Act 27.

Everyone just stared in silence at the shadow creature still holding the vial that Gregore had given Linda.

"What are those things?" asked the Queen, finally breaking the silence.

"I don’t know." answered Mikako, "But I may be able to venture a guess based upon rumours and tales I have come across."

"Well," said Margaret, "are we going to get to hear it or are you going to keep it a secret?"

"Margaret, this is not the time nor the place for this." said Linda.

"It is said that in the caves of the mountains that border the Shadow Lands, you will find ghosts of those who died there." said Mikako.

"We’ve seen that." said Linda, "When we went there to hide and met Byron’s ghost."

"It is said that deeper into the caves you cross over to the Shadow Lands, and there you will meet something other than ghosts."

"What?" asked the Queen.

"Shadows that move and act like men." She replied, "Not souls of the dead, but creatures born of the shadows. Given life but no one knows how."

"Are they dangerous?" asked Linda.

"I don’t know." said Mikako, "No one has truly seen one, so everything is just speculation."

"Why is it that we always come across this sort of thing?" said Linda, "It would be nice not to be the first to find out things, especially if it is something dangerous."

"I wonder if it can communicate?" pondered the Queen.

"Of course we can." said the shadow, who had stood still and seemed to listen as they talked. "Who do you think addressed you before?"

Everyone jumped at the sound, and the warriors brought up their swords.

The shadow laughed and others could be heard laughing as well.

The party looked around and saw that other shadows were moving along the walls, floor and ceiling but only the one who had spoken had solidified into a human shape.

"Those won’t help you here." it said, "We are not substantial enough to be hurt by those."

"Are you the one responsible for bringing us here?" asked Mikako.

"No." said the shadow, "Our mistress is the one who called you here, but only you were supposed to come. Your Queen was accidentally caught in the spell. If she had not been so close she would have been spared. As it is, she was unfortunately pulled through and that resulted in you being transported to the wrong part of the caves."

He looked down at the two warriors.

"We were sent to retrieve our guest when you two happened to show up right in front of us. causing us no end of debate as to what to do about you."

He lifted up the vial.

"But when you tried to use this, I had to intervene."

"Why?" asked Linda.

"Because the mistress would be very upset if her guest was taken away from Her." it said, "So now it seems I have to take you all to Her."

"Who is your mistress." asked Mikako.

The shadow laughed.

"You will have to follow me if you want to find out. But then you were heading there anyway, weren’t you?"

"What’s he mean?" asked Linda.

"I felt something calling to me, something familiar." answered Mikako, "Our Queen trusted my judgement and so we went there, deciding that one direction was as good as another."

"Did you feel any malice." asked Linda.

Mikako hesitated for the second time that day. But she was sure the Champion would understand. As for the Dark Knight, well she would make her own mind up."

"It felt a little like home." she told them, "As I said before something familiar."

"An old ancestor trying to contact you?" ventured Linda.

"Perhaps but I am unsure."

"Well until we can get that vial back, we are stuck here." said Linda," I vote we continue where you both were heading."

The others all nodded their consent.

"Thank you all." said Mikako.

"Hey, we are your friends after all. We have to trust each other." said Linda.

Mikako addressed the shadow.

"If you would be so kind as to show us the way."

"It would be my pleasure." said the shadow and moved off.

The others followed him as he wound his way down the twisting passages. They could not keep track of the twists and turns, but they could tell they were going down into the earth.

The feeling in Mikako grew as they closed in on their destination.

Finally, after what seemed like a long time, but could have been mere minutes, the shadow stop at the edge of a passage that the party could see was opening into a large open area.

"Here you are." it said, "Please enter. The mistress awaits inside."

He gestured them in.

The party entered the large cave and was greeted by a sight none of them could have imagined.

There on a throne carved from the rock sat the Black Mother.

She looked at Mikako and said.

"Welcome daughter."