This adventure had it's start approximately four years ago. Zyndal arrived at the estate one October evening to announce that he had been able to locate a long-lost artifact, the jewel, Kontasark. The fabled legend was known to have been cut from a single multicolored gem several centuries earlier. Naturally we were intrigued enough to inquire as to it's current whereabouts. Zyndal informed us that, according to his research, it was to be found in the Kingdom of Noslenor, just northwest of the Mediterranean and if we were willing, he would lead us to it.

Plans were accordingly set into motion and within a week we were ready to go. Alban had overheard Zyndal and Basio making preparations and begged for a chance to come along. Reluctantly we agreed as long as she stayed with us at all times. On other trips, she has had a tendency to go off exploring on her own, looking for interesting plants and algae. This was to be a short excursion and we didn't plan on having much time for botanical curiosities.

After stepping into the Vortex of Images, we found ourselves in the middle of a forest, which was a bit unnerving. Zyndal seemed to know exactly the direction to take and so with him in the lead, we set out.

A ten minute walk found us on the edge of a broad, sloping valley. Far away on the right, an ancient castle hugged the craggy side of a cliff, while off to the left, a quaint village seemed to spring up out of the colorful fields. Evening was coming on and the twinkling lights of the town gave the brisk air a fairylike glow. Zyndal led us toward the castle (not my preferred choice!) but he was our guide on this undertaking and it was best to let him lead.

As we happily walked along, all was right with the world, until, as the sun began to set over the faraway hills, strange sounds in the distance made us turn our heads. Fierce growls and strange cries that seemed to be drawing closer caused us to stop in our tracks. Worried looks on all our faces greeted Zyndal as he turned to assure us that these sounds were nothing to worry about. Basio had already drawn his sword and moved up to speak with Zyndal. Suddenly, a terrifying shriek rent the sky before us.

A monstrous shadow reared up in front of us as we scrambled back. With a deafening roar, it charged toward us. Basio brought his sword up to counter the attack of this bizarre creature and just in time! With one stroke he sheared off the head of this grotesque nightmare. It rolled within a few feet of us and what we saw froze the blood in our veins. Sharp yellowed fangs and vacant white eyes stared out from the grizzled face on the ground. All around us were growing cries of terror and anger while trumpets from the castle walls echoed across the hills.

Bobbing lights from the village in the valley indicated men with torches running up the hill. From the castle came a stream of men on horseback also carrying torches riding through the fields swinging their swords from side to side. At first we thought we had ventured into a war zone, but the two groups seemed to be working as one as they started moving up the hill directly towards us! Zyndal made a quick assessment of the situation and turning to us simply spoke one word: "Run"!

"Run for the forest", he called, as he once again led the way. Basio covered our retreat as we desperately tried to retrace our steps and gain the cover of the trees. Stopping at one point to catch our breath, we turned and saw that the two groups below had now converged and were methodically trying to drive those creatures toward the same forest we were trying to reach. At the same time, another group of soldiers was riding along the ridge of the forest line and was attempting to encircle the entire area. If we didn't make the forest in time, we would be caught in the noose.

Redoubling our efforts, we burst through the first edge of trees, while behind us, the sounds of battle increased. The creatures of the night were furiously attacking while trying to break through the lines. Our thoughts were on the Vortex and how long it would take to reach it. But, just as we thought that our safety might now be assured, one of those fearsome creatures burst through the cover of the forest and hurtled directly toward us. He was closely followed by a knight on horseback with spear in hand. Just as Basio brought up his sword, the creature fell at our feet. The knight looked at us strangely and started to say something, when another of the creatures burst through the trees, followed by other soldiers.

This was our opportunity to exit and we used it. Moving as quickly as possible in the moonlight, we finally found our way back to the Vortex. I had my harp out within a moment, and with the plucking of a few notes, the Vortex opened and we happily stepped into it. Within the time it takes to breathe in, we were back in our own time. Walking up the hill to the Estate, Basio and Zyndal exchanged a few terse words. Alban also added a few pertinent comments. As I have stated before, we have had a few hair-raising exploits that had not been planned, but I don't think that this particular one was Zyndal's fault. We just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I would still like to see this fabulous jewel, but as of yet, a return has not been planned.

The musical track of this title depicts our leisurely walk down the hillside just before the attack and then our desperate bid for the safety of the trees. As an aside, it's the only track in my musical endeavors that features an electric guitar as a melodic instrument......Davutus