Lavitz was beginning to drift off to sleep. He fought it, jerking his head up every time it began to droop, but it was nearing midnight, and he was unwilling to wake Shana or Rose to exchange watches. At last, he heard footsteps coming through the trees and jolted upright. Warily, he stood and gripped his lance in his left hand, but it was only Dart who emerged out of the darkness into the light of the fire. The women did not stir, and Dart stepped quietly over to Lavitz. He searched Dart's face and was pleased to see that he seemed rather calm.

"Hey," said Dart quietly. "I wanted to apologize… for storming off like that." Dart kept his eyes trained on the ground. "And for raising my voice."

Smiling, Lavitz said, "All is forgiven, my friend. I can't blame you, either. That was a lot we piled on all at once."

"No kidding," said Dart, slumping down to the ground.

Lavitz joined him and patted him on the shoulder, but his touch was met with a burning heat, as if he'd touched a smoldering log. He gasped and waved his hand to cool it.

"Whoa, tone it down, buddy," he said, shaking his hand to relieve the pain.

"Sorry," chuckled Dart. "I like to be warm."

"I can see that!" Lavitz laughed and waited a moment before remarking, "You seem more at ease now."

Dart sighed and nodded. "I was thinking about… you guys. You and Shana, mostly." He looked down and fingered some blades of grass. "I won't lie; I don't like this plan. But I also know that it might be necessary. And besides…" He raised his head and watched Shana. "We came this far, didn't we? What's a dragon, after all we've been through?"

Lavitz grinned. "I agree."

"Whatever happens tomorrow," Dart began, a pained look returning to his face. "I just want you to know that… you're a really good friend. And… I probably wouldn't be here if not for you. So, thanks. For… everything."

"Anytime."

They fell into a comfortable silence, but it was soon interrupted by a large yawn from Lavitz. At this, Dart seemed to remember the time and told Lavitz to get some sleep while he kept watch for a while. After a weak protest, Lavitz agreed and lay down, quickly finding sleep in the comfort of the warm fire.

The next morning brought a chill, and Dart reawakened the cinders of their fire to chase away shivers. After a nearly silent breakfast and the donning of armor, Dart muttered an apology to the women, and a minute later, they prepared to leave. Only Rose seemed unimpressed by the gravity of what the day could hold as she led the party south, following the dragon's tracks through winding valleys and over steep hills.

Only a couple hours into their journey, their surroundings began to change with the gentle downward slope of the mountain range. While the dew evaporated as the sun delivered its promised heat, maples and oaks began to appear amid the conifers, but what was strange was that the plants seemed to be growing darker. Instead of the pleasant light green of early spring, the trees and shrubs began to be fringed with a sickly gray tint, as if the tips of the leaves and needles were covered in shadow. Over time, the shadow deepened, and soon, they realized that they were entering the predicted "dark forest" wherein they would find the dragon's nest.

"We must be close," noted Shana.

"Yes," said Rose. "What you see is the effects of the dragon's poison."

"But the trees aren't dead," remarked Dart.

"No, not exactly," replied Rose. " The dragon has been here for several weeks now, and the slow seep of the poison into the soil changes plants into something strange and wild. We would do well not to drink any local water while in this forest."

Keeping an eye on his surroundings, Lavitz realized that she was right. The plants took on more and more grotesque shapes the deeper into the forest they went. Soon, it seemed as if the trees and brush were pressing in on them, cautioning them to leave, warning that they would become mere shadows as well. More disheartening, Lavitz noticed that his throat was growing irritated as the air grew stale around them, and after an hour among the blackened trees, he was coughing and clearing his throat every few seconds. Shana was doing the same.

"Is this the poison?" he asked after taking a drink of water.

"Yes," replied Rose. "He put it in the air to keep us out. No sane person or predator would come wandering into the nest of a jade dragon."

"I'm beginning to think you're right about that," muttered Dart, casting worried glances at Shana as she coughed twice.

Only a few minutes later, the horses also began to struggle in the virulent air, and Lavitz began to worry about their means of exit. He'd never heard Luna wheeze before, even after all their trips together across Serdio, and he wondered whether it would be better for her if he went on foot. But the thought of walking, even slowly, made him cough even more.

The trees grew dense and twisted, and Lavitz began to feel that his lungs were squeezing shut, slowly cutting off his air supply. He feared that soon, he would be altogether unable to breathe.

"Will we die from this?" he asked between deep breaths.

Dart snapped his head up and scowled.

"No, not as long as we leave the forest soon after our task is done," replied Rose. "Fresh air will cure you; the poison is too diluted in the air to do permanent damage."

"How do you know so much…" He panted. "… about dragons?"

"You're choosing to ask this now?"

He coughed and then winked at her. "Why not?"

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe some other time."

"Maybe you two should go back," suggested Dart with an unsteady voice. "Those coughs don't sound healthy."

"Not a chance," wheezed Lavitz.

"We're going with you," replied Shana indignantly before clearing her throat.

Dart's shoulders drooped, but he said no more as they wound their way along the wide path carved by the dragon. It slithered this way and that, up and down hills, deeper into the forest. Lavitz grimaced to see so many grotesque, massive spiders hanging under the crooked branches.

"We're getting close now," warned Rose. "Pay attention for any dark or soft spots on the ground; the tunnels are bound to be close by."

"What kind of tunnels are we talking here?" asked Lavitz amid coughs. "Like ant tunnels? Mole tunnels?"

"It won't be expansive. Probably a few small, connected chambers."

It wasn't long until they discovered what Rose had described. Reaching a small clearing, they stopped before what appeared to be a sunken pit, perfectly circular, black leaves draped across its fifteen-foot expanse. The dragon's tracks were visible all around, bending back on themselves over and over until the entire clearing was partially tilled earth. A pile of twisted sticks and blackened leaves lay several feet away, a meager offering for a female who would never arrive. A twinge of sadness came over Lavitz.

"This seems to be the place," said Rose before dismounting.

Lavitz swung off Luna, forcing out a cough after he landed, and took one more long drink of water. However, it did nothing to ease the dry feeling in his throat, and he coughed a few more times before joining the others at the edge of the pit. Shana sounded as if she had just run a mile, and Lavitz looked over to see that Dart held her hand tightly.

"How do we get inside?" asked Dart as he glanced around nervously.

"Let's find out," said Rose. She maneuvered to the pile and returned with a hefty stick that she tossed at the pit. Rather than landing, it tore through the surface as if it were no more than a layer of pine needles and thumped into some dirt after a second or so.

"Why isn't the dragon already here?" said Shana.

Rose shrugged. "Maybe fate is on our side."

Kneeling, Lavitz tugged at the surface and found some sort of webbing that had been stretched across the expanse. He pulled, and it ripped from the ground before exposing a dark hole that somehow smelled worse than the air around them. Mixed with the musty air was the smell of mold and mildew.

"I guess we'll have to climb down," he said, grimacing.

"Underground again…" muttered Dart, voicing Lavitz's own concerns. Then after a moment, he added, "I'll climb down first. Then Lavitz, then Shana, and Rose can come down last. In case anything is down there."

Everyone nodded, and Dart hesitantly eased down feet-first while Lavitz held his arm. After a few moments, he disappeared beneath the webbing as Lavitz watched his descent carefully. Once he felt that Dart had the hang of it, Lavitz threw his feet over the edge, clinging to a nearby root for stability, and climbed down.

At first, finding footing was difficult, but then the wall came to a slight slope, and the soft earth grew firm. Despite this happy change, Lavitz found himself panting after only a few moments of effort, and almost halfway down, he began to cough violently for several seconds. He held tight as best he could, and when the fit passed, he shook his head and continued.

"You can do it," came Rose's quiet voice from overhead. Lavitz looked up to see her urging Shana forward, holding her arm at the edge of the pit. "I'll go down next to you, and I'll help you look for footholds."

"I can't breathe," Shana replied in slight panic.

"Try to take deep breaths. I'll be with you the whole time."

Lavitz was forced to a stop as a sudden spell of dizziness had him clinging to the compacted earth. He shook his head as he struggled to breathe, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not intake enough air. For a moment, he feared that he would pass out, but then the world slowly came back into focus, and he forced himself down as his muscles strained to uphold him.

"I made it to the bottom!" shouted Dart from below. "It's not too much farther!"

His statement proved true, as Lavitz glanced down and saw a dark floor and Dart's murky silhouette standing a few feet away. A few moments later, Lavitz was on the ground, doubled over and panting heavily. Every inhalation sent a spiking pain into his lungs, and he turned his eye up to Shana in fear.

"I don't know if she can make it," he gasped.

"What do you mean?" asked Dart.

Shana had taken several steps down, but her movements were slow. Her armor prevented the free movement that she was accustomed to, and even with Rose beside her, she seemed terrified. Her body shook under the strain, and she coughed frequently.

"Keep going," urged Rose. "You can make it."

"I can't… I can't breathe," repeated Shana.

"Then pause and wait until you can."

Dart was watching closely, fists tightly balled as Rose leaned against the sloped wall with a hand on Shana's shoulder.

"I almost didn't make it, Dart," breathed Lavitz. "And she isn't trained for things like this. Be ready to catch her."

As Dart moved closer to the wall, Shana took another few steps down as Rose worked with her with steady updates on her progress. Once she reached halfway, Lavitz grew optimistic, but then she stopped again.

"Just a few more feet, and then you can drop down," assured Rose.

Shana's breathing was short and panicked, and she nodded. She took one more step down, stopped, and then her body grew limp as she lost consciousness and fell.

"No!" cried Rose as she threw an arm out to grab her and missed. Thankfully, Dart was in place, and he caught her lightly before laying her on the ground while he supported her head.

"Shana," he whispered, shaking her slightly.

Rose dropped from the wall, and she and Lavitz rushed over. Shana didn't appear to be breathing at all, and her skin was a deathly shade of pale. Putting his ear to her mouth and a finger on her neck, Dart listened and waited for several moments.

"She's breathing," he finally said, and Lavitz sighed in relief.

Falling to the ground, Lavitz focused on taking in air while he waited for Shana to wake.

One long minute later, Shana's eyes fluttered open, and Dart smiled and placed a hand on her cheek. She blushed and sat up, coughed a few times, and then looked around.

"Did I pass out?" she asked.

"Yes, but you're okay now," assured Dart.

"We should hurry," said Rose. "The sooner we defeat the dragon, the sooner we can get out of this forest."

"Agreed."

"Give us a chance to catch our breath first," pleaded Lavitz as he fell back on the dirt floor and gazed up at the webbed canopy thirty feet above him. Barely any light got through, and Lavitz began to wonder just how big this tunnel was. If Rose was right, there would be a passage in one direction or another, and if they didn't get completely lost, they should find a nest. At the idea of climbing back out, he began to lose hope that he and Shana could ever survive this forest.

"This is a bad idea," muttered Dart. "You can't fight like this."

"I'll do whatever it takes," responded Lavitz. "I already said that."

"Me, too," agreed Shana. "Using my bow isn't all that taxing."

"And I'll make do."

Dart sighed and stood before conjuring a flame and walking around the pit. Following the glow with his eyes, Lavitz saw that his assumption was correct; a passageway led off to the southeast that was just barely big enough for a dragon to squeeze through. Or so he assumed.

"Here's something I haven't thought to ask…" he said suddenly. "How big is this dragon?"

"Maybe forty feet long?" judged Dart.

"I agree," said Rose. "It's fairly young. I'd say an adolescent."

"Forty feet is an adolescent?" replied Lavitz as he sat up.

"Most of that is its tail."

"How tall is it?"

"At least twice as tall as Dart."

Shaking his head, Lavitz stood and examined the walls. The tunnel was damp and covered with webs and seething insects, rocky and devoid of any real plant growth. Only some mutated moss clung to life in a circle before them where the brightest rays of sun fell.

After a few hearty coughs, he walked over to Shana and offered his hand.

"Think we can keep going?" he asked.

Taking his hand, she hoisted herself up and nodded, though her expression was unsure and her gait unsteady as they moved to join the others.

"Everyone be careful," whispered Dart." We don't really know what's down here or when the dragon will show up."

They crept down the passage, relying on Dart's flame to illuminate the uneven ground that delved steadily deeper. The earth was soft and churned from the dragon's claws, absorbing the sounds of their footsteps as they followed the tunnel forward. The rasping of Lavitz and Shana echoed dully against the walls.

Something thudded in the distance, and they all jumped before readying their weapons. But nothing came to greet them, and they moved forward in a tense silence.

After a stressful fifteen minutes, they glimpsed slivers of sunlight ahead. With hearts slightly lifted, they came into a cavern that was open to the sky eighty feet above their heads. The walls of this chamber were cleaner and straighter than the other, and on the far side was a large pile of sticks, leaves, and brush cushioned with various types of animal hair.

Leaning over the empty nest was, to their surprise, a man with dark, tousled hair. He carried a pile of wool and was laying it out across the nest, tucking it into crevices and shifting the sticks around. The group froze to see him, and Dart cast a concerned glance to Rose, who nodded back, and Dart dismissed his magic torch.

The man finished his work and turned while dusting off his hands, and Lavitz froze to see his face. Even from this distance, and even so many years later, he recognized those features. Disgust and hatred flooded his heart, and he began to tremble.

What are the odds? he asked himself derisively. To think that this man would be the one in charge of a dragon, that he would be the culprit behind the deaths of the Tenth Knighthood – Lavitz could barely contain himself.

Through rigid, uneven breaths, he tapped Dart's shoulder and then stepped in front of the party.

As his heartbeat intensified, his lungs fought to keep up. As he stepped into the light, he felt lightheaded, but he pushed forward anyway. Then with a swirl of his lance, he stamped his foot and bared his weapon at the barbaric fiend before him.

"I should have known it was you," he growled as the man spun toward him.

The man jumped, but on seeing them, he narrowed his eyes and rested his hand on the hilt of the sword that hung at his belt.

"And just who are you?" he challenged. "How did you get in here?"

"What's going on?" whispered Dart.

"How dare you pretend not to know who I am!" shouted Lavitz, and he ran forward and thrust his lance out. The man drew his sword, knocked Lavitz's lance up, and stepped lazily to the side. All at once, Lavitz was gasping for air, and his legs gave way beneath him. He fell to his knees as the man laughed at him. Then the man turned away, sheathed his sword, and began to pace across the cavern.

"The righteous anger of a knight of Basil!" he derided. "A pity that it can be so easily overcome by little more than air."

"So," panted Lavitz, glaring up at him. "You do know who I am."

"The emotional outburst gave you away. You're just like your father."

"Don't you say a word about him!"

"Lavitz, who is this guy?" asked Dart as he eased his way between them.

"Yes, Lavitz," spat the man. "Tell these people who I am."

Between labored breaths, Lavitz said, "You're… Greham. The man who… murdered my father."

"Murdered is a strong word, really," replied Greham.

"Shana, shoot him… before he can transform!"

The twang of a bowstring heralded the projectile, but Greham waved his hand, and a gust blew through the cave and knocked the arrow off course where it thudded into the wall. Lavitz swore and hung his head.

"Now where did we hear that word, transform?" sneered Greham. "Do you know about our little secret?"

Pushing himself to his feet, Lavitz pushed past Dart and threatened with his lance once more.

"And what if we do? This will still end the same way! You will pay for what you've done!"

"Tsk, tsk. You really think you can defeat me? And with so few numbers?" Greham resumed his pacing. "You know, I'm not really a fan of being down here like this. These walls, they… they disturb me." He eyed the earth as if it might attack at any moment. "And the air is oppressive somehow, don't you think?" He glanced at the panting Lavitz. "Well, of course, you would know all about that, wouldn't you? Anyhow, I only stay here because Feyrbrand refuses to leave for more than a day or so at a time. He's close by, did you know that?" He turned them with gleaming eyes. "He and I are… connected, you see. He will come at a moment's notice to protect me."

"How dare you use a dragon for something like this," growled Rose. "It's vile."

"When a hero of the ancient world grants you power, it would be foolish not to use it," returned Greham. "And besides…" He reached into a pocket in his leather jacket and retrieved a dragoon spirit – jade green in hue. "This spirit chose me. I was destined for this. To rule Feyrbrand and use him to bring about the peace of Serdio."

"Don't make me laugh," wheezed Lavitz, fighting to keep his head. "Doel wants nothing more… than to vanquish the people of Basil, not bring them peace. …You're being used as an instrument of war!"

"Lavitz is right," seconded Dart. "What the dragon is doing is only harmful. No good can come of it."

"You are wrong!" screamed Greham. "My efforts are bringing us peace! Once I have succeeded at my task, Emperor Doel will move forward with his plan, and the kingdom will be his! And then his alliance with Diaz will bring about a world peace that will never again be tarnished by the likes of you."

"Diaz?" repeated Rose with narrow eyes.

Ignoring her, Greham continued, "Nothing can stop it. It is the will of the gods! And you would stand in my way?"

"I will always…" Lavitz coughed. "… stand against evil. Until my dying breath."

Greham smirked. "It sounds like that's coming a little sooner than you expected. That happened to your father, too."

Enraged, Lavitz leapt forward and struck at Greham, but he was too quick for Lavitz. Spinning, he turned and kicked Lavitz in the back, forcing him to the ground, where he received a mouthful of dirt. Pushing off the ground, he coughed over and over, vaguely aware of the sound of metal somewhere behind him. He rolled onto his back to see Greham towering over him, sword raised high in his revolting joy, and Lavitz waited for the inevitable pain. But then a red light flashed, and heat washed over Lavitz as Dart's gleaming sword absorbed the attack. For a moment, Lavitz saw the two blades crossed just above his neck while Greham beheld the red-eyed dragoon in cold fury.

"What?" he spat as he withdrew his weapon and backed away. "How is this possible?"

Even Dart's face had transformed into an expression of wrath, and he placed himself between Lavitz and Greham.

"You will not touch him," he snarled.

"This is how you knew of my power," surmised Greham. "You brought a dragoon of your own. Let's see just how far that gets you!"

Greham shouted as he rushed forward to engage Dart, and a swirl of wind buffeted Lavitz as he transformed into the jade dragoon. Their battle erupted into speeds of swordsmanship that Lavitz's spinning mind could not follow, and he tried to back away, pulling against the dirt in vain. Then Rose appeared next to him, lifting him to his feet and dragging him away from the commotion that vaulted into the air.

"Perk up," called Rose over the torrent of air that blustered about them. "He'll summon Feyrbrand at any moment. Be ready to attack the nest."

Lavitz nodded as Rose deposited him with Shana, and as Rose transformed and joined the fray, Shana clung to his arm.

"Your lance!" she shouted, pointing to where he'd fallen.

"It'll have to wait!" he replied, backing toward the wall as they turned to watch the battle.

Greham was impressive to see as he combined his magic with his sword to fend off attacks. The dragoons dipped this way and that as Greham tried to blow them off course, and several times it worked – especially on Dart. Soon, it became apparent that Dart was the weaker combatant, and Greham began to capitalize on his inexperience. Several times, his sword managed to graze Dart's arm or leg, but he almost appeared not to notice, instead growing more vigorous in his use of fire magic.

Rose became a force of terror in the fight, using her power to disorient Greham whenever possible. Together, she and Dart began to gain the upper hand, pressuring Greham until he could take no more. All at once, he screamed and threw his arms out, and such a gale burst out from him that both Rose and Dart were blown backward. They regained their standing quickly, but just as they were about to resume their attack, a low rumbling echoed around them, and the sound of heavy footsteps approached.

"Are you ready?" Lavitz whispered to Shana as his heart raced and his breathing grew heavy.

"I guess we'll find out," she answered amid a light cough.

The crashing sound reached the edge of the pit, and all five people turned their heads up to see the dragon peek over the edge. Shana gasped, and Lavitz clenched his jaw as the beast growled, baring its sharp teeth at the intruders. As it crawled over the edge and prepared to leap down, it roared, a mighty sound that produced a powerful gust. The wind buffeted Lavitz and Shana, and they threw their arms up against it as the dragon jumped, flapped its wings several times, and landed only twenty feet from them. Its glittery scales sparkled even in the meager light as it drew its head up proudly and turned its emerald eyes on the two humans before it.

Fear seized Lavitz's heart, and he pushed Shana behind him as they stumbled backward. As the dragon opened its mouth, Lavitz froze in terror, but a bolt of fire struck the back of its head and knocked it off balance. Shrieking, the dragon swung its head around and snapped at Dart with surprising speed, and Dart was only barely able to avoid the oversized jaws. As Greham flew at Rose, Dart began a series of attacks on the dragon, focusing on its neck whenever he could. However, Rose's prediction proved true; the dragon was adept at protecting its weak points. Several times, Dart was nearly encompassed by two lines of teeth as he fought to reach its upper spine.

"He needs our help," urged Lavitz, and he took Shana's hand and pulled her forward, snatching his lance as they skirted the tumultuous center of the room. When they reached the nest, Shana fell to her knees as she fought for air, and Lavitz panted, his chest tight, as he struggled to lift her from the floor. "Come on," he encouraged.

She nodded, and together they began tearing at the nest. Lavitz used the lance as leverage to uplift one of the larger logs, and on hearing the cracking wood, the dragon shrieked and spun to face them.

"Let's move!" shouted Lavitz.

Dragging Shana again, he sprinted away, but Shana's foot caught on a loose stone, and she fell. Lavitz spun to help her, but something snatched him by the arm and carried him through the air. His back and head slammed against the hard earth wall, and he flinched as his little precious air was forced from his body.

"You dare provoke my dragon?" snarled Greham an inch from his face. "I'm going to kill you. But first, I'm going to kill them!"

Greham spun and threw Lavitz to the ground, where he grunted as his right shoulder was forced out of its socket. For several seconds, he could not move, fighting against his lungs and his pain. He could only watch as Shana scrambled to her feet and fumbled for an arrow. His eyes followed Dart as he whipped around the dragon and flew toward Shana. Her arrow fired, landing in the dragon's eye, and it screamed as Dart landed next to her.

"Watch what happens to the ones who defy this power," said Greham as he lifted Lavitz by his shoulders, eliciting a cry of pain, and turned him toward the dragon. "Have you ever seen what a dragon's breath can do?"

"No," he gasped, pulling uselessly against Greham's tight grip. "Please."

Dart wrapped his arms around Shana and pushed off the ground, but not before the dragon belched a sour, green gas on top of them. The gas expanded, threatening to fill the entire room, and Greham threw out a hand to hold it in place, concentrating it on Dart and Shana. They almost emerged from the cloud, but Greham's magic pushed it back around them.

Tears began to stream down Lavitz's face, and he fought for air and footing. But then the dragon let out a shrill cry of pain, and Lavitz turned to see Rose with her sword plunged into the base of its skull. Dark energy sank into the wound, and the dragon's eyes turned black just as its cry was cut off, and it collapsed to the ground with a deafening thud.

"No!" screamed Greham, tossing Lavitz aside and reaching for his fallen companion. The gas swirled out of his control, and Rose shouted instructions to burn it. As a red flame popped into existence inside the green cloud, Lavitz saw Greham's sword lying where the dragoon had dropped it. It had been transformed with him, like Dart's and Rose's weapons, and it now was tinged with green metal and bejeweled with emeralds.

Faintly, Lavitz remembered something Rose had said on their path to the marshes. While he wept, he reached out with his left arm, snatched the sword, and stumbled to his feet. His head spun, and he feared that he would suffocate in just a few minutes, but he tottered toward the distracted dragoon with a single purpose in mind. Dart began to burn away the poison, and Greham focused his wrathful attention on Rose as Lavitz neared him from behind. Then with one swift movement, he plunged the sword into Greham's side, sinking it deeply into his heart.

"That's for my father," he gasped before ripping the weapon out.

Greham collapsed, and Lavitz fell to his knees. Blood poured onto the earth as Greham gasped for air. Tears streamed down his face, and Lavitz turned to see Dart supporting a barely conscious Shana as they walked over to them. Grief tore at Lavitz as he saw Shana cough over and over, leaning on Dart's armored arm as the sound ripped strength from her body. Rose had already transformed and stood nearby with an oddly sullen look as she gazed at the dead dragon.

"Lavitz," breathed Greham.

The knight turned back to the dying man, who stretched out his hand. Hesitantly, Lavitz clasped it.

"You look like… your father," Greham said. "I got to see Servi… one last time."

Clenching his jaw, Lavitz fought over what to say. In the end, he could only think of one question.

"Why did you kill him?" he whispered.

"He couldn't… see." Greham coughed, and blood sprayed over his face. "He chose… love over… power."

"'Power without love is no reward at all,'" quoted Lavitz, recalling his father's kind wisdom.

Greham coughed twice more, and then his body became still, his eyes glassy and empty. Then his body flashed green, and his wings and armor disappeared.

Still fighting for breath, Lavitz pushed himself off the ground, cradling his shoulder as he turned his attention to Dart and Shana.

"How is she?" he asked hoarsely amid struggling breaths.

Dart shook his head. His dragoon spirit flashed as he transformed, and Shana took deep, labored breaths. "She can barely breathe."

"We have to… get her out of here," said Lavitz. "Can we climb out?" Glancing around, he grimaced to see the sheer walls.

"You can't with a dislocated shoulder," said Rose, and she began feeling around his injured arm. Stifling cries of pain, he waited until she had found the right spot. "Ready?"

He nodded, and she jerked his arm up while pushing on his shoulder, and it let out a loud pop. He screamed, but the pain lessened a moment later, and he grimaced as his knees grew weak once more. Despite the effort of his diaphragm, his breath was short and shallow.

"We need to get the dragoon spirit before we leave," added Rose as she knelt by Greham's body and shuffled through his pockets. Upon finding it, she stood, but instead of pocketing it, she eyed it closely, then furrowed her brow. "Impossible," she muttered, and then she turned to Lavitz and held out the gem. "It seems that it has chosen a successor."

"What?" asked Lavitz.

"Take it," she instructed, and Lavitz put out a tentative hand.

The instant his fingers touched the gem, it flashed brightly, filling the entire cavern with a green light. Wind whipped around him, and all at once, the struggle of his lungs seemed to lift. With awe, he took in several deep, clear breaths, and his fatigue all but vanished. While his body was still sore and bruised, he no longer felt on the brink of death. Marveling, he turned to Dart with a grin.

But his joy was overshadowed by a twinge, and he turned to face Feyrbrand, now lying dead and bleeding on the ground. He thought himself crazy, but he could feel the dragon's soul as it faded from existence. All at once, an intense grief snagged his heart, and several tears escaped his eyes. To think that such a beast had been used as a tool of war, dragged into battles and pandered about like a prize – Lavitz's heart could not stand the thought. And here he lay, an adolescent only, dead and without hope of future.

"Shana!" exclaimed Dart as Shana collapsed next to him, gathering Lavitz's attention. Catching her, Dart lifted her off the ground, but she did not wake.

"She's dying," he whimpered, eyes wide as he turned to them.

"It would be easier to get out the way we came," said Rose as she eyed the walls. "Let's go."

Together, they charged back down the tunnel until they came to the first pit.

"How do we get her up there?" asked Lavitz, warring between his invigorated spirit and his worry over Shana.

Dart jostled her slightly, and her eyes fluttered open.

"Do you think you can hang onto me?" he asked. "Just for a minute?"

"I'll… try," she nodded. Her voice was rough and gravelly.

Rose and Lavitz watched in pained helplessness as Dart began the climb back to the surface with Shana clinging to his neck. Every so often, he was forced to stop and shake her awake again or adjust her grip. After several agonizing minutes, he reached the top, and once Shana was on firm ground, Lavitz and Rose raced up the wall.

"Where can we take her?" asked Dart, brow furrowed as he hoisted himself onto his horse behind Shana.

"Bale is too far," replied Lavitz as he mounted Luna. "The closest town is… Lohan, I think. West or southwest of here. Once we reach the edge of the mountains, I'll know where to go."

Nodding, Dart said, "Take us there."

After snatching the reins of Shana's horse, Lavitz took off southwest, pushing Luna as hard as he could. She wheezed and gasped, and he felt guilty for forcing her pace, but his mind sat only on the fragile state of Shana, who had taken in the very poison that had destroyed the Tenth Knighthood. The only thing that gave him comfort was the realization that Mal had made it nearly twelve hours before his death; they should have time to reach Lohan if they hurried.

It was some time before they could travel at full speed, but within an hour, they had left the dark forest. The clean, fresh air seemed to rejuvenate Shana slightly, but this triumph was short-lived, as her condition only worsened over time. A deep-seated concern for her life fell over them, and as soon as the horses were able, they hurried into a gallop.

The fear of losing Shana gripped Lavitz's heart. He was overwhelmed. Encountering Greham, killing him and the dragon, and the dragoon spirit's choice had him reeling, but there was no time to waste by dwelling on it all. Right now, the only thing that mattered was Shana.