A/N: Thanks goes to all who've reviewed this story. Chapter 4 Beta'd by Angw and Trickster's Queen of War.

Vala slipped out into the night, zat in hand. The village was dark and no one was out on the streets. That made her job easier. She had a pretty good idea as to where Cameron's team had been taken. The heretic jail was just outside of town, guarded by fanatical soldiers of the Ori.

That hadn't stopped her before and it sure wasn't going to stop her now. The heretic jail was surrounded by a tall wall and a small moat filled with acidic water. The only entrance was a heavily guarded bridge. Fortunately for Vala, she happened to know how to get past it.

At night, the bridge was a frequent traffic stop, with Ori war vehicles constantly driving supplies across it. She waited until a small convoy was getting read to cross, then she slid under the leader vehicle and held on by its suspension.

The vehicles were very simplistic, with rounded, but boxy shapes that were boring to look at. Vala almost missed Goa'uld Cargo Ships and Death Gliders. They hovered above the ground, making it the slightest bit unnerving to be holding on underneath them.

She waited as the vehicles crossed the bridge, unhindered by the guards. After they stopped she quickly dropped out from under them and ducked behind a supply shed. She paused, fingering her zat into firing position and then jogged along the line of buildings to the cells, which were pits in the ground. They were impossible to miss. Four Ori guards were positioned on either side of entrance to the pits. She decided it'd be best to climb onto the roof and find Cameron's team from there.

She found a group of crates just down an alleyway, stacked in a corner. She quickly climbed up them and onto the roof. Then she pressed her body to the roof and crawled over to the other side.

From there she could see the insides of the cells. Vala grimaced, presently there was only one cell that was occupied. She instantly recognized Daniel, minus his stubble growth. Vala had to suppress a laugh, the stubble had been utterly hilarious on him.

She then spotted Teal'c then realized that Colonel Carter wasn't there. Vala crawled back down the roof and into the alleyway. She took a deep breath, then darted back out of the heretic jail. She couldn't free them now, but with Cameron's help, they could.

XXX

Cameron wondered if this was what it felt like to be dead. He was engulfed in an empty white void. His first thought was that it would be a terrible place to spend eternity. There was no up, no down, no left, no right, just empty nothingness.

Slowly, the world around him blackened, and he began to see things, weird things. His first image was of the Stargate, opening in all its majesty. He could smile at that.

Then the world became cold and bleak, vaguely resembling Antarctica. Cameron glanced across the barren wastelands. He could feel the cold air biting through his jacket and shirt. He wasn't dressed for this. Ironically enough, it was a dream.

But, dream or not, it was really getting cold. He tucked his arms in towards his chest, drawing warmth into them and decided it couldn't hurt to start walking. Cameron spotted a small cave in the distance and slowly began walking towards it.

He began to hear voices.

"Cameron." His mother pleading over him in the air force hospital.

"When you get out you can do anything you want... I mean professionally." General Jack O'Neill's pep talk into getting him on his feet again.

"No, I can do this." His own, strained from the exertion of trying to regain the use of his legs.

He stepped into the cave, his footfalls loud from the rock floor. Cameron walked in enough so that he could no longer feel the wind, then he sat down and leaned against the wall. The wall was cold, but not overly so.

He realized he wasn't alone. Standing deeper in the cave, shrouded in shadow was a man. The old man stepped into the light. Cameron immediately stood up and dropped into a combat stance. The man was old, with a long flowing beard. His robes reminded Cameron of those worn by the Priors.

"Who are you?" Cameron asked, watching for the slightest hint of aggression.

"I had a name once." The old man replied evenly, not moving in the slightest.

"So, you're real?"

"Real in the sense that I exist. I cannot actually be human, I moved on from that part of my life a long time ago."

Cameron scratched his head. "Wait a minute, you're saying that you're ascended."

"Yes. I was one of the last great leaders of the order of time."

"Wait a second, didn't something about that happen in Atlantis."
"Yes. That is why I am here. The first part of the Prophecy has been fulfilled. Now the second part must be completed."

He held up a hand. "Hold your horses buddy! What's this whole prophecy deal?"

"The Prophecy says that in time a chosen one will arise. He will vanquish the enemies that defeated us. His home will fall to chaos. Then another hero will arise to join him. Together, they will restore the universe to its former glory."

"And what makes you think that has anything to do with me?"

"Inside you, is the stirrings of greatness. When you were paralyzed, how did you learn to walk again?"

"How could you possibly know about that?"

The old man smiled. "One does not speak to someone in a dream without first knowing his mind."

"Okay." Cameron wasn't convinced but he let the subject drop. "I learned to walk again through a long year of work."

"You learned to walk again by your own strength. That is where your greatness comes from."

"So, assuming Colonel Sheppard is the chosen one, then what does that make me?"

"It makes you the second part of the Prophecy. You will have to save your people."
"What do they need saving from?"
"The Ori."

"But we stopped the Ori from establishing a beachhead."

"Yes, but even now, the first Prior has gone to your world."

Images instantly floated into Cameron's mind. The mass panic and hysteria that would grip the world as they discovered all kinds of truths that they weren't ready for. The crowds of religious fanatics that he knew would flock to a Prior as if he was Christ reborn.

"What can I do?" Cameron asked.

"You must return home, and gather together a fellowship to follow you in your journey." The old man sounded like Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings.

"Then?" Cameron prompted.

"Then you must find an artifact on the world known as Kelowna. It is the sword of the last ancient to walk this galaxy... me."

"What good is a sword going to be?"

"It is more than a sword, it is a pathway to abilities you never knew you had. Once you've found it. We will speak again." Without another word, the old man vanished, as if he'd never been there.

Cameron looked around. He was still standing in the cold wasteland. "Hey... wanna give me a hand waking up." He said to no one. Then the world around him shattered.

He lurched from the bed with a start. He felt seriously hungover, but other than that, he was fine. Then he stopped, threw the covers off and checked his leg. It was fully healed, the skin pink with recent healing. There wasn't even a scar.

Vala entered, carrying a tray of what looked like soup. "Glad to see you're up and about. Here's some breakfast."

"We've gotta rescue my team!" He said suddenly realizing he had no clue how long he'd been out. "How long have I been out?"

"The better part of yesterday and this morning." Vala threw him a twisted smile. "Now drink and eat, then we'll go get them."

Cameron realized that for once, Vala was right. He still felt sore, especially in his formerly wounded leg. He quickly downed his food then tried to stand. Vala had to instantly prop him up as his head filled with nausea.

"Okay, not good." He admitted.

"It'll pass." Vala replied. "Just breathe and let me support you, for now."

"In other words, don't get comfortable."

Vala gave him a toothy smile. "I'm saving that for Daniel."

Cameron pretended to think. "Maybe he's softened up to you?"

"Oh I doubt that, but I know he loves it."

The pounding in Cameron's head subsided and he was able to stand on his own. He carefully walked down the steps and into the common room. He noticed the tall man sitting on a couch.

Vala walked over next to him. "Mitchell, this is Tamar, my husband. Tamar, this is Colonel Cameron Mitchell."

Cameron extended a hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Tamar gave him a quizzical expression before extending his hand.

Cameron shook it. "Sorry to be a burden."

"No, you are no burden Colonel."

"Ahh, if it isn't the smell, it'll be my jokes that'll make me a burden."

Tamar laughed. "I assure you, you are welcome in my home."

There was a loud knock on the door. "In the name of the Ori, open this door." A gruff voice said from behind it.

Vala grabbed Cameron's arm and motioned for him to follow her. She quickly opened the trapdoor to the cellar and motioned for Cameron to enter. He nodded and climbed down the ladder and into the dark cellar.

He shivered. It was cold, dark, and damp. He used his hands to find a small box to hide behind. He then crouched down and crossed his fingers, praying that the Ori soldiers wouldn't find him.

In the quiet he could hear the loud voices of the soldiers and the responses of both Tamar and Vala. While he still wasn't sure he could trust Vala, he was certain that she wouldn't turn him over to the Ori. He could hear the soldiers as they tromped up the stairs and walked through all the rooms of the small house.

He held his breath as he heard the trapdoor open. He drew his legs in close and curled into a ball, trying to make himself as close to invisible as possible. Luckily, the Ori soldiers didn't bring lights and just glanced around briefly in the dark before climbing back up and continuing on their way.

He waited a few minutes before getting up from his hiding spot and climbing back up the ladder. Vala was engaged in a quiet conversation with Tamar near the door. He climbed up soon enough to hear Vala finish the conversation.

"Thank you Tamar." She said, then embraced him. "I won't forget you."

Cameron walked over and shook his hand. "Neither will I."

Tamar pulled a box out from under the sink. He removed the lid. Inside was Cameron's P90 and all his gear, except for his jacket, along with Vala's zat. He quickly put his flak vest back on, then his belt with all the accessories, and then clipped his P90 to his vest.

Vala returned dressed in her own black SG-1 jacket and pants. She grabbed her zat then walked over to the door and took a pair of dark cloaks from their hooks. She tossed one to Cameron.

He quickly slid it on and buttoned it so it covered his gear. "Ready?" He asked her.

Vala nodded and with one last look at Tamar walked to the back door with Cameron and set out.