Agular heard the last few words that the king had heard. His condition was left up to the lust of one man. Not out of love, curtesy or kindness would he receive even a small chance to his cure of ailments. With his cracked eyes he could see the smug face of the king as he starred fervently at the hesitating Almorah.

"Well? Will you give me your hand for your brother's treatment? I promise all my resources at your disposal." King Henry smiled, as if a bringer of hope.

"I- I..." Almorah tried.

She had to say yes, what else could she say? If she said yes, her life was then the bound to the life of another, but if she denied this man his lust, than her brother was surely doomed, to die an awful death. There was no true medicine now that could help. She looked back at the man, anger boiling within her eyes, along with determination. Where was Cladius, if he was alive, why hadn't he come back. A tear ran down her eye thinking of the young man, she knew he would fix this situation if he could.

Almorah opened her mouth as the heaven's began to quake, as if to stop her speech. The storms, rolled down, lighting slamming into the castle directly. Stone fell from the province as Henry looked about. There was no sign of storms for miles, let alone thunder and lighting. It was as if the gods desired something.

"Ah, it appears the gods condone my message, they are celebrating it appears; now all that is left is for the simple two words. I" he paused, never to finish.

Before he say the last word, Agular's hand rushed up, through the pain of his body's limits. His meaty hand wrapped around the king's throat. Through narrow eyes, sweaty skin, and gritted teeth, Agular held his grasp.

"Leave, my, sister, alone. And never come back!" Agular yelled, more energy coming from his pain.

Agular held the king for a second longer, through his pale white appearance, and dark rings around his eyes. Even now, he wouldn't give up the ghost. He was determined to teach this sleaze bag a lesson.

"Be gone with you, scum." He whispered deeply, as he let the man go.

The king fell to the floor, holding his neck as he coughed. He grasped his sword's hilt as he stopped his rushing guards. He didn't need to kill Agular; he would die on his own. He was ashamed that a peasant dare treat him as scum, or call him such. He flared his nostrils with angered breath as his frazzled hair was combed back with his hand. He slowly got off from his knees, spotting that he had been kneeling by Almorah's feet, as if she was some sort of goddess.

"I will remember this!" King Henry roared, "If it were not for the common cause of a deadly enemy, I would in prison you, and hang you by a rope."

"Yea, I would gladly accept it." Agular replied, full of rage.

Almorah took a step forward between the men, trying to make peace. She was pushed aside as Henry flipped his cape in disgusted. He was a king, not some peasant they could do as with as they pleased. He offered salvation and they spat in his face, was his deal not fair? One way or another he would indeed have his way.

Almorah placed her hand over her dying brother's shoulder, ushering him to relax. She looked at her brother sobbing in his arms, as he held her tightly. Agular knew very well he was going to die. There was nothing he could do, he only hoped his sister would continue on, and steer clear of Henry.

"Why, Agular, why, I could have saved you." She wept.

"Almorah, no mage can heal me now; only one can give me such a miracle, and that is the God of Life, and Light. Cladius is after him, he comes to save me now, if he shall return in due time."

"Forget him, he is but a whisper in my mind, dead, of all cases is most likely." She replied. "But I, I could have saved you."

"I will not have your misery a trade for my life," Agular coughed, "I wish you a life of joy, and that cannot be had with such a man as that."

"What do you know of joy? Have we not lost our mother? Have we not lost our father? How then can you say I will have joy upon or after your death?" Almorah said, with tears rolling down her face.

"Come now my dear sister, for all is well." Agular replied, hugging his sister tightly.

It was on the morrow that Henry had decided their fate. All the while Cladius watched from Zelstine. He couldn't peel his eyes away as he watched the king, come to the medical quarters with an evil grin, full of vengeance. King Henry had slammed the door, locking them in, as if prisoners. He watched as Almorah slammed her fist against the door screaming in frustration. Cladius looked back to Claydrin, his heart full of compassion.

"Father, can I not visit them, relieve them of this corrupted boy? Heal Agular's pain, and give him knew life. I have spent only two days, and yet my powers grow, they grow well enough to save his very life." Cladius said with his voice full of morning.

"No, I will tell you this, for this is the course of life, which is a lesson you best learn. You cannot show favor in this mortal, and you do not yet have the power to heal him from this distance."

"Then am I not permitted to leave?" Cladius replied, "Even upon my promise to return?"

"Cladius, my son, I know thee too well, if you leave now, you will not complete your training. And all will be for not, you will lack the power to save Helm. Something you desire, more than Helm, you will not be able to save, Almorah." Claydrin said rubbing his black beard.

"Then why not give me the true extent of my power, why not give it all back at once!" Cladius said with excitement, and hope.

"I will explain this once more. I held your power, so you could walk as a mortal; this is why I appeared so old in age, even an immortal God. There will come a time when you will replace me, and time will become irrelevant, but not uncounted. That day is far from now, yet I tell you to prepare you. If I were to give you all this power now, you would lose control, not from a lack of faith I have in you, but simply because you have not wielded such power. Only after you have restored Helm and gathered the four kingdoms in one empire, can you truly receive this power."

"You speak as if a scholar, I simply do not understand, even with your explanation; at least not as you do." Cladius said, mourning.

"Come, we must finish forging your sword."

"Yes father." Cladius replied.

Almorah continued to bang on the door until she was out of stamina. She fell to her knees. Who was truly the evil they fought, was it their enemy or their allies? It appeared with every passing day, that the true villains were none other than themselves. Losing one's country gave them knew eyes to see, and that's what Almorah had seen, even in her state of mourning. She looked back towards the sky, closing her eyes as she prayed to the gods for understand.

"Oh, great gods, give me guidance and strength, protect Cladius, and give us hope." Almorah whispered.

Similar prayers could be heard, whispering through the air of Zelstine, the gods heard their cries, and little did men know that they were aware. Cladius was driven by these pleads for help, as he trained harder every day. The rest of the gods grew with great impressions towards the young god. It took thousands of years to birth a god, little did men know. Yet here there savior was, training for the salvation.

"Almorah," Agular said speaking up, "come, there is no reason to waste time on the door."

"What little do we have left than to fight for our freedom?" Almorah replied.

"Hope, we fight also for hope. Come and rest. For the day of reckoning swiftly comes."

Moments later a knock came by the door as a guard walked in. He had a small chin beard, and a big nose pointing towards the ground. He was handsome by no means, and his mundane brown eyes seemed bored as he spoke up.

"You have three minutes to gather your things."

Almorah scurried around looking at him, "Who are you?"

"Names and introductions can be made later, my lady. For now, please gather your things."

"What of my brother?" Almorah replied.

The tall starry figure moved over towards the wounded man, glancing behind him twice as he poured a liquid into his mouth. He glanced behind him again, as Agular coughed. Almorah was outraged, but this man looked like a friend, something they no longer had.

"What do you give him for drink?" Almorah asked, as Agular rose from his bed, putting on his boots.

"My lady, answers will come shortly, I promise thee, if you only gather your equipment and hasten out the door within a minute, all will become clear." The man said with a bit more emotion.

Agular swung his hammer over his shoulder rushing out the door. He glanced down at the floor where their guards laid unconscious. As Agular glanced about, all the guards were unconscious. This man had serious business. Almorah quickly rushed by them as they walked out of the court yard and into the city. The continued following the figure as he entered into a door in the wall.

"Who are you?" Almorah asked.

"Revar Gillius, and that will have to wait until after we leave the city."

Agular nodded, coughing and wheezing as they went along. He was holding up quite well all things considered. Whatever drug or medicine this man had given him was a miracle. Revar grabbed a torch from the wall as he led them through the dark dreary innards of the wall. He looked about, the same ugly and emotionless face. His head was covered in chain male reflecting light from the torch. He dropped it as they exited out through a stair case, spotting a rope no further than two feet away. Revar held Almorah's hand as he helped her down. Nodding as she continued to escape from their imprisonment. Next was Agular sluggishly striving to hold to the rope; next was Revar, climbing down in a similar way as Sir Cladius. He was definitely a trained soldier.

They began walking through the dessert undetected, with Revar leading them. When all was calm, they got a better look at the man. He was wore chain male from head to shin. Tough leather boots, a leather gauntlet on his shield arm, and a steal gauntlet on his sword arm. He carried his sword on his back, an axe above his waste, and a mace strapped to his left waste side. He was well prepared. His heater shield was the perfect ration for his tall slender body. He wore a midnight garb with a crescent in a dark circle. Over his right shoulder was a steel pauldron. His chain male hood had been draped over his back as they continued through the dessert. He was fairly belted and fastened with preparation for war.

"Let me explain myself, first with the medicine. I gave you a temporary cure, Agular Quail, it will heal you, but its affects are neither permanent nor easy to come by. I have only enough to last our journey; perhaps, if we make it there in doe time I will be able to heal your wounds with my magic."

"You know how to use magic?" Almorah questioned, in awe.

"Indeed, though healing spells are not my specialty, and until I know the extent of your wound, I cannot promise a restoration of health."

"Hope is better than gloom." Agular struggled.

"Indeed."

"How do you know our names?" Almorah questioned, catching hold to his words.

"It was revealed to me by Claydrin. Apparently you have a powerful friend who cares deeply for you. The Sun God himself wept for your wellbeing."

"The Sun God? So Cladius has indeed found him?" Almorah shouted for joy.

"Indeed, it appears this Cladius has found your god. And young Almorah, these gods highly favor you indeed, for you are most favored by the young Sun God."

"Yet another man trying to woe me, don't they ever learn, god, or king." Almorah replied with a sigh.

Revar laughed a most pleasant laugh, "Perhaps, I say too much, but do not grow weary of the Sun God, he watches your every move, it was his voice that told me to save you. Besides, should not a lady be flattered by catching none other than a god's eye?"

Almorah had to admit, this man's only redeeming physical quality was his voice, most pleasant to hear to one's ear.

She frowned, "Not after today's events."

"As to be expected. I think you will be shocked upon death, of how well we know our gods. All is not as it seems." Revar replied, with a forced smile.

"Then I must ask, for is has been eating at my curiosity, what manner of warrior are you?"

"I'm a Templar, mad 'am, I serve the gods, most specifically the Moon, Goddess. Her pale white skin, golden eyes and a beauty desired by men, king, and god. I live a life of celibacy to serve my mistress."

Almorah couldn't be happier; it was a good thing this man wasn't married, or at least not having children. She would hate to see them grow old. It was perhaps the wisest thing this man could do. Revar was saving a child or children from inheriting his ugly face.

"Oh, do you ever regret that promise?" Almorah bated.

"No, my lady, I have only one mistress, that would be Alissicies the Goddess of the Moon. Some say she cannot influence us, sense her moon is not seen, however, I see her influence through the women of the world, the good they do, and the strength they bring. I am no knight, but I do honor my mistress with my actions, words, and deeds. What more can men like us offer to a goddess with beauty so divine?"
"Perhaps little more can be done." Almorah said aloud.

She really wish she had not, as Revar continued his sermon, "Ah, but alas, can we not always do more for our gods?"

"Revar, this is a great conversation to be had, but perhaps we focus on the task at hand. Will you start by letting us know our destination? For my brother grows wearier by the second."

"Indeed," Revar paused, turning back and placing Agular's arm over his shoulders, "I will carry what weight I can, and Almorah, you are indeed like our Goddess, it is no wonder I was guided to save you, and no wonder the gods find pleasure."

"We had it handled, but I thank you." Agular replied, being stubborn.

"Ah, and so the silent giant speaks, I ask you save your breath, you will need it." Revar replied with a smile.

The man had seemed to open up more, show more emotion. He seemed to only have no emotions under stress. Though ugly, there was a certain admirable trait from him, it was his honesty, and chivalry, though not even a knight. He seemed to radiate with hope, something that no one had these days.

"Well, I take you to our temple, Miss Quail, for there I can treat this giant's wounds, and care for your every needs. The Templar of Alissicies will welcome you with open arms. There are few monks; most men are Templar much as myself. Even so, with many men, there are more women, who are not swore by the same oath of celibacy, I tell you, to watch your eye around the fair maidens, especially you, strong Agular. They have sweat lips, and honey words."

"How much further," Almorah asked, as Agular chuckled at the man's warning.

"Perhaps I should watch out!" Agular laughed, only to cough in pain.

"Only a day's travel, we should arrive early dawn." Revar said smiling back at Almorah.