The room swelled with goodwill, applause and bright music. Those on the royal dais came down to form the reception line toward which the front rows began filing past to offer wishes and support. King Joel appeared happier than even the night of A’crasti’s rescue. Val’ha, as she slowly made toward, embraced Thoryn and held Princess Phelra’s hand for a moment, then Queen A’gren, who hugged her tightly. "Val’ha of Carias, thank you for your service to Asch’endra-Conschala."

"Thank you, good Queen." Val’ha bowed.

King Joel was next; he raised his hands heartily and gave a great, deep laugh. "Ah, daughter of Ma’hadrin!" When he embraced her, however, he leaned close to her ear. "Tomorrow, when Terr’Sol leaves the sky, I must meet you at the gate of Castle Ohrt." Val’ha was confused and afraid for the tone in his plea. The King released her and returned to his merriment, the line forcing Val’ha forward.

Tarl-Cabot was most pleased to see her and introduced her to Princess Igri. "This is she!" Igri proclaimed. "Val’ha, your valiance and that of your forebears I have heard much of – it is an honor for us that you attend our betrothal."

"It is my honor, but I regret I shall miss the reception, for I must travel back to Moncrovia with Sir Quigley and Sir Porcie." Thereafter, Val’ha hastily left the Blue Hall and its music, so beautiful it was like the shimmering Song of water. For a moment it made Val’ha forget everything about missing wizards, the Xoran flower in her hand and Joel’s urgent request. A thorn scratched her. I must speak with Eedebee.

**

"Come, Poil!" Sir Quigley nudged his leather-armored steed’s sides as the brown warhorse, Dragonslayer and Desire carried their riders beyond the castle walls, Poil lagging despite the High Wizarders best entreaties.

Nip-helloo rode calmly between Porcie’s legs, jutting his face out past Desire’s neck to catch the wind. "He is an amazing cat," Val’ha commented. "Where did you find each other?"

"Jump, Nip-helloo!" Porcie commanded, and the orange tabby did so onto Dragonslayer and stuck his head out again; Val’ha felt his purrs through her tunic. "I met him in Apocania five years ago. I ask that you take him to Eedebee for me – once in Moncrovia, Quigley and I must hasten east."

"Are you going to see your mother before you head to Denlineil?"

"I should, for she fears the lightning fires and quake damage to her inn. I would like to see that she is well."

As they traveled the Carian foothills back to the city, Val’ha noticed many of the homesteads on both sides of the road had been badly damaged and were being repaired; others had been boarded up and remained broken. "The temblor during Princess Igri’s betrothal is responsible for this," said Quigley. "In all my time in the Reiglo Islands and in the history of my clan since they landed there from Azimq’haadrin many hundreds of years ago, I have not known Terra to quake as it has these past weeks. I do not envy you here in the southeast, Sir Porcie."

"It is Xorus," Porcie said, "no other."

Just when they were within sight of Moncrovia, a brown flying-horse descended from the afternoon sky, bringing them to a halt. Osravulin carried Hevoran, Tim and more than enough possessions, their shadows crisscrossing over Val’ha several times before they landed on Terra. Hevoran alit with his arms in the air. "Porcie! Val’ha!"

When they had all dismounted and met, Porcie asked Hevoran where they were headed. "Rentville, Son Porcie! Rentville and the cities of the west coast – they have always favored, more than here, half-Dwarves such as me, and in Rentville particularly there is a halfling enclave within the city where my family dwells. More than that, I own several buildings there, though I may need to displace a renter or two for us."

"Master Hevoran has even a barn for Osravulin!" Tim beamed.

"It is as much as I can do for him," Hevoran said, "for in journeying by air to Rentville, he shall labor hard to take us over the Great Forest of Bylikaegra past the Yogurt River and Plain of Dalain, saving by my count at least a fortnight’s travel. We must be off, Tim." The two of them remounted the flying-horse. "Do well, all of you!" Osravulin flapped his wings and rose into the light. "Some day we may even return to Moncrovia!" With that Osravulin, Tim and Hevoran were gone.

Moncrovia had taken a great deal of damage from the quake. Val’ha’s heart weighed heavy when she saw the despair in the faces of the townsfolk, whether leaving on packed mount and full wagon or toiling to fix their houses, outbuildings and merchantries. When the companions were near the Red Buck Inn, Porcie said, "We leave you now, Val’ha. We will see you within the next few days."

"Or if there is anything that occurs within this day," she finished. "Go with Zeus’ blessing, good knights."

"We will meet again soon, Lady Val’ha," said Sir Quigley.

"Ride well," Porcie said, "and thank you for taking my beloved Nipper to Eedebee, he will be fair company for her in that cage of hers. Tell her he has a distinction for orange jam."

**

Eedebee was beside herself when Val’ha brought her news of the castle, and even Nip-helloo’s warm caress could not calm her; he jumped off the galley table to explore his new home and Val’ha embraced her friend. "Oromasus has only hours more to live," Eedebee grieved. "How can he do this? How can he vanish so?"

"He told me the only way to avoid the destruction of Castle Moncrovia was to take Dervish…"

"I know." Eedebee wiped her face on her dress sleeve, breathing deeply to compose herself. "I may even accept that in time, Val’ha, but where is he?"

Val’ha spent the rest of the daylight retrieving from the few available vendors provisions using a list Eedebee gave her and as the Night Moon touched the sky, they brought the last of the supplies down-hatch. Val’ha thought of Trisahn and wondered how he was doing as he rode the same highways he and she avoided when they met.

"Tomorrow when Terr’Sol leaves the sky, I must meet you at the gate of Castle Ohrt." Val’ha repeated King Joel’s words to Eedebee, who stopped unpacking and pulled out a chair. After several moments of silence she asked the captain her thoughts.

"I understand his desire to move in darkness," she said, "for in departing the castle King Joel needs its cloak – but talk of Castle Ohrt leaves me at a loss. I knowthe King is wont for leaving the palace grounds and has probably not visited many places besides Ohrt, but otherwise I cannot tell you more."

"Then I shall," a voice creaked, and a disheveled young Man with many rings who clutched a small dirty book and gnarled wooden cane appeared at the galley door.

Eedebee caught the stranger as he tumbled into the table. He dragged behind him a muddy sack, and let go of it only when she kneeled on the floor with him in her arms, her tears clearing the mudstains from his cheeks. Val’ha had seen his robes before. "No!" Eedebee called to the heavens, pulling the young Man closer. "No…Oromasus, why do you use your last energy with this vain illusion?"

The High Wizarder shook and coughed. "That I would see Terr’Sol on your face one more time, my love, I have traveled this past day in hiding from posse and wraith only to be with you again."

"Dear love!" Eedebee cried to the image of Oromasus when their passion was young; she mustered a smile and kissed him deeply for a full minute before letting go.

His body melted back to the familiar present, his fingers shriveled so that the rings twisted their heavy jewels inward. "Get me Dervish," Oromasus said to Val’ha, for the first time acknowledging her. She withdrew the magickal Sword from the muddy sack and placed it in his hands; he brought it to his chest before his body once more became wracked with convulsions and coughing.

"I love you, Oromasus," said Eedebee.

"You must listen to me, both of you," Oromasus said between breaths, his voice just above a whisper, "for there is no time left. I love you with all my heart, Eedebee, and without you, even as Xorus has cursed us, I should not have found the strength to do as I must now." Oromasus’ spellbook faded in a soft brown-light and Eedebee choked back her sobs. "When Dervish exits this realm with me, we will have defeated Xorus’ quest for its capture," continued Oromasus. "You have both displayed courage and strength in saving Joh’oprinia from the Dragon hoards, but know this – though he will not have now the Nine and One, Xorus will neither be gone from your world nor punished by Dimatox as he was all those years ago.

"Mount Carias shall not rain upon the castle this day, but you have seen and sensed the beginning of Xorus’ destruction here. He grows evermore toward his fullest potency, with the capability to corrupt and use the Song of Terra as I have heretofore seen neither him nor other. His vileness now occupies the palace halls and brings havoc to Moncrovia." Oromasus’ staff faded into brown-light and he wheezed and coughed again. "Val’ha, the opal birthstone of Xorus has reached the court of King Joel. It is in the possession of one close to him, and Lath-vecat has urged its destruction, but neither he nor any of the Sages are free as I am at this moment in time."

"Oromasus, you do not suggest what I think you do!" Val’ha protested even as Dervish passed into the brown-light, gone from the Terran realm. The High Wizarder nodded and Val’ha’s mind stung from his unstated request. "How can I locate the birthstone? How do I destroy it?"

"You will find the way," said Oromasus, "the balance is in the islands." His body began to fade, and Eedebee squeezed him as though to stop his departure. The High Wizarder wept and Val’ha was moved by their love and his sudden smallness. The rings on his fingers and Val’ha’s own Ring of Oromasus became bathed in his brown-light and were gone. Eedebee’s Elf-ring remained; she kissed him on the cheek once more, and he said, "I will see you again, sweet love, I find my last contentment in your eyes and arms. When I die you will be free to leave as you will this Elven grey-ship…" He breathed once more, a great and peaceful sigh, "where I leave you now." Well after his brown-light faded, Eedebee held herself as though she still embraced Oromasus, rocking until she had no more strength before collapsing until the next day.

**

After stepping with great trepidation onto the dock and realizing that she would not turn into a tiger again, Eedebee almost danced as she transferred her provisions to the lodging where she intended to live with Val’ha. Nip-helloo lay on the bed that had been Trisahn’s and was now hers, and she searched her new surroundings in joyful curiosity, throwing the key that had also been his into the air and catching it in a clap of her hands. "I cannot tell you how wonderful is my liberty! Val’ha, I am no longer caged by the Bugbear! My love has freed me to live out my mortal life, an exchange I have awaited this past century. Ever I will hold Oromasus’ love and sacrifice fresh in my heart."

Val’ha smiled as she prepared breakfast for Dragonslayer, when there came a strong knock upon their lodging door. It was Flegretha, and she appeared not to have slept the preceding night. "Have you seen him?" she asked desperately. "Have you seen my elfling?" When they settled her, Flegretha took a draught from her wine flagon before proceeding with her story. "He is gone since almost our return. Tarnac was strange since Carla, curse her, threw that dust into his eyes. As soon as we reached his merchantry, he started ranting in old tongues or godspeak, which I cannot tell. He grew paler and talked of meeting with the witch Inez! I tried to bring him to seek for help, but then he ran out for an hour and was back with another Short Elf, K’aleb I think, who said Tarnac must seek the Crystal Caverns of Loran, and then they left together! Dear friends, what will come of him now?"

Loran – the new realm borne by Xorus in the northwest forest for Gargantua to rule, whose very creation had killed Lath-vecat’s spies with its unfolding into time and space – was not a subject Val’ha had mentioned before, and she kept her silence now to avoid worsening Flegretha’s grief. After another hour Flegretha was convinced that she should occupy places familiar to Tarnac – their home, his merchantry, her smithery, the Dwarfkeep – for his assured return, and they saw her off after the she-Dwarf had finished her wine, thanking them for their direction and friendship many times over.

After Dragonslayer was fed and Eedebee moved in, Terr’Sol descended through the window and Val’ha readied herself for her return to Castle Ohrt.

**

The gloaming dew was cold on the end-grasses as Val’ha reached the junction of the paths to castles Ohrt and Moncrovia; her breath frosted upon the air. Dragonslayer protested and only after a soothing Elven lullaby did he allow himself to be directed up the white-stone path, but not before another horse and rider approached from the northern road. The Night Moon highlighted Tarl-Cabot’s face and reflected off his shield, armor and mottled horse’s dressing. He carried Tropruscht’s bow and arrows and Crundin. "Slow, Flip, stop!"

The two of them bowed. "Sir Tarl-Cabot, why do you ride here and now?"

"Val’ha, I am overcome with surprise and confidence to see you here! I would ask you the same question – for me it is the behest of our King."

"This is also my story," she said, and when the two of them could figure no further they made haste toward Castle Ohrt until they reached the tree where Val’ha had before tied Dragonslayer. Through the growing fog a harsh opaline shine appeared in the distance; Ohrt’s path, gate and surrounding walls had been rebuilt and completed, Eeegh’s gargoyles that she helped destroy waited anew atop the pillars, and what palace she could see over the walls was in full glow of Xorus’ power. She felt the vibration of the corrupted Song rise up through her horse and into her own body, and became sickened. No. No. This cannot be…