Chapter 7

With the coming of dawn, the fog that enveloped the city finally began to fade, and the streets gradually warm to the light of the new day. As the hour approached something like respectable, Callum and his two friends ate a quick breakfast and headed out to the Citadel where they knew the Seer would already be hard at work. Crossing the wide stone bridge that led up to the Citadel's entrance they hurried on through reception to the spacious chamber that the Seer had turned into his personal office. As they arrived they found their old friend standing outside waiting patiently for them.

"Ah there you are, I've been waiting long enough for the three of you. Good morning Callum, Lena Aaron."

The three companions greeted the Seer warmly, though Aaron slightly less so as he watched for sign of reproach from the Seer for their previous falling out. Even after the many years they had known Elidor, none of them could quite get used to his unnatural ability to know when they wanted to see him. "I take it you were looking for me?"

Though a formality given he knew they were coming, the question did much to put them at their ease. They followed him into the chamber in which he was working. He picked up a half-finished cup of herbal tea from the side of his desk and drained it in a single gulp. "I would offer you some, but I know none of you want any," he said. "Please do take a seat."

Callum shifted a pile of papers from a chair in the far corner of the room and dragged it over to the Seer's desk. Ever since he had returned from his exile in the mountains and Callum had offered him the job of Island Administrator, the Seer had progressively taken on more and more tasks until now they could all see he was stretched too far. As the companions took their seats Elidor remained standing and paced the room anxiously in a manner most out of character. Callum frowned.

"Are you alright Elidor?"

The Seer stopped in his tracks and snapped round. "Alright? Yes, why do you think something is wrong?"

"Well that's why we came to see you," Callum replied. "The dreams"

"Ah yes the dreams," Elidor nodded. As he spoke, he started to pace again. Aaron was just about to say something but Lena grabbed his arm just in time. In his current state of mind, it didn't bode well to rile the Seer any further. "So, you've all been having them too I take it?"

"Well Callum and I have," Lena replied.

The Seer turned to Aaron. "And you?"

"I haven't had any just yet," Aaron replied, "I'm just here to keep the other two company."

"Quite."

Lena interceded quickly. "So, what do you know about the dreams Elidor? What have you seen?"

Elidor stopped his pacing and gazed out his office window. He mulled Lena's words over in his head. "What have I seen? I regret to say I have seen a great deal my friends." He sighed. "Unfortunately, most of my visions of late have been blurred distorted even. Never in all my long years have I experienced anything like it. Either my powers have become corrupted in some way, or they are fading completely. My sight is becoming less predictable the day and I am at a loss as to the reason why."

"No change there then," Aaron muttered to himself.

"Aaron!" Lena hit him on the arm.

"I'm afraid that while he might not mean it as an insult, our friend Aaron is right to feel aggrieved. As I have told the three of you in the past, my sight often works in mysterious ways. I see glimpses of the future or possible futures that gain in frequency and accuracy as the vision nears its resolution. My concern is that of late my visions have been blurred or distorted in some things they have dried up completely. All I see beyond the month now is darkness. It concerns me"

"So, you have no idea what these dreams we've been having could mean?" Callum asked.

The Seer shook his head solemnly. Callum took a deep breath. A Seer without foresight was like a mage without magic. He could see the lines of concern etched in Elidor's face. "I haven't a clue," he said softly. "All I can offer the three of you is this: be concerned, be very concerned. I have not known this type of uncertainty since the time I first encountered the three of you and your friend Kiera. Not since Varrus" The Seer's voice grew choked. Lena stood up and put her arm around him. With his visions fading the Seer was as a lame man having his crutches taken away. The Seer's life had been a constant struggle with the curse of his "gift", and yet now without it he was both scared and very, very alone. Lena did her best to reassure him.

"There, there Elidor don't worry. The four of us will be sure to be on our guard for whatever's created this disturbance in the world of magic. The four of us"

"Four?" Aaron looked up.

"Sorry, I forget myself," Lena sighed. Like Callum and Aaron, she hadn't seen Kiera in months. "The three of us"

Just then the Seer's eyes snapped wide open. He looked towards Callum. Only one word passed his lips: "Five."

"Five?"

Elidor shook his head as if to try and clear it of confusion. "I think Callum, it's time you went to check on your daughter."

Callum shot the Seer a look of concern. "Phae? What about her?"

"I can't tell you why my friend, but something tells me you need to go see her right this very moment."

The three friends didn't need telling twice. In a matter of heartbeats Callum, Aaron and Lena were all running for the door

*****

It took them only a few minutes to reach Phae's bed chamber, and before they had even reached her door Callum knew what they would find or more precisely, what they wouldn't. He stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the empty room, the contents of Phae's desk and cupboards scattered across the floor. Near her bed he saw the shattered remains of the photo frame he had bought her for her birthday. The family portrait was missing.

"Lena, are any ships due to sail this morning?"

"None that I know of, why?"

"You don't think she's taken a ship, do you?" Aaron asked.

"Well not if there aren't any ships due to sail," Callum said as he searched desperately among the discarded items on the floor for some form of clue. "There's only one place she could have gone."

"You don't think she'd really go through with it, do you? I mean she's tried and failed before."

"Look at it!" Callum raised his voice and swept his arm to encompass the whole bed chamber. His voice was choked. Tears were already forming in the corners of his eyes. "Someone has died Aaron. I should have been there for her. I should have"

He turned to look for his friend but found Aaron had already made for the door. Lena grabbed his arm and pulled him along after them. "Come on Callum. If we're quick we might yet catch her."