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382 lines
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HTML
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<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
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<head>
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<title>The Shadowmaster - Chapter </title>
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<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="imperaWeb.css"/>
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<div id="text">
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<div class="section" id="xhtmldocuments">
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<p>
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10
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack tugged at Megrin's sleeve when they caught up with her on the road heading west.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Where are you going?" he asked.
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</p>
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<p>
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"With you, of course," she replied. "Don't you have a quest?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"You don't have to come with us. We know which way to go." Jack didn't want to sound ungrateful for her help or her hospitality, but he was reluctant to
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draw anyone else into his search. Already Kerry and Corriwen had faced dangers on his behalf.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Ah," Megrin responded. "Will you know what to do when you get there?"
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</p>
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<p>
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She stopped on the road and looked down into his eyes. "You will be a good journeyman, Jack Flint, and a good journeyman takes help when it's offered. We
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all do the Sky Queen's work."
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</p>
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<p>
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"I just want to find my father," Jack said. "I don't want anybody else to get hurt."
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</p>
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<p>
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Now Megrin smiled. "Good for you. A nice thought. But your quest is more than you think. It is bound with Uaine's future and the righting of wrong. As is
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mine. Uaine is <em>my </em>world, and Bodron is <em>my </em>brother. I would not have you and Kerry and Corriwen face him without my help."
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</p>
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<p>
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She patted him on the shoulder. "If you could find him, that is. He'll hide himself well."
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</p>
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<p>
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Before Jack could respond, Kerry interrupted.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Are you just going to leave him like that?" he asked. "The witchdoctor guy?"
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</p>
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<p>
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Megrin turned. They were only a mile out from the village and the green barrier of living trees could still be clearly seen.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Oh, for a while anyway." She smiled mischievously. "This way he can do some good and no mischief."
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</p>
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<p>
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As they walked alongside her Jack noticed that the gossamer cloak and white fur hood were slowly darkening to the drab colours she had worn when they first
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met her. But she wasn't bent like an old woman any more, and she walked with a determined air, using her carved staff like a hiker. Sometimes, from the
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corner of his eye, Jack got the impression that she was skimming over the ground, rather than treading it.
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</p>
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<p>
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"What's happened to your cloak?" Corriwen was curious.
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</p>
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<p>
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Megrin smiled again. "That was just for show, you know. But you wouldn't expect me to travel in my summer best, would you? I prefer to slip into something
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more comfortable.
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</p>
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<p>
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A few moments before, the hood was still discernible, but now Jack could see it was gradually transforming itself into an old shawl which covered her hair,
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and was tucked into the front of her long dark coat.
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</p>
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<p>
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As they walked, Jack marvelled at how quickly they covered distance. The farmland gave way to moor and then hills which rose ever steeper as the road
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carried them higher, until they were walking in low clouds. Here, the air was cold and damp and a wind picked up, driving rain and sleet into their faces.
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</p>
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<p>
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They were hungry and tired when Megrin called a halt. Jack saw they were on a windswept summit where three standing stones formed the legs of a colossal
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table, bearing a wide flat capstone in weather-worn granite. Beyond, where the sun was slowly sinking towards the horizon, the sky was a dark smudge on the
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horizon, the same purple shade they had seen in the night when the moon turned to angry red and the shadows came oozing out from dark places.
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</p>
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<p>
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She herded them towards the shelter. Jack held back, eyeing the megalith with suspicion.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Do you plan to brave the wind and sleet alone tonight?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"I'm wary of standing stones," he said. "Every time we go through them we end up in trouble."
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</p>
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<p>
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"I'm with Jack on that," Kerry said. Corriwen nodded her agreement.
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</p>
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<p>
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Megrin chuckled, stooping to get under the capstone, and took her shawl off, letting her silver hair spill down her shoulders.
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</p>
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<p>
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"That's the Faery Gates you're talking about. The gates <em>between.</em>" She beckoned them to join her. "This is a <em>Bor-Dion,</em> as they say in the
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old tongue, a resting place carved from the hill and set here to shelter the weary."
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack stepped forward. As soon as he was under the capstone the wind died, although, beyond the massive pillars he could see the tussock-grass and heather
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bent almost flat by its force. He allowed himself to relax and the cold began to seep out of his bones.
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</p>
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<p>
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"They built well, the old people," Megrin said. "And cast their <em>geas</em> to ward off harm."
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</p>
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<p>
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"I'm just glad to be out of the freakin weather," Kerry said, slumping down on the dry earth beside a small circle of stones where previous travellers had
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lit a fire. "It's like being back home in Scotland in winter. All drizzle and sleet"
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</p>
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<p>
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He looked at Jack: "I'm frozen stiff. I thought this was supposed to be the summerland!"
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</p>
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<p>
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"Uaine <em>is</em> the summerland," Megrin interjected. "But you know that all is not well here. The time has come to rectify that. If we can."
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</p>
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<p>
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Kerry set about gathering wind-blown leaves and twigs which he crumpled together in the old hearth. Corriwen shook the rain from her hair and laid her
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cloak out to dry.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Where are we going?" Jack asked. "And what are we supposed to do?"
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</p>
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<p>
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Kerry flicked his little lighter to try to set the damp leaves alight. The flame flared out like a blowlamp again and he yelped as it scorched his thumb.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Why don't you consult that book of yours?" Megrin replied. "It's led you on the right path so far."
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack wasn't surprised she knew of the Book of Ways. There was a lot more to Megrin than he had suspected at first. He squatted down and drew the ancient
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book from his pack.
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</p>
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<p>
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Kerry cursed under his breath and sucked his thumb, unable to set fire to the wet leaves. Megrin glanced across at him, frowned, then closed her eyes for a
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moment. She pointed a long finger at the unpromising pile of kindling and when she opened her eyes again, Jack saw them flash brightly for a mere fraction
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of a second.
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</p>
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<p>
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Something <em>whickered</em> past him, an invisible twist in the air. He felt it clearly on his cheek, like a hot breath of dry wind. The firewood burst
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into flame with a sudden <em>whoosh.</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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Kerry jerked back with a cry of alarm and fell hard with his feet in the air, frantically rubbing at his eyes. Looked up at Megrin who still stood with her
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finger pointing.
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</p>
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<p>
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"You've burnt my eyebrows right off," he yelled. "You could have blinded me!"
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</p>
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<p>
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Corriwen burst into peals of laughter. As Kerry rolled on the ground she slumped against Jack, helpless with mirth. Tears streamed down her face and he
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felt her convulse against him. It was the first in a long time that Jack had heard her really laugh.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Oh stop," she cried, when she managed to get a breath. "I can't take any more!"
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</p>
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<p>
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Kerry pulled his hands away from his eyes, glared up at them: "And what are you laughing at?"
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack felt the laughter bubbled up inside him until his knees started to shake and he could take Corriwen's weight no longer. They sagged to the ground,
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holding on to each other.
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</p>
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<p>
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"There's nothing funny in getting blinded," Kerry snorted. "Freakin' witchy magic!"
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</p>
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<p>
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But that only set them off again until they were both knotted in a heap, unable to stop.
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</p>
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<p>
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"A pair of kids, so you are," Kerry said. "We're supposed to be on serious business here!"
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</p>
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<p class="break">
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***
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</p>
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<p>
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When the laughter began to subside, Jack sat up and rubbed his eyes. Every now and then Corriwen would give a little giggle which she was unable to
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suppress, even when she clamped a hand over her mouth.
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</p>
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<p>
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"OK, OK," Jack said. "I'm laughed out and my stomach's sore."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Yeah, very funny," Kerry said. He looked up at Megrin who seemed to have caught the laughter infection and couldn't hrlp but smile. "Next time you should
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give me some warning instead of blowing me to smithereens."
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</p>
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<p>
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"I'll try to remember, Master Kerry," she said as she opened a little cloth bag and produced some of the bread and meat left over from the night before.
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"Now, about that serious business…."
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack held the Book of Ways in both hands as the leather cover opened slowly and the pages purred until they stopped at a blank page. The words began to
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appear. Megrin leant over them as they huddled to read.
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</p>
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<p class="centered">
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Road now leads to ring of power
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</p>
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<p class="centered">
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Ever on to shadow glower
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</p>
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<p class="centered">
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Heroes may be tested sore
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</p>
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<p class="centered">
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Journeyman returns once more.
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</p>
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<p class="centered">
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Heed the wise, yet follow heart
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</p>
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<p class="centered">
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Journeyman must then depart
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</p>
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<p class="centered">
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To face the weird of evil bane
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</p>
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<p class="centered">
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Ever on to madness reign.
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</p>
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<p>
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When they were done, Jack let the book close in his hands.
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</p>
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<p>
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"It doesn't look good," he said.
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</p>
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<p>
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"It never did before," Corriwen said, as brightly as she could, but both Jack and Kerry could read her. She knew there was trouble ahead, but she was ready
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to meet it. "And aren't we still whole?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"I don't like this madness thing," Kerry said. "And I don't want to be tested sore again."
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack managed a smile. "I told you to stay behind. This is <em>my </em>problem."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Ah, how much you must learn, Jack Flint," Megrin interrupted. "I saw you all come through the gate a long time ago. The three of you as one. There's power
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in the number, the unshakeable triangle."
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</p>
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<p>
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"It's like I keep telling them," Kerry said. "All for one and each for everybody else! But I still don't like this madness thing. I don't like mad folk."
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</p>
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<p>
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Megrin ushered them round the fire and they sat around its glow, breaking off generous hunks of meat and bread. Megrin waited patiently until they had
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eaten their fill. The fire would die down every now and again but she would gesture with her fingers and it would flare hot again. Kerry remained wary, but
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somehow he managed to anticipate her and pulled back from the hearth. Though she tried, Corriwen failed to hide her mirth.
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</p>
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<p>
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"This ring of power," Jack said, thinking about what they had just read. "It sounds like something in a book I once read. It was a magic ring that made you
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invisible. Do you know what the ring is?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"I do," Megrin said. "And it is not the kind of ring that will fit your finger. It's our destination. I knew that before your book told you. It is where I
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am supposed to take you…first."
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</p>
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<p>
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"And then what?" Kerry wanted to know.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Then, if you are still as determined as you seem to be, we will go into the unknown."
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</p>
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<p>
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"If it helps me find my father, I'll go anywhere," Jack asserted. "The Book says <em>the journeyman returns once more.</em> So where he's gone, that's
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where I'm going."
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</p>
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<p>
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Without explanation, Corriwen gave Jack a quick, tight hug. "And we're with you."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Me too," Kerry agreed. "Though I still don't like this madness stuff."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Well said, all three!" When Megrin smiled, she didn't look at all like an old woman.
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</p>
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<p class="break">
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***
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</p>
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<p>
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It was warm and dry under their shelter, and the fire stayed hot in the hearth.
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</p>
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<p>
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Outside, night fell quickly and the moon shone down on them, silvering the ancient stone pillars. But when Kerry excused himself stepped out of the shelter
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not long after sunset, he returned with a puzzled expression on his face.
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</p>
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<p>
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"The moon's all red again," he said.
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack and Corriwen looked up, exchanged glances, then turned to Kerry.
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</p>
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<p>
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"I mean, out <em>there</em> it's gone all bloody. From in here it's just the same as usual."
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</p>
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<p>
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"The old stones protect us," Megrin explained. She stood between two pillars and raised her hands to shoulder height in front of her. Jack thought he saw
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two white shapes flutter out into the dark, but couldn't be sure.
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</p>
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<p>
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"A little extra protection won't go amiss," she said. "Now, it's time to rest, for we have a journey in the morning."
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</p>
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<p>
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She settled down, huddled herself into her cloak and became as still as stone. The three travellers crouched by the fire, tired, but unable to sleep yet.
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Corriwen sat and used her leather belt to strop her blades until they gleamed.
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</p>
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<p>
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"I'm glad she's on our side," Kerry said, nodding towards where Megrin was sitting. "Gave me a fright at first, but she's pretty cool."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Apart from burning your eyebrows off," Corriwen said, keeping her face straight.
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack leant back against the pillar, absently cradling the heartstone in his hand, listening to them banter back and forth, and soon the voices faded and he
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fell into a sleep.
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</p>
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<p class="break">
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***
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</p>
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<p>
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He jerked awake suddenly, his heart hammering. The heartstone throbbed. For a moment he was bewildered, unable to comprehend where he was. Kerry and
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Corriwen were huddled together by the fire, and Megrin was still a shadow.
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</p>
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<p>
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Out in the dark, something grunted, so low it felt like a tremble in the ground and Jack's skin puckered all down his spine. Slowly he eased himself round
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the pillar and looked out into the night.
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</p>
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<p>
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The two white wolves were back, white hackles bristling in stiff quills, pacing a perimeter barely a hundred paces away from where Jack crouched.
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</p>
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<p>
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Beyond, the night was dark, but reddened by a faint glow from the angry moon, and in its shadows, other shadows loped and squirmed in a heaving mass. Now
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and then, yellow eyes would blare in the dark.
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</p>
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<p>
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The image of those eyes hunting him through the darkwood came back all of a sudden and he held tight to the heartstone.
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</p>
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<p>
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But the white wolves padded back and forth, back and forth, silent as ghosts, and the nightshades came no closer.
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack shrank back, wishing to see no more.
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</p>
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<p>
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Megrin spoke in a whisper, and her voice startled him.
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</p>
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<p>
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"This is just the beginning," she said. "We are on the far edge of what is to come. Worse things will face you."
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</p>
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<p>
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"That's what the Book of Ways said," Jack murmured, his heart quailing at the thought of what might be worse than those terrifying things. "It's never
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wrong."
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</p>
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<p>
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"And you still want to go on?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"I <em>must</em> go on," he replied. "I've come this far."
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</p>
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<p>
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"You have a brave heart, Jack Flint. A journeyman's son. A journeyman now."
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</p>
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<p>
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The heartstone pulsed slowly and he laid his hand on the hilt of the Scatha's great sword. A small vibration ran through his nerves, and he felt comforted.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Nothing can breach the <em>Bor-dion</em>," Megrin said. "Not even the nightshades. And we are well guarded until morning."
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</p>
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<p>
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In the dark, she reached out and touched Jack's cheek. Her hand felt warm and soft. Like the hand of a mother, he thought, even though he had never known
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that touch. It soothed his apprehension.
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</p>
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<p>
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Soon he was fast asleep.
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</p>
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</div>
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</div>
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</body>
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