The Last Dragons

Chapter 5; Awakening

Deep beneath Uru-baen

Caleb blearily opened his eyes and looked over the room. He knew in an instant that he was drugged and within the dungeons beneath the Imperial Capital. No matter how much he tried he couldn't recall any Ancient words though if push came to shove, as the humans said, he wouldn't need to, though he didn't want to do that unless he was sure of an escape.

He was trussed up against the wall with his ankles manacled below him and his wrists up above his head so that he couldn't move. Nobody else was within the room but he could easily sense the two magicians that guarded the door. Obviously they had found out that he had used magic. Another mind was approaching though, one that he hated and feared.

The King was coming. Not two minutes later the door swung open and the black clad Rider strode in. He looked rather emotionless as he gazed at him. "I'm glad to see that my Guard were correct in their belief that you had awoken. You've been unconscious for two weeks now, my dear Caleb." A shiver went up Caleb's spine at the malicious glint in his eyes. "I'm deeply disappointed in you, Caleb. But I'm curious as well, that is why I have allowed you to heal in your own time."

"I want to know where you learnt the magical trade." The King continued as he stepped up to him and grabbed his chin roughly forcing him to look at him. Caleb instantly hid his mind and knew he had been successful when Galbatorix glared in irritation. Most people couldn't fend off any mental attack fro the King but Caleb had grown up hiding his own from him. "Who did you learn it from?"

Caleb didn't respond, his eyes kept their emotionless look and his posture revealed nothing. "What is the name of the magician that helped you?" The King continued clutching tight enough with his hand to draw blood along the tracks of his fingers as they raked his skin. He tried to get more information about the Magician that had aided him for the next few minutes before giving up and changing the topic. "Where did you send the Dragon Egg?"

Caleb actually let a smirk spread across his face at the confirmation that his spell had worked before it helped to knock him unconscious. The King growled in fury, madness lighting his eyes in the dim room, before he backhanded Caleb enough to split his lip and make him see stars. He was impossibly strong for a human but that was to be expected of a Dragon Rider of his age.

The questioning and beating continued for what felt like hours to Caleb and by the end of it he was mostly just bruises and blood. Throughout the whole time Caleb didn't say a word resorting to glaring and trying to think of an escape plan to keep his concentration from allowing the drug to trick him into revealing something.

The King turned to the door after so long that Caleb could easily imagine that a whole day had passed. He paused before walking through the door. "Perhaps once Murtagh arrives you will cooperate with me more." Caleb lost control of his tightly hidden emotions and glanced up. The King smirked at him with a victorious glint to his eyes. "You'll be glad to know that the leader of the Varden has been killed and with him a sizeable chunk of his army. They will undoubtedly seek refuge within Surda and I will destroy them both there."

Caleb glared at him for a while as the man chuckled evilly. He didn't much care about the Varden or Surda themselves but he honoured them for their stand in defying the Empire and for their position of ally to his own kind. He also knew that the King hadn't turned on Surda for one main reason, his victory wasn't definite against Surda's armies as well as the Varden and the Elves. Therefore he must have some sort of plan.

"Ah it seems you want to know how I plan on defeating them when they have a Dragon Rider fighting for them, not to mention an Elvish Magician like yourself?" Galbatorix asked rhetorically before continuing. "You are going to help my armies."

Caleb glared could have killed and he wished at that moment that his hands were free and that his mind was clear of the drug. He didn't speak though.

Galbatorix knew what he was thinking though, "You'll fight for me or else you'll leave Murtagh to fight an army on his own. My spies within the Varden captured him and are bringing him to the capital as we speak, he will arrive in two days. Whilst the Varden scamper around in panic and their new Dragon Rider heals from a deep and painful wound he will be bound in the Ancient Language and forced to serve me faithfully."

"He would never swear and oath to you!" Caleb spat.

"Ah! So you do speak!" Galbatorix laughed slightly. "He will if the alternative is your death and soon I will have Murtagh's brother begging for his cousin's life too. Who'd have thought that Morzan's whore would have been so clever."

Galbatorix span again and left the room letting the door swing shut with a thump. Caleb let his eyes close and his body slump in defeat. Those last few words had done more to beat him down than the last few hours of interrogation. Not only did Galbatorix know of Eragon and his relationship to Murtagh but he knew of Eragon's cousin, Roran. He wished he had the words to cast the dream intrusion spell but the drug was still active.

He stayed slumped in his chains as he went into a haze with the voices of the city above him echoing in his ears. He could easily feel the two Magicians outside of the door but he made sure that they didn't sense him. He knew only one thing, as soon as he was fit to leave he would have to. He needed to get out of the city and to freedom before Murtagh arrived and was bound to serve Galbatorix. He knew in his heart, regardless of the pain it caused to admit it, that he couldn't save Murtagh yet, he was alone and weak. If he was still here when Murtagh arrived then they'd both be stuck.

The hours passed slowly to Caleb and for the first time in his life he couldn't concentrate on anything other than his desire to escape and get to Roran before whoever had been sent to capture him got to Carvahall. Slowly his wounds got to a point where he believed that to attempt escape wasn't suicide.

He checked the flow of minds and seeing that the vast majority were sleeping he summarised that it was late night. When Galbatorix and his Foresworn, his twelve allies, destroyed the Riders and drove away the Elves they lost the great knowledge that the Elves processed about magic that they taught only to their own race and that of the eldest of Human Riders. It was knowledge that Islanzadi had taught to him that no magician within the Empire knew. The human magicians believed that you had to speak the Ancient words to cast magic and if they were particularly skilled on concentrated immensely they could think the word and cast the spell they wanted.

They drug forced you to forget the Ancient words temporarily so that you couldn't cast spells even with thoughts. The Elves knew that magic was more complex than that. Dragon's had no need to use the Ancient language for magic, and in times of desperate need nor did the Elves. It was dangerous to use magic even with the words spoken since if you worded it wrong it could drain your very life force. It was even more dangerous when you willed your magic to do something without the structure of the words. If you were interrupted or lost concentration you could change a spell from unlocking a door to destroying a mountain just because you looked at one as the spell was cast.

Caleb focused his entire mind on the chains and even focused his senses on their touch against his overly sensitive skin. It took him only a few minutes to gain the concentration and will to do it but he felt a burst of his magic as it broke his confines and splintered the manacles.

He dropped onto his knees and couldn't help the rather loud groan that came from his mouth. He felt the minds of the magicians go on the alert and even before he could stand they were opening the door and running in without calling for help. Caleb snapped his head up to their shocked faces, they knew he was drugged so the blatant evidence of his use of it worried them immensely. Their minds attacked him but he shut them out. He stabbed their minds with his own and felt them retreat behind their own shields, even though he broke their shields with relative ease with his massive magical abilities on his side he couldn't kill them with his magic without risking losing control and killing himself.

He leapt across the gap with all the speed his aching body could muster and grabbed them both while they were too distracted to realise the threat. He knocked their heads together soundly and let them fall to the floor. He grabbed the set of keys and a dagger from one of them as well as a bottle of water from the other. Trusting, rather blindly, that the man wouldn't be carrying poisonous water he gulped it down greedily before using some of it to wash off any dirt of blood on his hands or face.

He ran through the underground complex as fast as his legs would carry him, which was rather faster than a human regardless of his slightly bruised state. He was forced to follow his nose to the surface, following the fresher air, rather than use his mind to seek out the route since he didn't want anyone to sense his mind. At the moment he kept it close in and closed off so that neither Galbatorix nor any of his magicians could sense that he had escaped.

It took him ten minutes of endless running to finally reach the exit that led up to the barracks of the main castle. As luck would have it there was only three soldiers seated around the tower but still he was forced to use every trick he knew to overcome them without his magic at his disposal and without using his mind to predict their moves. After a quick twenty second fight he had knifed two with the dagger that he had liberated from the magician in his cell. The third went down with a bloody head as Caleb knocked him rather harshly into the wall. He forced himself to recuperate for a few moments taking a deep set of breaths as he forced his body to relax. He knew the way out from here so he didn't need to worry about being caught since no other knew the palace like he and Murtagh did. Probably not even Galbatorix.

He donned the outer armour of one of the soldiers, even if it was way to big for someone with such a lithe figure, to hide his rather ragged clothing and then slipped out of the room and through the palace corridors silently and as fast as he could. The armour allowed him to slip passed several servants though they did give him strange looks as his rather unkempt look. Luckily they didn't notice the fact he was had Elvish features nor that his ears were pointed. Even without his hooded cloak his rich brown hair hung down over his ears though at the moment it was rather matted and greasy.

He snuck out of the palace to the less commonly used stables where Jet and Tornac, Murtagh's horse, were stabled so that Caleb could look after his black pelted horses without having to hide. It also had a handy, disused gate that led into the city streets without passing through the main gate. Jet trotted over to him with a concern snort as the horse took in his appearance. Caleb shrugged of the armour seeing no point in weighing the horse down with it and threw it carelessly into the corner. He went to lift some straw to cover the offending article when the Ancient words needed to move the straw with magic came to his mind.

He grinned happily, the drug was beginning to wear off. He slid onto Jet and leaned forwards and hugged him tightly around the neck. Jet twisted his head with a snort, clearly preening at the touch and trotted towards the open door without needing to be prompted. He had to struggled to get the right Ancient words with the drug still lingering but eventually as they trotted out of the stable gate and onto one of the back roads he could whisper in Jet's ear.

"Head for the Grove." Normally only Elven horses could take commands and directions in the Ancient language but he had had Jet ever since he could ride and their constant time with each other had changed Tornac and Jet to the point that no matter how complicated the instructions they could be followed. Jet sped up to a gallop as they came onto Market Street and within sight of the main gates.

Caleb braced himself for the immense effort that this would take and after only a brief stumble over the right words he focused on the gates, completely ignoring the six soldiers watching there approach. "Du Grind Losna!" His voice echoed from the buildings as his magic broke through its barriers to release the gates, but even his voice was drowned out by the creak of the great wooden gates as they creaked open.

The soldiers made the mistake of glancing behind them and as they stared at the opening gates Jet leapt through their masses. Caleb sighed as he slipped through knowing that he couldn't afford living witnesses to his departure even if he had spared those in the tunnels. He lashed out with his magic and muttered one of the well known death spells. The six fell without a sound. He mutter another word to shut the gate behind him and hopefully before anyone noticed something was wrong.

He planned to be far from here before his escape was discovered, he felt a tear roll down his cheek as he thought of Murtagh. "Please forgive me Murtagh." He whispered into the night even as he let himself lie over Jet's neck.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Grove

It was dawn when Caleb and Jet entered the grove and Caleb was glad to get off to stretch his weary muscles and test them. He'd healed most of his worst injuries as soon as he was clear of the city, leaving only those bruises that would heal quickly on their own. The rest of the four hour trot he had spent in the trance that replaced sleep for Elves.

He took his travel bag out from the hollow trunk at the base of a tree and pulled out a complete change of clothing. The torn, dirty and slightly bloody clothing came off and were quickly set on fire and whilst Jet grazed happily on the rich grass he slipped into the large stream that pooled within the Grove. He spent a while just drifting on the water letting the cool water run across and around his bare skin with a soft touch. He let his eyes close and just listened to the minds of every creature within the glad, from Jet to the smallest of the ants.

He scrubbed himself raw to remove any sign of his captivity either from his body or in his hair before heaving himself out of the pool and lay out flat on the grass to allow his body to dry as he thought about his plan. Even know he could hear the birds that had seen the Ra'zac pass this way towards the north with their twenty or so troops. The report was in no way accurate and using the animals as spies was more or less useless in most cases since they rarely cared about what happened if it didn't effect you, but most if not all of the animals within Alagaesia despised their presence and thought about it.

They were definitely heading for Carvahall and more importantly to Eragon's brother and the people of the village. Caleb, on the run as he was, needed to find shelter within either Surda or the Varden and if that didn't work than within Du Weldenvarden but the last didn't reach out to him at the moment with his current feelings towards Islanzadi Drottningu. He knew that for the sake of the Silver Egg sitting so subtly in the centre of the grove that he should make for one of the resistance groups as fast as he could but he couldn't just allow Eragon to suffer the loss of his cousin so soon after he had lost his Uncle.

He decided to travel north to Carvahall as soon as possible to rescue Roran and then take him to Surda so that he could deliver the Egg and Roran to Eragon. He rolled over onto his front and pushed himself up. He pulled on his under clothes before pulling on a pair of loose black trousers made from heavily beaten leather and then a loose red shirt that hung open wide at the sleeves with a laced v-neck that he left undone to bare most of his upper chest down to his sternum revealing his finely shaped chest. He pulled on his woollen socks and leather boots over his feet and finally started to gather his gear.

Soon a fully saddled and laden Jet faced Caleb with a eager look in his eyes. The horse loved to run, especially through the rolling hills and valleys of the plains between the Ramr River and the Spine, and this would be the longest journey that they had taken together. He pulled himself up in front of his pack and checked that his sword with its sheath was firmly fixed on the right of the saddle and his bow and quiver fixed on the left. His pack with the Egg firmly hidden inside was tied securely behind him and his good hooded cloak folded neatly in front of him so he could pull it over him if he was seen.

He kissed Jet lightly on the top of his head and brushed his fingers down his neck before scratching the back edge of his ear just like Caleb knew his horse liked. "Let us ride and be free my friend." Caleb whispered with a smile and straightened as Jet began to trot forwards out of the grove and into the hilly plain beyond it.

They rode throughout the day at a fast run only stopping at midday so that Caleb could hunt for berries and fruits amongst the foliage and so that Jet could drink and graze by a small river. When it approached sunset they paused by a large boulder for cover and Caleb took off the saddle with its gear from Jet so that the horse could kneel and sleep for a time. He planned to continue the journey during the following night and hopefully by riding so hard and fast could reach Carvahall in time to help.

He pulled water from his bag, displacing the Egg onto the floor as he went where it lay innocently amongst the grass, and took a drink before setting his back against the boulder. He set a ward around the area to warn him of anything approaching before he spoke the spell that would cast his mind outwards. He reached north towards where he had first seen Eragon and tracked the mind of Roran.

He found Eragon's cousin away from the minds of the villagers. He was in fact within what Caleb guessed was the Spine, or at least on the fringes of it. He studied the camp for a time and discerned that there were a smaller group of minds on the outskirts separated from the main village by several hundred yards. The Ra'zac and the soldiers had already arrived and by the looks of Roran's position in relation to the others he had run to hide from them.

At least he was smart. Caleb changed his angle and swept his mind towards Surda where he hoped to find a trace of Eragon. The familiar mind wasn't there, nor was it anywhere that he could sense within the Empire. He broaden his reach slowly across the Hadarac desert towards the Beor Mountains, the great mountain range, higher than any other in the known lands, higher than even the Dragons could fly. Islanzadi had told him that it was the home of the Dwarves and even though she hadn't actually said it she had implied that the Varden were not housed with the Elves which left only the Beor Mountains.

He slowly swept from the Eastern mountains within Surda along the southern coast towards the western, unknown reaches. It wasn't until he was nearing the end of his search that he found them. Normally he was capable of senses minds whether he knew the person or not unless the person could hide their thoughts but at such a greater distance he could only sense the mind of somebody he knew and therefore all he knew was that Eragon was alive, not his exact position or who he was with, assuming he wasn't along.

He entered Eragon's mind easily regardless of the fact that he was awake. He found himself camped out alongside a large lake surrounded by huge monolithic mountains. He gapped at them for a time in awe as a small wishful smile spread across his face.

"Caleb?" Eragon's rather uncertain voice came to him from behind him. He spun slowly and glanced the boy over. He must officially be sixteen now, he had become a man just after he had been in Gil'ead.

"Yes, Eragon." Caleb smiled at him warmly. He didn't blame him for letting Murtagh get captured, he never hand.

"But I was awake, did I fall to sleep?" Eragon sounded shocked. "I was talking to Arya."

"You are not asleep, I can project into your mind at any time though it is easier for me if you are not awake, nor so far away." Caleb chuckled slightly, "I am afraid we are heading in opposite directions."

"Where are you going?" Caleb noticed the lack of information offered from the young Dragon Rider.

"I am travelling north on the hunt of the Ra'zac." Caleb told him but was interrupted before he could continue.

"Are you sure you should do that?" Eragon said betraying his slight feelings of trust toward the Elf. "You could travel down to Surda and find the Varden like Saphira, Murtagh and I did."

Caleb flinched slightly at his brother's name but covered it with his explanation. "So much to discuss. My horse rests, Saphira is not intruding, there is no King looking over my shoulder. For once I can talk." He sighed. "The Ra'zac have been ordered to capture your cousin, Roran, and return him to use against you. I am travelling north to help him. I will try to bring him with me to the Varden."

"They're after Roran." Eragon said with defeat. It wasn't a question. "Brom said as much."

"Brom?" Caleb asked shocked. "As in the Rider who killed Morzan and stole Saphira's egg?"

Eragon nodded. "He died just after we left Dras Leona."

"I am sorry." Caleb head snapped up as he saw a shadow approaching. The distraction cost him though and he found himself with a knife at his throat. He tensed up but knew that the knife couldn't actually hurt him. He twisted out of the grasp and saw Eragon's eyes widen as the knife passed harmless through his throat. He stepped to the side and turned slightly so that he could take in the Elf-woman who had ambushed him.

She had long black hair artfully clipped back with ornate hair clips. He green eyes watched his every movement taking everything about him in from his Elvish features to his human clothing rather more revealing as most Elves would permit. She didn't seem at all phased that he had noted her bluff.

"It would seem, Eragon, that you have an intruder." She spoke calmly, as one would against something that wasn't a threat. She obviously knew the spell well. "You can eject him from your mind by pushing him out mentally and closing your mind."

Caleb looked at Eragon, he would let him decide for himself what he wanted to do. As he waited Saphira landed lightly opposite him completely the circle. Caleb raised his fist to his collar bone and bowed slightly in deference to the Dragon. The Elf noticed the move and frowned.

"He hasn't done anything to hurt me, Arya." Eragon spoke suddenly cutting through the tension.

"And I never will." Caleb turned to face Arya. "Eka ai Fricai."

"A friend to whom though." Arya retorted still suspicious.

"I will not explain myself to you." Caleb countered. "My purpose he was to speak to Eragon and that is all. Though I am glad to see that Saphira's bearer has recovered her health."

She seemed momentarily shocked but recovered herself quickly. She said nothing.

"You are no longer within Uru-baen." Saphira added suddenly.

"No." Caleb said ignoring Arya's suspicious look. "When I heard of your rescue of the Elf-Courier I attempted to steal the two Eggs within the King's treasury."

"Did you succeed?" Eragon asked suddenly.

"I did manage to get the eggs outside of the wall whilst the King was distracted however I was ambushed by Shruikan and taken prisoner." Caleb sighed. "He recaptured the Red egg but I managed to send the Silver one away somewhere safe."

"Where is it now?" Eragon asked.

"It is safe." Caleb refused to say more, though he didn't know why. "I just escaped."

"Three weeks?" Eragon asked with a bit of concern, Caleb shrugged.

"I'm sorry, Eragon, but I must go, I have overstayed my welcome." He gestured to Arya who had soften slightly though that didn't mean she believed anything spoken.

"Who are you?" Arya stopped from leaving and he felt Saphira's mind close in behind him. He gave Saphira a sad look before turning back to Arya.

"I am Caleb, son of Inwin and Fellatai, orphaned by the Empire's troops when they slaughtered my family. It has been so long since the Empire attack the Elves that I am sure you are aware of the attack that claimed my mother, father, aunt and uncle." He barely waited for the nod. "I was brought up within the Castle by those who I hate and now I have been betrayed by the very Elves I should call kin."

His last words held more spite in them then he intended and Eragon gave him a sad look before he realised something. "Do you know Murtagh?"

Caleb sighed. "I grew up with him after your mother died." He admitted making sure it didn't imply anything he'd rather keep a secret.

"He died fighting with the Varden." Eragon said quietly.

Caleb snapped his head around to face him squarely. Was that what they really believed? Murtagh would probably have preferred that over what would now happen to him. Caleb felt tears creep along his eyes. "Let us hope that we remember his deeds there over any other." His words were cryptic but they took them at face value. "I'm sorry, Eragon, but I can delay my journey no longer. The Ra'zac are already at Carvahall and I am almost a week behind them."

"Please help him." Eragon pleaded.

"I would give my life to protect him, if only so that you may fight the Empire." Eragon seemed shocked so he continued. "Compared to your life, my own or Murtagh's are inconsequential. Many will say the same and many will die so that you may live. You must be prepared to honour their decision rather than fight it."

Saphira seemed to agree with him as she faded from sight. Eragon gave him a sorrow filled look before Caleb released his spell and saw him vanish. Arya spoke before he could sever the spell. "How do you know the magic to cast this spell if you have lived with the humans?"

"Arya Drottningu." He countered in the same language, she blanched slightly with surprise. "I recognised the name as soon as Eragon spoke it. You are heading for Du Weldenvarden?"

She paused, obviously considering refusing to answer before he answered her question. "I take Eragon to be trained in magic."

Caleb nodded to show that he acknowledged her allowance. "I know your name from the one who taught me. Ever since Eragon's mother died I have been in contact with Islanzadi Drottningu."

"She never mentioned you before I left."

"She seems to wish I did not exist." Caleb muttered. "Farewell Arya Drottningu."

He tore his mind back towards the Empire before she could understand his words and found himself in his body not two hours after he had started the spell. He fed himself on Berries and an apple before dunking his head in the stream nearby to rid himself of the tears he could feel drying on his cheeks.

Jet was awake and on his feet as Caleb started to sort out his gear but he came up short when he noticed the Egg on the ground rather than in the bag. He stared at it in fascination and for some reason Jet followed his line of sight and stared at it too. Caleb frowned he could have sworn it moved slightly as one of the grass blades shifted against its side. Jet moved forwards and placed his nose against it softly before snorting in concern and dancing sideways away from it in fear as it moved.

Caleb's ears caught a faint squeaking sound originating from the egg and stared at in in wonder, ignoring Jet's wild capers in favour of the eggs movements. He moved to it's side and gently laid a hand on it to see if he could work out what it wanted. As soon as he touched it, it wiggled violently and a crack filled the air as the top split apart. A small silver head poked out and looked around blinking the whole time. Its eyes fell onto Caleb and he stared back at the little dragon in bewilderment, still trying to workout what was happening.

The baby dragon pulled itself out of the whole with its front legs and scrambled over the side and down onto the grass where it rolled around to get to its four legs. Jet had calmed down by this time and Caleb found the horses head above his shoulder as he sniffed at this new intruder. Caleb reached out his hand and held it to the side of the Dragon's head to let it sniff at him.

He smiled as the Dragon pushed it's head up into his hand for attention but before he could scratch it he felt pain burning up his right hand in waves more intense than anything he had felt before. He rocked backwards into Jet who snorted in nervousness but his hand wouldn't come away from the scaly head. He felt blackness creeping through his vision and finally allowed it to overcome him as he fell to the ground. He dimly noted Jet snuffling against the side of his head and a small creature crawling up onto his chest nestling over his exposed chest warmly.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Several hours later

Caleb woke and let the stars tell him that he had only been unconscious for two or three hours at the most. He almost rolled over to stand when he realised that a small weight was nestled just under his chin. He glanced down as much as he could and found the small silver Dragon sleeping under his chin. Its head was just on his right shoulder tucked under the collar of his shirt whilst its body was lying on his chest with it's tail down on his abdomen. It seemed to want his warmth and wasn't shy about getting it though Caleb was sure that the little reptile was giving off more warmth than he was.

His stare seemed to awaken the Dragon as it pulled it's head clear of the shirt and looked at him with alert eyes. "Hello, little guy." Caleb spoke. The shock that had come with having an egg hatch for him had dissipated along with his bout of unconsciousness and he realised that the dragon must be a male since the only one of the three eggs that was female had hatched for Saphira. He brought up his hand to stroke down the little Dragon's neck and it purred at him happily.

Caleb stopped when he noticed a glint of silver on his palm, he opened his palm to stare at it in confusion before he realised that he must be looking at a Gedwey Ignasia. The mark of a Dragon Rider. The swirling pattern seemed to glow slightly under the moon light just as the little silver Dragon did.

"I'll have to find you a name now wont I?" He asked and felt the Dragon's contentment within his mind. He closed his eyes for a second and felt the Dragon's wants and desires ebbing through him though they weren't thoughts that he could really understand like he could listen to human thoughts.

He pushed himself up and helped the Dragon crawl up onto his shoulder where it flared its little wings to stay steady. He busied himself saddling Jet who spent the whole time watching the little Dragon sitting on his shoulder. Just as he was going to jump up onto Jet's back the Dragon hopped off of his shoulder and glided awkwardly onto Jet's head. The horse whined slightly but more from irritation than nervousness. It seemed that the intelligent horse, so used to Caleb's magic, had accepted the little things presence.

Caleb checked he had everything before heading off toward the north.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter