The sun was high in the sky when Lord Red woke. Deneve was still asleep. He had slipped quietly out of the tent to be alone with his thoughts. He was still in awe that Deneve had been blaming herself all this time just as he had.

He could see where she felt pressured to find an answer. He also understood this was why she refused to destroy the black spirit residing with her. Those memories could be lost forever if she did such a thing. The thought was a sobering one.

He knew the spirit was constantly pressuring her to gain more power. It became more potent the longer it was with you. The yearning of that creature must be immense now.

The hunger for power is wearing on Deneve. So we have been helping her.

We? As in all of you?

Yes, even the Black Dragon. She has suffered more than Deneve from the call of the dark energy.

So she did commune with the Black Dragon.

Arne snorted. Not like you think. The dragon insisted on it.

He should have been shocked at the thought, but strangely enough, knowing Deneve, it seemed fitting.

Looking back at the tent, he debated whether he should ask to travel with her or continue his own path. Probably, for now, it was best not to push it. Instead, he needed to figure out whether the ancient machines might be the key to them getting home. After all, there was no guarantee that Deneve would get her memories back. They should both keep searching in their own ways for now.