The sounds of shuffling stirred the blonde from sleep. She sat up in haste, looking about with anxiety. She half expected to see the enemy closing in on her. Much to her relief, Edileth saw that the noise had come from all the elves gathering their things and leaving the large, cavernous room. She glanced to Yena and Rikku who had also awoken.

The elves resumed their long march down through the corridors. Even though Torbedhnik had enchanted the entrance, there was a sense of urgency. Some had raised the concern that the enemy might know of this passage and be waiting at the base of the cliff to slaughter them. Edileth shuddered at the thought.

Quite some time had passed – Edileth walked without much thought, focusing on the feet of the elf before her – when a voice spoke her name. Startled, the rothnak turned.

"How are you doing?"

"Tired. But I shall manage."

Joenek reached for her pack.

"Let me carry this for you."

"There's no need; it isn't too heavy."

Joenek was quiet for a moment. He studied her as they plodded along. Finally, he broke his silence.

"Have I done something wrong? You've barely said a word to me since...the other night."

"I've no wish to talk about it."

"I did do something, then. Can you tell me what it is? I'll try to make amends."

"Not now, Joenek."

"You did enjoy our time together, though. Am I right?"

Edileth spun to face the roth, her limbs shaking from shame and fury.

"This is not the time; I should very much like to forget about that night. Now, leave me be."

The rothnak did not wait to see Joenek's reaction. Instead she turned and continued following the other elves as they advanced farther into the earth. She felt the pressure of tears in her eyes and fought against them.

Edileth had been grateful for the distraction that the arrival of the Si-olian forces had provided. After she had made her way to the Tactics Chambers with Celik, the Ferlians had spent much time in the final preparations before the siege.

The two legions had arrived near mid-day, wasting no time in making their own arrangements for the coming interaction. The enemy had brought a wheeled, counterweight trebuchet; presumably built using resources from the countless towns and villages they had plundered along the way.

According to what Celik and the other scouts had been able to determine, the enemy forces contained approximately one thousand archers and more than double that in lerecht.

The siege had started shortly after the Si-olians arrived, with their trebuchet operator sending stones hurtling across the expanse and into the walls near the North gate. Some of the Eb-dae specializing in use of the longbow worked to bring down the elf operating the siege engine. Though they had succeeded, another elf soon replaced his fallen comrade.

The Si-olian archers had worked at removing their counterparts upon the walls of Filne-Semmit; succeeding in felling several Narenthians.

The sieging had gone on well into the night. In the morning, the enemy resumed launching missiles toward the gate. Nearly twenty-four hours after the sieging started, the enemy succeeded in creating a small opening. Many of those protecting Filne-Semmit made their way to the northern wall, to keep the Si-olian forces at bay.

However, the crushing blow came late in the afternoon, when Marrik's treachery had led a number of the enemy into the eastern side of the keep. The Narenthians had fought to maintain possession of the keep; in the end, their efforts could not hold back the tide of the enemy on multiple fronts.

Edileth tried to avoid contemplating the battle. Her mind was plagued with thoughts of those she had slain. She knew it had been essential for her survival. Yet she could not shake the feeling of discomfort. It was not the first time she had taken a life, yet she found that the act of killing haunted her.

At least I did not lose my senses during the fighting. Aside from dealing with Marrik, I was able to maintain my composure. And no one was harmed because of me...

Edileth's thoughts turned to a season that seemed to have come from a different lifetime, altogether.

Despite the hatred that Veshmón's mother held for Edileth, she had risen within the ranks of the Kerindhian Guard. By the time she was nineteen summers, she had become one of the elite members, due to her innate skills with a variety of weapons.

Yet that autumn, Veshmón had requested the aid of several members of the Guard. He located a small band of those loyal to Sir Haendr, the knight who had failed to have Lord Dhain assassinated twelve summers prior – and who had recently succeeded in his treacherous endeavor. Together the group traversed the mountainous terrain, two days later arriving at the location where the traitors gathered.

It was in the midst of the fray that Edileth balked. One of the elves had attacked and, after successfully felling the roth, Edileth felt shock wash over her. She stared at the corpse that lay at her feet in horror, feeling bile rise in her throat.

When she finally tore her gaze from the felled enemy, she saw one of the rogues charging Veshmón. She ran to protect the new Baron but hesitated at the last moment. In horror, she watched the attacker hack at the Baron's leg. Veshmón cried out in agony, dropping to the ground.

After the attack ended, the other members of the Guard removed the dented armor from the Baron's thigh. They reset the bone as best as they could. It was not until they had returned to Merrím Villelle that the son of Dhain received proper medical treatment, by which time infection had begun. The healers worked hard to remove the infected tissue and save Veshmón's leg.

Edileth shuddered at the memory.

She glanced about her, as she heard some slight commotion from the elves she had been following. The rothnak noticed, then, that the corridor was growing brighter. Looking ahead, she saw a small-ish opening. Edileth breathed a sigh of relief. The dimness of the caverns had set her thoughts upon dark and troubling matters. She longed for the light of day.

A few moments later, Edileth stepped out into the crisp, early-morning air.