CHAPTER TWO:

Eyes clenched shut Meg knelt in the center of the muddy road, her head bowed in prayer. She tuned out on the rest of the world and focused on the inner chamber of her soul, the place where she talked with Mahrek and he gave her guidance. Yet even in her Soul Chamber Meg found no peace. For it, too, showed her magic. Now she could see it for what it truly was. It mocked the Holy One with a the room of glass walls through which brillient sunlight always streamed. So simple and humble had it seemed, bare and doorless with unsmoothed stones for Megs soul to kneel upon, the perfect lie; a horrible sin.

Angrily Meg beat at the windows with her fists, willing them to disapear, to be plain, stonewalls. Nothing changed. She sobbed out in horror before sinking to her soul knees and begging on the floor for forgiveness, for guidance, for mercy. She wanted so hard to be good, but everything she did only showed how bad she truly was.

That was how Meg stayed, kneeling both mortally and soulfully upon the ground deep in humble prayer. So deep in fact, that Meg didn't even notice a horse rear up before her as a galloping rider came to a halting stop in an effort to avoid trampling her. As it was, Meg had to be forcibly shaken before she opened her eyes and realized, with a jolt, that she had an audience.

A tan woman, obviously noble from her clothes, stood worriedly before her. Behind her peered three others, a dark girl, one with red locks and specticals and a wet boy. In fact, they were all wet. Looking down Meg found her self drenched by the steady rain too. The red head began talking angrily. "What did you think you were doing? Meditating right in the middle of the road?"

Meditating?! That was for magic folks though. "No, friend," Meg replied quickly. "Not meditating, never meditating!"

"That's what it most certainly looked like!" replied the girl quickly. Aghast at the thought of another sin so quickly after her prayers Meg again knelt and began muttering fast prayers of forgiveness and mercy and acknoledging sin, but the red head snapped her out of it.

"What are you praying for now?! You just finished!"

"I-I sinned, I must ask for forgiveness- 'If thou sins and asketh not for forgiveness, then thou sins twice over,'" Meg quoted wisely.

"You sinned?" asked another, this time the dark girl.

"Of course! Have you not read the Holy Book?"

"Uh, no…" Meg quickly lowered her eyes. "May the Lord grant you forgiveness of your sins and your ignorance."

The girls almost glared at her. From behind more hoof steps clattered out. A group of four others, this time adults, appeared. They all looked curiously at her kneeling on the robe in such heavy atire. "Who's this?" asked Lark kindly. The four looked slightly flustered for not asking her name.

"Um…"

"Meg of …" she paused, remembering the great city was no longer her home. "Well, just Meg."

"Well Meg, would you like to travel back with us to our home? You are sopping wet and the wind is picking up, you'll not be able to get home," said a man's voice. Meg kept her eyes humbly trained on his steeds front legs.

"I do not wish to intrude, but a good meal does sound nice." Meg saw the light upon the ground move and knew he had nodded, the light warmed as he smiled. Then, realizing what she had done, noticing and even using her magic she began to pray again, eye shut tight and she fell into her Soul Chamber. Outside Niko shielded his eyes from the unexpected burst of magic from her.

Meanwhile Rosethorn and Lark were looking worriedly at each other. They both recognized the dark, covering clothes worn by the women of 'The Faith'. It was much different than most common religions, worshiping one god only and worshiping VERY strictly. "Why is she on the road in this weather?' Lark whispered to Rosethorn. Her friend only shrugged and looked back at the girls. Sandry had already jumped off her horse, and offered it to the wet girl, who reluctantly agreed. Sandry swung up behind her. It was a long ride, after all.

Okay, I agree, it's a pathetic ending, but what did you think about the chapter over all? Do you have any ideas for a better summary? Do you have ideas for a better conclusion than this one? Tell me if you like it in third person better than first. The next eight chapters or so are in third, so speak up if you prefer first! Other wise the rest will probably all be in third… Please review, it makes my day!

Echo