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"Tell me this," Fred said. "Would we truly be beasts? That is, would we become unthinking brutes, or would we retain our sense of self?"

Windward sighed. "I could arrange for you to keep at least part of your minds intact, but I must tell you candidly that your best shot at retaining your humanity would be to entirely give it up. The most effective carnage beasts are those whose fighting instincts are intuitive and instinctual. Every bit of humanity you retain reduces your ability to defeat the others - and if Vincent wins and reclaims you, he'll simply erase it all together."

"It sounds like we're going to wind up killing these other two innocent people," Astra remarked.

"Believe me, I'd love nothing more than to free them as well, but it may come down to their lives against however many Vincent would unwittingly doom in his misguided attempt to help."

"Help?!?" Astra almost exploded. "Who or what does he think he's trying to 'help', anyway?!"

Sedge sighed again. "Vincent has always fancied himself a bit superior to others, magic-users and mortals both. He's convinced himself he can run the world better than anyone else, and if that means turning a few unwitting victims into carnage beasts - or wiping out whole armies to overthrow a king or queen - so be it."

"Someone like the Matriarch of Aqualaria, I assume."

"Or old King Embry."

"Precisely," Sedge nodded sadly. "You see now why I need your help."

1. Fred and Astra agree to Windward's plan.
2. Fred and Astra refuse Windward's plan, but offer a counter-suggestion.
3. Fred agrees, but Astra is still reluctant.
4. Astra agrees, but Fred is still reluctant.
5. Before they can decide, the walls of Sedge's domain begin to shake - Vincent's attack has begun!

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