The rest of the scenery on the ride to Tarn was similar to every other time I’d gone there. Some trees, some hills, some streams, and a lot of nothing interesting. What farms we passed had been abandoned because of the drant war and no smoke rose from any chimneys, on this cold of a day that was almost proof they were abandoned. I know if I’d been lucky enough to be inside there would have been as big a fire as was safe to have. And some alcohol to drink.

At some point Sir Aryoss brought his horse up to ride beside me. He looked a little funny riding his sleek borrowed horse instead of his own war charger. “How are you doing, today? Cold enough for you?” I asked him.

He smiled. “I am well, thank you. Killing those drants will keep me warm until we reach Tarn, I believe.” He searched my face for a moment. “And you, my lord? Are you content? I imagine being back on the road is doing wonders for your mood. It certainly is for me.”

“Really?” I asked. “I’d rather be back in Ansdron.”

“Oh, yes. I prefer it our here.” He waved his arm around to seemingly gesture at everywhere but the city. “Manning the walls is important, of course, but I prefer to meet the enemy on the open ground. I dislike the disadvantage defending well built fortifications provides.”

“But the drants outnumber us, without the city walls they may well have already destroyed the city, or part of it anyway.”

He nodded, still smiling. “Too true. However, I feel being outnumbered by the drants merely makes it a fair fight. I expect that with the walls and the mages, in addition to the fact that they attacked years ahead of schedule, this will not turn out to be much of a drant war at all.”

“Thank goodness we have the Kathaldi to contend with, too. Otherwise I might die just from embarrassment from only getting such a puny drant war.”

I had tried to sound serious but Sir Aryoss didn’t fall for it. “Your sense of humor remains so I believe you are at least most of the way back to your normal self. I am heartened by that, my friend.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just mumbled my thanks and fell silent. Unfortunately, my big knight friend’s comments had turned my thoughts to the reasons I had not been being myself. With nothing to distract me I found Jade on my mind and whatever good mood I was in began to evaporate. To keep that from happening I turned to my friend. “Sir Aryoss?”

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He was keeping an eye on some forested land the road was approaching, undoubtedly hoping for signs of an ambush. “Yes?”

“The god of healing replaced your hand in return for your oath to oppose the Kathaldi until they are wiped from the face of the world, correct?”

He nodded, still not looking away from the trees. “Indeed. It was an honor I shall never equal, being granted the trust of one of the ten.”

“To be sure. But how will you ever know for certain that the Kathaldi are all gone?”

“We must destroy them in their own lair, such as one would with any foul creature infesting the land. Ensure that they can spawn no more of their evil brethren.”

I nodded. “Indeed. Like a mountain cat or even a dragon.”

He finally glanced over at me, I think to see if I was teasing him. If dragons had ever existed no one had seen one in so many years that they were mostly thought to exist only in old stories and legends. He must have decided I was being serious, which even I am not sure of. “Just so, my lord. Then we will know.”

“But will we? For certain? I should think at least some Kathaldi are out and about in the world. I know I would leave if I knew we were coming to destroy Mount Kathaldi.”

“Then I shall hunt them down to the last man.”

“And woman?” I asked, just to be a jerk.

He sighed. “Yes.” He said at last, although he didn’t sound particularly happy about it.

“And child?” I pressed.

“I must. It is the only way to end the threat forever.”

“I’m sorry I brought it up.” I announced. “It has depressed me to think that will be your life after the Kathaldi base is no more. Following rumors of Kathaldi all over the world, never being able to rest. Never knowing if you’ve completed your task.”

He nodded. “It does sound a bit grim, my lord. But now I must check out these trees to be certain no one lurks within desirous of doing us harm. If you will excuse me.” He pressed his heels into the flanks of his horse and urged him into a canter, leaving me behind to feel bad that I had spread my bad mood to a friend.

Not long after Sir Aryoss waved us on, confident that nobody was waiting to attack us from the trees that were now flanking us on the left side of the road. We pushed the horses to a faster pace, the last one before we would switch horses again, hopefully for the last time before reaching the village walls. Delik Slin came up on my right side and gestured with a head toss towards the knight who was still preceding us by a few horse lengths. “What was that all about?”

“Just me being a bad friend and sharing my crappy mood.”

He nodded. “Do you feel better now?”

I thought it over and then laughed. “I guess I do. Poor Sir Aryoss.”

Delik Slin laughed as well. “Indeed. Poor all of us who count you as a friend.”