Drown in the Sunset

Chapter Ten: Surviving the Massacre

NOTE: After more than a year! I'm so sorry for the delay. I will offer no excuses. I will only be grateful if someone still reads this.

The story is halfway through with this chapter. And more developments will come when I get to update again. Please do leave a review if you can. Thank you.

This is also to "celebrate" 09-09-09. One day. 9 posts (new stories or updates).

Disclaimer: Escaflowne. Not. Mine.

General Gein Adelphos was most seriously displeased.

Gazing at the unanticipated chaos transpiring in the battlefield, he furrowed his brow and gritted his teeth. The situation had just gone from bizarre to deadly and he did not like it one bit. He was a very experienced war veteran and had seen countless battles in his time, but none like this. For the first time in his entire (and extensive) military career, Adelphos had no idea on how to proceed with the campaign.

First, it had been the appearance of a herd of emaciated cattle on the battlegrounds. That had been unspeakably perplexing. The soldiers had been at a loss about what to do. True, it was convenient enough for the Zaibach guymelefs to simply trample on the miserable creatures to end their agony but such slaughter seemed inordinate even to the fiercest of Zaibach generals.

Besides, the other armies had halted in their fight as well, so confusing were the circumstances. Not to mention the putrid smell of those disgusting livestock. They seemed to bring the stench of death and misery with them and at one point, the stink had been so much that all the older soldiers even wished for the metallic stench of blood and the strong odor of burning corpses rather than this.

So they all (allies and enemies) decided to take the matter into their old hands. Using their weapons and guymelefs, all the soldiers began to murder the cattle (at least those who were still left standing. The carcasses of the already dead creatures were duly incinerated by the other guymelefs, not just to clear the field but also to somehow get rid of the maddening stench.

And then, just when they thought that the strange occurrences were over, more unexpected creatures arrived at the battlefield and in a most disturbing and unnatural manner too!

The cattle's bodies were not destroyed. Instead, the bony figures disintegrated into hundreds of smaller particles which were later revealed to be hordes of insects and frogs. All manner of pests appeared from where the cattle had fallen dead. The corpses transformed into flies, gnats, locusts, and thousands of others. While the other dead cattle were transformed into hopping masses of frogs and crawling lizards.

Cries of extreme puzzlement echoed in the battlefield as the soldiers then tried to exterminate all the pests. But there efforts were all in vain. If anything, their attempts to lessen the insects and amphibians only helped the unnatural creatures multiply even more.

And upon looking at the insects and frogs carefully, the soldiers had noticed that these were no ordinary pests. Every fly, gnat, or frog had a sickly look about it, their skin gray and slimy. And all of them seemed to be ridden with disease. So after a while, when the soldiers saw that they were not making any progress in getting rid of the foul creatures, they decided instead to put as much distance between them as possible.

Unfortunately, the words Van had told the other general before the Fanelian King left soon began to come true. The soldiers who fled were hardly able to get a few meters away from the battlefield before they were struck down with fast and inexplicable sickness. They screamed instantly because of the shots of pain that they were experiencing before they fell lifeless to the ground.

All the higher officers were all the more made nervous by these circumstances but they still refused to let their armies retreat. Instead, they urged them further. The other remaining men on the field, those who still had the audacity to remain, were not spared from the strangeness. All of a sudden, large boils began appearing on their bodies and they were at a great loss as to how to deal with the abrupt appearance of skin infections. They too began screaming in horror, dropping their weapons and running away.

Even those who piloted guymelefs were not spared. Their skin too began to erupt in disgusting boils. Confused and hurt, they opened their pilot hatches immediately, and jumped off their guymelefs. Then, they too began to flee.

This time, the soldiers were struck down, not by illness or by more peculiar circumstances. This time, the unfortunate soldiers were being killed by their own superiors, gunned down and executed for cowardice.

And as of that moment, there was more slaughter and bloodshed on that Gaean battlefield than there had ever been in the history of the world with two moons. Fear gripped at the hearts of the remaining commanding officers who had not been afflicted with either the debilitating disease or the filthy boils.

Just as Adelphos finished issuing the order to shoot down all those who dared retreat from the battlefield, a young soldier (still unafflicted with anything, probably since he was in the safety of a flying fortress, just like the General), ran up to him and presented him with a short report on the status of some of the members of his army.

Adelphos clenched his fist. It was bad enough that he had had to deal with all this frenzied madness, but now he had this on his hands. How infuriating!

Apparently, that little monster, Dilandau Albatou, had gone missing on the eve of battle. True enough, none of the other soldiers had seen the dreaded commander of the Dragonslayers engage in battle recently. And the report added that the dog-man assigned to guard that young nuisance had gone missing as well.

"Just as well," Adelphos thought. The dog-man would have been severely punished anyway for his neglect of his duties so it was probably better for him to have disappeared also.

Nevertheless, this recent chain of events was absolutely annoying and Adelphos was growing very, very restless. He and the generals of the other Zaibach armies had immediately sent word to Emperor Dornkirk of what was transpiring on the field but unfortunately for them, communication with their leader was inconveniently one-sided. They heard nothing from him at all, no advice, no orders, nothing that would help them make sense of this mess.

Perhaps, for the first time, even their enigmatic leader could not make heads or tails of the situation too. Adelphos frowned and rubbed his throbbing forehead. None of this boded well indeed, for any of them in Gaea.

--

In the meantime, miles away from the battle, a renowned Asturian scholar was conducting an interview of the most intriguing kind. His mysterious visitor had proven to be a most entertaining guest and he did not at all mind the distraction from all the grim discussions that they had been having recently in Asturia.

This is not to say that Dryden's affections for Millerna decreased in the slightest. The strange girl did not seem to be interested in pursuing any such relationship with him, in the first place. She was charming enough but she was also very honest and straightforward about her intentions. All she asked was some protection and shelter for as long as she was in Asturia which she promised would be not too long.

"I do not know yet how I may be able to repay you for your kindness, Lord Dryden," the girl said earnestly but in an almost business-like manner. It was clear that she was not used to informal conversations.

"You may be assured, however," she continued, "that I will not abuse your generosity and will compensate for your losses as soon as I am able."

"There is no need to be so formal, miss," Dryden told her with a reassuring smile, "I would prefer that you treat me as your friend, for that is indeed what I shall be to you. And as for repaying me, think nothing of this little service that I am able to provide you. It is who must thank you for being a welcome distraction to all the tension I've had to put up with in the past few weeks. I assure you that you are doing me a favor."

"You're much too kind, I am sure," the girl replied modestly but not with the flirtatious giddiness that most other girls usually gave Dryden. He liked that she was not so easily moved by smooth words. That was refreshing and he was eager to know more of this strange girl.

"But there is one way that you could repay me, if you wish," he suggested with a grin. Seeing the eager look light up her face, he continued.

"Let's start with your name, then," Dryden told her and he leaned back in his chair and waited for the answer.

"Ferdon," she said simply but with a slight emotion coming to her voice, "I am an orphan."

"Oh," Dryden replied, "so with whom have you been living?"

"Most of the friends whom I had considered my family are now dead. And I have come here to seek out the few who may have survived. But I have no assurance of that."

She stopped talking and remained still although her eyes were glistening slightly with tears. But her face remained impassive and she did not even tremble with emotion. Her gaze was steady and unflinching and Dryden found her entire countenance during the interview quite admirable.

He now felt guilty for having elicited such a confession from her although she gave it freely.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said gravely, "and I assure you that I will do everything in my power to help you, Ferdon."

"That's very kind of you, Lord Dryden," she began.

"Call me Dryden," he interrupted.

"But you need not worry about me," she continued, as if he had not interrupted her, "I am more than capable of continuing the search on my own."

"I'm sure you are," he said with a gentle smile.

"But as my benefactor, I feel that you deserve to know the truth about me so feel free to ask about the particulars of my situation if you wish to know them," she remarked with earnest eyes, "I understand that my presenting myself to you in such an abrupt manner, and on the slightest connection, is extremely inappropriate. I'm sure your accountant agrees with me."

"Don't worry about him," Dryden replied with a small laugh, pushing his spectacles up his nose, "he's just too uptight for his own good. And don't worry about me prying into your past. I do not judge people based on their backgrounds and I will not press you for any details. Do not feel obliged to tell me what is too delicate to share. I respect that."

"Thank you," she answered with relief and a small bow of gratitude.

"Don't trouble yourself about it," he told her with a grin, "and now that's settled, I'd like to ask you for a small favor if I may."

"Of course."

"I must be going back the Asturian Palace now, to help some important friends deal with this current crisis and I loathe to go back there alone. You seem to me like a very sensible girl, more so than most of the old geezers debating up there. I would like to bring you along, at least just to introduce you to certain people who might be able to help you or at least just so I'm not too bored."

"The Asturian Palace?" Ferdon asked with wide-eyes.

"Don't be daunted," Dryden reassured her, "it's not as scary as it seems. And at this point, I think that someone like you will be a welcome addition to our little group of adventurers. I have a feeling that you will be able to answer some of our questions."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I'm not. Just one of those hunches. But your arrival here is timely, very timely indeed. And with all the strange events happening all over Gaea, I am inclined to believe that no occurrence happens only by chance. There is a design behind everything which I have yet to decipher. But you may be sure that I will figure this all out."

"Well, if you think it will help, I have no objection to going with you, Dryden," Ferdon agreed with a small smile.

"That's the spirit!" the merchant replied enthusiastically, "so we'd better get going. I'll bet they're all expecting me back by now."

--

"There he is!!!" cried an enthusiastic, high-pitched feline voice as the Hispano Guymelef gracefully landed in the Palas hangar. Van was fortunate enough to reach the Asturian capital just before the last light of day disappeared.

The other members of his welcoming party were scarcely less eager to see him. Hitomi gazed with extreme relief and happiness lighting up her young face and even Allen looked glad to see his friend return safe and sound.

The raven-haired king of Fanelia managed to smile as he approached his little welcome party. His early return was by no means a piece of good news about the war but there was nothing he could have done. To say that the circumstances had grown strange was to make a gross understatement.

He had not wanted to leave the battlefield but nothing could change that now.

Van Slanzar de Fanel kept his promises and when he saw Hitomi's relieved and happy face, he was glad that he was a man of his word.

"We were so worried about you!" Merle cried out in her usual overprotective fashion, instantly clinging on to the young man.

Van almost laughed in spite of himself at how familiar and comfortable everything seemed there. He wished such peace could last longer.

"Thank you for keeping your promise," Hitomi said gravely.

"Thank you for the warning," Van replied earnestly, "I think I may owe my life to you once again."

"It's all right," the green-eyed girl continued, "what matters now is that you're alive and safe and here with us at last."

"A great many things have happened here since you went away," Allen commented, "and if I don't start acquainting you with all the particulars, you might not catch up."

Van raised an eyebrow skeptically. He was aware of many changes that had happened in Asturia but something about Allen's manner suggested that there was more to it.

No doubt Folken too had a hand in these new events but the younger Fanel could not be too sure. Everything was shrouded in mystery where his older brother was involved.

"Well, don't waste any time sitting around then," Van said, "let me in on whatever you've been doing in my absence."

Hitomi sighed.

"Where do we even begin?" the girl from the Mystic Moon said, only making Van more suspicious.

Allen looked graver than usual as well but Van could have no idea on what the golden-haired Knight Caeli was pondering on.

The young king returned from battle almost felt lost among his closest companions and this unnerved him greatly.

Merle had begun chatting away but found that even she could barely make sense of the recent train of events. So the cat-girl for once was silent of her own accord and allowed the others to tell Van of what had been happening in Palas, and who had been performing various deeds.

Van listened carefully to all that either Allen or Hitomi told him of what happened. Allen did most of the talking, since Hitomi was more concerned with how Van would react to all the news he would be bombarded with.

Knowing his rash nature, the Mystic Moon girl feared that he might do something that could harm either someone else or himself.

But to her relief, the dark-haired king remained relatively calm as Allen acquainted him with the particulars. He had grown so much in the past few weeks and Hitomi was proud of him.

But it still remained to be seen how he would carry himself in the presence of the others, his older brother in particular, since they were to be collaborating somewhat on whatever venture it would be to save Gaea.

Hitomi knew that although Van had never really lost all affection for his sibling, there was still so much anger and resentment in the young man directed towards the man he considered a traitors.

Hitomi sighed as she pondered all these things. The Gaea she had left had already been filled with complications.

And now that she had returned, new problems and issues had bubbled up to the surface.

But she needed to be strong for them all, her friends, and for Van.

As they all walked together towards another part of the palace, Hitomi hoped that no one would meet them unexpectedly and cause any confrontation. That would certainly not do for the moment.

--

Since Folken and Eries both had other business to attend to, Rhonas found herself alone for the first time in a few days. While she enjoyed and preferred the company of the two regal people, she was glad for some solitude not plagued with painful memories or unwanted visions.

She decided that she would walk around the more obscure areas of the palace in order to get some air and to clear her mind a little more. There was so much that still needed to be done, and here she was languishing in confinement.

It was unbecoming and uncharacteristic. She was not comfortable with being care for.

And no doubt, another person was waiting for her beyond the walls of Palas.

But the former archive was not one to linger aimlessly in any place. While she did not know exactly why she still tarried there, she also knew that there must still be something she must accomplish before going out to join Dilandau in their mission.

Her intuition had always been accurate and while she had no sense of any danger coming to herself, she could sense some conflict arising between some people in the palace.

And now, she needed to find out who these were.

--

He could hear the echoes of the screams. But he had put enough distance between him and all the horrors that now besieged those still on the battlefield. The strange events would not affect him now.

Nevertheless, Dilandau Albatou frowned with distaste as he heard the faint sounds carried by the wind to where he stood, safe and unharmed.

It was just as he and Rhonas had discovered. And it sickened him to think that such things could really happen on Gaea.

Fortunately, he was far enough from the site to even catch a whiff of the stench that was no doubt emanating from the smörgåsbord of corpses, insects, and diseased individuals miserably left standing in the battlefield.

But he knew what had happened, and knew that there would be more to come.

Dilandau narrowed his crimson eyes.

"What's taking you so long?" he muttered, hoping that his orders would somehow reach the only dragonslayer left alive.

"If I get there first and you are not there to meet me," he continued threatening his absent companion, "you will pay dearly."

He was comforted by the relative calm of the woods. Now, none of the wild animals dared approach him.

The young, pale captain exuded an aura that threw everything off. He inspired both fear and fascination, but more of the former.

He was more determined than ever to reach his goal.

But unfortunately for him, some demons would continue to haunt him along the way.

Dilandau stopped abruptly, scarlet eyes wide, as a vision or memory seemed to explode before him.

The echoes had reminded him of that dreadful, bloody battle.

The captain had to lean against a tree for support as the images bombarded him. Once again, he could hear their screams, their cries for help.

And he had just stood there. Alone and helpless. He had not been able to come to their aid.

He had watched them fall, watched as that blasted dragon Escaflowne had cut down all of his best men.

Had he not trained them enough? Why had they been so incompetent at such a crucial battle?

They had cornered the dragon! But the monster had suddenly acquired a power that was darker and more sinister than his own.

And they had fallen, and he alone survived.

Dilandau clutched at his face as he remembered faces and names, all calling out to him in vain.

They had left him alone.

And for a few moments, he feared that he would see that dark cell again, with only one pathetic sliver of light.

He was afraid he would hear that little girl weeping, that child whom he could never recognize and yet whom he knew was very close to him somehow.

He feared that he would once again fall into another trance, and be hindered from his path.

"No," the determined commander muttered, "I cannot afford to be delayed another moment. This must stop now."

He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he struggled to keep the visions away.

Part of him wanted those faces to stay, wanted to hear their voices again, even just for one last time. At least, while he journeyed towards the meeting point, he would not be alone, in a way. Strangely, one of his Dragonslayers seemed missing from the visions but he did not bother to analyze this fact.

So he managed to take a few steps forward and continue walking, with the ghosts of his Dragonslayers faithfully walking beside him.

After a while, they had stopped speaking. They simply followed his lead as loyally and as faithfully as they once did.

And when Dilandau finally had enough strength to move on, in spite of the solitude, the specters faded away completely.

--

"I must apologize, my lady Ferdon," Dryden said with some concern, "but I have been summoned for a meeting at which I am not allowed to bring any guests. Do forgive me for inconveniencing you."

"Think nothing of it, my lord," she replied calmly, "I shall not wish to get in your way. Do not worry about me."

Dryden once again smiled at the formality in her tone, even if he had repeatedly asked her to drop it. Old habits die hard.

There was really something about her that seemed so familiar but he was being urgently asked to enter the council room so he would have to put aside such thoughts.

"I trust you will be able to find some way of amusing yourself while I am busy," he told her, "I wish I could at least introduce you to someone whom you could speak with."

"Of course," she replied cordially, "please do not trouble yourself on my account."

Dryden scratched the back of his head in perplexity, feeling bad at abandoning the girl like that.

To his pleasure, Rhonas Eiren had just come from around the corner. She nodded at him gravely and immediately turned her eyes to his companion.

He quickly walked up to the other girl, relieved to have found a companion for Ferdon.

"I hope you don't mind helping my friend here," Dryden told the archive rather abruptly, as he led Rhonas to face Ferdon. There was something about the girl's similarly formal manner which made her the perfect companion for his new acquaintance.

He had no time to watch the reactions of both to seeing each other and merely made some quick introductions before leaving them in each other's care and entering the council room where several merchants were impatiently awaiting him.

Rhonas and Ferdon looked at each other with impassive expressions, both too filled with emotion (and that was how they showed it) to speak.

But it was Rhonas who broke the silence.

"So," she said in her usual matter of fact manner, "you survived."

And it was then that Ferdon threw her arms around the other girl, half-crying, half-laughing with relief.

--

The two girls found a relatively secluded spot in the palace where they could talk freely.

And there was much that they needed to talk about.

"I must say that this was the last place I expected to see you again," Ferdon commented to her more sombre companion, the girl somehow having regained some of her spirit.

"And I have to same the same about you, I suppose," Rhonas replied calmly, but with a small smile.

"I am glad to see another familiar face, though," Ferdon continued lightly, "Lord Dryden has been very kind to me but he can never know who I am."

"I see we are both indebted to the hospitality of the Asturian nobility," Rhonas answered, "such strange circumstances for soldiers of Zaibach."

"They are, indeed," the other girl replied, "very curious. May I ask how you came to be here, Rhonas?"

"Only if you will tell me your story as well."

"But, of course, it does seem like we both have much catching up to do."

"Indeed."

--

Eries Aston walked slowly out of yet another meeting to discuss the situation which had again ended unproductively. Nothing good could be done since all the ministers and merchants did was bicker amongst themselves and throw the blame around.

And though she was one of those well-versed in playing the game of politics, Eries was tired, and she was worried for her people. But there was only so much she could do in the light of such peculiar occurrences, among a host of other pressing problems.

Her father was still ailing and while she and Millerna spent every spare moment (which wasn't much to begin with) with him, his condition did seem to be improving. Eries suspected that part of his languishing was because he felt so weak and useless to his country, especially when it needed him the most.

Millerna continued to comfort the victims of the war in her kind and compassionate way although Eries had warned her sister to keep such excursions as short as possible. She also told Millerna to warn the people to keep indoors as much as they could for no one knew what tragedy would strike next.

Eries was confident that the people would listen to Millerna. The youngest Asturian princess had a way about her which charmed everyone so well, and Eries was thankful for this.

Now, the older princess of Asturia walked alone down one of the halls, unsure for the first time, of where she was going next, of what problem she would be called upon to solve.

Sighing from the stress, she leaned against one of the large stone pillars for support, her eyes closing slightly.

"Princess Eries, are you all right?" a familiar deep voice inquired with concern.

Eries looked at Folken and nodded with a small smile. But he was not convinced.

And showing more gallantry than even he had expected, he held both of her arms to support her.

She was surprised by the gesture and also grateful for it.

"I'm quite all right, I thank you," she answered earnestly, slightly embarrassed at having to be "rescued" in such a manner, "only a little tired, I supposed."

"More tired than you are willing to let on, I am sure," he answered with a knowing smile.

She returned the smile.

"I'm surprised by my own weakness," she admitted softly, "I am usually of a sturdier constitution."

"We can't all expect to be invincible, princess," the tall man advised her, "I think I learned that the hard way."

She nodded gratefully and stood up straight, the moment of weakness passed.

"Have you made any progress in your experiments?" she asked, on a more formal note, somehow unwilling to have any deeper conversations with the Strategos.

It seemed that they had been spending an inordinate amount of time together and she was a little on her guard. As much as she valued his company, she was not sure of how she would deal with any other inconvenient emotions that came with it.

And she was not even sure that he was likewise affected.

"I'm sorry, but there is not much to report," he answered sadly, and then remembered to let go of her hands, "I have not found anything to enlighten us on the subject. Rhonas' input has been helpful but even she was unable to give us too many particulars."

"I see," the princess replied, looking away sadly.

And while Folken was disappointed enough with his lack of progress, it pained him further to see the princess so disheartened. He longed to have some words of comfort to offer her but his mind drew a blank.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, seeming to address her personally. It was his turn to be surprised at his weakness.

She looked at him with surprise and assured him that it was not his fault, that no one could be blamed for all that had happened.

But they had both been aware of a certain something that had existed between them, a thing they were both unwilling to admit.

The timing was simply horrible.

They made some more polite conversation before parting on very uncertain terms. But each one could not help but wonder why they were so plagued by such inconvenient thoughts and feelings.

They had always been so careful and calculating. Now was hardly the time to fall off balance.

But of course, Destiny rarely consults those whom she victimizes.

--

"And now I believe it is your turn to tell me what you have been up to," Rhonas told her companion, after having finished recounting her own journey.

They were seated on some stone benches in one of the more obscure courtyards of the palace, where they had made certain that no one would be eavesdropping on them.

"I suppose I do owe you an explanation, as well," Ferdon said gravely, "and I can assure you that my journey has been no less twisted and complex than yours."

"I think I had guessed pretty much," Rhonas replied, eager to hear Ferdon's story, "but I am glad that Fate has decreed for us to meet again, even in such bizarre circumstances."

"We can never know what to expect, can we?" Ferdon replied gravely but with a hint of amusement, "I still don't know why I was spared that day, why I had gotten out of my Alseides just in time as it had been cut down by Escaflowne and melted to the ground. I haven't stopped thinking about that day, and I've never stopped wondering why I was the only one who survived.

When I had been banished from my home country, and had nowhere else to go, Lord Dilandau took me in and trained me to be one of his Dragonslayers.

Me, a woman! But I guess he didn't think so lowly of women as he wanted it to appear. After all, he greatly esteemed you, Rhonas, I am sure of that.

The only condition was for me to disguise myself as a man, a task I took to with no qualms or protests. After all, if that was what I needed to survive, than so be it.

It was also an amusing adventure in many ways. In a world of men, I was able to find my own place, and to a certain extent, a family of sorts with you, Lord Dilandau, and the rest of the boys."

"You were like our older sister," Rhonas added, also vaguely reminiscent of those days, "although Dilandau would never admit that. Even if you were older, you were still subordinate to him."

Ferdon smiled at this accurate description of their commander. It was rare for them to talk about the past so lightly. But they both needed some moments of respite.

"I didn't really mind that so much," the older girl remarked, "Lord Dilandau really just takes some getting used to.

"But what happened when you found that you were the sole survivor of the massacre?" Rhonas asked, drawing her friend back to the topic.

They could not waste any time chatting and reminiscing. There was too much to do. Ferdon understood immediately and continued.

"I'm not sure how long I remained unconscious," the former Dragonslayer recounted, "but when I came to, everyone else had gone. I had been concealed beneath my old cloak so luckily the enemies had not found me. But I was alone, and far away from the place I had come to call home.

I wandered around for days, trying to find a way to get back to Zaibach. But once I had left that barren wasteland, I stumbled upon territory that was hostile to the Empire. So I dared not mention my connection to Zaibach or Lord Dilandau.

I survived by taking odd jobs, very much like you did, and trying to catch a bit of news here and there. I travelled a lot but was never able to go very far.

Eventually, I disguised myself as a boy again to get a job on a merchant ship that was going to Asturia. I wasn't sure of what I would find here but I could no longer stay away from the action.

But the ship was beset by a raging tempest and sank into the depths. That was my next tragedy. And when that happened, I felt certain that I was not going to survive this one.

But as Fate would have it, I did, thanks to the kindness of a lovely mermaid named Sylphiel who was also the one who suggested I seek the help of Lord Dryden.

And that's how I came here."

"An interesting journey, indeed," Rhonas remarked, her face not showing too much expression.

But Ferdon was quite used to that and was only glad to be able to relate her struggles to someone who had seen similar suffering.

"I don't think injecting any amount of liquid luck would have been as effective as whatever made me survive," Ferdon mused.

"Just as well, at least we found each other," Rhonas said, "Lord Dilandau would be so glad to know that one of his Dragonslayers had survived."

"So you do intend to meet him again, in the midst of all this?" Ferdon asked, with growing excitement.

"Of course," Rhonas replied coolly, "there is nothing else I live for."