Chapter VII . . .

-"But obviously we can't go back through the rail yard."<br/> -"Which way then?"<br/> -"Don't you know anything, Photographer? The Back Way, of course..."	...somewhere along the path through the Back Way back to the City. The King's City, that is...or was...	-"So just what exactly has the Clockmaker done?"<br/> -"Have you noticed anything odd in your travels thus far? Anything strange about the clocks, say?" <br/> -"Well now that you mention it, yes. The 6's...6 o'clock seems to have been erased all over. I guess I thought that was normal Here."<br/> -"Not in the least! 6 is as prevalent as 7, 8, and 10. But it appears the Clockmaker has been covering his tracks for some reason."
-"You never talk much about yourself, Photographer. I don't know anything about you."<br/> -"Well...I don't think there's much to know really. One minute I'm standing on a cliff and the next, one of those damned Guardians is pushing me over."<br/> -"But what about Before? What was that like?"<br/> -"A little lonely sometimes, I guess...but it's not important."	-"Where are They going?"<br/> -"Donno. Must be something important though--Guardians don't typically fly in flocks."	-"Is it much further to the City?"<br/> -"That depends on how long it takes us to cross the Great Glacier."<br/> -"The Great what..."
"Remember, Photographer: stomp, don't step. If you step too lightly, you'll slip, and I'm sure I won't see you again...at least not in one piece."	-"What's with the ash?"<br/> -"This Place is extremely volatile. Ideally, nobody should be Here."<br/> -"...Good to know..."<br/> -"But there's a passage within. It's our only way through to the City..and not that much further now."	"You should drink some water, Photographer..before we go deeper. You won't find it much cleaner anywhere else. In fact, I'm certain of it. There is nothing more pure in nature than water straight from the Glacier."
"And now for our final descent! We'll be back at the City in no time. Which is good...because to tell you the truth, I am a bit homesick...	...even if I'm no longer welcome."	As I moved deeper into the Glacier, a strange yet familiar feeling came over me. I felt suddenly as if I were floating. The tunnel of ice around me began to melt and transform into blinding patterns of white. Then white gave way to yellow, then yellow to blue. And suddenly, my eyes were submerged in a blaze of dream and color, and I was back in that vision...only different this time. This time, I could almost touch the sky. And just when I thought I might....
*somewhere by the Back Way, the Fade has paved its path...