Nine's Notes:

Red Malys: All I know is that I know nothing. Hehe...

Dalamar Nightson: Don't worry, I've already started working on the first diplomatic mission. It'll be fun!

DISCLAIMER: Er… Dragonlance ain't mine.

Even Ladonna's given up on making me come to the library for lessons now. I've seen the predatory look in Fistandalius' eyes. I don't know where it came from, or what it's for, but I do know that it doesn't mean anything good…

Ladonna laments my lack of skill with area-effect spells, but I suppose I'll have time to work on those after I take care of Fistandalius. In the meanwhile, I've managed to learn how to divine- an ability more strongly associated with Solinari- with enough skill to impress even Raistlin. My mind-reading spell flashed just as he was grumbling about Ladonna's incompetence… I'd let him know later, after Ladonna left. I had no desire to break up a clash of egos without shinbratha.

As soon as I perfect that mind-reading spell, I plan to use it on Dalamar. It's an idea with dubious ethics, but maybe I'll be able to help him snap out of shock if I can at least hear his thoughts.

The strange people allow me to stay awake now. I've asked which god guards this strange white place, and the women say, "God does." This confuses me. Mina refers to Takhisis as the One God, but I do not believe that these strange black-clad women follow the Dragon Queen.

"Mr. Nightson, you have a visitor."

"Those strange illogical people again?"

"No, the Silver family is preparing the funeral for their daughter. You must atone for your sin of killing that girl. Jesus died for your sins."

"More of your rambling. Send in the visitor." Perhaps it's Renetari, come to tell me that it's safe, that I can wake up from this dream. They have something strange and smelly bandaged onto my chest where Raistlin wounded me.

A vaguely familiar boy comes into the room and closes the door. "Dalamar."

"Who are-" I stop, recognizing him. "Renetari's companion."

"Adrian. Adrian Jeffries." He says. "I'm here to help, shalafi."

"Master?" I must be delirious. That would be the only explanation for these strange hallucinations.

"Gwendolyn died in that crash. Was that your plan? On how to free her?"

"Gwendolyn? Who's Gwendolyn-"

"Renetari's vessel. Gwendolyn." The boy says. "You killed her… did that set Renetari free…?"

"I… I don't remember… yes." It comes to me. "Yes. My astral body… it was supposed to die too…"

"It's alive. Our medicine is so technologically advanced that even Gwen's mangled body had an even shot." He shrugs. "The best-laid plans of mice and men, eh?"

I raise an eyebrow, but drop it when I realize even that small exertion hurts. "They should have let me die. It feels like I'm in the Abyss anyway."

"You managed to land yourself in a Catholic hospital. They believe in the sanctity of life."

"Next time I'm on a strange plane, I'll make sure to set up the accident that's supposed to kill me far away from any healer."

"Good idea." He pulls a package out of his bag. "I figured that you'll be stuck here until we come up with an idea, so I brought you something. Ren would want me to."

"Thanks… but what's this 'we' stuff?"

"You're being charged with kidnapping and murder." The Earth boy says. "My dad's a lawyer, and he said he'd defend you. Our best shot is to shoot for innocent by cause of insanity- don't look at me like that. Although you may not be, people will believe it pretty easily."

This is not going as planned.

For the first time in a long time, Dalamar moves.

I don't believe it at first. Then he moves again…

"Dalamar?" I shove the spellbook aside and approach him. "Shalafi, are you there?"

He makes an incomprehensible noise, then falls still again.

"So close and yet so far, eh, my apprentice?"

"First, don't sneak up on me." I say without turning to face the one I know is behind me. "Second, I am only your temporary apprentice. Third, you sound like a demented Canadian."

I can almost see Raistlin's raised eyebrow reflected in my mind. I can almost hear him think, "What's a Canadian?" I don't respond.

"If you are always so distracted, it is hard for me to not sneak up on you." Raistlin sneers, then goes to the table. "Do you have any more of your clever little creations to show me?"

"It's a shame we haven't any kender about the Halls- I've created a specialized anti-theft alarm."

"Ah, in that you show your superiority over the magic-users left." Raistlin chuckles, but is cut off with a coughing fit. After it subsides, he continues. "You can afford to create these beautiful spells with highly specialized uses. I believe that only your shinbratha spell would be adopted by the users of the Wild Magic." He coughs again.

"Maybe I should create a cough-relief spell?"

A smile almost sneaks up on him. "Ah, lady Renetari, you are an arcane artist- creating because you can. I suppose you can afford to, with near limitless divine power… Perhaps we should arrange for some illusion work… Dalamar is remarkably clever with them, if I remember correctly."

"Raistlin, I have a question for you."

"Yes?"

"When I was weakened… I was vulnerable, my 'near limitless divine power' was ripe for the taking. Fistandalius tried… why didn't you?"

"That, Renetari, is one of the things you may never know." He casts a knowing smirk at me, stands, and sweeps from the room.

Raistlin set three different wards on the door to his study. He couldn't afford to be disturbed. Not with a Test of such monumental import to be prepared…

Anyone who knew anything knew that Raistlin, although once Master of the Tower in Palanthas, had never given a Test. However, he knew, first-hand, the horrors that the Test subjected… while they were both on Krynn, Dalamar had told him of a mage he had been sent to kill, a dwarf whose Test left his body shattered and nearly dead. And that, of course, seemed as nothing compared to his own…

No, he would not make this Test easy. He was too proud to back down from such a challenge. But… the godchild had a strange way of growing on people. Perhaps not Solinari or Kiri-Jolith, but certainly Branchala, Mishakal, Lunitari, Dalamar, Ladonna… and as much as he hated to admit it, himself.

For, you see, in her ageless body he saw the image of a boy he once knew, a boy so dedicated to the magic… an arcane artist, as he'd said. A boy who'd crafted a giant kender to prove the treachery of a renegade mage, a boy who'd proudly stood up when asked to take the Test…

That boy had died with the illusion of his brother.

Renetari? She was otherworldly, powerful beyond her naïve comprehension, and the most beautiful thing he'd seen since his Test. Of course, he hadn't seen much of anything in its natural state since Par-Salian ruined his eyes.

When he thought of Renetari, an emotion he thought he'd discarded came rising in him. He hadn't needed it... well, since Tanis killed Ariakas. He was the most powerful mage on Krynn then, and even here he was dominant. But it came as if it had never left, like a green dragon stretching its wings after a long winter... envy returned to the Archmage.

He envied Nuitari the privilege of being her father.

He pulled out parchment and quill and began to draw out ideas for the illusions he'd use…