For much of the night Mr. Silver gazed distantly through a clearing in the canopy and his wintery eyes delved into the deeps of the stars. The constellations were different here. He remembered recording them in his grimoire so long ago, and hearing the tales they told from the village elders. He closed his eyes and reached for them, ascending higher and higher until he was stretched and he felt himself fading. Even now the plane of the Spirits was out of his reach, and still The Truth eluded him. “I am bound to this realm,” he whispered to himself. “I must break my tether.”
A familiar presence swept past like a gentle breeze and grasped his hand, but its touch was cold. Elizabeth stood before him, tall and beautiful. “You have chosen a fitting place to meet your end.”
“If by that you mean that the answers I seek are hidden here and my quest is soon to be finished, then yes, it is a fitting place indeed.”
“Our quest,” Elizabeth added. “So, you too can’t ascend any higher. It is a pickle, I must agree. I was hoping to steal the answer from you.”
“Is that why you led an army of goblyns to us?” Silver asked.
“The beasts of this land know more than you think. If I can't get the secret from you then maybe I'll have more luck with them. Besides, you know that both us can’t have The Truth. Astrid and I will ascend and the race will at last be won.”
She took a step away but Silver caught her arm. He hesitated as he looked into her eye. “I am still in love with you, I think.”
Elizabeth smiled. “And I with you.” She vanished in a flash of light.
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