The next morning, Dart, Shana, and Lavitz arrived at the castle with eager but trepidatious hearts. Dart could not decide whether he wanted the king to approve Lavitz's request, and he felt the irresolution broiling inside his belly.
The guards at the bridge greeted them with smiles and bade them enter, and Dart and Shana followed Lavitz across the courtyard and into the castle. This time, they continued all the way to the top of the stairs where they entered a sizable room with benches along either side and a large wooden door that stood closed before them. Upon learning that the king was busy in the throne room beyond, Lavitz deposited Shana and Dart on one of the benches while he scampered off to greet those in the castle.
"It's been a while, and I have to tell some of them that I'm not dead," he explained as he winked and trotted away.
And so began an hour of waiting. As time slowly slid by, Dart felt the awkward oppression of his and Shana's last conversation and wondered if he should say anything. But he was silent when they sat normally and when they shifted to the back of the bench to ease their thighs. He was silent when they leaned their heads back and when they rested their elbows on their knees. And he was silent when Shana at last stood and began pacing up and down the hall.
"Is this normal, do you think?" she asked suddenly. "To have to wait so long?"
Dart shrugged. "I imagine kings get very busy, especially in the mornings."
She nodded and continued pacing. After several minutes, she spoke again.
"Do you really think we'll go to war?"
"You heard what Lavitz said. With a dragon on their side—"
"I mean you and me." She paused and looked at him. "We're not soldiers, Dart."
He nodded. "You're right. And I'm no more of a soldier than you are. But that doesn't mean we can't fight."
"And what if your fears come true? What if they take me captive again?"
Shana's brow had furrowed with worry, and Dart sighed and stood. Then taking a step closer, he reached out and took her hand. Her worry now mixed with shock, but Dart didn't pay it any mind.
"I won't let that happen," he said. "Because wherever you go, I'll be right there with you. And… I'm sorry that I left the first time."
She smiled and looked down. "But you came back. I think that's what matters."
"Maybe…" He dropped her hand and turned back toward the wall, where he turned his eye up to a Serdian banner. "I just can't go back to the way things were. The last time I lost my home, I did nothing. I wandered until someone found me and carried me away to safety. This time, I want to be able to help people. Like you said, to prevent it from happening to anyone else."
"And I'll be with you, doing the same thing," said Shana as she came alongside him and took his hand again. He smiled down at her and squeezed her hand.
Just then, the doors opened, and they jumped. Out strode the king himself, and he smiled to see them.
"My friends from Seles!" he greeted, hands open to them. "I am sorry to have kept you waiting so long. I was meeting with some of my captains and advisors discussing Lavitz's request."
"It's no trouble, sir," replied Shana with a gentle nod.
"I take it that our good knight is out and about the castle, greeting as many as possible?"
"Yes, sir," replied Dart with a grin. "We were told to wait here for you."
"Alas, he should have taken you to a more comfortable space. Come! I will escort you to a more proper waiting area. Henry, will you uncover Lavitz and send him to the sitting room, please?"
One of the guards nodded, and King Albert swept down the stairs, Shana and Dart on his heels. His boots clicked against the stones as he descended, and Dart eyed the emblem of Serdio as it swayed to and fro on the king's cape. Reaching the landing midway, they turned down the same hall as yesterday.
"I am grieved that you had to wait such a length of time," he said as they traveled. "Had I realized Lavitz's intentions to arrive so early, I would have arranged for someone to show you around the castle. We have little to entertain, but I am sure that it would have been more agreeable than sitting for so long."
"It really is no trouble, Your Majesty," insisted Shana. "You've already been so kind to us."
"I am afraid that remains to be seen," replied King Albert as he came to a halt and opened a door. After ushering them in, the three sat on the same couches as yesterday, and the king smiled. "I wanted to tell you both again how grateful I am for you. Not only have you brought Lavitz back home, but you have also given him friends during a dark time."
"Dark time?" asked Dart.
"Yes. Although I am sure that he is delighted to be back in Bale, as it had been some months since his last visit, he still bears the weight of his knighthood. Those men and women were with him for many years, and they were all taken from him in one night."
"Lavitz said something about a giganto," said Shana quietly. "Is that how they were overpowered?"
"I can only assume. They were all our best soldiers. We sent another knighthood to the area after receiving word of the attack, and they reported evidence of what could only be described as 'a large man.' Lavitz's return has confirmed two unsettling rumors, both of which have made me feel quite uneasy, if I am honest."
The door opened, and a beaming Lavitz burst in, hefting a well-crafted lance.
"You saved my lance!" he cried, holding it out for the king to see.
Laughing, King Albert stood and accepted Lavitz's subsequent hug.
"A knight should always be reunited with his weapon," he said.
"And I'm so thankful that you found it. I'm honestly amazed that it wasn't snapped in half."
"As were those who uncovered it," returned King Albert.
Giddy, Lavitz sat next to Dart and lay his lance across their laps. Chuckling, Dart observed the weapon and marveled at its craftsmanship. This was a weapon fit for a man like Lavitz.
"I am afraid that we must now turn our attention to more serious matters," said the king, and a somber attitude settled over the room. "I have spoken to my advisors of your request, and I have decided to grant it."
"Thank you, sir," said Lavitz.
Dart and Shana looked at each other, and Dart placed a hand over Shana's.
"I am sending you to Hoax," added King Albert. "It is not far from our southern border, and we have received more rumors of the dragon around that area. More than this, the town was attacked by a small contingent a week ago and is in need of reinforcements. After much discussion, we decided that rather than pull from Bale's defenses, we will send you three."
"You think the three of us will turn the tide against a dragon?" blurted Dart. "That's insane!"
"Dart," scolded Lavitz. "We will follow the orders given to us."
"Your concern is warranted," admitted King Albert. "But if we are to be realistic, we have no idea how to fight a dragon or with what means it will attack. Our knowledge comes from little more than lore. As… harsh as this may seem, it is better to risk three rather than a knighthood, especially when an attack on Bale could come so soon. Setting this problem aside, seeing Sir Lavitz among their ranks will boost morale of the Sixth Knighthood, which has been damaged severely after the recent attack."
Dart frowned at the king and crossed his arms but said no more. No matter how it was worded, it sounded like a suicide mission, and Dart couldn't imagine why he'd throw one of his oldest friends to be feed for a dragon, no matter his request.
King Albert's eyes softened at Dart's expression. "Once we have more certain information regarding the dragon's whereabouts and actions, I will be able to be more focused and precise with handling it. Until then, we must do the best we can."
"We will do whatever you ask of us, my lord," said Lavitz.
"And it will be appreciated," nodded the king. "You may, of course, find yourself a new set of armor in the smithy, and Shana, you are welcome to a set as well, along with a new bow. Dart, I presume that you wish to keep your own attire?"
"Yes, sir," he replied, suddenly ashamed of his behavior.
"In a different situation, I may have protested, but given the circumstances…" King Albert smiled, and Dart looked down.
"When would you have us leave?" asked Lavitz.
"The threat is imminent," replied the king simply. "The sooner you can leave, the better protected those soldiers will be."
"Then we'll leave tomorrow morning."
"Very well. Are you both at peace with this?"
"Yes, sir," replied Shana before Dart could respond.
"Then I will meet you at the city gates tomorrow to bid you farewell," said King Albert, and he stood.
"Your Majesty, we have one more request to make before you leave," interrupted Lavitz.
"Oh?"
"Dart was hoping for an audience with Minister Noish. He has a question of lore he'd like to ask about, and we were all wanting to do that today, if at all possible."
"Of course! He would be happy to discuss such a matter. I will arrange it for you. Would you mind if I sat in on this meeting? I would love to know the topic of discussion."
"That's… fine," said Dart, slightly bewildered that his desire was being fulfilled so easily.
"Excellent," grinned the king as he clapped his hands together. "You may wait here or meander about the castle, as you now have a guide." He gestured to Lavitz. "Perhaps Lavitz could show you to the smithy. Either way, I will have someone find you and let you know when the good minister is available."
"Thank you, Your Highness," said Shana, and King Albert swept out of the room.
That morning, Lavitz did as King Albert requested and led them to the smithy, where he and Shana were both fitted for armor. At Lavitz's behest, Shana requested leather armor, and it was promised to be delivered before their exodus the next day. Then Shana was permitted to choose a new bow of the style given to archers in Basil's army. With much hesitancy, she decided on one with tendrils of pale blue swirling about the limbs.
Afterward, they spent time in the training grounds on the south side of the castle, where Lavitz left Shana to test out her new weapon while he worked with several soldiers learning how to wield a blade. It took several tries for Shana to learn the feel of such a powerful bow, and it was a bit more difficult to draw, but she proved to be a quick learner. After a while, she let Dart try his hand, and he managed to hit the target on one of his four shots.
That afternoon, the three joined King Albert in a small office on the north side of the castle where a window afforded a distant view of the ocean. The king himself had carried two chairs to the office, and Lavitz helped him position them next to two others that sat across the desk from a man with a graying beard and a warm smile.
"Noish," began King Albert as they all sat. "These two lovely people are Dart and Shana, friends of Sir Lavitz and his companions since their meeting in Hellena Prison."
"You are most welcome here," nodded the minister, and he smiled at Lavitz. "And as always, it's good to have you back in the castle, my boy."
"Honored to be here," smiled Lavitz.
"And what is it that you have come to discuss?"
All eyes turned to Dart, and he glanced around awkwardly before taking a breath.
"I wanted to know if you know anything about the Black Monster."
"I see! Is your interest purely academic, or are there other reasons?"
"Personal reasons," replied Dart, glancing at King Albert. "The Black Monster attacked my home when I was a child."
"Incredible… And you survived?" Minister Noish was now leaning forward with his elbows on the desk.
Dart stifled a sigh to have to relive the tale again, but he nodded. "I was lucky," he said. "But the rest of the village wasn't. I've been looking for the Black Monster for years, but I never found anything."
"Not a whisper," said Noish, and Dart shook his head. "That is to be expected. I have heard of the Black Monster, which is something not many can say. Unfortunately, it is an elusive beast – or a demon, as some have called it – and it has managed to stay hidden from most storybooks for its long existence." Noish stood and maneuvered over to a bookshelf where he began to scan the spines. "I do have one book that makes mention of it, but it is the only one I've found. Odd, considering its impact. It is usually regarded as little more than a ghost story."
He extracted one of the tomes and returned to his seat, where he flipped through the pages. The colorful cover showed images of dragons and people with wings, and splayed across the top in decorative letters read, The Dragon Campaign and Other Legends.
"Yes, here it is," he muttered, and he lay the book down so that Dart might see it. He leaned forward and saw a page with a title of "The Black Monster," and on the opposite page was drawn a foul and dark creature that was devouring humans. Frowning, Dart reached for the book and drew it closer, eyeing the beast. It seemed almost snake-like, but with legs like a lizard and wings like a bird.
"This one page is all that is known of it, as far as I know," continued Noish. "To summarize, the Black Monster was an evil being that defied the will of the gods near the end of the Dragon Campaign and rose up so that it might destroy them. Upon failing, it was cursed to wander the world in solitude, veiled in shadow, leaving destruction in its wake. It has never revealed itself or left any witnesses, as far as history is concerned."
"Is it a dragon?" asked Dart, running a finger over the hideous creature.
"No one knows," shrugged the minister. "This particular image is reminiscent of one, of course, but no one has seen the beast and lived to tell the tale. That is what makes your story so fascinating."
"I didn't see it, though. I was hidden, outside the village."
"Unfortunately, that seems to only solidify the claim. If you ever learn more about this creature, I hope you might tell me whatever you find. I never knew that it had enacted anything within my lifetime."
Dart nodded and looked down at the picture again.
"What is the Dragon Campaign?" asked Shana. "I've never heard of it before."
"Oh, a most diverting piece of legend," grinned Noish. "Or history, if you are inclined to believe that way. The tale goes that in the ancient world, all sentient species were enslaved by a magical race called the winglies, so named for their ability to fly. They used their magic to dominate the world until a group of people – mostly humans – gathered to fight back. They were headed by a man they called Emperor Diaz, who was said to have been given seven gifts from the gods. These seven gifts he distributed among seven worthy warriors, and they became the seven dragoons. Essentially, they were able to wield the magical power of dragons so that they could fight back against the magical might of the winglies. Legend says that the war between the dragoons and winglies lasted a hundred years before it finally ended when the dragoons struck down the winglies from their perches in the sky, and mankind was at last liberated from their oppressors."
"And you said that the Black Monster appeared at the end of the war?" asked Dart.
"So the legend says."
"Does that mean they're connected somehow?"
Noish shrugged. "Not necessarily. Just because two events coincide does not mean that one begets another. I may pluck a grape from the vine at the exact moment of an earthquake, but that does not mean that the plucking of the grape caused the earthquake."
"But you said that the gods gave the dragoons the power to fight, and that the Black Monster defied the gods. Is the Black Monster a wingly, then?"
"Again, it is impossible to know. I have spoken to some scholars who believe this to be true, and many others who vehemently deny it. All is conjecture regarding the Black Monster, I'm afraid."
"I was afraid of that," muttered Dart.
"I am sorry that I cannot give you more information."
"It's no trouble," assured Dart. "You gave me more than I'd found for five years."
"Something to chew on, at least," smiled Noish.
"Yes," replied Dart with a nod, though he wasn't sure how long his "chewing" would last.
Feeling a mixture of disappointment and gratitude, Dart eventually followed the others out of the office. King Albert seemed particularly intrigued with Dart's tale and began to ask him questions about it, but Dart had grown weary of conversation and wanted to leave the castle.
When he finally managed it, he and Shana walked back to Lavitz's home in an uneasy silence. Both understood the importance and danger of the journey that they were to take the next day. And with an internal gnawing of anxiety, Dart headed for bed.