1He watched as ghostly tendrils crept out of the ever present mist.2
They snaked their way maniacally toward the staff, wrapping itself around the talisman with a wraithlike grip. 3
He should raise an alarm, he knew, but without the staff his family would be safe.4
It wouldn’t hurt the mission, he reasoned with himself. They had to head west. He knew his directions, he knew where west lay. Destiny had the dust, what more did they need?’5
A moment of hesitation was all it took, in that instant the staff vanished. As he was about to raise the alarm, an eerie presence engulfed him, stifling his cry and freezing his body in fear.6
Its voice raked painfully through his mind.7
“Thank you for your cooperation. It’s greatly appreciated.” The voice taunted. “Listen close, your fellow travelers will see a staff where there is none, and you will be unable to tell them otherwise.”8
Defiantly he forced a thought back at the creature, causing him to almost pass out in pain. ‘Destiny, surely Destiny would know.’9
Angrily the evil being screeched “Maybe, but by then it will be too late.”10
With one final torment it encircled his mind, gripping tighter, the being said, “I leave you with the knowledge it was you whom betrayed them all. It is you that has caused your mission to fail.”11
With a rush it left the young man in searing pain and gasping for breath.12
Anxious, Tyler looked at the group ahead, wondering if anyone had noticed his distress. His heart ached as if ripped in two over what he had done. Taking deep breaths he tried to force himself to stop trembling.13
Once Destiny had drifted off, the others had moved ahead as her horse slowed.14
Tyler stayed back with her, keeping her horse moving but more importantly he was to alert the others if there was any change in the staff. And in a moment of doubt he had failed them all.15
It was Natty that pulled her horse to a stop, waiting for Tyler to catch up; a puzzled look crossed her face. 16
“Everything ok?” she asked.17
Tyler’s heart skipped a beat as Natty looked to where the staff should be. He saw nothing and prayed she’d see the same.18
“Looks like we’re still headed in the right direction.” she smiled at him.19
Tyler opened his mouth in protest but nothing came out.20
He wanted to warn her, to take back what he had done.21
She seemed to sense something was wrong. “Are you sure you’re ok?” she questioned.22
Beads of sweat formed across Tyler’s forehead in frustration as he willed his voice to say no, but heard himself squeak out a yes. 23
Troubled a bit by Tyler’s behavior and uneasy feeling filled her. Natty didn’t know the newcomers well; normally she was a trusting person. It had always been Destiny who was the paranoid one.24
But now it was like a whisper in her mind, a voice urging her that there was something amiss.25
Glancing at the staff again, she tried to calm her fears.26
****************************************************************************27
“Where is it!” she screamed again.28
“Where is what?” Natty asked puzzled by her friend’s outburst.29
With each passing moment, Destiny’s heart pounded faster, while her body grew cold in fear.30
“My father’s staff,” she shouted back.31
Natty moved her horse closer to Destiny.32
“The staff is in its holder where you left it.” She said a bit confused.33
“No. No it’s not.” Destiny stammered. “Can’t you see it’s missing?”34
She grabbed at where the staff should be, her hand passing through the vacant air.35
In doing so, the spell was broken and the illusion vanished before their eyes.36
A collective gasp emanated from the group, followed by stunned silence.37
“Where is it!” she screamed again.38
Wanting to lash out at someone, her eyes settled on Mikael.39
‘Henry said I could count on him, look where that has gotten me,’ she thought, but the pain Destiny saw etched across his face quickly quashed any remark she was about to give.40
‘It was no ones fault but my own for falling asleep.’ Destiny thought, ‘I am the leader and any mistakes directly fell upon her shoulders.’41
As she had done many times before, Destiny gathered her emotions and pushed them aside. “How long have I been out?”42
“Almost two hours.” Offered Tom.43
“We’ve been keeping an eye on you and the staff.” Interjected Natty. “First Tyler, then me. I didn’t see anything out of place. Did you?’ She directed her question to Tyler.44
Tyler struggled to tell them what had happened, but couldn’t force it out.45
Instead he blurted out in frustration, “We’ll be fine. I know which way we need to go and Destiny has the dust.”46
“No. No I don’t. The dust is in a secret compartment of the staff. Besides it was to show us the safest way to go, no to mention the people we were suppose to help!”47
“The dust was in the staff.” Choked out Tyler.48
Suspicious, Natty urged her horse closer to Tyler, “Did something happen when you were watching her?” she accused.49
He struggled to say yes, but only a no came out.50
“I don’t believe you!” she said, getting angrier by the minute. “You were acting weird earlier.”51
Tom pushed his horse protectively between the two. “If my brother said nothing happened, nothing happened” he said firmly. “And I’d appreciate it if you’d just back off a bit.”52
“Everyone, just calm down.” Destiny commanded, trying to stop the conflict so a fight could not ensue. 53
Before anyone could argue back, Donny interrupted them screaming, “Heads up! Incoming.” All eyes followed his drawn sword to where he pointed in the sky. A large blue bird was swooping in fast.54
There was a simultaneous clash of metal as each one of the company drew their swords and knives in defense against the new threat.55
Instinct made Destiny grab for the staff that wasn’t there, yet she recovered quickly by snatching the ever present knife out of her boot.56
She watched as the creature bore down on them. Its bright red beak a contrast to its body. It was not covered in feathers but covered in fur. It was the creature claws, however that caught her attention, for in them was clutched her staff. The creature’s eyes captured hers and in that moment her entire body relaxed. That is until she noticed out of the corner of her eye Tom Striking out.57
She cried out in desperation, “Stand Down!” But she was too late, Tom’s sword struck fiercely at the creature’s wing. This caused the creature to drop the staff as it spiraled downward, landing with a thud and sliding to a stop six feet away.58
Destiny lunged from her horse and began to run. She ran past the fallen staff with barely a glance. And only stopped once she had reached the creature.59
She could hear her friends screaming at her to stop. Like an echo in her mind she could hear the terror in their voice, but they didn’t know what she knew.60
Falling to her knees, she skidded to a stop beside the blue beast. Stroking its beaks, she was relieved to see its eyes opening. “Is this the way you greet all your friends?” he asked while morphing back into his original form. “And after I’ve brought you a gift.”61
“Are you ok?’ she asked concerned, while looking him over for blood or the gash she knew should be there. 62
“I thought for sure Tom got you!”63
“Oh he did… but my body is made out of tougher material than his stupid sword.” Tak said, seemingly offended at the notion he could be hurt. 64
“ Tak, where have you been!” she asked in an accusatory tone.65
“I thought you had abandoned me.”66
“Psh,” he scoffed. “It was getting a little crowded around you.” He said glaring at the others who had finally joined her. “But I see know, I can’t leave you for long.”67
Taking on a more serious tone, Tak continued. “You wouldn’t believe the creature I had to fight to get your staff back.” Then Tak sauntered over to Tyler, squinted his eyes and said, “But I bet he does.”68
Silence.69
“I think you have something to say.” Tak continued. “Well, come on lad spill it. I saw the whole thing happen. I was just too far back to stop it.”70
Tyler wanted to talk; he wanted to tell them what had happened he wanted to apologize for his weakness. His body ached to be relieved of the secret, trying to force out the truth Tlyler trembled in frustration. Then falling to the ground, tears streamed down his cheeks, with only raking sobs escaping his mouth.71
Frightened, Tom ran to his brother, placing a gentle arm around him.72
Tak sniffed in irritation, “What a display.”73
“Leave him be.” Growled an angry Tom. “Can’t you see there is something wrong?”74
“Pst, of course there is something wrong. Something of his own making.” Seeing that Mikael was holding the staff, Tak ordered. “Give that to Destiny, this boy has been put under a spell that only Destiny and the staff can break.”75
Glad to have the staff back in her hands, Destiny felt it warming to her touch.76
“Well, don’t just stand there,” complained Tak. “Smack him over the head with it.” 77
“ Wha..What? I want to help him not hurt him.” She stammered.78
“He deserves a few smacks for his stupidity, as do the other two in my opinion.” Seeing the cross look on Destiny’s face, he sighed, “Fine, have it your way. Grab the staff with both of your hands and gently place it on his head.”79
Doing as she was told, Destiny placed the top of her staff on Tyler’s head. She could feel the staff growing warmer to her touch. It was hotter than she had ever felt it before, so hot that Destiny thought the flesh would be burned from her hand, yet she was unable to let go. Just when she could stand it no longer a surge of power escaped from the staff, throwing both her and Tyler backwards.80
She was surprised to find that it was Tom who reached out a hand to help her up, while Tim was helping their brother.81
Tyler stood in front of her saying over and over again, “I am sorry.”82
“You’re not the only one who needs to be sorry,” accused Tak while looking at Tom.83
“What is going on?” Demanded Destiny. “What happened here? What aren’t you guys telling me?”84
The brothers just stood there staring off into the distance.85
“A lot!” Tak answered for them.86
Adding your comment:
I'd been doing better but this one got away with me. 
I'll be fixing them soon.
now I don't know. Having more suspense sounds good..
