Amy awoke early the following morning. She had slept remarkably well considering the events of the previous day. The king's tower echoed with sounds that were unfamiliar to her. She tried to reason away what she was hearing—everything is normal; this is what the comings and goings in a palace sound like; but try as she might, she couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was terribly amiss. There was some frenetic about what she was listening to, and it knotted her stomach.

Servants prepared the tower for the day ahead as the guards from the night watch were replaced by their day watch counterparts. She crossed the room and cautiously opened the door. The door had been unbolted sometime during the night, as she slept. Although relieved that she was no longer locked in her room, it did leave her feeling a little vulnerable—someone had been in her room during the night; or at the very least, they had been keeping a close eye on her.

The man in uniform standing on the other side of the door was not the same guard who had taken her to the city wall, but he was still a guard and she was still a prisoner, of sorts. She slowly, quietly, closed the door and she stepped back into the room. On the other side of the room, next to a pair of double doors that led to a balcony, a small table was laden with fruit, bread and cheese. Next to the food a metal jug of water sat beside a simple metal cup. She was absolutely certain that the table had been empty when she went to bed the night before. That they had opened the door during the night to check that she was still in the room was completely understandable, but it was unsettling to think that someone had come that far into her room during the early hours while she was sleeping. She poured half a cup of water and plucked a slice of fruit from the large bowl in the middle of the table. She stepped out onto the balcony. Branna was already standing on the balcony.

"Did you bring the food?" Amy asked, holding out the piece of fruit.

"Nope. Two women brought food to my room about an hour ago. They must have called in here too."

"An hour ago? How long have you been awake?"

"I didn't sleep," Branna replied.

"And how long have you been in my room?"

"Almost half an hour. Though I did visit you a number of times during the night."

"I wish you had woken me."

"I didn't want to disturb you."

"You are creeping around my room, watching me sleep; that disturbs me."

They exchanged smiles before sitting at the table.

"So," Amy began. "Now that we had time to sleep on it; well, some of us slept on it; what do you think we should do? Should we help him? The king? Is that even possible?"

"I was hoping you could help me with that."

"How so?"

"You can see into their hearts, or whatever. Look at him again and tell me what you see."

"I don't know what it is that I am seeing. How can we trust what I see when I don't understand it? I have seen the darkness around your father, more than once, yet he isn't evil. And perhaps the king can mask his darker side if he tries? As a human evil detector, I'm really not that reliable."

"But there is evil in my father's soul. It was imprisoned there by my mother when the demon tried to turn him; but it is there, and that's what you saw. I have that same evil inside me."

"That should worry us," said Amy.

"Why? The darkness is buried deep, and it will never escape the power of my mother's magic."

Amy shook her head before continuing.

"I'm not talking about that, or, I mean... I kinda am. You and your father have the evil inside you, yet I have only glimpsed it a few times. I am looking at you now and I can see nothing. What if the king has the same kind of deal going on? I mean, what if he's as evil as Hitler but he's found some way of keeping what he truly is from me? We could be handing ourselves over to serve the very thing we are trying to destroy. As plans go, this one has a very weak foundation to it."

They grazed from the plates of food in front of them as they mulled over the problem.

"You are correct," Branna said, eventually.

"I am?" quizzed Amy, with surprise. "About what?"

"We cannot trust the king. We cannot trust any of them. Unfortunately, the only clear way I can see to getting to the truth of what they really want is to play along with them."

Amy sipped a little water from her cup.

"I can come and go as I please," Branna continued. "If we should side with the king and I feel that he is acting in a less than honourable way, I can get us to safety."

Amy sipped again. She placed the cup down on the table with a gentle clatter.

"It isn't much of a plan," Amy said. "We seem to specialise in those kinds of plans."

Branna smiled.

"Sure, it keeps it interesting," said Branna.

The door to the room opened and Cathal stepped inside. He walked to the table, plucked a piece of cut pear from a plate, popped it in his mouth, and he spoke as he chewed.

"All kinds of things have been taking place overnight," he said.

"They were in your room too?" asked Amy, with surprise.

"Huh?" replied Cathal.

Amy shook her head.

"Never mind," Amy said. "Please, go on."

"It would be easier to show you," explained Cathal. "Daughter? The top of the city walls, if you please?"

Branna rolled her eyes. She stood up sharply. In an instant all three were standing on top of the city walls. Below them two massive armies were facing off. There wasn't an unoccupied square inch of land between the walls of the city and the river and the woods. The king, who had been standing on the wall a short distance away from where they materialised, walked across to stand beside them. The monarch was entirely nonplussed by their sudden appearance, but he did wear a look of impatient earnestness. Two guards followed their king, at a short distance.

"Have you decided?" asked the king, as his gaze flited from Branna to Amy, impatiently.

"We have," said Branna.

"And?" demanded the king, calmly.

"We will stand with you, for now," explained Branna. "If we suspect for one moment that you are lying to us, or that you are attempting any kind of manipulation, we will be gone."

The king smiled, warmly.

"I will never betray you," he said. "I will never lie to you."

"The precise words that one who intends to betray us, would use," said Amy, with a strength and firmness that took them all by surprise.

There followed an unbearably tense moment as the king's expression balanced on an inscrutable knife-edge. The unease of the moment shattered when the king laughed. It was clear that the ruler was unaccustomed to such a direct challenge; but equally clear was the fact that he liked it.

"And it would go a hell of a long way in winning our confidence if you could explain what is happening," said Amy. "Down there on the battlefield, and in this place."

Amy was on a roll, and as Cathal's cautious attempts to get to the truth were rolling along too slowly for the New Yorker's liking, she reckoned on having little to lose and everything to gain. The king moved to the edge of the walls. They followed swiftly and stood next to him.

"What is going on down there has been going on, in one form or another, for thousands of years. Two sides, fighting to the death. Fighting for a prize that they don't fully understand and doing so willingly because it is the will and the command of their monarch. Ares has brought his troops to the walls of my city today, as he has done countless times over the millennia. All those battles, and nothing ever changes. He slaughters my men, and I slaughter his men, and we return to our cities and prepare for the next battle."

"Why? If they don't even know what they are fighting for?" asked Amy.

"Because, I asked them to. And they believe in me," said the king, curtly. "And the other army are just as devoted to their lord."

"That might be enough for them, but we are going to need more than that," Branna said. "We don't know you."

The king paused as a hard look of annoyance overtook his face, before melting into something a little more peaceful.

"Each member of my army is a member of my family," explained the king. "They are of my blood. My children, in one way or another."

Branna and Amy looked at each other with mild disbelief. They silently understood that he could not possibly mean an actual blood relationship as the number of warriors on the battlefield was simply too large.

"Children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and more, going so far back that I can barely recall when they first of them entered this world. But I know them all. By name and by nature. They are of my blood, and the loss of any one of them is like a blade through my heart. They fight for me, to victory, or to oblivion. This might seem like a barbaric game to you, but I can assure you that it is no game. Not anymore."

"I get that it isn't a game. It is too horrible to be a game. What I don't get is that it was once a game?" asked Amy, accusingly.

The king sighed.

"Perhaps not a game," explained the king. "But it was a lot more fun, once upon a time. The closer we get to the end, the less fun it becomes. Every one of my men that falls to the sword of an enemy soldier will forfeit their immortal spark to the king of the man that slayed him. That king becomes more powerful. The power is collected, and stored, to be one day used in the final battle against Saturn."

"That is atrocious," said Amy, with disgust. "Who came up with the rules for such an horrendous scheme?"

There was a pause.

"I did," said Jupiter, meekly. "Well, me and my brothers, to be more accurate. It makes sense, and as terrible as it might seem at to you, it is the only way that we stand a chance against Saturn."

Another short pause then followed.

"Just to be clear," said Amy. "You want to destroy your brother to save the world? But the only way to save everyone, is to kill everyone? Well, everyone in this world, at any rate. Can you see how we might have difficulty following your logic?"

Jupiter sighed.

"Yes, Amy, that about sums it up. It is the way it has always been. Since the first war in Heaven, to every war fought on the human plane. Different faces, and different times; but in the end it is always a battle between light and darkness."

"Where did the darkness come from?" asked Amy, indolently.

"What are you asking?" Jupiter replied, confused.

"God made everything. God is good. Where did the darkness come from?" Amy elaborated.

"The smith fashions the sword, but that does not make him a soldier," said Jupiter.

"I see," said Amy, mockingly. "In other words, you have no idea?"

Jupiter smiled.

"A fair point," he said.

"And what makes you so sure this is what God wants?" asked Branna.

Jupiter sighed.

"Truly? I don't. It has always been this way, and sacred texts from all ages point to a final battle. Why it must be this way, I don't know. It is a faith based on what has been, and what we believe is yet to come. If that is not enough for you, then I understand. You can return to your city and wait. If I win, your lives will continue as before. If Saturn wins, you will all die. Everything, and everyone, will die."

A soldier wearing silver armour covered in a net of thick leather ropes, approached. The man removed an uncomplicated, round, golden helmet. He tucked the helmet under his left arm and bowed slightly in his king's direction.

"Highness, the men are ready," said the soldier.

"Thank you, Jan. We shall begin within the hour," said the king.

The soldier took two steps backwards. He stood to attention as he waited for his king to dismiss him.

"Jan is my great, great, great grandson; or something like that. He carries the words from my lips to the ears of the commanders in the field."

"And if your enemies kill Jan?" Branna asked.

"I have many great, great, great grandsons," Jupiter said, with a wry grin.

The others looked shocked. Jupiter roared with laughter.

"I miss that," he said. "Just how serious you mortals can be. Jan knows that I would gladly offer up my own life to save any one of them."

"And where will you be when the battle begins?" asked Branna, accusingly.

Jupiter dropped the grin.

"My death would put all of creation in great danger," said the king.

"Of course, it would," said Branna. "And Jan? Does he know?"

"Know what?" Jupiter snapped, impatiently.

"That he, like the rest your army, may have immortal blood running through his veins, but it will not be enough. Down there, on that battlefield, they are as helpless as any human. Once they die, there is no coming back."

"I know, my lady," said Jan.

"Then we have a lot to discuss," said Branna.

Branna walked towards Jan and she hooked his arm without stopping. The tall youth remained anchored to the spot. Branna rocked back violently. She shot the king an angry look.

"Go with her, Jan," the king ordered.

The soldier turned around and he walked along the wall with Branna.

"It would appear that you now have your warrior," said Cathal. "What about myself and Amy? What part are we to play?"

"You will remain here with me. Amy, you have a choice. You can join Branna on the field of battle, or you can watch from the walls."

"I'm not much of a fighter," said Amy.

"You don't need to be much of a fighter," said Jupiter. "I would like you down there, next to Branna. When the battle begins that strip of land down there is going to quickly become the most confusing place in the universe. In the blood, and dirt, and fear; confusion will descend. I know this because it has happened before. Many times, before. When frightened, tired men start swinging wildly in all directions; they care not where, or who their blade strikes."

"And?" asked Amy, with genuine confusion.

"If soldiers on the same side kill one another, their eternal spark returns to their king," Jupiter explained.

Amy twisted her face into a look of utter incomprehension.

"No one wins," said Cathal. "Small shifts in the balance of power here and there, but no outright winner. I can see why the novelty of this has worn off."

"Amy, if you join Branna you can help cut through the confusion," said Jupiter. "If you can see in my brother's men the dark shadow that you saw in my brother. Branna can then run her sword through the enemy and this ageless war can finally end."

Amy paused.

"And what if we don't win the war?" she asked. "I mean, as terrible as it is, this game that you play with your brothers needs a winner in order for the final battle against Saturn to begin. Why do that? Why not just keep the game going? Maybe you could swap your swords for a football? A healthier and less deadly way to work through your differences?"

Jupiter smiled sympathetically.

"We have already thought of that, Amy," said the king. "Not the part about football, but the rest. Saturn has been drawing power from the human realm. Every human soul that he claims adds to his power. The human spark may be small, but if he can claim enough humans it will tip the balance. More than enough for him to succeed. So, you see, he is coming for all of us, whether we are ready or not. I wish there was another way, but there simply isn't. If one of us is to stand a chance against his already substantial power, then war and death are the only options."

Amy paused again.

"OK, I will do it. I don't know how happy I am about being relegated to nothing more than an evil-sniffing dog; but hey, it's something."

All three smiled.

"But I warn you," Amy continued. "This ability, if it really exists, is intermittent, at best."

Jupiter placed a hand firmly on her shoulder.

"Whenthe battle begins, and your blood turns hot, you will see all of it," saidJupiter. "Trust me. I know what you are truly capable of."