Almorah leaned against the pillar, glaring at the sword that her master had given her. It was perhaps all she had left of Cladius, and probably the last of him. She heard a knock on her door as she shook her hair to the side, glancing up and lifting her voice.

"Come on in."

King Henry walked in look at the woman. He smiled a brief smile as the woman was slightly annoyed. It appeared his constant efforts to woe the woman had failed and damaged the relationship.

"Is there something you needed?" She replied, obviously annoyed.

"We have located the men, who have taken Cladius, I was curious if you wanted to bring them to justice. If not, my men will do it without you." King Henry replied, fiddling with a wooden pillar to his left.

Almorah sheathed Sosire, "When do we leave?"

Henry smiled, "In an hour."

The woman was ready for vengeance. Henry liked to see the angry side of the woman, there was something he found attractive about the tender, kind, and heartfelt woman in rage. Agular was eating a small meal; he and Almorah had been invited to stay at the palace until they reached Helmish land. Almorah walked up placing her combat boot against the nearby chair strapping steel plates over her boots.

"What's the occasion?" Agular questioned.

"We are exacting revenge on those who took Cladius away from us. We are going to kill them." Almorah replied kicking against the chair as she moved forward, "You are welcomed to come if you so wish."

Agular turned his head back towards the woman, spotting King Henry smiling with amusement. This wasn't his sister. At the longer Agular had spent time with Henry, the more he disliked him. He was shady, too shady. Agular would have hoped he would be a more honorable man.

"What are you smiling about?" Agular asked Henry.

"I find your sister amusing." Henry replied.

"There is nothing amusing about this situation. She is hurting, it probably is best if you stayed at arms distance from her. This is not Almorah, and if you think this is, than something is twisted inside you." Agular replied, "I mean no offense, but I will speak my mind."

"How dare you speak to me in such a tone, and way? I cannot find human behavior peculiar or interesting? I tell you what, son of Rigger, I will lay my eyes upon whatsoever I want, and you will not stop me, not so long as I am king. Know your place; you are little more than a peasant."

"Perhaps," Agular replied.

He was a man of few words, and hated fighting. So at this time, the man held his peace, even though he wanted to slug the man across the face. As Agular was in the standoff, towering over the king, a soldier ran into the room.

"Sire, the north border of Helm, the Ommart have reclaimed it."

King Henry turned his sights towards the soldier walking towards him, "Indeed follow me and explain this to me in my chambers."

"Yes, sire."

Agular was worried, were his people dead? He looked about the room, rushing in the direction Almorah had taken.

The woman looked around the palace court yard, walking next to the perfect grass on the stone walk way. A fountain was in the center of the court yard, water shooting from the sculptures of maidens. She made her way to the stables where the other guards were making their final preparations. Food being slung over their horses, and water as well; the air smelt slightly like home, but the horse smell was something Almorah loved. She had never owned her own horse, though she had always wanted to. She examined the fine breed as she looked over to the other guard.

"How long will the ride be?"

"My lady, this is a job for men." One replied mistakenly.

Those were unwise spoken words. Her leg came up, slamming into the man's chest, knocking him off balance and onto the ground; her sword was pointed at his through as she spoke up, above the neighing horses.

"I am plenty capable, I will do this alone if needs be."

The men were in completed shock, the sternness of her soft and lovely voice strike shock and awe into their hearts. They were impressed to say the least, and slightly frightened from her performance.

"I apologies my lady," the man said as Almorah lifted her foot off the man and sheathed her blade.

Agular walked in as the metal sounded against Almorah's sheath. He looked at the man, offering his hand to help him up. The man slapped Agular's hand away, refusing his help and peace offering. The man then began taking his items off his mount flinging it over his shoulders.

"This isn't worth the extra coin!" The man replied walking away, leaving two men left.

"Are you two leaving as well?" Almorah asked indifferent as she finished supplying her mount.

"No my lady." They replied, mounting their horses.

Almorah did the same, as she was ready, Agular quickly joined as they began their journey. There were two guard, Almorah, and Agular. They traveled on horseback for four days, towards the Eastern Forest. The true name of this place was unknown, because no man had survived the forest long enough to give proper tales or naming of it. It was just called the Eastern Forest. The only legends made of the forest were from innuendo or those who walked along its tree line. The forest was credited as the home of the griffin. The men dismounted their horses, Agular and Almorah spotting the sight. Rotting corpses filled the area; they had been here for weeks, maybe months.

"Was this your sighting?" Almorah questioned, looking over the dead bodies.

"Indeed I believe it was. We had it a week ago, but this appears to be months before hand." One of the guard replied.

Almorah slammed her boot into a rotting helm, as she yelled in frustration, "He's not even here! No body whatsoever."

"Look at them Almorah, you can't even recognize them." Agular replied, point at the dead.

The corpuses smelt of vomit and feces, boiled and cooking in the sun, like moldy cheese; but even moldy cheese was a pleasure to smell compared to this. Agular could watch worms and maggots crawl through their teeth and eye sockets. Their eyes had completed been eaten, and the flies dancing around the dead, made it obvious they were past the bloated phase. It would be another day or so, before even the maggots were done with them. Agular's hope was waning; he was no longer so sure Cladius had survived the battle.

"He's gone, nothing left, not even his pursuers. Who did this than?" Almorah shouted aloud in anger, "they were mine to kill!"

The two guards stayed quite, the saw what she was capable of, and wanted to steer clear of stormy seas. This woman was a tornado, destroying everything in her path to reach her destination and desire.

"Almorah calm down, there is down trotted grass leading to the forest. It looks as if it is headed north, north towards Inger." Agular replied with joy.

"Look at the axe, at the chopping block, and his bonds on the ground."

"The bonds look broken; it appears Cladius may have been the one to escape." Agular replied.

"That doesn't make sense; if he had escaped he would have come back for us." Almorah replied, as she knelt on the ground examining the evidence.

The two soldiers stood as far as they could away from the smell. With no emotional investment, it was all they could focus on. They regretted coming this far only to smell rotting flesh. One men shivered and recoiled in offense from the smelling it too long.

"My lady, and sir, it's probably not healthy to be here." The soldier said aloud, tasting the unpleasant smell.

The smell was bad, but the taste was even worse, indescribable and beyond simple means of explanation. The watched as both looked back at him with question as if what was the matter.

"Come, bring the horses we are tracking these footsteps." Almorah replied.

"We are not coming." The men replied in unison, "Even if the Knight of Helm made it, he is long dead. Herne patrols that forest, among other evils; there is no way a mortal can survive in there. Sorry to say, but your hope is for not, an't nothing coming out of there."

"He has a name." Almorah replied, getting into the men's faces.

Agular placed his hands over her arms, gently pulling her back.

"Fine! We will go alone." Almorah replied.

"That is unwise." A voice said, a figure patrolling around the scene.

A tall man carried two swords vertically across his back; he smiled as he unstrapped one and took the blade out of its sheath. In response the guard readied their weapons along with Almorah and Agular.

"Shall we play?" the man said with a raspy voice.

He had long grey hair, though he looked not a day older than thirty, and a small beard coming from his chin. He had a scar that ran across his face, still fresh from the looks of it. His smiled revealed a crooked tooth, and crane like nose. His piercing green eyes had a tint of grey, making them appear as almost an extremely pale yellow.

"Are you asking for a fight?" Almorah yelled in anger, "Did you kill Cladius?"

"No girl, calm yourself; I didn't kill him, but perhaps I will once I find him. Just like I killed you king."

"Almorah, He's an assassin." Agular whispered.

"The king still lives." Almorah replied.

"No he doesn't, I killed him little under a month ago, and this scar is here, to prove, those knights are damn near impossible to kill." The man replied, as he gently sunk his blade into the ground.

They watched as he readied his next blade, as if to taunt them.

"What is your purpose here?" One of the guards asked.

"You all are so stupid. Can't put two and two together; I'm here to kill you, all of you, and then finish hunting this Cladius, or Knight of Helm, as he is more commonly known."

"Then come and claim us!" Almorah yelled charging forward.

The man had readied both blades, and kicked Almorah square in the chest knocking her back as the two men slashed at the man. He was too fast, he drew his blade from the earth, cutting clean through one man's neck, and parring the other's attack. He slammed the blooded blade back into the ground; as he swung back taking cover from the attacking guard. As he blocked with the guards body, Agular's hammer had swung a little too close, hitting the man in the arm.

The man screeched in pain as the assassin drove his blade through his back and out his neck. Almorah had now taken her shot, slashing at the man with the Blade of Direction, Sosire. He tried to block the weapon as it cut through his blade, slashing into his chest. He had failed, he hunched as he gripped his bleeding chest, he withdrew his second blade from the ground as he leaped back to dodge Almorah's second incoming strike. He thrusted with his sword, striking at Almorah, Agular deflected the attack with his metal war-hammer. The blow made the man spin in a three sixty as he fell to the floor, skull shattered. But not all was as it seemed, the blade was stuck inside Agular's abdomen. He had taken the blow for his sister. As He fell to his knee, the blade still inside his body. He could feel the razor edge slowly cutting him a part with every breath. When he started coughing it only got worse.

Almorah knelt beside Agular, as she placed her hands on his giant shoulder and chest. Tears formed in her eyes. There was a slim chance he would survive a four day ride in his current condition, with medical treatment, let alone with no medical experience on Almorah's part.

"You stay with me, I can't be losing you too, ya hear?" Almorah said, tears forming in her eyes.

Her vision became blurred as she tried everything in her power to help the man. Tears came down her face like a waterfall, and her hands were wet with her brother's blood. She kept searching the bags for some sort of aid, but there was nothing but bandages. With only bandages, there was going to be a high risk of infection, if the ride didn't kill him, an illness following would.

"Almorah," Agular struggled, "I love you, Cladius is still alive, and I know it."

"Now is not the time for that." She replied gathering all the bandaging she could, "I'm going to try and bandage you up. Alright?"

Agular shook his head, "If you pull the sword out you will only do more damage Almorah."

"Then what do I do?" She said defeated.

The man was grunting in agony, trying not to give out a full cry of pain, he had to survive this, for his sister.

"Wrap," He huffed, "Wrap it around the blade, and make is secure so I doesn't move."

Almorah nodded her head as she began bandaging him. After thirty minutes she had stopped the bleeding all but around the blade. Her face was wet with tears, and had little hope for her brother, but she was not to give up. She aided him onto his horse as both made quick paste back towards Dechoneus. She clenched her reins hard wither her blooded hands, angered that he had taken the blow for her.

Four days later, and Agular's rings around his eyes were a dark purple, his breathing was heavy, and he was coughing every ten to twenty seconds. Almorah started yelling for help as soon as the gate was in sight, the guard rushing down to help her. Quickly they rushed for aid, securing a medicine man for assistance. Almorah past back and forth, waiting for the news, as the doctor came out of his medicine room caring the enemy's blade in his hand.

"I was able to retrieve the sword. Your brother has a slim chance of survival, I left potions beside him; you are going to need a very powerful mage, for him to ever recover completely." The doctor replied, "Until then, he needs plenty of rest, and to drink the potions I subscribed every three hours, too often and his body won't absorb it, too late, and it could be potentially deadly. It's very serious, there is no guarantee he will recover." The doctor spoke firmly, with a tender voice.

Almorah's head hung low, as she glance at the doctor pleadingly, "There must be something else you can do!"

"I've done all I can." The doctor replied, "Your best chance is with a mage, and they don't come cheap, especially if you can't pay my bill."

Almorah watched the doctor leave as she walked inside sitting beside Agular in a nearby chair. She placed her hand on his shoulder; as she looked with worried eyes towards the doomed future. If Cladius was alive, she hated him, how could he leave them like this, she was angered at the man. All her rage was building up, tension building within the young woman.

Three days had past, and Agular had barely stirred, Almorah hadn't move from the same spot as Prince Henry brought her food every day. He walked in knocking the third day, bringing in food as usual.

"It's your fault. If only you had let us gone after Cladius," She said, letting her words trail off.

"This is not my fault, nor my doing. However, I can save his life; I can give you the mage you seek." Henry replied confidently.

Almorah's head perked, up, it was the only good news she had had in days, "I would be eternally grateful!"

"It comes with a price you see." King Henry said, fiddling with his fingers."

"To save my brother's life, I am willing to do whatever it takes." She replied.

"Your hand in marriage."