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He would embrace them These T’lan Imass, who had twisted all the powers of the Warren of Tellann into a ritual that devoured their souls A ritual that had left them -- in the eyes of all others -- as little more than husks, animated by a purpose they had set outside themselves, yet were chained to -- for eternity

Husks, yet… anything but

And that was a truth Itkovian had not expected, had no way to prepare for

Insharak Ulan, as born third to Inal Thoom and Sultha A’rad of the Nashar Clan that would cohted Moss, below the Land of Raw Copper, and I re, no th fro Streaks in the white, the proether in the snows just past Reaching out Lives touching -- ser my chest’s answer to the world’s hidden kor -- my arms wrapped about little Jala, little sister, hot with fever but the fire grew too hot, and so, in-- Jala was the ember now lifeless, and froht but its bed of ash-Ulthan Arlad herd-tracks in the snow, tufts of ry in that year yet held to the trail, old as it was-Karas Av riding Bonecaster Thai’s son in the Valley of Deep Moss, beneath the sun ere breaking the ancient law -- I was breaking the ancient law, I, mate to Ibinahl Chode, made the boy a man before his circle was knotted- in the Year of the Broken Antler, we found wolf cubs -

-- I dreamed I said no to the Ritual, I dreamed I strode to Onos T’oolan’s side -

-- a face strea tears -- my tears -

-- Chode, atched my mate lead the boy into the valley, and knew the child would be reentlest of hands - the grasslands were burning -

-- ranag in the Homed Circle -

-- I loved her so -

Voices, a flood, memories -- these warriors had not lost thes -- within their own dead bodies

Known them

For almost three hundred thousand years