Valinos shrank into the distance over the course of the day. The cold ground was muddy and wet, and their clothes quickly became the same. It was dusk when they reached the top of the hill. Looking back was like looking back in time. This had been where they first saw the city. It only seemed appropriate that this was where they looked back on it, potentially for the last time. The factories dominated the city, and the road they were following was well paved and well traveled, but it was the same river, the same inn, the same main street. They were also the same. Sythe and Maren were picking at each other, joking about how they were going to hang out once they had time, Karen tried to grab Maddie's tail for the fourth time that day. Lynn wasn't writing any papers, but was taking note of everything around them. Richard held Raine's wolf hand as they both looked back. But there was something new. Haelith was happy to be leaving the city behind, leave the hornet's nest, and set out on the road to a new life.

"I really am going to miss her." Raine said, sighing. "Whatever happens, good luck Aidu. I hope to see you again, under better circumstances." With that, the eight of them walked for a while more, hiding the city behind the hill.

"I've never traveled with such a large group." Haelith said. "Usually it's only one or two others, but this is a lot."

"It has it's merits." Madelyn said, hanging down from a tree. "Most predators won't get close to large groups of people, and most people will avoid us. We're a wild and varied group! Humans, Keidrans, Basitins, even an Ishtaer! The only people who would want to get close would be wierdos like us!" She smiled, flipping upside down and swinging from the branches.

"Indeed. It's a five week trip back to Edinmire. We ought to get some sleep." He pulled out a sleeping bag, and then looked back at his bag. "Aidu, you crafty woman…" Reaching down, he picked up a pair of journals. They were plain, leather-bound books with blank, white pages. "These were not in there this morning. Perhaps Madelyn should have asked for pointers…" Lynn immediately began working the spines to make them easier to open.

"I still find it freaky that she knew about us." Sythe said. "She would be her normal self one minute, then make some comment about 'the sneaky one being back' before going right back to work. It was scary. Cool, but scary."

"Well, she knew more about magic than we realized. She gave me a book filled with some seriously advance rune-writing. Stuff that no tavernkeeper would ever need to know. If I didn't know better, I'd think she's been planning this as long as the Templars have." Raine said, pulling out the book.

"We can theory craft tomorrow, we ought to get some sleep." Haelith said, pulling out a blanket.

There was a golden path before her. There was a golden path behind her. Her footsteps echoed in the empty void. She knew this place… why was she here again? She turned to look ahead, and saw a man she did not recognize. His form shifted and shimmered, like she was looking at him through cloudy water. "Hello again, Raine." Aruhn's voice was clear. "Dreaming again, I see. Would you like company tonight?"

"I don't want to see you again. Leave me." Raine tried to stomp past him, but she as her footsteps pounded, he didn't move. She looked down, and yes, she was in fact walking. But nothing moved.

"My, my, my… Rather interesting…"

"Shut up and go away." Raine was angry. She glared at him, trying to go away from him, any way she could. But he remained. He waited. He watched.

"The path cannot be hurried," he said "and it cannot be slowed. But everyone travels it at different speeds."

"Shut up!" she yelled, frustration building in her chest. She walked toward him, and he backed up, almost in surprise, as she got closer. "I don't want to hear any riddles, dragon! Tell me what you want!" she shouted, reaching out for him. This time, she did not pass through.

She grabbed him.

The murky, blurry image became clearer and clearer as she held him, fuming. He did not look like the simple farmer she had seen before. He looked like a human, wearing bright silver robes that had a black trim and a fine gold necklace with a diamond hung around his neck. His hair was long and silver like the robes, but she was drawn to his eyes. Eyes that reminded her of Haelith's, except they weren't violet. They were white. Untainted, pure white, like the finest pearls.

"You- You are strong! But your power is uncontrolled." He suddenly became no longer solid, and Raine's fist passed through him.

Raine growled. "Shut up and let me punch you!"

"No. I only want to watch. Not interfere."

"You are the most annoying dragon I have ever met! Just go away!"

"Dragon? Yes. Madelyn Adelaide told you about me… She's clever. Studious and crafty, noses into other people's things when she thinks no one else can see her. Yes. I am a dragon."

"I know! Go away."

"Hmf. As you wish." With that, he began walking down the road, and faded into a mist, then into nothing. Raine was left alone. The golden path was still below her. It lead forward, and branched. Ten, a hundred, a thousand, a million branches broke off, never ending as far as she could see. They swirled, twisted, branched and merged. She took several cautious steps forward, and came to the first fork in the road. Left? Or right? She looked left, and saw… nothing. Right… nothing. She couldn't see where the paths went. But she turned left, only to look back to the right. Turning around, she looked left again.

She was frozen. The first choice. The first path. She had to choose, didn't she? Didn't she… She stepped back, and looked at the place the paths met. Keeping her focus on that joining point, she walked forward. It got no closer. She walked faster, and still it got no closer. Sighing, she looked away, and stared into the beyond. Walking forward, she stepped with faith…

Off the path…

And onto solid ground. She looked down. There was no golden path below her. Her feet glowed silver and white, the fur around her legs lifting as though a breeze disturbed it. She looked back, the path was still within reach. She took a step away from it. And another. And she smiled. She was not going to follow the path.

She was going to make it.