Fall

Weeks passed. The brutal heat of summer gave way to pleasant warmth. The days grew shorter.

Zebulun and Quinn went from village to village. Zebulun healed the afflicted and spoke Ur’s truth to the people. Quinn entertained people with song and dance, feats of acrobatics or juggling, or "magic" tricks like pulling a coin from behind a child’s ear.

On occasion, Quinn would catch the eye of a young maiden or lonely widow (or, on occasion, a handsome farmhand), and Zebulun wouldn’t see him for a while. But he always appeared in time for the next meal.

Davion studied at the feet of the star folk. He practiced his art while they rested. He grew in knowledge, skill, and power. He learned to do multidimensional calculations in his head at rapid pace. He learned to focus his will.

Knowing his old community would never take him back, Daniel began a lonesome journey south.

Nahash’s general assembled a team of eleven scholars to read every scroll in the capital to find his master an answer. He tasked the spymaster with seeking stories from the shadier side of the public.

Nahash and Sirajuddin flew throughout the kingdom, asking other military dragons if they knew anything about the beings they’d fought.

King Aurelius waited and stewed.