ong, long ago, there was a man who
loved his wife. Which is not to imply that other men did not, but
Barat's love for Giranne was so great that, when Giranne was taken by
the Gatherer of Souls after only four months of marriage, Barat was
wild with grief and swore that even her death must not part them. An
ordinary man might learn to live with his loss, or a truly dedicated
man might drink hemlock and follow her, but Barat was a Prince and
swore that he would bring Giranne back to him if he had to tear the
Land apart.
There are some who say that Barat was driven not by love but by greed, for while Barat was a Prince, Giranne was a Queen, and Barat could rule as King at her side. But they are surely jealous men with no romance in their hearts, and you should pay them no heed.
Barat sought the aid of Phiranther, the foremost of the mages who practiced in Barat's land, who told Barat some things he would need to enter the Dark Domain and return to the Land alive. Doubtless there was payment involved, in a manner important to both Barat and Phiranther but not to the story, which has since been forgotten.
After gathering those things of which Phiranther had told him, that could be found in the Land, Barat set out alone to the Ravine of Night, which is so deep that the light of the Sun never reaches, and the stars can be seen even at midday. There, a small but fierce river enters a grotto which gives entrance to the caverns that run beneath the Land. Following the unseen waters as they descended Barat eventually came to the Garden of Shadows. The Shadowmen would not let him pass, so he released a bluebird he brought from above. The Shadowmen fell upon the bird, beloved of Taranir, Emperor of the Sky, and devoured it. Barat plucked a dustflower during the commotion and continued downwards.
The Maze of Futility does not obstruct those who descend, and Barat came at last to the Cavern of Souls. Taking care to avoid the Wall of Names and the powerful servants of Darkness that attend it, who cannot be distracted as easily as were the Shadowmen, Barat searched for months among the recent dead until he came across the soul of his beloved. He led her back to the Labyrinth of Despair, for most spirits have little will of their own.
Now Barat knew not to mark the stones of the Labyrinth to find his way back, for those who dwell within would alter the marks to confound him. For this had Barat taken the dustflower, which desires only the company of its fellows, and so always faces the direction of their greatest number. Thus did the dustflower lead Barat back to the Garden of Shadows and reunion with its soilmates.
Barat returned with Giranne to their home beset only by lesser hazards, to find to his horror that four hundred years had passed and there was no place for them. Nor was happiness theirs, for the blessings of the Ender of All Things and of Hanvarqua, the Great Maker, were withheld. And on the Night of the Dead, when the year itself dies, did the spirits of Giranne's family visit her, and at dawn did she return with them to the Dark Domain. Barat lived to an immense age, miserable and alone, suffering under the attention of the Witherer of Flesh and of Krethe, Bringer of Plagues, until he passed from the attention of the people of the Land. And if the Lord Below has not forgiven him and granted him rest, still does he wander the Land, for no mortal had so offended the Emperor of the Void since the Queen of Specters raised an entire army from the dead. But that is another story...
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