I really could have just cut and run, except. These goodbyes meant a lot to me. And no, not Mom or Piers, though I really should have felt more kindly toward the Sorcerers League leader than not. He'd been so good to me, he deserved my thanks.

No, the so long, see you laters I had to say were far more poignant if only because guilt played such a huge role in the fact I was leaving them behind to such an uncertain fate while I ran off to who knew where, hopefully with the end ...