“I envy you. Your world, Ser Dalius. I wish I had seen the Silver Dragon, at least. I could do without the monsters.”

“Yours seems peaceful by comparison.”

“Did you not hear about the dictators? The wars we fight with each other? Firearms?”

Ser Dalius nodded.

“I heard. But those are just mortal men, not immortal monsters that live for millennia.”

“Maybe. But I’d take monsters even so. Even those…”

“Why?”

He was astonished. Cara looked at Ser Dalius.

“Because it would be monsters. Not mortal men who did all that terrible stuff.”

“Ah. That is…”

In silence, they walked on. Cara felt at her arms. He regarded them with the same guilt as he had the last thousand times.

“You’re sure they do not hurt too badly? We can stop and rebandage them. Again, if I had but a single

[Druid] or [Herb Healer]—”

“It’s fine. Just cuts, Dalius. Just cuts. Let’s keep moving. When I leave the tomb, I’ll go find one.”

“Yes. When you leave.”

The ghost’s hesitation was audible. Cara glanced at him.

“…Do you think the Silver Dragon would still be alive?”

“Unless someone slew him, and that would be a great task given that an entire order of [Knights] is sworn to his service, I believe so. He is both protected and protector.”

“Maybe I could meet him. You could introduce us…he might remember you.”

Ser Dalius turned his head away.

“I…Dragons remember few mortal faces. I was but one of a company. Besides, that might be difficult.”

“Right.”

She stared at his back, searching for a follow up. But she was too shaken.

They said nothing more for a while.

——

Onwards. Cara woke and slept two more days. She would have screamed, if that would do anything. But instead she just complained to Dalius.

“My feet hurt. Can’t you drag me?”

“Not without giving you frostbite.”

“Okay. Here’s a thought: I get on a stone coffin lid. And you drag it.”

The [Knight] actually considered this for a few seconds before shaking his head.

“I think my form lacks enough strength, Miss Cara. I could only lift you for a few seconds at most. That is what I—know. Somehow.”

“Damn.”

He frowned in mild reproof at her constant cursing. But Cara was…going insane again. She looked around. The same scene after walking for days. She turned to Dalius, and tried to ask without screaming.

“I just want to go back home. Do you think—the entrance is sealed, you said? How will I get back up?”

She doubted the tomb would ever end. But to her surprise, the [Knight] reassured her.

“Take heart. Mice and roots enter this tomb. That suggests we are not that deeply buried. The entrance is far yet—thirty-five miles if I may guess it—but I will bring you rations.”

“Thirty-five—how far have we gone?”