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The guardians were shocked by the news that one of their nuarded as a catastrophe by mere mortals but those who think they are iue dies Such things are not ures entering the Forbidden Zone to pay their respects to the recently departed They walked in silence between the rows of jars with bowed heads The heads in the jars stared back with sad expressions A sense of grief hung in the air Tom felt he could almost reach out and touch it

He reached the jar with the deceased guardian and nodded respectfully before passing on The expression on the aged face puzzled hiht crossed his mind

The dead man looked more saddened than sad

There wasn't time to dwell on it He was part of a procession and had to keepBut that didn't ot a chance It canised the alcove where Father lived and seized the opportunity to speak to him

A quick shuffle was all that was needed He stepped to one side The procession ed fro as on his earlier visit

The face in the jar greeted him with a smile

'Thomas I expected you'

'I couldn't miss the opportunity, Father'

The head nodded 'You will be ast those who cauehe was a dear friend'

The reht you were a prisoner of the guardians, Father'

'I ht be, Thomas But that does not mean I cannot count soo withoutto me now'

'I saw him,' Tom said

'How did he look?'

'Not as I expected'

'In ay?'

'I thought he would look as if he had just wasted away but his face was full of life I don't knohy the thought cauess I had heard the expression before and so conjured it up'

'What was the expression?'

'He looked more saddened than sad'

'Yes' The old man nodded 'That probably sums it up'

'I'm still puzzled'