Winter 4994, 20 Aoimoth 

People were shouting orders and responses. Water fell from a cloudless sky. Ash mud mixed with blood pooled at Shon's knees. And he seemed cognizant of none of it.

Veon-Zih and Velona stumbled side by side through the smoldering embers of their once sturdy dwelling to their students' sides. Shon struggled to stand with Lily still cradled in his arms and didn't pull away from Veon-Zih's assistance until he reached his feet. 

Velona looked as if she wanted to take Lily herself, but Shon held her tighter, and the woman instead lifted Lily's limp arm and draped it over her lap. 

The barbarians swarmed, running clay jars and wooden buckets from the river toward the destruction while Pia continued to direct the water over the fires. Focusing on the surrounding yurts -now burning naturally without Lily's power fueling the flames. 

"Take them to my yurt," Chief Amberyak's voice cut through the cries and orders of the others, and no fewer than eight warriors approached the Monks and their charges warily. Weapons bared.

"Tuth..." Velona whispered. 

Veon-Zih nodded ever so slightly to her and stepped forward, blocking the barbarians from getting too close to Shon and Lily. "We'll come, but let us retrieve our companion." 

The Chief nodded once towards them, then towards the body of Tuth -which the tribespeople were giving a wide berth. Though if it was to avoid the downed Mage, or the kelpie sniffing at his hair, Veon-Zih couldn't be sure. He had no idea where Yua was but trusted that the woman could take care of herself, or at least that the barbarians would bring her to them in due time. 

They let Velona lead the way while Shon followed, his steps smooth but measured carefully. Veon-Zih could feel the man struggling not to stumble, his student's stubbornness and pride the only thing keeping him upright. 

The kelpie looked like it might snap at Velona as she approached, but after the glare she shot it, the beast sidled away, lowering its head in submission. "Oh, my poor boy..." Velona started as she knelt by Tuth's head, lifting the Mage in her arms and running her fingers over the thin stream of blood trailing down his neck. 

She searched for a pulse, but then her fingers froze, and her jaw fell open as the Mage let out a snuffling snore, "No..." she breathed. Looking up to Veon-Zih in offended shock, she shouted, "He's asleep!" 

"Pseudodragon..." Shon mumbled. 

Veon-Zih managed a chuckle and dropped down beside the young Mage, scooping him into his arms. "Well," Veon-Zih said to Velona as he stood, "He'll be out for at least a day then." 

He carried Tuth to the Chief's yurt, with their escort of warrior guards, and Velona held the flap open for them. Shon managed to make it all the way across the circular floor to one of the larger chests along the wall before he dropped to his knees and turned to lean his back against the sturdy wood. Lily still cradled in his lap. Veon-Zih laid Tuth out beside them and took up a position in the middle of the yurt, standing guard between their useless companions and the door. 

Velona took a moment to make sure Tuth was comfortable, then went to Shon and Lily. She stroked Lily's face with her fingertips, and Shon growled. Veon-Zih turned, but his student's eyes were closed, and his head hung limp to his chest. It had been a literally unconscious reaction.

Velona didn't take offense. She actually sighed, a slight smile turning up the sides of her lips as she stood. She stepped towards Veon-Zih but stopped just before reaching him, wrapping her arms around herself and shuddering. Veon-Zih didn't hold back. He closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her gently, mindful of her wound. She leaned into him, and he stroked her smooth head before giving in and kissing it softly. 

"It's alright..." he whispered against her skin. 

She let slip a strangled laugh but nodded against his chest, "Yes, they're alive, and the Warlocks are gone. But..." She took a shaking breath, "I've never seen any Sorcerer lose control like that before." she looked up, and he met her pleading eyes, "Will she really be okay when she wakes up?"

Veon-Zih reached around to stroke her face, and Velona leaned into his touch, "She will be." he smiled down at her, "She is nothing if not resilient. And she has you." 

"And Shon," she leaned further into him but turned her head away to look back at the two Sorcerers, "He didn't hesitate..."

"He didn't have to." Veon-Zih reminded her, "And this isn't the first time he's seen her like that. He's stubborn and in love..." Veon-Zih turned Velona's face back towards him, "Trust him, Master Velona," then softer he whispered, "This is their story now..." 

***

Shon slipped in and out of consciousness... At some point, Yua came in, bringing with her their bags of holding and Shon's sword. He could feel it pull what was left of his power from the air when it came in range and heard her speaking to the Monks, "That's one hell of a sword, the hilt will need new leather but other than that, it seems untouched,"

"It's a masterwork blade with some extra magical protection..." Veon-Zih explained.

"Thank the gods for the durability of magical items in general." Velona's voice added but then sighed, "I keep expecting him to chime in with a lecture on exactly why bags of holding are capable of surviving just about anything..." 

Veon-Zih answered, "He'll wake up soon enough. If anything, Tuth should be grateful for the enforced nap..." Shon drifted off again...

He woke once more when he felt a tugging in his chest followed a few minutes later by an angry hiss and shouts from outside the yurt. A moment later, Ryuuko swooped in through the roof and landed on Shon's head, crawling down his font to curl on Lily's lap and against Shon's chest. Two guards came bursting through the flap but were quickly calmed by Yua and the Monks.

The pseudodragon tried to send Shon images of what was happening outside, but all Shon could tell was that the sun had risen and that barbarians were swarming like ants around blackened circles that marred the once beautiful symmetry of their camp from above.

Ryuuko let slip a tired whistle, and Shon reached around from under Lily to pet its back with his fingertips, glad for its presence but too tired to do more... 

He didn't wake up when the Druid came in, but he did when she touched him. Shon flinched away and even growled while Ryuuko hissed. 

"Your wounds reopened, Son of Honor..." She said, her voice kinder and more patient than he'd heard before.

Contrary to the Druid's gentleness, the Chief sounded gruff and angry, "If he is truly a Son of Honor, then why has he not healed himself, Asurehoof?"

Shon's eyes cracked open but shut again at the light streaming through the top of the yurt. It was Velona who explained, "Shon isn't a Paladin, Chief Amberyak, he..." 

"The kingdom sent an ordinary man and child wizard to deal with us?" the Chief snarled, "Was all that paper worth nothing but dung in the field? You come into our tribe, partake of our hospitality, and-"

"He is a representative of the Temple of Hengist," Veon-Zih interrupted with steel in his voice. "Even without being a Paladin, the Temple trusts him with tasks across not only this province but the entire kingdom. We came here in good faith, and your contract still stands despite your tribe harboring a Warlock." 

"Two, actually," Velona said softly.

Shon felt the healing waves from the Druid's hands again and forced his eyes open. He needed to be awake for this. In the center of the one-room home sat Chief Amberyak, his son Scarletgiraffe, and Pia, looking about as tired as Shon felt.

The Chief and his son blanched at the accusation. The rest of the tribe might not even know what a Warlock was, but the Chief knew what the consequences might be if the kingdom determined that they'd knowingly allowed a Warlock in their midsts.

"Chief Amberyak..." Shon's voice came out in a rasp and he stopped to swallow before continuing more clearly, "I do not believe you knew what Arver was..." His eyes flicked towards Pia, who finally looked her age. Just a scared teenage girl. "What happened in your yurt?" Shon asked her coldly. 

Pia looked down at her hands as all eyes fell on her. Speaking softly, she said, "He wanted to meet Lily and was feeling better, so I brought her. But he... he was different after he saw her. He told her that he had a partner and that they had already killed her companions, that she was free to come with him now. As if she would want to. Lily had fires for light in my yurt, and they flared, Dekishi pulled me into the water, and we swam outside, but she'd already run back to the camp. I... I didn't get there until after..." the Chief rested a gentle hand on her head. Still, she hadn't said anything about the enchanted sleep or anything else that the Warlock might've said. 

Yua picked up the story from their perspective, "We were attacked in our yurt by a man in robes wielding unnatural magic," 

"We chased him into the plains, but he teleported away," Veon-Zih explained, "With Warlock magic, I've seen it before."

Chief Amberyak sat stiffly, but his hands were shaking. A moment later, he seemed to deflate, covering his face, "We didn't know, we didn't even know he had a companion. He saved-"

"I believe you." Shon stated, "The Warlock Arver broke the laws of hospitality." the Chief's head shot up, and his hopeful eyes met Shon's. What he saw there made him shiver, and Shon nodded. "We will make our report, but it is my belief, and I will argue, that you were ignorant of his nature. There is no reason why the kingdom should have any further dealings with your tribe, assuming," he let his eyes rest on Pia once more, "you keep to your contract."

"Of course," the Chief said quickly. Shon nodded, and the man stood, "You truly are a Son of Honor, Icespeaker." Chief Amberyak gestured towards his bed, "You may rest here for as long as you need."

Shon's arms clenched around Lily, but Veon-Zih said, "As soon as Tuth wakes, we'll leave." 

The Druid cleared her throat, sitting back on her heels and saying, "If we know what poisoned him and have a sample of the venom, I can craft an antivenom."

Shon nodded and sent a silent request to Ryuuko. The pseudodragon trilled and waved its barbed tail in the air before crawling from its spot between Shon and Lily towards the Druid.

"Your familiar?" the Druid breathed, reaching out to present her palm for Ryuuko to sniff. Scarletgiraffe and Pia both moved to investigate, and Ryuuko preened at the attention. But Pia had sidled closer to Shon. 

*** 

His familiar looked like Arver's... Except the colors. This one looked like the autumn foliage of seasonal trees with blotches of gray and white spreading out from its spine and wingtips to overtake the red, orange, and yellow. 

Pia sidled around behind Scarletgiraffe as if to get a closer look at the little dragon but instead whispered to the Temple man, "I would have a word with you... Son of Honor..." she tried not to sneer at the title but wasn't sure if she managed it. Hengist was known as a god of honor amongst the tribes -a fool in Pia's opinion- and thus his followers were dubbed his children. But she had heard the others say he was not, in fact, a recognized servant... But then why did she hate him so? Arver had said that her mother and patron was an enemy to Hengist, and that was why she felt repulsed by this man. But if he wasn't a true Son of Honor... 

She watched as he stiffened and was afraid he might deny her outright, perhaps demand answers in front of everyone. It was the kind of stupid thing a true Son of Honor would do, she was sure. Instead, he nodded, the merest tilt of his head. And despite how exhausted he looked, he shifted his weight with strength and grace, standing without assistance with Lily still cradled in his arms. He turned his back to her and laid his sleeping burden on the Chief's bed. Fool... she knew he felt the same animosity towards her as she did towards him, and yet he'd exposed his back to her.

The female with the shaved head passed by them to sit beside Lily, and the Temple man arranged her arms to lay more comfortably. 'Shon is my favorite treasure...' Lily had said. Hearing about her companion's deaths, including this man, had sent her into a monstrous rage the likes of which Pia had never imagined. It had been terrifying, and beautiful, in its absolute destruction. Pia shook her head, clearing it of the memory of flames and screaming, and turned her own back on the Temple man. Confident that he was too much of a fool to take proper advantage even if he could.

She heard him grab his sword and hid a flinch. Leading him out of the yurt and away from the guards, she headed towards the river. His footsteps stopped just out of hearing range of the others, and she turned to see him arch a single black eyebrow at her, his ice-blue eyes saying clearly that he would go no further. So perhaps not that much of a fool. 

Pia tried to meet his eyes but couldn't hold them. It was as if he was looking into her soul, and all she could see in turn was an endless expanse of emotionless winter. Waiting to sap the heat and life from her body without caring about the result. Perhaps she was the fool...

She looked away, mumbling, "You care for her..." He said nothing. She balled her hands into fists and snarled, "I don't know why I hate you. Something about you disgusts me. But... That same part knows that you won't hurt her. That you can't." She tried to smirk, and added, "Pathetic really..." she glanced up at him again. Still, if she expected to see him get angry, she was sorely disappointed. 

"Tch..." she looked away again and continued, "Arver called her Firewyrm... He said he could save the world with her. He also said... He said she was a dragon."

"Warlocks are mad." He answered.

Pia managed to glare at him. "Look at her! At her power!" She practically shouted, as if that would convince him, or even matter, "He knew of my dreams, of the woman who speaks to me in them. He knew. If Lily is a..."

"Enough," Shon said, his voice as cold as his eyes, and her jaw snapped shut, "This does not concern you. Train to be a good Shaman to your people, keep to your contract, and forget about Arver and every mad thing he told you." She gaped at him. He didn't sound as though he didn't believe her, and yet he expected her to just forget? But his tone dropped further, and she began to shiver as he continued, "And pray, Pia. Pray that you and I never have to meet again. Because I won't forget that you were the one who brought Lily to him while everyone slept from your toast." 

She felt the blood drain from her face and her mouth worked fruitlessly until she finally managed, "But... The storms... The world... He said..." 

"Forget it," He stated again, turning his back to her. And she realized that he wasn't a fool, he merely knew he need not fear her. He started to step away, but then stopped, "If you care at all for Lily, then know that they are the ones who kept her prisoner, and they are the ones who would sacrifice your entire tribe without a second thought." She couldn't even watch his back, her eyes falling to stare at her feet.

Arver had nearly sacrificed her tribe. He'd warned only her of the storm, and only when she refused to believe him did he warn the others and force their hand. But that didn't bother her as much as Lily... She'd seen the change in Lily when Arver had asked her name. Lily had known, if not him, then of his people. Had they really held her prisoner before? And yet Pia had brought her back to them. It made her feel sick. The Temple man continued, "If the world needs saving, then it is us who will save it, without their 'help.'" 

He left her in the middle of the common area, and she couldn't follow. Trust... The woman's voice from her dreams whispered in her mind. Pia closed her eyes, listening closely. Feeling for that dark light she'd let into her soul after her power had awakened, and her dreams became even more vivid. 

Mother... What do I do? Pia prayed to a goddess she'd never heard of until Arver. 

The voice didn't answer. Arver had said the goddess couldn't do much from where she was, but that was why they needed to stop the storms... Pia couldn't forget. 

She lingered in the common area until the kingdom men came out of the Chief's yurt together, the Temple man carrying Lily lightly in his strong arms, as if the grown woman was no more than a child. The Chief came to bid them farewell, and the male with the shaved head shook his hand then stepped back to bow. Saying, "We will keep our word about our reports, but we cannot promise that no one will come to question you directly. Assist them honestly in any way you can, and they will have no grounds to blame your tribe for the actions of one who mislead you." 

"They will know if you lie, Chief Amberyak," the Temple man said in his deep quiet voice. "Make sure your tribe knows and knows too that honesty will be respected." His eyes shifted to Pia for only a moment, then back to the Chief before he bowed, Lily preventing him from anymore than a slight dip.

The young Mage was digging through his bag -the only one not stained black from the fire- and pulled out a small glass ball. Pia moved close enough to see what looked like a single diamond suspended in the glass. He gestured for them to back up and threw it at the ground in the middle of their small party. With a blinding flash, they vanished.

*** 

Briman woke up on the floor of his room in a pool of his own dry and coagulated blood. He had no idea how long he'd been unconscious or if Arver had survived, but he knew he needed to report what had happened. 

 He struggled to sit up. His left arm wasn't obeying his commands and he had to drag himself up to his feet with his desk chair. He didn't dare look down, the only feeling he got from the limb being the searing pain in his shoulder that threatened to black him out again, and the dead weight of his hand slapping against his leg. He used his last spell to keep himself conscious despite the pain, then staggered towards the door.

He made his way down the tightly spiraling stairs, through the library that spread out from the steps like the spokes of a wheel, to the ground floor. He stumbled off the landing and screamed as he hit the floor on his dead arm. 

"Keep it down out there! We have a guest!" Archmage Shaloon's cruel voice sounded from the open door of her personal lab, and Briman pulled himself towards it. He tried to use the handle to lift himself back up to his feet, but it swung with his weight and sent him tumbling in and down the short half-flight of steps to the lab floor. 

"Oh Briman, you're back," Shaloon said, her feet appearing in his view before he trialed up her long robes to look into her eyes. Eyes that shifted colors through the full range of the spectrum while he watched. "Did you bring the Chosen? A Sorcerer of that power should come in very handy." 

Briman coughed and rolled over, trying again to push himself up. He gave up, leaning against the wall, "No, Archmage," he answered. 

"Tch," she turned away from him, and he finally saw the 'guest' she'd shouted about. The woman sat like a queen on a throne. Though the brass and sapphires wrapped around her wrists and neck bound her to the steel chair and kept her magic locked tightly away. Her regal bearing made the mud and bloodstains on her silk gown look intentional, and the bindings look like jewelry. 

"Ryuugen's mighty claws... Archmage, what have you done? She's..."

But Shaloon waved her hand over her shoulder dismissively and scoffed. "I am aware, Briman. But this is what happens when we use foolish tools that think keeping a low profile means kidnapping a noble's daughter." Shaloon studied the woman from afar and shrugged. "But it is too late to wipe her memory, and if we break her mind, it will cause just as much suspicion as if we had kept her, so we might as well take advantage of her dragon blood." 

The noblewoman tilted her chin up proudly and glared at Shaloon, "My brother..." she started.

"Has no idea where you are." Archmage Yarna interrupted from the door. She made her way down the six steps and accidentally kicked Briman before she looked down and said, "Oh, you're back. Where's Arver?" 

Briman closed his eyes and swallowed, "I don't know, Archmage. He was meeting with the Firewyrm..."

"What?!" Shaloon screamed in draconic, wrenching him to his feet by the neck of his tattered robes. With magic-enhanced strength, she held him off the ground, "You found her? Where is she? How..."

"What on earth happened to your arm, Briman?" Yarna asked casually over Shaloons shaking interrogation. She lifted the limb, then let it fall to slap against his thigh, then lifted it again so he couldn't avoid looking at it anymore. The skin was gray over the black bruising, the fingers of his hand shattered and twisted like broken twigs, and the bicep cut nearly through the bone. 

He coughed again, and blood splattered Shaloon's face. It wasn't only his exterior that was damaged. "Monks..." he answered and tried to turn his head, so his next cough didn't hit the unpredictable Archmage. "The Firewyrm was traveling with the Temple and Guild representatives to register the Chosen. They had a Ranger and two Monks with them." 

Shaloon dropped him to pool in a heap at her feet, "So Arver is dead then. How wasteful." She said dismissively, her right hand dropping to her side. 

"He thought to convince her to come back-" Briman started.

Shaloon laughed, "The Firewyrm melted the northern Talon and killed a wyvern to stay free!" smoke spewed from her fingers, and a black sword formed in her hand.  She grabbed his dead arm and hoisted him up by it. Before he could protest, she cut through the limb and sent him back to the ground in a screaming bloody mess. Shaloon tossed the arm aside to flop at the Noble woman's feet. 

"Speaking of wasteful..." Yarna said, shaking her head and kneeling beside him. Her hand was wreathed in purple flames, and she pressed it to his bleeding stump, cauterizing the wound. Briman regretted casting the spell that would keep him conscious through all of this and writhed as he screamed. When she was done, Yarna stood and Briman lay panting on the floor, wishing for some kind of sweet release. Sleep or even death.

Yarna wiped her hands on her robes and addressed Shaloon over him. "It was not such a bad idea. The eastern Talon has tamed the Waterwrym with freedom and kindness, and I am nothing if not kind to my specimens." She smiled at the noble sweetly, and the woman glared back. "When you have regained your composure, Briman. Have one of the apprentices take Lady Raina to her rooms. And be sure to keep the antimagic going. She is a powerful earth Sorcerer and will make a fine addition to my breeding program."

"And if not," Shaloon added, "Her blood, at least, will come in very handy." 

The noble blanched and hissed, "You're mad... My brother..."

"And you are expendable," Shaloon interrupted, then gestured around the room, "We all are. When weighed against the fate of the world."