01 March 1997: Echo is in her herbarium, making medicines...

Rumors are spinning through the realms... Is it true? Echo is ill?

You need only look at her face, see her occasional shortness of breath, to know the truth about her health. When she was already terribly weakened by the near-fatal attack from Exodus, Echo was called on to do several difficult healings in a short period of time. Seriously lacking in strength, she risked taking the dangerous draught given to her by Aesculapius himself: a draught that could enhance her healing powers long enough to save her patient, but might damage Echo herself in the process. Once before in her lifetime she had saved another's life by using this potion, and had not been harmed by it; this time, she was not so lucky. Her heart is damaged: her blue-tinged lips give testimony to this.

Echo knew the risks, and regrets nothing. Now her friends must understand that this heart damage must not be healed for a year and a day. It was the price of her patient's life, and if Echo is healed too soon, that patient will die. She is determined that no one will ever know who this person was, for it could have been anyone who was in dire need at that time: Echo is first and foremost a healer, after all. For now, she can treat herself with non-magical remedies to ease the symptoms... and in time she will be well again.

The second rumor, though, is more frightening still...
[Click on "rumor" to learn more]