The day had come at last. Brother Nod had prepared dinner for her. Father William was purposefully not in the vicinity. Ever since they had come to the abbey they were raised together but Brother Nod did not have the feelings of a sibling towards her.

This was all well and good. Their order was not so strict as to require any unnatural suppression of the Almighty’s gifts. It did have some very specific things to say about when and how those gifts were to be shared. There was no concern for any lapses between these two, nor was there any longer hope that they may be joined in the Holy bonds. The quest for the Crown did not lend itself to hope.

Since the day the Prophetess was chosen for the Quest there was no talk of anything else. Once set upon, the Quest was your life. No one would return from it if successful...you played for keeps. No ‘there and back again’, no ‘heroic return’. If she succeeded she claimed the Crown and none would hear of her again. Her sole intent was to claim the Crown and then never, ever use it.

If, on the other hand, she did return, it would indicate failure of the worst sort. In that case some adventurer would have taken it and a reign of tyranny and terror would inevitably begin.

This was probably the last time they would be together.

“You don’t have to go you know” he said.

“Yes...yes I do.” She insisted. “I was chosen and I dare not refuse. The Holy order has its reasons.”

“I know...I just...I...”

“Don’t say it, it just makes it harder.” A tear formed and she looked down into her empty bowl.

“As you wish...” He ladled out the rich and fragrant broth.

“My favorite, you are a dear.”

Early the next morning she started out, no one but a young layman was about, tending the fences. He remained silent, unaware of her intentions. There were no fan fares and celebrations for those that undertook the Quest. Such things would simply mark you as a competitor and thus end your journey before it began. There was a noble Knight that had ridden out alone on such a morning but that was a year ago. No word had reached them, but that too was normal, one did not advertise their whereabouts on the Quest either.

She remembered Father William talking about an attempt years ago. It took some doing but the old Priest finally had admitted that he had gone on the Quest himself. She and Nod were just children back then so it was hard for her to imagine the sweet old man battling the terrors that she had heard tell of. He was made of hard stuff and his failure haunted him to this day. It seemed that the Quest had drawn many to it and most had perished in distant and nameless lands. One day, as if by some mutual consent, the last few had just grown so weary of the endless horror of it that they simply stopped. The Priest had returned and raised her as a daughter.

She had been chosen for her gift of sight. It was a fickle thing at best, a combination of trickery, keen observation and true foresight. Most of her training had been focused on developing these abilities; while not perfect her visions were a distinct advantage.

The birds were singing and the dew stained her boots and the hem of her traveling dress. She had no weapons, not that she was restricted from using them as the men of the order were. A loophole in the rules at best but the Divine made all things for a purpose, even loopholes. She had taken the time to memorize a powerful enchantment that she hoped would serve her in time of great need. She shuddered at what she might do with such knowledge.

Knowledge! Before she took another step she must look ahead. She calmed herself and let the energy of the world enter her. She did not go blind to the mundane world but it was a new, sixth sense that she was able to use...and she was terrified at what she saw.

The Enemy was there, waiting for her. Not her specifically, but waiting for someone like her. She could sense his promises, his rewards if only she would forsake her vows and serve him. She would be freed from any restraint, whatever she did would be justified if she went down the path she was looking at...her power had served her well.

With out this fore warning she would have stumbled into “Old Screwtape’s” grasp unawares and the seduction would have been too much for her. That was how the Enemy worked; don’t give your prey time to think. Well she saw the truth of it; she was merely prey to the seducer. He would make you believe that you are the hand when in reality you are just a tool and disposable as well. She would not even go near the cursed place; he would take by force what he could not capture by guile.

Instead she found herself walking past a run down old farmer’s hovel. She stopped to have a breath and was taken aback by an old man coming from the humble building. He was smiling and waving and calling to her, “You’ve come at last. He said you would...”

She stayed on her guard but it was plain that this old man was not a threat.

“I have it for you, the Priest said you would come one day and here you are!”

“Slow down my good man. You say a priest bade you give me something?” Madness was not uncommon in some of these lonely old folks, their families moved on, their wives passed away and they were left with only their own minds to talk too.

“Come in, come in...”

She followed certain that she could handle the old fellow, although she did not wish to harm him. “Why would he give something to you?” a pang of regret, her contempt was not well concealed.

“It was a long time ago and he wanted it safe you see. He wanted the right person to have it, someone that would not be tempted by it.”

This was a bit too mysterious. “I am sure it is very special but...”

“Here, here...” he had pulled a tattered, moldy cloth from behind the wood pile near his hearth. It was carefully wrapped around something and tied with gilded silk cord. No mad farmer would have access to such as that. And the cloth was once quite rich; it looked to have been the same color as that worn by Father William.

She took the parcel and the old man danced with glee, clapping his hands. “Open it! Open it!”

The fabric fell away in pieces but it revealed something that was untouched by time.

“He said someone would come and here you are! You are from the Order and the Quest is renewed.”

In her hands she held a Talisman. One of only a few known to exist and she held it in her hand dumbfounded.

“You’d have thought I would have seen that coming.” She muttered.