As Shana bound Dart's arm, she couldn't help but smile as widely as he did. Although she knew that his joy was not in her, for a moment, she pretended that it was. Then, when Lavitz leaned in to congratulate Dart on his success, she dismissed her daydreams just in time to see Lavitz's wink directed at her. She blushed, taped the bandage in place, and stuffed the remainder inside her saddlebag.

After patting her horse along its neck, she pulled herself atop it, silently cursing the leather armor that still made her movements stiff and difficult.

Despite its hindrances, she couldn't deny that there was something about it that she loved. While wearing it, she could imagine that she was a great warrior trudging along on a heroic journey to reclaim her beloved from a deadly beast. As they rode northeast at a canter and the wind blew her hair back, she imagined that she was a character from one of the old tales her mother used to read her at night.

Then they slowed to a walk, and the vision faded. Dart and Lavitz rode ahead, talking about something related to dragoons, and Shana watched them while Rose came along beside her. Since his training session, Dart had held his head noticeably higher, and Shana was happy to see such a change. Up until this moment, she had worried that Dart would force himself to believe the worst, not allowing any room for hope, and cast himself into an unwinnable battle. Now, it seemed that this had changed. Now, he believed that he could do it.

The danger of the road ahead was not lost on her. Although she had not encountered their foe as Dart had, she'd heard plenty of tales of the time of dragons. Growing up, they'd always been her favorites, and the nights that she'd stayed up reading a new book until near dawn had brought her warmth. For so long, she'd wanted to embark on a journey like those people in the stories, and now, she had. She wondered if her tale would end similarly.

Suddenly, Rose spoke, and Shana was forced to bring her attention back to the present.

"Tell me about Dart," she said plainly.

"Oh, um…" Shana glanced over and saw that Rose's critical eye was trained on the back of Dart's head. She narrowed her eyes slightly before saying, "What do you want to know about him?"

"Where is he from?"

"Seles, but he was born somewhere north… I don't remember the name of the town."

"Has he always had his dragoon spirit?"

"Yes, he said he found it when his father died when he was a child."

"But he's never been able to use it?"

Shana fought a sigh. "I don't think so. I didn't even know he had it until after we left Seles."

"I see," said Rose.

Silence fell, and Shana cast her an irritated glance. "You don't want to ask about Lavitz?"

"What is there to ask about?"

"Anything, I suppose."

"Frankly, I'm more interested in your connection to Dart. Are you romantically involved?"

"No," said Shana quickly, though she could feel her cheeks burning. "We grew up together, that's all."

"Is that really all?" asked Rose as she turned to watch Shana.

"Yes, it's…" Her voice faltered. Dart had cast a glance behind, perhaps on hearing his name, and shot her a small smile. Looking down, she began to study her hands as she twisted the reins around her fingers and then released them. "That's all…"

Rose paused for a moment before saying, "The world is a cruel place. Hold onto the connections you have, or they may one day be lost."

Shana frowned as she considered these words. She didn't want to lose her connection to Dart, but she wasn't sure how to move forward with it, either. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to move forward. There was still so much that she didn't know about Dart that had changed him over the past few years. Her heart yearned for him, but her mind commanded patience. In the end, she supposed that it would be Dart himself who determined which path she would choose.

A half hour passed until they returned to a canter, and then as a great sycamore tree came into view, Lavitz pointed at it and muttered something to Dart. Then he called behind him, announcing that they would reach the Seventh Fort in a couple hours if they hurried.

Relief at the end of their journey mingled with uneasy anticipation of what may wait for them at their destination as they pushed into a gallop. For a while, they maintained this speed, but after cresting a large, rocky hill, they found themselves forced to a near stop as the knoll ended in a steep, uneven slope that dipped into a valley. The valley stretched across their path, and along the middle, meandering to and fro, a river flowed south, sprouting out of a dense tree line a mile or two to their left. On either side of the river lay a wet marshland, perpetually flooded by the water rushing out of the Serdian Mountains that now formed the line of the horizon.

Lavitz came to an abrupt halt and turned to face them.

Pointing to the north, he said, "We're headed toward those trees. We should make our way north along this ridge until we can pass safely into the valley."

Then he took the lead, and they were forced into a slow pace as the horses picked their way across the loose stones. Over the next hour, the hot sun gave way to several clouds, and far to the south, a dark horizon threatened rain. The trees to the north drew ever nearer until Lavitz decided that it was time to climb down the hill.

Forced to slow, they began their descent at an angle for better footing. Moving in single file now, Shana fell in line behind Dart, with Rose behind her. As the dull rhythm of horses' hooves sounded in her ears, she began to wonder if they would reach the fort in time, and if so, whether they would really be able to defeat the dragon that was attacking it. This thought seemed to have settled over the entire group, as even Dart's uplifted attitude had been muffled into a stern gaze.

As they reached the valley, the ground turned abruptly soft. Picking up the pace, Lavitz led them northeast toward the tall, twisted trees, and it seemed that with every step, the horse's hooves sank just a bit deeper into the wet earth, until every hoof was buried by an inch or so of mud. Lavitz's shoulders grew tense as they neared the trees, and he kept his eyes focused on the sky, listening carefully as he did so. In fact, everyone now seemed more alert, moving as quietly as possible to hear any odd noises that would indicate the approach of their foe, but the eerie silence pressing over the marshes was an unnerving omen.

Slipping into the tree line, Lavitz stiffened, jaw clenched tight. Even Dart seemed tenser, although Rose showed no such change. Darkness crept over them as heavy clouds rolled in above them to block out what little light made it through the tree canopy, and the persistent lack of sound only served to intensify their anxieties. As they continued east, the trees grew thicker and the ground softer, until their path became difficult. They squeezed between trees as mud splashed about them, coating the horses' legs.

Finally, they came upon a path. A wooden boardwalk had been built a few inches above the mud, and the horses gratefully stepped up onto this small road. Turning north, the group plodded along, each of them barely daring to breathe.

After several minutes, Lavitz broke the tense silence and said, "Something's wrong." He shook his head, his brow furrowed in worry. "We should be hearing something by now." Urging his horse forward, he quickened their pace once again.

They turned several corners as the boardwalk wound through the trees. Steadily, the muddy ground gave way to standing water that eventually covered the entire forest floor. Tall, gangly roots rose up out of the water, some rising only a few inches above the surface and others higher than the horses. The sky grew ever darker, and low rumbles of thunder could be heard from far away.

At last, they circled another tree, and the Seventh Fort lay before them in deadly silence. The stone building was tall and jutted up into the trees, but there were gaping holes in its sides, and the wooden gate had been hewn open. What had once been a fortress to house a knighthood now stood as a bleak tomb for over a hundred soldiers.

Countless dead were strewn about, both Basilian and Sandoran. Several lay across the boardwalk, one staring blankly into the sky as his blood stained the wood beneath him. At least a dozen men lay half buried in mud or floating on the water, and to Shana's horror, one body lay impaled on one of the taller tree roots.

Seeing the carnage, Lavitz cried out, quickly dismounting and sprinting toward the gate. Dart called out after him and followed, and Shana hurried to do the same. Much to Shana's irritation, Rose seemed in no hurry to join them.

Trying to keep her stomach, Shana stepped over the men on the boardwalk, casting one wayward glance at the man on the root, and entered the fort to find Lavitz on his knees, holding up the ragged body of a soldier. Rushing to him, Shana saw that the man was still alive, but only just. His breathing was ragged, and he struggled to lift his eyes to Lavitz. She could see no wounds on him, but it was clear that he was near death.

"Lavitz?" he whispered in a raspy voice.

"Yes, I'm here," said Lavitz, voice cracking. "What happened?"

The soldier took several labored breaths before saying, with great difficulty, "The dragon…" He fought for air. "Poison in its… breath."

A tear fell from Lavitz's cheek onto the soldier's armor, and he said, "I'll tell them about you. About how you fought bravely. And we'll stop the dragon. I promise."

As the soldier fought to keep his eyes open, he managed to get out one more word: "Thank…" Then his eyes closed, and he was gone.

Lavitz did not move. His eyes remained fixed on the dead soldier as his lips trembled. Then Dart placed a gentle hand on Lavitz's shoulder, and the knight collapsed onto the floor as heaving sobs began to overtake him. Shana's own eyes began to fill with tears as she knelt beside him and placed an arm over his shoulders.

This was the second knighthood that Lavitz had seen killed over the past month, and Shana mourned with him. These deaths seemed meaningless in the face of it all, and Shana concluded that Rose had been right; the world was a cruel place, and eventually, everything was lost.

After several long minutes, the sobs ebbed away and Lavitz wiped his tears. He stared at the floor, defeated. For a while, Shana thought that she might be able to invent some comforting words, like he'd done for her in Hellena Prison, but none came to her. Lavitz had always seemed so collected, and this new side of him left her feeling helpless. In the end, it was Dart who offered Lavitz a hand and lifted him to his feet. Shana stood shakily, wiping her face, and noticed Rose's shadowy presence near the door.

As Dart looked at Lavitz, compassion was written across his face. He placed his hands on Lavitz's shoulders and spoke.

"We're going to fight, and we're going to win," said Dart. "We won't let their deaths be in vain."

Sniffing, Lavitz said, "You're right. You and Rose can do it. We'll go to the dragon's nest. It can't run from us there."

Dart cracked a small smile and patted Lavitz on the shoulder.

"We should check for other survivors," said Lavitz flatly.

They agreed and began a horrid survey of the fort. With every new room, they only found more dead bodies. Some had huddled together in fear, and others had died with swords in hand. Every threshold revealed only death, and every death stirred up Shana's desire to see the dragon vanquished. She could not imagine what could happen should it reach Seles or Bale. It seemed that Dart and Lavitz shared her feelings, as their expressions only grew more and more determined with their progression through the fort.

On the top floor, they were surprised to find a Sandoran soldier still clinging to life. His movements were slight, and his breathing ragged, but he was alive. Upon approach, Shana felt her stomach roil as she saw the bloody wound across his abdomen, already showing early signs of infection, and his left leg was missing below the knee.

Upon seeing Lavitz, the soldier recoiled, fear striking his face. "N-no…" he managed to say. "Don't…"

Shana knelt and checked the wound more closely, and the soldier swallowed as he eyed her. Something large had struck the man and torn his skin apart, and she couldn't help but imagine a dragon's claws. His leg had been sliced cleanly, but blood had been pooling for many hours beneath him, and his face was ghostly pale. It was a miracle that he'd survived this long.

"He doesn't have long," she announced before standing and stepping back.

"You're in pain," said Lavitz. "Let us help you."

"Wh-why?"

"Because nobody deserves to die this way."

"Wait," said the man. "The… the d-dragon is…"

"The dragon is what?" prompted Dart.

After several quick and labored breaths, the soldier responded, "East. F-forest. The dark… forest."

"Thank you," said Lavitz as another tear fell. "I'll make sure everyone knows that you helped us."

Eyes pleading, the soldier glanced back and forth between them before saying, "Kill me. Please."

Both men stood, and Lavitz grasped his lance even as he wept. Dart approached Shana and turned her toward the door, and she allowed him to lead her away down the stairs as she heard the lance sink sharply into the soldier's heart. A moment later, the sound of his labored breath came to an end. Lavitz followed them down, wiping his eyes once more, and Shana thought that she might collapse from the grief in her heart.

"We make for the Serdian Mountains," said Lavitz gruffly as he mounted his horse a few minutes later.

As they rode away from the Seventh Fort, light droplets began to fall on them, as if the sky could feel their pain and wept in kind. Thunder rolled up to meet them, heralding a storm that would offer refreshing renewal to the soured ground of Serdio, the ground that ached for the rain of peace. More than anything, Shana wished to be able to grant it, but she feared what more the war would take from them before she could.