Chapter Twenty-Four

Nyvern and I both laughed at the childish werewolf as he pranced around the room. I dumped the money into the small bag on my left side and looked back at the list. In the Darkness Quarter you'll find special horses that have more strength, energy, and intelligence than you do. You'll need to go into the Darkness Quarter and find them, and when you do you'll need to buy seven of them. Do not question why you will yet need so many, but just know that you will leave this City when the time for the journey comes with that many horses.

I showed the third note on the list to the boys and they both raised their eyebrows in surprise. Handing it back, Nyvern asked me "Does she say anywhere who or what those other four people will be?" I shook my head slowly, before reopening the box of notes and pulling them all out. I found a separate note folded in the bottom of the box that I must have missed.

I opened it and read the fading words, This piece of paper will give you an immediate connection with me so that we can talk together, and it will allow all of your questions to be answered. Simply write the question down and an answer will appear, though the answers may not be what you expect.

I thought about it for a moment before smoothing out the paper and getting a quill and a pot of ink, dipping the end of the quill in the ink bottle before writing my question on the piece of paper. What type of people will be joining me on my journey, and when will this journey be?I wrote down on the paper, somewhat skeptic of receiving an answer. For a moment, nothing happened, but then I noticed the words began to fade away and disappear into the paper. After a moment, ink started to bleed through it and I became confused.

I lifted the parchment from the table, expecting to see an ink spill underneath of it. The table was clean. I looked back at the front and saw the ink smudges bleeding through turning into words. The people will be you, the werewolf chief, one male warrior, one female druid, one female priestess, one male rogue, and one male sorcerer. You will meet these people and become a close-packed family of your own over the course of time between now and your journey. You will all begin your journey just as the moon is rising on a night exactly two months from today, when a chain series of events will begin.

I chuckled to myself when I received my answer. Nyvern and Kallaheart both read it from over my shoulders, and I grinned at the picture we created, looking like a trio of fools. The ink faded out after a moment, and I gently placed the paper back inside of the box, along with the list. I firmly shut the box and held it in my hands, walking past the boys to the front door.

Stepping out on the front porch, I noticed right away that a section above me had been cleared naturally by the tree so that I could look up at the crystal in the top of the Quarter. On my left, there was a bench swing on the porch. On the right was a rocking chair, and behind it was a thick branch for sitting on. I stepped to the edge of the porch's railing and found a small flat swing to sit on. I sat and the branches of the tree gently lowered me to the ground.

I stepped off onto the grass and it zoomed back up to the top, bringing the boys down together with it. When they stepped off, it zoomed back up to the top again. A tendril of purple light flowed past my ear to a knot on the side of the tree. I walked over and pushed gently on the knot, and the swing came back down to the bottom, waiting for me. I pushed the knot again and the swing zoomed back up to the top.

The boys shook their head in amazement and said "This place must be crawling with magic, but I didn't think the Naturalist's Quarter would do that." Kallaheart commented. Nyvern shook his head quietly for a moment.

"It's the magic of the druids, and it's brought this tree to an intelligent life. Either that, or it did that on its own. This Willow Tree is just as alive and intelligent as you and I are. That makes it the best guardian for Ayla, don't you think?" he said skeptically, looking up at the house high up in the tree. Kallaheart slowly nodded as he looked up too, shivering slightly before putting an arm around my shoulders and leading me away.

Nyvern casually slid his arm around my shoulders from my other side, and the three of us walked together, my hands on both of their shoulders as well. When we entered into the Darkness Quarter, Nyvern and Kallaheart became slightly more jumpy, shifting their eyes from spot to spot, searching for trouble. I was perfectly calm as I walked through the streets, and as we were passing a shop I told the boys I was stepping inside for a moment.

They gave me a strange look and followed me inside, glancing behind them shiftily as they did. I walked up to the merchant behind the counter and waited for him to focus his attention on me.

He glanced my way as he was closing a box and said "Hello young lady, perhaps you would be interested in a silver rope that turns into a snake when you command it, or did you have something special in mind?" he asked her, smiling in a creepy fashion. I gave him a small smile in return.

"No thank you kind sir, I was just wondering if you could tell me where the stables back here were? I was told by a friend that a special breed of horses was sold here, but I can't seem to find it. Could you possibly help me out?" I asked him. He thought about it for a moment as he stroked the side of the box in his hands.

"Now that you mention it, perhaps I can. The stables for these horses you speak of should be in the very back of the Quarter, down Rat-Hole Road. Yes, a man named Karkle breeds and sells the mounts for a hefty price, but they're worth every copper piece. You shouldn't have any trouble finding it if you work on going straight to the back of the Quarter from here." He supplied helpfully. I pulled out a silver half-crown and flipped it to the man, who caught it on reflex.

"Thank you for the information neighbor, and have a nice afternoon." I told him.

"Bless you my Lady, and have a good afternoon." He said heartily as we walked out. The two boys gave me appraising looks, but I paid them no heed as we walked on. It took us a good fifteen minutes of confusing twists and turns, but soon we found a street sign that sat Rat-Hole Road on it.

We walked down the road, looking for the stables and not seeing it anywhere. I looked at the signs above the buildings and shops, but they were all in the Marnon-Vaila's unique language.

"What are the words for stables in your language?" I asked Nyvern in a whisper.

"Strashbah." He answered in the same low voice. As we walked on, I glanced at all the signs, looking for the word. After a few long minutes of walking down the long road, I finally saw it and pointed.

"There it is! Karkle's Strashbah. He must have the actual stables underneath of the main city." I guessed. Kallaheart and Nyvern glanced at each other, looking skeptic, but followed me inside anyways.