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Chapter 17E-The Missing Soul Part
"There is a mighty secret hidden in the cave at the lake", he said seriously to Tobal. "I can find it but you must explain it to me. That is what grandfather told me. We can go now if you want."

"We can't go now", Tobal told him gently and pointed to the med-alert bracelets they both were wearing. "These bracelets let the medics and the evil ones know where we are at all times and we can't take them off. If we take them off the medics will come looking to see what is wrong. If we don't wear them we can't become citizens of Heliopolis. You remember that is what your grandfather wanted you to do?" He asked.

" That area by the lake is forbidden and they don't want us to go there. It is because of the great secret you are telling about." He told Crow about his experience with the air sleds during his visit of the abandoned gathering spot the first time.

When he told Crow about his second visit the boy's eyes looked like burning coals as Tobal described the cave and the altar.

"I have heard of such a cave myself", he said. "My grandfather goes to a cave much like the one you have described. But it is a secret and he has not told me it's location. I am not old enough he says, although my sister has gone and she described it to me. It has the same symbol you speak of above the altar itself. Perhaps it is the same cave?"

"I don't think so", Tobal replied. "When I was in the cave it looked like no one had been there for many years."

"Will you take me to see the grave of my parents?", Crow asked Tobal suddenly.

"I have wanted to go back many times myself", he said to Crow, " but I am afraid it will not work in the winter time. I've spoken much about this with my friend Rafe and Ellen. They both believe it is very dangerous and we must wait until we are medics and have our own air sleds. Then we can work together and protect each other if needed. I also think this is the best plan. Any other way seems too dangerous and likely that we will get caught. It is especially dangerous in the wintertime when the snow will give away our location and leave tracks. I will mark it on your map though so you know where it is."

"Then let's become medics", Crow said determinedly. "Let's learn the mysteries and ways of the evil ones so that we may defeat them."

Tobal chuckled, "So we will, so we will. But now it's time to get some sleep. Tomorrow is a busy day."

By the middle of December Tobal felt he had learned twice as much from Crow as he had learned from Rafe and was certain the boy could have soloed any time he wanted to.

He had also been practicing the drills and exercises Crow had instructed him in and was getting steady results. These exercises always stirred up deeply buried and repressed emotions from his past and troubled his dreams with threatening ghostly images. His dreams were vivid and violent. As he persisted with the exercises his dreaming self became more powerful and he was able to change the outcome of his dreams.

"The shaman must be able to travel in three worlds", Crow told Tobal one evening in the middle of December.