Ii.

Lord Dilandau was, to say the least, very put out with these recent developments. He even said as much to Lord Folken as soon as they left the room. The latter, used to the younger one's outbursts, knew that what else he was planning on saying in response to the delay would be nothing less than expected. 'Very well, then.' Folken thought with a sigh. 'Let's get it over with.'

"I know they're old enough to be senile, but with age comes wisdom."

The young soldier opened his mouth to make the expected explosion, but he changed his mind, letting what he just heard sink in. Apparently, he didn't expect Folken to throw that curve. 'Hmn. I thought he was going to say something like, 'Legends are based on truth, and I don't want you to lose your remaining sanity!' Dilandau laughed to himself. 'We'll see who the real fools are soon enough!'

Folken was a bit surprised at his hesitation, but at least he wasn't bitching. He did not feel like arguing with Dilandau at the moment, so the silence was quite the blessing to the headache he had been nursing for the past hour and a half. Personally, he was glad they would have to postpone their current mission.

"I'm going to my room," he informed the youth, "Don't get into anything while I'm gone."

Dilandau made a face. 'What is he going to do? Sneak out of his window or something?' "And if I DO need you for some reason…?"

Folken paused before turning down a corridor. "Scream." He didn't even look back before going on his way, leaving Dilandau to figure that one out on his own. In his opinion, he didn't think he would. Not for another hour, anyway. His headache should be gone by that time.

Said albino watched him go before continuing on with that small evil grin he usually flashes before doing something he wouldn't regret later. It did not matter to him what anyone thought about the current situation. His mind had been made up long before the sorcerers called them in, and it sure as hell wasn't changing for those old farts.

*************

Miguel, Dalet, and Gatti nervously regarded their leader. They did not know the details, but rumor had it that their mission had been rescheduled--if not totally aborted--because of a certain danger. Something about demons rising with the moon…

"Do you know what I've been doing for the past quarter of an hour?" a calm voice inquired. The three dragonslayers sighed inwardly. This day was getting longer by the minute.

Gatti braved a reply. "You were in a conference with Lord Folken and the elder sorcerers, Lord Dilandau."

"Good. It's nice to know SOMEONE'S been paying attention." he paused for effect before letting the other shoe fall (so to speak). "Be ready to leave in twelve minutes."

Though they had seen this coming, none of them were really prepared to hear it so bluntly.

Ignoring their shock, Dilandau continued, "I chose two of you for several reasons, but mainly because your guymelefs are, shall we say…ready to go. Gatti, I'll need you to cover for me. I just wanted you here so that you would know why." Seeing Dalet and Migules' poorly hidden worried glances, he quickly added, "Not that anything WILL happen that has not been planned on. I'm assuming you've heard something…"

"Well, my lord…some people are saying that since Gaea and its two moons are scheduled to align today at a certain time that it is…well…bad luck, to put it mildly, to do anything major until it's over."

"Compared to what I was told, that is an understatement," Dilandau laughed. "they were going on about dæ mons, specters, and madness!"

Miguel frowned slightly, "but, sir, isn't it said that what we're looking for not only belongs to a dæ mon, but is also guarded by a dragon that is not a dragon?"

"Don't tell me you BELIEVE that superstitious garbage."

"But don't the sorcerers take orders from--" a sharp look cut Gatti off.

Dilandau glared at all three of them, even though Dalet had yet to throw in his two cents. "A second reason I called you was because I thought you had more sense. I didn't expect my judgment to err."

"It hasn't!" Both Miguel and Gatti burst out. "Sir."

"We are all behind you, Lord Dilandau," Dalet added. 'Maybe not as far as we would like to be, but still.'

*************

Not too long after displaying their selfless devotion, they left the throne room to make their own preparations.

"Damn reverse-psychology," Dalet muttered. "I just hope we can pull this off."

"If those coordinates are correct, then you should be there and back in no time," Gatti ventured.

Dalet turned on him. "That's easy for you to say. All you have to do is make sure nothing blows up and no one drops dead while we're gone!"

"We are all a little uneasy about this as it is, since we're more-or-less disregarding orders," Miguel pointed out.

"That's just it. WE only take orders from Lord Dilandau," Gatti reminded them. "Do you need any help checking your systems?"

"No. We're halfway done, anyway," Dalet sighed. Clapping his hands, he straightened up. "Well, let's suit up so we can get this over with. The sooner, the better."