CHAPTER FOUR

The Sonant Stone

The fading daylight was further obscured by the dense foliage of the forest ceiling as Bobby and Donnova took turns clearing a path through the thick underbrush in near darkness. Between club and sword, they kept the most direct path possible, pausing now and again to check their resonating guides. The droning Rocks were quieter now, but sounding distinctly closer. All drudged on without speaking � weary, yet too close to their destination to warrant a break.

At last, a clearing was becoming visible, bringing everyone out of their lethargy.

"We're almost there!" Bobby cheered. He quickly finished the path on his own and ran ahead with Uni. Soon, he was shouting for the others to hurry and see.

They all stepped out from the thicket onto hard, flat ground and stopped.

"Whoa," whispered Presto.

"Takes your breath away," said Diana.

"It's beautiful . . . in an eerie sort of way," Sheila said.

"Yeah," was all Hank could manage.

"Why didn't I see this from the tree?" Donnova asked.

"Who knows," said Eric.

Hank heard the apathy in Eric's voice, and it troubled him. He knew he shouldn't go much longer without at least trying to talk to him about his perpetual foul mood. For now, though, he couldn't focus on Eric's attitude. Not with what was before them all.

They stood facing an enormous concave face of rock, cracked and graying. Hank craned his neck. It was taller than the tallest building he'd ever remembered seeing. And even then, there was a spike of rock that towered higher above the top of the circular rock from somewhere behind, the point of which was so high that it was still bright with sunlight.

Everyone slowly, almost reverently, approached the Rocks of Resonance, and then followed Hank as he began walking the perimeter. The Rocks were silent now. All was quiet, save for the soft sounds of the wind in the trees.

Hank looked around. The forest seemed to form a circular border around the entire area. Nothing grew within the circle. It was like some magic might have prevented it.

Coming to the edge of the closest rock, he saw that there were more. Eight such rocks surrounded the central monolith, which had eight sides to correspond. It was obviously ancient. Chunks of rock had fallen from all around the structure and embedded themselves in the ground. But even in its decay, the display commanded attention, and was truly a sight to behold.

Something else caught Hank's eye. Pointing at the base of the next rock, he said, "Take a look at that." He kept his voice low, as though afraid speaking too loudly would disturb what he discovered.

Diana and Sheila saw, and then carefully backed away as they reexamined the height.

Hank had assumed there was some kind of support behind them, but, impossibly, the massive rocks were standing on their very edges � only the barest tip made contact with the ground.

"Incredible," Donnova breathed. She studied it more closely, but stopped short of touching it and took a step back.

Presto adjusted his glasses. "Looks like no one's been here in ages. I wonder who built it."

"Who cares?" Eric said in the same apathetic tone as before. "What are we doing here, anyway?"

Then, an excited whinny from Uni drew everyone's attention.

"Welcome, my young pupils."

"Dungeon Master!" Diana cried. "This place is amazing!"

Dungeon Master approached from behind them. He stopped and stroked Uni's ears.

Eric abruptly stepped in front of the others to face Dungeon Master. "Yeah, ooo, it's amazing. Whatever. It'll only be amazing to me if it has some kind of magic that can send us home."

"Alas, it does not," answered their guide.

"I knew it! Then what are we doing here?"

Hank cringed at Eric's tone, but, as always, Dungeon Master seemed not to take offense.

"Do not despair, Cavalier. Rejoice! For you are about to embark on your final quest." He looked to the others. "If you succeed, your way home will at last be opened to you."

Eric turned his back, crossed his arms, and scowled. "How many times have we heard that one?" he muttered.

Presto's eyes lit up. "Did you say 'final quest'?"

"What do we have to do, Dungeon Master?" Hank asked as everyone else, save Eric, gathered around.

"You must go to the Empyreal Tower at Realm's Edge, the southernmost boundary of this realm. There, you will realize your ultimate purpose here � that for which you were called."

"You mean we get to go home for real this time?" Bobby asked excitedly.

Hank shared his eagerness, as he was sure everyone else did, but braced himself against it. There was always a catch.

Dungeon Master nodded to Bobby, but then raised a finger. "But in order to gain freedom, you must first grant it. You must free Venger's very first prisoner from the Tower, for he is your very last hope. This map will show you the way." He handed Hank a well-worn map.

"L-last hope?" Eric had gone pale for the second time that day.

"First prisoner?" Presto said. "He's still alive?"

"Wow, he must be really old!" said Bobby.

"I just hope it's as simple as it sounds," said Diana.

"Ha! Not with our track record." Eric again.

Dungeon Master walked over to a rock and touched it with a fingertip. He then drew a circle of red light. When he finished, the light faded and out fell a palm-sized rock of the same concave shape of the eight. With this, he approached Donnova.

"I see you have found allies, Swordswoman," he said.

Donnova crossed her arms. "As you said I would," she acknowledged coldly. "So, I see I was not the only one you wrested from another world to do your bidding. How many others have you burdened with the Realm's troubles? Are they children as well?"

"There are no more," he said, with a shake of his head.

She glanced at the others. "I have heard tales of these travelers in recent years. I should have guessed they were ones who shared my plight." She scowled at him. "And you saw fit to keep us separate for all this time, though we seem to have a common goal?"

Dungeon Master nodded solemnly. "I did."

"I see," was all she said.

Dungeon Master held the stone out to her.

She looked down at him disdainfully, cocking an eyebrow at him and mocking a smile, but took the proffered stone. "What's this? A trinket for my troubles? A token, perhaps?"

"Let it be known as the Sonant Stone," he said. "Guard it well, Swordswoman. To lose it is to lose all our hopes. You will know its purpose when the time is right."

He then turned to regard the rest of them, and Hank saw in his face an expression that he'd seen on Dungeon Master's face only once before � a sentiment he himself was all too familiar with: doubt.

"Dungeon Master?" said Hank.

But their guide only smiled and said, "Be careful, my children. And good luck."

He walked back beyond the circular border and was gone.

Everyone now looked at Donnova. She squeezed the Sonant Stone repeatedly in a tight fist held closely to her chest.

When no one else would say anything, Bobby spoke. "So you're lost too, huh?"

When she remained silent, Sheila went to her side. "Don't worry. We'll all get out of here. And by the sound of it, it'll be soon. Dungeon Master's never led us wrong before."

"Are you kidding?" Eric shouted from behind them. "He's never led us right, either!"

"Not now, Eric," Hank warned.

Donnova looked from Eric to Hank. "I'm afraid your friend may be right. I've been told too many times by the Dungeon Master that my efforts would lead to my escape from this place. All the deeds I have done for him, and I am still here." She looked at Sheila now. "I was once hopeful and believing, as you are now, but after years of being denied my freedom, I realized I had been a fool. I doubt there will be escape for any of us. We are all prisoners here � the Dungeon Master's captives. Venger may be the Force of Evil, but I believe the Dungeon Master may be our true enemy."

"Dungeon Master isn't our enemy, he's our friend," Diana affirmed.

"Yeah!" agreed Bobby and Uni in unison.

"Venger is our enemy," Hank added stiffly.

"Venger may be an enemy, but that's no reason to call the Dungeon Master 'friend.'" Donnova gave him a hard look. Then she looked at them all.

"Think about it. His riddles have always proved that he's aware of some predetermined outcome. He is the Dealer of Fates." She waited for anyone to dispute it. "Don't you see that he allowed an entire village to be slaughtered . . . for this?" She displayed the Sonant Stone between two fingers. "For this," she emphasized, thrusting it forward. "Venger must have discovered we were all headed to Edonlea, and was willing to destroy it to keep us from finding whatever we may."

Hank didn't know what to think of this. He looked around at everyone else and could tell they were just as perplexed as he. He certainly hadn't considered it; moreover, he had purposely tried not to think anymore of the death in that ill-fated village.

Donnova was looking at him again, and he didn't like the look. It reminded him of the way Dungeon Master had looked at him right before he, Hank, had accepted the blame for the opening of the Box of Balefire. The only time Eric had really taken responsibility for anything that he had done wrong, and it had been turned on him instead. Eric had been the one to open it, not him. But under Dungeon Master's glare, he'd allowed himself to be held responsible. Donnova's glare now was making him feel uncomfortable and defensive.

"This didn't even exist until now," she went on. "They didn't know! They died for nothing! Men, women, children � all for nothing!"

Everyone was as silent and as still as the Rocks behind them. Sheila looked as if she might cry as she listened to Donnova's impassioned argument. Even Hank found he was at a loss as to what to say.

Donnova sighed, looking suddenly weary. She turned her attention back to the Sonant Stone and rubbed its concave surface with a thumb. "It could at least do with some polishing, don't you think?" she mocked, and then tossed the stone as if flipping a coin. "Well," she said, snatching it from the air, "it seems, my friends, that our freedom has already been paid for . . . in blood."