In-Yeon silently joined San Jin's vigil. Through the mist he could see Junseo's chest rise and fall with a reassuring regularity. He could sense a larger presence but could not begin to describe its many different facets.

Scout Jia looked in then got a servant to bring blankets for the boys. He discussed a watch rotation with the guards before taking his leave.

"I have school tours booked tomorrow," he explained the Healer Park. "I'm sure the boys will not get in the way. I just don't have the heart to tell them to leave Junseo after they went through so much to get him here."

"It seems all we can do is wait and hope the dragon does not withdraw her favor." Healer Park put his head in his hands for a moment. "I am presuming Junseo shared why it is possible for him to call up the mists."

"Not directly but I suspect he may have been more forthcoming with some of the team members. I should also warn you our newest member has his own sources. His visions brought us here in the first place but now I wish we had moved on his information sooner." Scout Jia admitted.

"I remember the strong confidentiality clauses my boy's contract. It seemed a bit strange at the time but it does make things a bit easier for us. My clinic has something similar but I am not sure how well it might hold with the shock some of my staff got. I told them any appearance of the mists is a state secret but there are bound to be rumors." Healer Park sighed. "I will have a lot explaining to do when Junseo is well enough to come home."

"With luck he will be mended long before the rumors have a chance to spread." Scout Jia said with a warm smile.

"Thank you for your good wishes and for all the help today. Give the guard captain this token to take to the tavern up the street for your crew's dinner tonight." Healer Park pulled a large ceramic bead of a string and handed it over.

"I'm sure they will appreciate it. They will be on rotation through the night so you should let you watchman know to expect them." When he saw Healer Park's surprise, he quickly explained this was due to Go San Jin's family standing and the recent disturbances in the capital.

"It is easy to forget how tense things are around court. I suppose we should be bracing for another round of investigations here as well." Healer Park said in a low voice.

"Especially since it seems the Governor stored prohibited weapons. You can still smell the explosives in the catacomb's outer chambers." Scout Jia said with more disgust than discretion. Healer Park put his finger to his lips then shook his head. Scout Jia nodded the said goodbye.

Since the guards went to eat in shifts, they got to hear the stories of the day evolve in retelling. They took great glee in reporting back to their young master.

"Half a dozen foreign sorcerers were seen entering the catacombs. They had to be foreign since nobody from this land would dare disturb their ancestors with more shaking," the first one reported.

"It was a dozen foreign sorcerers, led by a Prince. They were searching for the source of this week's blast but ended up having to fight off angry spirits," the next one mimed a desperate fight.

"A Prince and at least twenty, maybe more, foreign sorcerers entered the catacombs. Only a handful returned. The rest are wandering in the cold lands looking for a way out." The man rolled his eyes but the mention of the cold lands made In-Yeon shiver.

"A foreign Prince took a squad of sorcerers to search for relics from before the Accord. They came back with the bones of a long-forgotten stone master and are going to try to resurrect a twice royal to claim the throne in the north." Scout Jia reported.

San Jin was most disturbed by the political implications of this last narrative and speculated, "Now if a twice royal should appear, they can call him a zombie with foreign ties and dismiss his claim."

"Only if the chatter persists. We might want to think up something more palatable to plant over the breakfast table at the inn," the senior guard advised.

"Something more likely than a teenager seer being so desperate to save a friend they would walk unguarded into the cold lands to call him back." In-Yeon whispered a part of the truth the others could not have known.

"Nobody would believe someone to be so brave or foolish," the guards scoffed.

"They would definitely not believe the same boy held up half the hillside by will alone so he and his companions could escape the rockslide chasing them." San Jin said with new insight to why In-Yeon had asked him to control the spinners.

"Or that the dragon's blessings would reach this far," a faint voice said from the table beside them.

In-Yeon quickly pour a glass of water and supported Junseo while the wraithlike figure drank it down. The mists had retreated from their patient's upper body but his legs were still blanketed in swirling grey and sliver. In-Yeon sent a tendril of warm energy into Junseo. He was not sure he had any effect until Junseo sighed his thanks.

"There was a time there where I thought I would never be warm again," Junseo admitted.

"You still have a way to go." In-Yeon said quietly.

"Yes, but it is not like before. It's the first time since the attack from the northern priestess I don't feel my energy trickling away all the time," Junseo said.

"Good. Now you should probably sleep some more."

"So should you. There will be spare bunks next door. You will be close enough for me to call if I need anything," Junseo smiled knowing he was in such good hands. As he composed himself to go back to sleep, he offered his thanks for his friends and the special blessings from his water mother.