...The spirit guide continued: "Shadow is not the abscence of light in your realm. Shadow is lights shield." Looking rather confused, Vol thinks: How can this be? The spirit wriggles out of his hand and onto the ground. It coils up and looks intently toward the watching orc. Slowly, the spirits physical skin begins to dry, then harden. Uncoiling and rubbing slowly upon the rocky ground the seemingly live snake goes grey and apparently dies. Volonazra shuffles and gets on all fours and bends down to inspect the creature. Slowly the snakes skin cracks around his mouth. Soon the snake is moving again, and is shedding its outter skin. Finally, it is free of its dead form and coiled up before the befuddled orc. A wave of realization overcomes Volonazra. A wide toothy grin overtakes him. He understands the lesson.
Volonazra realizes for the first time the amount of time he's been up on the mountain. His mouth was dry and cracked, and his stomach ached with hungar. Scooping up the snake and wrapping it atop his staff, he began his journey home. He became overwhelmed at the thought of how much he still had to learn. But, he had taken a large step in his daunting quest. He was relieved, and overjoyed with the understanding his spirit walk had given him. His soul was still his.
And thus began Volonazra's journey along the Path of Shadow AND Spirit, and the beginning of many more lessons....