Nathan was going insane.... he was quite sure of it.  Before, he would have never questioned his sanity - after all, he was just like anyone else, but lately he had begun wondering.
    There was the issue of Sean's death, after all.  The warrior had been gored and killed before his own eyes, and yet was currently walking three feet ahead of the young prince.  Nathan was fairly certain he wasn't imagining his current companion, so that left the fact that he had imagined his death as the only other option.  But why?  Nathan didn't dare try to remember it, as it would just confuse him more.
    Secondly, there was the ocean.  Here he was, in the middle of a wasteland, hearing the sound of the ocean.  Not now, thank goodness, but a number of times before.  And every time, he would black out.  And sometimes, he would see things.  Like Whitney.
    Had he imagined it?  Did she truly miss him, or did he merely wish it to be so?  Nathan didn't know, and didn't want to start imagining again.  His earlier near-death in this wasteland (that Sean rescued you from, he reminded himself) had brought him to delirium... was it not possible that it could happen again, if for no other reason than he was surrounded by miles and miles of nothing?
    The days had been, and were still, uniform.  The sun rose and set.  Occasionally, a few clouds would move across the sky, but it never rained.  Nathan still wondered how the creatures survived.
    And there was that, too.  The creatures were gone.  Not only had they not challenged the group since Sean's battle, they hadn't even been visible in the distance.  Nathan didn't like it at all.  Two days had passed, and nothing had happened.  The passing hadn't made Sean any happier though.  If anything, the warrior was more terse and distracted than ever.  Though he tried not to show it, Nathan could occasionally see his face betraying some sort of pain.  Nathan could only guess at what was causing it.
    They walked for most of that day in complete silence.  Sean didn't saw a word, and Nathan was trying not to irritate the man.  The sun had just begun to set when Sean suddenly moaned and doubled over, nearly falling flat on the road.
    "Sean!" Nathan was at his side in little time.  "What's wrong?"
    "Nothing!" Sean snapped back, getting shakily to his feet.  The moment he had, he turned on Nathan.  "I'm fine.  Really."  With that said, he looked away and continued walking.
    Nathan stood where he was, reviewing the exchange between them.  Sean was in pain, that was certain, but he didn't want to admit it to Nathan... but why?  Were his injuries from the fight that bad?
    "Hey!  Nathan!"  Sean called out from up ahead.  "Come on!  We've got a bit more walking to do yet.  And there's something you ought to see up here!"
    Nathan shook himself out of his reverie and started walking toward where Sean was standing.  When he arrived there, Sean spoke up again.
    "I don't know how good your eyes are, and the light's failing, but I want you to look along the road anyway.  Tell me what you see."
    Nathan looked, wondering what it was that the man was getting at.  The road seemed to move off into the distance indefinitely, as it had since he entered the Near Zone.  Except something was different... Nathan squinted, unable to see in the low light what exactly it was.  Then, the light shifted just a bit as the sun inched lower, and he knew.
    The Spire was on the road ahead of him.  Barely visible in the fading light, he could make it out only a little, but that was enough.  It was the Spire.  His journey was nearly complete.
    "How long will it take us to get there?" Nathan asked.
    "Perhaps another day, if we don't run into any problems.  We won't be there tomorrow, but you'll get a pretty good view of it by then.  I think we should walk a bit more today, and then camp...."
    Nathan nodded his agreement without taking his eyes off of his goal in the distance.  He was almost there.

    (Scholar's City)
    "Be careful what you say to him."  Davis instructed.  "He's a very powerful person.  Very, very powerful.  So don't offend him, please."  Davis' voice was less commanding than begging.  Nathan wondered why it was he was being allowed to see this person at all.  "You're the first we've had come here and ask about the spire... that is, the first in a very long time.  He rarely has an audience, but he recently said that anyone asking about the spire should be directed to him."  Davis silenced himself then, with a look on his face which revealed that he had parted with too much information.  Nathan didn't see the importance of it all.
    "Here's the door."  Davis said, pointing to a sparsely decorated doorway which stood twice his height.  "Just go on in ahead.  And when you're done, come see me, and we'll prepare you for the journey.
    With that, Davis left, and Nathan was alone to think.  His solitude didn't last very long, however.
    "Can I help you?"  A voice from behind him inquired.  Nathan nearly jumped in fright.  Turning around in an attempt to seem calm, he saw a tall man standing in the otherwise empty hallway, looking amused at Nathan's fright.
    "Yes... I'm just here to see... whoever lives in this room."  Nathan felt like an idiot saying that, but Davis had never revealed the name of the man he was supposed to meet.
    "Ah, I do believe I can help you!"  The man opened the door and stepped inside, motioning for Nathan to follow.
    Not a little nervous, Nathan entered the room.  He stopped where he was then, and looked around, his eyes locked on the many decorations that littered his surroundings.  The last time he had seen such ornate decorations, he had been back in his father's castle.  Tapestries were hung on the walls, and fine carpets created from undoubtedly expensive materials were arranged on the floor.  Candles lined the walls, each blazing, and a full fireplace - complete with fire- consumed the wall opposite of where he was standing.
    "Have a seat!" the man indicated one of the cushioned chairs opposite of where he was currently sitting.  "And we shall speak.  I take it that the scholars sent you to me because you wanted to know about the spire?"
    Nathan sat down.  This was the man he was supposed to meet?  He didn't seem as all-powerful as the scholars had led him to believe.  "Yes..." he said after a moment's hesitation.  He had almost not heard the question, he had been so absorbed in his own thoughts.
    "Ah, good.  My name is Cecil Vencam, by the way."
    Nathan stood and bowed, and then offered his hand.  "Well met, Sir Vencam.  My name is-"
    "Prince Nathan Tallows, of Tallows Kingdom" Cecil interrupted, ignoring the etiquette that Nathan had been following until that point.
    "How did you...?"  Nathan trailed off, remembering what the scholars had told him about this man.
    "I travel quite a bit." Cecil said, with a small smile on his face.  "I've been to Tallows before, though it's been a great while since last I was there.  Still, I recognize you.  It's an honor to have someone of such nobility visit me.  But, you're going on to the spire, is that not true?"
    The young prince simply nodded.
    "Hmmm....  You're the first to do this in a long time.  You are no doubt aware of the danger involved.  After all, none who have undertaken the pilgrimage have returned."
    Nathan tried not to let his reaction to this news show.  Never returned?  Whitney had been right - he was going to die on this journey.  Bitterly, he focused his mind on what Cecil was saying.
    "This must be a true pilgrimage that you undertake.  The Creators are very clear on this - you must carry no weapon.  You may bring no food or water -
you are required to find those for yourself."  Cecil continued.  "And, of course, you must be wary of the agents of the Furies."
    "The Furies?"  Nathan asked.  He didn't like the sound of that....  He recalled hearing about them before, but couldn't place it.
    "Demons, essentially.  Gods that decided the Void was a better calling than the Creators were."  Cecil shook his head.  "It's very rare that a person makes a journey such as the one you undertake.  To save the land... you would do it.  But to destroy the land, the Furies would destroy you."
    "Why am I not allowed a sword then?  I don't stand a chance against any normal creature, let alone an agent of the Void, without one."  Nathan asked, trying to keep the disbelief from his voice.  He didn't like the way this was going.
    "You are.  In fact, you can bring anything you want.  You could bring an entire army into the Near Zone and attempt to make it to the Spire.  But you wouldn't.  Someone bringing a sword with them into the near zone is expecting a conflict.  And they shall receive one.  They shall be easier to find, for the aggression in their hearts practically screams 'come and get me' to the agents of the Void."  Cecil laughed lightly.  "No.  Similarly, a dependency on food and water brought in would be a beacon of weakness to them."
    "So I must go unarmed into the mouth of a demon.  Or demons.  Or an entire legion!" Nathan was trying to stay calm, but kept failing.
    If Nathan's agitation was disturbing Cecil, the man did not show it.  "Not exactly.  The agents of the Void must adhere to a rather strict code of conduct.  They can't just kill you.  The Furies themselves have adopted these codes, and any powerful Fury would instantly turn on any other that broke it.  No, what an agent of the Furies will do is to attempt to subvert you.  To get you to destroy yourself, in other words.  It is that which you must be careful of."
    Nathan nodded.  "I see.  And if I arrive at the Spire?"
    Cecil smiled.  "Nobody knows.  But I can tell you this:  The land will be restored.  You have not begun a journey in vain, young prince.  But you don't know all of what will occur, I'll tell you that as well.  Even if you arrive at the spire, the legend will hold true:  You will not return."
    The door opened and Davis entered.
    "Ah, Davis."  Cecil said.  "Please take our friend Prince Tallows and brief him on everything the scholars know about the Spire.  Prepare him for the pilgrimage.  Feed him well, and make sure he has the best room possible, second to my own.  Give him fresh clothes and a new pack."
    "I will do that."  Davis nodded.  "Is there anything else?"
    "No, that will be all."  Cecil turned to Nathan and smiled widely.  "I would love to continue our conversation, but I have a great many things I need to accomplish today."  He stood up and started walking to where Davis was waiting.
    Nathan stood up as well.  "One more thing, and I do not wish to sound rude, but many of the scholars here - " he did not look at Davis while he said this " - believe you to be an extremely powerful person.  Why is that?"
    Cecil laughed loudly this time, the most expressive emotion Nathan had seen so far.  "It is simply that they believe me to be a Creator."  Smiling, he left the room.