Three glowing green eyes illuminated a fanged smile set in a jet-black visage. "Lothrak!" Kathonir replied. "I saw you slipping out. What's going on, brother?"

Lothrak's heart missed a beat, an instant rush of joy rushing through him as he heard Kathonir call him 'brother'. Smiling stupidly, he replied.

"Nothing... brother, I just needed a moment."

Upon hearing that, the black-scale laughed. "First feast overwhelming you, Loth?" he jested. "I'd relish being on the high table while you still can, you know. Only the Vorgalins and Kazorans get to sit up there most of the time."

Lothrak narrowed his eyes. "I already know that, Kath. I've been studying feast etiquette for half my life. And I've made my best impressions on the champions and masters already. If I hadn't, I wouldn't be here now."

Kath chuckled. "That's very true, little brother... very true indeed."

Lothrak paused pensively before speaking again, and Kathonir turned, reacting to the overflowing happiness that spurred his speech.

"We made it, Kath. After all this time, we've made it."

Kathonir smiled, leaning over the edge of the balcony. "Yeah..." was all he could muster as the fluttering flames of nostalgia danced through his brain.

Lothrak turned to him. "What are you thinking about?"

"The nights when we sat on the hatchery roof and watched the parade. You remember that?"

Lothrak's heart warmed as he propped his elbows on the outcrop's railing. "Of course I do. We gawked at the knights soaring over the grounds, then cry out in fear as they passed overhead and woke everyone up." The blue-scale, the younger of the two, sighed. "Fond times."

Kath smiled, radiating contentment. "Indeed. And now, the next generation of nobles will look to us for inspiration." A clawed hand found its way onto Lothrak's shoulder. "It's like we said we would, Loth. We'll be the next great legends of the Empire, you and I! Brother-Wardens, drenched in the blood of our people's enemies!"

Lothrak beamed. Visions of him and Kathonir standing triumphant over a mountain of corpses, their armour and weapons slick with blood, flooded his brain. Crowds of warriors and brother-Wardens cheered them on, and even Gendros looked up to Lothrak, pride shimmering in his mind as he saw his long-time apprentice rise to become a legend of the Xan-Klar Empire-

It was then that Lothrak's mind pulsed. The thought that brought him out here returned to him, and the burning fires of his dreams simmered down into quiet embers. Before his face had even shown any change, Kathonir turned to him.
"Loth? What's troubling you?"

Turning to his long-time friend, Lothrak answered. "Kath, do you remember the preachers we saw in the streets a few days ago?"

Kathonir raised his middle and right eyebrows. "The ones who were boasting about our species' supremacy? Yes I do. Why are you thinking about that?"

Lothrak blinked slowly, still pondering as he spoke. "What did you think about what they said?"

Kath smirked. "Well, it's easy to agree with them. In half a lifetime, we've gone from brawling with each other on just one world to conquering two-tens from the Sirthon. If we weren't superior, we wouldn't have won, would we?"

Lothrak considered. "But if that was the case, how did the Sirthon have an empire before we did? Surely, if we are so superior, we'd have created the first and only spacefaring state?"

Kathonir's mind remained unaltered. "You make a good point..." the black-scale said "...but then who's to say that the Emperor himself is to hold as responsible for our rise to power? After what our people went through, I feel we would have taken revenge upon the Sirthon scum regardless, even without his Majesty's influence."

Electricity shot up Lothrak's spine as he heard that, alarm spearing into his chest. His friend had spoken words of treason with the brashness and confidence of a raging torak. "Stay your tongue, Kath!" he hissed warily. "Your bravado will be the death of you!"

Kathonir chuffed in his throat, swallowing his spittle instead of his pride. "Come on, Lothrak. You don't seriously believe that the Emperor alone is responsible for our victories, do you? Kornikar Ironwrought conquered an entire sector in just five years! Telkren the Voidreaper crushed the Republic's fleet in the Hrask Nebula without losing a single ship! Gendros himself led the charge on Tharkal; twenty Wardens against an entire Sirthon division! All these great heroes, and we accredit all their work to the Emperor alone? If you ask me, that's an injustice in itself!"

Lothrak gazed up at his friend. "Is this Kathonir speaking, or is the master speaking through the apprentice's teeth?"

Kathinor scoffed. "Crezran Vorgalin's words have always held true, Lothrak. But I can tell you disagree, so speak your mind." Anger simmered in Kathonir's gaze. "Tell me, little brother; if so many Xan-Klar can be great warriors and leaders, why should an Emperor rule over us?"

A distant memory immediately lurched into the forefront of Lothrak's mind as his friend's words reached his ear. A memory Lothrak had been latching onto so that he might be prepared for what had happened today.

"Very well, Kath, I'll tell you." The blue scale lowered his gaze. "A week ago, I asked Gendros about what he did during his knighting ceremony. When I asked him what he thought of his vows, he said that the final vow was different back when he was a Nageeran."

Lothrak's best friend turned sharply. "Really?" Kathonir asked, curiosity and confusion swaddling his mind. And Lothrak replied.

"Yes. He said that back when he took his vows, the Wardens weren't bound to the Empire. That they merely served the people freely, as they saw fit."

Kath's green eyes widened. "Interesting."

Lothrak blinked solemnly. "He also told me that he hated it. So many atrocities unanswered for. So many crimes gone unpunished. So many honourless weaklings allowed to rule, constraining the strong with promises of calm and complacency."

Kathonir became pensive, thoughts turning in his head, as Lothrak continued. "Many Xan-Klar, then and now, have been great warriors and leaders, but their visions were often only of themselves. Their own glory, their own wealth, and their own petty kingdoms. The Emperor is selfless. He cares for all Xan-Klar. Scales of all colours are equal now, and serve the nation with honour and love, no longer slaving beneath pathetic and miserable despots."

The blue-scale paused to breathe, his love for his people and nation pouring out of every word he said and a fiery aura of pride building around him, powerful enough for two Xan-Klar. "Do not forget, Kath, that it was the Emperor himself led our ancestors in defence of our homeworld, and defeated the Sirthon were no-one else could. It was the Emperor who united Tratkaloth, brought all Xan-Klar under one banner, and led us to win the war against those who would destroy us. Even if we judge a Xan-Klar's worth by his exploits instead of his title... I say no-one is more worthy to lead the Empire than His Majesty. We might be a great species, but that just makes him the greatest of us all."

"Well said, Lothrak-kar," came a familiar voice.

The brothers froze, and their heads suddenly snapped around to see Gendros standing on the balcony behind them, polished horns glinting in the blood-red sun. Seeing the silver-scale, Lothrak and Kathonir immediately dropped their tails to the floor and lowered their heads.

"Kazoran," they said in perfect unison.

Gendros inclined his head. "Karugens."

Lothrak was the first to reply. "Forgive us, master. We did not notice your approach."

The grey elder nodded slowly. "You need not plead, new Karugen. This is your day of ascension, and I am proud to see you so devout in your words to the Emperor."

Lothrak, disciplined by years under Gendros' tutelage, did not let himself feel pride at that comment. Heart clenched in his chest, he lowered his head again. "Thank you, master," he replied humbly.

It was then that Kathonir spoke, his tone hurried and earnest. "Absolve me of my negligence, Gendros-ur. My words were born of principle, not of treason."

The silver-scaled master spoke sternly. "You are forgiven on both counts. But be warned, Kathonir-kar. Many a traitor has justified their principles to themselves, be they commoner, noble or slave." The Kazoran craned his neck down and looked upwards, locking gazes with the black-scale. "You have taken your oaths. I suggest that you heed them, lest your desire for glory lead you astray."

Deep, horrific embarrassment swallowed Kathonir, engulfing him from head to foot as Kathonir read him like a scroll. Stammering for a reply, all Kath could manage was "I will, Gendros-ur. I promise."

"Another vow for you to keep." The knight-master remarked. "Time will tell you if you hold it true."
Kathonir hung his head, his mind burning with shame, while Lothrak looked on with a heavy heart.

"Now, I am sorry to interrupt your debate, but there is someone to see us, brother-Wardens."

"Who, master?" Lothrak inquired.

Gendros turned to his apprentice. "Follow. You will see."