It’s been ten weeks since Koronos left White Bay Island and sailed to find survivors, he managed to find his other two bodyguards and Abyss, his powerful black warhorse on one of the islands in the archipelago island chain but no other survivors from the downed ship. They have their own harrowing tale of survival, but that is a story for another time. After searching the other islands nearby and finding nothing, he returned home. Upon returning home and much to his surprise, the elected mayor has been administering state affairs efficiently in his absence, and there’s even coin in the state coffers. He’s greeted with fanfare and there is a celebration in honor of the triumphant return of their beloved leader.

The celebrations are managed by Calvion, he managed to survive the sea voyage because he wasn't on the ship that Koronos was on when the rogue wave sunk his ship. He does much verbal groveling, hoping that his liege never learns of his past betrayal.

While the celebrations ensue, Shelove goes into the mountains on a hunt for fresh meat. Koronos gets intoxicated on wine, but little does he know that there is a little something extra in the wine, placed there by Zeyzey; she managed to get a position as a servant in the fortress. She catches his eye with her beauty and exotic looks of the pale-skinned jungle people of Samira; she flirts and smiles at him while pouring the wine, touching and caressing his muscular arm. Infiltrated Purifiers watch and look at each other across the dining hall; the plan is working. Once he becomes adequately intoxicated, he tosses her over his shoulder and stumbles to his bed chambers while captain Korvax cheers him on

The only one in the hall that isn’t grinning and that doesn’t approve is Corvannafax, she doesn’t know this woman-servant, never seen her before and she certainly doesn’t trust the people of Samira because her people have had encounters with some in the past, she’s heard the tales. The red-skinned, golden-haired shield maiden watches from her celebratory drink with a suspicion and contempt, perhaps some jealousy as well.

Skullcrusher notices and puts his hand on her shoulder and says while laughing, “let him enjoy himself, he’s earned it, and have a little more drink yourself, he’s safe here in his lands and in his home.”

Unconvinced, she plays along and takes a sip of the wine while she looks around the hall with her golden-colored eyes, noting the other Samirians present at the celebration, none of them seem to be joining in the revelry, something doesn’t feel right and she doesn’t like it, not one bit.

Koronos uses his foot to lightly kick the door shut behind him as he enters his bed chambers with his scantily clad prize for the evening’s conquest, with a goofy intoxicated grin, he tosses her on to his bed and says with a slur, “that wine ish strongk, I can ushually drink mush more and shtill have some wits about me.”

Without any further romantic notions, Zeyzey grabs him and pulls him toward her and greets his mouth with hers, then he passes out. In the chambers it’s dark and the only light is coming in the windows from the full ‘moon’ light of Sleeping Dragon shining in. She goes to the windows and leans out to find the Purifiers waiting for her to signal them. Stealthy assassins enter the chamber, one spots the Sword of the First in its scabbard and he grabs it. The other men bind the Kazarian’s hands behind his back, they carry him to the window and tie a rope around him and lower him down to the ground below. Any guards here have already been killed, so there is no one to sound any alarm.

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Vorshan has his men put Koronos into a cart and then cover him with a cloth, they take him out through the gate and the guards pay no mind to them because they are more concerned about what goes in than what goes out.

Inside the dining hall about twenty minutes later, Corvannafax looks around the space for the Samirans but notices they have gone, she knows something isn’t right, she gathers the other bodyguards, they beat on the lord’s chamber door, but to no avail, so after a few moments they enter, only to find it empty. They begin searching the fortress and call out the other guards to search. After searching for a while and finding nothing, she asks the guards at the main gate, “did you see any of those pale-skinned devils leave?”

The guards look confused for a moment, then realize what she’s talking about, “y-yes, the Samirian refugees left with their cart almost an hour past.”

Shelove enters the gate just then, back from a successful hunt in the mountains and she’s well fed, but she senses something is wrong and she can’t sense Koronos through the Bond.

Corvannafax says to Shelove, “they’ve taken Koronos, we need your help to track him down.”

Shelove has learned a lot of their words and understands. They travel fast and light, taking only what they can grab within a few moments, and as soon as the horses are made ready by the stable hands. The great black pantera leads the bodyguard group out of the gate and into the night in pursuit.

On their way out, captain Korvax shows himself, ready to accompany them, “you’re not leaving without me.”

Skullcrusher says to him, “honorable captain Korvax, I ask that you stay behind and help the mayor protect the realm, because we don’t know how long we may be gone, the realm needs a military leader here, we can’t leave the realm undefended, especially now, with enemies within and without.

Reluctantly, the captain agrees, “aye, I will stay, but bring Lord Koronos back. Here, take his horse, for when you find him…” He almost said ‘if he’s alive’ but decided to not voice such notions, in the hope to stay off such a possibility.

It’s Corvannafax that answers, she has become the de facto leader of the bodyguards, “this I promise you, and we will punish the ones responsible for this treachery, good captain. Just don’t let the realm fall, help the mayor as much as you can; hopefully we won’t be gone for very long.”

They track Koronos’ scent and find the cart, but no one is around. Shelove finds the trail again, it leads into the mountains, it seems they must have put him over a horse. They track him into the mountains, on through the night until the break of dawn; that’s when they see him, crucified on a tree with his head hanging low. He’s been beaten and brutalized, kicked and punched by the Purifiers.

Skullcrusher if the only one to speak, the only words he utters is, “no.”

Shelove runs up to him and licks his leg, making him slightly move and mutter a weak incoherent word. Any normal man would be terminal at this point, but his Everliving nature is still clinging him to life. Everliving are hard to kill.

“He’s alive! Get him down,” says Corvannafax as she dismounts her horse.

They pull the stakes out of his hands, but they have to lower him to the ground because he cannot stand on his own. Then they try to make him comfortable and wrap his hands in a clean cloth, and give him some wine to drink, but he can barely drink it. It’s clear that he’s not fit for travel, so they make their camp near there, close to a mountain stream for fresh water.