That was all very well and good, but could he trust what his senses were telling him about this world? Or was it more specific than that? He frowned in concentration, for the first time turning his newfound senses in upon themselves.
And there it was; as clear as day, he could see the source of the problem. The Elf Kingdom itself. And its relationship to the Earth Mother.
‘Vries,’ he said to the elderly Healer, who was watching him guardedly, ‘is it possible that the Elf Kingdom is . . . in the overall scheme of things . . . well . . . I don’t know how else to put this, so I’ll just say it straight out; is it possible that the Elf Kingdom represents some sort of illness in this world?’
Vries suprised him by answering utterly without hesitation, or a need to consider his words.
‘Of course it is! You must understand that the Elven Lore is a usurping of power, or at least it was, until it grew too puissant for any mortal to wield. That limitation is a consequence of the Balance established by the Earth Mother. The Balance itself is there for a reason. It is part of Her plan, which includes all living things.