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feeling faded.  She closed her eyes again and relaxed, focusing on that strange sensation within herself.  Once again something inside of her seemed to stir, then stretch as though waking from a long sleep.  She kept her body relaxed and her mind calm as the something within her seemed to grow, then flow toward the Ti-Ank in her hand.  A gasp from King Rhobar had her opening her eyes again, but this time she did it slowly and carefully, unwilling to disturb whatever was happening.
    A figure began to appear before her, coalescing slowly from a cloud of mist into the woman from the tapestry.  She appeared to be solid, but faded, as though the colors of her skin, hair and clothes had been muted somehow.  Karma wondered if it was because she was surrounded by a soft, yellow glow streaming from the Ti-Ank.
    Karma bowed, knowing it was the correct thing to do even though she felt awkward doing it.  It had been a very long time since she’d been comfortable with bowing.
    “Greetings, Lady Techu,” the woman said, returning her bow.  “I am Samyi, she who was Techu before you.  May I ask your name?”
    “I am called Karma.”
    “Ah, how fitting,” Samyi said with a smile that resembled her own just a bit more than was comfortable.  “Karma, do not release the staff while I speak or you will break the connection.”
    Karma nodded without really understanding what she meant.  She’d never needed an ankh, or anything else, to see the dead before.  Only when King Rhobar stood up and bowed to Samyi, did Karma realize that the Ti-Ank allowed him to see her as well.  Staff of Life indeed , she thought.
    “King Rhobar, I greet you,” Samyi said.  “It is a relief that you were able to find your Techu in time.”
    “I had begun to fear that such a blessing would not occur,” King Rhobar replied.  “Will you tell us more of the danger that I feel threatening Rathira, and what we must do?”
    “I will tell you what I can, but my time, and my knowledge, is limited,” Samyi cautioned.  “This will take a toll on Karma, and as this is her first use of the Ti-Ank, her strength will not last long.”
    “Anything you can tell us will be most appreciated,” King Rhobar said.
    Samyi nodded, then turned to face the Sphin. “Greetings, Nikura.”
    Nikura lowered his head, then raised it in what was clearly meant to be a bow, his eyes never leaving the woman standing in the golden glow coming from the Ti-Ank  “Greetings, Samyi,” he replied.  “Long have you been missed.”
     “You know Nikura?” Karma asked.  “Did you die recently?”
    “No,” Samyi said with a smile.  “I have not walked the plane of the living for a thousand years.”
    Karma’s eyes widened at that.  “How old are you, Nikura?”
    “I have no idea,” Nikura replied.  He raised one paw to his mouth and began licking it with his long, pink tongue. 
    Karma shook her head and looked back to Samyi.  “What’s going on here?  Why am I here?  Why do you look so much like my mother? And what is that giant red bird behind you in the tapestry?”  As she asked the last question she turned back toward the tapestry, even though she couldn’t actually see it from where she stood.  Something about that bird drew her, but she didn’t know why.
    “That is the Vatra, also called the Fire Bird,” Samyi replied.  “He was of great assistance to me in the darkest and most difficult of days, but whether you will have his aid in your quest, I do not know.  You must ask King Rhobar about the Vatra at another time.”
    “You don’t know?” Karma asked, surprised and a little dismayed.  “I thought you would know everything.”
    “No, I’m afraid not, Karma,” Samyi replied.  “I am not of the living.  I cannot tell you of what will be .  I can tell you only of what was and to a very limited extent, what is .  Do you understand?”
    “No, I don’t understand,”  Karma replied.  “Riata told me that it was my destiny to