Rughoi looked on in shock. His mother was in danger! Rama had gotten it into his head to endanger his emperor's only family, and to top it all off, stumbled on a fierce looking dracon scouting party. He ran out the front gate and stopped the first kobold soldier he saw. "Sound the alarm!" he shouted, right in his face. "Call up the arms! I want a whole legion behind me in five minutes! Wise Sister," he said, addressing Kali. "Send for Magister Kutur. Then come with me. Every magic user helps."

Merat would not budge from his position. "Dracons are enemies. Rally your troops," he said, tightening his pull on his bow. "Get the Queen Mother to safety. Now go!" he shouted. Kobold ground troops were inherently poorer than their dracon counterparts, but if there is one thing kobolds can do better, it's scout archery. Their smaller size and penchant for hiding meant that kobold archers could harry a much larger enemy force until they die of attrition, all without being seen. "You are prisoners. Come with me," he said to the dracon party below.