aIn terms of a plan?a Jaanda asked, grabbing the reins of his horse and turning it around toward the large bronze doors they had entered through. They were open, and braziers lit the antechamber outside, though the door beyond had been shut, the one that led to the main hallas chamber.

aWe rally the people of Caenalys,a Cyrus said, taking Windrideras reins purposefully and striding forward. He looked back and took Cattrineas hand with his other after sheathing Praelior. aWith luck, the scourge will still be outside the city wallsa"a There came the loudest of noises, a shattering that nearly defied explanation, as the doors to the main hall broke open off their hinges and skittered across the floor of the antechamber to the throne room. The floor shook as they landed, twelve-foot tall pieces of lumber that had been carved with intricate patterns that reminded Cyrus of fish and seas.

Replacing them was Drettanden, a beast that took up the entirety of the doorframe, from marbled floor to crown-moulded ceiling, breathing at them, flooding the antechamber with the smell of rotting flesh so rancid it made Cyrus nearly gag, infesting his very sense of taste and hanging on his tongue as though he had kissed a rotted corpse. A steady breathing filled the air like a starving dog panting for food, and there came a drop of sweat that rolled down his back, so acute he felt it, like the gentle kiss of a lover.

aOr,a Jaanda said, breaking the quiet shock that permeated the antechamber, awe could just run for our lives.a

Chapter 95.

Vara Day 209 of the Siege of Sanctuary She stalked across the lawns, green now at least, though footpaths had been worn between the front steps of Sanctuary and the guard towers on the wall, brown strips of ground where the green had simply been lost from overtravel. A rain had started, one that made everything smell more pungent somehow, fresh earth on the path as though it had been tilled. She watched him disappear inside and she followed at a jog, trying to catch him. aAlaric!a she called. She quickened her pace, breaking into a run, feeling the first droplets splash her cheeks as she did so. There was a peal of thunder in the far distance, and she ignored it as she climbed the steps and entered the foyer.

The doors were open, shedding the grey light of day into the room. It was quiet now, of course, with nearly everyone out on the wall from repelling the latest attack. Larana was visible in the opening to the Great Hall, along witha"Aha! He was speaking to her in a hushed whisper even Vara couldnat hear. The druid nodded once then locked eyes with Vara for a split second before bowing her head in shyness and mousing away toward the kitchens. aAlaric,a Vara called again, more quietly this time and more accusing.

aYes?a The Ghost did not turn to face her, leaving his armored back in her full view, his bucket-shaped helm only slightly twisted as if to acknowledge her. aWhat can I do for you, Vara?a It was slow death, his every word, a sort of weariness she recognized in her own soul.

aYou killed him.a She heard the bluntness and was surprised at the lack of accusation. aFor nearly nothinga"a aHe raised his hand to you,a Alaric said, and his helm slid so that he was facing once more toward the officeras table at the far end of the Great Hall. aI found that unacceptable.a aA great many men and beasts have raised a hand at me,a Vara said. aI should think you would find it to be a full-time occupation to kill them all.a aBut a worthy one, I believe,a the Ghost said, quietly.

Vara let her boots clink step by step toward him. aThis is unlike you, Alaric. Snapping in Council. Killing an annoying dwarf who but raised a hand to me. Slaughtering prisoners as they surrender. What has happened to you? Where is this burgeoning darkness coming from?a The helm came around again, and she saw his chin in profile, his mouth a thin line. aPerhaps it has always been here.a aNo.a She took a last quiet step and laid a hand upon his shoulder. aI have known you for years. Seen you in one of the darkest periods of your life, in fact, which was upon the day we met. This? I have never seen this from you. Not you.a His helm slid away, hiding his face wholly from her. aYou know nothing of my darkness.a She blanched at his response. aWere you not the man who counseled me away from deadly action? Were you not the one who guided me back to the path of the light after my fall? Did you not say that vengeance leads to dark roads, roads that are not worth walking?a There was a quiet for a moment before he responded. aSometimes,a he said, ayou look down upon a road that youave chosen in earnest, with best intent, and it leads to a far different place than you thought it might when you chose it. Dark roads, yes, they are not worth walking. But sometimes the path turns dark of its own accord, long after youave begun your walk down it.a aThis is not the path,a she said and tried to step around him to look him in the face, but he turned so abruptly it threw her off balance. aWhy will you not look me in the eyes when I talk to you?a He took a step away from her, still giving her nothing but his back. aI hear you just fine. Finish speaking your mind.a She let her mouth drop slightly open. aBut do you listen?a He swung around on her then, and she saw the fury burning within him. aI listen. All I do is listen. To you. To your guildmates. Your fears, your worries. Will the dark elves break down the gates? Will I die here, in Sanctuary, still but a bloom not yet come to flower?a His face went from frightful to neutral, which made her stomach lurch alarmingly, giving her more than a pinch of fear. aHow many crises must I lead you through? How much counsel must I give that is ignored? How many times must I watch others die undeservinga"a His voice broke, and she flinched at it. aHow many sacrifices must I make before the end? How many times must I give all to you and to your brethren here?a He brought his hand up and slammed his gauntlet into his chest in a fist, and it made a dreadful clank that echoed through the Great Hall. aI have fought for this guild. Believed in this guild, in our purpose, believed in it when no one else did. I have bled for it, and I would die for it.a He waved a hand around him, as though to encompass the entirety of Sanctuary, and all the people standing out on the walls. aYet I have an army who worries for their lives. Not for the world that will burn if we fail but for themselves.a He sagged, and she saw the fight go out of his eyes. aAnd I fear for them as well. For them, and for all Arkaria.a His hand came up, and she saw his long fingers clutch at his chin. aI cannot keep carrying the purpose of this guild all on my back; I cannot keep believing when no one else does.a He raised a hand out, as though he were going to point, and then let it fall to his side. aI cannot do it all on my own.a He seemed to recede then, as if he was stepping away from her, but she realized that he was not; he began to dim, to turn translucent in the lighting. aI will carry it as long as I can, as far as I can, until I reach my limits, and then, I think you will find a I will merely fade away.a The mist rose up around her, encircling her for a moment, and then disappeared, just as he said, into nothingness.

Chapter 96.

Cyrus aDrettanden,a Cyrus whispered, and his fingers wrapped around the hilt of Praelior, the sword in his hand before he finished speaking.

The enormous scourge-beast stood before him. He handed Windrideras reins to Cattrine as Drettanden snorted, filling the air with the reek of death again, bad enough that Cattrine gagged as it hit them. aTake this,a he said, pressing the leather into her fingers. aBe ready to lead them down to this dock.a aAnd the people of Caenalys?a Cattrine muttered, coughing from the stench.

aIf this thing is here,a Cyrus said darkly, watching as Drettanden stared at him, unmoving, athe streets are already flooded with his brethren. This battle is over.a aCyrus,a Martaina said quietly, still watching Drettanden as it stared at them.

aGo with her,a Cyrus said to Martaina then let his gaze flick to Aisling. aYou too. We have no healer and the two of you carry short blades that wonat even make a dent in this thingas hide. Get out of here. Iall cover your retreat.a aAnd an escape plan for yourself?a Jaanda said, sotto voce.

aI expect Iall be diving off the balcony in the throne room in five minutes or less,a Cyrus said. aIt would be lovely if someone were there to fish me out of the water.a aFive minutes?a Martaina let out a low whistle, and Drettanden growled menacingly to match it. aYouare feeling optimistic about your chances against that thing?a aI like my odds,a Cyrus said, never breaking eye contact with the thing that stared at him. aGo. Now.a He clutched Praelior as Cattrine brushed a hand against his shoulder, so softly he couldnat feel it. With a subtle look she went to his right, and he saw Martaina cast a regretful look as well, then slip away quietly along with her, horse in tow. Aisling went next, then Jaanda. Cyrus listened for their quiet footsteps as they angled through a small, open door to where he could see a flat ramp spiral downward, and watched as the last of them faded into the darkness of it.

aSo aa Cyrus said, looking at the scourge creature which stared back at him. It took a step forward, taking a deep breath, then exhaling so strongly Cyrus found himself wanting to retch. aPlease stop that, will you?a The red eyes widened at him. aDo you have any idea what your breath smells like? Corpses. Yeesh. Do you eat everything you come across? Because you could stand to digest a field of mint, my frienda"a The grey lips came apart and Drettanden filled the air with a screeching roar, leering at Cyrus with a hard-edged gaze, mouth hanging open and enormous teeth exposed.

aYeah, I know,a Cyrus said, overcoming the desire to gag, and waved Praelior in front of him. aItas this, isnat it?a He watched red eyes follow it. aThis was yours when you were alive? Well, I didnat take it from you, and I didnat kill you. I put this together myself, after following a quest given to me by Bellaruma"a The beast roared and sprung at Cyrus at the last, jaws snapping as Cyrus dodged out of the way. Drettanden took two steps and sprung, crashing through the pillar and supporting wall as Cy fell back, rolling into the throne room. Dust and plaster came down, rock and stone as well, and Cyrus felt a rough shift in the palace above as he came back to his feet, sword in hand. aHey, if youare gonna charge at everything like a bull, could you at least look out for the load-bearing walls? Or do you want to kill me so bad youare willing to risk killing yourself in the process?a Cyrus circled, putting his back to the balcony. aBecause, if so, we could just keep going in this direction. Itad be great. Soft landing too, in the water.a There was a flick of the red eyes, and Cyrus caught it. aWater. You donat like the water, do you?a He waved Praelior and watched the eyes follow it. aBut you want your sword back, donat you? Itas a little small for you now, donat you think?a There came another snap of the jaws at him. aThat, surprisingly, was not a taunt or a goad, but just a simple statement of fact.a With dizzying speed, Drettanden came at him in a quick motion, leaping off its back feet and Cyrus dodged aside again, this time leaving his arm extended with the blade. It caught the scourge across the side of the neck and raked the grey flesh. Black blood oozed out, peppering the white marble floor as Cyrus put a foot on the first step below the throne.

aWelcome to the throne room of Actaluere,a Cyrus said, keeping the sword pointed at Drettanden. He stepped over the unmoving corpse of Hoygraf, which lay with its eyes wide, a small pool of blood gathered around it. aThis was the self-proclaimed king, if you by chance wanted to have a bite of royalty while youare herea"a Cyrus dodged as it came for him again, this time leaping back onto the throne, then jumping high over the back of the creature, where he ran with his sword down along the spine, ripping open flesh until he jumped off at the end.

Cyrus landed with a flourish, spinning perfectly, ready to defend himself against another attack. There was none, however, and Drettanden had yet to turn back to him; the creatureas head was down, on the steps, and there was a sickening sound of bones crunching as blood dribbled down the stairs. aReally?a Cyrus asked, looking at the spectacle, dumbstruck. aThe saddest part of this is that itas not even the most unbelievable thing Iave seen in this room in the last half hour.a Drettanden spun, mouth still full of Hoygrafas corpse, an arm and a leg hanging out of the grey lips and red staining the teeth. aYou really do eat the dead,a Cyrus said, shaking his head. aYou feed on life. Youave come a long way from being the God of Courage,a Cyrus watched a slight reaction at the edges of the red eyes, ato being the exterminator of as much of it as you can. Quite the fall, I suppose.a There was motion to Cyrusas left and he turned; five more of the smaller scourge were there at the smashed entry door, easing into the room. aRight,a Cyrus said. aNot as bad as the one Iam about to take, though aa They all snapped into motion at roughly the same time; the five creatures at the door jumped for him like a pack of wild dogs, and Drettanden, at his right, came at him at full tilt. The scourgesa claws gave them poor traction, and Cyrus watched as they tried to spring and failed. He ran, every step of his boots pounding as he made for the edge of the balcony. Teeth were snapping behind him as he reached the open doors to the outside, and the smell of death was overwhelming as he thrust his foot upon the railing and vaulted.

The wind caught his hair, even through his helm, and tugged the strap against his chin. It ran all across his body as he felt the fall take over. With a look back he saw the scourge, looking over the railing and down at him as he fell, the smell receding as the air rushed past his ears, deafening him. Please donat let there be rocks down there. His eyes forced themselves shut as he hit the water with painful force, pushing the air out of his lungs and shoving him into the depths.

There was only a faint flicker of orange light above him as he swam, Praelior in hand to give him strength, until he broke the surface, taking a breath of air, tinged with smoke and wetness. He turned his head to see a boat cutting through the water toward him, and looking far up above, he saw the balcony, and the scourge looking down at him. One of them fell and splashed; he waited, clutching the hilt of Praelior to see if it surfaced again. Tension. Anticipation. It never came up.

aAhoy!a Cyrus watched the boat as the oars stroked out the sides toward him. It was long, at least fifty feet in length, with a mast and sail and a few crew members. He swam up to it at the approach, seized the side and hauled himself out of the water with a hand from Martaina. He fell upon the deck and looked up to the pillared balcony far above. Drettanden remained, standing, head draped over the railing, eyes following Cyrus on the boat.

aThat thing aa Cattrine said from beside him, ait seems quite fixated on you.a aYeah,a Cyrus said. aThis is what happens when you insult a guyas mother when youare three. Old grudges die hard.a She frowned. aYouare joking. This hardly seems the time.a Cyrus shook his head, wiping water from his beard. aI donat know what else to say.a Cattrine stood as they came further out into the sea from the palace. There was light to their left, and Cyrus turned from looking at the crew of a half dozen rowers on the small lower deck to the city, where lights blazed, and his mouth fell open.

It burned. Half the city was on fire, blazing strips of light where smoke drifted in the corners against the walls. Against the fiery backdrop, figures were visible, running around on four legs, striking people down. The docks were a frenzy of activity, ships casting off, battles being fought. The fires cast light on the walls of the city, and Cyrus realized to some surprise that they crawled, covered over with scourge scaling them as easily as he might climb a ladder.

aLook at them go,a Martaina whispered, and the crew stopped rowing. Other boats were launching out of the docks as quickly as they could steer out of the harbor with crews rowing madly. Cyrus watched as a scourge ran to the end of the docks and leapt into a boat. The screams carried over the water.

aThey came because of him,a Cyrus said, looking up into the air, to the outline of Drettanden, still watching him from the balcony. aHe came because of me. We brought death to Caenalys.a He bowed his head and felt Cattrineas hand on his wet hair, stroking it gently off his brow where it crept out from beneath his helm.

aIt was coming anyway,a Cattrine whispered, and he felt her kneel next to him. aMy brother would have laid siege to the city trying to get the walls open, and it would have taken months. The scourge would have come around behind him and taken his army then the city, anyway. She looked in concern. aWhere is my brother?a Cyrus felt a surge of guilt. aWe rode ahead of his army three weeks ago. They would have arrived here in another week.a He swallowed heavily. aI donat a I have no idea whether they met the scourge or not. We had thought these creatures bottled up, fighting our armies at Enrant Monge while we planned to evacuate the rest of Luukessia.a Blackness climbed into his mind. They followed me. I changed the rules and ruined all our battle plans, all our assumptions. Iave failed again, and hundreds of thousands have died for that failure.

aWhere do we go now?a Aisling asked quietly as they sat there, drenched in the glow and the noise.

aWest,a Cyrus answered, and he saw the men at the oars put them back in the water after a nod from Cattrine. aIf the armies of Luukessia are still out there, theyall have to flee toward the bridge. Hopefully weall meet up with them there.a Jaanda let the quiet remain in place for an additional moment before he spoke. aWhile I love the conditional ahopefully,a whatas your plan if theyare not?a Cyrus felt his jaw clench. aThen I guess weall have to cover the retreat of the last civilians ourselves a and hope the scourge donat follow us over the bridge.a He cast his eyes back toward Caenalys, even as they rowed away, past the palace and toward the west. The city burned, a little at a time. The air was cold, not like winter but the distant fires gave no warmth at all. The smell of death was heavy in the air, along with the smoke that came in drifts off the city. Cyrus sat there, dripping, breathing it all in, and watched as the Kingdom of Actaluere reached its end.

Chapter 97.

They rowed on through the night, through a swell and a rain that chilled Cyrus through, spattering on his armor. They went west, and when he took his turn at the oars, Cyrus felt the pull of them over and over on his hands, the knotty pine of the wood smoothed and making callouses in places he hadnat had them before. The rain washed away the smell of death, sapped the salt from the air and went slightly chill but nothing in comparison to what they had braved in the winter up north. There was still the taste of salt permeating in Cyrusas mouth from the air before the rain, and he rowed on, with the others, until he tired, then he clutched Praelior in his hand and pinned it against the oar, using the strength to keep going long past when he might otherwise have quit.

The slow tapping of the rain on his helm died in the wee small hours of the next day. They had a lamp at the fore, and stars came out to guide them. Cyrus felt the press of the bench he was seated upon, and he kept an even stroke, matching his motions to the other men rowing with him, all swarthy men of the sea, with olive skin and dark hair.

There came a sound next to him as someone sat, someone covered in a heavy boat cloak, and when Cattrineas delicate features peeked out from beneath the cowl he was unsurprised. aHello,a she said just loud enough to be heard over the rain.

aHello,a he repeated back to her. He let a healthy silence fall between them then thought to speak. aIam sorry abouta"a aIam so glad you came,a she said, halting as they spoke over one another. aNo, Iam sorry, I didnat mean to interrupt you. You were saying?a aIam sorry about Caenalys,a Cyrus said. aIt feels as though everywhere we go, destruction followsa"a aThe city was doomed,a Cattrine said. aIf they hadnat come with you, they would have been along within weeks anyhow, and it would have been just as bad.a Her eyes found his. aYou saved my life, at least. I thank you for that.a aIt was the least I could do,a Cyrus said quietly, trying to focus on the steady rhythm of rowing. aI heard that you made a bargain for my life, to return my head to my guild for resurrection.a He lowered his voice. aA terrible bargain, with a terrible price.a aIt was not all for you,a she said, athough I confess your life was the thing that tipped the scales.a She stared straight ahead, toward the bow, and he saw her delicate features in profile. Her lip was still swollen, scabbed, and he could see by the lantern light hanging on the ship that her eye had a trace of black under it.

But she was still pretty. Still Cattrine. He resisted the urge to kiss her again and again. aI wish you hadnat. Not for me.a He bowed his head, even as he kept the steady stroke of the oar going. aWhy did you do it?a he asked, shaking his head, feeling the mournful sadness in his soul as he considered what she had likely been through. aFor mea"a aBecause I loved you, idiot.a She spoke in an outburst of relief, as though it were all she could do to get it out, and a sob followed it. aI did all I did because I felt it, as I thought you did, but did not wish to say it because of your beloved Vara.a Her hand came up to his face, stroked his bearded cheek. aI saw the struggle in your eyes the whole time we were at Vernadam, and I wanted to let you heal and become whole again before throwing another burden upon you.a She blinked and turned her head away. aIt was the same reason I did not tell you who I was. I only wanted you to be able to feel a normal again. To begin to believe you could feel for another again.a aI did,a he said quietly. aI did because of you. As hard as I tried to forget you, to stay away, I still found myself like a boomerang in flight, curving right back to where I had come from. He shook his head and felt the droplets of rain that had collected in his beard fall. aI a missed you.a He tugged in the oar, and laid it across his lap. He reached over and kissed her, fully, totally, and felt her return the same to him.

She broke from him quickly but with hesitation, her hand still held to his face. aAre you not with Aisling now?a Cyrus paused, and felt his head bow unexpectedly. aI a I donat know where I stand with Aisling.a aDo you love her?a There was quiet expectation and disappointment in the way she said it.

Cyrus looked back to the rear of the boat, and Aisling was there, eyes closed, asleep. aI donat know. Iave come to a place where things have become beyond complicated. I donat know how I feel about her. Sheas been such balm to me over these last months, but itas almost as though Iave become so empty inside that it did me little good.a aI wouldnat tell her that if I were you,a Catrrine said.

aNot high on my list of things to do,a Cyrus said with a grunt. The ship bobbed in the water, and she leaned toward him. aI donat entirely know where I stand with you, either. This land is about to fall.a He looked back. aI think there are other boats following us as well, which is probably wise on their part. There is little I recognize as safe, stable or normal right now. It feels as though everything is danger and trouble.a aI donat expect you to untangle all these emotions now,a she said, not meeting his eyes. aItas quite enough that you came for me. To hear you say that you felt the same a it gives me the possibility of hope.a Cyrus gave her a slow nod. aIam sorry I canat give you any more than that. Iam still a sifting through the wreckage inside.a aAnd when you finish,a she asked, awhat do you think youall find?a aI donat know,a he said with a shake of the head, slipping the oar back into the water and matching the rowing of the other men. aIad like to believe in something again, something more than just fighting my way through life. Iad like a certainty to cling to, something that will always be around, no matter how bad things get. It used to be me; when things would get bad, I could look inside, and I knew which direction to go. When you worship the God of War, itas a simple matter to just turn yourself toward battle. But itas not that simple anymore. Now battle is a given, especially after these things,a he waved toward the dark shore, to their right, acame unto the land.a aIam not certain I understand,a Cattrine replied. aYou believe in war, in conflict, in battle, yet a you look for what? Something else?a aSomething else, yes,a Cyrus said. aI let myself hope for a future with a woman I didnat really have a true hope with. It shook my world. I believed in a greater purpose for myself through my guild, in the idea that I would fight to protect those who couldnat protect themselves, but everything I have done in this last year has caused the opposite of that. Itas put more people in danger and makes me question everything about this purpose I embraced.a He shook his head. aIs there really any good I can do when everything I do seems to come out wrong?a He turned his head away from her. aThat seems especially true when I consider the women in my life.a aFor my part,a she said quietly after a momentas pause, aalthough I wished things had gone differently between us, I have never seen you do anything less than your best with what you had available at the time.a aIsnat that what all of us do, though?a Cyrus asked. aOur best? Most peopleas best doesnat involve releasing a plague of death upon an entire land, though.a She didnat say anything for a long space after that. aYou couldnat have predicted it. No one could.a aYouare right,a he said. aBut Iam still responsible. That means itas up to me to salvage all I can from my failure.a aHow do you think a youall go about that?a Her eyes cast ahead, in the direction of an unseen shore.

aI donat know,a Cyrus said. aI really a just donat know.a She laid a hand upon his shoulder. aI am grateful to you for coming, regardless of all else that has happened. These things you have become embroiled in, these matters of gods and the dead, are beyond my understanding and almost my belief. I only know that absent your arrival, these things would have swept us away completely. Had you not come to Caenalys, I would surely have died there.a aYou donat know that,a Cyrus said, looking down, putting his shoulders into the work. aYour dear husband seems like the sort of crazed rat who might have abandoned the city given a chance. He might have dragged you into a boat and taken you off to the west.a aWhere we would still eventually be killed by those things, Iad wager.a She didnat sound sad when she said it, though it was hard to be sure in the wind. aAnd if not, Iad still have been with him. I might have preferred to stay in Caenalys.a Cyrus bowed his head. aI donat know that Iave done you any favors. Whatas coming a if they manage to cross the bridge, I donat think there is any safe ground after that. Arkaria will fight them, eventually, if they have enough will left to do so after the war. It may be that Iave spared you death in your homeland so that you can come and die in mine.a She pursed her lips, thinking about it. aI donat think so. Since the day I have met you, you have consistently defied all expectations, including mine. Even when I was certain I would never see you again, you came for me. Even when I thought all faith between us had been broken.a She smiled, just a little one. aI suppose what Iam trying to say, Cyrus Davidon, is that thus far, youave come through on every occasion for me.a Her eyes were deep, lost in his. aI believe in you. Perhaps more than you believe in yourself just now, but I do. And I believe that if there is any man, in any land, that can find a way to save us from this menacea"it is you.a With that, she kissed him again passionately, with a hand on his cheek to hold his face. Then she broke from him with a lingering touch, a long one, and went back to the rear of the boat where the others waited for her.

For a long time after that, Cyrus continued to row his oar in time with the othersa"and let his mind try desperately to find a way to correct his gravest of errors.

Chapter 98.

They made landfall a few days later. Because the peninsula that Caenalys was built on and the one that connected the Endless Bridge to Arkaria were close together, they made an easy transit of the shortest distance between the two, and came ashore on a beach that was overgrown with long, green swamp grass. Cyrus waded in and helped Cattrine onto the sulphur-smelling shore, where rotting seaweed lay upon the beach. It festooned the sands, a curious red and green tinge to it. The wind whipped along, carrying only the faintest bite of the winter that had picked at him for months; it was clearly spring, and in a southern locale. Now at least we donat have to fight in the snow.

The boat crew launched off a few minutes later, leaving Cyrus, Aisling, Cattrine, Jaanda and Martaina along with their horses on the shore. The sand was packed tightly beneath Cyrusas boots, and every step yielded a little, reminding him of walking on shallow snow.

aWe have four horses and five people,a Jaanda said, turning his blue face into the wind and to Cattrine. aWhy donat you ride with Aisling, since sheas the smallest of us?a The enchanter turned to give the ranger a wicked smile and found her expressionless, though her eyes did tack toward Cyrus, hard and pointed. aI kid. Iam not that heavy, you can ride with me unless youad prefer to strain his horse,a he chucked a thumb at Cyrus.

aThatas a very kind invitation,a Cattrine said with a bow of her head. aI accept, though perhaps after a while I will switch, just to spare your horses from such a heavy burden all day long.a Cyrus left Aislingas sidewards glare behind and climbed the berm at the edge of the beach, where a field of heavy, tall grass blocked the sight of the other side. Below was an easy spread, flatlands with sparse short grass interspersed with fields of longer grass and hummocks of trees. There appeared to be a coastal swamp in the distance to the left and almost out of sight, Cyrus could see a road ahead, at the edge of his vision. There was movement on it, a steady line of refugees trudging, their darker clothes and human shapes separating them from the horizon line. They stretched from one side of his vision to the other, trailing off, a sad line with only the occasional horse to differentiate from the stooped-back figures.

aIt would appear that the evacuation of Luukessia is well underway,a Jaanda said from next to him.

They climbed onto their horses, Cyrus leading the way as they galloped toward the road. Cyrus could smell the people as they got close; some of them looked to have been walking for a considerable distance. Cyrus passed a child who looked no older than eight, a ragged waif whose shoes were worn to holes. The animal skins he wore were from a mountain goat, as was the horn strapped to his back. Sylorean. Gods, how far has he walked?

There was a stir in the line as they approached, and fingers pointed toward Jaanda as a whisper went through the crowd. Smiles appeared, and gasps of relief were heard. aNever seen a group of humans so glad to see a dark elf,a Jaanda said as his hands began to glow, spells already being cast.

aI have,a Aisling said sardonically, abut it was at a brothel.a She kept a straight face. aIt was pretty much exactly like this.a aIall try not to be too insulted by that since these people are starving,a Jaanda said, handing off a loaf of conjured bread to a family who held it up, crying with happiness. Cyrus saw the woman he handed it to immediately break it to pieces and begin to pass it around to a large group of children. He saw one of the boys in a ragged old surcoat with the livery of Galbadien upon it. This whole land, emptying.

There was a rising cry, and Jaanda waved to Cyrus. aI think Iam going to be here for a while.a aYou,a Cyrus said to a man nearby, a swarthy fellow with dark hair and skin. aHave you seen any armies about?a aYes, malord,a he said with a bow to Cyrus as Jaanda gave the man a loaf of bread. aThe dragoons of Galbadien are just up the road a piece, perhaps a dayas ride. They were waiting on a flat stretch of land to hit those monsters that are destroying everything.a aWho was leading them?a Cyrus asked, focusing in on the man.

aThe King of Galbadien,a the man said with a bow of his head. aSaw him with my own eyes, the new one, the young one. They say the western army is farther out with the Syloreans and the rest of our Actaluerean army, fighting to hold the things back while we escape. The man shook his head. aI heard tell from a Sylorean that the monsters are all the way up to the neck of the peninsula and still coming.a Cyrus felt a chill. aHow far to the bridge?a aStraight ahead, another day, sir,a the man said. aIave been there before, a couple times.a Cyrus shot a look at his party. aWe need to go.a aIam going to stay with these people,a Jaanda said. aIam of no use to you with those things anyway. I will walk to the bridge with these folk, keep them fed and try to do some good along the way.a Cyrus looked at him evenly. aAre you sure?a aIall go with him,a Cattrine said, and Cyrus heard the man he had been talking to whisper, aLady Hoygraf,a to the crowd. aI can be of little aid to you,a she said, abut of much trouble were I to get in the way.a aGet to the bridge,a Cyrus said. aIf the dragoons are only a day away and the rest of the army only a bit past that, itas not going to be more than a week before weave fallen back all the way.a He felt his jaw tighten. aIf that.a aAye,a Jaanda said. aHere.a He tossed them each a loaf of bread and looked at Cyrus seriously, the wind stirring his hair. aTake care up there. Weall be waiting for you at the bridge.a aUnderstood,a Cyrus said and urged Windrider forward, riding along the side of the road and listening to the crowds shout their joy at the sight of Jaanda on his horse.

aIam going to stay with them,a Aisling said, halting her horse just a few paces along. Cyrus pulled Windrider to a stop and came around to face her. aIam not much use on the battlefield, not against those things. Itas a fight for proper swords and Iam really more of a daggers and sneaking kind of girl.a aYouave been doing pretty well so far,a Cyrus said, watching the dark elfas eyes. She was cagey, avoiding his gaze.

aIave been lucky and good in equal measure,a she said. aBut these things notice me more than most people, and Iam tired of pressing my luck. Iam sure youall do just fine.a aAll right,a Cyrus said with a slow nod. aWeall see you at the bridge, then.a aYeah,a she said, and her horse moved forward alongside him. aWe will.a He stared at her for a moment, at her hard, flinty gaze, inscrutable as she was. aIam sorry,a he said.

She didnat seem to react, just kept watching him. aI know.a He started to look away but didnat, keeping his eye on the purple irises that reminded him so much of a storm. aI donat know a what I would have done without you on this expedition.a aDied,a she said quickly. aThatas the short answer.a She let the slyest hint of a smile show through her grim facade.

aTrue enough. But I meant besides that.a He held out a hand to her, but she made no move to take it. aI meant a in all the other ways youave carried me through this time of trial. All the things youavea"a She leaned over and kissed him, maintaining her perfect grip on the horse. It was rough and heavy, a press with enough weight and feral savagery behind it that he wondered if she were about to bite him too. She broke from him and balanced back on her horse. aDonat ever forget what I can be to you, then. Remember it while youare mulling through a whatever youare mulling.a He gave her a slow nod of acknowledgment. aI will. Be safe.a He flicked a look toward Jaanda and Cattrine, mobbed by the crowd, whose upthrust hands were gently clawing at them, waiting for bread. aTake care of them, will you?a aJaanda I can promise Iall take care of.a A dark look flickered over her. aThe other a Iall try.a She said it so grudgingly, it sounded as though shead been turned upside down and had it shaken out.

aYes,a Cyrus said. aTry. For me.a There was a sigh of near-disgust and Aisling turned her horse around. aThe things I do for you aa Windrider began to move again without any action from Cyrus, and the warrior looked down in surprise. aWell, all right then.a aYou think theyall be okay?a Martaina asked, coming alongside him as they rode, the wind coming from the north now, and carrying that faintest hint of the breath of Drettanden, that smell of death.

aWeare the ones who are riding toward the scourge, not away from it,a Cyrus said. aIad be more worried about us, frankly.a aIam always worried about us,a Martaina said as the horses broke into a gallop, the line of refugees in front of them a thick column of filthy clothes and dirty faces. aI just figured Iad add a little variety.a aYouare always worried about us?a Cyrus asked, cocking an eyebrow and looking over at her. aThat feels like a commentary on my leadership in some way.a aYour leadership is just fine, sir,a Martaina said. aBut it does seem to point us in the direction of trouble more often than not. Youare like a bloodhound for trouble; you canat stay away from it. I believe you might even thrive on it in some small way.a He looked back to the horizon, at the downtrodden, the people without a home or hearth to call their own, fleeing their land and trying to escape death itself. aI think Iave had quite enough of trouble for the sake of trouble after this excursion,a Cyrus said. aBut I canat deny that it seems to follow me about.a He looked back and could just barely see the shapes of Aisling in the distance, along with Cattrine and Jaanda, still in the midst of the crowd. aIn every possible way.a

Chapter 99.

It was less than a day later when they reached the dragoons. Flat plains of sparse grass broken by lowlands and patches of swamp grass with hummocks of trees gave way to a large stretch of open ground. It was there that they found the horses and men, tens of thousands of them, enough that the camp was a sight in and of itself. The smell of food was in the air, real food, bread, even some meat. The wagons were just being reloaded when they arrived, tents being broken down. Refugees were being turned away, but there was only a trickle of them now, and Cyrus felt a grim discomfort at the thought of what that meant. That is the last of them, then. The rest have been taken by these things, by the last gasp of the God of Death. He watched the stragglers go, lingering as though they hoped to draw protection from the army of horsemen that remained in the fields and saw the supplymen shoo them away after tossing them odds and ends to eat, directing them toward the bridge. The last of the Luukessians.

When he asked a soldier, he was directed toward a cluster of men in the distance. The surcoats were familiar, of course, the majority of them being Galbadien soldiers. A few were men of Actaluere and Syloreas but very few. Galbadien was the Kingdom of the horsed cavalry. Now itas an empty land, I suppose, desolate and filled with those a things, grazing on the remains of the dead, like crows. Cyrus pictured the scene of the loping fields of Galbadien in his head, tilled ground, green grass, the smell of death in the air, bodies choking the rivers and streams, and the scourge feeding on all of it. The sound of their screeches filled his ears as he imagined it, and he nearly choked at the thought.

They rode up to a small circle, and Longwell was there with Ranson, and both rose to meet them. aGeneral,a Samwen Longwell said as Cyrus dismounted and took the proffered hand of the King of Galbadiena"the Garden of Death, now. aWead heard Caenalys was cut off,a Longwell said, aActaluereas army barely met up with our main force in time to save them from being shredded. We thought you dead,a he said with barely disguised relief.

aYou know it takes more than a few of these scourge to kill me,a Cyrus said. aThey came wide around Enrant Monge, didnat they? Ended up flanking our holding action?a Longwell nodded. aTwo days after you left. They sent another army even wider around, through Galbadien, and it tore through the Kingdom. We had no warning to speak of.a Longwell shook his head, disgust etched on his face. aWe saw the fall of Enrant Monge as we rode out of the unity gate. Those things a they climb walls as though they werea"a aI know,a Cyrus said. aWe saw it at Caenalys. We had just gotten into the city when they hit, barely made it out via boat.a There was a flicker of concern from Longwell. aThe Baroness?a aSheas safe. She, Jaanda and Aisling stayed along the route to give bread to the refugees.a Cyrus let his hand fall on Praelioras hilt. aWe, on the other hand, figured wead give whatever aid we could here. How far away are they?a aHours,a Ranson said, speaking up now. aWeare looking to use our horsed cavalry for the first time against them. With the snows around Enrant Monge and the rapid fallback over mostly wooded land, the flanking actionsa"we havenat really had a chance to have a go at them. Itas our hope that the increased mobility of our horsemen will start to turn the tide of this war.a He caught the skepticism from Cyrus. aAll right, well, we donat think the tide will turn, but weare hoping to do as much damage as possible before we reach the bridge.a His expression hardened. aIad certainly like to pay these things back for the loss of my homeland.a aYou and countless others, Iam sure,a Cyrus said. aWeall wait here with you, then, try and relieve the foot army when they arrive. I expect the melee will turn interesting fast, depending on how these things react to horsemen. The best we can hope for is to give the last of the refugees time to start across the bridge. If the scourge donat decide to turn back, at least weave got an easily defended corridor.a Longwell looked at him carefully. aYou mean to orchestrate another bridge defense. Like Termina.a aI mean to,a Cyrus said. aI mean to make it the last stand. I want to take so many of those things with us, cause so much havoc and destruction that by the time we reach the other side theyave got a wall of their own corpses so high to crawl over that theyall never make it without sliding into the sea.a There was a pause and silence for a moment. aLofty goal,a Ranson said.

aThe alternative,a Cyrus said, ais letting them start to visit the same destruction on Arkaria as theyave wrought here in Luukessia.a He felt a tired weight land upon him. aI cannot let that happen. There is nothing but broken ground between the Endless Bridge and the settlements of southeastern Arkaria. They can surely cross the Inculta Desert without great difficulty, and wead be at a disadvantage fighting on the beaches, the forests, the sands and the mountains. Everything but flat plains, the scourge has mobility to beat anything we have for them.a He waved a hand at a densely clustered group of horsemen nearby. aOur only hope right now is that your dragoons can run over them like cavalry over infantry. Otherwise, weare going to get driven back to a bridge thatas likely crammed so full of people itall be a slaughter, a shoving match where people get tossed over the edge without regard as panic sets in and they begin to stampede to get away.a Quiet greeted this statement. Martaina spoke a moment later. aHow many people would you estimate have gotten to the bridge?a Ranson and Longwell exchanged a brief and telling glance. aFew enough,a Ranson said. aWe have no real idea how many people lived in Luukessia before all this, of course, but the guesses were in the millions. I would estimate that only a hundred thousand, perhaps many less, as few as fifty, have made it out of the area that the scourge now dominate.a Cyrus swallowed heavily and tasted the bile in the back of his throat threatening to come back up. Fifty thousand? Even a hundred thousand is a pitiful amounta"one in ten or twenty or thirty survivors of this land? Imagine if only one in ten members of Sanctuary survived some attack upon them. aThat a is a pittance.a Longwell nodded grimly. aI would estimate more started and were trapped along the roads or caught behind the lines as the scourge moved to sweep down along the eastern road through Galbadien. Those people are trapped behind the scourge now, and nothing can save them. Theyare exposed, and the scourge will have at them at will. There is no effective fighting force outside of this peninsula left on Luukessia. We can only hope that perhaps a few of them made it to boats and can make the slow way around the land unfettered by those things.a aThey canat swim,a Cyrus said. aWe found that out in Caenalys. Unless they can walk along the bottom of the sea, I think weare safe from them across bodies of water.a aThey breathe,a Longwell said. aIave found that out from the stink of their breath and the realization that they cease breathing when they die. I doubt theyall be able to do much on the bottom of the sea save for drown, like the rest of us.a aQuite an assumption,a Cyrus said, abut Iam hoping youare right.a He looked east, to the horizon, where the midday sun was just starting to come down from its apogee. aOnly hours til they get here? I suppose we should rest for a piece, and make ready.a He felt the set of his jaw as it got heavy, and the slightest bit of determination from somewhere inside crept up, like a friend he hadnat seen in a long time. aBecause itas going to be a long fight after this.a

Chapter 100.

Vara Day 214 of the Siege of Sanctuary She sat in the lounge, staring at the front window as the spring rain drizzled down outside, little speckling turning the glass into refractions, tilting the little bit of light that came down in different directions. The smell of home cooking was in the air, Laranaas finest efforts at turning pickled eggs, conjured bread and old mead into something palatable seemed to be working; in fact, Vara could not much tell the difference between the smell of what the druid was creating now from what she created with the freshest meats and vegetables. In the case of most, that would be a damning criticism indeed. In her case, itas praise. Her mouth watered as she took a deep sniff of the air around.

The sound of a dozen practice swordfights being conducted in the foyer were like a steady clank of metal in her ears, deafening in their way, causing her to clutch the stuffed arms of the chair with all their padding. It was a soft touch against her hands; her gauntlets lay at the table to her side, along with her book, The Crusader and the Champion. Canat seem to get into it at all. I havenat been able to since a since he left.

There was a shout of triumph, and she turned her head to see Belkan with his blade at Thadas neck. aYou may be one of our best,a the old armorer said to the red-clad warrior, whose face was as scarlet as his armor, abut age and experience still beats youth and speed from time to time.a She let her mind drift back. Her eyes drifted to the window, still spotted with the rain. Will he ever come back? Itas been a year and more, now. She chided herself for a fool. Even if he wanted to return, the portal is closed. He would have to go to Reikonos and wait there until the embargo was lifted. A glumness lay upon her, deep sadness draped over her shoulders like a shawl on a chill day. We are truly cut off from the outside world. That is the lasting legacy of what the Sovereign has wrought here, to place us under his thumb once and for all, without any way to come back and forth, to get suppliesa"she thought of Isabelle, and the briefest hint of sadness grewa"to see family, friends. He means to drive us out, to kill us, or worse. How Alaric sees all this and still manages to believe so strongly in the mission, in the ideal of disrupting and holding against the Sovereign a Then again, should we fall, we lose our home.

There was a stir behind her, a quiet that settled over the foyer, and she turned her head to see Alaric come out of the Great Hall, walking. He rarely walks these days, flitting from place to place in his ethereal mistsa"or whatever they are. She stood, grabbing her gauntlets and book, and marched toward the entry doors as Alaric headed toward them, nodding at those he passed and speaking to a few.

aWell done, Belkan,a Alaric said as he passed the space where the armorer was sparring with Thad. aYou continue to prove that skill and ability are ageless things and that a heart and willingness are enough for a fight.a aLet us hope we donat have to prove your theory correct in an all-out battle,a Belkan said to Alaric. aIad just as soon stay in the armory with a dead quiet than continue to have to sharpen these young ones for a battle Iad rather not fight.a aAgreed,a Alaric said, passing between the two of them smoothly, clapping each on the shoulder with great assurance and with none of the darkness of the soul head exhibited when last head spoken with Vara privately. She had not seen much of the Ghost since then. There had been no Council meetings and no change, the wall continuing to be assailed in earnest every few days. aThe purpose of this guild was never to sit here and defend our own keep, and that it has come to this is a measure of the depths that Arkaria finds itself in rather than a commentary on us, I think.a He gave a slight nod. aI think.a He graced Thad and Belkan with a smile and then kept on, giving a ranger he passed a slap on the shoulder for good measure, causing the man, a dwarf, to smile and blush at the acknowledgment of his guild leader. Heas so good at this when he wants to be. They respect him, they love him, even though he maintains his air of mysteriousness and aloofness. They would follow him into the Realm of Death on a whim, just likea"

She felt the stab of pain inside and ignored it, placing herself before the door and directly in Alaricas path. He noted her but did not adjust his course and did not look up until he was nearly upon her. aLass,a he said as he came to the doors.

aAlaric,a she said.

aIam going to inspect the inner walls,a he said, gesturing toward the door she was blocking. aIf thereas something on your mind, perhaps youad care to accompany me as I go.a She gave a very subtle half turn to look at the door before realizing how pointless it was to look at a closed door in indecision. aItas raining.a aA true deluge,a Alaric admitted. aAnd exactly why I am going now. The run of the water will apprise us of any breaches, any places where the drainage is poor, any areas of concern. The water shows us the truth of the wall, I think, and the strength of our barrier.a aYes, very well,a she said, and looked back to the table just inside the foyer. Laying her book upon it, she pulled her gauntlets on, one by one, and grasped the door handle, opening it for her Guildmaster. aShall we?a He eyed her curiously, dismissed the fact that she was holding the door open for him and walked through. She followed and the patter of the rain upon her helm began a moment later. Alaric paused outside the door on the first step as the rain fell upon him. He raised his face skyward, as though he were trying to expose himself to the drowning sky, and Vara watched, huddling closer to the door, trying to shelter herself using the slight indent of the main doors to protect her from the downpour. It was only minimally effective.

aDo you feel the liberation that the rains grant?a He turned to look at her, a solemnity and peace visible on the part of his face she could see. aIt is spring, and the rains mean growth and the coming green of summer. All the vestiges of the hard winter will be washed away as though they were our past sins, and we will be left left with nothing but a new field, freshly tilled, ready to be planted with whatever we will.a aMy field appears ill-tilled and filled to the brimming with dark elves,a she said sourly. aBut perhaps Iam seeing it wrong. Though I would consider myself very fortunate if the spring rains would wash them all away and leave me with an empty field once more.a Alaric gave the slightest chuckle. aSo would we all, but that is not always the point of the storm. When the real downpours begin, you cannot always control what is washed away. Sometimes you lose a part of your field, of your crop. It would certainly be easier if such things did not happen, but since we see it always in nature, I find it hard to believe it would not carry over into every other facet of life.a She watched the steady stream of water come down, smelled the freshness of the rain, dissipating the last aromas of the dinner being prepared inside, as though she had taken a drink of water to cleanse her palate between courses of a sumptuous meal. aYes, I have heard you talk of these philosophies before, of how we grow in storms, in times of trouble. I daresay we will be doing some considerable growing here.a He looked over his shoulder at her briefly, then settled back into his position, arms up, palms tilted skyward as though he could capture the rains for himself. aAlaric, I must tell you something.a He did not move, still drawing strength from the waters coming down around him. aAll right,a he said. aGo on.a aWhat you talked about before,a she said. aAbout taking our purpose to its natural conclusiona"to defending this place to the last. I wanted to tell you a I have believed in you as a leader and a friend since the days when I was so ground up inside that it felt as though there was nothing left within me but shattered glass. My sword has served you in noble cause all the days since the first, when I swore my allegiance to Sanctuarya"and it shall not falter now.a aI never doubted you for a moment,a he said, still not turning. aBut I admit I am curious; why this profession to me now?a aBecause,a she said at a whisper, aI saw you. You doubted yourself, and that is not something I am accustomed to from you, Alaric. You have been ever the constant to me, since the day you carried me back here from the Realm of Purgatory. I am used to seeing all manner of breakage around herea"from the days of Orion and a what the hells was that gnomeas name, the troublesome one? I have seen everyone go to pieces at one time or another, myself included. But not you, Alaric. Your title is Guildmaster, and you are affectionately known as the Master of Sanctuary, but it is better said that you are the Master of yourself. You do not fall apart, not ever. Not when the Dragonlord threatens to consume the entire north, not when every power in Arkaria rallies to destroy us, not when we stood before the God of Death himself and you bartered for our very lives. Yet now, in this time, you begin to show the signs of strain.a She watched him, saw the rain cascading off his pauldrons of battered steel in sheets as the tempo of the rains began to increase. aYou a falter. You crack. I wanted you to realize that you have my supporta"and my affectiona"for all that you have done and do. That I have ever considered you a friend and a mentor, and that I will follow you in this crusade of being the stopgap against the fall of Arkaria until its conclusion, whatever that may be.a There was no response at first, and then Alaric brought a hand to gesture her forward. aCome out to me.a He began to walk forward, down the steps, toward the lawn.

She let out an impatient hiss. aAlaric, it is a deluge out there.a He turned back and stared at her with wry amusement. aYou say you will follow me into death yet fear to tread in the rain. What am I to think of your level of conviction?a The corner of his mouth contained the barest hint of an upward creep, as though he were holding in a smile, rueful or otherwise.

She sighed and stepped out of the slight cover she was under. The rain began to patter upon her helm, and she took another step forward, reminded all at once of the sound of rain tapping on windows when she was a child in Termina. I do not see what sort of commitment can be tested by a mere walk in the rain. Thereas not even any lightning to be wary of.

aVery good,a Alaric said as she reached the bottom of the steps where he waited. aThere is a lesson in all this, you realize.a He looked to a tree to their right, a good ways off, a tall one, one that Vara had sat under more than once on summer days while reading. aIn the winds of the storm, the boughs of a tree spring back and forth, they bend in the gale. Sometimes, when the wind is strong, they crack. If you are close, you might perceive the sound. If it were a good break, it may be obvious to the sight. If a small one, it could go unnoticed.a He raised an eyebrow. aIf you are not particularly close to the source, then you may not see the strain, hear the crack, until the branch falls.a She saw the pulse of a spell leave his hand, a weak burst, and it jarred a branch near the top of the tree, which was considerably high. A small bough broke loose and tumbled, catching in the upper branches until it fell, finally, to the earth. aYet it cracks nonetheless. You simply do not see it until it is too late.a She tore her eyes from the branch on the ground to Alaric, straining to hear him over the disconcerting sound of the rain hammering at her head and body. aYou keep everyone at a distance. You maintain the vague and mysterious allure of a man whom no one knows. I suppose no one would be close enough to hear you strain and crack, would they?a He smiled slightly. aPerhaps.a aWhat would you have me learn from this, teacher?a She tried to keep the sarcasm out of her reply but somewhat failed, she knew. aA gardening lesson, perhaps? Tend to every branch of the tree, keep watch on them lest they fall at an inopportune time?a He glanced upward and nodded his head, a flat expression of surprise on his lower face. aThat is a not bad, actually. I was aiming more for a visual representation of the idea that you never know what lies beneath the surface of a body of water until youave been in it, but I did not wish to walk all the way around to the pond.a She let a small laugh escape. aSo it was merely a lesson in being vague and mysterious and keeping people at a distance in order to keep them from seeing you bend and break.a He nodded with a slight smile of his own. aClose enough. I have endeavored in the last years to get you to soften that edge you keep about you, the one that holds others at a distance. I told you before in your dealings with Cyrus that your protective instincts would drive him away. I have no desire to keep harping on what I perceive as your attempts to sabotage your own happiness, especially as you are aware of them. The lesson closest to what I want to tell you is thisa"a He stepped closer to her and placed both hands on her shoulders, looked her in the eyes with the cool grey of his, and took a deep breath. aIf you allow no one to stand close to you, no one will know when you are straining, when you are close to breaking, or the reason why. While I thought once, perhaps, this was a fine posture for a leader to maintain, I now doubt its efficacy, both as a leadership method and as a fulfilling way to live oneas life.a He glanced past her to the tree. aAlso, it seems somewhat dangerous in its illustrative purposes. That branch could have hit someone, after all.a She chuckled again. aYou jest. You couch your lessons in jests. Truly, this is rare indeed. You stumble between morbidity and a clarity of thought that I can scarcely fathom and then go right back to humor, all in the space of seconds.a He smiled. aI only wish to convey to you the mistakes I have made.a aYouave been a very good Guildmaster,a she said.

aI have made errors,a he said gravely, and she felt the squeeze of his hands as they clinked on her pauldrons. aGrave ones. Foolish ones. Almost all preventable, almost all brought about by my failure to trust my guildmates with things I should have told them. I have believed in you as well, all of you, that you were better than me. I felt my role here was to be secret-keeper, to mete and dole the things I had learned and acquired in their own time, fearing these secrets might be too much for anyone else to bear, that they might break you all or cause you to be under the same duress as myself. All it has done is isolate me, to put me off to the side, and make me shoulder every ounce of the burden. Indeed, now I am left to wonder if any of the things I held back ever had any real purpose at all, if it would not have been better for me to say plainly everything I knew and let the officers at least react with their own best judgment.a He sagged. aBut that is a discussion that is entirely esoteric at this point; we are too far down the road now for anything less.a aIf you have no one to speak to about these things,a she said, aI would listen, as you have for me all these years.a aI have rarely done that for you, my friend,a Alaric said with a smile. aAnd I am not totally bereft of those with which to speak some of my mind.a The smile disappeared. aThough I do miss Curatio at moments such as this. His wisdom was as great as his discretion, and there were things I could talk about with him that I dare not with anyone else.a There was a slight twinkle in his eye at her. aWell, almost.a They lapsed into quiet, and Alaric withdrew his hands from her shoulders. She thought on what he had said as the rain continued to fall around them. Isolated. Alone. Filled with regret. Yet still there is something he wonat say, things he wonat talk about. She cast a sidelong glance at him, wondering. aAlaric?a she asked. aFor all these you have said, the things you have told us will come to us ain the fullness of timea? Will we ever actually hear the answers?a His face darkened, and he stared at the tree as the rains washed over it. The air was clear now and fresh, the smell of all else washed away and replaced with the scent of good mud and earth. There was a flash of lightning on the horizon, and then a solid crack of thunder followed a few seconds later. She did not have to strain to hear him but only just. aPerhaps,a he said, his voice fading as he spoke. aPerhaps you will indeed. But the day may come when you do a that you wish you had not.a He was stoic, still, and looking at the wall before them and all that it held back, the army on the other side. aFor not all secrets are prizes to be revealed, celebrated and reveled in. Some are dark, and dangerous, and when the door is open to them,a he pointed to the gate in the wall, sealed against the predations of the dark elves, athey wreak nothing but destruction on everyonea"everyonea"that they touch.a

Chapter 101.