Three months later:

The days were long and harsh. Winter bitter cold and summer far to short. Kara sat alone in her room reading a book. She was ignored when she needed something, and was forced to get whatever she wanted on her own. Her child would be due any time now. The closing of her book was the only sound in the large room. She sat it down on the wooden table with a light tap running her hand across the leather cover. Kara brushed her blue tunic off standing and walking toward her window. A horn sounded signaling the return of the troops.

"Kara why don't you come down?" Woltar said through the door. Kara took a deep breath hope still in her heart that Albel would be in the crowd. She walked out of her room slowly taking her time down the stairs to the court yard awaiting the arrival. The troops passed victorculy shouting in triumph their return home. Everyone in Airyglyph cried, laughed and shouted in happiness. Kara looked on as the troops neared the castle. Her eyes glanced over every face only to be disappointed, but then a long trail of hair caught her eyes. He glanced up walking away from the troops toward Kara's position. The two looked at each other smiling contently.

"I knew you were alive." Kara said. He raised an eyebrow placing his hand on Kara's chin bending down to kiss her, but as his lips about touched Kara woke up. The horn sounded in the castle just like in Kara's dream. She jumped up from her chair rushing toward the door. Woltar almost was trampled by her sudden bought of energy. "He's coming!" She smiled running as fast as her legs could carry her. Woltar stood confused in the hall.

"Who's coming?" He said to himself.

Kara made her way to the same spot she was standing in her dream. Awaiting her love to return to her. The troops appeared around the corner of the houses making their way up to the castle. She scanned the mass carefully watching for Albel. Her smile faded as the last few soldiers walked past her. She walked out standing in the path that the soldiers took watching the street. The last of the spectators left with the troops to close shop and return home. Rytn came up beside Kara trying to smile.

"Where's Albel?"

He looked down avoiding eye contact. "He... he didn't make it..." She looked at him disbelieving his words. "I'm sorry, but... they were too much for him to handle."

"Please tell me, how it happened." She said on the verge of tears. Rytn began explaining in as much detail as he could...

The battle field was covered in blood. Rytn's and Albel's troops didn't stand much of a chance if they were ambushed. "What are we to do now?" Rytn asked. Albel sat breathing heavily on a rock. The camp was small, and food getting scarcer with each passing day. "We're out numbered, and almost out of food!" Rytn's dragon made a slight grumble when his master hit the side of the cave with his fist.

"Well what do you propose we do?" Albel took his sword laying it next to him. The sword made a clank as it hit the rock. He looked down grinning then laughed like a mad man.

"What are you doing?"

"I have an idea." Albel stood. "The enemy is right outside of this blasted cavern right." He laughed again. "All I have to do is lead them away, and you ambush them before they get to us."

"No Albel. That won't work." Rytn convinced.

"Then what do you have to give. Get these worthless maggots out of here, and make sure their ready for the final battle." Albel walked out of the camp his troops looked on helpless to stop him.

"Albel!" He turned around. "You have a fiancée don't throw your life away!"

"That's why I'm doing this." He walked on.

"His sacrifice increased his troop's moral to avenge their captain." Rytn told Kara she looked away trying to hold back her tears.

"What happened to him?"

"We don't know... we never found his body. Everyone assumed he was dead when he never returned." Rytn folded his arms against his chest.

"Then he could have survived!"

"No. I didn't want to tell you, but the people we were fighting. They took the bodies of enemies that were left alive, and… I'm sorry but I don't want to say." He cringed.

"Please."

"Are you sure?" Kara nodded her head. "I'm sorry, but they take enemy's prisoner, and while they are still alive... they remove parts of their body leaving them to die of blood loss. If that don't kill them quickly then they do horrible things, and I don't want you to hear that." Kara looked on sadly in front of herself closing her eyes. Rytn stared at the ground as well not sure what to say and he walked away. Kara slowly walked to a nearby stair case sitting down.

The sun began to set over the horizon. Reds and oranges filled the sky along with small specks of blue in the distance. The city in the mountains quieted down as night approached. Snow fell lightly as the breeze picked up blowing softly. Kara looked up. Her tears flowed in the wind like the snow as they were pulled from her face.