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Description

* * *

“Look out!”

"Ancestors!”

"TAXID!!! NO!!!"

Awareness gradually returned to Taxid Lucien, with panicked voices of screaming dragons echoing in his ears as he slowly stirred. Groaning, he opened his eyes, trying to fight the sense of nausea and disorientation. The sight that greeted him roused him immediately, and he jerked upright, frantically flapping his wings as he looked around in confusion. Everything was dark, and he couldn’t see any sign of ground beneath him, but at the same time he didn’t seem to be falling. He almost felt like he was...floating.
What...where was this? How had he got here? The last thing he remembered was the Golem's bulk approaching, the swinging of a mountain range of solid rock straight towards him, so much faster than something of that form should move, and then-
Taxid...
"Hello?" Taxid called. "Who's there? What's happening?"
Without warning, what felt like an explosion of brightness illuminated the void, and Taxid shielded his face with his wings, shocked by the sudden intensity of it all.
Don't be afraid, dear. The mystery voice was soft, decidedly feminine, and gave off a feeling of loving tenderness which, even in this most unsettling state, was comforting, and Taxid tentatively unfurled his wings, looking for the source. Ahead of him, a great light shone, cutting through the darkness, while smaller orbs of light seemed to be breaking away from it and drifting towards him.
Despite his initial fear, something about the light was calming to the young king, and Taxid found himself moving closer towards it and the orbs.
Come with us, Taxid, he heard the strange voice again, as one orb, glowing a strange, ethereal blue, appeared before his eyes.
"W-what are you?" Taxid whispered.
Someone who loves you very much, even though we never had the chance to meet, the voice replied.
We've watched over you for all your life, a much deeper voice called, as a glowing green orb moved to Taxid's side. But now it's time for you to join us.
Come, child, a third voice echoed, your time here is done.
Taxid choked, tears filling his eyes as comprehension slowly dawned. This couldn't be right, could it? He couldn't really be dead? He wasn't ready to meet his ancestors; not yet!
I know, I know, dear, the first voice soothed, as the blue orb rested on Taxid's nose. It's all right.
"It's not alright!" Taxid wept. "Oh, oh Ancestors, what have I done?"
You fought bravely, young king, and you did your ancestors proud, Taxid heard the deeper voice call, as the green orb flew closer. You died a hero; one who sacrificed himself to save his people, and became the king he was always meant to be.
Nobody will ever forget your name, brave Taxid, the third voice chimed.
Not until nothing is left of Avalar but the earth it was built upon.
Taxid gasped at the sound of the last voice. "Uncle Firmar?" He had been but a hatchling when the First World War had broken out, and his uncle had fallen on the fields of Verdun, but he had never forgotten his deep and somber tone.
You did the best you could, the first voice called again, and we're all so proud of you, but now it's time to come home, dear.
"N-no, I, I can't," Taxid whimpered, as the orbs grew closer, their lights getting all the brighter and engulfing Taxid's vision. "I'm not ready..."
Nobody ever is, young one. But we're here for you.
It's going to be okay, Taxid. It's almost over now.
"No." A more powerful voice drowned out all other sounds, jolting Taxid out of his trance-like state. "Not yet."
A huge, grey dragon rose from the shadows; his wings blocking out the light and brushing the orbs to the side of the void as if they were nothing more than moths. He looked to be a great age, and was clad in a deep blue cloak trimmed with gemstones; at his sides were satchels, full of books and scrolls, and around his neck hung a mighty blue spirit gem. No king nor lord, president or prince, commanded as much sheer authority and power as he.
"There is still one path left for you to take, young king."
Instinctively, Taxid bowed his head. This could only be the "Chronicler" of myth; the dragon who watched over all and committed the deeds of the living to paper, so that their stories could survive long after they were gone.
"What would you have of me, ancient one?"
"You have left someone behind."
"I know." Taxid choked, tears filling his eyes, as he remembered the last thing he'd said to his beloved. With Warfang falling apart around them, she'd clutched at him, begging him not to leave the safety of their bunker, and he'd held her close, telling her not to be afraid, because he was just going to be gone for a moment, and then they'd be together again...
"Tell me that she's going to be alright without me." Taxid managed to say. "That's all I need to know."
"I cannot." The mighty dragon's voice boomed. Taxid looked up in horror.
"What do you mean?"
The Chronicler said nothing in response, but the mighty gemstone on his chest glowed even brighter than before, and shapes began to form in it. It didn't take long for them to become clear; lying unconscious on a hospital bed was Rose, an oxygen mask fitted to her face and a medicinal drip going into her foreclaw.
"She is fading." The Chronicler eventually spoke. "Her mind is in torment. And if she does not emerge from this coma, she will die."
"No!" Taxid cried. "What can I do? Whatever it takes, I'll do it!"
"Go to her in her time of need." The ancient dragon continued, as the mists below Taxid parted, revealing a swirling vortex of light. "Go, and then you may rest."
Taxid bowed his head in thanks, then, without any hesitation, dove towards the vortex, leaving the darkness and the spirits of his ancestors behind.

* * *

To Taxid's surprise, when he emerged from the vortex, he wasn't in a hospital, nor was Rose anywhere in sight. He had found himself in one of the parlours that had made up his and Rose's personal chambers, but even if he hadn't seen the smoking ruins of the his home when he'd left the safety of the bunker, he'd have sensed that something was horribly wrong. The room was dark and shadowy, the furniture within scorched and torn, and vicious cracks snaked through the flaking walls and ceiling, which looked like it was set to collapse at any moment. What little light there was seemed to be coming from outside, and Taxid pushed at one worn curtain, only for it to tear in his talons and reveal nothing outside but an ominous glowing mist.
This was...a dream, Taxid thought. Rose's dream. It had to be.
He moved to the door and gently pushed it open; the wood cracking as he touched it. Outside the room, the hallway was twisted and dark, with only a few wall fixtures still providing light. In a few places, Taxid could see tapestries and paintings still adorning the walls, but all tattered and torn.
"Rose?" he called out, hearing his voice echo down the dark corridors. No answer. He began walking in the direction of the Grand Hall, finding himself becoming steadily more uncomfortable as he passed destroyed rooms and fallen statues, and other broken remnants of the house he had spent his whole life in.
No, he thought, this wasn't the house he'd lived in. This was...a dark and cruel echo of it. And the thought of his wife in such a place...
"Rose!" he called again, picking up his pace. "Rose! Where are you?"
He darted into a servant's corridor that he knew led straight to the Grand Hall, and was forced to take flight when the stairwell he was using began to collapse beneath him. He landed not long afterwards in front of a door, which he knew opened on to a musician's gallery, and he gasped as he pushed it aside and saw the state of the Grand Hall within. The many statues lining the walls had almost all fallen from their plinths, and the great dome above had cracked, with large chunks of masonry missing from the ceiling.
There was a rumble, and the ruins suddenly shook, with another bit of rock dislodging itself from the dome and crashing to the floor. Taxid jerked back reflexively, only to hear the whimpering cries of a dragoness in pain as the building subsided once more.
Without thinking, Taxid rushed to the edge of the gallery, and looked down to see his mate sprawled across the mural of the purple dragon that lay near the hall entrance. She wasn't moving, and had left a trail of blood across the marble tiles of the hall.
"Rose!" he cried out.
Below him, his mate stirred, weakly raising her head. "Taxid?" she said, looking up, her expression weary.
"I'm here, Rose!" Taxid yelled, leaping over the balustrade and gliding down to her, with her desperately scrabbling at the floor to get to her feet as she saw him. Taxid saw her wince in pain as he landed, and he rushed to her side; throwing his wings around her and trying to help her stand. She quickly burrowed her head against his chest, weeping loudly, and Taxid had to will himself to not start crying in turn.
"Oh, Taxid," she sobbed. "I saw...I saw you-"
Taxid's stomach clenched tight. "I know, I know..." he said, feeling more and more guilty by the moment. Why had he left her? "I'm so sorry, my love."
Rose said nothing in response, but clutched at him tighter.
"Come on, now." he said, trying to lift her to her feet. "Can you walk? We need to get you out of here."
"I don't think I can make it, Taxid." Rose said, her voice weak.
"You can." Taxid said, insistently. "You can, and you will. You're going to make it, Rose."
"I can't..." she whimpered. "Everything hurts, Taxid."
"Rose, we can't stay here!" he said, looking anxiously up at the cracks in the great dome, which were spreading with each passing second. "You'll die if we don't get you to safety!"
In truth, Taxid wasn't sure just where they could find safety in this twisted nightmare world of Rose's, but he knew they had to leave this dark ruin.
"But what about you?" Rose said, raising her head and staring at him pleadingly.
"It's too late for me, Rose." Taxid sighed, stroking her cheek tenderly. "But you've still got time, my love. And our child..."
"You can't leave me again, Taxid!" Rose wailed.
"I don't want to leave you." he said, his voice low. "But you have to let me go, Rose."
"No!" she cried, clutching at him all the tighter. "I can't! I won't! I don't want to be alone, Taxid!"
"Rose..."
"You're all I have left!" she sobbed.
Taxid felt tears streaming down his own face now, and he pulled her into a closer embrace. If she wasn't going to move on her own, there was only one thing left to do.
"I'm going to carry you, Rose." Taxid said. "I'll get you out of here, I promise."
"No, Taxid, don't..."
"On three. One..."
"Taxid..."
"Two..."
As Taxid tried to lift her, Rose screamed in pain, blood dripping from her underside, and Taxid quickly lowered her back to the ground, crouching alongside her.
"Rose..." he pleaded.
"Please, Taxid." she whimpered, looking pleadingly up at him. "Don't leave me."
There was a sickening crunch above them, and Taxid looked up at the dome again in a panic, as a vast fragment began to break free. What could he do?
"Don't look, my love." he eventually said, holding her tighter with his wings. "It's going to be all right. I'm going to get you out of here, I promise."
He stretched out his neck over her back, as if to shield her, and closed his eyes; bracing himself for the impact of the rock.
Within seconds, Taxid was plunged into another darkness, but unlike the first time, there was no pain, nor any feeling. Everything had simply ceased to be.

* * *

Taxid was the first to wake, with sound once again being the first thing to greet him as he regained consciousness. Rather than shouts, though, this time it was the gentle gushing of waves, strangely quiet and tranquil. It didn’t take long for him to realise he must be lying on a beach; he could feel the sand in his claws, and the water lapping against his tail, while something soft landed on his scales. Despite this, he didn’t feel cold; there was a strange degree of warmth to his surroundings.
He opened his eyes. Yes, he was on a beach; a starry night sky hung overhead, while a few light clouds sprinkled snow to the ground, but all else was serene in its silence.

He felt a wing nudge against his side, and with a sigh of relief, Taxid turned and saw Rose snuggled up against him. Her injuries were gone, and no more did she look pained; she was at ease at last. She looked as beautiful as she had been the day they had wed.
He leaned forwards to nuzzle her, and noticed a tiny glowing ball of light, carefully held in her arms. It wasn’t one of the orbs who’d appeared to him before, but it was somehow familiar to him, and he felt nothing but love and affection towards it. He felt his shoulders loosen and his heart flutter to see them both so perfect. In that moment, he envied Rose; he wanted to be close to the little light, too, to hold it, clutch it close, and wrap his wings around it, around them both.
"Rose," Taxid whispered softly in her ear, "Rose, my love. Can you hear me?"
Slowly, the salmon pink dragoness stirred, her eyes blinking open. "Taxid?" she spoke, "Is that you?"
"Of course," he smiled, kissing her forehead as Rose slowly sat up.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"I...I don't know," he replied, "but we're together. That's all that matters."
Rose looked around. The little orb floated free from her talons and orbited around her, brushing up against her cheek. "It's so beautiful here." she said, nuzzling the orb back.
Taxid nodded. Now they were all awake, he could better take in his surroundings. They were definitely on an island of some sort. The beaches were so soft and pristine, it was hard to tell where the snow ended and the sand began. The sea was strangely still, save for the occasional gentle wave, and seemed to go on forever; a flat plane on the endless horizon. To the opposite, the beach climbed a gentle slope, eventually giving way to an evergreen forest, dusted with snow, and towering above the scene was a range of snowy hills, and a large, gleaming castle atop them. Nestled among the trees they could see glowing blue crystals, which seemed to form a path, inviting them to follow.

Together, Taxid, Rose, and their unborn child drifted towards the light. Taxid felt at ease. He was sad to go, but he knew that Avalar would be okay without him. Everyone back home would be able to handle things while he was gone. They were all very capable; perhaps more so than him, and he knew he could rely on them. Right now, though, the realm and the war all seemed so far away, and Taxid wanted to explore this new world with his family. With that wish granted, he was at last at peace.

Description

* * *

“Look out!”

"Ancestors!”

"TAXID!!! NO!!!"

Awareness gradually returned to Taxid Lucien, with panicked voices of screaming dragons echoing in his ears as he slowly stirred. Groaning, he opened his eyes, trying to fight the sense of nausea and disorientation. The sight that greeted him roused him immediately, and he jerked upright, frantically flapping his wings as he looked around in confusion. Everything was dark, and he couldn’t see any sign of ground beneath him, but at the same time he didn’t seem to be falling. He almost felt like he was...floating.
What...where was this? How had he got here? The last thing he remembered was the Golem's bulk approaching, the swinging of a mountain range of solid rock straight towards him, so much faster than something of that form should move, and then-
Taxid...
"Hello?" Taxid called. "Who's there? What's happening?"
Without warning, what felt like an explosion of brightness illuminated the void, and Taxid shielded his face with his wings, shocked by the sudden intensity of it all.
Don't be afraid, dear. The mystery voice was soft, decidedly feminine, and gave off a feeling of loving tenderness which, even in this most unsettling state, was comforting, and Taxid tentatively unfurled his wings, looking for the source. Ahead of him, a great light shone, cutting through the darkness, while smaller orbs of light seemed to be breaking away from it and drifting towards him.
Despite his initial fear, something about the light was calming to the young king, and Taxid found himself moving closer towards it and the orbs.
Come with us, Taxid, he heard the strange voice again, as one orb, glowing a strange, ethereal blue, appeared before his eyes.
"W-what are you?" Taxid whispered.
Someone who loves you very much, even though we never had the chance to meet, the voice replied.
We've watched over you for all your life, a much deeper voice called, as a glowing green orb moved to Taxid's side. But now it's time for you to join us.
Come, child, a third voice echoed, your time here is done.
Taxid choked, tears filling his eyes as comprehension slowly dawned. This couldn't be right, could it? He couldn't really be dead? He wasn't ready to meet his ancestors; not yet!
I know, I know, dear, the first voice soothed, as the blue orb rested on Taxid's nose. It's all right.
"It's not alright!" Taxid wept. "Oh, oh Ancestors, what have I done?"
You fought bravely, young king, and you did your ancestors proud, Taxid heard the deeper voice call, as the green orb flew closer. You died a hero; one who sacrificed himself to save his people, and became the king he was always meant to be.
Nobody will ever forget your name, brave Taxid, the third voice chimed.
Not until nothing is left of Avalar but the earth it was built upon.
Taxid gasped at the sound of the last voice. "Uncle Firmar?" He had been but a hatchling when the First World War had broken out, and his uncle had fallen on the fields of Verdun, but he had never forgotten his deep and somber tone.
You did the best you could, the first voice called again, and we're all so proud of you, but now it's time to come home, dear.
"N-no, I, I can't," Taxid whimpered, as the orbs grew closer, their lights getting all the brighter and engulfing Taxid's vision. "I'm not ready..."
Nobody ever is, young one. But we're here for you.
It's going to be okay, Taxid. It's almost over now.
"No." A more powerful voice drowned out all other sounds, jolting Taxid out of his trance-like state. "Not yet."
A huge, grey dragon rose from the shadows; his wings blocking out the light and brushing the orbs to the side of the void as if they were nothing more than moths. He looked to be a great age, and was clad in a deep blue cloak trimmed with gemstones; at his sides were satchels, full of books and scrolls, and around his neck hung a mighty blue spirit gem. No king nor lord, president or prince, commanded as much sheer authority and power as he.
"There is still one path left for you to take, young king."
Instinctively, Taxid bowed his head. This could only be the "Chronicler" of myth; the dragon who watched over all and committed the deeds of the living to paper, so that their stories could survive long after they were gone.
"What would you have of me, ancient one?"
"You have left someone behind."
"I know." Taxid choked, tears filling his eyes, as he remembered the last thing he'd said to his beloved. With Warfang falling apart around them, she'd clutched at him, begging him not to leave the safety of their bunker, and he'd held her close, telling her not to be afraid, because he was just going to be gone for a moment, and then they'd be together again...
"Tell me that she's going to be alright without me." Taxid managed to say. "That's all I need to know."
"I cannot." The mighty dragon's voice boomed. Taxid looked up in horror.
"What do you mean?"
The Chronicler said nothing in response, but the mighty gemstone on his chest glowed even brighter than before, and shapes began to form in it. It didn't take long for them to become clear; lying unconscious on a hospital bed was Rose, an oxygen mask fitted to her face and a medicinal drip going into her foreclaw.
"She is fading." The Chronicler eventually spoke. "Her mind is in torment. And if she does not emerge from this coma, she will die."
"No!" Taxid cried. "What can I do? Whatever it takes, I'll do it!"
"Go to her in her time of need." The ancient dragon continued, as the mists below Taxid parted, revealing a swirling vortex of light. "Go, and then you may rest."
Taxid bowed his head in thanks, then, without any hesitation, dove towards the vortex, leaving the darkness and the spirits of his ancestors behind.

* * *

To Taxid's surprise, when he emerged from the vortex, he wasn't in a hospital, nor was Rose anywhere in sight. He had found himself in one of the parlours that had made up his and Rose's personal chambers, but even if he hadn't seen the smoking ruins of the his home when he'd left the safety of the bunker, he'd have sensed that something was horribly wrong. The room was dark and shadowy, the furniture within scorched and torn, and vicious cracks snaked through the flaking walls and ceiling, which looked like it was set to collapse at any moment. What little light there was seemed to be coming from outside, and Taxid pushed at one worn curtain, only for it to tear in his talons and reveal nothing outside but an ominous glowing mist.
This was...a dream, Taxid thought. Rose's dream. It had to be.
He moved to the door and gently pushed it open; the wood cracking as he touched it. Outside the room, the hallway was twisted and dark, with only a few wall fixtures still providing light. In a few places, Taxid could see tapestries and paintings still adorning the walls, but all tattered and torn.
"Rose?" he called out, hearing his voice echo down the dark corridors. No answer. He began walking in the direction of the Grand Hall, finding himself becoming steadily more uncomfortable as he passed destroyed rooms and fallen statues, and other broken remnants of the house he had spent his whole life in.
No, he thought, this wasn't the house he'd lived in. This was...a dark and cruel echo of it. And the thought of his wife in such a place...
"Rose!" he called again, picking up his pace. "Rose! Where are you?"
He darted into a servant's corridor that he knew led straight to the Grand Hall, and was forced to take flight when the stairwell he was using began to collapse beneath him. He landed not long afterwards in front of a door, which he knew opened on to a musician's gallery, and he gasped as he pushed it aside and saw the state of the Grand Hall within. The many statues lining the walls had almost all fallen from their plinths, and the great dome above had cracked, with large chunks of masonry missing from the ceiling.
There was a rumble, and the ruins suddenly shook, with another bit of rock dislodging itself from the dome and crashing to the floor. Taxid jerked back reflexively, only to hear the whimpering cries of a dragoness in pain as the building subsided once more.
Without thinking, Taxid rushed to the edge of the gallery, and looked down to see his mate sprawled across the mural of the purple dragon that lay near the hall entrance. She wasn't moving, and had left a trail of blood across the marble tiles of the hall.
"Rose!" he cried out.
Below him, his mate stirred, weakly raising her head. "Taxid?" she said, looking up, her expression weary.
"I'm here, Rose!" Taxid yelled, leaping over the balustrade and gliding down to her, with her desperately scrabbling at the floor to get to her feet as she saw him. Taxid saw her wince in pain as he landed, and he rushed to her side; throwing his wings around her and trying to help her stand. She quickly burrowed her head against his chest, weeping loudly, and Taxid had to will himself to not start crying in turn.
"Oh, Taxid," she sobbed. "I saw...I saw you-"
Taxid's stomach clenched tight. "I know, I know..." he said, feeling more and more guilty by the moment. Why had he left her? "I'm so sorry, my love."
Rose said nothing in response, but clutched at him tighter.
"Come on, now." he said, trying to lift her to her feet. "Can you walk? We need to get you out of here."
"I don't think I can make it, Taxid." Rose said, her voice weak.
"You can." Taxid said, insistently. "You can, and you will. You're going to make it, Rose."
"I can't..." she whimpered. "Everything hurts, Taxid."
"Rose, we can't stay here!" he said, looking anxiously up at the cracks in the great dome, which were spreading with each passing second. "You'll die if we don't get you to safety!"
In truth, Taxid wasn't sure just where they could find safety in this twisted nightmare world of Rose's, but he knew they had to leave this dark ruin.
"But what about you?" Rose said, raising her head and staring at him pleadingly.
"It's too late for me, Rose." Taxid sighed, stroking her cheek tenderly. "But you've still got time, my love. And our child..."
"You can't leave me again, Taxid!" Rose wailed.
"I don't want to leave you." he said, his voice low. "But you have to let me go, Rose."
"No!" she cried, clutching at him all the tighter. "I can't! I won't! I don't want to be alone, Taxid!"
"Rose..."
"You're all I have left!" she sobbed.
Taxid felt tears streaming down his own face now, and he pulled her into a closer embrace. If she wasn't going to move on her own, there was only one thing left to do.
"I'm going to carry you, Rose." Taxid said. "I'll get you out of here, I promise."
"No, Taxid, don't..."
"On three. One..."
"Taxid..."
"Two..."
As Taxid tried to lift her, Rose screamed in pain, blood dripping from her underside, and Taxid quickly lowered her back to the ground, crouching alongside her.
"Rose..." he pleaded.
"Please, Taxid." she whimpered, looking pleadingly up at him. "Don't leave me."
There was a sickening crunch above them, and Taxid looked up at the dome again in a panic, as a vast fragment began to break free. What could he do?
"Don't look, my love." he eventually said, holding her tighter with his wings. "It's going to be all right. I'm going to get you out of here, I promise."
He stretched out his neck over her back, as if to shield her, and closed his eyes; bracing himself for the impact of the rock.
Within seconds, Taxid was plunged into another darkness, but unlike the first time, there was no pain, nor any feeling. Everything had simply ceased to be.

* * *

Taxid was the first to wake, with sound once again being the first thing to greet him as he regained consciousness. Rather than shouts, though, this time it was the gentle gushing of waves, strangely quiet and tranquil. It didn’t take long for him to realise he must be lying on a beach; he could feel the sand in his claws, and the water lapping against his tail, while something soft landed on his scales. Despite this, he didn’t feel cold; there was a strange degree of warmth to his surroundings.
He opened his eyes. Yes, he was on a beach; a starry night sky hung overhead, while a few light clouds sprinkled snow to the ground, but all else was serene in its silence.

He felt a wing nudge against his side, and with a sigh of relief, Taxid turned and saw Rose snuggled up against him. Her injuries were gone, and no more did she look pained; she was at ease at last. She looked as beautiful as she had been the day they had wed.
He leaned forwards to nuzzle her, and noticed a tiny glowing ball of light, carefully held in her arms. It wasn’t one of the orbs who’d appeared to him before, but it was somehow familiar to him, and he felt nothing but love and affection towards it. He felt his shoulders loosen and his heart flutter to see them both so perfect. In that moment, he envied Rose; he wanted to be close to the little light, too, to hold it, clutch it close, and wrap his wings around it, around them both.
"Rose," Taxid whispered softly in her ear, "Rose, my love. Can you hear me?"
Slowly, the salmon pink dragoness stirred, her eyes blinking open. "Taxid?" she spoke, "Is that you?"
"Of course," he smiled, kissing her forehead as Rose slowly sat up.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"I...I don't know," he replied, "but we're together. That's all that matters."
Rose looked around. The little orb floated free from her talons and orbited around her, brushing up against her cheek. "It's so beautiful here." she said, nuzzling the orb back.
Taxid nodded. Now they were all awake, he could better take in his surroundings. They were definitely on an island of some sort. The beaches were so soft and pristine, it was hard to tell where the snow ended and the sand began. The sea was strangely still, save for the occasional gentle wave, and seemed to go on forever; a flat plane on the endless horizon. To the opposite, the beach climbed a gentle slope, eventually giving way to an evergreen forest, dusted with snow, and towering above the scene was a range of snowy hills, and a large, gleaming castle atop them. Nestled among the trees they could see glowing blue crystals, which seemed to form a path, inviting them to follow.

Together, Taxid, Rose, and their unborn child drifted towards the light. Taxid felt at ease. He was sad to go, but he knew that Avalar would be okay without him. Everyone back home would be able to handle things while he was gone. They were all very capable; perhaps more so than him, and he knew he could rely on them. Right now, though, the realm and the war all seemed so far away, and Taxid wanted to explore this new world with his family. With that wish granted, he was at last at peace.