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He addressed the minor dragons as he went, keeping his voice low. “I’m not used to battling with you by my side. Stay away from my blade. I don’t want to be distracted with worry over your safety.”

They passed a message to him, and he gathered they considered themselves seasoned warriors who would not do something so foolish. He stopped for a moment. The influence of Kale. My skills sharpen whenever I’m around her. Where I couldn’t hear the little fellows before, now I can. Thank You, Wulder, that was just the sign I needed to help me be more confident.

He moved rapidly but with great caution. He came to a turn in the passageway and heard Kale’s voice.

“Bardon, Bardon, don’t come in here. Don’t! Bardon?”

I’m here in the tunnel.

“Pretender’s been here. He left. But I doubt that he’s far away.”

Pretender?

“Yes, he’s in the body of a meech. Sittiponder and Ahnek are here, unconscious. Pretender knocked Gymn and Ardeo to the ground. He pinned me to the rock beneath my feet.”

I’m coming in, Kale.

“No!”

You think I’m going to leave you there?

“He’ll kill you. We can’t fight him, Bardon.”

Bardon advanced the last few steps to the cavern balcony. He bent and carefully placed the lightrock he’d been carrying on the stone ledge.

We can fight him, Kale. That’s what my training is for.

He stole down the incline, his sword out and his eyes moving about the room.

Pretender is evil. He’s strong and cunning. But he’s not Wulder.

Bardon saw Kale crane her neck to look up at the ramp he crept down. Her head shook in a fierce negative command, and the word “No” formed on her lips.

“Bardon, go back.”

No, Kale. I hope to take vows to serve Wulder. The vows include protecting the innocent from evil and freeing the oppressed. This seems to be a good place to start.

He marched down the incline and straight over to Sittiponder and Ahnek. With the tip of his sword he sliced through the ropes that bound them hand and foot. He then leaned over and removed the gags. Neither boy stirred.

“A kimen stood over Sittiponder earlier.”

He’s probably still here somewhere. I have long suspected that the voices Sittiponder hears are kimens talking to him.

He stood and moved toward Kale. When he was face to face with her, he looked her in the eye and spoke in a strong, gentle voice. “You can move your feet now.”

Her eyes widened, and she inhaled sharply. Without hesitation, she moved into his arms.

“How did you do that? Was it wizardry?”

“What held you was a suggestion, only a suggestion. I merely spoke the truth.”

“How did you know?”

He pulled her close to him and hugged her while his eyes roamed around the room, taking in the area from this vantage point. He spoke while he sized up the strategic elements of the layout. “My studies have covered physical, mental, and spiritual laws. Yours have focused on the physical elements of Wulder’s world. You can alter things you understand. You can change water into ice. You can form cloth and then change the cloth. But your training has not introduced you fully to the spiritual realm. In the spiritual there are truth and lies. And truth is the stronger of the two.”

“Very philosophical.” The voice rattled through the cavern.

Bardon turned to face the meech-dragon form of Pretender. He stood in an alcove, where a large tunnel led away from the main cavern.

“But,” said Pretender, “your little summary leaves out many factors. For instance, the will.”

“We’ll get around to discussing that someday.” Bardon breathed deeply, maintaining the readiness of his body to fight.

“I think not.” The meech took a step closer. “You annoy me. Therefore, I choose to eliminate you.”

The ground beneath their feet rumbled. The tremor grew. The sleeping figures standing around the circumference of the room fell over. Kale tried to keep her balance but went to her knees. Bardon remained on his feet.

The stone floor split open next to Kale. The crack ran from one end of the cavern to the other. The slab under Kale tilted toward the chasm, and