- Before Merlin even gets to the mouth of the cave, he knows that something is wrong. Galapas is gone.
- The cave itself is trashed and the old spring has been stopped up. The bronze mirror is still there, but Merlin can't see the crystal cave when he holds up a torch.
- FYI, nothing has happened to the crystal cave—Merlin just can't see it, because the mirror has been shoved out of the way and no longer directs light toward the cave.
- When Merlin figures it out, the cave lights up, and he sees a vision of the past, of himself as a boy running away from the burning palace.
- Merlin loses his chill and runs out of the cave.
- But what Merlin sees next isn't comforting: there are some carrion birds munching on something on the hill above him. Hint: it's Galapas.
- Merlin finds what's left of Galapas' body. He decides to pile stones over the body to make a barrow rather than bury it, so that the plants can cover him. Galapas would have liked that.
- Merlin has to wonder: what was up with Galapas' promise to him when he left? Didn't he say that Merlin would see him again?
- Okay, Galapas never said he'd be alive the next time he saw him.