A fingot campsite, April of 1426

Merry moved the flap which served as the opening for his tent aside and stepped out into the warm spring night. He had been awoken by the sounds of voices by the fireplace and his curiosity had gotten the best of him. He wondered if the fingots were in the middle of one of their magic rituals. He had always wanted to observe or even partake in them but Glagah blankly refused.

He walked over to the group of five fingots who were staring into the fire, talking in their own language. The group quieted as soon as they saw him and everybody left except for Glagah. She was clearly displeased by his presence but Merry ignored her look and sat down next to her.

"Tell me about your magic ritual" he said.

Glagah looked at him for a long time, as if evaluating him. Then she lifted up a bowl and held it to her chest.

"The fire you are looking at is no ordinary fire" she said. "On this day every year we celebrate a special ceremony and those who have special hopes or wishes sacrifice something or send something to help their situation or someone they care about. Come; sit closer by the fire…"

Merry did as she had asked and felt a sting of excitement.

"Kali perhaps you need this ceremony more than any of us…" she said. "Your mind can find no peace as long as it worries for that friend you always speak of."

"Whoever that friend is, I am sure he or she misses me and believes me to be dead" Merry said with sorrow in his voice. "And it does pain me to no end that I have no means of letting them know I am okay, and that there is nothing I can do to ease their pain."

"Choose an item" Glagah said and reached out the bowl to Merry. "Choose something and throw it into the fire. You will send whatever you have chosen to your friend and that will help ease their burden."

Merry looked into the bowl and marvelled at all the items in it. Some where worth absolutely nothing to Merry's people, others were far more valuable than Merry could ever imagine. The fingots had no such sense of value; to them all objects were worth nothing or everything.

He picked out something and held it in his hand for a moment. Then he thought intensely of that person he missed and threw the object in the fire. Glagah leaned over and looked at it, nodding approvingly.

"You picked a solid item" she said. "Something which will not break so easily, something which is hard yet fair and will last. A good support for anyone."

"I know" Merry said with a nod. "That's why I chose it."

"What do they call it in your language?"

"Diamond" Merry said.

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Thank you for being with me until the end! This is the conclusion of this series. I hope to see you again in the appendix.