1. The moon is too far

Sindal's POV

"Come on... it's not far..." I wouldn't believe how difficult it can be, helping to carry dying old man from this crazy sphere. Heh, what should think Valygar and Anomen, who were carrying him almost all the way, while we other - except that tall elven mage, Tsujatha - only sometimes helped them.

Finally we were out. We layed Lavok down. He looked on the sky. I knelt beside him.

"So, Lavok, 'ended is... The stars are shining and your native world is all around thee'. Are you content now, in your last moments?"

With apparent effort he smiled a bit. "Thank you... Finally back, without IT in me. Thank y..." His words slowly disappeared. He was dead.

Valygar looked down upon dead body of his ancestor. "Strange... I wanted so much shift away Lavok's menace but now, when he's laying dead by my feet, I don't find any pleasure in it. Is that right?"

"I know what do you feel, Valygar." I reached my hand up to him. "Come, we should bury him. Only then will be Lavok only past forever."

"You're right. I..." He hesitated for a moment. I looked on him and after moment of waiting I asked him: "And you, Valygar?"

"Can I stay with group?"

I smiled at him. "Sure, Valygar. I will be honored to have you with us."

He seemed relieved with my words. Then he quikly turned around and helped Anomen. Together they picked Lavok's body up and slowly went down the stairs which leads to the sphere. I prepared to come after them but Tsujatha's voice stopped me. I glanced back. He was looking on the sky, when he begun speak again:

"I never get used this moon of yours. It's so cold... so far..."

I blinked from surprise. "How do you mean it?"

He bowed his head, so he was looking straight into my eyes. "His pale light makes everything looking so cold. The shadows look sharper and all around is somehow eery."

I smiled with surprise. "I didn't know that you are poet, too. How look the moon you are used to?"

He smiled a bit. "Noone before said about me that I'm poet." Then he looked again on the moon. "You know, my world has two moons; blue and red. Both are on the sky every night. Their light is warm, not so cold like this one's."

"You know, Tsujatha, maybe there is more in you than anybody has ever seen in you. But back to the moon; its white light may seem cold to you now but someday you will see it otherwise; and you will find its virgin white radiance as beautiful as we. You will learn it one day."

He nodded slowly: "Perhaps you're right."

"Do you miss your world, Tsujatha?"

He shook his head furiously and vehemently said "No!" And then he added silently: "There's nothing for me anymore..."

I was sorry for him. How he was standing there with tilted head, I came to him and took his hand. "I'm sorry, Tsujatha. I hope you will find not only the thing you came for. Not only Riosé Sar but a new life, too."

He looked at me with gratefully face. "Maybe I will."

And then I heard Jaheira: "Sindal! Where are you again!"

With quilty grin I pulled Tsujatha by his sleeve. "So... and now we will catch it from her."