Uro's guards allowed me to approach as he looked into his enemy's pyre, though they seemed nervous about it.

  “I would have preferred she lived through this,” he said sadly.

  “Do not regret the fate she brought upon herself Uro; you gave her a chance. Perhaps you think she'd have changed, but even with my short experience with her I doubt that.”

  “Perhaps, perhaps not, but now there is no chance for change. Now my people as a whole are weaker than they could have been, now more will suffer than need to.”

  It was clear to me that he was the one who should be leading regardless. Perhaps he understood that this war had few possible endings, but still he wanted to do what was best for everyone, not just himself. He'd been willing to consider options, to quit the field, if only to spare others pain. Perhaps that was an issue with him, but it also showed where his interests lie, not with self-aggrandizement, but with the care of his people. Ultimately he'd make a better future for them.

  While I contemplated this beside him I saw Chien and Isha begin to make their way from whatever cover they'd found, peeking out at first, then coming towards us slowly, looking for threats.

  “Uro, it would probably be best for everyone if we avoided further conflict here today. What's left of Nora's people are likely to be coming soon, and they'll fight if they see you here.”

  “A wise observation, let us go for now. Come daylight I'll take the steps to finally end this conflict.” He looked at me out the side of his eyes. “Are you still satisfied to leave now? Some might say I owe you something for the service you've done me today.”

  I considered for a few moments, I really didn't want anything for myself other than what I wanted before.

  “All I truly desire is to leave peacefully Uro, but there is something else you can do for me.”

  “What's that?” he asked cautiously eyes stern.

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  “During the fighting I damaged a home here. Would you see to it that those whose house I wrecked either are given the one I built or another of good standing, the same for whoever owned that boat?” I pointed to the place where I'd seen the mother and her child, the massive yawning hole in their home clearly evident.

  Uro's lips formed the smallest of smiles. “You have my word they'll be taken care of.”

  I nodded to him, his word was good enough for me. Could he betray it and give those whose homes and livelihoods I'd damaged nothing? Sure, but that didn't seem the kind of person he was. If I had to guess I'd say that when he came back they'd be quickly aided. After all, it was clear to see that he cared about people as a whole.

  Our piece said, and sounds beginning to come from further in the city indicating that people were coming this way we quickly got moving. Getting to my boat was easy enough, and Uro's men rushed to their own. Before anybody made it to us we were both underway, sailing out to the lake.

  The guards near the harbor must have been in that fight, because nobody tried to stop us as we set sail. Our craft cut through the water, driven by magic into the large central lake, pushed along away from the city.

  As we fled I looked backwards, upon the shore a number of people had gathered. Most were around the flaming wreckage, looking on in shock at what had become of their leader. None of them tried to put it out, seeming to know that there was nothing they could do. One however looked after us.

  Curz had been the one to show us here, to bring us to this place. We'd been lost, looking for aid, and he'd helped us find this settlement. Sure, I wasn't happy about his deception with Uro's men, but we'd understood each other to an extent. Now he watched on as we left, eyes sad, tears streaking down his cheeks.

  Would this be my destiny? To forever be forced from my home, to forever leave destruction in my wake? Even when I tried to do good, things broke. My childhood village had burned before they spurned me, the city I'd settled into had be broken and decimated by war. Now behind me another place was left in pain, more suffering.

  No, I refused to accept that. Always I'd done what I could to protect, to save people where and when I was able. I'd brought not only pain but also advancement, hope for the future. Perhaps there would be suffering at times, that was life, but I could also bring good to this world.

  Beside us one of Uro's canoes pulled up, a pair of soldiers inside it. “Uro asked us to show you the fastest route northward, if you want the help.”

  “We'd be grateful,” I told them and they pulled forward, picking up a good amount of speed.

  His soldiers didn't speak to us as we cut through the night. Odd, because I knew he'd originally wanted more info on the boats and the like, but perhaps he was reconsidering that. An image of betrayal sparked in my mind, but I quickly put it to the side, if Uro had wanted us dead, he'd had a good chance earlier. Likely he just wanted us gone.

  “You seem contemplative,” Isha said as she joined me where I sat on the boat.

  “It's been a long night,” I told her.

  She leaned in and kissed my cheek, soft lips cool against my skin. Then settled near me, the smell of her wafting up. Soap wasn't really a big thing in this world, but people still washed. It made for an altogether different smell than I was used to on Earth, more wild, tinged with the smoke from the fires everyone kept, and sweat that seemed everywhere. This mixed with herbs and flowers that some women, even my Isha, sometimes used to scrub themselves, both to improve their scent and to ward off insects. All this was added to by the smell of the branches we often slept upon, to form it's own perfume.

  “Things will get better,” she assured me.

  “How do you know? How do you trust that?”

  “Because I trust you.”

  I had to hold back tears, wondering what I'd done in either of my lives to deserve someone like her.