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After some moments-yet to him it seemed much more-Edhener could master his fear enough to look arround him. He saw that Elfride at least had not lost her head and that she was hiting the flames with her cloak. He took of his cloak and tried to do the same, but he had trouble keeping his horse calm, and he was not making much progress. His horse seemed to be overwhelmed by terror and madness, and his desperate movements nearly flung Edhener to the ground. Edhener got hold of the reins to steady himself and the cloak that he had used as a weapon against the fire was dropped and engulfed by the devouring flames.
Edhener bit his lips. There seemed little that he could do without some help from outside. He had not enough water to put out the fire arround him. He searched for his companions, but he could see nothing but dim shadows in the thick smoke that was blinding him. He percieved that something must be happening, he could hear voices, but he could not discern no words over the roaring flames. He thought he could see a shadow ride away towards where he knew was a small village. But was it really so, or was it only his mind that clung even to the faintest illusion of hope?
Time was passing, or was it really? To him it seemed that time had stood still in that dreadful moment when the red tongues were drawing ever near him, and the thick smoke was blinding and choking him, and the only thing that he could hear was the roaring of flames and the terrified whining of his horse.
Suddenly he thought he could hear voices arround him. He looked up and percieved shadows amid the flames, and he also realised that the fire was dying down. Seeing a path amid the red tongues that had filled him with horror, his horse ran towards it, without waiting for any command from his master. And Edhener let his horse bear him wherever he wanted to, his hope returned but his senses being too weary to care much what would happen to him.
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