Their screams intensified as Athgar fought to catch his breath in the rapidly growing inferno.

A burnt hand clutched his arm, "She escaped," gasped Caladin, "back in Holstead."

"Who escaped?" Athgar yelled, desperate for an answer.

"Melwyn," the young man said, "she fled east, along with a small group of others."

"What of Ethwyn?" asked Athgar.

"Sold in Corassus," the hunter said, blood bubbling out along with the words. Suddenly, the man's hair burst into flames. Athgar was close to passing out from the heat and smoke that surrounded them.

"Put us out of our misery," Caladin begged, "please!"

Athgar backed up, overwhelmed by the enormity of the request. It took only another scream of pain to make up his mind. He focused, digging deep within himself to release the full extent of his spark. Fire exploded from his hands, pushing him back to strike his head against the side of the hull. The whole world began to spin as he felt himself falling.

With water now swirling around him, he wondered, somewhat absently, if he might have blown a hole in the bottom of the galley. In no time, it was around his waist. He struggled to stand, but his legs wouldn't cooperate, merely laid there unmoving as the water continued to rise. The yelling around him had ceased, no doubt silenced forever by the release of magic, and he knew with certainty that this was his time as well. He would sink to a watery grave, never again to set foot upon land, nor feel the tender caress of Natalia.

He called out her name in anguish, the words cut off as water rose above his head. The embrace of the sea brought terror to his mind as he gasped for breath, and then... he breathed!

Athgar recognized the effect, for it was the same spell of water breathing that was cast upon him when he had rescued Lady Arabel. Desperately trying to quell the panic within, he suddenly felt hands dragging him upward.

His eyes, still stinging from the smoke, couldn't yet focus, but he knew when he surfaced. An arm around his chest held him safe as he floated there, unable to move. It was as if death itself was fighting to claim him, and he almost let it, but then he felt strong arms pulling him aboard the Zephyr.

"We have you," said the deep voice of Garul.

Athgar was gently laid in the bottom of the hull, his eyes facing skyward. Moments later, the dripping face of Natalia loomed over him.

"Athgar," she was calling out in alarm, "can you hear me?"

"I'm here," he managed to spit out.

She lifted his head, crushing him to her chest. "Oh Athgar, you had me so worried. Don't ever do that again!"

"Shouldn't we get the water from his lungs?" asked Garul.

"The spell will have done that," she replied.

"The ship?" asked the Therengian.