The Sampler Platter: A Little Bit of Everything

by Susan Skylark

As the Perishable Beasts

  Gauk sat on the hill overlooking the sleepy little village below and stared at the fluffy clouds scuttling by like so many sheep. It was a breezy day in early summer when the freshness of spring is still palpable but the contented fullness of summer has already set in; it was warm but there was yet a coolness in the breeze to keep one invigorated. “I am here,” said he to the air. He waited for an interminable moment and when nothing happened said impatiently, “and where are you?” Again the only answer was the piping of a sparrow in the grass and the hum of the wind as it passed by. He sighed, his studies in theology were not going very well. Everything else in nature from caterpillars to oak trees were easy enough to study if one had the patience and the time. He was an avid student of nature and wanted to know everything about everything. He had learned all he could of the local flora and fauna and without the means to travel his studies were stymied by the lack of novel subjects for contemplation. Thus he turned his eager mind towards the supposed source of all things natural; certainly if he could understand the maker of all things he could understand the things themselves all the better. However, it was becoming increasingly obvious that the Maker did not lend himself to study as easily as a butterfly or rosebud.

  How then was he to learn more if he could not see or touch the subject of his curiosity? A little voice inside taunted that perhaps there was nothing more, perhaps this was it. But Gauk laughed the voice of doubt to scorn and thought of all the wonderful things around him and how they could not be an accident or an aberration. There must be something more.

  He brightened as his friend Brin joined him on the hillside, “how go your contemplations of the mysterious?”

  Gauk laughed, “still very mysterious.”

  Brin smiled, “that bad huh?”

  Gauk returned the grin, “let us just say inconclusive, shall we.”

  Brin laughed, “as you like it then.” Brin was certainly a skeptic about anything he had not seen firsthand and was not likely to take anything on faith, but he had a sharp mind and a quicker wit thus making him the perfect companion for the brilliant but quiet Gauk. They had been friends since they were old enough to remember anything and had had countless adventures together in their endless quest to satisfy their boundless curiosity.

  Gauk sighed, “I do not know how to proceed. I am out of my depth in this matter.”

  Brin smiled teasingly and said, “why not put your god to the test and demand some proof of him as they did in the old stories and if he does not prove himself then be satisfied.”

  Guak brightened, “that is an excellent idea.”

  Brin was stunned, “really? I had thought you would scoff and say that this supposed Master of yours would not deign to the whims of mere mortals or some such nonsense.”

  Gauk laughed, “not your crazed experiment, your reference to old stories! How do we learn? If not from personal experience we learn from the experience of others, thus the stories. I am going to Astoria.”

  “Astoria?” smirked Brin, “are you mad? You would starve before ever you were halfway there! What do a bunch of hermits and mystics know about reality?”

  Gauk smiled, “certainly more than me. Are you coming?”

  Brin sighed, “you certainly could not get there without me.”

  They quickly ran home to pack and tell their parents of their latest harebrained scheme. They nodded and smiled knowing their adventurous offspring would be back in a week once the rigors of real life set in. They never stayed away very long on such adventures after all. But in this assumption they were quite wrong. The intrepid pioneers set out for and finally reached legendary Astoria after a month’s hard travel they arrived weary, cold, and footsore but more excited than they could say, if only for having achieved the success of the journey they were content.

  They stayed on for a little over a year and delved deep into the vaunted knowledge of the Brethren, but Brin soon wearied of a life of study and wanted to see more of the world. He found Gauk one day and told him of his growing unrest saying, “we have come and you have had ample time to discover the veracity of this deity of yours. Are you satisfied? I grow bored with this place and their platitudes and will soon be leaving to see what else the world has to offer. I am no more convinced of this Master of yours than when I first set foot within its gates. Will you come with me? Philosopher though you may be, you are a good friend and I would enjoy another adventure with you.”

  Gauk smiled at his friend’s ill-veiled warmth and said, “I cannot leave, at least not yet. I found what I came in search of and it is here I shall remain until duty calls me forth.”

  Brin gaped, “you cannot be serious. Do not entomb yourself here with these mystics! Come with me for the whole world awaits us. What is there here but dusty books and mythology?”

  Gauk shook his head sadly, “here is life and meaning and purpose! Can you not see that there is no meaning or point to anything save that man was created for a purpose and was not the unhappy child of mindless chance? The Master is what gives man dignity and purpose and reason for being. Without him life is like chasing after the wind! It is pointless!”

  Brin laughed, “I am sorry that that is your view upon things for to me, life is simply to be enjoyed while it lasts with no cares or worries during or ever after. I have no omnipotent being that demands me to behave myself and live like an ascetic! What does it matter if I live a hedonist as long as I hurt no one else?”

  Gauk said, “there is no joy or peace without the Master my friend, and though you may not hurt another living soul yet you will hurt yourself. Why will you not believe?”

  Brin was quiet a moment and said, “perhaps simply because I do not wish to. If this thing you have found makes you happy then by all means pursue it, but so will I also do that which pleases me.” With that he walked away and vanished from Astoria and his wondering friend.

  The years passed and Gauk never ceased to wonder what became of his confident but wary friend. Gauk joined the Brethren and after several years as an apprentice under the guidance of a more seasoned mentor he was given the chance to have his first solo adventure which carried him far to the north well past the bounds of civilization where only intrepid pioneers and fugitives were wont to lurk. He accomplished there that which he was sent to do and rode home content in knowing he had done his best for the Lady and the Master. His contemplations were cut short as a fiery pain erupted in his shoulder followed by the enraged screams of his mount and then darkness took him as he fell from his saddle and met the hard ground.

  He opened his eyes briefly to see a man standing over him with a knife to his throat, but he looked more confused than hostile and then he lapsed again into darkness. The cutthroat looked in confusion from the prone figure over which he stood to the leader of the small hunting party who had denied him the right of the kill. This was highly unusual, they never left their victims alive. “Do as I say,” said the leader, “bring him and we shall let the lord decide his fate.”

  They bound the hostage and drug him back towards their encampment. The wary unicorn followed in the shadows, anxious for Gauk’s safety but unwilling to risk further injury to his master as long as the fiends were intent on bearing him thence alive. “I do not like it,” muttered the stymied killer, “I fear he is growing soft. The lord will set it right.”

  Brin wondered why he had spared his friend. The boy was obviously a heretic and a menace to freethinking folk. It also went strongly against everything their small clan believed to take a prisoner like this. He sighed, hoping his misguided friend might come to his senses and join them rather than ending like all the others. He was growing soft if such a pathetic thing as pity was playing fitfully through his mind! He quashed the rebellious thoughts and put on his most menacing scowl. They finally reached the village and the captive was laid on the bare earth within a small enclosure encircled by a small log pal
isade that made attempts to jump or scale the walls futile. The other hunters muttered darkly as they left Brin alone with the captive and he had no doubt they would soon be telling their lord about the weakness of their leader. Brin examined Gauk’s wounded shoulder where the arrow had already been pulled free. It was not a bad wound; it was the fall more than anything that had rendered him unconscious.

  Gauk stirred, interrupting Brin’s investigation. The two friends stared at one another for a moment and then exchanged greetings after a long sundering. Gauk smiled, “I have had the strangest dreams. Where am I? What have you been about all these years? I thought never to see you again and here I thought myself fallen upon by bandits upon the way.”

  “We are not bandits,” said Brin quietly, “in fact we are quite hard on bandits or others that think to take advantage of lesser men. We mistook you for such as it were.”

  Gauk gave him an odd look, “who is we? Why did you attack first and ask questions later?”

  Brin said, “I have fallen in with a group of progressive people who share my ideas on things and have carried those assumptions to their proper conclusion. We dwell in the heart of the wilderness where men seldom come and those who do can have no good intention, especially armed. To defend ourselves and as a small service to the rest of society we kill those who might threaten others if given the chance. We certainly do not fall upon women and children, or those escorting such but all armed men are fair game.”

  Gauk frowned, “I thought you more noble than to kill for any reason than a just cause. You cannot have become a murderer!”

  Brin laughed derisively, “call it what you will. I told you my folk have carried my ideas to their logical conclusion, well that conclusion is that man is an animal and as such there should be no taboo in treating him as such. Any animal is justified in defending itself and its territory and reaping the spoils of said defense. My men wished to kill you outright, as is our custom, but I stayed their hands hoping you might have come to your senses but I see you are just as deluded as ever.”

  “Why not just let me pass in peace?” asked Gauk quietly, “what threat is one man to you and yours?”

  Brin said just as quietly, “it was not a question of threat. We are hunters and we take what prey comes before us, be it a deer or a man.”

  Gauk gaped, “you cannot be serious! This is some horrible joke!”

  Brin showed no sign of laughing, “it is as I say. If men are animals then there should be no qualms about treating them as such. How many weak folk in the south have we spared from the depredations of criminals that might otherwise have fallen upon them? We spare the women and the children, in that at least we are nobler than the mean beasts.”

  Gauk said in astonishment, “what have you become? Men are not animals that they can be hunted down like deer! You wondered once why I felt the Master so important and this is the reason! This is madness. What has happened to my friend?”

  Brin’s face hardened as he said, “I have discovered that life is difficult, impossible if you are not as cruel as fate is determined to be. I do not know why I stayed the hunter’s blade, it was stupidity to think you might understand. You are nothing but a deluded fool, but at least your life will not be a complete waste. At least we can put your corpse to good use.” Dark laughter interrupted this exchange and both turned their eyes to see a tall, broad man standing at the door of the surround. Brin bowed deeply to his lord and said deferentially, “what service may I lend you my lord?”

  The intimidating figure said, “I have come to see what the cause of all the rumor has been. Your men fear you are becoming soft, but I hope that such is not true.”

  Brin said stiffly, “I know I broke protocol for the sake of an old friend, hoping perhaps he might join us but alas he is as stiff-necked and pigheaded as ever. He is yours to do with as you please my lord and I beg your forgiveness in this one lapse of judgment.”

  The lord eyed both boys grimly and said, “you have been a loyal servant until now and I see you are not lacking in fortitude even so. I will overlook this shortcoming but see that it does not happen again.”

  He looked Gauk over with his cruel, malevolent eyes and said, “and what of you? Why are you so repulsed by our ways? Is it not natural for the strong to prey upon the weak? Even so we make allowances for the most helpless of your race.”

  Gauk stood and said, “it may be natural if man allows his baser nature to become carried away with itself but the Master calls us to a nobler goal.”

  “The Master,” scoffed the lord, “what can ruined man know of him and what does he care for you? You are nothing but beasts to prey one upon the other until you have destroyed yourselves. Your fate has been decided but it will wait a few days, for the hunting has been good and a rather unfortunate circumstance has arisen, but tomorrow or the day after you will cease to trouble us.” He motioned for Brin to follow and together left the enclosure with Gauk still trapped within. The lord said to his minion as they walked away, “see that this does not happen again. Any further sign of weakness and you know what will come of you.” Brin bowed his head in ascent and they walked on in silence.

  Gauk wondered at the strange predicament in which he found himself. He felt the desperate fear of his unicorn but his own heart was even more disquiet within him. Could it possibly be true? Could there be such a heartless lot that would indulge in such a forbidden practice? Was it not bad enough to subject your fellow men to theft, murder, and rape but to go a step further and kill for the sake of acquiring meat? It was unthinkable but too horrible to make up. He tried to calm his agitated mount and needed all the Master’s strength to quiet his own reeling mind.

  He was not alone long in his quandary however for the gate was opened once more and another hostage found himself in the little pen. The newcomer hobbled painfully on one leg; the other was splinted roughly with branches and pieces of cloth. The newcomer eyed his cellmate questioningly until he flopped carelessly to the ground saying, “so you are the cause of all the rumor in the camp.”

  Gauk said quietly, “I suppose my former friend’s behavior can be considered scandalous thinking to such as yourself. What is your sad tale?”

  The boy eyed him strangely, “sad tale? I broke my leg severely and it will be months in healing if it heals at all. I am handicapped to the point of uselessness therefore only one practical solution is left me; I can do one last service to my fellow men and thereafter I need worry about nothing.”

  Gauk gaped, “you cannot be serious!”

  The boy laughed derisively, “what is the point of living if you have no purpose in it and there is nothing beyond? I am a drain upon the resources of society and am only doing my duty as I see it. You cannot berate me for acting so nobly can you? I have also come to a point where I no longer find any purpose or interest in life. What is the point of waking morning after morning and going about an endless cycle of tedium and sorrow? We all must die one day and as everything is absolutely pointless it is something of a relief to simply be done with the whole ordeal and do some good in the process.”

  Gauk was on the verge of tears for such backwards thinking, “a burden? You are made in the image of the Master! He shed his blood to spare yours and you think life is pointless? What is noble about suicide? There is certainly a purpose in life and much more than we can ever imagine awaits thereafter. You will spend eternity in utter darkness!”

  The boy gave him a patronizing smile and said, “I am glad your mythology gives you comfort but I am content with my current mode of thinking and would thank you not to pester me with outdated legends and children’s tales. Oblivion is all our future! Face the facts my friend.”

  Gauk tried to speak but the boy held up a hand and began humming blandly to himself as he rolled onto his back and tried to sleep. Gauk paced the wall on the opposite side of the enclosure and prayed as hard as he ever had for stren
gth and guidance and hope for these misguided individuals. Suddenly the gate opened and a pair of grim looking men in their middle years stuck their heads in and called to the injured young man, “are you ready?”

  The boy sat up, smiled grimly, nodded his head, and the pair entered and helped him to his feet. They disappeared out the door and the boy gave Gauk an infuriating smile over his shoulder as the door shut behind them. Night fell and Gauk spent a sleepless night on the hard ground of the enclosure wondering what the morrow might bring. Dawn was long in coming and finally he drew himself to his feet and began working the stiffness from his muscles. Some hours later the door opened again and Brin entered looking grim. They stared at one another for a few moments until finally Brin said, “have you yet come to your senses? It is not too late.”

  Gauk shook his head grimly, “you are those who are deluded! How can you do this to any man, let alone a friend? What did your injured comrade do to deserve death? I have never met so heartless a people! This is an abomination and violates everything the Master holds dear. The Enemy is certainly pleased by your vile practices.”

  Brin smiled grimly, “I take it you have not recanted. I care nothing for your precious Master or his equally fictitious foe. Since you will not change your mind I am afraid that your hours have run out. You cannot say I did not give you every chance. Someday all folk that hold to such fallacies will end as you and that will be the beginning of a new age for humanity. You wallow in weakness, which causes the entire species to rot from within. Farewell.”

  He turned suddenly and withdrew but the door did not shut; the same grim looking men from the previous day stood there with malicious grins on their faces and said, “come along then heretic, we have not got all day.” Gauk sighed, nodded grimly, and allowed the men to lead him away. Brin watched his deluded friend disappear around the corner with his escorts and tried desperately to fight down the repulsive feeling that rose in his heart. He hurried away to attend to some minor but forgotten task, anything to keep from thinking about what he had just done. He was stronger than this!

  An hour later, the leader of the grisly band was pacing back and forth before his hut deep in thought. He had assembled such a promising body of followers and had them quite firmly in his hand. The humans were worse than useless, mere cattle that should be eradicated from the earth. They had hoped the Dragon Wars would have been the answer but that failed utterly. Then they had hoped that humanity would destroy itself but again they had been sorely disappointed; no matter how many disasters they wrought amongst themselves they always managed to crawl from the ashes and begin anew. He was quite pleased with his progress in corrupting at least a small band of that ignoble race, now how to spread it abroad and make believers of the entire world? He looked up in surprise to see Gauk standing not five paces away, standing patiently as if awaiting an audience. He scowled and said, “what do you want? How did you escape?”

  Gauk’s reply was cut short as Brin came running up the path towards the lord’s hut on some matter of business. The lord turned upon his minion and said, “have they not yet dealt with your friend?” He glared daggers at Gauk who waited patiently for a chance to speak.

  Brin looked hard in the direction his lord glared but could see no reason for his upset. He scuffed his boot toes in the dirt and said anxiously, “he will trouble you no more my lord. They took him an hour ago.”

  The man stared in amazement at the ghost before him and said roughly to the distraught Brin, “you are having second thoughts about your dealings with him who was once your friend?”

  Brin looked horrified and said, “I would dare no such thing my lord!” But deep within his heart was reeling with horror and grief.

  The lord smiled maliciously, “see that you do not. Leave me!” Brin wasted no time in fleeing the awkward scene while the tall man turned upon Gauk.

  “There is something very strange afoot,” scowled the man, “are you two up to something? If so neither of you are long for this world.”

  Gauk said quietly, “I am no longer of your world. Your kind is far sighted beyond mortal wont thus you can see that which a living man cannot.”

  “What do you want then,” snarled the eagle eyed man, “are you some mournful ghost that cannot rest? It would be a fitting curse for the treachery of your race.”

  Gauk said, “I am here at the Master’s behest. This practice of yours is an abomination and cannot be allowed to continue. It must be stopped immediately or you bring His wrath upon your own head.”

  At this the predatory man laughed, “the Master’s wrath indeed! What have I to fear? It was your blighted race that caused the downfall of creation and slew the Master himself. It is you who are under his wrath. I will not be taken in by the lies of a ghost!”

  Gauk said grimly, “you have been warned. Heed well my words or you shall forever rue them!”

  “I will take my chances,” sneered the man, “besides, I thought there was no proscription against eating one already dead.”

  Gauk said grimly, “certainly it is reprehensible but not necessarily evil in desperate circumstances but you murder men to sate your hunger. You do not scavenge a corpse found by the wayside.”

  The man snarled, “men are nothing but animals therefore I shall treat them as animals. It is not murder to kill that which the Master despises.”

  Gauk shook his head sadly, “he does not despise men or any other thinking creature. Nothing could be further from the truth. Cease this detestable practice ere it is too late!” Suddenly he was gone and the man nearly fell over laughing. Abomination indeed!

  His lordship found himself that evening intentionally seated next to Brin who seemed to be having a tough go of the evening meal. He nibbled at his bread but would not touch the soup before him. His master sneered at his lack of appetite, “not hungry? Has your weakness affected your stomach as well? It will not do to waste food. Eat or tomorrow it shall be you in that bowl you refuse to touch.”

  Brin dropped his bread and stared dejectedly into his soup, “I cannot do it. Even if it cost me my life I cannot do it! He was my friend.”

  The lord pounded his hand hard upon the table and snarled, “what does it matter that you knew his name? Is it any different than a cow or a chicken you had grown fond of? He is gone! He exists no longer! What is wrong with you?”

  Tears stung Brin’s eyes as he said, “he was right and I am a fool! Why could I not see it before? What have I done?”

  The lord smiled darkly, “you have said enough. Your weakness is a threat to all the others. You know the penalty for such rebellion. Tomorrow you will die slowly before everyone and then shall grace our table for the evening meal. You shall not have the mercy of a swift death as did your friend.”

  Perhaps the horror deepened in Brin’s eyes as they drug him away to await the morning but the bottomless pit that had been his soul cared little for the pronouncement. The topic of conversation suddenly changed to the weakness of a certain former comrade and speculation upon the morrow’s spectacle. They left Brin alone in the little palisade where he spent the better part of the night weeping. Finally as the moon raised her sleepy head above the fence, exhaustion finally brought an end to the tears. Brin thought perhaps he was hallucinating for as he raised his head to wipe the moisture from his eyes he saw his friend squatting beside him. He gasped and the phantasm smiled as he had done so many years before when they were innocent boys together.

  Brin stuttered, “is it truly you? How can this be?”

  Gauk stood then and began pacing the enclosure as he had done the previous night, saying, “I am myself.” He stopped and looked hard at his friend, “existence does not cease with the last beat of one’s heart. You have despaired of life because of unquenchable guilt, but this need not be the end.”

  Brin sobbed, “I have not the heart to continue living and they will kill me tomorro
w regardless. I have not the comfort of your precious Master! After the atrocities I have committed he will never accept such as I. All is lost and now you have come to show me that I will not simply cease to exist as I had hoped but will spend an eternity in regret and despair!”

  Gauk said, “I was sent not to condemn, for man cannot judge his fellow men, but to offer you hope! You have done terrible things but the Master has atoned for it if you will but let him.”

  Brin gaped, “he will forgive me even yet?” Gauk nodded hopefully. Brin said, “can he spare me from the fate that is set me on the morrow?”

  Gauk shook his head, “that I cannot promise. The Master does as he will with his servants. But he can spare you from eternal darkness and the endless guilt that would otherwise haunt however long is left to you in mortal life.”

  Brin sighed, “to think that perhaps I finally find the meaning of life upon the brink of death!”

  Gauk laughed, “it is far better than missing the point and ruing it for all eternity. Come my friend, what say you?” Brin smiled deeply as he answered.

  Morning came grey and wet with fog but this did not prevent the entire population of the little clan from gathering for the day’s event. Brin was escorted out to the little grassy amphitheater where such gatherings were held and faced his former comrades. The leader of the grim band was surprised to see the miserable creature facing his doom with some semblance of equanimity rather than despair or terror. What was the pathetic wretch up to? He made his way down into the center of the gathering to taunt his former minion before the festivities could begin. “Your weakness ends at last!” scolded the large man.

  “Do not do this!” said Brin boldly and all gathered gasped in amazement at his temerity at such a time.

  He earned a slap for his boldness and his former master laughed darkly, “you only make things worse for yourself wretch. What has gotten into you? Last night you were eaten alive by guilt! Now you dare insult all of us here gathered? You are an utter fool, but at least your idiocy shall not become contagious. Begin.”

  “Wait!” came a desperate cry, “it is not too late!”

  “You again!” snarled the leader, “can you not leave the affairs of the living to those still in that condition? Be gone fell spirit. I need none of your lies.”

  Gauk ignored him and turned pleading eyes to the gathered crowd. One of the grim looking men holding Brin drew a dagger and tried to kill again the annoying man he had killed only the previous morning but the audience gasped as his blows went right through the apparition. Gauk shook his head and said to all who would listen, “the Master gives you one last chance to turn from your evil and seek his grace before judgment comes upon you! Do not die stained with such abominable sins!”

  The lord laughed him to scorn and said, “any who want to join this fool can certainly get in line with his unfortunate friend here. I have heard enough. Ignore this prattling ghost and get on with it.” The grim men exchanged a smile and moved once more towards their prisoner. Brin’s eyes widened in terror, but suddenly everyone was driven to their knees in terror and awe.

  A great unicorn stood in the midst of the dell and looked grimly upon the gathered crowd. He pleaded in a voice like all the tears in the world, “will none come to me even now?”

  There was some muffled laughter and some very rude comments but finally two men hustled to kneel before their Maker. The Master eyed them quizzically and said to the first, “you are not sorry for what you have done. You simply fear death or what comes after.”

  The man looked deep into his eyes, snarled, and fled back to his comrades saying, “that should be enough!”

  The Master shook his head sadly, “you must come to me because you wish it, not because you fear something else. I cannot shield you from the fate you have chosen unless you accept me as I am and repent of all your evil.” He then turned a baleful eye upon the other man who knelt at his feet saying, “you come seeking advantage or power when you should be humbling yourself before me seeking mercy!”

  The man smiled greasily, shrugged, and slunk back into the crowd with a whispered, “it was worth a try.”

  The Great Unicorn then turned his sad eyes upon Brin and said, “you would all be wise to act as this man and throw yourself upon my mercy.”

  The crowd laughed and the tall man scoffed, “if that is your offer I want no part of it! I will not spend eternity with such miserable creatures as these. I am content in myself and need no weak and pathetic lord to whom I must bow.”

  Brin and Gauk shared a horrified look but the Master only shook his head and said, “then to yourself I leave you and all your wretched followers. It is as beasts you have behaved and it is as beasts you shall face that which your deeds have earned.”

  The man laughed darkly and said, “we shall see who is the stronger. Destroy them all!”

  Suddenly an ogre stood where his lordship had been threatening and the onrushing horde of men suddenly came to resemble a swarm of goblins. The ogre scratched his head in confusion and the goblins lost all interest in the Unicorn and started fighting with one another and the ogre. The mist darkened about them and they were lost from sight but their horrible screams and cries rent the morning air and caused the hair to stand up on the back of Brin’s neck. He and Gauk stood and followed the Master as he climbed out of the dell.

  As the cacophony ceased either from distance or from the demise of the orators none could say but Brin stammered, “have they really become such horrible monsters?”

  The Master shook his head sadly, “only in form, their minds remain their own but so far have they fallen that their reason is little different from that of the creatures they now resemble. They will destroy one another and none shall remain to again harm my dear children.”

  Brin wept, “but such was I!”

  The Master nodded, “and you have turned from such ways and given yourself willingly to me. I shall remember your transgressions no more and neither should you let yourself be eaten up by guilt over what has been. Remain faithful and you have nothing to fear child. I have much for you to accomplish and you cannot do it in a state of despair. I have forgiven you, now you must forgive yourself.”

  Brin smiled weakly and flung his arms around the great neck and whispered, “thank you.”

  The Master smiled and said, “now you had best return to Astoria and this time actually learn what they have been trying to teach you.”

  Brin exchanged a sad look with Gauk and said, “I wish that I did not go alone.”

  The Master smiled, “I did not say you were to go alone.”

  A mortal unicorn came galloping out of the fog and bowed deeply before his Maker and then greeted Gauk excitedly. He nosed Brin skeptically, snorted a sigh, and seemed satisfied, at which the others laughed. Brin gasped, “but he is dead!”

  The Master laughed, “and what is death to me who is Master of life and all beyond and before? Farewell my dear ones!” Suddenly he was gone, as was the mist. Brin and the fully restored Gauk shared an astonished and overjoyed smile and then crawled aback the unicorn and set off for Astoria with a terrible story to tell. Naught remained to be seen of the strange battle in the dell.