Page 16

The child had no idea whether Kayal was still speaking to her or not, but she quietly listened as the words continued.

So many of the Leaders worked so hard, trying to give the Clan a life of its own. They tried to make it self sufficient. Laneen wanted to hide special World Treasures so that the reward for completing the quest was immediate. It could have been done too. As a sign that the person was questing we could have presented the candidate with a key...a key to a secret hidden room that they would find at the end of their quest. Our magic was great enough even then to place special wards of shielding around such places...so that only we of world could have entered. But like so many before and after him, he never saw his vision completed.

Just as the Globe had suddenly become an Orb that all clans carried, now the vision of special items to mark the ascension through the Clan Ranks was co-opted for all and eventually, we received Rings from the Gods. I couldn't feel the special bond and pride in the Clan Rings, that I had always felt for the Globe. Perhaps its true that we don't appreciate things that come to us too easily.

Page 17

We still felt vulnerable in those days. We had not yet come to understand our true power and there was noone to teach us. We searched for the true path alone. We had always been hunted by Darkness but we accepted that it was their nature. We maintained our neutrality in the face of all taunts. Many a time, I tested my strength against the great Darkness Leaders, Riddler and later, Kronus, but I seldom won. Each time though, I was closer to winning. I knew their nature and accepted it. The balance acknowledges evil's right to exist just as much as goodness, although I could never really understand either. To label something as evil or good required a value judgement. I was not a God then and did not presume to judge the souls of others. The affect of their actions on the balance was all that mattered.

Kayal suddenly grinned. The child was surprised to see a mischievous glow light the Lady's face. The child plucked up the courage to speak and said softly "Good memories, my Lady?".

Page 18

Kayal laughed and nodded. She said "To this day, I'm sure those Darkness Leaders have no idea how I escaped death so many times. It was common for Darkness to require their members to prove loyalty by killing. So many times I received messages from my friends in Darkness, messages warning that a hunt was setting out. They even changed their test at times, so the target became specific - Kill Kayal. Poor Riva and Pitt were given that particular task. Usually I laughed, sometimes I fled, and sometimes I lost and though they were judged to be evil, they were my friends. Tis useful in understanding neutrality to have friends in all clans." Kayal grinned again and said "tis useful for spying too"