The journey back was bleak and dismal. Airo was in a foul mood, unable to face Ferrtau head on. He had no idea where his archenemy could be, and had no way of tracking him down. He felt lost; he didn't know what his next move should be.

He decided to return to the Radiant Knights' hidden base to recuperate and leave Veralla behind for good. As much as he had come to tolerate – even appreciate – her, he wanted to be free of the distraction. Then he would head for Kryoon City and go back to his original plan to try and take control over the Consortium. It was better than to do nothing at all.

Veralla, of course, wanted none of it. She implored him to stay with the Radiant Knights, or at least let her come with him. Airo, however, was adamant on both points, and he made that clear to the dragonet. In the end, she hrrr–ed miserably, and tucked herself at the back of the cockpit without uttering a word.

Hours later, the sky already dark, the stormjet arrived at the region where the hidden base was located. Airo scanned the area, unable to find the entrance. He realized how foolish it was to expect the Knights would take him back after his sudden departure, yet before the recognition could sink in, the tunnel's masked entrance shimmered on one of the mountain ridges. The stormjet flew through into the fractal subregion beyond. Airo approached the central landing site of the stronghold complex. He wanted to be done with this stopover as quickly as possible: take some temporary medication, dump the dragonet, and cause as little commotion as possible.

He certainly did not expect half the base to have gathered for his arrival.

The stormjet touched down, with Lylana Darkovitz, Glawlrhain, Magus Dei, and numerous other Radiant Knights, a dozen of which were dragons, waiting for it on the illuminated tarmac.

As Airo disembarked, Lylana strode toward him, her towering bulk looming dangerously in the shadow of the stronghold's lights. "Stealing aircraft, kidnapping a fledgling, and exposing a secret location to risk," she listed darkly. "You better explain yourself, Commander Airo, or whomever you try to pass yourself as."

Veralla hopped off the cockpit. "He did not kidnap me," she said before Airo could reply. "I went with him on my own."

"Went?" Lylana asked. "To where?"

"Airo went to the Shard to kill Ferrtau," the dragonet said plainly.

That caught everyone's attention. Lylana balked. "He what?" the giant woman rumbled.

Airo took a step forward and met her eyes. "I went to finish what I have vowed to do, even without the support I have asked of your Order," he said evenly, his expression stony.

"And for how long have you held a murderous vow against the Lightbringer?" Glawlrhain asked, his amber gaze narrowing.

"For seven hundred and fifty years," Airo said.

There were quiet gasps among the gathered Knights. "Do you really claim to be the Dragonslayer?" Glawlrhain asked, still stern in demeanor, yet his down-angled wings belied his uneasiness.

Stolen novel; please report.

"I am the Dragonslayer," Airo said, voice low and hard. This brought out more tumult from the Radiant Knights. Airo faced their furtive glances and unfriendly glares with an implacable gaze of his own. Fittingly enough, the dragons seemed more afraid of him than the humans.

"Maybe it is true," Glawlrhain said quietly, while Lylana shook her head in disbelief. "And you say you went with this person of your own volition?" he asked Veralla.

The dragonet obviously wasn't sure what was happening, yet her response was certain. "Yes, I went with Airo willingly," she said. "I want to be with him."

Strangely, her last statement rattled the Radiant Knights worse than Airo's claims. Yet the reactions were shock and astonishment, not fear or animosity. Airo noticed only Magus Dei wasn't dismayed by the fact Veralla had gone with him on her own. The old Knight moved forward, and instantly the noise quieted down.

"What happened when you two arrived at the Shard?" Magus asked Airo, looking at him intently.

"Nothing," he replied, staring right back. "Ferrtau was not there, and neither were any of his twisted creations. The Shard stood empty, save for the damage Ferrtau had done."

That caused a third upheaval among the crowd of Radiant Knights. "The Lightbringer must've gone on the offensive himself!" Stamat exclaimed, and many agreed with him.

"Shut up, Terlokhi," Lylana said sharply. "You all know the Lightbringer can't leave the Shard. He's tied up with keeping the Reality Vortex under control."

"What if we're wrong?" Glawlrhain asked. "What if Ferrtau has found a way to maintain control over distance? Stamat already reported they fought him outside his domain. Perhaps it wasn't a mere projection but the enemy himself."

Lylana shook her head again, and sighed. "The central question is what should we do if the Lightbringer has truly taken the field," the giant Scorchlander Knight said.

"I can offer you the same deal as before," Airo interrupted, getting back everyone's attention. "Give me complete command over your forces and I will make sure to kill Ferrtau."

Lylana started to reply, but bowed her head respectfully at Magus' raised hand. "I am in agreement with such a proposition," the old Knight said, still holding Airo under his piercing gaze. "At this point, the Order and the entire galaxy have little to lose under the circumstances. It matters not who would have been in charge should we all be engulfed by the Void in the end. Yet if someone, no matter their past deeds and current outlook, comes along and offers to save the world, no matter how small the chance or what their motivations are, I would say we should give them the opportunity to do so."

"Sir... do you think this is wise?" Lylana asked. "If this man truly is who he claims to be... then he is the opposite of everything this Order stands for. Should we submit to his will?"

"Yes," Magus said, still not breaking eye contact with Airo. "Yes, in this case I think we should."

"Then I shall heed your counsel, sir," Lylana said. She saluted, and turned around. "Commander Airo, as an elder and warmaster of the Order of the Radiant Knights, I hereby declare we, the Radiant Knights, swear to be under your command until Tungust Ferrtau, the Lightbringer, is brought to justice by summary execution." Lylana turned to face the gathered Knights. "Anyone who's not concordant to this oath is free to leave the Order, either permanently, or temporarily until the sworn conditions are met. You must decide now, and anyone who doesn't attend at the moment must decide immediately upon learning of this declaration. What say you?"

Nobody spoke, yet nobody moved either. When the silence stretched into a full minute, Lylana spoke again. "Then it is settled! From this moment onward, we're sworn to follow you," she said, facing Airo. "What're your orders, Commander?"

"Carry on for the time being," he said. "Just point me to the nearest medical facility." He hadn't been exposed to radiation as long as during the first warpstorm, yet he was still badly poisoned, and his power armor's restoration fields were already declining in effectiveness.

"Of course," Lylana said stiffly. "Stamat, please take Commander Airo to the medbay."

"Yay!" Veralla said happily. "Does that mean I can become a Radiant Knight now?"