The grey cat watched him from beneath a large tree. He was weary, and his muscles ached as he pulled off his mantle and armor. A light rain fell from above, but his attunement with the element of fire had reached a point where cold weather rarely bothered him.

He made his way down the bank, feeling the memories of the place swarm around him like summer fireflies. He felt the weight of the black steel band on his finger. Taking a deep breath, he dove into the cool waters of Laakmir. He let himself float a moment, before breaking the surface and taking a deep breath. The patter of rain in the lake was all around him. He felt refreshed.

Her voice floated through his thoughts more real than any transmitted by his gwethdesuan. “Please,” he thought, “just let me rest a while,” but the voice continued it's flowing song:

O divine immortals!
That gaze on all below,
Listen to this muse-born song
Of Therengia's heroes!

For never will cold terror,
Freeze burning hearts as these,
That stood before fell Viggu's clan,
And made the orc hordes bleed!

For many in that company
Led by fearless Klurn,
Could acting on their courage high
The tide of battle turn -

Yet working all together now,
The flower of the North
Allied with friends of Southern realms
Put th' orc hordes to the sword!

Among them was cold Whiteburn,
Whose bloody wrath was sate
On countless orcish soldiers fierce
Who fell with screams of pain!

And the master of high lunar spells,
The brilliant Arimane,
Saw that none of orcish filth
The Keep would ever stain!

And Mazrian and Perune,
The pillars of my guild,
Had slain so many orcish brutes
We feared th' spiral'd over fill!

Glorious Felicini!
And the life mage Karathor
Protected Theren's people
With strength unmatched in lore!

And to the fray my shadow lept,
To slay the fearsome chiefs
Though Glory may not speak her name,
In orcish blood she's seeped,

For never will foul Viggu's hordes
Set Therengia to flames
So long as the deadly Drister pair
Walk our hallowed plane.

Crobin and Heartsfyre,
Of families renown,
Saw the Baron's foes advancing
And quickly tore them down!

And all my peers from Zoluren
Taevish, Shaeun and Elphierose
Whose courage blazes with a steadfast light
Whom the gods themselves now know!

And as the orcs fell screaming,
Cast down in terror and defeat
The name of Raeyel was whispered
And the remainder shook with fear,

For thanks to th' empath Qiyan,
And the Ranger elf Maltris,
The greatest hopes of orcish hate
Were smashed to crumbled bits.

Though I lack the voice to sing all those
Who came to lend their aid
To the people of Therengia
And defy the orcish raid,

Let the souls of all these heroes
Burn with honor and with pride!
For never shall our freedom fall
While such heroes are alive!

Her voice always came to him so clearly by the lake, mingling with his own thoughts, and yet, with that clarity came the dark wave of guilt and pain.

He made his way back to the shore and his things, as another verse of her song danced through his mind.