It took mere seconds for Ertralia to lead us straight to Yasenka's room. The door stood wide open, and what we saw even before entering almost made my knees give up on me.

Yasenka laid on the soft coverlet of the huge bed. She was drenched, her eyes closed... she wasn't moving... Under the torn fabric of her tunic gaped four long wounds, stretching from her right shoulder blade all the way down to her left hip. The membrane of one of her wings, now lying inertly on the bed sheets, was mostly severed from her body where it should have met her back...

When she heard us come in, thank heavens, she opened her eyes slightly and looked in our direction. I was sure the wetness on her cheeks didn't come from the water of the lake alone...

We were at her side quicker than she was when she saved Siaril.

"Yasenka..." my partner managed to stammer out. "How did you...?"

"He... brought me here..." she whispered weakly.

"Who?"

"Me," we suddenly heard behind our backs.

We turned around frantically. On a chair standing in the corner, with his arms folded on his chest, sat Canidralth.

Siaril's hand darted to the hilt of his sword before I could blink. "What are you doing here?!" the rage that flashed in his eyes was so raw that I had to wonder if we Disciples had the ability to set someone ablaze with just our stares.

"You know, you could be at least a little grateful that I rescued your friend," Canidralth was the embodiment of indifference. "I even got myself drenched for that." He casually glanced over to the window, then got up and opened it. Just a second later, the pearl kite flew inside, perched on the backrest of the chair and shook the water off its feathers. The mage quickly closed the window again, blocking out the noise of the rain.

Siaril fell silent, eyeing him with mistrust. I frowned as well. This murderer... rescuing Yasenka? If it was unthinkable for me, then Siaril must have had an utter chaos in his head from receiving that information.

"Don't look at me like that, help her," the man urged negligently.

Siaril visibly had to put a lot of willpower into postponing his retort, but turned to Yasenka nevertheless. I did the same, casting cautious glances towards the corner of the room every now and then.

"This doesn't look good..." Siaril muttered, examining the wounds carefully. "The bleeding is not dangerous, but the wing..."

"I'll be fine..." the illathan managed a faint smile. "My sirath..."

"You might be right, but we still need to take care of this... Sigrian, could you please bring some clean towels and bandages?"

I just nodded and stood up. Before I left the room, I shot another glance towards Canidralth, who never left his spot. What sat in this man's mind...? The fact that he would selflessly rescue Yasenka seemed about as likely as Siaril suddenly getting to like him. The memory of him not really harming us and wanting to explain something a while ago remained in the back of my mind, but I still didn't believe in the altruism of it...

I was a little surprised to find him unscratched after I returned, and Siaril patiently waiting with a bowl of warm water not even looking at him. Ertralia was sitting on the floor in the opposite corner of the room from Canidralth, sobbing quietly, so I decided to let my friend handle the bandaging alone. I probably wouldn't have been much of a help anyway, feeling nauseous from just looking at Yasenka's wounds... I sat close to the sykerien and embraced her gently, allowing her to clutch the fabric of my shirt while she watched Siaril with anxiety.

When finally, after many stifled wails and tears of pain, Siaril managed to put an end to the suffering, he carefully covered Yasenka with a soft blanket, wiped the blood off his hands with the last clean towel and sat at the edge of the bed.

"Why did you rescue her?" he asked, voice ice-cold. "I thought watching people die makes you happy."

The mage calmly straightened up a little in the chair. "Well... you probably won't believe me again, but I wish to offer you my help."

"I'm surprised the word 'help' even exists in your vocabulary," Siaril folded his arms on his chest. "And you're absolutely right, I don't believe you. Because why should I?"

"Maybe because I know how we could easily render Sharish pretty harmless."

"You suddenly want to act against him?" I almost smirked. "When not so long ago, he was making good use of your... services?"

"Both sides were content with the result and parted ways after the job was done. It's not like I'm some follower of his. It was simply an opportunity to earn money."

"And to spill blood," my friend growled.

"Blood that is spilled by almost everyone who wishes to survive, dear Siaril," Canidralth waved his hand carelessly. "In this world, blood was, is and will be flowing like wine at royal tables, you know that."

Siaril stayed silent for a while. I could see that he was fighting some inner battle with himself, and every word that came from the mage's mouth seemed to infuriate him even more. Still, when he spoke again, he seemed indifferent: "Well then, how, according to you, are we supposed to stop Sharish?"

"It's quite easy, really. We need to prevent his further attempts to revive dragons and don't let his magic grow more than it already is."

"How?"

"First, don't allow him to gather more components for his experiments. The beasts he came with here today were merely hybrids, 'ansirth' is the name for them, I believe. He created them using... well, the scales that came loose from the Empress' wings during the ritual."

Yasenka moaned weakly. "I should've known the moment I saw that color..."

"That's sick..." I clenched my fists a little.

Canidralth shrugged. "Don't worry, as far as I know, he already ran out of them... but he knows where to get his next supply."

"Where?"

"Well there's two sources, actually. One of them is you two, obviously. So even if you refuse to aid him, I'm afraid he'll still be after you, if not to prevent you from protecting humans, then simply for your scales. The other... is supposedly hidden together with something that would allow him to achieve his second goal - more powerful magic."

"And what's that?"

"Did you ever hear that some mages like to have something to serve as a storage of raw magical energy? As for the Canidralth lineage, they were exceptionally fond of the Ilmerast."

The familiar sounding name made Yasenka open her eyes again. "Ilmerast...?"

"Exactly. Did you know that the name 'Ilmer' came from the connection of two words: the elvish 'ilia', which means 'dawn' or 'sunrise', and an antiquated word from the mage language 'meron', which could be translated as 'guardian'?"

"No..."

"And your birthplace wasn't called Ilmer without reason. The term 'Dawnguard' was referring to the fact that there was a powerful item being kept safe in that city - Ilmerast, or, if you prefer, the Sunrise of Earlindon. According to legend, it was a mosaic of crystals that Acamres, the founder of Ilmer, found one day during his adventures."

"Acamres... the guy that first incited other mages to let humans into Earlindon?"

"Acamres the Founder or Acamres the Wanderer, whatever you want to call him. He took the crystals as a sign to make that the spot to build the first city for humans to settle in."

"I've never seen that part of the story in any books..." I frowned.

"Because it's not described in any book. Let's say that part was only handed down... orally over the decades," Canidralth seemed amused for some reason, his gaze wandering down slightly. Suspicion immediately sparked to life in my mind, but my sirath kept quiet...

"Does the Sunrise have anything to do with the ritual...?" asked Yasenka weakly.

"Oh, no, it was long gone by the time you were born. Acamres used some of the energy trapped in the crystals to help build Ilmer. Once done, he decided to head back to our homeland in the north to do research on them together with his kin. But he encountered an obstacle when traveling past the Elkjar Mountains..."

Siaril stirred, which elicited a satisfied smile from Canidralth. "That's right. Once upon a time, Acamres the Founder wandered to the mountains you were born in. There, he came across a problem that forced him to use not the energy inside the crystals this time, but the crystals themselves..." the mage's gaze slipped down to my friend's waist.

"No way..." I almost forgot about the situation we just escaped from for a moment. "Is that true, Siaril?"

"I... I don't know... this sword has been in my family for decades..."

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"Oh... and you didn't know about this trick with the fire either?"

Siaril only shook his head, to which Canidralth reacted with another smile. "I think I can help you understand that part better," the mage reached underneath his robe on his chest and pulled out something that looked like a small leather tube. He tossed it to Siaril, my friend catching it reflexively. He eyed the object with mistrust, then opened the lid at one end. I felt the mattress behind us dip a little more and saw Ertralia in the corner of my vision, finally out of her stupor. She sat by Yasenka's side, peeking over Siaril's shoulder. He already took a piece of thick parchment out of the leather container and unrolled it.

It seemed very old, ragged on the edges, the light brown color of it irregular, as if someone spilled some strong herb infusion over it a long time ago. It was a beautiful and detailed drawing of a city: porched houses, a plaza with a flowerbed and a small tower of something resembling a temple in the distance. Underneath, as if suggesting that it lay hidden in the underground below the town, sat what seemed like a simplified depiction of a sunrise. It consisted of a semi-circle with five small, triangular 'rays' above the upper arch, and three bigger ones between them.

Upon closer examination though, more and more details caught my eye. The main part of the 'sun' wasn't simply a half of a circle. The edges were a little angular, and there were shadings on its surface that made it look like some sort of rock or crystal. And the rays weren't just perfect triangles either. They were rather claw-shaped, a bit curved at the tip...

"Wait..." I didn't even really register that this word has left my mouth. I hastily reached underneath my shirt, pulled out my sirath and held it close to the parchment.

Me and Siaril looked at each other, then at Canidralth. All we saw was a pleased smirk.

"That there, my friends, is a drawing of Ilmer in its early years, along with a depiction of the Sunrise of Earlindon," the mage said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"But... but that doesn't add up..." mumbled Siaril, his fingers hovering over the edge of my sirath.

"It does if you think about it. The stones were found by Acamres. He took the main crystal to later forge the blade for that sword out of it, leaving the rest for the use of Ilmer's mages and elves. After Acamres already left Ilmer, an ancestor of Sharish got tempted by the usefulness of the remaining crystals, stole them and ran off. They served him and his descendants for many decades, all the while collecting the energy the mages fed them with. It was all that magic that made defeating dragons possible... But the crystals were snatched away from Ered Caydranth by the Last Dragons in the middle of their last battle. They used their remaining power to hide the five smallest crystals all over Earlindon. The three bigger 'rays' were turned into siraths..."

"So that's why the sword reacted..." I looked to the weapon at my friend's side. "The blade accidentally touched your sirath didn't it? It was just two pieces of the same magic meeting each other after a long time, creating some sort of special spark..."

Siaril nodded. For some reason, while my mind gratefully accepted each explanation, he seemed to be getting more and more tense with each information we received.

"That's right," confirmed Canidralth. "It also explains why the Caydranth lineage was this quiet for a few generations. Only recently Sharish managed to find one of the smaller crystals. Now he's looking for the rest..."

"He found only one shard and he's already able to create hybrids?"

"Apparently."

"Well... I admit, it all sounds nice and logical, but why should we trust you?"

"Simple," Canidralth pointed to me. "You do have this pretty boy, don't you?"

I scowled and stopped turning my sirath between my fingers. "Until now, he's telling the truth..." I admitted reluctantly.

"And I can make your search much easier."

"You know where to find the shards?"

"For now, I know where one is, and I have my suspicions about a second. The rest might need some more work..."

"Where?" Siaril cut him off coldly.

"I'll wait with the second until I'm sure, but the first..." the mage reached under his robe again, on the other side this time, pulled out a small crystal and turned it around in his fingers to let it reflect the light of the candles in a goldish hue, "is here."

I held my breath for a moment. Siaril on the other hand looked at him with even greater mistrust now. He seemed hesitant about his next words: "Where did you get that...?" this time his voice was devoid of any emotion, like he was doing all he could to hide them.

"Yasenka probably told you that Sharish has a sweet younger brother?"

"She did..."

"And you never wondered what void he fell into after Sharish sent him after you?"

Siaril just clenched his fists a little, so I looked up at the mage instead: "We did... what happened to him?"

"He took the shard Sharish gave him and fled, never completing his mission. A bit of a coward if you ask me. He gave this little shining 'tracking device' to me for safekeeping, fearing Sharish's rage... but now I think you should be the ones to guard it."

"Oh, now I get it," a mocking smile appeared on Siaril's lips. "You're actually the one scared of exposing yourself to Sharish's anger, so you're letting us do the dirty work."

The mage sighed heavily. "No, it's because it will be harder for him to chase three targets than just one."

Siaril gave me a questioning look. I nodded, but there were two more questions I needed answered before I was ready to believe it all: "So, Sharish's brother... he switched sides?"

"He has. I can't reveal a lot of detail to you here, because he's paying me for the silence... I can only tell you one thing: should you ever meet him, don't treat him like an enemy."

"I guess that makes sense..." I saw Siaril clenching his fists a little, but had to follow up with what now worried me far more than all the crystals or Sharish's relatives: "Does Sharish know what happened to the main stone?"

"I have no clue. He could have realized it today, who knows. Just in case, I'd be careful if I were you."

I leaned back, letting out a tired sigh. That was actually the worst answer I could get, leaving me in anxiety and fear for Siaril's safety... But at least we knew why Sharish was drawn to the Apries Lake - he followed the magic of that crystal. Was it Canidralth who first brought the crystal here or was Sharish's brother around for a while...? Could that have been the hooded guy...? No, Canidralth said he fought him before, it didn't make much sense. Or did it...?

"Look..." I picked my words carefully, "I can see that you're telling the truth and all, but one thing makes me hesitant here. If Sharish were to pay you more than his brother, would you stab us in the back?"

"No," the answer came pleasantly swiftly. "I'm in the middle of the commission from little brother, and teaming up with Sharish before I finish it would go against my 'contract'. Though... even if I won't be helping Sharish, you might see me with him occasionally."

I frowned. "Why?"

"I made an interesting observation back when he hired me. Disagreeing with him while at his side seems to be far more effective than doing it from the opposite side..."

"... what?"

"Be so kind and try to not faint when I say this. Sharish initially planned to wipe the Empress' memories right after the ritual. He also wanted to torture the people at your village in order to find out your whereabouts. He ordered his brother to forcefully take Siaril to Shinestone if he didn't agree to cooperate. Do you know who convinced him to change those plans?"

I just stared at Canidralth, dumbstruck by the thought that entered my shocked brain.

"I didn't brandish a blade or flame at him," added the mage.

For a second, I felt grateful... then I remembered Sitriel... and then forced myself to admit that he's been doing nothing but helping us so far...

I was starting to develop some serious headache. "So you're saying... he can actually be reasoned with?"

"He's not a madman, even if there's plenty to suggest otherwise."

"Is it really... a personal grudge then...?" Yasenka managed.

"I think so."

That information had the potential to become a useful weapon if used right... Though, from what Canidralth said, there probably wasn't a 'using it right' while pointing a sword to Sharish's chest...

I shook my head and looked at Siaril. "He's been telling the truth the entire time. And... if he really wants to help us, never mind the reasons... then I think we should make use of it."

"Fine..." Siaril muttered finally. It seemed like those words were forcing their way out of him. "You still didn't convince me, but you're lucky the decision is not just up to me."

Canidralth gave us an almost radiant smile, though his arrogance never left his piercing eyes. He put the stone on the dresser next to his chair before getting up. "I'm glad we could reach an agreement. I'll contact you as soon as I have some reliable information or if the next shard finds its way to my hands somehow. Until then, farewell."

With these words the mage and the pearl kite vanished, the usual, single fluffy feather appearing in their place. It made a graceful turn, as if moved by an impalpable puff of air, then almost came to a standstill in midair before starting to fall soundlessly.

Only when it ceased moving on the edge of the dresser, Siaril took a deep breath and leaned slightly forward, propping his elbows on his knees. His black bangs covered his eyes as he let that breath out again. I gave him a concerned look. Throughout this whole conversation, I could almost feel like each of Canidralth's words, every single one of his movements had an impact almost as big as Sitriel's death itself... It became clear to me that some things couldn't simply be erased by the words 'maybe I should try to forget about it'...

"Siaril..." I started quietly, not even really knowing how I could help in this moment.

He shook his head. "I'm fine, don't worry..." he reassured me, straightening up a bit again.

Yasenka dared to move for the first time and reached out to delicately put her hand on his. The gentle smile she gave him when he glanced over elicited a tiny one in response.

"So... what now?" I finally asked, casting Ertralia a short look. She regained her composure by now as well, although her beautiful eyes were still moist from the recent tears.

"Well..." Siaril took another deep breath and stood up. "If this can really stop Sharish without the need for bloodshed, then it's just become our best option. I certainly prefer this to an open war..." He walked over to the spot where Canidralth was sitting and knocked the feather down from the dresser as if he was chasing away a persistent fly. He took the glittering shard and frowned slightly, thinking about something.

"Me too," I agreed. "Maybe there's a way to completely deprive him of even his own magic and make him harmless..."

"There might be..." Yasenka murmured sleepily. "But I'll have to do some research on that..."

"You should focus on recovering first," Siaril cooled her down. "We in the meantime..." he approached the bed again and started to pick up the few scales that came loose from Yasenka's wings, "will do our best to keep those out of Sharish's reach. And try to find some clues about the other shards. We don't need the help of this..."

"But promise us," Yasenka cut him off just in case, "that if he should find them before us, you won't attempt to stubbornly solve a mystery that will lead us to his pocket."

At last Ertralia laughed and I felt some tension pleasantly melt off my body. Siaril's expression became warmer too. "I promise. Besides... it would be impossible with you all anyway."

"That's what we're here for. To stop you from doing stupid stuff," I pushed him further down the positive path.

"And to lead you through the nightmares," Yasenka readjusted herself a little, wincing. "A fairly big one is probably awaiting us... but sometimes the only way to morning is through nightmares. Or should I say the only way to 'sunrise'?"

"Yeah... Let's call it a day. I'm dreaming about hot water and my bed... Sharish and Canidralth provided a greater commotion than the weather outside..."

"You can go ahead, I'll get us all something warm to drink."

"Can I help you?" Ertralia swayed her tail at me pleadingly.

"Sure," I held out my hand, which she gratefully accepted and stood up. "We should also get something to eat for Yasenka and tell Light about everything in a way that won't make him pass out."

We left quietly to let the illathan relax a little before her terrified lover would come running.

When me and Ertralia went out onto the bridge connecting the two parts of the residence, the last, tiny droplets of rain were about to stop falling into the lake. In the distance, the thick layer of clouds was starting to give in to the sun's brilliance, the first, shy birdcalls echoing among the tree branches.

I stopped for a moment, taking in the view. I knew that today's events weren't the worst that could have happened... and that even darker times were ahead.

But Yasenka made me realize something important when she refused Sharish's offer. We weren't taking a side in this conflict. We weren't making a stand to protect the human race.

"I refuse to become like you or them..."

We were a third party, standing between them, determined to make both realize their mistakes...

And by staying true to ourselves, we were in the position to change Earlindon.