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"And a great deal more besides," Erlin said as the beardedbefore the black stone plinth, looking down into the void of its surface He stood there for some time, until the screams and the last thunderous ru roar of the flaht sky, eyes closed as he extended a hand to the stone Hisa depth of weariness Vaelin found almost pitiable Where before his hand had trembled, now it shook as if afflicted with palsy, the beardedin a silent scream

Abruptly he whirled away fro and features livid with rage and another expression Vaelin kneell; the twitching, bright-eyed e his own defeat

A large troop of red-ar wooden beams The bearded man moved away from the black stone as his servants moved in They placed the beams under the plinth’s wide,it away quickly, seeht as they proceeded down the steps and through the corpse-choked streets below

The bearded ered for a moment, eyes narrow as they scanned the platforlimmer of humour in his eyes He knows I see this, Vaelin decided, the freezing chill of realisation coursing through him as he saw theas he turned and descended the steps without a backward glance No es to turn him to dustThe Ally

• • •

"Did you know?"

"I had suspicions" Erlin raised a hand to the memory stone "But these memories are so ancient So do countless mysteries"

"Lionen said you would touch the black stone," Vaelin pressed "But not be you when you did What did he mean?"

"I think he meant we have much to think on" Erlin extended his other hand to Vaelin "Nothing else will occur here, though I once waited the best part of a h and perhaps you’ll see the Lonak arrive"

Vaelin sighed, casting a final look at the still-s to take Erlin’s hand, then drawing back in alarrasp it The vortex returned in a heartbeat, taking Erlin with it There see dust now, the colours changing, a more complex dance to the spiral of chaos It faded as quickly as it had coe Except noas alone and it was night, the clouds above turned into a roiling orange roof by the glow frohter now, his eyes picking out a gout ofthrough the rock beneath his feet

"So," a voice said "Do you have happier tidings for s He was older, his long hair rey, his face still lean but also lined He paused a few feet away, frowning as he took in Vaelin’s appearance "Ah It has only been moments for you, has it not?"

Vaelin nodded "My friend"

"Thisa hand towards the dwellings "I was about to have supper Would you care to join e has ier dwellings He noted the others were all silent, the s absent any light

"I have had h I find itthan Seordah but more poetic and functional than Volarian" Lionen stood aside at the door to his house, gesturing for Vaelin to precede him Inside the air arm, the chamber sparsely furnished with a loooden bunk and some scrolls stacked in the corner A s into a narrow channel in the roof

"I would offer you so a seat beside the fire "But it would be a redundant gesture"

"I can feel," Vaelin said "But not touch Why?"

"The stone captures place and the ti As is our conversation It has already happened, even though for both of us it appears to be happening now What has happened cannot be changed, and so you cannot touch it Change is the province of the future"