[dl]
	Wandering through a nebulous, hazy garden, full of beautiful 
trees and grasses, Shard knew he must be dreaming ... when he looked at 
his hands, he saw them burning.  'That's funny.  It seems like the pain 
should be much more intense.'  But when he reached out to take a small 
pear, hanging nearby, he dropped, clutching his hand -- the pain suddenly 
became intense, unbearable.  In fact, it only hurt when he touched things 
-- pushing a thornbush aside was immensely painful, running now, running 
from something, but feeling the burning at every touch, leaving a trail 
like a comet, setting fire to the paradise of the gods, the burning --
	
	<SHARD!!>
	
	Shard awoke suddenly, with a great start, Shard awoke in the 
Marrid medical center.  The mental voice of his dragon calmed him a bit.
	
	<Shard!  I sensed you were having unpleasant dreams, and I tried 
to awaken you, but nothing worked. You're in Marrid.>
	
	Shard sighed, ran a hand through his hair, thick with sweat.  
<How long was I out, what happened ...>
	
	<About 6 hours.  We went to join the battle against the Wraiths, 
the one that Yenal, the dragon of Malk, had summoned us to.>
	
	<Yes, I remember that.  Go on.>
	
	Chaldecony's voice softened.  <It was a bad situation.  There 
were dozens, maybe hundreds, of Wraiths, and none of us had bothered to 
check in with Z'Lec before 'porting in.  We killed a lot of them, and 
then they surrounded us.  I couldn't flame, or the Wraiths would throw 
themselves on us, as they had a few other riders, so we plunged into the 
nearby river.>
 	Shard noticed the bandages on his face and hands.  <Yes.  It 
seemed the only way to get them off of us ...>
	<I dived deep, and they seemed not to like immersion, but it was 
mostly the current that swept them off -- that, and after I resurfaced, 
it was much safer to burn the creatures.>
	<But, Chal, are you alright?>
	<I'm fine, my friend.  I was worried about you, though.  You 
haven't got hard scales to stop Wraiths from burning through to your 
stubborn head.>
	
	Shard laughed at that.  He itched tremendously.
	<Can you fly?>  
	<Of course.  Why?  You certainly shouldn't be travelling -->
	<Of course not.  I'm going to anyway.>
	<But Shard -- there's more to tell.>
	<Like what?>
	<It seems Yenal has transported Malk Bromitz beyond the Lands, 
so far that the magic that sustains us dragons will fade, and they will 
become Unjoined again.  Also, several other riders were wounded, both 
fighting Wraiths and fighting Malk, and Z'Lec is _not_ pleased with the 
Riders going off on their own.>
	<But he said he wouldn't support any sort of study of the Wraiths 
until I and Kyven had a definite plan.  Now that I've seen the Wraiths in 
action -- I have some ideas I want to discuss, and someone of greater 
learning than I has got to have a look at those books I found in father's 
library.>
	With that, Shard struggled to stand.  Luckily, he was not badly 
injured, except for the wide, white patches covering the backs of both 
hands and a large patch on his left forehead, and another on his left leg.
	"Wait!  Where are you going!  You must rest!"  A healer 
protested, watching Shard pull on his blue-gray tunic and his long cloak.
	'D-Don't try to s-stop me.' He managed.  Shard limped out.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
	About an hour later, at Keldarra

	Shard stepped off of Chal and began looking around.  He'd never 
been to Keldarra before, the home of the Dragonlady herself, and the most 
powerful Warren.  It took Shard a long while to find directions to the 
medical center.
	He wandered into the medical center, noticing a knot of medics 
clustered around a dark-haired man, with what appeared to be serious 
puncture wounds.  Everyone present had a grim expression, but, from the 
looks of it, there was not a lot to be done at the time.  Some small part 
of Shard was a bit glad he was not a healer.
	Shard walked to a blonde man, standing nearby, and asked, 'C-can 
you t-tell me where I can find K-Kyven-n?'
	The man blinked out of a revery, his grey eyes focussing rapidly.  
"Yes, I'm ... Kyven.  Sorry.  Can I help you, young man?  Were you just 
admitted?  You could probably use some rest --" Shard cut him off.
	'I-I'm Shard of M-Marrid.  I h-have a d-document I was t-told you 
might be interested in.'  Shard reached around for his backpack, and 
gingerly drew forth an ancient book with rotting leather bindings.
	Kyven looked a bit angry.  "I'm sorry, but I have a patient right 
now, and I'm afraid I haven't got time to --" "This b-book", Shard 
interrupted again, "Is an ancient text.  On the Wraiths."
	Kyven looked startled.  "Yes, I see.  I'm sorry."  He rubbed his 
eyes.  "It has been a long, frustrating day.  Please, come into my office."
	Shard seated himself and leaned forward intently.  "I th-think that 
book will s-solve the problem of how to c-c-capture a Wraith s-safely."	
	Kyven skimmed the book, eyes widening by the moment.  "Where did 
you find this?"  ' ... It's an old f-family heirloom.  At f-first it w-was 
useless, w-while the Wraiths were gone, and when th-they r-returned, it 
had been forgotten.'  "I see."  Kyven read aloud, in a wondering tone.
	"This was written by U'ealus -- _he_ was chief healer at Keldarra 
Warren -- yes, 200 years ago!  I wonder how this ended up in your 
family's posession -- perhaps you are related to him?  Oh well.  It says, 
'While treating Wraith burns, I have noticed that there was a thin liquid 
lacing infected parts, almost totally invisible to the naked eye --" 
Kyven cast an eye on Shard.
	'Y-You may have h-heard, M-Marrid was visited by Y-Yenal, who led 
us to M-Malk Bromitz.  He just es-escaped.  I was wounded by Wr-Wraiths, 
and damn near drowned.  They're getting s-smarter; they surrounded my 
dragon, so we couldn't fl-flame them without being s-struck.'
	Kyven arched his brows but said nothing, continuing.  "'Because 
of this, i have only had a few instances to study it.  What I have found 
is disturbing.  The liquid is a high concentration of an unknown 
chemical, more destructive than any of the acids we have found in 
nature.  In fact, more research has indicated that the liquid is not an 
acid at all.  It reacts in much the same way, but its total chemical 
structure responds the opposite when running acidity tests.  I cannot 
explain it, and believe it to be an occurance solely found in Wraiths.'  
It could be that U'ealus was observing an alkaline substance, but I'd 
expect a trained healer to be able to recognize a simple base."
	Shard merely nodded.  Kyven read on.  "Ahh ... let's see ...'Wraiths, 
when torn in two parts, develop into separate creatures.  I believe, 
since seeing much the same in unicellular creatures, that the Wraiths 
reproduce by 'splitting' into two similar entities hen one entity becomes 
too large.  Thus the need to eat constantly is kindled by the urge of 
procreation.  This does not explain why Wraiths diseapper for long 
amounts of time, nor where they come from.  Just an insight on 'why they 
are'.  Another test with the 'liquid' found on Wraith victims has found 
that when mixed with certian acids, the acidic quality of both becomes 
neutral, and no longer dangerous.  This may help me in treating later 
burn victims --' Gods!  What a find this is!  '--if they are brought i 
soon enough.  Unfortunately, the damage has already been done when most 
are brought to me.'"
	Shard turned a page.  'Th-this os what I wanted to t-talk to you about.'
	Kyven read.  "'I wish I could have a live sample of a Wraith so 
as to study it in a controlled setting, but all attempts at capture have 
been hazardous, injuring one rider severely.  No cage has held a Wraith 
successfully, due to that they eat through any metal and glass enclosure  
in a matter of minutes.  The warrenlady has put a stop to trying to 
capture a live specimen, due to the past incident.  If in the future it 
is tried again, I offer that lacing the cages with an acid (one that can 
neutralize the Wraith's blood) could prevent the creature from escape or 
eating through the cage.  Some acids I have found will not damage glass 
or metal, but will eat severely at skin or tissue.  In a separate 
journal, I will list the acids I have found --' Shard, _do you have that 
journal_?"  Shard shook his head.  "N-n-no.  S-sorry."  Kyven nodded 
slowly, and read the last part.
	"'I've always considered it a blessing that these creatures have 
no intelligence whatsoever.  If we ever find a way to trust it 
forever.'"  Shard grunted at that, and scratched absently at his wounds.
	'Wh-what I was th-thinking, was a c-cage formed of sh-sheets of 
mica, or some other thin stone.  The joints c-could be ch-chain, c-coated 
with acid, with s-some k-kind of th-thickening matrix, like oil.'  Kyven 
nodded slowly.  "Yes -- although a metal rope or chain net coated with 
acid would be easier, it'd be more likely to damage the specimen.  We're 
unlikely to get permission to keep more than one Wraith at a time, and we 
want it whole."
	"Allow me to keep this and study it a bit more, young man.  I 
will draw up plans, and make a proposal to the Dragonlady along these 
lines.  This document may save the lives of hundreds."  Shard nodded. 
'B-but I want to b-be in on the c-capture and the s-study.'  "Kyven 
looked askance.  "Pardon my bluntness, but, shouldn't that be up to the 
leaders --"  Shard leaned forward a bit.  Fatigue and pain dulled his 
manners ... 'Pardon _my_ bluntness, but I h-have not l-lived among Warren 
folk long, and I have a sh-short temper.  I can c-carry my own weight, 
either in a s-study of Wraiths, or in b-battle.  I've heard you were 
brilliant, Kyven.  I want to help.  And I will, l-like it or n-not.'
	Kyven was, himself, far too tired to be startled anymore.  He 
simply chuckled wearily.  "I remember having such ambition ... I can't 
see why not, right now; all I can say is, I will let you know."
	Shard relaxed, smiled, offered Kyven his hand, and left.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
	Shard returned to Marrid, utterly exhausted.  He slept for hours 
before a ravening hunger forced him to repair to the kitchens for 
something to eat.  
	<Are you sure you shouldn't be in the hospital resting, Shard?>
	<When we were fixing the kitchen, what was that you were saying 
about being in a mousehole with your wings all cramped.>
	<Fine, Oh Great DragonRider Shard.  I'll shut up now.>
	Shard patted his dragon on his glistening amber side and they 
'ported to the kitchens.
	Shard glanced about for anyone he knew...	
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
[nrpg]
	Sorry I haven't been able to post the past few days.  This term's 
been a nightmare so far ... [;>]
	The 'Big Book o'WraithLore' is courtesy Susan and Justin!
	I THINK I got everyone on the Keldarra List ...
	Anyone having a midnight snack, wanna discuss the madness of the 
past few days, ... ?

	Josh 'Khan' Kubli

	'There has not been any great genius without an element of madness.'
		--Seneca