Ralph and the Pixie

‘The only choice I have now is to take the book and go, lest this evil dream consume everything and all. Alas, that for all my skill, it wasn’t tempered by an equal knowledge.’

Baffled by his father’s demeanour, Mraan asked hesitantly, ‘What evil dream do you speak of.’

Becoming less distant, turning to his son, Haloch replied intently, ‘Do you not feel it? The dream that was the Elf Lore is changing, becoming a nightmare! Already the fine balance of its structure has begun to alter. Soon it will be rive itself entirely from its moorings, and utter chaos will ensue. Already it is becoming an all-consuming hunger which is bent on devouring all that lives, for such was the underlying nature of the Will that forged it.

‘I understand the old Loremaster now . . . he was unable to speak openly of his discovery for fear of attracting the attention of the unwise and the ambitious . . . unwilling to ignore the danger by destroying the illustration . . . living with the fear that its lesson would be forgotten . . . relying too much on the common sense of anyone who came after him . . . trusting in Fate and believing in progress to one day solve his dilemma.