writing_shadows

The caern was, they said, a marker; it showed where the Seer had done... something. They didn't know quite what he - or she - had come here to achieve, but they were pretty sure he - or she - had done it. They were also pretty certain that it was important that it had been done here.

So they gathered around it and poured their fire - the hot fire and the cold, black liquid flame - out over it and... nothing happened. It was only when they let the fire well up inside that they felt... something. It was a kind of exhaustion, mixed with exhilaration; like winning a race and being ready to run on.

Haywalk didn't know much about pilgrimage or caerns or the hot and cold flames, but he knew that feeling well enough. This caern might mean something, and studying it long enough might resolve something for those with the mind to understand it, but for Haywalk, the feeling was enough.

He strode swiftly down from the mountain with a spring in his step.