Lavitz plopped down on the rough ground, angular rocks piercing him uncomfortably. A light breeze passed over him, and he felt a kind cooling sensation on his wet scalp. The temperature difference between the volcano and the outside air was drastic. He ran a hand through his hair, inviting the wind to dig deep through the thick blonde locks. He needed a haircut.

Around him, the others were taking seats as well, exhausted but pleased to be above ground once again. It was as if they had just stepped out of a lake instead of a mountain, bathed in their own sweat. The only exception was Dart. His skin and hair remained dry, no doubt because of his dragoon abilities. Lavitz was amazed at the seemingly endless powers of dragoons and eyed Dart, in awe of the great gift he had been given.

However, despite Dart's having been unfazed by the high temperatures, he hadn't left the mountain completely untouched. The battle inside had shaken him, or maybe it was the effect the virage had on Shana. Probably a little of both, thought Lavitz. He seemed physically exhausted, eyes drooping slightly, dropping to the ground as soon as they had made it out. That beam from the virage had really seemed to hurt him, and he had expended a lot of energy conjuring up those attacks. But his eyes continuously came to rest on Shana. Her reaction to the statue, "hearing voices," being entranced by it, and growing weak when it had perished had made Lavitz deeply concerned. After what happened in the cave east of Bale, and now the virage, Lavitz was highly apprehensive about what could be going on with Shana.

She had been so drawn to the strange creature that she hadn't wanted to back away to a safe distance; he had had to drag her. In addition, with every successful attack on the virage, she had recoiled as if it had caused her intense discomfort. Lavitz turned to her now, and saw that she was wholly drained. In fact, she looked as if she would fall asleep immediately if only she lay her head back.

And then there was the mysterious Rose. Her eyes remained distant, even more so than usual. Lavitz could tell that she was focusing on something, but on what he could not tell. Was she puzzled over Shana's reaction to the virage? Was she upset that Dart had gotten hurt? Was it the virage itself that was causing her to recoil? The mystery surrounding Rose only deepened with each day. Lavitz thought her to be an attractive woman, but unpleasantly cruel. However, he was wise enough to know that this was not just happenstance. Perhaps some dark story of her past had led her to despise friendship, and her negative behavior was a subconscious attempt to repel those around her. And yet, she still followed them.

Not to mention the immense knowledge base she constantly worked from. Ever since Hoax, Lavitz had fought with possibilities of how she could have known this information, and he had determined that there must be lost chronicles of the Dragon Campaign in some distant part of Endiness that he had never even heard of. It frustrated him to think that Rose would have had access to such important information and not share it with the world.

The group sat in uneasy silence for many minutes. Lavitz seemed to be the only one who was not negatively affected by the mountain, beyond general tiredness and being painfully dehydrated. The others' silence unnerved him slightly, and he decided to at least be somewhat helpful.

Standing, he announced, "I'm going to try to find the horses. Hopefully, they came out this way. I know I'm thirsty, and I know you all probably are, too. Waterskins would be nice."

The silence was oppressive. Dart glanced up and nodded, and Shana gave him a small, thankful smile. Rose, however, did not react at all.

So Lavitz turned and walked away. Before him lay a lush green vale, filled with conifers. He hoped that the middle of the valley would hold a river or creek, and that there he would find the horses recovering from the heat. It seemed likely that they would have remained together after leaving the mountain, but he could not be sure.

Weaving through the pine and cedar, Lavitz spoke aloud to himself.

"What are you doing here, Lavitz?" he asked. "You join a war, get captured, and then rescued by the most stubborn and reckless man in Serdio, and then suddenly ancient history pops up everywhere." He ducked under a low tree branch and hopped over a fallen log. "First a giganto, which were supposed to be extinct since… what?" He thought back, remembering the wars of his father. "Wow, I guess it's only been twenty or thirty years... But still, that's crazy enough. Tack onto that your best friend turning into a hero of legend from a war that was fought eleven thousand years ago. As if that were normal. Then you traipse off with him and this random woman who also happens to be a dragoon… just for fun? Of course not!" He threw up his hands, then took a wrong step and sank ankle-deep into a mixture of mud and leaves. While working his foot out and consequently choosing higher, less muddy ground, he continued. "Oh, no, not for fun. We're hunting a dragon. A dragon! And what am I even supposed to be able to do against a dragon anyway?"

He sighed in frustration, remembering what Dart had said about the beast. So large and so formidable, with scales stronger than steel. He knew that his lance would be no match for it. He often worried that the dragon would overpower Dart and Rose, and that he would be helpless to stop its rampage through Serdio. He thought of King Albert in Indels Castle, probably already notified of Lavitz's daring escapade to defeat a creature straight out of legend. Lavitz wondered if the king was as worried now as he had been when Lavitz had gone missing a month ago.

"I'm sure he is," muttered Lavitz to no one. "He's my oldest friend, after all. I worry about him all the time, don't I?"

The sloping earth began to flatten, and Lavitz glanced about him, standing silent for a moment. He thought he could hear a faint trickle of water coming from ahead, and he jolted forward with renewed vigor. As he propelled himself forward, driven by his thirst, he was reminded of the time that now seemed so long ago, when he and Dart and Shana had run ahead for water in the prairie. He smiled as he remembered the simpler time, with no strain or tension among them, no dragons or wars or volcanoes or virage.

A minute or so later, Lavitz found his prize. A creek perhaps four feet wide wound itself through the vale, cutting into the black rock below. It rushed furiously, no doubt carrying runoff from last night's storm. Bending down next to it, he cupped his hands and drank deeply. The water was cold, rushing down from the snowy tops of the mountains nearby. He splashed it over his head and face, savoring the sensation. He then stood and began walking upstream, hoping desperately that the horses were nearby.

An occasional breeze drifted past him, lifting the water from his face, hair, and neck, leaving behind a pleasant cool. He walked for another twenty minutes until he heard something ahead. Excitedly, he rushed forward. All four horses, together as he had hoped, stood next to the stream. Two of them were drinking, and as he approached, all four turned to face him, startled slightly.

"Hey, guys," he said warmly. His own horse whinnied and trotted up to him happily. Stroking her long nose, he said, "That's my girl. I missed you too, Luna."

Lavitz was most pleased to find that all their saddles and equipment were still intact and present, and he reached inside each pack to pull out waterskins and refill them. After this, he tied the reins of the other three horses together and mounted Luna. After patting her tawny neck, he urged her up the hill, leading them back to camp.

Now that he had cooled down, Lavitz, still wearing clothes wet with sweat, began to grow cold in the crispness; the mountain air had not yet recovered from the rain the night before, and it would probably be a few days before it grew warm again.

"Luna," said Lavitz absentmindedly. "Do you think we can ever get Dart and Shana together?" Glancing down, he saw that she had no interest in such a conversation, but he continued anyway. "They're obviously meant for each other. I could tell even before Shana said anything to me. At least, she's in love with him… I'm pretty sure that Dart loves her, too, but I'm just not sure how… Is she really just a sister to him? Or is there something else there? Do you have any insights?" He looked down expectantly again. "You're right," he answered. "Of course they'll get together. All we need to do is convince Dart to pay attention enough to know how Shana feels about him. So next time you have the chance, be sure to push them into each other."

The horse continued to climb up the hill silently. Lavitz guided her through the trees expertly, keeping them on a straight path back to the others. Lavitz prided himself in his directional senses, and surely enough, in less than an hour, he emerged from the trees almost exactly where he had entered. Up the hill, he saw his companions resting, although Dart stood at attention when he heard something approaching. Lavitz waved over at them, beaming despite their rugged demeanors.

As he approached, Dart moved closer and greeted his horse. "Thanks, man," he said, tired but sincere.

Nodding, Lavitz dismounted and grabbed the waterskins from Shana's and Rose's packs and handed them out to their respective owners. Rose took hers curtly and muttered thanks, but Shana grinned weakly up at him.

"Thank you, Lavitz," she said warmly, proceeding to drink several gulps.

"It was nothing," said Lavitz, grinning. Perhaps if he acted as though nothing were wrong, the others would adopt the same attitude. He was grieved at their shaken manner, and hoped only to restore them to the happiness they had shared that night in Bale.

He moved over to sit next to Dart, who was drinking deeply from his waterskin. After a pause, Dart asked, "How did you find the horses?"

"Mostly luck," admitted Lavitz. "I thought they might be as thirsty as we were, given the heat in that mountain. So I found my way down to the middle of the valley and found a creek. I hiked along it for a while, and there they were."

"And I thought we only had bad luck left." The irritation in Dart's voice did not escape Lavitz's attention.

For a couple minutes, Lavitz ruminated over what to say. He felt a need to lift Dart's spirits, but how to do so was evading him. Finally, he had an idea.

"I honestly don't think any of this is just luck," he offered. Dart gave him a skeptical look. Chuckling, Lavitz continued. "I've always felt that there was some kind of guiding force leading us in the right direction. I mean, what are the odds that you would be breaking into Hellena at the same time I'm breaking out? Not to mention the whole thing with dragoons. The odds of you running into Rose at the same time you ran into that dragon, and then she happens to be a dragoon, and happens to be able to make you turn into one, too... That kind of stuff doesn't just happen randomly. So because of all that... I think that the whole incident with the snake in the cave - and that weird thing in the volcano - happened for some reason, even if we're not sure why yet."

While delivering this speech, Lavitz noticed Shana tuning in, and although she didn't physically react, he was fairly certain Rose had as well. He knew that Shana must be battling with herself about what could be going on with her and the virage, and he was pleased to see her strained expression relax slightly as he spoke. He may not be able to explain everything, but he at least wanted them to know that this was not all for naught.

Dart, however, seemed unconvinced. Upon Lavitz's mention of the snake, he had glanced over at Shana, but now he stared fixedly on the lush valley before him. His expression was thoughtful, and Lavitz tried to discern what could be going on in his mind. He knew from earlier this morning that Dart was feeling inadequate for the task before them, and Lavitz wished with all his heart that Dart could see how much strength he really carried. Lavitz thought him to be a great man, selfless and brave, willing to walk straight into death itself to save those he loved. He mourned the fact that so much calamity had befallen him over his life. It was no wonder that he fought so fiercely to protect Shana.

They remained silent for several more minutes. Although Lavitz typically preferred conversation, he had learned quickly while traveling with Dart and Shana that they did not. Quite often over the past several weeks, he had deferred to their desires for silence, and occasionally he still felt that he had talked too much as they had approached Bale. Now, he sensed that they still needed time to process the events of the day, or maybe they were simply too exhausted to speak freely.

Surprisingly, Rose was the first one to prod for a change of pace. She stood suddenly and announced that they should be moving because it was only just past noon. The sun was shining down from almost directly overhead, warming them slightly in the chill air. As they made for their mounts, Rose explained that if they made good time, they would make it to the edge of the dragon's nesting grounds by nightfall, giving them time to rest before the next day. Unspoken was the fact that the next day held a fate-changing battle against a legendary monster.

Setting their sights southeast, Rose took the lead on her black horse to direct them through the trees. After half an hour of silence, Lavitz finally decided to poke around for a conversation. Leading Luna to fall into step next to Dart, he spoke up.

"So, Dart, have you put any more thought to the Black Monster?" Lavitz hoped that the distance between them and the women would be enough to encourage Dart to open up a little about it. It appeared to work, as he responded almost immediately.

"Not since Bale, no," he said. "I guess I've been… distracted."

"Do you ever think you'll figure out what it really is?"

Dart sighed and shook his head, dropping his gaze to his hands as he fidgeted with the reins. "I don't know… I spent so long chasing down that thing and came up empty-handed. I got more information from Minister Noish in five minutes than I did in five years." His frustration was evident.

"Perhaps we'll find some more treasure troves of information as we travel about," reassured Lavitz. "There have to be more people who know about it."

"Maybe," said Dart. A sour look crossed his face. Probably thinking about his home, Lavitz thought.

After a moment, Lavitz asked, "What will you do when all this is over? The dragon defeated, the war over, everyone's safe again? Will you go back to hunting it down?"

"I guess so. I've been east. It would make sense to try to go west."

"What will you do when you find it?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead, really," said Dart quietly. "I mean… Part of me wants to kill him for what he did to me and my family."

"That's understandable," muttered Lavitz, remembering his own private quest for revenge. Like Dart, he knew that the war and his friends were more important, but he couldn't help but relive the rage and hatred every time he thought about Greham. Even now his skin crawled as he remembered that name.

"Who would do something like that?" asked Dart, suddenly animated. "Who would kill all those innocent people for absolutely no reason? In such a horrible way." His voice cracked, and he quickly stopped, studying his hands once again.

"They call it a monster for a reason," said Lavitz. "You'll find him one day, Dart. I have faith in that."

"Thanks," he said, sniffing.

They traveled in silence for a time, until easy conversation began to flow once more. As they caught up to the women, their light-hearted conversation seemed to lift Shana's spirits, and she soon joined in. Even Rose made a few minor contributions, although her comments were usually cynical or corrective. Still, Lavitz was pleased to see that she was back to her old self, and that Shana and Dart were able to discuss and laugh together again. Although he felt the heavy weight of their monumental task at all times, Lavitz did his best to hide this from the others, trying to keep them in high spirits. The only person that obviously knew what dangers were going to present themselves tomorrow was Rose.

As dusk began to fall, they all decided to make camp for the night. With the sun setting, the warmth of the air had fled as well, and as dew settled around them, they each began to feel a chill. Finding a small clearing, they dismounted, letting the horses graze. After they had gathered some firewood, Dart created a small flame with which to light it, and they all gathered around the warm glow.

Silence fell as their shifting ceased and the horses fell asleep. The only sounds they could hear now were the hooting of a nearby owl and the crackling of the fire. Even the crickets were silent in the cold night air. Lavitz could feel the tension creeping into the camp as they each considered what must be done after the sun rose the next day. The only one not putting off an air of trepidation was Rose, who maintained her normal vacant stare directed toward the fire. Lavitz wondered if she was really as calm as she appeared to be, or if she was simply adept at masking her own emotions.

In contrast, Dart's face was contorted with worry and apprehension, transparent as ever. Normally, Lavitz would have found it amusing that Dart, who constantly fought so hard to hide his feelings from them, was as easy to read as an open book; but at this moment, Lavitz only felt compassion for the great burden that Dart was carrying. While Lavitz had been dealt hefty amounts of responsibility over the years, he knew that none of it could compare to the intense pressure Dart must feel. He was one of two people in all of Serdio who could hope to defeat the dragon, and he felt wholly unprepared for it. Lavitz struggled to comprehend the weight of such a dilemma. Thinking back to this morning, he ran his memory over their conversation while looking out across the marshes. He almost felt guilty, having laid the lives of all the men in Serdio on Dart's successfully vanquishing the monster, but he tried to remind himself that Dart had needed the push. Though Dart had said nothing, Lavitz could always tell when a soldier was having second thoughts about a battle to come. He couldn't count the number of times he had had to give the same kind of speech to his own troops.

For Shana, however, Lavitz was fairly certain that she was less worried about her own wellbeing or the outcome of the battle so much as she was worried about Dart himself. She was afraid of what might happen to him tomorrow, not her, and probably not even Lavitz. Honestly, he admired Shana's devotion to Dart. It was something that had always been between his own parents, and something he had cherished about their relationship. No matter what, they would always put each other above everything else. They had sacrificed many of their own desires for each other. Over the past several weeks, Lavitz had seen the budding of this type of relationship between Dart and Shana. Although Dart had plenty of room for growth, it was obvious that he was selfless when it came to Shana. And on Shana's part, Lavitz knew that if she could balance the need to help Dart with her own - often neglected - need to take care of her own needs, their relationship would be even stronger.

All this ran through his mind as he watched their anxious faces across the fire. The tension was palpable.

But Lavitz was unsure of exactly what he was feeling. He knew that he was nervous, but he wasn't sure why. Perhaps he was afraid of being physically harmed or maimed, even possibly killed. Perhaps he was afraid of what might happen to Dart and Rose as they fought against such a strong foe. Or perhaps he was afraid that they might lose altogether, and that Basil would be lost forever. Most likely, he thought, it was a combination of these three things. However, his duty that had been instilled into him as leader of the First Knighthood, was not to worry about his own fears, but to be a strong rock for those he served with and for. He may not be able to take away their worries, but he could show them that this group was strong enough to overcome anything.

And so he struggled for half an hour to come up with some words of encouragement, or at least something to calm them enough to sleep. He recalled many speeches he had heard in the past, men like Kaiser or even King Albert trying to build morale before a big fight. But he was ashamed to find himself completely at a loss for words.

By now, the darkness was complete. Rose, sitting just outside their small circle, began to flicker, as if she herself was a shadow being cast by the flame. Lavitz had noted such behavior before, and he found it most curious. Just as he was beginning to ponder it, she suddenly stirred, becoming more coherent, and scooted forward slightly. She then began to speak.

"We need to talk about tomorrow," she said, her tone serious. Dart and Shana jumped slightly when she spoke, and Lavitz stepped in to give them a moment to recover.

"About the dragon?" he inquired.

Rose nodded. "We need to discuss our plan."

"How do you plan to fight a dragon?" asked Dart cynically. His anxiety was manifesting as irritation.

"I've told you before," snapped Rose. "You outwit it. The creatures are powerful, but stupid."

Seeing Dart rearing for a comeback, Lavitz interrupted. "So what do we need to do?" he asked.

"Obviously, Dart and I are the only ones who can really do much damage here," she explained.

Her condescending tone forced Lavitz to look away for a moment. Frustrated, he told himself that it wasn't because he was useless; it was because he wasn't a dragoon. Why does Rose's speech still bother me? he asked himself. You know how she is.

Turning to Dart, she said, "So, you and I will be in the air, attacking from above. It will be difficult for the dragon to focus on too many things at once, and it's slow, which is where our advantages lie. With Dart and me in the air, we'll need you two" - she turned to Shana and Lavitz - "to try to keep its attention off us, at least a little bit."

"That's not happening," said Dart suddenly, turning to glare at Rose. "If you think we're putting them in harm's way just so we can get in a couple good shots, then yo-"

"That's exactly what's going to happen," she returned, meeting his gaze sternly. Dart retreated somewhat, but managed to maintain his fierce eye until she turned back to Lavitz and Shana. "I won't lie. This will be dangerous for all of us. But you both decided to come with us, and like it or not, you'll be helping us. Dragons, especially green-tusked dragons, won't be able to follow both you two running around on the ground and us attacking from above. Your main worries will be the dragon's tail, and the dragon's breath. His tail will be enough to knock you both into a tree and break a couple ribs. The breath, however, is the most dangerous part of the whole animal."

"Poison," said Lavitz quietly. He remembered all too well the last words of Mal in the Seventh Fort.

"Yes," replied Rose. "Broken ribs you can recover from. Scratches from its claws will hurt, but they'll heal. If you get a direct blast from that poisonous breath… I'm not sure there's a cure for it. You all saw what it did to those soldiers in the Seventh Fort." Lavitz's chest tightened as he remembered the carnage. "You will fare no better."

Suddenly Dart stood, enraged and towering over Rose. Lavitz readied himself to step in should either Dart or Rose overreact.

"I will not stand by while you just throw them out for cannon fodder!" he shouted, arm gesturing angrily. "It's too dangerous a job for them, and you know it. We can't just risk their lives on the off chance that it gives us a tiny sliver of advantage!"

Rose gave Dart a look that chilled even Lavitz to his bone. Although she remained seated, she was far more intimidating than Dart could ever be as she glared at him. The darkness surrounding her seemed to lend itself to her frightening aura, and Lavitz found himself scooting ever so slightly away from her.

"This is bigger than us, Dart," she said menacingly. "It always has been. Bigger than you, or Shana, or Lavitz. And somehow you manage to focus on the one, or the few, instead of focusing on the bigger picture. If we do not kill this dragon tomorrow, thousands of innocent souls will die. It is well worth losing two people, to save thousands more."

Dart took a small step back, retreating from Rose's wrathful logic. He maintained a determined look, but also seemed almost ready to concede the point. Quietly this time, he said, "There has to be another way."

For a brief moment, Lavitz considered Rose's plan. He knew that Rose was the most intelligent person in their group, and the wisest, and that following her advice would likely yield the best results. But he could not deny that he was hesitant to throw himself into danger. More than this, however, Lavitz was afraid that something might happen to Shana, and he knew this to be Dart's real fear as well. He knew her to be very capable in battle, but he didn't like making this decision without her input.

Standing in an attempt to pull Dart's attention, Lavitz said, "Rose has a point, Dart." Turning to him, Dart looked so overwhelmed that Lavitz thought he might cry. "As hard as it may be for you to bear, I would gladly lay down my life so that others can survive. I chose to come with you, despite astronomical odds, and I will help you in whatever way I can." Dart opened his mouth to respond, but Lavitz cut him off. "I have a feeling that Rose knows what she's talking about. I think this plan could work. However" - he turned to Shana - "what I have decided, I decided for myself only. Shana, what do you say?"

Of all those in their group, Shana was the least prepared for the task ahead, having had no formal military training, and it was obvious that she was struggling with this decision. Dart turned to her, waiting expectantly with a pained expression, only serving to increase the pressure on her. She glanced around at each of them, her eyes ultimately resting on Dart. His eyes pleaded with her to say no. Finally, she stood ceremoniously and announced her decision.

"I can fight, too. I've come all this way, and I'm not about to turn back now or hide while everyone else fights for their lives. If we're doing this, we're doing it together." Her eyes darted around the camp, looking for some kind of feedback. Rose raised an eyebrow, either impressed, surprised, or cynical; Lavitz could not tell. Dart's jaw clenched, and he averted his gaze, staring at the ground. Lavitz, however, met Shana's gaze and gave her a proud smile.

Because he was proud. Far too often, Shana's bravery and self-sacrifice were overlooked, even by Dart. She had fought long and hard to stay by his side, willing to do whatever it took to know that he was safe. Lavitz understood Shana more than she knew, and he was proud to be going into battle with her.

"So it's decided," said Rose, returning to her former stony state, as if the argument had never happened.

Dart stepped away from the fire, rubbing his forehead, and Shana and Lavitz eyed him with concern. It was painfully obvious how upset he was about this plan, but Lavitz was unsure as to whether he should let him work it out on his own or try to reassure him. After Dart mumbled something about going off to try to hunt some food, Lavitz recognized his request for solace as Dart walked away from the fire and into the black. Shana turned to follow him, but Lavitz interrupted.

"Don't," he said. "He needs some time to process. We can talk to him about it tomorrow."

Hesitantly, she returned to her seat. Lavitz walked over to the horses and dug out some rations, distributing them around the fire.

"But I thought Dart was going to bring food," said Shana, confused.

Lavitz opened his mouth to respond, but Rose beat him to it. "He's not actually hunting," she said. "He didn't have any of the proper equipment with him, and it would be difficult for him to do in the dark anyway." Her eyes remained focused on the flames jumping around in front of her. Shana looked at Lavitz for confirmation, and he nodded.

"Dart was just trying to come up with an excuse to be alone for a while. He'll be back soon," he added hurriedly when he saw Shana's worry.

The three ate in silence, the atmosphere turning tense once again. After a while, Rose lay down to sleep. Shana soon followed, although she struggled to find any comfort; she kept tossing around, no doubt thinking constantly of Dart. But finally, after perhaps an hour, she seemed to drift off.

Lavitz remained awake, keeping watch until Dart decided to return. Ever grateful for the fire, he moved closer to it, trying to escape the cool night air. He envied Dart's ability to keep himself warm. Lavitz marveled at the many powers of dragoons, both in and out of combat. Since transforming, Dart had become stronger and faster, though he didn't think that Dart had actually noticed. He had been slightly concerned with Dart's irritation about the rain, but was impressed with his ability to hold that flame constant for almost three hours when they had had no firewood. And with Dart's extraordinary and instinctual battle against the virage today, Lavitz began to wonder if Dart had any more need of him.

In the beginning, Dart had needed Lavitz to break out of Hellena Prison, and then to help them travel across the country. He had given Dart a purpose and safety when he couldn't return to his home. In the Battle of Hoax, Dart had needed him in the fights against that elite soldier and the giganto. But now that Dart was realizing his abilities as a dragoon, it seemed that those days were coming to a close. Lavitz couldn't help but feel that he was supposed to be with this group of people, but his purpose was becoming more and more difficult to see.

As the hours slid slowly by, Lavitz kept watch over their camp, pondering the dangers that lay ahead, and hoping that Dart was finding his resolve somewhere among the trees.

Author Note: Luna is, of course, a tribute to the importance of the moon in this story while also a hat-tip to the amazing Luna Lovegood of Harry Potter.