((sorry for the delay enjoy))

Sage sat atop the cliff, his knees drawn up to his chest and his head resting on his knees. He was watching the gryphons dive bombing each other. He watched with a contented smile, it had been almost a week since he had told them all about his past. And well, hardly anything had changed. They had been a little more careful around him and of course they had to tell Lord Breon and the Heralds Anda and Shandi. Only they told them the latter part though,
only about who this person was that was coming for him. Then, Sage had made sure that something had leaked, to one of the village gossips which made sure that the whole village knew before sun down.

When he had gone to the village yesterday, there had been careful questions, and then an even more careful acceptance. This was because the village had been threatened by raiders some years before, and the raiders had in a sense enslaved the people. Darian had told him this quietly on the way back from the village.

The gryphons called to each other, bringing Sage back to the here and now. They dived down on each other, ducking their opponents into the water. Sage watched with a smile. When the gryphons had finished "Attacking" each other, they took to the air, their powerful wing beats stirring up the dust and grit around Sage, blowing his hair. He threw up his arm across his eyes to shield them from the grit and sand.

A flash lit across his sight, he could see his Master standing in a large tent. Somewhere on the near to the shores of Lake Evendim That meant he was still a few weeks off. His master wouldn't rush, now he knew where his pet was. The tent walls were thick keeping back the light of the day. Lord Danak had just finished giving orders to a servant, who almost tripped over his own feet in his haste to be away from the lord. When the tent was empty Danak started to turn, he paused for a second and then kept on turning. A smile on his face.

"So you keep coming back, I told you. You won't escape from me" Lord Danak said looking at where Sage's dream self was.

"No, I only come to see where you are to warn others of your evil. I will never go back with you" Sage retorted. His mind voice distorted.

The lord started to respond but the air rippled, "I am far stronger then you could ever image, I can do more than your mind could ever hope to understand, I am my own person. Your pet died the day I left the islands" Sage interrupted him. Something he had never dared to do before.

Lord Danaks' handsome face twisted into a scowl.
"You are nothing but a insolent and disobedient little whore, who happened to have some magical qualities. And when I get you back, the past pain will seem like nothing, you will beg for death before the end, an end that won't come" The lord promised, his voice a hiss. His face twisted into an ugly sneer.
"That will never happen. Now get out of my head" Sages mind and physical voice shouted, ringing in the quiet. And he had the satisfaction of seeing the lords confusion at Sage being able to cast him out.

Sage blinked and lowered his arm. He was back sitting on the cliff top. The gryphons had long since gone. He ran a hand through his hair,
which was now dyed a startling array of greens and browns, much like the colours the scouts used, only brighter. He was alone, or so he thought. A soft step behind him made him turn with a start. He looked back to see Keisha standing on the path, faint lines of worry on her face already fading. With a smile he stood and walked to meet her.

They would be going down to the village, Sage had agreed to try and help one of the villagers, who had a painful and fatal disease. As he neared Keisha she spoke to him.

"Are you all right, I was calling you but you didn't answer, then you shouted something" She asked. Then she caught the look in his eyes.
Her expression changed back to one of worry.

"It was him, wasn't it? In your head?" she questioned. She raised a hand to check him, but he shook his head and waved her hand away.

"It is nothing really. It is nothing that he has not been doing for the past two weeks, and will keep doing until he gets here. He is playing with me, letting me know that he is taking his time before he comes to claim what is his." A smile lit his face, a genuine smile, that reached his eyes.

"Besides, I just showed him, that if I do not want him in my head, I can throw him out." he looked away again for second. "The only controls he could ever use on me were that of physical pain and fear. Nothing magical, and those controls are easily overcome with people to help me." he finished with another smile.

Keisha studied his face for a moment before nodding in satisfaction,
he was alright. She turned and lead the way back towards the path that would take them out of the Vale. As they walked Keisha filled him in, on the progress of the patient that they were going to see. As they entered the village the children crowded round Keisha, dancing round her. She still drew quite a crowd. The children thought her something exotic, a healer living with the Hawkbrothers. They walked through heading towards the house where the patient lived.

They reached a small house near to the middle of the village, its garden was unkempt and overgrown. Although it was with flowers Sage noted not weeds. The door was painted louder, brighter than the other houses. Keisha knocked on the door, it was answered by a rather young man, with sun burned skin and ginger hair. Freckles covered the young mans skin.

"Hello Kym" Keisha said brightly to the young trainee. Then she turn to Sage. "Sage, this is Healer Trainee Kym" she said knowing there was little chance that Sage would know who he was. Even if Kym would know who Sage was.

Kym said nothing but stepped back to allow them into the house. The house itself was clean if gloomy. Kym picked up a candle throwing light onto his clothes, he was wearing the pale greens of a trainee healer. He lead the way down a narrow corridor to a room at the back of the house. He knocked on the door, a frail voice bid them enter.

All three walked into the room. And there lying on bed was a lady swathed in blankets. Keisha and the trainee went to talk with her.

Sage hung back, he was feeling a little put out, that the trainee hadn't said so much as a hello to him. But then he was here for the lady not the trainee.
Sage lowered his shields ever so slightly, before having to slam them up again quickly, the pain coming off the women on the bed was so great it threatened to swamp everything else that she was feeling.

Keisha turned and motioned to Sage to come forward. He did so quickly and quietly, his bare feet making no sound.
He ignored the look the trainee gave him when he walked past. Kym looked at Sages bare feet and hair with scorn. He couldn't believe this young man, who didn't wear shoes, would be able to do, what two full healers could not. He could feel that this Sage had no healing powers whatsoever. He was more then sceptical about what he said he could do. But still he kept that to himself Sage knelt down by the side of the old women, she looked up at him.

"Those healers say you can do things that no healer has ever been able to do" She said hope glimmered in her eyes and then it passed, she was hopeful but it was clear she did not want to let it show in case it didn't work. Her voice sounded frail and shaky to Sage, she sounded like someone who found it hard to think about what she was saying.

Sage chose his words carefully "If you will let me I think I can" he said to her

"Think?" the old women had picked up on his words.

Sage bowed his head to her, "I have never tried anything like this before. I have the knowledge needed, I know what and how, but I have never tried to use my gift in this way before" he said before looking up into her eyes.

"If this works, I can take the pain from you until you die. It will make you feel better and give you chance to talk"

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then nothing will change, but at least if we try then you have the chance that it will work" he said.

The lady closed her eyes thinking and then she nodded. She opened them and looked to Kym, "Send a child to fetch my son, he is in the fields. If this is the only chance I have to talk then I will" she asked, her eyes closing in pain. Kym nodded and hurried to the door to do as she asked.

"Sage" Keisha started, but stopped when Sage turned to face her, the look in his eyes and on his face told her what she had been about to ask. He could do this, he would do this.

The old lady opened her eyes, and looked to Sage. "Sage, that's an unusual name for someone" She said.

Sage smiled at her, his hands hovering over hers, "I am an unusual person lady" He said. Before she could answer he went on "Are you ready?" She closed her eyes and nodded. Sage reached over and grasped her hands in his. Then both of them went still. Only the old women's and Sages breathing indicated they were alive. Kym came back into the room. He saw the motionless women and started to go to her. Keisha grabbed his arm and held him back, with a shake of her head she spoke to him.

"Sage works differently than we do, just wait a while." Kym looked unsure but he nodded, and sat down on a chair to watch and wait.

Sage opened his eyes, he was in the lady's mind, she was there with him. They were standing in a forest glade.

"Where are we? What is this?" She asked him. Her voice no longer frail.

"This is your mind, this is somewhere that means something to you" Sage answered.

"Your mind, your will is showing this place"

"But if it is in my mind, why can you see?" she asked "Because I have joined with you mind to mind, you are letting me see this, if it was your will to, I would see nothing" Sage explained. Then he brought them back to the matter at hand.

"Lady I can take the pain you are feeling, I can take it away, take it into me. This is what I am best at, my own way of healing. When you will it open your real eyes, and do what you need. I will stay here, I will channel the pain"
The old women looked at Sage with doubt in her eyes, but she knew he was not lying to her, it wasn't possible to lie mind to mind. When she looked into his eyes, she saw more. She almost recoiled from the link.

"You can kill me" she whispered.

"No" Sage said with feeling, cutting her off. "I can help your passing into the next life you choose. Making sure that if you wish it, you will die with no pain and go into the next life in peace, but only if you wish to die, only if you want it. If I tried to before you were ready, your soul would be channelled into me, and that would hurt me, greatly"

The old lady said nothing, her mental self thought about that for a while before she nodded. "I think I am ready now" she said. Sage tightened his 'grip' on her pain. He loosened himself slowly from the forest image, and he drifted into her. He could 'See' the areas of pain, he wove a magic net and laid it over the areas. He braced himself and then drew the pain into himself.

The old Lady opened her eyes. Her physical eyes, she looked round the room. For the first time in years she could see properly, and she could feel no pain, if she thought about it, there was a faint ache, like a pulled muscle but other than that nothing. She became aware of, someone holding one of her hands. She pushed herself up carefully. Now she could see what it was. The young man, Sage was lent on the bed, his head on his arm, his arm resting on the bed apparently in a faint. But she knew better, and it was him holding her hand, she somehow knew, that he needed the physical contact to channel her pain. The other two healers were on their feet, moving towards her, carefully helping her to sit.

And she noted taking great care not to touch Sage. Finally when she was sitting up. She got her first good look at them both.

"How are you feeling Rose?" Kym asked her cautiously, worry and concern lit his face.

"Fine, I feel no pain. I feel like I did sixty years ago" Rose responded "Now if I understand what this young man correctly, he said that he could channel my pain away and I can talk to my son, get things sorted" She looked back down at Sage, she was shocked to see how young he looked, he had felt older, when they had linked. She brushed aside the shock, taking peoples pain would make someone feel older she guessed. She looked at Sage, she had heard of the Hawkbrothers and their love for dying their hair. But she had never seen it before.

Before she had finished studying the young man who was holding her hand. She heard the front door of the house crash open, heavy boots thudded on the floor. Hasty knocking on her door.

Before she could answer, the door crashed open and her son burst into the room. Seeing the two healers standing by her bedside he stopped.

"Mother what's wrong?. Cali said you sent for me" The big mans words belayed worry and fear.

"Calm down, son, I for the moment am fine. I did send for you, but not for you to worry, the young man tells me this may be the last chance I have to talk to you with out being in pain, look do I look like I am about to drop" She said. Her calm manner and gentle words, did much to calm him.

He looked round the room. True his mother, was sitting up and talking with no pain in her voice, something which hadn't happened for a long while. True the healers did not seemed worried about her. They too were standing there calm and composed. Then he noticed a young man slumped over on the floor, his head resting on his arm, which was resting on his mothers bed. And the young man was holding his mothers hand.

"What is he doing?" he demanded. He had seen the man about but he couldn't place him.

"Michael, this is Sage, he is a healer. He is the reason I am able to talk. He has the gift to take away pain" Rose explained gently. "I don't know how, and I would image even if they told me I wouldn't understand. So lets just leave it at that. He is helping me"

Michael looked at Sage, now he remembered him, he had heard some rumours about him, some rather worrying rumours, something about him being a run away slave and his master was a powerful war lord or something. He was going to say something, but the look in his mothers eyes told him, that she probably knew these rumours and she didn't care if they were true.

Keisha caught Kyms eye and she jerked her head towards the corner of the room. Somewhere they would be out of ear shot. Kym quietly walked round Michael and joined her in the corner. He cast a look towards Sage. He was still doubtful about the young man, but as a trainee there was nothing he could do about it. Rose and her son had some talking to do, so he turned his attention back Keisha.

"How long has he been healing like this?" he asked her leaning back against the wall"

Keisha was also looking at mother and son, at Kyms question she looked back to him.

"He isn't healing her" she told him. Planning her words carefully. "He can't heal, he can channel pain away from people, help ease them" She said scanning the trainees face. She doubted he would have come across someone that could do this. It was written that in Vanyals time healers had learnt how to ease pain, but not to take it completely.

Kym looked to the prone figure of Sage, who was still motionless next to Rose. "You mean he can really take away pain, so she is feeling nothing" he voice filled with wonder. "He should go the Healers Collugium at Haven they would love a chance to study with him. He was about to say more but Keisha shook her head.

"No, he would not like to go to Haven, he is very shy, he doesn't like being out of the Vale on his own. He would most defiantly not like Healers prodding an poking him, getting him to channel every person in pain." she said, her tone implying no amount of persuasion would change her mind.

"But why?" Kym demanded hotly, "If he has a gift to heal he should share, if he can help people, he has no right to refuse" he was warming to his argument, he was keeping his voice to a whisper. But it was an angry whisper.

"Do you have any idea what he is doing" Keisha demanded in a very angry whisper.

Kym shook his head but he still answered with "You said he was channelling the pain"

"Yes, do you know what that means?" she asked Kym shook his head.

"it means that he is taking the pain from her into himself, all the pain that she has been in for the last three years is flowing into him. He is in pain for her" she finished quietly. She was rewarded with a Kyms dumbfounded expression, which faded into understanding. Not that she could blame him.

A shout of "NO, you can't" drew them back to mother and son. Michael was now looking angry, upset, scared. His mother calm and ready? Keisha wondered.

"What?" Kym asked walking over Keisha following him.

"She wants to die, she wants to let go, she says this healer can help her pass over in peace, I won't let him trick you mother" Michael started to reach over to pull Sages hand out of his mothers.

"I really would not do that" Sage said his eyes closed, his voice tight with pain. "If you break contact, all the pain I am channelling away will flood back into her, the sudden shock of pain would surely kill her" Sages words were no more then a whisper his head still on his arm. "Your mother is linked with me, mind to mind, if I were trying to trick her, she would know" a wave of fresh pain swept though him making him stop talking.

Keisha stepped up, placing her hand on Michaels arm. The big man looked to her and then rose, tears starting to roll down his face.

"Mother, you can't leave me please" He started.

"Son, it is my time, I know I can feel it. If I let the young man break his link I will be in pain for many more weeks before finally dying in pain. Do you really want that for me" She asked her voice gentle. Michael shook his head.
Roses eyes unfocused for a moment, a sign that Sage was talking mind to mind with her.

"The young man, says hold my hand, you will feel my peace. But he says don't touch him" she warned. Carefully Michael sat on the edge of the bed and held her other hand, making sure no part of him was touching Sage.

"I have told you all I needed to. I love you more then words can ever say you made me proud and, I leave everything I have to you, these healers bear witness to that" Rose went on. Both Keisha and Kym nodded. "And now, healers I thank you for all you tried to do, and please, thank Sage for me when this is over, I don't think I will be able to" she finished with a smile. Rose closed her eyes and leaned her head back. "I am ready, I am willing aid me" she said, her voice sounded oddly formal, they all knew she was talking to Sage.

Keisha watched, nothing could describe the feeling of peace and calm that swept the room. She could see all three on the bed bathed in Sages' silvery light, slowly the light receded to Sage and Rose.

Suddenly a great sense of well being and something other worldly, a feeling that they were not alone in the room. Rose sighed a deep sigh one last time. And then passed on. Her hands going limp. Kym started forward ready to help Sage but once again Keisha grabbed him, "No, he'll burn you" she warned before pulling him back out of the way.

As soon as Sage felt the old lady pass from his care into the Shadow Lover, he started to break contact, but the Shadow Lover had other ideas, as Rose passed out of sight he turned back to Sage. And spoke to him.

"You have many more in you Channel, will you let them pass on as you did this one" The Shadow Lover's voice was powerful and commanding and yet gentle, it compelled Sage to kneel.

"With respect I can not, these within me, cry for vengeance, if I let them pass now before they have had it, they will wander for all time. I promised them I would give them vengeance" his head bowed.

The Shadow Lover looked at Sage for a while. "Indeed! I know of you,
you should not kneel, stand"

Sage shook his head, "Lord, with respects again I refuse, I am a creation. A made being. I am for as long as magic is around, you are a God."

Death Said nothing for a moment "I am not a God, I am a diety" He said before nodding. And adding. "In that case I will let you go" before he walked away Death turned back. "I have a feeling I will be seeing more of you. Fair well and remember, call and I will hear you" then Death had gone.

Feeling slightly puzzled by that. Sage drew back into himself. That repast had taken less than seconds in real time. He would deal with that conversation later for now he had more important things. All that excess magic now wanted out.
He opened his eyes. And saw Keisha pulling the young trainee out of the way. He couldn't speak, he pushed himself to his feet taking care not to touch the son who was sobbing on the bed. He hurried outside,looking round frantically he saw what he wanted. Across the river a burnt out patch of ground. He ran as fast as he could. His hold on the power slipping. He threw himself onto the burnt ground and slammed up shields all around him. To protect the towns people from the backlash and a lesser shield to protect himself.

He groped for a Ley line and found one, he grabbed it mentally and held onto it tightly. He managed it just in time, the magic pushed its way past his hold.
Flooding into the Ley Line, Sage feed all the excess power into that line, all that power was making his palms sting and tingle. It felt warm inside his shield. He knew the other mages in the Vale would be able to feel the power in the line increase but he could deal with that later.

Finally when all the power had gone back into the line. He lowered first the shield he had placed round him. His clothes were scorched but thankfully intact as he hoped they would have bee. He lowered the stronger outer shield, he couldn't move he was so tired he lay there for a while.

Keisha had burst out of the house in time to see where Sage would be,
she hurried over. She knew Kym would be dealing with Michael. She walked down the path to the now warmed ground.

How do you feel?" She asked reaching him and waiting for his shield to go down. When it did she crossed to him and lifted his hands to check.
Other then his palms being bright red and she guessed a little sore he was fine. Physically anyway.

"Fine, just achy. I have never helped one pass before, it will ease soon" he croaked. And sat up slowly, Keisha helped him.

"That was amazing." she told him. "I have never seen anyone do that before. It was so peaceful" Sage only nodded. Talking required energy he didn't have right now.

Keisha had to help him stand. When he was up he could see the two Dyheli coming over to them. The one that had brought Sage, a female called Nea crouched slightly and allowed Sage fall onto her. Then she stood.
Keisha mounted hers and together the Dyheli leapt into a run, taking them away from the village. It was not a long ride. And Sage soon found himself being helped down by Llayner and other Hertasi. He lay on the leaf covered floor happily. He knew he could take energy from the Heart Stone but he did not want to. He knew he would recover soon anyway. He drew stray magic, so all he had to do was be patient and he would be recovered.

Although the Hertasi would have no trouble carrying Sage, for he weighed next to nothing. They allowed Silverfox to take him, when he arrived. Followed by Firesong and Darian.

"Nea told us" Darian explained as they walked up the path to Sages home. Once inside Silverfox gently put Sage down on the pillows and stepped back.

"Can you talk?" Firesong asked. Sage nodded he opened his eyes.

"Yes, I am just tired, achy and so very hungry. I have never helped a soul to pass over, it will take some getting used to" he said.
Keisha nodded, confirming that he was alright. Then she turned to the door way. "I will go and find something to eat for you" she said before hurrying out of the door and away down the path. She knew from living with Darian and from her own experience how hungry people could be after using magic.
The others watched her go and then turned their attention back to Sage.

"Good then, because I think Starfall would also like to talk to you about that. We have never had someone that can do that" Firesong told him.
At that moment Starfall tapped on the door frame and came in.

Yes I would like to hear all about this" he said.

"You had better sit down then, it may take a while" Sage said. He sat up to make more room., although he need not have bothered. He had so many cushions that there were plenty. When all were settled down, he started his recollection of what he had done. At some point Llayner had come with food, not only for Sage but all gathered in his home. For she knew as well as the others, how Sage hated to eat alone. They shared the food out and Sage went on with his story Not forgetting to tell them about his shielding at the end. When he had confirmed that he had feed the power back into the line, the other mages had nodded.
They had guessed it had been him.

Sometime later, the mages left Sages home talking among themselves.
They had been most impressed about the shielding he had used contain the backlash . Firesong in particular had looked rather impressed and thoughtful.
Sage wondered what he was planning. And more to the point they seemed willing to let him continue helping people in this way, but they had said only if he wanted to. Sage had got the distinct impression that they were impressed with his progress, of all things magical.

Silverfox stood in the doorway watching the mages walk away. When they had gone out of sight did he turn and walk back to Sage.
Sage had slowly gotten his energy back, as he knew he would. He had gotten off the pillows and was now pacing the main room.

"So?" asked Silverfox his hands on his hips. Sage stopped pacing and gave Silverfox a look of innocent confusion.
Although he had a good idea what it was Silverfox was going to say.

"Don't look at me like that, I know something else happened, your not letting on to something" Silverfox said, his hands still on his hips.
He looked sternly at Sage and waited.
Sage looked at him for moment before giving in. he was no good in a confrontation and he guessed that Silverfox knew that. that's why he had chosen to ask him now. The easiest way was to tell the truth.

"Well, something else happened. But I did not say anything because I am not to sure about it myself" he admitted to the Kestra'chern.
Silverfox had lent back and was not sitting on the table that took up most of one wall.

"When I helped that old lady. Rose pass over I saw Death." Sage paused and looked into Silverfox's eyes. He wanted to make sure that the other man knew exactly what he meant.

"I mean not that I saw her die, I mean that I saw the Shadow Lover,
Death as in Death himself. He spoke to me. He asked me if I would let the other souls in me pass on. And when I said I would not, he only smiled said he had heard of me and then walked away and let me come back" Sage said he voice quiet.

Silverfox paled when Sages words sunk in. he had seen Death, that was something which most people would never see and get to walk away from.
But before he could say anything Sage went on.

"I do not know what Death had meant when he said he knew of me, I had never seen him before today, and well before he let me go he said he would be seeing me again soon. That is the worrying part" he finished Sage paced the room again and ran his hands through his hair making it stick out even more. As he lowered them he realised he was still wearing his scorched clothes.

"Well I can only think. That when people die. Death is Death where ever anyone is. so he would hear of you wouldn't he?" Silverfox said quietly. "And well this being the first time you helped someone to cross would mean that I would be the first time you had seen him. But if you have been around death. Then of course he would see you" He went on gently. He could see understanding crossing over Sages face. It was clear that Sage was worried out why Death had seen him before and he had not seen Death.

"And as for seeing him again soon. Maybe he knows that someone else may need your help soon. He is a Diety, after all" Silverfox finished off. Sage looked at him for a moment and then he nodded. He knew Silverfox was right.
"please do not tell anyone else of this, not yet, not until I understand fully what He meant" Sage asked Silverfox. Silverfox nodded.

Sage looked down at his scorched clothes, with a sigh he turned to his bedroom, and then looked back to Silverfox.

"You change them I can wait" Silverfox said reading the look. Sage nodded he turned and went back into his bedroom he hunted round in one of the wicker baskets and pulled out some fresh clothes. He let the curtain fall back across the door. Slightly obscuring him from Silverfox, and with his back to the door. He started to get changed. Silverfox turned away from the door, he looked round Sages main room. Cluttered as it was every inch was said who lived there. More of the beads he had been making lay on the table. Amongst paper with his shaky writing on it. It mainly said who he had made the beads for and people who had asked him to make some of the normal ones.

"People really like the bracelets don't they" Silverfox called over his shoulder.
"Yes, they like the ones that I made even with out the magic in them,
if you look there should be a green one around. It should ward off the effects of flowers" Sage called back.

Silverfox hunted round for a moment and then he found a pale green and yellow bracelet on the table. It tingled slightly when he picked it up a sign that it had strong magic in it.

"Does it work?" Silverfox called. Putting it down again.

"I do not know yet. I have not found someone who needs it. It was just a thought I had, I heard it from someone in the village complaining that he could not stop sneezing in the hay season" Sage said coming out of the bed room. His top was in one had, a damp towel in the other. He shrugged when Silverfox looked at him again.

"I could not find the person again to offer it to. And well, I did not want to ask. Since I was lurking in the shadows at the time and well"he blushed,

"I do not think, they would appreciate that fact" he wandered over to the bathing room and threw the towel into another of the baskets, one for dirty clothes.

As he turned his back on Silverfox the older man could see the network of scars and burns that ranged across his back, and arms. Silverfox had to swallow a gasp only Keisha had seen him. Seen these scars properly. She had said at meeting that they were bad. But this was the first time he had seen, any other part of Sage other then his arms.

Sage unaware, and unthinking had gone to throw the towel away. But as he turned he felt rather then heard Silverfox's surprise. He halted and considered hiding. No, He thought to himself, he had no need to hide anymore, these people had heard the worst and still they didn't mind. So seeing the physical evidence wouldn't do much more damage.

"Please, do not feel bad" Sage said quietly. He turned back round,
revealing the other scars on his chest and stomach once more, only these scars were paler then those on his back.
"I told you what he did, but seeing is another thing I know" he continued. Pulling his top on.
"Now that everyone knows, I feel I have no need to hide. I should not be ashamed, the scars will never fade, but at least they will never get worse and they are now only on the outside." He said pulling the top down and smoothing it out.

Silverfox nodded. "I believe you are right, if you feel that you have nothing to hide. Then nothing can be used against you" he said with a smile. He was happy that Sage was finally coming to terms with his past himself and he was getting over it. Things could only hopefully get better.

Later when Silverfox had left Sage went out again. He walked down the paths and went back to the cliff top. The same one as this morning, he liked it up there, it was calm and peaceful and not many people went there on purpose. He sat down and looked out over the lake. It was getting quiet late and all the gryphons had gone. Sage could see the lights of some party down in one of the clearings. The faint trace of music came floating on the night air. He lay back on the grass and looked up at the stars. Looking for the shapes, he used to see. It took him a long time to find them all. But his mind was not really on the stars. He was thinking and planning.

What he had done with the shields today had given him an idea. He wondered if he would be able to plant shields round things. Something with his beads, but shield whole places. Maybe like the Vales. His master was coming and Sage had a feeling that he would be more then a little angry now he had found out that his pet, apparently had no fear of him. Only sage knew that he was feigning, he would be scared when they would come face to face. Nearly sixty years of pain at his hands would take longer to overcome. Sage ran his hands down his arms in a gesture that looked like he was hugging himself because of the cold.

In fact he was checking on his latest acquisition. A pair of very thin and very sharp knives held in place by flexible sheaths that went up under his beads. The knives themselves were nearly as long as his forearm. Only the blacksmith and Darian knew he had them and he would keep it that way. Small as they were they made him feel a whole lot safer. And hidden away in his bedroom were two swords as close to the style he was used fighting with. That the blacksmith could make. They were not made of black steel like the old ones, but he had braided black cord round them. He could not move his left arm as well as he used to be able to, but now he practised until he could no longer hold the sword. He may not be as good as he used to be, but if he had to fight one of the other Shadows, he would give them a good fight.

As the night wore on Sage stayed on the cliff staring at the stars.
Finally as dawn began to light the sky in the east, he thought he had a plan. But he wanted to keep it as quiet as possible. His whole plan for ridding himself of his master was riding on him being able to place strong permanent and flexible shields round the village and keep. And to make matters worse he only had a few weeks or less to do it. He rose and hurried back down the path to his Ekele not noticing the looks that the Hertasi were giving him, for being around so early, he looked like a man possessed. Finally he had drawn up plans on paper, with little notes around them so he would be able to show the others mages what he was thinking.

when he had the paper plans drawn to his liking, he thought about what had happened the other day, with Death. That was the first time he had seen him. He had only helped people halfway before, he had never helped them go all the way. One thing was puzzling him. The Shadow Lover had said all he had to do was call and he would hear. Now that he had no idea how to react to that. The Lord of Shadows, Death himself saying he would answer the call of someone like him. He lay back on a pillow, wondering what would happen the next time he saw Death, would he talk to him again?. As he lay there his mind wandering.
He had little idea that he would find out sooner rather then later that Silverfox had been right. Someone would need his help again.