well as we do," Nando replied, "Come, there is still awhile before it gets dark."
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"What do these Gods want with them?" Jimmy asked.
Ginny lifted her head to look at the worried faces gazing down at her, "No . . .They were chosen, so long ago, it is their destiny."
"What is?" Jill asked.
"Kenny and Max, for this. They're to become Gods."
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"Since when do you know how to ride a horse?" Max asked, as she leaned up against Kenny's chest, as they followed the others down the path, atop the brown mare.
"Since today," he replied, "Comfortable?"
"Hmm," she agreed, as she stared up at the pink and red sky.
"What's going on in that head of yours?"
"Just thinking."
"I know that. About what?"
"Do you believe them? That they'll help us get home?"
"No. Maybe. It's better than the alternative," Kenny sighed, "Whatever this ceremony is."
"I wonder if anyone is looking for us."
"They have to be."
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"Gods?" Skeeter asked, "You aren't serious?"
"Rebirth of two old and powerful Gods. They've been waiting for so long to rejoin the world, the right circumstances, people," Ginny trailed off, "They're ready."
"What happens if they're reborn?" Carter asked wondrously.
Ginny shook her head, "Worlds will spill over into other worlds. Realities will be altered, while others will be obliterated. A new world will be born. Gods will walk the earth again."
"Gods," Jimmy repeated.
"Gods," Ginny verified, "There is to be a ceremony."
"We have to stop it," Jill interjected, "They won't let it happen."
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"We will stop here for the night," Nando declared, as they came to a small clearing.
"Somehow I thought we were done sleeping in the woods," Max said under her breath.
"No jacuzzi and beer yet," Kenny added, "Soon."
"I will keep first watch," another man said, as he turned to them, "I am Loho. Welcome chosen ones."
"Uh, I'm Kenny. This is Max."
Loho nodded, "Welcome."
"This is surreal," Max said in his ear, as they watched the others set up camp, "Think we should help?"
"No bother," a woman said, "I am called Lupa. Here is a blanket. Make yourselves comfortable."
"Is it a bad thing that I'm already suspicious of their motives?" Max whispered.
"Not here," Kenny replied, as the entire group settled around the camp fire, "They want something from us, same as everyone else."
"Come, sit, eat," Nando said, "We have much to discuss."
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"Do they know?" Jimmy asked, "Any clue at all?"
"They won't know until it is too late."
"What happens if the ceremony doesn't happen?" Jill asked.
Ginny sighed, "The prophecy will fall apart, and havoc will be unleashed in Ital. The Gods will unleash beasts upon the land . . ."
"We have to get them out of there!" Jimmy replied, "Carter?"
"I tried, it won't open."
"Well try again!"
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"Stay or go?" Kenny whispered, as they huddled under their blanket, next to the fire.
"I don't want to run around these woods in the dark," Max replied.
"It might be our only chance."
"To what? They want to keep us away from the King. How bad can they be?"
"They aren't giving us any straight answers, Max."
"I know," she sighed, "I'm scared, Kenny. More than of the dragon, the evil, or any of it. I keep having these . . . I don't flashes of something I don't . . .I don't recognize what it is, but . . ."
"You're not making any sense."
"I know . . . I feel different, like something big is about to happen."
"I won't let anything happen to you."
"We might not have a choice," she replied softly, feeling oddly touched by his protectiveness.
"We always have a choice," he countered, holding her close in the moonlight, "Get some sleep. We'll figure this all out in the morning.