And that would be a fine thing for a hero, wouldn't it?
He grimaced in the darkness. Constant contact was simply impossible; any reaching out used energy, and linking up for a long period simply burned the body up like a long starvation; it was as bad as a penance.
Jonas was thankful for that.
And for the rest—well, he thought resignedly, what was a hero without a quest? And what was a quest without someone to set it?
But that the someone had to be Claerten, with his caution and his old-woman worry—
Jonas sighed and set about the business of falling asleep.
The days passed slowly, with great boredom. Jonas made contact twice with Claerten, who told him over and over to wait, to do nothing: "The next move is coming soon; do nothing to hurry it. You can only upset the natural course of events."
"Which is unwise," Jonas thought bitterly, "and risky, and very probably impious as well."
"As for the piety," Claerten thought, "I leave that to the priests and the women. But wisdom and caution are my task, Jonas, as they must be yours."