For Delaney, who gave me a great lesson in point lighting which I used to good effect here. Anna had been summoned. And when you were summoned by Old Callum, you made haste not to be late. So when she got word she had gathered up George, called in Millicent, and quickly headed for Callum's quarters. Ingrid was already roosted for the night and Anna did not have the heart to disturb the old bird, so she had left her behind. Anna had a pretty good idea why Callum wanted to see her but of course the details she did not know. What she did know was that to be called in by Callum before proceeding on your vision quest was the highest honor that could be given to a newly minted knight of the Delphinium Order. For Callum was the oldest, wisest, and in his day, toughest, knight of the Order. Callum had fought more battles than any other elf and the fact that he was still alive was a testament to his skills. He could still wield his sword of justice better than most of the younger knights. But Callum had not summoned Anna to talk about the old days or about himself. He had already spent long hours with her talking tactics and engaging in sword play. He had summoned Anna to talk about her. For tomorrow Anna would leave on her vision quest and it was his duty to give her directions to where she would travel to and instruct her on the procedure for the visioning. But also he wanted to be the one to give her parting words of encouragement, to tell her how proud he was of her and how he looked forward to having her serve in his personal commando company when she returned. Callum had also wanted to see George, who had already gained a reputation as a bit of a skalywag - a fact George wasted no time proving by impudently stretching himself out on Callum's table as soon as he entered the room. Callum had to chuckle at the brazen little bugger who had no natural sense of decorum and was proving himself to be very much his own dragon. If Anna could tame him he would be a fine fighter, for the best dragons were those who could think for themselves as well as work with their elven handlers. Callum relished having this dragon on his team and so he smiled and paid no mind to George's impudence. Anna had felt her blood rush to her feet to hear that Callum had called her to his personal unit; rarely were novice knights admitted to that post. But Callum had told her he was seeking young blood to energize his ranks. Anna suspected that Lady Larkspur must have had a hand in all this as she and Callum were known to be especially close. She had seen the two of them in deep conversation earlier that day, though they had fallen silent as Anna approached. Now it was all making sense. Millicent, being a feline, was of course thrilled by the prospect of serving in a stalking and ambush unit! But first Anna had to get through the vision quest. Nobody actually failed at a vision quest but the vividness and depth of the waking dream was very much dependent on your depth of commitment, your mindfulness and of course, your destiny. This vision would lay the foundation and set the course of your new life as a knight. Callum had steered their chat to an ancient elven temple in the hinterlands some three days distant. He showed her a map in one of his old books. With a sly smile he had said that it was one of his favorite spots. Anna understood, this was to be her vision site. It was isolated and the mix of ruin and nature would be conducive to strong visioning. And so with final words of encouragement, she gathered her gang and departed his company. Watching this brave bundle of elfin energy leave his presence, Callum gave a sad smile. She was so much like his own wife, the Lady Abigail, Lady Larkspur's predecessor. He remembered the many times they had set ambushes together against the humans and what a brave fighter she was. All had been well until that day they tangled with Shaw and his gang. Callum was not a man prone to grudges or revenge, and war was war. But if he ever got the chance to take on Shaw again...