I apologize for the lack of updates and all, but I had a case of writer's block concerning this story. But vacation seems to have cured that. I hope this chapter is satisfactory for you all. More are on the way, I promise.

Elphie Muse: Enough yammering. Let them read.

All right all right. I'll let them read. I do need to start working on the next chapter as well. Updates will be more frequent, I promise.

Despite my several week hiatus I still do not own this stuff...rats...

Sam paused and shifted her gaze to the mountains that lay before her. Several weeks had passed since she and the others had left to go find the Aiuven. The weather had gotten colder forcing the team to purchase parkas.

A warm hand rested on Sam's shoulder. She turned and smiled at Jack. "You all right?" he questioned. "You've been a bit…different for the last few days."

"I don't know what's going on with me," she said. "The Aiuven voices are getting stronger but…I don't know…there's something else about this place…it's…I don't know…" she said with a shrug. "It's confusing."

Jack smiled warmly at Sam. "You'll figure it out. You always do."

Sam shook her head. "This is…different. Like there's more than just the wolves and Aiuven in my head."

"You know its bad when you hear multiple voices," Jack teased. Sam couldn't help but smile at that remark.

"Maybe. But I know something else is out here."

"Aranur and the others are setting up camp right now. Don't be too long out here by yourself," Jack said.

"Lakota's with me," Sam said.

"Still, don't be too long," he insisted.

Sam nodded and Jack left for the camp several meters away. Sam sighed through her nose and turned towards the mountains. "What's out here Lakota?" she murmured as the wolf nudged her hand.

Memories, the wolf sent.

Memories of what? Sam asked.

Pain…death…lies… he told her.

"Lies? Lies of what?" she inquired.

"Lies of the Ori," a familiar voice said.

Sam slowly turned and her eyes widened in surprise. "Orlin…" she said softly.

"Hello Samantha," he said, his blue eyes shining warmly at her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"To see you," he replied. "And to help you fight the Ori."

"I thought Ascended beings weren't allowed to interfere," she countered.

"They are not," he said.

Sam frowned. "You Descended?" she asked.

He nodded. "I chose to. Your friends on Earth needed my help to combat the Prior's plague, but I was not much use."

"I'm sure you did everything you could," she said.

He again nodded. "I was allowed to be sent here by my former Ascended beings to see you and help you fulfill your destiny."

"They let you retain all the knowledge you had as an Ascended being for that?"

"They knew that it had to be done," he replied.

"I thought they didn't like to interfere with lower beings' affairs," Sam said.

"They do not, but as I said, it had to be done."

"Okay. So what exactly is my destiny?" Sam asked.

Orlin held her gaze. "That is for you to find out," he said softly.

"So how do I do that?" she questioned.

A look of regret came across Orlin's eyes. "By losing everything," he said softly.

Sam frowned when something ripped through her chest. She looked down and was stunned to see an arrowhead protruding from her chest. Crimson fluid began staining her tunic darker in color. She looked at Orlin, her face becoming paler with each passing moment.

"I am sorry Samantha, but this journey is for you alone," he whispered as a burly man came into view.

Lakota snarled at the newcomer, hackles raised. A moment later Hishn and Dion came crashing into view. Janet and Mika were seconds behind with Aranur, Gamon, and Jack. They all had weapons drawn, but Dion was the first to fell the lone raider.

"Gamon, Aranur, check for others," Dion ordered. She looked at Orlin suspiciously. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"I know you," Jack said. "You're that Orlin guy who made everyone think Sam was crazy," he said.

Orlin nodded and stepped away, revealing Sam. She had fallen to her side during the commotion, the arrow clearly visible. "Damn," Janet muttered, going into full doctor mode. She and Dion knelt down next to their friend and began examining Sam.

"How is she?" Jack asked after several moments.

"Not good," Dion said.

"The arrow is right by her heart. One wrong move and she could die," Janet added, running a hand through her hair.

"Can't you do something?" Jack pleaded.

"There is one thing, but it's very risky," Dion said. "We'd have to get Sam back to camp though and I don't want to move her just yet."

"You cannot do Ovousibas," Orlin said.

"What?" Jack asked.

"How do you know of Ovousibas?" Dion demanded.

"Samantha must heal herself," Orlin said.

"She's dying," Janet countered.

"She is walking a path that she must travel alone. If she does not do this, then there will be no stopping the Ori," he said.

"What?" Jack repeated.

"If we don't do something now to help her, she won't be able to help anyone!" Dion shot back, her anger rising.

"I cannot let you do Ovousibas," Orlin repeated calmly, stepping between them and Sam's unconscious form.

"What?" Jack demanded, getting angry.

"You can't stop us from helping our friend," Janet returned.

Lakota stood next to Orlin. "I will not stop you, but you will not do Ovousibas on Samantha," Orlin said.

"Says who?" Janet demanded.

A gray-blue winged figure suddenly swept down out of the sky and grabbed Sam's body with taloned feet. The figure rose high into the air and soared away to the north. Aranur and Gamon came back into the clearing just in time to see.

"By the moons…" the old weapons master breathed.

"An Aiuven…" Aranur said softly.

"What the hell is going on for crying out loud?" Jack shouted in demand.

"I shall endeavor to explain," Orlin said.

Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker

Sam yawned and opened her eyes. She sat up and looked around, confused as to how she ended up in a soft, warm bed. "Okay…this is a bit weird…" she murmured. She rose to her feet and walked out of the room. In a flash she was instantly wearing a pair of jeans and a black shirt and was outside in a large camp in a mountainous forest, a fire blazing in the center of the camp.

"What the hell is going on?" she demanded.

"A path has been set before you Samantha," a warm voice said. "You must follow it to your destiny."

Sam slowly turned, a lump in her throat. Her blue eyes widened, tears forming in her eyes. They began to trickle down as the blonde astrophysicist opened and closed her mouth in shock. The figure smiled warmly, long blonde hair swaying in the breeze. Soft blue eyes stared into Sam's. The figure was dressed similarly to Sam. A large female wolf sat next to the figure, its yellow eyes wise and full of knowledge.

Sam swallowed the lump. "Mom…" she whispered softly in a hoarse voice.

Unexpected plot twist that not even I expected! I would have more, but I finished this chapter at midnight last night...or would it be this morning technically speaking? Anywho, it seemed like the best place to stop so I stopped here. I'm evil with cliffies.

Now, be nice and review to help keep the writer's block away. I accept all reviews aside from flames. Flames shall be doused in water and sent to Antarctica.