"So He Who Is has an opposite too?"
"I guess so."
"So this Greater Power that Idalia has summoned must be that opposite. Or at least a part of it. Because if everything were really back in balance, we'd already have won."
Kellen thought about it. It seemed right. If there was one thing he knew for sure about the Wild Magic, it was that it didn't solve your problems for you. It helped, but you had to help yourself as well.
"Then Redhelwar's right," Kellen said at last. "They're as weak now as They're going to be. And if the Greater Power can keep He Who Is from getting through for at least a while, this is our best chance."
"To do what?" Cilarnen asked.
"To deny Them Armethalieh," Kellen said. "And if possible to convince the High Mages to fight on our side." Cilarnen laughed bitterly.
"Well, so long as you're not planning to do that today, I'm going to bed. Unless there's something else you need right now?"
"Not today," Kellen assured him.
* * * * *
THAT had been almost a sennight ago. Today…
Today he'd discovered that Jermayan was alive after all.
"I just thought you'd like to know," Shalkan said casually, when Kellen came to the Grove that morning, "that when I was out for my morning canter, I saw a dragon in the sky."
Kellen simply stared at him.
"A dragon," Shalkan repeated patiently. "A black dragon. In the sky. Flying."
"An - Ancaladar?" Kellen stammered.
"Do you know of any other dragons?" the unicorn answered. "They're flying with the army. It should be here in a sennight or so."
"I But How ? I mean… Jermayan couldn't have been wrong about his spell. Could he?"
"No," Shalkan said. "I think, when you talk to him, you may find him just as surprised by this turn of events as you are. But it's just possible with one of the Great Powers afoot in the world again after so long that we should not expect everything to go as we have been used to. Just a thought."
"Huh," Kellen said. "Well, if they aren't going to, we could use a few more of them going this way. I'm going to go find Keirasti. We'll tell Vestakia."
"And I suppose you'll want me to tell Cilarnen," Shalkan said, trying to sound cross, and failing.
"You know he'll feed you honey-disks."
"Honey-cakes," Shalkan corrected eagerly, turning and trotting off.
* * * * *
KEIRASTI'S troop had made their way to the encampment a few days before. Kellen walked back down into the camp to share the good news with her.
She did not answer at her tent, and the flap was pinned back, indicating that she was not there. Maredhiel told him that Keirasti had gone down to the Angarussa, as she frequently did on her early morning rides. He saddled Firareth and found the Elven Knight, as he so often did, standing in the snow gazing out at the new bridge, Orata's reins in her hand.
"I See you, Keirasti," he said.
"I See you, Kellen," she said, without turning around. "I promise you, if I see another four centuries, and spend all of them standing here, I shall never get used to this bridge, useful though it is."
Was that how old she was? He'd never asked, of course. He didn't know whether it was rude or not to ask Elves their ages. It had simply never come up.
Well, Idalia had once said that Keirasti was old enough to be his grandmother…
And apparently more, by several hundred years.
"I have good news," he said. "I've just spoken to Shalkan. He tells me that Jermayan is alive."
"Alive!" She turned around. "Leaf and Star! This news comes in a good hour! It… would be good to know how such a thing can be, of course."
"I'm not really sure, and neither is Shalkan. But he and Ancaladar are with the army, and they'll be here soon. We can ask them then. I was hoping that you'd accompany me to let Vestakia know."
"Now this is a duty I shall be happy to discharge," Keirasti said, grinning broadly. She swung up into Orata's saddle and the two of them turned back toward the camp.
* * * * *
VESTAKIA simply burst into tears when she heard, flinging herself into Keirasti's arms.
It was one of the reasons Kellen hadn't wanted to be alone with her when he gave her the news.
He knew that every night now, when she slept, Vestakia's dreams took her to Shadow Mountain, into the mind of the Prince of Shadow Mountain. Closer, each night, to his innermost thoughts and plans.
It was a place nothing of the Light should have to go.
But the images the impressions Vestakia was able to relay to him were important than even Vestakia's life. They were changing Their tactics.
Vestakia wasn't completely sure, but she had the idea that Shadow Mountain was calling its Allies back to it, out of the Elven Lands and the High Reaches. The Ice Trolls and the Frost Giants. Something They called Dwerro. Others she wasn't quite sure of.
Every creature that owed fealty to Them, and could withstand sunlight, was being massed together.
I think They're finally going to meet us on the battlefield, Kellen thought.
But by now Kellen was wise enough to know that the traditional battle the Elves had always hoped for could only end in disaster for the Allies. Even if their numbers were evenly matched something he had no way of knowing the Endarkened would have more powerful Mages at their beck, and far more of them, than the Allies could possibly hope to put into the field. Even with this new Ally that Idalia had summoned.
Unless they could take Armethalieh before the battle and turn it to their side.
He made up his mind.
When he left Vestakia in her tent, he sought out Isinwen.
* * * * *