$HALIGN=MIDDLE;Prologue
$HALIGN=LEFT;  The last hidden edges of the rising sun seemed to warp and cling to the distant waves as Shian eased herself up onto the creaking jetty. Turning slowly within the grip of old age she let the city flow into sight - and shuddered. Houses and shops stretched far before suddenly giving way to towers and spires, each seeming to reach up higher than the last. Precious metals and glass glittered up into the sky and made the city glow with a golden light, but searing black twirled and flowed over all, burning and tearing through the light with hatred and terror.
  Shian cringed inside - it was always so much worse coming back. She breathed in deeply, relaxing as much as she could manage and then slowly began to push outwards. Thousands of flows - light and dark alike - gave way and began to seep out of her mind. She tried not to see, tried not to look inside. Emotions and memories twisted, pushed and speared themselves back inwards, screaming at her to let go until finally the last of them were beyond her. A young boy with a scruff of pale hair turned to look straight at her as his mother pulled him along cobblestone roads, a single tear emerging from his deep blue eyes and rolling down his cheeks as he faded from her mind. Shian quickly closed her thoughts to the outside and opened her eyes. Letting her sister take her hand, the two started at a slow pace into the city.
  The docks were alive with fishing boats returning from overnight and early morning runs. Sailors hurried back and forth unloading their catches and preparing them for the markets. Shian and Tiala made an effort to stay out of the way as they headed through the unloading area, though most were too busy to even notice their presence. Suddenly Tiala heard the thundering footsteps of someone running their way, and a loud voice coming into clarity amongst the buzz of the workers,
  "Shian! Shian!" The man called almost indistinguishably through his thick accent. The sisters turned to face him as he caught up to them, embracing both heavily with a large grin on his face. Shian chuckled lightly as he let go, the grin never leaving his face,
  "It is good to see you again Irwin," she said with a calm smile to the man, who spoke as soon as she finished and as fast as he could while still being somehow understandable, 
  "And you sisters! And you. I thought you meant not to come back so soon?"
  "Well we didnt," Shian replied smoothly, taking her time, "but it seems we ran out of supplies earlier than we had expected And what of you? I thought you had given up fishing?"
  "Aye so did I, but it appears its the only way I can make money in this town, so best to stick with it eh?" he said with a sigh, before his eyes lit up and he quickly added "We shall be having you around for tea I hope?" before either of the sisters could get a word out.
  "If fate permits Irwin, if fate permits. We may have to leave before the day is out, there is much to be done at home."
  "Of course, of course. But you must see Kath, surely?" Shian started nodding, but he didnt seem to notice, "She made something for you - as thanks and all, you know? Shes with Jen, at home. Youre going arent you?"
  "We planned to visit later in the day," Shian informed him when she saw her chance, "I must check on how she is recovering among other things, and we wished to see you all anyway. For now though there is much for us to do."
  "Aye surely, surely. Ill let you get on with it then. I hope to see you both when I am home!" he grinned, before embracing them again and running back to his work. Shian and Tiala smiled, chuckling softly with each other as they turned, and continued on towards the city.
  Creaky planks gave way to cobblestone paving as the sisters walked off the docks and watched as shipwrights and navigators buildings gave way to the early morning hustle of the fish markets setting up for the days business. Fishers and shopkeepers alike were scaling and preparing their stock along either side of the road as they walked past. People occasionally glanced their way in between loads, but no one really took any notice. Soon the noise, and the smell, left them as the calm trades centre of the city greeted them. Few businesses were awake this early in the morning, some shops here and there were opening, but only the truly dedicated were already inside working.
  Most of the shops were just large enough to hold their wares, small wood and plaster works that seemed to betray the age of their surroundings. Occasionally a building stood with ancient stonework that sat perfectly with the street, seeming to flow up out of the ground, a passing worth of grime and dirt firmly etched into its surface. It was one of these, hidden away in a small side street, which the sisters eventually came to. Tiala lent her sister her arm as they ascended steps that seemed to melt as they walked on them yet hold their pose like stone. Indeed they looked like stone, flowing as they were with the rest of the building. The door was alike, so much that it looked like the wall were splitting in half as Tiala gently pushed it open to reveal a room that appeared slightly larger than the building had from outside. Sharp beams of light shining from up high illuminated wisps of dust as they swirled throughout the room. There was a feel about the place that emphasised its age, the dark yet pale colours, the patterns carved in the stone fading from time, and the man who sat at an old overcrowded wooden desk puzzling over a book lying in front of him.
  After a short moment the man looked up at them with withered eyes over a pair of old wire-framed glasses. Wrinkles slithered about his somewhat loose skin as he moved and only a few scraps of grey hair were left clinging onto his head. A slight frown tried to take over his face, which previously had held only a look of complete attention to his book, as he casually folded his glasses up and laid them on the desk. Wordlessly he stood and led the sisters through an ancient, yet strong looking, wooden door into a small kitchen.
  With what seemed to be some difficulty he moved toward a bench at the other end of the room, and began preparing drinks the same as he had done many a time before. Tiala helped her sister ease into the old wooden chair nearest the door as the man's weary voice narrowly escaped his withered lips,
  "Was there some... problem? With the supplies?" he tried to enquire casually, while raising an eyebrow and turning his vision slightly towards the two women behind him.
  "Of course not Jhekael," Shian replied affectionately as Tiala queitly slid into the seat near her, "It's just theres a lot more people now... things are really going ahead and we underestimated how much we would need."
  "Mmmhhmmm" Jhekael exasperated as he turned about holding a saucer and cup of fine china in each hand. Carefully he leaned over the table to place one in front of each of the sisters, the worried look on his face only broken for a second by the quizzical expression he gave Tiala as she kept her eyes meekly on the table. He turned quickly away and retrieved his own cup before sitting down wearily opposite Shian. She studied his worried expression carefully before hesitantly saying,
  "We will pay full price if need be." Jhekael looked up with a start,
  "No of course not... No, that won't be necessary. It's just that... things are getting more dangerous in this city every day you know. Most people don't even remember when we had trade outside the state - or don't want to, and everyones so quick to accuse their neighbours and friends it's... well, I don't know. I just get a little nervous sometimes you know?"
Shian looked at him sympathetically,
  "We can get supplies elsewhere if you feel it would be safer. We should have the money now... besides, we will be self-sufficient soon."
  "Soon... yes," Jhekael said, old eyes narrowing for a moment in consideration. "No," he said softer, still in thought, "Sa Hin Lian'Eil Lusar ne'Sentier"
The room fell to a cold silence as Shian studied the faraway look in Jhekaels eyes. Tiala silently picked up her cup and sipped a bit of the cool grey liquid out, always watching the same piece of decorative carving on the old table in front of her.
  "I know Jhekael..." Shian said soothingly. He raised his wide-open eyes to her; she smiled weakly, "I know. Soon."
The old man barely moved, but there was a momentary look of affirmation in his eyes,
  "Well speak, what do you need?"

 It swirls still, the absolute darkness. Silent and complete, not a glimmer of hope can be found. In times past I searched, a quest that always ended in disappointment. Long since have memories of the light been forsaken. Long since has that unseen eye been closed, yet still sadness dwells. Slowly I drain away...

  Occasionally footsteps pattered softly along the smooth stonework outside the shop. Softly for some  ants trembled as bare feet or shoe smashed ground above their heads, battering stone and crushing things too small to be noticed by humans. Too small to be noticed in this time in any case, but some long since passed away craftsman had thought even for them, proven by the paths and walkways that trickle through the rock. Artistic lines in the rock from the casual observer, life saving walkways for the ants buried low enough in the stone to be saved from the feet of humans. Many an ant had thanked that craftsman before the feet of Shian and Tiala blocked their sunny skies again.
  Sunny it was, for business and talk had gone on well into the afternoon, as it usually did. News of the outside world was especially difficult for the sisters to get, so Jhekael told them all that had happened since the last time they had visited. Time flowed and fell until once again the perfect moulding of the shop front cracked and slid apart as the door opened. Gently Tiala helped her sister down the stairs, holding her arm as they continued on down the street. Stone enveloped stone as the door flowed back into place, and an old man with a few wisps of grey hair watched nostalgically from his desk across the room.
  The smoothly worn and flowing shapes of stone quickly gave way to cobblestone roads and wooden buildings. Inns and shops mixed with simple houses as the sisters made their way around the outer center of the city, carefully picking their way until they arrived at the outskirts on the far side of SelShuran from the docks. Those too poor or disadvantaged to live inside the city walls were forced here. Some of the buildings recognizable as houses looked as if they only stayed standing because they were too poorly built to fall down when they should.
  Amongst these was a somewhat steadier looking house, constructed with care and dedication if not expertise. Wood comprised its sturdy walls and the roof was thatched of hay. Softly rain started to caress the ground as Shian and Tialas feet padded gently upon the well-worn steps leading to the door. The door was made of a heavier, different kind of wood. It still had carvings that hadnt completely worn away, sign that once it belonged to a much wealthier family, and it was obvious where the wall had been butchered to accept it. Tiala knocked carefully on the solid door, then gently closed her eyes and leant her head up to catch the falling rain. Shian watched her, smiling faintly, then turned to look at the street. The road was rough dirt, torn from the ground, and if the rain were to start falling any heavier it would turn to mud. Children played at games in the street amongst adults whom looked for work. Work came from any passer-by kind enough to take on their service then and there. Tiala opened her eyes and turned to watch the door. A moment later the creaking of the door opening caused Shian to turn as well...