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two will not be going alone. Martha had a dream last night. She has a lesser talent than me for healing, but few people know she occasionally gets visions, and they always prove to be accurate: She knew when that blizzard was going to hit last winter; it was her sight that showed us where to find Jonn when he was wondering in the forest, after…” He glanced apologetically at Jonn, who just shrugged and waved for him to carry on. Sitting upright and placing a hand firmly on each leg, Hahldorn continued. “She has always, always known that you are important, Gaspi.”
    The people of Aemon’s Reach were not anti-magic as such, but they preferred not to hear too much about it. They accepted Hahldorn and Martha’s healing gift easily enough, as all villages in the mountains had a Healer, and it had become the norm, but prophecies and visions were another thing altogether, and were not spoken of.
    “Martha dreamed last night of you and your friends. You were standing in a triangle, facing outwards, holding hands. She says it was a symbol of strength, that the three of you needed each other. There’s more to it than that, but that’s the essence of it. You will all have to go to Helioport.”
    Gaspi was looking at Hahldorn keenly. “When you say my friends, you mean Taurnil and Emmy…Emea?” He felt a twinge of guilt at the hope blossoming in his heart, but he couldn’t help feel the burden that had sat on his shoulders all day lighten at this news.
    “Yes, Gaspi,” Hahldorn responded. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but in Martha’s picture you all had a symbol over your heads. Yours was lightning, and we already know what that is about. Emea had the sign of a Healer: a ball of light held in cupped hands. Taurnil had the great bear, which is a symbol of protection. It seems that Emea has an untapped healing gift, and Taurnil is in some way going to protect you, or both of you.”
    Hahldorn hadn’t been able to keep the pride out of his voice when speaking of Emea’s gift, and Gaspi was suddenly annoyed with him for finding any excitement in their situation. More than that he was annoyed with himself, for wanting his friends to have to leave their homes and everything they knew just so he could feel better.
    “Have you spoken to them yet?” he asked.
    “Not yet. I came here first, and will be going straight to their parents once we are done. I have one more thing to say to you, Gaspi,” Hahldorn said, all excitement gone from his voice, and a look of gravity stealing over his features, his eyes curiously intense. “This vision of Martha’s; she said it felt very significant, and not just for you. There is a sense of destiny in what she saw, and you three are going to be involved in something momentous. I’m asking you to take this seriously, Gaspi. More lives than your own may count on it.”
    “Okay, Hahldorn, stop scaring the boy,” Jonn said firmly, placing a hand on Gaspi’s shoulder. “What will be, will be. Gaspi and I will go to Helioport. We’ll see what Emea and Taurnil’s parents say before counting them in, shall we?”
    “Of course, of course,” Hahldorn responded, his face reddening in embarrassment. “Yes, let’s head on over there now. Will you come?”
    “I will, but Gaspi is too weak,” Jonn responded. “He can stay here. I’ll send Taurnil and Emea over to keep him company while we hammer this out.” The two adults left the house, leaving Gaspi to his thoughts.
    Not five minutes later, Taurnil and Emea burst through the door, and finding Gaspi at the kitchen table they pulled up some chairs and bombarded him with questions.
    “What happened last night?” Taurnil asked.
    “What’s going on?” Emea joined in. “Da sent me away before I could hear.”
    “Why are Hahldorn and Jonn looking so serious?” Taurnil followed up, not giving Gaspi a chance to speak.
    Gaspi answered their questions, filling them in on the confrontation with Brock and Jakko the previous