This story has so taken on a life of its own! When I started this thing, I had no idea this was where I was going to head with it. Hope you all are enjoying it!

Reunion (Chapter 9)

Breathing heavily, Richard and Cara continued their frantic search of the caverns. A soft flickering light reflecting off the walls up head, though, caused them to slow their pace considerably. Richard's heart leapt at the site of the torches' glow, praying that he had found her at last.

Silently they made their way closer to the glowing lights. Hearing several voices, Richard and Cara paused at the bend in the tunnel, extinguishing their torches so as not to draw attention to their presence.

Listening as the men argued, Richard's heart sank once again when he realized Kahlan wasn't with them. He cursed under his breath that he still had not found her yet. Even now, she was out there possibly injured with a tyrant father who was forcing her through treacherous traps and spirits knew what else.

Slowly peering around the corner, Richard counted about eight men, fully armed. They were arguing about whether to wait on Phillip and the Mother Confessor until they came back with the treasure or to capture them, forcing the Mother Confessor to get them the treasure.

One man piped up reminding them that Grayson said they were to wait until after the treasure had been found before killing Phillip and the Mother Confessor. Richard's blood began to seethe with rage as the men talked about killing his lover.

"Grayson?" one burly-looking man huffed. "He's not here, is he? We're here doing all the work, we do it our way!"

Voices of agreement rose around him from some of his friends while a couple of others scowled their disagreement with the plan. They had heard rumors of the consequences of not following Grayson's orders to the letter and were not about to be the next rumor. On the other hand, the two smaller men were greatly outnumbered by their cohorts. They reluctantly agreed to go along with it.

"Now, Phillip and the Confessor are about a mile ahead or so in the tunnel. All we need to do is kill Phillip and capture the Confessor. Whatever you do, don't let her touch her!" he vehemently warned. "And don't let her beauty fool you; she is deadly to deal with. As soon as we capture her, immediately tie her hands together. Once she helps us get the treasure, we bury her in here."

By now, Richard was heaving with rage at hearing their plans to capture Kahlan and then kill her after getting the treasure. Cara could practically feel the fury radiating off him in waves.

"What are we waiting for?" Cara finally whispered, anxious for a good fight. "Let's take them now."

Nodding his agreement, Richard pulled his sword and stepped out from behind the rocks, more than ready to put an end to all this once and for all.

XXX

Frozen with fear, Phillip was helpless to watch as the Gatekeeper sat on Kahlan's back. The Gatekeeper was so named because that was what it had been created to do. It had been created by the Tabethia people to guard the vast riches they had buried in the Tabethia Caverns. Long since extinct, their treasure had been sought after for a thousand years, yet to be discovered. Anyone who entered these caverns have never been heard from or seen again, most rumored to have never survived meeting the Gatekeeper.

The creature sat on Kahlan's back, eyeing Phillip with large golden eyes that glowed, revealing its heinous intentions. It was large, about the size of Phillip, covered in short dark brown fur. Its head was massive and had three long horns protruding from its forehead. Its two golden eyes sat close next to each other. Two fangs protruded from either side of its mouth and curled up towards its flaring nostrils.

The beast's arms were long and ended in three claws that were yellowed and stained with blood just like its fangs. Its legs were thick and furry, shaped like that of a bird's. It was squatting on Kahlan's back, head protruding forward, its fangs mere inches from his daughter's head. It snarled a deep, rumbling growl that made Phillip's skin crawl. Looking back down at Kahlan, his heart began to stir at the terror that was etched in her face.

"Father!" she cried out, tears in her eyes.

Hearing Kahlan cry out for him pricked his heart like never before. Even when she was a little girl and had cried as he tied her and Dennee with rope, he never allowed himself to feel anything. Now, seeing his child helplessly pinned beneath this beast, struggling to escape its punishment for invading its territory, Phillip suddenly became alive with courage he never thought he possessed.

Slowly slipping his hand into his cloak, Phillip cautiously pulled Kahlan's dagger free from his belt, never taking his eyes off the Gatekeeper while at the same time pulling his knife free. He dropped the dagger with a clang on the hard stone floor, temporarily distracting the beast. Then in one swift motion, Phillip threw his knife by the blade directly at the Gatekeeper's head while at the same time kicking the dagger across the ground towards Kahlan.

The dagger rapidly slid toward Kahlan's waiting hand. With a swing of his large hairy arm, the Gatekeeper sent the thrown knife harmlessly to the side where it came clanking to a rest against the cave wall. While the beast was taken off balance with deflecting the knife, Kahlan grasped the dagger and abruptly rolled onto her back. Bringing the dagger up, Kahlan violently imbedded the weapon in the chest of the beast.

Releasing a deafening screech of pain, the wounded creature fell backwards off of Kahlan. Having the weight of the Gatekeeper off of her, Kahlan immediately jumped to her feet, moving backwards until her back was pressed against the cave wall.

The creature, still screeching in agony, was enraged as it pulled the dagger from its chest, flinging it across the tunnel. Eyes focused on Kahlan, its chest began to heave with rage as it staggered towards her, blood pouring from its chest wound.

Pressing herself tightly against the wall, Kahlan stretched out her arm, hand open, ready to do the only thing she could think to do. She was ready to confess him; it was all she had left. She had no idea if her powers would even work on a Gatekeeper or not, but she was going to die trying. She had to do whatever it took to get back to Richard.

With nothing left to lose, Kahlan lunged forward, grabbing the Gatekeeper's throat. The resounding thunder without sound vibrated throughout the cavern as her powers were released. The creature's yellow eyes grew black with response to the Mother Confessor's magic mixing with its own.

With the release of her magic, Kahlan fell back against the cave wall, weak from her powers draining from her body. The creature froze in its tracks. Eyes still wide and black, the beast released a deafening guttural cry that echoed throughout the cavern, sending tremors vibrating through the walls. Rocks began to fall about them from overhead as the Gatekeeper began to convulse before falling to the ground dead.

Stunned by the response her powers caused in the creature, Kahlan stood with her back pressed against the wall, rocks still falling down around her. The release of her powers caused her to be weakened even further; the cave wall was the only thing keeping her upright.

"Kahlan, are you alright?" Phillip asked as he ran to his daughter's side, dodging the last few rocks that broke loose from overhead.

"I think so," Kahlan slowly responded, stunned by her father's show of concern.

"We should get moving in case he has friends," Phillip recommended, placing a comforting hand on her arm.

Kahlan was shaken by the concern her father was showing her. She didn't know what to think or how to feel about it. Her first instinct was that it was a ploy to keep her helping him, but deep down in her heart she could tell there was genuine concern for her.

As she began following Phillip down the tunnel, Kahlan's heart that longed for a father who loved her was at war with the memories of the abuse she had endured at his hands.

XXX

Finishing off the last two men, Richard and Cara were abruptly taken off guard by the sudden deafening roar that reverberated from up the tunnel, causing stones to fall all around them. Evading the avalanche of stones and rocks, Richard and Cara ran down the tunnel towards the spine-chilling growl.

The sound made Richard's blood run cold with fear. He just prayed it wasn't near Kahlan all the while knowing in his heart that it was.

"What in spirits is that?" Cara yelled at Richard as they continued to race down the passageway. As a Mord'Sith with all the torture she had experienced and given she had never heard a sound like that before.

"I don't know, but it definitely does not sound human," Richard replied, anxiety ripping at his heart.

Having finished off Grayson's men, the Seeker's sword had tasted blood, further eliminating the threat that stood in opposition of him reaching Kahlan. It had also served to somewhat calm his tormented soul that was bent on dispensing justice…that is until he heard that deadly cry. Now, fear once again possessed his soul and nothing except having Kahlan back in arms was going to release him from its control.

XXX

Phillip was becoming more anxious by the moment. They were coming to the end of the map which hopefully meant that they were almost to the treasure. He knew they were not going to be able to just waltz into whatever it was buried in and take it. It would be spelled with even more magic and traps than they had already found. And they would be exceptionally deadly.

He was beginning to wonder if this was truly worth it. He couldn't believe he of all people was starting to have second thoughts about obtaining wealth beyond imagine, but yet there it was, circling his mind on the outskirts of his thoughts. Was it possible he was going soft after all these years?

Trying to shake the uncomfortable thoughts from his mind, Phillip once again set his focus on the map as he glanced at their surroundings.

"It looks like this passage should open up into a giant cavern," Phillip finally told her. "You still have the stone, right?"

"Right here in my hand," Kahlan replied, opening her hand to reveal the brilliant pink stone.

Phillip looked up from her hand to her pale face as he noticed the rasping of her breathing. After years of feeling nothing but bitterness and hatred, something stirred deep within his lifeless heart as he took in his daughter's deteriorating appearance. His heart froze as realization swept over him. He was killing his daughter. If he didn't get her help, Kahlan was going to die here because of him, because of the dagger wound he had caused.

"Father?" Kahlan finally said, unsettled by the sudden draining of color from his face.

Swallowing down a lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, Phillip softly responded, "Kahlan, I'm sorry I dragged you into this…I was only thinking of saving myself…of my greed."

Unnerved by this sudden apology, Kahlan didn't know how to respond. She couldn't tell him that it was alright, that he was forgiven for all those years of pain, for throwing a dagger at her, wounding her, dragging her away from Richard and into this nightmare. Some things were just unforgiveable.

"Which way do we go now?" she at last replied after finding her voice, fighting back the tears that were welling up inside her.

Her emotions were a whirlwind, creating confusion and conflict deep in her soul. She didn't know what to think or believe any more. The only thing she did know was that she needed Richard now more than ever. He had been and always would be the only unwavering constant in her life. He was her source of strength, courage and love; her light in the midst of the dark swirling tempest.

"To the left several feet and then it should open into a large cavern," Phillip muttered, biting his upper lip and averting his eyes to keep from looking at his daughter. Why was she suddenly having such an effect on him? Had time truly healed some wounds?

Turning towards the left, Phillip and Kahlan made their way towards the fortune Phillip had wanted so desperately above all else in his life.

A soft glow was slowly appearing the closer they got to the next cavern's entrance. Reaching the mouth of the cavern, Kahlan and Phillip could only stand in awe of what spread out before them…