The Prince told us that my former home in the mountains was no more. I had my doubts. Surely, the Frenzied Flame had not overrun the Flame of Ruin. Did its kiln still stand or was it even now burning down the mountain. The Prince had no reason to lie, but I could not bring myself to believe that Frenzy had climbed the mountains and burned away both the Flame Monks and the Zamor Ice Warriors.
A matter for later. Better not to tell the giant fish-corpse that he's a liar.
The Prince directed us north nevertheless. Not up to the mountains but along the subterranean shores. There had been a secret pass through the mountains where the twin Empyreans and the Lord of Blood had fled with their followers. I knew a little about the latter, for his servants often climbed the peaks. The twins had seemingly vanished when they left the Capital.
With the breaking of the earth, a new path had opened. The twins had sought to grow a new tree, but it too had burned in their absence. Still, their followers could be found there and could be convinced to join the cause, as could any mountain folk who had followed the melting snow. The Prince thought it better if we go than he. He did not have the pretty face for it.
To assure us, he also showed the winding path to the surface. If we chose to recruit the survivors, then we should hurry there. The other camp of survivors, he hoped, his sister would bring directly. There, we four could discuss the years of preparation to come. It was no simple thing to kill a Lord.
I didn't like the position we were in. Twice now, I had been forced to go along with these plans. They seemed right enough, but I was always on the defensive. Perhaps I could summon the archdragon with her rune. It was a dangerous game to play.
I agreed for the time being. If I could summon the archdragon, then I should do it when I at my strongest. If not, then I would die anyway. I was swiftly growing sick of saying that, and I wondered if it was some humor of the Death siblings.