In his dream he was commanding the battle from a tree, which was rocking backwards and forwards beneath him as the two Murak commanders tried to shake him out of the branches. He woke up and he was indeed being shaken; his eyes were dazzled by the flames of a torch being held close to his face.
"He is awake," a voice said. There was a hand on his shoulder and the shaking stopped. The torch moved away and Chaldez sat up. The flames were now lighting up the faces of several men who were standing around him. One of the figures stepped closer. It was Dan. He made a remark about his brother Zakarrah never missing his sleep, and then the two friends were clasping each other around the shoulders. Their greetings done, Chaldez led Dan to one side. "You came just in time," he said quietly."
"Too soon," Dan muttered.
Chaldez was perplexed. "Then you don't know how close we were to defeat," he said. "The Muraks were doing our work for us. I stopped them before they'd half finished. It was a mistake."
With an unpleasant sensation Chaldez realised what he was implying, and hurriedly changed the subject. Had Cregitzig been taken, he asked?
"He was in their camp when the Feet came through. I saw him, the tent burned around him. He was on a litter."
"Alive?"
Dan shook his head.
"On a litter and the battle still being fought? He had been wounded?"
"Perhaps. I don't know. Tell me, when we last saw him he was a big man; am I right?"
Chaldez nodded.
"Not when I saw him tonight. Skin and bones; just skin and bones. I hardly recognised him."
"He'd been ill?"
"I would think so. And for some time from the look of him.
Chaldez was silent while he considered the implications of this. Jaejisir, not Cregitzig had been defeated, and he felt disappointed, as though the victory were reduced. He said "I don't believe Cregitzig would have fought that battle. The Muraks were stronger, but their position was terrible. Cregitzig would have found a way out of it."
Dan seemed not to be interested in his speculations. "Jaejisir is dead too," he said.
"You're sure?"
Dan laughed. "I should be! I killed him."
Chaldez felt stabbed by a shaft of envy. "Tell me," he said.
Dan shrugged. "He lost his mount. Shot from under him. He stood there pointing at his bared chest, asking to be killed by my bowmen too. Like his horse. I told them not to waste their arrows. He would die like the pig he is. They understood. I stuck him, stuck with a Murak lance; one of his own filthy lances!"
Chaldez said "With a Murak lance?" The repetition disguised his sense of shock. He could picture the scene, Dan on his horse pushing the lance into the Murak's bared chest. How could a man be proud of doing a thing like that? He looked at Dan; he was swollen with satisfaction.
Dan laughed. He thought Chaldez was in awe of him. "Yes. I snatched one up and killed him with it." Chaldez scowled with disapproval, but if Dan saw it he misinterpreted it. He came closer; his voice dropped. "Two down," he said. "One to go."

Chaldez gave him a quizzical look.
"The usurper Sigmar!" Dan's voice was harsh but hardly more than a whisper. "We could do it now. You'll be king. Your father and mother avenged. It's what we have been waiting for. He is defenceless."
The dread which Chaldez had already felt returned, but now it was overwhelming. "No," he said. "Not now. It would be madness."
Dan gripped his arm; squeezed it tight. "Nonsense! This is your moment. He is practically alone."
"His army would tear us to pieces. Sigmar is conqueror of the Muraks, victor of Shymosdak. This is the worst time to strike. Of course we could kill him but it'd do us no good. If we escaped with our lives we'd be lucky."
Dan was contemptuous. "I feared this!" he exclaimed. "You love his daughter. I should have refused to let you leave and go back to her."
"Tamasi died," Chaldez said. "But you are right. I loved her, and now her spirit prevents me from killing her father in cold blood. I cannot do it and I forbid you to do it."
Dan made a scornful sound and threw back his head.
Chaldez said "I know that I shall be king. You have told me as much, and I trust you. The gods allow you to see the future; how can I forget that they allowed you to save my life when I might have been poisoned? I also know that this is not the time to make our move. Forget Tamasi. My feelings for her have nothing to do with it. We would gain nothing by killing Sigmar now. He is a hero. If we destroyed him we'd be destroying ourselves. My time will come. Our time will come. I know it will."
Dan reached out and held his arm again, but his grip this time was gentle. "I suppose we can wait," he said. "We have waited this long; what difference can a year or two more make? You are right. Our time will come."
Chaldez smiled at him; relief washed out the dread which had chilled his heart and he felt a familiar warmth towards his old friend.