Reflections on the Past, Part 4:
	It is said that shared danger draws people closer together.  My 
own experiences coincide with that belief - when the danger is actually 
shared.  Of the others, only Rex had attempted to assist in the 
abortive attempt to reach Begma.  Though we were all present during 
the demon's attack, some chose not to assist Sunfall or myself.
	The trick, then, is to make the danger personal...to force them 
to share in the danger, by making them believe they have no other 
choice.  Not an easy task...but one which I had to attempt.  The need 
was too great to risk betrayal by inaction.
	All wished to see the Karcist Almirant, but I convinced Sean to 
stay behind.  He seems to be young, and untouched by the harsher 
nature of people, despite his warrior's bearing.  I wanted someone 
outside the walls, and Sean was the only one I could convince.
	The fortress was as impressive as I remembered it.  If only the 
other Broken Patterns had such impressive structures to guard them, 
perhaps I would not have been needed.
	Then again, I suspected that Begma had been destroyed from 
within, not without.  In which case, walls a thousand feet thick would 
avail Chiare naught.
	Sunfall questioned us each in turn as to our titles and 
loyalties.  Of us all, only Madrak's words seemed to ring true.  The 
others claimed no titles, or made very brief statements that made them 
sound unimportant - something which I knew to be a deception.  Rex's 
statement was so implausible that I confronted him on it, and he gave 
me the easy answer.  I knew there was something else, though - they 
were all hiding something.
	I had learned long ago that there is strength in the truth.  
The more it is freely given, the more you will be believed when you 
find it necessary to lie.  I had given much over the past few days, 
especially to Madrak.  That, I hoped, would give me the needed power 
of deception should it become necessary.
	Our meeting with the Karcist Almirant went as I had hoped.  
There were the expected scowls at Reed's request to 'measure' the 
Wheel of Runes, and doubts as to the veracity of our story.  But I 
brought credibility to our tale with my revelation that I had walked 
the Wheel of Runes before.  All was going as I had hoped.
	Then, the attack came.  The demon killed our escort, but 
valuable knowledge was gasped out just before death strode in to 
claim them both.  And Sunfall had the other pieces of the puzzle.  
Our temporary confinement came as a boon, not a curse - it gave us 
time to reflect on both the attack and the prophecy recited by 
Sunfall.  Time I might have been more hesitant to take if we were 
free from Chiare's walls.
	Suspected of murder, I still rejoiced.  For the prophecy was 
the crowbar by which I would pry open the secrets held by my 
companions.  Shared danger, the danger of execution, would be the 
instrument I would use to uncover the truth of those who destiny 
had brought to me.  Should that fail, I had many other tools to 
force the truth...all the while cloaked in an aura of openness and 
honesty.  That cloak would pull those beholden to truth and justice, 
while the keepers of secrets would be hard-pressed to retain their
wealth.
	I did not know the dangers that would assault us all too soon.  
Yet, I would welcome them when they arrived, for they would be used 
to forge a spear from the shards...and I was the hand that guided 
this spear.  Let the scavengers beware...