Paragon of Destruction

Zehava gasped audibly at Snowcloud's words. "You can heal the Patriarch's injuries?"

"He wasn't injured," Snowcloud said, her voice grave. "He was poisoned, and I have the antidote."

A deep frown appeared on Zehava's forehead. "Poisoned? But I thought…"

"It's true," Rockblaze interrupted her. "The Society has kept it quiet, because the poisoning of a Patriarch means powerful Shadowflame members were involved. And if it gets out that there are traitors among our leaders, it could tear the Society apart." He furrowed his brow and looked at Snowcloud. "But you say you have an antidote? How confident are you that it will work?"

"Very confident," Snowcloud said. "Before she disappeared, my mother figured out the type of poison that was used against Grandfather. I recreated that poison, then used an adult dragon to create the antidote."

There was a hint of surprise in Rockblaze's eyes as he heard his, but he did not question Snowcloud's words. Instead, his expression turned thoughtful, and he said, "Then, assuming you made the poison correctly, the antidote should work. I take it you already consumed the dragon's blood yourself?"

"I did," Snowcloud replied plainly.

"Then we have to get you back to the Patriarch alive, no matter the cost."

Rockblaze spoke with such resolve that it briefly left Arran confused. From the zealous look in the man's eyes, it almost seemed like he would sacrifice his own life to achieve their goal.

But then, slowly, Arran began to understand the situation — both why Snowcloud had shared her secrets so openly and why Rockblaze responded with such fervor.

Arran's own ties to the Shadowflame Society were weak at best. While he would risk his life to protect Snowcloud, that was because he considered her a friend. The Society, however, he considered little more than a means to an end.

He needed a place to grow stronger, and the Shadowflame Society offered him such a place. But beyond that, the Society's fortunes mattered little to him — if it fell today, he would leave in search of an alternative tomorrow.

Yet for someone who truly considered the Shadowflame Society his home, things would be different. Someone like that would feel true loyalty to the Society — the kind of loyalty for which they would give their life if needed.

And that kind of loyalty, Arran realized, was something the Seventh Valley Matriarch would absolutely require in a person she sent to root out traitors.

He could not help but be impressed by Snowcloud's quick assessment of the situation. Had it been him, he would have kept the secret — and missed the opportunity of gaining Rockblaze's absolute allegiance.

While Arran quietly pondered the situation, the others continued their discussion.

"We have to bring her back," Zehava agreed, though a hint of panic could still be seen in her eyes. "But how? Even if we make it out of the region, the Iron Mountain has an entire army blocking the way into the Sixth Valley. And if even Elder Rahan is a traitor, we can't trust anyone."

Rockblaze answered at once. "We should travel to the Seventh Valley. It will add a few months to our journey, and the northern borderlands are dangerous, but we will be able to avoid the Iron Mountain traitors. And once we reach the Seventh Valley, we will have the Matriarch's full support."

"We can't," Snowcloud said. "Before I left the Valley, Grandfather was already nearing his end. That's why I left before I was fully prepared — I couldn't wait any longer. Even now, I worry that I won't reach him in time."

"Then perhaps we should—" Rockblaze began.

"There are more pressing matters," Arran interrupted him. While the others talked, he had taken the dead adept's void bag, and as he did so, an unwelcome glint had caught his eye. "They already know what happened here."

He held up the Lifesense Amulet he'd found on the adept's body, then quickly put it in the void bag.

Rockblaze let out a vicious curse, then turned toward the others. "My guess is that one of the Masters in the region has the other part. That means we only have a few days." A look of resignation appeared in his eyes. "The three of you have to flee. I will try to delay them as long as I can, but against a Master…"

He didn't finish the sentence, but it was clear that he expected his life would only buy them a brief respite.

"Don't go chasing martyrdom just yet," Arran said. "Snowcloud, how far are we from Uvar?"

At those words, her eyes widened and her gloomy expression disappeared in an instant. "A week's travel. Less if we hurry."

"Uvar?" Rockblaze asked with a frown, and Zehava looked equally nonplussed.

"It's an Eidaran city," Arran explained. "Or the ruins of one, more accurately. And those ruins have something that might yet save us — even from a Master."

Rockblaze did not seem wholly convinced, but after a moment, he sighed. "Then we'll leave immediately. If these ruins offer even a slight chance of escape, it's our best choice."

"But what about the other search parties?" Zehava said. "There are dozens of them in the region, and we can't avoid them all."

"The search parties are made up of novices and recruits, and I doubt any of them know what's really happening," Rockblaze said. "If we meet any, we'll tell them the truth. And if they try to stop us…"

Although he didn't finish the sentence, it was obvious what he was thinking. If any of the Iron Mountain search parties tried to stop them, he would show them no mercy.

"But encountering them could be good fortune for us," Rockblaze continued. "I am not the only adept the Matriarch sent — there are at least half a dozen others just among the search parties, and more in the army at the border."

Snowcloud's eyes narrowed when she heard this. "That many? But then… your Matriarch isn't just investigating the traitors, is she?"

Rockblaze hesitated before speaking. Then, in a cold voice, he said, "It's better to have the Sixth Valley fall than to risk it being ruled by traitors."

"She's planning to attack the Sixth Valley?!" Outrage instantly appeared on Snowcloud's face, and her voice rose in anger as she spoke. "She wants to start a war between the Valleys?!"

"Only if there is no other way." Rockblaze's expression did not change as he spoke, but Arran thought he saw a trace of pain in the man's eyes.

"No other way? You're talking about the death of thousands! Forget the Sixth Valley — the Seventh Valley would also be decimated in a war like that! The entire Shadowflame Society would be weakened for centuries!"

"It's not something she wants, but—"

"Both of you, shut up," Arran interrupted them. "There's a Master on the way to kill us. We have to leave, right now."

A brief flash of anger appeared in Rockblaze's eyes at the interruption, but it faded as quickly as it had come. "You're right. Let's go."

They set off without any further delay, running at a pace that stretched the limit of what Snowcloud and Zehava could bear.

As they ran, Arran glanced at Rockblaze. While he had little doubt about the adept's loyalty to the Shadowflame Society, the man's earlier revelations caused him some concern — and not just for the Sixth Valley, but also for their small group.