Episode Twentyseven: Found!

Dodo and his group stared in disbelief. The man who stepped out of the fire was older and wore a bright golden outfit. The setting sun behind him made him look like he was glowing. His pale face and bald head seemed to glisten. The older man's brilliant blue eyes were calm like a still sea, and yet, they looked like they could see through you. Then he suddenly raised his arms toward the sky, and a great number of butterflies filled the air around him. The colorful flittering of the butterflies made the man look like he was sparkling.

Dodo and Piku stepped in front of Samar and Jem. "What kind of man is this who unlocks doors without a key, enters a man's dreams, and walked through the fire without being burned?" Dodo asked.

The gentleman looked at Dodo eye to eye, and said firmly and loudly, "I am Ipo, King of Isola." Samar fell to his knees and bowed his head. Then he pulled Dodo and Piku down to the ground too. "There isn't time." The king said. "We need to leave this area now." As the four were getting up, King Ipo noticed Dodo's knee. "You're bleeding!" he said to him. "Come with me!" He grabbed Dodo's arm and began running back up the ridge.

"Here we go again." Piku commented as they took off running again after Dodo.

"Paco's men are everywhere. If we stay here they may see us, if they haven't seen us already. We need to get off this ridge." The beautiful elderly gentleman man had an urgency in his voice. "I know a place that has a medical center. It's been deserted since the Queen and I had to leave the Palace. All the supplies we need will be there. I'll show you the way!" The golden-clothed man was lively and could ran as fast as Piku.

"Wait!" Dodo shouted as he was practically dragged up the ridge again. "I don't need to go to a medical center, we have a hospital in my village. And I am a doctor!" King Ipo tried to quiet him, but it was too late. A group of Runners spotted them as they reached the top.

"Villagers!" Came a cry from the bottom of the terrain. Before they knew it fifty men dressed in red and black garments, gathered in the center of the empty village below, and came running up the mountain.

"Over here!" King Ipo pointed to a narrow opening, barely visible, under the passageway. He scattered the dirt on the ground so that the Runners would not know which way they went, and then the four dove into the cave just in time.

When the men approached the top, and saw no one and no tracks, The leader of the group had the men scatter and check the surrounding terrain, and in the passageway. "I know I felt magic here. Keep looking."

Dirt fell on them as the men went into the passageway over their heads. A few minutes later the men returned and one of them reported, "Someone was at the river's crossing. They may have come from the western shore. What do you want us to do?"

"If there even is a tribe living on the western shore, King Paco won't collect them for the Great Race until after he finds the Western Medallion. For now, we return to the Palace."

Just then another Runner came up the ridge. "I just came from the Flowing Waters Tribe. I saw the Medallion!" Dodo tried to listen carefully as the men talked, but it seemed like they were leaving the area. "A young woman was wearing it, but she got away. She wasn't alone. She had help from Blanne and Hong...."

Dodo's eyes lit up with fear. "Lakia!" he gasped.