> I'd be interested in other's thoughts on this. It seems to me that the answer lies within the phrase "The cycle was broken". Not merely interrupted, but damaged. If Adron did not unleash the forces of elder sorcery against the orb itself, events would have lead to a Dragon reign. As it was, Zerika had to go get the orb from the paths of the dead, and once returned, the cycle began anew with the Phoenix reborn. Whether the mystical wheel within the paths of the dead was forceably pushed backwards a bit, or spun far forwards only the gods in the Halls of Judgment are likely to know... and maybe Sethra. -Greg Schwartz