Erin looked down at the journal on her lap.
She had never kept one before but with everything that had happened
it seemed the thing to do to clear her mind. She had started this
one just after Bure had been caught and sentenced. Sighing, Erin
opened it and read what she had written.

The planet shivered again this afternoon. It
was the first quake that the Sawblen Province has had, though the
rest of the realm has had several in the last month. The ones that
we have been through have ranged from mild quivers, to the ground
briefly, rolling. The problem with the Sawblen Province is that a
lot of the ground is very sandy and some of it is fill. At one time
it might have been a delta as it is the province by the ocean. So
when this area got a quake the ground moved like pudding being
shaken! The ground was rippling and quivering. Some of the out
buildings that form the wing streets to the old city of Yerra were
shaken by ripples that seemed to go on and on. Roofs and walls were
damaged. Some of the buildings listed and others were rattled off
of their foundations. It was terrifying.

I staggered for the horses, as they are often
in my care. Those that pulled the guild caravan wagons had been
through several, but this one acted differently and they were
frightened and were trying to get out of the corral, kicking and
neighing in panic. My little skunk friend, Tempo, had given me the
warning before it hit, as he had so many times before. Keir, the
falcon, wheeled on the air currents overhead in concern. I was
eventually able to calm the horses, coaxing and stroking quivering
hides until the ears came back up, when the ground stilled.

It has been a tumultuous few months in many
ways, other than tectonically. The three cousins that have been
killing “witches” have been caught. Bure, the only one still alive,
is right now being transported to Khanlund for final sentencing to
Obsidian Island. Unfortunately he and his cousins have killed a
number of “sages’ in their witch hunt.

Most people in our realm didn’t know about
the existence of the sages and how their presence actually is
beneficial to our planet and all of its inhabitants. Since we don’t
look or seem any different from anyone else no one takes particular
notice. Apparently there are specific characteristics that are part
of the sage seed. Lor, who explained it to me, said that wisdom,
intelligence and incorruptible ethics were part of each sage. They
also have special skills. Some can move things with their mind or
get information about an object, by touching it. Others can see
events in the future. I am an empath and can pick up emotions, even
at a distance and I can also communicate with animals.

There aren’t many sages in the realm at the
best of times. Lor figured out that the planet usually has around
fifteen or sixteen of us at any one time. He told me that a child
with the “sage seed” is born once every two or three generations.
Sages, I am told, get older without aging at the same rate. That is
how we can have about sixteen on the planet at the same time with
that infrequent birth rate.

I don’t fully understand how it works, but
apparently the ancients set up this pattern because the planet was
very unstable. There is something about the sage that works with
the planet. When there are the necessary number of sages the planet
is geologically, tectonically and meteorologically stable.

Bure, his brother Targ and his cousin Wras
detected that some people were a little different. In their minds
that made them ‘witches’, like from children’s stories; and they
started to kill them. Bure, who was a talented herbalist, devised a
‘contact’ poison that was absorbed into the skin. It mimicked a
sudden virulent fever. The cousins killed older people who had any
sort of talent. The victims were not all sages, but a fair number
were.

Our numbers are now at nine, and believe me
the planet is reacting! In the past two months we have had several
quakes and violent lightning, rain and sand storms. I think it will
get worse and I don’t know what can be done to fix it. I am the
youngest sage and am at twenty years so there won’t be another born
until I am in my fourth decade! The planet could be uninhabitable
by then, and will one more sage be enough?

Some of the first victims of the cousins were
my parents. The latest was my friend Raz, a tinker from the guild
train. He wasn’t a sage but was a very nice man who will be deeply
missed. Before the killings were stopped Bure planted the seed of
an idea with some gullible folk that he was doing the realm good.
He told them that the storms and quakes were caused by witches and
the realm was infested with them. He was the benevolent
exterminator. It didn’t matter that the planet’s unrest hadn’t
started until he started the killing or that that the theoretical
“witches” would be jeopardizing their own safety as they, too lived
in the realm. Logic doesn’t matter. The quakes and storms were
frightening and causing misfortune. It is easier to blame someone
who is different and thus give those prejudiced individuals a
feeling of power, which they of course prefer to a feeling of
helplessness. There has been talk of people finishing Bure’s job!
Since we are talking about frightened, superstitious people there
is no reasoning that is getting through to them. Things could get
unpleasant if the Great One doesn't come up with a solution. Death
by planetary disaster or by mob violence, is still death.

The guild train will travel back to Khanlund
to winter. I assume that I will be traveling that way myself with
my companions, Tempo, Keir and Nuit a Great Horned Owl. We are
living in dangerous times. The days ahead are sure to be filled
with uncertainty.’

Well, enough of dwelling on what has
happened, Erin thought to herself. Tempo came over and put his
front paws up on her knees. ‘It’s okay Erin. We’ll work things
out.’ He nudged her journal with his nose. ‘They need us in the
clean-up party. I can help!’

Erin reached down and stroked his little
striped face. “Okay my friend. I’ll put this away and be right with
you.” Tempo went back on all four feet then stomped. Erin smiled
and moved toward the wagon to store the journal in her pack.

Chapter 1
An End and a Beginning

The guild train members postponed their
planned departure from Yerra and stayed an extra couple of days to
help the city with some of the clean up from the devastating quake.
The founder cities were extremely well designed and the old city
itself suffered little destruction. The damage was to sections of
the outer city. The quake had been fairly mild in magnitude and it
was only the ‘pudding effect’ of the ground that had destroyed or
damaged some structures. With so many hands helping out the worst
of the mess was taken care of.

It was time for Ree to return home. Erin
approached the wise woman and clasped her hands in affection. “I
will miss you Ree. I would love to return to your home right now
and let Tempo get acquainted with little Silk while I learn from
you, but the danger is still very real. The planet is out of
balance with so few sages. Gyan, the Great One, has requested that
I go to Khanlund now to see if we can devise a solution. I have
about three months before winter solstice. Perhaps by then we’ll
have a glimmer of hope and we can come visit at your hearth.”

Ree gave Erin a hug. “You and Tempo are
welcome at any time, dear heart. We can stay in touch through our
wild messengers. Contact me whenever you feel the need.” She
squeezed Erin’s hand, then gave Tempo a small caress. “Travel
safe!” she said and turned to the woods to make her way home.

“You also!” called Erin as she watched Ree
disappear into some shadows at the edge of the forest. The old
woman had such a clear and vibrant way about her that it was only
in moments like these that Erin realized how incredibly old Ree
must be. These last few months had made it clear to her how frail
life could be. She mentally shrugged as she watched Ree’s figure
get smaller until she was out of sight then turned back to the
merchant train.

Due to the death of Raz the caravan was short
one driver. Until they could work out a rotating schedule with the
members available, Drune was going to travel with the guild train
as the driver of the Tinker’s wagon. Erin was going to stay with
the caravan and continue working on the development of her skills
during the day and help with the animals in the morning and
evening.

This morning she was sitting beside Drune on
the bench of the Tinker’s wagon as they crossed the large bridge
entering the Duluse Province. They had been traveling for a few
days, since leaving Yerra. Tempo was beside her, curled up at an
angle and watching her face. For the most part Erin had been quiet
for a few days. The little skunk broke the silence with a small
growl that had a few higher pitched notes. Erin reached over to
stroke the small head just behind the ears.

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