CHAPTER 13

"Bah! Another dead end! How many blasted tunnels can there be?" Challenger backtracked and moved to the next passage and marked his initial again. As he walked, his mind went back to the events he just experienced. "Was that even real? I remember hearing about the cave that Summerlee pulled Roxton and Marguerite out of. It was filled with a hallucinogenic fungus. Could something to that degree have happened to me?

"It probably was not real, it has no basis in science. However, whether or not what I experienced was real or not, it still was an experience that opened my eyes. It seems as if I have some type of purpose for being on this plateau, I was meant to be here. Whatever that purpose may be, I have no regrets being here. I might not have an actual child, but I still have a family, a family I cherish very deeply. And one day I will be reunited with my beloved Jessie and she can meet the people I have grown to love more with each growing day."

Challenger looked up and saw light coming through from the other end of the passage. "Could it be?" He started walking faster with the possibility that he had finally found the way out. The closer he traveled, the brighter the light grew. "I think I did it. I found the way out!"

- - - - - - -

It was nice seeing William again. I'm so glad I got a chance to say goodbye this time. I miss you so much, William. Wherever you are, I hope you know how much I love you and how much I wish you were here with me. Until we meet again, dear brother.

Roxton looked up as he thought he heard something on the other end of his passage. He saw a bright light on the other end. He laughed and started running towards it. "I did it. I found the way out!"

- - - - - - - -

"Well, that was certainly interesting. I really wish I had brought my journal with me so I could write everything down while the details were fresh in my mind. I'll just have to keep thinking about it until we get back so I can record everything. Hey…." Malone saw a small light on the end of his passage, "Could it be?" He walked closer and the light started growing brighter. "I think I did it. I found the way out!"

- - - - - - - -

"I knew I shouldn't have come into this bloody cave! Always something thrown at us on this stupid plateau! It feels like I've been searching for hours! Why won't the bloody way out just appear and show me the way out already!" Marguerite looked up and saw a bright light at the end of the passageway. "Thank you! About time I found it!"

- - - - - - - - -

Veronica ran all the way down the passageway and as she got to the exit, she found all of her friends pop in at the same exact time.

"You made it!" They all exclaimed simultaneously.

"You're all fine, I'm glad." Veronica said.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Malone asked.

"Well," Veronica looked at her friends, "believe it or not, I heard a voice in the cave. Said it was the spirit of the cave, but I could call it Fate."

"Fate! Ha! I knew that annoying little kid wasn't really a kid." Marguerite crossed her arms and smirked in triumph.

"Child? You saw a small child as well, Marguerite?" Challenger asked.

Marguerite nodded, "That's right, George. She couldn't have been more than 5, dark hair, blue eyes, very annoying."

"Yes, that is who I encountered as well."

Veronica looked at Roxton and Malone. "Did you guys come across a little girl too?"

Roxton shook his head. "No, as a matter of fact, I came across a very attractive young woman. Couldn't have been more than in her mid-twenties I'd say."

"Why am I not surprised?" Marguerite rolled her eyes. "Even trapped in a cave you can attract the tarts."

"I actually came across an old lady. When I first met her she said she was looking for her cat," Malone said.

"Looking for her cat? Oh come on, Malone. Let me guess you fell for it?" Malone looked sheepishly at his friends and nodded. Marguerite patted his shoulder, "Don't worry, Malone. At least you didn't get a lump on the head this time." She chuckled and stopped when she saw the look on Veronica's face.

"Don't you see?" Challenger interrupted, "From what Veronica said of the spirit being Fate, who we all ran into makes sense. In various cultures, Fate has many faces, but I'll use Greek mythology since it is more widely known. The maiden, the mother, and the crone. The Three Fates they were called. The three different faces we all ran into, except for Veronica, of course."

"Very good, Challenger." Everyone looked around trying to find the voice.

"Don't bother," Veronica said, "that's the same one I heard earlier."

"You all have seen what you have needed to see. And you have traveled through this mountain from one side to the other. As you could tell, it was very difficult. But this labyrinth of twists and turns, is like life. There are always obstacles that you must overcome, but in the end you always get to your intended destination."

"You mean the one we're destined to be at?" Veronica asked.

"Yes. You all have made certain choices of your own free will, but in the end all of your choices in your separate labyrinths have led you all together to this very place. The same is true in life. It has all lead up to this, the plateau."

"So, why are we all destined to be here?" Malone waited for a reply and didn't get one.

"Looks like you have another story to write, Neddy-boy." Roxton chuckled and clapped Malone on the back.

"Yeah, remind me to get a detailed account from each of you on what happened." Everyone laughed at Malone's predictable journalistic curiosity.

"Come on, let's go home." Veronica led the way out through the exit.

"I could use a hot shower." Marguerite grumbled and followed everyone out.

"Do you think we could make a slight detour back to those rare specimens?" Challenger asked.

"Challenger!" Everyone exclaimed.

He threw his hands up in defeat. "Well, I guess we'll just call it a day. Lead the way."

The explorers all set off on the trail back to the tree house without knowing what Fate had in store for them next, but knowing that they'd face whatever it was together.

THE END

A/N: I just wanted to thank those of you who read and reviewed, I hope you all enjoyed the story. Until next time folks:)