Lavitz was beginning to drift off to sleep. He fought it, jerking his head up every time it began to droop, but it was nearing midnight, and he was unwilling to wake either Shana or Rose to exchange watches. At last, he heard footsteps coming through the trees and jolted upright. Slightly wary, he stood and gripped his lance in his left hand. To his great relief, Dart emerged out of the darkness into the light of the fire. The women did not stir, and Dart stepped quietly over to Lavitz. He searched Dart's face and was surprised to see that he seemed rather calm.
"Hey," said Dart quietly. "I wanted to apologize… for storming off like that." Dart kept his eyes trained on the ground, only glancing up occasionally.
Smiling, Lavitz said, "All is forgiven, my friend. I can't blame you, either. That was a lot we piled on all at once."
"No kidding," said Dart, slumping down to the ground. Lavitz joined him and clapped him on the shoulder before gasping and pulling back his hand as he felt a searing heat.
"Whoa, tone it down, buddy," he said, shaking his hand to relieve the pain.
"Sorry," chuckled Dart. "I like to be warm."
"Obviously!" Lavitz laughed quietly and waited a moment before deciding to prod for an explanation of what had happened. "You seem more at ease now," he said.
Dart sighed and nodded. "I was thinking about… you guys. You and Shana, mostly." He looked down and fingered some blades of grass. "I won't lie; I don't like this plan. But I also know that it might be necessary. And besides…" He raised his head and watched Shana take in slow breaths. "We came this far, didn't we? What's a dragon, after all we've been through?"
Lavitz grinned as he realized Dart's maturity. He knew that much more than this had churned around in him in his time away, but he was pleased at the little Dart had decided to reveal. It was obvious that Dart had come to terms with what might happen, and that he had returned with a little extra self-confidence.
"I agree," said Lavitz, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around his knees.
"Whatever happens tomorrow," Dart began, a pained look returning to his face. "I just want you to know that… you're a really good friend. And… I probably wouldn't be here if not for you. So thanks. For… everything."
Chuckling at Dart's word play, Lavitz simply responded, "Anytime, my friend."
They fell into a comfortable silence, which was soon interrupted by a large yawn from Lavitz. At this, Dart seemed to remember the hour, as he told Lavitz to get some sleep while he kept watch for a while. After lightly protesting, Lavitz agreed to get some rest and lay down, quickly finding sleep in the comfort of the warm fire.
As the sun rose the next morning, the group of travelers stirred. Rose, having been chosen for third watch, was already awake and sullenly watched the others as they slowly came to. The morning air was even cooler than the night before, but the bright sunshine promised warmer temperatures as the day went on.
As he sat down to eat a light breakfast, Lavitz felt a deep-seated fear rising in his gut as he thought of what lay ahead. Glancing around, it was obvious that Shana felt the same, but it seemed that Dart did not. His late-night revelations must have had a real impact on him, Lavitz thought, because he seemed confident and ready to go. He still was not talkative, but Dart usually took a while to get going in the mornings anyway.
Rose, Lavitz was frustrated to see, was emotionless as ever. It was as if this were just another day at a boring job for her, and Lavitz desperately longed to pick her brain and figure out what was always going on inside it.
The group did not procrastinate long; within an hour of waking, they were already mounted and continuing south. For the first time, they traveled single file without necessity, as if each person desperately wanted to keep to themselves. Lavitz did not feel this way, however, his anxiety better tamed with conversation than inner contemplation, and found himself craving a discussion with Dart, wanting to find out more of what had happened with him last night. He was surprised that Shana didn't even seem curious; perhaps she understood him better than Lavitz had thought.
It was only a couple hours later when their surroundings began to change. Deciduous maples and oaks began to appear amid the other conifers, and the dew evaporated as the sun delivered its promised heat. But what was truly strange was that the plants seemed to be growing darker. Instead of the pleasant green found throughout Serdio, the trees and shrubs began to show a sickly gray tint, as if they were covered in shadow. In addition, the air grew stale. Despite being outdoors, it felt as if they were trapped in a dusty old basement that had never seen the light of day. Lavitz's muscles tensed; this felt wrong.
He trotted forward and noted his observations to the others.
"Yes, we're nearing the nest," said Rose matter-of-factly. "What you see is the effects of the dragon's poison."
"It kills things?" asked Dart.
"Not exactly," replied Rose. "Because of the slow seep of poison into the soil, it changes plants into something strange and wild. We would do well not to drink any water while in this forest."
Keeping an eye on his surroundings, Lavitz soon realized that she was right. The plants took on more and more grotesque shapes the deeper into the nest they went. Soon, it seemed as if the trees and brush were pressing in on them, warning them to leave.
After about an hour in the stale air, Lavitz began clearing his throat and coughing. Grabbing a swift drink, he glanced around and noticed that Shana seemed to be having the same struggle. However, Dart and Rose seemed fine. A few minutes later, as the condition worsened, he coughed loudly in an effort to clear his struggling lungs, but it did little good.
"What's up?" asked Dart soon after.
"I'm not sure," said Lavitz. "Something is bothering my throat, like an allergic reaction or something."
"Mine, too," said Shana grimly.
"It's poison in the air," said Rose, irritatingly stoic. Did she not care if they all died?
Turning sharply to her, Dart exclaimed his concerns. "In the air? How do we escape it?"
"You don't," she replied. "We leave before it kills you."
"You guys seem fine, though," noticed Shana.
"Poison doesn't affect dragoons as much. It would take several more hours before Dart and I felt any effects. For you and Lavitz, though, it would be best we don't linger much past nightfall. As long as we leave before then, any effects should disappear in an hour or two."
As Rose spoke, Lavitz grew angry. How could she have knowingly brought them here without warning them about such a dangerous hazard? But rather than speaking his irritation, he decided to refrain in the name of peace. Still, he couldn't deny that he was somewhat intrigued. He had known for several months that Sandora had no defenses mounted near this forest, and now it was clear why.
Glancing over at Dart, Lavitz saw that his countenance had fallen. Dart was already worried enough about them, and this had only made it worse. However, Lavitz was surprised that Dart did not speak up in protest. Instead, he followed along quietly, eyes averted, studying his horse's mane. Lavitz noticed that Shana perceived the change as well; she made an active attempt to appear strong and hardy so as to keep Dart from worrying, taking in strong breaths and holding her head high. Lavitz smiled.
At last, the scenery changed, although not for the better. The dense trees now blocked out most of the sunlight, making it seem late in the day, and the flat earth turned hilly. Strange spider-like webbing started appearing between trees and covering entire bushes. As the webs became more common, Lavitz grew more uneasy.
Suddenly, as they turned between the trees, a giant hole lay before them. Old dried webbing adorned every edge of the tunnel, and a horrible stench wafted out of it. Coughing, Lavitz tried to cover his mouth. Looking about, he noticed several other holes in the area, although none were as large as this one. It seemed that there was a network of tunnels below them.
"This seems to be the place," said Rose, dismounting.
The rest followed suit, tying the horses to a tree and taking a last drink of water. Dart stepped apprehensively toward the edge of the hole, and Lavitz couldn't help but do the same. Gazing down, he saw little more than eerie darkness. However, it seemed that they would be able to climb down the webbing if they were very careful. Lavitz bent down and touched it; it was tough and dry, but not sticky.
"I guess we'll have to climb down," he said, grimacing.
"Why does everything have to be underground?" complained Dart, voicing Lavitz's own concerns. Then after a moment, he turned and announced, "I'll go down first. Then Lavitz, then Shana, and Rose can come down last."
Everyone nodded in agreement, and he hesitantly eased down feet-first, grasping the webbing for support. To Lavitz's relief, it held. A few moments later, Lavitz, too, slid down.
Although it was slightly elastic, the web remained strong as he worked his way down. The light dwindled, and proper foot- and handholds became difficult to spot. He was especially grateful whenever a bit of rock jutted out far enough to hold his weight. Continuing down, he heard Shana and then Rose begin the descent. After only a minute or so, to Lavitz's great frustration, he found it abnormally hard to breathe, and he coughed violently several times. He paused until the fit was over and then continued.
Finally, Dart's voice rang out, echoing around them. "I made it to the bottom!" he shouted. "It's not too much farther!"
His statement proved true, as Lavitz glanced down and saw a dark floor and Dart's murky silhouette standing a few feet from the wall. A few moments later, he was on the ground, breathing heavily. Despite taking deep breaths, he simply couldn't intake enough air to sustain him; every inhale sent pain spiking through his lungs. He knew that this was not normal for him after such light exercise, and he immediately worried about Shana. Still straining to catch his breath, he craned his neck to watch her. She was making good time, but was slowing down. She had had several coughing fits, and her breathing became heavily labored. Eventually, Rose caught up with her and paused next to her.
Lavitz expected to hear some sort of derisive comment from Rose, but she surprised him. "You're almost done," she said. "Just a few more feet and you can drop down." Her voice almost sounded concerned, but Rose was exceedingly adept at hiding her emotions; Lavitz was not sure if he had heard properly. Shana nodded, but paused a few moments longer, struggling to take in heavy breaths.
A moment later, she continued, and Rose kept in line with her. Only six feet from the bottom, however, something went wrong. Shana wasn't getting enough air, and suddenly she lost consciousness.
"Shana!" cried Dart, instantly running toward the wall as she began to fall. Amazed at Dart's quick reflexes, Lavitz saw him catch her lightly just before she hit the ground. Jumping down, Rose rushed over to them. Lavitz approached as well, and was alarmed to see the pale shade of Shana's skin.
Silent except for Lavitz's still-labored breaths, the three watched closely as Shana fought for air. They could do nothing for her but wait. After the longest minute Lavitz had ever experienced, Shana's eyes fluttered open, and she immediately started coughing. A collective sigh of relief rang out as she sat up on the cold floor.
"Are you alright?" asked Dart, his voice full of worry. He brushed her hair back behind her ear, and she turned to look at him.
"I think so," she panted. Glancing around, she blushed when she saw all the eyes on her. Lavitz was shocked to see concern bleeding through Rose's steely demeanor.
"Still," interjected Lavitz, "it would be good for us to take a breather."
Shana shot him a grateful look as he sat down on the cold ground. Dart nodded his agreement and stood, looking into the darkness behind him. As Shana and Lavitz tried to catch their breath, Dart and Rose explored their surroundings. Although dim light could be seen down a tunnel before them, it was intensely dark around them. Dart created a torchlight that illuminated the area, and Lavitz was not sure whether he liked the place any better now that it was lit. The tunnel was damp and covered with webs and seething insects, rocky and devoid of any real plant growth. Only some mutated moss clung to life in a circle before them where the brightest rays of sun fell.
Judging the distance to the top of the hole, Lavitz guessed it to be about thirty feet. The massive diameter of the hole indicated that if this was truly the dragon's nest, it must be a fearsome beast indeed. As a coughing fit came over him, he felt another sharp pain in his lungs and grew even more afraid of the monster.
Catching Shana's eye, Lavitz silently asked if she was alright. She nodded slightly, but certainly appeared tired. He hoped that their business in this forest would be over soon so that they could recover; he hated seeing his friends suffer.
"Looks like we can head this way," murmured Dart, gazing down the dark tunnel. "But everyone be careful because we don't really know what's down here." He turned, his eyes lingering on Shana for a moment before sitting down. Rose leaned against the wall opposite them, crossing her arms.
Several minutes later, Lavitz's breath evened out, but he waited for Shana's to do the same before suggesting they move on. They crept down the passage, relying on Dart's flame to illuminate the uneven ground. The foul smell of rotting flesh was ever more pungent.
At the end of this tunnel, they emerged into a relatively well-lit cavern; light filtered through a sizeable hole about eighty feet above their heads. And to their surprise, a man sat on a rock on the far side. He had not noticed them yet; Lavitz reached slowly for his lance, Shana readied her bow, and Dart's and Rose's hands flew to rest on their sword hilts. The group eased forward until Lavitz's clumsy footsteps alerted the man to their presence. He stood suddenly and turned to face them, and Lavitz felt his heart stop. He recognized this man.
Painful memories flooded his mind of that day almost sixteen years ago, when a youthful King Albert had come to his door to notify them of the news. He remembered his mother's wails of heartache as he had collapsed to the floor. He remembered that day - the day that his father had died - and he remembered the man who was responsible.
"What have we here?" the man sneered. "Silly adventurers! Come looking for treasure perhaps?" His voice was fluid and calm, but filled with ridicule.
Filled with rage, Lavitz drew his lance, brandishing it threateningly. "You! I should have known that you would be behind this filth!" he shouted. Stepping forward, he glared at the man while Dart and the others watched him skeptically. Before they could say anything, the man spoke.
"Ah, Lavitz..." he said. This time there was a hint of trepidation. "Still trying to imitate the old man, are we?"
Lavitz's lip curled in anger. He was about to shout again in response, but Dart cut him off. Sword in hand, Dart stepped forward and said, "You know this guy?"
"Know him?" Lavitz trembled with anger. "I'll never forget him! This is Greham, the man who murdered my father!"
"Murdered is a strong word, really," said Greham, obviously amused at this turn of events. This only enraged Lavitz more. It was all he could do to refrain from hurling his lance directly into the man's heart. But he knew that something was fishy; they needed more information.
The four approached, Shana behind the others with an arrow trained on Greham.
Greham's eyes narrowed, and he said, "You really do look so much like Servi."
"Don't you dare mention my father's name," said Lavitz, struggling to stay calm. His stress combined with the poison in the air left him gasping.
"Lavitz..." said Greham, holding out his arms in a false sign of peace. "Come now. That whole thing happened over a dozen years ago. Would you still hold a grudge against me? What would your father think?"
"My father would kill you where you stand! You betrayed him, you betrayed my family, you betrayed King Albert, and you betrayed all of Serdio! You deserve far worse than death!" He couldn't control his anger much longer. He was a simmering pot about to boil over.
"Tut, tut. So full of wrath. How unlike your father!"
At this, Lavitz screamed in fury and lunged forward, but Greham was much faster than Lavitz had supposed. He leapt back, easily avoiding the lance, and drew a sword.
"So you think you can best me?" sneered Greham. "I have obtained a power that you could only dream of."
Suddenly, there was a flash of green light, and Lavitz averted his eyes. A powerful gust whipped about him, and he held up his arm instinctively. After it died down, Lavitz dropped his hand and was shocked to see before him a dragoon. Not red or black, like Dart or Rose, but emerald green.
Lavitz's jaw dropped as he realized what the implications. "A dragoon?" he asked incredulously. "How did you get a dragoon spirit?"
"Now, Lavitz, I'm impressed," said Greham. "Indeed, I am a dragoon, blessed with unimaginable power." He began to pace nonchalantly.
"I guess it shouldn't be much of a surprise," interrupted Rose. Greham turned to look at her, but Lavitz kept his eyes trained on the enemy before him. "Only dragoons can control dragons. But where did you get the dragoon spirit?"
"It was granted to me by Emperor Doel," he said proudly. "A gift from Emperor Diaz."
"Is that a joke?" said Rose derisively. "Emperor Diaz died over eleven thousand years ago!"
"Believe whatever you will, but none of you will be leaving here alive. You think you can best a dragoon?" And with that he lunged forward at lightning-fast speed, a speed that Lavitz had only seen matched in Dart and Rose. He recoiled as Greham's sword flew directly toward him, realizing he had no hope of escape. But there was a flash of red light, and suddenly Dart was before him, fully transformed, fending off the blow and sending Lavitz tumbling. After pushing a bewildered Greham back against the wall, Dart glanced behind him to make sure that Lavitz was alright.
"Get back! We'll handle this!" he cried, and Lavitz reluctantly backed away.
As Greham stood, he gazed in wonder at Dart for a moment before jumping and flying to the top of the cavern. He whistled, and a distant roar responded. Lavitz felt his heart sink.
"This complicates our plans," muttered Rose, still in human form, from behind him. "Dart, you and Shana focus on the dragon. Lavitz and I will handle the dragoon."
"But-" Dart began, but he was cut off by a loud crash from above them as the massive beast landed on the surface.
"No time to argue!" shouted Lavitz, readying his weapon. How Rose expected him to help against the dragoon was beyond him, but he was silently grateful that he would be included in the fight.
A mighty roar sounded in the cavern, and Lavitz gripped his lance more tightly. The dragon's head poked over the edge of the hole, green eyes peering down at them. The dragon's head was covered with thick yellow-green scales, and was at least six feet long. Slowly, the beast crawled to the edge, exposing its massive body, and jumped down to alight in front of them. As it landed, the ground trembled, and fear seized Lavitz's heart. Those claws could easily slice through his armor, and its jaws looked powerful enough to crush boulders. He glanced toward the others, who were also watching the dragon carefully, and he saw the same fear in the eyes of Dart and Shana. Rose, however, simply looked determined.
Turning to Shana, Dart gave her a quick nod before flying high into the air. Shana fired an arrow at the dragon's head, but it bounced off uselessly and fell to the ground. Knocking another arrow, she took aim once more. The dragon seemed mildly irritated and turned to Shana. At that moment, a small explosion erupted at its back, where Dart had struck it with fire.
At this moment, Lavitz's attention was diverted to Greham, who rushed toward Dart. Before he could get far, Rose suddenly transformed, and the flash of dark energy only served to increase Lavitz's trepidation. He fell to his knees as anxiety overtook him, and he struggled to take in air. Rose charged forward, leaving him on the ground, and met Greham in the air, keeping him away from Dart.
For a few moments, Lavitz could not comprehend what was happening around him. As he focused on breathing, all he heard was chaos: metal clashing, flames bursting, the dragon roaring, and wind whipping throughout the cavern. He had been struck once again by the pain of losing his father, closer now than it had been in over a decade. He felt tears push out from under his eyelids as he recalled the many fond memories of Servi - of him training Lavitz how to fight, teaching him to be honorable and kind, and loving him always. As he saw his father's face in his mind, his grief turned to rage, and he opened his eyes and glared at Greham. Standing to his feet, he seethed with anger and vengeance, and renewed his vow for justice for his father.
Frustratingly, there was little he could do from the ground except watch. Greham and Rose were locked in a powerful battle, almost evenly matched. However, it was clear to Lavitz that Rose had the upper hand; she was slightly faster and clearly more comfortable in her dragoon form.
A loud cry rang out from the dragon, deafening Lavitz for a brief moment, and he saw that Dart had come down on the beast with all his might, sinking his sword deep into its side. Lavitz was pleased to see that dragoon weapons could actually pierce its hide, but his excitement was short-lived. The dragon snapped its head back, grabbed him in its teeth, and threw him against the wall, mere feet from Shana.
"Dart!" shouted Lavitz involuntarily, and he ran over toward the fight. But at that moment, the angry dragon belched out a poisonous green gas, stopping Lavitz in his tracks. Heart racing, he watched the cloud engulf both Shana and Dart, and immediately he could hear Shana coughing desperately from within it. He heard Dart yell for her, and then a red light began to shine from within. Dart had created a flame, and he used it to burn away the rest of the poison. As it was dissipating, a single arrow shot out from the cloud and pierced the dragon's eye, causing it to roar once more, rearing its head back in pain. Drops of thick blood spattered to the ground.
Once the hazard was burned away, Lavitz ran forward to Shana, who was now doubled over, gasping for breath. Seeing that someone was there to help Shana, Dart leapt into the air once more to engage the great beast.
"Shana!" cried Lavitz, reaching her just as she fell to the ground.
"I'll be fine," she whispered hoarsely. "Go fight." She nodded toward Greham. Following her gaze, Lavitz saw Greham get the upper hand for the first time in his battle with Rose, casting her to the ground. Turning back to Shana, he saw that her face was even paler than before. As much as it pained him, he knew he could do nothing for her now. After helping her toward the cavern wall, he apologized briefly before running back toward Rose.
Greham had thrust Rose to the ground so hard that she had lost consciousness. Lavitz rushed toward her but was once again cut off when Greham's dragoon-decorated sword pierced the rock just before him. Turning, he saw the emerald dragoon approach him with his arms crossed.
"Well, well, well..." he said. "You come at me with two dragoons. I must say I'm impressed. Wherever did you find them?"
The sound of that voice made Lavitz's skin crawl, and he glowered at him.
Instead of responding, he simply asked, "Why did you do it? Why did you defect and betray my father?"
"Servi was a good man, but he was naïve, too trusting," replied Greham. "He was always trying to see the good in everyone, even when it wasn't there. But one thing that he had was power." As Greham spoke, Lavitz inched closer and closer to him, watching for any opportunity to strike. "The man could have overthrown the entire country if he had wanted to. Not even Carlo was a match for his abilities. And I knew that I could never attain that power on my own."
"So that's it?" snarled Lavitz. "You betrayed your best friend because he was stronger than you?"
"It's foolish to pretend that the world can be ruled through peace, like the failed dynasty of Basil would have you believe. Power is the way forward, and I have now become the most powerful man in all Serdio!" He gestured around him; Lavitz could not help but notice that his sword still lay a few feet from him. But even weaponless, he knew that Greham was far more powerful than he was. "With the dragoon spirit given by Emperor Doel, I have become unstoppable. I became powerful enough to defeat even Servi. Who knows where a dragon under my command will take me!"
"What is the purpose of a life ruled by power?" cried Lavitz. "Power without love is no reward at all. You are the weak one if you cannot see that." Tears welled in his eyes as he spoke the same words his father had once said to him.
"You fool," sneered Greham. "You're as pitiably naïve as your father. You-"
He was cut off by a piercing shriek, and both men turned to see the other battle raging on beside them. Dart had stabbed the dragon at the base of its skull with a flaming sword, and it crashed to the ground, defeated at last.
"NO!" screamed Greham.
Snapping back to the man before him, Lavitz saw that he was wildly distracted. This was the only opportunity he would have. Seizing it immediately, Lavitz pushed forward with all his might, crying in anger, driven by rage, and pierced the dragoon's armor. Perhaps his adrenaline and emotion gave him extra strength; perhaps fate was on his side. But the lance found its mark and sank deeply into Greham's side, completely engulfing the metal spearhead and piercing through to his heart.
Greham froze and turned his head, wide-eyed. Lavitz watched his eyes and the terror that filled them before yanking back his weapon. Greham fell instantly to the ground, clutching his wound as blood poured out of it. His wings crumpled under him, and his face grew white.
Shana neared them, wheezing with every breath, and Dart landed next to her and supported her with his arm. Rose, who seemed to have been awoken by the loud crash of the dragon, stood and approached as well, holding her head. Upon seeing that the battle was over, both dragoons reverted to human form.
"Lavitz," choked out Greham. Knowing that he was no longer a threat, Lavitz knelt down next to him, torn between pity and anger. "Lavitz, I want you to know... I loved your father. He was my best friend." Greham tried to clear his throat, but instead he coughed, red blood trickling down his face toward the ground. "I was... afraid... that I would never be strong enough. You-" He struggled to speak. "You are s-so much like him. He would... be proud of you."
Lavitz felt his lip tremble at these words, even coming from a man he had despised for so long.
Greham's eyes drifted to the cavern ceiling and grew distant, until life left them altogether. Lavitz stood, gazing down a the body, when the gem set into the armor flashed green and flew up into the air, leaving the man behind. Craning his neck, Lavitz watched it sparkle brightly, illuminating the cavern, before coming back down to hover before him.
"What...?" mumbled Lavitz, and he stepped toward the gem. Suddenly it flashed a bright light, and he turned away for a moment before reaching out and grabbing it. As he held it in his hand, the light diminished to an emerald glow.
"Whoa, Lavitz, are you...?" asked Dart.
"Yes," answered Rose. "This dragoon spirit chose Lavitz as its next master."
"What?" asked Lavitz again, studying the small green gem. The light was rejuvenating, and he felt air fill his lungs as if he had never stepped foot in the forest. More than this, he felt a strength that he hadn't before; he felt like he could run for miles and never tire. Was this how Dart and Rose felt all the time?
"Lavitz, that's amazing," said Shana. He turned to her, alarmed at how scratchy her voice sounded. Dart and Rose eyed her as well.
"Are you okay?" asked Lavitz, placing the dragoon spirit in his pant pocket.
She tried to clear her throat but began to cough violently. Despite all that had been going on, Lavitz felt a pang of fear as he realized the imminent danger Shana was in. She had likely breathed in the poison directly, just like those men in the Seventh Fort.
"We have to get you out of here," said Dart urgently. As her legs gave way beneath her, he caught her and lifted her up.
Rose stepped forward and place a hand on Shana's forehead. "She's cold," she observed. "Keep her warm, Dart. We need to get her to a doctor. Did she get hit by its breath?"
"Yes," answered Lavitz. "Full blast. We need to get her out of here. It's too far to get back to Bale, so we'll have to go to the nearest town." Closing his eyes, he formed a map of Serdio in his mind. "Lohan should be close by. It's a crazy merchant town, but one of the best doctors in Endiness is there. Less than a day's ride if we hurry."
"Let's go," said Dart, worry written across his face. He looked down at Shana, getting lost in her features as Lavitz had seen him do several times, and then turned away, leaving the dead dragon and dragoon behind. Lavitz regretted it, but it couldn't be helped; Shana was more important.
The group rushed back to the wall of webbing. Dart knelt and set Shana down, holding her face in his hand. "Can you hold onto me? Until I get to the top?" Her eyes fluttered; she was clearly struggling to stay conscious. Almost imperceptibly, she nodded. Her breaths were hard and labored.
Turning around, Dart waited for her to wrap her arms around his neck and clasp her hands as tightly as she could. With his hands free, he tackled the wall with vigor, Shana's condition fueling him. Lavitz silently hoped that Shana could hold on until they reached the top, but he stayed grounded until he was sure that she was secure on the surface, just in case she fell. As she waited next to him, Rose seemed to be doing the same.
As soon as Dart reached the top, Lavitz and Rose hurriedly followed them. Thankfully, the climb up was much easier than the climb down, no doubt because of the dragoon spirit that hummed happily in Lavitz's pocket. As soon as they could reach the horses, they mounted them, placing Shana on Dart's horse, and took off.
Even the horses had been affected by the poisonous air, and it was some time before they could travel at full speed. Following his excellent sense of direction, Lavitz led them southwest, toward the edge of the mountains, and within an hour they had left the disgusting forest. The clean, fresh air seemed to rejuvenate Shana slightly, but her condition only worsened over time. A deep-seated concern for her life fell on the whole party, and as soon as the horses were able, they hurried them into a gallop.
The fear of losing Shana gripped Lavitz's heart. He felt overwhelmed by everything that had happened - his encounter with Greham, the defeat of the powerful dragon, his obtaining a dragoon spirit, and now Shana's potentially fatal condition. He hoped for time to process all these things, and especially to explore his new abilities, but it would have to wait until after she was healed. More than anything else, he just hoped that they could find a cure.
Author Note: I know that Greham wielded a lance in the game, but I didn't see why literally every Jade Dragoon had to use a lance, so I changed it up. Don't kill me.
