Ascendant

If you love with your eyes, death is forever. If you love with your heart, there is no such thing as parting.

I try not to lean on hope,” Brode said, “nor give room to despair. Take each event as it comes.

Because it’s all they know.

and he’s more a rider in his fool heart than you’ve ever been.

We don’t know tomorrow, so it may always be brighter.

But I shall treasure that image of the moon and stars so bright.

But I think I understand what you mean by father now. You find all things in him, joy and love and learning. And I know now why you seek him.

I’d rather face that dragon than live as a mouse forever!

You are a rod of iron,” Brode said. “And I will beat you into steel.

Chaos comes, night shall fall, King or Farmer, it takes all, armies stand but cannot shoulder, only riders can bring order.

I’m glad to experience the world as I do rather than not at all. And as for others of my kind, they can accept me or not as they choose. I will not allow my own worth to be determined by them.

And yet,” Brode said at length, his eyes still fixed on Holt, “perhaps a little chaos is exactly what we need now.

She knelt at Brode’s side and bent low to his ear. “I got him back,” she whispered fiercely. “Silas. I got him. And Holt and Ash got Clesh.

Thank you.” He gulped. This was turning out to be a lot harder than he had anticipated. “It would be better if you could come with us.” “It would be better if you could stay.” There seemed nothing left to do but hug her, and so the commoner embraced the queen. Both outcasts from the Order. Both bringing chaos in their way, but both knowing they had made the right choices. Neither had regrets. “Goodbye, princess.” “Goodbye, pot boy.” She sniffed and did something he hadn’t been prepared for. She kissed him lightly on the cheek. As she pulled away, Holt felt the spot burn, though that might have been his skin flushing bright red. Quickly he made for Pyra next. “Didn’t think we’d leave without embarrassing you, did you?” He wrapped his arms around the purple dragon’s neck. Pyra’s throat rumbled with heat and laughter, and her long neck snaked down around him. “Farewell, little one. I shall miss your cooking.

No, you don’t,” he said, stepping closer. “Not yet. You will, one day. And you’ll learn that the love we have for them makes us do terrible things. He knows our greatest weakness all too well.” Silas readied himself into an advanced guard position. Talia did the same, stepping forward with care. “They made you do it—” she started. “No, girl. No one made me. I did it because Clesh insisted upon joining Sovereign. I did it because I’d be killed otherwise, and I’d have gladly died, but even now… even now I wouldn’t want Clesh to feel the pain of this… ripped in two. I did it because I loved him, even though I’m also glad he’s gone.” His voice cracked horribly. “I have nothing now.

Flayers sped ahead of the horde, their blade arms scything before them; huge hammer-headed beetles, the juggernauts, stampeded like bulls; swollen carriers and fast-moving stingers filled the skies. And of course, masses of ghouls.

He trailed off into a sniff. Not as heroic as he would have liked. Not the conviction of Commander Denna, not the presence of Osric, not the undeniable power of Silas Silverstrike. But Denna was dead. Osric enslaved. And Silas a traitor. There was only Holt and Talia now. Two children left where the heroes had fallen or lost their way.