The sky bled orange as the sun peered over the horizon. Despite not a single cloud in sight, Loldirr knew the rain would be on its way.

Immersing herself once more into the calm river, she took a deep breath allowing the water to wash all over her.

With the sun rising, she would have to move quickly, even though the smell of faeces clung to her relentlessly. Chrys' map of the sewers had been instrumental in escaping Lionmane, but the trip had been arduous and repulsive. Spending hours waist-deep in people's shit was enough for both of them to heave several times, and by the time they had fallen out of the city walls, they were both exhausted.

For a few more hours they had travelled away from the roads hoping that no one would pick up their awful stench, and when the coast finally seemed clear, they ditched their clothes, and both jumped stark naked into the river.

Lifting her head out of the water, Loldirr allowed it to wash over her face and slip down her body as if a new lease of life had just flowed over her. Pushing her way to the bank, she smiled at her friend and saviour, who was already dressing in a new set of clothes which she had organised to be left at this exact point in the river.

How did Chrys plan this so thoroughly?

"I'm guessing we can't burn our old clothes?" Loldirr asked as the smell of them grew more rancid.

Chrys smiled but remained quiet, despite their escape, there was still a lot of things on her mind; it was only the beginning of an arduous trip back to Ravenscourt.

Dressing in a hunters outfit, Loldirr felt more herself than the dresses she had been encouraged to wear in Lionmane. As she tightened her leather breeches and slipped on her boots, a sigh of relief inadvertently escaped her mouth. Pulling her shirt over her wet fire kissed locks, she smiled.

Chrys reached behind a tree and pulled out some long items wrapped in a cloth, as she unravelled them, both of the young women were greeted with Loldirr's sword, bow and a quiver of arrows.

"How did you?" Loldirr asked, confused by her friend's resourcefulness.

"Da's network is throughout Lionmane; you'd be surprised on what areas and information I have access to," Chrys replied, her dimples sinking into her cheeks, bringing out a smile that had been in short supply recently.

As they both smiled, the air of joy was quickly cut open as the sound of wooden wheels creaking along a stony path could be heard in the distance. Without hesitation, Chrys disappeared into the surrounding bushes and trees which spurred Loldirr to grab the rest of her gear and follow.

Pushing their way up the hill, they both studied a wagon as it gradually came to a standstill. Instinctively Loldirr raised her bow and placed an arrow carefully in her hand.

Ready to release the arrow at the sign of trouble, she was taken aback when Chrys carefully rested her hand on Loldirr's.

"Don't worry; they are not a threat," Chrys responded.

Exiting the bushes, the two men on the wagon smiled and jumped off, "Good to see you milady." they responded.

Chrys smiled "No trouble I assume?" she replied as the two men walked around to the back of the wagon.

"Nay, milady. Everything happened exactly as was instructed."

Loldirr lowered her bow staring at Chrys in amazement. As they reached down to a compartment underneath the wagon, a voice she recognised all too well could be heard bleating hysterically.

"Get me out, get me out, GET ME OUT!" the voice cried as the two men reached into the compartment and pulled out a short elf in tattered clothing.

"Erdudvyl?" Loldirr reacted.

Erdudvyl squinted as her eyes adjusted to the intense difference in the light she had endured. It didn't take long for her smile to return as she too recognised a voice she thought she would never hear again. "Loldirr? Is that you?"

Before Erdudvyl's legs gave way, Loldirr raced to her and embraced her as if her life depended on it "I thought I'd never see you again!" she responded, her voice cracking as tears flooded her eyes.

Erdudvyl reacted similarly, the embrace causing her to be briefly incapable of speech.

As the wagon rumbled away, Chrys smiled at the two companions whose adventure in the capital had been anything but expected.

As the rain started to fall, each of them didn't seem to care. To be together once more as friends and companions had been something they had longed for since Loldirr's execution.

***

"Pass me some of the rabbit?" Chrys asked as they sat around a small fire with the sun slowly descending behind the hills.

They had walked all day, staying clear of the roads but away from spots known to be havens for bandits.

Loldirr's aim had been correct as always, providing them with much-needed food and with there being streams aplenty from the river Farlord, they had managed to keep themselves well-nourished.

Patrol's from the capital had been almost nonexistent; therefore, lighting a small fire did not appear to be a risky venture.

"How long until we get to Hasselborough?" Erdudvyl asked.

"Two more days, then it will be west to Ravenscourt," Loldirr replied.

The spirit had been initially jovial, but with the fate of Ravenscourt potentially in the balance, it wasn't long before the mood started to sour.

"How big did you say was the army?" Loldirr asked.

"Ten thousand strong minimum." Erdudvyl replied, "I guess it's enough to take Ravenscourt?"

Loldirr sighed. While she had never been in a battle or siege, Edric had spoken long and hard about military tactics, experiences and even underhanded schemes. "Ravenscourt has strong walls, but it's a big city, and there simply aren't enough men to man the walls. It will be a tough slog, but eventually, Ravenscourt will fall, especially if Ethelston isn't prepared."

A loud sigh escaped Erdudvyl's lips. "Ravenscourt is essential for our success; we need to make sure all is done to achieve victory."

Loldirr took a small chunk of meat in her fingers and chewed on its charred tenderness. "Then we obtain horses at Hasselborough and make haste to Ravenscourt. It should give Ethelston the time he needs."

Chrys looked towards Erdudvyl, Erdudvyl returned a solemn glance. Despite fate bringing them back together again, it would only be for a short amount of time.

"Loldirr, I have received dreams, visions, and until now I knew not what they meant, but while my journey leads me to Ravenscourt, yours must diverge elsewhere," Erdudvyl explained.

Loldirr returned a confused glance, "I don't understand?"

"I had visions of you in a fire, followed by visions of you in ice. You walked out of the fire, and now you must embrace the ice. Ravenscourt can not stand against Lionmane's army, and I have no idea if Ethelston would be able to raise enough reinforcements, " Erdudvyl sighed, "you must head north over the mountains and then west to the Tribes of Fœrdic and convince them to join the fight."

The Tribes of Fæordic were northern tribes deep in the snows of Jadordheim. Their ferocity in battle was legendary, as was their stubbornness. Despite being a dozen different societies that ran their tribes independently, combining them over the ages had proven to be instrumental in turning the tide of many wars in the past.

Getting to them, and convincing them would be two insanely tricky assignments.

"Tribes of Fæordic? How can I convince them? This is the most absurd idea yet." Loldirr retorted.

"Visions do not make sense, but they should not be dismissed. The tribes were loyal to house Aex-Igh for centuries, even during my lifetime. They have been ignored, forgotten. Yet they do not forget the years of prosperity they endured as allies of your ancestors. You must convince them because only you can."

Loldirr folded her arms, her face a picture of thunder, "and what? Do you expect them just to raise an army for me because I ask?"

Erdudvyl returned a scowl, "You are the Elemental Sorceress, the rightful heir to the empire, the phoenix that rose from the ashes, how long will you doubt who you are? If you do not succeed, Ravenscourt will likely fall, and with it your chances of retaking your throne. You must raise an army!"

Loldirr looked towards Chrys who had remained quiet throughout the whole time. "And I suppose you agree with her?"

Chrys' dimples reappeared with the question, her smile brought ease to the debate. "I don't understand visions, or dreams, or Elemental Sorceresses. What I do understand is that I believed in you even before you walked out of the fire, and now I know of thousands, in just Lionmane, that have started to do so too. You are my friend and my empress, if anyone can convince the stubborn, harsh men and women of Fæordic to raise arms, then you can."

Loldirr was left speechless. She turned to Erdudvyl who shrugged her shoulders and smiled before turning to Chrys who continued to chew on her rabbit meat. "Then I guess we must prepare to head north."

Chrys placed her meat down, looking towards Erdudvyl and then back to Loldirr. Her smile had vanished, and her eyes seemed clouded by the words she was about to say. "I can not go milady."

"What? Why not?" Loldirr asked, confused.

"I've learnt a lot from father in the realm of being a spymaster, and if there's one key thing that he taught me, it was to prepare for the long game. Today is Ravenscourt, tomorrow is Lionmane, and you've seen for yourself that Lionmane is almost impenetrable," explained Chrys.

Loldirr face saddened, her eyes dulled at the response, "But what has that got to do with you?"

"If you were to land on the steps of Lionmane with even a hundred thousand men, Lionmane would stand tall, and the Emperor would stand laughing over the corpses. If you were to organise civil unrest within the capital, it would be quelled quicker than it started and the streets would be littered with the dead. However, if you had both simultaneously, there is no way the Emperor would be able to win against that type of chaos. The people in Lionmane are angry but without hope. You have now given them hope as the last remaining Aex-Igh, but they need organisation. I can give them that organisation so when you return with an army at your back, the city, and the Empire will be yours."

"Chrys' right, " confirmed Erdudvyl, "I've never seen anyone plan, scheme and organise with such efficiency. We need her on the inside."

Loldirr slumped back, deflated by the arguments. She wanted so badly to argue that they were wrong, yet even in her mind, she knew the words they spoke were valid. She would have to let her friend go.

"This is not goodbye," Chrys commented as if reading her thoughts, "this is till we meet again. My Empress."

Loldirr flung herself at Chrys and embraced her tightly. Both of their cheeks glistened brightly as their tears slid down their pale skin, for Loldirr to lose her now was unbearable. "But I need you Chrys; you've saved me from myself so much, how can I go on without your direction."

Chrys leant into Loldirr, her lips close to her ear, she whispered the words just loud enough for them to take meaning into her heart. "Because you are the Isovine Empress, my liege. You don't need anyone's direction but your own. You know what is right and what is wrong, we don't need to tell you because the answers are already embedded in your heart."

Loldirr sighed and spluttered as the words took hold. She held her friend tight as if it was the last time they would see each other, but deep down she knew that it wouldn't be.

As the fire started to dim and its embers disintegrated, the last of the food was eaten, and their journey was about to continue.

Watching her two friends disappear into the trees, with Erdudvyl heading to Ravenscourt and Chrys walking to Lionmane, she felt the pain of loneliness that she had not felt before. With Willis and Edric, their passing had been horrific but definitive, whereas now, there was no way of knowing the length of time until they may see each other again and that uncertainty hurt more than anything else.

She shook her head in frustration before looking to the stars to determine north. She was the Elemental Sorceress and Empress of Isovine. She knew that despite her pain and anxiety, her decisions and actions were for the greater good.

Heading north, she pushed her way forward through the bushes. She would cross the mountains and then head west to the Fœrdic Tribes, where she would gain an army and protect Ravenscourt. Because if she didn't, Ravenscourt would fall, and with it, all chances of taking her throne would fail. Then with the retained lousy leadership of Arnaud III, no one would resist the Necromancer and his army. With that, the army would leave a wake of death that would cover the land.