After leaving for a few hours to talk with Silhouette and tidy Sylvan's cottage, a young black-and-white unicorn returns to the shadow dragon, clip-clopping nervously down the passageway, three small volumes tucked with care beneath one arm.

Rory pauses and takes a deep breath, doing his best to summon up what courage he might have. At times like this, he would sing a little song to encourage himself, and for a syllable or two, he starts, "Ohh!-a," then slaps his free hand over his mouth, figuring that it would not be very persuasive if he just comes in and annoys the dragon by being noisy.

The shadows rustle at the sudden added noise from the unicorn boy, and a shaft of light from the crystal plays over Rory's robed form for a moment. "Yes?" Koshiro asks, and already the shadow dragon sounds, to Rory's ears, annoyed.

Rory gulps, and hunches down. "Uhm … sorry." He drops to a near whisper. "Uhm … Master Koshiro? I figure you were probably eager to get back to everything being quiet and all … but I've been thinking. I want to be a really good shadow mage, and … well … I know you were able to teach Sylvan how to use magic … and … is it possible … somehow … I might be able to work something out with you … maybe … to learn from you?" He then tries to put on the biggest grin he can, hoping that this comes across as friendly, and that Koshiro isn't from one of those species that considers teeth-baring to be an aggressive gesture.

The shadows shift and flicker, as rays of light glow and circle, then fade to a dim, steady glow that barely reaches Rory's face. A little time passes, and just as the young unicorn is wondering if Koshiro somehow didn't hear him, the shadows speak. "You … wish to study … with me?" Rory suddenly realizes that the shadow is capable of emotions other than curiosity and annoyance, as incredulity sounds clear in these words.

Rory pauses at this, then nods. "That is, if you wouldn't mind terribly. Though, if you did mind terribly, and still let me study under you anyway, I'd be fine by that, too."

"Why?" Koshiro asks.

Rory says, "Well … uhm … Sylvan seemed to think you were a good teacher, right? And you obviously know a lot about shadow magic … and other types of magic, too. Maybe you can teach me the sort of magic you taught Sylvan. Maybe you can teach me something the College can't show me. And … plus … uhm … " Rory ducks his head down a bit, then looks up sheepishly. "I think you're just terribly darrrrk." He stresses the "r" on the last word in the way that's trendy for certain young shadow mage apprentices to say it, to mean much the same thing as "cool" would in certain places. "I mean … a shadow dragon. You've got to know more about shadow magic than … than … than anybody!"

Rory, meanwhile, counts off on his fingers. It looks like he might have a few more reasons coming up.

The glow from the crystal brightens briefly, and random sparks flick from it to illuminate the darkness, and cast more shadows through the expanse, before fading out. "I see. I will consider your request. Did you have aught else to add to it?" the shadow asks.

Rory says, "Well, if I stop right here, and you answer 'yes', then that's fine by me. But if you need a few more reasons, I can keep going. If I try really hard, I can probably even think of some new ones."

The crystal sends out another handful of sparks along with its glow, then Koshiro says, "Tell me what new reasons you can … think of."

Rory says, "Another thing is that … well, I know you think you've told me the answer to why I'm here, who I am and all that … but I still feel like I don't quite have all the answers. And I figure that's because, well, I don't even know the questions to ask. Like, I still haven't a clue what to make about that business about how in our flashbacks – that is, Silhouette's and mine – it seemed like our past … er … selves? … "remembered" things from the present. And, that makes no sense, because you can't change time. That's one thing that led me to come up with some of those wild theories and all. And maybe if I learn more about how you do magic, I might have a better understanding of what happened to Sylvan and Corwin … er … me and Silhouette. Us."

"I see," Koshiro says, repeating his comment from earlier. The glow on his crystal brightens enough to illuminate the little unicorn's form. "Is that all of it?

Rory shakes his head. "Well, also, it might be nice to search the house a bit more … maybe clean it up … maybe you could teach me how Sylvan made flowers grow, and I could get the garden nice again. I figure Sylvan would like that. Plus, this is Reece's home, right? And I like Reece, though I only just met him on an airship trip, but he's not a mage or anything, so as soon as I go back to the College, I'll have to say goodbye to him, but if I live here, then even if he goes traveling, he's bound to come home and visit from time to time, so I'd still get to see him now and then."

Rory takes a breath, then says, "Plus, I feel sorry about the trouble Corwin … er … I caused you, and maybe while I'm here, I could do something to try to make up for it. I mean, you don't get out much, and I don't know if there's a reason for that, but maybe I can run errands for you, clean up things … you know … apprentice stuff. And I'll bet you've got some really great stories to tell. And if you don't, well, I don't have all that many, but I like making them up, so that way I never run out."

The unicorn pauses for another breath, then says, "Aaaaaaaaand … well … " He looks a little more sheepish again. "I don't really remember everything Sylvan remembered and all – It was just flashbacks, after all – but … I think you might have been friends with Sylvan. Or something like that. And … I know you have all the … uhm … Reece's people here, but you seem to stay in your cave a lot, and I'm sort of worried that you get lonely here. Plus … well … this is the big thing for me, and I know this is going to sound stupid, but … "

Rory's lip quivers a bit. "I mean … I know you said I'm Corwin … sort of … and I've got a bit of Sylvan in me, too … but I figure that if you did the magic, maybe I've got a little of you in me, too. And … I was really hoping I'd find out Corwin and Sylvan were still alive … I mean … not me, you know? Because I really like them … but also because … I just don't have any family. And I kind of liked the idea that they might be Mama and Papa. But … I was thinking … in a way … "

Rory scratches his head, fumbling for words.

The shadow listens without comment as Rory rambles on, making neither encouraging nor discouraging sounds, though the crystal brightens a little further.

Rory glances at the crystal, uncertain just what to make of the crystal and its reactions. "… well, I know I'm making a lot of assumptions here and all, but I kind of think that, aside from Silhouette, you're really the closest thing to family I've got." Rory shrugs. "But if you really don't like that idea, I can drop it. It was just … a notion, I guess."

At this, the latest pause, Koshiro remarks, "Reece may never visit me again. It is dangerous for him to come here. But you will keep on going with reasons until I say yes or no, will you not?"

Rory quirks his mouth. "Well … I don't want to put Reece in danger. That's not worth it. If you would like, I can try really hard to come up with some more, but those are pretty much the big ones, I think. Unless I forgot something. And I promise, I'll try really, really hard to not be annoying."

"All right," Koshiro says. "You shall remain, and I will endeavor to teach you. Do you have affairs you must attend to before you stay here?"

Rory nods, trying to suppress an excited grin. "Well … yes … I've got to make sure this is all settled and okay with the College, after all. You wouldn't by chance be a Guild member, would you?"

"Guild?" the shadow dragon inquires.

Rory ponders. "Hmm. But then, considering how long you've been around, I guess you've probably been around before the Guild ever existed. So I guess you'd probably get grandfather-claused. Uhm … I have a pretty fair idea that Mage Latania is going to want to talk to you or send someone to talk to you or something like that before she agrees to anything. Is that okay? I still owe the College tuition, so they'll still want to keep tabs on me and all."

"I see. If she wishes to come, that is acceptable. You will go to speak with her first, of course. I will send a letter of explanation with you, and perhaps that will satisfy her. First, you must explain more of this 'College' and what you owe them."

Rory takes a deep breath. "All right … but it'll take a lot of talking, just so you're fairly warned." He then goes into a long speech about the nature of the Collegia Esoterica, and its various branches in not only Rephidim, but Babel and Nagai, as well as smaller surface nations, its long history of overseeing the use of magic on Sinai, perfecting the mastery of the arcane arts, and every other bit of "educational" propaganda he remembers from his classes.

When at last he has exhausted every scrap of detail he can imagine to tell – or Koshiro's patience, whichever comes first – he prepares for his journey back to explain his adventure for the benefit of Mage Latania.

When Rory and Reece return to the ship, Mage Latania seems in her usual state of mild irritation with the unicorn,although she does offer some kind words on seeing the Niton in good health, complimenting Rory on his success. The apprentice explains his other findings, and offers his teacher the letter from Koshiro – which the shadow dragon enchanted in some fashion, leaving it with an evident aura of magic upon it. Frowning, Latania accepts the missive and goes to her quarters to read it.

A few hours after retiring with the letter, Latania emerges and summons Rory to her, who has been busy regaling his fellow apprentices with tales of his adventures in the intervening hours. When they are alone, she studies him for a long moment. "Are you sure this is what you want to do? Continue your studies under this … mage, in Lamu?"

Rory nods several times. "Certainly. I mean … I have to get my apprenticeship sometime. And I've already completed my minimum general studies requirements. I'm already up to casting minor rituals, even. And he's, I mean, about as good a shadow-mage tutor as I could hope for, right? Can't beat him for years of experience."

Rory beams. "And, maybe I can pick up some life magic, too, so when I come back, I can be in more of your classes!" He then blinks, remembering how perpetually irritated Latania seems to be with him, and wonders if he's just lost a point upon making that remark. "Uhm … I mean, after my apprenticeship, of course," he adds.

The deer doesn't look any happier after Rory finishes talking. "Do you realize how remote Lamu is? That it may be a long time before you see any other mages – or indeed, any other people save the natives – apart from your proposed teacher?"

Rory smiles. "That's no problem! Sil will be with me. And I hardly spend any time with anybody except her anyway."

"Sil?" Latania frowns again. "Who's that?"

Rory says, "Silhouette. Uhm … uh … well, you'd probably think she was my imaginary friend. I could give you a really long story to explain it all, but you'd think I'd flipped my horn or that I was just making it all up."

The life mage shuffles some papers on her desk. "Oh. In that case … well. This Mage … Koshiro has presented a convincing case for why I should permit you to enter his service. You understand that you will still owe the College full tuition, correct?"

Rory nods several times, then adjusts his cowl, which has fallen over his eyes from nodding too vigorously. "And I fully intend to pay it back, once I start getting income as a journeyman, just like I'm supposed to." He grins happily, confident that this won't be that terribly far in the future, if he works hard enough.

"Very well, then. You are dismissed." Mage Latania signs a document, then presents it to Rory. "Sign here, then you may pack up your belongings and be on your way."

Rory nods, looks over the document, then signs it. He smiles, then looks up at Latania. "Oh! I have a last name now! Should I write that down, too?"

The deer blinks at him. "Ah … I don't know. I guess it'll be all right." She waits for him to sign the rest of his new name.

Rory proudly finishes his signature … "Rorschach Stormshadow". He can hardly restrain his proud grin, but then he sobers a bit with a thought. "Oh … Mage Latania? I'll miss you." He smiles again. "Thank you for helping Reece. That was really nice of you!"

Looking a little flustered by his comment, Latania restrains her response to, "That's my job." After a pause, she adds, "I suppose I'll miss you, too," though she doesn't sound entirely convinced – or wholly unconvinced, either.

Rory beams, then bows. "I'll learn a whole lot, and when I come back … I'll be ready to be a journeyman!" He hands the papers over, waves cheerily, then declares, "Well, I've got to go thank Kiz and Kell for their help … and I think I owe them another recharge of that shade spell by now! Bye!"

After thanking Kiz and Kell profusely, bidding farewell to anyone who resembles a friend who happens to be on the ship, and gathering up his meager belongings, Rory's last order of business is to write a long and characteristically verbose letter to Skiree, telling as only he could tell it the full extent of his bizarre adventures – real and imagined – since her departure, and assuring her that he and Sil will take extra good care of Mister Porky, until they can get him back to her, and Rory expresses his hopes that Skiree and her family are happy, and that everything will turn out all right, and next time he sees her, he'll bring some of the interesting bugs he's found here in Lamu.

Rory, of course, has to finish off by boasting that not only does he, too, have an apprenticeship with an amazingly powerful mage, but that he now has a last name, and he sort of kind of maybe has family in a way, but he's not quite clear on that part just yet, so he can't say for certain. And he ends it all with, "Your friend, Rorschach Stormshadow (that's me! -=) )"

After all his preparations are complete and he's said goodbye to everyone … many of them multiple times … Rory leaves the airship to begin his new life in Lamu.

Learning from Koshiro is, in some ways, completely alien to the way he learned magic before, both at the College on Rephidim, and in Babel. The shadow dragon's lessons often involve Koshiro asking Rory question after question, and pointing out fallacies and inconsistencies in Rory's answers, until eventually the unicorn arrives at the right answer by default … or until Rory's theories get too wild for Koshiro's tolerance, at which point the dragon typically sets him to some long and difficult (or tedious) physical chore to give him time to "consider the problem more carefully."

Where a lot of Latania's lessons revolved around memorizing lists of facts and tidbits of information, the shadow dragon seems unconcerned with testing Rory's recollections on the magical properties of this herb or the meaning of that rune. A lot of his lessons about Life magic seem to come around to really being about Scrying, as Koshiro prompts Rory to look at things, to use his magic to analyze and understand, before trying to act. Then, if Rory can't make that work, the shadow dragon may suggest things that sound like Shadow magic: "If you cannot see what is there, look at all the things that aren't. Darkness is merely the other half of Light." It's all very confusing, much of it seems to contradict what the College taught about the Spheres, and Rory can't grasp most of it. Yet Koshiro makes it all seem easy.

Rory does his best to be flexible. It's different, yes, but that's largely the point of all this. He tells himself that Sylvan was able to learn from Koshiro, so he ought to, too. At the very least, he owes it to Koshiro to be a good apprentice, rather than a dullard, and he really wants to please the shadow dragon. Besides, Rory has something of a knack for having particularly bizarre takes on fairly mundane, everyday occurrences … so perhaps he can try something a bit unusual about the arcane ones as well.

As the months go by, it does get easier for the unicorn, as the pieces fall together. And, looked at in the right way, Koshiro's ideas aren't that different from the College's. It's just a matter of perspective. Or maybe, which view of the scene you use. On occasion, the shadow dragon sends his apprentice on errands to help his "pets,"the Niton. The first time he goes, he finds them, on the whole, not as interesting or intelligent as Reece was. He gets into a fun game of "Hide and Go Squeak!" with some of the younger ones, but when he gets a chance away from his studies to go back, just some ten or twenty days later, he barely recognizes his former friends, who are full-grown now and busy with mates – and some even children! – of their own.

Rory does his best to take this in stride – which is to say, he's terribly bewildered by it all, but he vaguely recalls Sylvan experiencing some of this sort of sensation when dealing with humans and other "mortals" who came and went. Rory himself hasn't been around nearly long enough to fully appreciate what it means to be immortal – He hasn't had friends die on him, leastwise – but this is probably as good an exposure to the phenomenon as any.

On the next errand he runs to the village after that, some holidays later, he can't find his friends at all. Someinquiry with the unfamiliar "wise man" of the Niton produces the rather disturbing knowledge that this "wise man" is the son of one of the people he was playing games with less than half a year ago … and that the wise man's father passed away over a moon ago.

Rory is more than a bit shocked at this revelation, and at first he just accepts it with stunned head-nodding. It was one thing to realize that everyone was getting older at a faster rate. It was another to realize that, yes, when you get older, you die eventually. It's not that death was an alien concept to him – certainly not in Babel. It's just that he was never personally close to it. It simply wasn't real for him. Even if he had lived in Babel, it was within the shelter of the Guild Hall … and he really didn't remember any of his life before that.

His main way of dealing with this is to, as ever, go to Silhouette. Although Koshiro would be more of a source for answers as to why this is so, or why this is such, Rory is reluctant to pester him with questions that don't pertain directly to the study of magic. After all, he'd already been told that "radiation" was the cause of this, and he had well enough seen what effect it had on things and people.

For a time, the horrible thought strikes Rory that perhaps while he's here, a great deal more time is passing than he realizes … that Skiree has already grown up, had children, and passed on … Reece, too … and anyone else he knows.

Silhouette doesn't really know how to handle it, either, though she does remind Rory that Reece had said his people died very young, and that it didn't seem to bother most of them. And Koshiro helped Reece leave … so if these others wanted to go, wouldn't he help them, too? When presented with Rory's fears that the whole world is passing them by, she suggests a visit to Sunrise City, since the people there seemed more or less normal.

Rory finds, sure enough, that the same people are still there in Sunrise City … that the dog-people aren't growing and getting old any faster than most species on Sinai. Sufficiently reassured – and taking the chance to write another letter to Skiree – he heads back, at least partially assured that the whole world isn't passing him by, if still bewildered by the strangeness of Reece's people.

At first, Rory's response to this, is to distance himself from the Nitons. He is content to play his games, study under Koshiro, and associate with Silhouette … but he can't hide from Silhouette the fact that he's hiding from the lizard people. He eventually feels a great deal of shame at his reaction, and tries to be sociable again, though it still saddens him to think that so much will change the next time he comes to visit. But he has at least a small hope – After all, any one of these Niton might decide to take the same gift that Koshiro gave Reece … and might decide to stay around a little longer.

The years pass, and Rory never quite gets used to how quickly it goes for the occasional friend he makes among the Nitons. On one of his visits there, he finds that he has become a legend among the people, accorded almost as much respect as Koshiro himself.

Rory is inclined to take some pride in this when he first realizes it, but when he takes the time to think further upon it, it just underscores the very reasons he has for being unnerved by the Nitons … and by mortality in general. His way of coping with it comes in various forms. For one, he writes more letters to Skiree … and to Reece, too, though he hasn't an address. Not that it really matters. Since Rory has no money, it's not like he can actually pay for the letters to get delivered anyway.

When they go to visit the cottage, he and Silhouette still have the occasional vivid "flashback" to prior days, but as time passes the incidence of such events drops dramatically, to almost none after the better part of year. Instead, gradually recollection creeps in, memories they did not know they had forgotten popping up at odd moments, as they clean, work, or just chat.

Meanwhile, his lessons proceed fairly well, and gradually the unicorn comes to understand enough of Life magic to cast minor spells in it. Scrying is even harder for him to master, but Rory feels as though he is beginning to understand how it all relates, on some fundamental level. When he watches Koshiro perform a spell, he can tell what the shadow is doing, and why he's doing it, instead of it just being so much gobbledygook and hand-wavy mumbo jumbo. Even if he can't match it, it's still heartening.

Rory's strength is still in Shadow Magic, and probably always will be, given how much of his life has been spent focusing on it. Nonetheless, he tries to find practical applications for his newfound magic … such as trying (and often failing) to use Scrying magic to find lost items around the cottage or the cave … or as an occasional night-light when things get spooky … and he tries to use Life Magic to give the garden a little helping hand, even though he's still nowhere near as proficient as Sylvan would be. Once he's gotten to a level where he's fairly certain he wouldn't be putting anyone at undue risk, he also tries to make some of his Life Magic available to the Nitons, should any of them get sick from eating too many berries or the like.

As he's gotten more proficient in magic, Rory has felt more confident that maybe he can come up with a spell that could make Silhouette "real". Maybe, just maybe, it's possible, even if he really doesn't know the slightest bit how to, just yet. But that's brought up a very important issue: Is this what Silhouette wants? And there's no way to know, except to ask her.