I trust you, Jared," she whispered. "I always did. I love you, Master.

Where are the leaders?' Sapphique asked. 'In the fortresses,' the swan replied. 'And the poets?' 'Lost in dreams of other worlds.' 'And the craftsmen?' 'Forging machines to challenge the darkness.' 'And the Wise, who made the world?' The swan lowered its black neck sadly. 'Dwindled to crones and sorcerers in towers.

I trust you, Jared," she whispered. "I always did. I love you, Master.

And what would they be scared of? There's nothing to fear in a perfect world, is there?

I always was going to be a writer. The other jobs were just to keep me in food. Though I enjoyed the archaeology.

All my years to this moment All my roads to this wall. All my words to this silence All my pride to this fall. -Songs of Sapphique

Underground, the stars are legend.