Island of Self-Discipline Seldi

“Push, Liam!” Raja called. With a grunt, Liam shoved, while Raja heaved the old logs of their faithful raft to rest on

the shore. Panting, the men staggered onto the beach. “Well done, Friend.” said Raja with a nod. “Isn’t this remarkable!” exclaimed Syndi. The men looked up to see Syndi digging her hands and feet deeply into glistening black

sand. Smiling, they took off their own sandals and stood to join her, relishing the earth beneath them.

With their backs toward the ocean, the travelers surveyed their new surroundings. They found they were in a small, semi-circular cove, with just the bare, black beach under their feet. In front of them loomed an imposing, rock wall, covered in greenery.

“Those are high cliffs,” Liam observed with a small whistle. Raja craned his head far back to see the top. “How are we ever going to get up there?” Syndi asked. Raja and Liam glanced at each other before shrugging. They began to walk toward the cliff face, leaving footprints in their wake. Suddenly, an

unexpected sense of comfort and anticipation filled their souls, and they looked up. Birds circled in the sky high above, calling to each other. Raja could have sworn he heard the lone cry of a majestic eagle. The whole island seemed alive with a strange, exciting energy, and it was contagious. Raja had a strong desire to get started, but the wall was in the way.

Raja approached the wall and rested his hands against the warm rock. Looking to his left, and then to his right, he couldn’t see any way to get up it. They didn’t have any supplies to speak of; and even if they did, he wasn’t even sure how one went about scaling a cliff face.

“What’s that over there?” Syndi asked, pointing towards the far edge of the cove where the mountain met the ocean.

Following her gaze, Raja hesitated, as shadowy, gray figures appeared from behind a rocky outcrop. Fearlessly, Syndi started walking toward them. Raja scrambled up a large boulder to get a better look and, after a few moments of trepidation, recognition dawned and a smile spread across his face.

“Horses!” he called down to the others. It felt like eons since he had been on the back of a horse. The steeds he had grown up with back home were much more than beasts of burden--they were a delightful release from reality. Perhaps these will be the same, he thought with excitement.

“Do you think they’ll help us climb this wall?” Syndi asked. Liam glanced up at the towering fortress, a frown crossing his trembling chin. “Surely

not. They’re not those kind of animals.” “I guess we’ll have to see,” Raja said. Raja led Syndi and Liam toward the small band, whispering instructions to them on how

to properly introduce themselves to the magnificent beasts. One of the horses drew away from the rest, eyeing Raja and his friends cautiously.

“Watch her, the regal, white Arabian,” Raja told his friends. “She’s the lead mare. See how she commands respect from the others - a nip here, pinned ears there - it’s subtle, but powerful. We must gain her favor if we want to ride them.”

Syndi’s eyes were wide with wonder. Liam had grown quiet and detached. As they approached the mare, Raja felt his heart pounding. He took a deep breath, and then another. He must feel the sense of calm he wanted to communicate to the horses, or else the entire herd might disappear.

The Arabian perked her ears at his approach. The rest of the herd followed her lead, alert but at ease. Raja dropped his shoulders and turned his body at an angle as he drew nearer. The mare held her ground in complete confidence. She drew a step nearer and then stood still, lowering her head and flaring her nostrils to inhale the breath Raja offered as a proper introduction.

“I am Raja,” he spoke. The mare whinnied in response, then spoke, her voice soft and low. “We have been

waiting for you, Raja. I am Seldi, your first guide on the Island of Self-Discipline.” She bent to one knee in a gracious bow. “Welcome.”

Raja stroked her forehead, solidifying a level of trust. It transported him to a memory of his father.

“Son.” Strong hands hoisted him onto the back of his father’s latest purchase. “You are now old enough to be the master of your own fine horse. Plow horses have their place, but now I will teach you true horsemanship,” his father stated. “This is Solomon.”

Young Raja settled into his seat, feeling the fine Arabian’s muscles quiver underneath him. Grasping his arms around Solomon’s neck, Raja pressed his cheek against the wide, white neck and stroked the soft coat. He seemed to hear the horse speak to him: “Many great adventures I have had in my lifetime; but none as grand as we shall know. Learn your lessons well, Raja. Treat me with respect and I will do the same for you.”

“I promise, Solomon,” Raja whispered.

Father had taught him that these were steeds of royal bloodlines--from their finely chiseled nostrils and dished profiles, to their short-coupled backs and high flagging tails. Everything about them showed great dignity. The Arabians had good reason to prize their horses. Not only was their stamina renowned in legends, but their loyalty to their masters were unparalleled.

Syndi stepped forward cautiously. “Seldi, can you help us make it up that steep mountain?”

Liam watched Syndi, trying not to let his nerves show on his face. Seldi stomped her foot into the ground. “Yes, we will help you.” Liam’s eyes widened, more in fear than amazement. “How?” Seldi stood proud. “There was a ship. There was a storm. Our master couldn’t control his

vessel and it ran aground in the rocky harbor over there. We were the only survivors. We were without guidance and care. We are flight animals by nature; and for a while we existed in chaos. It became obvious we needed to fend for ourselves. We found mountain goat trails up the cliff that led us to pastures where we could survive, and now this is our home. We travel those trails often.”

Raja listened, impressed and awed at Seldi and her herd. Liam rubbed his temples, trying to calm his breathing.

“Mountain goat trails?” Liam asked quietly. He glanced up the nearly vertical wall. “They’re probably narrow and small if we couldn’t see them from here, right?”

Seldi nodded. “Come now. We won’t ask you to follow them; you may ride on our backs and we will take you up the cliff face ourselves.”

Syndi giggled. “Oh yes! Please!” Liam made a strange noise in his throat that no one could understand. “Come among my herd and choose a mount,” invited Seldi. Syndi made her way through the animals. As she passed from horse to horse, Raja and

Liam noticed a dainty bay step behind her. When she paused, the horse stepped towards her back, nuzzling her ear from behind. Syndi let out a delighted laugh as she turned to face the beast. She stroked the horse’s forehead.

“You are the one!” Syndi said. “Seldi,” Raja said. “May I have the honor?” Seldi gave a nicker. “It would be my honor, Raja.” Syndi and Raja turned to Liam, who was still a short distance from the herd. “I’ve only ridden a horse once before, and it wasn’t a good experience.” Liam’s face

betrayed his anxiety. “I would prefer to walk.” Raja and Syndi exchanged glances before Raja stepped towards Liam, gently resting a

hand on his shoulder. “We can trust these animals to take good care of us,” he said. Liam’s eyes were fixed on the ground. “I know, but I’d rather walk.”

Raja tried again, trying to be patient. “You won’t keep up, Liam. The horses can keep a much better pace than we can!”

Liam shrugged, still not looking at Raja. He glanced again at the height of the cliffs and his fear seemed to double.

Raja tried a different approach. “Please Liam, give it a chance! Try it for just a few hours.”

Setting his jaw, Liam clenched his hands tightly and he walked toward the herd. “Alright, alright, just a few hours!”

Glancing around him, Liam finally pointed to the smallest mount in the group--a grey pony with a long, shaggy mane and tail. The gentle beast slowly approached Liam, and he held out a shaking hand toward the horse. Liam tried to smile as he tepidly patted the pony’s forehead. Raja felt a liking towards Liam’s horse, even if Liam didn’t see it. His horse seemed to radiate calmness, which was exactly what Liam needed.

Seldi knelt on the ground so Raja could climb on her back. Syndi’s bay followed in suit. When her horse arose, Syndi shrieked with delight. Although Liam’s feet were almost touching the ground when he was seated on his pony’s back, his face was a few shades paler as the group began their journey.

“It’s not so bad, is it?” asked Syndi with a smile, trying to lighten Liam’s mood. “Just for a few hours!” Liam mumbled through clenched teeth. He was clearly in no

mood for a ride, or for visiting. Seldi neighed, and the rest of the herd followed. The horses settled into a quick trot as

they headed toward the cliffs. With each stride, Liam seemed to land in a different spot on his pony’s back, his teeth chattering.

“How are you, Liam?” Raja asked. “Just tell me when it’s over.” Liam’s eyes were shut tight. Where Syndi was beginning to

be one with her bay’s swinging rhythm, Liam had decided that clinging to his pony’s neck like a monkey was the best route for him.

“We’ve got a ways to go, and it’s essential we make good time,” Seldi said to Liam. “We need to reach the top of the cliff before nightfall. From there, we must move to a safe distance from the volcano, just in case something were to happen.”

Raja and Syndi’s eyes widened. “Volcano?” they asked in unison. Liam was shocked enough to crack an eye open to make sure Seldi wasn’t joking. Seldi snorted. “Did you notice the black beach? The volcano is long dormant and the

jungle has overtaken it; but things have changed lately and rumblings have been heard. We must be on the lookout.”

The group began a steady climb up the narrow trail. Syndi’s bay led out in the front, while Seldi stayed in the rear, carefully watching the herd in front of her. Everyone remained quiet as the horses focused on navigating the steep, narrow path up the rocky slope.

They’d been traveling for a while when Raja ventured a glance over the side. When he realized the extent of their precarious situation, his heart leapt into his throat. The beach lay far below them, a spot of ink in a world of blue. Seldi’s hooves were walking on the very edge of the cliff, carefully keeping to the narrow way. Raja instantly felt lightheaded; and he panicked as he imagined the deadly tumble that would happen if he fell off her.

“Don’t think of it, Raja,” Seldi said. Raja’s gaze returned to the back of Seldi’s head. “What?” “This steep path. I sense your unease. It is out of your control, so don’t waste time

worrying about it. My herd has traveled this path many times; it is now part of our muscle memory. All I ask is soft hands, a balanced seat, and trust. That is what you can control.”

Raja took a deep breath before nodding. He gripped Seldi’s mane a little tighter, hugging her more with his legs.

“Seldi,” Raja said. Seldi didn’t respond, but her ears swiveled backwards so he knew she was listening. “I’m

really glad I’m on this journey; but I’m a bit worried.” “Worried about what, Raja?” Seldi asked. He found talking with her distracted him from the drop that was only getting steeper and

steeper the farther up they climbed. “About what’s ahead,” Raja confessed. “About what lies between us, here, and Cowra.

Not to mention the volcano that may or may not be dormant.” Although he didn’t want to express these fears to Syndi or Liam, he was grateful that

Seldi offered a listening ear. It felt good to tell someone what had been weighing on his heart. “I don’t know everything you must pass through, Raja. But I know your path will not be

easy.” Raja couldn’t help but wince. He hoped Seldi would calm his fears, not confirm them. Seldi seemed to sense his dismay. “If you want to avoid the challenges and trials that lie

ahead, you are welcome to turn around.” Raja’s heart sank. What was Seldi trying to tell him? Did Seldi doubt his ability? Would

the path ahead prove to be too much for him? “It… it might be too difficult to turn around right now, while we’re up here.” Seldi whinnied, light and soft, which Raja figured was her laugh. “No,” Raja said. “I can’t go back. I do want to move forward. I’ve dreamed of reaching

Cowra; and I so much want to make it a reality.” There was a long silence before Seldi spoke again. “You don’t need to worry about what

may happen later, or how hard things will be in the future. If you can meet today’s challenges, you will be that much stronger to face the challenges of tomorrow.”

The pit in Raja’s stomach started to subside. Seldi was right. Right now, he needed to focus on staying balanced on the back of this magnificent mare. Raja wanted to think about this

some more, but when he opened his mouth to form a question, he heard a deep rumbling. Raja glanced over the side and again felt the vertigo from how incredibly high they were. The cliffs seemed to shiver. Raja closed his eyes and held onto Seldi’s mane.

“Calm, Raja. Calm,” Seldi coaxed. “Is that the volcano?” Raja asked breathlessly. “It hasn’t erupted. It’s one of the rumbles we hear at times. Nothing to be spooked

about,” Seldi assured him. Raja nodded. Deciding it would be better if he just didn’t see anything, Raja closed his

eyes. The rumble lessened, and his quickened heart calmed down. “Everyone goes through hard times. But hard times don’t last forever. Self control over

your emotions and actions will make it that much eas-” Suddenly, a terrified scream rent the air and his stomach dropped. Raja’s eyes snapped

open, and he saw, with mounting horror, Liam clinging to the side of his horse, his legs dangling over the deadly drop.

“Liam!” Raja and Syndi called out. Liam was whimpering in between his erratic breaths. The path was too narrow to get off

their horses to help him. Raja was almost beside himself, horrified at not being able to help his friend in this critical situation.

“Calm, Raja. Calm. Watch,” Seldi said. Raja turned back to Liam. Liam’s legs dangled dangerously over the edge of the cliff. He

clung tightly to the horse, positive this was how it would end. “Liam.” Even though Seldi had to call out to him, the warmth of her voice carried with it

a calming effect on him. “Control your emotions to help control your actions. You know what to do.”

Liam’s eyes were clamped shut and his breathing was heavy and irregular. Tears streamed down his cheeks. He tried to take Seldi’s words to heart; but it felt impossible when certain death was beneath him. The thought of tumbling over the edge made his palms sweat and his grip far more slippery.

Mustering every ounce of courage he possessed, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do, Liam knew he had to open his eyes to assess the situation. He cracked one open, and the first thing he saw was the dizzying drop below. He moved his head and pressed it deeply into the side of the grey pony.

His horse. He hadn’t even thought. He was in such a panic that he momentarily forgot he was

hanging onto a horse. He opened his eyes even wider to focus on his trusty mount. She was standing up straight and still, almost like a statue with her head thrown back. Liam couldn’t help but be amazed at the control this animal had. The last horse he’d ridden wasn’t nearly as disciplined or steadied. A path like this would have spooked it. But this horse...he might as well be holding onto a rock.

Liam took another deep, cleansing breath. His pony was doing everything it could for him by staying calm and in control. Now it was his turn.

Knowing she would stay rigid, Liam grabbed her mane with one hand and carefully reached an arm around the pony’s neck with his other. Holding on for dear life, he pulled himself up to gain a footing on the narrow ledge. Shakily, Liam threw his leg over her back and slowly steadied himself on his mount.

Raja and Syndi let out a collective sigh of relief and then remained quiet as Liam wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers and the tears from his eyes. His head was dizzy with glee. He knew his hands were shaking from the shock of the situation, but he tried his best to remind himself that he was indeed still alive.

“I’m all right,” he finally announced. “Let’s keep going.” Seldi neighed and the travelers continued up the steep path. Liam bent down and wrapped

his arms around his horses neck. It probably looked like he was returning to his clinging motion, but he wasn’t. He gave her a gentle hug.

“Thank you,” he whispered. The horse stopped, turned her head, and nuzzled Liam with such an affection, that Liam

felt tears burning in his eyes again. Raja expected ease to follow on the heels of such a trial; but they still continued to climb. The sun was relentless, beating down on them until the travelers were heaving from its

effect. The horses, however, never faltered. They kept walking, nose to tail, without question. Though they seemed like gentle beasts, they were fearless in their task. Finally, the thin path widened and, one by one, the caravan crested the top of the cliff. They were greeted with the sight of a beautiful grazing area, rich with grass for the horses, fruit trees, and berry bushes. Pulling up the rear, Raja dismounted and felt like his legs were made of jelly.

“My legs forgot how to ride a horse,” he laughed, feeling like a toddler learning to walk. Syndi and Liam were already flat on their backs, enjoying a well-needed rest. Raja plopped down beside them.

Syndi reached out and grabbed Liam’s arm. “Hey. What you did...back there...That was amazing. I’m so glad you conquered it.”

Raja nodded. “I’m glad you’re alive.” Liam gave a small chuckle. “I’m glad too.” Raja didn’t dare rest too long. As soon as he had strength, he got up and helped his

friends up too. They didn’t feel like riding, so they walked beside Seldi as she led them to fresh water and fruit.

The grapes on this island were juicer and richer and had a much better taste to them than any Raja remembered eating before. There was a large variety, and when he thought maybe he just lucked out with one particular branch, he moved on to another and found them just as delicious. The friends ate their fill and then put some in their pockets for later.

“This is where we leave you,” Seldi said. “My words of advice: don’t travel too close to the volcano.”

Syndi gave a small laugh. “I think that’s some easy advice to follow.”

Loya

Raja found it hard to watch the herd disappear in the distance. As they continued their

journey, the trio took a slower pace to help their legs adjust. Soon, the foliage was so thick, it was impossible to see that far ahead of them. They had to pull aside huge leaves in order to move forward. They finally crested the top of a small hill, and saw the volcano looming ominously before them. The cone shaped mountain was to the side of the island; but it took up quite a bit of space. It wasn’t smoking, which Raja felt was a good sign, but he did not want to be there when the volcano erupted.

As though on cue, the ground trembled beneath their feet. Syndi gave a small whimper and grabbed Raja’s sleeve to keep her upright. It was over almost as soon as it began. The three looked again at the volcano before they made the grim determination to leave this island as quickly as they could. They set off down the hill, ready to do whatever it took to meet up with the next guide. With the volcano off to their side, Raja knew they’d have to cross beneath its shadow eventually; but he took to heart Seldi’s advice. They would try to stay as far away from it as possible.

After setting up camp for the night, the friends slept quite soundly. The next morning, after a quick breakfast, they headed out. They talked little. Raja almost suggested someone keep an eye on the volcano so they could stay away from it, but he saw Syndi was already doing that.

The day was almost half over and still no sign of the guide. They sat down for a late lunch. Syndi could not hold still, to the point where she stood up

and started pacing. “What about this for an idea. Why don’t we cut our lunches short in order to make better

time?” Syndi asked. “I don’t know...” Liam started to say. “We won’t skip it all together, but if we cut it short, that will give us that much more

traveling time to get through the island a bit faster.” Raja nodded. “I’m okay with that.” He glanced at the volcano. “I’d like to get through

this island as quickly as possible.” Liam nodded, then stood up. “I guess that means it’s time we go.”

They hastily gathered what little supplies they had and started again on their journey. Raja was leading them, carefully manueveringsome loose rocks.

“Raja, hurry up,” Syndi hissed. “I can only go so fast over these rocks. It’s dangerous. I don’t want anyone to slip and-” Another tremor rocked the island. Syndi grabbed ahold of Liam to keep herself on her

feet. Liam almost slipped himself; but Syndi had such a strong grip on him that his footing remained secure. Raja, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky. He threw his arms out to try and keep a good balance, but the rocks were too loose, and he screamed as he fell down a steep incline.

“Raja!” Syndi and Liam shouted. The tremor stopped, and Raja was nowhere in sight. Syndi was breathing hard, and Liam

was trying to detangle himself from Syndi’s grip. “Raja! Where are you?” Syndi shouted. She started toward the steep incline. “Raja!” They heard a grunting as Raja’s head poked over the edge of the small cliff. “I’m all

right!” he croaked. “I’m fine.” Syndi breathed a sigh of relief as Raja pulled himself up over the ridge. “Let’s keep

going.” The urgency grew as they kept going. They felt another tremor and Syndi closed her eyes

to keep her balance. She felt an anger for the volcano. Going through an island was hard enough without a volcano.

“Do you think we’re headed in the right direction? Certainly we would have seen the guide by now,” Raja said.

Syndi wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Who knows with guides. They certainly like to show up when they are most needed.”

“But it’s been almost a day!” Raja moaned. Liam shrugged. “We’ve certainly had longer periods without a guide before.” Raja shook his head. “I don’t like it. We’re on a volcanic island. Who knows when it will

blow.” Syndi frowned. “It’ll be fine, as long as we keep moving.” A faint cry from high above them made Raja look upward. “There’s Inrock!” “Where?” Liam asked. Syndi shielded her eyes and looked up toward the empty sky. She had never seen Inrock,

and she scanned the heavens with excitement. “She just went behind a cloud there,” Raja said. “It’s a sign. We need to go that way.” Liam nodded. “All right. Let’s follow Inrock.” The group headed in the direction Raja had seen Inrock flying. They felt rejuvenated with

new hope. The sun was almost setting when Syndi slowed to a stop. “Wait. Why are we getting

closer to the volcano?”

Liam and Raja glanced up. The volcano was indeed getting uncomfortably close, and their current path was leading straight for it. Raja hesitated before shrugging.

“You know the guides don’t always give us the easiest path,” Raja said. “Well, true; but didn’t Seldi tell us not to get close to it?” Syndi asked. Liam nodded. “You’re right. She warned us not to approach the volcano.” Syndi groaned as she ran a hand through her now sweaty hair. “We need to turn back.

We’re going the wrong way.” “Wait,” Raja said. Liam and Syndi both glanced at him. He looked deep in thought. “It was Inrock I saw,”

Raja said. “Inrock was headed there. I know what Seldi said, but this was Inrock. I think it would be wise to see where this path leads.”

Syndi stared at Raja. “I’m not getting any closer to that volcano than I have to.” Raja cocked an eyebrow. “Not even to see Inrock?” Syndi pursed her lips before looking away. Her heart yearned to see the magnificent

eagle she had heard so much about. Facing some of her greatest fears did sound like something Respa and Inrock would ask of her.

“Wait!” she said suddenly. “What about the compass? We should have been using it before.”

Liam and Syndi both turned to Raja expectantly. Raja met their gaze. “Sorry? Was there something-”

“The compass,” Syndi pressed. “Pull out the compass and let’s see what it says.” Raja paused, then felt in his pockets. “Right! The compass. That’s smart.” He felt his pockets some more, a frown evident on his face. “What is it?” Liam asked. “It’s gone,” Raja whispered. Syndi’s eyes widened. “Gone!” Her heart sank and she sat down on a rock. Liam closed

his eyes, shaking his head. “It must have been that rockslide,” Raja whispered. “This… this is no good.” Liam covered his mouth and shook his head. “We must go back and get it,” Liam said at the same time Raja made his own suggestion: “We must carry on.” There was a pause. Syndi frowned; something felt off. Liam gave Raja a calculated look. A silence fell over the group as he continued to study

Raja. “Liam, this is important. Inrock might not stay there. We’ve got to keep going. We can’t

go back and look for a silly old compass,” Raja said. Liam’s eyes narrowed. “It was given to you by Respa himself. A special gift to guide you

on your journey.”

Raja froze, his eyes widening in surprise before he controlled his face to a more neutral expression.

“I’ll say it again. We have to find Inrock, and she will help us get the compass back and to go to our next guide.”

Syndi stood up. “The Raja I know would have turned around the moment he noticed the compass was missing.”

She approached him, studying his every feature. “Who are you?” Raja’s eyes darkened at a quickening pace that made Syndi’s heart leap. This wasn’t

Raja. Syndi wasn’t sure what happened to the real Raja. She had a feeling the switch happened during the rockslide, which meant that her friend might be in danger. Her knees felt weak at the idea. She knew their best hope was to find the next guide, and hopefully they could find Raja together.

She turned around. “Come on, Liam. Let’s get away from the volcano, like Seldi counseled us to.” Liam nodded in agreement and the two of them headed back the way they came. “No!” Raja screamed. “You will come to the volcano with me!” He plowed into Liam and the two men fell to the ground. They began wrestling, trying to

get the upper hand. Frantically, she tried to pry the strange imposter away from Liam, but he wouldn’t budge.

Icy fingers closed around Liam’s neck in a crushing grip. He struggled to breathe. “Stop it!” Syndi cried. “Help! Someone!” Suddenly, above the trees, a loud trumpeting rang out and a slight tremor shook the

ground as trees began snapping under the weight of a massive onslaught. Syndi searched the woods in horror, waiting for the army to appear. An instant later, the trees parted and a huge elephant bounded forward, stopping in front of Raja, glaring. The imposter’s face twisted into a sneer that seemed so odd coming from the man Liam called friend.

“You do not belong here, Phoi,” the elephant bellowed. “Be gone.” With a bone chilling scream, the imposter released Liam from his vise, and disappeared

with a loud crack. Gasping for air, Liam, backed away from the spot where the phantom disappeared. Syndi collapsed to her knees next to Liam, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, her tear-filled eyes searching his face to make sure he was all right. Liam nodded weakly, and the two got to their feet.

“Thank you,” Syndi whispered to the elephant. “Thank you for saving us.” The elephant bowed her mighty head. “I am Loya the elephant. You had quite the

adventure there.” Syndi shook her head. “We don’t know what happened to Raja. We were deceived.

Please, can you help us?” Loya took a few steps toward the volcano. “Lowsapa has set up his camp near the

volcano. I’m certain his troops are taking Raja there to exact punishment on him.”

Syndi paled. “We… we have to get him back!” “The volcano could erupt. Lowsapa’s army could capture you all. Wouldn’t it be smarter

to abandon him and keep going on your own journey?” Loya asked. Syndi balked at the question placed before her. “Of course not! He’s our friend! If anyone

deserves to get to Cowra, Raja does!” Liam nodded in agreement. Loya smiled. “I knew you’d say that. You are very loyal to your friend. It almost cost you

your lives.” Liam rubbed his neck where he could still feel the Phoi’s icy grip. “Though it’s admirable to be so loyal to your friends, it’s more important that you stay

loyal to Respa. If you hadn’t been reminded of Seldi’s counsel, the Phoi would have overpowered you completely.”

“I don’t understand,” Liam said. “Are you suggesting we not save Raja?” “Of course not; go and rescue Raja. But be warned. You will be entering Lowsapa’s

campsite where there will be any number of Phoi who could pose as Raja or other loved ones. You must remain loyal to Respa. It will be the only way to see through the Phoi’s tricks and illusions. You’ve proven yourself just now; you can do so later.”

Liam frowned. “Are you not coming with us?” Loya shook her head. “All of these qualities we teach you are best understood when you

practice them, and you will get no practice if I come and eliminate the trials in front of you. But I promise, as you stay loyal to Respa, he will not lead you astray. You will succeed. Your next guide will be waiting for you after you rescue your friend.”

Syndi and Liam nodded. “Goodbye, Loya. And thank you.” The two started off at a run. In no time at all, they could see Lowsapa’s camp at the base

of the volcano. The sun was just setting in the west, plunging it into shadow. They moved forward cautiously, staying out of sight.

Stopping at a clump of trees right before the camp, Syndi and Liam surveyed their surroundings. Dozens of tents dotted the landscape as hundreds of soldiers milled about. Loud laughter echoed in the evening air. The camp was almost to the base of the volcano, and being this close made Syndi unsettled.

“Where do you think Raja is?” Syndi whispered. She wanted to grab him and get out. Liam pointed to a small tent in the middle of the camp. “Three guards surrounding a

small tent seems suspicious.” “It might be Lowsapa’s personal tent,” Syndi suggested. Liam pointed to what seemed like a very grand tent with a servant coming out of it. “I’d

bet Lowsapa’s in that one. He wouldn’t have such a modest tent for himself.” Syndi nodded. Soon, they would have the cover of darkness to help them. “How is this going to work?” Syndi asked.

Liam rubbed the back of his neck. “We’re here for the right reasons. Respa will help as long as we do what we can.”

The two of them moved forward as stealthily as they could. As a group of soldiers moved past them, they hastily hid behind a tent. Syndi held her breath, feeling the panic inside her threatening to burst. She had to take deep breaths to keep control of herself.

They approached the small tent, the three guards still hanging close. They heard a scuffling inside before they heard Raja cry out in pain. Syndi covered her mouth to stifle a gasp.

“If you think this is pain, this is nothing! Lowsapa’s coming after dinner, and he’s bringing his favorite band of Phoi. You will be begging to return with him before the end!”

They watched a guard leave the tent. Syndi and Liam backed away farther into the darkness, keeping their bodies close to the edge of the tent. Syndi turned to Liam.

“What now?” she mouthed. Liam looked like he was deep in thought. He opened his mouth to give an idea when a

loud clanging sound filled the camp. Syndi’s senses heightened in fear. Was that some sort of intruder alarm?

Her fears dissipated as the guards around the tent smiled. “Dinner!” they shouted. Liam grabbed Syndi’s arm and pulled her forward. As the guards were distracted with the

prospect of dinner, Syndi was able to pull up the back of the small tent and she and Liam slipped inside unnoticed.

Raja lay on the ground, his hands and feet bound with rope. He looked up when he saw them slip in and his face broke into a huge grin.

“Syndi! Liam!” “Shhh,” Syndi hissed as Liam untied Raja. “The guards are still out there.” Raja nodded, glancing at the door of the tent where they heard another peal of laughter.

Raja didn’t look good. He had multiple cuts on his face and his left eye was swollen shut. Raja rubbed life back into his wrists as Liam finished untying his ankles.

“Let’s get out of here,” Raja said, getting to his feet. He tenderly held his side. They barely took a step when someone tumbled into the tent, crying out in pain when he fell. The prisoner looked up at them, and Syndi’s heart dropped. It was Raja. Again. The injuries on his face exactly the same as the ones on the Raja they had just rescued. The silence filled the room before the Raja next to Syndi stepped forward.

“What’s going on? What’s happening?” Raja asked. The new prisoner struggled to his feet, looking at the three of them in absolute shock.

This new Raja still had his hands bound behind him. “I have every right to ask the same thing. Syndi? Liam? I’m so glad to see you! But what are you doing with this imposter?”

Liam’s heart raced. He took a step away from the Raja he just rescued to study him better. Maybe there was some physical cue to help him understand, but the two Raja’s were identical, down to the fresh injuries.

The bound Raja began breathing deeply, trying to calm himself down. “Syndi, Liam, please. That man is an imposter, and I can prove it. Just untie me.”

“No,” the other Raja said. He grabbed Syndi’s wrist as she started forward to help untie the prisoner. “Syndi, no. He’s a Phoi. You can’t help him. And if he’s a Phoi, that means someone is already aware you’re here. We’ve got to go now.”

The bound Raja shook his head, desperately. “That’s exactly what a Phoi would say! They try to elicit fear to make you follow them.”

This time, Syndi took a step back from the freed Raja who looked flustered. “That’s not what I meant at all,” he said. “Please. Untie me, and everything will be made clear. I can prove it.” Liam and Syndi exchanged glances. The Raja next to them shifted uncomfortably. “I

don’t like this. This is a horrible trick. I don’t know how to prove I’m the real Raja, I just know this man is an imposter.”

“No, untie me and I will prove it!” the bound Raja hissed. Liam paused, then took a few steps forward. The freed Raja looked like he was about to

say something, but stopped. Liam quickly untied the second Raja and he stood up. “Thank you, Liam,” he said. “What’s your proof?” Liam asked. Raja nodded, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the compass. The other three

gasped. Liam and Syndi both shot new looks at the first Raja they rescued. He looked angry. “That’s mine! Lowsapa’s soldiers took it from me when I woke up! Give it back! It’s a

gift from Respa!” Liam held the first Raja back from attacking the second one. Syndi was starting to get a

headache. She tried to search into her soul to see if she could instinctually feel which Raja was the real one, but it felt like both were exact copies of each other.

“Come,” the second Raja said to the other two. “We’ve got to go. I’m sure dinner won’t last long, and we’ve got to escape before they come back.”

“No!” The first Raja looked pleadingly at Liam and Syndi. “I am the real Raja. There must be some way to prove it to you!”

Syndi rubbed her forehead, trying desperately to think of what to do. She tried to remember what Loya had said, how she had to remain true to Respa. The second Raja obviously had the compass, but the first Raja brought up some good points. An idea hit her. She looked up.

“Tell me again about Inrock and Respa,” she said to the first Raja. He blinked. “What?” “Tell me about them. Your experience with them. Everything about them. That’s how

you can prove it.” The first Raja nodded. “Respa and Inrock are spectacular. The feeling I have when I’m

with them is impossible to describe. It is somehow simultaneously peaceful and a drive to action

at the same time. It’s like being with them helps me understand better who I am, and who I can become.”

Syndi smiled as she nodded at the peace that entered her heart. It was a peace she knew Lowsapa couldn’t duplicate. But just to be sure, she turned to the second Raja. She took a step back as the second Raja’s face twisted into an evil sneer.

“Fine,” the Phoi said. “Have your friends. You won’t last much longer here anyway.” Raja stepped forward, glaring at the Phoi. “You will never have us, as long as we put our

trust in Respa.” The Phoi gave a cry of pain before another loud crack filled the tiny space of the tent.

Syndi instinctively covered her ears. The Phoi had disappeared. Raja walked over and picked up the compass that was laying on the tent floor. He held it close to him before slipping it into his pocket. Syndi walked over and gave Raja a hug.

“I’m so glad it’s really you. We were tricked by a Phoi and left you behind. When we realized what he was, I was so worried about you.”

Raja patted her shoulders awkwardly. “Have no fear. It’s really me.” Liam stepped forward. “We’ve got to go. A loud noise like that isn’t going to be

ignored.” Raja nodded and took out the compass again. “Respa knows best how to get us out of

here.” Raja turned to the door and Syndi felt her heart sink at the thought of waltzing out the

front door. “Raja,” she started to say. He glanced at her. “It’s where the compass says to go.” Taking a deep breath, she nodded. Single file, Liam and Syndi followed Raja who kept

his head bent on the compass. Syndi tried to stay focused as they slipped out of the tent. Miraculously, their way was clear! The guards must have been called away for something and no one had come to replace them.

Raja followed the compass as exactly as possible. When the needle wobbled, he did his best to follow, even wobbling himself. In the heart of Lowsapa’s campground, he didn’t dare pretend to know better than Respa. Being dragged through the jungle by Lowsapa’s men, the beating and the jeering, it wasn’t something he wanted to have happen again. His life was very much in danger, and now so were Liam and Syndi’s.

Raja weaved in and out of tents, keeping his eyes fixed on the compass. They heard shouts of soldiers, and it took everything inside Syndi not to sprint in front of Raja to try and escape the camp.

Syndi whimpered, “Can we run now?” Raja responded by picking up the pace, keeping his eyes fixed on the compass. He didn’t

dare look up, knowing the compass would not steer him wrong. Syndi pulled to a stop. “Raja, wait.”

“Lowsapa has discovered I’m gone. We have no time to wait,” Raja said, his eyes still glued to the compass.

“Look up,” Liam said. When Raja raised his eyes, he was visibly shocked to see that they were at the mouth of a

cavern right at the base of the volcano. He froze for just a moment, before turning back to his friends.

“This is where the compass leads. I know Seldi said to avoid the volcano, but that was probably because we needed to avoid Lowsapa’s camp. Now that we’re here, I think Respa is trying to help us avoid detection. Please, let’s trust the compass.”

Syndi seemed hesitant, but Liam recognized the calm he felt. “I don’t think Raja needed to meet Loya. His loyalty to Respa is unmatched,” Liam

whispered to Syndi. Syndi nodded with a small smile and they entered the cavern. Not far behind them, they

heard voices shouting as the soldiers closed in. Raja led them on a soft jog through a labyrinth of twists and turns. The constant shouting

and scuffling of the soldiers put Syndi on edge. It took everything in her to remain in control of her fears when her nerves were screaming at her to start sprinting ahead and running wildly. She had to keep reminding herself that Raja, her true friend, was following the compass from Respa; and he was leading them in the right direction. Syndi kept her focus on the soft glow of Raja’s compass, willing herself to trust.

It was as dark as pitch and incredibly hot in the passageways, with the humidity so thick, Liam felt like he could open his mouth and drink the air. Their clothes were sticking to their sweaty bodies. As they continued to wind around every which way, losing themselves deeper and deeper in the volcano, Liam began to realize the genius of their movements. They were giving the soldiers a good chase, even if their leader wasn’t looking up at all.

Finally, the winding tunnels opened up into a huge chamber lit with a soft glow. As Raja continued walking, keeping his eyes glued to the compass, Liam grabbed his arm to stop him. Raja glanced up.

“What is it?” Before them hung a rickety, wooden bridge spanning a steep chasm. The three of them

cautiously peered over the edge and saw a river of lava far below them. Just seeing it seemed to bring another wave of heat to their faces. Raja checked the compass and nodded.

“We need to cross the bridge,” he said. Liam sighed. “Whose great idea was it to stick a wooden bridge over a river of lava?” Syndi gave a smile in response. Voices echoing through the labyrinth brought their situation back into focus. “Let’s go,” Raja said. One by one they painstakingly inched their way, one rickety step at a time, across the

bridge. The going was slow, but none of them dare go any faster on the partially rotten wood.

About half way across, Syndi caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned and saw soldiers filing into the chamber.

“Raja,” Syndi cried, her voice quivering with fear. “Don’t look back, keep going!” he said. Syndi focused ahead, but a nagging fear began to rise in the back of her mind. What if

this wasn’t the real Raja leading them? The choice to come into the heart of the volcano was ridiculous at best, a death sentence at worse. With the thought of being deceived once again by the Phoi, true panic gripped her. Hearing the soldiers shouting, Syndi stole a glance behind her.

“Raja!” she screamed. “They’re cutting the ropes!” “Syndi! Don’t look back!” Raja cried. Syndi focused forward once again. So many what ifs entered her mind, making her feel

sick to her stomach. Then she remembered what Raja said about Respa and Inrock and she concentrated on his words. She remembered the feeling she had when he talked about them; and she remembered that he had the compass. An unexplained calmness enveloped her. Somehow she knew that things were going to be okay.

The bridge wobbled to the right as Raja stepped off the bridge on the other side of the chasm. Liam followed soon after. Making her final step, Syndi heard a snap and the wood beneath her feet fell down toward the roaring hot lava below. Instinctively, she reached out for something, anything to grab onto, when Raja’s hand shot forward and grabbed her wrist.

“I’ve got you, Syndi. Hold on!” Silent tears streamed down Syndi’s terrified face as she held onto Raja for dear life. In a flash, Liam was by his side, grabbing Syndi’s other hand, and they quickly pulled her

up to safety. On her feet, Syndi threw her arms around Liam, sobbing her thanks. Turning to Raja, he held her close. Any doubts she had harbored earlier were completely repelled in his embrace. The real Raja wouldn’t let her fall to her death.

“Come on,” Raja said. “Let’s get out of here.” They raced out of the chamber as the soldiers screamed their hatred at them across the

way.

Genbo

Raja woke up without realizing he had been asleep. He remembered leaning against a tree, promising to only rest his eyes for a second, when the next thing he knew he was opening his eyes and blinking, wondering what time it was. The travel through the volcano was far more exhausting than anyone had anticipated, and all of them had basically collapsed where they had stopped.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes. Liam was also asleep, curled up at the base of the tree. Syndi was gathering supplies.

“Come on, we’ve already wasted too much time. We need to go.” Raja frowned as he took his filled water skin from Syndi. “Syndi, did you rest at all?” he asked. “Of course, I got a little sleep. The Phoi may be trapped in the volcano for now, but

we’ve got to follow Seldi’s advice and get as far away from here as possible. I doubt Lowsapa is going to give up, especially since he almost got us once.”

Raja knew something was off. Her passion and drive were admirable, but there had to be a limit somewhere. He wasn’t sure how to voice this to her.

“Come on, Liam. Let’s get going!” Syndi said, shaking his shoulder. Liam snorted before rubbing his eyes and sitting up. “What happened?” “Us not doing anything is what’s happening. Come on! Let’s get as much distance

between us and this volcano as we can!” Liam and Raja exchanged glances before they got to their feet and followed Syndi. They traveled most of the day. When Liam suggested they rest and eat something, Syndi

shot it down, reminding them about the volcano and the Phoi. “We can eat when it’s time to go to bed,” she said. Syndi kept pushing them to go faster until the sun set, and the day was swiftly being

swallowed up in the darkness. Finally, Raja stopped. “Raja? What are you doing?” Syndi asked. Raja wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Come on, Syndi, this is absolutely ridiculous.

We’ve only heard a few rumbles, and yes they were scary, but… but certainly we will be protected while we’re here.”

Syndi flipped her hair from her face. “We are being protected. We are being protected by moving forward and using our energy to get through this island. Do you want to be here when the volcano erupts?”

“Well… no, but-” “Keep going, Raja. If you have energy to talk, you have energy to walk,” Syndi said. Something in her tone annoyed Raja. He stood up straighter and folded his arms. “We’ve

got to stop. We can’t see that far ahead. It’s dangerous,” Raja said. Liam used this momentary respite to place his hands on his knees, taking steady and deep

breaths.

“Which would you rather do then: travel in the dark, or face the Phoi? Be a little uncomfortable now, or die in hot lava?” Syndi asked.

Raja rubbed his head, feeling unsure. “Honestly, neither. Regardless, we should stop for the night. Soon we won’t be able to see an inch in front of us. We need to eat. We need a break.”

Syndi’s lips twitched downward, but she took a deep and steady breath. “Fine. Just for a bit. We can’t waste time.”

Raja and Liam were too tired to complain. Liam didn’t want to put their possible break in jeopardy by negotiating more time, so he tucked away his protest and instead sat down.

They gathered some fruit for dinner. Raja and Liam took their time to find their food, while Syndi rushed to stuff whatever she could find into her mouth. Raja tried to slow down to inspect his fruit, but whenever he did, Syndi gave him a sharp glare to speed him up. She had already scarfed down her dinner before Liam and Raja even sat down to eat.

Hearing a rustling in the leaves, Syndi turned. “Do you hear that?” Raja shrugged, “It’s probably just the wind.” Syndi glared at him. She was positive he was eating slowly on purpose just to irritate her.

She rested her elbows on her knees and placed her chin in her palms. They were taking forever. The leaves rustled again, just behind her. It was very much not the wind. Standing up, she

spun around, her heart pounding in fear. “Hurry up. We need to get going,” Syndi said. Raja groaned. “I told you, it was just the wind.” The rustling drew closer and she took a few steps back. “No, no it’s not! What if it’s the Phoi?” Raja stood up. “No, Syndi. It’s just the wind.” His voice had a harsh tone Syndi didn’t

like. “It’s not just the wind! Something is out there!” Raja folded his arms, glaring at her. “No, this is just some ploy you have to keep us

moving, even though we have been traveling all day!” “You think I’m secretly plotting to have a volcano ready to erupt any time I want so I can

get a steady pace out of you two? You think I’m trying to encourage the Phoi to come looking for us so I can drive you through this island? We’ve got to get going, Raja! There are dangers on this island we cannot ignore!”

“Oh, and so we should ignore sleep?” Raja said, his voice even louder than before. “The volcano could erupt at any moment, and the Phoi are behind us! So I’m sorry if I

seem like a demanding taskmaster, but I don’t want to die!” Syndi wailed. “We’ve been in tough situations before, Syndi! We will get through this.” “That’s exactly what I’m doing,” Syndi yelled. “No! Not like this! What you’re doing is completely unnecessary!” Raja said. Liam was content to listen to them argue, as long as he could rest and enjoy his dinner. If

he was lucky, they’d argue for a while and he’d get a nap out of it. He heard the rustle and

stopped eating. Searching the dark foliage, he saw the leaves moving right where Syndi had been sitting.

“Hey, Raja? Syndi?” Liam asked, his voice nervous. “Quiet!” they both snapped. Liam frowned, not wanting to barge into their argument. He heard the rustling again and

stood up, picking up a stick to defend himself from whatever might be in the bushes. “I think you’re just threatened!” Syndi said, poking her finger deep into Raja’s shoulder.

“You don’t like how I lead the group because you don’t like your position as leader to be questioned!”

Raja rolled his eyes, making Syndi more enraged. “You’re not leading us, Syndi; you’re driving us, like a crazed tyrant.”

Syndi gave a gasp of anger before reaching out to claw at Raja’s face. Raja was startled and took a step back. He grabbed her wrists and held on. Syndi screamed in frustration, trying to get loose. Raja grunted, surprised at how strong she was.

“Let go of me, you beast!” Syndi shrieked. “Calm down first, you crazy woman!” Raja yelled. Liam parted the bush with a stick, fully prepared to see a little animal or something.

There was something lurking there, but it was so dark he couldn’t tell what it was. It might be an animal. Or maybe the back of an animal. He leaned closer to get a better view.

“Let go of me!” Syndi screamed again. “No! You’ll hurt me!” Raja said. “Do you blame me?” Syndi screeched. “Would you rather I be a Phoi? Is that it?” Syndi was about to say something when Liam’s cry of surprise was like a bucket of ice

water on both their tempers. Raja dropped Syndi’s wrists. “Liam?” Syndi asked, worry thick in her voice. Liam stumbled back from the worst stench he’d ever experienced in his life. His eyes felt

like they were on fire, and he could barely breathe. Every time he sucked in some air, it felt like he was breathing in a thick fog of stink instead. He stumbled and fell, dragging himself away from the terrible smell. Was it possible to drown in it?

“Liam!” Syndi cried out. She headed in his direction but stopped as though the stench was a physical wall. She coughed, plugging her nose and gagging.

Liam coughed and sputtered, trying to pry his eyes open. “What was that?” he croaked. Raja turned to see a small black and white creature climb up on the log. “I do not like surprises. I did try to warn you,” the creature said in a clear, clipped voice. Liam gave another cough, tears streaming down his cheeks as he opened his eyes. “Warn

me? How did you warn me?”

“I had my tail up and everything. You were not leaving me alone. In fact, you got closer!”

Liam was far enough from the stench now that he felt like he could breathe a little easier. “I leaned in closer because I didn’t know what you were!”

The animal stepped out into the light of the moon, his black body almost impossible to distinguish in the darkness. If it wasn’t for the white stripe down his back, Raja wasn’t sure he would have noticed the creature at all.

The odor was overwhelming. Raja and Syndi stayed as far away from Liam as possible, as he struggled to his feet. Discreetly, Raja tried to plug his nose, hoping to save Liam any embarrassment. However, before too long, he ended up cupping his hand over his mouth and nose. Maybe it would help him breathe better. The stench was unbearable. He didn’t know how Liam could handle it.

“It was dark, and I couldn’t see who you were. I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself, but I didn’t know there was someone there to introduce myself to. What you did was wrong, and now I’m covered in this horrible stink.”

The creature gave a laugh, then clapped his hands. “Wonderful, Liam! Wonderful! I see I do not have to teach you a thing. You have got gentle boldness down!”

Liam grumbled something inaudible. The creature continued, “You expressed your dissatisfaction so well without getting

angry or violent. Your companions could sure learn a thing or two from you.” Raja folded his arms defiantly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” “Oh you will. From what I heard while I was in the bushes, you and Syndi are in

desperate need of my help.” “I told you there was something in the bushes. It wasn’t the wind at all!” Syndi spat. Raja groaned. “Could you just drop it? We need to listen to the guide now.” Syndi rolled her eyes. The creature shook his little head. “Yep. Liam may physically stink; but you two have attitudes that stink far worse than

anything I could procure.” He wrinkled his nose is disgust. Then leaping forward, he announced, “My name is Genbo the Skunk. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Syndi and Raja instinctively took a few steps backwards.

“Oh, come now. I am quite harmless. I would not hurt a soul,” Genbo said. “Then what happened to Liam?” Syndi asked. “Well, let us just say I inform people when they have crossed boundaries,” the skunk

said. “Though Liam was right. I see now that what I did was unnecessary. The thing is, I was not expecting your group until tomorrow night. My deepest apologies, Liam.”

Liam grumbled again, but accepted the apology. At that, Raja gave Syndi a sharp look. “See? Everything was planned for. The volcano is

still dormant, and the Phoi are still stuck. We would have been just fine to take it easy!”

“Well, we’re here now!” Syndi replied. “Ahead of schedule, and far in front of the Phoi! It’s a good thing!”

Raja was about to retort, when he heard some tsking from Genbo. He and Syndi both glanced at him.

“Gentle boldness, my friends, gentle boldness,” Genbo said calmly. Syndi harrumphed. “What does that even mean?” “Perhaps we should walk a bit, and see if we can get out of this wall of stink. It does not

last forever. We shall talk on the way.” Raja and Syndi held their breath as they walked through the area where Liam was

sprayed. At first, the three of them walked together; but when Syndi kept making gagging noises every time she took a breath, Liam took the hint. He rolled his eyes and stood downwind.

“Okay, okay. I get it.” Raja tried not to show his relief, as the odor lessened. “No worries, Liam. It will fade eventually,” Genbo said. “So… how long is eventually?” Syndi asked. Genbo made another laugh. “Well, he did get quite the face full,” he observed. “It might

be a bit.” Liam gave a tiny whimper, Syndi groaned, and Raja just thought of how sore his nose

would be. “This is your fault, you know,” Raja muttered to Syndi. Syndi whacked his arm. “Ouch!” “Now now,” Genbo said. “There is no need for violence.” “Raja’s being difficult,” Syndi said under her breath. “Humans tend to swing between being passive and aggressive. Gentle boldness is in

between those two, and the key to assertiveness. That is the ideal,” Genbo said. “That’s impossible. Syndi is always aggressive,” Raja said. That won him another dark look from Syndi. “You are hopeless!” she hissed. “Again, dear friends, gentle boldness. Raja, you have been passive to Syndi’s insistence.

Your frustration grew and grew until it pushed you into aggression. However, things would have been a lot different if you had approached Syndi, before you became frustrated, and talked to her with gentle boldness. Coming on with such aggression provoked Syndi to fight back with aggression. If you came with gentle boldness, you could have worked together to create a better solution.”

Raja looked away. Genbo was right. His hesitancy to talk to Syndi did not help. He realized how it pushed him to anger.

“Sure, but sometimes I wonder if Syndi would have listened to me while using gentle boldness. It seems like a good way to be ignored,” Raja said.

“No, no, of course not. It is always good to have clear boundaries. Consequences of crossing those lines should be bold, but with gentleness and an overall feeling of friendship.”

Liam snorted. “Being your friend stinks, Genbo.” There was a pause, then Genbo laughed loudly. Happy mirth shook his little body. “Ah,

Liam, I shall indeed miss you!” “Miss you? Are you leaving us already?” Raja asked. “You cannot exactly practice when you are afraid I’ll spray you if you do something

wrong. That is your fear, correct? That I’ll spray you if you do not do what I say?” Raja and Syndi gave a small but lame nod. “I do not spray people for not doing what I want; that is simply being aggressive, as I said

before. No, there is only one person that will stink tonight... And for a day or two following... And maybe still a whiff after a week or so.”

Liam rubbed his head. “Wonderful.” “Now, you three are exhausted and hungry,” Genbo said. “If I may be so bold, I would

suggest that you eat a quick dinner and get some rest. The volcano will not erupt tonight, and the Phoi are still scrambling through the maze. You are safe. You are fine.” Genbo turned to Syndi and gave a smile. “It is not wise to be so driven by our fears. It is far more exhausting.”

Syndi nodded. “Yes, Genbo.” With Genbo’s help, they gathered some more fruits and berries. Syndi ate a little more for

dinner, and Raja and Liam settled down to enjoy their meal. Genbo stood guard as they closed their eyes. Though he wasn’t a fierce-looking animal, Raja felt safe drifting off to sleep with Genbo watching over them.

The next morning, Raja woke up to Syndi packing their supplies. It seemed so similar to

the day before that he wondered if he dreamt the entire thing with Genbo. One hearty sniff told him otherwise. Liam was asleep a few feet away. Raja rubbed his nose as he stood up.

Syndi noticed as he approached. “Good morning,” Raja said. “Morning.” There was a pause. Genbo wasn’t in sight, but Raja still felt as though he was watching

them. “So, I was thinking of taking an easier pace today. We’ve gotten far ahead of schedule,

and we don’t want to overwork ourselves,” Raja said. Syndi glanced up. “I think that maybe we could slow down the pace, but have less time

for a lunch break and then not eat until we’re ready for bed. I felt another tremor in the ground from the volcano, and it simply makes me nervous.”

Raja glanced up at the colossal volcano. It was far enough away, but he heard lava and ash could travel fast if it erupted.

“I’ll agree to that.”

Syndi gave a ghost of a smile. “Thanks.”

Renue

Shouldering their packs, they started their trek once again. Raja glanced at the compass

every once in a while to make sure they were on the right track. He felt better, now that they were taking a calmer pace and not practically jogging through the island. He knew it still made Syndi nervous; however, the energy of the group was more relaxed and not charged with anger.

They walked on through lunch, with Liam still staying a merciful distance behind them. It was a gentle reminder for Raja. Liam was a victim of Raja and Syndi’s anger. It shouldn’t have to be that way. Raja expected him to complain and moan and hold it over them for what happened, but he was pleasantly surprised that Liam didn’t do anything of the sort.

“Is everyone sure we’re okay to keep going through lunch?” Raja asked as the heat of the afternoon started to get to them.

Syndi glanced at the volcano in answer. Liam pulled an apple from his bag and ate it as he walked. He tossed Raja an apple.

“To keep our energy up,” Liam explained. “Syndi? Do you want one?” Syndi glanced over her shoulder. She didn’t want to approach Liam any more than she

had to, and she didn’t exactly feel super hungry. She shook her head. “No, thank you,” she said with a smile. They continued walking through the day, taking breaks long enough to wet their mouths

with water before continuing their journey. By the time the sun began to set, Raja could have sworn the volcano looked just a bit smaller. They only felt a few tremors in the ground, but they were happening more often. He could almost sense Syndi wanting to quicken the pace after each one but resisting. Raja felt proud of her for that.

As the sun was setting, Raja’s stomach was loudly complaining about the lack of food. He brushed some sweat from his brow.

“Syndi, the sun has set. We’ve got to look for food before it gets too dark,” Raja said. Syndi frowned. She wanted to keep pushing through until she dropped from exhaustion,

but she knew that wasn’t smart. She sighed and nodded, knowing she needed some rest as well. And her stomach was reminding her she hadn’t wanted lunch for some strange reason.

The three of them sat down, almost too exhausted to move. It was some time before Liam stood up.

“Well, I’ll go look for some food. It shouldn’t be-” They heard other voices in the distance. Liam immediately stopped talking. Raja and

Syndi carefully got to their feet. The words were hard to make out, but Raja could tell it was at least two different people talking.

At first, he thought maybe it was another pair of guides. The possibility made his heart swell, but then something seemed to push it down. He couldn’t understand why, but something about their tone and the feeling in his gut told him that they weren’t guides. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. Whoever or whatever these voices belonged to, they did not wish Raja and his company well.

“Raja,” Syndi whispered. “What should we do?” Raja tried to take a deep, quiet breath before motioning to them to get out of the small

little clearing and deeper into the woods. The three of them headed straight for the treeline. It wasn’t a moment too soon. Raja saw

two men enter the clearing. “It just infuriates me,” one of them said. “You think I’m happy about this? I hate chasing people,” the other retorted. “Life is so much easier when everyone just listens to Lowsapa,” the first one observed. One of them kicked at a small rock in his path. Raja motioned his friends to keep moving

deeper into the forest. “Lowsapa is horrid when he’s angry,” the first one said. The other nodded. “Then let’s capture the scum so Lowsapa can lash out on them and not

us.” Syndi turned pale and glanced at the other two. Raja tried to give her a smile of comfort,

but his own faltered. He didn’t want to know how cruel Lowsapa could be in his anger. The second one groaned and plugged his nose. “Is it just me, or does it stink here?” Raja and Syndi both paused, then glanced at Liam who winced. The stench wasn’t

something he could easily hide in his present surroundings. He could only hope the scent would drive them away instead of--

“We should follow it. See where it leads.” Liam held in a groan. Raja again motioned them to go deeper into the forest, but he

doubted it would help. Liam was moments away from turning around and sprinting away when something rushed past him. The blur leaped over a hedge directly in front of the soldiers. There was a moment where everyone, Raja, Syndi, Liam, the soldiers, and now the creature all froze, waiting for who knew what. Then the animal took off and began running away from Raja and his friends.

“Dinner!” the soldiers cried. They chased after the creature, and Raja took a deep breath. “Run!” he hissed to his friends.

They turned in the opposite direction and began to run as fast as they possibly could. The sun had fully set at this point, and it was impossibly dark. But they kept running, fear of the soldiers propelling them forward.

On more than one occasion, Raja dodged a tree branch just in time, reminding himhow dangerous it was to run in the woods at night. But he didn’t exactly want to see Lowsapa tonight either. Raja ran until his lungs felt like they were on fire, and still he tried to push through.

After some time, they slowed down to a gentle jog. Syndi’s muscles cried out in pain, begging her to quit, but she tried her best to ignore them. Despite Genbo’s advice to not let her fear drive her, at that moment, it was all she could think about. She did not want to get captured by the Phoi. Not now, not ever. She was going to put as much distance between her and those men as possible, even if it meant running all night.

“Come on, keep up,” Liam said behind him. He wasn’t sure how long the animal would distract the soldiers, but he was willing to use every moment he could. He did, after all, leave a stinky trail for them to follow.

They jogged on through the woods, stumbling over loose rocks. Small branches reached out and scratched at their faces. It was a long time before Liam finally slowed to a stop out of necessity. He had a stitch in his side that was only getting worse.

“Come on, Liam. We can’t do this here. We’ve got to keep moving.” Syndi pled. Liam took in a steady breath. “I can’t. Keep moving. Must take a break.” Raja stopped too and turned around. He was too exhausted to say anything. His legs

trembled, threatening mutiny if he took another unneeded step. “We can’t stay here,” Syndi said in between deep breaths. “We must keep going.” Raja shook his head, placing his hands on his knees. Suddenly, Syndi felt her ears starting to ring. She leaned over, trying to take deep breaths,

hoping they would fill her with the energy she needed to keep going. But her intuition kicked in. Something was wrong with her. Her hands shouldn’t be shaking that badly.

They heard something crashing through the woods beside them. Liam didn’t bother to look up. He was so worn out; he didn’t even have the energy to feel truly afraid.

The animal broke through the bush, and they could finally get a good look at it in the light of the moon. A graceful, hooved animal, with black, curled horns walked forward and seemed to study the travelers with wise, piercing eyes.

“Greetings, my friends. My name is Renue the Pronghorn. I am your next guide.” Raja was so incredibly grateful that Renue wasn’t one of the soldiers that he almost

collapsed in joy. Renue took a few more steps, looking around the forest. “The soldiers are momentarily diverted, but will likely be onto your trail again soon.”

Renue gave a deep sniff and glanced at Liam. Liam cleared his throat uncomfortably before looking away from Renue’s gaze.

Syndi got up and started walking. Raja noticed she had a noticeable limp. “Then we best get going,” Syndi said. “We can’t waste any time.”

Renue stepped in front of Syndi. “No. You three are in no shape to keep moving.” “Doesn’t matter. We have toust move,” Syndi said. Her speech was slurred, and her

frame was trembling. “I must insist you rest, Syndi,” Renue said. Syndi took a few more steps before she stopped. At first, Raja thought that she did so

because she was actually listening to Renue; but then he saw her body sway dangerously. “Syndi,” Liam whispered hoarsely, inching toward her. “Syndi? Are you all right?” Syndi closed her eyes and collapsed on the ground. “Syndi!” Raja said, trying not to be too loud. He and Liam quickly knelt by her side. “Wake up, Syndi,” Liam said. Renue walked up to them. “When is the last time she ate?” “Our dinner was interrupted by the soldiers,” Raja said. Liam shook his head. “Our dinner didn’t even start before they came. We’ve been

walking all day. We had a little lunch, but that was it.” “Syndi declined lunch, remember?” Raja said. Liam frowned. “That’s right; she did. Did you see her eat anything for breakfast?” Raja shook his head. “She must have had something while I was sleeping.” At least Raja hoped she had. Renue gave a short nod. “I’ve heard enough.” Syndi took a deep breath before her eyes fluttered open. Her head seemed to loll around

as she tried to sit up. “I’m fine.” “You are anything but fine.” Renue walked closer to Syndi. “I don’t often do this, but

you are in no condition to walk. Get on my back; I’ll carry you to the campsite that’s been prepared for you.”

Raja and Liam helped Syndi get to her feet, then up on Renue’s back. She was trembling and very pale. Raja kept a hand on her back to keep her in place.

The campsite wasn’t far, but it still felt like miles with how much Raja’s muscles shook. Liam kept his head down, looking like he was going to faint too. Syndi used everything in her to stay balanced on Renue’s back. It felt like so much work, and the ringing in her ears wasn’t going away.

Finally, they came to a clearing with three packs of food lying near a bright, clean stream. “A nutritious meal has been prepared for each of you. Enjoy, but don’t overeat. I will

guard the camp tonight since all of you need a nice long rest,” Renue said. “What about the soldiers?” Syndi asked as Liam and Raja helped her off Renue’s back. “I will alert you if they come, but do not let fear clutter your mind and keep you awake.

Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep.” Raja never wanted to follow a guide’s council more. He had to use self-control to keep

from eating everything in the pack. Raja knew having little to eat for lunch, coupled with a late dinner was a bad combination. Instead, he took his time to enjoy the fruits and vegetables. There

was even some bread and honey, which he thoroughly enjoyed. They drank freely from the clear stream. Renue settled on the ground.

“Now rest, weary travelers. We shall talk tomorrow after breakfast when you are more ready to receive my words.”

None of them spoke much. Raja curled up on the ground where he sat for dinner and closed his eyes, dropping off to sleep almost immediately.

The next morning, Raja woke up with the sun on his face. He slowly opened his eyes,

then shaded them in the light. As he tried to move, he sharply recalled how much he had taxed his body the day before. Thinking back, he barely remembered anything but consuming fear and exhaustion and running. So much running.

After a few minutes, he sat up stiffly. “Good morning, sleepyhead,” Syndi said. Yawning, Raja nodded to her in response. Retrieving his pack, he searched for breakfast,

glad he hadn’t overeaten last night. As he silently savored his bread and honey, Raja took stock of his body. With some relief, Raja realized that he didn’t feel as fearful as he had previously, and more importantly, he felt like he could actually think straight.

Renue walked out of the woods, chewing his own breakfast. “Good morning,” he said. “Morning,” the three of them said in return. “How are you all feeling today?” Renue asked. “So much better,” Syndi said. Renue nodded. “I thought you would. Never underestimate the power of a good night’s

sleep.” “You said the same thing last night,” observed Raja. “I remember, mainly because I

really wanted to sleep.” Renue smiled. “I’m here to teach you about the greatest guard and weapon of defense you

have at your disposal. It is a magnificent gift, and of great worth.” Syndi frowned. “Sleep? Sleep is the most magnificent gift we have?” Renue laughed at that. “It is one of the pillars, yes.” Syndi looked at him incredulously. “Sleep?” she asked again. “It’s your body, Syndi. Your body is the most magnificent gift you could ever receive. It

is with you everywhere and deserves your constant care to unlock its true potential.” The trio grew silent. Raja never thought of his body as a gift. It was just…well, his body.

But he already felt a small chastisement of that thought. The human body was indeed an incredible thing, and he knew he ought to treat his better than he had.

“If you hope to conquer the Phoi and make your way to Cowra, you’ve got to take care of the body that will bring you there. Appropriate rest, nutrition, and exercise are the three keys to

keeping your bodies strong and fit. Careful attention to these needscan improve your energy, manage stress, increase creativity, and more.”

Raja wanted to scoff but found he couldn’t. He remembered last night, and how jumbled his thoughts were, how easily his mind was controlled by fear, how he felt like he had no course of action except to keep running and think of nothing else. Last night would have been almost comical, except the fear was real. He remembered Syndi’s pale and shivering body and how much he didn’t want to be in that situation ever again.

“I understand what you’re saying,” Syndi said quietly. “But if we had stopped to rest and eat,we would have been in danger. The soldiers would have caught us, and they would have taken us to Lowsapa. Some days we simply don’t have time.”

“You can’t afford not to, Syndi,” Renue said. Syndi frowned again. “What do you mean?” “What would have happened if I didn’t come to your aid last night? You were so

exhausted you weren’t thinking straight. You even passed out. You need to keep your energy up if you’re going to make it through the rest of your journey. I know it’s simple, and it may seem like a waste of time, but it is what’s needed to keep your energy up.”

Another tremor began to shake the ground. Renue steadied himself, and Raja threw his hands out, in an effort to keep his balance. Liam held onto a tree, waiting for it to pass. Syndi shot a worried glance toward the direction of the volcano and, with mounting horror, she saw smoke begin to rise from the mountain.

“Come. I’ll help you gather supplies. You must make it to the end of this island before tonight,” Renue said.

Syndi rubbed her upper arm. “What’s going to happen tonight?” Renue said nothing but just gave her a comforting smile. Soon they were on their way, following Renue. He led them north for many hours, and

the weather grew noticeably colder. When they stopped for lunch, Renue said, “This is where I leave you. The cooler temperatures make it difficult for me to find the food I need; therefore, I will be returning. But you will be in good hands. Remember what I taught you. I know you’re afraid of the volcano, but you must take the time to eat and rest. It will better prepare you to face your trials.”

They said their goodbyes and Renue raced off in the direction they had come. As soon as he was out of sight, they felt another tremor shake the island. Syndi whimpered in fright.

“Staying well-rested, eating nutritious meals, and exercise will help us get through,” Syndi said aloud as if she was trying to convince herself.

Raja nodded. “We’ll be just fine, Syndi. We’re following the council of the guides, and they’ve never steered us wrong.”

Twist

Knowing the Phoi were still somewhere on the island, with the volcano possibly erupting

soon, the friends were motivated to keep walking, though they did take Renue’s guidance to heart. Practicing his counsel, they remained energetic and realized that they were able to travel faster and better than they had the previous day, despite the stops for rest and nutrition. With compass in hand, Raja continued leading his friends north. With every step, the temperatures seemed to plummet. Where there was once green, fertile grasslands, now frost covered everything in a sheet of white. With every breath, a small cloud escaped the cold lips of the travelers. Liam tried to stay focused on how grateful he was for his body, the rest he had enjoyed the night before, nourishing food that kept them strong, and his ability to cover the distance required. After a while, they stopped for a short break, finished the food that was in their packs, and wrapped the skins around themselves to keep warm.

Cresting an icy hill, Raja stopped, taking in the scenery before him. Liam and Syndi pulled up on either side of him.

“Well, this was certainly unexpected,” Syndi said. They found themselves on a beach of frozen rocks that eventually led to the frigid ocean.

Syndi turned to see the view behind them and gripped Raja’s arm, letting out a squeal of fright. The men turned. Not only was the volcano smoking far more than before, but they saw

Lowsapa’s massive army heading in their direction just a few miles away.Raja rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. Fighting down the panic bubbling just beneath the surface of his self-control, Raja took a deep breath then let it out slowly. Here they were, so close to leaving this island, and their guide was nowhere to be seen.

“Maybe it’s time we take a small break,” Raja said. Liam frowned. “But what about-” “I know,” Raja said quickly, not wanting his fear to be vocalized by someone else. He took another calming breath. “I know,” he repeated. “But we’re powerless without the guide. We’ve come as far as we

can, so let’s keep ourselves busy while we wait.” The trio didn’t stray too far from each other as they tried to find something to do. Raja

tried to gather wood for a campfire, but timber was scarce, and the small chips he did find felt like ice in his palm. Liam was trying to find some food, but fruits and berries were practically non-existent in this icy wasteland. They might have to fish for their next meal.

Syndi wrapped her blanket tighter around her, trying to scout out a place for their camp. She shivered as she looked around, trying to decide where, on this frozenbeach, would be best to

take a break. She hoped it would be a quick rest. Syndi glanced back up at the volcano and couldn’t help but laugh. She never dreamed she’d be this close to a volcano before in her life; nor could she have imagined feeling this cold next to it. Her anxious energy kept building as she tried to guess how they were going to escape this island. Renue told them they had to make it to this place before nightfall. Never quite sure of the full meaning of a guide’s words, Syndi, nevertheless, harbored a sinking feeling that the volcano was definitely going to erupt--soon!

Syndi studied the sea. She had a strong desire to keep going, and to be stopped by the sea felt so frustrating. She kicked at a small pebble in her frustration; it didn’t budge, frozen to the ground. Syndi frowned, feeling her toe and ego throb in pain. Kneeling, she tried to pry the pebble from its icy hold, only to discover it was a much larger rock hidden by the smaller stones. That rock wasn’t going anywhere.

Suddenly, Syndi heard a loud splash. Looking up, she saw a penguin burst out of the water, and slide up to her on its belly.

“Hello!” the penguin said. Syndi froze in surprise; then excitement filled her being. “You’re the guide! You can get

us out of here!” “Oh.” The penguin glanced around. “Well, yeth. But we mutht be patient. I am-” “We have no time! Soldiers are chasing us, and they are quickly catching up! Plus, don’t

you see?” Syndi pointed frantically behind her. “The volcano is smoking! We’ve got to get off this island now!”

Syndi stood up and glanced around, seeing Liam and Raja not too far away. “Come on, Liam and Raja are over there.”

Syndi sprinted toward her companions. She didn’t want to shout their names in case the soldiers were close enough to hear.

“Raja! Liam! I found the guide! He’s-” Syndi turned to point to the penguin whom she could have sworn was right behind her,

but he was nowhere in sight. She turned, scanning where she had been before. “You can’t be serious!” she groaned. The penguin was indeed following Syndi, but his waddle was so slow, he was still far

behind. Syndi rubbed her forehead in frustration. “The soldiers are going to catch us before he does,” she mumbled. “Well, let’s go meet him, then,” Raja said. The trio caught up to the penguin before he’d gone much farther. “You’re our guide?” Raja asked. “Can you help us get off this island? The volcano might erupt soon,” Liam asked. “The army is coming, and we-” The penguin raised a flipper wing, and Raja and Liam fell silent. The penguin smiled at

them. “Hello, dear travelerth! My name ith Twitht. It’th a pleathure to meet you.”

The three of them paused. “Sorry, what was your name?” Raja asked. “Twitht.” “T-Twitht?” Liam tried out. “No, Twitht. I have a lithp.” Raja’s eyes lit up. “Oh, Twist! And you have a lisp?” The penguin nodded. “I do indeed!” The penguin turned to look out toward the island. “We mutht travel farther north. There

ith an ith bridge that will help you croth to the nexth island.” Syndi shuffled uncomfortably on the balls of her feet. “Um, will you be walking with us?

Do you just want to point the direction or something? We can make it fine.” Twist turned to Syndi with a knowing smile. “I will lead you to the bridge. Though, ath

we get clother to the water, I will thwim.” Syndi tried to stifle a groan. “Well, let’s get moving then.” The penguin gave another knowing smile, then motioned for Raja and Liam to follow.

“Follow me. We have much to talk about on the way.” Raja and Liam glanced at each other before beginning to step forward. The penguin’s

waddle was incredibly slow, and for how fast they were going before, it felt way too slow. Syndi glared as Twist flapped his useless wings. She almost wished he could fly them off this island. With how slow he waddled, the army was undoubtedly going to catch up with them.

“Do not worry, weary travelerth. The soldiers will not harm you ath long ath you lithen to my counthel and the counthel of the guideth before you,” Twist said.

Syndi felt like Twist had read her mind. She looked away, ashamed of her impatient thoughts. Remembering how quickly and powerfully Loya got rid of the Phoi, Syndi knew that Twist was just as capable of defeating them. If needed, they would stand and fight. She was well prepared, having slept well and eaten when she needed to.

However, the army was not the greatest threat to her right now. Her mind touched briefly on the volcano but quickly moved away from it. She couldn’t control the volcano any more than anyone else could. Her best bet was with Twist.

“We’re just a bit worried. The army can’t be that far behind, and you penguins don’t walk very well on land,” Liam said.

Twist smiled as he turned toward the sea. “It ith true, we don’t walk well on land. It’th a good thing, then, that we’re almotht to the thea.”

Raja bit his lip, glancing at the sea. He wasn’t sure what Twist had planned for them, but he felt just as anxious as the other two to get going. Raja dreaded facing the Phoi again. Twist’s movements were slow, and he had no idea how they were going to outrun the soldiers.

“Come, the thea is clothe.” Liam couldn’t understand what he said but followed Twist anyway toward the sea. “It ith a treat to thee penguinth in their element!”

The three of them remained silent and anxious. Twist spread his wings; they wiggled excitedly as his waddle picked up speed before leaping into the sea. They marveled at the speed and grace Twist exhibited as he spun and jumped in the icy blue water. Syndi realized Twist was pulling ahead of them. She laughed as she ran on the land, parallel with Twist in the sea.Twist popped his head above water and swam a bit to face them. “We all have a trait or two like thith, you know. All of uth. We all have weaknetheth, but every weakneth can be turned into a thtrength. I may not be able to fly on land, but I fly in the water!”

Twist smiled again. “Let’th focuth on more perthonal ecthperientheth.” Twist’s struggle with the word ‘experiences’ made the three of them smile. Raja tried to hide his, not wanting to hurt Twist’s feelings. “It might help you thee better if you thee it in yourthelveth.” Twist turned to look at Raja. “Raja thtruggleth to confront boldly. It ith a weakneth.”

Raja shifted uncomfortably. Somehow he knew he was supposed to stand up and boldly tell Twist he was wrong, but the thought of it made him want to curl deeper into himself. Twist smiled kindly at him.

“But let’th twitht the weakneth. Raja hath a hard time confronting boldly becauth hith capathity to care runth very deep. You have a caring heart, Raja. Everyone who knowth you ith quick to point that out. That ith a thtrength.”

Raja gave a small nod, and Twist turned to Liam. “Liam, you are quick to judge. It ith a weakneth that hath hurt otherth.” Liam bowed his head and gathered all the humility in his body to nod. “You’re right.” Twist smiled. “But you are quick to act in thituationth that need people to act. Where

motht people freeze, you forge ahead. Thith ith a thtrength.” Liam smiled genuinely. Twist turned to Syndi. “Ath for you, Thyndi.” Syndi made a strange, guttural noise in her throat that made Twist pause. Syndi’s face

turned red. “Sorry. I… I don’t like people telling me about the flaws in my character.” Twist looked surprised. “No flawth! More like indicationth of thtrength.” Syndi gave him a look. Twist gave a flap of his flippers, dove into the sea and swam a

little farther ahead before his head popped out again. “These traith are not to be ignored. They are to be recognized within ourthelveth tho we

know about them. And more importantly, know when we can twitht them into a thtrength.” Syndi hung her head in embarrassment. “It makes sense, I just-” “The soldiers!” Liam yelled. “They’re here!” Syndi and Raja turned to see hundreds of armed men spilling out onto the icy bank

uncomfortably close to them, and moving impossibly fast in their direction. . “Come! The ith bridge ith thith way!” Twist said. Twist dove into the sea and the group set off at a run after him. They heard shouts as the

soldiers spotted them.

Raja ran, knowing this time was different. Before when they were running away, he felt an overwhelming fear he couldn’t contain. But now, he knew everything was going to be okay. He had rested well; he had eaten nutritiously; he knew how to control his emotions to see him through this situation; and most importantly of all, he was certain Respa would not leave them alone in their time of need.

“Here! Quickly, begin to croth!” Twist said as he approached a beautiful bridge made entirely of ice.

Liam started crossing the bridge and immediately felt his feet begin to slip. He frowned, trying to get better footing. He had to slow down considerably to stay focused on walking without sliding into the frigid waters below.

“Watch your thtep,” Twist warned the other two. Liam kept inching his way forward, focused on calming his emotions. It helped him keep

his footing. Syndi forced herself not to be scared as the soldiers seemed to approach at an alarming

speed. She took hold of that fear and instead concentrated her energies on hope: both in Twist’s guidance and Respa’s promises.Soldiers began clattering onto the bridge. Syndi glanced behind to see many of them slipping and falling into the rolling sea below. Suddenly, a massive explosion convulsed the ice under their feet, making them slip and slide precariously. For a second, Raja was afraid the soldiers were blowing up the bridge. A loud crack followed immediately by a deafening boom, shook them all to the core of their beings. The trio couldn’t help but turn around to see what was going on.

Lava shot out of the volcano that both awed and terrified them. It spewed in every direction, causing chaos and destruction in its wake. Syndi shivered, then bowed her head.

The soldiers began screaming and shouting, scrambling to get onto the bridge. She saw some of them swimming toward them, but the freezing water was overwhelming, and they soon abandoned that plan. Red, hot lava continued to spill out of the volcano, enveloping everything in its path.

Syndi raised her head once again. It was clear the soldiers were not equipped with the necessary tools of self-discipline to cross the bridge, so she felt safe as she allowed herself this moment to witness the mighty eruption.

She sat on the bridge. Twist jumped up and settled next to her, and they both watched in breathlessly as the volcano spit out the lava in terrible bursts.

“It’s awful, isn’t it?” Syndi said, not looking at Twist. “It ruins everything it touches. Because it’s so incredibly bossy, it has to have its way or else it destroys things.”

She turned away, hiding her face so Twist couldn’t see her tears. “It keeps things bottled up until it can’t contain it anymore, then bursts out in fiery

vengeance. It’s pretty pathetic if you ask me.” Twist shrugged. “That would be an incredible weakneth of the volcano, yeth. But we can

twitht it and find its thtrength.”

Syndi gave a lame laugh. “Strength? How can it possibly be a strength? It has a strength by instilling fear in people if that’s what you mean.”

Twist smiled. “No. That’th not what I mean. Thith ith one of my favorite gameth:‘Find the Thtrength from the Weakneth.’ Let’th try again.”

Syndi frowned as she watched the ground shake. The soldiers were screaming at her, frustrated they couldn’t chase after her. She looked again at the volcano, trying to find something to consider a strength. She felt a kind of despair.

“I’ll help,” Twist said, saddling closer to her. “Though it theemth like the volcano bringth dethtruction, give it time. Thome of the motht fertile thoil comes from volcanic placeth. Thith jungle here didn’t grow overnight, and it will grow again. The fruitth and berrieth are the thweetetht oneth in the world. You will not find a thimpler plathe to grow thingth.”

Syndi glanced over at Twist. Twist smiled. “To be fortheful is a weakneth, Thyndi. But give it a twitht. Thometimeth forthe is needed to get good thingth growing again.”

Syndi rubbed her upper arms to ease the goosebumps before smiling back at him. Rising carefully to their feet, Twist and Syndi turned around and made their slow

andsteady pace across the ice bridge, away from the Island of Self-Discipline.