A/N: Thanks to everybody who reads this and especially to all who take the time to write a review. ;) You are great.

Blackjack: Cthulhu ftagn! (And greetings to everybody who understands what that means.) And regarding your request (You know the drill, don't you?): „NO!"

Part 15 - In the Land of Dreams

About an hour later, Raistlin put the stone away. His spell had verified what he already had suspected. The power of the stone was nearly doubled in comparison to his own crystal a day and a half ago. By now he was sure that the stone he had was the kender's half. Though both halves looked just he same for normal eyes, their magical structure was slightly different. But that could only mean that the wish hadn't worked at all. It had transported him to the other half, not the other half into his laboratory as he had commanded. That was not even a "weird but literal" fulfillment of his demand. Nevertheless there had been the energy of a wish in his crystal. He had ensured this. And he was also sure that he had made no mistake as he had invoked he wish. A wish had been set in motion. Then why, in the name of Nuitari's eternal darkness had it not worked? It was an enigma.

Could the kender have something to do with it? Raistlin knew from his shared journeys with Tasselhoff Burrfoot that kender had an instinct for triggering devices of all kinds. Especially when they contained magic. What if the kender, Nima was her name, had found a way to negate his spell and utter a wish of her own? He swore. Why had the other half had to be in the hands of this cursed family? Why couldn't it have been guarded by a black dragon or draconians or a lich? He would have dealt with those things easily.

However, what was done was done. And it had to be reversed soon. But without the kender being here, he would have no opportunity to question her what she had done with the stone. Another thought entered his contemplations. When he was here, then the kender was probably in the Tower of Palanthas! In his body! He imagined what the kender could do. With access to the artifacts in his tower this wretched creature could blow up half of Krynn! If she was only half the meddler Tasselhoff was, he didn't want to know what she would do. On the other hand there was Dalamar. Dalamar would surely see through her and keep her in check. Surely she would not be able to fool the elf. After all his apprentice belonged to the intelligent sort. Raistlin snorted. And he had a talent in spying. The mages' lips formed a sarcastic smile. Yes, the kender would not have the best time of her life with Dalamar around. He could only hope, the girl was occupying Dalamar's attention long enough to keep his apprentice from informing Par Salian about what had happened. If they found him here without his components and scrolls... The old wizard and his enemies at the conclave had waited for a chance like this for years.

Nevertheless the situation had some advantages. The magical power of Orsany's Crystal was immense. Maybe it was not necessary to reunite both halves when he had their combined power concentrated in one crystal. If he could tap the wish as a source he could take down half the mages in the conclave plus Par Salian without even starting to sweat. His powers would be nearly godlike. Raistlin smiled again. That didn't sound so bad. Once he had gotten his old life back the gods better had prepare themselves for Raistlin Majere.

Still pondering the advantages and disadvantages of the current situation, Raistlin laid down on the bed and crossed his arms behind his head. From the outside he could still hear the sounds of music and singing. Did these people think of anything else than having fun? For the gypsies life seemed to be one big feast. They reminded him to some of his brother's friends he had met during their adolescent years. In the past he had never been able to understand these people and he still knew he couldn't. Very likely he never would. And with that he was perfectly fine. He had never needed the common people and their primitive delights. Though in his youth, they and their endless feasting had sometimes made him feel lonely. In the weary years of his childhood it had hurt seeing their joy and knowing he would never be part of their community. Sometimes he had been jealous. With the flow of years such relations, or more specifically the lack of these, had mattered less and less. Irony of ironies, Par Salian's "precious" gift had helped him in this. He had seldom admitted it to himself but seeing each creature wither, regardless of standing and abilities, had always given him a slight feeling of supremacy. Every worldly value, every beauty, joy and dreams others had, had faded into the same old nothingness under his look. And this was what they were to him. Nothing. Once he had realized the absolute insignificance of a single life, even jealousy had lost its point. Just a flicker of an eyelid and they all were gone, and the only thing left that was eternal, was worth craving for, was power. Power and control.

It was the same with these people here. But still... without seeing everything falling apart, it was suddenly not so easy anymore to separate... All of a sudden, an emotion from the past haunted him, something he had believed to have overcome years ago. Outside in the camp a violin sung a bitter-sweet melody that filled even the solitude of the old caravan. Raistlin recognized an old love song and finally, he felt lonely.

His lids sunk down as he gave his mind a rest. Why did he feel tired all the time? Maybe because this body was not trained to bearing so strong magical powers such as he possessed. When others snickered about his frailness and sickness, nobody ever thought of the drain caused by constant use of mental energies. In certain respects he was stronger than they thought...

He was surrounded by a floating darkness. There was movement all around him. Dark colors whirled up and down. Where was he, he couldn't see further then arm length. He made a step forward. While moving he felt the soft familiar velvet of his robes on his skin and his hand encircled the Staff of Magius. He felt it, he was back in his body again. Suddenly he sensed a presence behind him. Somebody approached him. As thousand times before Raistlin commanded the Staff to spread light. It obeyed in an instance. The darkness around him was lifted away. It stayed at the edge of his vision though. At least the light was enough to recognize the other being. Though he had not seen the person before, he knew who she was. She looked at him with awe. Big blue eyes looked at him curiously. Pure, innocent Kender-eyes. Something in her glance touched him, much more that it should. It made him furious. Raistlin felt his anger rise. That girl! How did she dare to stare at him like that - so knowing, so questioning, after all the trouble she had caused.

"Kender! You have something that belongs to me! Give me my body back!"

He could see this introduction had frightened her. So kender could be frightened after all. This brought at least a little bit of satisfaction. She jumped backwards in a somewhat acrobatic manner and cried "I didn't do it!"

Of course! Kender never did anything according to their own opinion. They could start wars without 'doing' anything. In an instant he was next to her grabbing her sleeves.

"That was not supposed to happen!"

Her panicked face was like a confession of her guilt. He had to find out what she had been up to.

"What did you do stupid kender?" he questioned her. Quite civilized, he thought, since he didn't use any spell forcing her to reveal everything. But instead of answering the kender cried denial and wriggled in his grip struggling for release. Suddenly her shoe met his shinbone. For a second he was distracted and lessened his hold on her. At that moment she shrieked and disappeared as if the surrounding darkness had devoured her.

He awoke in the dusty light of the evening sun that shone through the open window of the juggler's wagon. From the outside he could still hear music and chatter. He couldn't have slept long. Maybe an hour, not more. Raistlin shook his head to get the strange dream out of his mind. By the three gods of magic! These kender haunted him even in his dreams. Though, regarding the present situation this was no wonder.

Following a sudden intuition he searched for the crystal. It lay next to him on the pillow. He berated himself. How could he act so foolishly leaving his only way out unguarded? Everybody could have taken it during his sleep. Most strangely, he had been sure he had put it safely away before he had let himselfsuccumb to slumber.

'I start to act as erratic as they.'

Fortunately nobody here seemed to have the slightest idea that they had an artifact half the wizards of Krynn would kill for in order to get it. Speaking of wizards, he would pay the show's alchemist a little visit tonight. If the man had something to do with the events around Orsany's Crystal the gypsies would need a new alchemist very soon.

However, this night he didn't find out anything though he had silently sneaked out of the window when everybody was sleeping profoundly. He had just made it towards the alchemist's wagon unobserved when Tiomar, the half-orc had stepped out of the shadows. He had practically stumbled over Raistlin on his way back from a walk through the woods. Inwardly Raistlin groaned. Why had this idiotic halfbreed ranger always to appear in the worst possible moment? Apparently the gods of fate wanted to prevent him from spying on this strange alchemist. But he would get his chance, Raistlin promised silently to himself. Tiomar escorted Raistlin back to the Teketoll's wagon, grinning. His large canine teeth glittered white in the moonlight.

"Kender never learn, eh?"

tbc

A/N: I'm sorry folks, but the next update will take longer time than usual. Petalwing hates it but Petalwing has to go to hospital and this interrupts all internet activities. ;( Well, at least this grants me some time to write more chapters. See you soon.