Three horses made their way slowly across a barren moor in the Wetlands. The drizzle came down, and the slate sky gave no respite nor hint of sun.

“So what are we to do?” asked the monk.

“What do you mean?” replied the young sorceress.

“Well, it seems to me that we failed. Irina fled, the queen has died, and it all came to naught.”

The voice of the gentleman in the middle came warm and reassuring: “Nonsense, frater! We have not failed. Certainly, all could be better than it is, but such is this world.”

As they rode on further, the clergyman and the witch discussed the underground reformists, those who could effect change in the long term; the swordsman interjected that such men would need heroes to look up to. “Hyrum is in charge of the Church, yes,” said Boccaccio, “but that only means a stagnation. The same old order, the same old corruption – and we, we can root it out as we have done. We know how.”

“And while Arianna sits on the throne surrounded by squabbling generals, we may bring down to size those pompous officers who laud it over the common man,” came Anna. The three nodded in agreement as the rain began to dissipate.

“Remember what we first spoke of, brother,” said Alessandro, as the first speck of light came through a crack in the clouds. “What to do about a world where evil brings profit and virtue none.”

“You said it was a good thing we weren't in this for the money.”

“Exactly! The shared meals of the peasants shall be our food, and the offered barns of grateful farmers our bed. We do not do it for money, nor fame, nor glory – but simply because it must be so.” He took the rapier from his belt, nimbly cutting two lines into a nearby tree before pointing the blade straight ahead and turning to his companions. “Anna, Alfredo: we ride!”

“You?! You are La Volpe!”

“Yes, Giovanni, I am he, or, at least, I was. Now that I am old I cannot continue throwing myself off of rooftops and crossing blades with a hundred guards.”

“But you can't stop now?! The people need La Volpe!”

“Indeed, they do, but they also need me at the schools. With so many new children pouring in every day, I can hardly go off gallivanting, can I? And so I must find someone to replace me.”

“What about me! I could do it!”

“Could you? It will take dedication, and it will take time.”

“But Alessandro, I am already ready!”

Giovanni draws his sword.

“Do you know how to use that thing?”

“Yes?… the pointy end goes into the other man…”

“…this is going to take a lot of work.”