Chapter 15

It didn't take long for them to eat their makeshift breakfast. As soon as they'd gathered their few possessions they set off at pace on towards the Lake, pushing hard despite the protests of their aching legs. While Aaron's sight had been rather worryingly hampered by the recent turn of events, knowing where Phae was headed made things somewhat easier.

They continued on for much of the morning until their path brought them to the edge of the forest that marked the Lake's surrounds. As they drew nearer, they saw the first of the withered trees.

Lena gasped. "Oh my goodness!"

"What is it?" Aaron asked.

"That tree: it's dead!"

"It's worse than dead," Callum added. "It's like it's had every last ounce of life sucked out of it."

"And there's another one behind it look," Lena pointed, "And another. It's a trail!" She gasped and turned to face Callum. "You don't think Phae's responsible for this do you?"

Callum struggled to keep a neutral expression. "I don't know," he said. The cold withered bark fell away at his touch. "Whoever or whatever it was that did this I fear we shall very soon find the answer." He strode decisively into the forest. "Come on," he said, "it's time we got to the bottom of all this."

They followed him closely as he led them along the trail of lifeless trees all the way to the Lake's edge. What they found when they got there was enough to make Callum fall to his knees. Even Aaron stopped and gasped in shock.

The Lake was dead.

Gone was the magical aura that emanated from its heart. Gone too was the energy the life that filled the Lake's visitors with a sense of warmth and well-being. Instead the Lake had become nothing more than a vast lifeless pool.

Tears began to stream down Callum's face. "What has she done?!"

Neither Aaron nor Lena could find the words to comfort him. Even Aaron felt himself welling up.

"It's grey," he mumbled to himself, "so very, very grey." He paused. "It's like the magic of the Lake has been sucked out and left nothing but an empty shell.

"I think," Lena said finally, "we know what happened to your sight Aaron. I think we now know why Callum and I felt as if a part of our beings had been taken away from us."

Callum looked up and turned to face her. "The source."

Lena nodded solemnly. "Now I don't know what's happened to it or what made it the way it is, but either way this is serious. This must have been the change or the stirring Elidor hinted at."

"Perhaps," Aaron agreed, taking a step closer to her and putting his arms round her, "but what would make Phae do such a thing? She couldn't have done this on her own surely?"

Lena shook her head sadly. "I just don't know," she replied. "One thing is for sure though we need to find her and we need to find her now. Whatever it is that's making her do this we need to stop her before she can do any more damage."

They turned back towards the forest. It was then that Lena spotted a second trail not too far from where they had come out. "Well at least we know the way she went," Lena said pointedly. "What can you make of the trail Aaron?"

"Not a great deal," he sighed. "If it was faint before it's even fainter now my sight has dimmed. Having said that" He paused. "There definitely does seem to be something different about it. Either she has changed, or something about her has changed. It's either that or she is travelling with someone."

Callum's face was pained. "I don't know what's worse, the thought of someone forcing my daughter to do these awful things, or the thought she may be doing them of her own free will."

Lena took a step towards the forest. She called back to the others. "Come on you two. If we want to have any chance of catching her we can't be waiting around here feeling sorry for ourselves we've got to get moving!"

Aaron tugged his friend by the arm. "She's right you know," he said. "We can't stand around here feeling sorry for ourselves. Your daughter needs us."

Callum gulped as the enormity of the situation started to sink in. The Seer had been right to be worried. They had to find Phae before it was too late.