When I was very young I loved the water. I remember hot mid-summer afternoons, the ones where school is just a fleeting memory and the days seem to stretch endlessly into one long strand of blurry memory I would run down to the pond. It was important that you got there during lunch time as all the other swimmers had been called back to their respective homes to eat lunch with their families. If you waited ten minutes or so all of the dirt and silt that the morning's swimming had produced would settle to the bottom and you could see yourself reflected back in the ponds mirrored surface.

I would dive in, and rise to lie motionless slightly below the surface staring up at the sky through my dime store goggles at ripples which refracted the sunlight into a myriad of beautiful colors. I would wait, my lungs bursting, until the surface of the water had grown still and I could see the leafy boughs of the overhanging trees. Then ever so slowly I would raise my hand to the surface, resting it there for a brief second or so, feeling the water tension on my fingures. Then I would break the surface, rising into the warm air with a swift scissor kick, drawing deep breaths of the warm country air and floating...just floating.

I remember thinking that this is what death must be like...just floating, slightly below the surface of the water...your memories reflecting back on you with its clear silvery surface. I think that sometime there in the cold clear waters of that country pond I accepted that one day I would die...but then again that was the summer of my life, and the future seemed to stretch endlessly before me.

Name: Hefera
Topic: Quotes to Live By, 19
Date: 5/19/2001

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things only hoped for.

-Epicurus

(341 BC - 270 BC)

Name: Hefera
Topic: Inner Peace Quote of the Day,4
Date: 10/4/2000

Treat others' faith gently; it is all they have to believe with. Their minds were created for their own thoughts, not yours or mine.

-Henry S. Haskins

Name: Hefera
Topic: Inner Peace Quote of the Day,27
Date: 9/27/2000

All parts should go together without forcing. You must remember that the parts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. Therefore, if you can't get them together again, there must be a reason. By all means, do not use a hammer.

-IBM maintenance manual, 1925

Name: Hefera
Topic: Inner Peace Quote of the Day,8
Date: 9/8/2000

Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.

-Will Rogers

Hefera stood silently, watching the life slowly slip from he who had been so worthy an adversary for so many years. It saddened the Soul Collector greatly to see the Elder Dragon go. Yes, it was a devastating blow to the side of good, and for that he should be pleased; but still Hefera mourned. The Soul Collector moved forward to gaze upon the now frail body of the man who had once held the essence of Bahamut. Closing his eyes, Hefera could feel the soul of the departed dragon lord still hovering in the air�.it projected a sense of timeless peace into the crowded bedchamber.

Overwhelmed, the Soul Collector dropped to one knee �Bahamut, you have opposed my Lord since time immemorial, I could not count the number of times I have stood facing you and your kinsmen across the battlefield; yet you have been a worthy opponent. Now, you lay before me�dying. But I do not see a defeated foe, no I see a warrior laying down his spear and shield after a war lasting millennia immemorial; finding some measure of peace in what he has wrought. Now at last you go to your well deserved reward Lord Bahamut, eternal rest. A rest that I will not allow to be disturbed while any power remains in my form, I owe you at least that much; this I swear�.. By the Blood of Set you shall find peace.�

Standing Hefera turned slowly to face Osterhase �Brother, Osterhase�from this day, until that which The Dragon Bahamut�s Soul is delivered unto my Lord Set you may count me among your most steadfast comrades. By no word or deed shall I or any in my service profane your order, or sully the memory of our worthy adversary.�

The Soul Collector moved to stand by his erstwhile bodyguard Brother Benjamin, and as Osterhase stepped forward to find his own peace with the departing Dragon Lord, Hefera leaned over and whispered �Brother, you once faulted me for undertaking such a seemingly suicidal mission�but after witnessing the passing of so great a being, can you understand why I did it? It is in his eyes that I see my own reflected back a thousandfold�.and it is in both his peace and my Lord Set�s grace that I may soon come to find my own salvation.� Hefera drew back from Wolfie, his gaze once again turning to the emaciated body which lay upon the bed and to the incorporeal form of the Dragon Monarch which filled the very air around them.

Wolfie glanced at the Soul Collector, and for a brief moment he thought he might have seen the silvery sparkle of a tear run down the elder priest�s careworn face, but he thought better of it and turned away; it was probably just a trick of the light and shadow which now filled the room, and the lives all who stood within it...

Hefera continued along the shadowy corridor, he was confused by the implications suggested by this separation from Wolfie. He had assumed that whoever had sent the swarm knew that he was here, but Brother Wolfie should have remained relatively undetected. Since they had left Doomcloud Hefera had been consciously masking the warrior priest�s presence making him invisible to all but the most powerful scrying. If someone had managed to pierce the veil; as the falling block trap would seem to indicate then the Soul Collector needed to seriously reevaluate the opposition.

To make it through the Soul Collector�s shields the individual would have to be strong�.very strong. Whatever it was, Hefera knew that its presence could severly compromise his mission, and so it was imperative that he find and confront this outsider. Closing his eyes the Soul Collector faded slowly from the material plane and into the Netherworld. A thoughtful expression played across Hefera�s face as he sent tendrils of power tentatively questing through the nearby ether, passively searching for signature traces of energy that would have been left by the passing of such a powerful being. Finding nothing, he increased the area of his search�.again nothing, wait�there it was, faintly glimmering trail amid the shifting currents of ether. The Soul Collector moved towards the source of the power using his magical feelers to move himself through the ebbs and flows of the Netherworld currents.

Hefera moved along the route left by the being�s expenditure of magical energy, reading the trail as a master tracker would his quarry�s. There was something old and familiar about this creature�s supernatural signature, it bore many striking similarities to the Soul Collector�s own magical fingerprints. Hefera�s brow furrowed in confusion as he came to the end of the trail�whatever it was had moved back into the material plane at this point. With a soft intake of breath Hefera gathered his strength, preparing for whatever awaited him on the other side of the veil. He closed his eyes to avoid the brief disorientation that was inevitably caused when one shifted between planes.

The Soul Collector snapped back into the flow of reality, immediately drawing a protective shield of shadows around himself to ward off attack until he could pinpoint the his enemy. He glared around the confines of the small room in which he had appeared, the furnishings were sparse at best. There was a small bed, chest of drawers, and a rough wooden table�it had all the appearance of a simple peasant�s cottage, save for the multitude of living roses strewn all about the room.

�Ahh�At last the Soul Collector, is that what you are calling yourself nowadays?�

A chill slowly crept down Hefera�s spine, starting at the base of his neck it sent its icy fingers tracing along his back squeezing his heart in a wintry grasp as his mouth struggled to form words . �Y..Y..Y..You..�

�Yes me�.had you forgotten me? Well, I haven�t forgotten you�my dear, dear friend Hefera.�

Slowly, the Soul Collector turned to regard the figure that stood silhouetted in the light which streamed through the cottage�s only door. �Gnar..� Hefera�s eyes narrowed to slits as the man stepped forward and bowed��Brother, it is so good to see you again.�

Gnar was dead...so long ago...Hefera had killed him...or had he?

�But...Gnar, I killed you.�

�Oh, you are correct in that respect Brother Hefera...but where is it written that one who has died must stay dead?� With a smile the robed form of High Captain Gnar stepped from the sunlit doorway.

�But How?�

�now now now...I musn�t reveal all of my secrets Brother...you taught me that lesson yourself. But I suppose I can grant you this one small explanation. After all you will shortly be dead, and every dying man deserves his one last wish, eh Brother?�

The Soul Collector stared back in stony silence.

�If you must know� Gnar began in a slow drawl as he approached the Soul Collector �Lady Seska brought me from the depths of that pit you call the Netherworld...it seems my burning hatred for you shone out to her like a beacon in the night. It was a small matter for one of her power to resurrect me. �

�Then I shall simply have to kill you again.� Hefera sent a streamer of shadow streaking towards the reanimated High Captain. But with a quick motion Gnar brought up a flickering wall of force causing the bolt to deflect harmlessly off to the side.

�Oh it shan't be that easy this time...did I forget to mention that she also gave me power enough to take revenge on the like of you?� With a maniacal grin Gnar raised his hands sending the force wall spiraling towards the Soul Collector, clenching his hands tightly Gnar encircled Hefera with the glittering wall of power. �Now Brother....who is the victor?�

Hefera grimaced as the wall grew tighter, covering him like a second skin it lifted him from the ground.

�Now it is I who shall dictate the terms for YOUR surrender!� Gnar advanced forward grinning so widely that the Soul Collector thought his cheeks would split at the seams.

�You are...just a pawn�Gnar�nothing more...� Hefera gritted out from between clenched teeth.

�Oh no Brother, now I am the master....I have watched carefully as the three of you snuck clumsily into the Citadel. You thought you were being secretive...but I saw everything, my newfound powers revealed allowed me to read you like an open book.�

�Three?� Hefera�s brows rose.

�Oh yes...� Gnar began but abruptly trailed off when he noticed that the Soul Collector was actually curious �Oh...you really don�t know...well then I won�t tell you...one last request...that�s all your allowed...and you�ve already used it.� Gnar wagged his finger reproachfull under the Soul Collector�s nose. Hefera quickly switched subjects.

�But...what of the price? Seska does not give boons of such magnitude away so freely�

�Oh I perform varied�services for her, have you seen my roses?� Gnar gestured expansively at the number of roses which littered the confines of the small cabin.

�Yes�I have�seen them�strange....I never fancied you for a horticulturalist....� Hefera grimaced as Gnar tightened the constricting wall of force.

�ALWAYS READY WITH A CLEVER QUIP!� Gnar screamed and then quickly mastered himself releasing the pressure on the Soul Collector. �No, I must savor this...I will not allow you to get the better of me...take a look at my roses.� Gnar smiled benignly as he levitated one of the potted roses closer to the Elder Priest.

Hefera�s eyes flew wide as he saw, within the bloom of the flower a tiny wriggling form screaming in soundless agony as it beat its hands against the sides of its petaled prison.

�Beautiful is it not?�

�No...not Beautiful...sad��

�Each bloom houses a soul...they are trapped forever...dancing for Lady Seska�s delight...and after I am finished...you will join them.� Gnar capered madly around the room, clapping like a madman. �Now I simply have to tell Seska that I have caught you�and then after she has let me kill you, I will watch you writhe in delicious agony for all eternity!�

�That will be quite enough.� Hefera looked down at the mad Captain and smiled.

�What?�

Tendrils of shadow leapt from the Soul Collector�s body, cutting through Gnar�s feeble shield and lashing about the room overturning tables and chairs.

�No no...it can�t be. Seska promised.� Gnar raised another glowing wall of force around himself to deflect the questing streamers.

�Hah...you believed that old undead witch? She gave you nothing...mere scraps of true power. Enough to make you believe, but no more...She is using you Gnar, using you to impede my progress, to give her more time to prepare.� Hefera floated towards the wall of force sending his tendrils shooting towards the crackling shield...only to have them rebound from the unyielding surface.

�Hah you see...you are the one who is wrong. You cannot get inside the shield!� Gnar cackled insanely.

�You are correct again Brother, but then again I don�t really need to get inside.�

Gnar smiled bravely �And just how do you think you'll manage to....� the sentence ended in a throaty gurgle as Gnar was gripped from behind by hands unseen. Slowly they began to choke the life from him. Gurgling Gnar managed to cast his steadily darkening field of vision behind him. His eyes flew wide as he mouthed soundless curses at the sight of what was killing him.

There, standing behind Gnar...silhouetted against the wall, it�s hands wrapped tightly around his throat...was his own shadow.

After Gnar had long since stopped twitching Hefera regarded him with sad eyes. �Such a waste� He cast his gaze around the cabin �It was all such a waste.�

Hefera cupped one of the small roses in his palm watching the writhing figure inside �It was not his place to pass judgment over you." The Soul Collector whispered softly "That is only for the Gods to decide.� Hefera slowly closed his hand around the bloom, tiny wisps of smoke rose from between the clenched fingers of his fist; and when he opened his hand nothing remained but a few scorched rose petals.

The Soul Collector bowed his head as one by one all of the roses in the room burst into flame...sending their tortured occupants to the afterlives they truly deserved. With a small sigh the Soul Collector stepped through the open doorway and into the garden, shutting the door carefully behind him.