Silence. Wet suffocating silence; surrounding him; holding him, killing him. A low rumble filled his ears but it felt like it was from another world, another place, and it didn’t belong here. Or maybe it was he who didn’t belong. The world was upside down, now right side up, now down again. All around him was cold. Liquid. He felt something bump into him and bounce off again into the darkness. Pain slashed through his elbow as he pulled hard with both arms and kicked his legs, guessing at which way was up, his equilibrium non-existent. His lungs burned like he was breathing fire, but it was getting lighter and lighter above him with each painful stroke.
Braulor broke through the surface of the water and gasped, bobbing up and down like an abandoned cork. The low rumble in his ears turned into a thundering roar that echoed all around. Disoriented, he shook his head and used the hand of his good arm to wipe the water and hair out of his eyes. He coughed and spluttered as he continued gasping for breath. The undertow was threatening to pull him down, drag him under again, not quite finished having fun with him yet. Water oozed from the corners of his mouth as it evacuated his lungs. What happened?
Scenes from the fight in the Citadel hallway flashed in fragmented bursts in his mind. He had been struggling with that guard, Droinj. Droinj had him pinned at the window and was using him as a battering ram, smashing him into the remnants of the stained glass window over and over again. That explained the pain in his elbow. What happened to Tagan? Braulor’s stomach clenched at the thought. He used his arms and legs to propel himself in a circle, sweeping the churning surface of the water trying to see if he could spot Tagan. It was no good. The water was so choppy and froth covered there was no way he would be able to spot anything on its surface. He cast around again anyway, though he knew it was for naught. Damn. He chastised himself. He was supposed to get Tagan out of the Citadel. He had, he supposed, but now Tagan was lost to him.
In his search for Tagan, Braulor spotted shoreline ahead and swam toward it, his muscles burning with every movement. As he pulled away from the churning foam at the bottom of the waterfall, the flow of the river took him and it pulled him along, gently at first but with increasing speed. Braulor struggled to keep his head above the surface of the fast flowing water when he bumped into something once again. It wasn't solid like a rock or a log. He plunged his head under the water and through the murk he spied Tagan, face down and unmoving, drifting along in the current like some sort of underwater relic. Braulor surfaced, took as big a breath as his burning lungs would allow, and dived below the surface once more, grabbing a hold of Tagan's tunic and pulled him toward water’s surface. It felt like he was dragging up a huge bucket of water. Tagan’s limp body coiled and released from the point Braulor was holding him like some sort of jellyfish with each stroke. Braulor’s muscles strained against the weight and the cold but he finally managed to get Tagan's head above the water. Braulor flipped on his back and cradled Tagan's head on his shoulder and tried to maintain balance as best as he could as they drifted along at the current’s mercy. He couldn’t tell if Tagan was dead or alive.
Braulor bobbed as waves lapped against him but he could sense that he was no longer moving. Opening his eyes he found he was wedged against the shore of the Jaswulder River, Tagan's head still on his shoulder, locked in with his arm. Braulor felt paralyzed. His muscles were rigid and difficult to move, the cold river water having sapped them of their strength. With great effort he pushed Tagan to one side. Tagan rolled off of him and flopped onto the shore, lying on his back; arms splayed out at his sides and didn't move.
Mud, thick and putrid, clung to Braulor's hair, all the way down his back. It was like he was a decoration on top of a cake, mushed into the icing, and it held him fast. It didn't want to let go of him either and Braulor was dizzy from the struggle when he finally broke free and managed to sit up. He spun over onto his knees and took a closer look at Tagan. It didn't look good. Tagan's lips were tinged with blue, the rest of his face a pale white like he was a ghost. Braulor put his fingertips on Tagan's neck and could feel a pulse, erratic but not weak. A good sign. He put his ear to Tagan's chest. Tagan’s heartbeat sounded strong but his breathing was shallow and raspy. Braulor forced himself to his feet and picked up Tagan's legs and pumped them back and forth toward his chest and away again. At first nothing happened but Braulor maintained his pace and water started to dribble out Tagan’s mouth, spilling down his cheeks and onto the mucky bank. When water ceased coming out Braulor stopped his pumping and had to sit down to recover from the effort. Tagan had coughed as the water exited his mouth but he remained unconscious.
Braulor knew he had to get Tagan out of the river and find somewhere to hide while he figured out what to do next. He mustered all the energy he could and stood up. He closed his eyes a moment until the dizziness passed and then looked around. First thing he spotted was the Citadel, white and glittering in the late afternoon sun. It was several miles back up the river but he was sure Lozan would be sending out a party to search for them. That gives me some time to work with.
The tree line was a few hundred yards away across the Dilphel road. That would be a bad direction to go and he looked across to the other side of the river. The trees were less dense and farther away, perhaps a mile, but it felt safer to him, and even better, it was in the direction of Vjeinka Rise. Thinking of Vjeinka Rise made dozens of thoughts flood into his mind. Had they moved yet? What was Jolon up to? Did Tyran make it back to them? Braulor’s eyes welled with tears. He missed Tyran and could sure use his help.
Braulor sighed, knowing that he could do all the wishing he wanted and it wasn’t going to help him. He was on his own and he had better get moving. He dragged Tagan out of the river and mud, laying him on a solid stretch of bank close to the road. He made sure Tagan was secure and then took a short walk along the river bank looking for a shallow place to cross. It wasn't far along to where the river bent to the right and after the bend it widened and ran across a washboard of rocks. That would have to do.
Braulor went back to retrieve Tagan. Tagan hadn’t awoken but appeared to be breathing easier. He looked peaceful and serene, a bit of the pallid color having drained from his face, replaced with a light pink. Braulor hitched him up over his shoulder, surprised at how light he was, and made his way back to the spot he had picked and crossed the rocks. Once on the other side he found a short, steep trail that led away from the river and followed it to a small clearing. He put Tagan down on a patch of grass and clutched at the stitch in his side then froze. Looking back he could see Droinj amongst some reeds on the other side of the river.
Braulor crouched so fast it was like he was trying to avoid something that had been thrown at his head. Adrenaline was surging into veins. His heart was pounding so hard he was sure that it could be heard from a distance. He was in no shape to fight and he couldn't leave Tagan here. He craned his neck so he could have another look and noticed that Droinj wasn't moving. After several long moments of indecision and surveillance there was still no movement and he decided to get a closer look. Braulor inched down the short trail and made his way back across the rock laden river bed, stopping every few feet to make sure Droinj wasn't playing dead. Aside from the bob of the water, the guard didn't appear to be moving. Braulor was right behind Droinj now and he paused, steadying himself, before reaching out with a trembling hand. In one quick motion he flipped the guard over by the shoulder and jumped back, ready to fight.
Braulor wasn’t ready for what he saw. One side of Droinj’s face was collapsed in in a grotesque gash that could only have come from landing on a submerged rock. Braulor fought down the urge to throw up as coagulated blood and brains protruded from the gruesome wound. He turned Droinj back onto his stomach, glad to not have to look any longer, and dragged him feet first to the other side of the river. Here he salvaged what he could from the body. He found a short sword strapped to Droinj’s waist, the other scabbard empty, and a long, jagged knife hidden underneath his armor. In one of Droinj’s pockets
he found gold and silver pieces and another contained a flint and steel. Droinj was bigger than Braulor but he took what he could of Droinj’s clothes anyway.
Placing everything he salvaged on the bank of the river, Braulor went back to Droinj’s body and dragged him over the shallow rock once more until he was up to his waist in faster moving water and then let the body go. No point leaving a marker for the Citadel guards to find. And he watched Droinj’s body float down river.
Braulor slogged his way back up river, collected the items he had relieved Droinj’s body of and went back to where Tagan was lying. His situation hadn't changed. Tagan continued to lie on his back, eyes closed, but his color looked to have improved even more. It was of little consolation. Wherever he was going to go, Braulor knew he would have to carry Tagan.
The river flowed past Tagan smooth and lazy, its noise melodic and hypnotizing, like it was singing a beautiful tune for him. He sat on the grassy bank and stared into its crystal clear blue depths. He could see small fish darting to and fro in eddies, as if they were playing a game of some sort. He took a long breath and sighed. It was so peaceful and serene it was hard to think anything terrible ever happened here. Tagan knew this was Quanna Eresse and he wondered how it was he came to be here.
Tagan’s last memory was tumbling out the window of the Citadel with Braulor and that vicious guard, Droinj, into the waterfall. That wasn’t the result that he expected. When he added his being to the fray, he was only hoping to distract Droinj long enough that Braulor could mount a counterattack. At that point Droinj had been getting the better of Braulor and Tagan reacted out of some inbred instinct, flying in to them as they fought. The force of Tagan's attack had shifted their collective balance and out the window they went. Now he was here. He wondered if he had died in the fall. That would explain the feeling of completeness he felt in Quanna Eresse at the moment. In past instances he felt like a shade or a ghost that haunted Quanna Eresse but was grounded by a strong connection to Brankin Huoh. This time Tagan felt whole here, complete, like he was supposed to be a part of it. Brankin Huoh was a vivid memory that he didn’t feel a part of. It felt odd to him.
"Tagan."
Tagan jumped, his reverie disturbed, and spun his head around looking for the voice's source. He wasn’t scared in any way; it was a voice that he heard before.
Meyu Kwi was walking along the bank of the river toward him this time with two other people close behind, one male and one female. They each carried a bow slung over their shoulder and a carved staff in one hand. They walked with grace and purpose, each long stride, easy yet powerful. Their footfalls were so light it looked like they were floating rather than walking. Their golden hair shimmered in the glancing sunlight, as if it were reflecting from the surface of a lake; their skin smooth and supple. Tagan had never seen angels before but to his eyes this is what they should look like.
Tagan was so awestruck by the sight of them he didn't even attempt to get up and greet them. The casualness with which they approached, it seemed like they had been expecting him for some time. He wondered again if he was dead and they were coming to welcome him.
"Tagan. I am delighted to see you again." Meyu Kwi and the two others drew near, Meyu Kwi’s face in a broad smile. “I knew we would meet again. I didn’t think it would be so soon.”
Tagan felt like he was being rude and made to stand up and properly greet Meyu Kwi.
"Please. Don't stand on my account." Meyu Kwi stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on Tagan's shoulder. "Let us sit for a while."
Relief crept over Tagan like a dawning sun at Meyu Kwi’s touch and stared with wonder at the man.
Meyu Kwi looked to his travelling companions and without saying a word they bowed their heads to Meyu Kwi and separated, taking up positions not far behind them. They stood still and unmoving. Tagan assumed they had been ordered to keep watch but neither of them appeared to be watching anything. As a matter of fact Tagan was pretty sure they both had their eyes closed, like they were napping, but something told him that they were wide awake and wary, not missing a single detail.
Unslinging his bow, Meyu Kwi sat down beside Tagan on the bank and crossed his legs, putting the bow on the ground beside him; his hands coming to rest in his lap.
Tagan had never taken notice before how young Meyu Kwi looked. If Tagan were to pass him in Brankin Huoh he would have thought Meyu Kwi to be not much older than his dad. But looking into Meyu Kwi’s deep blue eyes you could sense only wisdom. The type of wisdom that had come from a long life lived with many experiences both good and bad. Tagan wondered how old Meyu Kwi really was.
"I know that you were inducted into the Citadel’s service." Meyu Kwi shook his head in disapproval.
“I don’t know why it happened. I never thought I would be selected.”
“Not to worry. It was unavoidable and in a way, it’s a good thing you were inducted.”
"How is it a good thing?" Tagan remembered the abuse he suffered at the hands of the other inductees and his battle with the dark entity.
“We were unsure what the powers in control of the Citadel knew about you; what their intentions were. By inducting you we realized that they were aware of your skill.”
"You mean Lozan? Does he rule here too?"
Meyu Kwi chuckled. "No Tagan, Lozan does not rule here. We do have a queen in power here but the people are free. Free to live where they like. Free to roam the land as they like. Free, while we honor the land that gave birth to us and sustains us." Meyu Kwi wasn't surprised by the puzzled look on Tagan's face and elaborated. "By that I mean each person here lives in harmony, not only with one another, but with the land itself. The land, the people, we are all one in the same."
"So your queen allows everybody to do as they please? No guards around to control the people?" Tagan was trying to comprehend what freedom like that meant. Brankin Huoh was all about control and he found what Meyu Kwi was saying hard to fathom.
Meyu Kwi looked at him for a moment. "I know it is hard to understand, having grown up in a world where you are under constant scrutiny. Where who and what you become is dictated by someone else. There is no real way I can explain it but the more you experience Quanna Eresse, the easier it will be for you to understand."
They were both silent now. Tagan not knowing what to say and Meyu Kwi content to sit and be at peace. He knew the best way to present the information was to let Tagan control the flow of the conversation. Let him ask the questions he saw fit and in the order that made sense to him so his brain would put everything together in the easiest way for him to understand.
"But how can I do that? Am I going to stay here? Am I dead?" Tagan threw this out last thought even as he was unsure if he wanted to hear the answer. In his mind if he didn't acknowledge that he was dead then he would be able to go back to Brankin Huoh.
"No, you are not dead Tagan. In fact you are more alive then you have ever been."
“What do you mean, more alive?"
Meyu Kwi's blue eyes lit up like lamps springing to life and a modest smile crested his lips. This was what he wanted Tagan to understand. "This world you see, where we sit and talk, with all its beauty and magic. This is what your race, humans, was destined for. This is where all humans are supposed to be. Here with us in this realm. Here in Quanna Eresse."
"You mean no more Brankin Huoh? Everybody would come over into this world?" It sounded silly, but it was the best way Tagan could frame the question.
"You say come over into this world like they are two distinct places but as you can see, the land is the same. The sky is the same. The mountains, lakes and rivers are all in the same place. There is only one world and humans have been deprived of it, forced to live in servitude in Brankin Huoh."
Tagan recalled previous visits to Quanna Eresse and realized that Meyu Kwi was right. In every instance the land was exactly the same. There were minor variations for sure but this world was identical to Brankin Huoh. "But how? Why?"
"The Draepko
s." Meyu Kwi’s smile vanished as soon as the words left his mouth.
"I thought the Draepkos were fairy tales." Tagan recalled tales he had been told as a boy that involved them. He had thought the stories were convenient ways to deliver moral messages. He had no idea they were real. Tagan shook his head in disbelief, his brain reaching overload.
Meyu Kwi looked off in the distance before he began. "Long ago there were many races that inhabited this land. All of us living in peace with one another, sharing and helping each other to learn and expand our connection with the land and the sky, but an evil started to take shape. Winged serpents descended from the heavens and claimed to be of the gods. Whispers and rumor of their greatness began to abound here and there. Stories of their power flourished but anyone connected with the land could feel something else entirely. A dark change, a shift in the order of things had occurred. It was like a dark veil had been dropped over the world.”
“What happened?”
“The Draepkos adored gold and jewels. They were hypnotized by such material things and coveted them above all else. Through them, the races of Quanna Eresse broke into factions and began warring with each other over things that were meaningless before. Overnight it seemed, these trinkets became desired and lusted after. Men and women killed for them." Meyu Kwi paused, a pained expression on his face, born of deep sorrow. "There were those of us that tried to stay out of the petty bickering; try to bring the world back to the order it once enjoyed but it was too late. The lust of battle and rule was upon many and the thought of going back to anything but was sacrilege. You would be killed for even speaking of it."
"What became of the other races?”
"Those that weren’t hunted down for their meager possessions fled as far and wide as they could to get away from the scourge that was taking over. Some found safety underground and prospered. Others disappeared into the mountains. My people found a place out of the way of the world in the hopes that we would be left alone to strengthen our connection with the earth." Meyu Kwi raised both his hands toward the sky as if to say he was sorry.
"Are you the only people left?"
"The Draepkos were not content. They wanted more but there was less and less to take. When the gold and silver became scarce they started hoarding the land, killing off whoever was on it and dividing it into bordered provinces that were each governed by a different ruler. Over time the Draepkos found they didn't like doing their own dirty work and they created a race of loathsome creatures that would do it for them."
"They created a whole new race?"
"They called on their dark magic and blood rituals to combine the blood of prisoners they had captured with their own blood to create a twisted version of themselves that crave flesh and blood, will kill without pause but are ruled without question. The Draepkos had everything they wanted then. The Mrüg were put into positions of power in their stead while the Draepkos pulled back behind the scenes. Many battles were fought and they were reducing our numbers with horrifying efficiency. They might have finished us altogether if it weren't for humans."
"Human's weren't one of the races here all along?"
"After the Mrüg were set loose, humans appeared a short time later. We don't know where they came from or even how they got here but that is when we made our greatest mistake."
"Mistake?"
"We knew humans didn't have the connection with the heavens and earth that we have. At first they recognized the evil of the Draepkos and the Mrüg, fighting with us against them but over time they too became enamored with riches and began to withdraw from the resistance, preferring to settle into the safety of the ruled provinces of the Draepkos."
"And give up their freedom."
Meyu Kwi nodded his head in agreement. "We valued the compassion and fighting spirit of humans and in an effort to show them what they were giving up on, it was decided that we gift the human race the same ability we have to be one with Auhme. To connect and be one with the earth and everything on it at its core level is an incredible gift. We thought that if humans could see and feel the entirety of this world, of the real freedom they deserve, they would take up arms once again and aid us in our fight against the Draepkos. It was an extreme risk to take and our magic users pored over the challenge until they found a way to do it."
"But that never happened."
“No.”
“Did something go wrong?”
"The ritual should have worked. It was adhered to in meticulous detail but the connection was never achieved." Meyu Kwi took a deep breath before continuing." By this time, the Draepkos were starting to realize that no matter how hard they tried they couldn't stamp freedom and liberty out of us. Many of the factions were starting to see the futility of the endless wars the Draepkos waged from behind the scenes. A rebellion, or to be more precise, a rebirth was brewing."
Tagan shifted on the ground he was sitting upon. This was all history that was unknown to him; most likely unknown to anybody in Brankin Huoh. It sounded crazy, yet on some level he couldn’t explain, it felt like the truth. “What is Auhme?”
"Auhme is in all of us. Auhme is us. It is what everything you see and can’t see is made from. It is everything and nothing and is around us every moment. Whether we feel it or not, it is there and every animate being has a responsibility to shape it in the best way they can for the growth of all. It emanates from deep within the heavens and is warded over by the Lefirte; a magnificent tree as old as Quanna Eresse itself. The Lefirte’s roots grow deep into the earth; its branches reaching far into the heavens and it brings forth the energy this earthen realm is made from. We are connected through it and it through us. We were poised to add the human race to the Lefirte’s record. This would have given humans the gift of being whole, being complete, as it should have always been. The Lefirte is sacred to all but especially to our race for we were its tender and we failed."
"The tree no longer lives?"
"When the Draepkos learned of our desire to unite humanity with the Lefirte, they decided that if they severed the connection for everybody, they would break us. With our connection lost we would give up hope and accept their domination and lay down for the slaughter."
“But wouldn’t that cut them off as well?”
“We don’t know if the Draepkos feel it the same way we do. Perhaps their lack of empathy limits their connection. Remember, they were not of this earth, and perhaps their connection lies with another world we do not know of. But cutting off our connection was a risk they were willing to take.”
"Did the Draepkos destroy Lefirte?"
"A young mage apprentice had grown tired of the steps required in becoming a full mage. He wanted a shortcut and chose to dabble in the dark magic of the Draepkos. When the Draepkos learned of this they approached him and offered him great power if he could procure from the Lefirte, its heart."
"And that fractured the world?"
"The mage worked a spell of the Draepkos’ creation that tricked the Lefirte, making it seem as if the field it draws from had gone dry and there was no reason for it to continue functioning. Thinking it was end times the tree faltered and in that moment its heart was accessible. The mage seized the opportunity and took its heart to the Draepkos. At first they tried to use it for their own evil purposes and flood our universe with their evil intent but the tree’s heart was so pure and good, their evil spells were thwarted with ease. They tried many spells and incantations of the Draepkos’ magic, dark and savage, but the heart of Lefirte was stronger than they realized. It wouldn’t bend to their will. However, it was only a matter of time and the many attempts they were making on Lefirte’s heart was draining it of its stores of energy. Their final attempt was a spell that originated in good magic but they warped it to their evil purpose. Change a word here or a verse there and the entire spell changes. But the Lefirte’s heart wouldn’t be swayed by their evil intentions and had seen enough. It decided the best way to protect itself would be to cut everyone off from each other.
That would put an end to everything. After that day the world was fractured with each race confined to a different reality like a mother would separate her children when they were acting out."
Tagan was starting to put it together. "You are here in this reality of Quanna Eresse and we are in the Brankin Huoh, where I am from, yet they are one and the same."
"Yes. And the Draepkos are in another realm but evil never rests and they found a way for the Mrüg to enter your reality, albeit only for short periods of time but long enough to lure those that are simple of mind into their purpose and continue their evil agenda."
"Can they enter this reality?" Tagan gestured to Quanna Eresse.
"Not yet, but they keep trying. The Draepkos and Mrüg desire to rule all of us and to do that they have to conquer this reality as well. That is why they keep searching for it."
"For the heart of Lefirte?"
Meyu Kwi nodded. "It went missing when the Draepkos cast their final spell and the world separated. No one knows where it ended up. We know it did not land in this world. Our magic users have scryed every square inch and have not found it, which explains the Draepkos’ interest in you."
"They’re interested in me?"
"Don't you see? They want into this world and they know that you can enter and leave here, a skill they crave. They would find a way to expand your ability until they could stay here long enough to destroy us. Didn't you find it odd that you were picked at the induction ceremony?"
Tagan remembered the battle of minds he had with that unknown entity that he now realized must have been one of the Mrüg. "I didn't have time to question anything. It all happened so fast. The story they told me seemed to make sense."
"They wanted you where they could keep their eye on you. Try and learn the secret of your ability. They also suspect we seek to restore the world to its proper harmony and could use you to find Lefirte’s heart. As you know they are desperate to find it, if only to keep it away from us. If they have you under their thumb they, in turn, would be able to get information from you." Then Meyu Kwi turned his piercing gaze on Tagan before he could respond in any way. "They want to find out what I am about to tell you."
Tagan's skin was tingling, his heartbeat picking up pace. He felt scared and exhilarated all at once, unsure if he wanted to hear this or not.
"Lefirte’s heart is the Amber Eye.”
Tagan gulped in spite of himself. Even in his sheltered world, he had heard of the Amber Eye and Meyu Kwi's story came together.
"Yes. We now know it is in your world Tagan and you must find it before they do. Find it and return it to the Lefirte. Its return will close the rift that divides our worlds and unite us once again."
"Find the Amber Eye? That’s crazy. And where is the Lefirte?" Tagan’s questions came out in a confused jumble.
"Lefirte resides in the land of Phemma Eilod."
"That land is haunted." Tagan remarked without hesitation.
"That is a superstition that was born of a desire to keep people away so nobody could discover the truth. It is my peoples land and the place where our spirit is the strongest, where we can come closest to your world. That’s what people feel when they are there."
"But the Amber Eye is a myth in my world. A legend leftover from times long past. Nobody would be able to help me find it, even if they wanted to and I wouldn't know where to start looking."
"You must seek Rean Le. She can guide you."
"Who is Rean Le?"
"She was from this realm and she had the same ability as you, to cross in between realities. We suspected the eye was in your world and she chose to try and find it. Because she couldn’t manifest in your world for long periods our magic users devised a charm that she could use once in your reality that would keep her there and she would be free to locate the eye. When she did, she would return it to Lefirte."
"How do you know she isn't dead?"
"If she were dead, her spirit would be able to return here, as yours is here now, and she hasn’t.
Tagan thought about this and understood Meyu Kwi. "Right now I feel disconnected from Brankin Huoh but the other times I viewed this world I always felt that I was in both at the same time but that I could go back to Brankin Huoh and shut out this world."
"Free from its body, your soul is able to express itself here in a more complete way. That is why you feel so connected to Quanna Eresse at this time. But your body is back in Brankin Huoh and it still lives. When your body regains consciousness you will have to return to it."
Tagan thought back to his fall out of the window of the Citadel and a little bit of clarity came to him. "The waterfall." he whispered.
"You took quite a risk doing what you did."
"I had to help Braulor. Is he ok?" Tagan grew worried as the entire memory of what happened flooded back into his mind.
"Your brother is tending your body as we speak."
"My brother?" Tagan didn’t think he could be shocked any further after Meyu Kwi’s story. He was wrong.
"Kenok never told you that he fathered a son before Sequil became pregnant with you.” Meyu Kwi realized it at the same time as Tagan.
Like fireworks, different parts of Tagan's brain were firing. It felt like he was boxing a dozen men at once, punches of knowledge hitting him from every direction. He knew now why Kenok had been so harsh with him. Why he pushed him as hard as he did and why there were those times that Kenok was solemn and unreachable. It all made perfect sense. "Why didn't Braulor tell me?"
"He has his own reasons for his actions."
Meyu Kwi was starting to fade. Tagan knew that his body must be awakening and that he didn't have much time left here before his soul rejoined it. "Where can I look for Rean Le?"
“She had set up camp on the outskirts of Dwenar Gliv, in the Knalb Mountains.”
Tagan had heard of Dwenar Gliv and nodded. Meyu Kwi looked like a ghost now. Tagan could see Quanna Eresse through him. “What about the Amber Eye?”
Meyu Kwi knew what was happening as well and mouthed an answer. "Ildwe Dale." then he was gone.
Chapter 17