They were struggling up a hill not quite tall enough to be a mountain when Kevin suddenly stopped.

"Ah," he said, adjusting his glasses. "We should be getting close."

"What makes you say that?"

"Listen."

"To what?"

"You might hear it when we're closer...Just listen."

Kris strained as they walked on, and after a few moments, she heard a dull, throbbing, sustained sort of hiss.

"What is that?"

Kevin didn't respond; she subsided with a sigh. However, once they reached the top of the hill, Kris was able to see the beginning of what he was talking about.

The land before them sloped gradually downwards for a ways, gently leveled off, rolled along for a little ways further, then abruptly dropped away in a sheer cliff, just beyond which it sounded as though the noise had its origins. Near to where they stood, the dark gray of the ground gave way to gold.

"What the hell's that?"

Kevin smiled slightly and walked calmly over to the border between the colors, then stretched out his hand. As though moving from shade to sun, his hand was suddenly cast into light, the indistinct shade of his skin, caused by the night dimness, thrown into vibrant color. Though he didn't move, the light flowed up his arm, and from there began advancing over his chest, his head, highlighting his black hair with earthen tones and drawing color even from his drab, charcoal shirt. As it began picking out the ornate carvings Kris hadn't realized had been on the sheath of the sword hanging from his belt, he pulled his hand back. The light retreated once again, leaving the same colorlessness in its wake. He turned to her and smiled.

"The Light of Truth. We're almost there."

"Yeah, you've been saying that for a while," Kris commented somewhat absently, joining him and holding her own hand out to the light with no source. A warmth very much akin to that from the sun crept up her arm with the light. She stepped completely inside and found herself completely illuminated. Unsettled, she placed her hand over, then under, her arm. She made no shadow. Behind her, the moon hung low and full, stained with scarlet, on the horizon. Silhouetted against it was the dark hill upon which they had stood before.

Kris looked forward again just in time to see a vast, winged figure swing upwards from just beyond the place where the land fell away. She was only able to get an impression of a long, serpentine body with translucent wings before a second figure, only slightly smaller, soared after it. This she got quite a clear view of. The figure was clad in silver armor, a helmet with a slit in front covering its head. A shining sword was clasped in its hand. Its wings were long, and white, and ethereal, tapering away to mist. The angel curved backwards in its flight, now pursued itself by what she could now identify as – well, the closest description would be a dragon. It had a heavy head with great jaws from which sprang wicked teeth; claws that would be quite nearly as long as Kris was tall came from each of its four feet. Innumerable wings like those of dragonflies beat furiously on its back, looking far too frail to support its immense bulk.

The dragon snapped at the back of the angel's head; impossibly, the angel dove out of the way and arced back around to swing at the dragon's neck. The dragon away, onto its back, and lashed up at the angel with its back feet. He pulled out of his flight path to avoid the gutting blow, then flew out of sight below the cliff in close pursuit of the great worm.

Kris ran a few steps forward, then stopped, staring at the place where the two creatures had been battling. She heard Kevin walk up beside her.

"Holy crap," Kris said lucidly.

"Hm. That was Lux and Nyx," he said.

"Lux and – wait. That doesn't – I thought they were armies?"

"Oh, they are. Those two are...their mascots, I suppose."

She tore her eyes away from the dark horizon to stare at him. "That is quite easily the most ludicrous thing I have heard in...well, a while."

"Closest description I can come up with. The Truthsayers of each side summon their avatar during battle, and they mirror what's happening below. If one side defeats the other, the defeated side's avatar is slain by the winning side's. A rather pointless tradition, though an interesting one. Rather like a running commentary on the battle."

"Oh. So – that means there's a battle up ahead?"

"You haven't been able to tell by now? The noise seems pretty clear to me. You must have pretty bad hearing."

"Oh, shut up, Blindy McNoSee. It's not as if all your senses are utterly perfect, either."

"No, but I couldn't help it. It was genetics. You, on the other hand, caused your own deficiencies by listening to overloud, angry music and, you know, sticking things in your ears that aren't supposed to go there."

"Such as?"

"Q-Tips?"

"If those aren't supposed to go in your ear, why do they make them?"

"Search me. I've never understood the medical profession."

"I think we're getting off the point."

"Being?"

"That we're almost there."

"Oh. Right."

Kris walked nearly to the edge of the cliff, Kevin following behind her. A hundred feet below, a thousand people fought with sword and bow and spear as the two avatars battled overhead. She wondered rather distantly how many were dying below her, and swallowed.

"They all look the same," Kris commented thoughtlessly.

"Well, of course they look the same," Kevin said, puzzled. "What, did you think that, you know, everyone for Nyx would have such features, while Lux is this color?"

"No. I just...can't tell who is who. It seems that with war, you should be able to tell which side is which."

"I've been saying that all my life," Kevin said, and Kris was startled to hear the bitterness in his voice. "No, the grand armies are exactly the same, Kris. Each identical in its cruelties, its mercilessness, its boundless thirst for fire and blood and destruction. They're the exact same wolf, just clad in the clothing of different species of sheep."

"I know it's a bit late to be asking this question, but...why do you want to help them?"

"What else is there to do?" he asked. "Keep living in that same damned town, drinking away the day that never ends? Selling designs for weapons that are ever more efficient for killing? After a while, your conscience catches up to you. At least this way, I might even be able to save a few lives."

"I'm sorry. You're right."

"Besides," he went on as though he hadn't heard her, "Lux really gets on my nerves. They're so self-righteous. I'd just as soon not work with a bunch of zealots."

"Seems like you've been doing that a good portion of your life."

He shot her one of his rare grins. "No, not really. I mean, the House, that's where you get some of the real weirdoes. People wanting to ban fruit-based pastries and what have you. The Senate, that's always been pretty inoffensive." He squinted down at the battlefield. "From the looks of it, the armies met by accident...Normally, they'd have archers posted on the walls of the pass. This'd be a great position defensively, but it looks as if the defenses weren't even set up...And it looks like a pretty small contingent. Neither side must have been particularly prepared to engage." He craned around to look at the cliffside. "Still, they got the Truthsayers into place." He pointed at a group standing on a ledge partly up. The only trail leading to their perch came down from the top of the cliff.

Kris felt a rush of déjà vu. "Who did you say those were?"

"Truthsayers. Summoners. They're responsible for the avatars. How elaborate are the robes? Lux tends toward the fairly ornate." She didn't respond, frantically trying to see if what she had seen was merely a figment of her imagination. He turned to her, a slight frown on his face. "Or you could ignore me."

"Oh, yeah, sorry." She turned away from the sight. "I figure, it's only just medicines. You know. A taste of your own...thing..."

"Something wrong?"

"I thought...I imagined I saw something. It's nothing. Nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Nevertheless, she turned back. "I'm good. I'm fine..." Then she spotted a flash of gold, and her stomach dropped.

"Okay. If you're sure," Kevin said, staring down once more at the army below. "I think that those over there – they might be the leaders...Can you get a good view?" Again, no response came. Again, he turned to her. "You know, your ignoring me is starting to get pretty damned annoy..." He trailed off as he realized he was talking to the air. A lone, blurry figure was sprinting toward the Truthsayers. Kevin sighed. "Oh, hell."

~~~

This was utter madness, and Kris knew it. The sheer odds against it were utterly overwhelming...She'd make an ass of herself, then go back, and Kevin would make fun of her, and that'd be the end of it. It was next to impossible that she had seen him.

But he died with me...

She nearly slipped over the edge of the precarious path leading down to where the Truthsayers were, but manage to recover her feet before she fell however many feet to her death. That would be a funny end, really. Death by falling on someone. Not so funny, really.

An arrow interrupting her morbid musings. It lodged itself in the rock inches from her head, quivering. She gave a little cry and fell ungracefully backwards.

"State your name and purpose!" called out a male voice. She stood up. A man – a boy, really; he couldn't have been a year older than herself – stood with nocked bow, staring at her challengingly. A guard, probably, for the Truthsayers.

"I'm...I'm looking for someone," Kris said uncertainly. Lovely. Her sheer, illogical stupidity wasn't only going to cause her embarrassment, it appeared that it might well cause her death, as well.

"Are you a messenger?" The boy's brown eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I don't recognize you. Who sent you?"

"I'm not...a messenger..."

"Then who are you? Answer me!"

"I'm looking for Nich!" Kris said desperately, climbing to her feet. "Nicholas Lucas. Is he here?"

"He is." The fair-haired boy continued staring at her. "If you're an assassin, you're a damned poor one. What do you want? And why are you staring at me like that?"

Kris couldn't help gaping. So he was here – the one who had killed her, her most loathed enemy. Nich was here, a Truthsayer for Lux...Nich of the torments, of the miserable life...All her hatred came bubbling up within her, and against all reason, without any forethought, she began to shout.

"You fucking bastard!" she bellowed. "You fucking killed me! Come out here and fight, asshole. Stop hiding behind your goddamn cronies! I am going to destroy you!"

~~~

At this point, several things happened in quick succession.

The great angel of Lux froze as a single Truthsayer's concentration was broken. With a roar of triumph, the dragon of Nyx lunged forward and seized Lux's throat, rending with its saber teeth. The angel fell backwards, dark blood trailing behind it, and slowly began to dissolve into the air. Its sword tumbled from its hand and disappeared as it tumbled end over end. Gradually, the wind caught tiny particles and lifted them from the disappearing mass; well before it hit the ground, the angel of Lux was gone.

A thousand weapons froze in the middle of descent; a thousand upturned faces gaped at the impossible sight. For several long, breathless seconds, they stood silent, until a long, wailing horn signaling immanent victory sounded from Nyx.

Nyx charged as Lux had only begun to retreat. The retreat turned into all-out flight as the stragglers were cut to pieces. A group from Nyx attacked the disoriented and confused group of Truthsayers, forcing them into retreat with the rest of their army before they could even begin to summon their avatar once again. They found a girl there, unarmed and completely bewildered by what had happened. And what could they have thought? An impossibility had happened, and here was an impossibility before them – it was perfectly logical to conclude that one had brought the other.

~~~

The woman before her was easily among the most beautiful Kris had ever seen. Wide green eyes sparkled brightly despite the lack of light; her cream-colored skin was accentuated by the cascade of crimson hair down her back. Her figure was slim, her lips full, and a dark red mark burned on her forehead. For that, Kris hated her.

Still, she seemed competent enough, in spite of her skewed priorities. That was terribly functional armor she wore, and a heavy war-hammer dangled almost negligently from her fingers before she handed it to one of the many aides swarming around her. She issued a few curt orders before turning to Kris and extending her hand.

"General Lucrecia Tamarin," she introduced herself shortly. "You're Kristina?"

"What? Oh. Um. Yes. Kris," she replied uncertainly, shaking the general's hand a bit weakly. She hadn't expected such a businesslike manner, or high rank, or even for the woman to have learned her name.

"Excellent. Could you tell me what happened out there?"

"I, uh, no. I'm not entirely sure myself."

"Oh? Were you not responsible?"

"No, I think I was..."

"Well? What did you do?"

Kris gestured awkwardly and uncertainly. "I, uh...I shouted..."

"And that broke a Truthsayer's concentration? Unusual." The general frowned slightly. "I rather doubt that will work again. So, Kris. It doesn't sound as though you intended that result...What have you come for?"

"I, uh...I was traveling with someone. He wanted a job as a, uh, as a consul to Nyx, I believe he said the job was. For that matter, have you picked up anyone besides me?"

"Not to my knowledge. Not all the squads have reported in, yet. Alzu!" A creature that looked more wolf than human loped up at her call. "Kris, this is my personal aide. Alzu, Kristina Hux. She's lost someone. She'll give you a description, and if any of the squads pick him up, have them bring him to me, all right?"

"Certainly," Alzu said in a clear tenor. Kris was a bit startled; she had been expecting a subservient, wheezing, Igor-esque sort of voice. "If you please. The one you've lost?"

"Oh. Yes! Yes. Um, Kevin Marx. He's, uh, quite tall, rather thin, with dark hair and glasses...He has a Japanese-style sword with him," she added, then realized they probably didn't know what a Japanese sword looked like, or even what Japan was. "Um. I don't know what else..."

"What does he smell like?"

"Uh, he – what?"

"What does he – oh," he broke off. "I'm so sorry. That was very rude of me." He bowed. "I believe that's sufficient for us. If he is found, we shall find him."

"Uh – thank you," Kris called after his retreating back.

"I'm sorry about that, by the way," the general said. "Alzu doesn't interact with humans very much. He forgets our limitations."

"Oh. Yes. Of course. Don't...worry about it," Kris replied vaguely.

"Good. Come with me," she said abruptly, striding off through the whirl of soldiers and aides. Kris had to run for the first few steps to catch up with her. "Do you know, Kris, that a large part of the army considers you a hero?"

"They – what?" Kris laughed incredulously. "Why the hell would they think that?"

"We were losing that battle, and badly. Then you came along and turned it into a decisive victory. It would take hours to name all the people you saved. So, at least for now, you're the army's savior."

"But I didn't even do anything!"

"You shouted, remember?" the general asked with a slightly mocking little smile on her lips. A wave of resentment seized Kris.

"Why the hell should I care?"

"The average soldier would become rather resentful if I did not do something kind for you. Most of the rest consider you lucky, and would want you to stay around. So I plan on appointing you head of a squad. The Eighteenth, I think."

Kris stopped. It took the general several moments to notice, and turned around to stare at her with a half-annoyed, half-amused look. "We don't have time to dawdle."

"You're appointing me...Please excuse my rudeness, but that is quite easily the most illogical thing I've heard in quite a while."

"Ah, so you aren't completely inarticulate. Good. I was starting to worry."

"Oh, thank you."

"That wasn't an insult, you know. Just bluntness. Can we get moving again, please?"

Kris caught up with her once again. "General – "

"It's really not quite so illogical as you think, Kris. You won't really have to do anything. The Eighteenth is...rather independent. Basically, all you'll have to do is stand there and look lucky."

"You're joking me. This must be a joke."

"Actually, it isn't, in spite of your redundancy. Please, come inside." Kris realized that they had come upon a very permanent-looking home, fashioned out of pale wood. More buildings spread beyond. The general places her hand on the door and muttered a few words. It glowed faintly beneath her hand, then swung open. She gestured, and Kris walked inside.

There were a few low chairs about. The general gestured again, and Kris stiffly took a seat.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Do you have wine?"

She nodded, and poured from a tall, thin bottle into a glass. Kris spoke once she had handed it to her.

"General – this is...How do you know I don't work for the other side? How do you know I'm not a spy for Lux?"

"Well, first of all, an agent of Lux wouldn't have caused that much damage to their own army. And, second, if you were, you wouldn't be suggesting that you were, unless you were utilizing reverse psychology. You look a bit too frazzled to be able to do that."

"General – "

"Call me Lucrecia."

"Yes, fine, whatever. Lucrecia, this is...I can't take...I can't accept it."

"Why?"

"Because...Because I..."

"Other obligations?"

"Well, no...I just...don't want it. I have no experience in the military..."

"I told you before – you don't need it. Ieie and Ayni will be able to handle the squad without your input."

"Well – I...What if I refuse?"

Lucrecia regarded her with some amusement. "You don't have to phrase it like that. It's not as if we're going to stick burning splinters under your toenails if you refuse."

"No...I suppose not, but..."

"Besides, there are...certain advantages that a captain can enjoy."

"Such as?"

"Well, for one, you won't have to Say your own home into existence. One will be built for you, to your specifications." Kris frowned slightly, but Lucrecia took no notice. "And...the rank of captain and above has the power of absolution."

"Which is?"

"For some reason, hatred of traitors seems to be ingrained in each of our soldiers. Many among our ranks are rather...overzealous in their search for spies. Often as not, there will be those who accuse even random passers-by of being a spy. Ludicrous, I know, but it's a grand tradition. High-rankers can absolve the accused – essentially nullify their crimes. This should matter a great deal to you, Kris."

"Why should it...Oh." Another wave of anger rose. "You're blackmailing me," she accused.

"Yes, I suppose I am," Lucrecia replied, and Kris was slightly mollified by the genuine regret in her voice. "I hope you'll accept the position on the merits it holds, though, and not because of anything else. I really didn't want to use your friend against you."

"Oh, that's comforting, really." Kris sighed. "Say, though, if I didn't..."

"He wouldn't be killed. How could he? There's no evidence against him. Freeing him would simply take a while."

"Yeah. Okay." She sighed again. "Okay. I guess I'll...I mean, it's not as if there's anything else for me to do here, right?"