The next morning Ottaine said goodbye to Yaphara. Then she mounted a horse and started a long journey to the east escorted by a silent Skey-Er guard. The virgin terrain with no proper roads made it impossible for any mechanical vehicle to pass the route. Horses were more reliable.

They were passing forests that grew over the ancient desert, passed ruins of a long-forgotten civilisation that used to rule the world uncountable millennia ago on all the continents. A civilisation that, according to the legend, started in the Frozen Land. It spread and flourished in the places where today only dust and sand, ice and ash would tell the story of the past. Ruins of the world that fled and hid in the last continent, this small piece of the globe that survived in the doomed world. Here the wisdom of the past finally died leaving only the Nogo Forest and the dragons behind.

Ottaine tried to make her silent companion talk a little, but he was stubbornly mealy-mouthed.

'Will you accompany me to the border?'

'Hm.'

'How long have you been with Yaphara?'

'Long enough.'

'Why is he learning sign language? Is it personal? Does he know any deaf person? A grandchild? A veteran who lost his hearing? Or is it his way of having his mind occupied? Why does he learn it?'

'Deinos.'

'The project requires sign language? Why?'

'Hm.'

'Come on, tell me something. I won't tell any... fine. Don't tell me.'

Finally, after two days of riding and two uncomfortable nights under a shared mosquito net, then two more days across Landhapis territory going this and that way, asking the locals and following the army's trail, Ottaine reached the camp. Her arrival was quickly announced to the commander and Yrzlaruki marched to meet her with a broad smile on her face. Ottaine realised she's overflown by a sweet feeling when she saw the woman she had befriended. Seeing her was like coming home after a long and dangerous journey, a wave of strange calmness. Looking at Yr was easing the ever-present pain in her heart, a thorn with Kyeta's name. During the long stay on the Skey-Er land, she thought of Yr all the time, wanting to share with her every trouble and every good feeling. Now she could finally be with her and talk to her.

'I'm so happy you're back in one piece' Yr said with her most beautiful radiant smile.

She led Ottaine straight to her quarters to interrogate her about the mission.

Ottaine talked for almost an hour about the strange encounter with a Skey-Er general, the unexpected treatment of his captive and even more unexpected release.

'Do you have any slightest idea what he had been referring to?' Ottaine asked her senior when she repeated Yaphara's enigmatic stories and requests to trust him.

'I have no idea. All I could do would be asking around about this alleged scientific organisation he mentioned. Right now it's all strange to me. Maybe Landhapis king and his counsel keep something away from us, the allies, maybe our king is not revealing everything he knows. There's no way of finding out, not yet. Now listen, you must be very cautious. Soon your return will be known to the Top and when you tell this story you will be watched very closely. Technically speaking, your espionage mission has failed: you don't have any answers and you spent a lot of time with one of, probably, prominent figures in Skey-Er's establishment. You are a special forces officer, you can't be manipulated the way we manipulate people but don't forget there are other methods of brainwashing. You are young, you have a good, pure heart, that's what I like about you... that's what may make some people suspicious of you. And yet... I think we should try to find out what he tried to convey to you.

'Are we still going to Gaal?’

'Yes, we are. We are staying here just for one more day until our men come back to confirm Skey-Er has retreated again. Then we march for the last time.'

'As soon as we get there I would like to contact Magalla, she has a way of finding interesting facts. A civilian doesn't raise as much suspicion as any of us would. I have a feeling Verlar stays in touch with her, I could find her through him.'

'Or she just runs to us the moment we arrive. This woman doesn't like sitting on her own, no matter what she tells herself,' Yr said remembering how Magalla was happy to help the army on their short journey together. 'That all sounds like a good plan. Oh, Ota, it's so good to have you back!' Yrzlaruki sighed, taking her hand. Ottaine squeezed her fingers and managed to say with a suddenly hoarse voice:

'I missed you, Yr.'

And then Yrzlaruki couldn't hold it any longer. She gently moved her fingers across Ottaine's palm. None of them was able to break this moment, both were thinking the same thing fearing the other one would flee any second. Their fingers embraced and Yrzlaruki moved her head towards her friend's until their foreheads touched. Ottaine closed her eyes, her heart had never beaten so fast. She felt Yr's lips touch her lips and it felt like sunshine. She returned the kiss that soon ceased to be soft as they let the long-hidden passion and desire finally flow without any restrain.

They stood up, breathing heavily, Yr gently led them to the entrance of her private room. Inside she started removing Ottaine's uniform without stopping kissing her. After a few moments, Ottaine looked at the furniture on the right and hesitated, which did not escape Yrzlaruki's attention.

'You don't want?' Yr asked her quietly. Still holding her head next to the cheek of a woman she started falling for a long time ago.

'I do, but... I have never...' Ottaine said, uncertain.

'Are you a virgin?' Yr asked softly.

'No, but... he was a man...'

Irzlaruki moved away a bit. This was the moment she feared. Just like ten years ago, when her heart was left broken by a woman who only pretended she was like her.

'...and I don't know what... or how...' Ota said shyly. Then she lifted her eyes at the face she adored and said something that came to her with a surprise:

'I never felt anything like this before. I have been sure I am unable to feel it, that I'm defective. Until I met you,' and she clung to Yr removing the rest of her clothes, smiling from happiness for she finally knew what being in love meant, and everything Kyeta had promised her was happening right now.

'Tell me Yr what do I do.'

'You don't have to do anything, I'll show you. Today is all about you, my princess.'

Some time later Ottaine breathing heavily and looking at the ceiling with eyes wide open asked:

'Heavens, what was that!'. And then they both laughed and laughed like there was no war, no pain, no uncertainty.

Gaal was indeed a very small town compared to Fuerumig and even to the port towns like Deyocma, or Geashraw in Solummger. It was built in a historical style: round, dense, surrounded by a wall that served as a marketplace. The wall has never been used as a defensive measure, it was just the architecture. The town managed to stay mostly inside the wall. Just a very few buildings, mainly industrial or workshops were stretching into the sun-burnt grass south of the wall. And of course the zoology department to the east. Now it grew even bigger, a huge stable was being built with a vast open area enclosed with a thick wall. Verlar went straight there to report, sort out the horses' hire, and start checking on the krools future premises. Magalla went to the town to search for lodging for her and to explore. They agreed to meet by the main temple (there must be some 'main temple' somewhere) an hour before sunset.

The prices in Gaal were so low, just like Verlar promised, that would enable her to dive into the library and stay there all day long without having to replenish her purse for a long time to come. She settled for the first flat she saw and walked the town across twice before the meetup time. The temple was located in the northern part of the town, distinguished by a tall bell tower and a golden dome. The tower, as a sign by the gate informed, was open for touring and 'enjoying the splendid view on the green ocean of the Nogo Forest'. They read it and didn't have to say anything, just exchanged glances and speeded up before the sunset.

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

'How is the zoology department?' Magalla asked when they were going up.

'Shut up. I'm counting the stairs. Fifty-five...' he replied, giving her a fake angry look. A hundred and seventy-seven steps later he answered:

'It looks good. The first dragons are expected by the end of the week. I will have a lot of fun with those people. The only two krools that are residents here are old and untrained. They just spend days in the paddock being fed and... nothing more really. Have you found a place to live?'

'I have. And I’ve been to the library already. And walked the town. Twice. It is small,' she answered looking around. They approached the railing and took deep breaths.

'So this is it,' he said.

'The mystery.'

'The forbidden zone.'

'The home to wildness.'

‘The... I've run out of concepts.'

Magalla giggled and closed her eyes, dreaming about things that were so close and out of their reach.

'Reminiscent of a genius and an error,' she said after a moment.

'Back on track. The last souvenir of the past.'

'Good one. The unreachable treasury.'

'The green ocean of unknown... unknown...'

'You took it from the advert.'

'Yes, I'm cheating.'

'The Nogo Forest.'

'How clever. You nailed it.'

'Look how nice the sunset looks from here.' Magalla pointed at the west.

'Does it? Sunset is a sunset. It means boats to the shore, emptying the nets. I'm a simple village boy.'

'And you lived by the sea in the west. You're right, this view is nothing special. Not for you. I'm going to stay here a bit longer.'

'Oh, but the view is great. I wonder, is there anything behind this fence? Any survivors?'

'We would know by now. Two million years? That's long enough for any monster to show itself.'

'Yes, people tend to think it must be a monster. They were not sent here for being monsters. They were just animals nobody wanted to deal with. People had other things to care about: the rest of the dragons, the wars and the apocalypse. The error made them, this forest was given to them, and that’s it.'

'I'm going to check the legends as I did with essudi. I want to find out how it happened and what we can learn from it.'

'Just don't turn yourself into a dragon. I like you in the human form,' Verlar smiled and Magalla averted her eyes.

'No worries, I'm already fighting with a carnal fury.'

'What?'

'Nothing.'

They enjoyed the darkening green carpet in silence and headed down. Back on the streets, the lights from lanterns started to glow. Magalla was very silent and absorbed with thought. Verlar hasn't seen her like that before. He hoped she didn't regret coming here, all this way after he convinced her to do so.

'I might see you in a library one day, or I'll check on you at your place. Is that alright?'

'Of course. You know, if you want... I mean it would be nice. Take care. Will you be very busy when the krools arrive?'

'I think so. Then we will wait for the army to come north. The battalion we met, with Ota. Oh, I forgot to tell you. They did not fight with Skey-Er yet, but their march is delayed, that’s what I was told today. This means I'll have more time to prepare the dragons and find Landhapis tamers.'

'Did Ottaine go somewhere too? It seemed she was preparing to leave the morning we did.'

'I know nothing about that. Maybe she was to check the area.'

'Maybe. I hope to see her again. I liked her. And Yr, she's amazing. And they seemed to be close friends despite the ranks difference.'

'Ah, that's essudi. They are always like that. Buddies in uniforms. Well, it's time for me to go. Goodnight.' he said and squeezed her arm.

Magalla walked slowly to her new place, swearing silently and punching an invisible foe.

Days were passing. Verlar was working all the time accommodating krools, in the evenings making training plans and during the day checking them in practice. The zoology students volunteered to work with army dragons however they were not soldiers and Verlar couldn't make them tamers. He needed soldiers. Experienced soldiers or at least obedient ones. The students were helpful when it came to caring for the krools, at least those thirty per cent who stayed after the first visit in the boxes. Verlar didn't expect any more to stay, even he could smell them sweating from ten metres away.

He was checking the front’s news a few times a day. Where is the battalion? He needed to know where they would make the camp. It couldn't be near the town, that was for sure. At least twenty miles away, probably to the east, in the Skey-Er border direction. Here Landhapis country was shaped like a bottleneck, the marshes in the east were a natural frontier between the two kingdoms. The good news was, Skey-Er didn't build towns or military bases on swamps. It was fairly safe here, in the north. If they wanted to come, they had to march from the south, just like the allied troops.

There were Landhapis soldiers stationed in Gaal and when Verlar was not busy with the dragons he watched them making something that looked like an airstrip for aeroplanes, going with loaded carts to the said east but they didn't want to talk to him. So much for the mutual trust between the allies. He met with Magalla a few times in or near the library. She said she has found a gold mine but didn't want to share anything just yet. 'I need to be sure, at least almost sure,' she was saying. She only told him it was about the secrets of the Forest and that if she's correct, both Skey-Er and Landhapis were involved in something ‘from the beginning’, whatever that was supposed to mean.

Finally, one day he proudly announced that all the civilian volunteers are fully prepared to deal with the dragons on themselves. Now all they could do was to wait for the troops to arrive so he and his new co-workers could move the krools stables and the beasts close to the camp (once it's set) and together start training soldiers as coaches for the future battles with dragons. Only after he announced the news to his team did he realise the very reason why he is doing all that is because most of the Solummger dragon masters didn't return from the Firewheel Field battle.

He went to visit Magalla in her lodgings for the first time. She opened the door surprised to see him after such a long time. She had been making fervent notes about her recent findings, the table in her cramped room was covered with books from the library she just took away without anybody noticing. Of course, she borrowed them with the honest intention to return once she's done with them.

'But... Magalla! This is your place? All this... mould and holes! Why didn't you find anything better?'

'It's fine enough for me. It's cheap. No no, I could take something more expensive but really, I was not bothered. What can I do for you?' she asked, crossing her arms.

'I just thought we could talk. I've finished with the preparations, now I'm waiting for the troops to arrive. When they do I'm moving to the camp. And what are your plans?'

Magalla didn't plan anything, she was absorbed with her findings. She would like to finish her 'digging' and share the results with someone. She told Verlar about it.

'Do you think Ottaine and that Varshgom would like to hear it? Or is it something the officers might not like?'

'I think they should know. If I'm right, and I'm more and more convinced that I am, more than one person should know. I apologise for not sharing this with you yet. I need to be sure.'

'I understand. So, should I let you know when they arrive?'

'Please. I hope they let me in.'

'The army always needs food. There will be other civilians with me, the folk I trained. Of course, I'm not suggesting you should leave the town and your beloved dungeons,' he said mockingly. Then he looked at Magalla concerned. She didn't look like the woman he met. She lost weight and was going silent every time they were meeting. Was she sick? Did she want to leave and go back home? A few times he was almost sure she wanted to say something but was changing her mind. Something was bothering her a lot and since she was not talking about it he was not asking.

No, he did not want this one friend to abandon him. Sined, his bro from the Academy was in Solummger, his friends from the navy were sailing the seas and he lost touch with them. His Landhapis mates were in the south. Ottaine was marching with the army. And this woman had been such a good companion for such a long time now. Also, she was nice to look at. For too long, there was Kyeta, Kyeta and only Kyeta in his head. Now he started seeing other women and their assets. He passed them on the streets, he saw them in their silk dresses. Ottaine was pretty, that Yrzlaruki, although a mature woman, had a breathtaking skin tone and perfectly shaped athletic body and a very interesting face. However, there was something in their eyes, in the way they looked at you that was making both of them unattractive in a way. Magalla was different in a good sense. In her eyes, there was something, the same thing Kyeta had and some other ladies he had met, something welcoming. She had nice legs and the way she liked to dress, with a shirt tight on her hips and loose on the chest made him wonder what he would find underneath. And she was his friend. Not like Ota, not like Sined used to be. She was someone that was always making him feel in the right place, wherever he was.

'Magalla, is everything alright? You seem... changed.'

'Do I? No, I'm fine. Maybe it's the dungeons of the past that make me seem different. I hardly ever move away from the papers,' she gestured at the overloaded table.

'Well, I should go now. I'll let you know when I have the news. And now, since I have more time and you have already walked the town at least twice, maybe you could show me its attractions one day? A bit of sun would not harm you, vampire.'

'Sure, any time,' she answered.

'I'll find you,' he said pointing his finger at her face in a warning gesture.

He left and went down the wobbly staircase. Magalla waited for the sound of the building door closing and sighed: 'Stupid me, stupid!'

They didn't go for a sightseeing walk. Two days later Verlar found her in the library returning some of the books and told her 'they're coming. I'm moving the krools today.'