The weather was wonderful compared to the day before. The waves on the beach were a bit gentler, but Zeph said they were still surfable. Dietrich continued to insist that Zeph had to wait until later in the day to surf, and when they finished their breakfast, they headed away from the beach, and east toward the dense bush that surrounded the little town. Dietrich again donned his cloak and at one point during their walk up to the forest, he found a long stick that was about a foot shorter than he was. Perfect to use as a hiking staff. He looked over his shoulder at Zeph, who still looked greatly disappointed at not being able to practice for the contest tomorrow.

"There's a lot of forest here, mate," Zeph said. "This could take hours."

"Good. I want it to take at least a couple of hours," Dietrich replied.

"Everyone else is going to be in the water practicing for tomorrow. What am I doing? Walking around the bush with a crazy man."

Dietrich paused, turning to glare at Zeph. "Let me remind you that you agreed to let me help you. Now, I am not going to force you to stay here. You can go back down to the beach and surf if you wish." He gave Zeph a second before turning back to continue walking, then looked over his shoulder again to see Zeph still following him. A slight grin crossed Dietrich's face. "Ah, so you do believe I have something to teach you. Something deep inside is telling you that perhaps the crazy man has a point."

"Well, the crazy man has also been extremely patient with me. Most people would have given up by now."

"I would like you to stop saying things like that. You are worth the time and effort being spent to help. The mindset you have right now will not lead to good places."

Zeph remained quiet for a little while. Dietrich continued walking, but occasionally paused to take in the view around him. The sounds of rushing water, the breeze rustling the leaves and fronds of the subtropical vegetation, and the song of birds that he had never heard anywhere else in the world were all quite calming. It seemed there was no one else in that forest aside from him and Zeph, and Dietrich was alright with that. He kept on down a well-worn path, stopping by a narrow river fed by a waterfall.

"I'm still trying to understand what you're trying to show me, mate," Zeph said. "It's pretty, yeah, but I'm not sure what the purpose is. I might be able to get it if you tell me."

Dietrich sat down by the bank of the river. "If you were to go back to the beach to practice your surfing, I can almost guarantee that it would have the exact opposite effect it usually has on you. You told me that surfing tends to help clear your head, correct?"

"Yeah."

"The pressure of the competition and the anxiety brought on by your issues with Dryden would only push you to set unreasonable standards and impossible goals. You run the risk of exhausting yourself, and when that happens, you would not be able to perform at your best tomorrow."

"Not being able to practice makes me anxious, too." Zeph kept standing for a moment, then sat down next to Dietrich.

"What do you feel, physically, with this anxiety?"

Zeph shrugged. "A bit of a weird feeling in my stomach, pounding heart, and… I guess this is the best way to describe it, I feel like running around and screaming like a lunatic."

"I do understand all three sensations."

"Even the running around and screaming like a lunatic one?"

Dietrich nodded. "Yes. Odd thing to say, but it has happened. Now, I never actually gave in to such a desire—mostly because if things ever became that bad, I was typically around people who I could not allow to see such… unprofessional displays of behavior. In my work, remaining calm is essential. When I fulfilled my prophecy, I absolutely could not afford to let fear and anxiety rule over me."

"What exactly was your prophecy? Jules and his dad never told us."

"'The paths of the bear and the jackal must intertwine, and the deer and the snake will help you see the abyss that looms before you.' It is a long story, but, to summarize, I was charged with making sure my commanding officer did not attack East Germany when we had a bit of a crisis where it looked like they were going to attack us. I prevented a third world war from breaking out."

"That had to be terrifying."

"When I realized that was what everything was leading up to, yes. It was absolutely terrifying."

"Are you even allowed to be telling me this?"

"Technically, no, but you are not going to go telling people about it, are you?"

"Other than Lysander, no, and you won't find anyone more trustworthy than him." Zeph looked out at the waterfall before giving a quiet sigh. "It's a good thing that was on you and not me. I would've botched it up."

"I never wanted such a thing to be on my shoulders. It was one of many reasons why I pondered ending my own life. I felt that it was a mistake. I had been treated like I was worthless since I was little. I lost countless soldiers under my command throughout the war. I was trapped in a place where my way of thinking was not encouraged. I worked a lot of small jobs for a few years before things grew worse, and I felt the only way to save my skin was to become a military officer. I felt that was the best way to survive, to put on a show for my family and convince them to not get me shipped off to a labor camp. My depression had me convinced that my reasoning was selfish. How could a selfish, bumbling failure of a man be chosen for a prophecy?"

"Clearly, something or someone thought you weren't a selfish, bumbling failure."

"Yes. Clearly." Dietrich let out his breath. "And now we are here. When I was being put through my initial training to become an officer, when I was very scared, and very alone, I never would have thought this would be in my future. Never. If someone told me back then that I was going to have friends, get married, have a child, travel around the world, and be happy, I would think they were criminally insane."

Zeph smirked a little. "Maybe someday, I'll be able to look back on this the same way."

"One day, yes." Dietrich turned to Zeph. "I think this is a good location for us to conduct the hypnosis session I mentioned. Are you alright with that?"

Zeph's smirk faded. "Yeah. I… I want to give it a try."

The two sat facing each other. Dietrich had brought a psychic testing toy that he had been given during the magpie prophecy a few years ago, as he found it was good at getting someone to focus and calm down. He used it to help Troy start fighting his nightmares and harnessing his abilities, and to hypnotize Moffitt to help him confront past traumas and unblock his memories. The toy consisted of a metal disc and a clear orb the size of a large marble that could only be raised out of the center of the disc by magic. The orb would glow blue when it was being used, as Dietrich demonstrated.

"I've never seen something like this before," Zeph said.

"It is based on an ancient relic found in Ireland," Dietrich explained. "I quite like it, and it has come in handy over the years."

"I don't have psychic abilities, though. I can't use it."

"I am not asking you to. I only want you to watch." Dietrich moved the orb around in a predictable manner, until Zeph's eyes were shifting toward where the orb would be moved next. A thought crossed Dietrich's mind. "If you take this with your wand, will you feel it in your mind?"

"I should. Magic is mostly mental, after all." Zeph took his wand off his belt, pointing the tip at the orb before taking it. Dietrich released it, and Zeph shivered. "Wow, that's stronger than I thought it was going to be."

"Now, try to hold it as still as you can."

Zeph tried, though he looked like he was struggling.

"It requires much less force than you may think," Dietrich said. "Think of it as being balanced at the tip of your wand." When the orb was no longer moving, Dietrich watched it for a few seconds before saying, "Close your eyes, but keep focusing on the orb. Picture it in your mind, floating on the surface of a body of water. There are no waves today. No silt or sand is being kicked up. It is like the orb is suspended in glass. There is complete stillness. Your mind can rest. Sleep." Dietrich gently took the orb back, and spoke in a low, calm voice. "I am going to count backwards from three, and you will sleep. Once asleep, you will only hear the sound of my voice, and the sounds within your own memories. Three… two… one."

When Zeph's shoulders slackened, Dietrich held out his hand to catch the younger man's wand so it didn't roll into the river. He set the wand next to Zeph, then snapped his fingers by Zeph's right ear. He got no response, and said, "Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you," Zeph replied.

"Good. We may begin." Dietrich closed his eyes, and soon found himself standing by Zeph on an empty beach. The sand was dark, like many of the beaches in the North Island. The waves were crystal clear, blue, and tall, begging to be surfed.

Zeph looked confused for a moment, then turned to Dietrich. "Now what? Where are we?"

"Your idea of happiness. A place where you are most at peace," Dietrich said. "Unfortunately, we will not be here for long. I want you to take me to the competition in the Gold Coast."

"Why? I don't want to revisit that."

"That is precisely why we must. It will only be memories. We will not be able to interact with anyone, and they will not be able to interact with us. I want to see if there is anything there that can help us now."

Zeph's face paled. He looked like he wanted to argue, but instead nodded. "Okay."

The serene beach was quickly replaced by a bigger and busier beach. Behind the beach were tall buildings, and the beach itself seemed to stretch for miles. The sand was white and looked hot to the touch. There were people milling about with surfboards and a man was talking through a bullhorn, announcing the next contestant for the tournament: Zeph Ainsley. His name was met with some clapping, very little cheering. There wasn't enough energy to get all the spectators cheering him on.

"I was still so angry about how my parents reacted to this," Zeph said. "That's all I was—angry."

"There is nothing wrong with being angry," Dietrich said. "But you must be cautious not to let it go too far."

"I was also jealous of everyone else who actually had people watching them. Lysander was busy preparing for his first year at the University of Auckland, so he didn't… he didn't come to watch." Zeph watched the memory of himself catch a ride on a wave for a few seconds before wiping out. Dietrich noticed the memory began to replay, and that Zeph was looking more and more dismayed with each reset. "Right here," Zeph said. "Right here is when I realized that I wasn't going to win, or even place high in rankings. I lost my footing. I was so busy feeling… angry and jealous and confused and lost that I wasn't paying attention. That's my fault. My parents didn't cause it. Lysander didn't cause it. Dryden didn't cause it. It was all me."

The scenery changed quite abruptly. They were back in New Zealand, on a street situated on a hill overlooking several others. It was just after sunset. The sound of chirping crickets was a nice one. The sound of loud, profane arguing was not. Dietrich watched the memory of Zeph and his father having a shouting match over his flight to Australia. It twisted his stomach and broke his heart to see, but he kept watching, listening to the situation get worse. It came to a head when Zeph's father pointed out that Zeph's loss at the Gold Coast was proof that he shouldn't pursue surfing as a career. Zeph snapped, wild-eyed and raging that his father actually had the gall to say that. Dietrich flinched when Zeph declared he didn't plan on seeing or talking to his parents ever again, and that he hoped they would be sorry when they were older and had no one to care for them. Zeph vowed to never tell his children about their grandparents. His parents were in shock that he had become so heartless, cruel, and selfish. There were threats, insults, and general nastiness exchanged before the door was slammed in Zeph's face.

Zeph drew in a sharp breath next to Dietrich. "I don't want to watch anymore."

Neither do I. "You will awaken when I snap my fingers," Dietrich said. "One… two… three." He snapped his fingers, and they were both back by the river in the forest.

They sat in silence for a moment, and Zeph had turned away from Dietrich in a vain attempt to hide his contorted expression. A sob escaped his throat, and Zeph leaned forward, his head in his hands. Dietrich wasn't sure what to say or do as he tried to process what he saw.

"What was the point of that?" Zeph asked.

"It was what your mind turned to, which makes sense, given it happened right after you returned from Australia," Dietrich said. "I had no control over that. I…" He sighed, looking down at his lap. "I am so sorry." He struggled for words, still not knowing what the right thing to say or do was. He reached over to take Zeph's shoulder, feeling that he understood a little more what made Zeph tick. The younger man was in a constant cycle of feeling confident he could pull off his dreams, followed immediately by crashing and claiming nothing was going to work. It had been painfully obvious that both parties were doing something wrong in the penultimate argument between Zeph and his parents. Neither were really listening to the other, and it seemed Zeph was aware of that while watching that play out for probably the thousandth time since it happened. It was weighing him down, and then the same thing happened with Dryden. He had been repeatedly abandoned, and it was partially his own fault.

Dietrich rubbed his face as he thought. Like with my depression, we have to break the cycle if things are going to improve.

Zeph let out a sigh. "Why did I say those things?"

"You were quite angry, to say the least," Dietrich said.

"That doesn't make it right."

"No, it does not, and you cannot change that it happened."

Zeph sighed and stood up. "No, I can't." He leaned over to pick up his wand, and slid it into his belt. "I'm going down to the beach."

"Why?" Dietrich asked.

"Why do you think?"

"I know what you are going to be doing, but I am asking why. I can already tell you that you are not merely practicing."

A flicker of irritation crossed Zeph's eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, possibly to argue, but stopped. He sat back down. "You're right. I'm not. I just… don't want to think about this anymore."

"To go down there in this state makes you hotblooded and more prone to getting into fights and arguments with people."

Zeph nodded.

"Where I let sadness and despair control me, you are letting anger control you. I mentioned earlier that there is nothing wrong with feeling anger. You had every right to be upset, but you let it control you. That does not have to continue."

"How do you suggest I fix it?"

Dietrich thought for a moment. His first idea seemed a bit ridiculous, but he decided to try it and see how it worked. "Follow me." He stood, and took off running up the path. He paused at the top of the hill to make sure Zeph was actually following, then continued on his run. Dietrich stayed on the path, leaping over roots, rocks, and creeks, entirely uncertain of where he was going to end up. His stride was much longer than Zeph's, keeping him in the lead. This wasn't a race, rather, an exercise to get Zeph's energy out. He didn't want to make him go too hard, as Dietrich wasn't going to deny Zeph's surf practice for the entire day, but for now, Dietrich was going to keep running.

He stopped when he heard Zeph panting behind him. "Oi! Mate! Where're we going?" Zeph asked.

"I have no idea," Dietrich said.

"No idea? Are you mad? What's the point?"

"Are you tired?"

"What do you think?"

"Are you less angry?"

"I would be if you told me what we're doing."

"Oh, alright. I am helping you burn off excess energy."

Zeph sighed, looking down and continuing to breathe hard for a moment. "You could've said that earlier, mate."

"Perhaps."

"Now I'm starting to see why Jules got so upset when I didn't tell him why I brought him out to Sunset after the magpies bugged him. I was trying to help him see the similarities between not giving up at surfing and not giving up at dealing with the magpies. He was livid, but he did eventually get on his board and catch a wave for the first time."

"You made him think about it."

"Basically, yeah. I'm not sure you're doing the same thing here. We're just running through the woods like a pair of maniacs."

"Perhaps there is a bit more to it."

"Oh?"

Dietrich thought for a moment. "On one hand, if I tell you, you might start thinking too hard about it."

"That's the same logic I used with Jules."

"Ah, so you understand how it works, then."

"Yeah."

"So, are you going to get upset with me?"

"No. I mean, you've been making sense the last few days, and… you haven't given up on me yet."

"No, and I have no intention to. You are going to win this contest. I will see to it."

"What if I don't?"

"Why dwell on that?"

Zeph shrugged. "It's a logical outcome?"

"That is true, but you winning is an equally logical outcome. Think about that instead."

"That's easier said than—"

"Just think about it. Come on." Dietrich resumed his run, with a confused Zeph joining up behind him. They were soon side by side, though one would get in front of the other whenever passing by other hikers. Eventually, Dietrich began wearing out, and gradually came to a stop, leaning forward to put his hands on his knees.

Zeph stopped a few feet ahead of him, and turned around. "You alright, mate?"

"Perfectly alright. Give me a moment to breathe."

Zeph walked over. "Stand straighter and put your hands on your head. Keep walking. That's better than leaning over."

Dietrich nodded, and did what Zeph suggested. He glanced at his watch. "I think we can head back to Piha, if you want. I would not mind a lunch."

"I wouldn't mind, either. I'm starving," Zeph said. "Let's head back." He walked alongside Dietrich as they began their walk back through the forest. "That was… That was fun, actually. Seemed a bit pointless, but it was fun."

"That was the point," Dietrich replied. "To enjoy yourself, to stop thinking about what has been troubling you."

"That's typically why I surf. It's supposed to be fun."

"I think it has become so tied to the various disasters in your past that being able to enjoy it has become a bit more challenging."

Zeph's smile faded. He became quiet for a while. "I don't… I don't want that to happen."

"I am not saying that this is a permanent thing to be concerned about. We can break that association."

"Yeah, but we're gonna have to break it before tomorrow."

"We probably will not break it entirely, but we will get a start." Dietrich wasn't quite sure how to begin helping with that, but he was reminded of making amends with his brother. He had horrible memories of how Markus treated him when they were children. He was afraid that being around Markus would just make him relive those memories again and again. How could he possibly make things better? A lot of talking with Markus, for one. The other part of it was forgiveness, both feeling as though he truly forgave Markus, and the feeling of being able to move on. Now, he longed to see his brother. He could greet Markus fondly, affectionately, as though they had been on good terms their entire lives. What happened before wasn't forgotten, but they were both willing to move forward and love each other as they should have years ago.

Dietrich knew what he had to do in order to begin this process of healing for Zeph, but he was worried how Zeph would take it. Regardless of what happened, Dietrich decided he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

Dietrich had seen Dryden at one of the diners after he and Zeph had a quick lunch. For the sake of his idea, Dietrich let Zeph go to the beach to the practice, and told the younger man that he was getting a bit of dessert before going to the beach and watching Zeph practice. Of course, Dietrich wasn't going to make himself out to be a total liar—he actually would get a dessert when he entered the diner he had seen Dryden.

His options were not only limitless, but difficult to choose from. There was a huge display case packed with cakes, pies, fudge, and little chocolate-covered treats. Everything looked rich and delectable, but Dietrich reminded himself that he was here on a self-imposed mission first and foremost. He could see Dryden seated at a counter, talking with another surfer. There was an empty seat on Dryden's left. Dietrich ordered a big slice of cheesecake, which was full of chocolate swirls and covered in cherries and whipped cream, then approached Dryden. "I beg your pardon, but is this seat taken?"

Dryden turned, and glared at Dietrich. "Get lost if you know what's good for you."

"I would if I did not come here with the express purpose of talking to you."

"Well, I have no interest in talking to you, not unless you want to go outside and get your beating done and over with."

"Surely, we can settle this without the need for aggression." Dietrich was handed a dish containing the slice of cheesecake, along with a fork. He cut into the cheesecake, and put a big forkful in his mouth.

"Yeah, go ahead and keep eating that," Dryden said. "You're going to feel great getting beat on with a full stomach."

"Who said we were actually going to fight?" Dietrich asked.

"I did, you clueless moron."

"All I did last time was step in to keep you and Zeph from fighting."

"Yeah, but he started it and you didn't knock him down."

"This incident was several days ago. Must you dwell on it?"

Dryden's expression hardened. "You really like riling people up, don't you?"

"No, I do not." Dietrich took another bite of his cheesecake. "Besides, what if I told you that Zeph told me a bit about what things were like between you two a few years ago?"

"I wouldn't care. I gave him a chance, and he blew it. He thinks he can make a living surfing, but he's not willing to put the work in to actually become a professional. He's never going to get invited to the big tournaments at the rate he's going."

"Alright. What if I told you that is not entirely true?"

"Of course you would. You're on his side."

"There are no 'sides' in this, merely differing perspectives and parts of the story that you are unaware of because Zeph never bothered to tell you. Before you accuse me of being entirely in favor of him, know this—he has no idea that I am talking to you, and I happen to think what he did a few years ago was not very intelligent, because of the damage it did to your friendship."

"The damage was already done. If he wants to apologize, then he can do it himself, but I'm not going to accept it."

"Why?"

"Because he proved he's not serious, and I'm not wasting my time with him anymore."

"Accepting an apology does not mean you are friends again."

"My answer is 'no.' Zeph botched it up, and he can suffer with his idiocy for all I care."

"Giving someone a second chance is difficult when you have no clue if they are being genuine. I do understand that. You will most likely not believe me when I say that Zeph has changed, and is working on not making the same mistake again. You are free to deny Zeph a second chance, but I want you to think about what you might be missing out on, and what I am going to tell you about where Zeph was mentally a few years ago."

"You're still not changing my mind," Dryden said. "Finish your cake so we can get this over with."

"Oh, but this is quite an exquisite cheesecake," Dietrich replied with a slight grin. "It is worth savoring and taking one's time with. We are not children here, after all. This is not something to merely be shoved in your mouth with reckless abandon. No, it deserves to be thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated, like a fine wine."

Dryden gave Dietrich a confused and frustrated expression. He sighed and shook his head. "You're just doing this to be a pain."

Dietrich continued eating his cake, without responding to Dryden.

"You can't possibly be thinking you're going to get away with this."

Dietrich set his fork down, and slowly looked over at Dryden. "What do you think fighting me will achieve?"

Dryden opened his mouth to answer, then stopped.

"You do not have a good answer, do you?" Dietrich kept eating his cheesecake.

The younger man let out another sigh. "Fine. I'll hear you out if it gets you out of here sooner."

"You were aware that Zeph dropped out of his schooling, correct?"

"Everyone knew that."

"But you do not know why."

"No. I thought he was convinced he didn't need it anymore and he was going to surf for the rest of his life. The Gold Coast tournament was a big deal, but not big enough for him to quit school over it."

"His parents were not going to let him go to Australia, but he went anyway by broomstick. When he returned, they had a massive argument, and kicked him out. He has been living with Lysander ever since."

Dryden was quiet for a few moments. "He never mentioned any of that. I mean, it certainly explains why he was in a fouler mood than usual when he came back from the tournament. I… I assumed he was a sore loser." He went silent again, then gave Dietrich a confused expression. "Who… Who even are you? I can tell you're not Kiwi."

"That is a very long story, but you are right. I am not from New Zealand. I am from Germany. Lysander and Zeph met some friends of mine from Britain when they were visiting a few months ago. They recommended that Zeph talk to me about helping him find a path to being successful in life, so I made the flight down here a few days ago."

"German, huh? And you're staying with Zeph at the Wilkins place? I'm surprised Silas hasn't gutted you and mounted you on the wall."

"I got used to hiding whenever he showed up." Dietrich put the last forkful of cheesecake in his mouth. Admittedly, he was disappointed to be finished. It really was a good cheesecake.

"That's rough."

"Can I say I am surprised you believe me?"

"Well, I believe Zeph didn't send you, but why exactly are you here, talking to me?"

"Because I believe you can help Zeph."

"Are you mad?"

"Possibly. I do not know anything about surfing. You do, as you were teaching Zeph years ago."

"He can find someone else." Dryden went quiet again, and rubbed his face. "Lysander's at uni, isn't he?"

"Yes."

Dryden sighed, and cursed. "You said Zeph has no idea you're doing this?"

"Nope. Not a clue."

"He's going to be furious with you." More silence from Dryden. "The bloody contest's tomorrow. If he wants a lesson, fine, but if he's going to keep being stubborn, I'm not going to help him. You go talk to him, and then come back to me later."

"Alright." Dietrich stood, then turned to face Dryden. "Do I have your assurance that this is not a trap?"

"I'm not going to do anything unless Zeph is going to remain an ass. If he wants to start taking surfing seriously, good for him. I'll give him another chance. If this turns out to be a waste of time, I'll tell him so, but then I don't want to see either of you again."

"Fair enough. I will come find you this evening." Dietrich turned to leave the diner, and headed down to the beach. He could see Zeph wading out further into the water with his board, and sat in a place where Zeph would see him when he came back to shore. The whole time, Dietrich hoped and prayed that his idea would help, and not make things worse.