Eriothet: "I've been feeling better lately. I felt it rising."

  Laotlhelh: "You can feel the Rising? And you think it's a good thing?"

  E: "No, not exactly. I'm not saying I felt the Rising. I felt something rising. Lower-case."

  L: "What's the difference?"

  E: "The difference is, I think it's a good thing."

  L: "I'm not sure that I understand."

  E: "Of course. I don't understand myself. But it's there. Some vision. Some feeling. The Rising is this identifiable current in the mystical Mana, especially Water. It's measurable, I know that. But I felt something else. I felt it coming in the Spirit."

  L: "Which Spirit?"

  E: "Adventure? Or Defiance? Rebellion? Creation? It felt like the whole world was joyous and clear. Like we were all willing it to rise up, independently of each other."

  L: "Willing the Spirits? Or each other?"

  E: "Willing each other through the Spirits."

  L: "Have you made contact with Spirits before? Have you established Affinity?"

  E: "No. I barely even performed the rituals. I thought they were boring."

  L: "Which rituals?"

  E: "What, are you an Assertainer? An Archon of the Winds?"

  L: "Which rituals did you perform?"

  E: When I was a child, in Lane Valley, at Sorrowhill. The Ritual of Appeasment, for the Gods of Fire."

  L: "Elder Mountain? That's a ritual of the Old Shamans, correct?"

  E: "Master Eorgret called himself the Village Sage, but I believe his style was descended from Aotroget, yes."

  L: "And how did you perform the ritual?"

  E: "It really feels like you're an Inquisitor..."

  L: "I'm a Healer. Why do you hate talking about yourself so much?"

  E: "Fine. The ritual... we left baskets of food in the Cave Shrine. Apples, carrots, lettuce, dumplings... We had seven dancers and two drummers. It's supposed to be a frantic dance, but not very long. Like the Mountain Theater depiction in Clear Rock."

  L: "And what was your part?"

  E: "I placed a basket on the altar and knelt while they danced. I was nine."

  L: "And how did you respond?"

  E: "I was bored. I felt nothing. I wanted to leave. I thought it was dumb. The cave was hot and dry. And yet... I hoped the Spirit would contact me. I wanted to be a Channeler, like Gogot. I thought it would be cool, but I knew it wouldn't happen. My parents kept telling me nobody had talked to the Mountain Fire since the Old Age."

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  L: "That's normal. In fact, some have theorized that Channeling feels that way at first. Boredom. Discomfort..."

  E: "Maybe modern Channeling. The kind where nothing happens..."

  L: "Sometimes these gifts take time to manifest. Sometimes they appear when least expected."

  E: "I'm not wise enough. I gave up on that a long time ago."

  L: "We don't always get to decide our destinies. Nor our aptitudes."

  E: "You won't convince me that I'm a Channeler."

  L: "I didn't ask to be a healer. I was just good at it. I never had a choice. And you know what? I think it's boring too."

  E: "I'm sorry. You mean the Church forced you?"

  L: "After my Assessment, they drafted me into the Priory. That's the only way to learn. With a Priest standing over you. And they sent me to war."

  E: "I never asked. I guess maybe you saw terrible things."

  L: "I saw terrible wounds. And curses. I never saw a battlefield. What are you thinking?"

  E: "I've never seen a battlefield either. Although I wanted to be a mercenary once..."

  L: "What changed your mind?"

  E: "It turns out they don't live very long..."

  L: "But you're thinking of something else..."

  E: "In Star Hill, once, I was walking. Rye Ward. There was a trash-yard out behind the houses and I saw two dogs fighting. I thought they were playing, but one of them... ripped out the throat of the other. I saw it eating a strip of bloody meat."

  L: "What did you do?"

  E: "Nothing. It was a hundred yards away. I just kept walking."

  L: "But what did you feel?"

  E: "Something strange. Fear and sorrow, but silence. Gravity. Like, 'That's the way of the world.' I'd never seen if before, and I hated it, but I wasn't surprised. It felt normal."

  L: "You have great Balance. That's more quantifiable than Wisdom."

  E: "What do you mean?"

  L: "In the Old Age, they said Wisdom was required for Channeling and Summoning. These days, it seems Wisdom isn't measurable anymore."

  E: "You really think I can Channel?"

  L: "Maybe anyone can, if they try hard enough. I think you should meditate more often."

  E: "Thank you. I appreciate it."

  L: "You're welcome. Now, I want your help with something."

  E: "Gathering herbs again?"

  L: "Aye, gathering herbs again."

  E: "Fine, let's go."