Volondov Caladian walked through the mist of a cold fall day with his boots tattered and muddy and a look of sorrow stretched across his face, carrying with him nothing but a bright red rose in his hand.

He treaded through his yard before coming up on the corner of his property right next to a mighty oak tree. He would stand there alone before a crude tombstone he chiseled himself. He stood there looking at the cold polished rock for a moment before speaking.

"Hi Natilda. I got you your favorite." He said holding out the rose. He placed the flower right in front of her tombstone laying horizontal upon the cold hard ground.

"I can't believe it's inly been a few months since you left, yet it still feels like an eternity. Not a day goes by where I don't think about you my love. You know I've always loved you...and always will..."

He stood there before her grave looking back on the times they had while she was still alive. Drifting into the realm of fantasy he remembered the day they first met four years ago to this day. She was just another girl looking to purchase some of his quality made furniture who would catch his heart like a snare.

He remembered the first time he took her to the elven village where he set up his trading post among the market place and how fascinated she was at his success, as it would seem that Volondov had near master levels of woodworking skills despite his age.

He remembered the stories they would share and the laughs they had. Though it was only four years the bond between the two would become stronger than either of them could ever hope to imagine.

He remembered the day he took her down south to the human kingdom of Kalious where he asked her to be his wife and how happy he was when she agreed. He recalled the day when he brought her into his house after the wedding and proposed his plans for the future and how he wanted to start as family with her. He remembered the day when they found out she was pregnant with their first child.

Those memories filled him with a sliver of delight as he relished in the past. But now having come back from his fantasy he looked down on her tomb and remembered that he was all alone now, his dreams of a family life snatched away from him too soon.

"I'll never forget you my love. And never stray away from what we had..." he said reaffirming his promise to never love another no matter how tempted, unsatisfied, angry or otherwise.

He knelt down to the grave tears welling up in his eyes as bitter reality swooped in and reminded him of the life that could have been. This was more to him than just the loss of his only love. That on itself was grieving enough. But to him she was even more that that, she was his purpose.

All his life his only goal was to rase a family just his father had rased him. All he could ever hope for was to be a good father to a loving family. Yet here he stood alone and childless. Not a relative nor friend to lean on for support. Wiping his face he stood back up and made his way back to his log house, turning back to the grave one last time as he went.

He opened the creaky door and closed it behind him before taking a seat on his chair. His thoughts and emotions were barraging his heart and mind once again which was to be somewhat expected after a visit to her grave.

But this time was different. This time it felt harder and more heavy, almost like the air around him was infested with grief and regret. He couldn't shake the feeling that her death was soly on his shoulders and that it was his fault she was gone.

He looked back on his memories as they came to him and recalled the events that led him to the place he was now. He remembered his father telling him about family life. He could hear the voice of his father as if it was yesterday.

"Son, someday you will have your own family to lead. And it will be your job to tend to their every needs."

Looking back he could see now that he had taken his lesson too far. Volondov had become a man of great responsibility viewing every aspect of his life as being needed to be controlled in one way or the other. And it only took him eighteen years for him to realize that.

He looked back on the last few weeks of Natildas' life and began to connect the dots. He remembered the day she first became ill and how she requested to be sent down to the human realm for examination. But then he recalled how he refused this request and sought a cure himself.

He remembered how he delved into the realm of dwarven alchemy (a feat not well known among other factions) in an attempt to heal her. He remembered how her illness only grew worse and worse and her beging and pleasing to head south for treatment grew more and more common. Yet he remained unmoved by her pleas.

He realized now that she was right all along. Had he had gone down to the human realms she would have still been here with him. Yet he allowed himself to believe that her well being was his responsibility alone. And now because of this she was gone, and took their firat child with her.

He would weep bitterly for some time as the discovery of character blended itself in to his fantasies and emotions and the actions he made. He couldn't bare the fact that this tragedy was all his fault.

Yet before his emotions could swallow him whole he was set back at the sound of a knock upon his door. It was still quite foggy outside and muddy. Plus he never really got visitors, let alone customers on his front door step. All his business was all managed at his trading post. So why would anyone come here? Especially in this weather.

Nevertheless he opened the door out of courtesy. Standing out on the porch was an older man who's white beard draped down over his chest. His brown robes were all tattered and muddy from the weather and his eyes resembled that of a blind.

Ever the good Samaritan Volondov quickly let the man inside taking him by the shoulder as to guide him to the nearest chair.

"I am impressed by your hospitality boy. I didn't even speak a word and already you trust me in your home." The old one said taking his seat.

"It's the least I can do. But might I ask why someone of your, uh, limitations is doing so far from the village?" Volondov said feeling a bit concerned for this man.

"Limitations? What do you speak of?" The old one said looking right at him.

"Your eyes..." Volondov said not wanting to offend him too much.

"I appreciate your concerns for me my child. But I can assure you my sight is as strong as it ever was." Volondov was taken back from this claim with a hint of scepticism in his face. "Though it may not look it looks can be quite deceiving my boy."

"But... That's not possible..." Volondov said walking a bit closer to get a better look at the man's eyes. They still appeared white and colorless like that of a blind. "How can this be?"

"Exposure to raw mana has a way of altering ones appearance." The old one said gripping his walking stick.

"Mana? You're a mage?" Volondov asked pulling back away from the man's face.

"I was a mage, once upon a time. But that was many many years ago." The old one explained. "But enough about me for now. Who might I thank for taking me in tonight?"

"Oh of course. Where are my manners?" Volondov said bopping himself in the forehead a bit. "The name is Volondov Caladian."

"Volondov eh?" The old one said leaning back in his seat. "That sounds fairly elven for a human don't you think?"

"Perhaps. And you are?" Volondov asked tilting his head to the side.

"I have gone by many names and titles in my days. Healer, wanderer, traveler." The old one said leaning forward now. "Though a select few call me Lamir."

"Lamir?" Volondov said taking a pause. "That name sounds familiar."

"Does it now?" Lamir said gripping his walking stick again.

"I swear I've heard that name before but I can't quite put my finger on it." Volondov said as he tried to recall where he heard that name. Lamir would sit there in his chair with an expression that anyone could tell meant that he had something on his mind.

"Oh well, maybe I'm just remembering someone else or something." Volondov said ending his thought. "But do tell, if you're not blind what is it you're doing in this part of commune territory?"

"I would rather not share the details. But let's just say that I am looking for someone." Lamir explained still thinking about something.

"And who might this person be? If you don't mind me asking." Volondov said trying to be respectful of his privacy while also rather intrigued on this man's story.

"I am not sure." Lamir said.

"What?"

"I don't know. The man I seek is one who's name is unknown."

"Wait a minute you mean to tell me that you're out here in the wilderness looking for a man you don't even know?" Volondov asked with a hand on his hip.

"Or a woman. Again, I don't know who it is exactly."

"Well if you don't even know who you're looking for how will you know when you find them?"

"This stick will tell me." He says raising his walking stick up a little."

"The stick will tell you?" Volondov said raising his eyebrow.

"Yes! Now you get it!" Lamir said taking the stick back to his side.

Volondov couldn't believe this. "Oh great I just let a crazy person into my house." He thought. From here he didn't k ow what to do. On the one hand he didn't like the idea of an ill minded man under the same roof as him. After all he barely even knew the guy. Who's to say he didn't have any sinister intentions?

But at the same time he couldn't just turn him away. Lunatic or not this was an old man all alone in the wilderness. Even if he was a sorcerer who knows what would happen to him out there?

"You have questions don't you?" Lamir asked breaking the silence. Volondov would open his mouth to speak but would find himself speechless. After thinking it over again he would make his decision.

With a sigh he said. "Alright. If you need a place to stay for the night before you go on your way, you can stay on the bench. But don't touch anything."

Lamir laughed a little at his instructions. "I am old not childish my boy." He said finishing his laughter. "I know how to respect ones boundaries."

"If you say so." Volondov replied still a bit skeptical of his word. Nevertheless it was done. Lamir would stay for the night, and they will never have to cross paths again.

During his stay Lamir would not move much or talk much as he mainly stayed in one spot sitting on the long wooden bench. He would look around the room and watch as Volondov paced around the place performing chores and other house maintenance.

For the most part Volondov wouldn't mind much to being watched as he was fairly focused on his current tasks. Yet a part of him felt a bit uneasy at the feeling of being watched by someone other than Natilda.

But deep down he felt like this was more than just a watchful eye as he felt a sense of observance on his every move. Even when Lamir was out of sight he could still feel his eyes on him from time to time. Normally this would be alarming for him. But the fact that Lamir kept his word and remained respectful of his boundaries gave him a minor sense of relief.

He would have Lamir on his mind for the rest of the night as the enigma of his personality puzzled him. An old man and a former mage out in the wilderness alone (probably homeless) looking for someone he doesn't even know is invited in for the night and chooses to do nothing? He just sits there watching him? What for?

Volondov had finished preparing dinner for the two of them by the time the sun was down. But when he presented the food to Lamir he was already fast asleep laying down on the bench with his walking stick gripped in his hands.

"Oh well." He said seeing him asleep before eating. He would set Lamir's tray on the small wooden table in the middle of the room. "It will be breakfast then."

Volondov would eat his dinner quick and prepare for bed. Even after months sense her passing he still hopes to see Natilda by his side when he walks in the room. Realizing the room was barren he would sleep alone in his bed.

The night came and went and the sun rose with a bright golden glow. The mist had faded away overnight and the sky was bright and clear. Volondov would emerge from his bed feeling well rested and as ready as he usually is for the laborious day ahead.

He entered the main room to see that Lamir was no longer on the bench. Likewise his tray was empty and laid on a stack of other dirty dishes. Volondov would look around expecting Lamir to be poking around the place while he slept.

He would enter the house cellar where he had his alchemy lab set up. He figured that would be a fair place to look as the various spell books, recipes and rare ingredients stored down there would be like walking into a candy shop as a kid.

He would bend down a bit as to not hit his head on the top of the stair way and made his way o to the cellar. Upon peaking his head I side the room he could see no one nor any trace of anyone other than himself having been down here.

He returned to the surface a bit confused as to how Lamir could have vanished so quietly. It wasn't like the floors were brand new either, far from it. There were creaky floor boards all over the place. Any footstep he made would have been heard from anywhere in the house.

This was a bit puzzling but he wouldn't dwell on it too long. There was still work to do today. "Besides Lamir probably just left to go search for that guy he mentioned before." He reasoned with himself.

So with no further distractions Volondov threw open the door and took a deep breath of the crisp forrest air before starting his day. Today was shopping day, the day of the week where he would take any finished works and take them to his trading post to the elven village out west to sell.

But first he needed to feed his horses and load his merchandise onto the wagon. So after heaving some straw into the stable he got to work loading the new wooden furniture onto the wagon.

As he did so he thought he could hear something like a voice, though it was far too faint to make out any words. He set down the chair he was carrying and listened closely. A gentle breeze was blowing making the voice harder to follow. Nevertheless he was able to determine the direction it was coming from. And he did not approve of where it was coming from.

Hearing a voice from near the grave of his love he left the wagon to investigate. Tha lest thing he wanted was for some grave robber to stumble upon it and think they could get something out of it.

He stormed out to the grave increasing his speed with every step until the polished rock could be seen. And to his horror his suspicion was true, for over the mound of earth sat a person staring down at the grave as he or she knelt over the mound.

In a fit of rage Volondov sprinted towards the trespasser ready to fight whoever was desecrating her grave. As he ran he swooped down and picked up a small rock that he would launch at the vandal striking them in the back with such accuracy and precision.

The offender cried out in pain at the sudden blow to their back. The person was a male judging by the sound of their voice. That was good for Volondov cause that meant he didn't have to hold back his fury.

Like a blood crazed bull Volondov slammed into the man knocking him to the ground with relative ease. Now staggered the man looked up at Volondov as his body remained frozen from shock.

Volondov was instantly enraged at the sight of the man's face. Lamir hadn't left the property at all. He was here violating his wife's resting place.

"You!" He shouted. "I knew I shouldn't have let you in!"

"Now now Volondov this is all a huge misunderstanding." Lamir pleased showing tremendous patience and control having just been assaulted and injured.

"Get off my property before I make you leave!" Volondov said in a menacing order.

"Please just let me explain, I ensure I meant no I'll intent." Lamir said backing away from him as best he could. But Volondov would have non of it. He walked closer and closer to Lamir looking ever more infuriated with each step.

Eventually Lamir was able to get in his feet and pointed his walking stick at the mountainous Volondov. "S-s-stay back! ... I'm w-warning you!" He cried out trying to get away from Volondov.

But being the dominant male he was Volondov would see this act as both a threat and a challenge. This would only further his resolve for intentional aggression towards Lamir. He grabbed the walking stick and began to fight him for it, which was pretty easy considering the size and weight comparison between the two.

Lamir would fall over again on his back having just lost his only tool to protect himself. But his fear would soon transform into wonder as expressed on his face. Volondov would look down at Lamir with a look of both mad rage and curiosity.

"By the four." These words were all that could escape Lamir's lips as he stared at Volondov who would look at the stick in his hand.

With a surprised shout Volondov jumped and dropped the walking stick. He had never seen a stick glow a pure white before. Yet when he releases it the stick went back to normal.

Lamir would quickly cease the stick and grip it tightly as he got up to his feet once again. He too couldn't believe what had just happened. "V-Volondov? Can it really be?" Lamir said as he waved the stick near the tall body of Volondov.

Just as before when the flesh of the stick made contact with that of Volondov's flesh it would glow a pure white. He would do this several more times to confirm his suspicion before stopping all together.

Volondov's anger and rage would slowly fade away at the sight of this miraculous phenomenon. This was nothing like dwarven alchemy nor was it anything related to the act. "What the hell is this?" He demanded.

But Lamir would give no response for he was too stunned by the act to make any verbal response. Instead the old one would back away and make off to the wood line as fast as his elderly legs could go.

"Hey wait!" Volondov barked. For a second there he thought he was trying to get away from his wrath. But he would quickly stop himself as he realized that Lamir was gone now and that pursuing him would be pointless. So he let him go.

But as he went about his day he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something big going on here. Lamir did say the stick would tell him when he found the man he was looking for. Was that glowing thing what he meant by that? And if so what would that Lamir fellow want with him? Why was Lamir looking for someone like him?