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The Hunt for Knowledge How is this Even Possible?
Panic ensued. All scurried to Zinnia’s side. Dakari reached for her tiny wrist and felt for her pulse.“I don’t know what a fairy pulse is supposed to sound like, but she definitely has one.” He sighed, relieved. Already everyone was feeling like she was the glue holding the group together.Luca reached over and took the crystal from her hand. What had looked so menacing in her hands looked frail and small in his own large palm. It seemed to pulse as if it had something to say.Palm opened, he looked around at the group, “Did anyone see how this got here?”Before they could utter a word, Zinnia began to stir. As she tried to turn on her side she moaned with pain as her wing was stuck beneath her. No one knew how to help. She closed her eyes and began to glow. Her purple aura intensified as the wing visibly began to heal itself. It was like watching a movie in fast forward. Within seconds she was clearly revived. The group watched in disbelief.“When I am in wolf form, I heal
The Hunt for Knowledge Imprinted
The entire group sat spellbound, not able to move or speak. Dumbfounded, they sat staring at the last of the blue ink before it, too, was gone. Luca tried to open more pages but they were stuck fast. All that was left was the eerie image of an old man with hard eyes staring out of the page. The picture gave the appearance of being able to look everyone in the eye at once. His wrinkled skin and worn attire gave Katalea the impression that their host had been around a few millennia. His eyes conveyed that this was not the first group to take up the challenge. His voice radiated distrust and weariness as it filled the room as if it played from a loudspeaker.“You must prove yourselves worthy by solving the first puzzle. Then, and only then, will more be revealed unto you, with greater rewards and greater risks. Are you up to the task? Go forth now with urgency. Much depends on your success. Time is of the essence.”Luca withdrew his hands from the glass encasement. He looked
The Hunt for Knowledge Conjuring a Juicy T-Bone
They planned to leave the following morning. Grandfather called the hangar and had the pilots prepare. Grandmother served another feast for everyone and secretly plotted with Zinnia for a way to take her on a tour of the island. Zinnia squirmed with excitement at the prospect. After eating and relaxing, the four visitors packed what meager belongings they had into the backpacks and duffles that Katalea had shoved into a closet over the years. As Katalea handed out pink and purple backpacks, complete with enough rhinestones to blind an army, she giggled to herself. Feeling the hard plastic square sewn into a hidden pocket in one of Dalya’s bags, Katalea’s fingers searched for the little opening. She found it and removed one of the tracking devices that she had used to avoid Dalya in their high school years. With her thoughts on her prior tormentor, Katalea had slipped down the hall to visit the girl who had once caused her such anguish, and now was looked at like a si
The Hunt for Knowledge The Scent of the Wolf
Dakari sat in a wicker chair on the terrace and basked in the morning sun. It had been so long since he felt this relaxed he thought he might fall asleep. The scent of the pink jasmine bush climbing the balustrade wafted over him and, combined with the lull of the rippling waves below, he teetered on the brink of a well deserved nap. When his feet were knocked to the floor, he nearly jumped out of his skin. By the gods' own control, he was able to keep from shifting to his tiger form. He opened his eyes expecting to see the scaly hide of a weredragon. To his surprise, his sister Maggie stood before him. She grinned the menacing grin of a little sister and pointed her finger at him. “I’m telling Dad that you are back here at the Kundam’s and haven’t bothered to let us know. What the hell is that about?” She hissed, anger with him winning out over her happiness to see him.“No one was supposed to know we were here.” He smiled at her sheepishly, using his hand to shie
The Hunt for Knowledge Going Down
The group gathered on the ferry as the island was shrouded in a thick, concealing mist. Katalea had called the mist to swirl and entwined the heady scent of the salt water to cover the scent of her new friends. It would do no good for the curious to come investigating. The water appeared gray, reflective of the colorless sky. There would be no other passengers, and the jaunt across to the mainland promised to be rough. Katalea didn’t mind the ferry as it jostled them to and fro, it kept her mind from contemplating the scene they had encountered in Dalya’s room. Her friend had been possessed by an erratic weredragon god. If she hadn’t witnessed it with her own eyes, she would have doubted anyone who tried to convince her of it. That was why she wasn’t sharing the story with the others.They had spread out to different parts of the ferry for their quick excursion. Aquina was leaning over the railing, hands outstretched, trying to play with a few of her friends as they swam
The Hunt for Knowledge Anti-Gravity
The six passengers looked at one another. Before a seat belt could be buckled into place, the nose of the plane dipped at an angle solidifying what the captain had announced. Beecher’s trash fell to the floor and began its descent to the front of the plane. Instead of preparing for a crash landing, Katalea turned to the window and began to war with the storm. Between clenched teeth she hissed, “Dakari, Zinnia, see if you can conjure something to elevate the nose of this beast!” Dakari got up and moved to Zinnia. They huddled together with determined faces and soon Dakari’s lips began to move while his eyes remained firmly closed. Katalea knew he was messaging back home for help. Katalea was fighting a losing battle. If she pushed at the wind, lightning would flare up off to the other side. When she calmed the electricity, hail would begin to pelt the rapidly descending aircraft. It was as if the weather was toying with her. In her concentration, she had not noticed tha
The Hunt for Knowledge Obnoxious Airhead
With backpacks slung over their shoulders, the group got their first glimpse of Rio. The airport in Praia do Galeaão fanned out like the spokes on a wheel, with airplanes of every color in the process of loading and unloading their passengers. In the distance a beach could be seen, and Katalea had a momentary longing for a high-speed run in her feline shape down the white sands at home. Two by two, they ambled slowly down the airstairs, trying to find coordination in their limbs after so many hours of non-use. They were met by two lovely assistants, dressed in conservative navy blazers with crisp white shirts beneath. Beecher’s eyes gleamed incredulously when they explained that the group would not need to join the thousands of other travelers at the customs office. They had a private customs area set up just for them. Katalea smiled at Dakari, “Leave it to Grandfather to do things with style,” she messaged him. He discreetly nodded and followed the others to the
The Hunt for Knowledge Siren’s Song
No one moved faster than Luca. He seemed to be at Zinnia’s side before the scream died on her lips. Beecher and Aquina arrived almost simultaneously, with Dakari and Katalea seconds behind them. Surrounded by glass shards, Zinnia hovered three inches off the floor, wings unfurled. She was not purple, nor was the aura she emitted joyful. She looked absolutely heartbroken. Tears streamed down her face, and her body was violently shaking with sobs. Katalea cautiously approached, somehow afraid to cause Zinnia more pain. “Zinnia, what happened? What’s wrong?” She soothed. Zinnia’s sobs decreased as she saw the others. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful. Beecher’s friend let us use this place for free. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen.” “I’m lost honey,” Aquina joined in, trying to soothe her new friend. “What made you so upset? When you screamed like that, I thought Hassan himself had gotten in.” Zinnia looked from one to the other and her e
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The Hunt for Knowledge Nothing But Dust
The cairn now glowed blue. It pulsed and throbbed as if it had a heartbeat. Kaya stood, just like Katalea’s premonition, pacing, but this time she was not intently focused on the stones, she was focused on Katalea. As if waiting for her. “Can you guys see her? Am I having another vision?” Katalea questioned.“Oh, we can see her, and frankly she is terrifying….” Aquina answered, awe in her voice. The big cat kept pacing, her soft pads making no noise in the silent chamber. Her eyes never left Katatea’s.“She means you no harm,” Katalea whispered, feeling the joy of her panther overtake her. “She is me…” Katalea continued, confidence radiating in her voice, understanding now. “She never left me.”Katalea felt the longing to be one with Kaya rise up. She hadn’t realized how abandoned she had felt by her own self.Kaya’s eyes filled with anguish now. Her proud head bowed, almost in shame. “It was not my wish either,” she said, obviously hearing the cries of Katalea's heart. “It w
The Hunt for Knowledge Outnumbered
As they made their way into the higher elevation, the mountain walls became craggier, and small cave formations began. The trees here weren’t as thick, this new harder soil obviously struggled to sustain life. Ahead, a rounded archway formed, looking more like an arbor than a cave. Katalea walked through expecting to come out on the other side of the hill but instead found herself in a large open space resembling the lobby of the ice hotel. Instead of beautiful ice sculptures though, it was just rough walls. A small stack of rocks to the left looked like a cairn left behind by someone else. There were the remnants of bones, small animal bones, she presumed, that had long since stopped having a body. Still, she felt no presence of evil or danger. They heard the deep dark laugh come from behind them. Katalea stepped forward as if to shield her friends against whatever was coming. ”So valiant, young Katalea.” They could hear Hassan, but there was no one there. He laughed aga
The Hunt for Knowledge Confused
“Ah Elskan,” he pulled back with such sorrow. “I want nothing more than the next millennium in your arms but I feel our friends call.” He pushed a stray lock of purple hair behind her ears, nibbled her neck, and inhaled deeply.“That word, Elskan, you have said it before. What does it mean?”“What?” He looked at her quizzically now. “I have said a word you don’t know?” Tilting his head in wonder, he added, “Out loud?”She smiled coyly now, “Yes, a few times. Elskan. Once when I was hurt, and I think another time when we learned of the sharks,”Visibly flustered, he put his hands at his sides. Tense now, he turned to go, but she grabbed his elbows, “Not so fast buster, you didn't answer.” The smile she gave him was playful, teasing, almost a challenge. He sighed and closed his eyes. Remembering. Oh, why couldn’t some things just stay buried? It had been so very long. Finally, he spoke, “It is the name a man calls a woman he loves. In your tongue, it would be equivalent to dar
The Hunt for Knowledge About That
“Go east she said,” Katalea whispered in her mind and chuckled, thinking of an American term she learned years ago in school in San Diego.”As I remember it, the phrase was, ‘Go West, young man, Go West.” Dakari countered.Katalea blushed, she forgot her mate could always hear her thoughts. “‘Ya, well, I was never very good in American history,” she giggled. It was an age-old joke between them. Dakari had excelled in school, but Katalea had been too busy dodging Dalya and doing gymnastics to pay much attention in high school.With the vampires gone for the moment, and the Hassan family of dragons keeping their distance there was nothing left to do but say goodbye. They thanked Freja for her help and Dakari made light of the situation by conjuring roses for her out of thin air. “We did not come away without losses,” Freja said heavily, “and they will not be forgotten for their bravery in battle.” All heads lowered. A few hands wiped eyes that found themselves moist. “We will ma
The Hunt for Knowledge Two?
To their amazement, they saw what looked like wolves wrestling people. These were not ordinary people, as Katalea watched one short dark man pick up a wolf and hurl it into a tree. They were close enough that Katalea could hear the curses from the man. They were not in any language Katalea had ever heard before. Two more wolves pounced on the man and made quick work of him. Another wolf came at a sprint, two pairs of feral red-eyed vampires at his heels. They recognized him at once. Beecher was in trouble.Dakari roared, and the scene stilled momentarily. All heads turned and in that instant Katalea called lightning to pummel the bloodsuckers. The wolves stood dumbfounded as all their foe just vanished into ash. As a pack, they turned to look at Beecher who was obviously sending them a message that these newcomers were allies. A few wolves shifted, while others remained on guard in wolf form.Never one to hide, Katalea shifted, while Dakari remained. “I have heard myths a
The Hunt for Knowledge Hassan is Coming
Perched high up in her tree, Katalea swayed, the fog swirling around her. Above her, the muted greens and pinks of the northern lights seemed to fight for control of the pre-morning sky. It wouldn’t be long before any vampire trapped outside would have to flee or risk being turned to dust without any help from their adversaries. The sun still had a few minutes to go before it began its assent into the sky but the sky had visibly lightened. It was coming. Katalea wondered if the sun was filtered through the fog if the vampires would be able to stay out longer. She imagined they could. It might be time to dial back on the mist.Light bursts could be seen from just past the crop of trees they were currently resting in. Katalea wasn’t sure if it was from lightning or a dragon blast, but they were drawing closer to their hideout. They would have to move soon.Dakari must have had the same thoughts, for as he touched her arm, she read the alarm in his eyes. It wouldn’t do to be so hig
The Hunt for Knowledge Predators or Prey
As he entered the clearing, the gray and black streaked wolf caught his attention first. He was the size of a Mac truck and looked as fierce with his teeth bared at the newcomer. He could see the moment his scent reached them. He had been upwind and had taken them by surprise. Muzzles dropped slightly as they afforded him the respect of a traveling alpha. Her scent permeated the area and had all heads turning. The beautiful lady in white from the ice hotel now stood before him in her true form. The vision of majesty as a pure white wolf and tawny eyes. He lowered his head in the traditional greeting to the alpha of the current territory. One that had already saved him twice.“Rise my cousin,” she chuckled. Beecher rose and went to her in the more familiar greeting of his kind. They nuzzled heads, his under hers. The subtle action was noticed by all in the clearing, and approved. They had accepted him. Without one word spoken, they all nodded in agreement, they would figh
The Hunt for Knowledge Hold Still
With Luca's enormous frame passed out across her, and snow almost covering the entire mouth of the cave Zinnia had no choice but to wait it out. She felt like a sitting duck knowing that Genevieve was out there. Worse yet, the bitch knew approximately where they were. “But what choice do I have?” she thought as she took in her situation. The cave was about the size of his body. Not much of a cave, more of a cavette. She giggled at her own lame joke.She watched with an increasing unease as the sky grew darker and the tiny cave was almost completely devoid of light. The eerie silence was almost worse than the deafening thunder from before. It seemed so finite. Would they ever be able to leave this place? and if they did, would it be to the waiting arms of a vengeful vampire? She curled up next to Luca for body heat. There was a little space just in front of him once he had stretched out and her tiny frame just fit. It might be better to sleep than to think.From this angle, s
The Hunt for Knowledge Avalanche!
She must have recognized the sound or felt the mountain shift for she was off him in an instant. She would not be more weight for him to have to climb with. In his mind he fought with her. He reasoned with her, he begged her, but she would not relent. She would not bring him down. She may be a third of his size, but she would climb as his equal. Again, she wished for her powers back, she could have just fluttered right up and found them a cave.Finally giving up on carrying her, he pointed the way and then hoisted her up., if she was going to climb she would damn sure go ahead of him. He prayed to whoever might be listening for a bit of luck.When she was no more than five feet up, he smashed his enormous body against the snowy mountain and started up the rockface, She moved slowly, cautiously. He fought the urge to rush her, trying not to think about their lack of equipment. He didn’t know if she realized they were fighting time as well.A sound like an explosion ripped thro
