Merlin stood before the statue, his heart pounding, but he couldn't exactly tell why…
The face was familiar, achingly so, yet his mind refused to supply the memory. He stared at it for a long time, hoping recognition would surface, but the fog in his mind remained.
"This man…" he whispered. "Why does he feel so close, yet so far?"
No matter how long he gazed, the answer did not come.
Eventually, he sighed and turned his attention back to the pond.
The Mana Crystals beneath the water glowed faintly… Their light refracted like stars.
He knelt at the edge, dipping his fingers into the cool surface, and felt the energy radiating upward. It soothed him, invigorated him, and for the first time since arriving, he thought… 'I like this place.'
