5th Day of Fireseek
Three Miles Northwest of Willip, Furyondy

Cygnus again started to shiver in his robes. He was currently squatting down on his haunches, an uncomfortable position for him. The mage reached to his left and picked up a large tangle of bush branches and tossed it into the dying fire. They didn't catch very well, and a dark smoke came up from the fire. Cygnus tried to waddle forward without standing up, so he could adjust the kindling, but his foot caught on the hem of his robe and he merely wound up falling backwards on his butt, his legs bent uncomfortably beneath him.

A faint, choked-off chuckle came from his right. Talass, currently sitting on the dry grass with her legs tucked neatly underneath her, innocently looked away as Cygnus scowled at her. Feeling irritated, the wizard extended his hands out in front of him, thumbs touching, fingers aimed at the fire. He spoke a brief magical phrase, and a jet of flame shot out from his hands, igniting the bushes. They burned brightly, but Cygnus knew it wouldn't last for more than a minute or so. He slowly straightened out his legs, rubbing at the sore spots.

"Wasteful," came the voice from his right. Cygnus gave the cleric a glance that indicated he didn't care, then gazed moodily into the flickering flames for a few seconds, then pulled his waterskin out of his backpack and took a swig, more from boredom than from actual thirst.

"I wish Argo had brought Gylandir," he announced, eyeing the ranger's sleeping form, directly across the fire from him. "One of us could have gotten home sooner."

Talass shrugged. "He said flying Gylandir into the city would have attracted too much attention, and I agree. We couldn't have known things would turn out the way they did."

Cygnus grunted, took another swig of water and eyed Talass. "If I had known there was even a chance of us having to camp outside, I would have brought blankets, oil, torches, maybe even a tent. Argo said it might rain. Getting soaked to the skin is not going to help me feel better!"

Talass was starting to feel her patience slip. "If you get sick, Cygnus, I'll heal you. Okay?" She gestured towards the horses, barely visible at the edge of the firelight's radius. The four "regular" horses were tethered to Cygnus' staff stuck into the grass, no trees being available nearby. Perlial and White Lightning were sleeping, standing side-by-side as they always did, their muscular flanks moving in and out in regular contractions, their heads lowered close to the ground.

"We needed to travel light," the priestess reminded the mage. "You know Perlial and White Lightning would have worked themselves to death trying to get us home sooner. It was too much for them, and for us. We need rest to be at our peak strength. Why don't you at least try to sleep, Cygnus? It's not even your watch yet."

"I can't sleep," Cygnus said, more truthfully than spitefully. "I keep thinking about home. I'm worried." He looked over again at Talass defiantly. "Sorry, but that's the truth, and I can't pretend that it isn't."

Talass gave him a look that was not quite a smile, but it at least bespoke understanding.

"I know, Cygnus. I'm worried, too."

They were both quiet for a few minutes, staring at the fire that was again dying down. Then, Talass spoke again.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, Cygnus. I'm just thinking of if we ever find ourselves in a similar situation again. Is there some kind of arcane magic that could allow you to send a message home?"

Cygnus nodded slowly; his features thoughtful. "Yes there is, but I don't know it," he sighed. "I suppose I should take Thormord up on his offer and stop by the Willip Wizard's Guild. New spells aren't going to appear in my spellbooks on their own. And maybe I could find out something about Nodyath's helm of telepathy. A way to neutralize it, perhaps."

Talass looked at the mage curiously now. "Tell me Cygnus, why do you distrust the Guild so much? You've never been there, so..." she trailed off, her face reflecting the rest of her question.

Cygnus eyed her somberly. "It's not just this Guild, it's the same everywhere." He stared up at the dark sky, thick with a cover of low clouds. "They're full of manipulative people." He glanced back at Talass, arced an eyebrow and smiled. "Not manipulative in a good way, like me."

This time, Talass did smile.

"Well, I wasn't going to say anything, but..."

The wizard took another drink of water and continued. "It's probably because of my upbringing. I was born in a place called Rendrick, in an area on Aarde called The Divided Kingdoms. It's just south of Samseed, where Elrohir was born." He grew silent.

Talass said nothing.

Cygnus coughed and continued. "It was mostly villages and small towns, like mine. My mentor was a man named Part Hew. He had been expelled from the Fargate Wizard's Guild and had very little good to say about wizards in general, despite the fact that he was one of them. I wanted to learn though, and he needed money."

"Did your parents approve?" Talass asked.

"They would have been happier if I had turned out to be a devil-worshipper, I think." Cygnus glanced back at the cleric and answered her unspoken question. "Apparently, my maternal grandfather had been a wizard, and had done something horrible. I don't know what. They never gave me any details, not even his name. I couldn't find out anything about him on my own, but in the end, it didn't matter. The only thing I ever wanted to be was a wizard, so I ran off with Part Hew. He trained me, and I turned over anything I earned from spellcasting to him. Of course, we had to move around a lot and not hit the larger towns, to avoid the Guild's jurisdiction." He shrugged. "I guess I just liked having my freedom. I shouldn't assume the worst here, though. Furyondy is by far the best kingdom I've ever seen. Peaceful and prosperous. I'm glad we've settled down here. Even with everything that's happened, it's good to have a home."

Talass was silent for a while. It seemed like Cygnus was done speaking. In the fading firelight, his features seemed drawn and haggard, and yet still possessing an inner strength that flickered to the surface sometime, only to quickly fade below again. She had seen that in Elrohir when she had first met him. It occurred to Talass that Cygnus was about the same age as her. She hadn't really known what Hyzenthlay had seen in him. True, they were both wizards, but that was hardly a basis for love, let alone marriage. Now he didn't look much like a wizard, or at least her perception of what wizards were supposed to look like. His home world was out of reach, and his wife was gone, and it was no secret to anyone that he was finding it difficult to be a father.

"Cygnus?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"Rhizia is a long way from here." Talass said softly, her eyes gazing over to the north. "But I feel in my heart that I will return there someday. Just knowing that helps keep the homesickness away." She looked back at Cygnus. "Don't you ever miss Aarde, your homeland, the people that you knew back there?"

"No," he answered bluntly, looking every inch the inscrutable wizard again. He took another swig of water. "No. That's all in the past." He slowly got up to his feet. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, Talass," he indicated the darkness beyond. "I'll be right back, and then maybe I'll try to get some sleep." Talass nodded and stirred up the fire as best she could with a stick. us moved off, being very careful to tread lightly around the sleeping Tojo. Even while asleep, the samurai gave the appearance of being able, without even waking up, to slice a raccoon in half if it came too close. At least, that was the tale that someone-he thought it was Elrohir- had once told him once about Tojo. Hoping his footsteps didn't sound particularly raccoon-like, Cygnus moved past him and headed off into the night.

He was about pne hundred and fifty feet out, he guessed. Probably further than was logical, but this was a settled area, with no known monsters nearby. Plus, he was still rather shy about things like this. Going out in the wilderness always unsettled him. Of course, now he was both shy and freezing. The wizard undid the belt on his robe and started pulling down his trousers. He was looking around, trying to be ready for any emergency.

What he was not ready for was Aslan's voice.

Ah, Cygnus. Every "inch" the mighty wizard?

Cygnus spun around, frantically pulling up his trousers. He saw nothing. "Aslan, damn you! Why are..."

He trailed off. Something was very wrong, and he didn't have to be a wizard to figure it out. That was not something Aslan would have said. Ever. Argo maybe, but not Aslan. And Aslan wouldn't hide. Not from Cygnus. As he recinched his robe, Cygnus continued to look around him in a slow circle.

Be quiet and listen to me, Cygnus. Do not attempt to signal Talass.

Cygnus was still. He could hear his heart pounding in his chest. Aslan's voice sounded like he was right next to Cygnus, but he couldn't for the life of him pinpoint where it was coming from. A thought was forming in his mind that he was trying very hard to push away.

That's right, Cygnus. This is Nodyath.

Cygnus' eyes grew wide. "Are you-"

Listen to me very carefully, Cygnus. I dislike repeating myself, so I will only say this once. Aslan and Elrohir were too late. I have your son. I have Thorin.

Cygnus' knees buckled, and he went down, landing on them in the dry grass. A lump was blocking his entire throat. It was just as well that Nodyath was communicating telepathically, because he doubted he could speak right now.

I want the scroll, Cygnus. The day after tomorrow, I will appear in your Tall Tales Room, and you will give me the scroll. If you try to give me a fake or put any kind of magic trap on the scroll, or if you try to ambush me, I will show your innocent young son what pain and anguish are truly all about.

The voice seemed to shift in tone just a little. I am not a kind man, Cygnus. Kindness and mercy are fatal weaknesses in the land where I come from, and I am, above all else, a survivor. However, I am not sadistic, nor am I needlessly cruel. I have no particular desire to kill Thorin. Give me the scroll, you will have your son back, and we will all be the happier for it.

A thought came unbidden to Cygnus' mind. He tried not to speak it, and then realized the pointlessness of that, anyway.

Yes, Cygnus. I did kill people in Wilip simply to tarnish Aslan and Elrohir's reputation and make it harder for you to move about in the open. That was for a purpose. Everything I do is for a purpose, but what my purposes may be is is not for you to question. The only thing you have to do is give me the scroll. And remember Cygnus (and you remind your friends of this), I will be watching you all. And listening.

There was nothing else. Trembling, Cygnus slowly got back to his feet, and one slow, trembling step at a time, began walking back to the campfire.