Chapter 4

Slowly, the Ravandan matron found herself once again awake, although she thought it strange. From the look of the inside of her hut she could tell that the sun had not yet risen. It was indeed very early, but in her weakened state what would have caused her to rise now? Then she heard voices outside. They were faint, but she could tell that there was a sense of urgency in their tone. Letting out a sickly cough, the Ravandan matron lifted herself up, puzzled as to the strange commotion. After a short while the voices died down, but suddenly a young man burst into her hut. He fell to his knees in respect and spoke to her in a hurried tone. "Matron! Pardon me for waking you, and for my intrusion, matron," he said, "but, you see… there's a penguin here to see you."

"Hmm?"

…

Disappointed, DeFrain somewhat crawled, somewhat slid backwards down the small hill to where the other Resistance members were waiting. The others looked at DeFrain with a plaintive, hoping stare, waiting for his results. Flipping his eye-patch back into place the pirate let out a sigh and shook his head, after which the group's silence was more poignant and contemplative.

"I just don't get it," DeFrain sighed. "No matter where I look there's just a normal guard complement. Nothing like an invasion force or advance platoon anywhere in there."

Tigerclaw stiffened, disturbed by this strange turn of events. She had been so sure that the matron's son had been killed to further some sort of invasion scheme plotted by Xaos. It was the only logical explanation she could find for it. But the search by DeFrain hadn't shown any sort of sign towards that end. Could she have been wrong about this whole thing? Would Xaos really not take advantage of this situation? Or was he already one step ahead of them? "Ehud," she asked the warrior, "do you think Xaos could be using somewhere else to build up a force against the Ravandans?"

"He might," Ehud mused doubtfully, "but the only major centers close to Ravanda that he controls are across the Lurian Mountains. This would be a natural staging area if he wanted to quickly send an army into the village."

"Damn it!" she cursed. "Nothing adds up."

"Maybe… we should head back to the village for now," Ted suggested, a look of worry on his face. "Get some sleep to clear our heads and help us think through this."

"No," Tigerclaw said, a harsh edge in her voice. "Not while the village is in danger."

"Young Theodore's logic is valid," Skythropos interjected. "Because we accomplished the retrieval of the salve needed to cure the illness afflicting the village, one should think that the village is safer than when we left it, and if we are needed to help defend the village, we would do well to go back to it now. This commotion has caused us all stress. And you, General; I find your composure to be most agitated, as it has been ever since we arrived at Ravanda."

Tigerclaw almost glared at Skythropos for his invasive comment, but realized that such anger was futile. She let the notion go and sighed to herself, thinking of how a General should conduct herself in front of her soldiers. Even though it was a personal blow to see her theories not pan out, it wasn't right to take it out on the others. "You're right, Skythropos, Ted," she said, somewhat defeated. "I'm sorry. This may all turn out to be a wild goose chase."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, General," Ted sincerely advised. "We follow your orders because we trust in your decisions. It was our duty to help the Ravandans. That's why we're here."

"Thank you, Ted," Tigerclaw said. She closed her eyes for a moment, consumed in thought. "All right. DeFrain, I want you to search Xaos's castle one more time. If nothing shows up, we head back to the village."

"By your leave," DeFrain answered somewhat indecisively. "But, I've been about as thorough as I can safely be."

"Safely?" Tigerclaw repeated.

"Well," the mariner began, "I've used my eye around Xaos plenty of times before. If I look around too close to Xaos or the pointy minion they might be able to pick up on it, and if that happens we're going to lose this little game of hide-and-seek."

"DeFrain, I want to be as sure as I can possibly be," the General made clear.

DeFrain took a moment to look at Tigerclaw, and then after a quick glance at the rest of the group he smirked a bit and gave Tigerclaw a very sincere "Aye aye." The pirate once again rolled onto his belly and slowly made his way up to his perch near the top of the embankment. Revealing his all-seeing eye, he stared deep into the foreboding castle, going over the areas he had already searched the first time. As he expected this was to no avail, as all he saw were the same Fallen guards making their patrols of the castle's interior. His piercing gaze shifted upwards, and DeFrain steeled himself for what might come as he neared where Xaos's throne room had been mapped-out to be. Despite this, he almost jumped when he came across an unexpected figure lounging on the floor of the throne room. It was a Fallen; an oddly familiar Fallen. Staring intently, DeFrain gradually recognized its features and coloring, and as he shook his head in disbelief all he could say was, "Well… blow me down…"

…

The dark features of his throne room slowly took shape around him as Mellek Xaos silently pondered what had brought him out of his meditative trance. The Dark Lord made it a point to keep himself prepared for anything at any time, and so it was a rare event when he actually slept. Taking a quick look about he did not see Kohain anywhere, nor one of the castle guards. The only other thing present in the room was the silent, sleeping Fallen Redd, who should not have done anything to trigger his awakening. Dismissing that train of thought he tapped into the etheric energies of the castle, searching for anything out of place, but again found nothing that wasn't ordinary. The fact that he couldn't find anything was at the same time both reassuring and threatening. Considering his options, he decided to summon his minion and called out to him across minds. 'Kohain, come.'

Moments later a somewhat ruffled and very tired Kohain Ravime appeared in the throne room, and bowed to his master. As his body bent to its lowest point Kohain began to yawn, which he quickly and awkwardly stifled with mock coughing. "My lord," he addressed Xaos, "what requires my attention?"

"Put the castle guard on alert," Xaos commanded.

"A-Are we in danger, my lord?" Kohain nervously inquired.

"Most likely not," the Dark Lord answered. "Yet, something brought me out of my trance prematurely."

"Quite unsettling," Kohain commented. "I shall do as you command." As Kohain turned to leave he noticed Fallen Redd on the other side of the room. "Shall I wake this one?" he asked.

"I see no need to interrupt our experiment because of what may be merely a passing notion," the Dark Lord said. "In the mean time I will continue to study the energies of the twin pearls."

"Very good, my lord," Kohain said as he promptly departed.

Xaos concentrated momentarily, creating subtle openings in space and time, accessing each pearl's pocket dimension. He allowed the subtle vibrations of the Pearls of De'Kashra and Da'Cothra to flow towards him, and he felt each wave of energy as it passed through him. 'Soon,' he thought, 'I will find my answers.'

…

"I'm telling you, she's there," DeFrain said, his voice straining to remain low while at the same time helping him emphasize his point.

"Okay, okay, we believe you," Ehud replied, "but even so what's the point of sticking around?"

"Because now's the perfect chance to get her out of there," DeFrain answered.

"Get her out?" Ehud repeated in disbelief. "I don't know if you've forgotten, but Elise is a Fallen now. I doubt she'd kindly go with us even if we did rescue her."

"That's the thing," DeFrain rebutted. "Have you ever known a Fallen to sleep on the job?"

"What do you mean?" Ehud asked, his face lined with confusion. "The Fallen are supposed to be tireless."

"They are," DeFrain confirmed, "but Elise was asleep."

"The only possible explanation to that scenario," Skythropos concluded, "is sorcery."

"Right!" DeFrain said. "So, if she's under some kind of spell, it means she won't wake up under normal circumstances. Thankfully that makes her much less of a threat to us."

"Yet," Skythropos added, "when she does awake, she will undoubtedly still be our enemy. We have no way of undoing what Xaos has done to Lieutenant Redd."

"Even so," Ted interjected, "it would be better to have Elise under our care when we do find a way."

"If we find a way," Ehud said.

"Don't say that, Ehud!" Ted protested.

"Why shouldn't I?" Ehud countered. "You and pirate boy need to wake up from your little fantasy. You're going to risk your lives to break into Xaos's castle, go up against all his defenses and maybe even the man himself, all to try and rescue something that you don't even know will be friend or foe when it wakes up?"

"When she wakes up," Ted corrected.

"Right," Ehud spat out.

"I'd like to know something, Ehud," DeFrain said, a dour expression on his face. "When did you get to be so heartless?"

"You take that back you" Ehud growled, nearly rising.

"Ehud. DeFrain." Skythropos raised his hands towards the two men. "This is neither the time nor the place for such confrontation."

"Oh, there won't be a confrontation," Ehud assured, his eyes glaring with intensity. "I just want this sea dog to know that, despite what he may think, I miss Redd just as much as any of you, maybe more. But, I miss Elise; not what she's become. You say we can save her, but we don't deserve the luxury; not after what we've all done." The group went silent as Ehud's point rang home. None of them could think of anything more to say. What else could be said? They had all dealt with Fallen on the battlefields at one point or another, and had learned to treat them as enemies and nothing more. And now Ehud's statements had brought this contradiction in terms to light. If they wanted to save a Fallen now, why hadn't they felt the same way towards the others they had cut down? After a very long moment, DeFrain spoke up.

"Sorry, friend," he said. He then looked away from the group. "Well, by my reckoning we have two for and two against. It's your call, General."

Tigerclaw was sitting a short distance away from the rest of the group, absorbed in thought. Her fingers were splayed across her scalp, her thumbs at her temples, with her elbows resting on her knees. Ever since DeFrain had returned and informed the other Resistance members of his findings she had remained in that position. It was as if she was analyzing the others' conversation line by line to try and form some sort of decision. There was a deep turmoil in her heart, and she was fighting hard to not show it. The others looked to her as she contemplated until she finally stood and addressed them, conveying every last shred of strength and will in her body.

"The Fallen are tools of Xaos. He uses them as a weapon of intimidation, a way to frighten us. Turning our friends, our comrades, and innocents into mere animals that do his bidding. And what does he have them do? Murder our friends, our comrades, and the innocent. We ourselves have been caught up in this vicious cycle: forced to fight against those who were once our allies and strike them down with our own hands. If we are ever to win against Mellek Xaos we need to find a way to reverse his awful ability of changing people into the Fallen. We need to try. We also need all the help we can gather to defeat Xaos himself once the time comes. In both cases, there is one person that we cannot do without. We need Elise Redd, and I'm willing to take any and all risks to get her back. As for you, DeFrain, Ehud, Skythropos, and Theodore, I want your full support in this mission, as I'll need all your strength to pull it off. Do I have your word?"

"Of course!" Ted answered.

"Yes," said Skythropos.

"Always," DeFrain replied.

"On my honor," Ehud confirmed.

"Very well," Tigerclaw said. "We'll make our move at dawn."