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Confident once more of my safety, I took the rolled piece of paper from the folds of my clothing and opened it carefully. Inside was a note from Bernibus, written in a legible cursive that flowed from an obviously educated hand. It read as follows: "My Dear Jehu, it is I, Bernibus, your friend and comrade, who writes to you.

We all rose and Bernibus, my only friend on the island, came up to me and warmly embraced me, while Wagner and the King conversed formally a few yards away. When they were not looking and our backs were turned to them, Bernibus slipped me a piece of paper that was rolled up into a tight scroll.

This I successfully did, and as I entered the room, led by the Canitaur who was on watch, the others stood politely and greeted me with an apparent intrigue. Our conversation proceeded at follows: "I am Wagner of the Canitaurs, my friend," said the one who appeared to be the leader, "And these are Taurus and Bernibus," the latter being the one who had led me down. "Welcome to Daem."

Though he was about to be destroyed, he had no fear, no regrets, and in those five seconds, while Wagner and the King were frightened and frantic at their impending doom, Bernibus was as calm as ever. As I looked Bernibus in the eyes, I could hear Wagner break the dead silence with a shrill scream that echoed across the horizon and ripped through the hearts of every hearer.

Do you really think that we found your outpost on our own, oh Bernibus the 'deputy kibitzer'? You know that we have no tracking ability, and least of all in your own territory." Bernibus grew more enraged, and the King was spurred on by it. "Oh yes, you know what I speak of.

Jehu is not our kinsman redeemer at all, he is theirs." Here Bernibus seemed to lose his anger and passion and become meek once more, saying humbly, "You have destroyed the life of one whom I held more dear than myself, but that is past, and I will not destroy us all for vengeance.

A primitive tapestry was hanging there, and Wagner lifted it up while Bernibus and Taurus hit two hidden switches, one being on either extremity of the room, to avoid discovery. That unlocked the wall behind the tapestry. It opened along lines previously concealed by the wood's grain and revealed a small cubbyhole built into the wall, probably meant for its present use, concealment.

Here Bernibus entered the dialog, throwing away his timidness with one quick motion and saying to Wagner, "You scoundrel! You said that we came to retrieve Jehu, not to sacrifice him. How is it that you lied to me in such a manner?" "You fool," Wagner said, "If I had had my way, you would have been dead long ago. You have no authority here, so begone."

"Nonsense, Bernibus, tell me or I shall get very angry," I jested, imitating some mythological god's wrath. He smiled discreetly and yielded to my request, "Very well, I will tell you. "Wait a moment, Bernibus," I interrupted, "I didn't mean in that fashion, for when I say I know little of you, it is because I literally know little of 'you', not the circumstances that make up your past.

The remote had a five second delay built into it, and those five seconds were the longest of my life. Bernibus' eyes met mine, and we experienced an intra-personal deja vu, the converging of the presents of two minds. His face showed the depths of his being in that split second, and he was peaceful.