Missteps

Chapter 67 – Debrief

As soon as the sun rose the next morning, Carric had everyone awake and on the way out the door. With the warning of even more winter weather ringing in his ears, he did not want to risk being caught out in another storm. Granted having the magic tower helped alleviate worries of exposure, but he'd rather this group be stuck in a town than the wilderness.

Thanks to his years of being a hermit, it was easy enough for him to find ways to pass long stretches of time just by himself. The others, for the most part, weren't as solo-inclined. He'd noticed that Elaine and Ander had taken to having a nightly game of chess. Jun and Iados would gather and clean all the various weapons as a way to wind down after a long day of fighting as they swapped seemingly never-ending stories from their pasts.

Lia was the only one who seemed to enjoy a bit of solitude like himself. At the end of the day, she could reliably be found curled up on a large cushion against the wall. Sometimes she read over one of the myriad of books on the shelf or scribbling in a journal or on a piece of parchment.

Carric tightened the straps on his pack as he glanced over at the bookcase. If he had to guess, she'd already devoured over half the books she'd picked up in Yeabrook.

The way back to Aleton was just as uneventful as the way from it. Carric kept the group at a steady pace but pushed them till after nightfall. M.A. made it back to the walled streets just a bit after noon on the second day.

"Can we stop now?" Ander leaned against one of the walls and dropped his pack heavily to the ground.

The ranger turned his face upwards. Next to him, Lia closed her eyes and did the same. He watched as the heavy, dark clouds rolled slowly above them. The storm the sister's had talked about was imminent.

"I'd say we've got a few hours at least till the worst of it hits." Lia said softly. Carric could see her eyes move beneath her eyelids. She opened her eyes and addressed the group. "What all do we need to do here in town?"

Ander raised his hand. "Bymer."

"Elaine and I have an appointment at the church." Jun stated.

"Would be nice to see if we can get our old lodging back." Iados shrugged. "Any idea how long the storm is supposed to last?"

"Probably not long, but judging by how full those clouds are, it's gonna dump a ton of snow on this place." Carric advised. "Not sure how the cart is going to do with the thick snow."

"We'll divide and conquer this then." Lia pointed toward the two humans. "You two will go run your errand at the church. Iados and I will inquire about our old lodgings." She turned to the final duo. "Carric I want you to go with Ander. Didn't we leave our cart and horse with Ms. E?" The ranger nodded, and the elf continued. "Alright, then while Ander speaks with Bymer, you can inspect the cart and see how it'll handle the snowy roads. Any questions?"

Iados raised his hand. "Let's meet back at the Sanis District for drinks after we're all through." Everyone nodded and split up.

Jun practically ran to the Church, with Elaine struggling to keep up with him. When they arrived at the locked gate, the same old man from before stood in the guardhouse's doorway.

"Ah, I wondered when you'd be back." He shuffled forward a bit before he turned back to the small room. "Kev, come on out here please." A small child, no more than five or so skipped over towards the doorway. The guard patted the child's head as he leaned down. "Now, will you please go tell Priest Delphim that the big man and cleric have returned?"

The child nodded enthusiastically and took off at a brisk run towards the church. The old guard chuckled as he stood back up. He faced the two visitors on the other side of the closed gate. "Delphim will be here in just a few moments, so please be patient."

The berserker leaned forward and leaned an arm on the wrought-iron entry. "Is there a reason why we can't be comfortable on the other side of this fence?"

The old man took a step back. "I will let Delphim answer that."

Elaine felt a pit form in her stomach as the realization that Delphim wasn't bringing good news hit her. She side-eyed the tense muscles of the berserker beside her, his warhammer slung within easy reach, and could understand why they wanted a physical barrier. She also knew that if he truly meant them harm, then this gate would be nothing but a small nuisance to him.

It took nearly twenty minutes for the bundled form of Delphim to arrive at the gates.

"What's going on?" Jun growled as the priest uncovered his face.

"I'm afraid there's been a development." Delphim turned his attention to Elaine. "Word got to the Cardinal about the new ability of the artifact. While you were gone, he sent a Bishop to collect the tray. He left yesterday." His eyes flicked over to Jun, whose eyes had narrowed. "I tried to get him to stay for a few more days. I explained to him the situation with your daughter, but he refused. The Bishop said that the Cardinal had plans for the tray, and he could not dawdle. I'm sorry I was not able to help you."

The berserker banged heavily on the gate, the sound echoing out over the quiet grounds.

Elaine moved closer and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go, there's nothing more for us here."

With a final rattle of the wrought iron, Jun turned and stomped heavily back down the path.

The dark-skinned woman hesitated and turned back to the priest. "Do you have any healing potions available?"

Delphim shook his head. "I'm afraid the Bishop also took all we had. If you'll give me a few days, I could cobble at least one together for you, as an apology gift for your friend."

"I'm not sure how long we'll be in town, but I'll let him know." With a final nod, Elaine turned and followed her friend away from the gate.

Across town, Ander and Carric approached the multi-story building and even taller tower. They walked right up to the door and knocked. Several minutes went by before the door was opened by Ms. E.

"You're back early." The large woman stated as she stepped aside and let them in. She motioned towards the table, and once again the duo deposited their items. Ander made sure to take out the book from his bag. Once they had finished, Ms. E led the way up a small staircase to the second floor, and into a large study.

Bymer sat on a carpeted floor, leaning up against a couch in front of a large blazing fireplace. On a small table in front of him, were multiple stacks of loose parchment and bound books. He held a half-full wineglass in one hand as he read over papers in his other. The enchanter looked up as he heard them enter the room.

A wide smile graced his features as he set down the papers. "I wasn't expecting you till tomorrow." Bymer gestured for the two of them to come closer. "I was just reading over the sister's account of your work."

Carric raised an eyebrow. "That got here fast."

The enchanter laughed. "When one's been around as long as the Sister's have, they find ways to ensure speedy delivery."

"Speaking of delivery," Ander handed over the book.

Bymer took the tome, a smile gracing his features as he shook his head. "Hate to say it, but this is the wrong book."

Ander's face fell. "Don't tell me we have to go back."

"No no, I should have been clearer when I gave you the assignment." Bymer set down the book and stood up. "No, a few years ago I loaned the sisters a book of lore I'd discovered in a small cave during my tenure as an adventurer. I was told this book," he gestured to the book on the table, "wouldn't be in for a few weeks yet." He drained his wine glass and set it down on the table as well. "It doesn't really matter, the book was just an excuse to get you to the tower anyhow."

Carric crossed his arms. "So, did we pass your test?"

The enchanter laughed. "From what I've read so far, yes, you have." He crossed the room to the staircase and yelled down it. "Galen, bring that box for M.A. up here!" Master Bymer turned back to his guests. "Do you want anything to drink?"

Ander nodded, but Carric shook his head.

"We're a bit in a rush, so I'd rather go check on our horse and cart, while Ander finishes up with you." The ranger stated.

Bymer nodded and yelled back down the stairs. "Bring another decanter of wine!" He turned back towards the ranger. "I'm afraid we've had a bit of an incident with your horse." With a wry grin, he crossed back over and sat on the back of the couch. "Shortly after you left, one of our members showed up with a tremendous need for a new mount. We explained that we had none available and that yours was spoken for."

"Let me guess, he still took the horse." Carric sighed heavily as Bymer nodded. "Alright, what are you going to do about it?"

The enchanter blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Can we expect payment for the horse, or is the Chapterhouse going to provide a replacement?" The ranger clarified. Ander also looked at Bymer expectantly.

Master Bymer frowned and crossed his arms. "If you are looking for repayment, you should seek out the person who stole the horse."

"No, we were assured by Ms. E that both our horse and cart would be safe here at the chapterhouse. That's why we stabled them here, and not at another facility in town." Carric explained. "We either want money for the horse that was stolen, or a new horse."

The two men held each other's gazes for almost a solid minute before Bymer blinked. "Fine," he relented. "I will have Galen go with you to a seller in town to purchase another horse. One that is, of course, comparable to the one that was purloined."

Carric nodded. A few minutes later, the lanky teenager Galen appeared at the top of the stairs. There was a large, wooden box in his hands. Balanced on top was a tray with a full wine decanter and two more wine glasses. Bymer took the tray and had the box set down on the table.

"Galen, take the money pouch off of my desk downstairs, and go with Carric here to purchase them a new horse." Master Bymer commanded as he settled back down on the floor. "Tell Ms. E that I've given my blessing, and ask her where you would go in town."

The teen looked at Carric with wide eyes, before he turned back to Master Bymer. "Ms. E had mentioned that I was to start polishing the silver this afternoon."

Bymer shook his head as he poured two glasses of wine. "You can do that tomorrow. This errand needs to be done now." He waved the teen off.

Still wide-eyed, the teen turned to Carric and gestured for him to follow back down the stairs.

Bymer chuckled as he passed over a glass to Ander as the duo left. "I hope Ms. E doesn't give him too much of a hard time." He motioned for Ander to sit with him. "Now, this actually worked out because I wished to speak to you alone."

Ander took a sip of the wine as he settled on the other side of the table, the fire to his back. "What about?"

The enchanter pulled out a few sheaves of parchment and held them up. "Just a few details in your recent reports." He handed over one of the pages to the halfling. "In this one, you talk about the events in Esterwill, and how it was a circle member who took the initiative and created the large barrier wall."

Ander nodded. "What of it?"

"In these reports, we strive for accuracy," Bymer stated. "These reports get filed with the main offices in Sageburrow and are used for several reasons. They're used for research purposes, historical records, and even as evidentiary resources in certain matters."

The halfling's eyebrow raised. "I can assure you, my report is correct. I was present when the circle member created the wall." He left out the part where a wayward comment of his might have been the inspiration for the action.

"I understand that, but if you had spoken further with her, you would have found that she was acting upon an earlier request of the town guard." Bymer corrected, ignoring the sudden frown that appeared on the halfling's face. "Unlike in Sageburrow and Pryria, the Circle is still a guest here in these lands. Therefore, we must work with the local authorities, and not presume to have power over them."

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Ander's eyebrow lowered as the meaning of the enchanter's words hit him. "I take it that my report about our escapade to the Palace in Silverbank will have to be amended as well?"

Bymer nodded. "Perhaps it would be best to leave the whole affair out of the official report, seeing as you weren't on official circle business anyhow." He took a sip of his wine. "Though, you didn't go into a whole lot of detail about the third floor. Why is that?"

The halfling laid the papers back down on the small table. "I wasn't part of the group that went up that way. I only reported what I felt could be verified."

The enchanter grinned and pulled the requisite paper closer to him as he read off of it. "All that's really here, is that the third floor is occupied by an individual who claims to hold ownership over the Palace as a whole. That they rent the space below out to the Council for their activities."

The small wizard nodded. "From what I gathered speaking with my colleagues, she was very mysterious about herself, and liked her privacy."

"That can certainly be understood." Bymer took another long sip of his wine. "Tell me, do you think this woman might be persuaded to a change of tenants?" Ander's face twisted in confusion. The old enchanter chuckled as he continued. "I'm of the belief that it's about time the Circle held a more prominent role in Marblebrooke. To wit, I'm currently scouting locations for a more permanent base of operations, a Marblebrooke Headquarters if you will."

The halfling nodded. "Well, setting up in the Palace would definitely make a statement. What does Sageburrow say about this plan?"

Bymer waved him off. "I'm waiting to go to them until I have something more concrete. Until I have a firm location and further funding and design plans ready, all of this is nothing more than an old man's final dream." He drained the last of his wine in one fell swoop before he got to his feet. "As part of getting the information ready, I believe it'd be more appropriate if the two of us work together on any reports that are sent back to Sageburrow." He picked up Ander's reports from the table, and in a single motion threw them into the fire. "From now on, we will meet periodically so that you may make oral reports to me, so that I may offer my insight on the best way to frame them for Sageburrow. Do we have a deal?"

Ander plastered a large smile on his face. "If you believe that is for the best, then so be it." He turned his attention to the large box on the table. "I believe you said this box was for us?"

"Ah yes," Bymer knelt down and opened the box. "This," He pulled out a large, circular, brass device and handed it over, "is how you will find the manor."

The device was almost as large as Ander's whole hand and very heavy. Carefully he pulled off the lid and discovered that inside was a compass. However, the needle didn't point north. "Safe to assume that it's pointing towards the manor?"

Bymer chuckled. "Oh yes, I enchanted it myself many years ago, when my first adventuring party deigned to locate it."

"What happened to them?" The halfling moved the compass around, just to see for himself that the needle kept the same direction.

The older man sighed heavily as he turned his gaze towards the fire. "We found the way more perilous than we were ready for. Out of the five of us, only two lived to tell the tale. That was the first time I came face-to-face with the dangers of our world."

"What happened?" Ander repeated as he closed the compass softly.

"A creature, unlike any I'd ever heard of till that day." Bymer chuckled. "It was a long, thin, creature with small scales along its back that glinted green and blue in the bright sun above it. It laid curled up on top of a large stone slab in the middle of a clearing, sleeping. Innis, our self-appointed leader, decided that we should capture it and take those beautiful scales. As soon as he stepped into the clearing, the creature woke up. Its large, pupil-less, green and blue swirled eyes locked onto Innis. Before any of the rest of us could even call out a warning, Innis's body changed. In the span of mere moments, he'd become a statue made of jade."

The halfling was speechless as he listened.

"Of course we all immediately became enraged. The fighters of the group unsheathed their swords and ran towards it. Melinda and I stood under the cover of the trees, readying our simpleton spells." The older enchanter's fist curled up by his side. "We heard it before we saw it. A sharp caw from the heavens. At first, we thought it was a crow, but then the caw turned into a shriek. Denor and Pella never saw it."

"What was it?" Ander asked with a dry mouth.

"It was a wyvern, but it was unlike any wyvern we'd ever seen. Instead of leathery wings and rough hide, its skin was smooth and light blue in color. The tips of its wings, claws, and teeth shined like the edges of polished crystal. So light was its coloring, that it was barely perceptible against the clear noonday sky." Bymer shook his head. "We were so entranced by its beauty, that it took us a good minute to fully grasp that it was attacking our friends. Before we could get any of our spells off, the wyvern had torn into our friend's and bathed its beautiful complexion with their blood. The creature from the rock slid down from its perch and began to hungrily gnaw on the open wounds of our friends. The wyvern, its duty seemingly finished, hopped towards the jade statue of Innis, and loudly chewed the crystal."

"I thought wyverns were carnivores?" Ander asked incredulously.

Bymer turned back to his guest, the ghost of a smile on his face. "So did we, but this seemed to have an appetite only for the crystal. Aside from killing them, the only thing it wanted from its kills was to use their blood to wash down its meal. The two creatures were so consumed in eating, that they didn't even notice as Melinda and I ran away as fast as we could."

"Any idea what they were?"

"None," Bymer returned to his spot on the floor. "Ever since then I've looked for records of these creatures, but by all accounts, they don't exist. I can't even find any records of anyone else having encountered these creatures."

"If they did they might not have survived." Ander refilled the two wine glasses. "Where in your journey did you encounter them?"

The enchanter took the glass. "We'd only just entered the valley." Bymer took a long sip. "To be honest, I've been hesitant to send anyone else there because of these creatures. However, if I expect Sageburrow to bestow their blessing on my latest venture, then I can't have any smudges on my record. This job has long been a black mark in my career, and I'd be very pleased if you could help me erase it. Who knows, there may even be a significant reward at the end if you do."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." The halfling quickly drained his glass and got to his feet. "If there's nothing else, I should be going. My friends and I wish to get settled for the night before the storm hits."

"Yes, yes, of course." Bymer reached forward and opened the box once again. This time he pulled out a large sack and handed it over. "It's five hundred gold, a reward for passing the tests and earning my respect."

Ander struggled a bit under the sudden 10 pound weight of the bag and the brass compass. "Thank you, I'm sure they'll be very happy." He headed towards the stairs.

The enchanter turned his attention back to fire. "I look forward to hearing about this latest venture."

The halfling went as fast down the stairs as he could, and was very happy when he was able to deposit the items into his magic bag. Ms. E was nowhere in sight as he left the chapterhouse and headed out into the afternoon sun.

Once outside, he headed in a random direction. Many of the businesses around him had already closed up shop for the winter. It seemed that while they'd been away, the end-of-season festivities had concluded and the town had seemingly been abandoned. After twenty or so minutes, he found the entrance to a small park. The sludgy remains of the last snowfall clung to the base of the bare trees that dotted the area. The small stone path that encircled a frozen fountain in the center hadn't been shoveled recently. In fact, the only sign that anyone had been in the space recently was that one of the three benches had been cleared of snow.

Deciding that this would have to do, Ander bustled into the area. Taking up a position on the other side of the fountain, he knelt down on the ground. Using a small bag of black powder, he quickly outlined a small sigil in the snow. The wizard recited a quiet spell before he lit the powder with the tip of his finger. The powdered sigil ignited in a bright flash with a small popping sound. When the light died down, the sigil was gone.

The halfling stood up, replaced the powder in his bag, and sat on the bench to wait.

Thankfully he didn't have to wait very long. A rather pudgy youth with jet black hair that spiked up thanks to some foul-smelling grease, casually strolled into the park and headed towards the halfling.

"It's about time you called." The youth stated. "I was almost afraid you'd forgotten about me."

"Sorry Master, I've been busy." Ander's nose wrinkled as the stench of the youth hit him. "Couldn't you have found a better vessel?"

The pudgy shoulders went up in a shrug. "It was either this or a cat. This city doesn't seem to be very populated."

"I think I would have preferred the cat." Ander pointed to the bench and the two of them sat down.

"So, anything to report?" Master Kenton tried to cross his legs, but found that his borrowed legs didn't quite bend enough for it.

"You were right about Bymer." The halfling reported as he watched his master squirm uncomfortably in the foreign body. "He asked me about the Palace as a possible location for a Marblebrooke Headquarters for the Circle."

"I wondered how far his ambition would take him." Kenton finally gave up and leaned back into the seat. "He's not the only mage finally taking steps to advance themselves."

Ander tilted his head. "What changed?"

The youth laughed. "You and your group did when you took the Wanit family out of business. It seemed that more than a few of the higher-ranked mages had banked on the power of their life-extending wine to give them time. Now with their own mortality facing them, quite a few are scrambling to fulfill their long-held ambitions."

"Does that include you as well?"

Kenton shook his head. "When you make a living being able to see the future, you learn quickly how precious every moment is. Anything else to report?"

"He wants to hold off sending in written reports until I first report to him. Then he said he'll help me craft a proper report." Ander stated. "He wants to make sure we're painting the Circle in the appropriate light."

"Makes sense if he wants to establish the Circle as an authority of power here." Kenton picked at something on the youth's shirt. "Do you think the Council of Seven here in Marblebrooke will accept his proposal?"

The halfling shrugged. "I haven't had a chance to meet anyone connected with the Council, and from what I've seen of the cities, they act more like city-states than parts of a kingdom. I'm not even clear of what the role of the Council is."

"Originally it was the peasant's answer to the abolishment of the monarchy. It was a way to give the lower and working classes an equal voice with the ruling and noble classes. Representatives from all the classes would be appointed from each city, and together they'd be the word of law for the fragmented kingdom." Kenton explained. "Of course, the monarchy's power had already been dwindling for years. The original purpose of the monarchy had been forgotten as greed and ambition grew within the hearts of those trusted to rule."

"What was the original purpose?" Ander asked, turning excitedly in his seat. He'd missed his master's teachings these past few months.

"Long ago, these lands were held together by the Kingdom of Skonia. Even if they weren't officially part of the kingdom, the nomadic tribes and villages traded extensively with them. Language, technology, and even magic was traded freely between all in an effort to strengthen the bonds between their nations. After Skonia was decimated, a kind of dark age fell across not only Marblebrooke, but the whole continent." The youth leaned towards his student. "Friction began to form between the once close nations. Groups that had trusted each other for years now held nothing but distrust for their neighbors. It wasn't just the nations of humans either, these bitter feelings stretched across the elven, dwarvish, and orc lands too. Without Skonia, the whole land was a minefield, waiting for a single spark to ignite a war. Thankfully, war was averted thanks to the First Queen."

Ander's eyes widened. "We were sent to find her tiara in the Palace. Lia said that the woman who lives on the third floor has it."

Now it was Kenton's eyes that widened. "Are you serious? The Circle has been trying to find it since the end of the civil war."

"Why do they want some tiara?" The halfling asked.

"Because it's a very strong magic item." Kenton grinned as his pupil's jaw dropped. "The First Queen was a cleric to a god of law. As she united the different groups under her banner, she formed a magical contract with them, bound to one of the stones in her tiara. As long as she wielded the power of the tiara, the groups could not break their oaths. Theoretically, whoever holds the tiara, holds command of Marblebrooke."

"So if Bymer gets his hands on it, then he doesn't have to get authority from the Council, he could just take it." Ander said.

"If Bymer get the tiara, he could become the Council." Kenton corrected. "The only group the First Queen wasn't able to get under her control, were the orc clans."

"Maybe that's why he's set to marry Ms. E, to get a foothold with the clans. I'm pretty sure she's got orc blood in her." The small wizard theorized.

Kenton nodded. "Sounds like I'll have to look into it when I arrive."

"When do you expect to get here?" Ander didn't even try to hide the excitement in his voice.

His master reached out and ruffled the halfling's hair. "As soon as Derick returns from his latest deployment. His tour is due to end within the next couple of weeks. Once he's back we'll begin our trek towards Rocklyn and Xi."

"What did Derick say when you told him you'd found her?" Ander asked excitedly. He knew that his fellow apprentice had been just as heartbroken over her loss as he'd been, perhaps even more so.

Kenton shook his head. "I haven't told him. Given her peculiar circumstances, I want to avoid bringing too much attention to her. Once he arrives I'll tell him, and then I suspect he'll be chomping at the bit to leave. I'll contact you when plans are finalized."

Ander reached into his bag and pulled the small stone tablet he'd been given along with the group's official papers all those months ago. "Why we aren't using this to communicate? Your last letter didn't say."

The youth reached out and took the stone from his apprentice. "Shortly after I sent this to you, someone broke into my office and stole mine. It took me a while to notice, as they'd left a very convincing replica in its place." Kenton stood up, and with all the strength his teenage arms could muster, chucked it into the frozen fountain. The tablet cracked the icy exterior and floated to the bottom of the stone basin. He turned back to Ander. "You caught someone's eye."

Ander frowned. "Any idea who it might be?"

The youth shook their head as they began to pace the area. "Has anything else unusual happened to your group?"

The small wizard gave a quick account of the flying creature that had nearly killed Carric and Jun when it stole the baby, the arcane deals the woman of the Palace had made with Lia and Kerri, Iados's dealings with the sea witch, Lia's uncle and his ties to Zhagra, and finally the disappearance of Jun's daughter. The whole account took nearly an hour, with his Master asking questions every now and then, but mostly staying silent.

"Hmm, seems to be quite a few suspects." Kenton sat down heavily on the bench as he mulled over the information. "Rumors of the sea witch have begun to reach Sageburrow. Your friend's crew isn't the only one that's been taken. As for Kai, I suspect she's only the latest child to be taken. As you're aware, children have been disappearing for years on either side of the Blue Rise Mountain Range. I will see what I can do to locate her, but we haven't had much luck in the past."

Ander nodded solemnly, as his Master put to words his own fears. Seeing how Jun had taken the news of his daughter's disappearance, he was afraid to fess up to his own history on the subject. If no other answers presented themselves, however, he might just have to.

"What about Lia's uncle? She's terrified of him." The halfling pressed.

"Zhagra isn't my area of expertise, but I do know some people who might be able to help. I'll reach out and see what they know of this Himo. Perhaps I'll be able to provide some answers to help calm her fear." Kenton watched as his student shivered. "I think it's time to wrap up this pow-wow. This body is also getting cold, and it'll be best to let him go home before it begins to snow." The youth stood up and faced Ander. "I will reach out if anything changes or if I have answers. Don't be afraid to contact me if something happens on your end. If you must write, be vague, we can't always be sure that our letters reach each other intact."

Ander nodded. "Of course. Any final advice for this new mission to Fairy Bless Valley?"

Kenton shook his head. "No one since Bymer's group has officially visited there, and I haven't even heard the name from anywhere else. Not sure I know where on the map it is. I wish you well. Stick close to that group of yours. No doubt you're already aware, but you're stronger together than you are apart."

"We're already a man down." The halfling responded as his mind drifted to the image of Kerri walking away.

The youth reached out and ruffled Ander's hair again. "She won't be gone forever. She'll be back soon enough, I've already seen it. Now, run along before your friends send out a search party."

Ander nodded, said a last farewell to his master, and ran out of the park.

Kenton, in the body of the greasy youth, sighed heavily as he hung his head. His small apprentice had given him much to ponder, and even more to worry about. He closed the youth's eyes, and with a shudder left the cold body.

When the youth reopened his eyes, he had no memory of the past hour and a desire for nothing more than a warm meal.