Gaijan was walking back down the main road of the little village, back to Boka's house. He had just come from Horish's, the farmer who always let him spend the night and board his horse. He had just bought another horse from the farmer, for the girl so they could travel back to Huath. At least he hoped that she would come with him.

It was strange. For eight years he had only thought about keeping his promise, of freeing the girl and keeping that awful magic from destroying this world. Yet now that he had finally succeeded, he didn't really know what to do next. He thought he should take her to see Mage Unda, to make sure that the talisman would contain the magic for good. But after that, he didn't know. She said that she didn't remember a thing from before. Many years had passed, so it wasn't like she could just jump back into her life. 

He realized that he didn't know anything about her, not even her name. How could he help her get back to her life if he didn't know about it, and neither did she? It would probably come back with time, but then he thought of what that would do to her. He remembered the look on her face right before he had encased her in the red crystal. That look terrified him. She had wanted to die because of what the magic had done... He shook his head, putting the image out of his mind. He would go to Huath, meet with Mage Unda, and also ask Eyish's advice. Certainly one of them could tell him the right thing to do. Surely.

As he walked people called out to him, and he waved back and continued on. It seemed that everywhere he went this happened. Of course, these people had seen him coming and going for years. But he was not looking forward to his return to Huath. Like Eyish had said, it was like there was a lookout that alerted everyone to his return, and people thronged the streets between the city entrance and his place of abode, wanting to shake his hand, just get a glimpse of him, or hear of the spectacular places that he had been to. He so wanted to find a different place to enter the city, but Eyish had told him to just enjoy it. Gaijan wished they would just leave him alone.

He came to the little house where Boka lived, and lightly knocked on the door.

"Come in," came a reply, and he lifted the latch and opened the door. Boka was at the stove, cooking something, as she always was. "She's still getting changed, the poor thing. Did you notice those cuts on her hands? You should go to Saydie and get some ointment for that right away." Gaijan had seen those cuts, and remembered why they were there. He silently scolded himself for not thinking about taking care of them before. But Gaijan could do more than the ointment. "And she's skin and bones! I really do wonder what happened to make her so." 

Boka turned to him and raised an eyebrow, obviously wanting to know exactly what had happened. That was one thing about Boka, she was quite nosy, always getting into other people's business. But she was a very caring person, and one of the only people in the village that had an open bed. Gaijan had thought of her immediately when coming into town the night before, and he hadn't been disappointed. Boka had bustled him in, fussing over the girl, and readily agreeing that she could stay there. He knew that he owed the kind woman something for all she had done, but the girl's story was not his to share.

"I'll take care of it," Gaijan said.

"That's not necessary. I'll just bandage them." He turned to see the girl, standing in the hallway that led to the back room. She wore an old faded blue dress of Boka's, a little too big, but then what did he know about dresses? Her skin had been scrubbed clean, and her brown hair combed out and braided neatly. Her hands were already bound in white cloth.

"Are you sure? They must still be painful."

"I'm sure. But I do have a question about this lump right here?" She put a hand to her throat, and rubbed the spot between her collar bones. Gaijan came close and inspected the spot, then stared in disbelief.

"The talisman... it's... fused, somehow, into your body."

"What!?!" She looked fearful, and he hurried to reassure her.

"The talisman, I used it to... well, it's helping you to not lose control. Tell me, is it uncomfortable? Are you feeling any pain from it?"

"No. It... feels like it... belongs."

"May I?" She nodded, and he placed his fingers on the spot, feeling the hard stone and crystal just underneath the skin. It was still working, still containing the magic. He had not expected it to fuse to her, though. But maybe that was best. Then it couldn't be removed easily.

"You said... that it was helping me to not lose control. Lose control over what?" He looked into her face, filled with concern and confusion, and he wondered if he should tell her. But he didn't want to upset her any more than she already was.

"You don't need to worry about that now. The talisman is helping."

"I don't know what you're talking about with talismans and what-not," Boka said. "But dinner is ready, so sit down and eat up!" They obeyed. 

Gaijan couldn't keep his eyes off the girl. He saw that she was skin and bone, and hoped that Boka's good cooking would help with that. Every once in a while she would glance up at him, see him staring, and glance away just as quickly. He understood her curiosity. She said that the only thing she remembered from before was him, and that he had been much younger. It must be strange to see something vaguely familiar, yet so different. She hadn't changed a bit though. Again he realized that he didn't even know her name.

"I'm sorry," he said suddenly, making her pause with a fork full of food halfway to her mouth. "I never did introduce myself. I am Gaijan."

"My name is Nara," she said, putting down her fork and offering her hand. He shook it, careful not to grasp her hand too tightly. "I really can't tell you anything else, though."

"I understand. I realize that you must be very confused. I'm sorry for that, too. I think it would be best for us to go to Huath. Mage Unda, a powerful magician, lives there. He may be able to help us to know what to do next. Will you come with me?"

"Is that where I'm from?"

"No. But I hope that going there will help us to know where you should go. Mage Unda is very wise, he will help us."

"Alright. When do we leave?"