“They march,” Alektor said, his eyes going over the report from his scouts and spies in Lokkadonia.

“This is sooner than expected, but still according to our plan,” Turak said, sitting across from him.

Robert sat next to them, listening. They had spent the last several weeks in energetic preparation for the coming conflict. He said nothing, still not fully able to support the war effort against the clan that had formerly housed him and protected him from the dangers of this world. Alektor had told him that it was irrelevant to the true nature of their people.

“This is very aggressive, still.” the king rubbed his chin. “I must have hit a nerve.” He smirked at the parchment and tossed it on the table.

“Why?” Robert asked. “Why are they so eager to attack now?”

“Because they’re afraid,” Turak pointed out, pouring a bowl of wine for himself. “The Torre’ know how much of a threat we can be, unshackled and angry, so they sic the Lokkadonians on us, like Mo’ hounds.”

“Apparently, they have offered Hego Agron the throne if he is able to destroy us. He is sending his son, Oros, to fight in his stead,” Alektor said.

“Oros,” Robert whispered to himself, remembering the proud and friendly Dae, who defended him and his companion’s lives against his own father.

“He’s quite formidable.” Turak drank his wine, pausing to taste it. “It was his army that crushed the Rexunii in the last war. He has no doubt gotten stronger since then. Some would say he could be the most powerful Dae in all of Eleutheros one day.”

Alektor grunted, steepling his fingers before him. “We will not underestimate him, his power has been tried and tested against Rexunii warriors before, but power is not everything.” He looked at Robert. “We will need your help in this fight, Reku; your abilities could help us a great deal and save many lives.”

Turak looked at him as well, his eyes hard but earnest. “You no doubt spared the lives of both Visgo and Rexunii alike during our mission. And—”

“What will you do, Alektor?” Robert asked frankly, cutting off Turak. “What will you do with the innocent people of Eleutheros once you’ve conquered everyone? Become some shitty tyrant? Retaliate against Lokkon by subjugating them? Don’t become the thing you hate.”

“Reku,” Alektor said, “the Lokkadonians must answer for their crimes against the Doulos, against my people. Their crimes are too heinous to overlook. The common people may not suffer too much, but the royalty must die. King Yomin being first among them, the Hegos as well. This includes the Ignos family.”

“What about my friends?” Robert clenched his teeth with the words. “They are going to defend them. Your spies are saying that they are heavily involved in court politics there.”

“There are rumors that your former mate, Katrina, is being courted by Kryo Boros as well,” Turak chimed in.

The words pierced Robert like an arrow. He looked at him, stunned for several moments. “Boros,” he said to himself, fierce anger boiling within.

“Mere rumors, mind you,” Turak continued. “But you never know with such things. Boros has to die, along with everyone else in House Ignos. They are too dangerous to keep around. You will have to convince her, somehow, to see reason.”

Robert said nothing, but his eyes turned dark at the thought of Boros trying to court Katrina. “They know I’m alive, right?” he asked, a quiver of anger in his voice.

“Yes,” Turak said.

Robert was silent again, and Alektor leaned forward to speak to him. “One thing you must realize, Reku, is that we,” he gestured to Turak, “have been here for you as well. Regardless of how it started out, you are here now and a member of my family. I told you before the significance of this, but you have to understand what it all means. I cannot win this war without you. They are coming here to fight us. We aren’t some invading force, marching to pillage and rape our way across the Lokkadonian countryside. I stood up and declared that Rexun is free. I told them that I will no longer stand by as my people are subjugated and treated unfairly in their court. The Torre’ offered to help us, promising many things, but when they were discovered, they changed sides.” He held his gaze, his yellow eyes burning with angry passion. “The Torre’ betrayed us, and that falls to me. I trusted them, listened to their promises of honey and wine, all for a chance to save my people. But when Dio’Mar saved you from the pit and brought you back, I knew that it was for a reason.”

Robert opened his mouth to speak but was cut off.

“The Lokkadonians serve the Torre’. The Torre’ are the Espi-Dae, and the Espi-Dae want you dead. How long do you think your friends will live under the protection of Lokkadonian rule before they are turned over? They abandoned you quickly enough after your supposed death.”

“Why, though?” Robert huffed. “Why do they want me dead? Humans, I mean.”

Turak interjected. “Our spies indicate it was a response to a vision the High Espi-Dae had, supposedly granted by one of the Great Spirits. Something about a tattooed demon, who would come to bring destruction to not just Eleutheros, but to all of Pelemont. This was preceded by the arrival of, well, you humans. They were ordered to act immediately, to prevent this terrible future.”

“Lies, all of it,” Alektor said fiercely. “The Espi-Dae are corrupt monsters now. Maybe several thousand years ago, they were the heralds of our salvation during the war with the spirits, but now? They are little more than decadent fools who hold on to their vices and perversions with riches, murder, and their puppet High King.”

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Robert sighed, resting his face in his hands.

“Reku,” Alektor continued, “they are coming for us now. I know I can beat them in the field. I am confident that I can defeat any warrior Lokkadonia has to offer, but they will send more and more until our warriors are dead under their heels. But with you, we can win.”

~

Over the next few days, Robert found himself struggling deeply with the fact that he now had to choose a side. He heard the words of the king, thought his cause was just, yet couldn’t help but remember the slack expression of Veol’s face while Turak tossed his severed head to his feet. The image seemed to reappear when he least expected it.

He lay on his large bed, staring up at the ceiling, each side clawing at his soul. He thought of Katrina, on the arm of some Dae creature. Boros… that son of a bitch, he thought. He knew he had let her down before he left. He should have been stronger, more reliable. He then remembered Amynta, who had been so eager and energetic to learn about him and the spirits.

“You are thinking of her again…” Dio’Mar said softly.

Robert grunted in the affirmative. “She’s probably dead by now.”

“No…” she said, perking his interest. “She still lives and has made quite the impact on the spirits there. She is no longer there however, she was rescued by your friend… Daniel.”

“Wait,” he said, sitting up. “How do you know this?”

The little sprite of Dio’Mar materialized before him, lounging on his pillow, her pale legs crossed. “Robert… I am not something that can be considered as… limited as Dae… or even your kind, for that matter… I can move through this world with ease. I see many things… She has spoken much of you…”

“When did Daniel find her? How did it happen?” he asked, excitedly. “Dammit! I should have pressed harder to go earlier. And why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“To be honest… I wasn’t looking. That… and I wasn’t confident, at the time, that I could mask my presence to the more… powerful spirits who reside there… recently though… I have seen much there.” Dio’Mar floated up in front of him, her black smoke billowing around her. “As for when Daniel rescued her? When you were first captured. Daniel attempted to rescue you… fighting his way into Rexun even… Until he heard of your supposed death. But… Alektor is correct… Robert… The Lokkadonians will eventually be forced to hand over Daniel and Katrina both… They fear them too much. If Rexun falls any hope you have of keeping them alive… and returning home together will be gone… Not just in the event of your capture… but of yours and their inevitable return to the hands of the Espi… Dae…”

“Bullshit!” he said angrily, more to himself than to her. “What am I supposed to do?”

There was a sudden burst of resolve that took him, and he sat up straight. He had contemplated too long about what to do. He needed to make a decision. His thoughts turned to Katrina. No, I need to get back to them, he thought. His mind was made up he would make his way back to Lokkadonia, and either convince the Lokkadonians to pull back, or find a way to take Kat and Daniel out of there. He knew the time for thinking was over; now he had to go.

“I could go back to Lokkadonia, to Katrina and Daniel,” he said. “If they really are both in danger from the Espi-Dae, I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”

“Now, why would you do that?” Dio’Mar asked, floating around him. “First… those people… are not worthy of you. Second… Rexun will fall without you… Robert. Everyone here will suffer the same fate as those poor wretched slaves you saw in the streets of Vul De Rah…”

“How? How the hell do you know about that? About any of this?” Robert asked. “You weren’t even freed from the pit back then, or when Daniel came to rescue me. You know what? It doesn’t matter. I need to pack. I can’t waste any more time.”

“If you were planning on leaving all this time… then why stay at all? Alektor has treated you well… given you his name… made you a person of importance here,” she asked, her small form buzzing with what Robert guessed was irritation. “We can go and retrieve them… bring them here and defend against the coming onslaught… after we have accomplished our obligation… we can further explore how… to get you home.”

“No, Dio… I am not going to wait for this to end.” Robert shook his head, anxiety building in him. “I don’t even know if I’ll survive this war. The best thing for me to do is make a break for it now. I couldn’t before because I was afraid that he would stop me by force, but now… now he can’t stop me. I could slip out of this entire city completely unnoticed. And there isn’t a damn thing they could do about it.”

“Robert… leaving now would doom these people. They will need your help to win this war… I have seen what the Lokkadonians do to their Doulos… it is something that would cause any with a conscience to pause. You’re better than this…” Dio’Mar’s image began to grow until she stood face to face with him, her eyeless face, stoic and unmoving, but somehow bristling with emotion. She was passionate about this, for some reason.

“These people captured and tortured me,” Robert said, the memory of his ordeal creeping back like a weed.

“No… the very same people who now march on this kingdom… they are the ones who did that to you… I am the patron spirit of Rexun… and I will not leave them.”

Robert looked to the ground, his mind a mess of thoughts and feelings. “You said you would help me return home. You swore to me that you would do that if I helped you out of your prison. Well, you’re out now, and I need to get back to my friends. Rexun survived without you for thousands of years… what’s a few more days?”

Dio’Mar was silent for several tedious moments until she finally nodded her head. “I will follow you, Robert… I will help you escape… but I know you will never forgive yourself for this… that woman, those people… they are remnants of your past now, irrelevant splinters. Relics of a time when you were weak and powerless… here, you are a Prince and a man of strength… if you are looking to revert yourself back to who you were… then so be it…”

~

Robert grabbed his cloak and packed a large bag of supplies. He was going to leave before he had a chance to change his mind. He left his room at a half run, his heart beating in his chest like a bass drum. He smiled, passing guards and nobles in the halls who looked at him curiously.

“My Prince?” a familiar female voice called from in front of him. His eyes met with the dynamic green ones of Demessa, who looked at him in confusion. “Where are you off to?” She asked.

“I, uh…” he stuttered, trying to think of an excuse, “…I need to leave the city; there are, uh… some very dangerous abilities Dio’Mar is trying to show me. It could help change the course of the war!” He spit the words out in a jumble, he never was a good liar, but her curious look turned into one of understanding.

“Yes, of course. Would you like me to accompany you? I have been instructed to look after you, after all.”

“No!” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “It’s too dangerous, and I don’t want to accidentally hurt you. You know how it is. Besides, Dio’Mar is with me. I’ll be fine.”

This time Demessa raised an eyebrow at the stuttering words and erratic behavior of Robert. “My Kryo, are you well?” Her eyes glanced to the large bag he had on his shoulders, and he saw her expression change as the pieces started to come together. “How long will you be gone, Prince Reku?”

Robert’s eyes glazed slightly, and she opened her mouth to speak again. This time, her face was stern. Robert cut her off before she could.

“I’m sorry… Demessa. Goodbye,” he said as he disappeared before her eyes.