The lone figure crested the summit of the high mountain pass and continues a hundred paces on before he turned.
The man threw back the hood of his midnight blue cloak, made blue-grey by the dust of travel. He peered at the back at where the path crested. At the indistinct shadows that had halted at the crest.
Seething there.
Menacing but unable to follow.

If anyone were there to see, a noticably great deal of tension lifted from the man. Even so, he seemed gaunt. Even a bit ragged. A vast difference from the man he once was.
His body reflecting the state of his soul.

You cannot follow me here! he shouted at the shadows.
Tell my former Master I made it despite your efforts...if you dare...

With that said, the man turned and began his decent down. His path down to the warmlands below lay before. The mountain peaks behind marking a physical and dimensional border to Elysium.
He knew his reception to be uncertain. He was certain some beings were wroth at his sudden disapearance.
Yes he made his way to Sanctuary nonetheless.
He was certainly in need of it's promise....

He stood overlooking the Phoenix Stones, the tall guardians on the side of the cliffs standing silent as they had for ... well, for as long as it had been since Mother caused them to be erected ... even his oldest sisters had no idea how old they were.

Idly, he pulled the guantlet from his right hand and flexed the fingers. His relief would be here within the hour and all he wanted to do was go home and get something to eat.

The tingling along the back of his neck alerted him to the entrance of a man and his eyes turned towards the mountain pass, finding the figure easily enough.

He watched as the man turned and heard his voice clearly carried on the wind. He watched him turn and start down the path towards the main city and the Sanctuary. He shook his head ... the man was sadly mistaken ... and he watched the swirling mass of shadows splinter ... the smaller part returning the way it had come, the other part crossing the border into his Mother's realm.

Anything or anyone was allowed in Elysium ... it was a Sanctuary after all ... he-she-or-it was just not allowed to harm anyone here.

He turned his attention once more towards the back of the retreating man and shook his head. No need to tell Mother ... she was already aware of his crossing into her realm.

He made his camp that night in a copse of trees that stood to one side of the road. He had aleady caught a meal. A rabbit he felled with a thrown stone between the eyes.
Some wood gathered and a fire started with a spark from his finger. He set the rabbit to roast on the end of a stick.
Gunter sat with his back to a tree and stared into the fire.
First, he recalled and reflected upon everything his eyes had seen in the day. The flickerings of shadows in the peripheral distance after leaving the mountains.
They followed. He hadnt noticed. He had forgotten. All were welcome here...
Second, he reflected on what his ears had heard that day. The rabbit...but earlier...the subtle thrum of stretching tendons as fingers were flexed..
Gunter frowned.
On to the third,every slight odor his sense of smell had recorded over the day. Steel. Magic. Man that is more than a man.
Matched to the sound of tendons....
Gunter sighed. He had been watched. He should have been aware of the watcher at the time he had been watched. He should have noticed the shadows had not given up...
He should have noticed. He should have known.
But he was so weary....

He rode his steed along a wide river.Running through a lush valley. The joy of the wind rushing past.
Wasn't his steed recently dead? No matter. He was lost in the joy of the ride. But why was he riding nothing?
the ground leapt up to meet him. He tumbles 20 strides and came to his feet.
When did night fall? Gunter frowned at the gloom. his hand went to his sword. There was no sword. He had never had a Sword. Any piece of steel he picked up had always been sufficient. No steel now...
He looked to the sky. Two blue stars. Were they new? He had never noticed. Were they falling? No. They were watching. He could not escape...

Gunter woke with a start. A dream? He had fallen asleep. But...he hadn't truly slept or had a need to sleep for...a very very long time.Gunter removed the rabbit from the fire and ate. He reflected. A dream. Sleep.

He finished his meal and laid his head on his knees.

He was so weary....

Gunter wept...