“The worst is behind us...” How often these words are repeated at the end of troubled times, wars, disasters, epidemics. The worst is over, and those who have been holed up in secluded places begin to make plans for the future, but these plans are by no means always worthy and reasonable. The worst is over, and those who survived and survived are in a hurry to live and love, but not all troubles, exploits and losses are in the past. Let it not now, but after the Circle, the beacons go out again, and the accelerated BALL OF FATE will sweep away everything “with mountains and sky, scream and silence.” To prevent this from happening, someone needs to step into the unknown here and now. To prevent this from happening, the eternal hunt must, as before, chase and chase death. And yet the worst is over, which means you can visit the family nest, unravel the ancient secret, take part in the mystery, and get married in the end! The armies in winter quarters are preparing for future military campaigns, difficult, but, without a doubt, victorious. Political and love passions are increasingly seething in Old Pridda. Roque plucks the strings, Lionel improves in Alat, Selina chooses jewelry, Rupert arranges a cat, and Valentin and Arno drink wine and count swans. Soon, very soon, spring. What does it portend?