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Crow dreamed he was looking in a mirror. An old man looked back. His face was similar to Crow's, but he looked ancient and tired.

The old man spoke a strange foreign language, but Crow could still understand scattered bits of it.

"...and when the <foreign word> is open upon the midnight, beware the <foreign word> that will spring forth to rend."

"I don't understand your words, uncle," Crow said, adding the honorific "uncle" as a courtesy.

"Heed me, boy," the old face said. "You will be asked to <foreign word> upon the midnight when the <foreign word> opens. You must act with great courage and remember to <string of foreign words> lest you die without awakening."

Crow shook his head, knowing this was crucial information. "I cannot heed you, uncle. I do not understand."

The old man looked annoyed. "Ask Ritter. He may know." Then the dream was over.

Crow crawled out of his bedroll; the forest was dark in the dawn gloom. Ritter's bedroll was airing out on a low tree branch, and he was tending a small campfire.

"Shit," Crow growled as he stretched his aching back. "Are those potatoes?"

Ritter nodded and pushed a pewter plate closer to Crow. It was piled with fried potato strips.

Crow ate a few pieces and said, "I had the dream again."

Ritter nodded. "Did you get more details this time?"

"No, same as last time." Crow ate another piece. "Actually, yes. This time, he said to 'ask Ritter.'"

Ritter said, "Hmm. Ask me what?"

"He used a bunch of foreign words; maybe it was Elvenari."

"Do you remember any?" Ritter took a bite of fried potato and added more raw strips to the pan. "I only speak a little Elvenari."

"Not really. Well, I kinda remember one. He was real serious, talking about courage and rending and dying without awakening. Then he said something that sounded like 'jackalope'".

Ritter shrugged. "Never heard of it. You gotta stop eating those 'special candies' we got from Sif."


///

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