Two days later, before the sun had peaked in the sky, the trio stopped, overlooking a valley running across their path. Within the narrow valley sat a sparkling lake being fed by a waterfall spilling off the cliffs to the north, drained by a small stream bleeding through a tiny crevice in the rock on the far side of the valley. It was certainly beautiful to behold, but what really caught Dart's attention was the strange structure perched atop the water in the deepest part of the lake.

It reminded him of Indels Castle, but much larger and more exposed. From his vantage point, Dart could see innumerable stone arches supported by great pillars, more decorative than practical, it seemed. Various pathways ran around the main structure, which appeared to be nothing more than several high, stately platforms connected by grand staircases. Nothing was truly enclosed except a strange building in the very back that reminded Dart of a tomb. The entire shrine was completely inaccessible save for a stone bridge reaching across the lake, meeting the ground half a mile from where the group stood surveying it.

"Wow," said Lavitz. "I've never seen a shrine quite like this before. I expected some tiny rock in the middle of nowhere."

"Me, too," agreed Dart. He wondered what great person could be buried here to warrant such a grand assembly.

Lavitz turned to Rose. "Do you know anything about it?"

Shaking her head, Rose replied, "I've heard of it. But I've never been here."

"Where would the plant be?" said Dart, thinking aloud.

"I say we start by going into the shrine itself, and then maybe try circling the lake after," replied Lavitz. "I'm not particularly looking forward to climbing across that part over there." He indicated the steep wall of rock on the far side of the lake.

Nodding, Dart urged his horse forward, eager to find the plant and head back to Shana. Rose and Lavitz followed, and soon enough, they were at the end of the bridge dismounting. Dart took a long drink of his water before putting the skin back in his pack and edging forward.

"The horses will stay, right?" he asked Lavitz.

"Most likely. Unless something spooks them again, like a virage."

"Not funny."

Lavitz chuckled nonetheless as they stepped onto the bridge. Upon getting a closer look, Dart noticed that the light gray stones had been exposed to the weather for quite a long time. They were rough and uneven, forcing Dart to carefully place each foot so that he did not trip and fall. Even so, he sped along as quickly as he dared.

A dozen great arches passed over them, stretching several feet above their heads, as they walked along the bridge. Faint sounds of water lapping against rock eased by them periodically as they passed over the bridge supports, but all else was eerily silent. Something about this place put Dart on edge; his left hand settled on his sword hilt.

At long last, they reached the end of the bridge, where another archway greeted them. Dart started to continue forward but was called back by Lavitz.

"Whoa, come look at this!"

Dart returned and followed his gaze up to the arch, where he now saw an old carving of... something. The many years of being beaten by wind and rain had made it appear faded and misshapen, but he thought that he could see evidence of some sort of animal: a head, legs, and a tail.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's a white silver dragon," replied Rose. She watched the image thoughtfully.

"Oh."

Eyeing the carving himself, Dart had no idea how Rose could possibly have been able to tell what it was. Perhaps what could be taken as wings sat above the creature, but there were no other distinguishing characteristics. They had been lost through time. But then he remembered something and reached for the book that he had bought in Lohan, but cursed as he recalled leaving it in his pack, now far away at the other end of the bridge. For a brief moment, he considered running back to get it, but then decided otherwise.

At his exclamation, Rose and Lavitz had turned to him. He announced his revelation.

"The book I got, that talked about the shrine, said something about white silver dragons," he explained. "Their magic is what made the dragoni plant grow, I think. So if there's a dragon here, maybe we'll actually be able to find the plant, too!"

"I doubt there's an actual dragon," said Rose sharply. "But if there's any residual magic, yes, it's possible."

"Let's go find out!" said Lavitz.

As Dart and Lavitz charged through the archway, Rose hung back for a few moments before following.

"So what do you think this shrine is for?" asked Dart as he looked around at the strange architecture. A tall ring of stone ran above their heads, supported by a dozen thick pillars encircling them. Sunlight streamed in from above, warming Dart's face as he gazed upward.

"I'm not sure, but my first guess is the dragon," replied Lavitz. "I mean, it makes sense. A couple hundred years ago, the last survivor of a dying species, and when it finally dies, people build it a shrine."

"Could be," muttered Dart. However, he wasn't convinced. Something about that story didn't quite add up.

Three walkways extended from this area, reaching out between the pillars. One lay on either side, but the one in front led further into the shrine and up their first set of stairs. Dart made his way toward it, but just as he passed under the arch, he heard a faint click. Instinctively, he drew his sword, eyes darting around furiously in search of an enemy.

"Watch out!" cried Lavitz, and a second later, the sound of rocks grinding against each other came from above him. Dart looked up just as Lavitz's arm pulled him back, sending them both tumbling to the ground, his sword clanging against the stone as it slipped from his grasp. Several loud crashes sounded as massive boulders fell where Dart had been standing moments before.

Scrambling to his feet, Dart exclaimed, "What was that?"

"Clearly, someone doesn't want us here," said Rose nonchalantly from several feet behind them.

After retrieving his weapon, Dart stepped forward and knelt down, scanning the ground. There he saw the thinnest of wires stretching loosely across the stone floor, obviously the spring for the trap.

"We're going to have to keep our eyes peeled from now on," he said.

He and Lavitz shoved one of the heavy boulders, nearly as tall as they were, until it rolled into the lake with a great splash. Then carefully, they continued up the stairs, scanning for tripwires as they went.

They hadn't gone more than halfway up when Dart felt the rock give way. Groaning, he looked down to see the step sink down. Another trigger.

"Get down!" he shouted, and they all dropped, leaning up against the stairs. A moment later, Dart heard four heavy arrows whiz past him before clattering onto the stones a hundred feet behind him.

Swearing, Dart stood and continued up the stairs, muscles tight as he waited for something else to spring. He carefully tested each step before placing his full weight on it, watching his surroundings warily. As they reached the top, it appeared that they had discovered a dead end. The ovular platform was bare save for a raised stand about waist high and a solid wall running along the far edge. Dart approached cautiously, scanning for any sign of movement.

On the stand were three darkened circles with numbers ringing their edges. Perplexed, Dart fingered the digits, running from zero to five, and wondered at their meaning. Above each circle, a small notch had been cut into the stone, aligning with one of the digits.

"What do you suppose this is?" he asked.

Lavitz stepped up beside him and studied the strange contraption.

"Maybe…" he began. "Some kind of number lock? As a way to keep going?"

"Then what's the combination?"

"That's a good question."

Lavitz looked up at the wall before him and approached it. Meanwhile, Dart continued to study the numbers. As an idea formed in his mind, he tried to rotate the left circle, and to his surprise, it turned smoothly, softly snapping into place as the next digit slid by the notch.

"Look!" cried Lavitz. He pointed to the wall, and as Dart drew closer, he could make out some faint carvings, weathered beyond recognition. Over all this was written:

To move forward
you must look within and
find order.

"That's helpful," murmured Dart.

"A riddle of some kind?" asked Lavitz

"What do you think it means?"

"I'm not sure, but the answer must be the way to move on."

"Maybe connected to the number lock?" Dart stepped up to the plinth once again and noticed the current combination: 2-1-1.

"'Find order...'" thought Lavitz aloud. "Maybe if we put the digits in order? Try one, two, three."

Dart rotated each circle so that the digits were aligned with the notches, then looked around expectantly. To his irritation, nothing happened.

"Nope," he announced.

"Maybe zero, one, two?" put forth Lavitz as he approached the circles to look for himself.

They moved through this sequence and every other ordered sequence with no success. After each failure, Dart grew more and more frustrated. After inputting the last sequence - three, four, five - he turned angrily to Rose, who had stood by silently as they struggled.

"Are you going to help?" he asked harshly. He knew that his anger would do nothing to remedy the situation, but he could not help himself; Rose seemed completely uninterested in their quandary, and they needed to get back to Lohan as soon as possible.

She stepped forward, clearly unperturbed by his outburst, and said, "It says to 'look within.' That's something neither of you have done yet."

"But how could the number lock have anything to do with us?" asked Lavitz. "That doesn't make any sense. It's not like the person who set this up knows who we are."

"It's at least worth a shot," said Dart, more desperate than he let on.

Lavitz eyed him thoughtfully before saying, "Alright. So what does it mean to find order within ourselves?"

"There are three of us... maybe something to do with that?"

Dart put in three three's, but nothing happened. He sighed in frustration.

"What about three one's?" asked Lavitz.

"That's what it was on when we arrived."

Lavitz turned back to the words on the wall and pondered them in silence. Meanwhile, Dart studied the circles and looked for any sign that could indicate some kind of hint, but even after several minutes found nothing. He cursed and slammed his fist onto the stand.

"That won't do much to help, you know." Rose's smug voice wafted over to him, and he felt his anger flash as he rounded on her.

"Well, you're not doing much to help, either!" he said loudly. As he clenched his fist, he heard the small whistle of a flame as fire wrapped around his hand. Lavitz spun around to face them.

Rose seemed calm and unwilling to fight back, and for a brief moment, Dart thought it a shame that he knew so little about her. If only he could find the right trigger, he could make her feel as desperately enraged as he was.

"Whoa, whoa," warned Lavitz as he approached them. "Dart," he began.

Dart could sense a monologue coming; he was too angry to listen to it. In an attempt to avoid it, he turned and stepped as close to the edge of the platform as he dared, overlooking the glistening water perhaps fifty feet below him. He tried to steady his breathing, to calm himself. Lavitz's footsteps approached, and Dart closed his eyes with a sigh.

After a moment of silence, Lavitz said, "Hey... I know this isn't easy for you. You're worried about Shana, and there's nothing wrong with that. We're all worried. But being angry at us won't fix that."

"I know," said Dart.

"The fastest way to get through this place is to stay calm, work together, and keep moving forward. We'll figure out the riddle. I'll bet Rose is coming to the right conclusion as we speak."

Dart gave no response. He knew Lavitz was right, but he didn't feel like staying calm. Just once, he wanted to see Rose get fired up about something. It was as if she couldn't care less about their lives, or Shana's. As if none of this mattered to her. Dart wanted to shake her and scream at her to make her understand how he felt.

After clapping him on the back, Lavitz sauntered away to further study the riddle. Dart remained where he was, trying to evoke a calm by focusing on the soft sound of water sloughing against stone from far beneath him. Closing his eyes, he took deep breaths, feeling the wind on his face and smelling that fresh scent of spring riding on the air. Being angry would get him nowhere, and yet he allowed his emotions to rule him so often. He must do better.

After a minute, he rejoined the others and read over the riddle one more time:

To move forward
you must look within and
find order.

Glancing toward Rose apologetically, he awkwardly stated, "It's not asking us to look within ourselves." After a pause, he added, "So what are we looking within?"

"The sentence!" cried Lavitz suddenly. He murmured under his breath for a moment, eyeing the words, before shouting, "Ten! There are ten words."

"But ten is only two digits," said Dart. "We need three."

"So try zero, one, zero," returned Lavitz.

Dart put in these digits, but once again, nothing moved. Then he studied the words for himself.

"You know..." he thought aloud. "There are ten words... but only three lines. We need three digits."

"So... the number of words in each line?" Lavitz surveyed the carving. "Three, five, and two?"

Rotating the circles, Dart put in the combination. As the 2 clicked into place beneath the notch, he felt a low vibration beneath his feet, followed by the sound of stone grinding against stone. He watched in amazement as a set of stairs extended themselves from the wall in front of them, providing a way to the top of the next platform.

Laughing, Dart turned to Lavitz, who was also radiant with their success.

"Took you long enough," said Rose, who walked up the stairs promptly.

Once again, the rage flared within Dart. He couldn't believe that she would have known the combination and not told them, or pretended to without helping. As he opened his mouth to throw out a retort, Lavitz grabbed his arm, warning him to back down. Dart sighed heavily, swallowing his anger, and motioned for Lavitz to move ahead of him. Lavitz gave him a concerned look, and Dart nodded curtly before following him up the stairs.

Rose awaited them silently at the top, gazing out at the mountains to the east. They were now another thirty feet above the water, enough to make Dart feel uneasy within five feet of the edge. Unfortunately, they now were facing a long, narrow walkway with no railings.

"I'll go first," he muttered, then charged ahead, eager to get this over with.

Keeping his eyes steadily before him, he focused on not looking down. The path was only about five feet wide; he would have preferred it to be thirty.

He was only ten feet from the other side when he heard Lavitz cry out his name.

"Dart, wait!" he cried.

But it was too late. Dart felt the click run up his leg, and a split second later, the roar of fire erupted from the stones beneath him. Dart was frightened at the sudden event and had to force himself to keep his balance to avoid tumbling to a wet death, but he was surprised to feel no pain. The heat given off by the flames was only a vague inclination of what he had expected, and he marveled as they passed by him harmlessly. However, his clothes were not so lucky.

As they started to catch, he quickly stepped forward and out of harm's way before patting them down, leaving no more than two or three dark patches on his pants. Quickly making his way to the safety at the end of the walkway, he turned to see Lavitz and Rose watching him, one of them worried and the other stone-faced as ever, though slightly shocked.

"I'm okay!" he called back. "Come on, just don't step on that one." He indicated the one stone that was different from the rest, feeling quite idiotic that he had not noticed it before. Near each corner were four darkened holes, no doubt the source of the flames; despite being small, the black showed up well on the white canvas of stone. Had Dart not been so focused on ignoring the vast height of the walkway, he could have easily avoided the trap.

Hurriedly, Lavitz stepped forward and leapt over the stone, falling into line beside Dart just as Rose did the same.

"Why am I always the one who springs the traps?" asked Dart.

"You're the one who insists on going first," returned Lavitz with a smirk. "I'm just glad it was you this time. You actually like fire."

Dart conceded, but motioned for Lavitz to take the lead. He shook his head and smiled before stepping forward.

The end of the fiery walkway was little more than a tiny ledge before a great stone wall. Within the wall was a narrow tunnel that continued for another twenty feet before coming back out into daylight. As they made their way down the path, Dart in the middle of the procession this time, they carefully eyed every stone, every step, every notch in the wall, for any sign of danger.

They emerged on the other side unscathed and proceeded up a grand staircase, which Dart recognized as the one he had seen from the ridge above the shrine.

Finally, we might find something useful, he thought. He was tired of avoiding traps and solving puzzles; he was ready to find the plant and leave. The image of Shana's pale face lingered in his mind.

To his great surprise, no traps tried to stymie their progress on the stairs. A moment later, they crested the top, finding before them the final platform with the strange tomb-like building greeting them on the other side. Dart had suspected that it might be where the dragon lay, buried in homage by ancient people, but from here it seemed far too small. Recalling the great size of Feyrbrand, he decided that either white silver dragons were much smaller, or this was no dragon tomb. Two stone doors blocked entrance to it, but above the doors was another, much more vivid, carving.

It was clear now that this was a dragon, although much different than the one they had encountered several days ago. Whereas Feyrbrand had been thick and muscular, moving more like an insect than a reptile, this creature seemed somehow more slender, more gentle and kind. It held its head in stately, regal pride. Its wings spread wide in a display of power, but its tail wrapped around its body, resting across its front feet, promising protection.

"There it is again," announced Lavitz. Then taking the lead again, he stepped forward, approaching the tomb.

Dart heard a faint whistle and jerked his head up. An arrow fired from somewhere in front of them was whizzing its way toward Lavitz's forehead. Instinctively, Dart cried out to Lavitz, who glanced up, but Dart knew he couldn't react in time. Reaching out his hand, Dart surprised even himself as a tiny bolt of fire streamed from it, connecting with the arrow only a few feet from Lavitz, knocking it off course. Lavitz yelped as the arrow sailed a mere inch past his left ear and clattered to the ground.

Immediately, Dart drew his sword as Lavitz readied his lance. Watching before them, Dart caught the faintest glimpse of movement atop the building just before another arrow shot toward them. But this time, Lavitz was prepared.

Holding out his hand to focus, Lavitz summoned a gust, just enough to push the arrow off its trajectory, falling harmlessly a hundred feet down into the lake.

"On the roof," muttered Dart.

Sure enough, a moment later, a figure stood suddenly, leapt from the top of the structure, and landed before them, rolling and then drawing two short swords in one clean motion. Before them, a short but muscular man crouched, wearing tattered leather and a pointed hat. If they hadn't just been attacked, Dart may have laughed at the comical sight. This enemy was anything but intimidating.

"I admit," said the man's sly voice. It was deeper than Dart had expected. "I'm impressed that you made it this far unscathed."

Dart let his sword hang next to him, deliberately letting down his guard. Lavitz, too, relaxed, making the small man eye them suspiciously.

"We're not here to fight," said Dart.

"Likely story! Nobody comes here unless they're looking for something valuable."

"No, it's true," interrupted Lavitz. "All we want is some dragoni plant, and then we'll be on our way."

"Liars and thieves!" cried the rogue.

Rose gave a dramatic sigh and stepped forward, drawing her rapier in stride. "It's quicker just to kill him and get it over with," she said.

Turning to her, Dart began to protest, but the enemy took advantage of their distraction and lunged forward at Lavitz. Dart was about to jump forward to aid him, but he quickly realized that Lavitz had the battle well in hand. Truly, it was foolish for a man brandishing short swords to believe he could take on a man twice his size who wielded a lance. Even so, Dart was impressed with the man's skills. He may have been small, but his agility more than made up for it. He ducked this way and that, avoiding Lavitz's attacks several times in a row. He knew his craft well.

However, whatever advantage the little man may have possessed was utterly shattered by the fact that he now faced three dragoons. Their strength and dexterity were beyond that of any normal warrior, without regard to their magical abilities or dragoon transformations. Dart almost felt sorry for this man.

After several seconds of chasing around the little nuisance, Lavitz finally landed a hit, slicing across the man's leg. It did little but slow him down, but that was exactly the edge that Lavitz needed. Flawlessly, he brought down his lance, piercing the man's inner thigh and sending him crumpling to the ground in pain. Dart cringed as he saw the deep wound that had sliced his leg down to the bone. Blood began to pour out profusely, and Dart feared that even Lavitz's restrained blow might have been enough to bring about this man's death.

His face grew pale, and his breathing labored as he went into shock, clutching at his leg. A moment later, he lost consciousness. Immediately, Lavitz knelt down to feel his pulse.

"Still alive," he announced, though his face showed worry and regret. "I don't know if there's anything we can do for him."

Suddenly, Dart was blinded by a flash of light, and Rose let out a cry of discomfort. Then just as quickly, it was gone. Lavitz seemed just as frightened as Dart, but Rose stared stony-eyed before her.

A woman had appeared before them, utterly beautiful, with pale and slender features, clad in a silky robe that draped dramatically over her small figure. Her hair shone a fiery red, flowing down her back and fluttering lightly behind her, though Dart felt no breeze. But most curious was that she seemed to shimmer, like a ghostly memory haunting from beyond the grave.

She spoke, and her voice echoed in Dart's mind.

"Why have you attacked this place?"

"We didn't attack it," said Dart stubbornly. "We only came here looking for a way to save our friend's life."

Saying the phrase out loud brought a wave of emotion crashing over Dart. His throat caught suddenly, and he swallowed as he fought to hide the pool of tears welling in his eyes. This wasn't supposed to be this hard, he mourned. Get the plant and get out. No traps, puzzles, or ghosts. Why couldn't anything ever be easy?

Rose stepped forward, drawing the gaze of the ghostly figure, whose expression turned to a soft smile.

"Do you remember me?" asked Rose. Her face was not easy to read. A storm of emotion lay hidden just beneath the surface, but Dart could discern nothing more than this. He watched her carefully, surprised that she had spoken at all.

"Rose... of course," said the ethereal woman. "I can't believe you're here. After all this time..." She stepped forward, approached Rose, and studied her. "Ah, yes. Now I remember." She reached out a hand and took Rose's. "You've been on your sad journey ever since then, haven't you?"

Instead of replying, Rose retracted her hand and said, "You haven't changed, Shirley."

"But you have. I'm... I'm sorry." She sounded grieved.

Rose glanced over to Dart and Lavitz, rebuilding her steely demeanor. "It's to be expected. We need your help."

"Oh?" said Shirley, turning to them. "Yes, what's this about your friend?"

"Shana, she's..." began Dart, but he struggled to continue.

"She's been attacked with dragon's poison," finished Lavitz as he threw Dart a knowing glance. "We were hoping you might have some dragoni plant, or at least know where to get some. It's the only thing that can save her."

"A dragon?" Shirley turned to Rose, brow furrowed in concern. Nodding, Rose confirmed Lavitz's statement, and Shirley turned to Dart. "I can see your great worry," she said. "But unfortunately, I neither have any dragoni plant nor know where to find any. I believe the species fell extinct many years ago."

All the breath left Dart's lungs, and he struggled to keep his feet. Heart pounding, he thought he might scream in agony as he realized that all his hope had been in vain. Casting his eyes to the ground, he felt the flow of tears pushing at his eyes once again. He tried to convince himself that he had heard incorrectly, but he knew that it was true. All their travel had produced nothing, but rather robbed him of precious time that he could have spent with Shana.

"Wait," said Shirley softly. She appeared next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort. He sensed the physical contact, but it felt distant somehow, as if it were a dream. He brought his head up to look at her in despair. "There may yet be a way to save her."

His hope had been crushed, but at this brief statement, the low embers began to burn once more. "I'll try anything," he said simply. Shirley's silvery blue eyes radiated empathy and a promise of support, and his heart lifted ever so slightly.

Shirley stepped back and held out her hand, into which an object materialized a moment later. Instantly, Dart recognized it. The shape and size, even the facets around the surface, were an exact match to his dragoon spirit, but this one shone white with a bright light.

"A dragoon spirit?" asked Lavitz, surprised.

"Yes. The dragoon spirit of the white silver dragon, filled with healing magic. When used properly, it can heal any ailment."

Dart took a step forward, reaching for the gem, but as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished again.

"This dragoon spirit is the greatest treasure I have in my possession," warned Shirley, eyes suddenly alight with a fiery resolve. "I will not give it out to anyone who comes asking. I must determine whether you deserve it. If you do not, the girl's fate is to die."

She stepped back and clapped her hands once, sending out a blinding light once again. As it dissipated, however, Dart found himself in complete darkness. He lifted his hands before his face but could not see them. Feeling his cheeks, his arms, his hair, he knew himself to be alive and well, but it was as if the world had ceased to exist.

"Lavitz! Rose!"

No reply or echo came from the still silence. His heart began to beat faster when suddenly he could see... something. The world around him slowly came to light, but he was taken aback to see not the shrine, but Seles. Each building was exactly as he remembered it from his youth, as if Imperial Sandora had never come to ravage it, and the world was green and warm with the heat of summer. Before him stood Shana, whole and well again.

She watched him for a moment with a soft smile before approaching. She placed a hand on his face, and his heart soared to feel her touch. He placed a hand over hers, marveling at the astounding reality that had taken shape around him. He knew that this could not be real; he had been in the shrine, with Lavitz and Rose and the phantom-like Shirley, only moments ago. But her soft skin, her brown eyes, and her smile were exactly as he knew them to be. He could smell the tulips from a nearby flowerbed, and heard birds chirping in the distance.

"Dart."

Even her voice was the same. He melted to hear it.

"I've been waiting for you. Why did you leave me here?"

In Seles... he surmised. Confused, Dart considered an answer. Finally, he said, "I left to get revenge. To find and kill the Black Monster. I left you behind because I knew it would be dangerous. I... I had to keep you safe."

"The Black Monster? You left me for the Black Monster?"

The disdain in her voice was disconcerting. He remembered telling her this before, or at least he thought he had. Why was she acting like this?

"He killed my parents, Shana. He destroyed my home, and killed my family."

"So you want revenge?"

"Yes."

"Dart, stop focusing on the past. On what you can't change. What about now? If you had to pick between me and revenge, what would you choose?"

He paused. So much of his life had been spent grieving his parents and hating the Black Monster. For the past five years, he had thought of little else. His hatred was what had kept him alive at some of the worst moments of his time in the east, and the only thing that had kept him moving forward. But, now... What drove him forward now was not his hatred or his desire for revenge. What drove him forward was what stood before him. He fought for Serdio, not out of a sense of duty or honor like Lavitz, but so that Shana might live safely there. He had traveled to Hellena for her, and he would continue to fight for her until his dying breath.

His left hand drifted up to rest on her cheek.

"I choose you," he said.

A broad smile ran across her face.

A loud ringing met his ears, and he cringed as Seles melted away from him. The world turned to white before it rested once again in the mountains of Serdio. Dart fell to his knees, panting for breath, hands pressing against the gray stone.

Looking around, he saw the high platform of the shrine as it had been just a moment ago. Shirley's apparition stood before him, and the man who had attacked Lavitz lay behind him, still bleeding. Lavitz and Rose, however, appeared to have experienced something similar to him, as they both were on their knees, delivering heavy breaths.

Rose recovered most quickly and stood to her feet, Dart following as soon as he was able. As Lavitz rose, Shirley approached him.

"Lavitz," she said. He gazed at her with a distant, yet determined look. "You made the right decision. I see in you your heart for your country, but more than this your heart for doing what is right."

"Thank you, ma'am," said Lavitz, nodding firmly.

Shirley then stepped in front of Dart, who was still confused as to what had just transpired, but he tried to exude the confidence he had seen in Lavitz.

"Dart, you have learned that what is most important is not the past, but the present. I sense... that your journey is a long one, but I believe that you will make the right decisions."

So that was just a test? he thought, confused and slightly irritated. But before he could say anything, Shirley already stood before Rose, speaking to her.

"And Rose, my friend. I'm sorry for giving you such a test, but I needed to make sure that these many dark years had not changed you past recognition. But I see in you the strength and determination that was there in the beginning."

Then, stepping back to address all of them, Shirley said, "I will give you the dragoon spirit, to save the girl's life. It seems that dragoons are paving the way to the future once again. However, I ask only one thing. Before you leave, use the power of the white silver dragoon spirit to heal Drake."

"Who?" asked Dart, but Lavitz already seemed to understand.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to hurt him so badly. Of course, we'll heal him."

Holding her hand out to Dart, Shirley extended the dragoon spirit. Taking a cautious step forward, he picked up the gem, which gleamed in the sunlight, casting rainbows all around it. As it touched his hand, he sensed a warm kindness emanating from the spirit, but nothing else. He could feel no power flowing through him, as he did from his own.

"How do I heal him?" he asked. "I don't feel anything. I can't wield it."

"Take out your own dragoon spirit," said Rose, "and hold them next to each other."

Despite his lack of understanding, Dart pulled out the leather pouch and retrieved his dragoon spirit. Once again, being so near another of its kind, it cast off a bright red glow, matched by the white light of its neighbor. Although he didn't feel directly connected to the white gem, he could at least sense the great power concealed within. While the red-eyed dragoon spirit carried the power to destroy, the white silver dragoon spirit emanated a desire to heal and preserve. Holding one gem in each hand, Dart approached Drake.

The sight made him cringe with guilt. Although he had not delivered that fatal blow, he knew that he would have done the same thing. Drake lay pale on the gray rock, blood still oozing from his wound, as Dart neared him.

"Is he even still alive?" he asked.

"Barely," answered Rose. "You should work quickly."

Hesitantly, Dart extended both hands, a dragoon spirit in each. Kneeling beside Drake, he closed his eyes, focusing on the distant strength emanating from his left hand. He tugged on it, gently at first, until he held it firm. Then unsheathing it, his hands grew warm as the magic was released. Dart opened his eyes, faintly aware of Shirley's ethereal hand on his shoulder as he watched in wonder the scene before him. Blood lifted off the stones, leaving no trace behind as it fed back into the wound. The muscle stitched back together, and finally the skin over it. Color rushed back into Drake's face as his breathing became regular.

It was as if time itself had reversed; Dart could see no evidence of the damage, save the torn cloth covering Drake's inner thigh.

"Wow!" exclaimed Dart, rising to his feet. "This will work! This will save Shana!" He smiled at Lavitz, who beamed in return. For the first time since they left Hoax, he actually felt happy.

"Yes," said Shirley. "But the power of the dragoon spirit is, at least in part, tied to me. Leaving here will lessen its healing ability. It is possible that each of you may need to work together to draw enough power to purge the poison."

"Why's that?" asked Lavitz.

"Because I once wielded its power. It still recognizes my authority. Without me, it will be more resistant to give up its magic."

A low groan came from the ground, and Dart turned to see Drake lifting a hand to his head. Slowly, he lifted himself and gazed around at them. Upon seeing the new dragoon spirit in Dart's hand, Drake jumped to his feet and clumsily brandished a sword at him.

"You can't... take that...!" he slurred.

Shirley stepped forward, and he paused.

"Relax, Drake," she said. "I have given it to them."

He began to protest animatedly, but she silenced him with one look. Then, turning back to them, eyes lingering on Rose, she said, "New dragoons... It seems that you are leading us to the future. Go with my blessing, and with the blessing of all those who came before."

Extending her arms ceremoniously, Shirley disappeared with another great burst of light.

Placing both dragoon spirits in the small leather pouch, Dart tucked them away for safekeeping. He felt their warmth in his chest as he and his companions left the shrine, having received a grudging farewell from Drake, who seemed to comprehend all too well how close he had come to death.

For the first time in days, Dart felt like skipping or running or flying. I can save her, he rejoiced. I can save her. His joy radiated from his face, completely uncontrollable. He had no more reason to worry, because he could save her.

Author Note: This chapter was a bit of a struggle for me. It can be quite difficult to transition gaming puzzles into story form, but I'm at least mostly satisfied with how it turned out. Also, I'd like to say thanks to all of you who have been following me through this. It's been amazing to see my work received so well.