Koda walked through the Cypress encampment with a weary body and solemn face. He had betrayed everything that he worked for by allowing the seal to break. The whole reason why he traveled to New Estinia in the first place was to protect the Blight seal. His naivete led to his capture, his curiosity led to his betrayal, and now he was willing to meet with his new found ally who was once a sworn enemy.

A shower of cheers and salutes woke him from his seeded thoughts of his future.

“Long live the king!”

“Alue has brought our Dawnedge home!”

“Victory for Cypress!”

Koda nodded and waved to his subjects. He was surprised by the amount of non-elven soldiers that rallied under the Cypress banner to rescue him. Soldiers from Varis and Southtail. How many of them had died to seek his freedom? How many had he killed for his mistakes?

Koda pulled aside a young elf who cheered alongside the rest of the soldiers. “You, what is your name?”

The elf, who could be no more than sixteen, knelt before Koda before answering the question. “Private Lann Leafrest, your majesty. I serve as a scout in the 3rd Reconnaissance Division.”

“Leafrest. I appreciate your tribe’s dedication to my well being and your willingness to sacrifice yourself for my rescue,” Koda said, nodding to the scout.

Lann blushed.

Koda placed both hands on the elf’s shoulders and looked him square in the eyes. “I need you to find King Dallin and King Greyblade, and have them fetch my council of lords to meet with me.” Koda glanced at the city, trying to think of anything else before he sent the elf off for his errand. “No doubt General Marcus Newsun leads this army?”

“No your majesty, his son does.”

“Then find him as well,” Koda said.

***

Mave slowly opened her eyes to find herself in a large white tent. It reeked of blood and death. Screams of agony filled the room as medics rushed back and forth between patients. Mave’s eyes widened and she sat up. She instinctively reached for her left leg.

Relief washed over her like a warm bath. It was still there. Swathed in a mix of bloody linen bandages and the unmistakable orange of harekin blistercloth bandages.

Mave grimaced as she tried to flex the injured leg. The sharp pain felt worse than when the draconian bit her in the first place. How could that be? And how long would it feel like this?

“You’re awake,” a familiar, warm voice said.

Mave grinned and turned her head to find Quinn sitting on a stool by her side. Heavy bags hung under his exhausted eyes. He offered a tin cup of water to his sister. “Drink, Doc told me that you need to stay hydrated while your leg still heals. You lost a lot of blood.”

Mave licked her parched lips and snatched the cup, swinging down the water in one gulp. Her leg throbbed but she could ignore the pain while her brother was here.

“I thought I’d never see you again. I didn’t think—”

“Hush, Mave. You know Dahlemar himself couldn’t keep me from seeing you,” Quinn said.

Mave’s lip quivered as tears formed in her eyes. “I thought I was a goner, Quinn. That damn dragon had me pinned down, and the fire was closing in. I saw the Angel of Ashes coming for me. I knew I had died, and all I could think about was seeing you and telling you it would be okay.”

Quinn furrowed his brow and gave her a small grin. He knelt down and gave Mave the tightest, strongest hug that he could muster. “I love you, Sis.”

Mave buried her face in Quinn’s arms. “I love you too, little bro.”

***

“It is good to see you well, lad—and free!” cheered Greyblade. He pounded his fist on the wooden table that he, Dallin, Wiccer, the elven lords, and Koda sat around in the war tent.

A burst of applause shook the tent. Koda raised his hand for silence. He stood up to address the council. “I want to thank all of you”—he paused and cleared his throat—“for coming across the ocean—no, for risking your very lives to rescue me. You went to war for my life, and for that I will be forever grateful!”

“Well said, Koda,” Cass Baneberry said. “And we’d do it all again ten thousand times, as you’d do the same for us!”

Koda nodded. “Now that the Cypress Alliance has captured Tashna and her city, what is our next course of action?”

Dallin stood this time. He rubbed the back of his head. “Well… we owe quite a large chunk of land to the orcish tribes of this nation. They gave us safe passage through their swamps and did not aid the Estinians in this invasion in exchange for their rightful land back.”

Koda stifled a laugh. “You must be jesting, Everett.”

“No, Koda. We shared bone broth and smoked a pipe of peace with Bloodaxe of the Blood Bog orcs. This is what our alliance promised them.”

“And what of Aric City?” Koda asked

Dallin crossed his arms. “Varis will take Aric City. Southtail will take mainland Estinia.”

“What of the treaty? Surely Aric Stine will not stand for an invasion of his country?”

“You are unaware, my king?” This time Wiccer spoke up. “Aric Stine was slain defending the city.”

“What? Is this true?” asked a flabbergasted Koda.

“It is, by my own hands,” replied Wiccer.

“Then what of Natal?”

“We could not find her. We believe she escaped in the ensuing chaos of the battle,” Dallin explained.

Koda looked around to his lords before settling his eyes back on Dallin. “You all performed admirably. I am truly blessed.”

Dallin smiled as he took his seat. “We will extradite Tashna to Long Whisper to stand trial.”

Koda nodded. “Thank you.” He looked back to his lords. “I will see that your people are rewarded for the courage and loyalty they have shown in this war. You have my word that no veteran shall suffer for my incompetence again.”

Koda turned to the rest. “I have learned much from my imprisonment, and you all shall see that I will be a stronger elf in the future to come.”

I swear it, Koda promised to himself.

***

Elucard and his ARO soldiers stood at the edge of a cliff looking over the vast ocean crashing against the rocks. Looming black clouds gathered in the sky, blotting out the moon and stars.

Elucard raised a torch above a small pyre. “We saved our king, but lost a comrade. Calsoon was a friend, my student, and brother to us all. As he walks with the angels to the Roaming Plane, what shall he take with him?”

Elisa stepped forward and pulled out a bundle of herbs tied with a string. “He may have my Ghost Weed.” She looked to Elucard, “It’s a rare poison I found in the morass. He may use if he wishes to serve Alanna as her assassin.” She dropped the white plant into the pyre.

Essie knelt down, ripped off her flag patch, and discarded it into the pyre. “Take this, Calsoon. Don’t ever forget where you came from.”

Timber scowled. She took a silver trit from her coin pouch. “I never trusted you, you seemed off, but I feel like a fool now. You sacrificed your life to save Koda and Wildeye, and for that you died a hero in my eyes,” she whispered to herself. She flipped the coin into the pyre. “Take this to buy passage to the Roaming Plane.”

Kyzo’s eyes blurred with tears. He couldn’t stop crying long enough to say his final words. Instead he took his red silk lace used to tie his long braid and dropped it into the pyre. He stepped back and turned his head away so the others couldn’t see his face.

Elucard pulled off his SMO cloak and tossed it onto the pyre with the rest of the items. “Take this, Calsoon. It will keep you warm in the Roaming Plane.” Elucard lowered the torch and set the woodpile ablaze. “Be with Trek now. Keep each other safe. One day we shall join you when we can no longer run in the shadows.”

“May Alanna grant you grace,” finished Elucard.

“And may you forever walk in her shadow,” the rest said in unison.