On Talyn The thunder woke Rainne from her reverie. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was in unfamiliar surroundings. A flash of lightening illuminated the room. The table from Crais' quarters was in the center of the room but she was no longer on Talyn. Rainne pulled the blanket closer. She looked beside her on the bed, Crais was not next to her. She closed her eyes and called out to him through her bond with Talyn. She received no reply. It was then she realized that even Talyn was gone from her. Another flash of lightening revealed an open door she had not seen before. Rainne got up from the bed, wrapping her nude form in the blanket. She walked toward the door, it felt as if something was drawing her out. She looked up the sky was dark, the clouds so purple they were almost black and seemed to capture any color and suck it in. As she reached the door, a blast of cool wind seemed to attempt to pull the blanket from her. She grasped it with both hands. She looked down as she stepped out onto a cold piece of rock. Something seemed to be burning in the distance. She could smell the residual chakran oil from Peace Keeper pulse rifles. She flinched when the lightening struck the rock above her head. Rainne turned to see she was in a small canyon, it was then she heard wailing. She turned toward the noise and saw two figures standing with their backs to her. Their black hair fluttered in the wind. She moved toward them. She tried to call to them but no sound emerged. The wailing was getting louder, the lightening flashed again. The figures turned toward her. They were struggling with each other, each grasping the other by the throat and screaming. The lightening flashed again and she could begin to make out their features, it was Crais and he was fighting with himself. Another blast of cold air knocked her to the ground and ripped the blanket from her grasp. She felt her head strike something before the blackness overcame her.

Rainne awoke to Crais gently rocking her. He was holding her shivering form in his lap.

"Bialar?" she whispered. Her throat was hoarse.

"C'thha." He said into the top of her head as he kissed her hair. "What happened?"

"I don't know. A dream, a nightmare." her voice trailed off. It had been months since she had had a nightmare. The emotions in the dream and the memory of Crais in a death match with himself were too much, silent tears began to stream down her face.

"Tell me." He said.

She tried to explain what she had seen in the dream, but the imagery was unclear even to her, so it was difficult to explain. He held her, listened. The shivering abated, and she returned to a restless sleep. He continued to hold her, wondering if he should give the strange dream any credence.