* As he enters the forest, Harold finds himself following the old monkey-elf-dog thing, completely alone. -- eh? Sophie, NIck? * The old thing mutters back to Harold as it walks, * The thing stops after a few moments and a clearing sprouts around the pair as the trees withdraw. * Harold glances around, more than a bit confused by what's going on but trying to play along as best he can. What have I learned? Well... that I can trust my intuition, I suppose. * It's difficult to tell, but the creature looks somewhat... unsatisfied. He mutters strongly, Well... * Harold shakes his head. "I want to be able to say I learned something deep and profound... but I really can't. I don't know who you are or what the tests were for, how am I supposed to _really_ know what they mean?" * The old thing smiles gruesomely. Well... when there's no answers, faith has to step in for you. Who _am_ I? I... I'm someone who wants to go home. * The thing frowns, and its frown is hideous, dwarfing even its smile. I'm... I don't know! I'm the one who doesn't want to change! I want to go home, but I want to still be a normal person when I get there! I don't want to become some kind of psychotic thief or a berserk killer or a mage! I want to go back and still be able to recognize God when I see him! And I don't want to let the others become monsters here, either! * THe thing smiles warmly, then opens its mouth and pours forth a concept. It's not quite a word, but neither is it a phrase, or even quite a sound. It is full of faith and unchanging strength, the strength of purity that is a safe haven in the storm. * The thing sits down on the ground and mutters once more. * Harold is stunned, beyond the ability to entirely comprehend what just happened around him. * The world goes black.