There was a faint but pervasive hum in the Sanctum, generated by the machinery. This waiting to which Jaron had been confined was not unendurable, but neither was it pleasant. The humming teased at the edges of his consciousness, and did not make the situation more pleasant.

Jaron was used to submerging himself in the feeling of his surroundings -- that was the best he could do to put it into words. Here, he could feel nothing. It was almost like the universe was bounded by the Sanctum walls. He'd been staring at the wall so long, that his vision was getting blurry. He was surprised the wall wasn't seared into his vision.

"Like so many memories." He spun around, and saw nothing, and did not feel the presence of another in the room. Hearing things. That's what isolation does to you I guess.

"Yes, you're quite the isolated one." He started to turn again, but could now see the source of the taunting whisper. Straight in front of him, the air had congealed into a shadowy mass that vibrated when it spoke. Why are you hiding Jaron? There's nothing to hide from. Really. Why don't you come with me. Jaron could have sworn it sounded like his sister, but rejected that thought immediately, not allowing it further development.

The thing came forward, or Jaron was drawn toward it -- he was not quite sure which. He stood up and shouted, not thinking about the significance of that act, "Who are you? What do you want?! Be gone, if you won't speak!" But there were no more whispers, and Jaron found that he could not lift his feet from the floor. Then it did not matter, for he'd been lifted by some unidentifiable power and a great maw that had opened from the center of the thing began to draw him in.

"Child! Stop that! Stay away from there. Away night-demon, haunter. You have no place with this boy."

{Mmm, who is that. Mother?} Jaron wondered numbly, feeling a great sense of relaxation wash over him.

"Child! Child...Jaron. Jaron!"

{Ohhh, what does she want. I'm so comfortable, I--}
Cold hands on his shoulders yanked Jaron out of his beguilment. He looked around frantically, not recognizing where he was. Then, the world disentegrated around him, and he felt his torso fling itself up to form a right angle with his legs. He was panting, and his pulse was racing.

{A Dream...}


"Even a dream can be dangerous, Jaron."

{That voice, how do you know my --} cold hands still rested on his shoulders.

"I have a...talent for guessing names. You shouldn't sleep on the cold floor like that. One day your muscles and joints might not forgive me."

{Who are you...and how did you get here?}

"Oh! Yes of course. My name is 'Sara.' As for how I got here? Well, I was actually looking for someone else, but passing by a few miles from here I felt a sort of 'cloud of evil' focusing on this location, and there was a life here -- you I could sense, though only faintly -- and something else...I think 'old' would be the operative word, but I don't quite know how to describe it."

Jaron wasn't sure he believed her, but he sinced a certain truth to her words. {Yes, but how did you get inside?}

"Oh, well, it takes more than a little stone and metal to halt determination." She didn't mention how difficult it had actually been to get inside. Halting Sheets, Traps, Mindvenom... What was this place protecting, that she'd nearly had to skip across a dozen planes to find a way in?