Much of Samodevia did not exist for its human inhabitants.

This was not the work of some great conspiracy, but a matter of survival. Lands where magic ran wild were rarely hospitable, given to anything from elemental anomalies to inconsistencies in the very flow of time. Valeri recalled a visit to one such realm vividly – a valley of fire suspended between two cliffs, appearing as but a sliver of space from the outside and stretching endless if one were to look within. The earth ran molten and the air was red, all within sight consumed by dancing flames.

Iavor had them wait at the side of the mountain path that passed by this unusual place for two nights. On the third, a fiery bird broke through the gap and soared into the sky, shaking off embers from feathers that glowed like the sun. It spun in a circle and then dove into the clouds, just to reappear again, like a child playing in a field of snow.

Valeri's understanding of Samodevia and his own existence expanded rapidly as he watched the creature's joyful flight. He had looked to Iavor, awaiting the man to speak of the purpose for their visit – the wisdom Valeri was meant to gather from the majestic sight before them both.

"Take a note of where this place lays, so you may avoid it in the future," Iavor told him.

Valeri's expression must have been strange. Iavor had certainly studied him with some bemusement before continuing his matter-of-fact lecture.

"The fat bird raising a ruckus is called a phoenix. Do keep your distance from its kind, they are skittish creatures with a vicious bite."

"As you say," Valeri had replied weakly.

That night, Valeri discovered two very important truths: One, Iavor Beaufort held very little appreciation for the more ethereal aspects of life. This conclusion was reinforced by several decades of cohabitation, during which ethereal happenings of all kind were reduced to their base components and examined without mercy. Valeri came to accept that his Sire possessed not an ounce of romance or interest in entertaining philosophical musings.

The revelation of Iavor's entanglement with a Hunter came as a bolt from the blue. How could a man who perceived a frolicking bird of myth as a clucking chicken fall into such a melodramatic role? It truly boggled the mind.

Two, it did not matter how powerful one was. There would always be something out of reach, someone who could force one to bow.

"What was the cause of the war?" Valeri asked.

The wind whistled in his ears, whipping the words away.

Zenith was a shadow flitting over the ground. His bulk had grown noticeably, the horse now large enough to accommodate both Valeri and Iavor without strain or even the need to crowd close, as two grown men sharing a saddle. Zenith exhibited not a hint of strain.

For the very first time, Valeri seriously considered the horse's origins. He wondered at his own nonchalance as well, the ease with which he accepted all that passed – as if he were but a bystander, a random passerby, rather than someone with a stake in the happenings in his own life.

Iavor let out a low laugh. "Did you not live through this particular time in history?" the man asked.

Valeri may have flushed, were it not for the cold wind and the lack of superfluous blood in his body. He had lived through the war between the Dvor and the Queen's Court – safe and sound behind the doors of Iavor's estate, taking interest in little beyond his medical studies. Had the conflict not ended with his Sire's death, Valeri may not have noticed the war's passing at all.

"There must be more to it," he insisted, blustering through his fluster, "It came too suddenly. You were taken by surprise, as well – I remember that clearly."

Surprise was a misnomer. News of the Dvor's declaration of war sent Iavor into such a fury that Valeri did not dare cross the man's path for days. Given Iavor's usually calm demeanor, the severity of his response was all the more frightening.

Iavor was silent. A dark world whirled by, the night sky blotted out by a canopy of gnarled branches. Zenith's hooves raised clouds of dirt and ash. They were well into the Dvor's territory, but were yet to meet a sentry or even a living soul.

Iavor's presence was a sufficient deterrent against undue scrutiny. Valeri could nonetheless not put aside the worry that they were rushing into some unknown danger.

"There was no war," Iavor said at last.

They reached a curving bridge. The forest had opened without Valeri realizing, the sky still a soot black without a star in its arch. The great lake that stretched toward the horizon was as placid and dark as the heavens. The only difference were the lights glittering on its surface.

"Ready?" Iavor asked.

Valeri firmly closed his mouth, then nodded in agreement.

Zenith clopped forward. The bridge rang shrilly under his hooves, the sound painful to the ear. Valeri resisted the urge to close his eyes.

They reached the highest point of the bridge. Iavor dismounted first, then helped Valeri down. The height truly was greater than usual. Had Valeri attempted to descend on his own, he would have likely ended up misjudging the distance and gaining an embarrassing injury.

They stepped up on the ledge together. Like the rift between the two cliffs, this lake contained a sliver of space and time that the Dvor had claimed for their own. The entrance was at this precise spot, just beneath the surface. Valeri watched the stars sway in the water below their feet with a grimace on his face. The Dvor may exist on dry land, but the lake was very much real and smelled rather strongly of silt.

Iavor noticed his discomfort. A smile pulled at the man's lips, minute and so painful in its familiarity Valeri had to look away.

"It will be over quickly," the man promised.

"I am not so sure," a voice said carelessly, "Although I am certain it will be quite the fight."

Valeri spun to face the voice, a dagger in his hand. It was one of Ira's – and what an unpleasant surprise the weapons had been, tucked away in a saddlebag right alongside a history tome that had survived the demise of Beaufort Manor. Valeri had cursed the woman for her insistence on courting death and kept the damned things close nonetheless. It was comforting to have them at hand in a way Valeri did not wish to acknowledge.

Iavor had yet to react. Valeri tore his eyes away from the golden-haired man perched on Zenith's back to give his Sire a glance, only to find the man's eyes on Ira's dagger. Iavor looked up slowly. Valeri stiffened when their eyes met, cold to the bone.

The interaction lasted but a moment. Iavor turned his attention to their guest, expression once again placid. Valeri realized he was gripping the dagger hard enough to bruise its shape into his palms and forced his grip to loosen.

"What happened?" Iavor asked.

The golden-haired youth raised a brow. "What, no hello? Welcome back from the dead, by the way. Did you bring me a souvenir from Hel?"

Valeri recognized the man at last. Had the situation not been so fraught, he would have laughed – think of a dog, find a stick, as the saying went.

The delicate young man currently using Zenith as a perch was none other than the phoenix Valeri and Iavor had watched escape the fiery realms, many years ago. Naturally, they had not known the purpose of the creature's flight at the time. The youth appeared at the Dvor's Table sometime later, becoming one of the Dvor's Lords and an outspoken pain in one stride.

"Kai," Iavor said flatly.

Kai sighed. "You're no fun. Fine. It's all gone."

Iavor said nothing, but his expression showed his doubt.

Kai harrumphed in disdain. He stood straight, balancing on his toes on Zenith's wide back. A small flame appeared in his cupped palms, illuminating his pointed face in warm tones.

"See for yourself."

The flame arched over the bridge and dove into the water. Valeri leaned over the ledge to see, only to recoil back in horror.

Thousands of milky eyes stared at them from beneath the lake's surface. Valeri did not know what kind of fish those wiggling, eel-like creatures were, but he had no interest in joining them to find out.

"Where is the lake's guardian?" Iavor asked.

"Dead. His body dropped through the sky, all ten tons of it. Though it was already somewhat eaten at the time. I blame those guys," Kai pointed down at the swarm of fish.

Valeri took another half-step back.

The lake's guardian was a great serpent of moderate intelligence and great loyalty toward the Dvor. The sky Kai spoke of was doubtlessly that above the space in which the Dvor resided. If the lake's guardian had fallen through, that meant that the realm itself had become unstable.

"Could it truly be gone? Just like that?" Valeri asked Iavor.

Iavor watched the churning lake. "What of the others?" he asked.

"Some died when the realm buckled," Kai said. "There were only a few of us left by then. Most fled when the human dogs gave word."

Iavor appeared neither surprised nor lost. Valeri grasped about a third of the conversation. What little he understood left reeling with anger and pain.

"It was all planned?" he hissed. "This whole time, the Dvor and the Queen's Court – they were playing it hand in hand. There was no war. It was all planned, was it not?"

Kai let out a hollow cheer, clapping loudly. Sparks flew when his hands met. The swarm of fish dove beneath the surface at the sight.

"It was no use, in the end," the man said. "Told them so. There's no use in tripping up others just so you can run a little longer. It's gonna catch up with all of us in the end."

Valeri stared at the smiling man, then turned to Iavor, gaze beseeching. He needed answers. He never wanted to understand before – cared little about the war, the Dvor, the damned Queen and her damned dogs. Perhaps it was too late to ask now, but the thought of dying without even knowing why was far more fearsome than any pain the truth might bring.

"Samodevia is disappearing," Iavor said. "The war was meant to alleviate pressure on existing resources and stall for time, but it did not help. In fact, it may have sped up the decay."

"Well deserved," Kai sniffed.

Valeri swallowed. He was afraid, afraid in a way he had never been. Yet, he found his mind clear and his words unimpeded. "What do we do now?" he asked.

Iavor looked at him. A light smile hooked his lips, like a ray of light over a dark sea.

"Naturally, we help things along."