Chapter Nine The Mysterious Warrior When the light from the explosion faded to black, everything stopped. All the activity and commotion in the desolate area came to an abrupt halt. All sound of weapons and movement stopped, and as far as the eye could see; the skeletal army remained frozen in place. "What's going on here?" Willow asked after a moment, her voice so dry she could barely speak. Jack looked around at the hordes of motionless skeletons with mesmerized amazement and relief. "I have no idea?" He took a deep breath and shook his head. "But I don't think we should stick around to find out!" At Jack's command, they exited the skeletal circle and crawled down a long, narrow corridor that had opened between them. They walked carefully and cautiously through a mass of shattered skeletal bodies littering the desert floor, bones cracking and crunching beneath their feet in the eerie silence with every step they took. A little further down the path, a behemoth of a man dressed in red armor appeared against the burning wreckage. Jack and Willow walked side by side and never took their eyes off him. They couldn't believe their luck, while at the same time trying to ignore all the faceless skulls spinning in their direction, strange eyes glowing evilly in the moonlight out of frustration and anger. Blaze walked a short distance behind them and he didn't seem bothered by them at all. He glanced at the two thick walls of faceless skeletons surrounding him, his dark eyes moving from one skull to the other. “Mmmm, hmmm,” he murmured to the mass of skeletal soldiers as he walked through them nonchalantly, observing them. each in the center of the sheet and away from the group. “And hey, who knows. Perhaps next time we meet we will have a chance to repay you." "I certainly hope so," the warrior said quickly in response. "Now you boys tread carefully, and good luck with your search." He shook his head and hesitated a moment. "I'm afraid you'll need it." The cold silence of the Silverwood Forest, the young group of Terrans and Elves continued along the edge of the lake, taking in all the new sights and smells. They were glad to lower their defenses now that the difficult part was over. The departing warrior vanished into the trees. As he did so, his blue eyes narrowed like those of a satisfied hunter. Oh, I wouldn't worry you too much about how to repay me, my young friends, he thought darkly with a quick look back. You won't have to wait long before we meet again. I can assure you…