and as yonfi , raddia and gallan squinted at the sun-made hole that with every passing moment destroyed the clouds as fire does darkness , too stunned to even think , the range and intensity of the warmth grew bigger and wider , until it finally reached the village , seeping into rooms that had long been dark and cold and making their dwellers stir from their sleep , warming up gardens and orchards and beasts in pens which had all but forgotten what it felt like to be awakened by sunlight , and giving the appearance of life even to things lifeless , to barren ponds and sparks of shiny mineral in the soil .