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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jeremy" data-source="post: 348252" data-attributes="member: 4036">As Collin walked the lines of the dead he came to rest at Praelesian's body.  Her face was poignant and beautiful, a measure of peace on her face that made it seem as if she merely slept.  The left side of her body was incased in ice and her left arm below the elbow was missing.  Collin had no words or emotion to show, on the inside a countdown had started this morning and it was ticking down swiftly.  His heart boiled and raged but he didn't feel any of it, his mind was in total control.  Logic and mathematics.Part of her arm is missing.  Search and find it.He scoured the ice encased trees theorizing that if the left side of her body was frozen she was on the edge of one of the blasts that must have come from the silver dragon.How many times had they crossed swords with the strange ogres and organized goblins?  How long had it been since the silver---it had to be the same silver that had helped them so long ago---had heeded the horn trumpets of the ogres and landed in their midst?  How long?  Probably even longer since Taviel's urgent message.  Action/Reaction.  Action.  Reaction.Reaction.Too short.  Male arm.  Right hand.  Left forearm.  Left hand.  Match.Collin moved stiff and mechanical and came back with three pieces, one complete and one in two pieces that might be the correct appendage.  Frederick tried to offer words, Collin walked right past him to Two Moons, "You.  I need your help."Two Moons, who had seen so much death so close to him, Dawn Mist, Rudderly, countless townspeople, Frederick, Khuuld, some quiet, some savage and final, but so much of it...  Two Moons looked with sad eyes on Collin, "I can't.  She is beyond my reach.""Not mine damn you.  Just say you'll help me."  His voice lacked the vehemence of his words and it came across cold and unconcerned but Two Moons nodded none the less.  "Zerin.  I need you as well."The black dragonkin nodded his massive head wordlessly.  Collin pulled matter from the ether and constructed it into a harness for himself and Praelesian and Two Moons."Collin?  What are you going to do?  Collin?  Collin!"  Frederick looked at Collin and saw dead eyes and concentration and it scared him terribly.Zerin shrugged into the harness and spread his wings as Collin finished securing Praelesian and motioned for Two Moons to do the same.  "I'll be back," Collin said curtly as he fastened himself in and nodded to Zerin.  Frederick backed up the Wind Key launched Zerin's massive frame into the air and sent them hurtling off to the west.Collin directed Zerin south to the Sara Ardon and walked briskly downstairs.  Seating himself once more at the helm he grabbed hold of the Water Key and the ocean spiraled away from the ship in a torrent.  By moonlight he set off to the east, rounded the southern cape and came up just southeast of Crescent Lake.Faced with the tumultuous jungles surrounding the tiny lake town, Zerin was forced to ferry Collin and Two Moons over.  They touched down on the grassy half-meadow on its stilted supports.  Two Moons had heard of the Circle of Oaks before, both in legend and from Collin as he related the tale in the past.Zerin had been silent for the entire journey and was troubled both by their location and by Collin’s apparent plan.  But he held his peace and stood vigil.Collin paced for a moment, gazed at the stars and the position of the moon, and sat down to wait out the rest of the night.  Meanwhile Two Moons set to gently thawing Praelesian as best he could.  When he finished, he used needle and thread to mend her body at least on the outside so that she could rest whole and complete.  It took him most of the night but it kept his mind occupied.  Collin had no such distractions and drilled himself mercilessly to keep himself awake, eventually exhaustion, both physical and emotional from suppressing so many intense emotions, overcame him and he slipped into unconsciousness.The night passed to the sounds of the jungle’s endless uproar.Zerin woke Two Moons from where he had slumped over as the sky began to lighten then went back to where he had stood vigil through the night.  As the mists rose he carried Collin’s sleeping form off the platform.The mists from the lake swept over Two Moons and Praelesian and swallowed them from sight.  As the sun rose the mists burned away but Praelesian and Two Moons did not return.  This troubled Zerin even more and he woke Collin remarkably gently.Collin looked around, blinked in the sunlight and took in his surroundings.  Pieces fell together and Collin’s expression became harder and colder.  The walls around his emotions were doubled and redoubled as he headed swiftly to Argus’s little chapel with long purpose-filled strides.Argus was setting up little cups upon the simple altar when Collin entered.  He called out greeting but his old face saddened as he took in Collin’s fiery haired demeanor.“The Circle of Oaks,” Collin began, “Do people ever fail to come back?”Argus straightened and his heart reached out to the young man who tried to take on so many of the world’s problems.  “The Circle of Oaks offers great wisdom, but at a dear price.  Sometimes, that price is too high.”“Has anyone ever returned after the mists have cleared?  The next day?  After?”  Collin’s tone was flinty and cold, it held no emotion whatsoever.“I’m very sorry, my son.”At that moment, something inside Collin changed drastically.To be Continued…</blockquote>

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