"This place reeks of death," observed Onyl.
The two dragons and two knights had exited the portal only to find themselves in the middle of a gray wasteland. The ground was dried and cracked for miles around with no vegetation in sight. Dark clouds rolled across the sky in an endless parade. When the wind did blow past them, it was hot and anything but refreshing.
"This place gives me the creeps," muttered Rayn. "There's no water around for hundreds of miles in all directions."
Mirage ignored their chattering, while trying to figure out just where exactly he had sent them. He turned his head west to see a mountain range running northward. One large peak caught his attention.
"I think I know where we are," he said flatly.
Argile looked at him strangely. "How?" Mirage pointed to the mountains in the distance. Argile followed his hand and went pale. "That cannot be what I think it is?"
Mirage unconsciously folded his arms to ward off a chill that wasn't there. "I've never seen anything large enough or dark enough to match it."
The two Dragon Knights looked at each other and swallowed. "The Black Mountain," they said in unison.
"The Black Mountain?" repeated Rayn. "What's that?"
"Living Hell, kid," answered Mirage quietly. "A living Hell."
Mirage's attention was pulled away from Zophar's old lair by a sudden movement from Onyl. The Black Dragon had suddenly started walking eastward.
"Onyl?" said Argile. "What's wrong?"
"Don't you feel that?" she replied without turning around. "Can't you hear the song?"
Argile and Mirage shared puzzled looks. "Rayn? Do you know what she's talking about?"
The Blue Dragon was now standing next to his sister. "You mean you guys don't hear that?" he said almost incredulously. "It's calling to us." There was a pair of colored flashes as the two dragons transformed.
"Whoa there, kiddies!" cried Mirage. "Just what the hell do you think you two are doing?"
"Hurry up and get on!" rumbled Onyl. "We have to get moving, now!"
The Dragon Knights ran over to the two dragons, but did not mount them. "Onyl, you are still weak from the battle with Thiss and Vasin," chided Argile. "I do not think it is wise to be off again so soon."
She turned her massive head to look at the Black Knight. "Sorry, Argile, but I have to go. Now you can either get on or stay here. It's your choice."
Mirage kicked a few chunks of dirt into the air before climbing on to Rayn's back. "Stupid, dragons," he was mumbling to himself. "Think they can order us around just cause they're bigger, now." He seated himself on the Blue's back and grabbed a handful of aqua fur. He heeled Rayn once in the sides. "Mush."
Rayn looked back at him. "Ha ha," he said before taking off. Once Argile was seated, Onyl followed up after them.
As they sped through the darkened horizon, Mirage soon figured out what direction they were flying in. If he wasn't mistaken, the two dragons were making a B-line right for the ruins of Yis-Toril.
"Next stop, Xobelisk," he muttered.
Luna continued to take controlled breaths in order to maintain the melody of her song. She had been waiting patiently for days for this moment to arrive, and she was not going to let it slip by her. The Demon Dragonmaster had not been in the city for weeks on end, and he was not coming back for a while yet. At least that was what she had been able to gather. Then, just this morning, the Chaos Dragon and another minion had left the Tower heading west with a small force. Luna shuddered to think where they were most likely going.
And what is most likely there, she added in her thoughts.
One thing at a time, though. There were only mortal minions left to guard the imprisoned populace of Yis-Toril. Now was the best chance she was going to have of freeing them. So the avatar of Althena started singing with all her might. Her song was soothing in sound, but deadly for her enemies. The serene sounds penetrated their minds erasing anything that made them who they were. If one wanted to describe these now vacant eyed creatures, they could only be called vegetables. Meanwhile, the enslaved humans of the city had surrounded her. To them the song was one filled with the hope of freedom.
With the last of the enemy subdued, Luna's voice dropped to a whisper before quieting completely. It was only then that she felt something strange, yet, familiar in the air. Her deep blue eyes drifted to the west. Yes. There it was again. Two presences that she had not felt in a very long time. She hummed a quick bar to summon the Fog of Protection. She gave the now freed slaves instructions to follow the Fog north to sanctuary. They heeded her instructions without question, and soon several thousand refugees were making their ways north.
Luna watched the Fog surround the people as the marched away. Now that her mission was completed, she could focus on stopping the Chaos Dragon from getting to the Black Mountain and the Resurrection Stone that was most likely hidden there. The two powers she sensed were now closing in on her position. A satisfying smile played across he lips.
"It seems that my divine luck is still functioning even in this form," she told herself.
She slowly started walking to the nearest edge of the city. There was no way she could avoid passing the tower of Xobelisk on her way out. Luna shuddered at the towering monstrosity. The sight of it made her go even colder than staring at the Black Mountain could. Despite her best efforts, the former goddess's songs could do nothing to the Tower. As long as she held this form, Xobelisk's magic was too powerful for her to eliminate. Even if she resumed her form as Althena, Luna doubted that she could do much more than scratch its onyx black surface.
Moments after she left the city limits, Luna was greeted to the sight of two dragons heading right for her. No. Not just two dragons. Two Dragons of Althena. The earth trembled slightly as the Blue and Black Dragons both landed two dozen yards in front of her. Luna was now able to notice that each creature had a rider. The riders leapt off the dragons' backs and landed lightly on the ground.
"Hey, you!" shouted the one wearing blue leather armor and wearing a blue bandanna. Luna knew it was Mirage before the Blue Knight even made it over to her. The Black Knight Argile was following right behind him.
Luna smiled warmly when both men stopped before her. "Hello, gentlemen. It has been a while since we last met."
They both gave her quizzical looks for a moment. Then the recognition slowly crept onto their faces after a few moments of closer examination. Mirage took a small step back.
"No way!" he breathed.
"Althena?" said an equally stunned Argile.
Luna could not help but chuckle at their reactions. "Yes and no." She lifted the hem of her black skirt and curtsied. "Hello. My name is Luna, and it's nice to meet you, Dragon Knights."
Argile was tapping his chin. "Then you are the same Luna who was the last avatar of the Goddess." Luna held her smile and nodded. "Amazing," whispered the large knight.
"Althen... I mean, Luna," stammered Mirage. "What are you doing out here?" He made a waving gesture to the surrounding landscape ending with an emphatic point to Xobelisk. "Especially here ?"
"It is something of a long story, which I do not have time to tell right now," she told him. Luna gave them both a once over inspecting their wounds. She hummed a quick bar, and both knights were surrounded by green glows. When the light had faded, both Mirage and Argile were healed.
Pleased with her work, Luna walked past the knights over to whom she really needed to talk to. The two dragons had reverted to their human forms and were looking at her in dual states of awe. It was quite clear that the beautiful young woman in black was the Black Dragon, and the spirit filled young boy was the Blue Dragon. Luna sang another, longer, bar of music healing both of them of their injuries. They both jumped slightly as the green glow came and went.
"It's all right," Luna said in a soothing tone. She looked them in the eyes before speaking again. "Do you know who I am?"
The girl stared into her eyes for several moments before answering. "Somehow, and I'm not sure how, I do know you. It feels like we are connected by bonds so deep..."
"That words cannot even describe them," finished Luna. "What is your name?"
"I'm Onyl, and this is Rayn," she said with gesture to the boy.
"Are you really the Goddess?" asked Rayn in a shaky voice.
Luna reached out and ruffled his hair. "In a sense, yes." She pulled her hand back and looked at them evenly. "I know that the two of you have already been through a lot in a short amount of time. However, I must once again ask that you and your knights undertake a dangerous mission."
"What is it?" asked Mirage. Luna turned to see him and Argile standing behind her.
She took a few steps back in order to see the whole group. "There are still many things that you all do not know about yet," she began. "While I do wish to reveal them to you, I'm afraid that there isn't time right now. The Chaos Dragon, Arlax, and a small force have already left for the Black Mountain seeking an artifact for the Demon Dragonmaster. If he is to get this item and the others like it, the Blue Star, Lunar, and the entire universe will suffer dire consequences."
"You want us to get there first and find this artifact before Arlax," concluded Argile.
Luna nodded. "You have been inside the Mountain before. Perhaps that will give you enough of an advantage in the search."
"Uh huh," said Mirage. "So what are we looking for?"
Luna took a short breath and whistled. The air between them all shimmered until the images of seven spherical stones appeared. Six were the colors of the rainbow along with a white and black one. "One of these stones lies somewhere inside the Black Mountain. You must find it before Arlax."
Mirage stared at the illusion for a couple of minutes. Then he looked to Luna, smiled, and bowed deeply. "I never could refuse the request of a beautiful woman." He rose and looked at Onyl and Rayn. "What'd ya say, kids? Up for some more exercise?"
Onyl was smiling as well. "I don't think I'd say no even if I wanted to. What do you say, little brother?"
Rayn grinned boyishly. "Well, we're all healed and rested. I'd say our chances for success are greatly improved than from several minutes ago."
"Then it's settled," said Mirage.
The dragons transformed instantly, and Mirage vaulted on to Rayn's back. Argile was about to climb on to Onyl, when he stopped and looked back at Luna. "Are you coming with us, Luna?"
Luna shook her head. "I cannot, Argile. My whereabouts are still unknown to the Demon Dragonmaster and his minions. If any of them were to get a clear look at me, my identity would be known immediately. For now I must continue with my mission of freeing as many enslaved peoples as possible."
Argile watched her for a moment before speaking. "As you wish, my lady. Good luck to you then, and please be careful. I do not think I could stand to know that you were hurt when I could have done something."
Luna walked over, leaned up as far as she could, and kissed him on the right cheek. "You are a brave and honorable man, Argile. When you have completed your mission head north deeper into the mountains. There is a tower out there where many are gathering for sanctuary. You will all be safe there until I can rejoin you." She waved him forward. "Now go. Time is of the essence."
Argile gave her a quick head bow before scaling up Onyl's back. Both dragons loosed roars and launched themselves into the overcast sky. Luna watched them until they were nothing but black dots in the distance. They would be successful. She was sure of it. Filled with a new sense of hope, herself, Luna turned and started walking south towards the next city.
Bitter, cold winds were blowing in every direction. Snow covered everything for miles draining the world of color. Of course, Arlax didn't even notice. The massive Chaos Dragon landed at the base of what he knew to be the Black Mountain. Carla dismounted the monster, and he returned to his human form.
"My, it certainly is large," commented the Chaos Sorceress.
"It rises almost thirty thousand feet into the sky," said the Demon Dragon. "Zophar did like to show off his power." He turned to the small force of troops behind him. "Ten of you come with us. The rest to all wait out here until we return. If anyone tries to enter, kill them."
Arlax looked back at the mountain and studied it for a moment. Soon he raised his right hand. A purple beam of power shot out, creating a ten foot hole in the stone. The Demon Dragon and the Chaos Sorceress walked into the blackness without saying anything.
"How many do you count?" asked Mirage.
Argile was silent as he tried to count the number of soldiers at the base of the mountain. "I believe there are at least seventy or eighty soldiers down there. There could be a few more."
Mirage shivered and cursed under his breath. "Beautiful. Nearly a hundred troops and only four of us." He folded his arms in an attempt to contain body heat. "Why is this kind of thing always so difficult?"
Onyl cleared her throat to get their attention. "Excuse me?" she said rather tartly. "Did you forget you have two dragons with you?"
Mirage and Argile looked at the two dragons, then at each other, the dragons again, and finally smiled. Not three minutes later, the Blue and Black Dragons of Althena were raining destructive power down on the troops gathered in front of the Black Mountain. At the same time, Mirage and Argile were cutting a swift path right to the opening Arlax had created not too long ago. Both knights stopped right in front of the hole and hesitated for a second.
"Ready?" asked Mirage.
Argile nodded. "You forget, I have done this before."
"Yeah," replied the Blue Knight. "And I was sitting in a cell guarded by Zophar himself. Don't remind me." The pirate took a deep breath and plunged into the blackness.
He was surprised to find the other side lit by an unseen gray light. The air was stale with the stench of age. He and Argile were standing in a vast cavern of what looked like living rock. Mirage walked over to touch one of the black and white walls. "Is this thing alive?"
Argile walked past him looking around. "It seems the original magic of this dreaded place is still active after all this time. At least it seems that demons no longer roam this halls."
Mirage smirked. "Well thank the Goddess for small miracles." He tapped the living rock with his sword making a dull thudding noise. "So, do you have any idea where to start looking for this artifact?"
Now it was Argile's turn to smirk. "Actually, I do. Follow me. I think I might be able to lead us there." The Black Knight suddenly ran off down the cavern.
Mirage gave the cavern another once over before following. "Like I said, thank the Goddess for small miracles."
It had not taken Arlax long to sense the location of his goal. In fact, the power emanating from the display before him would have been hard to miss for anyone who had any magical sense. He, Carla, and the ten black armored knights were standing before a forest of marble pillars. Atop each pillar was some form of artifact ranging from statues, to paintings, weapons, armor, and other items of extreme magical power. Arlax closed his fathomless, black eyes and stretched out with his senses.
"I can feel it in here," he whispered. He opened his eyes and looked at those behind him. "The Sorceress and I will go among the pillars to gain my prize. You will remain here and do not touch anything." The knights saluted and remained still.
Arlax and Carla walked away from them and into the marble forest. The Chaos Dragon reminded himself to return here one day soon and take stock of the magical artifacts gathered in the room. Before this world would be destroyed, he wanted to have a few tokens to remember it by. It was only a matter of seconds until he stopped to gaze at one pillar in particular. Floating above it was a fist sized black sphere. Arlax gingerly reached out and grasped it with both hands.
He shuddered from what he felt. Deep in his mind a voice echoed lightly. "Yes, my lord. Yes." He looked down at Carla with a wicked smile on his face. "Success."
Mirage and Argile peeked out from the passage into the room beyond. "I can't believe you actually found this place," whispered the Blue Knight. "I don't even want to know the odds of this happening."
"I just followed by senses," replied Argile quietly. "This was where I found my Axe, you know. I guess it still remembered."
They both tensed as the ten knights in front of the pillars straightened to attention. A tall man with, long, purple hair in blue, purple, and black leathers emerged holding something in his hands. "Damn," hissed Mirage. "Too late."
Mirage then noticed another figure behind what was undoubtedly Arlax. It looked like a woman in a long, form fitting blue dress with a black shawl around her head.
"Mage," he and Argile whispered at the same time. They both pulled back into the passage way behind them.
"So what's the plan?" asked Mirage.
"We have ten soldiers, most likely human of a sorts," said Argile. "Then we have a mage and a Demon Dragon."
"These odds are crappy," muttered Mirage. "Okay, here's what we do. Since I'm faster, I'll make a run for Arlax and the artifact. With luck I can catch him and the mage off guard and grab the sphere. Meanwhile, you take out the knights. Sound all right?"
Argile patted his Axe blades on his left hand. "I distract, you hit and run. Sounds fine." Both men nodded once and broke from hiding.
Mirage easily out distance Argile in seconds. He was ten feet from the enemy group just at Argile attacked. "Ebony Discus!" shouted the Black Knight. Mirage saw the Black Dragon's Axe, a black fireball, tear into the enemy knights from the corner of his right eye.
The Blue Knight flew past the scattering soldiers and went right for Arlax. The Demon Dragon had only time to utter a startled cry before Mirage body checked him to the ground. A black sphere flew from his hands and went rolling across the gray floor. Mirage kicked Arlax in the side once for good measure.
Now, take out the mage, grab the stone, and run like hell, he thought. The Blue Knight spun around and dashed for the woman standing only a few feet away. When their eyes locked, he froze in mid attack.
Mirage nearly dropped his sword. "Carla?"
She gave him a half grin, raised her right hand, and released a purple lightning bolt. The spell struck Mirage right in the chest, sending him sailing twenty feet through the air. He landed hard with the wind being knocked out of him. The Blue Knight groaned while trying to raise himself up. When his vision cleared, Arlax was standing over him. Mirage tried to attack, but the dragon was faster. One swift kick to the head sent him right back down followed by the dragon's booted feet kicking his Scimitar from his right hand.
"Pathetic," rasped Arlax. "You humans disgust me. Always wanting to be the hero and take on the evil all by yourself." He reached down and grabbed Mirage's neck with his right hand. "Don't you know that only works in fairy tales, Dragon Knight?"
Mirage started gagging as Arlax squeezed and lifted him into the air. The Demon Dragon extended his arm to hold the Blue Knight several feet off the ground. "You stupid mortals have bothered us for the last time," snarled Arlax as his grip tightened.
Carla watched the whole scene with an amused smile on her face. To think that these stupid Dragon Knights thought they could steal the Resurrection Stone. Fools. Now the Blue Knight was clinging desperately to his last few moments of life. She could hear the other one trying to get to them, but the soldiers were doing a good job of detaining him. Arles's tightened his grip again, and the Dragon Knight made a rasping cry.
His brown eyes cracked to look past Arlax right at her. "C...a..r..l...a," he rasped.
The Chaos Sorceress suddenly went stiff as a memory flashed before her eyes. She saw herself standing on the roof of an old, restored mansion gazing up at the stars. Then a pair of strong arms encircled her from behind. Someone kissed her cheek and whispered something in her ear.
"I love you," said a male voice.
She turned around to gaze into the face of the Dragon Knight. Strange feelings started to accompany the memory. Carla's heart was now beating rapidly, and she felt the heat rising in her face. She refocused on Arlax and the Dragon Knight. Her mind started buzzing wildly.
"M... Mirage?" she stuttered. What was going on? What was this memory? What were these feelings she was having? "What's... going on?"
Pain suddenly shot through her head causing Carla to drop to her knees. She clamped both hands on her scalp and screamed. Arlax paused for a moment to looked at her, just as the Dragon Knight was starting to go limp.
"No!" cried Carla. "NNOOO!" she shouted. "Let him go!" The Sorceress pointed both her hands at Arlax and released a spell with a thought. Two gouts of blue fire shot from her palms and slammed into the Chaos Dragon's chest. He dropped to the ground loosing a pained cry. The Dragon Knight was released in the process.
The buzzing in Carla's mind increased again. She grabbed her head again and cried out in pain.
Mirage sucked in breath after breath of sweet air. He rolled on to his left side and started coughing uncontrollably. The knight tried to get up, but his spinning head would not allow him to attain a center of balance. Suddenly a pair of strong arms hoisted him into the air. It took Mirage a moment to realize that he had been placed over Argile's left shoulder. He watched numbly as the Black Knight grabbed the Blue Dragon's Scimitar and started running out of the chamber.
"Wait," croaked Mirage. "We... can't leave her!"
"I'm sorry, my friend," said Argile solemnly. "But if we do not flee now, we will most assuredly die. With you like this, we would have no chance against Arlax."
Mirage was able to clear his head and vision enough to catch a glimpse of the scene in front of the pillars. Carla was on her knees screaming, and Arlax was standing over her now. He watched as the Chaos Dragon grabbed her by the hair.
Mirage took a deep breath and cried out. "Carla!"
She simply continued screaming until Arlax sent a wave of black electricity coursing through her body. The Premier stopped thrashing and passed out. Mirage called out again, but Argile had already taken them out of the chamber. Unable to catch his breath sufficiently, Mirage could only let himself be carried away from the woman he loved.
Rayn kicked some snow off the ground and looked at the hole in the mountain. "Come on, Onyl. Let's go in and get'em."
"No way, Rayn," she said for the fifth time. "We wait for them here." Rayn huffed and scanned the area around them.
Bodies littered the snow covered ground. "On?"
"Yeah?"
He started to silently count the bodies. "What's going on here? How is it that all of the sudden we can kill so easily?" He extended his hands. "I mean look at this. We just killed almost a hundred men without even breaking a sweat."
Onyl folded her arms with a sigh. "I don't really know, Rayn. I do feel regret deep inside, and it will probably come out sooner or later. All I can say is that destiny has dropped us into the middle of a war. Maybe it's our connections to the auras, but I'm somehow able to reconcile this fact."
She moved away from the mountain to stand over the nearest body. "War is a horrible thing. People die and people change. One thing does make it difference for us, though." The Black Dragon looked up at him. "At least I know that we are fighting for the survival of life. That we're fighting against the darkness."
Rayn shoved his hands in his pockets. "I understand what you're saying, On. Maturity has a way of sneaking up on you, huh?"
Before she could say anything else, Argile suddenly came bursting out of the hole with Mirage over his shoulder. The Black Knight dropped Mirage on the ground and placed the Blue Knight's weapon there as well.
"Hurry and transform," he told the two dragons.
"What's wrong?" asked Onyl. "Did you get the stone?"
Argile slung his Axe over his shoulder while looking back at the hole. "There is not time to explain, Onyl. Just transform and get us out of here before Arlax catches us."
Ryan made a raspberry. "Bring him on. We can take him."
"No you cannot," Argile told him flatly. "Arlax is the strongest of the Demon Dragons. He would surely kill both of you without much effort." A horrific roar echoed from within the mountain. "Hurry!" urged Argile.
Onyl didn't argue any further and transformed.
"Rayn, you will help me get Mirage on to Onyl. It will be faster if we all ride on her."
The young dragon didn't waste anymore time. He helped get the mumbling Mirage on to Onyl's back. The roar he had heard had caused a chill to run down his spine. Out of all the dragons he had already seen, that roar alone was the only to create true fear inside him. Once everyone was settled on her back, Onyl flapped her great wings once to send them into the air.
"Head north," Argile said quickly. Onyl shifted her direction slightly to abide the command.
Rayn looked over his shoulder and watched the Black Mountain grow smaller and smaller as they flew away. Part of him suddenly wished he could just go back to being a normal human being.
Arlax crashed through the side of the Black Mountain roaring in rage. The Chaos Dragon swiveled his head searching for the Dragon Knights. Nothing. The only things out there were the bodies of his men. Grumbling in anger, he opened his blue and purple scaled claw and dumped the mage woman on the snow.
"It seems I have to work on increasing the strength of my mind control," he rumbled. "I had not expected your emotions to break through so easily. Trust that such a thing will not happen again."
He grabbed Carla's limp form and launched himself into the air. For now he would return to Xobelisk. The Demon Dragonmaster would return soon, and he wanted to hand over the Resurrection Stone personally.
Somebody was pressing a glass of water to his mouth. Mirage sputtered and jolted upright. He looked wildly only to see a woman in a simple white cotton dress standing over him. She had long brown hair and soft blue eyes. She gave him a small smile.
"I'm sorry if I startled you," she said. "Your friend suggested I try and give you some water."
Mirage wiped his left hand across his mouth. "It's okay," he told the woman. He reached out for the water, and she handed it to him. The knight spoke again after taking a long drink. "Thanks. What's your name?"
"I'm Hilia," she replied.
Mirage got to his feet and extended his right hand. "Name's Mirage." He took another drink. "Where's my friend?"
"Oh, Sir Argile is out in the street talking with some of the men," Hilia answered.
Mirage suddenly took note of his surroundings. He was in what could only be the main room of a small cottage. There wasn't much furniture except for a table, two chairs, and a pile of hay for sleeping, but it was cozy enough. Mirage placed the glass on the table, thanked Hilia again, and walked out the door. He was greeted by another astonishing sight. He appeared to be in a large cavernous chamber filled with small, thatch roofed houses.
People were walking up and down the man made streets going about their business. Women walked with children while carrying baskets of food or jugs of water. Men were walking about with loads of wood or tools in their hands. It didn't take long before Mirage spotted Argile, in his plain clothes again, talking with a small group of men. Mirage deactivated the magic of his Crest and joined his friend.
Argile stopped speaking at this arrival. "Oh Mirage, you're awake." He looked at the gathered men. "Gentlemen, let me introduce my fellow Dragon Knight Mirage."
Mirage gave the four men standing before him quick glances. All of them wore similar combinations of white tunics with either gray or brown pants. Argile pointed to each one while speaking a name.
"This is Korta," a middle aged man with worry lines around his gray eyes and a mop of graying brown hair.
"Fralt," who had a small black beard to match his short cropped hair and brown eyes.
"Nevin," was a young man with long blond hair and green eyes.
"And Jarkis," had gray hair and stubble on his face, but also had a pair of sparkling blue eyes.
"Nice to meet you," said Mirage. He turned to Argile with a confused look on his face. "Where the hell are we?"
"The tunnels under the Guardian's Spire," replied Jarkis. "This is where refugees of the war are gathering for safety."
"Luna sent them all here so that they could escape the Demon Dragonmaster's work camps," explained Mirage. "Apparently she has been doing this for a few weeks now. There are quite a lot of people down here in the tunnels."
Mirage's eyes thinned. "How long have we been here?"
"We arrived just this morning," said Argile. "You have been asleep for a few hours. You had taken some hard shots during the battle."
"Where's Carla?" asked the pirate in an emotionless voice.
Argile gave him an anguished look. "I'm sorry, Mirage. I was not able to get both you and her away from Arlax. He still has her."
Mirage looked away from the large man. What was going on? What was Carla doing with Arlax, let alone on the Blue Star? Too many questions and no one around to answer them. "Then it looks like I need to make some answers of my own," said Mirage in a quite tone.
"What are you talking about Mirage?" asked Argile.
The pirate pushed past the group of men and started walking down the street. "Mirage!" cried Argile. "Where are you going?"
He stopped and partially looked over his shoulder. "I'm going to make plans to bring the Hades Army to its knees. Then I'm going to go and get Carla back."