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((Double Wednesday -- Page 1 of 2))

He succeeds. He gets away with the Urn. But he dares not open it. He learned much of the fearsome power that magical artifacts such as this can hold. And of course, this was never his objective, either. His wish was to speak with Malast without being instantly turned to dust by a god’s wrath.

So the boy begins planning.

After all these years, he returns to his kin, to his home. And he is welcomed into a land of tremendous prosperity. He is not surprised. He has heard the whispers of the Hun’Sho all over the world, the hushed tales of their magnificence and power, both feared and desired.

The boy could not be prouder. He has never felt such unity with his kin as he does now. It is entirely wonderful. And he is all the more pleased when they welcome him home--as they should, for he has brought many, many gifts with him.

He becomes a Guong once more and strives to help the Hun’Sho reach still greater heights of prosperity.

There are so many Hun’Sho now. And so many more Hun’Kui. But these are not problems, as they once would have been. Infrastructure and order have turned these into blessings. Into potential.

He takes his subjects and builds a city. Himmestat. It is an enormous undertaking, and he has more work than he knows what to do with, more problems than he knows how to fix, but he never forgets his plan. He never forgets his objective to one day meet the only remaining god in the world.

The other Guong are now being difficult. The love he once felt for them has faded rather quickly. They are jealous of all that he has. Even with as much as he has shared, they still desire more. They seem to think him undeserving of his riches--and of his followers, too. The other Guong attribute Himmestat’s success not to his actions but to those of his immediate subordinates.

This bothers him. Because he knows that there is more truth in it than he would care to admit. Torveis, in particular, is very competent and personable. Even the Hun’Kui seem to show genuine affection for him. And the boy hears the whispers, the surreptitious talk of wanting Torveis to become Himmestat’s new Guong.

They don’t understand. But he will show them.

He builds a vault. The greatest vault in all the world. Himmekel. Here, he will finally be able to set the stage for his meeting with Malast. And protect that which is his, as well.

It takes many years, but he manages it. He uses a few of Rathmore’s Tools to help get the job done and even builds a network, connecting Himmekel with distant treasure troves that he had created or found during his travels.

So much work. All culminating to this. The Vault of Paradise.

And finally, after all is prepared, he spreads the rumor. The rumor that the Urn of Growth is hidden away in Himmekel.

Sure enough, Malast arrives, looking for it.