Final Chapter: The End of the Season of Sorrow

The doors resist your efforts, swinging open slowly and stubbornly. As the doors open enough to squeeze through, you peer inside the shadowy chamber. A massive onyx dragon's face stares back at you from the far wall, its eyes aflame. You leap back from the door, reaching for your axe. The dragon doesn't react. As your eyes adjust, you realize the dragon head is just a statue, its eyes lit by large torches.

You take a breath to calm down, then shove the doors open wider. The light streaming through the open doors is too dim to light the room, and you cautiously pass through the portal. As your eyes adjust to the gloom, you realize the building is a single, massive chamber. You stand in a wide, open narthex. Ahead of you, a wide aisle draped with a luxurious red rug separates two seas of benches. Stained windows set high in the walls do little to light the chamber; what little light there is comes from a few torches lining the walls. A massive onyx sculpture of a dragon's head juts out of the far wall.

"Grima..." Paen mutters, slipping in behind you. "This was a church of the Dark Dragon, once," he reminds you. Doran and Rain take a few hesitant steps forward, and the rest of your party slips in behind them.

Dan and Wendy start to close the doors behind you. As the light from the outside becomes a thin line, then fades all together, you begin to see more clearly. As the doors slam shut with an ominous thud, a hiss begins to echo around the room. It grows in volume until it's all you can hear. You realize the statue's mouth is agape, protecting a large table. Standing before the table is a hunched form, glaring at you with glowing red eyes.

It throws its head back in what you expect to be a roar. Instead, it lets out what can only be a distorted, jeering laugh. You try to ignore the disturbing sight, instead scanning the room. The first of the benches is a good thirty feet ahead, and the benches are easily fifty feet wide. You see a smaller aisle running along either wall beyond the benches. You sweep your eyes down the main aisle, trying to count all the benches - you estimate 40 rows, maybe a bit less. In all, about 300 feet between your group and the figure cackling in the sanctuary.

You can just make out the shape of several cloaked figures hunched over across the front bench. Four more are seated at the table behind the Risen. None of them seem to be moving. You scan the benches for signs of an ambush, but they leave huge shadows. You think you can see movement in a few places, but you really aren't sure it's not just a trick of the flickering torchlight.

The figure finally stops its cackling. It stands, its arms spread wide, and slowly steps forward. As it leaves the alcove of the dragon's mouth and steps into the light of its eyes, you can see it more clearly. From this distance you aren't sure at first, but the massive spear impaled through its torso confirms your suspicions. This Risen can only be Horatio.

"I thought we were done with this dastard..." Paen growls.

"Welcome...!" Horatio - the thing that was once Horatio - rasps. "Here for the council meeting, I assume...? Well, I'm afraid you'll have quite a wait for your turn to speak!" The figure starts cackling again.

"He can talk? We've never seen a Risen speaking before..." Saul says, to no one in particular.

"Is that the Dark King Paen I see? Ha ha... I've been dyingto see you again!" Horatio grasps the Gae Bolg lodged in his - its? - gut, tugging futilely while laughing derisively.

"He always talked... too much..." Charlotte points out. "No reason he'd stop, just... because he's dead."

"What's wrong with him?" John asks.

Doran shakes his head. "Maybe this Bune creature spent a little extra time resurrecting him?"

John takes a step back. "But why is he acting like that?"

"He was already a bit insane," Wendy suggests.

Someone gently tugs on your shoulder. Mary whispers into your ear. "I'm ready to seal the doors. I'll need a few minutes, but it seems like he's going to run his mouth for a while yet. Once I'm done, nothing short of a dragon should be able to break in here for a few minutes."

(A) Let Horatio keep talking while Mary places the seal
(B) Leave the doors unsealed, prepare to fight
(C) Rush Horatio while he's distracted

You give a slight nod, subtle enough that Horatio shouldn't be able to notice.

"Really," Horatio continues, finally done laughing. "I must thank you all for coming here. It saves me the trouble of hunting you down. Then again, I suppose I shouldn't really thank you, since it's your fault for not dying sooner." Horatio looks at you. "Lady June, if you hadn't shirked your duty as a knight of Valeria, King Paen wouldn't be here to cause me any trouble. I gave you the honor and privilege of killing the enemy commander, and you spat in my face."

You feel a bit embarrassed, remembering how... poorly your first meeting with Paen had gone.

Horatio clicks his tongue. "Tsk, tsk. And Doran, if you'd only had the decency to rot in that dungeon... Ah, enough of this. If you're hoping I'm going to keep running my mouth and spoil the plan, you're severely mistaken. Suffice to say that you've already lost."

Paen levels Flamberge at Horatio. "I've no interest in your plan or your massive ego. You think you've won because you've lured us into this shoddy excuse for a trap?"

"No," Horatio answers plainly, almost uninterested. "I think I've won because I have the power of a great duke of the underworld at my beck and call."

"You're talking about Bune?" Saul asks.

Horatio tilts his head. "Oh, you've done your research. A bit of a disappointment. Oh, well."

"Tell me why," you demand.

"Hm? I beg your pardon?" Horatio responds.

"Tell me why you betrayed your country... Left hundreds, if not thousands of people dead... So you could serve some-"

"Serve?" Horatio cuts you off. "I'm afraid you're gravely mistaken, Lady June." Horatio raises his arms. "We're the ones who summoned Bune. We don't serve him. He serves us."

"What? But... Why? Why would you-"

Horatio raises a hand. "I told you. I'm not giving away the grand plan. Your friend's done placing her ward - beautiful craftsmanship, by the way - so now you're trapped in here. Enough stalling. Come and face me." With that, he pulls a sword from his hip, holding it with a reverse grip. The four figures seated at the table rise, raising black-bound tomes - they appear to be human. The figures on the front bench rise, slowly filtering towards the center aisle, standing between you and your target. Eight heroes and four generals.

"John," Doran mutters. "It's too dark in here."

"R-right!" John answers. With that, he opens a light tome. He quickly mutters a spell, throwing a ball of light into the air. With the shadows dispelled, you can clearly see the shape of Risen hidden among the benches.

"No point hiding, I suppose. Everyone, to arms!" Horatio calls.

The Risen hidden among the benches rise. Berserkers stand at the ends of the aisles every couple of feet, fourteen in total. Archers are staggered among the centers of the some rows. Twelve bows are nocked and raised.

"It'll be difficult getting to them," Doran says. "If we try to move over or along these benches, it will slow us down significantly, plus we'll be at an extreme disadvantage in terms of evasion. However, they should provide us some defense if we hunker down behind them."

Dan/Claudia and Wendy/Doran move up the pews, the rest attack and retreat down the middle

"Wear them down!" You begin charging down the middle aisle, straight into the heart of the advancing enemies. "Wendy, Doran, Claudia, Dan! Get the archers!"

You stop short, hurling your hatchet into the horde of Risen. It flies past the front-runners, but still finds a target. As your hatchet reappears in your hand, you pitch it again, this time landing a solid hit on the lead berserker.

Paen is a step behind, casting a wind spell towards the swarm of enemies. The blades of wind buffet the front line. None seem seriously injured, but the wind has the added effect of blowing the enemy archers' counterattack off target.

Dan and Claudia struggle to make their way over the benches, constantly ducking out of the way of incoming arrows - even if they aren't able to eliminate the enemy archers, they're at least drawing most of their fire from the right. Wendy and Doran have a bit more luck, leaping along the benches while ignoring the enemy arrows, aggressively charging the enemy. Doran and Wendy are still well behind your front line, working on their third archer (as Claudia and Dan reach their first) when the enemy melee units reach you.

Rain joins you and Paen on the front line, holding the enemy back. In the cramped quarters, the berserkers aren't able to unleash their full strength, giving you some respite. "We need to disengage!" Rain informs you.

"Why!?" Paen bellows, ripping his sword from his belt.

Mary and John form up behind you. A hand axe flies by, and Mary swats it from the sky, her hand covered in darkness. "Are you ready?" she asks John.

"Let's do it!" he answers.

Mary forms a ball of darkness behind you, then sends it into the floor. It slips past the enemies locked in combat with you towards their unexpecting second line. "Now!" she calls out.

As the flux spell bursts from below, John flings a small ball of light towards it. The two collide, resulting in a burst of energy. The pair of warriors next to the burst explode into a purple mist, and several more are sent staggering back by the shockwave.

"Fascinating..." Horatio mutters in the distance. "Quite an interesting trick!"

"This is our chance. Drop back and regroup!" you order. John and Mary are already retreating. Charlotte and Saul wait near the entrance, already healing your wounds with a pair of physic staves. As you run, a set of runes appear around you. Mary doesn't seem to be doing anything beyond running - you chance a glance over your shoulder. One of the hooded figures beyond Horatio is reading from a black-bound tome. You throw yourself to one side, ducking into an aisle just as the runes slam together explosively. The wave of Risen, already hot on your heels, manage to corner you. While you decide whether to retreat down the aisle or try to fight your way through, you feel a sensation that leaves you nauseated. The world distorts, and you find yourself staring at Charlotte. She smiles, trading her rescue staff for a heal.

Fully refreshed, you rejoin your group at the rear of the benches. Your troops have only just now managed to put enough distance between themselves and the Risen that they're able to turn and begin attacking again. Horatio's summoners step forward, reinforcing the enemy's assault with long-ranged magic. A few of the berserkers break off and start moving down the left aisles, threatening to cut Doran and Wendy off. They start to drop back, having eliminated four archers. Dan and Claudia, having only advanced a few rows, hold their ground.

You prepare to volley into the heart of the enemy again. Horatio calls out over your orders. "Advance relentlessly, no quarter! Leave them nowhere to retreat!"

If you attempt to attack and retreat again, you'll find your backs against the wall, surrounded by the twenty-five Risen still barreling down the center aisle while the summoners attack ceaslessly. There are a pair of archers still attacking from the left side, while five remain on the right - the smaller aisles on either side are still clear. If you make a break for it, you should be able to outrun the horde and reposition over there.

Alternatively, the enemy's rear line is completely unguarded, save for Horatio... You think Saul brought a warp staff - he could probably throw you and one other just short of Horatio. You'd have three or four rounds before the rest of the enemies could overwhelm you, assuming they turn back immediately.

(A) Hold your ground at the rear of the aisle
(B) Attack, then retreat toward the side aisle
(C) Warp behind the enemy's main force (June/Paen)

(Y) Doran/Wendy keep pressing forward
(Z) Doran/Wendy rejoin your main group

(1) Claudia/Dan keep holding their ground
(2) Claudia/Dan rejoin your main group

Paen raises his shield toward the charging Risen. "Come, find your pea-"

You cut him off mid-taunt, pulling his arm. "Buy us some time..." you tell Rain as you drop back.

"I'll see what I can do. Don't do anything stupid!" She calls out to you.

"Defensive positions!" you order. "Doran, Claudia! You, too!"

"We're missing the big fight..." Paen complains as you lead him to Saul. Charlotte steps forward to take your places until the rest of your units regroup.

"Archbishop, do you have a warp staff with you?" you ask.

He blinks, then starts rifling through his gear. "Er... Yes, I do."

"Send us behind the enemy's line," you tell him. "We're going straight for the enemy commander."

"That's... insane. Besides, I'd only be able to send you halfway or so."

"That's enough of a start that we can outrun the main group of enemies. Also, you have a rescue staff," you point out.

"I won't be able to pull you back if we get split up too much!"

Paen slams his fists together. "I'm liking this plan!"

Saul sighs, pulling the staff out. "Are you sure you wish to do this?" he asks one last time.

"Yes," you answer.

"Hell yes!" Paen bellows.

Saul focuses on Paen, muttering an incantation. The staff head glows, and Paen blurs, then disappears completely. Mary steps beside Saul, twirling gracefully. Saul faces you, repeating the spell.

The world blurs again, and suddenly comes back into focus. Saul is still visible, but now there's several angry enemies between you. As Saul said, you've made it about halfway down the aisle, well past the horde of Risen. Paen grabs your shoulder, spinning you around and pulling you into a run.

As you charge down the aisle, the archers are first to react, quickly changing targets to attack you. With half of their rank slain, though, they don't pose much of a threat. Horatio pulls out a jagged sword, a sick grin on his face. With his free hand, he points to you. The summoners focus their spells. Shadowed runes appear in the air around you, large dark balls appearing seconds later. You manage to weave through them easily enough, though Paen has more difficulty. One lands a direct hit, but Paen forces himself to charge through it.

With only a few more rows of benches remaining, Horatio steps forward to meet you. He raises his sword in the air. A wave of lightning erupts from just ahead of you. In your surprise, you don't react quickly enough. The force of the jolt causes you to stumble forward. As you regain your balance, you manage to throw your hatchet. It looks like a sure hit until the last possible instant. Horatio doesn't seem to move, yet he suddenly appears to be several inches to the right of your attack. Paen draws Flamberge, stepping forward and slashing. Horatio parries the blow, their jagged blades locking. Paen is forced to leap back as the summoners launch a second barrage from their eclipse tomes.

The archers join in with a volley of arrows, but most of their attacks fall short, and the rest go far wide. You risk a glance back at the wall of enemies. Most are moving to chase you, with a few staying behind to delay your reinforcements. You estimate you have time for three, maybe four attacks before they're upon you.

(A) Support Paen with your bow
(B) Attack with your hatchet
(C) Close in, use Armads
(D) Try to grab hold of Horatio

You decide to grab Horatio. Casting your hatchet to the side, you lunge forward. Just as your hand is about to wrap around his cloak, you inexplicably find yourself an inch short. As he steps back, he taunts you with a sickening grin. You happen to brush against the Gae Bolg still stuck in his chest. Without thinking, you seize it. Horatio's smile disappears instantly.

You grab the spear with your other hand, then switch, slowly working your way up the shaft. Horatio sends another wave of thunder at you, but you push through it. As soon as he's in reach, you wrap an arm around his waist. Stepping behind him, you grab his chest with the other hand. You lock him in as close as possible. Just to be sure, you strain as hard as you can, lifting him a few inches.

"What... put me down!" he yells, flailing. He feebly lashes out with his Levin sword, barely managing to graze your back.

"Paen, now!" you tell him.

He starts to raise his sword, then hesitates. You don't know how much longer you can hold on. "We've still got an elixer!" you remind him.

Paen steps back, raising Flamberge. "Gods... You're insane, both of you!" he howls. He swings Flamberge back, slamming it against the ground. He takes a step forward, raising the blade to thrust. "Die, monster!"

As Paen takes another step, his thrust is marked by a searing pain in your gut. Everything seems frozen for a second as Paen shifts his grip, then you can feel the blade moving upward as Paen roars with effort. The edge slashes through your shoulder, causing you to lose your grip. As you drop Horatio, you fall to the floor, still entangled.

You know that you're bleeding badly, but everything starts to go a bit numb. Paen throws his sword down, already rummaging through your gear in search of the elixer. As your consciousness starts to fade, you can hear Horatio straining to speak. "This... changes nothing. You only... delay... the inevitable..."

Holland shoves Bud out of the way, barely raising his shield in time to deflect an incoming spear. The bottom floor's been completely overrun; everyone's showing signs of fatigue. After shifting to the top of the stairs, Holland's at least been able to give people a few minutes of rest fighting in shifts. While he desperately tries to keep the seemingly endless wave of enemies at bay, Alyssa's been directing the destruction of the far wall - hopefully she'll be able to make an escape route in time.

As Holland prepares to switch out, the Risen hero charging up the stairs suddenly trips. It grips its head, shrieking in agony. Dozens of other Risen begin to wail from below, as well. As suddenly as it began, the roaring stops. The hero stands and turns, dashing back down the stairs with axe in hand. A surprised soldier doesn't react quickly enough, and the Risen strikes him down. The sounds of battle and screams of fear erupt from below. Everyone crowds the top of the stairs, trying to comprehend what exactly is happening. The Risen seem to have gone berserk, attacking allies, enemies, and even each other.

You're vaguely aware of the sounds of battle, but acutely aware of a stinging pain in your chest. If nothing else, at least you know you're still alive. The sounds of battle are gone, replaced by a far-off voice calling out to you.

"-ne... Come on... need to..." Rain's voice slowly comes into focus. "You need to get up," she tells you, concern plastered across her face.

"She's coming to," Wendy exclaims excitedly. "June!" You shake your head weakly, your vision returning to normal.

"About time," Paen states flatly. Though he's trying to act indifferent, he can't hide the stupid grin stuck on his face. He offers you a hand. "Get up, Girly, we aren't quite done yet."

You take his hand. "You killed me," you accuse.

"Not quite," Paen shrugs. "Besides, you've tried to kill me twice now."

"That really hurt," you pout.

Paen starts to respond, but Rain elbows him. "Paen, how could you?"

Doran shakes his head. "Hurting our commander like that."

"And he didn't even apologize," Saul points out.

Even Claudia decides to join in. "He never did understand the feelings of a woman."

You hide your smile as Paen looks back to you. You try to look as sad and pathetic as possible, even managing to squeeze out a tear. Paen's smile drops and he retracts his hand. "OK, OK, I'm sorry I stabbed you. I was trying to be as gentle as possible while also making sure to kill that dastard."

"And is Horatio dead?" you ask.

"Yes."

"Then, apology accepted." You reach up, and Paen grabs your hand. He helps you to your feet and you get another look around. Charlotte, Mary, and John are investigating the altar, while Dan pokes at the door. A golden seal still covers it. There are no signs that a massive battle just took place, aside from a few bloodstains - and a large pool where you were laying - and the discarded weapons strewn about. "What happened to the Risen?" you ask.

Rain shakes her head. "They just started killing each other after you took down Horatio."

"That's... great news," you admit. "Are all the Risen going to take care of themselves like that?"

"Most of them should," John calls from across the room. "That's what Mary thinks, anyway."

You make your way to a bench and sit down. You breath a long sigh and stretch a bit. "So... What now?" you ask no one in particular.

Doran takes a seat next to you. "Mary says the seal won't dissolve for another few minutes. After that, we need to rejoin with our allies, then decide how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. We could just run. We've got enough of a headstart. But it's likely they'd be willing to surrender, seeing as all their commanders are dead." While Doran speaks, you notice a large gash in your armored dress from Paen's attack. You pretend not to notice, trying to hide your embarrassment while silently thanking everyone else for having the tact not to say anything.

"I've found something... odd," Mary announces from the sanctuary.

"So have I..." Charlotte calls out. It takes a second to spot her crawling out from beneath the altar.

Rain helps you to your feet, and your group makes its way towards the front of the council chambers.

"Who's first?" Doran asks.

Mary steps to the side. "I'd like to speak with you and June privately... Um... Maybe the king and Archbishop... No, you can decide who to tell later."

Confused, you glance at Doran. He shrugs, and the two of you follow Mary a few steps from the group, ducking into the shadow of Grima's statue.

"Yes?" you ask. Mary pulls out a dark tome and hands it to you. Then, she pulls out an identical tome and hands it to Doran. "I can't read the script," you remind her; judging from Doran's reaction, you're missing something important.

"It's the Goetia," he mutters. He opens to a random page and reads for a moment, then trades with you. He flips to the same page and skims it a bit. "No doubt about it, they're the same book." He looks more closely, then corrects himself. "No, they're in different conditions, but still..."

"It's impossible," Mary claims. "Or, it should be. Only one copy of this tome should be left in existence..."

Doran is visibly taken aback. "Where did you...?"

Mary shakes her head. "One of those summoners." She shrugs.

Doran scratches his head. "Well... I suppose someone must have found a way to produce a copy of the Goetia? Or perhaps the 'last known copy' wasn't truly the last known copy?"

A loud crash from the altar interrupts any further musings. "Keep this hidden for now," Doran orders Mary. "We'll decide what to do with it later. Praven may have some idea."

With that, your group returns to the others. You find the altar laying in a broken heap off to one side. Where it stood, a small passage in the floor. You can see a ladder stretching down into the darkness.

"He's here..." Charlotte mutters, clutching her axe. "I can feel him... His power... is fading. But he's here..."

John nods fearfully. "I can feel an immense magical presence below us. Something inhuman," he explains.

Mary glances down the hole, then to the main entrance. The glowing seal is faded to the point you can barely make it out. "My seal will be gone shortly. Based on how the Risen reacted to Horatio's death, and the fact Charlotte can feel the power fading, we can assume we've broken the monster's contract."

"Contract?" you ask.

"When you summon a beast as powerful as a lord of Hell, you typically create some form of pact, a contract. The demon will let you use his power... for a price. After the contract is fulfilled, the demon should return from whence he came. We don't need to do anything further, unless you're desperate to hasten the process."

You think you get the idea. "You never did tell us much about this... Bune, anyway. What is he?"

Mary flips open the Goetia. She shows you a page with a rough sketch of a dragon, and several runes you can't begin to read. "He's described as draconic in appearance. He has the ability to resurrect and control the dead, as well as the ability to grant wisdom."

"Is there any chance we could defeat him?" you ask.

Mary stares blankly at the page, then closes her eyes. "This tome doesn't give any sort of comparison of their strength. He may be only as strong as a normal dragon, or he may have strength unimaginable to us mere mortals." You can almost hear Paen salivating at the prospect. "It does, however, list a few counter-spells that could be used to harm him."

"We can beat him," Charlotte declares. "I know it!"

Dan cocks his head. "But Mary just said he'll go away on his own. What point is there to fighting him?"

"Revenge..." Charlotte growls without hesitation.

"This creature isto blame for countless deaths," Saul points out. "Perhaps a bit of discipline will deter him from returning."

Doran crosses his arms. "I... don't know."

"We've got Flamberge and the Shadow Emblem," Paen begins. "Falchion and the Fire Emblem. The Goetia. And... whatever happened to Charlotte. But even I'll admit this could be dangerous. It's your call, June." The expression in his eyes - and their constant darting towards the hole in the floor - tell you which way he would vote.

(A) Descend the ladder
(B) Wait for the seal to dissolve and leave

You peer down the ladder. It stretches down into the darkness, far past where the dim light shines. You slowly shake your head. "No. We're leaving. If that... thing is going away on its own, then we have bigger problems to worry about."

"But-" Paen starts.

You cut him off. "Like our allies out there, who may be struggling."

"But-!" Charlotte argues, perched over the ladder.

"Or Drake and the dracozombie. Or the army racing towards us."

"June..." Doran trails off. "Mary, you're sure Bune will... What's going to happen to him?"

Mary is silent for a moment. "Without a contract, he won't be able to remain in this world for long, a few hours at most. He'll soon return from whence he came."

Paen sighs. "...That's what Grima's telling me, as well." He sheathes Flamberge.

"We've come too far, accomplished too much" you tell him. "I'm not throwing anyone's life away now."

"The seal's lifting," Dan announces. "Unless anyone's got any objections, it's time to go."

Your group begins to file towards the door. Charlotte lingers behind, glancing over her shoulder at the passage. Saul takes her hand, and she jumps. He shakes his head, and she stares back blankly. Slowly, she begins to nod, then follow him out.

Rain slaps you on the back. "June... You made the right choice. We accomplished our goals, there's no reason to act foolish. Oh, and if Paen starts pouting, just smack him."

As you step out onto the steps of the council chambers, your eyes adjust almost immediately to the gloom of the late afternoon. The sun floats just above the horizon, and the shadows of the town's buildings stretch far. You don't have long now, about half an hour. If you head to the inn, gather your troops, and start moving, you should be able to escape before the enemy reinforcements arrive - assuming Cynbel's estimate was accurate. Either way, you've precious little time for error, unless you plan to confront the cavalry. If you do confront them... Maybe you'll be able to convince them to surrender. If not, you're not sure if you stand a chance.

(A) Collect Holland's group and leave
(B) Assemble your troops at the council chambers, prepare what defenses you can
(C) Ride out to meet the cavalry in the plains around the town

(1) Send fliers to search for Drake
(2) Abandon Drake

Supports chosen:
Holland/Charlotte A
Harrow/Cynbel S
Sherry/Zephyr S
Dan/Paen A

You decide not to press your luck any more than necessary. "We're leaving. We'll grab Holland's team, then retreat as fast as possible."

Harrow looks up worriedly. "What about Drake?"

"He still isn't back..." you realize. "Rain, take the other fliers and go look for him."

Rain nods, then whistles for her pegasus. A noise above you draws your attention, and you see it leaping down from the roof. The rest of your winged mounts quickly follow. "We'll find him," Rain assures you as she mounts her pegasus.

Doran takes out a pen and scroll, unrolls it, and quickly scribbles something. He tosses it to Rain. "Here's our rendezvous point," he explains. "Fly along the coast, then turn due east. And keep an eye out for enemy search parties." Rain flashes him a thumbs-up as she leaps into the air. She quickly turns to the west, flying out towards the sea.

"Well, then. Let's be on our way," Saul suggests, with one final glance back at the council chambers.

"Just a second," Paen requests. As if he forgot something, he steps back inside and disappears around the corner. He appears a moment later carrying a torch. He absentmindedly tosses it onto the opulent rug, then watches to make sure the flame catches. He casually strolls out, as if he hadn't done anything wrong. "Better than nothing," he announces cheerfully.

You find Holland leading his group out of the inn. Corpses litter the road in front, and you can only assume the scene inside is just as grisly. Alyssa is the first to notice your approach. "They're back!" she calls out.

"So soon?" Holland asks, stumbling over a discarded shield.

Ferris crosses his arms behind his head. "Looks like you guys made it through in one piece. We got a bit worried when we noticed that." He stares behind you, and you turn to see the council chambers burning brightly.

Everyone that was with you looks at Paen. He raises his hands defensively. "Better safe than sorry," he claims.

"...Right. Well, wanton destruction aside, let's not dawdle here," Cecil suggests. He pauses for a second, then looks at you. "Unless you're planning to take down an entire army?"

"No," you answer. You wave your arms, indicating the bloodied battlefield before you. "We've seen enough violence for one day."

"Agreed," Holland says. He looks around, confused. "Er... Where's my wife?"

"She's-" you begin.

"Scouting," Doran interrupts you. "With the rest of her team. She's going to meet us up ahead." Holland accepts the answer with a nod.

Bud seems to notice you for the first time. "Hey, uh, June? What happened to your dr-" Alyssa cuts him off with a sharp elbow.

You form ranks quickly, your cavalry riding ahead to check for ambushes. You head southeast, back into the rolling hills. After a few minutes of marching down the twisting road, Doran leads you off the beaten path. Covering your tracks as well as possible, you pass a few hills to find a small clearing.

"We'll wait here for our fliers to return," Doran explains. "Don't get too comfortable, everyone. We may need to move at a moment's notice."

"It doesn't look like we're being followed," Charon announces. You post sentries along the surrounding hills, just in case.

Your troops gladly take the opportunity to rest a bit. Most people clean their weapons and armor as best they can, eat a few bites of food, then flop down exhausted. A few small conversations are going on, but most people seem to just be enjoying the silence.

"So, Charlotte," Holland asks, absentmindedly stroking his beard. "What are you doing after we get back to Antea?"

"Hm?" Charlotte asks, clearly distracted.

"Well, we're done fighting, right? We're heading home, so... What are you going to do?"

"I... don't know," she answers.

"You're still the commander of the Holy Knights..." Holland muses.

"I... am I?" Charlotte asks, concerned.

Holland stops stroking his beard. "Why wouldn't you be?"

Charlotte starts to rub her arm in worry. "Because I'm... the way I am now."

"What of it?" Holland asks. "You're still the same person, clearly. You just speak a bit differently."

"I... don't know if I can..." Charlotte murmurs.

"Of course you can," Holland assures her. "Besides, you'll have plenty of other people you can rely on around. Me, Saul. Maybe Rain or Doran will get reassigned."

"Y-you would really... want me?" Charlotte stammers.

"Who else could do it better?" Holland asks nonchalantly.

Charlotte closes her eyes for a moment. "I see... Thank you..."

A short distance away, Sherry lies stretched out in the grass. Zephyr takes a seat next to her. You realize this is the first time you've ever actually seen him tired.

"Hey, Zephyr?" Sherry mutters sleepily.

"Yeah?" he asks.

"Why do you put up with me?"

"Hm?" Zephyr cocks his head in confusion.

"I know I can be a bit... a lot annoying. Demanding. Um... abrasive. Off-putting. Um, why aren't you stopping me?"

"I want to see where you're going with this," Zephyr explains.

"I'm asking why you hang around me!" Sherry raises her voice slightly, but not enough to cause a scene.

Zephyr sits in silence for a moment. "I want to see how strong you can become," he finally admits. "Plus, you're interesting. Driven. Sure, you're not very strong, but you try hard. It's admirable."

"I... see..." Sherry murmurs, half-awake. "Hey, Zephyr?"

"Yes?" he asks.

"Now that this is over... where are you planning to go?"

"I hadn't really thought about it."

"You could stay with me for a while. If you want. Um... Just as thanks for helping me so much. Don't get any funny ideas."

"Really?" Zephyr asks, surprised. "Well... I'll think about it a bit, OK?"

Doran interrupts them, reprimanding Sherry for nearly falling asleep.

Mary slips over to you, lightly touching your elbow. She pulls you aside and offers you a cloak. Praven joins you. As if sensing what's about to happen, Doran walks over as well.

Praven extends a hand to Mary. "You've done an admirable job with your burden, child. But we've no more reason for it. I'll take care of the Goetia from here, and see it safely returned to Terranus."

"Yes, of course," Mary tells him. She hands him the Goetia, and it's as if a weight is lifted from her shoulders. As she relinquishes the tome, she takes a deep breath. "It's nice to be rid of it," she admits.

"I understand," Praven tells her. "I'll wait to collect the rest of these artifacts until the last moment, but I thought you may wish to be done with yours sooner." Mary looks at you questioningly, then to Doran. Praven seems to realize she's holding something back. "Is there something else you need to tell me?"

(A) Tell him nothing
(B) Give him the second Goetia
(C) Tell him about the second Goetia, but hold onto it

You give Mary a nod, and she reaches into her cloak. She withdraws the second copy of Goetia, handing it to Praven. He looks at it questioningly, then opens it and begins to skim it. His eyes darken. "How... Where did you get this?"

Mary sighs. "There were some summoners working with Horatio. Most of them were using eclipse tomes, but one of them had this, as well."

"This shouldn't exist," Praven says gravely. "I don't know how this is possible. Our order has protected the last known copy for over two centuries..."

"So, maybe there's another surviving copy you didn't know about?" you ask. "And it there's one copy, couldn't it be used to make more?"

"Maybe," Doran explains. "But it is extremely powerful magic, not something that just anyone could make."

Praven snaps the tome shut. "We send mages-in-training out on journeys of self-discovery every year, and none have ever reported encountering this magic. Why would it appear now...?"

"Mystery after mystery..." Doran mutters. "We discover how the dead are walking - a demon lord's been summoned. Then we learn how the enemy managed to summon the monstrosity. And now we're left wondering where they obtained this tome."

"Could there be more of them?" you ask. The prospect of someone else summoning another demon is terrifying...

"I have no idea," Doran tells you. "But I intend to find out."

"I'll offer what help I can," Praven promises.

Doran nods appreciatively. "I'll speak with Saul and Paen, as well. I'm sure they'll be willing to lend a hand."

"In the meantime, I'll seal this away with the other," Praven tells you. "Unless you think it more prudent to simply destroy it?"

Doran thinks for a moment. "No, we may be able to find a clue if we study it. To that end, can you leave it with me?"

Praven hesitates, then slowly hands over the Goetia. "Very well. You've earned my trust. Swear to me you'll keep it out of the wrong hands."

"I'll protect it with my life," Doran promises.

The sound of flapping wings draws your attention. Glancing towards the sky, you can barely make out the outline of your four fliers returning. For a second, it seems they're going to fly past you. Doran pulls out a fire tome, creating a small flame. The leader - Rain, judging from the mount - swoops down. Jayce and Cynbel scramble out of the way as she sets down. The wyverns circle again, searching for a clear place to land.

Rain climbs down from her pegasus, then turns to help an exhausted-looking Drake down. Despite Rain's attempts to heal him, he still appears quite badly wounded. Harrow and Saul rush over to offer him some help, but Drake shakes them off. "No, I'm... fine. I just need some rest," he says.

Harrow's tail wags slightly. I'm just glad to see you're alive," she tells him. "We were getting worried when you didn't come back."

Drake's lips curl into a tired smile. "It was a tough fight."

"We found him half-dead, washed up on the beach," Rain explains. "It's a miracle he didn't drown."

You want to ask Drake about his reaction earlier. The way he flew into a rage and attacked the dracozombie... You wonder if they knew each other. But with Drake's temper, you decide it would be better to let him come to you if he wants to talk.

Drake blushes a bit. "Um... Thanks..." he spits out. "I know it was a risk, coming back for me."

When you look over at Paen, you notice Holland glaring daggers at Doran. "I thought you said she was scouting ahead?" he accuses.

"I never said 'ahead,' just that she was scouting," Doran corrects him.

Holland glances down at Drake, then sighs. "Well, all's well that ends well. I swear, though, some day her kindness is going to get her killed..."

"Did you have any trouble?" you ask.

Rain shakes her head. "We saw an enemy patrol, but they didn't seem to notice us. Still, it seems they're looking for us..."

Paen slams his fists together. "Not giving up so easily, eh?"

"I guess we're not out of the woods just yet," Cecil says.

"I wish they'd just let us go," Jessup says worriedly.

"We'll be OK," Syrene assures him.

"We didn't save the world to die here," Jayce adds cheerfully.

Cynbel pulls Doran aside. "Let me see your maps," he demands. Doran complies, and Cynbel starts tracing a route. "This road here should be best. Quickest. It should take you back into Carcina in before tomorrow night. I doubt they'll pursue you far past there."

"You're talking like you aren't coming with us," you point out.

"I'm not," he states simply. "I'm still a knight of Meridia, after all. With our council dead, we're going to need to re-establish our government, fix the chain of command... We've got a lot of work to do, and someone needs to tell these fools that their little rebellion's over."

"You're going to fight them alone?" you ask, incredulous.

"Fight?" Cynbel asks. "Of course not. Yell at, berate. Intimidate, if necessary. But I've seen enough of my countrymen's blood spilled for one lifetime."

"I understand the feeling..." Harrow sighs, her tail between her legs. "I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you. Truly," Cynbel tells her. He pauses, trying to work up his nerve. "And what of you? Where do you intend to go?" he finally asks.

"I... don't know," Harrow admits. "I've no home to return to."

"You aren't returning to Terranus?"

"My home was with my pack, not in some country," she explains.

"I see... Then, perhaps you'd like to stay in Meridia?" Cynbel asks hesitantly.

"With you?" she asks.

"Well... Yes, if you wish." Cynbel rubs the back of his head, looking away awkwardly. "I've grown fond of your company, and I'm sure I'd miss it. Though, I must warn you there are hard days ahead."

"I... see," Harrow says. "I suppose I could stay for a while, at least."

Cynbel smiles. "I'm glad to hear it."

The pair continue to stand awkwardly for a few seconds, unsure what to do or say next. The silence is broken by Haley stifling a giggle.

"Er... Right, then! We should be on our way!" Cynbel announces, turning bright red as he remembers everyone's presence. "I wish you all luck on your journey home." He starts to mach back the way you came, very quickly.

Harrow starts to chase after him, her tail wagging happily. She turns back for one final wave. "Farewell!" she calls, disappearing over a hill.

"Well, then. I suppose that's our clue to get moving, as well," Doran announces.

The trip back to Carcina is tense. You find a thicket and manage a few hours of sleep, but not as long as you wish. "There'll be time fer a proper sleep once we're back home," Rosalin keeps reminding everyone. No one complains, they just keep marching. Riding Marth, you keep a close watch towards the rear.

Along the way, Dan decides to walk for a few minutes to give Shard a break. Paen strikes up a conversation. "I've been meaning to ask you, Dan. What do you think about me?"

"Hm?" Dan is taken aback by the sudden question, but recovers quickly. "I think you're strong. Reliable. A bit single-minded at times, perhaps. And you don't seem to much care what people say about you, which may be a blessing or a curse, I suppose."

"I do care what those close to me say," Paen corrects him. "And I meant how you thought of me as a ruler."

Dan considers the question more thoughtfully. "You rule the same way you fight. You do what needs to be done, even if it's not popular. I hear plenty of grumbling over some of your ordinances, but it usually goes away pretty quick. I'd say most people would have a few complaints for you, but nothing serious. Most people seem pretty satisfied."

"And you?" Paen questions.

"And me," Dan answers simply.

"I'm sure to catch Hell over turning Sefa into a sanctuary for laguz one I reopen court. And I'm sure plenty of people will be upset if we start getting buddy-buddy with Valeria. The lordlings, most of all. But so long as the commoners are happy, I can live with their yelping."

"People will appreciate it someday," Dan assures him. "Bad blood fades slowly, but making new friendships should help the problem."

"Well put."

The attack you keep expecting never comes, and you cross the border without incident shortly after sunset. You march another hour, then make camp for the night. Early in the morning, your sentries begin raising an alarm. You groggily reach for your axe, staggering out of your tent into the cool night air. You expect to find Meridian troops nipping at your heels, but the alarm is coming from the other direction. Instead of the bright red of the Meridian army, the approaching troops wear the black armor of Carcina. The troops just keep arriving. The commander explains that the Risen attacks suddenly stopped. Reports started to come in of Risen tearing each other apart. Every fort in western Carcina with strength to spare had immediately started to organize troops, and within 24 hours a host 300 strong was ready to rescue their king, with more troops to follow.

Paen orders the troops to escort your group back to the nearest fort, and to spread the word to other groups. More messengers were dispatched to Valeria, all bearing messages written by the archbishop himself. "This war is over. All troops, stand down and await further orders."

END OF CHAPTER 23