An argument broke out all around me with my defender arguing in ernest with people I couldn’t see. The individual voices faded into a general hum as all the conversations became one. I barely noticed as everything faded into the swirling ashes.

I was back in that gray place. Since there was no way to keep track of time I had taken to keeping track of steps. I had lost count around six-thousand and sixty four steps. I tried to start from that number but my mind kept drifting into a dull numbess.

Which was how I found myself standing at the entrance to a cave. There was no light but I could see clearly inside.

On the wall inside was a crudely drawn picture. As I drew closer to examine it, a voice rang out so loudly it drove all other thoughts from my mind. There was no room for anything but the voice.

YOU WERE LOST WHILST YOU WERE ALIVE. YOUR DYING ACT WAS TO ROB ME OF A DEATH I WAS EXPECTING. YOU WILL TAKE HER PLACE AND FIND THE DIRECTION YOU WERE LACKING. BE FILLED WITH PURPOSE, MY PURPOSE, AND RETURN.