(38) When all else is lost the future still remains

“How long will we be here?” Race asked as he continued following Addie down the hall.

“I suspect that will depend on what we can find out about the being in the Messenger’s body, and then decide how to deal with them.”

“I will make it my job to see what I can determine about him. I have some sources that might have ideas about that.” Kayne said. “I would have done it earlier but there were things on the other plane that needed my attention. Things I preferred to handle myself rather than leave them in Shelagh’s hands.”

Addie cocked an eyebrow. “I hope for the sake of your relationship you didn’t tell her that.”

Kayne chuckled. “I may be male, but I am not that stupid.”

“Then there’s hope for you yet.” She grinned at him before opening the wide double doors at the end of the hall.

“Whoa,” Race muttered when Kayne produced more light so that the room was fully illuminated. It was huge. At the far end he could see a firing range, at one side hung heavy and speed bags, and other workout equipment stood close by. Across from that were cabinets, as well as a full range of larger weapons in standing racks.

“This was a fully equipped paramilitary compound, Race,” Addie explained. “We didn’t always use magic in our battles; in fact that was a rarity.” When he asked she gave him a brief run-down of what the group had done and why.

After she’d finished Race asked tentatively, “Will someone ever start it up again? It sounds like you were doing a great deal of good.”

“I seriously doubt it, but there are other ones like ours waging the same battles.”

Race nodded as he wandered over to check out the weapons.

Kayne came to stand beside Addie. “Are you certain?”

“About?” She looked at him in question.

“Anything,” he replied with a chuckle, “but right now, that you and Shan might not form another group like Lorcan’s.”

“If we do anything with this place,” Shan said as he strolled in to join them, “it would be what you suggested, as a school for battle-mages on this plane.”

“So you’re actually considering that?” Addie asked, a bit surprised though she suspected she shouldn’t have been.

Shan shrugged. “They’re needed. It’s not as if there was an over abundance of them. And it might give me some sense of real purpose, something I’ve been lacking recently.”

Addie nodded. “What about Race?”

“That is something I’ll have to find out. Having potential and learning how to use it can be two very different things. First and foremost he has to want to.”

“It will be interesting to see if he does, once you’ve dealt with this personage who is after Addison,” Kayne said. “This reminds me, I should leave the three of you. If I am going to find out anything about him, I can not do it here. Is there anything more you need of me before I go?”

Shan shook his head. “Other than some basic supplies, we should be good for a while and those I can get in the nearest town.”

Race came over in time to hear the last of the conversation. “But if you teleport can’t that thing track you?”

“He has to know where I am in order to do that, and thanks to Kayne that’s virtually impossible.”

Kayne cocked an eyebrow. “Totally impossible.” He hugged Addie, wished them well while promising to be in contact as soon as he had any information, and then vanished.