The old man stood in the kitchen of his small home and faced the window, cleaning the dishes from supper while watching the orange glow of sunset gradually descend upon the Commonlands. He loved this twilight time and the calm it brought to the countryside--a rare commodity these days. With Freeport having grown so much over the years and as more and more people built their homes in the surrounding area, tranquility was in short supply. She looked up at him and gave him a slight smile. Her voice was like a soft, lingering melody as she spoke. “Hello, disciple.” ---