Helmond's band had made good progress. They were just settling down for the night. Tomorrow, they would reach Larwein. Poor, dumb Astilliar had underestimated the loyalty of Oshul and Artis. He had been given command over them, sure, but Helmond had worked with his two companions for ages.

They trusted him implicitly, even though he did not return the feeling. Bringing them down into the Breach to fight him and his human detachment had been the most idiotic thing Astilliar had likely ever done. Artis herself had stabbed him in the back, seconds after he'd lobbed a dagger at Helmond.

Helmond had quickly filled them in on his new persuasions, convincing them of a plan that would help settle things more quickly. They were going to drag the Interpreters back to the frontlines, to force them to face the havoc that was being caused by their decisions.

A while ago, they had passed a legion, led by a sky elf who Helmond hadn't known. As such, they had completely avoided the column.

Now, they were settled close to the street, watching for anything that would inform them of the progress the senate might have made.

Oshul, who had taken the first watch, warned them. "Two riders."

Helmond got up to check on them. In the evening light, his wife and daughter were still recognizable, even after all that time. The Ex-Legate stepped out of the underbrush, startling both Oshul and Artis as well as his family.

"Anzha", he said, confused, raising a hand in greeting.

Noli jumped off her doe and charged at Helmond. She collided with him in a tight hug.

"Hel? What are you doing here?", his summand said, without joy. She dismounted and approached him.

"A good question, to be sure. I should wonder the same. Are you no longer in Triton's employ?"

"I am on a sabbatical. Hel, I've come all this way to give Noli to your care", she bristled, "and myself."

He studied her face. It was careworn, old, but startlingly lovely. His heart skipped, but faltered at the sadness etched in her silver eyes. This was not going to be good news. Helmond's expression hardened. "What do you mean?"

"Her affliction, Hel. It appears it is heritable. I had it, undiscovered, passed it on to her. Now it is taking root in me. My mind is growing weaker. Soon I won't be able to fend for us."

The message was delivered like a hammer's blow. She had always been this way. Strong. Blunt. Forward. Beautiful. Caring. She had never been disloyal and had carried his burdens without complaint. Helmond slowly extended his arms for her and she stepped into his reach, reluctantly.

"Annie", he said softly, "Torlan… has been taken from us."

"I know", she said, now glad for his reassuring presence, "Your charges told me."

"My charges? You can't possibly mean…"

"The human and his moon elven companion? Yes. Those two."

Helmond scoffed. "Fate is a wry beast. To think you would meet them", then the Ex-Legate frowned, "I can't believe how careless they are. Why would they expose themselves like this?"

His summand laughed sardonically. "Of course you would see it this way, dear. Of course. They realized who we were. From a letter you had sent to them but not us. Unlike you, they seem to have had compunctions about leaving us in the dark about the passing of one of our own."

Helmond sighed deeply. "Please, Annie. I… could not find the words to put in ink."

His summand eyed him, annoyed, and their embrace dissolved.

'Noli, how are you', Helmond signed at his daughter.

'I'm so happy to see you, papa!', she replied, 'Can we go kill the Abuser and his weird traitor friend now? I kept telling mother that that is what you would do. She doesn't listen to me because she's crazy.'

Helmond frowned. This was the sort of talk he had put in her head, a long time ago, when he himself had been more radical. She had not matured much since. Guilt struck a second time.

'Noli, not every human is an Abuser. This human and his friend are doing something very good. They deserve our support.'

His daugher frowned, stepping away from him.

'Why are you saying that?'

'Because it's the truth.'

Noli frowned, her quizzical look wandering over both her parents.

"Hel. They said you were trying to make peace. Yet here you are?"

Her summand nodded. "There's nothing to be done at the Breach right now. I… have never seen such murder."

Anzha was aghast. Helmond seemed downright shellshocked. This, from the man whose bloody deeds had undermined many arguments she had made in her regent's name.

"What happened?"

He told them, signing it all out for Noli's sake.

'So the Abusers sent a dead dragon to fight and it did? They're so evil!'

'Noli, there's good and bad people on both sides. The sun dragon king killed just as many humans. Do you think that's better?', Anzha argued, tears in her eyes.

'So what, they're just humans. They don't even have arcani.'

'The human you met, did. He could do sky magic', Helmond noted.

Noli blinked.

'But humans can't do stuff like that. They're evil and not connected to the world around them! That's what you told me!'

'I was wrong.'

His daughter started pacing, running her hands over her face, almost clawing at it.

"Annie", Helmond said, gently caressing her face, "I… am… on a mission."

"Figures", she said with a tired smile and kissed his hand, "You always are. Hel, I have spent my life in service. To Triton. To our kids. To you. I know how it is."

"You don't have to coddle me, love. I've been all too aware of my sins, this past month. What you have done is… sacrifice of the highest order", He studied the ground, then sighed heavily.

She laughed quietly, running a hand through his silver hair. Long past were the days of its whiteness. "I did not come expecting you to stop whatever it was that had you occupied. I had hoped. But not expected."

He looked at her sadly, feeling the weight of his guilt and the blow to his gut that was her message.

The Ex-Legate then continued with determination.

"No. It's time I put down my blades."