I did not keep track of time as we waited for Gertrude to compose herself. Lina remained asleep throughout it all.

At last, Gertrude looked up at us. Then she looked away with shame on her face. "I don't know what to say."

It was odd. The Gertrude, who knelt cradling Lina's head, had a completely new disposition. Her eyes shone with an innocence that befitted her age. This girl was no longer the Fire Witch. Lina had remained true to her word. All traces of malice were gone, leaving only remorse.

I wanted to be angry with her, but I could not. Lina had judged her worthy. And for some inexplicable reason, I trusted that judgment. "How about you start with an explanation?" I had so many questions and had a hard time choosing which one to start with. I decided on the most immediate matter. "Tell me about Lina. What did we just witness?"

That power was beyond comprehension. Even now, it was like my mind was trying to wrap itself around something enormous like the moon. Gertrude might provide some relief. But then she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I can't."

"You can't?! What do you mean you can't?"

"I mean, I won't. It's Lina's secret to tell."

My disappointment was as great as my confusion, but I managed to contain it with a sigh. "Very well, then at least tell me about your sweetie, or whatever you call him."

"What about him?" Gertrude tilted her head. "You mean about his plan to destroy the world?"

"Sure, let's start there."

"It's true." Her eyes were downcast. "He really hates the world that much."

I swallowed. I knew he was destroying the towns around the surrounding area, but I had no idea his plans were to that scale.

But it had been his hatred infecting this young girl. I could tell without much deduction.

Then the Deborn spoke, "What does that guy have to gain from destroying everything?" His tone was severe, as were his pale eyes. "Not much point in being the strongest if there's nothing to rule over."

I shot him a look. It was a logical conclusion, but hearing it from him was surprising.

Gertrude shook her head, "He doesn't care. Once the world's destroyed, he can build it again or just move on to something else. But he just wants to vent. Sweetie's always been the emotional type. And obsessive. Once he has something to fixate on, he'll pursue it until he gets bored."

"Right," said the Deborn. "We can always hope he moves on from the whole unmaking the world thing."

"I can't rely on that," I said with another look to the Deborn.

"The prince is right," said Gertrude as she laid Lina's head on a pile of ash and stood. "It's more likely he'd get bored of waiting for Lina. But he'll never forget the way he was wronged."

People did tend to remember their grudges far longer than their positive experiences. "Then take us to him. Take us to the Demon Tower with your telestone."

"No."

I expected the no, but I did not expect who said it. The Deborn stood tall, arms folded. He looked at me with such sternness that I gaped at him.

"What?"

The Deborn was acting rather odd, almost like he understood the situation.

"You think we're capable of taking on the guy who bested the Demon King when we were no match for one of his stooges?" He paused, then looked to Gertrude, "Oh, no offense."

Gertrude, who had gone beet red and was shielding the left side of her face with her hand, shook her head again. Her expression was one of horrific revelation. "N-none taken. Heide and Silva are way stronger than I am."

I was confused at Gertrude's timidity until I exchanged looks with the Deborn and saw that he was no longer clothed.

"Gah! What are you doing?!"

The Deborn looked at me, then down at his body. "Woah, look at that. I'm fireproof, but I guess my clothes weren't." He laughed. "Must've been burned off by that big fire attack."

"I'm sorry!" squeaked Gertrude, covering her eyes with her pigtails.

I was about to say that it wasn't her fault. But then I stopped as I realized that it was.

"Nah, it's all good," the Deborn stretched and let out a huge sigh as he released. "It's a nice day anyway."

"You indecent buffoon! Don't act so immodest, especially in front of a lady!" I said as I pulled my filthy shirt off and threw it at him. Even if she did try to kill us, she was still a woman. "Tie that around yourself at once!" Maybe he wasn't as smart as I thought.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

He obeyed and fashioned himself a loincloth, then stood proudly showing off his work. It was better than nothing. I at least still wore my small shirt, but I was embarrassed nonetheless. This Deborn had no sense of shame.

Gertrude took a chance to peek at us and judged the situation adequate. "Anyhow, I agree with the Ash Fiend. You have no chance of facing him as you are now."

"I can at least speak to him, then. Surely, he'll listen to reason." Even as I said it, I knew there was no chance of that. This ruin of a village was proof enough.

"No," said Gertrude, "Let me talk to him. There's a chance he'll listen to me." There was a fondness in her voice that brought even more doubt.

"You still care for him?" I asked.

"Of course!" she said, "He saved my life! I'm forever indebted to him."

"But do you love him?"

Gertrude's face took on the same puzzled expression as Lina's when I asked a similar question earlier that day. "I feel like I do… but I can't seem to think of a reason why."

"You did say he saved your life," said the Deborn, "That's gotta count for something."

"Yes…maybe…" Gertrude grabbed her chin, deep in thought. "But I'm not just going back for him. My friends are there and probably falling under his influence as well. They're even more dangerous than I am, so gods know what havoc they've already wreaked." She looked at us, "Can I ask a favor?"

"It depends on the favor," said I.

"Could you take care of Lina?" Her eyes were pleading. "She can't go back with me. The only reason sweetie hasn't ended the world is because she's wandering through it." She looked down at Lina. "Listen, I don't know if everything I said before was a lie. About hating her, I mean. But I don't want to see her get hurt. And I don't want to see the world end either. Can you do that for me?"

I looked at her, then to the Deborn, "I suppose we can."

The Deborn smirked, "Whaddya mean supposed? Weren't you the one going on about Lady Lina wanting me to join you in Grenna?"

"I—Well, that is to say—A prince must—"

"Aw, quit denying it, guy. You know you like us. You wouldn't have saved us otherwise."

I rolled my eyes. "Think whatever you want, but I would have saved you even if I despised you. That's what a prince is supposed to do."

"Oh, so you do like us."

I blanched.

Gertrude giggled, "I can see why Lina likes you two. I'm glad you're her friends."

"Friends?" I looked to the Deborn," I wouldn't say we're friends per se. More allies of convenience."

Gertrude's smile grew mischievous, "Oh, reeeaaally? Even Lina?"

I did not like what her tone insinuated.

"Yes, really! We all just met today."

The Deborn threw his good arm around my shoulder, "And we're already best buds. Right, guy?"

"Definitely not."

"But we will be, don't you worry about that."

I supposed we would be traveling together for a while. "I'll raise that to a ‘probably not,' then. So long as you stop calling me guy!"

"I'll take it, boss."

"Even worse."

Gertrude smiled and held out her hand. Her staff flew to it like it was magnetic. Then she dug in her shawl again and pulled out the telestone. "I should report to him. I won't tell him I met Lina, but I will say that I met good people. Maybe that will help change his mind."

Somehow, I doubted that. "Before you go, I have a message for Silva."

Gertrude looked surprised, "You know Silva? Okay, what's your message?"

"Tell her that I—hmmm…tell her that she owes Prince Anno another sparring match. Our tie must be broken."

"All right, I'll tell her. Take care of Lina for me. And…" Her cheeks reddened, "Tell her I won't lose to her next time we meet."

And with that, she was gone.

I stood there, pondering what she meant by that. Was it in regard to fighting or to something else? I certainly hoped she still wasn't feuding over him. "Let's go," I said to the Deborn. "It's time we head to Grenna."

"What do we do about her?" he asked.

I gave a start and looked at him, then at Lina, who lay sleeping peacefully as the ash piled around her. At this point, she was close to being buried.

"I suppose one of us will have to carry her. Except…" I looked at my injured hand, "I'm not in any condition to do so. And you…" I glanced at his mostly naked body. "No. Just no."

"I can only use one hand, too." He lifted the arm that had been frozen. The fingers were blackened with frostbite. If he was in pain, he certainly didn't show it. "I could just carry her over a shoulder."

"You want to treat her like a sack of flour? Not a chance."

"Well then, what do you suggest we do?"

"It certainly is a conundrum. You have one hand, and so do I." I raised my good hand for emphasis.

The Deborn grinned at me in a most unsightly fashion. "I think I have an idea." He also raised his uninjured arm.

His tone gave me worry.

And, as I thought, his idea was utterly stupid, idiotic, undignified, and all other synonyms for ridiculous I could think of. But it was better than the alternative.

Side by side, we waddled through the ash—the Deborn holding Lina's head and shoulders with his good arm and me holding her legs with mine. I was still in my small shirt, and he was in his makeshift loincloth.

We make quite the trio.

It made me all the gladder that no one was in sight. Suppose any of my subjects saw their prince like this. I'd never hear the end of it.