Vivian had noted the dragon's eyes when seeing their son stir. "He's on the other side of the gate. His soul has returned to him there." The meaning was that only there would he be complete. He was dead to the human world.<br/><br/>"Thank you for your protection, Marcus." She stepped to him again, gripping his arm, "Ready to go home?"<br/><br/>Corbin returned to the family manor, kneeling down and offering a stone to the family shrine. Another among so many, that the shrine looked like a river of black pebbles. This one would return though. His heart was warmed by that.<br/><br/>Vivian stopped, her eyes focused on something far away before nodding to herself. She had seen her father add the pebble. It was a tradition. She smiled sadly. The shrine was so full. One day she would take Marcus to see it. Dragons were prolific, ravens not as much. They had a high mortality for something that was supposed to be immortal.<br/><br/>"Marcus?" Vivian's black eyes searched the dragon's face, "Why did you pick me?"