Amor Vincit Omnia

(Love Conquers All)

Part Two: The Fragile Heart

"Pass not beneath, O Caravan, or pass not singing.
Have you heard
That silence where the birds are dead yet something
Pipeth like a bird?

Pass not beneath! Men say there blows in stony deserts
Still a rose
But with no scarlet to her leaf - and from whose heart no
Perfume flows

Wilt thou bloom red where she blooms pale, thy sister
Rose? Wilt thou not fail
When noonday flashes like a flail? Leave nightingale the
Caravan!

The Sun who flashes through the head, and paints the
Shadows green and red,
The Sun shall eat thy fleshless dead, O Caravan, O
Caravan!
- James Elroy Flecker
"The Gates of Damascus"

Hello! Welcome, fans and new readers alike, to the second part of my Diablo 3 fantasy/romance epic! If you haven't read Part One, I would seriously advise it, otherwise there will be a lot of confusion due to some changes I have made to the plot. For those who have, this story will be much the same, with the addition of an M rating and all the awesomeness that comes with it! So expect love scenes in the future. ;)

Without further ado, thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoy the story! I love to hear everyone's opinions, constructive criticism, and comments, so please review! I'll try to respond, especially if you have a question.

- Dr. Kitten

Chapter One: The Jewel of the Desert

"I thought I was supposed to be learning how to meditate," Baal said peevishly, adjusting his position to better brace himself against the bouncing of the wagon. "I don't see what that has to do with taking a nap. I can sleep any time; I don't need help with that."

"Can you?" Saiya asked. "Could you fall asleep right now?"

"No, because I'm not tired."

"And that's exactly why you need practice. Meditation means having complete control over mind and body. You must be able to access it at all times, whether you're in the heat of battle or lying in bed at night. When you're meditating, time stops and you as an individual cease to exist."

"That's great," Baal said. "Why am I trying to go to sleep, then?"

The young monk pursed her lips in frustration. She had been trying to explain for the better part of half an hour, but it seemed that her friend and lover viewed meditation as some spell to be cast, rather than a state of mind that it took years to perfect. It was tempting to tell him to just shut up and do as he was told, but she knew that if he didn't understand why, he would never make progress. Furrowing her brow, she cast around for a way to link the complex art to something that he might be more familiar with.

"When you started training with the Hunters," she began, "did they let you pick up a crossbow on your first day and just start firing it?"

"Of course not," he scoffed, as if the idea was preposterous. "I had to learn how to hold it properly, and aim it, and all the safety procedures."

"Well, this is no different. Sleep is the closest thing to meditation that the body is capable of, so if you master being able to induce your body into sleeping even when you're not tired, then you'll be well on your way to full meditation."

Baal still looked doubtful. "I have trouble falling asleep even when I am tired," he said. "As soon as I close my eyes, thoughts start swarming around my brain like ants on a hill – constantly marching two and fro. Sometimes it takes me hours to relax."

Saiya was well aware of his struggle with insomnia. They had shared a cabin (though not a bed, at Baal's insistence) during the two-week-long voyage across the Twin Seas, and now a wagon while crossing the vast desert from the seaside port of Gea Kul to the landlocked city of Caldeum. Baal seemed to get more restless every night. Often she would wake to find him sitting in the darkness, his eyes blazing crimson, tinkering with his crossbows. The one time she had asked him what was troubling him, he had gotten up and left without a word. She did not ask again.

Now, the in daylight (and it was so much brighter here in the desert, as if the sun had doubled in strength) Saiya could see the shadowed skin beneath his eyes, the bloodshot corneas and general aura of weariness. If she were being honest, half the reason she was insisting on this preparatory exercise was that she knew he needed more rest.

"Just try it," she wheedled, patting her lap invitingly. With a coarse sigh, Baal lay down and placed his head in the hollow formed by her crossed legs. He looked up at her from under the fringe of black hair covering her eyes and said, "There. Now what?"

"Close your eyes," Saiya instructed. "Breathe deep and slow. Let your muscles go limp. For now, even if you can't really sleep, at least pretend that you are."

Baal folded his hands over his stomach and let his lashes brush his cheek, a frown of concentration clouding his features. Saiya almost chuckled at the sight of him trying so hard to do something that required a complete lack of effort, but she held the laughter in. It would only offend him. Instead she smoothed a hand over his forehead, stroking away the faint lines that gathered there like strands of a spider's web. She kept up the repetitive motion, which was as soothing for her as she hoped it was for him.

It was just over twenty days since she had left New Tristram, but already the town and its occupants were a distant, shining memory to her, swept away by the whirlwind of everyday life on the road. The sea voyage had been the worst thing she had ever experienced: endless hours of nausea, trapped like a caged bird inside a tiny wooden room that never remained still. On the rare occasion that she made it up on deck, all that awaited her was bleak grey water stretching out of sight on all sides. No matter how much reassurance her companions and the captain gave her that they were on course and making good time, she couldn't shake the terrible fear that the land had been swallowed up by the gnawing waves, and they would be afloat forever. Every night, she dreamed of falling overboard and watching the ship dwindle in the distance while she swam futilely after it.

She'd been ridiculously happy to see the first shadows of a landmass on the horizon, practically dancing down the gangplank as soon as the ship had docked. The city where they disembarked, Gea Kul, was the antithesis of sullen and grimy Antham: buildings of pale sandstone, twisting, intricate towers, and perfumed gardens that spread out for miles. The people were prosperously dressed and smiled often. As the group wandered down the market street, a fat man emerged from a curtained booth, pressed a red fruit into Saiya's hand and uttered a brief phrase in Kehjistani, which Baal obligingly translated for her. A sweet gift for the sweet young lady.

"He's hoping that you'll buy something from his stand," the Hunter added in an undertone. Saiya promptly purchased a lightweight blue scarf.

The caravan that they hired consisted of nine roomy wagons (and a tenth reserved purely for supplies), drawn by the weirdest creatures that Saiya had ever seen. Round, compact bodies perched unsteadily on spindly legs, flat cloven hooves like pigs' feet, a long flexible neck capped by a small head wearing an expression of perpetual bemusement. Most notable was the single flabby hump atop every beast's back. Baal told her that they were called camels, and not to get to close to them because they were ornery and liked to spit.

Amid general surprise, Lyndon decided to accompany them as far as Caldeum, though he spent most of his time alone – partly by choice, and partly because he was not well-liked among the party. Baal was suspicious of him, Caesar regarded him with obvious distaste, Kormac couldn't stand him, and Leah was reserved at best. Only Saiya (who was grateful for his intervention at the docks), Najmah (who got along with everyone), and, oddly enough, Ghor would tolerate his company for more than a few brief moments.

As with any diverse gathering of humanity, disputes and tensions were inevitable, but for sanity's sake they soon learned to keep order. Baal and Caesar ignored each other completely and thus avoided all conflict. It was hard to tell what the wizard thought, if anything, about the fledgling relationship between Baal and Saiya, but he never remarked on it or showed any signs of discontent with his own lot. He remained as courteous to Saiya as ever, though he no longer flirted or showed her any special attention.

In fact, the young monk reflected, it was Baal himself who had been the largest cause of stress over the past several weeks. She had known his tendency to alternate between warmth and indifference, but she had anticipated that that sort of hot-and-cold behavior would come to an end once they were officially lovers. It had not. If anything, his defensive armor had grown even more difficult to pierce. It wasn't that she was unhappy, she told herself, but she was a little bit mystified. One of the most puzzling things was his refusal to engage in any sexual activity beyond (admittedly ardent) kissing. She knew that he found her attractive enough – his own body gave that away, no matter how much he tried to conceal it – but he always stopped short of taking the next step. She had tried to touch him once, in the heat of the moment, and he caught her wrist in a grip that was almost painful. He apologized later, but offered no explanation.

And so she was enjoying having him here, dozing in her lap, where she could stroke his forehead and study him without fear of making him nervous. He's like a wild, wounded animal, she thought. He wants to be healed, to be cared for, but he can't bring himself to accept it.

There was a flurry of voices outside the wagon, and Baal roused himself with a start, jolting upright. A moment later Leah stuck her head through the flap of canvas that served as the door. There was dust caking her cheeks and hair, but she was grinning.

"We're within sight of the city gates," she announced. "Caldeum at last! About time too, I say. Oops … am I intruding?"

"No," said Saiya, at the same time that Baal said, with a touch of sarcasm, "Yes. I was learning how to take a nap."

Leah stared uncomprehendingly at him. "I just thought you might want to know that we've arrived."

"Thanks," Saiya said. The other girl nodded and backed out, pulling the canvas flap closed behind her. Saiya frowned at Baal, who was absently mussing his hair and yawning.

"You could be a little friendlier, you know, especially since we're going to be traveling together for a while," she remarked.

"I'm not being unfriendly," he protested. "If I was, I wouldn't have fallen asleep in your lap."

Saiya snorted. "I'm talking about Leah, not me. The others as well, for that matter. It wouldn't kill you to be nice for a change."

"What's this really about?" he asked. "Has the mage been whining to you again?"

Saiya gave up. "How did you sleep?" she asked slyly.

"Passably," he shrugged, but there was a glimmer in his eye that gave away his good humor. Saiya beamed at him, and squeaked in surprise as he swooped in to kiss her. Her heart flip-flopped in her chest, as it always did when he unexpectedly demonstrated his affection.

"Shall we?" said the Hunter, sweeping an open hand towards the door.

She scooted past him, crawling on all fours to avoid scraping her head on the low ceiling. Emerging onto the narrow footboard, she held her breath to avoid inhaling the cloud of dust and sand that was kicked up by the wheels and the churning hooves of the camels. She stood precariously, one hand clenching the porch bracket for balance, and gazed out across the blinding expanse of desert. Theirs was the foremost wagon, save one, so she had an unhindered view. The city of Caldeum loomed on the road ahead, the shadow of the great wall stretching out to meet them. The gate itself was twenty feet of solid bronze, ingrained with jewels and intricate veins of precious metals. Above it, the sheer wall rose another thirty feet, crowned with battlements. The sun glanced off the pale sandstone and turned it to gold.

"It's beautiful," Saiya whispered, completely awed.

"Not for nothing do they call it the Jewel of the Desert," said Leah, who was walking next to the wagon. Her expression grew regretful for a moment. "Uncle Deckard loved this place," she murmured. "If only he could be here to see it again."

As always when Deckard Cain's name was mentioned, Saiya felt the harsh sting of guilt, the ugly echo of a memory: I killed him. I was responsible. If not for me, he would be here.

"I grew up here, you know," Leah continued. Her voice was hard, her eyes unhappy.

Saiya glanced at her in astonishment. "I had no idea! You never mentioned your childhood." And I never asked, she thought. I was too busy worrying that Baal had romantic feelings for her to try to make friends. What a fool I am.

"I don't like to talk about it," Leah said. "It wasn't the happiest time in my life. I was raised by a woman named Gillian who did as well as she could, but never pretended to be my real mother. We lived in poverty, which only grew worse as Gillian's mind began to deteriorate. She was little more than a raving lunatic by the time that Uncle Deckard found us. I wonder where she is now."

The wagon ground to a halt as they arrived in front of the gates. A tall soldier with arrogant, pitiless eyes and a cruel set to his mouth came striding forward and held out a hand. The caravan driver, Azam, dismounted from his seat and presented the bundle of papers that he had already prepared. The soldier paged through them, making a show of inspecting every document, and the twist of his lips as he returned them spoke of disappointment. Clearly he had hoped for something to be out of order.

Looking up at the walls, he raised a hand in a curt gesture. The massive gates swung open with the sound of a thousand gears turning in tandem. Azam clucked persuasively to his camels, and the caravan proceeded into the city. There was a stable nearby, where they came to a second and more permanent halt.

"Have everything?" asked Baal, coming up from behind. His hand hovered at the small of her back: not quite touching her, but close enough to be felt. "We won't be coming back."

Saiya nodded. The few belongings that were left to her were all on her person: her clothes, her brass knuckles, Leena's hand mirror, and the banner made for her by the people of New Tristram. Baal traveled light as well, and the raven rode proudly on his shoulder. Its wing had fully healed, and though it never seemed to tire of soaring gracefully through the sky, it always returned to the Hunter, who had apparently won its loyalty. He had named it Gawahir, meaning jewel, on account of its fascination with baubles and trinkets.

Baal jumped down from the footboard of the wagon, landing gracefully, and reached up to help Saiya dismount as if she were a highborn lady. Coming around the side of the wagon, they were joined by Caesar, Ghor, and Kormac. Najmah trailed in the rear, moving with the slow, stumbling gait of a sleepwalker.

"So," said the wizard, stretching like a cat, "here we are at last. It's been years since I visited this part of the world." He looked around with curiosity, observing, "It looks much the same, but the air is different. Not to welcoming as before."

"That soldier who granted us entrance was anything but welcoming, that's for sure," said Kormac, shaking his head. "He looked about ready to strangle poor Azam. I don't understand; don't they want travelers to visit?"

"A great evil dwells here," said Ghor. "I can sense it, coiled like a serpent about to strike. Beneath the veneer of this city lies a wasteland of stars and green mist. We must be wary."

Saiya felt a shiver run up her spine despite the heat of the day. She did not quite understand what the sangoma meant, but she didn't like the sound of it. And she too could feel a malignant presence lurking in the shadows, quite at odd with the glorious, sun-baked surroundings.

"I can smell no demons," Baal said doubtfully.

"They are well hidden," Ghor replied.

Azam approached them, rubbing his hands and smiling a fixed smile, and the whole group fell silent. They had not revealed their motive in visiting Caldeum to anyone who had aided them on their journey: not the brave captain of the Black Falcon (who to Saiya's immense surprise had been a woman), not the affable caravan driver. It was not that they didn't trust him, for he seemed quite the honest professional, but they all agreed that the nature of their mission was best kept a secret. It was a rare moment when Baal and Caesar did not argue over a decision, and Saiya treasured it, as well as the identical bitter looks on both their faces when they realized they were in concurrence.

"Well, my friends," said Azam, "I will be glad now to accept the payment I am owed, for the fees have risen yet again since last I came this way."

Leah had collected the money from each of them, paying Najmah's portion out of her own funds, and now she handed over a small leather bag nearly splitting its seam with gold. Azam counted it out into his palm and frowned.

"Miss, you have overpaid by five dracham," he said.

"Consider it an advance for the next time we need your services," Leah said. Comprehension dawned on the man's face, and he grinned.

"Miss, I would be honored to serve you again. Farewell, my friends, and may good fortune light your path." He departed to see about stabling his camels while the goods he had carted from Gea Kul were unloaded by a steady stream of workers.

"Where's Lyndon?" Saiya asked suddenly. Fixated as they all were on the strange menace of the city, the rogue's absence had gone unnoticed. I hope he didn't sneak off without at least saying goodbye to me, she thought.

Leah wrinkled her nose. "I spoke to him this morning. He said he had some 'business' to attend to in the city, and that we could find him later – if he wanted to be found."

"Good riddance, I say," grumbled Kormac. "That man's a viper. He'll greet you with one hand while the other rummages in your pocket." Catching Saiya's reproachful look, he added, "I don't discount that his protection of you was noble, Schwesterchen, but I'm not sure how noble his intentions were. It seems to me that he acted chiefly in his own interest."

"It's a moot point," Baal interjected before Saiya could jump to Lyndon's defense. "What he did was good, regardless of the reason, and he is not accountable to us. I wish him well, though I doubt we shall see him again."

There was a moment of silence. Then Saiya said, "So, now that we're here … what do we do?"

"We should separate," Caesar suggested. "Divide and conquer, right? Ghor and I will search for temporary lodgings."

"Baal and I can take care of getting food and any other supplies we need," said Saiya.

Leah nodded. "Right. I've got someone I want to talk to. We used to be friends. If anyone knows what's going on around here, he will. Najmah, you should come with me."

"I'll go as well," Kormac offered. "You might need a bodyguard."

"It's decided then," said the wizard. "We'll meet back here in, shall we say, three hours?"

"Keep your eyes and ears open, everyone," instructed Baal. "If you hear anything suspicious, try to listen without attracting any attention. Don't ask open questions, but glean what information you can. The better informed we are, the more of a chance we'll have of stopping whatever evil is afoot here."

With that in mind, the group fractured and set out in separate directions: Caesar and Ghor along the great wall to the east, where most of the hostels and inns were located; Leah, Najmah, and the Templar into the inner city in search of Leah's contact; and Baal and Saiya to the bazaar. The young monk was speechless, captivated by a thousand different sounds and sights and smells, each one of them utterly foreign to her. She followed at Baal's heels like a lost puppy as he wended his way expertly between the stalls, ignoring some of the merchants who called out to them and casually greeting others in Kehjistani. Sometimes they stopped to purchase special items that their companions had requested – paper, ink, and quills for Leah, a variety of alchemical ingredients for Ghor, a pocket knife for Kormac, and new gloves for the wizard, whose old ones were starting to develop holes. Saiya had to intervene with the last item on the list, as Baal gleefully selected the largest and clunkiest gauntlets he could find. She forced him to put them back and instead picked out a pair made of silk-lined kid leather, soft and flexible, but with lightweight bracers attached to protect the wearer's forearms.

As Baal was haggling with a fruit seller over the price of a bag of dates, two soldiers garbed in red hauberks strode past. They were speaking in Kehjistani, but one word jumped, unmistakable in any language, caught Saiya's ear: Maghda. She nudged Baal and jerked her head in the soldiers' direction when he turned to look at her. After listening for a moment, he grabbed her hand and led her after the pair, with the merchant yelling after them, "Wait! You have not heard my final offer! I will go down to half a dracham for two bags!"

"What are they saying?" Saiya whispered as they followed the soldiers towards the southern edge of the market square.

"They're discussing the influx of refugees to the city," Baal replied, "and how difficult it is to find room for them all. Apparently there is tension growing between the refugees and Caldeum's citizens, and the guards have their hands busy preventing an all-out war."

The crowd thinned suddenly, and Baal stopped dead in his tracks. Peering past him, Saiya caught her breath in a gasp of pity and dismay. Crammed into an alley between two towering buildings was a mass of tents packed so closely together that the sides touched. The ground was churned to mud, from which arose the cloying reek of urine. Flies swarmed in clouds; children with matted hair ran naked through the filth. Adult men and women, so thin that each bone showed in bas-relief against their stretched skin, squatted in tent entrances. There was a general feeling of oppression and despair, so removed from the vibrant bazaar not twenty feet away.

"The refugees," Saiya murmured. "They look so hungry. Why does no one help them? Surely there is plenty of food here." She thought of her own pack, stuffed full of bread and cheese, cured meat and a variety of fruits and vegetables, and wondered how many people the contents would feed.

Baal approached a woman wearing the same uniform as the two soldiers. "Salam," he said. "Bu insanlar burada ne mene deye bilersiniz?"

The woman, whose imposing height was further increased by a pair of thick-soled steel boots, looked down at him and said, "Sen kimsen?" Her voice was clear and ringing, like a bell, and not overly warm.

"Men yalniz bir seyyah Ben," replied Baal. "Siz suala cavab gedir?"

"You look Kehjistani," said the woman, switching abruptly and fluidly to Khanduran. "But your accent is off. Been speaking with xarici too long, hey?"

"You're very perceptive for a guard," Baal said. There was admiration in his tone, as well as annoyance.

"I am no guard," the woman sneered. "Show some respect, boy. You are addressing Asheara, Commander of the Iron Wolves."

"I've heard of you!" Saiya exclaimed. "Your mercenary company is legendary in all of Sanctuary."

"Last I heard," said the Hunter, "you had sold your allegiance permanently to the child emperor. Does he value the Wolves so little that he has you keeping watch over the peasants?"

"Someone has to," said Asheara, though her tone lacked conviction. She hesitated for a moment, then, lowering her voice, went on. "We are no longer the Imperial Guard. Emperor Hakan had us replaced with his own men two months ago. I have not been allowed to enter his presence since, though I have requested an audience several times." She sighed, and the impassive wall of her face seemed to crumble a little, revealing a weary, concerned woman within. "The country is falling apart," she said. "A witch and her coven have taken up residence in Alcarnus, and have been slaughtering innocents in droves. You asked where these people have come from. The answer is 'everywhere'."

"We could help-" Saiya began, but Baal cut her off.

"This witch," he said. "Is her name Maghda, by any chance?"

"You are acquainted with her?" Asheara asked.

"You could say that. Our relationship is not a pleasant one. We have tracked her here from New Tristram in Khanduras. You said she is in Alcarnus? Where might that be?"

"West of here, five days trek across the desert. Three on horseback, if you can find a horse to take you. But the road is blocked: a landslide caused by the witch. You'll have to go through the Khasim Outpost. The trail markers will guide you."

"Thank you," Baal said solemnly. He turned to leave, but Asheara called, "Wait!" He looked back at her expectantly.

"You have not told me your names," she said. "I would like to know to whom I have lent my assistance."

"Pardon my rudeness," said the Hunter. "I am called Alem – I'm a mercenary myself, of sorts – and my companion is Kala."

The Commander of the Iron Wolves inclined her head. Her gray-green eyes, as clear and keen as a hawk's, glinted in recognition of the lie, but all she said was, "Qismet siz hem de gede biler, Alem ve Kala." *

"Ve siz," replied Baal.

"Why did you give her false names?" Saiya whispered to him once they were out of earshot.

The Hunter did not answer right away, but as soon as they passed a secluded corner he pulled her aside and put a hand on her shoulder, locking her gaze with his own. "Listen well, Saiya," he said, "this is not like the places you are accustomed to. The people here cannot be trusted easily, and you must guard your mouth and your purse with equal awareness. And you cannot slip up and call me Baal in anyone's hearing. An alias for you is a precaution, but for me it is a necessity, because in these parts a person bearing my name is likely to be killed outright."

"So I should call you Alem?" she inquired. "And I am Kala. What of the others?"

"The mage," said Baal grudgingly, "should be clever enough to keep himself safe. Ghor, too, I should imagine. Leah and Najmah and Kormac are all innocuous enough. I doubt anyone will trouble them. It's mostly us half-children that I'm worried about. If word of our Nephalem blood gets out …"

"Why should it?" said Saiya. "In New Tristram, no one cared."

"In New Tristram, no one understood the significance of the power we wield. But there are those here who would try to control that power, or, failing that, snuff it out." His unique eyes lost their light, becoming deep, black wells of anguish. "Trust me, I know."

Impulsively, Saiya put a hand to his cheek, and he nuzzled against it, pressing a kiss into her palm. "I'll be careful," she promised.

"Please do, nuur il-'en," he said. "I cannot watch over you all the time."

After that, they returned to the bazaar to finish their shopping, and then Baal insisted on having lunch at a local tea house. They sat at a small marble table by a latticed screen grown over by creeping vines, whose large white flowers produced an enchanting scent. A fountain burbled soothingly in the background. The food was like nothing Saiya had ever tasted: a salad of exotic fruit, each bite a miraculous new flavor; a bowl of curried rice and vegetables, the fire of which was quelled by thick, sour sauce called yoghurt; flat bread and stuffed grape leaves and triangular desert cakes made of ground nuts held together with honey and sandwiched between sheets of dough as thin as paper. Baal watched her eat with a grin that grew with each sound of enjoyment she made. When they were finished, he ordered two coffees, which to Saiya's surprise was a drink. It was a rich brown, nearly black, in color, and steaming hot. She was disinclined to try it, but the Hunter finally convinced her. It was very bitter and earthy, and at first she found it unpalatable, but as she continued to sip she decided that it wasn't so bad.

"Don't finish it," Baal warned her, a glint of amusement in his eye. "Leave the last bit in the bottom of the cup."

"Why?" Saiya asked, but he just winked at her. Her question was answered soon enough when she disregarded his advice and wound up with a mouthful of potent, gritty mud. She swallowed it, twisting her face in a grimace. Baal laughed.

"That's why."

"Why would anyone want to drink this horrible stuff?" she demanded as the Hunter paid their bill (she offered to contribute, but he wouldn't hear of it).

"You'll see," Baal said cryptically.

As they started back towards the rendezvous point, Saiya was startled to feel raw energy coursing like quicksilver through her veins. Her heart rate increased as though she was in a fight, and every movement she made seemed unusually quick and sharp. It was slightly unnerving, but exhilarating at the same time. Baal noticed the extra bounce in her step and remarked, "You're feeling it, then."

"Is that what coffee does?" she asked. "It's incredible!"

"Yeah," he said, "it's great for waking up first thing in the morning. Just don't drink it before you go to bed, or you'll never get to sleep. If there's one thing I've missed most about my homeland, it's coffee."

"I'm not going to feel sick later, am I?" she said worriedly, suddenly recalling the terrible headache and nausea she had suffered the day after she and Baal had gotten drunk together.

He shook his head. "No. You might feel a bit more tired than usual, but that's all."

Leah, Najmah, and Kormac were already waiting for them when they arrived back at the stables. The girl had obviously been crying, though no emotion seeped through the steely mask of her face. Najmah sat close beside her with an arm around her shoulders, while Kormac stared holes in the ground.

"Bad news?" Baal asked gently.

"He's dead," Leah answered without preamble. She laced her fragile fingers together to form a pale net. "Only two weeks ago, during one of the riots. He was right in the middle of the fighting, shouting for people to calm down and talk things through. No one knows whether it was a soldier or a refugee who struck the blow that killed him."

"I'm sorry," said the Hunter.

Her smile was crooked and grim. "It's the way he would have wanted to die. Anyway, did you all have any luck?"

"More than we hoped for," he said, and told her about the conversation with Asheara and the information they had gleaned. Caesar and Ghor returned just as he was finishing the tale, and Saiya bullied him into repeating it for their benefit.

"I think we should speak with this child emperor if we can," the wizard opined. "He might be able to give us more information."

"Maghda should be our first priority," argued Kormac. "We know where to find her."

"Look how well that turned out last time," Caesar said heatedly. "If we can gain the support of Hakan and his Imperial Guard, we could storm Alcarnus and eliminate Maghda and her coven once and for all."

"We can't afford to waste time on politics!" exclaimed the Templar. "Every minute that we hesitate, those bastards are ending more innocent lives."

"Calm down, everyone," Saiya interjected before tempers could rise any further. "Let's put it to a vote. Who's in favor of staying here in Caldeum and trying to speak with the emperor?"

Caesar's hand leaped into the air, followed by Leah and Ghor.

"Alright," said the young monk. "Now, who thinks we should go after Maghda now?"

Kormac and Baal raised their hands. After a moment of thought, she added her own vote to theirs. Both sides had valid points, she felt, but the most important thing in her mind was preventing any more people from having to live like those poor, filthy refugees.

Only Najmah did not voice an opinion. They all turned to look at him, and he slowly shook his head. "I believe both courses of action are equally vital," he said. "I cannot put one above the other."

"So, let's split up," said Leah. "That seems like the obvious solution. Caesar, Ghor, and I will stay here, and Baal, Saiya, and Kormac can follow the witch."

Baal nodded. "That could work. Do you think you can actually get into the palace? Asheara said that Hakan will see nobody, not even his most trusted allies."

"I know a way," she said confidently.

"Excellent. Then we'll begin tomorrow morning." He turned to Caesar. "Where are we staying for the night."

The wizard rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah. Well. About that …"

"You couldn't find a place, could you."

"Not for lack of trying!" Caesar protested. "Believe me, we went into every single building that advertised lodging, including one that I'm fairly sure was a brothel. They all had the same answer: no room."

"Well, we have to stay somewhere," said Kormac. "We can hardly sleep on the street."

"What about the caravan?" Saiya suggested. "Perhaps Azam would be willing to allow us to stay one more night."

At that moment, shouting broke out across the courtyard. One of the soldiers standing by the gate made a grab for a raggedy child, who evaded his lunge and scampered across the dusty ground, heading right towards them with the man in hot pursuit. Saiya caught a flash of blue eyes wide with panic before the youngster dove into their midst. She and Baal stepped forward simultaneously to block the soldier's path.

"What's going on here?" demanded the Hunter in a voice of steel.

"That little brat stole a purse from me," the soldier snarled.

"I didn't!" wailed the child, a girl of about eleven. She was barefoot and her dress was full of holes. Her fair, freckled cheeks glistened with tears.

"Don't lie, you sewer-rat. I saw you!" The man tried to push forward impatiently, but Baal stopped him with a firm hand on his chest. Beside him, Saiya slipped on her brass knuckles and tapped them together threateningly.

Caesar crouched so his face was level with the girl's. "Did you take the money, child?" he asked.

The girl shook her head vehemently, sending wisps of blonde hair flying over her face.

"If you did," Caesar pressed, "give it back and we'll make sure you aren't harmed."

"I didn't,truly." She held out empty hands, and her eyes, as round and innocent as the moon, stared at him pleadingly.

"You'd better go," Baal growled to the soldier, with a pointed glare.

"You are deceived, hezerat," the man said bitterly. "She is a notorious thief. This is not the first time, but it will be the last." He spun and strode away, armor clanking.

When he was out of earshot, Baal said, "You play a dangerous game, kid. I hope you know what you're doing."

"What are you talking about, Baal?" Saiya asked. "She's innocent, isn't she?"

The girl they had just saved surprised her by bursting out in a giggle. She smudged the tear tracks from her cheeks with her sleeve and grinned. One of her front teeth was missing.

"Thanks!" she said to the Hunter "I didn't think you were taken in, but you helped me anyway."

"Sicoval seref," he said. The girl's expression changed to one of respect, mingled with disbelief, and she glanced him over.

"You? A runner?"

"Years ago," he replied. "Where'd you stash the goods?"

Quick as a wink, the girl's hand shot out and fished a leather bag out of the robes of a very surprised Caesar. Smiling cheekily at the wizard's indignant flush, she jingled it. Baal laughed.

"Good work, kid. What's your name?"

"You first," she insisted.

Several eyebrows were raised as Baal introduced himself by his new alias. He continued down the list, calling Saiya 'Kala' as before. Ghor was dubbed 'Ghada', Leah became 'Fahima', and Kormac changed to 'Haidar'. He gave Caesar's name as 'Homaar', and by the smirk when he said it and the child's answering titter, Saiya guessed it was unflattering. Only Najmah stayed as he was, since his real name was still unknown.

When Baal was finished, the girl nodded and said, "Nice to meet you all. I'm Squirt. Steal from me and I'll make you regret it, but if you're nice, you can be my friends."

Caesar heaved a weary sigh. "This is all very well and good, but we have more important things to do than befriending street urchins."

"Things like finding a place to stay for the night?" inquired Squirt. When they glanced sharply at her, she shrugged and said, "I heard you talking. So what? I know a place, if you're willing to trust me."

The wizard snorted. "After what you pulled? I think not."

"Like we have any better options," Baal snapped. "What place is this, Squirt?"

"I call it the Hidden Camp, but it doesn't really have a name," she replied. "It's up on the cliffs above the city. There's a secret pathway that only the ones who know about could ever find. I can show you, but you have to take oaths of silence never to tell of the Camp's location."

"How do you know we can be trusted?" Kormac asked gruffly.

"You protected me from the guard," said Squirt, as if it was the simplest thing in the world – and to her, Saiya thought, perhaps it was. Furrowing her brow, she added, "Bad folks wouldn't have done that."

"I think we should accept this offer," the young monk declared. "It'll be dark in a couple of hours and we have to go somewhere."

"I agree," Leah said. Kormac nodded as well. In fact, only Caesar looked displeased about the idea.

"Come on, then," said Squirt, with a winning smile. "Come and meet my people."

* Baal's conversation with Asheara goes as follows:

Baal: "Hello. Can you tell me why these people are here?"

Asheara: "Who are you?"

Baal: "Just a traveler. Are you going to answer the question?"

* Xarici means 'foreigners'.

* Asheara said: "Good fortune go with you, Alem and Kala." Baal answered: "And with you."

* Hezerat is a general word for 'gentlemen' or 'good people'

* The phrase Baal used means 'rat's honor' - a sort of thieves' code.