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dead of night, three women waited to meet us. Above, the stars seemed to flow like diamonds, and a white glow of energy lingered around everything. The women waited for Landen and I to lead our family, which we did as they gestured and lead them through the streets to Pelhan’s.
     
    Pelhan was on the porch with Aora at his side, waiting. Behind them were four more women dressed all in white. They walked forward and guided everyone in - with the exception of me and Landen; we stared at Pelhan with questioning eyes.
     
    “Can you help us? What have the stars told you?” Landen asked.
     
    Pelhan stepped off the front porch and walked slowly to Landen, smiling. Aora mirrored his steps. “My friends, I cannot read the stars above; I never have been blessed with that understanding,” he said.
     
    “Then how do you know what you know?” I asked, confused.
     
    Pelhan looked at me and smiled. “I listen to my higher self; in the silence, I find the answers I seek,” he answered.
     
    “Can you ask how to defeat him?” Landen said as respectfully as he could.
     
    Pelhan nodded. “I have already...light is the destruction of darkness,” he answered.
     
    I let my shoulders fall, then looked up at Landen. We were both hoping for an insight beyond that; we wanted to know how to avoid it, to endure it. Pelhan smiled and began to walk to the large garden to the left of his home. He looked over his shoulder, assuring himself that we were following him. He and Aora led us through the weaving paths of the garden. In the center of it were red rose bushes that towered over me; the thorns looked like steel razor blades, and I pulled my arms close to me, wanting to avoid them. The rose bushes encircled a small area where the grass was short, which was where Pelhan sat slowly down and crossed his legs in front of him. Aora sat at his side. Landen looked at me and sighed; neither of us felt we had time for these slow, revealing lessons.
     
    We sat in front of them and pulled forth as much patience as we could. With a small grin across his face, Pelhan looked at Aora and nodded; she then reached her hand for the closest bush. I squinted my eyes as her hand gripped the thorns and blood slowly drizzled down her wrist. When she released the stem, she showed us her palm: I could see four deep lacerations. My mouth dropped, and I felt a cold sweat come across my forehead; I’d never been one who could endure the sight of blood. Landen reached his arm around me, giving me as much calm as he could; I knew he was bothered by the display as well.
     
    Aora stretched her hand toward Pelhan, who took her hand. With his touch, the glow around them grew brighter; when it dimmed, he released Aura’s hand, and she showed us her palm: the lacerations were gone, and all the blood was gone from her wrist...it was as if it had never happened.
     
    “How?” Landen asked quietly.
     
    “This is a gift you taught me long ago. I’ve never been able to teach another - but I hope that changes tonight,” Pelhan answered.
     
    I swallowed and looked to the razor thorns, fearing that he was going to ask me to cut my hand so Landen could practice this new gift.
     
    “You saw the light?” Pelhan asked. We nodded. “That was my energy, me wanting more than anything to take her pain away, to heal her body from its wounds.” He paused and examined his own Aura. “You can see clearly that now, my energy - our energy - has been depleted,” Pelhan said.
     
    “Can you get it back?” Landen asked
     
    “It will return when we join as one,” Pelhan answered.
     
    “You just wanted to heal her...just a focused thought?” Landen summarized.
     
    Pelhan raised his eyebrows and smiled slightly; I could tell he was amused by Landen’s eager interpretation.
     
    “A much focused thought; no doubt or care for my own well being...willing to give her my energy, my life force,” Pelhan said.
     
    “At least I can heal you,” Landen said, looking to his