"I have a sense of humor," he replied. "But now is not the time for mirth. There is much work to do."

He lead her back outside, much more tolerable now that she was dressed for the weather. One path lead to the cozy village where one house appeared to be under construction, and several had no light on in them at all. But that was not the path Roland chose. He walked into the forest. It was dark and deep, trees thick with moss and ancient and huge. Conifers and deciduous trees grew side by side, and every so often the path was blocked with the corpse of one of the giants.

Most notably, there was no sound. Not wind in the leaves, no calls of birds, not even the hum of insects. The vast forest swallowed up the sound.

"This is a different place," he said, stopping in a clearing. In the distance he could hear flowing water. "I have not made it this far before."