Kira had dozed off for only a few minutes when a voice calling his name woke him. It wasn’t Katra, like he had dreamed. It was her mother, and her face was streaked in tears.

“I wanted to be the first to tell you. Katra’s dead. She went to Mardy’s pyre and sacrificed herself.”

“What!?” Kira interrupted, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing! Why would she do that?

“She brought Mardy back!” Katra’s Mom dissolved into tears and buried her face into a sopping wet hankie.

“What? Mardy’s dead too!”

“No, Kira. She’s waiting for you.” Katra’s Mom calmed down then and reached out to squeeze his hand and give him half a smile.

Kira got up, slowly; his wound stung him. His arm was wrapped to his body to keep him from opening the fresh scabs.

It as impossible to miss the towering frilled face high above the camp. Yet Mardy wasn’t red and black before…

“Kie!” The dragon spotted him immediately.
“Marduke?” Her voice was the same.
“I have been through the fire, Kira.”
“This was the trial?!”
“Yes.”