THE LAST APPRENTICE

...All I toiled to be vanished in the span of a single day. I fled Atlanta like a thief against the wishes of the king and bittered in feelings of life run asunder. The road behind me soured and the road ahead uncertain with the wrath of Poseidon...

When Odius first fled Atlanta he spent most of time looking over his shoulder, watching for the king's army. He was not entirely sure the king would send soldiers after him, but he was cautious all the same. He looked over his shoulder less and less with each passing day. After a fifteen day ride, he found himself in the remote foothills of Mount Atlas. Even if the king did send someone to hunt him down this would be the last place they were likely to look. Since he had not seen any sign of the king's men he felt he was out of their reach at least for the moment.
All the problems he left behind seemed far away and long ago. Instead, his encounter with Poseidon began to weigh heavy on his mind. Odius still had no idea why he was suppose to summon Poseidon. He hoped his master would tell him what to do or what to expect before he reached the summit of Mount Atlas, but the master's shard remained dark and silent since the night he left Atlanta.
Odius was surprised to find that climbing Mount Atlas would be a major problem in and of itself. He had his first glimpse of Mount Atlas several days earlier. With each passing day the mountain drew closer and revealed more detail of its upper slopes. The upper slopes were extremely steep and covered with ice and snow. The mountain looked to be impassable from the snow line up to the cloud bank that hid the summit. Odius had no experience in climbing ice covered slopes.
To most people the clouds on top of Mount Atlas looked natural, but Odius knew better. He recognized the cloud formation as being artificial, like the clouds he often produced using powers of the crystal. Odius knew exactly how the clouds were formed, the question in his mind was why. After giving the subject some thought he began to suspect they served two purposes; to hide whatever is on the summit, and to protect it by maintaining impassable ice slopes.
Odius had plenty of time to think while he rode through the beautiful foothills of Mount Atlas. In studying the problem he devised three plans of action. One was to circle around the mountain to see if the slope on the far side was more passible. Somehow he doubted it. If somebody went through the trouble to cover the summit with clouds and ice, then they were not likely to leave a convenient trail up the mountain.
Another possibility was to see if he could find some local residents. Perhaps he could hire a guide to help him up Mount Atlas. That prospect did not seem likely either, the last sign of people was in a village nearly forty miles back. If a village did exist back in these hills, then they were isolated because he saw no sign of a road or trail.
Another alternative was to try to climb the icy slopes himself. He thought he might be able to fashion ropes and a stout hardwood pick from resources in the forest. This was his least attractive alternative. Even if he did manage to make mountain climbing gear, he would have to learn how to use it by trial and error. It was a dangerous proposition.
Odius decided to circle around the mountain and get a look at the far slope. Even if the slope was impassible, perhaps he could find a village on the other side where he could get some assistance. He held little hope on finding a passable trail up the mountain or a village, but it would have to do until a better idea came to him.

By late afternoon Odius was still at loss for a better idea. He was just beginning to entertain the thought of stopping to make camp when something startled his horse. The horse broke its stride with two skittish steps sideways.
"Whoa!"
Odius stopped and listened. He heard nothing unusual, just the chatter of monkeys and the breeze as it gently whispered through the canopy. Still, he felt uneasy, as if he were being watched. He looked around several times from his high vantage point on the horse, but saw nothing.
He was about to dismiss it, thinking he was just overreacting to whatever startled his horse, when he heard a twig crack. He snapped his head toward the sound and barely caught a glimpse of someone peeking at him from behind a tree. The person quickly withdrew from sight.
"Please, wait!" Odius shouted.
He heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps charging off through the vegetation on the forest floor. He saw no one. Odius brought his horse around and charged toward the tree. As he expected, by the time he rounded the tree no one was in sight.
Odius checked the base of the tree and found footprints in the soft mulch on the forest floor. A few feet from the tree the imprints became deep with a long stride, as if the person took off running. The tracks led down a gradual slope.
Odius looked down the slope and spotted a young woman in the distance. She was only in view for several seconds before she disappeared in a thick stand of trees. She was a petite woman with her hair in a long, single braid.
Odius brought his horse to a full gallop and headed toward the place where he spotted the young woman. He was surprised at how far she had run in that short span of time. He thought she must have had ample practice running through this type of terrain.
By the time Odius reached the place where he saw the woman, she was well out of sight. Odius wandered around the area to see if he could find her tracks again. After several minutes of looking he managed to pick up her trail.
He followed her tracks for several hundred yards until they came to the bottom of a hill. At that point the ground changed from soft mulch to a hard base of small rocks and gravel. Odius lost her trail among the rocks.
She couldn't have gone too far, Odius thought.
Odius assumed that there must be a village or settlement nearby. It did not seem likely that a young woman like her lived alone in these remote lands. Perhaps someone in the settlement knew something about Mount Atlas. If so, he might be able to hire a guide to help him up the mountain. He had to get to the summit one way or another. In the court of Authemur; king of Atlas...
"Fools!" King Authemur ranted and raved as he wildly paced back and forth in front of his throne. The throne of Atlas, like most thrones in Atlantis, was fashioned of solid gold. The throne rested on a broad pedestal some ten feet square and a foot and a half high. Two steps surrounded the perimeter of the pedestal and allowed access to the rest of the court. A long red carpet ran from the pedestal to huge double doors ninety feet away.
The throne room was not quite as wide as it was long and decorated with many statues of gold, orichalcum and silver. Most of these statues were mounted on the walls. The throne room was used mostly for business of state, although by tradition it was often opened to the public for festive occasions.
The proceedings this day was definitely not a festive occasion. Three warriors in full dress battle gear were being unjustly reprimanded in front of court spectators. They were each commanders representing the highest level of authority beneath the king. The three warriors were down on one knee at the base of the throne's pedestal with their heads lowered.
"Incompetent idiots!" The king continued to pace and spout slanderous remarks. He had angered himself to the point where his face was red and he could not help but to shout.
"The greatest army on the continent of Atlantis fails to bring me one scrawny apprentice. Whose to blame?" He stopped pacing momentarily to shout, "Well?"
The warriors would not tremble under the kings abuse. They had become used to these childish antics ever since the king's father died. One of the warriors spoke out.
"None is at fault, Eminence. These operations take time and your order was issued only six days past."
The king resumed his wild pace, "I know when I gave the order! What I don't know is why the apprentice has eluded my army! My kingly wisdom tells me incompetence is at large!"
The boldest of these warriors was Spartos. He had served faithfully in the Atlas military since adolescence when he carried water and food for troops. Spartos slugged his way through the ranks and won his current position by bravery and deeds, rather than politics and favor. He was a huge man of 280 pounds, all of which was rock-solid muscle. He loved Atlantis and the kingdom of Atlas, but he had little tolerance for this foolish king.
The king stopped in front of Spartos and shouted, "What have you to say?"
Spartos spoke in a deep burly voice. "There is nothing to say, Eminence, the search continues."
In anger the king kicked at Spartos and caught him in the chest piece. Spartos did not sway but it was obvious that the king hurt his royal foot.
A murmur of laughter rippled through the spectators, which further irritated the king. The king surveyed the crowd and all became silent. He panned an angry finger across the crowd, "Clear the court," he shouted.
The king said nothing as he watched the crowd file out of the throne room. He heard murmurs and quiet rumblings of people discussing the incident. He strained to hear what was being said, but all he heard was the general grumbling and muttering of the crowd.
After the crowd cleared out of the throne room, King Authemur continued to grill Spartos. "I gave you an order, yet I see no result. What are you doing to comply?"
"We have six garrisons of your best men combing the entire kingdom, as well as Gades and Mestor. The search continues as we speak."
"I'll have you know a hand-picked delegation is approaching Egypt as we speak! When they arrive, they will expect total crop failure. But there will be no crop failure without the apprentice and the crystal! My delegation will be in Egypt in a matter of days. How soon can you find the apprentice?"
"Perhaps by the next moon, Eminence."
"Why are you not looking?" the king asked.
Spartos was somewhat confused and surprised by the question. It was not proper procedure to send a commander on a task like this. The commander's duty was to coordinate the search. Before he could reply, the king spoke again.
"I order you to the field and assist the search, personally. If my army fails, I will have you imprisoned! Am I clear?"
"Yes, Eminence," he replied in disgust.
"I want that apprentice!" The king turned his back to the warriors as he stormed out of the throne room.

Odius spent several hours pursuing a fruitless search for a settlement in the remote foothills of Mount Atlas. Late afternoon gave way to early evening and the sun slid below the jagged horizon. Odius was somewhat disgusted with himself. He should have scared up some game and settled on a place to camp while daylight was still ample. Soon the dim evening light would give way to darkness. Even the moon would not befriend him tonight, it was only a sliver and would soon follow the sun below the horizon.
Odius decided to break off his search and find a flat place to sleep. Most of the terrain was hilly and would be difficult to sleep on. He had already missed his opportunity to hunt and would go hungry.
Odius saw what looked like a convenient place to camp on a neighboring hill. It was difficult to see in the dim evening light but it appeared to be a clear area on the top of a gradual mound. The horse stepped cautiously in the dim light as Odius made his way to the next hill. As they crossed the gully between the two hills, something peculiar caught his eye.
"Whoa!"
Odius pulled his horse back a step or two. He saw what looked like a footpath along the gully. He dismounted, then crouched down to examine the find.
It looked like a footpath alright, but it was difficult to tell for certain. Odius saw no tracks in the dark evening light. He knew it could have been an animal trail, such as deer or unicorn, or it could have been a footpath for his elusive settlement. Odius wondered if he should try to follow it tonight, or if he should wait until morning. After toying with the idea for a while Odius decided to follow it.
"Which way?" he asked his horse.
As expected, the horse took no notice of his question. Odius made his best guess then led his horse on foot. The evening light slowly gave way to darkness.
Odius followed the path for a quarter mile where the forest opened to a small clearing. The path led to a small log home on the opposite edge of the clearing. Odius approached the house cautiously. The flicker of an oil lamp and shadows of movement within told him someone was home.
The house was unusual since most dwellings in Atlantis were made of stone. It was difficult for Odius to see any detail of the building or surrounding grounds except where dim light poured out of a window. Odius tied his horse to a post near the porch, then knocked on the door.
After a noticeable pause Odius heard the wooden bolt slide back, then the door open just a crack. An eye peered at him through the tiny opening.
"Yes?" a woman's voice said.
"Good evening. I offer my sincere apologies for calling at this late hour I do not mean to be a burden." Odius felt a little awkward. He could tell his presence made the woman uneasy. "I am a stranger to these parts and need a little help finding my way. Could you offer directions?"
There was silence.
"Please could you tell me if there is a village or settlement nearby?"
"No." Her answer was short but polite.
Odius looked at the ground for a moment then chuckled. He felt awkward talking to an eyeball on the other side of the door.
"Excuse me kind lady, ah, do you mean 'no' you can't tell me, or 'no' there is no..."
"Are you a warrior?" she interrupted. The tone of her voice was mildly excited, as if she were talking to a celebrity at a church social.
"Huh?" her question took Odius by surprise. "No... I'm an apprentice."
"Oh!" She spoke very pleasantly.
Since she brought up the subject of warriors, Odius began to wonder about the king's men. Perhaps she brought up the subject because she saw some of the king's soldiers prowling about recently.
"Have you seen any warriors of late, kind lady?"
"No! No, I've never seen a warrior before, ever!"
"I see. Can you tell me if "
"I saw a picture of one once. He had a sword like yours." A slender finger protruded out of the crack in the door, pointed toward his sword, then withdrew.
Odius looked down at his sword then chuckled to himself again. He began to realize that the person on the other side of the door was not deliberately being rude, she just expressed herself somewhat differently.
"You do not get many visitors, do you?"
"No, you're the first."
"Indeed!" Now Odius began to understand her strange manner. "Then please allow me to introduce myself, I am Odius."
"Odius?"
"Yes." Odius offered his hand in hopes she would open the door. "And your name, kind lady?"
"Um my name is Maia." He could see her eye bob down, then up as if she curtseyed. She still did not open the door. Odius withdrew his hand.
"I'm very pleased to meet you, Maia. How close is the nearest village?"
"About three hundred fifty stadia (5) to the southeast. It's a long walk."
Odius realized she was talking about the last village he stopped in several days ago.
"Does anyone else live in these parts?"
"No, just me."
"Then, perhaps you could help me, Maia. Do you know anything about Mount Atlas?"
"Oh yes, I could tell you stories about that mountain all night. What do you want to know?"
Odius gently motioned to the door. "I do not wish to appear bold, but, perhaps this would be easier if you were to invite me in?"
"Um " She paused. Odius could tell she was uncomfortable with the idea. "Did you see anything well, unusual? You know, lurking about?"
Odius looked confused. "I saw no animals or people if that's what you mean."
"You saw no strange fog or smoke?" she asked.
Odius thought for a moment. "No, Maia. Why do you ask?"
There was silence for a while.
"Yes, please come in!". Maia stayed hidden behind the door as it slowly opened. Odius stepped in.
"Thank you, Maia."
Odius heard the door close behind him. When he turned around he was surprised to find that Maia was very beautiful. He admired her for a moment, then said with a smile, "You are certainly a beautiful woman, Maia"
She just smiled and buried her face in her hands. Odius did not mean to embarrass her, he only wanted to pay her a well deserved compliment. Odius tried to abate her uneasiness by admiring her home.
"You have a very nice house."
"Thank you. I built it myself."
"You did? That's impressive."
She blushed. Maia found herself stealing a glance at her handsome guest, but when he happened to return the glance she brought her eyes to the floor in a shy manner. She wished she was more confident like the city ladies. Her newfound friend seemed to be very nice and she did not want him to think she was unworthy of his company. She liked the way he smiled at her. It was a caring and happy smile, not like the men in the village who's smiles were sinister or taunting.
"Sit down!" Maia was afraid her words might have sounded like a demand, rather than an offer. "I mean if you want."
Odius smiled, "Thank you."
Maia motioned to a table with a single chair. She never had need of a second chair before. Odius did not want to sit in the only chair and leave the lady standing. He was thinking of how to decline without hurting her feelings.
Maia wondered why he hesitated. She was not sure of the proper way to dispense such hospitalities and thought maybe she was doing something wrong. She thought for a moment then, with an unsure smile, walked over to the chair and pulled it out for him.
Odius did not have the heart to refuse her, she looked so proud of herself as she waited for him to sit down. Odius thought he should oblige her, then give her the chair later.
As Odius sat down he noticed the chair had been hand chiseled from a solid chunk of mahogany. It was an immaculate job. The chair was somewhat barrel-shaped and decorated along the armrests and base with carvings of flowers and squirrels. The seat and backrest were comfortably padded with thick brown fur and trimmed with a black cord.
"Did you make this chair as well?"
"Uh-huh." Maia carried a large clay urn to the side of the table. She turned the urn upside down, positioned a dainty little pillow on it, then sat down with her hands in her lap and an unsure smile on her face. Odius could see she was uncomfortable, he began to feel more guilty about taking the chair.
"Maia, allow me to sit on the urn and you take the chair."
A worried look came over Maia. "Don't you like my chair?"
Odius saw she was sincere, that she genuinely thought he was displeased with the chair. He felt bad about his suggestion and tried to remedy it.
"Yes I do." Odius ran his hand across the carvings, "I have seldom seen such quality. You are very skilled at the crafts."
"Thank you."
"I thought perhaps a fine woman like yourself might be uncomfortable on that urn."
She smiled, "No, you're the guest, you should have the chair." Her expression changed from an unsure smile to something like trepidation. "Oh, Guest! Um " She stood up then nervously looked toward her kitchen shelves. "I should offer you something."
Maia went to the kitchen area before Odius had a chance to decline any offer. She almost seemed frantic, like she was trying to right a great injustice. Odius watched and smiled as she went through several empty containers in search of something. He got the impression her stores were almost bare. Her eyes lit up when she came across two apples at the bottom of a deep basket.
"Would you like an apple?" she asked with a smile.
Odius could see she did not have much but was afraid to refuse. He did not want to hurt her feelings as he did with the chair.
"Yes please."
"I have wine too!" she shouted with a smile. "Would you like some?"
"Indeed!" Odius made a point of showing his enthusiasm because it seemed to thrill her so much. He had a weakness for her delightfully timid smile.
"Um what kind? I have apple and blackberry."
"Blackberry, if you please."
She brought a clay bottle capped with a wooden stopper and two small cups. The cups looked more like bowels than cups and were not entirely round, as if molded by hand instead of thrown on a pottery wheel. Odius knew she had made the cups herself because they were imprinted with the same design of flowers and squirrels as the chair.
Maia pulled the stopper out of the bottle, then started to pour two cups of wine. "You asked about the mountain?"
"Yes" He waited for Maia to sit down before he continued. "How could I get to the summit?"
Maia shook her head, "No one goes to the top of Mount Atlas." She leaned closer to him and whispered, "It is the home of demons."
"Demons?"
"Shhh!" She placed a finger in front of her lips, then continued at a whisper. "The woods have ears."
Odius took a sip of wine. He found it was not a true wine because it still retained much of the fruit's pulp. He looked in his cup, swirled it around several times, then took another drink.
"I've never tasted the likes of this wine," he held up his cup, "This is excellent!" He took another drink, then smiled his approval.
Maia seemed to be somewhat uneasy as she started to drink her wine. Odius noticed she sat very rigidly, as if she was self conscious about her posture. She kept one hand in her lap at all times and her back perfectly straight. She held her elbow out to the side as she drank. When she was done drinking, she set her cup neatly in front of her then placed her free hand in her lap to join the other.
One would have thought she was a formally finished lady except her shy, timid smile betrayed her uncertainty. Odius admired her naively innocent qualities. He could tell she was excited yet nervous at the same time, like a young girl on her first visit to the king's formal ball. Odius felt bad about making her nervous in the sanctuary of her own home.
"Why " Odius stopped abruptly and placed two fingers over his mouth. In remembering that this topic was suppose to be whispered, he leaned toward Maia then started over in a whisper. "Why do you say Mount Atlas is the home of demons?"
Maia leaned toward him without taking her hands out of her lap. The conversation continued at a whisper.
"Because of the clouds," she replied.
"You mean the clouds that gather at the summit?"
Maia nodded. "Even in the fairest of weather the clouds hide the top of the mountain. Those clouds are not natural, they were put there by demons. More wine?"
"Yes please."
Odius tried to think of a way to word a response without offending her. He knew demons were a myth but did not want to insult Maia by saying so.
"Why demons?" he whispered, "A wizard like the Great Marce could have made such clouds."
"A wizard!" she shouted in disbelief. "There's no such thing!"
Odius was startled by her loud, abrupt reply and it shown on his face. They laughed for a moment about the way Odius reacted, then Odius continued.
"Have you not heard of the Great Marce of Atlantis?" Odius asked.
Maia shook her head.
Odius was surprised to find a person that had never heard of the Great Marce. He realized that for the first time in recent years, he met a woman ignorant to his destiny. Now he could enjoy Maia's company without any worry about her motives. She began to intrigue him.
"Why do you want to go to the top of the mountain?" she asked.
"Well " Odius thought carefully. He did not think it would be wise to tell her about the crystal, his master's death, or summoning Poseidon. Also, he did not want to tell her he was next in line for the position of Great Marce at least not yet. He felt an attraction toward her that seemed to be mutual. If they did develop serious feelings toward each other, he wanted her to like him for the man he was, not the position he might hold.
"I can not say. But I must get to the summit or die trying."
"Your need is so drastic, Odius?" There was concern in her voice.
Odius nodded, "It is."
Maia took another drink of wine. She had never met a man with such conviction before. Nor had she ever met a man who made her feel like a lady. She looked at him and thought how kind he had been. He did not laugh at her like the men in the village he laughed with her, like a friend. He was polite and had a kind smile. She wanted a chance to know him better.
"When must you go?" she asked.
"On the morrow," he said sadly. Odius took a deep breath, then looked Maia square in the eye. "I've enjoyed the evening with you. You are a charming woman indeed. I wish we had days to share, instead of hours, then we might become friends instead of acquaintances."
Maia held back a tear. No one had ever told her she was a charming lady before. For the first time in her life, she felt like a charming lady. She also wished they could spend more time together. But she realized it was probably just as well he left soon; this short time together was risky enough.
Maia knew her nemesis could come slithering under the door at any moment. She also knew that the longer Odius stayed, the more likely her nemesis would catch her in his presence. She could not bear the thought of such a disgrace. At present Odius still considered her a charming lady that meant a lot to her. If he left before her nemesis surfaced again, then at least one decent man somewhere would always consider her a charming lady.
Maia looked down to the table in sadness, "Yes, it would seem the most precious pieces of life are also the most fleeting. If I had the power of a wizard I would stop this night and forbid morning to come." She looked up at Odius. "I wish you could stay, but "
She pushed the sadness from her face with a modest smile, "We should make the best of the time we have. We want happy memories of tonight, not sad ones."
"Indeed!" Odius held up his cup.
They took another drink of wine, then Maia returned to the subject of Mount Atlas.
"I know a way you might get to the top of your mountain."
"You do?"
"Maybe," she said with uncertainty.
"Does a trail lead up the mountain?"
"Oh, no. Death waits on those sheets of ice!"
"If not a trail, how?"
"More wine?"
"Yes please." He gave her his cup. "You were saying?"
Maia smiled as she poured his wine. "About two summers past, I went to the evergreens on the lower slopes of the mountain. I was looking to see what the slopes might offer..."
She handed Odius his cup, then filled her's. Odius patiently waited for her to continue.
"...And I came across a cave hidden among some brush. I followed the cave deep into the mountain." She spoke with a gleam in her eye as if she was proud of herself. "It was a sinister place. I saw many bones by the light of my torch. Some of the bones were old, others new. Most were bones of animals, but some were bones of men."
"Men?" Odius had a lump in his throat.
"Yes," she nodded. Maia told her story with all the trimmings a storyteller might use at a campfire. She spoke slowly to build suspense and paused in all the right places to emphasize the more ominous parts. A faint hint of a smile betrayed the fact that she enjoyed relating her adventures in this fashion.
"I could tell they were men by their skulls. Some of their bones were scattered about but most were gathered in piles, like they were the feast of many vicious beasts."
Odius looked on with wide bulging eyes as she told her story.
"There were swords and shields, and bows scattered about as well. The cave was dusty and filled with small creatures of the night. I walked through the cave for almost twenty stadia and passed many, many bones. At the very end of the cave was a huge den where flesh-eating beasts bed down for the night. It was empty when I got there, so I took a look around."
Odius gave her his undivided attention as he took another sip of wine. He could hardly imagine this timid woman wandering alone in such a place.
"Were you not frightened?"
Maia thought for a moment. "Perhaps I was a little frightened. After all how can one have adventure without any risk or fear?"
"Is that what coaxed you to explore the cave? Adventure?"
"There is little else to do in the forest. I spend my days gathering fruits or nuts, then spend my nights carving or weaving. Life would have little meaning if not for adventure.
"Anyway, I found a stairway made of strange blue stone at the back of the den. The stairs were very steep and twisted." Maia emphasized, "I mean they were dangerously steep."
"A staircase? In a den of beasts? Where did it lead?"
"They went straight up into darkness. I think they might go all the way to the top, but I don't know for certain. I didn't climb them."
She paused to take a drink of wine before she continued.
"I was going to climb the stairs but I heard the beasts coming back to their den."
"What kind of beasts?"
"Dragons!"
"Dragons!?" Odius said in disbelief. "There is no such thing!"
"Their as real as your wizards!"
Odius looked confused. "I thought they were myths."
"So did I until two years past. You meet one of them in a dark cave with nothing but a torch and you know exactly what they are."
"What did they look like? Were they huge lizards with wings and fangs?"
Maia nodded. "They were about the size of a calf, not giant monsters like the myth. And they don't breathe fire either."
"Dragons! How many did you see?"
"About a score. They all came back to the den at once, like a pack of wolves."
"What happened then?"
"I thought it might be best to leave so I left. I could hardly see anything because the dragons kicked up so much dust. I took slow, careful steps and walked right past them."
"It was that easy?"
"No, they hissed and snapped at me all the while." She nodded her head emphatically, "They were frightening. I never ventured back there again."
"Where is this cave of dragons?"
"At the base of the mountain. It's hard to find. I don't think I can tell you how to find it, but I could show you the way."
"How far is the cave?"
"Three days walking."
Odius thought for a moment. "Then it would be a day's journey on a horse." A bold smile slowly came to his face. "If you ride with me, you could show me the cave and we could spend another day together."
Maia replied with a nervous smile. "I would like that, Odius."
They took several more sips of wine, then a concerned look came over Odius.
"Ah how do I get past the dragons? Several men have died there, probably from the dragons."
Maia shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, Odius." she shook her head. "I often wondered why I got out alive. Maybe it was because I had a torch, or maybe because I made no threat." She paused. "Or "
"Yes?"
"Well I've never been attacked by any forest predator. Bear, wolves, whatever, they just walk by me. I don't know why. But maybe the dragons left me alone for the same reason."
"Hmm..." Odius thought for a while. "So the only way up is either slip past the dragons, or climb the ice slopes."
"I think you would have a better chance getting past the dragons than climbing the ice sheet. You'll see what I mean when we get there. I'll take you as far as the cave, but you must face the dragons alone."
"I'm glad you're going with me, Maia. I would be honored to spend another day with you." Odius reached out and touched her hand.
Maia did not quite know what to make of the gesture. She quickly withdrew her hand in a brief panic. She brought her hand to her chest then covered it with the other one. Odius could see she was frightened and nervous. They said nothing for a moment until Odius broke the silence.
"I I'm sorry m'lady. I meant you no harm."
Maia saw that Odius was shocked by her reaction. Many thoughts went through her head during the silent moments that followed. Everything was going so nicely until this. She wanted so much to live up to the 'charming lady' that Odius saw her as. She realized she made Odius feel awkward by her foolish reaction. She just wasn't expecting him to touch her. In her mind's eye she saw Odius slipping away farther and farther with each passing second.
She swallowed hard, then said in a broken whisper, "No man ever touched me before."
"I had no Idea, Maia." He let out a sigh, "I will leave if you wish."
"No! Please stay." She took several deep breaths. "Um I just wasn't expecting it and..."
Odius returned an unsure smile.
Maia slowly reached out and took his hand. She gently bit her lower lip, then said with a nervous smile, "I'm afraid I'm not very good at these man and woman things. Please stay."
Odius nodded and tried to reassure her, "I understand Maia."
Maia began to feel more comfortable with Odius. She knew if she made another mistake, Odius would not take it wrong or criticize her. She became more relaxed and less self conscious as the night went on. She knew she could just be herself and enjoy the company of her new friend without worrying about what was or was not considered proper.
The bottle of blackberry wine soon went dry, then they started on the bottle of apple. They spent most of the night talking. Odius told Maia stories about Atlanta, although he never mentioned the Great Marce or the reason he sought Mount Atlas. Maia told him stories about the mountains and woodlands, although she never mentioned her nemesis.
They talked well past midnight. They were honest with each other, they laughed, and they enjoyed the night together. It was several hours after midnight before they finally retired. Maia turned down her bed and Odius spread a blanket on the floor.

Elsewhere during those early morning hours, the king of Gades was awake in his chambers. King Crylos was sitting at a table waiting for a visitor and making final preparations on a battle plan. He had thought out the plan carefully and was just going over the finer details. His attention was distracted by a knock at his chamber door.
"Enter."
His personal aid opened the door and poked his head in. "He is here, Eminence."
"Send him in directly." King Crylos replied.
After a short pause, a warrior entered the king's chambers. The warrior was Martimus; the king's most trusted warrior and close friend. Martimus had been away on a special mission for the king, he was still dusty and dirty from the long ride back. King Crylos motioned for Martimus to sit at the table with him.
"I trust your mission in Autowin was successful?" the king asked.
"It was, Eminence."
"I have been waiting anxiously for your return, Martimus. I have summoned you to my chambers that this matter will remain secret."
"You must be speaking of your plans to assault the Sea Of Hercules, (6) Eminence," the warrior replied. "Tell me, have you found a way around the law?"
King Crylos smiled. "The law of Atlantis must stand, we dare not break it. Therefore we must achieve our means by adhering to the law."
The warrior sat back and folded his arms in a casual manner. The two men had been friends for quite some time and the protocols of office were often ignored when they were alone.
"I take it you have secured enough votes from the other kingdoms to wage war?" Martimus asked.
The king smiled as he shook his head. "The matter has not been brought to council yet. But I have already implemented a plan that makes us look completely innocent in the matter. I have tricked Greece into declaring war on Atlas!"
The warrior broke out laughing. "Your are most clever, Crylos. How did the bumbling fool take it when he found Greece declared war on his kingdom?"
The king replied with an ear-to-ear smile, "He doesn't know anything about it."
Martimus began laughing even harder.
The king continued while the warrior tried to compose himself. "I want you to post a spy at the Pillars Of Hercules. Our spy will return when he spots the Greek fleet. When we get word of the Greek fleet and their numbers, we send a messenger over land to alert the king of Atlas."
"I would like to see his face when the fool learns Greece is sailing against him." Martimus interrupted.
"And you will, my friend. You will deliver the message."
Martimus smiled, "Justice!"
Martimus thought about it for a while then asked, "How will Gades enjoy in the spoils if Atlas fights Greece?"
"When you deliver the news of the Greek fleet, you will also deliver a message from me. Since we can reach the Pillars Of Hercules in just five days, and them in twenty, we offer to intercept the fleet at sea before they reach Atlas. Atlas will surely vote for our offer as will Gades. We are bound to get a supporting vote from at least four of the other eight kingdoms, and hence the six votes needed to approve a declaration of war."
"I see," Martimus said, "our hands will be clean of the matter because the conflict is between Greece and Atlas. After the spoils are collected, Authemur will still owe us a favor." He started to laugh all over again.
"Here's the battle plan." King Crylos spread out a map. "We send two forces; one here to intercept the Greek fleet between us and Atlas, the other will sail here to cut off their retreat at the Pillars Of Hercules. We crush the Greek fleet, then, with our legal declaration of war, we sail on to conquer Greece. Once the battle starts, we can draw other countries such as, Egypt and Arabia into the battle. When the battle is over, we have control of the entire Sea Of Hercules. We give a small piece to each of the kingdoms of Atlantis and save the greater part of the spoils for Gades."
"Your plan is ingenious," Martimus said. "We look like we do our brothers a great service, not like we instigated the affair."
"Exactly, as far as the other kingdoms know, the dispute is between Atlas and Greece. Should the plan run asunder in council, Atlas will get the pointing fingers, not us."
"What if Atlas declines our offer? What if Atlas decides to fight Greece and take the spoils?" Martimus asked.
The king shook his head, "That would not be likely. King Authemur is already taxed with a number of problems. Our spies tell us that he has a crippled plan to conquer Mestor."
"Mestor? He can't fight another kingdom of Atlantis, it's against the laws decreed by Poseidon."
"We don't have all the details, but he intends to persuade Egypt to do his fighting for him. He wants Egypt to wage war on Mestor."
Martimus looked confused. "What will he gain by that? He would not be able to change the borders set down by Poseidon. He could never annex any portion of Mestor."
King Crylos threw up his arms. "I know. Authemur is a bubbling fool. His plan has already come upon problems. He would not be willing to fight Greece."
Martimus stood up, "Very well, I will dispatch a spy to the Pillars Of Hercules on the morrow. Would you require any other service of me."
The king shook his head, "Not at present. Although, I might mention that we will not be able to use the crystal for battle, so plan accordingly."
"Why? We have as much right to it as any other kingdom."
The king took a deep breath. "Information from our spies comes in tatters and shreds, but it would seem the crystal is damaged."
"Damaged?"
"Yes," the king replied," it is not yet public knowledge, but apparently the Great Marce is dead and the crystal rendered useless."
"How?"
"I don't know, just those facts, the Great Marce is dead and the crystal damaged. Also, the apprentice to the Great Marce disappeared soon after the incident. What was his name anyway?"
"I believe his name is Odius, son of, ah..." Martimus could not recall the name.
"Anyway," the king interrupted, "King Authemur has many garrisons searching for this Odius. He seems to be obsessed with the search. Anyone who finds the apprentice could hold him for a fortune. I thought you might be interested in that prospect."
"Hmm," Martimus thought for a while. "I might at that."
"It is late my friend."
"Then I take my leave of you, Crylos." He showed his respect with a single nod of the head. "Until the morrow."
King Crylos nodded, then Martimus turned to leave his chambers. After Martimus left, the king carefully packed away his battle plans then retired for the night.

The morning sun barely touched the foothills of Mount Atlas when Odius and Maia prepared for their journey to the cave of dragons. Odius came out of Maia's house to ready his steed while Maia stayed inside to gather a few belongings. This was the first time Odius had a clear look at her house. He was impressed.
Each log was meticulously tailored with tight- fitting joints. Upon closer inspection, Odius found that the horizontal seams between each log was actually a V-shaped tongue and groove. Each seam was surprisingly accurate and apparently chiseled by hand. The tailored logs were sealed weather-tight with a crude glue made from pine sap.
Odius took time to admire the immaculate detail and creative resourcefulness that went into this piece of art. He found the door was cut from a single log and decorated with impressions of flowers and squirrels, just like the impressions on her chair and cups. The door did not have a frame, it was set neatly in a hand-chiseled jamb carved from the logs in the wall. A strip of thick brown fur lined the door jamb to fend against weather.
Odius walked around to the side of the house. He noticed the shutters were made of tightly woven reeds on a wood frame. The frame was also decorated with her typical pattern of flowers and squirrels. The roof had a single tapered pitch neatly covered with split cedar shingles.
The only flaw Odius found on the house was on the rear corner. There was a very small gap on one of the corner joints between logs. The gap barely revealed a stout corner post that was driven vertically through holes in the logs. Apparently the whole structure was pinned together in this fashion. It was an immaculate job and would have taxed the most experience crew of craftsmen, yet Maia built it herself. His fascination with Maia grew deeper.
"Odius?"
He walked toward the front of the house when he heard Maia call his name. She was standing by his horse with her provisions neatly rolled in a blanket.
"How long did you labor on this house?" Odius asked.
"Three months more than a year."
"I am impressed. You certainly master the crafts."
Odius took her bundle to secure it to the horse.
"I know enough to get by."
"You speak far too modestly." Odius paused to finish tying down the load. "You're a master of the crafts. Skills such as yours would be worth a king's ransom in the city."
"I would like to go to the city," she said with a big smile. "I always wanted to go to a ball." She held her little loincloth skirt and curtseyed. "I want to dance with the best of them," she held up one hand as if to pirouette while the other was offered to an imaginary partner, "and show the world that I'm a proper lady. Then I..."
She stopped. A sudden sadness came over her. It occurred to her that she could never see her dream fulfilled. She could never go to a city. Sooner or later her nemesis would surface, and she would be shamed out of the city, just like that small village so many years ago. She no longer danced with her imaginary partner, instead, she hung her head.
"Maia?" Odius said softly. "What bothers you?"
She was silent for a moment, then shook her head.
"I could never go to a city. I can not leave these foothills."
"But but why?"
"I I cannot say."
Odius felt hurt for her. He wished he could help. More than anything, he wanted to see her dreams fulfilled.
"Please, tell me why. Perhaps I can free you from whatever binds you here."
Maia shook her head, "Nothing can free me."
"Surely no harm would come if you told me what holds you here," Odius said.
"Surely there would be no harm in telling me why you must go to Mount Atlas," she replied. Then Maia let out a heavy sigh, "I'm sorry Odius. I wish I could explain but I dare not speak of it."
Odius smiled. "It is I who am sorry. You do not owe me any explanations. I did not mean to pry in your affairs, I only sought to help."
After a quiet and difficult pause, a subtle smile came to Maia's face. "We have so little time together, Odius. Today, and if you survive the mountain, maybe the ride back." She took a deep breath. "After that, you must leave me to my solitude. Please, Odius, let us enjoy this short time together and not ponder the bitter pieces of life."
"You are wise, Maia." Odius took a deep breath and briefly look across the scenic landscape. "It is a beautiful day and the day is young." Odius motioned toward his horse. "Shall we?"
Maia nodded.
Odius took the reins, then climbed on the horse. He offered a hand to Maia.
"M'lady."
Maia smiled, then took his hand. Odius helped her onto the horse, then let her get settled. Maia slid her arms around his waist. To her, the simple experience of holding onto a man seemed like the ultimate thrill of a lifetime.
"Ready?" Odius asked.
"Yes yes!"
A gentle kick of the heels nudged the horse to a lazy walk as they started their journey to the cave of dragons. After several minutes, Maia mustered a little more courage and pressed herself against Odius.
"I never knew sharing time with a man could be so wonderful."
Odius smiled as he felt her gently tremble from the new experience. He understood her isolation and what she must be feeling. Odius thought of the night before when he frightened her with a simple touch. He longed to hold her in his arms, but he knew he must be a gentleman and let her take their relationship at her own pace.
Odius was amazed with his newfound friend. He thought how she was so unique; she was frightened by his touch, yet bravely faced a whole cave full of dragons. Odius never thought a woman could be so precious. He thought he should tell her so.
"Of all my travels, Maia, I have never met a lady so precious as you. I'm proud to share your company."
Odius never noticed the joyful tear that graced Maia's cheek.

They managed the day without incident from beast or foe. For the most part they just rode and talked. Late morning brought them by a plum tree where they rested and stuffed themselves with fruit. They rode on through the afternoon telling stories and laughing. That day was very special to both of them. Their pace gradually slowed down as the day grew older. Neither of them were in a hurry to part company, and they each knew they would as soon as they reached the cave of dragons.