Some distance away, at the spaceship museum, Cernunnos ventured out of the ship in search of Inez and Eder. He caught their voices.

“I’m too tired to do more. I just can’t.” Eder huddled by the sun shaped ship.

Inez tried to get him up. “We have to do something. Come on, Eder you have to get up.”

Instead, Eder laid down and closed his eyes.

Cernunnos crept over and put his fingers to Eder’s neck. “Inez. He’s done well enough. Let him be. If he does anymore magic, he might literally burn himself up, and frankly, I’m worried about you too.”

Inez knelt and teared up. “But, they’re coming up the walls. They’re on the first floor. We’re going to die.”

“No, because we have that ship working. Get Eder aboard and anyone else. You can do it.” Cernunnos squeezed her shoulder. He craned his neck and searched the floor. “I have to find the Commander.”

Cernunnos left Inez and ran to the windows. He found a few men and women still fighting.

“We can leave in that ship.” He pointed. “But, where’s Commander Rooks?”

“She’s…” one man started.

Cernunnos froze.

“She’s up top,” a woman said. “We lost contact with them a few minutes ago.”

Cernunnos took a deep breath. “Okay, go to the ship. I’ll get her.”

“That would be insane,” the man objected.

Cernunnos drew his mace, glad that he’d bothered to learn the Ganden word for ‘insane.’ “If it looks bad, I’ll come right back.”

Cernunnos ran up the stairs to the open level. To his surprise, there were less thralls than he expected. He crested the top and smashed a thrall in the face. He ran, searching for survivors. He found many that could not fit the description.

In a far-off corner, he saw a small group, and on the ground nearby, was Rooks. Cernunnos ran over to the fallen Commander. Her open eyes still moved.

“Can I take her?” he asked the crew that fought to defend her.

A man nodded.

“You come too. We’re leaving,” Cernunnos said.

The crew around Rooks slumped in relief and stood. They continued to fight, ready to retreat after Cernunnos.

He knelt and gently scooped up Rooks. “I really hope I’m not breaking your spine.”

He carried her below and led everyone down. They reached the bottom of the steps and saw thralls coming up to their floor. The things twitched and staggered.

Cernunnos searched the floor. No one was left. He saw Inez by the working ship’s doors. Nothing stood between Cernunnos’ group and the ship, so they ran. They got inside, and the door closed.

Inez gestured for Cernunnos to follow her. She took him back into the seating area. About half of Rooks’ force lined the seats. Everyone could have fit, but this small group was all they had.

Only three of the Iruedians warriors had made it. All three were soldier mages: one from Ponk, one from Groaza, and one from Tagtrum. Cernunnos thought it a fitting symmetry.

Alim treated the injured, working foremost to cleanse the wounds and apply the Lurrien’s medicine.

“What’s wrong with her?” Inez nodded at Rooks. “Is she dead?”

Cernunnos shook his head. “No, but I really think she should be healed sometime before we find ourselves in the clear.”

“I can do it,” Inez offered.

“No, we should ask one of the Iruedian soldiers.” Cernunnos glanced over.

All three soldiers sat beside Eder. The young man was awake, but he had his head in his hands.

“They’ve already helped Eder and all the others. They need a break more than me,” Inez touched her chest.

“I doubt that.” Cernunnos studied her.

Her braid disgorged stray hairs, and Cernunnos observed more grime on Inez than he usually saw on a four-hundred-year-old toilet. Still, Cernunnos needed to have a little faith in his young friend. He needed to strike the right balance between concern and confidence. God knew he hadn’t gotten it right with Camellia.

Cernunnos laid Rooks on the floor. “Alright, give it a try.”

The ship whined as it lifted into the air, and Cernunnos held Rooks by the arms, keeping her secure.

Inez knelt beside Rooks and took a deep breath. She conjured a circle of soothing green, and it became a soft patterned light around Rooks’ body. The light seeped into Rooks and disappeared from the floor.

Rooks moved herself a little, wiggling her legs into a more comfortable position. She adjusted her arms. She opened her eyes briefly but closed them again. She fell asleep but breathed evenly.

Cernunnos sighed. “Inez, good job. You’ll make a battle mage yet.” Cernunnos gave her a quick hug around the shoulders.

“I want to be a battle mage,” Inez said. “But, I don’t think Eder does.

“After all this, he’s done. He doesn’t have to do it anymore,” Cernunnos promised. He gestured to Rooks. “Keep an eye on her. I’m going to make sure we head in Ul’thetos’ direction to get the others. I hope they’re okay.”

Cernunnos stood. He put his hands on the seats and pulled his way to the cockpit. When he entered, the ship staggered.

“What’s wrong?” he asked the pilots.

“We keep trying to get it off autopilot, but it keeps correcting itself. This ship has a mind of its own.”

Cernunnos missed some of the Ganden words, but he got the gist. “Oh wonderful,” he grumbled. “Let me talk to it.”

He walked forward but staggered under the pressure. The ship lurched again, and everyone fell.

Camellia recognized the pressure. It was Ul’thetos, specifically communication with Ul’thetos in all its suffocating glory.

Adalhard lay on the ground, curled into a ball. As the cutter fell from his hands, the device shut off.

Camellia pulled her handkerchief from her shirt. The embroidery, once a detailed magic circle, lay in twisted paths, ruined by whatever Ul’thetos had done. Camellia staggered to her feet and peered through the half-cut window.

Surprise! Ul’thetos mocked. And, for my next spell…

Ul’thetos focused its huge eyes and a magic circle traced over the window.

Camellia ducked and covered her head. The entire glass window blew out and hit the opposite wall, cracking but not shattering. The pane came to rest on its side. Camellia checked to see that Adalhard was unharmed. He still lay curled into a tight ball of pain, but the glass had left him unscathed.

You learned magic, she said.

About time. Since you kept your promise, you will not be punished. Come down here. We will join. Ul’thetos assaulted her with images of its preferred future.

In the imaginary world, Camellia sat astride its head, sewn in place with ribbons of flesh.

Camellia felt the compulsion to jump through the window and land in Ul’thetos’ bulk. She imagined herself in freefall.

I don’t want to, she protested.

I have only a smidgen of patience left. Ul’thetos applied more pressure. I will not bring you to your knees. You need to walk, so you can come. But, you must come.

Just give me a minute. Camellia glanced at the bombs.

They sat so far away. She didn’t dare grab them or think of them. She couldn't let Ul’thetos know.

Convincing herself of their unimportance, Camellia opened her enchanted bag and reached inside. She thought of the object she wanted, and the Obsidian Mirror came into her hands. She pulled the mirror out of its temporary, paper package.

Camellia held it. She glanced at it and felt the draw, but she pulled her eyes away. This time, Ul’thetos would get to look. Ul’thetos would get to dream.

What do you have? Ul’thetos asked. What have you brought me? Show me.

Camellia stood up and walked to the window. She held the mirror for Ul’thetos to see.