by David E. Lovell		

     Jon was a little frustrated this morning. Clax, the Kings overseer had put him 
to grooming horses and cleaning the stable.  Jon was a young man who loved horses 
and spent much time with them. Some might object to the odor of this place, but to 
Jon it was a friendly and wholesome smell.
     The only problem was that on this day he had other plans. He was at that stage 
of life where having fun was his main purpose for living. That consisted mostly of 
hunting , fishing and wandering the forests when he was not at his studies.
     He was fifteen, but tall for his age and very strong. He possessed that 
boundless energy and enthusiasm which is the exclusive property of fifteen year olds. 
His Father, Herbert was famous for his large hooked nose which gave him the 
appearance of a hawk. Jon showed promise of a similar nose when he was fully grown.
     The problems facing Gil, the King and the dangers that threatened the Kingdom 
were far from his mind. It was true that there was a Blight spreading across the 
land, not that far from Sunholm, but those were matters for the King and his 
counsel. It was a beautiful spring day and he just wanted to go fishing.
     In his wanderings he had chanced upon a small lake in the north that no-one 
knew about. Even Gento, the Royal Cartographer did not know of it’s existence. 
Not having any fishing tackle with him that day, he vowed to return at the first 
opportunity.
     Today was to be the day!
     He knew that his lifelong friendship with Prince Larn could get him free 
of his duties, but he was a loyal subject and would follow orders. Wanting to 
get the hardest part over with, he fell to cleaning stalls with a will. It was 
good to be among his friends. He was greeted by each animal as he entered their 
stall. Just as he was finishing Stunner’s stall, the horse shook his head 
and neighed. Turning toward the door, Jon saw the Prince.
     To those meeting Larn for the first time, he seemed larger than life. He 
was the true son of his Father, the King, who was a giant of a man, but also 
had inherited some of the refinement of his Mother, the Queen Melinda. Slim 
and poised, his every movement and word testified to his Royal blood. His 
hair was long and black which was unusual in Sunholm. Here most people 
had hair of various shades of blonde.
     Today he was dressed for riding and carried a bow, which pleased Jon 
greatly. Larn was his best friend and he carried many happy memories of 
days and nights spent in the forests and hills of Sunholm.
     The Prince said, "Is this any way for the son of Herbert to spend 
his time? Come with me. I must talk to you.  Saddle Stunner and Roy."
     Then with a smile he said, "Don’t you think it’s a day for fishing? 
Bring some tackle. Cook has given me food, so we will spend the day. Since 
you are better informed than I about fishing, you can choose our route."
     It was certainly an easy matter for Jon to choose their route, since 
he had been thinking about that Lake all morning. Quickly saddling two horses, 
they rode to the north through the farmlands of Sunholm. The people who saw 
them pass all smiled and waved. 
     As the friends left the cultivated lands and entered the foothills, 
Larn said, "Jon, we have grown up together and there is no-0ne in the Kingdom 
that I trust more than you. I am afraid."
     That statement shocked Jon greatly, who had never known Larn to be 
afraid of anything.
     "I am afraid that the protection of the river will not last. The Wards 
placed there by Berning are losing their power. Before  he died, he warned 
us this would happen. The time is coming when Garth and his creatures will 
find a way to cross the river. That means death or slavery for all human 
beings. It means the end of the Kingdom of Sunholm as we know it."
     "Our scouts report signs that trouble me. On our side of the river the 
plants are losing their color and will soon die, just as all the of plants 
in Garth’s country have died. The force of his evil, which is present in 
his servants, is so great that no wholesome life of can survive in their 
presence, whether it be plant or animal."
     "Only two men have ever stood in the presence of Garth and lived to tell 
of it. Berning himself and Ben. As for Ben, the experience warped him 
greatly, as you know. How often have we seen him lying with a bottle of 
wine beside him? He rarely speaks. He has abandoned his farm to his 
brother Felix. He seems to be lost in fearful memories. Where once he 
was a valued scout and soldier for the Kingdom, today he lives a 
drunkards life. Everyone hopes for the day when he will come to his 
senses, but it has been fifteen years. He has never spoken of his 
experience. When questioned, he will not speak. It would surely be 
valuable to know more about the nature of our enemy. Little is known 
and Berning said it was not his place to tell us."
     "My Father is aware of these deadly signs, but my Mother and some of
our wise counselors say we should wait and see. For so many years we
have been happy and secure, thanks to Berning’s  sacrifice. I  
believe that waiting is dangerous and is just what our enemy wants 
us to  do. I have spoken to Herbert, your Father about this and he 
agrees with me. If  not for  the loss of  his leg, serving the 
Kingdom, he would undertake the journey we all know must sooner 
or later be taken."
     "If raising an Army and attacking the enemy would solve the 
problem, my Father would quickly do so, but no Army can defeat the 
Blight that Garth has spread across the land. Only by destroying  
Garth himself can this curse be stopped."
     "All our lives we have heard legends of Berning’s power and 
wisdom. Surely if there is an answer to Garth’s evil, Berning knows 
the secret of it. There is only one source in the world with enough 
power to defeat Garth. In his youth, Berning created the Shrine, 
designed to be proof against all evil for all time and containing 
unknown weapons of power fully capable of defeating Garth. Had he 
chosen, Berning could still be alive today, but out of love for 
our people he gave his life to save us."
     "Since then we have enjoyed the benefits of his sacrifice, but 
the job is not finished. Someone must go to the Shrine and see what 
he hid there. Until then, Sunholm or indeed the whole world is not 
safe from Garth’s evil. He will not rest until his evil covers the 
world. "
     "All I am asking you right now is to be prepared. Only a very 
small party would have any hope of winning through to the Shrine. 
With Garth’s evil monsters roaming the Blight, I know it seems 
impossible, but someone must try. If it is not possible then all 
that we hold dear is lost. Of all people in Sunholm, I would prefer 
to have you with me in this."
     Then, tossing his head and smiling, he said, "By the way, where 
are we going this morning?"
     Jon was troubled by the Princes words and had forgotten all 
about fishing, but seeing the merry smile on Larn’s face he soon 
reverted to his natural nature.
     "I know it may sound hard to believe, but I have found a small 
Lake in the mountains that even Gento does not know about. The fishing 
there will be great. I have wanted to go there for months now."
     The Lake was situated high on the flanks of the great mountains. 
Even this late in the spring, there was still patches of snow in the 
shady places. It was easy to see how Gento had missed it. It was well 
hidden in a valley. It was shallow and rushes grow all around the 
edges. Because it was shallow, in the afternoon the sun warmed the 
water. The trout sought shade in the small creek that fed the Lake. 
Naturally the largest fish got the best places. It was an easy matter 
to creep down the creek, dropping an artificial fly at the head of 
each pool. They returned home with all the large trout they could 
carry, wrapped in snow to keep them fresh.
     There was high praise for Jon at the King’s dinner table that evening.      
Normally Jon took his meals with his Father, but this night they were both 
seated in the great hall. There were tall windows on two sides of the hall
and beautiful tapestries hung between them. Light from oil lamps gave the 
place a golden glow. The hall was testimony to the peace and prosperity of 
the Kingdom of Sunholm.
     Jon’s Father, Herbert sat next to his friend, King Gil. Jon sat next 
to Prince Larn. The only unhappy person there was Gento, who was somewhat 
embarrassed because Jon had shown that his maps were not as complete as 
everyone thought. 
     The people of Sunholm are hard working, honest and have a great love 
for their land and their King. Well they should. There is not a more 
prosperous country in all the world. The taxes and tribute that the King 
laid on his people were minimal enough that they were no great burden for 
the land.
     The country is fertile and in the mountains were rich areas of valuable 
minerals. Gold and Silver, while not common, were to be found in the westward 
areas of hills and streams. In the northwest flanks of the mountains, iron 
ore and some quantities of precious stones were found.
     Through the difficult passes northward was the land of the Tanners. 
They possessed great herds of sheep and cattle and traded with Sunholm in 
summer when the passes were open. They were the source of the magnificent 
furs that the rich of the world prized so greatly. Sunholm was blessed 
with an abundance of game, but none of the exotic furs supplied by the 
Tanners.
     They are a reclusive people and seldom visit Sunholm  except during 
trading season. The rich harvests of grain that the lowlands of Sunholm 
cultivated were greatly prized by the Tanners. Even though they were an 
isolated people, during the trading season there was much gaiety. The 
young men and women of both Kingdom’s looked forward to it. It was a 
time for romance and the making of marriage vows.
     Larn was happy, but somewhat preoccupied. One of Gil’s first decrees 
when he became King, was a prohibition of affairs of State being discussed 
at table. Larn found it difficult to keep his mind on the wonderful 
friendship and fellowship that surrounded him.
     His thoughts were troubled. "If someone doesn’t do something, all 
this will be lost. I can’t allow that to happen. I must believe that the 
Shrine still exists and even though it is surrounded by the Blight of 
Garth it has to be possible to reach. Berning would never have created 
such a place if it was impossible to get to it. Even though it is 
dangerous, some of our scouts and I, myself have ventured some distance 
into Garth’s country. It can be done."
     He felt that a party of three, himself, Jon and Gento had the best 
chance. Gento was a cantankerous man, but the truth was that no-one knew 
the geography of the world as well as he. If anyone could find the Shrine 
it was Gento. Larn counted on his fascination with geography to entice 
him to join their quest. What better way to increase his knowledge and 
the accuracy of his maps than to enter those regions where men had not 
walked since Garth first put his curse on them?
     Larn knew that it would cause much controversy if his intentions 
were known. He had been planning secretly for some time to cross the 
Mila River and be far into Garth’s desolation before anyone knew of 
his absence. He had long suspected that there were some in Sunholm 
who had sold themselves to Garth for promises of riches and power. 
His stomach turned at the thought. How could any citizen of this 
beautiful and peaceful land sell himself to the evil of Garth? 
Apparently it was true.
     The old warrior Herbert was one he could surely trust not to 
reveal his plans. Larn also counted on him for aid in making his 
preparations. That night he began clandestinely storing supplies 
and equipment in the old fishing shack by the river. These days 
no-one willingly approached the river unless it was on urgent business.
     Their journey had to be on foot, because of the difficulty 
of bringing horses across the river without being seen. Very little 
plant life still lived across the river, and what was left was 
sickly and dying. Not enough to provide feed for three or four 
horses. It was also critical to avoid detection by Garth for as long 
as possible. 
     His servants traveled everywhere in the Blighted lands. Larn 
knew it was too much to hope for that they would be undetected for 
long. The creations of Garth are somewhat stupid, but deadly enemies 
of all wholesome life in the world. The hatred and evil of Garth 
emanated from their very bodies. Only the very brave could face 
them and live.
    Larn and Jon had roamed the woods and hills since they were old 
enough to leave the holding. Larn counted on their hunting skills and 
woods knowledge to protect them. Gento had spent his life wandering 
the wilderness, collecting information for his maps. If anyone could 
survive in Garth’s country, it was he.
     Another problem was crossing the river. The only boats left were 
stored near the holding and only used when scouts crossed the river. 
To be seen taking one of those would surely give away their plans. 
Larn determined to trek south along the river for three days and then 
build a raft to cross the river.
     That evening, Larn, Jon and Gento could be found in the house of 
Herbert, discussing plans. The advice of Herbert was valuable when it 
came to weaponry and the nature of their enemy. He had lost his leg 
battling those very creatures.
    Their main defense would have to be bows. The servants of Garth 
were known to emanate such an aura of evil and fear that would give 
pause to the bravest warrior who came close enough for swords. Few 
had done so and survived. They also counted on bows to provide them 
with game in the few places the Blight had not covered.
     It was known that even in the Blight, there were ancient camping 
places where Berning had stopped in his journeys. Somehow the old 
Wizard had left enough traces of his presence there to prevent the 
Blight from completely swallowing them. Gento hoped to locate and 
map some of these places.
     Suddenly they heard a sound from outside. Someone retching. 
Someone very sick. Picking up a lamp, Larn opened the door. At the 
edge of the fence stood Ben. Seeing the door open he sought to escape.
     Larn said, "Hold on Ben. What is the matter?"
     "Nothing more than too much wine. You know I didn’t hear a thing 
you were talking about, but please sit down and talk to me a moment. 
Lately most people shun me. I don’t blame them. Since Garth captured 
me I haven’t been of any use to anyone, even myself."
     "I know you are a good man, Ben. You are just throwing away your 
life. Did you hear anything of what we were talking about?"
     Ben then admitted, "Yes, I heard all of it. Don’t worry. I won’t 
tell anyone. I only wish I were going with you. Maybe that would give 
me a reason to live again. You know that I was once a scout and soldier 
for the King. It has been a long time since I entered the Blight of 
Garth, but my experience could be useful to you on such a dangerous 
journey. Given a chance, I would gladly give my life for the 
protection of Sunholm. That would be better than giving it to the 
wine bottle, wouldn’t it?"
     Greatly moved, Larn said, "You know that only a very small party 
could hope to win through to the Shrine. Yes, it is true that your 
experience could be useful to us. You, of all men know more about 
Garth than anyone. Come inside and we will see what the others say."
     Seeing Ben come in the door, Jon exclaimed, "Now this is strange. 
I have been thinking a lot about you, Ben. All my life I have heard 
stories of your service to the Kingdom, including how you once 
defeated some of Garth’s monsters in single handed combat."
     Turning to his Father, he said, "Don’t you think we need Ben in 
this?"
     Herbert replied, "You are quite right. I intended to mention it 
myself. The addition of one more to the company would not increase the 
risk and that would be far outweighed by the help that Ben could bring. 
He is the only living man to stand in the presence of Garth and 
survive. However, I must point out that there will be no room in this 
company for wine, or any other beverage than water."
     Ben looked at the floor for some moments. No one spoke. Raising his 
head, he said, "Herbert, I know that for the last few years I have not 
been of much use to anyone. I know it may be difficult for you to 
understand, but wine is the one thing that can take away the horror 
of Garth’s presence. It is hard for me to speak of it, even now, but 
I see that I must."
     "No-one but me knows the danger you face. Unless you are well 
prepared and extremely lucky,  you will find only certain death. 
Only Berning understood Garth well. He told me that Garth and he 
are of the same family. Human, but different. In the far distant 
past, Garth found a way to make himself immortal. Swelled with pride 
in his achievement, he began to turn from the ways of the Creator and 
became more and more evil."
     "Only Berning knew the source of his power. He somehow gained 
the ability to create his own servants. They are not human, but only 
the embodiment of Garth’s own evil. They are created to spread his 
hatred of all things human. They can be killed, but few have 
succeeded in doing so. Their evil is so great that just to be near 
one can rob a man of all will to fight. It is possible to overcome 
these emanations, but it is very hard. The one thing that can save 
a man is thoughts of the Creator and of love. I survived  by 
concentrating  all my thoughts on my friends and family in Sunholm. 
Even then, I knew the Creator was with me, or I would not have 
lived to escape. I think it is possible that Garth allowed me to 
escape only to tell others of the hopelessness of resisting him. 
I have not done so. That horror is still within me. Even now I 
cannot speak of it. May the Creator grant that none of you will 
ever have to face him."
     There was silence for a time, then Gento said, "Camp chores 
are not my favorite things to do. It is a necessary part of my 
profession. I will be far to busy with my maps to do camp chores. 
Ben can do mine, can’t he?"
     Larn laughed and said, "Gento, the truth is that when it comes 
to anything else in the world other than your maps, you are just 
plain lazy. You are right. We are depending on you to find our route. 
Knowledge of Garth’s land is scarce. You probably know more about 
the subject than anyone. I for  one will gladly do your camp chores 
so you can concentrate on finding out way."
     "Then it is settled. Ben will go. Ben and Jon, we must have 
all of our supplies and equipment hidden away in the next day or 
so. Will you help me.?"
     Ben answered, "Of course, but first I must make a fast trip 
to my farm. My old weapons and equipment are there and it is time 
to brush the dust off them. I will leave early in the morning and 
be back in time to help you prepare."
     It was decided. Preparations began in earnest. On the pretext 
of another fishing trip, Jon inveigled the kitchen for supplies in 
addition to quantities of travel rations taken from his Fathers 
larder. 
     Gento’s main concern was his maps, his instruments and 
quantities of writing materials, all kept safe in well oiled cases.
     They all thought it a good sign that Ben would travel to his 
farm, where he had not gone for many years. Since his experience in
Garth’s Throne Room, it had been in the care of his younger brother, 
Felix. When he returned about noon, there was a new look in his eye 
and a new spring to his step. There was even some concern that the 
sudden change in him would arouse suspicion in the wrong people.
     Ben said, "There really isn’t much more to be done here. I 
will travel south and scout out a place for our crossing and 
material for a raft."
     Larn replied, "Very good. We will look for you south along 
the river about the evening of the fourth day from now. If anyone 
asks, I will say that you sought permission to travel south for 
a few days. That will be the truth without revealing our plans. 
I don’t want to have to lie to anyone, but we must keep our 
departure a secret for now."
     "I have long believed that there are servants of Garth 
among us. It is hard to think that any citizen of Sunholm would 
willingly serve Garth, but it seems to be true. I am not sure 
who they are, but I have suspicions. There are those who counsel 
that we wait and see what Garth will do. Surely that can only 
benefit Garth’s plans. We have been comfortable and secure in 
Sunholm for so long that people don’t want to upset that. 
That even includes my Father, the King and my Mother. We must 
let Garth believe that we are unaware of his scheming as long 
as we can."
     The next morning, Larn took his breakfast at Herbert’s house. 
The Prince was well known to wander, so this would arouse no 
suspicion at the Palace. Jon seemed gloomy. Unusually so.
     "Why are you mooning around this morning, Jon? If we are 
fortunate in our quest we may be back before the next trading 
season is over. If not, there is always next year. Marta will 
not forget you."
     "Easy for you to say, I see you spending as much time as 
possible with Dedre these days."
    "Absolutely right, Jon. Tomorrow may be our last chance to 
be together for some time. I thought to visit the Lake you found 
once more before we leave. You know you are invited. With your 
unmatched fishing skill it would be good to treat the Palace to 
more of those beautiful fish you found there last time. Be ready 
at sunup. Just for a day, let’s forget our dangers, our quest 
and just have a wonderful day of fishing and listening to 
Dedre’s Flute. Our preparations are complete except for a few 
personal items we  can carry away unnoticed late at night."
     So began a remarkable day for Larn and Jon. Almost 
overflowing with happiness in the company of the girl who’s 
charm was fast growing on him and the faithful friendship of 
Jon, the Prince still had moments lost in thought. He wondered 
if he would ever see this land and the people he loved again.
     Dedre asked, "You are quiet this morning, Larn. What is 
on your mind?"
     "I am sorry, Dedre, it is nothing I can talk about now." 
     He would not lie to the girl, but could not reveal the 
companies plans even to her.
     "Well, the decision is made. The journey begins at 
midnight tonight. Even though it saddens me to leave all 
this behind, the thought of the evil of Garth overwhelming 
this land makes me want to leave this very moment. Enough 
of that! If I never see Dedre again, let her memories of us 
together be happy ones. We are almost to the Lake. Let us 
see if we can bring happiness to the King’s dinner tonight."
     And they did.
     It was a dinner long to be remembered in Sunholm. 
There was an electric tension in the air. People spoke louder 
than usual. In obedience to Gil’s decree of no matters of 
State at table, there was still a sense of momentous things 
happening. The dinner was superb. The cooks had outdone 
themselves with various recipes for the trout the party had 
brought home. Even Gento was happy to announce that henceforth 
the Lake that their dinner had come from would be called Jon’s 
Lake and shown on his maps as such.
     Only Denton, Dedres Father, seemed subdued and thoughtful. 
Denton was one of those that Larn had wondered about. He was an 
ambitious man and Larn had noticed many times his eyes following 
the King and Queen with speculation and what appeared to be envy 
in them. He was the first to counsel "Wait and see," when the 
subject of Garth came up.
     When all were sated with good food, the King arose to speak. 
"My friends, the dinner is over. Long has Sunholm lived in peace 
and plenty. We have much to be thankful for. Most of you know 
that the news from across the river is not good. Garth still 
lives and no-one here can seriously be unaware that he has not 
given up his plans for the destruction of our home. Thanks to 
Berning and our own valiant warriors we have been safe. But 
for how long?"
     "There are signs even on our side of the river. Plants are 
beginning to lose their color along the river. While I agree that 
hasty action is not wise, the time has come to face the fact that 
war could come at any time. You all know of the horrible nature of 
Garth’s creations. They are deadly foes, you may be sure. Garth 
has used these monsters to spread destruction of all wholesome 
life and  to keep us away from his stronghold while he builds 
up his forces."
     "Most of my Counselors believe we should wait and see, and 
I am willing to do that, but not for long. We must begin to 
prepare ourselves for struggle. I know my people and I know you 
will give your utmost for the protection of our home."
     Larn found it very hard to sit on his bench and not rise and
disclose what the only answer to Garth consisted of and how he
was about to leave on the very mission. He wisely kept silent. 
As the people were leaving he told each of the fellowship to 
quietly go home and assemble their things not already hidden by 
the river and to meet him there at exactly midnight.
     Later, Larn, Jon and Gento slipped away by separate ways 
carrying only small items not likely to arouse suspicion.
They converged at the old boat house, finding all their gear 
in good order. They quickly packed and headed south.
     In an hour they passed through the farmlands and entered 
the forest, keeping to the cover of the trees. Larn didn’t think 
they would be seriously missed until mealtime the next evening, 
but he wanted to get as far as possible from the Palace in 
those first few critical hours.
     In the evening they stopped while it was still somewhat 
light, so Jon could make a quick hunt. They wanted to conserve 
the rations they carried as long as possible.  Even at his age, 
Jon was an experienced hunter, and furnished all the meat they 
needed. 
     Three nights and two days later they heard the sound of an 
axe in the distance. Not wanting to court danger in any way, 
Larn went ahead himself to scout out the sound while the others 
waited. As he was nearing the source the sound a tall tree came 
crashing down. It’s fall was such that it’s tip just barely 
came to the waters edge.
     "Hello, Ben, I knew it had to be you. Cedar is a wise choice 
for our raft. It withstands long immersion in water very well. It 
will be here when we return, if we are lucky enough to return at all."
     "It will be dark soon", replied Ben. "I suggest we wait until 
daylight to begin construction. Garth’s creatures may be near, across 
the river and we surely don’t want them to see what we are doing here. 
There is a small creek about a mile back in the trees. Let us stay 
there for the night and build our raft as soon as there is light enough."
     "Good, Ben," replied Larn, "We also need a little time for 
discussion of our mission."
     When they reached the creek that Ben had mentioned, Larn said, 
"Well, Jon, this is our last chance for fresh meat before we enter 
Garth’s domain. A little hunting is in order. A small deer or a 
wild pig would be just right."
     Jon was delighted.  He quickly picked up his bow and entered 
the trees to the west. He was not gone long, and a wild pig it was. 
Cleaned and cooked, it provided their dinner and the leftovers were 
packed securely away to go on the raft with them the next day.
     After their simple meal, Larn said, "Ben, you have had more 
experience with our enemy than anyone. Please tell us what to expect 
when we encounter these creatures, which we surely will."
     Ben became thoughtful for a time, looking at the starry sky 
and going back in his mind for any information that might help his 
friends survive and succeed in their mission. Then he stood and 
began pacing back and forth.
     "You have heard much about the deadly nature of these 
creatures and rightly so. I must tell you though, that it is 
possible to defeat them. As you know, an arrow through the heart 
from a distance will surely kill them, but there will come a time 
when that is not possible. What you need then is to be prepared 
to face the deadly fear and evil they emanate if you are close to 
them. Many a man has lost his life because he did not know how to 
protect himself from that. These monsters are somewhat stupid, but 
don’t count on that. They have no skill with the sword, but their 
terrible strength makes up for that. They have no skill with the bow 
and don’t use it.  No one knows why, but they have great skill in axe 
throwing. They can kill a man with an axe almost as far as you can 
fire an arrow. No horse can bear them and live, but they have been 
known to run very long distances without food or rest. I think the 
thing that inspires the most fear is that they are carnivorous. 
In battles with them, it us unusual to find dead human bodies. 
They are torn to bits and devoured at once."
     "But remember, the fear they inspire is an attack on your 
mind. Thoughts of evil and fear can be overcome with thoughts of 
love, peace and faith in the Creator. Prince Larn, remember Dedre 
and all your loved ones at home and remember why we have 
undertaken this journey. Jon, remember your Father. Remember Marta 
and the next trading season. Gento, remember that Berning promised 
his spirit would be with us. You can be certain that is true on 
this mission. Berning is gone from us, but his great power for 
good still exists."
     "For four men alone to defeat such an enemy seems a hopeless 
prospect, but that is just what Garth wants us to think. Our 
survival will depend as much on our faith as it will on our 
fighting abilities. There is more protection in the qualities of 
love and hope than there is in our swords. These have more power 
than  you realize. Fear is always present. It is one of Garth’s 
best weapons. Why would he forge such a weapon unless he had 
great fear himself? The one thing that Garth fears the most is 
Berning’s plans for this world."
     "Above all when these creatures discover our presence here 
we must not allow any to escape us if possible. Once Garth learns 
we are traveling in the Blight, he will concentrate all his 
forces to stop us. Now I think we must ask Gento how we will 
proceed once across the river."
     Larn was smiling to himself as Ben finished. "Only days ago, 
this man lay drunk under a tree, lost to the world. There is surely 
a miracle here. Ben is returned to sanity."
     Ben noticed Larn’s smile and understood. "Yes, Larn, healing 
is happening. The Creator is merciful."
     Obviously Gento had given much thought to his responsibility 
to the company, for his response came quickly. "Little is known. 
Within the Blight most of the land is desolate. Only places where 
Berning camped in his journeys have any wholesome life left. I 
believe it’s safe to assume that the Shrine itself will be 
surrounded by a large area of such. It’s location is a mystery. 
Before the Blight, the most fertile areas were in the southwest 
and I think that is the logical place to look. 	Legend tells of 
two mountain peaks there and my own best guess is that is where 
the Shrine will be found. Berning always loved the high places."
     "Northward of this fertile area there will be more of the 
enemies desolation. Garth’s stronghold is in a huge deep canyon in 
that area. The canyon was carved over eons by the river Bream, which 
runs through it. The head waters of the river are in a beautiful 
forested area very far east in the mountains. Where the river 
enters the canyon it becomes somewhat foul, just like anything 
that Garth touches. His stronghold is unapproachable except for 
a few secret paths known only to his servants."
     "Ben has rightly stated the case. My own knowledge and 
intelligence are insufficient for this task. I have always placed 
great faith in science, but I also know it has limitations beyond 
which only faith in the fundamental goodness of the Universe can 
take us. I will do my utmost to guide our journey, but I will 
also pray as we go."
     That surprised the company greatly. Gento had always been known
for his skepticism of anything spiritual. To Larn, who knew Gento well, 
it brought home with renewed force the great danger he had asked his 
friends to join him in. But he also knew that they were willing 
participants and that the safety of Sunholm rested entirely on 
their shoulders. 
     Gento now stood up and faced Ben. "There is something I must 
say to you. I have known you all of your life. It saddened me 
greatly to watch you destroy yourself with wine. But since you 
made the decision to come on this quest, I know all will agree 
there has been a remarkable transformation in you. You are the 
man I once knew and admired, and more than that. The terrible 
experiences you have been through have made you wiser and more 
compassionate. I am truly glad you are with us."
     Ben said no word, but gratitude shone from his eyes. 
     "Well," said the Prince, "there is nothing more to be done 
tonight. I suggest we rest well. Tomorrow we will need all our 
strength. "
     After full dark, Prince Larn walked back to the river as 
the others slept. Concealing himself at the edge of the forest 
he watched. There was movement across the river... Two figures! 
Outlined against the sky they seemed huge. Taller than a man 
and hideous. In place of a nose there was a large beak like a 
hawk’s. Even from across the river, Larn could sense their evil 
and power. They are eaters of human flesh.  Remembering Ben’s 
words, he shuddered. As they passed from sight he returned to 
his friends, but said nothing. There was enough fear.
     At the first sign of light, Ben prepared a small fire. 
"We don’t have time for cooking this morning, but a little 
coffee would be welcome. That and travel rations will have to do."
Larn replied, "Right, Ben. We must get our raft  prepared as 
quickly as possible. It may take all day, but we must build well."
So the work began. The trees Ben had chosen must be trimmed and 
cut to length. They were bound together with a stout cord, 
imported from the Southern Kingdom that Larn had brought with him.
Gento took no part in the labor, but spent his time carefully 
inspecting his maps and papers.
     By noon it was finished. 
     Ben said, "Crossing the river will not take long. I chose 
this spot because, although the current is swift, it is shallow 
and we will be able to pole our way across without drifting 
downstream too far. But do we cross now or wait until morning?"
     Larn replied, "Better wait until we have the whole day ahead 
of us. We don’t know for sure what we will find on the other side. 
Let us conceal the raft and brush away the signs we have left on 
this beach and return to the creek for the night."
     The remains of Jon’s pig made their dinner, along with some 
roots that Gento had gathered. It was a subdued company. Their 
thoughts were of the danger they faced in the morning. 
     Ben reminded them that Garth’s monsters had keen senses. 
They mostly shunned the daylight and traveled at night, but they 
could not count on that. The company would have to stay well hidden 
at night. Unless they found some of Berning’s old campsites there 
would be no fires for cooking and they must rely on their travel 
rations. He mentioned that Bernings campsites were few and they 
might miss them in their travels.
     Gento bristled at that and said, "Ben remember with whom you 
travel. At least the nearest such place is known to me. We will 
have no trouble finding it. It is only two days travel from our 
landing place across the river. You just see to our protection 
and I will see to our route."
     Ben, smiled, bowed to Gento, and said, "Forgive me, oh most 
learned gentleman. For a moment I forgot I was in such distinguished
company." 
     For Larn and Jon that was a most welcome moment. It had been 
long since they had seen Ben laughing and joking. 
   
                END OF CHAPTER ONE