-----------------------------------------------------

*We came upon a rather large seeming hut in the town square.

"Is this an inn?" I asked my companion.

"Finest in the area," he said, winking to me knowingly.
"The purveyor and I go way back. We used to be in the same guild."

We walked through the threshold, which was a small arch with tanned hide hanging from either side forming a curtain. that hung to the ground. The smell of smoked meat and the chorus of drunken laughter enticed us to see what this mysterious establishment held in store.

"What sort of inn is this?" I asked Lazarus.
"The sort of inn operated by a fellow trickster; a mage. My apprentice, in fact- a sort-of jester of spirits, if you will." Lazarus smiled and pointed to the other side of the circus of a room.

There sat a man. Well, he seemed to be floating, really.
He sat about a foot above his seat, sipping a skin of what I could only assume to be wine of otherworldly quality.

"Ah, Lazarus. My old mentor! How are you doing these years?"

"Oh, Ormus, you were never one for subtlety, were you?"

"Subtlety is either a virtue, or a veil, my dear Teacher.
Was that not one of the lessons you taught us:
'He, who hides himself away
is either a coward or a master:
he, who reveals himself wholly
is either a fool or a master.'"

"Very good, Ormus. You study well.
However, it is the virtue of Balance
that you could never quite grasp," chuckled Lazarus.

"Perhaps my balance is simply different from yours, my Teacher," replied Ormus.

"Perhaps you are right...
Have you any rooms for my companion and myself?
We seek a child, foretold to be a Great One.
We require shelter and good company before we set out proper."

"Indeed you do,
and indeed I have!
The restrictions of dimension are no obstacle of a disciple of yours!
Suffice it to say that room can be made.
Who is this lovely one, with whom you travel? Why is she here?"

"My name is Dhorna," I said.
"If you think me weak, you bitterly underestimate me. If you think me cold, you sell me short. Yet, I know I've much to learn, and I find much mystery in Lazarus and in our quest. That is why I am here. Though I know I am easy on the eyes, do not relinquish the idea that I may be hellish to the heart, whether 'tis by steel or emotion. I can fend for myself."

"A pleasure to meet a maiden of such strong spirit." Said Ormus.

"There's much more than meets the eye, Ormus. She is no mere companion; she is a worthy warrior and a skilled scholar. Not just anyone would be called for this quest... she must have.. the gift of the Ancients."

They both looked into my eyes
and I felt a slight shift in reality, itself.
Such power was with these two
and, they seemed to think was with me, as well.

"Before you retire for the night," said Ormus,
"I must insist that we sit and drink and discuss things bygone, and things yet to come!"

5)
I know
once I was just like you
I was young and furious too
the world was too much
everyone made you feel
so hopeless, you think you could ****
I know exactly
how you feel

And now here we are -
I have come into your space, your cell;
gates and doors
yield to my fingers, if you must know
(always good with my hands,
good with my teeth)

And we are here
each against one's wall -
and each wants to know
who is responsible
for this mess
Who made all this?
Who was insane to give us all this?
It was a mad God
or a meaningless universe –
either way, there is no responsibility
You and I are agreed

Here we are
each against one's wall
considering who will eat who...
*Make your move; I am famished

2
I know
once I was just like you
I was young and furious too
the world was too much
everyone made you feel
so hopeless, you think you could ****
I know exactly
how you feel

Like the time
then at work
the colleagues went on
about responsibility
and they conspired:
I was irresponsible;
they were conscientious;
I was a freeloader
Ah, the judges in one's world
the judges of one's soul

and one day
they found a worker in a bad state
dead and lying naked in the clichéd
pool of blood –
in the toilet, of all places -
with the words: “How irresponsible”
on the floor

Everyone was in a state -
I moved inter-state
I was going places

-----------------------------------------------------
Lazarus looked up from his tea with a look of surprise.
At first, I was anxious and a bit fearful,
but his words quickly lifted my doubts:

"Ah-ha!
That scoundrel convinced me
it would take longer to get here!
I suppose that's a decent use of trickery..
at least I'm pleasantly surprised and not dead, or worse: disappointed!"

He looked at me and nodded knowingly.

"Scoundrel! I almost thought it would arrive too late!
See, I spoke to a friend on the desert coast-
well, he's a bit more of a jester I once tried to banish, really, but a friend, nevertheless!-
about some possible leads for finding this child.
He agreed to draw me a map based on his research.
However, the only thing is that this map
is shrewdly coded.

You see,
though I may be more frail now than in my youth,
I've certainly learned a thing or two
and I'm afraid I must accompany you,
for what do you make of this map?"

He showed me the scroll
and it seemed to be a sketch of the Kingdom with symbols for places and landmarks. Some parts were even upside down and there were several burn marks where the Volcano is. In the corner was an ink flurry I could only imagine to be the signature of the artist.. it seemed to read.. 'Scoundrel.'

Was 'Scoundrel' his name, or a title? A joke?
Certainly seemed to be fitting, regardless.
Clever little ******, I figured this trickster fella to be.

Seven locations were encircled in deep red,
but only three had an icon of the sun stamped with a golden ink.

"Seems like a treasure map."

"Of sorts..
a mad map drawn by a mad man for a mad quest.
Quite apropos, indeed.
The encoding would prevent those of impure mind from finding the child, should the worst happen to the bearer of this map. Leave it to a scoundrel to think to safeguard a map to the Chosen One against foul play. Wisdom can be found in such impishness as his, so long as the darkness doesn't break you. It takes one to know one, I suppose. Hah."

Lazarus turned to me and sat up straight, clearing his throat.

"Now, should you allow me to come with you,
I can decode it based on the clues we come across,
that is, unless you wish to make it on your own."

His expression was stern, yet infused with wonder and anticipation.

"The choice, my dear Dhorna, is yours."