Chapter 26) Changes

It was hard, finding a city that wasn't in ruins. We rested where we could, stole what we could. The smell of rot was so prominent in our lives that we almost grew used to it. As we walked, Ely healed anyone she could find. They called her an 'angel', and even now, I can't really remember what an 'angel' is supposed to be.

Of course, things got tricky when people tried to kidnap her. Martin and I took care of them, though.

The days after Mika's death were spent in a very weird haze. While Sheryl's death had made me feel as if I was going to burst, Mika's had made me just completely lose any sort of connection to reality. Nothing really made sense. Nothing about anything made sense.

We lost fifty people that day. The traitor had been that page… aide… person that I didn't know the name of. He killed fifty people after being called into Marius's office. Marius and Mika were the only two victims I knew. And while Mika's death was hard on a personal level, Marius's was hard on the army level. He had been the leader for years. He'd been leading this army almost as long as there had been a war in the first place.

Gentle humming grounded me into the present, and I shifted under the covers to look at Hanon, casually tending to her weapons in the middle of the floor as she hummed. It was decided that none of our group should be left alone, or in the care of just… well… our group. Athos had Maron, of course. She wasn't blaming herself, but she did spend candlemarks just staring at the cloth she had wanted to use to make clothes for him. Fiona and Genevieve took care of Ely, who had stopped eating out of guilt. She had been 'so close' to saving both Mika and Marius, but it was just too late. So close, yet so far. Hartmut and Bramimond watched Martin, barring him from forging. Martin, of course, blamed himself, screaming that if he had 'just made Mika a better sword'.

Hanon had me, with Jasmine and Josephine checking in to make sure I ate, brushed my hair, and other things associated with normal living. I didn't know what I felt. Everything was hazy and lost.

I shifted under the covers again, staring at the items in my hands. One was the hair ornament Mika had given me for my birthday. My birthday morning, the last time anything made sense, the last time all of us were alive. Now two were dead. I had written Alice, and sent a letter directly to Vash with Mika's message, but I couldn't bring myself to read their responses. They were too real, and I wasn't.

The other item was what Marius had used the last of his strength to press into my palm. The pendant that had marked him as a Dragon Knight Commander. It, too, was too real. Looking at it as it glinting in the light, I could hear the words he didn't have the strength to say. But I wasn't sure if I was hearing correctly, understanding correctly. Because, if I was right, then…

A knock made Hanon stop humming. She glanced at me before calling, "who is it?" Yes, she knew. There were only certain people I could see right now.

"It's Delrin." Oh. Well, I wasn't sure if he was someone I could see, but I knew he was someone I needed to see. "May I come in?"

Hanon glanced at me again, and only replied when I nodded. "You may." Hanon moved to sit beside me as I pushed myself up reluctantly. A calm, reassuring presence to help ground me. I appreciated it so much.

Delrin waited a bit before opening the door, quietly acknowledging that I needed time to steel my nerves. He gave me a smile when he stepped in, but I could see how wan it was. He had lost weight over the past few days. "Ah, good, you're awake." Yes, he was here to see me. "Hanon…?"

Hanon put a hand on my shoulder, letting me decide. Slowly, and hesitantly, I nodded, and she smiled back. "I'll be in Sacae's room, just two doors down." Sacae and Roland were sharing a room now so that Sacae could help tend to Roland. Hanon made a point of checking in on him. I had no idea how far his illness had progressed. "If needed, get me."

"Thank you." Delrin moved to sit in her desk chair as she left, steps slow to give me time to call her back if needed.

But, instead, I turned to face Delrin, focusing on breathing, and trying to be mentally present. "He gave me this," I whispered, holding the pendant up. Delrin only nodded, expecting that. I wasn't surprised either. He had been the one to box up Marius's things and send his personal items 'home' to his daughter. He would have noticed the pendant wasn't among them. "What does it mean?"

"Do you truly not know?" Delrin asked in return. His words were tired, but his eyes were kind. "Or are you asking me to confirm?"

"The latter." I had an idea. I could hear the thoughts. "Because I understand the words, but I don't understand…" Why me? Why give me it?

"Well, I'm sure no small part of it is a gamble." Thank you for being blunt. "Of course, giving it to anyone would have been a gamble, and you had traits that made you a 'best choice'."

"Such as?"

"You're pragmatic, but still hold onto some sort of morals. The world may burn, but you will keep the people around you as safe as possible. When you name them as 'yours', they become safe." I… never heard myself quite described like that before. "You're clearly skilled. You have good eyes, and a good head. You survived Aquelia, and the years afterwards, which could not have been kind to a child, much less one trying to keep others alive. You learned the basics of fighting from not only a Dragon Knight, but one Marius, and I, respect highly, even now." Father… "You have a clear connection to two major players in this war: Martin and Elimine." Yes, that was true. "You also have a clear connection to other major players, such as Hartmut and Sacae." That was… also true. "They listen to you."

"Clearly, Marius never heard me arguing with Hartmut and Sacae about their vegetables."

Delrin actually managed a laugh. It was a little broken, but a laugh nonetheless. "To continue, though, Hilda, you're lucky. That's not something that can be taught, and luck plays as much of a role in a fight as skill."

I looked down at the pendant. It was a beautiful silver pendant, crafted to look like a dragon's face, with twinkling turquoise as the eyes. "…I can't lead."

"I know, and he knew that." Delrin's voice was soft, and his eyes were pleading as I looked back up to him. "I… will assume command of the army. I do not want to, but out of those left, I am the most qualified. I was his right hand."

"Your position will be vacant."

"It does not have to be." He clasped his hands in his lap, to hide how they shook. "You can take it." Me? "You can be a general, and take up the role also of tactician."

"Won't people be mad?"

"It is not something to use for long, but fear and awe are motivators." Yes, that was true. "You are feared, Hilda. Everyone knows dragons fall when you step onto the field. Some of it is luck. Some of it is skill. But it is an undeniable fact that in battles that slaughter hundreds, you are among the last standing, without fail." Yes… "Your tactics, in the past, have created things I would have thought miracles. The battle where we first met and that Triangle Attack that still saves lives."

"They were random ideas."

"That's all tactics is. Your random ideas got people back to the fortress after the siege." That was true. Elijah called me insane, but… "And, from the reports, you were the only one who managed to kill a dragon when you were ambushed at sea." His eyes were earnest. "You have a good head, and you have a good sense of timing and movement. That's why…" So, I did hear correctly. That's what the pendant meant.

I looked back at the pendant, and stared. Then, slowly, I closed my fingers around it. "Very well." I looked him in the eye, and thought I saw him almost crying from sheer relief. "I accept."

It felt really strange watching the dead burn. Before the war, the dead were buried. Well, civilians still buried. But those in the army burned their dead. There were often too many. If they tried to bury, they'd just end up burying them in pits, like those who died from the plague. I got the logic. But it was odd to see.

There had been many funerals, but I never paid attention. I had been in too much shock when Sheryl's body burned. I think. Honestly, I didn't remember the days after her death too well. My first clear memory is the day Hartmut took me to that hidden lake. …I wonder… if he'd be willing…

I shook my head, and resumed watching. I wasn't with the crowd. While no 'official' appointment had been made, yet, the rumor had spread quickly. The Dread Fighter was assuming the role of tactician, and the role of the right hand general to the Commander. Was there an actual fancy title that went with it? I had no idea. I had never cared. I suppose I should, now. It was mine.

So, to avoid people, I hid up on the ramparts, watching the dead. My gaze was focused on the center two. That was where Marius and Mika were. Marius, the commander, and Mika, who protected Ely. I was touched Delrin gave Mika such honors. I knew it was one, to be placed next to Marius during this, even if the whole 'burning dead' thing still weirded me out.

A sound other than the crackling flames and sobbing below caught my attention, and I found myself following it before I even realized what it was. A flute. The sound of a flute washing through the air. It was a slow, somber, yet ethereal song, with a subtle grandness that made the wind pause to listen.

It wasn't until I made it to the bell tower, with the repaired ladder, that I found the source of the flute. Aenir. She let the last note echo through the air before bringing her flute down and smiling at me. "Hey, there," she murmured, beckoning me closer. "I thought I sensed you a little closer than I expected."

"Yeah, I didn't want to listen to the gossips right now," I replied, coming to stand by her side. Her smile was very warm and kind. She already knew, but she wasn't going to push. "What song was that?"

"It is an old song of mourning, simply called 'Requiem'. There's a dance that goes with it as well, but Fiona will likely dance it later, to help the spirits rest."

"Is it a Bardic or Dancer Gift song like Thor's Ire?"

She shook her head, and sat down, back to the tower. After a moment, I did the same. "No, it is no more magic than any other song. It is simply a belief that the song will help the dead reach paradise. Alyssa taught me it." My birth mother… "Whenever there was a funeral, she was asked to sing and dance for the dead."

"Did she have a Bardic Gift?"

"No, but there were times I thought she did." She laughed. "But, she simply had a talent that she practiced at."

"The geniuses are made, right?"

"Yes, but she wouldn't have ever become so good if she hadn't a talent in a first place, and thus developed a love for it." Aenir laughed. "The genius might be 'made', but they only strive for the goal in the first place because they love what they do, and there are very few who gain a love of things they do not have a talent for in the first place." I… suppose? "You look a little more steady than you did yesterday."

Aenir made a point of checking on me every day. "I heard a rumor that grief can kill a dragon, once."

"Grief can kill anyone, my dear." She ran a hand over my hair, still unbound. I couldn't quite bring myself to pull it up in my normal ponytail. I didn't want to use anything besides Mika's hair ornament, but… "I had planned on telling you more things when you recovered, but perhaps I misunderstood how you grieved."

"I'm going to be blunt and say that I highly doubt I will 'recover'."

"You will adapt." She laughed a little, as if startled. "That's so like Wuotan." Ha… that was funny. "Then, are you up for me talking of serious things?"

"Please."

"Very well." She closed her eyes, and I could tell she was gathering her thoughts. "Do you know what quintessence is?"

"Fiona mentioned it." I shifted to make myself a little more comfortable on the stone. "But if I heard an explanation, I'm blanking."

"Then we'll start there." She nodded, and opened her eyes to look at me. "Quintessence is, essentially, a person's life force. It colors everything about them, from their aura, to the impression they give off. You inherit your quintessence from one of your parents, much like how you inherit an eye or hair color, and as you live, it takes on its own unique features that cannot be passed."

"So, you inherit, and pass on, a base."

"Precisely." She smiled slightly. "Half-dragons are a little… unique. Normally, it's about a fifty-fifty chance between which of the parents' quintessence is inherited, but half-dragons always inherit the quintessence of their draconic parent, whether or not they transform. If they have a child with a dragon, then their child will inherit the full-blooded dragon's quintessence. If they have a child with a human, then their quintessence is passed down, without exception." She laughed a little. "Though, the human parent affects the 'affinity' a person has."

"Their what?"

"Affinity. It is an element that resonates with the person, one of those 'unique' traits I mentioned." Oh. "Let's say, for instance, one of my children married and had children with a human. Their child would inherit the quintessence of my child, without exception, but their affinity would be influenced by the human parent." She hummed a little in thought. "So, for example, if the human had an 'Anima' affinity, the child would likely have a wind, thunder, or fire affinity."

"Even if their non-human parent is an ice dragon."

"Half ice dragon, yes." She laughed a little. "Now, to finish the thought, if a half-dragon has a child with a half-dragon, then the child will inherit the quintessence of both parents, creating a new base." That was… interesting. "I bring this up because it is by looking at the quintessence of half dragons that you can take a guess at who their draconic parent is."

"So, any dragon would know that I am Wuotan's daughter by blood."

"If they took the time to look at your quintessence." So, it wasn't an automatic thing. "Because of that, and I have already talked to him about this, but because of that, I have an idea of who his birth mother was."

"You do?"

"Yes, Phoebe, Idenn's mother." Idenn… that was one of the people Fiona and Aenir were looking for. "Idenn will be ecstatic at learning she has a half-sibling. She's always wanted one."

"So, you know this because of the quintessence?" Perhaps that was rude, but I wanted to stay on topic. "Yes?"

"Yes." She nodded, brushing some hair behind her ear. "Phoebe's quintessence always stood out from a crowd. The quintessence of one who can never be predicted." She laughed a little. "Well, that is true of any with a large amount of quintessence, but it's unique even compared to that. Hartmut has it."

"No wonder he's so troublesome." I really couldn't help how dry my voice was, and she burst into giggles. "But why bring her up?"

"…Because of the War Dragons." Her voice and demeanor became incredibly serious. "I talked to Fiona about it, and learned that she was taught a fallacy, and might have told you the same." And that was? "Many dragons have the ability to create what are called 'morphs', puppets and dolls crafted from quintessence, but they are always humanoid, marked with gold eyes, and black hair. No exceptions." Okay? "War Dragons are a type of morph that can only be created by one kind of dragon: a demon dragon."

"That…" It took a few seconds to process the name. "That's ominous."

"Even more so than you know, and why I greatly fear for Phoebe and Idenn." She sighed, drooping. "A demon dragon is never 'born'. They are made by a divine dragon allowing elder magic to flood them. It was a painful transformation, and I know of none that make the choice willingly." …Wait… "It is always forced. It is always a corruption, brought onto them by other dragons."

"…You're telling me these War Dragons are created from the violation of a divine dragon."

"Yes." Her voice was small, and I felt my stomach roll at the thought. That was… "I… believe these War Dragons are the result of Hydra corrupting Phoebe. They are too skillfully made for Idenn. She'd never been very good at manipulating quintessence."

"So, there might still be time to save Idenn?"

"I hope so." She sighed. "War brings out the worst in all people. Dragons are no exception. She might have already been corrupted, and put to the side until they use up Phoebe." This was just making me nauseous. "Damn it, Hydra, Jahn… you two were always fools."

The reminder of the name made me remember something. Jahn might be… "Where does the quintessence come from?"

"Reaping what lingers from the dead." Ah, how wonderful. Our dead were being used against us. "Of course, you can't take quintessence from a morph. It is a finite resource. They will run out, in time." Ah.

But that just made me wonder… "What could a demon dragon do with my quintessence?" What could a demon dragon do with the quintessence of a half-dragon child of a Fire Dragon Chieftain? A half-dragon child who inherited her powerful father's quintessence.

To her credit, she didn't even flinch before answering. "Create a War Dragon with the power to rival Wuotan. The same can be done to one who reaps Hartmut's."

"Could anyone do that?"

"No, just a Demon Dragon." She shook her head. "Your quintessence burns too bright for any normal dragon, or even a doll like a morph or war dragon, to hold. It would scorch them. But a demon dragon devours light by nature." So, I really had to make sure to not die near a demon dragon. Well, I wasn't planning on dying anyway, but still. "I'm sorry."

Huh? "For what?"

"I was too far away to save your friend." That… that was a subject change, right there. "I didn't get there in time." Yes, I remembered. She and Fiona had been out in the field, picking some herbs for Sacae. They had come in after everything. "I'm sorry." She was… genuinely sad. Mika, who she didn't even know… she was sad she couldn't protect him, just because he had been my friend. "I promised to protect you, but how can I do so if you must live through such sadness?" She sighed, shaking her head. "The worst part is that I cannot even promise that I can protect the rest of your friends."

"I appreciate the thought." I made sure to smile. After all, I really did. "But, if you don't mind playing some more? It's comforting."

"For you, I'll play until my fingers bleed." She smiled back to soften the rather morbid mental image, and returned to her playing.

I rested on the ramparts, and closed my eyes. The wind gusted and I almost, almost, thought I heard Mika. But such a thing was impossible, so I just ignored the words.

The hallucination was 'happy', at least. That was all I cared about.

When all the bodies were ash, and the ash itself was burned, everyone dispersed inside to do whatever they did after funerals. I thought of being with 'my group', but decided against it. I wasn't sure if it was good for my own mental health to be around just them. Not when we were all hurting. I remembered the argument Ely and I had after Sheryl died. I still remembered the words she said; I knew she did too.

So, instead, I found myself in Roland's room, intending on helping him. Hartmut had, apparently had the same idea, and got roped in babysitting while Sacae went out to fetch more herbs for Roland. Though, based on how much blood he hacked up, I… wasn't really hopeful.

"Ugh, why does it have to be a death by cough?" Roland groaned. He held still as I cleaned his hands. "Seriously, why? I'd take a gut wound over this." He was looking thinner. And, while he was never tall, he just looked small under the covers, resting in bed.

"Now think of what would have happened if you told us sooner?" Hartmut replied, bright smile belying the sternness of the words. "How are Sacae's treatments taking?"

"I don't cough as much with them, so that's nice." This was 'not as much'? "Elimine was supposed to start trying staves, but…" Yeah, now wasn't the time. "If she freaks out, tell her I really don't mind. I'm not expecting to be saved."

"Well, she's either going to become extra determined or extra despaired." He glanced at me, but I shook my head. It could go either way there, too. "How are you holding up, Hilda?"

"I'm holding, but I am still a bit numb to it," I answered slowly. I noticed Roland's fever had spiked, and went to get him a wet washcloth. "While Sheryl's had been like a punch to the gut, Mika's is more like a stab in the back."

"That is such an appropriate mental image," he sighed. I just focused on getting the washcloth. "I'm thinking of bringing in most of the group in on the 'big secret', at least for me." Ah. "So that we can explain why we know about this demon dragon a bit better to them, and come up with a way to tell Delrin."

"Not going to tell him the truth?"

"I don't want to put him in an awkward position, especially right now." That was a good point. "Though, I should be avoiding that for you too, huh?" There was a lilt in his voice, and when I turned to look, I saw him holding back a laugh. "Hey, now I can remind you that food is a thing and sleep is a thing, and-"

"I wouldn't nag if you actually took care of yourself!" My words just made both of them laugh. "You two are the worst sometimes." I wrung out the washcloth and placed it on Roland's forehead. "Too wet?"

"Nah, it's good," Roland reassured. His smile was warm. "But, yes, congratulations, and my sympathies." Ha… "If you get overwhelmed, there's a lot of us here for you."

"And, look on the bright side!" Hartmut laughed. I felt myself relax at the sound. Really, he was just nice to be around. "You can't be worse at keeping things organized than Delrin." …That… that was a good point. Oh dear. "Bramimond and Genevieve have already volunteered to help him with that." Now that was a relief. "Oh, right, Durban took over taking care of Martin. Your new position isn't the only change in leadership around here. We lost a lot of officers." That traitor did a number on us. "But he's had Martin move into his room."

"I'll need to thank him," I murmured, sitting back down next to Roland on his bed. Hartmut had the only chair. "He's been far too kind."

"He's always been that way. Terrifying on the field, gentle as a butterfly off it. None of us know why he joined up." It seemed to be the great mystery. "Barigan wanted us to remind you that if you get confused as to what paperwork means what, run to him. It took him ages to find out. Same for Jasmine and Josephine." Yes, I wasn't alone. That thought helped anchor me a bit better. My worked was shattered, but the pieces were holding together in the frame this time. "But, yes, Durban has Martin, Athos has Maron…" I automatically made a face, and he gave me a sympathetic smile. "Sorry?"

"I'll be fine with it eventually. I just don't like how sudden it was." I sighed. "Of course, for all I know, there's been hints forever and I was blind to them."

"You're blind to other hints!" Roland suddenly laughed. It morphed into a cough, but that did nothing to hide his grin. I was really confused, and more so when Hartmut scowled. "Oh, no, keep being blind. It's great."

"I am pleased to be a source of entertainment?" I replied. I wanted to be dry about it, but I was so confused. "Have you told Elijah yet?"

"No." His laughter died with a sigh. "I know I need to, but whenever I decide to, and go to tell him, my courage dries up. But I also don't want him to find out from anyone but me. I owe him that much."

"It's always difficult to know something, but your heart doesn't agree despite all reason," Hartmut murmured. I knew he was thinking about Bramimond. I wondered if he felt any guilt. Like 'if I hadn't left'. But I didn't ask. I could never ask something like that. "Still, Roland, there's no way we can hide this soon."

"I know." He was just getting worse. That was a 'constant change'. "But, hey, I'm alive for now, and I can still fight." Not that there had been any battles recently. What were they planning? "I'll be fine, even if no one is able to cure me."

"I have no idea if I admire that attitude, or am afraid of it." I could tell that Hartmut was afraid of Roland dying. They were friends, and Hartmut just didn't want to lose more people. "But this talk got too dreary. The mood must be getting to us."

"True." Roland snickered, grinning. "So, did you know Sacae sleeptalks?"

"He does?"

"Yes, and I get the most hilarious insight in how freaking weird his dreams are!" Knowing how good of a liar he was, I was half-certain the story would be exaggerated.

But it had all three of us practically crying from laughter, so maybe that wasn't so bad, yes?

People I know

· **I am Hilda, real name Hildegard. Half dragon, Dread Fighter, and now the 'High General' and Tactician of the army. Who came up with these titles? They sound so ridiculous. I was raised by Mira and Gabriel of Aquelia. The fire dragon responsible for Aquelia's destruction, Jahn, is after me, possibly to simply hurt Wuotan, my birth father, or possibly to use my quintessence to create a War Dragon that has a chance of annihilating the whole damn army. I fight with daggers, swords, and axes, in order of preference, and am in love with Hartmut. Brown hair, blue eyed, 19 years old.

· **Ely/Elimine. My best friend, a kind and gentle healer who works tirelessly. Overwhelmed with guilt over what happened. The first 'healer' using Martin's staves, and the only current user of Light Magic, wielding Luce. Blonde hair, blue eyed, 18 years old.

· **Martin, my big brother. Talented and skilled smiths who experiments often, resulting in miraculous creations, such as the healing staves, dragonslaying weapons, and light magic. Married to Alice, and has twin daughters: Emma and Lori, though there's a third on the way. Between the pedestal people set him on, and his own warped expectations, I'm honestly scared he's going to kill himself through overworking, and I doubt he'll leave now that Mika died. He blames himself, horribly, for the deaths of both Mika and Sheryl. Red hair, green eyed, 18… wait, no he's… shoot, when did I miswrite that? He's 20, not 18.

· **Alice. My big sister, the 'mom' of the group. I am really missing her right now, and I wonder how she's doing, waiting in fear over whether or not the next letter will detail another death. I hope that doesn't cause her health problems, since she's… I think she's over three months pregnant now? I can't remember, and I can't keep track of dates easily. Married to Martin, and already the mother of Emma and Lori. Skilled painter. Black hair, red eyed, 19 years old.

· **Mika. My big little brother. Talented swordsman who learned from his mother, a face he was immensely proud of. Didn't really worship Mother Earth and Father Sky as most of the plains do, but he believed in 'Mother Earth's meadows', and had whispered a prayer to them with his last breaths. His nephew, Vash, is with Alice. Green hair, brown eyed, 19 years old. Deceased.

· **Maron. My little sister. A talented seamstress who was just starting to get back into it when… all of this happened. Despite my worries, she is in a relationship with Athos, but so long as she continues to be happy, I won't complain. Much. Blonde hair, grey eyed, 17 years old.

· Sheryl. My baby sister. Bright and cheerful, always ready with a laugh, and dearly wanted us all to be happy. She specialized in thunder magic while alive, and forgot everything but birthdays. I wear the bracelet she gave me. Her niece, Kim, stays with Alice. Blonde hair, gold eyed, 16 years old. Deceased.

· **Roland. From the south originally. Good-natured and kind. Wields swords mainly, but knows axes thanks to Durban. Has consumption, and it's progressed to the point that he's coughing up blood, and he is just slowly deteriorating. In love with Josephine, and utterly convinced the feelings are unrequited. We're two of a kind, really. He's the best liar of the group. Blue hair, blue eyed, 18 years old.

· **Hartmut. Former prince of the kingdom in the east. Kind-hearted, though sometimes childish, and a strong sense of loyalty. He, like me, is half dragon, divine dragon to be specific, and it's that dragon blood that lets him wield the Sword of Seals. Gave me the necklace he got from his Lady Mother, supposedly as 'protection'. Has two sisters, Genevieve and Josephine, and had two brothers, Al and Rainard, but his brothers died with his parents. He also is apparently the half-brother of Idenn, one of Fiona and Aenir's friends. Enjoys taking care of people, and good with kids. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old.

· **Hanon. Plainswoman of the Kutolah tribe with a kind smile, and a kinder laugh. Sister to Sacae. Always takes steps to reassure people when they're fretting, and her loyalty knows no bounds it seems. She's been taking care of me since Mika died. She's an amazing cook, and even better rider. She prefers bows, but since Martin doesn't have a dragon-slaying version of one, she tends to use swords (her wyrmslayer) more than anything. Green hair, green eyed, 17 years old.

· **Sacae. Plainsman who had to give up his tribe when the Katti Blades chose him. Serious about his duties, to the point that he is completely uncaring of his potential death, viewing it as an eventuality that he cannot escape. Lighthearted otherwise, though. Though there are supposedly two Katti Blades, I have only seen one: the Sol Katti, which slays dragons. He knows bows too, though, and wields the Rienfleche, which Martin made specifically for him. Talented herbalist, and his concoctions seem to be slowing the progression of Roland's illness. Green hair, green eyed, 17 years old.

· **Barigan. From Edessa, to the north, though it was overrun by dragons three years ago. A calm, kind man who holds firm to his word. Specailizes in lances, but knows swords. Leader of the cavalry for the army, and thus, has to deal with a lot of paperwork. Married to Jasmine, and their courtship was incredibly unconventional, based on Hanon's stories. Gives me advice and support with my new position. Purple hair, green eyed, 19 years old.

· **Durban. From the Isles to the West, and I still don't know how he ended up joining the army. Yells a lot during a fight, and clearly has fun with his brutal fighting style, but is a kind man. His strength is enough to deal a great deal of damage to a dragon even with an ordinary ace, meaning he is quite terrifying with a dragon axe. Watches over Martin for me. Brown hair, brown eyed, 20 years old.

· **Jasmine. From the north, possibly from Edessa like Barigan, her husband, but that's unconfirmed. First one to tame and ride a pegasus into combat, and thus leads the squad. Fights with magic, specializing in wind, but knows lances as a backup. A sarcastic, cynical woman who is very happy with her marriage, and it would not surprise me if being separated from him is her greatest fear. She had fun teasing the hell out of me over Hartmut. Brown hair, purple eyed, 18 years old.

· Josephine. Former princess from the kingdom to the east, older sister to Hartmut and Genevieve. Surprisingly frail looking and small, likely taking more after her mother than her father, but she is a trained wyvern knight, and few can match her ferocity on the field. Wields powerful thunder magic, and also knows axes. Leads the wyvern knights. Blonde hair, purple eyed, 21 years old.

· **Delrin. Former High General, and now the Commander of the Army. A kind, if awkward man, who is not dealing well with the loss of his friend. Still, he is determined to see things through, and I think he plans on seeing Marius's plans through to the end. Green hair, blue eyed, 27 years old.

· **Marius. Former Commander of the Army, who lost his wife and eldest daughter when Aquielia fell. Gave a bad first impression, but had a kind heart underneath it all. I ended up liking him a lot before he died. Unfailing fair to his soldiers, and takes their mental health seriously. Gave me his Dragon Knight Commander pendant in a silent plea for me to help lead the army to victory. Brown hair, brown eyed, 31 years old. Deceased.

· Genevieve. Former princess of the kingdom to the east. Younger sister of Hartmut and Josephine. Bright and chipper, with an almost endless supply of energy, though she is careful to not be 'bouncy' when things are serious. She specializes in long-range magic, but when enemies get too close for that, she relies on fire magic, like her teacher, Athos. She is in love with Bramimond, and the two have promised to talk more about it when the war is over. Blonde hair, amber eyed, 18 years old.

· **Athos. From a nameless oasis city in the desert, and was abandoned. A gentle mage who keeps many secrets, especially when it relates to his past. Talented sage, who specializes in fire magic, and loves learning how to heal. Took care of Maron while I was away, and is now in a relationship with her. It's admittedly strained my relationship with him, but I try not to let it show. Silver hair, blue eyed, 18 years old.

· **Bramimond. From the east, son of the former High Priest of the Shrine of Seals. Hartmut's first, and best, friend. Logical and inquisitive, and a huge worrier, who hides it behind a façade of pragmatism. He frets over Martin, but might put too much blame on the people around Martin. In love with Genevieve, but has promised her to talk about it when the war ends. Wields Elder magic, and wields Gespenst. Blonde hair, green eyed, 19 years old.

· Fiona. A half divine dragon princess, who travels as a dancer to find her friends. Has the Dancer's Gift, which she uses often to help us in the field. Frets over how 'easy' things have been, and it's enough to get me to worry too. Has a half sister named Fae. Gleeful that she found one of her friends. Pink hair, green eyed, 1500 years old (dragon equivalent of 18).

· **Elijah. From the South, and a childhood friend of Roland. Serves in Barrigan's unit, speclizing in swords. A kind disposition, but very fond of pointing out how crazy I could get. Still doesn't know that Roland is dying. Red hair, blue eyed, 17 years old.

· **Aenir. Queen of the Ice Dragons, who travels with us to keep her promise to Wuotan: to protect me. She is a gentle woman, and it's easy to see how she's a mother with how careful she is. She is pretending to be a magic-wielding bard, and is very skilled with a flute. She explained to me about demon dragons, and how these War Dragons exist in the first place. Ice-blue hair, red eyes. Very old.

Author's Note: And here's how Hilda 'officially' became the tactician, as per Hilda's recollection in Tactician's Testimony. The song Aenir is playing is also the 'song' Nils played in the same story, after the death of Elbert. Also, some overdue explanations! And checking in on Roland.

(Also, for those curious about Aenir's story: Eliwood's affinity is Anima, and Roy's is fire.)

Next Chapter – Fearful Heart