The riders finished off the Scanrans that Alanna was fighting. Without a word, she headed towards the infirmary tent. Gary lay in one of the cots, white-faced. Duke Baird hovered over him, trying to close the gaping cut on his side.
"What can I do to help?" Alanna asked quietly.
Gratefulness and relief swept over the Duke's tired face.
"Take over here?" he asked her hoarsely. She nodded and he walked over to another cot.
Alanna reached inside her self. Finding her magic, she pulled it up and started healing Gary. "Gary," she said, gently shaking his arm.
He opened a weary eye and smiled weakly. "I guess I've lost my fighting touch," he croaked.
Alanna smiled reassuringly. "Of course not," she scoffed. "You just had the hardest fight."
She stopped the bleeding, bandaged her friend's side, and he fell asleep. Alanna returned to the battlefield to see where she was needed.
She looked around, noting that Gary's old group was badly in need of help. Raoul seemed okay, Jon--
"Jon!" she screamed, seeing Neal crouched next to him. She mounted her horse and galloped over. Once close enough, she jumped off and ran over to her former squire.
"What happened?" she snapped, nerves making her testy.
Neal looked up at her. His mouth was set in a tight line. "I see no injuries, but I can't wake him."
Alanna heart skipped a beat and her stomach lurched. Her best friend, her King, her Jon.
She gulped. "Is he…?"
"I don't think he's dead." Neal guessed what she had tried to say. Green fire streamed out of his hands and went into Jon's body.
Alanna looked in the grass where the dominion jewel lay. As she watched, the last but of purple glow left it. Its many facets reflected no light. The enemy, totally freed, roared and engaged every Tortallan on the field in deadly battle. A towering thing materialized in the middle of the battlefield, constantly changing. Looking at it, Alanna felt sick. Uosae had come.