Soldiers patrolled the walls of Certus, and many more camped outside the city. They were preparing for war, as the Prollans had already begun the attack on their southern border. Certus was in the east of what was the Lorric Empire, in the centre of the land that was now in the control of Erion. Fighting was breaking out in places throughout the Empire. Xavier controlled the west, living in Sentinel Fortress outside the ruins of Lorr, and Erion held the east, arriving at Certus with Felix.

The soldiers on the gate bowed to Erion as he passed. Felix rode close beside him, alert. He did not put it past Xavier to try and assassinate Erion, especially after what had happened with Caedan. Kaesyn rode with him. She had suffered slight burns when fleeing the city, but Felix was glad that those were her only injuries. Felix had not told her about his duel with Braydan, only simply saying he had died. For now, that was all she needed to know, and Felix didn’t want her to think less of him. Surprisingly, he cared very much about Kaesyn’s opinion of him.

On the steps of the city hall at the centre of Certus, a small group awaited Erion. A low wall ringed the city hall and the courtyard where Erion and Felix dismounted. Felix turned to the group that waited as his horse was led away. He kept his face still, but inside, he groaned.

Commander Kedric Tarone stood at the head of the group, his eyes fixed on Felix, a scowl on his face. Felix had known Tarone would be there, as commander of this city, but it didn’t make it any easier to see him. Tarone had despised Felix for a long time, ever since Felix had denied him entry into the Paladins. Felix stood by his decision, but Tarone would never forgive him for that slight.

Tarone turned away from Felix, approaching Erion. “Lord Erion, it is an honour to have you here.” The title of lord was Erion’s by right now, no longer a general but not yet emperor.

“Kedric, it has been a long time. You know Felix.”

Tarone glanced at Felix. “Master Perther,” he said, his voice cold and formal.

“Commander Tarone,” Felix replied simply.

Tarone turned back to Erion. “We were shocked to learn what Xavier did to Caedan, my lord. I want to assure you, all my soldiers are loyal to you now.”

Erion nodded. “That is good to hear. Do you have news of the dragon?”

“I’m afraid not much, my lord. It doesn’t seem to have left the ruins of Lorr, if it is in fact still alive. Come, let us go inside, my lord. There is much to discuss concerning the war with Prolla.”

“Of course. Lead the way, Kedric.”

They entered the city hall. Tarone led them through to a large, grandiose chamber. A long table took up the centre of the room, chairs all around it. Different Lorric commanders were waiting there, and Erion greeted each of them.

“Hello brother,” a voice said behind Felix. He spun around. Vita leaned against the wall, grinning at Felix. Her armour gleamed, and the silver lion of the Paladins kept her black cloak in place. The sight of her brought a smile to Felix.

“Sister, it has been too long,” Felix said as he embraced her. Felix had always liked Vita. “What has it been, two, three years?”

“Something like that. It is good to see you again. I feared for you when I heard of the fire.”

“I was outside the city at the time.” Felix stepped back from Vita and looked around. “I heard Gorran was with you. Where is he?”

Viat shook his head. “I’m sorry Felix. He didn’t make it.”

Felix felt his heart sink. Too many of them were dying. “He was a good man.”

“Yes. And he died bravely. Tell me, what happened in Lorr?”

“Later.” Felix knew there would be no time to go through it all yet.

Vita looked at him closely for a moment, knowing he was hiding something. She turned to look at Kaesyn after a moment. “We have not been introduced.”

“This is my apprentice, Kaesyn Mallus. Kaesyn, this is Madam Vita Delgon.”

Vita stretched out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Kaesyn.”

Kaesyn shook the outstretched hand. “And you, Madam.”

They took their seats around the table, Erion at the head. For the next few hours, they discussed the war the Prollans had started along their southern border as soon as Lorr was burning. Reports said that the Prollans had already taken some land quickly, but were slowing down as Erion’s soldiers organised. Initial losses were heavy. And Xavier had a lock on all the troops in the west, and was sending none to combat the Prollans. The mountains protected his southern border, and he was saving his soldiers for an assault against Erion.

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“What is the word with our soldiers in Camelot?” Erion asked.

“We have heard nothing, my lord,” Tarone said. “Cyclops will not like what is happening, and I cannot say who he will join.”

“Cyclops will join neither of us,” Vita said. “In fact, he might even be so bold as to try and take the Empire for himself.”

“I am not worried about Cyclops,” Erion said. “I have already given orders for him to be killed.”

The commanders around the table glanced at each other. Felix felt their confusion; it was the first he was hearing of this as well. “My lord?” one of the commanders asked.

“After I learned of Caedan’s death, and before Lorr was gone, I sent messages to Commander Pullo and some others, ordering them to kill Cyclops, withdraw from Camelot and come here. They were to kill any who refused.”

“My lord, we have yet to hear anything about them,” Tarone said. “They may already be on their way, and their messages just haven’t reached us yet.”

“Or they may have gone to Xavier,” Erion said darkly.

They continued talking, planning ways of defeating the Prollans and then taking back the whole Empire. Eventually, Erion dismissed them for the night, organising to meet again the next day to continue planning.

Vita stopped Felix as he made to leave the room. “We need to talk.” She glanced at Kaesyn. “Alone.” Felix nodded. He bade for Kaesyn to leave them. Vita led him up deeper into the city hall. She stopped at a long room. Small tables were interspersed throughout the room, but all were empty.

Felix took a seat at one of the tables. Vita walked over to a wide counter. She pulled out two small mugs, filling them up. She brought them to the table, placing one in front of Felix.

Vita was one of the oldest of their Order, and a better warrior than most. She was more than fifteen years Felix’s senior, and had been with the Paladins for almost the entirety of her time in Wardom. Her black hair was pulled back out of the way, showing off her slender face. Her skin was a deep brown, darker than Felix’s but not quite so dark as Erion’s. She held herself with confidence, and Felix had met few people wiser in either of his lives.

“I am sure you are thirsty after your journey,” she said. Felix nodded as he scooped up his drink. Vita took a long swig. “It is good to see you again, Felix.”

“It has been far too long. Wish it was under better circumstances.”

Vita smiled. “This is Wardom. Better circumstances are hard to come by.” They sat in silence for a while. “How are you finding having an apprentice?”

“It’s good. Strange, but good. She is excellent. You will like her.”

“It is weird to think of you having an apprentice. How fast time passes. I remember not long ago when you were only an apprentice yourself under Zoran.”

Felix laughed. “It has been fifteen years since I was an apprentice, Vita.”

She smiled. “Fifteen years isn’t so long now as it once would have seemed.”

“Zoran was your master too, wasn’t he?”

“Indeed. I was his first apprentice. Braydan was his second. And you were his third and final apprentice.” Vita looked at Felix closely. “Felix, what happened with Braydan?”

“What?” How did she know anything had happened?

“I’m no fool, Felix. You know that. I have received no word from Braydan since Lorr burned, and that is very unusual. And then you arrive here, without any other Paladins, and you don’t mention Braydan. Something happened. What was it?”

Felix sighed. He had known he would have to tell her eventually. “I killed him, Vita.”

“What?”.

“I had to! He betrayed us, and betrayed the Empire. I tried to reason with him, but he would not listen! He left me no choice.”

Vita put her head in her hands. “Oh, Felix, what have you done? I should have known your righteousness would be the death of me.”

“You think what I did was wrong?”

Vita looked up and sighed. “No. Knowing you, you had very good reasons for killing him. But it makes things very complicated. What exactly did Braydan do?”

“He was helping Xavier murder Caedan. He spoke to me first, but I couldn’t agree to help him.”

“Do the other Paladins know?”

Felix shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“That is some good news, at least. We will have to call a meeting to choose a new leader.”

“It cannot be in Xavier’s territory. We cannot trust him.”

“I agree. We will ask them to come here. But we may have problems. Any Paladins that were in Lorr and survived will be with Xavier, and he may already be twisting them to be loyal to him.”

“Do you think they will listen to us?”

Vita sighed. “We can hope. Now, let us see who there is to contact. Who was in Lorr before the fire?”

Felix thought for a moment. “There was Horfail, Foer, Qloarn, Larra, Sorran, Titus, Rolan and Tari. Krillan died fighting the Prollans.”

Vita shook her head. “Too many dead. All right, so there are those eight. You know Talon Stronghold?”

Felix nodded. The stronghold had only been captured a very select few times in the centuries since it had been built. Felix knew it was directly to the north of Certus, only a few days away. The commander had already pledged the stronghold to Erion.

“Yes, well, Aldan is currently stationed there,” Vita continued. “His apprentice, Jerim, is with him. They will come when we call. Then there is Paltir, Naltor and Orlam, all in the north west. They have been far enough for Xavier that they will listen to us. It is the eight that were in Lorr that worry me. As of now, they are probably with Xavier, and they are the ones who will fall under his influence first.”

“We have to convince them, Vita. We can’t let the Order go to ruins!”

Vita reached across the table and patted Felix’s hand. “I know, Felix. They are my family as well as yours. I will do all I can to make sure we stay together.”

Felix took a deep breath. He was glad to have Vita there. He knew he could trust her. She had always been a good friend. Doubt had begun to creep into his mind over the past days, but he felt reassured to be with Vita again. She would help him convince the rest that he had done the right thing. Felix turned his head as Kaesyn entered the room. She glanced about the empty room before stopping at their table.

“Master, Madam, word has reached Lord Erion from our southern border. The Prollan army is retreating.”