They walked in silence for hours. Javed could feel his body protesting the forced march. Rather than stop, he just channeled sun magic to heal his muscles, and continued on. It wasn't a substitute for rest, but it allowed him to keep going.

Javed's conscious mind was silent. There was nothing to say, nothing to think about. He focused only on putting one foot in front of the other. This was the way to deal with a forced march. Only, in this case, the forced part was his own doing.

Javed didn't know where he was going. He only knew he couldn't go back to the Aerie. Not with Ester missing. Even if they didn't immediately suspect him, Javed knew he wouldn't be able to withstand even the most innocuous questioning. He couldn't even bring himself to think about what had just happened, even as he hefted the heavy weight balanced over his shoulder.

He had wrapped Ester in her own cloak, taking special care to cover her face. Javed couldn't bear to look into those eyes. Lifeless, yet accusing. Deep down, he could feel the storm of emotion that he had barely managed to restrain. It felt distant, like he was someone else, or a spirit, walking outside of his body. But he could feel a queasiness resulting from the denied emotions. I'll have to face this sooner or later, he thought. But first I have to lay this, his mind glossed over her identity, to rest.

Javed didn't bother to look back for Anafenza. After what he'd said to her, he wouldn't have been surprised if she abandoned him for good. He was a terrible person, hurting everyone who had tried to help him. But if he let those emotions drive him, he would flee and stick his head in the sand. Javed had made his decision. He needed to do right, right now, and only then move on to rectifying his next sin.

The sun rose as he marched. Despite everything, Javed marveled at the beauty of the silent sunrise. It was awe inspiring. He almost felt like the world was trying to show him that there was still hope. But Javed resisted dwelling on that notion. Contentment was a killer. The killer of dreams, the killer of ambition. Right now, Javed wanted nothing more than to rest. To turn to Anafenza for comfort, to cry his eyes out. He wanted to sleep. He wanted to go home. But that was impossible.

He had killed Ester because he refused to make the hard decisions. He could never be so neglectful again. Everything must be premeditated. Every action must be planned, and purposefully enacted. It would be hard, but he would have to reach out to change the world around him. This would be difficult, as Javed had been trained to accept his lot in life, but he had to try.

The day progressed from a pleasant sunrise to a beating downpour of heat and light. The heat was unpleasant, but the direct sunlight was worse. Javed could feel his exposed skin heating up exponentially. His armor, ironically, was designed to keep off the sun and breathe, but of course he hadn't taken that in his flight. If I don't find a place to rest, out of the sun, I'm gonna be cooked alive.

Fortunately, as he marched, Javed noticed an oasis in the distance. He adjusted his course to make for the copse of trees. With the promise of a cool rest so close at hand, Javed could feel his excitement building. But he forced it down. He needed to control his breathing, control his adrenaline, to avoid premature exhaustion. He forced himself to continue at the same pace, and ignore the oasis, outside of making sure he was still on track. He put one foot in front of the other, until he had made it to the shade of the trees.

Once there, Javed wobbled dumbly for a moment, breathing heavily after the long journey. He focused on breathing in through the nose, taking in the cool smell of the oasis. Then Javed set his precious cargo down, and allowed himself to rest, his hands on his knees. His muscles instinctively started to relax, but he forced them to mind.

Step one, he thought, water. He looked around for any kind of water source that would sustain greenery in the desert. There was nothing obvious, but he did notice the damp soil. Javed knelt down and began digging with his hands. Sure enough, the soil moistened the deeper he dug, and eventually he saw water gathering in the hole he had made. Javed felt a smile creep over his face for the first time in hours, and took a cautious handful for a sip.

Once he had refueled, Javed turned to his next task. He sized up each tree in the oasis, before finding what he was looking for. A suitable tree for Ester's last resting place. Javed began digging underneath the tree, being careful not to harm the roots. The soil was soft and damp from the spring that fed this grove. Javed felt Anafenza's presence approach, but he didn't look up from his task.

From what Javed had seen last night, he didn't need to dig too deep. The tree would do most of the work of securing the body. He stopped when the hole was a little bigger than Ester's body. (He refused to think corpse.) Even though the soil was soft and moist, his fingernails were cracked and bleeding when he finished. Javed stared at his hands. When did that happen? he wondered idly, mindless of the strain he was putting on his body.

Then Javed turned to the next step. He gathered the package he had carried all this way, into his arms, respectfully carrying what was left of Ester to the graveside. He finally removed her cloak, laying it down in the grave as a setting. And now, with everything in place, he turned his gaze upon her.

Ester almost looked as if she were sleeping. Her face was peaceful. Javed leaned in, watching for the slightest movement or hint of breath. She was completely still. It was so strange. Javed had seen death, had killed, and was even willing to die for a proper cause, but he had never really dwelt on what it meant to be dead. Javed opened Ester's eyelid, looking at her deep brown pupils. In life, they had been so warm, so deep, that he had been afraid to look into them for too long, like staring at the sun. Now they were different. There was no trace of Ester in there.

She reminded him of nothing more than a puppet with its strings cut. Lifeless, a facsimile of the real thing. He could hardly believe that this had been his Ester. Something had left. And now, more than ever, he could appreciate what it was. Her spirit. And that's what he needed to fix.

Javed gently maneuvered her into the hole. She looked so lonely there, in the ground, that he felt a fleeting impulse to keep her company. Nonsensical, he grumbled. He felt inclined to hold off covering her up in the earth, so he pulled out his saber, and began carving her name into the tree bark. Anafenza took this moment to appear fully.

"Javed, what are you doing?"


He stood silent for a moment, not responding to her question, and then a shudder ran through his body. Anafenza merely waited. She knew what he was trying to do, but they needed to talk about this. She braced herself for any venom that he might throw her way.

"Ana…" he began, and his voice was husky. He let the sword fall to the side, and Anafenza could see the word, the name he had carved. Ester. Her heart went out to him. He didn't turn to face her, but she could sense the sniffs and sobs that he was trying to hide. "I…did…this. I need to make it right. If I don't do this, Ester will be lost forever."

"Not lost," Anafenza replied. "Where do you think all of the dead go who aren't buried in kin trees? We aren't saving the dead by what we do, we are pledging them to continued service." She waved her hand for emphasis. "And it's only done to those who are believers. Do you honestly think Ester would want to be tied to a kin tree, like the ones who ended her life? She's a Dromokan."

Javed had been tracing Ester's name on the tree with his hand, and as she finished, he clutched his arms around the trunk. Groaning, he wrung himself out against the unyielding tree, leaving bloody tracks from his fingertips. He sobbed openly now, and Anafenza forced herself to watch stoicly. This was her fault, and she could do nothing to make it right. Nothing, except suffer with him. Suffer, by watching him suffer. She felt the shame, the helplessness, wash over her like an errant sand storm, unopposed.

"I miss her," Javed whispered. Anafenza could sense it easily as his lips mouthed the words. "And she's just…gone. I don't know if I can do this."

Anafenza wanted to reassure him. She wanted to say of course he would get through this, and time would temper the pain. She wanted to tell him that she was here for him. She wanted to tell him that things would get better. But she felt ashamed to. It wasn't her place. So she merely observed.

Javed paused, as if he were waiting for a response. When she didn't, he chuckled. He turned around, still not meeting her eye, but she could see a wry smile on his face. Then he fainted dead away.

It shocked her, and she was able to see in his eyes as he fell that he was shocked too, before he lost consciousness. It had been so unexpected that Anafenza didn't even have time to cry out. Javed lay at the side of the impromptu grave he had dug. She hastened to check on him, and aside from being unconscious, he was stable. Anafenza felt a surge of relief. He needed to rest, anyway. And she needed to tend to his wounds. She idly wondered if this was the new normal, Javed lacking any sense of self-care and preservation, and Anafenza binding him up after his foolish behavior.

She floated near his side, letting her spectral fingers trail along his skin. He felt warm. Anafenza could see the pink forming on his sunburnt skin. Yes, she would need to heal that for him too, if he had even noticed by now. He would soon, that was for sure. She glanced at his fingers, where the nails were chipped and torn, and caked with muddy blood.

Anafenza felt a moment of panic. Could she really do this? Could she keep him from killing himself, even unintentionally? Javed was a strong warrior, but to her, the living were so frail. Life could be taken in an instant. And Javed needed to be alive. That spark, that fire, it was crucial. Anafenza cursed herself. Is that all you care about? The cause?

No, she answered herself. Javed needs to be alive because that's what makes Javed, Javed! He's so different from the spirits that I usually work with.

Anafenza tried to remember back to her human life. It was harder with every passing day. She wondered if she had ever been so impetuous, so passionate. What had she missed out on?

If she had met Javed then, would it have even mattered?

Anafenza tired of these thoughts and floated up to examine Javed's handiwork. He'd done a pretty good job of reproducing the outward appearance of a kin tree burial, but it lacked the blessing and dedication that would invoke it with meaning. She wondered idly if she should give in and grant Javed's wish. No! she groaned. Just be firm. He has to learn. Preoccupied with these thoughts, Anafenza was oblivious to a growing presence.

"Hello."

"Gah!" was Anafenza's eloquent response. Her heart jumped, or it would have, if she still had a physically beating heart. She was suddenly made aware of the other presence. A…spirit? Oh no, she thought.

Ester waved at her with a conciliatory look on her face. "I guess this is awkward," she said.


Anafenza could only stare at first, but then snapped out of it. "What are you doing here?" she asked the other spirit, for spirit she was, now that Anafenza took a closer look. Well, this was going to be…something. Anafenza forced a smile.

"So you're the one who got Javed to betray his clan."

Anafenza was brought up short. There was no anger in Ester's voice, merely certainty.

"I've been educating him about the truth of his history," Anafenza clarified.

"Right…" Ester drawled. "And you want him to turn his back on all of his brothers and sisters, abandon everything that he stood for. For what? The dead? Let the dead bury the dead."

Anafenza felt her hackles go up. She wanted to be nice, here, in light of everything. But it was sentiments like this that she felt proved her right about the other woman. "There's more to it than that,"she began.

"Spare me," Ester interrupted.

Anafenza glared. "Why don't you ask him about it?" she said, gesturing to Javed's unconscious form.

Ester flinched, and Anafenza couldn't help a brief feeling of smugness. Ester looked at Javed with reticence. "I think I'll pass."

Anafenza's baser instincts prodded her to press the advantage, but she resisted, and felt sad instead.

Ester still looked at Javed, where he lay. "You son of a bitch," she whispered, as she sat by his head. Anafenza felt a thrill of uncertainty, but she forced it down. She couldn't help the niggling thought that Ester had more right to be here.

Ester trailed her spectral fingers along Javed's hair and face, and Anafenza felt a moment of déjà vu. The look on Ester's face matched how Anafenza had felt, looking down at the worn out warrior. Then Ester shoved her fist through Javed's face. "Gack!" Anafenza gasped, despite herself. Javed mumbled, and brushed his nose.

Anafenza glared, but Ester was looking at her hand appraisingly. Then she looked to the side, and saw her own corpse. "Oh, wow," she said. She hovered over without thinking, gazing upon her fleshy doppelganger.

Ester waved her hand in front of her bodies face. Of course there was no response. "Oh wow, this is real," she said. "I was wondering if this was a dream, but it's not. This is really happening. I'm dead."

"Yes," Anafenza began, feeling guilt and compassion and shame.

"I don't even know why I'm still here," Ester said, forceful in her confusion. Anafenza thought to reply, but Ester continued on. "I thought I loved you, Javed. But it turns out I didn't know anything about you." Ester's face had screwed up with emotion, emotion that could no longer be physically expressed.

"I think you knew more than you feel," Anafenza replied. Ester looked up at her glumly. "Javed struggled greatly. He felt-, feels great loyalty to the Dromoka Clan."

"Loyal soldiers don't consort with spirits!" Ester retorted. "Loyal soldiers don't get their clanmates killed!"

Anafenza didn't trust herself to respond, so she merely gestured to the grave that Javed had been building. Ester flinched again.

"I don't understand," Ester continued. "Why did it have to be this way? Why was this our lot in life? What could have changed this?" Anafenza didn't respond. There were no answers to her questions.

Ester looked down at Javed once more. "I want to hate you. I want to, but I can't. If anything, I want to be alive so I can be by your side once more." She laughed weakly. "Isn't that pathetic?"

Anafenza wanted to tell her that she didn't think it was pathetic. Instead, she said, "We could make a kin tree here, for you. It would allow your spirit to stay in the realm of the living."

Ester waved her hand dismissively. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't want to spend any more time in this sad, weird, little world. I just want to say goodbye to him, and then leave."

Anafenza hesitated, then spoke, "You can talk to him now." Ester quirked an eyebrow at her. "If you maintain physical contact, you should be able to speak into his mind. He might even be able to respond."

Ester appeared to mull that over, then steeled herself, and sat down next to Javed's reclining form. She placed her hand on Javed's forehead, and then silence reigned in the oasis. Anafenza couldn't sense the words, the emotions that were being shared between the two. But she could feel an atmosphere of intimacy that prevailed in the grove.

As the moments stretched on, Anafenza felt the slightest twinge of jealousy. Something that had, until now, been only between herself and Javed, was being intruded on. It felt like being beaten in another way. She only allowed herself to feel that emotion for a moment after recognizing it, before stamping it out like a rogue spark.

After a while, Ester stood. Anafenza glanced at her questioningly. Ester avoid her gaze, before announcing, "Well, I think I'm ready to go." Anafenza's eyes widened a bit, then she nodded. "Do you know…what it's like…on the other side?" Ester asked hesitantly.

"I don't," Anafenza replied, "never been." Ester laughed ruefully at that. "…Are you ok?" Anafenza felt compelled to ask.

"I'm just fine," Ester replied. "I still may not understand what's going on, but I feel ready. I've said my goodbyes." Her eyes cut to Javed. Then she looked back up at Anafenza. "I guess I should say goodbye to you, too. Well…farewell, spirit."

Anafenza felt something strange, a sense of melancholy and loss. Her personal mission had always been to protect her brothers and sisters. Joining the Abzan Remnants had been a continuance of that. Yet it had all led to this. "Farewell, Ester. And the name's Anafenza."

"I don't care."

Anafenza recoiled in shock, but Ester smiled and winked, softening the jest. Then she started to fade. Anafenza made the decision right then to forgive her everything. She could only hope that Ester could forgive her…forgive Javed.

As Ester's spirit form faded from sight, Anafenza heard her last words. "Take care of him…Anafenza…" Then she was gone.


Anafenza waited, deep in thought, running back over that unexpected encounter. Eventually, Javed began to stir, breaking her out of her reverie.

Javed's eyes fluttered open, but he remained stationary, trying to regain his bearings. Anafenza waved to draw his attention without startling him. "How was your nap?" she asked, smiling gently.

Javed shook his head, and sat up. He was about to accidentally step into the grave, but he caught himself, and leaned against the tree instead. "Weird. I…had a weird dream."

"Oh?" Ananfenza asked.

"Yeah…whatever," Javed groaned. "It wasn't important." Anafenza's eyes narrowed at that. She didn't know exactly what Ester has said to Javed, but it wasn't unimportant. She wished that Javed would care again.

Javed hesitated, then spoke, "Hey, Ana…fenza."

"Hmm?"

"You're a spirit."

"That's right, Javed, I am a spirit," Anafenza laughed. "What is your question?"

"Have you…seen Ester?"

Anafenza froze. "Why do you ask?" she countered, trying to buy time.

"I don't know. I just figured…you might see things that I don't." He sighed. "I'm just curious."

Anafenza pondered how to answer this. But she realized that she couldn't come up with a good lie, so she decided to go with the truth. "Yeah, I saw her."

Javed's eyes widened, and his breath hitched. "So…she must have been here…It wasn't a dream."

"No…she told me she was going to say something to you, while you slept," Anafenza replied. Javed snapped his eyes to her immediately at that. Then he sank back into thought.

Anafenza was considering asking him what Ester had said to him, when Javed let out a choked sob. Once begun, his shoulders shook from his gulping sobs as tears poured down his face. Anafenza watched as Javed surrendered to his grief, letting it flow through his body in fits and spasms. Eventually, it began to wind down, and Javed sucked in deep breathes, exhausted by the show of emotion.

Anafenza waited in silence until Javed had regained his composure. "How are you feeling now?" she asked gently.

"I think…Okay?" Javed replied, a hint of surprise in his voice. Anafenza just smiled.

Javed stood up, and looked down into the grave for Ester's body. "Ester…I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. But it did. I promise not to let your death go in vain. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I promise to make this worth it. I won't ever forget you. Wherever I go, you will go with me." Javed reached down and undid the pendant from around Ester's neck, taking it and tying it around his own.

Javed stepped back, taking one last look at Ester's peaceful face. Then he began shoveling the loose dirt back into the hole. Ester's body was covered, bit by bit. Javed couldn't help breaking into a few more sobs as he covered her face. He hunched over, patting the dirt into place. Finally, he rolled onto his back, in a similar position to the one he had been resting in earlier.

Anafenza sighed, and knelt over him. "Will you let me tend your wounds, now?"

Javed started. "Oh! Yeah…yeah. Thank you…Anafenza." Anafenza nodded and began concentrating on summoning the healing light. She watched as the reddening sunburn faded, and spent extra time healing his fingers. Javed shed more tears, this time from relief as his body was finally able to relax.

Anafenza did what she could, and then continued trailing her fingers along Javed's skin. Eventually, he looked up at her, and she smiled. Hi.

He smiled back at her. Hi.

There was so much she wanted to tell him, to ask him. But even with the intimacy of soul to soul communication, she didn't know how to begin. She also wasn't sure she wanted to unload on him again. The last time had left her vulnerable and hurt, and while she didn't want to withdraw from him, she had learned a bit of restraint. When the time was right, maybe...

Javed sat up and pulled away from her. "Ana…I wanted to apologize to you too. I know I must have been hell to deal with last night and this morning-" He was cut off as she held her finger up to his lips.

Don't apologize, she thought into his mind. You have nothing to be sorry about on my account. I understand. I just wish there was more I could do.

Javed smiled, and touched her leg with his hand. She could feel his aura, and everything felt warm and right.


Javed was happy he had been able to patch things up with Anafenza. Losing Ester had made him realize how traumatic that could be, and while little could be done to make up for it now, the least he could do is keep from making the same mistakes.

He was also happy he had been able to show respect for Ester's passing, in some way. Javed didn't know how much difference it had made, but it had made a difference to him, being able to say goodbye properly. In addition to that dream…that may not have been a dream.


He could still remember it clearly. In fact, it was clearer than most of his memories. It felt like it had been carved into his mind. Javed had heard a voice, calling his name, so familiar. And then she had been there. Ester.

The first thing he felt was fear. He wasn't sure why. "Ester, you're-! Ester, I'm so sorry." He hung his head.

"I can tell," she replied coolly.

Javed perked his head up at that. "Ester…I'll do anything. If you want me to kill myself, I wi-"

"What?!" Ester exploded. "Why would I want that?"

Javed gaped. "I-I-I-"

"Javed, it's true. I'm dead. Something you were involved in, and I became involved, and now I'm dead." Ester cast her eyes to the side sullenly, but her voice wasn't accusing.

"Ester, it's all my fault. I was trying to do what I thought was right, but I wanted you so much, that I couldn't let you go," Javed confessed. "I should have picked one or the other. It's my fault you're dead."

"I don't know," Ester replied. "On my list of those responsible for my death, you're not at the top. I would pick, oh, I don't know, those jerks who cut me down!" she shouted, then she smiled.

Javed tried to protest. "But I-"

"Javed!" Ester interrupted, "Do you really think you're all powerful?"

Javed blinked. "What?"

"I followed you out into the desert. I came with you to Raz. I was watching you for Dragonlord Dromoka. And I remember you shouting for those spirits to stop. There were so many other actors in play for what happened. You can't take all of that weight onto yourself." Ester smiled, at once both mocking and comforting.

"Ester…" Javed tried. "I miss you. I miss you so much!"

The smile faded from Ester's face, and she became serious. "I know. But this happens. Either one of us could have fallen in battle. How would you have felt then?"

"I would have felt-" and Javed froze. He realized that he would have felt the same pain, of having her taken away from him. Ester smiled, reading his reaction.

"You see, it was destiny. Our…thing we had, was never going to end happily," Ester closed her eyes and sighed. "I was already feeling desperate at the thought of losing you, at the end of our assignment. That end just came a little bit earlier than expected."

"NO."

"Huh?" Ester looked up at Javed, and was surprised to see his steadfast expression.

"Ester, it didn't have to be that way," Javed stated.

"What are you talking about, Javed? I told you-" Ester began.

"I've seen another life, Ester, another world," Javed cut in. "We should have been able to live together. We were pawns of fate. Well, no longer!" Javed clenched his fist. "I've seen the past, and I believe in a better future. I don't know the way, but I won't stop until I find it!"

Ester stared at Javed after his outburst. Then she smiled. "Well, that sounds like the Javed I knew, full of passion. I don't know what you're going on about, but I do know you." She closed her eyes. "If you feel so strongly about it, then promise me something."

Javed looked at her. "Promise…?"

"Promise me that you'll make that future come true!" Ester commanded. "And wherever I am, I will be able to know, that my death wasn't in vain. That it paved the way for something better. Okay?" She held out her hand.

Javed looked at her, then grabbed her hand and pulled her in for an embrace. He held her close. Was it all a dream? He could feel her as if she were really there. Was his mind just telling him what he wanted to hear?

Ester looked up at Javed, and pulled him down for a kiss. Javed allowed himself to enjoy this, to take one last opportunity to be close to her.

When they pulled apart, Ester held onto his hand. "Javed, promise me one more thing." She looked up into his eyes, and there was a look of sadness in hers. "Promise that you'll never forget me."

"Never!" Javed whispered fiercely.

Ester smiled, and let Javed's hand go. She turned and started to walk away, then stopped. "And Javed?" she said, not turning around.

Javed watched her expectantly. "Yeah?"

She turned her head to look back at him. "Find a way to be happy," she said. "For me. I'll be sad if you don't."

Javed didn't know what to say to that, but with that, she was gone. As he watched the space where she had been, he guessed that was for him to figure out.


Javed was leaning back against the tree that served as Ester's final resting place. But rather than the tensed anguished expression he had worn since last night, he reclined. The tension had worn out of his body. It took too much energy to be that upset, and his recent experiences had allowed him to release that building pressure.

"So…what now?" Anafenza asked. It wasn't a demanding tone, but rather inquisitive.

Javed wondered about that. What now? The Dromoka would be looking for him as a traitor by now. Without Ester, he had no chance of clearing his name. And he didn't care for throwing himself on the mercy of the Abzan remnants. While he knew that they would try to help him, he couldn't imagine being dependent on them so soon after…what they did. He didn't trust himself to respond well.

"I want to…get out of here," he replied. Anafenza nodded, as if she had been expecting this response.

"Where do you want to go?" she followed up. Javed thought about that. It wasn't much of a debate. The deserts of Arashin were the southernmost inhabited area of Tarkir. Directly to the north were the wide open plains of the Kolaghan. Anyone traveling their lands would be set upon by raiders and warkites, but especially him, who was of the house of Dromoka. Or Abzan. Not that he expected the raiders to tell the difference. To make it worse, the expansive plains made travel by horseback the only real option.

To the Northeast were the foul, toxic swamps of the Silumgar. If the territory of the Kolaghan was dangerous because of raiders and dragons, the disgusting, dying dreadlands of Silumgar were a nightmare for any living thing. Zombie servants and toxic dragonlords were the only creatures that could thrive there, though ambitious types tried to make deals with the poison breathing dragons of Silumgar's brood. Most failed, in the end. Where else would the zombies come from?

No, Javed thought. Those ways were asking for a quick or lingering death, respectively. There was only one right answer for now. "I'm going to Ojutai lands," he stated.

Anafenza nodded again, as she had reached the same conclusion. "The Ojutai come the closest to resembling civilization, in the lands that aren't Arashin. Their dragons aren't inherently destructive (only potentially), and we may be able to hide out for a while there and plan our next move. How does that sound to you?" she asked.

"Sounds like a plan," Javed replied. He pushed off to his feet. It was then Javed realized how hungry and thirsty he was after all of his exertions. He felt a pit of cold fear in his stomach. The desert was dangerous, but he had fled unprepared. He had no food or ways to carry water, or indeed any supplies at all!

Then Javed heard Anafenza laugh. He stared at her incredulously. "That look on your face tells me that you just realized you have no supplies," she said, a smile tugging at her lips.

Javed looked down. "No," he replied. Such a rookie mistake! Granted, he had been preoccupied at the time, but without supplies, not only could he not travel, but he might die out here. What a pathetic fate!

Anafenza waved to get his attention. "Javed, I'm not about to let you die out here. You forget that I can do things that you can't." She smiled. "I'll be right back." And in a whirl of sand, she just disappeared. Javed blinked.


After a few minutes, Javed leaned against the tree. He trusted Anafenza, but it was still strange to be alone, in the middle of nowhere. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever been really alone. How do I feel about that? As he started to ponder that subject, Anafenza breezed in with an updraft of sand.

"Look what I've got," Anafenza smiled. On the ground between them was Javed's pack, with his shield strapped to it!

Javed couldn't help beaming. "Anafenza, this is awesome!" He hefted the pack, and noticed that it was filled. "I thought you couldn't manipulate physical objects?" he said as he opened the pack to check the contents.

Anafenza smiled. "Well, I used some creative thinking," she replied, as Javed noticed the pack also included a good deal of sand.

Javed smiled back as he understood. But the idea that she would work so hard to help him warmed his heart. "Thank you, Ana, this is a lifesaver," he said. Anafenza smiled and nodded resolutely.

"How far is the Ojutai border?" Javed asked.

"About 2 days travel," Anafenza replied. "We can travel by night to avoid the heat of the day, and make for oasis along our route of travel."

"You can find them?" Javed asked.

"Absolutely," Anafenza affirmed.

"All right, then," Javed said, as he dug into the pack for food rations. "We'll wait until nightfall, and then head out."


When they decided to head out, the sun was still above the horizon, but the air was already cooling.

Javed looked out in the direction Anafenza had planned their route. "I guess it's time to go." He sobered, and turned towards Ester's grave. He bowed his head in respect. "Goodbye, Ester."

"Goodbye, Ester," he heard Anafenza say, and that act filled him with warmth.

Javed fingered the pendant around his neck. Though I'm saying goodbye to your grave, Ester, I believe you're watching over me. I won't forget you, and I will make meaning out of this tragedy. He didn't know how he was going to do that, but he knew he wouldn't rest until he had.

Javed let out the breath that had caught in his throat, and smiled. It was time to get moving. He looked at Anafenza, and she nodded in agreement. He forced himself to take the first step out of the oasis that had become like home to him, in the course of just one day. That first step broke the spell, and the second one was easier.

Javed felt the weight of his pack on his shoulders. He felt his sword at his hip. He felt Ester's pendant around his neck. He felt Ananfenza reach out and hold onto his back, and the opening of the channels between them. He felt the cool wind of the desert dusk. He felt nervous, yet hopeful.

Come what may, I'll endure what this world throws at me, one step at a time, he resolved. Anafenza let out a rush of reassurance. Javed smiled, and let her know that he had felt it. They were beginning their journey, and Javed had faith that he would find something out there that would help him know what to do.

Suddenly, he felt a wave of fear, flooding into his body from an external source. He looked around wildly, wondering what had triggered that fear, when he realized it was Anafenza. Ana? he asked, confused.

Javed, GET BACK TO THE GROVE! she ordered, and the urgency hit him like a rock. He started running back to the relative safety of the trees. As he did, he cast his eyes about to find what had spooked Anafenza, and questioned her through their bond.

Javed, I see a dromokan dragon heading in this direction, she told him.

What? He demanded. How?

They must have followed our trail somehow,

Anafenza replied. Javed groaned as he realized that he hadn't been trying to cover up his tracks at all. Don't blame yourself, Javed, Anafenza told him. If I was thinking, I would have covered the trail as well. We're here now, and we just need to hide, ok?

Ok

, Javed replied. He focused on jogging with his pack, a common exercise for scaleguards. Soon enough, they were back under the cover of the trees. But Anafenza, if they've tracked us this far, won't they know we're here?

I've got a plan, Anafenza reassured him. I'll go on ahead and create a fake trail for them to follow. Hopefully the darkness will make it harder to distinguish.

Ok,

Javed said. Anafenza flew down a different path from the one they had planned, creating a mini dust storm to simulate a trail. Javed hunkered down in the center of the grove they had spent the day in. While the leaves and branches would provide most of the cover, Javed crouched down next to Ester's tree, not willing to take any chances.

This was dangerous. Not only was a dragon a fierce threat, but where there was one, there might be more. And getting drawn into a battle with his old clan was the last thing he wanted to do. The fact that he consciously thought of them as his old clan made him a little melancholy.

As the still moments passed, Javed began to hear the heavy beat of large wings. They were coming closer. Then they steadied. Javed was tempted to try and see where the dragon was, and what it was looking at, but he forced himself to stay still. Any movement might betray his presence. Javed focused on breathing in, slowly, and breathing out, slowly. He didn't move, and listened for any change in the sound of the dragon that was hovering above.

There was no sign of alarm that Javed could notice, and he drew renewed energy to keep still. It was working! The dragon flew over top of the grove, and Javed could feel every muscle in his body tense. But he felt hopeful. Once the dragon passed them by, they could escape into the night. And knowing they were being followed was good information to have.

Then Javed's world exploded into light.


Javed's ears rang as the world faded back into sight. Everything was blurry as Javed tried to push off from the ground. But the whole world seemed to be whirling, and he couldn't quite manage it. He could make out the trees around him, burning with white fire. Ugh, the dragon is here, he thought.

Javed managed to stumble out of the grove, as what had once been shelter was now a firey death trap. He skidded to his knees in the sand, and heard the dragon cry out as it spotted him. Javed realized then that it hadn't specifically targeted him with its attack. That was probably an idle blast, hoping to flush out anyone in hiding. And it had worked.

The heavy beating of the dragon's wings grew louder as it approached, like an inescapable judgement. I need to run, hide, something! Javed thought. I need to get out of here! But his body wouldn't obey his commands.

The sound of the dragon was close now, and as Javed looked up towards the source, he saw the dragon, flying in place, looking down on him. Oh, was the only thought that went through Javed's mind at the familiar appearance of the rulers of his clan. Apex life forms, bulky with muscle, covered with armored scales, possessing the power of flight and devastating magic. His was just the fate of all who stood against that obvious supremacy.

Then the dragon opened its mouth, and a bright light appeared. Javed knew exactly what it was, and felt both terror and awe. While his body had recovered from the surprise attack, now his mind was faltering, failing to tell his body to run. Javed felt the frustration tearing at his soul. This can't be how this ends! he screamed internally.

And then Ananfenza was there. She wrapped an arm around him, sending waves of courage, as with the other she summoned an immense sandstorm, forcing the dragon to retreat to the skies to avoid being caught in it.

"Ana!" Javed cried out.

Javed, get up! We have to move! Anafenza ordered. Javed nodded, and stumbled to his feet like a newborn camel.

Come on! He thought to himself, as he started running. He could feel Anafenza calculating strategy. The sand storm would keep the dragon off of them, but it would also make it trivial to track them. They needed to lose the dragon somehow, before it could summon reinforcements. Then her train of thought froze and she screamed, both internally and physically, "Javed, look out!"

Huh? Javed thought, and immediately a beam of burning light sliced into his path, inches away from him. It was only luck that it hadn't incinerated him. Then he heard a scream of pain. Anafenza! He looked around for her, but he couldn't see her in the whirling sand. They had become separated. Then Javed noticed the sandstorm fading.

Now that it was gone, he was exposed to the dragon again. But where was Anafenza? What did the ending of her spell mean? What was going on? Javed felt racked with fear and doubt. And through it all, that damn dragon was drawing a bead on him! It started charging another breath blast.

Use…the spirit water…

Javed eyes widened. That had been Anafenza! He still couldn't sense her, but he had just heard her voice in his mind. The spirit water! He had received it from the Abzan remnants, but had totally forgotten about it in the meanwhile. Anafenza had been supposed to teach him how to use it later, but there was no later. There was only now.

Javed flung his pack to the ground, and saw the container hanging from the side. He grabbed for it as he saw the night light up with unnatural light. As soon as he got a hand on it, he threw himself into a desperate roll away from where he had just been. The earth shook and sand was thrown into the air as the blast barely missed him. The white flames were not hot, but would scour living flesh from existence. He had seen it enough. A few flames landed on his pack, burning for a few moments before going out.

Without taking time to think, Javed opened the spirit water, and took a drink. And almost spat it back out. It tasted horrible, and burned the whole way down. But immediately he felt strange. Removed from his body. Time seemed to slow down, and the panic that had been setting in retreated. He could still feel it, but it was distant, allowing him to think. He looked up and saw the dragon coming in for attack. Though Javed was perceiving events in real time, part of his mind felt like everything was moving slower.

Well, first things first. Javed gathered mana from the land, and summoned another sand storm, forcing the dragon to retreat again. It was then Javed noticed that he could still sense the dragon's presence, even though he couldn't see it. He also sensed Anafenza, who presence was stationary. Javed didn't know what to make of that, and he could feel the real time part of him freaking out, but in his heightened state of mind, he realized that the dragon was the more pressing threat.

Gathering more mana, Javed focused on the spell he had in mind. Inspired by the breath weapons of the dragons, the same as had been used on him and Anafenza. A ball of light appeared in front of him, the focus of the spell. It was barely restrained, demanding to be unleashed. Javed focused on his target, and released his restraining hold on the spell. The light jumped out of his hands, stretching into a beam, and flying into the heavens.

Javed noticed he was slightly off target, and adjusted his aim. The initial blast brought the dragon up short, before Javed's correction swung the beam directly into it. Javed didn't know what he expected, but the blast shredded scales and cooked flesh away from the bone. The dragon's wings were shredded and the dragon was actually pushed back from the force. Then the beam faded away, its energy spent. The dragon fell from the sky and crashed to the earth, rising no more.

Javed, satisfied that the threat was neutralized, whirled to find Anafenza. But the spirit water was already wearing off. As Javed's normal sense of self returned and conflicted with the fading altered state he had experienced, he experienced a sense of vertigo, and had to focus.

"Javed." Javed turned to see Anafenza floating nearby. "I'm here," she said.

"Oh thank g-AAAAAGGHHH!" Javed screamed as he noticed her state. The spirit Anafenza…was missing her left arm to the elbow! She was even cradling the stump. It wasn't bleeding. The end just whisped off into nothing.

Javed rushed to her side, but hesitated. I have no idea what to do here, he realized. He began summoning the other side of sun magic, the healing, empowering side.

"DON'T!" Anafenza yelled, and then gritted her teeth. Stunned, Javed let the mana he'd been gathering disperse. "Don't touch it. It won't work anyway, I'm not flesh and blood."

"Anafenza," Javed said, still afraid to touch her, for fear he would hurt her, "Are you in pain?"

"…No, Javed, I'm not in pain," Anafenza replied in a gentle voice, trying to get a handle on the situation.

Javed motioned helplessly to her missing arm. "I didn't know that could happen. What happened?"

Anafenza grit her teeth again. "I didn't know it could happen either… I was hit by the dragon's breath…"

Javed eyes widened in surprise. Anafenza was taking this surprisingly well, despite their situation. "Can you heal it?"

"Javed, my arm…it's just gone!" Anafenza shrieked, desperation finally creeping into her voice. Javed held up his hands, wanting to comfort her, but having no idea what to do. He settled for wrapping his arms around her and sending soothing feelings. He could feel her fear and confusion, and it was affecting him. It was tapping into losing Ester, and he could feel the panic brewing in his own soul.

But that won't do anyone any good, so I have to be calm, Javed thought to himself.

Unintentionally, Anafenza heard it. You're right, Javed, she replied, with effort. We are…still in danger. We need to keep moving.

Anafenza, maybe we should take it easy- he began.

No! Anafenza replied authoritatively. A dragon won't just go missing. They will look for it. And we can't use the sand storm to hide ourselves from sight. We need to be ahead of their search. We'll have enough trouble at the border.

That made sense to Javed, but he couldn't help asking, Are you sure?

Yes, Javed, Anafenza replied. Thank you for your concern. …I'm sorry I lost my composure. But I'm ok now, and we need to keep moving. We can figure this out, she said, motioning to her arm, her eyes trailing a moment too long, when we're safe in Ojutai territory.

Javed wasn't sure if it was really ok, and his heart was still troubled, but he knew that she had a point. Ok, let's get moving. Can you travel? Anafenza stared at him for a moment, then floated off the ground while a smile tugged at her lips. Javed blushed. I was just asking, he mumbled. He could feel Anafenza's laughter, and it eased the tension.

They started off, and though she could float faster than Javed could walk, Anafenza came to a rest on her usual spot, leaning on Javed's back, clinging with her good hand. They turned their backs to the grove, where the flames were just winding down, now just another indistinguishable oasis in the middle of the wastes.