Turning Point -- Episode #311

EXTENDED SYNOPSIS:

Dar (Daniel Goddard) and Arina (Marjean Holden) go in search of a goat that the runes say is Dar's brother. According to the Book of Eldar, they will find the goat in the next valley. Along the way, a surprise attack by Zad's army alerts Arina to a possible trap, but Dar is so anxious to find the goat, he ignores her warning. Sure enough, they encounter Zad's Knights once again, this time on a rocky ledge high above a deep river canyon. In the ensuing battle, Arina is shoved off the ledge while Dar watches in horror. In his rage, he lashes out with his sword, killing any Knight that gets in his way. He then plunges into the water below to search for Arina, but is only able to find two feathers and her bag.

Back at the campsite, Tao (Jackson Raine) tries in vain to comfort a devastated Dar, who believes Arina to be dead. Now, with evil stalking the land and Balcifer doing his best to bring the world to its knees, Dar announces he's ready to give up on his quest. Balcifer has already taken his family, his first love, Kyra, and now Arina. He begins to feel that the responsibility is too much. Besides, as he recalls, his destiny was to fight Balcifer, and there was no guarantee that he would win.

Out of deep concern for his friend, Tao tries another approach. Tao asks Dar if he ever wonders why he was the one given the power to commune with animals; why he went through so much pain and suffering at the hands of the demon, Curupira, to get his powers. At that, Dar recalls Curupira's words about the promise she had made to Dar's father. At the time, he thought she referred to his Sula father. Now, in light of what he has learned, he realizes she meant King Eldar. If Eldar was going to give Dar the chance to defeat Balcifer, he knew he'd need Curupira on his side. Everything in his life now seems to be pointing to this one event.

While Dar quietly contemplates this revelation, Tao leaves to go in search of Arina. On the riverbank, Tao finds another feather. He then looks downstream and sees that Dar and Ruh have come to join him. Dar sees the feather and somehow knows Arina is still alive.

Suddenly, Kodo approaches holding Arina's knife. Dar and Tao follow him back to the spot where it was found. With Sharak scouting the area from above, they find Arina, lying on the bank, tangled among the brush and barely conscious. With the help of Tao's herbal concoction, she comes to. Even though she has suffered some bad scrapes and bruises, her wicked sense of humor is still very much intact.