Five days later we traveled in the wake of the Dark Tide, for as far as I could see everything had been turned into a barren wasteland. There wasn’t a sign of life to be seen for miles. The land itself had been drained of all the magic it once contained. It was strange to feel so completely defenseless, so out of touch with the source of all power. As I looked at her I knew she felt the same. Even her eyes had lost it’s golden shine. “This used to be Wintervale Forest, didn’t it?” She asked, pointing at the blackened remnants of a huge tree. Indeed it was, I replied. “ What happened here? The scorch marks on these trees weren’t caused by normal fire, and why can’t I connect to the Communality anymore ?” Because it feeds on magic, it drains the land and every living thing around it of every drop of power. “Is that why we couldn’t stop it with the Crystalline Towers? Indeed, we were fools to think it would be so easy to destroy. It’s destroyed countless worlds before it came to ours, but we still believed we could annihilate it if only we combined all of our strength. By the time most of us found out, it was to late, we blasting it with every bit of magic we had, we made it more powerful then ever before. “But how are we supposed to stop it then if it simply absorbs magical attacks ?” By using it’s own power against it, just as it did with us. We need to find a way to drain it’s power. “Then why don’t we just approach it and open up a magical vortex?” Because no vortex would be strong enough to contain such amounts of energy, not even your body would be able to withstand such stress. “And what about the Bonding? Can’t we do it together?” No, it’s already consumed so much raw power that letting it escape all at once would rend us both to pieces, most like along with the rest of the planet. And besides the Bonding was lost when I broke my oath and you died. ”Can it not be restored ? I don’t think we stand much of a chance like this.” I’m not sure if it can be restored, I’m not even sure if I could do it again. “then what are we going to do ? just walk around in this wasteland for ever ?” No, first we must find new allies in our quest, because even if we would reactivate the Bonding, we wouldn’t be able to stand against it. “Then why don’t we go find those allies?” she asked, impatiently. Because one of them has already found us. “What do you mean, I can’t see anything.” That’s because you’re not looking at it in the right way. “ I don’t think I understand” she said, a glint of anger in her eyes. Ah but you will, I said, laughingly, or should I say, you will once more ?