Several months after the tournament, Dario had attained the title of Grandmaster, leading the 4 devas, including Zoah, Marcy, and his best friend, Karsh. Dario's father's sword, the Einlanzer, which was used only by the Grandmasters of the Acacia Dragoons, had finally been presented to him. Those in the high ranks of Viper's army and of the governing body had attended a ceremony at Viper Manor, while Dario's other friends were invited to a celebration in Termina square that evening.

Luckily for the new Grandmaster, the evening was particularly pleasant. The stars were clearly visible in the sky above Termina, and though it was already late winter, the air had begun to warm, and was comfortable for those who stayed out into the night. Dario had always been fond of the way the moon reflected off of Termina bay, and that night was the night to have seen it. The ripples on the water slowly moved toward the shore, distorting the bright white image of the moon on the surface.

General Viper tapped his glass of wine, resonating across the veranda over the voices of many people. Everyone fell silent. "This," General Viper said in a declarative voice. "Is a toast to our new Grandmaster. Dario…" He said, putting his arm around the knight wearing his ceremonial armor. "Following your father's death, we had all hoped that someday a son of Garai would attain the title. And here you are, more perfect than I could have wished." Dario gave a sheepish smile, while Karsh stood in the back of the crowd with his arms folded, resigned again to Dario's victory. "This is a toast to the honor of the past… and to the pride that will continue in the hearts of the Acacia Dragoons!" Everyone cheered, as they often had at the speeches of the General, and resumed speaking to each other as they had.

"Again, Dario," Viper said quietly. "Congratulations. You've been like a son to me…" Karsh saw the two of them speaking privately, with the General wearing a broad grin, and Dario smiling almost embarrassedly. He turned away and walked off to a secluded location, away from the crowd that idolized the man who once called himself an equal.

Karsh sat down at the dock down by the canal through Termina. The ground was hard, cold from the weather, and the water was yet colder. It was absolutely silent; the man who lived in the shack nearby was apparently gone, for his light was left off for the first time Karsh had ever seen. He sat as he normally did, his arms around his bent knees, and he began to count with spite the number of times Dario had one-upped him. He had counted with his fingers, and it was by the time that he thought of the time Dario fed the dragons at Viper Manor while Karsh had hesitated, Karsh shook out his hands, and slapped himself in the face.

"What are you doing," he quietly said to himself. "He's your friend and you should be proud of his accomplishments. Come on, Karsh. If you're going to count the number of times he's beaten you, you should also count your successes. You've done quite a bit; you're even one of the four devas. The best of the four… Nobody knows it yet." A smile formed on his face, as he picked up a small rock next to him and threw it into the water, an action that Glenn had started to pick up from Karsh.

He admired the murky water in front of where he sat, so different from the rest of Termina bay. A voice came from far away, "Karsh?" He sat still. It was Riddel's voice, and she was looking for him. But who was he to pretend he wasn't here sulking? "Karsh, is that you?" The young woman approached him slowly, and Karsh looked up at her.

Riddel was more beautiful than he had seen her the day before. She wore a glimmering white and green dress that seemed to match the colors of Dario's armor. Karsh looked past this connection and gazed at her sleek, dark blue hair, and her slender, stunning face looking right back at him. He saw her open her mouth and form words, but he heard nothing.

"Karsh!" She said, her hands on her waist. "Are you listening to me?"

"Yeah. Yeah, sorry…"

"What's wrong? Why are you out here?" She sat down next to him, her legs extended with one crossed over the other.

"You know how I am with crowds."

"Things in a man's nature never change, right?" Karsh nodded in agreement. He looked down at his knees, too timid to look at her face. "And jealousy?"

"What?" Karsh, surprised at what she said, looked directly into her eyes. It was at that moment that he realized he had never been so close to see the white in her eyes.

"Zoah mentioned it the other day. He said you weren't very happy that Dario was going to beat you again at something." Karsh looked down again and said nothing. "Are you… ever happy for him?"

"Of course I am, Riddel. You know that."

"Well you should show him sometime. I shouldn't have to be the one to say that he is not happy when you aren't. You… You two used to talk."

"We're knights. Sometimes we don't even have the chance to see each other. I'm surprised you still do." Karsh again looked at her, sitting so properly underneath the moonlight. Seeing her made him forget the malicious things he ever thought about Dario, or about how she probably felt about the recently appointed Grandmaster. "I understand what you mean, though."

"Good!" She said, jumping a little and smiling. "Then let's get back to the celebration." She began to stand up and Karsh remained still.

"I think I'm gonna stay here a little bit longer. Just until some of the fans start leavin'." He smiled at Riddel and she returned it.

"Well, ok, then." She said. She leaned down and kissed Karsh on the cheek. "We'll be waiting for you."

The kiss had been entirely unexpected, and Karsh was left almost in shock. Yet as Riddel began to walk away, he stopped her. "Riddel, I…"

"Yes?"

He looked up at her, half-turned towards him, the prettiest woman he'd ever seen. And the words didn't come. "Nevermind, it's nothing."

"If you say so, Karsh. I'll be out on the veranda when you're ready to come back."

"I'll see ya shortly," he said, returning his focus to the stream of water in front of him.

By the time Riddel was entirely out of view, Karsh punched his fist into the ground in frustration, but the ground had been nearly frozen, and with a feeling of immense pain, recoiled. "Damn!" he said, kissing his knuckles.