Eredania was annoyed. That they expected her to commute multiple times in a single day between the Magisters' Terrace and Silvermoon was preposterous. Afterall, she had volunteered, albeit with their approval. Her life had become far more difficult and involved since taking on this position. Often she questioned her decision. Do some enchanting work for the knights and nobles for a few days, and spend the rest at Lord Saltheril's parties, where she happened to be frequently the most distinguished member. The soaring language of elven leadership had gotten to her. Why had she become magistrix if not to assume greater roles and responsibilities? And this seemed like a natural extension of her usual work, only this time the enchanted object was not an object, but a sentient being, or so she had overheard. She had actually been told relatively little, only given the strange incantation and the new vessels into which she was instructed to channel the magic. She had found herself more anxious than before. Unable to sleep, looking over shoulder, refusing to commute unescorted. There were rarely more than one of them there at a time. At first unbothered, lately she disliked being in that chamber alone with it. It was a strange contrast. Falconwing Square was a busy crossroads through the ruined city. But only some paces away something strange and hidden was taking place. Rommath had given her every guarantee of safety and the importance of this task, and she, like all magisters, trusted him implicitly. She wished however, to have another elf to talk to about it, to compare her own experiences, to know if something was unusual or if she should be concerned. It was lonely business.

It was a late afternoon in Falconwing Square. The shrouded figure of Magistrix Eredania moved swiftly among the crowd. She had been experiencing as of late the near painful discomfort of neither desiring to be near others, yet anxious and fearful when alone. To her great joy, she saw Tenemire Eventide moving slowly at the perimeter of the plaza.

"Tenemire!" She whispered.

"Who… oh, goodness, magistrix! I did not recognise you."

"I know, I'm not meant to really be seen."

"Oh, really, why?"

Damn, she thought. Already she had gotten herself into a situation. She was so happy to see a familiar face, she hadn't considered how exactly to begin the conversation. "Oh, you know, I don't like to be out among the masses, especially these days."

"I suppose. I guess I still haven't internalised being a magister yet. It's a good thing most don't know who I am anyway."

"Oh, yes!" She said mindlessly. She figured out how to test him. The flower, given to her and the others as a sign of their new duty. She let fall the unnaturally green flower. "Oh dear, I really should be more careful!" She waited for him to pick it up for her. "These really are quite rare."

"What is this?"

"Oh… you don't know?"

"I've never seen this kind of specimen. It's certainly not from around here."

"No, no I suppose it's not."

"Might I ask, what is it?"

"Oh! Um… well… I don't really know myself! It was given me, you see, by an admirer!"

"Oh my." They laughed. "Well I've never seen anything like it. It must have been recently cut, no?"

"No, I don't believe so."

"Well it must have been enchanted. No flower can stay so fresh after being cut. Look, it even exudes some substance. A means to attract pollinators if I were to guess. Or," he looked closely, "perhaps, actually, is it decaying?"

"I wouldn't know."

"Would you like me to enchant it for you? If it's special I mean. I know just about every spell to keep plant specimens from withering."

"No! I mean, you said yourself, it seems to have already been enchanted. Anyway I don't really like the fellow."

"Well he found you quite a rare flower, it may be worth something."

"Oh, no, it's far too beautiful to sell, don't you think?"

"Oh… yes, of course." They both eyed the flower with some disgust.

"Anyway, it's always lovely to see you, Tenemire. Let's meet for a drink at Magister's Terrace! It can be such a lonely place."

"Oh of course, magistrix. I'll look you up the next I'm there. I do hope you're taking care of yourself."

"Yes, have a good day now."

Tenemire stood for a moment. He never thought of Eredania as one to experience, yet alone complain of, something so base as loneliness. Perhaps that was why she spent so much time at Saltheril's Haven, though she usually kept a distance between her and most others there. Were others seeing her differently, being a magistrix, since that strange assembly? Word had gotten out almost immediately and had polarised the rest of the elves. He thought that he would, actually, look for her to have tea or lunch with when he went back. It would help to have somebody friendly to talk to. As she said, the Magisters' Terrace was a lonely place.

Two guards made an attempt to stop Eredania as she rushed toward Rommath's chambers.

"Out of my way, I'm a magistrix!" Brutish, useless guards. "Grand magister, might I a word with you?"

"I am slightly busy." He responded without looking up from his desk.

"It is only a moment. I have a proposition which I believe you'll find interesting, possibly useful."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. You see, I passed Tenemire Eventide in Falconwing Square yesterday."

"Yes, yes, go on."

"Well it occurred to me he might be quite a worthy recruit to our efforts!"

"What efforts? You mean your efforts."

"Yes, grand magister. Anyway, I was quite surprised to learn he was not abreast of the situation."

"And you know this how?"

"I tested him." She said proudly. "I used the flower. He had never seen a fel blossom before, so I knew he was yet ignorant."

"You know others aren't supposed to see those." He said, annoyed more than actually bothered by her breach.

"What harm is there if he had no idea what it was? Anyway, I only wanted to suggest to you that perhaps you might consider him for this task."

"I considered every high elven magister for this, and chose whom I thought most suitable."

"Oh, I see. It's just that he is rather unique, isn't he? He speaks to nobody really, and is quite proficient, at least in his own field of study."

"You expect an elf that naif to fel magic to be able, and even safe, doing what you're doing?"

"I hadn't considered that. But I am certainly not adept with fel magic myself."

"And yet he would be even less so."

"I'd wager he's quite able to learn."

"Nothing about him would suggest to you that this is not true, for this specific case? Nothing, in his physical appearance?"

She thought a moment and it occurred to her. "His eyes…"

"Now, magistrix, should you not be on your way? Need I remind you that Lady Liadrin is depending on us?"

"No, grand magister, thank you for your audience." She bowed.

"When you've finished, take tomorrow to care for yourself, you look fatigued."

"Yes, grand magister."

"Selama ashal'anore, magistrix Eredania."

She took offence at having been told she looked fatigued. It's true, she hadn't slept, but she felt an unusual quivering of energy, unlike anything she had felt since before the war, and she had been feeling this way since she began this assignment. It seemed to her through the channelling of magic from the object into the vessels, some rendered unto her the effect of energy and a sharpness of senses. She would use this to her advantage then, channel just a bit more, and be open to its effects. She wouldn't need to sleep ever again, she thought.

The strange, scintillating object was before her. It was large. The process of extracting its magic had the effect of distorting one's sense of time and place. She was unable to remember the time she spent casting the spell or what was happening around her. This seemed like a fortunate effect. She could channel for hours, days even, and it would be like a second. This, of course, was warned against by the grand magister. They were told to channel as long as it took to enchant only one of the transferring vessels to be sent to Lady Liadrin to do with whatever it was she was doing. Eredania had adhered to these simple instructions until recently. The past few sessions she went slightly longer, a quarter of an additional vessel, then a half, then two. It seemed silly to temper what was so easy, particularly given the positive effects it had on the caster.

She began the incantation. The words passed over her lips in repetition until their meaning was lost to her and she lost awareness of her surroundings. She enjoyed this part. She directed the flow of magic through her body from the swirling crystalline object before her into the vessels. It required less concentration each time and her mind could wander. They could be beautiful, powerful images. Fields of gold, gardens in the sky, dark caverns illumined by living mushrooms. Where had all these been seen? She had finished two vessels. Surely she could do two more before needing to stop. It seemed senseless to stop when the process itself was lending her energy, like a self-sustaining reaction, it could be maintained for as long as there was a fuel to power it, and the tangible light, this creature blinking into and out of reality, was a bountiful font.

After the fourth vessel, she felt like she was flying. It was new territory, she'd test the limits of her own power and this incantation she had been reciting over again for many hours in reality, though she was unaware. Nothing had changed but for the presence of a new sound, though she was unsure if she was hearing something as much as she was feeling it. It was a sharp, stinging sound. It was like the sound sheets of ice make as they thaw and crack.

The reflective surface of the creature flashed Eredania's reflection back at her and she saw her own face, grown haggard with the recitation of the incantation, her eyes pouring green flame.

"Know my name, child." A distorted voice said. It was high-pitched and quavered, and the speech halted unnaturally between words.

"What? Who is there? There's not meant to be anybody in here but me."

"Know my name."

"What? No, I would not." Eredania shook her head.

"You shall."

"No, please don't." Eredania covered her ears, but the sounds and speech were unaffected.

"I am M'uru." The cracking sound intensified. Her reflection before her began to break apart, cracks forming in its body with light streaming through them. It began to scream before a wave of sound like a thousand shattering mirrors overtook Eredania. She saw only darkness before her.

Tenemire was passing through Falconwing Square again. It was the easiest way to go between Sunstrider Isle and Eversong Woods proper, though he disliked the necessity of using it as such a thoroughfare. He detested passing through the ruins of the old city, and worse still was glimpsing the elves who had been consumed by addiction.

As he was passing, his attention was caught by elven guards carrying another, unconscious, or perhaps worse. Curiosity had him glance more closely before his suspicions were raised. Once it was undeniable he approached them.

"What happened here?"

"We weren't told. She was found in there," the guard pointed into one of the buildings.

"Is she…"

"Barely."

"Where are you taking her?"

"Instructions were to Quel'Danas."

"Escort her carefully back to the Isle of Quel'Danas. She is a magistrix."

"And you are?"

"I am a magister."

"Oh, very well then. You needn't worry."

Tenemire stood and watched as the guards carrying Eredania's body disappeared into the ruins of the old city.