Title: Apathy Sometimes
Author: Kit
Date: 10/18/99

Note: this is before "A Pause for Breath"
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     The energetic equine had begun to slow, the harsh pace forcing it to
rethink its previous eagerness to run.  Audion watched the horse carefully,
evaluating the probably amount of time it could continue before its lungs
bust .  The imperfect creature was  breathing too hard, and its trainer had
obviously been unable to teach the creature to manage its energy.  The
elementalist sighed, turning his attention from the foolish steed to the
chosen of fire.
    The girl was attractive, or rather the woman he corrected himself.   She
had potential to be as provocative and headstrong as her element would
dictate, but it seemed that between her hairpin relationship with the Earth
chosen and the involvement of the continent's "Prophecy" she was being
stifled.  "She'll never develop her strength in these conditions, " he
mused.  "Better that she be less a threat that way."
    As yet, he was curious as to exactly what she had been trying to do
earlier.  It had seemed a scrying of some sort, not really dangerous in
normal circumstances.  Normal.  That was why he had put up so many personal
barriers.  If she could scry, then she was a mind manipulator of some
sort....what kind Audion couldn't tell exactly.  He had studied other magic
briefly, but there  hadn't been much on Freylis about any of the psychic
disciplines.
    The Earth Chosen was his target, however, if he couldn't find another
way.....
    Audion shifted in the awkward S'Kaen saddle, lighter then his native
ones, redistributing what little he weighed to allow the horse more
effective movement.  What gifts might that one be endowed with?  She hadn't
manifested anything more then distemper and instability, making Audion
wonder if perhaps she could transmit it to others....
    Audion released the reigns from one hand and gently touched his neck,
using a minute amount of his water magic to purify and heal it completely.
He would deal with his wrists later.  The steady gallop of the horses, the
tense attitudes of his fellow travelers, and the growing pounding of the
void in the back of his mind was beginning to give Audion a headache.  It
would pass, he surmised, if they ever got a chance to stop.  That was in the
Ambassador's control though.
    When they camped, or whatever it was that was planned for them to do, he
would approach the fire chosen....he needed to gain her confidence quickly
and learn whatever they knew about the prophecy and the elements, for within
may lay the key to his freedom from his emptiness.