Ch. 07: The Quest for Loyalty

Atrus White Lion stood on top of the hill, looking at the landscape around him. The view of the Land of Lore never bored him. The long chain of mountains in the south, the unbroken view of forest in the west, the great canyons in the east, and the fearsome stormy Northern Ocean, added wonderful touch to the realm. From where he was standing, he felt as if he was standing at the top of the world.

Behind him was the view of the little town of Rocklin. The town was dwarfed by the vast forest surrounding the land. However, another thing also made the town insignificant. Before him was a huge mighty city wall, and beyond it, Castle Stromgarde, the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon.

Castle Stromgarde housed the royal palace, where the king resided. Beyond the walls also lay the city of Stromgarde, surrounding the palace. As the largest city in Aragon, it held the main role in Aragon's economy and military strength. Numerous outposts and fortifications were built around the city. The castle walls were among the biggest walls in Humans history.

In his mission as the Guardian's prophet, he had to forge an alliance of the five clans of the realm. To do so, he had to confront the king and his royal subordinates. However, with the war raging across the land, a passage to the capital was highly forbidden. A special request had to be made to the royal army, forcing him to spend some time in the border town of Rocklin for several days until the permission was issued. Such bureaucracy always annoyed him, but he had no choice.

Confronting the royal members would actually be the last thing he wanted to do. The Kingdom of Aragon was not as mighty as it had used to be. The royal affairs were filled with wicked and corrupted souls. Stories about back-stabbing and struggle for supremacy of power in the palace could be heard from the corner of every pub in the land. That was why he never felt comfortable when dealing with royal members. His old master, Falagor, who had been the royal advisor for many years, seemed to share the same feeling, which brought him into exile.

He heard footsteps from behind and found out that Maya had joined him on the hill. "I'm sorry if you want to be alone, Master Atrus..."

"Not at all. I can use a company, after all."

He stared at his companion. Her long dark hair was pony-tailed by a simple band with a cute black ribbon on top. Her gray body suit shaped her slim figure. The thick leather collar fit comfortably around her neck. On her belt were a number of throwing knives and a long leather-sheathed silver blade.

Maya Murdock was his... companion. However, she still insisted that she was his slave, bought from the town of Tiras to serve him forever. He never treated her as a slave, although she acted like one. But instead of being a burden, Maya was a good addition in the group. Her quick thinking and formidable fighting techniques had repeatedly saved his life.

His thought turned to his other companion, Adriana Freesland. A loyal ally, Anna was a priest and an apprentice in the art of magic. Despite their routine clashes, he found Anna easy to work with. She was a great partner and a decent fighter, but her magical ability was her primary asset. Her vast knowledge of things had been proven valuable in many occasions. Her ideals in finding the Champion of the Guardian stayed intact throughout their rough journey.

He sighed at the sight before him. Many things had happened in the past few months. Once he had been an eager young Ranger, looking for glory of his own. Then he had found Anna, who had changed his life completely. He had joined her quest in finding the fabled Champion of the Guardian.

Then he met Maya in the town of Tiras. Despite her slave status, her heart was full of determination and dignity. She had always been there to raise everybody's spirit when they were down. She had always been there to cheer them up. She had always been there to love and be loved. Then the Battle of Gideon came.

He still remembered clearly how he had been crushed. The loss of almost the entire village and the fact that he had almost killed his friends had shocked him. For six months he had put himself in exile, working with the great wizard Lord Falagor to sharpen his skill and regain his confidence. Again, Maya and Anna had interfered, helping him to bring his lost pieces back in place again. And now here they were, the Guardian's prophets, destined to find the Champion of the Guardian. In this time of trouble, he sometimes realized how lucky he was to have both girls as his companions.

"How are your feeling, Master?" Maya's question awoke him from his thought.

"I'm fine, Maya." He answered. "At least we're not looking for a fabled man anymore."

"You're right, Master." She nodded. "I suppose the whole things would be revealed in time."

"And we'll be the among the first to witness them." Atrus agreed.

Only If they succeed, of course. He had a feeling that his task would not be an easy one. The Guardian himself had promised to aid them with his selected warriors, which he had to find from the five clans. Finding them would be another problem. However, he had to admit that the whole thing was better than before. At least now he knew where to start.

"Anyway, Master, do you want to hear a secret?"

"What is it?"

"Do you know that Mistress Anna would turn nineteen next week?"

Atrus looked at her in disbelief. "How do you know?"

She just smirked. "I peeked at her diary."

"Oh, that's goo... WHAT?!! You did that?!"

"Of course. I don't become a thief for nothing." She snickered. "I even knew that you turned twenty last month."

"You... Don't tell me... You peeked into mine as well...?"

"Of course. Happy birthday, Master..." She hugged and kissed him on the cheek...

...just as Anna appeared in the corner of his eyes. She just froze for a while before finally approaching him. She tried to act as if nothing had happened, but he noticed it. Her long golden hair was braided with a pretty red ribbon. She wore her usual priest suit, which shaped her petite body perfectly. A metal mace hung on her belt. The light wind played her hair gracefully.

"I just want to tell you that the representative from the palace is here to see you."

"I see. I will be there in a moment." Atrus said.

She froze for a while before nodding. "Okay... um... sorry if I'm interrupting something." Then she quickly went back down the hill. Atrus just stared at her for a while.

"Can't you see that she admired you a lot, Master?" Maya asked innocently.

"I know. But I just don't know what to do..."

Maya just giggled. "You're worried about me, Master? You don't need to win my love, for my heart already belongs to you. But you'll be hurting her if you keep on acting like this."

"But I just don't know what to do." Atrus said again. "I suppose I'm not very good in dealing with this kind of thing. It's not in Ranger training procedure, you know..."

"Aw, you don't have to be a Ranger to be good in love, Master. Just be yourself."

"But I don't know how to start..."

"How about a sweet birthday gift?" Maya asked. "She would kill me for reading her diary, but it's a good start, right?"

Atrus just smiled. "Thank you, Maya. Anyway, let's meet our guest, shall we."


The knight sat erect on his horse. He wore a half-plate armor and a metal helmet. His metal gauntlets and boots made clanking noise in every movement. He was flanked by three other royal guards, distinguished by their lighter chain mails and simpler helmets. The guards were armed with long pikes.

Atrus had never seen a knight in full combat suit before, and the view astonished him. Anna and Maya shared the same amazement. The armor enhanced his appearance, giving him a full hint of honor and dignity of the figure beneath it. Atrus stood before him and saluted.

"I, Atrus White Lion, hailed and saluted you, Sir."

The chuckle escaped from the metal helmet, followed by a laugh. Atrus couldn't shake the feeling that he had been insulted, but the laugh seemed friendly.

"Please, don't be too formal, my friend. We've met before, have we not?"

Atrus turned to Anna for a clue, but she was as confused as he was. Then the knight reached out for his helmet and took it off, revealing a young man of his age. His long black hair was tied behind him. His overall appearance was unknown, but his face looked familiar.

"Try to imagine me without my long hair, my friend." He challenged again.

That face... he was familiar to him! It was in the town of Tiras...

"Captain Hawk?! Is that you?!"

The young knight smiled. "Long time no see, my friends. Many months have passed since my coward action back in Tiras."

Atrus remembered him as a young captain leading a small detachment of army to patrol the southern region of Tiras. They had been jumped by a giant lizard which had devoured all of his comrades. Atrus and the girls had saved him by slaying the lizard. At that time, Captain Hawk had had his hair short.

"Long time no see, indeed, Captain. And don't blame yourself for what happened in Tiras."

"Please, my friend, call me Hawk. I'm still in debt with you." He smiled, then turned to Anna. "Miss Freesland, I recall. It's been my honor to see you again."

Anna smiled warmly. "No, the honor is all mine. And please call me Anna."

He turned to Maya. "And you, young lady, I'm sorry I forget your name."

"Maya Murdock, at your service, Sir Hawk. Please call me Maya as well."

Hawk smiled at the group. "I'm happy to see you all. When we received your request, I quickly volunteered to greet you. And I have prepared three horses for you."

The two guards quickly dismounted from their horses. Atrus climbed on one, followed by Maya. Anna just stared at them hesitantly.

"Um, Maya... Can I ride with you...? I... I can't ride a horse..."

She could notice the grin in Atrus' face, and she swore she would incinerate him to crisp if he dared to insult her, but he said nothing. Maya, on the other hand, gave her an evil grin.

"Sorry, Mistress, but I'm not very good as well. I'm sure Master Atrus would do that."

Anna turned to Captain Hawk, but he answered politely. "I'm sorry, Anna, but you won't be able to hold tight since I'm wearing this body armor. Could you ride with Atrus?"

Anna looked at Atrus with pleading eyes, knowing he would take pleasure in mocking her, but before she made the request, Atrus offered his hand, which she accepted hesitantly. When the guards succeeded in helping her to mount, she quickly clasped her hands around Atrus' waist and refused to let go.

"Anna... I... can't... breathe...!!!"

Anna loosed her grip a bit, and Atrus quickly regained his breath. Captain Hawk just stared at them, confused, but Maya giggled at the sight. Anna still kept her body close to Atrus, shivering.

"Say, Anna... -grasp- You've never ridden a horse before?" Atrus finally asked.

"I... I have... B-but I have a bad experience..."

"Don't worry, Anna." Hawk said. "Just stick around with Atrus for a while, and you'll get used to it in no time."

Anna looked at the grinning Atrus. "I really doubt it."

Atrus just laughed, then turned to Hawk. "Say, Hawk, a race halfway through the city walls?"

"You got it, my friend!"

"NO!!! I mean... Atrus, please don't... I'm scared like hell..." Anna pleaded.

"Aw, don't be such a baby! Ready?!"

"You're on, my friend!"

"NO...!!! NO!!! KYAAA...!!!"

And the race began as both horses dashed toward the city, followed by Anna's cry of terror. Maya just laughed at the sight, and then raced her horse to follow them.

The race ended with Captain Hawk as the winner, since Atrus couldn't breathe for most of the route. Anna still kept her hands tightly around Atrus. She was crying openly now. Her face was full with fear. Atrus was busy in soothing her.

"I'm sorry, Anna... I don't know you're that scared... Forgive me, okay?"

"Just... just don't... do that... again... Oh God... I'm... so... scared..."

"I suppose Atrus can teach you how to ride a horse, don't you agree, Anna?" Hawk asked.

She just nodded slowly, her hands still refused to let go. They waited for a while until Maya could catch up, then proceeded to the city, very slowly.

"So, what brings you to the palace, my friend?" Hawk finally asked.
Atrus explained the situation in detail. Anna added a few details when needed. When they're finished, they were prepared to hear a mocking response, but Hawk just stayed silent.

"I know it's hard for you to trust us..." Anna added finally.

"No offence, my friends, but you have to understand us." Hawk answered. "If it is true that the Guardian has decided to fulfill the Ancient Prophecy, this will be the first good news heard by the royal members for at least three years. I have faith that you will not fool me, but I find it hard to believe it, and you can expect the royal members to feel the same."

"We're quite aware of that, Hawk, and we're prepared for it. However, none of us has any experience in dealing with court members. We're travelers, not politicians. Anna knew a little about negotiation and diplomacy, but that's all we know. I'm afraid I'm not that good at presenting our ideas."

"You're lucky, my friend, because you're looking at a court member right now."

"You're a court member?!" Maya asked.

Hawk smiled at the reaction. "I was just appointed as the castle defense coordinator and royal guards drill officer. My authority is still highly limited, but I have little experience in dealing with the court members. I can represent you before the king."

"You're willing to help us?" Anna's face brightened.

"Of course. A life debt lasts forever. I cannot promise you anything, but I will do my best to gain the king's approval to your plan. There are a few problems, however."

"What is it?" Atrus asked.

"To do a royal mission, you must attain the rank of knight. I can help you a little, but you have to go through several tests to prove your worthiness. Are you prepared?"

Atrus nodded. "You promised to do your best in representing us. I promise to do my part. We'll just see what the outcome will be."

The city of Stromgarde was a very prosperous city, well known for its trade. As the capital of the kingdom, many trading companies built their headquarters here. The people's lifestyle was highly dynamic, very different from those from villages. Marketplaces were in almost every corner of the place. Many people sold different kinds of merchandise on either side of the paved road. Houses were bigger and could probably fir two families along with their children inside. The road was very crowded that Captain Hawk had to enlist some soldiers' help to clear the way for them.

Outside the city laid the vast farmland owned by the citizens. The farmland was located inside the gate to increase the survivability of the citizens and the castle defenders in case of a blockade by enemy troops. Large guard towers were built along the walls and around the city to discourage the enemy from attacking the city from the air. Barracks and guardhouses blended in with the local community.

The palace itself was located in the center of the city, flanked by eight guard towers and four guardhouses. The beautiful royal garden surrounded the palace. From the road the people could see the large fountains and flowers that decorated the garden. The garden was surrounded by high steel fence with eight gates around the palace. The security was very tight, especially on each gate. Hawk explained that getting into the palace would be at least three times as hard as getting into the city itself.

The palace was large, but still considered modest for a large kingdom like Aragon. It only consisted of the main hall and eight wings. It was not very tall if compared to the adjacent guard towers. The citizens had used to be allowed to enter the palace courtyard during peacetime, but not anymore.

All four of them dismounted before the palace door.

"I apologize, but we don't have much time to relax. I have arranged your audience with the king in about ten minutes. Please follow me." Hawk gestured at the door.

"Should I come with you, Master, or should I take care of our stuff?" Maya asked.

"Come with us, Maya. I will need all support I can get for this audience." Atrus answered.

The palace main hall was huge. The high ceiling gave a spacious feeling to its occupants. Carpets covered the entire floor of the room Beautiful carvings and chandeliers decorated the hall. A pair of stairs led to the palace wings. Before them was another huge door led to the court.

The court was a big circular room walled by sculptures and statues. A glass ceiling allowed sunlight to illuminate the room. In the center of the room were three rows of circular tables.

"This is the royal court. This is where royal members and councils hold their forums."

Atrus was speechless. The tables and chairs were artistically crafted. Beautiful sculptures were all over the place. On one end of the table circles were three huge chairs. They were exceptional. Most of the surfaces were covered with gold. A pair of ivories accompanied the central chair on the sides. The seat was topped with a brilliant gemstone. There had to be the king's throne, he thought.

"You will sit here." Hawk noted at the nearest chair.

Atrus slowly sat on the comfortable chair, feeling the soft touch of leather. The handiwork was magnificent. The wooden furniture was neatly polished, as if the entire set had been made just yesterday. The tables were perfectly rounded and adjusted for his comfort.

Anna sat right beside him, sharing his amazement. As a priest, she had never felt comfortable among luxuries, but the sight overwhelmed her. These were not luxuries. These were works of art! Maya's tug at her suit awoken her as she saw Atrus looking at her. She could see the worry in his eyes.

"Anna... I'm not sure if I can pull this off... I desperately need your help in this one..."

"Don't worry... I knew a little bit about diplomacy. I will keep you informed."

Soon one by one the royal members entered the court. Anna silently introduced some of the members that she knew. Her experience with the bureaucracy when she had still been a priest allowed her to overhear some of their names and exploits. Atrus tried to keep up with her update.

"And that's General Kepfer." She noted at the old man in uniform entering the room from the east wing. His well-built body and hard expression acknowledged his experience in the heat of battle. "He is the minister of war. He also handles foreign affairs. He hates Elves, so he might oppose our mission."

Atrus nodded. He had heard the General's contribution to the war against the Elves. Strongest objections might come mainly from him. To promote the alliance, he had to convince him, or his request would not be granted.

"And that is Lord Garth, the royal advisor. He replaced Lord Falagor. He is a master alchemist and a great scholar of magic. He's a reasonable man, but unbeatable in argument."

Atrus could not clearly see the wisdom behind the mage's face. He was rather young to become a royal advisor, but appearance could fool. Never underestimate your enemies, his father had said.

"Behold, King Edward of Aragon!!"

Everybody stood up and saluted. Three figures entered the room from the south wing. The king was a middle-aged man with royal suit and long robes. A decorated crown sat on his hear, partly covered his white hair. He also had well-trimmed beard and moustache. He also wore black gloves and long army boots. His well-built figure indicated that he had been a knight before becoming a king.

He was followed by two other figures. The first one was a young man wearing a full body armor and a long robe. He was roughly at Atrus' height. He stared warily at the audience, as if there was a spy among them. The other one was a rather-fat middle-aged woman wearing extremely luxurious gown and delicate tiara. Atrus could see the rings in almost all of her finger. She also wore generous amount of make-up that made her look more like a monster rather than a lady.
The king sat down on the middle throne and the lady on the next one. The young man, however, stood beside him. The doors were closed and the meeting began.

"The man was Prince Roberto, the second son and heir to the throne." Anna whispered. "He is also the foremost knight of the realm. He wielded a giant sword called Kaiser Sword. Its power is unsurpassed."

"And who's the woman?" Atrus asked quietly without drawing attention.

"The woman was Lady Montana, King Edward's mistress and Roberto's mother. She is in charge of the civil affairs in the land, but rumors said she's... uh... horrible..."

Maya, who had been following the conversation, finally asked. "Why doesn't Roberto sit on the empty chair? Why do they keep the chair if nobody sits on it?"

"You know Prince Alfredo, the first son and the rightful heir to the throne?" Anna asked her.

"The one that we're looking for, right? He disappeared years ago without trace."

"True. The chair belongs to Queen Amalia, the queen of the land, Alfredo's mother." Anna explained. "She was poisoned shortly after the disappearance of her son. Her killer is never found. That chair is dedicated to her to symbolize King Edward's loyalty to his late wife."

"And what is Lady Montana doing here, then?" Atrus asked.

"She was the king's chief maid. One day, the king choked himself while having dinner, and she saved his life. In desperation of not having an heir for the throne, the king appointed her as his concubine. Roberto is the result. The king promised Roberto to become the heir if Alfredo can't be found."

"I can picture that both Roberto and his mom wouldn't like Alfredo back." Maya added.

"The court is in session." Lord Garth said. "Captain Hawk, you may begin."

Hawk stood from his chair and addressed the assembly before him. "The honorable royal members, I present you my friends, Ranger Atrus White Lion and his girls."

Atrus didn't like the way Hawk presented Anna and Maya as 'his girls'. However, he stood and bowed before the king. "Atrus White Lion, at your service, your majesty."

Anna felt the same, but did the same. "Adriana Freesland, at your service, your majesty."

"I'm Maya Murdock, slave of Atrus White Lion, at your service." Maya followed.

The king nodded. "You are the heroes at the conflicts in Labrador and Gideon, I recall."

"And you saved Sir Hawk's life in Tiras. I read your report, Captain. Are they the ones?"

"Yes, Prince Roberto, they are the ones, indeed." Hawk answered.

"They don't look special to me." Lady Montana added mockingly.

The remark stung the companions pretty badly, but they managed to control their anger. "We're no heroes, your majesty, just some travelers who want to do the job well." Anna said.

"A fine modesty, Miss Freesland, but your exploits are well known." Lord Garth claimed. "And what is your business in the palace?"

Hawk continued. "They are here to propose a new political move toward our neighbors, your majesty. They are here to form an alliance of all five clans of the realm."

The reactions came instantly from all around the room. General Kepfer quickly frowned at Atrus, while the other members busily debated the idea. The crowd silenced as Lord Garth raised his hand.

"And what is the reason?" Lord Garth continued.

"They claimed that Lord Guardian has sent them here..."

"LIAR!!!" Lady Montana cut Hawk off. Her curse was also welcomed with more objections from other members. This was not good, Atrus thought. He had to convince them, and it wouldn't be easy.

"Young White Lion!" The king suddenly called him. "I know your father well, and I believe you're not telling us lies."

"No, your majesty. I'm telling the truth." Atrus answered instantly.

"Then tell us. I believe you will enlightened us better if you tell us personally."

Atrus gave the girls a worried look, but they shot back an assuring smile. Atrus stood up and walked to the center of the room. He could feel all eyes were staring at him, but he hid his nervousness. He had to convince them. His friends were with them, and Lord Guardian himself said He would be, too.

"In our journey after the battle at Gideon, we traveled along the eastern part of the kingdom." Atrus felt reluctant in using the words 'we' and 'our', but he continued. "There Lord Guardian himself appeared before us. We were quite shocked, but we knew it was him..."

Anna cursed silently at the argument. It was a very weak one. Lord Garth noted it as well.

"How do you know it was him, young man?"

"I should describe him as... heavenly." Atrus answered. "His words, his voice, his message, everything he showed us were beyond imagination. I can't describe his appearance to convince you. But if you see him before your eyes, you know that it's not a mere illusion."

The answer seemed to satisfy most of the members. Anna sighed in relief.

"Then tell us his message, young man." One of the members said.

"He said that the Ancient Prophecy is about to be fulfilled. He also ordered us to find the Champion of the Guardian."

The court exploded with many different of responses. They eyed Atrus with suspicions, but he stood steadily before the king.

"I suppose we can't trust a person who believes in ghost stories." Lady Montana retorted.

"But it is not a ghost story, my Lady. The prophecy tells what is currently happening right now in this realm. It also tells what's going to happen in the future..."

"Such as he will rule the land after defeating the evil? This is treason!!!" She cried. "You make up stories to overthrow the king! Edward, can't you see?!"

Oh no... this was not good... Anna was getting panic. Lady Montana was trying to suck Atrus in. But Atrus just stood there calmly.

"I have no desire to overthrow anybody, your majesty. I just tell you what I was told to say. The Guardian has decided to fulfill the prophecy, and He will do it. I'm just a messenger."

The king turned at his advisor, but Lord Garth nodded. "Go on, young man."

"I was told to bear message to all clans of the realm. The prophecy has predicted the appearance of the demons as a new menace. To stand the menace we have to declare war and form..."

"You might be a demon-spawn!!!" Lady Montana cried again, louder this time. "You tried to infiltrate the castle with all your filthy ideas to drag us to war!!!"

Anna was getting furious. That old woman was annoying! She kept on disturbing him with her comments. Atrus, however, seemed to control his anger well.

"Young man, I do have an objection." General Kepfer politely spoke up. "War will only waste valuable resource and human lives. Our kingdom is in the verge of breakdown. Rebellions arise in many remote areas. Peasants started to blockade important trade routes. Villagers arm themselves and patrol the land, looking for trouble. The king has decided that declaring war will only weaken our state."

"Until now, many lives has been lost from the demon attacks." Atrus said. "The demons attacked town after town and killed all villagers. The survivors live in fear and terror..."

"Do you question the king's judgement? Do you think the king doesn't care of his people?! Do you blame the king for all the troubles in the outskirts of the kingdom?!"

"No, but it is time for the kingdom to fulfill its promises to its people."

Atrus' answer silenced Lady Montana again. Anna just stared at him for a while. He had said he had been lousy in diplomacy. It was either that he had lied to her, or the skill came naturally.

"Even as we speak, the war is raging outside the castle gate. However, the civilians are the ones that fight the war. Many have died, and many more will die. They don't rebel against their leader, your majesty. They're fighting for their lives. That's why they arm themselves. They're losing their trust to the kingdom, but they still hope that someday their leader will hear their cry."

Lady Montana chuckled mockingly, but Atrus' words seemed to convince some members. The tension in the room eased a bit. People began to look at Atrus expectantly.
"As I said before, we need to forge an alliance of all five clans of the land. All the conflicts right now are just the beginning. A far stronger Army of Darkness will eventually come, and if we're not prepared, we will be swept aside. If all beings in the realm join hand, we may succeed."

"How do you know they will agree to your proposal?" Lord Garth asked.

"They will. I believe they are as concerned about their people as all of us here. If we fail, they will share the consequences with us. They realized the danger they face. They will agree."

"But how do you know they will not betray us? The Elves, for instance." The General asked.

"Even the Elves realized the danger. If we can convince them of our goodwill in this alliance, they will comply. We cannot waste anymore time. The longer we wait, the worse the damage will be."

"Young man, you know NOTHING about politics!" Lady Montana snarled.

"On the other hand..." Lord Garth suddenly said, "I think he is right..."

The whole room turned to face the young advisor. Lady Montana eyed him in disbelief. "You believe in this kid?!"

"The kid is right. We have to admit that we're losing the war. If we don't react soon, our people will suffer. With all political problems we're having, a large scale of drafting and recruitment will be impossible to do. An alliance will strengthen our defense while we try to regain trust from the people."

General Kepfer stood. "I agree. The boy is saying the truth. Young Ranger, I still doubt about the Elves' involvement in your plan, but you have my support."

"Thank you, General."

Then one by one the court members were convinced and approved the plan. Lady Montana was getting furious, for nobody seemed to support her anymore. The king, who had been watching the debate from his throne, smiled warmly at Atrus.

"As the majority of the court members have decided, I will give my blessing..."

"Your majesty!!! This is a mistake...!!!" Lady Montana roared in anger.

"This will be a limited meeting for the council of war!" The king announced.

Then several members began to leave their seats. Only a few remained in their places. Lady Montana threw Atrus a look in disgust, then left the room, cursing. Atrus found Anna standing right behind him. She gave a smirk and stepped on his feet.

"Ouch!! What was that for?!" He asked.

"For lying to me." Anna answered. "You speak like a master diplomat."

Soon the court was pretty empty. General Kepfer and Captain Hawk were still there. Prince Roberto was still beside the throne, staring warily at Atrus. He had to be pissed off, seeing his mother humiliated in front of the court. King Edward cleared his throat before continuing.

"Young man, I give you my blessing to forge the alliance you proposed. However, are you aware of the requirement for somebody to undertake a royal task?"

"Yes, your majesty. I have to attain the rank of royal knight." Atrus answered.

"And do you know what it takes to be a royal knight?" King Edward asked again.

"No, your majesty."

Prince Roberto stepped forward. "I am responsible in promoting people to the rank of royal knights. However, to attain a full title, you have to undertake as little as 25 tests to prove your worthiness."

Atrus didn't answer. Taking 25 tests would take too much time, and the search for the Champion of the Guardian would be delayed. The king, however, was able to read his thoughts.

"Roberto, can't we make an exception on this one?" The king asked. "This boy's reputation is well known and his dedication is proven. Doing all those tests will be a waste of time."

"I'm aware of that. I can cut all those tests into a duel. How's that?" The prince asked.

The girls were surprised, but Atrus nodded. "As you wish, my prince."

"Prince Roberto!" Captain Hawk stood up. "I would like the opportunity to do the duel."

"I appreciate your offer, Captain, but no." The prince said slowly. "I will fight him personally. If you defeat me fair and square, you'll get your title. GUARDS!! MY SWORD!!"

As Anna had said to him, any souls would tremble at the sight of the Kaiser Sword. It was at least four feet tall with long handle. The sword was made of reinforced steel. The design was not impressive; it was not made for beauty, it was made for power. The blade seemed to be able to cut through metal like butter. The sword looked very heavy on the guard's hand, but Roberto lifted it easily.

"Don't hold back, Ranger!" He said. "If you're hesitating, you get sliced. Got it?"

Maya came beside Atrus, bringing his sword. "Master, be careful..."

Atrus smiled, then told both girls to back off. He didn't draw the cursed sword, but instead just hung it on his back. The action startled the members of the council of war.

"If you don't use your sword, your little slave and lover will cry before your corpse!"

Atrus stared at the young prince defiantly. "I'm here at Lord Guardian's will. I believe He will fight the duel for me."

"Young fool!! Prepare to be slaughtered!!"

Prince Roberto dashed toward Atrus and swung the sword with all his might, but Atrus got out of the way. The gigantic sword smashed into the expensive table next to Maya and split it in half. Everybody in the room, including the king, grasped at the sight. Maya quickly clung at Anna, frightened.

"Come on, Prince, just between us." Atrus taunted. "I don't want my girls back in pieces..."

The prince easily lifted the sword and charged at him. Using his superior speed and dodging skill, he jumped from one spot to another, evading every blow Roberto could offer him. He didn't even draw his sword, knowing that even the magical sword would be smashed to pieces upon contact with Kaiser Sword. After a few minutes of intense 'cat-and-mouse' game, six sets of tables and eight chairs were wrecked. Only Anna, Maya, Lord Garth and General Kepfer remained in the seat. The rest of the council members hid behind the king's throne.

"You know what, Prince, I have a friend who is a carpenter. You can support his business if you keep on doing this everyday..."

The prince roared in anger at the taunt and dashed at Atrus like a madman. This time Atrus drew his weapon, ducked beneath the Kaiser's path, and hit the prince's left leg hit the sheathed sword. The covered sword didn't draw blood on his armored leg, but was enough to trip the furious prince. Prince Roberto smashed on a broken table, wrecking it even further and brought him down. Before he could rise, the demonic sword, now unsheathed, penetrated on the table next to his head. The cold-blue glow shrunk his guts almost instantly.

"I suppose the winner of the duel is already decided." Lord Garth declared.

The prince quickly rose up and challenged him. "The result is not fair! The Ranger cheated!"

"How so, Roberto?" The king asked.

"He taunted me! That is not a fair fight! He angered me..."

"And you were angered!!" The king suddenly roared. "You disappoint me, my son! As a foremost knight of the realm, you have violated every single code of honor of a knight!"

"Father, what do you mean...?" Roberto asked in confusion.

"Young Atrus didn't even use his swordsman skill." General Kepfer said coldly. "He was using your weakness as his strength. By doing that, he defeated you easily in what should have been a tough fight for him. He is under-armed and under-powered, but he outsmarted you. You are lost."

"But can't you see?! His sword... It's evil! I can sense it..."

"The sword is not important." Lord Garth said slowly. "The wielder is."

The prince was furious. "It can't be... I was defeated... by a Ranger...?" Then he rushed toward the door and left the court.

"The outcome has been decided." The king announced. "As the King of Aragon, I hereby appoint you, Ranger Atrus White Lion, with the title of royal knight. Wear it with pride, young man."

The king unsheathed his royal sword. Atrus knelt before him as he touched both shoulders with the sword. "Thank you, your majesty. I'm most honored."

"And I give you my blessing to forge the alliance of five clans. I will have my servants make the proposal. When it is finished, you will deliver it to the other four clans. I wish you success."

"Thank you, your majesty."

"But for the time being, I want you to do me a favor, Sir Atrus." The king continued. "I want you to do a royal task for me, along with your friends."

Both Anna and Maya joined Atrus before the king. "Anything that will please you, your majesty.' Anna politely answered.

General Kepfer stood up and walked toward the party. "Lately, our southern and western part of the kingdom has been harassed by the demons. Losses and casualties have been heavy. Our scouts have reported numerous abnormal patrol schedules and routes of our troops in that region. The question of the local officials' integrity is being questioned. A betrayal might be likely."

"Do you want us to investigate the matter?" Anna asked.

"Yes. You will go to Castle Stoke in the town of Blackwell."

"Blackwell...?!" Maya suddenly found herself saying.

"Yes, Blackwell. You will meet the governor of southern Aragon, Sir Anthony Stoke."

Maya shuddered at the name. Baron Stoke was the last man she wanted to see. He was her slaver. He had killed her father and degraded her like an animal. She had been captured in Castle Stone for a full year, passing days of pain and nights full with nightmares. The painful memory overcame her instantly. Her body trembled with fear. She could feel Atrus' hand reached out for her shoulder and drew her body close. Anna could only stare at her in sympathy. Maya snuggled close to her master. Her master and mistress understood her feeling. That was more that she could ask for.

"Young girl, is there something wrong?" The king suddenly asked Maya.

"Oh, no... I mean... yes, your majesty... I'm... not feeling well... That's all..."

"She's tired, your majesty." Atrus added. "It has been a long journey."

"Then I'll make this quick." King Edward nodded. "You will go there and convince Sir Stoke to begin countermeasure attempt to block the demon menace. That will include limited drafting of local villagers and constant training. Improvement of patrol schedule and garrisons placement will be in order as well. You will have my authority in this task. Do you understand?"

"We hear and heed, your majesty." Anna answered.

"If you complete this task, I will also appoint you and that little girl as honorary knights."

Maya stared at the king. "But, your majesty... I'm just a slave..."

"Status will never dictate dedications, young girl." Lord Garth said.

Maya hesitated before bowing at the king. "I'm in awe to my lord's generosity."

The king smiled. "Then I announce that the meeting is adjourned. Have some rest, little girl."

One by one the members left the wrecked court. Atrus held Maya's body, comforting her. Anna joined them in the center of the room. Maya was still frightened as the horrified memory returned.

"Master... Mistress... I... I don't know if I can do this..." She said slowly.

"You must, Maya!" Anna said. "We're with you! You will not be harmed!"

"I... I'm scared... I will jeopardize the mission..."

"Don't let your emotion control you." Anna suddenly found Lord Garth standing behind her. "That is what Lord Falagor, my mentor, has always said to me when I'm down."

Maya looked at her master. Atrus gave her an assuring smile. Her master had gone through bitter memory in Gideon, but he had managed to get out of his despair. She had his and Anna's support in this matter, and she knew her late father would want her to do this. She couldn't escape from reality, her father had told her. She had to confront her past enemy, just as Atrus had confronted his despair.
"Okay... I will try..."

Anna smiled, then helped her stood up. "Come. You need some rest." She turned to Atrus. "Meet us back in Rocklin. We will be in the inn." Then they walked out of the room.

Atrus turned to the young man before him. "Thank you for supporting us back there. I guess I owe you an apology. I... doubted your wisdom as a royal advisor..."

Lord Garth studied Atrus' face for a while, then smiled. "You're not the first one who think that way, but you're the first one who actually admit it. I'm amazed."

"When you know him better," Hawk suddenly appeared, "you will be amazed even further."

"Captain, you too. I thank you..."

"Forget it, Sir Atrus. You did most of the job anyway. I just want to wish you luck for your assignment. Take my advice. I personally don't trust Sir Stoke." Then he bid goodbye and left.

"Any advice for this one, Lord Garth?" Atrus asked him.

"Yes. Take a good care of your... um... slave, although you treat her like your lover... Anyway, I can sense a great deal of frustration in her heart."

"Thank you. I will. And I want to ask you a favor, if I may..."

"Name it."

"In my journey I have to find 5 warriors from each clan that have been selected by the Guardian to assist me in finding the Champion of the Guardian. They should have had a dream about him. If you can, please search the kingdom for this warrior."

Lord Garth thought for a while. "Searching for one dreamer in a kingdom will be a difficult task... But I will try my best."

"Thank you, Lord Garth..."

"And one more thing. If you're ever in Whitewater, send my best greeting to my mentor." Then he left the room.

Atrus stared at the exit for a while. How could Lord Garth know where Lord Falagor was? He was Falagor's student, but as a hermit, no one knew where he was except Atrus and the girls. He waved the thought off. All wizards were mysterious, he decided...

Maya tasted the curry for the fifth time. This time it was perfect. Smiling widely, she picked the pan out of the fire and put it on the table. Master Atrus would definitely like it, she thought. She put another pan of steamed rice and cleaned the kitchen. The dinner was served.

She took a towel and wiped the sweat off her forehead. It had been a long day, she said to herself. Her entire muscles were throbbing. She stretched them for a while. She still needed to make meals for their journey to Blackwell, because they wouldn't have time to do so tomorrow.

Her body shuddered again with the recalling of the town. She knew she had been used to working hard since she had joined Atrus' cause. She knew that the chores couldn't exhaust her like this. She knew that she was depressed. A part of her wanted to follow Atrus, but another part wanted to stay behind. She was afraid. She was afraid that their mission would bring back memories she wanted to forget.

And she yelped when a pair of hands circled her waist, only to find her mistress holding her. She looked at her with worry in her eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you..." Anna said slowly.

"No, Mistress... That's all right. Do you like curry?"

Anna smiled. "Since I can't cook, I'm used to appreciate anything that is served for me."

"I see..."

"Do you know where Atrus is?" Anna asked.

"No, I don't. I think he hasn't arrived from the castle."

This was no good. Their conversation didn't go well. Anna, however, noticed this as well. He reached out for Maya's shoulder, sensing the tense muscles beneath the sweat-covered skin.

"Oh my... Your muscles are tense... Are you okay?"

"Yes, Mistress... I'm just tired, I guess... I'll be fine..."

"Say... do you want to have a nice hot bath with me?"

Maya's jaw dropped at the request. She looked at her mistress in disbelief, but only saw innocence in her eyes.

"It's good for your muscles, you know? Come. The curry won't go anywhere."

Maya was speechless when Anna carried her to the only bathroom in their room. They had shared this room with Atrus, since there was only one room available in the inn. Being a gentleman, Atrus quickly claimed to living room sofa despite the girls' protest, so they shared a huge bed in the next room.

The bathtub was pretty special for an inn of its size. It was made of nice marble and was enough for two people. Hot water filled the tub. By the time Maya entered the room, the vapor instantly relaxed her muscles. Anna closed the door behind her and guided her to the tub.

"Take off your clothes. You don't normally take a bath with your shirt on, do you?"

Maya blushed at the comment, then began to undo her neck collar. Anna helped by loosening her leather belt. Then she helped Maya get off her sweat-soaked body suit. She was marveled at the sight of Maya's half-naked body. Her body suit did a good job at hiding her natural beauty beneath it. Maya's well-rounded breasts were bigger than hers were. Her muscular body gave her a slim feminine figure. No wonder why Atrus loved her so much. Anna felt envious at her, but she cast it away.

Anna was about to take off Maya's lower suit when she stopped her. She reached out for Anna's belt and undid it. Then she took off her priest suit, revealing her cute breasts. Anna blushed as Maya kept on taking off her clothes, leaving her naked. Then she proceeded to take off Maya's suit.

Once they were naked, Anna led Maya to the hot tub. Maya slowly put her leg into the steaming water. Her body jerked for a while, but then she put another leg and slowly lowered herself into the water. The heat gently massaged her muscles, relaxing her. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling.

Anna approached the tub later, carrying soap and a piece of cotton cloth. She climbed into the tub and sat behind Maya. Then she applied the soap to the wet cloth and began rubbing Maya's back. Maya was in heaven. Anna was incredibly good at massaging. Her hands expertly played with her skin, awakening her nerves and sending incredible sensation throughout her body.

She couldn't take it anymore. She turned around and pulled Anna close and kissed her deeply. Anna was completely taken by surprise, but she didn't struggle. After a while Maya broke the kiss. Anna was staring at her, puzzled.

"Maya... What in Guardian's name are you doing...?"

"I'm in awe by my mistress' kindness. This is my way to say thank you."

Before Anna could reply, Maya kissed the nape of her neck then licked her body all the way to her breasts. Then she licked her right shoulder, her hands playing with her breasts. Anna was involuntarily aroused. A soft moan escaped her lips as sparks passed through her body.

"Maya... I'm not sure... that we're doing... the right... thing..."

"Don't worry, mistress... Leave everything to me... Just sit back and enjoy the ride..."

Maya continued licking her neck and earlobe while keeping the attention on her breasts. Anna's breathing was getting heavy. Her hands stroked the long dark hair as Maya expertly serviced her.

Then Maya took one of her nipples in her mouth, softly licking and sucking it. She shifted her free hand on her crotch. Had they not been in the water, Anna's crotch would have been very wet from arousal. Maya traced the tender skin around her pussy and found her clit, teasing it. Anna moaned harder in every stroke she made.

Then she entered one finger into her love-hole. Anna's back arched as the sensation hit her. Maya cleverly teased her sensitive spot without shifting attention from her breasts. With all her private parts teased, it didn't take long for Anna to reach her peak. With a loud cry, she hit the climax. Maya held her close as her body shook uncontrollably. After she recovered, Maya planted a deep kiss on her lips.

"What do you think, Mistress? A good slave can always use a critique..."

Anna just smiled. "Of course, naughty girl... I will teach you a lesson..."

Later that night, Atrus went home, only to find the dinner still warm on the table. Then he saw the girls sleeping soundly on the bed, holding each other close like a couple. Softly he put the blanket over both of them. Anna's figure stirred a bit, and fell asleep instantly, satisfied with the warmth. A smile was sculptured on her face.

The sight pleased him. Seeing both girls get along would make their journey pleasant, if not easier. At least he knew he could always count on them when he needed help. He had a quick dinner, then went to bed. Tomorrow they had a long journey...

...And at the end of the journey, an important mission awaited them...

The journey from the capital to Blackwell normally took three days, but the royal guards under instruction of Captain Hawk had lent them a pair of horses to make the trip faster. It took them a while to convince Anna to ride the horse. She finally agreed to ride with Atrus, since Maya volunteered to carry their backpacks on her horse. The party traveled slowly at first due to Anna's persistent demand, but halfway through the journey, Anna's confidence grew and they began to pick some speed.

The travel time was also reduced considerably because they used the main road to Blackwell. Flanked with thick forest on both sides, the road was highly unsafe from wolves and other beasts. Merchants always avoided the road; only royal army used it to transport soldiers, who could defend themselves. However, their horses effectively discouraged the beasts from attacking. They arrived at Blackwell before nightfall, unscathed. Anna, as usual, briefed them along the way.

The town of Blackwell was known as the unofficial capital of Southern Aragon. It housed many trading outposts and warehouses. It also was the main military headquarter In Southern Aragon. All patrols were routed from here, including reinforcements to conflict area. The town only had little farm area, for most of the villagers lived from trade.

Despite the security it offered, Blackwell was a town of conflict. The close proximity to the military had increased the tension in the community. Many fractions had rebelled against the ruler, but none had succeeded. One of the most famous rebels was Sir John the Plunderer, Maya's father.

Filling the horizon was the Castle Stoke. It stood on a small hill surrounded by plains. The castle was named after the owner, Sir Anthony Stoke, a hero of Human-Elven war. After the war he had been appointed as a baron and had been assigned to maintain the garrison in the south. He then had appointed himself as the governor of South Region. Royal court knew him as a loyal servant to the crown, but the people knew him as a ruthless administrator. The trouble in the south made the problem worse. The conflicts at Labrador and Gideon had gradually diminished people's trust to the kingdom. Whitewater's affair was a fine example.

The baron had been informed of their arrival, but they arrived a little early. The sun was setting when they approached the town. Suddenly Atrus jerked his horse to halt and signaled Maya to stop. He drew his sword and looked at the surroundings. He was sure he had sensed somebody was watching them. Maya also readied her blade, eyeing the forest around them. Anna, however, had the upper hand with her eagle eye spell.

"Five people on the left." She whispered. "And four on the right, all humans."

Bandits! "Come out and show yourselves!" Atrus yelled.

Instantly nine men leaped from the trees and surrounded them. They wore normal peasant's clothes and dark capes. They stared at the group angrily. All of them wielded short sabers, no match for Atrus' sword. Atrus was about to attack when Maya stopped him.

"Master, wait! I know that man!" She cried, then pointed at one of the men.

The man cast away his cape to reveal the face Maya knew well. He was the mysterious man she had met at the Lindenwood pub a few weeks ago. He was also the one who had given her the information about Whitewater conflict, which had crossed her path with Atrus'. All she knew he had said he was one of her father's man, so he couldn't be a bad guy.

"Finally, Miss Maya... I've been expecting you..." He said quietly.

All men withdrew their sabers instantly. Atrus, however, refused to do so. Anna also eyed the attackers warily, ready to cast spells when needed. The man turned to Atrus calmly and smiled.

"Don't worry, Sir White Lion, your exploits are well-known. We know who you are and why you are here. The baron's messenger is on the way, but we ask you to go with us for a while. There's something I would like to discuss with you. We will escort you there."

Atrus turned at Maya. She nodded in approval.

"You want to discus something with me, but you jumped me and my friends with men and swords. That will make me think twice before accepting the invitation." Atrus answered coldly.

Then to Atrus' surprise, the man fell on his knees, followed by all his men. "Then I will beg you to come with us. Please, Sir White Lion, we wished to enlist your help."

The men led them to one of the house in the outskirts of the town. They hid their horses inside a small barn. The house was a simple two-story building, enough to fit a small family who needed extra space. However, when they got inside, the living room was crowded with people. Most of them were peasants, still wearing wide hay hats. The rest of them wore normal clothes.

But the thing that surprised Atrus and the girls was that the people were armed. They wielded swords of many kinds, and were practicing inside the house. They honed their skills in two, dueling with each other. The weapons were not of top quality, but they were real ones. It seemed the people were very serious in their training, for they were willing to seriously injure themselves in the process.

At first nobody paid attention to the newcomers, but then one of them spotted Atrus. "Praise Guardian! Behold! The demon slayer is here!"

Almost instantly the people started to crowd near Atrus and the girls. The peasants looked at them in awe and respect. The men that escorted them had some difficulties in warding them off. Still stubborn, the people yelled noisily.

"Demon slayer! You will help us, won't you?!"

"Teach us how to fight, demon slayer!"

"Fight with us, demon slayer!"

Then the leader stepped on a table and raised his hand, instantly silencing the crowd. The man had to have a strong influence around here, Atrus thought.

"My brothers! Not too loud! The baron's army will find us!" He paused for a while before continuing. "The demon slayer is tired! Continue your practice! Let's hope he will help us!"

Then people began to disperse, returning to their practice. The leader led Atrus to a table in the corner of the room and pulled some chairs. A moment later, a maid brought four cups of steaming tea. They watched the practice for a while.

"Ironic, isn't it?" The leader spoke up. "The soldiers back in the castle are procrastinating and playing cards and dices, while we're here, practicing to death, just to stay alive..."

Atrus didn't answer immediately. He was busy in his thought. So the report from the royal court was right. In their way they didn't see any patrols. Something was very wrong here.

"It's just a matter of time until the Army of Darkness arrives and enslaves us all. Oh yes... they will enslave us... Stoke has been enslaving us; he will enslave us forever..."

Atrus turned at him, but saw no hesitation in his eyes. This man seemed to know something.

Anna suddenly caught something in the corner of her eyes. In the other corner of the room was a group of people, lying on the floor. They suffered from many different kinds of injuries, from a light wound to serious ones. Several maids were tending them, but the view irritated her.

The leader saw her concern. "As you can see, we're practicing with real weapons to prepare ourselves. Many of our men were injured in the process. Some of them were even... maimed..."

Anna looked at Atrus in distress. "Atrus, as a priest I have to help them! Whatever you will talk about, fill me up later." Then she left the table.

Atrus turned at the man. "Now we can begin the discussion with a proper self-introduction."

The man smiled. "My name is Leonard, also known as Stabber. I am a citizen and a wanted man to the royal army. I am an outlaw and a robber. I am loyal only to John the Plunderer, your father." The man pointed at Maya.

Maya looked at him suspiciously. She remembered the man had said so in Lindenwood. "I don't recognize you. My father never mentioned your name."

"He didn't want you to know." He answered. "The less you know, the better."

"Let's start the story from the beginning, shall we?" Atrus interrupted.

The man bowed slightly then started his tale. "Twenty years ago, after the great Humans-Elven war was ended, Sir Anthony Stoke returned after a glorious victory. He received the land of Southern Aragon for his bravery and settled down in a castle south of here. Then he declared himself the second ruler of Southern Aragon, next to the king. He collected many talented men to assist him in his quest of power and wealth. Sir John Murdock was one of them. He was appointed as the mayor of Blackwell.

"Everything went well, until greed began to take control. The great hero was overcome with wealth. He raised taxes beyond grasp and plundered our harvest. To suppress uprising, he drafted many hired soldiers and ruled with fear and intimidation. Then the Dark Age came."

Leonard lit a cigar and offered Atrus one, but he politely declined. "Sir John was, however... different. He was a fine mayor who ruled wisely. Unlike many ignorant mayors, he occasionally walked around the town and into the farming areas, visiting his people. He was willing to lend his ears to hear our pleas and sufferings. When the baron ignored his protest, he began his movement.

"Sir John rallied the people to form a small group of militia. He led the group to attack baron's caravans. He shared the booty with us, claiming that the baron had robbed us, so the booty was already ours. To the army, he was a criminal, but to us, he was our hero."

The story, of course, surprised Maya. His father was not an ordinary bandit. "A hero..."

"Indeed, Miss Murdock, a hero. During daytime he worked as a mayor loyal to the baron, but at night he raided baron's caravans. He didn't tell you because you were still a little girl back then. He didn't want to involve you in his dangerous business."

Leonard sighed heavily. "Alas, his action was later discovered by the baron. He was betrayed by his own man. One night we raided a caravan, which was just a decoy. We fought for our lives, but the baron's army was too numerous. Sir John, with his superior skill, covered our retreat, but he got captured himself. The next day, he was hanged before us..."

Maya could feel her tears filling her eyes. Her father was betrayed... He was not killed in the battlefield... He was murdered...

Atrus reached out and pulled her close. Maya began to sob in his arms. The sound of swords behind them didn't bother them anymore. Sorrow filled the air. From the other corner, Anna looked at them sorrowfully. She could only nodded in sympathy.

"We raced to Sir John's house that night to secure his family, but the house was empty. The baron had arrested you and your mother. We later on heard what happened to you. We were so crushed that we vowed to commit suicide together... Thirty people died together that day... I was the only survivor..."

"The only survivor...?" Atrus asked.

"Yes... I couldn't do it... I couldn't trust the sword to my belly... Killing myself wouldn't solve the problem. I can't story the castle to rescue Miss Murdock... but if I died, I wouldn't do anything anyway...

"So I planned to continue what Sir John had started. I rallied the people who loved him, and drilled them with all knowledge I had. We hoped we could rescue you and your mother, but we had failed... They had enslaved you... We had failed..."
Maya looked at him. "It's not your fault... I should be happy that you have enlightened me with the truth about my father... I thank you..."

"The royal court must know about this!" Atrus declared slowly.

"Please, Sir White Lion... The patrol around this area has ceased. We know that the baron has sold us to the demons. If you don't expose his treachery, we will surely perish..." Leonard turned to Maya. "Please help us... for our lives... for your father's dream..."

Maya looked at Atrus. "Master... you will help them, won't you...?"

"Of course." He answered gravely. "Call Anna. We have a job to do."

They arrived at Castle Stoke a few hours after the sun set. The castle guards recognized the royal crest Anna showed them, so they let them in. A few horsemen approached them and asked for their business. After verifying their arrival, they led them to the castle.

Castle Stoke was more like a fortress rather than a governor's home. It was nearly as big as Stromgard. The walls were made of dark solid stones, slightly covered with algae and fungus. The design was unimpressive, consisting only the main building and two watchtowers on both sides. Smaller towers with disordered placement were built on top of the main building. The castle itself looked monstrous in the dark sky. No wonder why the locals feared of the castle terribly.

As they dismounted their horses, rain drizzled lightly, so they hurriedly took shelter. A man welcomed them and brought them inside. He wore a nice black suit with a matching tie. A clean piece of cloth was wrapped on his left hand. A typical servant's costume, Atrus thought.

"Welcome, Sir White Lion. My master is expecting you." He said politely. "Please follow me to your quarter, where you can refresh yourselves."

The servant led them around the maze of the castle. Despite the awful appearance at the outside, the interior of the castle was very neat. The floor was covered with clean, expensive-looking carpet. The furniture was exotic and well polished. The caretaker of the castle had to be a wonderful one.

The servant produced a ring of keys and opened a door for them. The door led to a huge bedroom. A big double bed was before them, flanked by expensive chandeliers. The room was so spacious; it could it an entire family inside, along with their pets. A glass cupboard kept a nice collection of vases and ceramic works. The entire room was filled with wonder beyond imagination.

Both Atrus and Anna just stared at the room in amazement that they forgot about the servant. Maya took the room key from the servant and thanked him quietly. Maya didn't share the amazement. The whole place had brought back the memories she wanted to forget. She could understand, though. Her friends, being adventurers most of their lives, were not used to this kind of lifestyle.

"Sir White Lion, my master wants you to join him for dinner in the dining room down the hall." The servant said. "Will you accept his invitation?"

"Atrus..." Anna suddenly squirmed. "I... I'm not feeling well..."

Both Atrus and the servant quickly held Anna's body before it hit the ground. Maya ran to the bed and opened the blanket, allowing the men to lay Anna on the bed. Atrus covered her body with blanket and stroked her hair.

"You're too tired... Rest now... I will attend the dinner." Then he kissed her forehead.

Anna smiled weakly, and then closed her eyes. Atrus nodded at the servant, who then walked out of the room. Atrus changed his wet clothes with a more formal suit. Maya had bought the suit for this task in the market in Stromgard. The suit was very uncomfortable with high collar and long sleeves. Maya, on the other hand, wore her tight bodysuit and put on her leather collar. Tonight, she was his slave.

Atrus walked out of the room and down the stair. Maya followed him closely, gazing downwards just like an obedient slave. They approached the large door where the servant was waiting for them. The door was opened, leading to the dining room.

The dining room was large. Chandeliers along the wall lightened the room with its delicate light. A long table was set in the middle of the room, the eating utensils for three were arranged neatly on it. Three high chairs were arranged around the table.

Sitting on one of the chair was a middle-aged man wearing a formal costume. His suit almost imitated Atrus', only with darker color. He had a well-trimmed moustache that curled at the end. A light beard covered his chin. His dark eyes watched carefully as Atrus approached the table.

Then he produced a light smile. "Sir Atrus White Lion... I've been expecting you..."

"Baron Anthony Stoke... I thank you for your invitation." Atrus slightly bowed.

"Please... please, Sir White Lion... Don't be so formal. You must be tired. Let us deal with business and formalities tomorrow. Tonight we can relax. However, my courier didn't find you in the designated meeting place. Was there something wrong?"

"That is why I'm here, Baron Stoke." Atrus answered coldly. So far he had been playing his role well. "We were jumped by bandits. I'm here to question your competence in dealing with troubles."

The baron chuckled lightly. "I do apologize for the inconvenience, Sir White Lion. I will fix the problem personally. And is that your... aide?"

"My associate apologized for being unable to accept your invitation. She is too tired. This lovely young lady is my... servant." Atrus showed the leather collar on her neck. "Maria, greet the baron."

Maya, or Maria, bowed before the baron. "Greetings, Sir."

Atrus could feel her body trembling with fear. He could understand how frightened she was in meeting the man who had ruined her life. However, there was nothing he could do to comfort her now. It had been a good thing that the baron didn't recognize Maya. If he did, they were in trouble.

Baron Stoke grinned immediately. "I don't know you have a fine taste of a woman, Sir White Lion. She is a fair maid indeed. I believe we should make the business fair, should we not?"

He clapped his hands, and then two young women entered the room immediately. They were slaves all right. They wore cotton maid costumes with tight waistbands and short skirts. They also wore leather stockings hooked on garter belts beneath their skirts. Heavy metal cuffs circled their ankles, wrists, and necks. Long silver chains dangled from their metal collar. Their black hair was bound on the back of their heads by silk cloths. They were very pretty, but acted submissively.

Maya squirmed at the sight. Atrus could see her mouth trembling. Cold sweat was formed on her forehead. She was in great fear. He grabbed her palm behind her back. She squeezed his hand tightly.

"Your girls are very stunning, Baron. I envy you." Atrus said slowly.

Th baron laughed hard. "I begin to like you, Sir White Lion. I'm sure we will have an interesting discussion before us. Now let us not let the dinner grow cold, shall we?"

Anna peeked out of the bedroom. The hallway was deserted. She straightened up her tight long pants, buckled her belt, and then began walking silently across the hallway. Her high boots were replaced by rubber-sole shoes which, assisted by her new levitation spell, produced almost no sound. She couldn't levitate her body yet, but her skill was enough to lighten her body weight.

When Maya had proposed this idea earlier, Anna had fought against it. The idea had put both Maya and Atrus in a very tricky position, but Maya had insisted that both she and Atrus would do just fine. The plan was simple. Anna had pretended to be too tired to attend the dinner. Then she would explore the castle and snoop the baron's quarter to look for any proofs of betrayal, while Atrus and Maria, Maya's fake name, dealt with the baron. Leonard had no idea what kind of proof she might encounter, but he was sure the baron had made a deal with the demons.

Compared to Maya's task, her task seemed to be nothing at all. She could picture how frightened Maya would be when she saw her slaver. She had volunteered to be Atrus' slave for the night, and Atrus had accepted that for the first time since they had met at Tiras. Her role would minimize her contact with the baron, as she would be expected to serve Atrus and Atrus alone.

Anna could picture how Maya would serve him, and it made her jealous. But this is not the right time to feel jealous. She vowed she would straight things out with them once their task was done.

Looking for the baron's quarter would be the hardest task. The castle was huge enough that even her advanced eagle eye spell couldn't cover the entire complex. Maya, however, remembered the place. She had given Anna a complete description at how to find the room. Maya had claimed that she had been thoroughly punished inside that room, so she remembered it well.

She paused at the end of the hallway. Before her was the stairway down to the main hall and the dining room, where Atrus and Maya were. Before her was another long hallway leading to one of the castle wings. She could sense four guards guarding the main door and six guards standing at the mail hall. She crept into the wall at the hallway. The long hallway before her was guarded by at least ten guards.

She didn't mind killing those guards, since they were just hired soldiers who worked for money. Those people... those filthy people had ruined her life. She could just go berserk and walk casually along the hallway filled with corpses, but that would ruin their mission. Personal feeling couldn't interfere with a task, especially a royal one. She set aside her anger as she produced her notebook.

Typical mages usually had spellbooks during a battle. As a great scholar of magic, Anna preferred to memorize the spells rather than relying on books. Ever since she and Atrus had discovered the long-lost Book of Elements, her magical skill had improved significantly. However, the Book of Elements was not an easy book to learn. No matter how hard she had learnt, she couldn't master the entire book in a short tome. She had had to write down several important spells that might become handy in this task.

"Where was that spell... Ah... Sleeping spell..."

It was one of the most useful spells when one didn't want to kill anybody. Sleeping spell simply contaminate the air with the force that would charm anybody in its path, except, of course, the caster. The spell was safe and harmless. It was considered to be a cheap spell for young and eager mages, but if used properly, the spell could be very useful. The victims would fall asleep almost instantly once the spell worked. Advanced caster could even manipulate their dreams, but she couldn't do that yet.

She enchanted the spell, carefully guided the sleeping force to the hallway only. If the guards at the main hall were affected as well, it might rise up suspicion. Then she waited.

It didn't work.

She still could hear the chatter from the hallway. The soldiers should fall asleep upon contact with the spell. Atrus and Maya could buy her time, but she didn't have forever. She enchanted another one, stronger this time, and waited.

Nothing happened.

She didn't sense any magic barriers around here. She didn't sense anybody using magic to resist her spells. She only knew that her eagle eye spell never disappointed her before. But the guards were still awake. Cursing herself, she let out another spell. If this one didn't work, she would climb the roofs.

This time Lady Luck was on her side... finally. In her eagle eye view she could sense the consciousness of the guards getting weaker. They were getting sleepy. Then one by one the guards drifted to dreamland. When Anna peeked at the hallway, all ten guards were either sitting against the wall or simply lying on the floor, sleeping.

When she looked up, she knew why the first two spells didn't work. At the end of the hallway, a huge window was opened. Outside, the storm was raging. The wind had to have sucked the spells outside before doing their work. Then the third spell was indeed a pure luck. Now all she had to do was creep into the baron's quarter, if she could find it, before anybody discovered the slumber party.

Then she found it. The room she was looking for was right above her level with a well-guarded hallway. The room seemed deserted, for no soul was inside. But the hallway there was guarded by at least twenty guards. When she crept on the stair at the end of her hallway, she could spot the nearest guard right above her. To her dismay, the guards in that level had also opened the window...

She let out a long sigh. This was going to be a long night...

Maya took another spoonful of the buttery diced meat and carefully put it in Atrus' mouth, which he accepted readily. The meat tasted a bit sour before the sweetness came out. No matter how hard he tried to hold himself, a soft moan escaped his lips. Maya just looked at her, smiling at his reaction.

"Cerulean scallops..." the baron announced proudly. "It was shipped fresh every month from the rebelling Cerulean village, far northeast from here. I was lucky I have the agents there." The baron gulped another spoonful offered by his own slave. "The technique to cook this dish is very rare."

Very rare... but he was sure Maya would be eager learn it very soon, Atrus thought.

The dinner had lasted for half an hour. It seemed so silly to him. As an adventurer, he would eat fast and simple, so he would have enough time to rest after a long journey. The royal behavior sometimes puzzled him. They had started with prawn cocktails, chicken salad and a bowl of meat soup. He couldn't identify the meat, but it had tasted good. Maya had tasted everything before he ate them... although she couldn't eat them.

Atrus glanced at her. As a slave, Maya had to taste the food served for her master before the meal, just in case the food was tainted. Such action symbolized a slave's unquestioned knowledge and loyalty. Maya possessed the loyalty, but not the knowledge. She was very nervous, although she did a good job not to show it. She just imitated what the baron's slaves did to him.

Atrus looked at the two slaves serving their master at the other end of the table. They were as nervous as Maya. They knew he was looking at them, but they simply avoided his eyes.

"I am amazed at the food, Baron Stoke. I owe your chef my best compliment."

Atrus caught it in the corner of his eyes. One of the slaves blushed slightly.

"I see you made this dish for us." Atrus quickly said to the girl. "A fine one, Miss...?"

"M...Missy, Master..." She answered groggily.

The action came instantly. The baron stood up and slapped her so hard that the girl's cry echoed in the room. She fell on the floor, sobbing. Maya grasped at the sight.

"You have made TWO mistakes today! One, you're not supposed to talk unless you're told! I will introduce you as I see fit! Two, you're not to call him Master! I am your only master!"

Silently Atrus regretted his action. His inner heart couldn't accept the treatment, but he couldn't do anything right now. He would apologize to her, but not in front of the baron.

"I do hope you can forgive me, Sir White Lion. She is our newest member." The baron said.

Atrus tried his best to suppress the distress in his answer. "You are forgiven."

The dinner continued, although there was a slight tension in the air. Atrus personally disliked the baron, and he knew Maya would be delighted to dispose him with her blade. But being known as traitors for killing a war hero would do no good in their long-term goal. He could just hope that they had bought enough time for Anna to do her part. The success of the mission was their main priority.

Finally Baron Stoke ordered the wine to be served. "Carefully handpicked from the numerous vineyards near the southern border, and expertly brewed in Tiras by my own assistants..." The baron announced, "This is our welcome to you, loyal servant of the king!"

Maya poured a small amount and took a sip first. The reaction came instantly as the purple-black liquid burned through her throat. It was a strong one. Maya had never drank wine before, and it took all her self-control not to burst in front of her master. She pretended to cough, but she was trying to get the liquid out of her lungs. She gave Atrus a warning look.

However, the baron's slave was not so fortunate. Missy's reaction came as instant as Maya's, but she failed to control herself. She the liquid in her mouth, smearing the tablecloth with black patches in front of Atrus. He wouldn't mind at all, but the baron was enraged.

"STUPID BITCH!!! You have embarrassed me before my guests!!! GUARDS!!!"

A pair of castle guards came with a long whip on their hands. The whip had a thick knot at the end, not enough to damage the skin, but enough to make terrible bruises. Maya squirmed and moved closer to Atrus, frightened. The girl struggled frantically, but she was no match for the two guards. They pinned her body on the table surface so her ass was vulnerable. The baron pulled the skirt down, revealing her bare bottom. She was not wearing any panties.

"Please, master... I'm so sorry... I... I haven't taste wine before..." Misty sobbed.

"Well, you will taste something better than wine. It's bitter, isn't it? We'll try something sweet." The baron turned to Atrus. "I hope you understand me. A discipline session can't wait, can it?"

However, the baron was not seeking agreement from Atrus, and continued his mischief. The slave was still struggling when he rubbed her bare ass and spanked her. The slap came hard, making the girl scream in pain. The other slave was watching in the corner in horror. Maya jolted on her feet in every strike. She looked at Atrus gravely, hoping that he would stop the torture. Atrus, however, had had enough.

"It seems to me that your way of treating your slaves is very unsound." He said calmly.

The baron stopped and eyed him carefully. "What do you mean?"

"You seem to enjoy hurting her, and she seems to suffer in your hand."

"BAH!!! She's a slave! She's meant to be hurt!" Without warning he swung the whip on her ass. The girl shuddered and wailed loudly. "She's enjoying it, aren't you bitch?! Tell him you like it!!"

"I... I like it... Sir... I... I do..." She answered slowly.

"Do you?" Atrus stared into the girl's eyes. He knew she answered him unwillingly.

"I do, Sir! I... I like it!! AAH!!!" Another stroke came in.

"Do you?" Atrus asked the same question again.

Maya looked at her master and gave a warning look. He might cause the baron to hurt her even further. But Atrus seemed determined to confront the baron.

"TELL HIM YOU LIKE IT, BITCH!!!"

Misty was crying even harder. She gave Atrus a pleading look to stop his questioning.

"You have a chance to say it, Misty. Be honest with yourself. Do you like it?"

Misty then lay her head on the table, defeated. She cried uncontrollably. "No, Sir... I... I don't like it... I hate it... Please stop... Please... just let me go..."

The baron was getting furious. "THIS IS ABSURD!!!"

Before he raised the whip again, Atrus asked another question. "Tell me, Baron Stoke. What is the difference between humans and demons?"

The baron was more enraged than ever. "DO YOU SUGGEST I'M ONE OF THEM?!!"

"I didn't say that." Atrus answered calmly.

"WHAT IS YOUR POINT, BOY?!"

"The demons attacked the villages, killed the peasants, and enslaved the rest against their will. They had to endure torture and humiliation beyond imagination..."

"But they're slaves! They are meant to be treated that way!" The baron snarled.

"Yet those slaves are humans!" Atrus shot back. "Humans were born with dignity! They can lose everything, but nobody can take away their dignity."

"But they gave everything to me! They surrendered themselves to me!"
"Willingly?" Atrus asked again. The baron was silenced again. "Humans have dignity, and they can never lose it... unless it is taken by force. And that's what the demons do."

The room was silenced for a while. The girl's sob was the only sound beside the raging storm outside. Maya let a sigh of relief. She only wanted this night to end. It seemed Atrus had made his point clear. Even the guards were curious to hear more from him. But Atrus no longer spoke.

Baron Stoke let out a wicked smile, the smile Maya hated so much. "Then show me, boy... Show me what you usually do to your little Maria."

Maya shuddered at the order. Would Atrus whip her? Would he spank her? He had never done that before. He had never hurt her. But she had to do everything to support his action, at least for tonight. If she failed to endure it, her cover would be at risk.

Atrus, however, seemed determined. He stared at the two guards. The baron got the cue and dismissed both of them. Misty ran toward the other girl in the corner, crying. Baron Stoke sat on his chair, waiting for the show. Atrus just walked casually back to his seat and sat down.

"Maria, would you show them?" he asked softly.

"Yes, Master."

She approached him slowly and kissed him passionately. Her body was still shaking in fear. Her eyes were locked into his. "I... I'm scared, Master." She said the truth.

Atrus stared back lovingly. "Do not serve me... love me..."

Se let herself fall into his strong embrace. She loosened his collar and licked his neck. His hands were busy undoing his pants. She softly rubbed his member, teasing it to hardness. He responded almost simultaneously. As she lowered his pants, his member broke free. She kissed him again.

"Master... May I...?"

"You may."

Then she lowered herself on her knees and softly stroked his member. She licked the top lightly, then put it inside her warm mouth while massaging the shaft. Atrus grunted in every stroke she made. Maya's mouth had fully covered his member and she began sucking it. Every move her body made was very erotic to the audience. Even the slaves couldn't shift their attention. Maya had forgot about her play. She wanted to love her master.

After a while, Atrus knew he was close and gave her the cue with a stroke on her hair. She didn't stop her sucking. A moment later, he exploded inside her mouth. She quickly swallowed his load, something she would never do to her customers back in Tiras. But she would do it, only for her master. After he recovered, she looked up, searching for her master's satisfaction. She found it.

"Master... May I... uh... hop in...?" She asked slowly. Atrus just smiled.

She opened her top body suit to reveal her firm breasts. Atrus played with one of them and put his mouth on the other one, expertly sucking it. Maya quickly felt aroused, despite the strangers around her. She didn't care about them anymore. When she made love, her surroundings didn't matter any longer. The world seemed to fit only both of them. For the first time she understood why people said love was blind.

"Master... it felt good..." She found herself saying.

Atrus just smiled then continued his work. One of his hands reached for her crotch, feeling her wetness beneath her bodysuit. She squirmed at his fingers worked at her sensitive spots, teasing them. She embraced him tightly, her breathing was heavy in his ear. Atrus then put one finger inside her pussy, stretching the thin material of her suit. She jolted at the touch.

"M...Master... I... I'm ready for you..."

She unbuckled her leather belt and lowered her lower suit, revealing her moist crotch. She blushed as the other souls in the room grasped at the sight. Atrus, however, was unaffected by the comment. He just sat there, waiting for her patiently. She lowered her body to his and moaned softly as the sensation hit her brain.

Using the table as support, Maya began hopping on his lap. Her moan defeated the raging storm outside. Atrus continued playing with her breasts throughout the intercourse, making her frenzy. She hit the mark soon, arching her back as the powerful orgasm seized control of her body. Atrus exploded later inside her. The two lovers were completely spent and exhausted.

Maya gave him another passionate kiss. "I hope you are happy, Master..."

"I am, Maria. I'm proud of you."

Baron Stoke, who had been an audience to the show, gave a loud applause. "I'm amazed, Sir White Lion. But you do not convince me. You make the distinction between a slave and a lover vague."

"Maria did this willingly." Atrus stroked her hair. She put her head on his shoulder. "She surrendered to me willingly. I own her, but I respect her as a human."

"You treat your slave like a lover." The baron sneered.

"Wrong." Atrus shot back. "If she was my lover, I wouldn't need to own her. I wouldn't need to order her around. We would have each other."

"But you love her!" The baron snarled. "Love has no place in master and slave relationship!"

"Wrong again." Atrus' answer was cold. "Love is the foundation of all relationships. If you think otherwise, you're no different with the demons."

Maya shuddered at the comment. It was a direct accusation. But Atrus stood strong in his comment. If the baron got enraged, neither of them had weapons to defend themselves.

But the baron laughed hard. "I'm amazed, young man. You're the first who could actually defeat my argument. But I'm not ready to give up, yet. We'll continue the discussion tomorrow."

"I thank you for the wonderful dinner." Atrus bowed.

The baron stood up. "Don't mention it, Sir White Lion. Meeting you is my greatest pleasure. Good night." He signaled his slaves to follow him out of the room, and they were alone.

Atrus and Maya quickly fixed their suits again. Maya then stared at him gravely. "I suppose you did the right thing to save that poor girl, Master."

"I'm sorry about making you perform before your slaver, Maya. I..."

Maya put her finger on his mouth and kissed him. "I'm proud of you, Master. You did that to help the girl. That's very noble, and I don't mind working for that cause."

"Now I only hope we give enough time for Anna to do her part."

"You're worried about her?"

Atrus looked at Maya, puzzled. "What do you mean...? Of course I'm worried!"

Maya just giggled. "Don't worry, Master, I'm just teasing you. I love you so much that jealousy doesn't have a place in my heart. We should head back."

Atrus picked the dark wine. "I just want to know how this thing tastes..."

He took a sip, swallow it confidently, and then instantly burst the liquid out. Maya laughed hard before slapping his back to get the substance out of his lungs.

"How did you drink this stuff?!"

She giggled. "I didn't say it is easy to be a slave, right Master?"

Baron Stoke slammed the two girls against the wall inside his bedroom despite their pleas. He slapped Missy to make his point clear, and the girls silenced instantly.

"You all make me sick! For weeks I have trained you, but I have never seen such performance from you! That girl doesn't need to be spanked or whipped, but she served him well! You all disappoint me!"

Misty could just wept silently. The other girl, Sonya, could only stared down in horror.

"I will give you a chance to make things right before I punish you." The baron warned. "You are to go to his quarter and make love to him."

Nobody dared to make any objections.

"Sonya, you have a greater task. Take our best wine and have a small party. You are to put the content of this pouch..." he held a small pouch. "... inside his wine. Is that clear?"

"Master... I don't want to kill anybody..."

"Is that clear?!"

Sonya nodded slowly.

"Good. I'll be downstairs warming my whip, just in case of failure."

When Atrus and Maya got back, they sighed in relief to find Anna waiting for them on the bed. She was looking at their arrival, especially at Maya's wet crotch. Maya blushed, Atrus was speechless, but Anna just smiled.

"I suppose the dinner was... entertaining?" She teased.

"Not quite, Mistress... The baron was a difficult man. Master Atrus managed to pull up some... tricks..." Again, Maya blushed.

"Don't worry, I understand."

"You do...?" Atrus asked in disbelief.

It was Anna's turn to blush. She couldn't tell him her experience with Maya back in Rocklin. It would be too embarrassing. But since that encounter, she became attached to Maya. She still felt jealous with her, but she did a better job in suppressing it now.

"Of course... You bought me enough time to dig in some information."

"You got something?"

She produced a piece of paper. "I found this letter locked inside the baron's desk."

"Locked?" Maya asked. "Then how did you...?"

Anna just giggled. "It might take more than that to convince Atrus what a skilled sorcerer I have become..."

"We can take care of the praises later. "Atrus answered. "What did you get?"

Her voice became serious. "Read this first. If my feeling is correct, we're in a grave danger."

Sir Anthony Stoke,

Well done on the patrol. We are to inform you that things are proceeding well in our base. We may begin our action at the second day before the full moon. You are hereby advised to stay below ground to avoid massacre.

We will have messenger sent for you if we encounter any problem. Your loyalty will soon be rewarded.

Atrus looked at the girls. Well done on the patrol... "It's from the demons..."

Anna nodded. "It's my best assumption. The demons have made a contract with the baron to cancel all patrols around the area, so that they will have no opposition in doing whatever they want."

"And they're doing it tonight..." Maya murmured. "The fool moon was in two days..."

"But we don't know what they're going to do." Atrus pointed out.

"Probably an invasion." Anna said. "They told the baron to stay below ground... probably to take cover or hide somewhere...

"We need to warn the villagers!" Maya said.

"It's too late for that..." Atrus said slowly. "We can only..."

He was interrupted by the knock on the door.

"I will hide behind the cupboard." Anna said. "Deal with your guests."

Maya opened the door. She was surprised to find the two slaves standing before the door.

"Greetings, Miss Maria. We are ordered to serve Sir White Lion." Misty said slowly.

Maya turned to her master. Atrus was just as surprised as she was. "Ladies... what can I do for you?"

"We are ordered to serve you, Sir. We are at your disposal."

Atrus looked at Maya for a clue, but she was also confused.

"Master Atrus... If I may, I would like to be excused." Maya said slowly.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see an old friend."

Her answer startled him. Behind the cupboard, Anna was also shocked. Maya was going to confront her slaver. She was going to confront her nightmare.

"You are excused." Atrus slowly said while giving a warning look. Maya got the cue and left.

The girls approached him slowly. Atrus eyed them. The girl he didn't know seemed casual, but Misty was shaking. She was the newest slave, he recalled, but both of them were definitely unwilling ones. And the baron had ordered them to serve him... he had to be up to something...

"Ladies..." he announced. "How can I help you?"

They were silent for a while. "We are here... to entertain you, Sir..." The girl said slowly. "My name is Sonya, Sir... And this is Misty..."

"Ah... nice to know you. Please sit down." Atrus gestured at the chairs.

"Oh, no, Sir... We're here to serve you..." Sonya quickly replied.

"But you're my guests here." Atrus insisted. "Please..."

The girls sat on the long chair, while Atrus sat before them. He looked at them expectantly.

"Sir..." Misty began. "I want to thank you for saving my life back at the dining room... I can't imagine what would have happened if you hadn't spoken up..."

"Forget about it." Atrus answered. "You deserve it."

"But why, Sir? Why did you do that?"

Atrus eyed her sharply. "I thought I made my point clear. You're a human. You deserve a right to be treated as one."

Misty fell silent. "I suppose we were intended not to have a human dignity anymore..." Sonya said slowly. "The baron used to say that our destiny has been locked."

"There is no such thing." Atrus said. "Your dignity stays, no matter what happens."

The room was silent for a while. Both girls didn't know how to respond. Atrus just stared at them, wondering what they were up to. Then he noticed the wine bottle.

His gut collapsed immediately. He looked at the bottle in horror. He had tried it back in the dining room, and he didn't like it. Maya had handled the liquid well, but he was not Maya. That substance might choke him to death, but refusing the girls would not be nice, especially after what he had said.

Sonya quickly noticed his gaze. "Um, Sir... we would be honored if you would share this wine with us... of course, if you don't mind..."

Atrus cursed himself. Sonya had made a request he couldn't refuse. He found himself nodding.

Misty reached out for the bottle and a pretty crystal glass from the cupboard. She then poured the content of the bottle into the glass. Atrus noticed Misty's hand shaking while holding the bottle. Sweat covered her forehead. She was afraid of something, he thought.

Atrus grabbed her trembling hand and put the bottle down. Misty was looking at him, puzzled. Atrus lightly brushed her face and kissed her lips gently. She was completely taken by surprise, but accepted the kiss. She kissed him with the burning passion she had kept inside her for a long time. She felt she wanted to burst in tears. She had longed for the love she was accepting.

But suddenly it was over. Atrus broke the kiss, lifted the wine and nodded. One sip wouldn't hurt, he thought.

Then he heard a soft crashing sound. It was from the cupboard at the corner of the room. He knew Anna was inside. Not now, Anna!

He lifted the glass. "Ladies... for long and joyous life..."

Maya walked slowly along the empty hallway. She and Atrus had seen several guards in the way back from the dining room, but now she was not seeing any. The castle seemed deserted. Did they know the demons would attack tonight?

The letter really bothered her. Leonard was right. The baron had sold the villagers to the demons. Whatever Stoke was planning, it had to be bad. She would not resist the thought that the baron was possessed, but giving away a village to enemy's wrath would be insane. But what could she do?

The question went unanswered as she realized she was not alone anymore. Before her stood a lone figure. His image was illuminated by the chandeliers along the hallway.

Baron Stoke...

His formal attire looked as remarkable as before. His cloak was played by the wind from the opened window at the end of the hallway. He still wore the sinister grin she had always hated.

"I know you will come for me." He said slowly.

Did he recognize her? Her heart was thumping hard. If he did, their cover would be blown.

"I can't recall I have an appointment with you." Maya said defiantly.

"Tsk... tsk... What a bad manner..." He chuckled. "You should address me as Sir."

"I have no reason to do so. I am loyal only to my master!"

"Your master...?" His eyes darkened. "...or your lover?"

"What?!"

The baron's laugh echoed in the hallway. "Understand this, slave! You are a slave, and you will be treated as one. I will perform the free service of showing you how a slave should behave."

Before she could act, a strong arm circled her shoulder and a damp cloth was pressed on her nose. A sharp sting on her back forced her to grasp for breath and the thick scent of the liquid filled her lungs. She didn't know what the substance was, but the smell was intoxicating.

Her hands tried to act, but her assailant was faster. He grabbed one of her hands while her other hand tried in vain to get the cloth off. She couldn't see her assailant, but she could see the white long sleeve he was wearing.

He was the servant!

She couldn't believe it. The entire castle could be working against them. They had walked into a trap! Master Atrus and Mistress Anna could be in danger! Then the demons would...

Before she could finish, her mind ceased to work. The fluid had gained control over her body. Her eyes became heavy and she began to drift to sleep. Her effort to stay conscious finally failed. The baron's wicked laugh was the last thing she heard.

Atrus, no!!! The wine is poisoned!!!

Anna tried to bang on the wooden panel, but the door was locked firmly. The locking mechanism had somehow gone wrong, but she didn't have time to figure out why. And to her horror, she saw Atrus drinking the wine.

"ATRUS, NO!!!"

What happened later was in a quick succession, but Anna witnessed every moment in terror. Misty leaped onto Atrus and kissed him forcefully before shoving him on the bed. The girl looked at him defiantly before finally collapsing on the carpet.

The little slave had swallowed the poison!

As Anna cried, a bright light formed in his palm, and with it she blasted the door open. The wooden door was no match for the magical power and was destroyed to pieces. As she leaped outside the cupboard, she saw the little girl twisting and writhing on the carpet. The other girl, Sonya, just cried beside her. Atrus fetched his sword and pushed the sheathed tip on Sonya's chin, but she didn't fight back.

"Go ahead and kill me!!!" She cried. "We're nothing but slaves... We exist to obey our master's wish..."

Atrus stared at Sonya sharply. His eyes were blazing with anger. Anna knew better than trying to stop him in this kind of situation. Sonya, the sword still on his chin, just cried softly.

Then the anger in his eyes faded, and he withdrew the sword. Sonya fell on her knees and cried. Anna ran toward Misty and checked her condition. Atrus joined her, worry carved in his face.

"How is she? Is she hurt?"

The poison was there, and it was quite violent. Even now it was destroying her body. "I have to heal her, or she won't make it." Anna said slowly.

Atrus took the empty glass. "She saved my life... I should have known..."

"Of course you should have known!" Anna scolded. "The bottle was opened from the start. Never drink from an opened bottle! It might have been poisoned!"

"I know..."

The answer shocked Anna. Atrus had been keeping his pride high during their journey. Nobody could criticize him. But now, instead of arguing with her, he took the blame well. "Atrus..."

"I should have known... Baron Stoke... He wants me dead..." He murmured.

"Sir..."

Both of them were surprised to find Misty still awake. Pained expression was in her face. Her voice was weak and faint. The poison seemed to have stripped all of her power.

"Little girl, don't talk now. You need to rest!" Anna exclaimed.

"No... Sir... danger... da... danger..."

"It's okay!" Atrus held her quivering palm. "You'll be fine. Just rest now."

She shook her head frantically. "No... danger... baron... danger..."

Suddenly he understood. "Maya!" Atrus turned to Sonya. "Where's the baron?!"

"He's in the dungeon..." Sonya replied. "The kitchen is next to the dining room. There is a hidden stairway behind a big clock at the northern wall."

"Danger... danger... danger..."

Anna put her palm over Misty's forehead and her body went limp instantly. "Don't worry, she's fine. I have to knock her out. She will die if she keep on talking."

Atrus nodded. "I don't know what the baron is up to, but I have to look for Maya. This castle is dangerous."

"Then go." Anna said. "Leave her with me. I will try to heal her with my magic. Once the poison is gone, I will join you."

"You want me to leave you alone?"

Anna smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'm skillful enough to defend myself."
She waited for Atrus' usual insult, but none came. He turned to Sonya. "You stay here with Anna. You are safe with her. Don't try to do anything stupid!"

Sonya nodded quickly. It was clear that she was afraid of him. "Yes, Sir..."

Atrus hung the sword around his shoulder and ran toward the door.

"Atrus..." Anna called. "Be careful... and thanks for trusting me..."

He smiled. "Why, Anna, aren't you big enough to take care of yourself?" Then he was gone.

Big enough...? She hadn't heard such expression before. She blushed at the compliment. Atrus indeed trusted her. She quickly set the thought aside as she noticed Sonya was watching her. She looked at the unconscious slave on her lap, then at Sonya.

"Okay, girl, listen up. You are now my assistant. Your friend's life is in our hand. We fail, and she dies. Got it?!"

"Yes, Ma'am... But, please save her... I'm so sorry..."

"We can take care of your apology later." Anna cut her off. "Now, we have a job to do."

Maya struggled to adapt with the immerse darkness around her. Her eyes could see nothing, but her ears told her that she was not alone. She could hear the soft breathing sound behind her. She tried to blink her eyes, hoping to get a better reception. It took her a while to know that she was not supposed to see anything.

She was blindfolded.

The memory came back quickly as she found her condition. Both of her wrists were bound by chains locked on the ceiling. Her legs were wide open with both ankles tied with similar manacles and locked on the floor. The binding effectively prevented any movement from her hands and feet. Then she felt the growing chill around her skin, and to her horror she knew she was naked. With such pose she knew that whoever had tied her had a full access to her helpless body.

And she knew exactly who.

"Welcome back, my dear... I do hope you're feeling comfortable..."

The sad and painful memory came back to her. She could remember being bound with similar pose in the same place long time ago. The baron then would whip her to his heart's content or hurt her beyond imagination. Or he would ask some of his men to join him in torturing her and using her body as a sex doll. She knew that she wouldn't sleep for the night for nightmares would certainly follow her.

She would usually cry and plead for mercy like a little slave. But she was not one anymore.

"As the matter of fact, I do. You should join me here." She mocked him.

A sharp pain stung her left hip and she shrieked. It was a flogger. It could hurt a slave intensely without causing too much damage on the skin. She could picture a long angry-red welt on her hip. Two other lashes followed the first one. Her body arched at the pain, but the manacles held her firmly in place. She fought frantically, but her effort only weakened her body even further.

"I see that you have a good reaction toward pain... I will make you feel satisfied..."

Then the torture continued. The baron expertly aimed at her sensitive spots, including her breasts and nether part. Maya cried in every stroke. Her body was quickly covered with sweat. Her body just jerked as her nerves cried in pain. When the baron stopped, she was crying openly.

"Now, pain-slut, let's see how wet you are..."

The baron reached out for her pussy and roughly put two fingers inside, but was surprised to find what he was feeling.

"I don't understand it... You're not wet at all!" His voice was furious. "You ask for more!"

Maya heard his footsteps, noting that he left her. A moment later he returned again, probably bringing a new toy. She winced, expecting another painful session. The pain came hard, making her cry like she never cried before.

It was a whip! She hated it, or in another way, she feared of it. The whip came again, making welts on her hips and ass. Her cry was getting more inhuman as her throat grew dry. After a full session of torture which seemed to last forever, she could only jerk her body helplessly in every stroke. Her throat could produce nothing more than a soft whine. Her body was drenched with sweat. Red welts covered her skins, sending painful sensation to her brain.

"How do you like that?!"

The baron roughly inspected her crotch, but finding the same result. He was completely mad now. "YOU'RE NOT EVEN WET!!! You refuse to surrender to me?!!"

It took all her leftover power to answer him. "I... will... only... surrender... to my master..."

"YOUR MASTER IS DEAD!!!"

The answer shocked Maya deeply. Inside this castle, they were all in danger. Even with his new power, Atrus wouldn't win if the baron had ordered his soldiers to kill them. The fact didn't surprise her, but his death would be her nightmare.

"He will have drunk the poisoned wine I made myself. Doesn't sound like a nice warrior's death, does it?" Baron Stoke insulted.

"Not really... That's why he refused to die."

Atrus' appearance clearly surprised both people. He stood on the stairway leading to the dungeon. The room was made mainly of stone. Multiple weird devices were scattered around the room, and chains were dangling on the ceiling. Maya was bound in the center of the room. Her condition shocked him, but he tried to suppress his horror, at least for now.

The baron, still dressed in his formal suit, was horrified. "You... You're dead!!"

"Not really... You can't kill me with a mere poison..." Atrus answered slowly.

"Master! Praise Guardian, you came..." Maya answered weakly.

Suddenly the baron raised his whip. "Come no closer, buster! It only takes a stroke for me to cut this little slave's neck with my whip. I suppose you won't like to see that, will you?"

He was too far. Atrus wouldn't reach him fast enough. His grip on his sword tightened as he tried to figure out what to do.

"Master... Don't worry about me... Kill him..."

"The choice is yours, buster." The baron challenged. "Drop the sword, or the slave dies."

Curing a poison was just like using rat poison. You had to know where the rats would be and applied the poison there. Unfortunately, rats were easier to track than venom. It could be anywhere inside the blood veins network. Expert healers had no problem in this matter since they could simply heal the patient's entire body rather than a certain spot.

But Anna was not an expert healer. She had to hunt the venom in order to effectively heal Misty. That was what she had been doing since Atrus left her. Sonya tried to help by massaging her friend, but even she knew it did nothing to speed the process. Anna had been in trance for nearly fifteen minutes by now, completely unmoved.

The order was clear. She was not supposed to bother Anna while she was in trance, for doing so would dangerously threaten the healing process and could even cost both girls' lives. She could massage Misty's body, but that was as far as she could go.

She hated to see her friend being helpless like this. She hated to cause trouble to the young priest before her. Worse than that, she felt terribly guilty for trying to kill Sir White Lion. She knew it was her biggest mistake, and if she had to make up to it, she had to do that with her life.

To her horror, she knew that they were no longer alone. "Who is it?!"

Before her, standing near the door, was the castle servant. He still wore the neat uniform, which was odd. In this hour, he usually wore casual outfits. He also didn't usually venture around the second floor much. The servant eyed her sharply. She tried to think of an excuse.

"Sir Alfred... You... you're still awake..."

"You have failed."

The response shocked her. "What... what do you mean...?"

"DON'T LIE TO ME!!!"

A sudden rush of force pushed her body backwards until she hit the bedpost. The second force slammed on her lower jaw, propelling her on top of the bed. The blow made her dizzy, but she fought to regain her consciousness. The servant still stood on his place, unmoved, staring at her. A strange green glow enveloped his body.

"You have failed to kill him... You will pay with your life..."

Another invisible force grabbed her neck and choked her out of air. She grasped and struggled frantically as the force lifted her little body and drew it toward her assailant. In the corner of her eyes, Anna was still sitting in trance, unaware of the danger. If she could buy her some time, perhaps she could make up for the trouble she had caused.

The servant dropped her body on the floor before him. Silently she was grateful that the carpet was there to soften the fall. She tried to regain her lost breath as she looked at the form before her. The servant was there no more, replaced by a horrific form of a green monster. He looked like an orc she had seen in many children books in her childhood. His muscular body was covered with horns and tusks. Two long tusks grew from both sides of his head right above his ears, while many smaller ones appeared around his forehead. Long vicious claws grew from his fingers and toes. His eyes were blazing with flame.

"Who... who are you...?" The terrified Sonya asked.

"I am Desmos, the leader of the Southern Campaign and the special envoy of the Army of Darkness." He roared. "My order is to raze the town of Blackwell and take control of the fortress."

"You... you're a demon!"

An evil snicker appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Good guess. You like my horns?"

"For your caliber, you're decent. The northern baboons are a bit more handsome, though..."

The monster roared at the insult, and a bright flame enveloped Sonya's body. She cried as the intense pain soared through her brain. She expected to smell her burnt skin soon, but her bony stayed intact. Her nightgown, however, was gone, leaving her naked before the demon.

"Such a beautiful body..." The demon snarled. "I will enjoy ravaging you..."

"I'd rather die..."

"No... I suppose you'd rather see your friends die..."

The demons lifted his clawed palm and produced a bright fireball from it. Sonya realized the danger before it was too late. As the fireball soared through the air, Sonya leaped between Anna and the demon, absorbing the impact. A sharp pain ravaged her brain as the fire once again engulfed her body. She shrieked loudly and lay on the carpet, twitching from the pain.

"Bad move, slave." The demon commented. "That priest can die a painless death if you let me finish the job, but you will die a terrible death from my spells."

Sonya barely had power to defy him. "I... won't let you... touch her..."

Desmos shot another fireball toward Anna, but again Sonya caught it by her hand. She let out another cry of agony as her hand was burnt. Her bony collapsed to the ground. Her entire body was in pain that she just hoped that she would die immediately. But the demon seemed to enjoy her agony.

"Playtime is over, slave. I will have to incinerate you all, then."

A bright light appeared over the demon's palm as he concentrated all his power in his hand. Sonya watched him in horror, knowing that she or the priestess wouldn't survive this one. She didn't mind to die; she would be happy to die if that would make up for her crime. But she knew that she couldn't leave the priestess to die. She could only hope that her ashes would somehow soften the power.

"I'm sorry, Sir... Ma'am... I have failed..."

The bright light blinded her as the magical fire burned through her body. The pain was so intense that she had no chance to cry out. The sensation was strange. There was the sharp pain, then a slow relief. She could feel tendrils of cool and soothing energy enveloped her body. I am in heaven...

When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to find that her body was still intact. Instead, it was glowing in green. The glow was soothing her pain and protecting her from the fire. When she looked back, she found the priestess touching her back, channeling the power around both of them.

"Ma'am...? I'm alive...? Misty...?"

Anna smiled. "You're still alive. Thanks for protecting me. Your friend is safe."

Sonya let out a sigh of relief before collapsing to the ground. Anna quickly checked her and found multiple burn wounds around her body. She has protected me, and now it's time for payback...

Anna stared at the demon before her. Desmos was clearly shocked that Anna could hold his spell, although she knew it wouldn't work again. The spell was so powerful that she had to use most of her power to keep the barrier open for both her and Sonya.

"Well, I believe it's just you and me." Anna murmured.

"Yes..." He hissed. "I suppose we will have fun together, right?"

"Nah... You're not my type anyway..."

Desmos shot multiple fireballs that Anna evaded easily. In return, Anna chanted her magic missile spell. The magic missile exploded harmlessly on the monster's chest.

"Lowly spells have no effect on me! I'll show you how to do it!"

Desmos imitated her spell and suddenly the bedroom was filled with swirling magic missiles. Anna dashed wildly around the room, but one of the missiles hit her stomach, followed by three others. She crashed, luckily, on the bed. The blow made her dizzy, but she quickly regained her strength. Desmos, on the other hand, didn't even attempt to attack while she was paralyzed.

"A lowly priest like you is not a match for me!"

Anna hurled a fireball toward the demon, but Desmos created a similar spell with more intensity. The two fireballs exploded brightly, but the demon's spell got through and exploded near Anna's belly. The force propelled her light body on air and she crashed on the far wall. Her body was in pain as it slumped back to the carpet. She tried to regain her strength, but the demon gave her no chance. Desmos raised his arm and a bright flame was formed inside his open palm. Instantly another sharp pain soared across her nerve. She found herself landing before the cupboard. On the big mirror she could see the burn marks all over her body.

"I hope you like my sunbeam spell." Desmos snickered. "Nothing can stand on the way and survive. You will be fried to death. Now surrender to me and live."

"I'd rather die..." Anna answered weakly.

Desmos laughed, then produced another bright flame in his palm. "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Be prepared, foolish human!"

The flame grew brighter, and she knew she would not survive it if it hit her. Her power was completely drained that she couldn't even make the weakest barrier. She had only one chance for her plan.

The ray flash soared through the room toward her, just as she had expected. Anna had no more power to do any spells, but she could still move her body. As the beam grew near, she jumped out of the way with all her might. The beam burned through her skirt, but missing her flesh, and hit the target she had hoped it would: the mirror. Built to reflect beams, the mirror did a fine job in reflecting the sunbeam spell back to the caster. Between her dizziness and the pain across her muscles, Anna could hear the Desmos' cry as the spell reduced the demon to ashes.

If you can't overpower them, you can always outsmart them...

Then the bright flash vanished, and the bedroom was silent once more. Before the door was a pile of black ashes, the remains of the demon. Both slave-girls were still unconscious at the corner of the room. Anna crawled toward Sonya to examine her. She also had burn marks all over her body, especially on her hand, but she would survive. She had protected Anna with her life. Anna invoked all her remaining power to heal the girl's wounds.

Faintly, she could hear clashes of metal outside the castle. The invasion had begun! She had fought a demon and had almost lost her life. Now she had to stop an invasion. She struggled to stay awake despite the exhaustion and dizziness from the last battle. She had to find Atrus. The village of Blackwell was at stake. If they failed, the village, or worse, the entire Southern Aragon, would be lost.

Slowly, she made her way toward the door.

"Take a good look at her, Baron Stoke." Atrus said slowly. "Tell me what you see in her."

"If this is a trick, Ranger, you will not succeed." The baron warned.

"It is not a trick." Atrus answered. "Tell me who you see in her."

The baron eyed him for a while before turning to the hanging Maya. Her body was full with bruises and welts. The pain was excruciating, but she stared at him defiantly. Whatever Atrus was planning, she hoped he knew what he was doing.

Suddenly a spark of fear flashed in Stoke's eyes. "I can't believe it... JOHN MURDOCK!!! You... YOU'RE DEAD!!!"

Baron Stoke lashed his whip wildly, but in his bewildered state he missed Maya's neck. He didn't have a chance for the second lash, for he found the tip of Atrus' demonic sword near his neck.

"Drop the whip." Atrus said coldly.

The baron hesitated and stared at Atrus. Atrus won the contest, for his eyes were blazing with anger. The deep blue glow and the chill from the sword defeated even the strongest pride, and the baron dropped the whip. With his sword Atrus cut the chains and caught Maya's limp body. Her body was in pain, but she managed to stand on her own. Atrus offered her his blade, which she gladly accepted.

The baron stared at them in confused. He especially looked at Maya in fear. There was a sword hanging on the wall near him, but he didn't even try to reach for it.

"My nightmare..." he muttered. "You've finally come..."

"You are my nightmare!!" Maya cried. "What you've done to me... How you've ruined my life... I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!!"

The baron let out a small laugh. "You're just like your father..."

"You... you've killed my father!" she lifted her blade. "Master Atrus, let me finish him..."

She had expected Atrus to try to stop her, but he stepped aside. "Very well, Maya. Follow what your heart tells you. End your nightmare right now."

She looked at him, shocked, then tightened her grip on the blade. "You have killed my father... You will pay for your sins..."

"Do it, Miss Murdock..." The baron challenged. "Make your father proud!"

And the blade flew toward the baron, only to strike his left shoulder. Baron Stoke cried in pain, but stood erect as if the blade did no harm to him. He was indeed shocked with her futile attack.

"What's the matter?!" he cried. "Are you afraid to kill me?!"

Maya stared at him defiantly. "Killing you will not make my father proud. Doing so will only make me another killer. I do not wish to follow your filthy way. I love my father, and I have made him proud."

"Your father has turned you into sin!!!"

"No, you have!" She shot back. "My father loved my from the start, but you made me hate him! You made me think that he was the cause of my mischief! I've heard everything! I've known everything! My father is there to support me, even in the verge of my death!

"I am here to fulfill my destiny, and I have done it." She washed the tears from her eyes away. "My past will no longer haunt me, and the hatred between us has been sealed. You are to dethrone yourself from your position and confess your crime to the kingdom. The circle of vengeance is closed."

She turned to face Atrus, who were smiling warmly at her. "You have chosen wisely." He said. "I knew you know what you're doing. I'm proud of you, Maya."

She leaped into his arms and wept. "Master... I... I'm finally free..."

"Yes." He kissed her forehead. "You are free from your past. I'm happy to know that."

"My father taught me that..." She looked into his eyes. "He said I have to confront my past rather than denying it. I have done it, Master. My heart is at peace."

"Your father is a great man." Atrus murmured.

"A great man?!!" The baron cried. "He's dead!!! And so will you all, but I am eternal!!!"

Atrus eyed him darkly. "What are you talking about?"

"You will die!!! All of you will die!! DIE!!!"
Suddenly the dungeon door was opened and a group of ogres entered the room. The ogres all wore thick leather armors with decorative spikes on both shoulders, enhancing their vicious appearance. A simple help protected his tusked head. Each carried a long wooden lance with vicious-looking metal tip. Atrus prepared his sword. Maya, now unarmed, stood behind him.

"Come, my friends!" The baron shouted them. "How was the killing?"

"There is no killing." The ogre answered with his thick voice.

"What do you mean?!" The baron shot back. "The entire village..."

"The entire village is deserted." The ogre said. "You have betrayed us. Now you die."

The ogres charged into the room and Atrus welcomed them. Their thick skins, reinforced with the armors, gave them protection, even against the demonic sword. Their massive forms, however, slowed them down considerably, although it made the job no easier for Atrus. The demonic sword desperately pierced the thick leather and cut through the creature's soul. Atrus had to pull the sword from the corpse, just to find lances pointing at him. He dodged the attack and kicked the assailants away.

Suddenly a sharp pain soared from his back. A lance just missed him, but created a long cut near his right shoulder. He freed his sword and slashed the creature, but the armor bounced the sword away. Another lance cut through his right hip. He desperately tried to escape the ogres who were crowding around him. And at the corner of his eyes, one of the ogres ran toward the dazed Maya.

"Maya, watch out!!!"

He didn't believe what he was seeing. The baron leaped before her and took the spear into his stomach. Yet the spear went through, stabbing Maya on her belly. Fresh blood came out from her mouth and belly.

"NOOO!!!"

The ogres roared in pain as bright flame erupted from Atrus' body. One full swing of the sword drove the raiders away from him, but at a cost. The demonic sword smashed on the stone pillar and was broken into bits, unleashing the demonic power throughout the room and into the earth. The sword was no more, but Atrus was still deadly. He grabbed an ogre's armor and smashed his skull with bare fist. He faced another one, tore his armor and dug his fist deep into his belly.

Lances slashed around Atrus, but he was not bothered with them. He made his way out of the crowding, dashed toward where Maya and Baron Stoke were and instantly killed the nearest ogre with a blow on the head. The baron and Maya slumped on the floor, the lances still on their stomach.

"Maya?! Are you alright?!"

"I... I'll be fine, Master..." her voice came weakly. "It's just a small wound..."

Suddenly Maya pulled herself off the lance, and with a cry of pain she was free. There was a wound on her stomach, drenched with blood. The tip of the lance had penetrated her skin, but not too deeply. The baron, however, was seriously injured.

"I'll take care of him!" She muttered. "Just kill those demons!"

"Sir White Lion...!"

Atrus was startled to find the baron calling him by name. "What is it?"

"The sword... on the far wall... use it..."

Atrus spotted it immediately, but he had to pass through the demons who were blocking the way. He dashed toward them and charged the nearest ogre with all his might, shredding his armor and beating him up viciously. The other ogres quickly gave way, but kept their pressure. They saw Atrus as a greater threat, and therefor had forgotten about Maya.

He grabbed the sword from the wall and unsheathed it. It was a classical long sword with thick, shining metal, but it was incredibly light. It was unimpressive at first, but he could feel a strange force flowing through the metal. When he swung the sword at the nearest attacker, the metal sliced through the armor easily, just like a hot knife on butter. One by one the ogres attacked and were slaughtered. The sword danced gracefully along with Atrus' movement, claiming more lives.

And then the battle was over. Atrus stood in the middle of the dungeon. He had multiple wounds around his body. The sword, soaked with blood, stood proudly in his grasp. Around him lay the bodies of dead ogres. He let out a sigh, knowing they had once again won the fight.

The castle was in chaos. Soldiers grabbed whatever they could use as weapons and charged the ogres. Some of the ogres had made their way into the hallway, shredding the helpless soldiers with their axes and lances. Blood colored the carpet. Painful wails and angry roars echoed in the hallway.

Anna hurled another magic missile, knocking the creature out. It would not kill it, but it would knock him out of the game for a while. But the angry ogres had spotted her and began chasing her along the corridor. She could easily outrun them, but she couldn't run forever. She hurled more magic missiles wildly on her pursuers, then ran along the long corridor toward the northern wing.

A huge wooden door blocked her way. She slammed the door with her fist.

"Open up! Let me in!"

A nervous voice answered her from behind the door. "No! The demons will kill us!"

"We'll fight them together! Now open up!"

"Go away! Leave me alone!"

She kicked the door in frustration. "Cowards!!!"

As she heard the ogres getting close, she spotted a stairway hidden in the darkness. Frustrated, she took the spiral stairway and ran all the way up. The wooden stairway cracked in every step, but she had no effort of being stealthy right now. A small wooden door welcomed her, and fortunately it was unlocked. She got behind the door, slammed it shut, and locked it with the wooden pole. The sound of the ogres filled the room below her, followed by the banging of wood. The ogres had to have thought she had gone through the huge door below. She felt pity for the coward soldiers at the other side, knowing that the door would not protect them for long.

Anna took her time to catch her breath and inspect her surrounding. The place looked like a castle watchtower. The room was cramped with no furniture at all. A dead torch was the only tool found here. A very small window provided second access to the outside world. To her horror, a body of a dead soldier lay on the floor, next to the window. His face was frozen with pain. On his hand was a wooden crossbow and on his other hand a long lance, smeared with his blood. He had to be a guard who tried to defend the castle, but got killed in the process.

A proper burial could wait. Now she had a more important matter to attend. She looked out the window and was terrified with the view. Far below there was a big battle. Men and ogres were fighting viciously. Around them, the storm kept on raging, picking unlucky souls to the air and tossed them around. Yet the fight continued, and she could see that the ogres were winning.

There was no other choice. She had to finish the battle right here, right now. Silently she began chanting her newest spell: rain of fire. She had not mastered it. She had not tested it. She didn't know if it would work. Unfortunately, there was only one way to find out.

Her power was already diminished, but she gave everything she had. The power traveled across her body as the spell took effect. A bright flash appeared before her, growing bigger as her energy combined.

A loud slam on the door startled her. The ogres had found her! The distraction broke her concentration, but she tried to get it back. She had to do it, even if it cost her life. The ball of energy grew brighter, then with a bright flash it soared through the window and up to the sky.

The roar from the sky indeed interrupted the battle below. She could see the battered soldiers ran for their lives while the ogres stared at the sky, confused. The clouds had turned red and the wind stirred the clouds in violent storm. Lightning flashed here and there, defeating even the bravest heart.

Then bright balls of fire poured down from the sky. The fire detonated as it reached the ground, burning all the foul creatures below. Inhuman wails filled the sky, mixing with the sound of the angry storm and the violent spell. The land below had turned into hellish inferno.

And then it was over. The battle outside the castle ceased, as she could hear no sound. However, the sound of the ogres slamming on the door remained. The wooden pole holding the pole was breaking, but she had no more power left to defend herself. The spell had completely drained her power. She fell on her knees as she waited for her fate to come. She could only hope that the demons were kind enough to kill her instead of taking her prisoner.

But the slamming stopped. The room became silent just suddenly. She could hear no voice from the other side of the door. The wooden pole would be broken in one slam, but the slam never came. The demons had retreated!

She fell on the floor, unable to move. Atrus... Maya... we've won... And she fainted.

Atrus stood near the wall, watching silently as Maya tried to tend the baron's wound. She tried to stop the bleeding, although she knew he could not be rescued. The lance had gone through his stomach. The floor was drenched with blood.

Maya held the pain in her own wound as she tended the wound. It could have been her stomach. She was surprised to find the baron taking the lance blow for her. The lance struck her, but missed her internal organ. And it was because the baron she could escape death.

Her hope deteriorated as the baron's breath grew shorter. Finally she dropped the soaked cloth down and began to weep. She looked at her former enemy's eyes.

"Why...?" was all she could mutter.

A weak smile appeared in the baron's lips. "You want to know why...?"

He coughed hard, spitting blood from his mouth. "Do you know... why I kill your father...? Do you know... why I enslave you...?"

She looked at him, confused. "You hate my father, because he knew your corrupted ways."

Baron Stoke chuckled lightly. "Foolish, yet innocent girl you are... You will never understand the reason... You just don't know how much I admired him... how much I honored him... how much I feared him..."

"But you killed my father!"

The baron's gaze shifted to the dark dungeon, now filled with the corpses of the invaders. "The minute I knew your father had betrayed me... I was so scared... I knew that my career would be threatened... Your father was a great man... He was the prime example for my officers and soldiers... He had more power and influence than any men in the realm did... just like the sun during daytime... just like the moon in the starless sky...

"When I caught him, I knew I was wrong, because he was always right... I was oppressed by my own guilt... Then I made the decision I would regret for the rest of my life... I killed him..."

The dungeon was silent, except for Maya's soft sob. Outside no voice was heard. The sound of the clashes of metal was gone. The battle outside was over.

"Then I realized how much I feared of him... Every time I close my eyes, I saw his reflection... He haunted me in my dream... His phantom devoured me alive...

"So I decided to destroy all trace of him, hoping to get him off my life... I stormed your house and kidnapped you mother... That night, I executed her..."

A deep pain was hinted in Maya's voice. "You... killed my mother...?"

"Indeed... I was about to kill you as well... But then I looked at you... The hatred in your eyes... the flame you possessed in you stare... I could see your father... I could see him ready to kill me... And my fear returned. I frustration I ordered you to be trained as a slave, in my desperate attempt to get rid of your father's phantom...

"When I realized my sins, it was all too late... You had been sent to the brothel... I realized that I had been drowned in the darkest side of life with no hope of revival... I knew I had no place among the saints... So I stayed in my sins, hoping to find refuge from my guilt..."

Maya wept softly as the story unfolded. Her father, whom she had hated for a long time, was indeed a great man. All this time she had been selfish, blaming her father for the mischief she had gone through. She knew she was supposed to hate the baron for what he had done, but somehow her heart melted. She somehow could understand his feeling.

"Miss Murdock... If you expect me to apologize, you got me wrong... I know I'm the worst monster in the realm... I can never find forgiveness anywhere... Let hell decide my fate..."

"Baron Stoke..." Maya answered slowly. "I hate you for what you have done... but I don't hate you as a person... You are an honorable man, yet you are a human. Every human feels guilty for his or her wrong deeds, and sometimes the guilt prevents wise decisions. You are not a monster; you're just a human who took a wrong way of life..."

Maya looked at Atrus, enjoying the warm smile he was giving. "If you're looking for a forgiveness, you will find it in me."

"And in me." Atrus interrupted. "The fact that you're willing to return to truth shows me that you were an honorable man, and you are still one.

The baron stared at Atrus weakly. "You are indeed a great man, Sir White Lion. I have... underestimated you... Tell the royal court what you need to say..."

Suddenly his face became serious. "Beware, Sir White Lion, for the undead army... The demons are amassing a large army of undead to spread terror to the land... You must stop it!"

"Undead army...?" Atrus repeated. "Thank you for the warning. The royal court will be informed of this matter."

Baron Stoke turned back to Maya. "My time has come... Thank you, Miss Murdock... Your forgiveness means everything to me..."

Maya was speechless. She could just stare at the dying man, her eyes wet with tears.

"Sir John Murdock... you must... be proud... of your daughter..." was his last word.

Maya lay the still body of her former enemy down and bowed her head. She felt sorry for the baron. From all people in the kingdom, probably only she and Atrus mourned his death; very unacceptable for a man like him. Sir Anthony Stoke was indeed a great man, who had fallen into the darkest side of human nature, yet fought his way back up and confessed his sins. His effort was remarkable, but he wouldn't receive the admiration he deserved. He was just another victim to the memory of his own past.

Maya slowly made her way to Atrus and was welcomed by a warm embrace from her master. He stroked her long hair softly, soothing the pain in her heart. She hugged him tightly, wishing everything was just a dream. Yet everything was real, and she had to accept it. She had chosen her destiny, she had endured it, and she survived.

"Master... I... I..."

She couldn't utter her confused mind, but Atrus brushed her cheek with his hand. "I know your feeling, Maya. Your father will be proud of you. You should be happy."

She smiled warmly. "I know, Master... I know..."

The group walked slowly out of the castle. Corpses of dead ogres and humans were everywhere. The land was scorched from the spell Anna had chanted. The air was thick with the scent of burnt grass. The storm was over and the sky was clear. The weather was nice and sunny.

Yet their mood was cloudy. Atrus walked slowly followed by Anna and Maya. He had bandages all over his body from the wounds. Maya had bandages on her stomach. She was lucky, for the lance had missed her vital organs. Anna was walking limply, mainly because of exhaustion. Behind her the two slave girls walked side by side, supporting each other. Misty had survived the poison, but her body was still weak. Sonya was badly wounded by the Desmos, but she survived the fight.

They were all suffering from exhaustion. But a greater problem still tortured them. They all knew that the town of Blackwell was lost. Their task had been completed, but at a great cost. Misty was still shocked at the lost of her hometown, although she was relieved to be free from her current slavery. Atrus, however, took the loss badly. The loss reminded him of Gideon.

But then they heard somebody coming. Atrus readied his new sword, Rainbow Sword he named it. Then Anna reached out and held his hand.

"Atrus, wait... I can't believe it..."

"What? Are they demons?"

Suddenly, from the back of the hill, a group of men appeared. They were carrying weapons of many kinds, ranging from swords to spears. Atrus eyed them carefully before recognizing one of them.

"Leonard...?!"

"Atrus... they are the villagers..." Anna said slowly. "They survived..."

They waited until the crowd grew closer. Leonard quickly recognized them and ran after them. Suddenly Misty ran past Atrus and jumped on a man's embrace. The man had to be her father, he thought. Finally, father and daughter were reunited.

Leonard approached Atrus and gave him a bear hug. "Sir White Lion... I hope we're not too late..."

"I'm sorry about the village..." Atrus muttered slowly.

"What are you talking about? Where are the demons?"

Then he noticed the corpses lying around the castle. "There was a battle here... You killed all of them?!"

"Actually, Anna did." Atrus gestured at Anna.

Leonard quickly bowed. "We're in your debt forever, Priestess..."

"You're welcome." Anna answered gravely. "But your village..."

Leonard cut her off and shook Maya's hand violently, almost hurting the girl. "Miss Murdock, you're safe... Your father should be proud..."

"Eh... good..." Maya answered groggily. "B...but the village..."

"You're talking nonsense!" Leonard cried. "The village is safe! We are all safe, thanks to you!"

Maya suddenly remembered the conversation in the dungeon. "Wait... you abandoned the village last night, right?"

"What?" Leonard seemed confused. "We didn't go anywhere!"

Anna was more confused. "B...but the demons..."

"Which brings me another question." Leonard cut her off again. "How come we didn't hear the battle yesterday? It seems to me that the battle was a great one."

"I don't know!" Atrus answered, dazed. "Why didn't you hear it last night, then?"

Leonard glanced at the crowd around him. "We rested from out training yesterday a little bit early, since my men were all tired. Even out watchers fell asleep during his shift, and the next watchers didn't wake them up. It was strange... as if we were bound by a spell or something..."

"A spell?" Suddenly Atrus stared at Anna. "A 'spell'...?"

Anna remembered that she had reported her failed sleeping spell the night before. She couldn't believe it. The spell was actually brought out of the window and was blown by the wind to the village, paralyzing the village. That was why the demons thought the village was abandoned. Nobody was awake that night.

"I can't believe it... My spell worked...!"

"Your spell worked?! It was screwed up!"

"What do you mean? They fell asleep!"

"Yeah, but you might have endangered the entire village!"

"But they're safe!"

"I said you might have!"

"Jerk!"

"Dolt!"

SLAP!!!

The crowd was stunned as Anna slapped Atrus hard on his cheek. Her eyes were wet with tears. The hint of hatred was in her voice.

"I knew it... I knew you don't need me... I knew I'm not good enough... Well, go then! It's now your journey! You will do fine without me!"

Then she ran off. Atrus watched in silence as her form disappeared. What have I done? His grip tightened, and he felt incredibly stupid. A soft hand touched his shoulder.

"I screwed up again..."

"Go after her." Maya said softly. "Do what needs to be done."

The town of Blackwell stood proudly among the hills. The town was indeed intact. The demons didn't even leave a scratch in it. The view of the small town with the forest as the background was very beautiful. The sun was setting, spreading the bright orange color in the sky. A lone hawk flew nicely in the wind across the sky. Smaller birds were flying in groups, singing their evening lullaby.
Anna Freesland tucked the cloak around her. The wind was getting cold. Her body shivered from the chill. She stood alone on top of the hill, enjoying the sunset. Or at least trying to enjoy the sunset.

She knew her heart was dreading. Her soul was cold, colder than the air around her. Her eyes were red from crying. She felt so alone. Loneliness had been her best friend before she joined Atrus, and now they had been once again reunited. She had no friend. She was unwanted.

She still couldn't believe Atrus had insulted her, right in front of the crowd, after all she had done. She knew she had screwed up, but she had saved the entire village! Can't that idiot appreciate me just once? She felt rejected, but she was confused. A part of her wanted to disappear from the realm and never see him again, but another part urged her to try again.

"I know I'd find you here..."

Her heart jumped as she heard Atrus' voice. "What do you want, Ranger?!"

She could sense Atrus' reaction to the sarcasm in her voice. "I want to talk to you."

A part of her wanted to brush him away, but another part wanted to hear him.

"There's nothing to discuss." She lied.

"Please, Anna... Hear me first..."

Finally her defiant gave way and she burst in tears. She looked at him with her pleading eyes.

"Why...? Why did you do this to me...?!"

"I'm sorry, Anna, I..."

"I admired you, Atrus..." she cut him off. "I respected you... You left me and I followed you... But you insulted me in front of those people! Is that the way you treat me?!"

"Anna, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I never want to hurt you."

"But after all you've done?! You don't know how much you've humiliated me!"

"I do." He answered. "I didn't mean to hurt your feeling at all. We've fought like that before, and I didn't know that I have humiliated you before the villagers. I just wanted to comment you, that's all, and I did that as honest as I could. If I hurt your feeling, then I'm wrong. I'm sorry."

Anna looked at his friend sharply, but her heart relented. Despite the hard manner Atrus had displayed numerous times, she could feel the sincerity in his confession. She could understand him. In fact, this was not the first time he did this. He had teased her in front of Maya before and she had always teased him back. Suddenly she felt guilty. She knew that admiration was all she asked from him. She felt so lonely, longing for a friend who could support and comfort her.

"Atrus... I..."

"Anna... I know I'm not good at saying this... but I want you to know... uh... I may not be able to say it, but I want you to know that I always admire you... I mean, with all your magical skill and stuff... and... you're always there to support me... and... uh... anyway, Anna, I need you for this quest... Please help me, okay...?"

Finally, after hearing the awkward request, her heart yielded and she couldn't help but giggled. "Now I understand why you're not good at complimenting somebody..."

Atrus' face brightened as he saw her laughing. "Anna... You will forgive me, won't you?"

Anna approached him and embraced him tightly. "Of course, idiot... You're my friend, and friends forgive each other, right? I'm just so happy that you still appreciate me..."

"Anna, I never underestimate you... I'm just not good at saying it..."

"I know, that's okay. You're just being honest."

Anna stayed in Atrus' embrace for a while, enjoying the warmth and comfort he was giving her. But then she felt something poking her ear and found Atrus twitching it.

Annoyed, she asked, "Atrus, what are you doing to my ear?"

"This is odd... You're a priestess, but your ears are pierced..."

"I told you before that I was not a real priestess..." She swallowed hard. "I was an orphan. My mother left me in front of the shrine door."

"I see." He smiled. "Because I want you to have these."

Atrus opened her palm and put a small black leather box on it. "Atrus... what is it?"

"There's only one way to find out."

She opened the box and gasped at the sight. Inside the box, two beautifully crafted earrings were arranged neatly on the cotton cushion. The earring consisted of three sets of stone with different colors, red, blue and clear, connected by tiny bands of golden chain. The two colored stones took shape of tiny balls while the last colorless one a diamond. The earrings would dangle at least one inch from her ears.

She gazed at the jewelry for a while before returning her gaze to Atrus. Her eyes were wet, this time with tears of joy. "Atrus... they... they're beautiful..."

"I kind of ran into them in Stromgard, so I thought they might match well with your red ribbon... don't they? I mean I'm not very good at matching colors, so I..."

She quickly circled her arms around him and embraced him tightly. Atrus did the same and she began to sob in his arms.

"Atrus... I... thank you... I'm so happy..."

"Happy birthday, Anna..."

She looked into his eyes in disbelief. "How... how do you know...?"

He just smiled and planted a passionate kiss on her lips. She was in heaven. She no longer felt lonely, for her best friend was with her.

"Make a wish..." Atrus said after he broke the kiss.

"Atrus... promise that you will never leave me..."

"Anything you say, Anna. Anything you say."

Then they sat on the grass, gazing at the sky as the sun went down. Atrus pulled his cloak around them and Anna stopped quivering as warmth enveloped her body. The sight before them was marvelous. The pale yellow color filled the sky, decorated by the strips of orange clouds. The wind played her hair a little, and suddenly she realized how tired she was.

She could feel Atrus' hand softly stroking her hair. "You're tired, Anna. Go ahead and rest."

"But you..."

"I'll be fine." Atrus told her. "Rest now."

She smiled at him then lay her head against his chest. The warmth slowly soothed to sleep. As she fell to the land of dream, she could hear him whisper.

"I've always admired you, Anna... And I always will..."

Maya Murdock stood alone on the castle courtyard. The creepy exterior of the abandoned castle accompanied her in her mourning. Before her two pieces of plain stone lay, surrounded by green bushes with beautiful purple flowers. A small basket of white flower, handpicked by her, stood before the stones.

Silence crept upon her as she remembered the days she had gone through. The entire castle seemed to mourn together with her. She knew that her search was over, as she was standing before the grave of her father and mother. Baron Stoke admired her father so much that he actually had buried him in his castle. That was why Leonard and his men never found the grave.

Leonard couldn't believe that the evil baron had saved her life by sacrificing his. He couldn't believe that the man could return from his wicked ways in the final moment of his life. He couldn't accept him as a hero of her life, but he was willing to forgive him and not to disgrace his name.

The baron had personally given her father the proper respect he deserved, although he had made her hate her father. Even in his wicked ways of life, there had been a piece of humanity in the baron's soul. However, the entire kingdom would look at him as a traitor, and he would not receive the honor and respect her father was receiving. Perhaps only a handful of people knew the real story behind his betrayal, but that was enough for him. Your forgiveness means everything to me, he had said. She knew, deep inside, that he had made peace with her father, and his soul was at peace.

She could feel a lone man approached her, and was pleased to find Leonard coming toward her. He held something in his hand, which he showed to her. It was a pendant, or more like a talisman. A simple rectangular metal plate with strange writing on it served as the main part of the ornament. A small blue diamond-shaped stone dangled in front of the plate. A simple band tied the ornaments together.

"This is your father's last memory. He always wore it during his action." He said gravely. "He would want his daughter to have it."

"My father's...?"

"Wear it."

She put the band around her neck and tied it. Suddenly she felt a strange force flowed through her body. "I feel strange..."

"Your father always wore it as a charm." Leonard said. "He didn't wear it in his last battle."

"Thank you for keeping this..." Maya said slowly. "I will always wear it."

"Wear it with pride, Miss Murdock." He nodded. "Wear it in his memory."

She nodded as tears welded in her eyes. Together they gazed at the anonymous grave before them, recounting the days that had gone, along with their father and friend. Around them, the wind played a sad lullaby, yet celebrating the victory of the good.

"Father..." Maya said slowly, her voice heavy with sadness. "I miss you..."

Deep inside her heart, she could see the image of her father, smiling at her.

"Thank you for keeping me alive in your heart, Maya... and I will be with you... always"

To Be Continued...

* * * * *

There are some comments about the lack of enough sex scenes in this story. Sorry, folks, but I can't write a sex story without a nice plot. This story is intended to be a romantic story after all...

Again, sorry for the delay. For those people who had sent their comments and critiques, I thank you. I hope you liked this one...