On our way back we didn’t see a single living soul except for couple animals, but those we ate. I think it was because everyone knew least one big fight was coming. Those who weren’t soldiers were hiding in deepest holes they could find and soldiers were of course waiting somewhere…or also running away. Then of course animals and such just probably sensed things weren’t exactly right and hid too.
  To be honest, I also wanted everything to be over already. I had better things to do than fight. But first I needed to get rid of Zariath. My reasons had changed a lot since the very beginning, but still my goal required that Zariath was out of the picture; I wanted cultists to disappear and that goal I could reach by killing their leader. Someone was probably going to take Zariath’s place, if he happened to have an accident, but I was pretty sure it would be handled very soon. Besides, I don’t think my dad would remain with cultist after, whatever plans he had for Zariath, suffering such setback. He’d take all his minions with him.
  Zariath clearly needed to die.
  We wasted a bit of time trying to find our way back and in the end it wasn’t us who managed to find the friendly forces. I don’t know how they managed to get so close without us noticing it. Blah, it must have been one of the outer patrols which include only dragons (we can cover larger area by flying). I bet any humans or other weaker beings couldn’t have done it.
  - Meh, there isn’t much to eat around here, I muttered.
  We had been flying for several days without rest by then and we needed to stop for a while. It was in my opinion quite good little spot. Rocks and boulders surrounded us and no one would see anything from outside. So we thought.
  - I can go on for several days, but I admit my stomach feels a bit empty too, Filno answered.
  - Exactly how hard it can be to find that mass of people?
  - I don’t know. Maybe they have hidden themselves somehow, but I don’t feel magic being used that much.
  - Not to mention there isn’t much point to it. Cultists know…
  Then we heard loud screech and looked up. Two dragons, elder than us, were coming down right on us and I managed to notice third too before one crashed on me and another on Filno.
  - What have we here? That asshole said. – Krasor’s spies? I thought they were better.
  - You idiot! I roared and tried to struggle free, but I was just pressed down harder. – We are not Krasor’s minions!
  - But now I think we should have gone with him! Filno shouted. – WE thought you would be smarter.
  The third dragon landed.
  - The other one looks bit familiar, he said. – Who are you then?
  - Could it be possible… someone who doesn’t yet know me? I muttered sarcastically. Yeah, I have been more than a bit annoyed often when everyone seem to know me and I don’t know them. – I’m Chaz! That’s Filno! *Show them Filno. Transform. There shouldn’t be any other black dragons who they wouldn’t feel like they are just disquised.*
  Filno did as I asked. The attackers seemed bit surprised after they saw Filno transformed back to elf form, but didn’t feel right.
  - Now when you mention it, they also do have those white markings, said the third dragon who seemed to be leader.
  - See! You can think a bit, if you try REALLY hard, I pointed out. – Maybe you all should try thinking a bit regularly and perhaps you wouldn’t make yourselves idiots every time you do something!
  The leader told others to let us go.
  - It’s dark, the leader told us. – All we saw was couple blacks on the hill next to the camp. Why did you come sneaking around like this?
  - Grow eyes, I muttered…then. – Camp? We are next to it?!
  - Oh for the fuck sake! Filno said and went on top of the hill next to us. He was being followed all the time. -*I don’t fucking believe it! They are there! In the horizon, but they should have been visible.*
  -*…*
  - I let you go because there is nowhere you to go from here. I believe who you are, but I also know you are not really trustworthy; we have no idea what you did while you were gone…and coming back like this.
  - Uhm…we were trying to find you to be honest, I answered. – And if I was with Krasor, I wouldn’t certainly be here.
  - I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Why come secretly like this?
  - We … err … its not your business!
  - But it is. Answer.
  - Uhh…we just wanted to rest before coming tomorrow!
  - That sounds like a lie considering what you said earlier. You didn’t just notice us, right?
  I didn’t say anything. The three looked quite amused.
  - I suggest you grow eyes too, the leader told us. – You must come with us now.
  - Yeah, sure.
  Filno and I didn’t have any objections. After all, they were taking us where we wanted. I didn’t really like our “escort”, but least they kept their mouths shut.
  They took us to the camp like they said and then left the two to keep eye on us while the leader guy went to look for someone.
  - You can leave too, Filno pointed out after he had transformed back to elf form and sat down in good position. – We are not going anywhere.
  - Is there a reason why you want us to go away?
  - Not anything particular, Filno replied. – I just don’t like watching your ugly faces.
  -*What are you doing?* I asked.
  -*You can’t see him from that point, but Zach is near.*
  -*Oh*. You might as well listen him, I continued where Filno had stopped. – What’s the point?
  - I’d like to ask that question too, said one of the guys watchin us. – It can’t be because you two want to have personal talk – your kind can do that in a way we can’t listen. What could …
  Apparently Zach didn’t want to wait for us the get some privacy. He walked around the corner.
  - … or there is someone who you want to talk with without us hearing.
  Zach wasn’t only one who came. The patrol leader had gone and get Derek and Krasnjar.
  - Why did you bring them, I asked.
  - We’ll leave you two to them, answered the patrol leader. – They probably know you two best around here.
  - Yeah right. What if we want to be alone for a moment?
  - I won’t stay long, Chaz, Zach said. – I just want to know what happened. Whatever you might tell about it, will not be secret. Did you find Zamar.
  Filno and I grinned and let out a small laugh.
  - Hehe, yeah, we did, I told Zach. – After I burned the town and after I led an orc war party in there to finish off the place.
  - Orcs? Zach grimaced. – They have never got past the gates.
  - With my help they did. Anyway, Zamar wasn’t in there. Instead he holed up in some place at the mountains. In a cave within some seriously thick fog.
  - I know the place. What happened then?
  - We fought a bit. I have to admit your brother is quite annoying. Quite self centered prick in my opinion. Anyway, if Filno hadn’t appeared when Zamar was gloating, things might have gone the bad way. I’m sure he liked it when Filno punched his hand in Zamar’s back and it came trough from his chest.
  Zach grimaced again, closed his eyes and sighed.
  - He was my brother, but I’m relieved he is gone now, he muttered then.
  - Oh, let me finish the story first! Hehe, do you really think I’d let him die that fast?
  Zach’s eyes rounded.
  - Yeah, I healed him fast before he last remaining bits of his life signs disappeared, I continued. – We, Filno and I, had a slight problems how we would deal with Zamar. Finally we decided to put him in good use. We gave him to those who needed him.
  - What? Who?
  - The orcs.
  - …
  - We watched as they chopped him into pieces. Their clan leader told your brother was going to be main course on some feast.
  Zach was already looking a bit disgusted. Then he shook his head.
  - Ehh…I think that works out getting rid of him as would any other method, Zach said finally. – You do realize you gave the orcs nearly priceless gift. If someone gives an orc leader of a great enemy, dead or alive, it is to them a great honor. They consider you as a honored ally. I’m sure they would follow you anywhere, if you just asked.
  I laughed.
  - HAHA. I might have use for an army of some day, I said.
  Zach was already walking away.
  - Zach! I shouted. – Wait a bit. I forgot to give you something! Filno got something for you too.
  I gave the pouch to Zach. He looked inside.
  - What are … these are teeth, he said.
  - I took them from Zamar’s mouth, I told him. – I thought you might want to have something from your brother.
  Zach grimaced yet again when he put all the teeth back into the pouch silently and closed it. Filno’s gift was the Zamar’s sword. Filno gave it to Zach.
  - His sword, Zach muttered and examined it. – Looks like he has kept good care of it.
  - Blah…too good, I said. – He almost killed me with it.
  - Just what it was made to do, Zach continued. – No offence. We sometimes needed some protection from black dragons in Darklands.
  - Probably.
  That was the last thing we said by then. Zach walked away with the sword and pouch full of his brother’s teeth.
  - So, feeling satisfied now? Derek asked. – Killed enough cultists?
  - Huh, what do you mean? I asked in return. – Kill enough cultists?
  - You know what I mean, Chaz. You decimated that place. By doing so you crippled cultist eyes badly. With their side of Silent Blades gone, they got slight troubles.
  - You know what. They were basically asking for it. Besides there is a rule about killing cultists! Want to know it?
  - What is it?
  - You can never kill enough cultists.
  - Oh really?
  - Yup.
  Derek sighed.
  - Why’d you come back? Krasnjar asked. – We thought you wanted to get away from here – considering the deal and all the moaning. We didn’t really think you would come back.
  - We had better things to do then, Filno said. – Chaz wanted to get Velfred to safety and additionally we didn’t want to be pushed around. Right now we expect you to uphold your end of the deal and Velfred…well, he is…
  - …dead, I said. – Where is his body, by the way?
  - We don’t completely understand the deal between you and him, Chaz, Krasnjar said. – It seems like you considered his life least as important as your own…totally unheard of for a black dragon. Anyway, he was important to you and once his body finally began to decompose few days after you left, we buried him at that hill where you tried to bring him back to life.
  - … it isn’t right, I muttered. – He wasn’t supposed to die! If I had come bit earlier I could have taken him to safety. Just a bit earlier.
  - Sometimes things just go wrong, Krasnjar said. – World is like that.
  - Shut up. It isn’t right!
  - Fine, it isn’t right. Anyway, come with us, you both.
  - Why?
  - Because you are here. No one forced you to come back, but if you are here, you can’t just go as you please. We are at war here. This is not the place where you just pass your time – you have to contribute our efforts somehow. Also, we have only your and Filno’s word what happened while you were gone.
  - Yeah, yeah. You could trust us for once.
  Derek laughed like it was a big joke.
  - Trust you? I don’t think that will be happening any time soon.
  We followed Krasnjar and Derek for a while into a tent. It wasn’t the command tent, but, regardless, there were some important people and some less important. There were Klazaar and couple elder dragons talking with him. Then there was also Calvan, Thobias and several elves.
  - So, what do you want? I asked. – We are tired and I want to go sleep a bit before morning, so don’t waste my time.
  Before answering my question, Klazaar talked first with Derek and Krasnjar.
  - Any news from Quantras, Korrak and Sarian? Klazaar asked.
  - Yes, I used the orb to inform them Chaz and Filno have returned, Derek said. – They should be coming back.
  - You just HAD to tell them! I moaned. – You could have just let them wander around for days! That’d been more fun! Now they come back and we have to listen for their shit.
  - It wouldn’t have been nice, Derek told me. – You realize they left after you to calm you down. You could have turned around at any moment and perhaps even attack us. We didn’t also want to have our enemies chance to perhaps capture and use you for their own ends.
  - Right…now what do you want?
  - Just hear what happened while you were gone, Klazaar replied. – You even went further than most our scouts, so what you saw could be useful.
  - Heh, all I can say is that I regained my senses at the Silent Blade’s town. It was already mostly burning by then. I used some orcs to get past last lines of defense and then found out Zamar wasn’t there, but at the mountains. I found Zamar, we gave him to orcs who chopped him into pieces. Then we came back. Nothing more. What are you afraid of?
  - Honestly? You are a wildcard. No one can really tell what you are going to do next. Right now you can tip the scales for either side. If you suddenly decided to go with your father, we could have problems. On the other hand, if you are on our side, they might be in trouble. I’m sure you understand why. I just don’t want any surprises. Krasor waits for me…we will fight again very soon. I need to prepare for it.
  By then I noticed Klazaar sounded bit different than usually. Often he was trying to be all knowing and wise with added flavor of being friendly to everyone. Now he seemed a bit calculative. Yeah, he was preparing already.
  - Don’t worry. I don’t interfere, if I can avoid it. I’d rather be far away when you two clash.
  Klazaar nodded.
  We were about to leave, but there was still a little matter to be taken care of.
  - Filno, said one of the elves and took off hood that was covering him before.
  Filno turned around and looked at him. Believe me or not, but it was Valno.
  - Valno, Filno replied. – What are you doing here?
  - I came with the reinforcements from Shan’lah. I will do my part in this conflict.
  - Hah! You came to fight cultists, Filno laughed. – Seriously. Get the fuck out of here, will you. You are too stupid to be any use, I’m sure. Actually…you are probably more trouble than anything else.
  - Think what you think, monster. But you are a monster that can be used.
  Valno eyed nervously at the other elves nearby. Then back at us. Then shortly Klazaar, Thobias and others. He received then a nod from the elf high up’s.
  - I’d ask you to come with us to our quarters, Valno said silently. – There is something we need your…umm…help.
  -*This sounds interesting*, I told Filno. -*We can at least listen what they have to say even, if they are retards.*
  -*I agree. They aroused my curiosity.* We’ll come, Filno said and put on a wide smile.
  It was rather funny. The elves tried so hard to seem like they were not doing anything strange, but I say they failed quite miserably. Regardless, we followed them silently to their tents, which were somewhat better quality than most. I realized they had actually hauled all kinds of stuff with them. I think the officer’s wanted to feel comfortable and all. They had really well crafted wooden chairs, colorful textiles and good wines and food among other things.
  - Pretty, I muttered. – So…what is this all about?
  - We know your organization, Red Hand, is working at Shan’lah too, said one of the officers. – We could use their connections in an important matter.
  - Ah! We are pleased you want to use our service. We take our business seriously. You made a good choice! May I ask why you don’t use your own or perhaps Silent Blades?
  - We would like to keep this matter to ourselves. It is our business, the elves, and there is no need to have this inharmony to spread.
  I grinned.
  
  I’m not sure, if I have ever mentioned it, but the part that shows up for everyone else about elvish society, is sometimes just a big act. They make everything look like it’s perfect, but lot of less than perfect stuff is might be just sweeped off from plain sight. Their life is perfect … and that’s the way they want to keep it. Believe me there is just as much dirty things going on as everywhere else.
  
  - Since you both are elves … to an extent, we can entrust you with details, the elf continued.
  - What is in for us? Filno asked. – I also suggest you to think a bit first. You threw us away. You made me an outlaw and you banished me from my rightful home. What can you offer to us?
  - We have a formal apology for that. We acted hastily and only thought what you are. We are willing to lift the banishment and rest of it and officially accept you both as part of our society which comes with rights that are only open to elves. There will be also payment as gold and it’s amount can be discussed later.
  That first part of rewards was probably aimed for Filno to let him have his rights back and all, but it felt kind of cool that they added me within it too.
  - You still haven’t told why us, I said. – You need Red Hand, right, but why didn’t you contact our offices. They are very capable at handling things. You want us. Why?
  - Because it is partly a family matter, Valno said. – And you might be best suited for this mission too.
  - I’m on all ears, Filno said with interest and I have to agree I was getting more and more curious.
  - Filno, it seems you mother and father have acted a bit rashly, Valno said.
  - WHAT? Filno shouted and nearly jumped at Valno. – They disappeared years ago! When they abandoned me! They have come back? What have they done?
  - It is very clear now to me too why they abandoned you back then, Valno continued. – It is also very clear where your unnatural curiosity comes from, Filno. I suppose, if mother and father are both spies, their children might become too.
  I had to laugh. Filno looked bit baffled, but found the whole thing funny too.
  - I was told, if they made any contacts to the family, I should report it forward, Valno continued. – Then they told me what it was all about. We can’t stand such disgrace in our family. They did the unthinkable and broke into secret council archives and stole important information! It is a treason! … I can see where you have inherited your sense of morale too, Filno.
  - Whatever, Filno muttered. - What do you want us to do about them?
  - We would like you to have them…”go away”, said one the elves.
  - You mean kill them? I asked.
  - No…make them “go away”.
  - Does that imply you want us to kill them?
  - I didn’t say that.
  - Yeah you didn’t, but was it what you meant?
  - Make them “go away”. Consider it the way you wish.
  They didn’t seem to want to just do something as vulgar as to simply give the kill order. They were too perfect for it so they rather had us – the less perfect – to make the decision. We were already dirty, so it wouldn’t hurt to get bit more dirty.
  -*You alright with it, Filno?* I asked. -*They are your parents after all.*
  -*That they are only biologically. I don’t have parents. I don’t even know their names. They knew I didn’t like them so they chose us.*
  -*True.* We will consider it, I said. – Any timeframes this should be completed? We are at war here and getting rid of Zariath is first on my priority list.
  - Reaching Coand shouldn’t take much longer, the elf guy told us. – We think those traitors are hiding now, but they won’t do so forever. I’ll say find them as soon as possible. We don’t want them to use their wrongly gained knowledge.
  - Good…that gives us a bit of flexibility, I said. – I’ll have my people look for any leads to them. You might want to let them know whatever you know already. Negotiate the amount of gold with our Shan’lah office.
  - This is something personal, Filno said. – I might have done it anyway.
  - They are both experienced mages, warned the elf guy.
  - That will be no problem, Filno replied. – Do they know about us, Chaz and me?
  - As far as we know they were away when it was revealed. We have attempted to bury the whole thing. There is no need to spread that inharmony any further than it has already. It is possible that they do not know.
  Hahah. Filno and I, we are just “inharmony” – disruption in perfection.
  I had my doubts about the motives, though, but like Filno told me later, he saw it as a good chance to least find his parents and have that talk. Pretty much all we had was their names, which the elves told us just before we left. Filno’s father, Merko, and mother, Nyen – least those were the names they last used.
  Derek and Krasnjar were waiting outside.
  - What did they want? Derek asked.
  - Why don’t you go ask them? I told him right away. – Besides, it isn’t my secret to reveal. Though, I seriously doubt they’d ever tell anything to a dwarf.
  - Oh, elf politics. If you don’t have much of previous experience, don’t be surprised, if seemingly small thing grows into complicated entanglement.
  - Least we get something interesting to do.
  We went looking for Lev and we did find him a bit later. I told him to put some of his best men to look into our newest mission. I knew elves at Shan’lah might be reluctant to help my people, if they weren’t elves, but I just said they should tell, if they work with us, they have to accept my ways. My people can also keep their mouths shut – any silly “inharmony” will not spread.
  That was pretty much all for the day. Filno and I got a bit of amusement later when Quantras, Korrak and Sarian returned. Apparently they had been closer than I thought, but still they never found me.
  - Haha! I laughed. – You had trail of fire to follow and you didn’t find me. You suck! You didn’t even bump into Filno, didn’t you?!
  Korrak and Sarian just both sighed and shook their heads and walked away. Quantras looked at me for a moment seemingly not caring my insults.
  - I’m happy you decided to come back, Quantras said and walked away too.