Black Moon Draw

I could really use some coffee.

It's mid-morning and I'm safely stowed away in the trunk of a large tree at the base of the mountains. What little I slept was filled with bizarre dreams that made no sense. I had hoped the long dead warrior queen would make an appearance.

She didn't, which leaves the medallion and me at odds once more.

"What do these words mean?" I ask Westley.

Dressed for battle, he sits quietly on the other side of the tree, resigned to be my babysitter instead of preparing for war like the rest of his father's army is doing.

"We do not read or write," he replies.

"No one does?"

"Scribes do. 'Tis not a noble pursuit."

I wish my squire was here. I trace my fingers over the writing. I'm not sure I should talk or trust the teen facing me, but at the moment, I've got no real choice. "Any idea how this really works?"

He shrugs. "'Tis a secret only the battle-witches of Black Moon Draw know. Our battle-witch had none."

I stand and pace, thoughts once again on the Shadow Knight. "I only have two days to figure it out! How can it be that hard?" I glare at the medallion.

"Two days? Nay, witch, it'll take but one," Westley replies.

"For what? Are we talking about the same thing?"

"The fall of Black Moon Draw."

I drop the medallion and face him fully, startled. "What're you talking about?"

Westley glances up from the piece of wood he's patiently carving. "My father's armies lie between the Shadow Knight and his armies. We will take his hold by morning. If he refuses to surrender, my father will slay him, as was done a thousand years ago."

My whole world stops.

He lowers his whittling project. "You speak of aught different. What is it?"

It takes me a minute to find my voice and begin breathing once more. I sit down heavily, once again torn by what I should or shouldn't say to him. "The curse. It ends in two days, and if the requirements for lifting it aren't fulfilled, this whole world ends."

"You jest."

"No."

"Then you are wrong." He shakes his head decisively. "The curse can be stopped by the death of the Shadow Knight. My father says so. To prevent the fog from consuming the world, we need only to kill him."

"Westley, listen to me. Black Moon Draw must reclaim its power and rule over all the kingdoms in the realm before the start of the next era, or this world and everyone in it ceases to exist. It's what drives every Shadow Knight to conquer."