The miles passed. The rain started up again, a moderate drizzle. Krina marched at the front of the line with Dragos. They walked close together, heads bowed, talking quietly. Behind them marched Radko and Barto. Benno and Vali brought up the rear, hanging back from the knights.

Having the knights join their party put Vali in a foul mood. He felt that they were somehow taking his Krina away from him. He no longer felt included. No longer felt that he mattered to her in the least. She had forgotten about him, just as he had feared. Again, he wondered if he should stay in Radovan once they reached it. But the same returning thought came into his head in answer; there was nothing there for him. He really had no other choice than to stay with this group, even though it seemed he had stepped right into the middle of a dangerous adventure.

His thoughts went back to the talk Krina and he had had on the beach at the monastery. He had told her that he would never leave her, no matter what. The boy sighed. She was right. She didn't really need him here. No one did. So why was he staying?

Vali glanced over at Benno, who trudged along thoughtfully beside him. The trow seemed to support his inclusion in the group. At least one person wanted him here, and it was a person who mattered. Vali respected Benno greatly, for he was Zharastvi.

Sighing again, the boy tried to banish all the doubt from his mind. You're here for a reason, Vali, which will make itself clear when it chooses to. So the trow had said, and the boy found some comfort in that statement. He tried to take his mind off his dark thoughts.

The group marched onward, wet and miserable. In the afternoon, they halted their march at the Kourim Road, which ran due west across the plains from that city to intersect with the King's Highway. They made camp in a small dell that sheltered them from the worst of the wind, if not the rain. The knights doled out food to the group from their haversacks, mostly the same kind of fare that Benno carried. But they did have a good supply of dried meats, which was to Vali a welcome change of pace.

"Now I want to heal you good knights," said Benno, as they finished their dinner. "I know you feel that your wounds are your punishment for being captured by that Adonian, but I would beg you to reconsider. Remember what I told you about the sverak. If this rain lets up, and they discover us, you

will need all your strength to defeat them."

The faces of the knights went grim at this news, and their eyes went to Krina.

"Very well," she nodded curtly to Benno. The knights grudgingly followed suit in agreeing with her.

Benno set to work with his healing water, starting with Krina. Since there was nothing else to occupy his attention, Vali tried to make himself comfortable on the sodden ground. Wrapped in his woolen cloak, the hood pulled up tightly over his head, he tried to sleep. It seemed to take hours, but eventually he drifted off into slumber.

Vali woke to the feeling of a hard boot kicking him in the back. It was the trow.

"Get up, boy! Time to get moving!"

The boy groaned and rolled over, then slowly got to his feet.

It was morning, but it was still a dark day underneath the roiling, gray clouds. The rain continued its incessant drizzle, and Vali wondered when it would finally stop. He shivered in his woolen cloak. The temperature seemed to have dropped overnight.

The day passed uneventfully as they marched. The only other signs of civilization they saw were a fleet of merchant ships, out on the ocean, sailing north.

Nineteen miles into their march, they reached the outlying farms and villages of Radovan. They passed through the hamlets of Tanvald and Nyrsko, and then Caslav and Vracov. The peasants stared at them curiously as they passed. A few hailed the group with wishes for a good morrow, which Benno heartily returned. Krina and the knights responded to none of these friendly overtures, and it took Vali a while to realize the reason. They felt that acknowledging or talking to a peasant was beneath them. This made the boy angry. Did they think they were so high and mighty that they couldn't even say hello to a fellow human who had reached out to them with a simple, friendly gesture? Damn the nobility. The boy tried not to dwell on it, but the rain had soured his mood.

It was noon when they reached the top of a rolling, green hill, and looked down upon the great city of Radovan, its black and orange pennons flying proudly in the wind. The city lay surrounded by its octagonal walls of white stone, in the middle of a vast and lush valley. It was bordered on the west by the sea, and on the south by the River Siroky, which flowed down from the hills to the east, before emptying into the ocean. Beyond the river, to the south, stood the stern trees of the Wood of Dimovo, the northern border of the kritocracy of Narvaa.

Vali suddenly felt sad and alone. Looking down upon his homeland, he realized at that moment how much he had lost in his time on this earth. His family, his home, his prospects for the future…but then he realized he had also gained as much, if not more. He had good friends in Krina and Benno, and he now had a purpose, a goal to attain, in helping them fight against the evils of Ewa the Necromancer.

The boy took a deep breath, and Benno glanced at him shrewdly.

"It's been a long time since you've looked upon this city, ain't it, boy?"

"Two years, Benno. I was thirteen the last time I walked out of those gates. If I had known what lay before me…"

"Would you have still gone?" The trow's voice was soft, his eyes sympathetic.

Vali didn't answer for a few moments. It seemed a strange question. "I don't know, Benno. Strangely enough, I think I would."

The trow slapped him roughly on the back, chuckling as he stared down on the capital of Moravia.

The knights marched down the slope, but Krina didn't move. Benno and Vali passed her, and the trow glanced back.

"You coming, girl?"

Vali was surprised to see a look of supreme anguish twist Krina's face as she looked down upon the city. It quickly faded, replaced by an expression of bitter defeat, resignation, and acceptance. Vali wondered what was wrong with her.

"I…yes," she murmured, her eyes flashing. She drew herself up proudly and began walking. "I am ready…now."

Krina hurried to catch up with the knights. As she neared Dragos, she reached out her hand and touched his arm, as if for support. Dragos spoke to her at length, their heads leaning close together, and she nodded her head in agitation.

They soon reached the Northgate, and walked through the gatehouse and into the crowded market square. Townspeople filled the place, even in the rain, and merchants hawked their wares in loud voices. The group made their way through the crowd, and people scurried to get out of their way. At first, Vali didn't understand why they behaved this way, but he soon realized it was due to the knights. It would never do for a commoner to get in the way of a nobleman.

They headed for the Northway, the main road that led south to the palace in the center of the city. Krina stopped in the street and glanced back, waiting for Benno and Vali to catch up to her.

The trow turned to Vali. "Boy, you stay here with Krina. We're going to go meet with the king."

"What? We can't go?"

"Not this time. You two stay put. Why don't you go to The Murky Giant and get some beer or something. I don't know how long we'll be, but we'll send someone for you. Here, Krina, take some money."

He handed her a small bag.

"We'll be back." Benno waved, and hurried down the road after the knights.

Krina watched them go with a vacant expression on her face. She hefted the bag the trow had given her, and Vali heard the clink of coins within.

"We may as well buy supplies and weapons," she said. "Since we have the time. I'd also like to buy some armor, but I don't think the smiths will have anything to fit me."

"Okay. Afterwards, can we go The Murky Giant and relax for a bit? I need to get out of this damn drizzle."

The pair walked back to the marketplace, and found a weapon smith. He was a burly, black-haired trow with a bulbous nose, no beard, and a ridiculously long mustache. The brightly colored sign over his stall proclaimed, "Kuzman Tomov, weapon smith. The finest Narvaan steel. Guaranteed to never break."

Krina walked up to him, and he immediately pounced upon her, eager for a sale. He showed her all of his various weapons and explained the crafting techniques that went into their making.

"Now, everyone in Nadani knows," said the trow in a deep, blustery voice, "that the Narvaan trows are the best weapons smiths in Nadani, if not the world. Why, you'll be the envy of Moravia if folks see you walking the streets with Narvaan steel at your side!"

Krina said little, content to examine the blades he offered her for inspection. The trow prattled on, even after Krina had bought and paid for two daggers, a spear, and a short sword. Twenty minutes later, some new customers wandered up to the stall, and Krina made good her escape.

They went next to an armorer's stall. Krina tried on the few chain hauberks the man had for sale, but they had been made for men, and thus were too big for her.

"I'll just have to do without armor for now," she sighed, thanking the armorer for his time.

They went to several more vendors, and Krina bought two haversacks, two water skins, and travel rations like what they had eaten on their travels. Krina asked Vali if he needed anything else, and the boy shrugged.

"You do need some new clothes." She looked him up and down, and Vali suddenly realized how ragged, ripped, and dirty his clothes were. They were also too tight on him, being the same clothes he had worn for the past two years. It was a good thing he hadn't grown too much during that time, otherwise he would have grown right out of them.

An hour later, the pair finished at the market. Vali had thrown away his old clothes, and now wore the new shirt, breeches, and boots Krina had bought him.

"Where to now?" the boy asked.

"The Murky Giant."

"Oh. Well, I was kind of hoping we could go to Baker Street. That's where I grew up, you see. I…wanted to take a last look…at my old home…"

Vali didn't know why he wanted to go back there…it was just something he felt he needed to do, in order to move on with his life. Krina nodded wordlessly, and they made their way through the city, soon reaching the old, rickety shack that Vali had called home for the first nine years of his life. It looked run-down and abandoned. He stared at the decrepit house silently, as the painful memories came flooding back. His childhood had not been a happy one. His mother had been cold and unloving. His father had been more concerned with womanizing and drinking than with spending time with his family. His parents had fought constantly. The only fond memories Vali had were of playtimes with two boys in his neighborhood, his best friends Alex and Broni. But all that came to an end when his parents died from the dreaded blood sweats, and he had gone to live with his master Miloslav…

He turned away suddenly, fighting back tears. "Let's go. I'm sorry I came here."

Krina fixed him with a sympathetic glance, and they walked back down the road.

They soon reached The Murky Giant Inn. The rectangular, wooden sign hanging from chains above the door depicted a huge, hoary giant with a toothless grin on his hideous face. His hand clutched a foaming tankard raised in a toast. The inn was large and comfortable, and mostly empty. Krina ordered a mug of ale and some hearty fare from the wench who came over to serve them. They sat in silence at their table near the fire, enjoying the meal.

"I haven't had Radovan ale in two years." Vali wiped the foam from his lips.

Krina said nothing. She stared moodily at the table as she drank her ale, and finished it far too quickly. Vali tried to strike up a conversation with her, but she was in no mood to talk. She stared to make him feel uncomfortable, and he lapsed into an awkward silence.

Krina ordered a second ale, and downed it just as quickly as the first. Vali realized that she was setting out to get drunk, and he wondered why. But he said nothing. Perhaps the stresses of their adventures were beginning to take a toll on her. The boy was concerned, and he decided to keep a closer eye on her.

Krina finished her drink, slammed the mug down on the table, and fixed Vali with a piercing stare. "I want to go to a chapel."

"Uh…okay."

She walked stiffly to the barkeep, who sat on a stool behind the counter.

"Good man, I am waiting here for friends, but I must step out for a while. If you see a trow accompanied by three knights, asking for one Krina, could you please tell them I went to the Fourth Northway chapel?"

The wizened, old man bowed his bald head. "Sure thing, lass."

They left the inn and took a left down the Northway. The sky was even darker now, and the heavy rain drummed down on them. Vali was thoroughly sick and tired of being cold and wet.

They walked swiftly, their heads bent against the rain. Soon, they reached the small chapel on the left side of the road and entered through the heavy, wooden door.

The chapel was small and serene, lit by slow-burning lanterns hanging from the ceiling beams. Vali instantly felt calm and at peace, as he breathed in the pleasant scent of the musky incense that permeated the place.

Krina walked up the aisle in between the two rows of pews. Her booted footfalls echoed in the serene silence. At the far end of the chapel stood a stone statue of Matka, flanked on either side by images of her children. Krina dropped to her knees in front of the Mother.

"Vali," she called, her voice echoing oddly in the stone chamber. "Come pray with me."

The boy joined her and sank down on his knees.

"We must pray for our souls, Vali." Krina's voice was low and filled with sorrow. "Pray with me."

She bowed her head, and the boy followed suit.

"Blessed Mother, please have pity on the soul of a poor sinner, and grant that if I should die this day, that my spirit may find eternal rest in your bosom. Please, Mother, do not let my tortured soul wander this earth, forevermore seeking a peace that I will never find. I beg this of you humbly, asking that in your mercy, you will have pity on me."

Vali glanced over at her in confusion. "Why do you think you might die today? Are we in some kind of danger?"

She glared at him. "Quiet. Pray with me, Vali. Please."

She bowed her head again and began the same prayer anew. This time, Vali joined in with her, their voices blending in a harmonizing chant.

They repeated the prayer once more. Krina fell silent for long minutes, her head bowed, her eyes closed. Finally, she slowly got to her feet, and sat down in a front pew. Vali sat next to her.

She fixed her eyes on the stone face of the Mother. "I haven't prayed once. Not once, since I left Moravia."

The boy looked at her in surprise. He was amazed that she was at long last opening up to him, telling him something meaningful about herself. Vali wondered why now. Did she think she was going to die? He wanted to ask her, but he was afraid that if he said anything, she would stop talking. So he sat and listened.

"I was angry, angry at her. So very angry." She looked down at her hands. "Even now, I don't know why I came back. When I first left Moravia, do you know where I went?"

"No," Vali said softly.

"I went east. East across the Kourim Bridge, east across the Prazdny Moors. Right into Zokej country. I knew it was dangerous. I knew the barbarians would probably find me and slaughter me. But I didn't care. I walked for an entire day, and nothing happened to me. I never saw so much as the tip of a Zokej spear.

"And then I realized suddenly how foolish I was, and how much danger I was really in. So I went back to the river. I couldn't do it. I couldn't just walk blindly to my death. And to this day, I don't know why. Perhaps it is the will to survive, to keep on struggling to that last ragged gasp. At what point, Vali, does your life become so unbearable that you can finally overcome the cursed instinct of survival?"

The boy had no answer, but he felt that he had to say something. "Is your life really that unbearable?"

"I have never known joy. My soul shrivels inside me, Vali. In my world, all is dark and cold. I learned at an early age that life is cruel. I am not afraid to die, Vali. In fact, it would be a blessed relief. But my one fear is that my soul will find no peace in death. I fear that when I die, my spirit will forevermore wander the earth, lost and tortured. So I dare not…"

She sighed. "It matters not. This will all be over soon…one way or the other."

"Krina, I…I don't understand. What's wrong? Why all this talk about death? If you need help, I'm right here. I've always told you that. You can tell me anything! I'll help you! Please, let me help you!"

She glanced at boy, and her eyes went back to the Mother's loving face. She shook her head angrily.

"I've said too much…the ale has loosened my tongue. We shall speak of it no more."

She lapsed into silence, and Vali didn't want to press her. She frightened him with all her gloomy talk.

Her lips began to move, and the boy realized that she was praying softly to the Mother.

He was about to try to comfort her somehow, when he heard the door to the chapel swing open. He looked back, and saw Benno and the knights walk into the room. Four others came behind them; two men, a vark, and a woman. Their armor clanged and clanked, loudly and shrilly, as they crowded into the room, shattering the peace of the quiet chapel

Krina glanced back, then stood up and tensely walked halfway down the aisle.

"Greetings, Kavalirs," she said to the newcomers. "It has been a long time."

Watching the knights, Vali could tell immediately that something was wrong. Their faces were stern and rigid, their bodies stiff. None of them smiled or called out a friendly greeting. Benno looked weary and pained.

"What's wrong?" The boy's voice echoed shrilly in the chamber.

None of the knights looked at him. Their eyes fastened on Krina.

Dragos broke the silence, his face stricken with grief. "Krina, the king has sent us to arrest you for breaking the terms of your banishment."

"What?" Vali stared at the knight in shock. "What in the Mother's Teeth are you talking about? Krina, what's going on?"

She didn't look at Vali. Her eyes bored into Dragos' face.

"Will you come peacefully?" The knight held out his hand, his face strained with emotion.

"By the Curse of Gruza!" she cried. "I will not!"

"Then you claim sanctuary in this chapel…"

"I do not." Her voice choked with emotion. Her hand went to her sword hilt, and the blade rang as it cleared the sheath. "You will not arrest me, while there is breath in my body."

Vali glanced at her in trepidation, then back at the knights. Things were rapidly spiraling out of control. "Benno, what is going on? Why are they arresting her?"

The trow glanced at the boy, his eyes filled with sorrow. He said nothing, did nothing. Vali decided right then and there that he would be damned before he would let these knights arrest his best friend.

"Krina, please!" Dragos cried, his face crumbling in anguish. "By the Mother, we don't want to fight you! We didn't want to do this! The king commanded us, and we must obey! Surely, you understand this! Do not make us slay you!"

"Surrender, Krina," called the female knight. "It is the honorable way…"

"Shut up, all of you!" Krina took a menacing step forward and raising her blade. The knights spread out, blocking the doorway, gripping their shields and unsheathing their swords.

Vali couldn't believe this was happening. Before he knew what he was doing, he stepped in front of Krina, his spear pointed menacingly at the knights. Dragos glared at him.

"Lower your spear, commoner, or you will die."

Vali made no answer. His eyes bore into Dragos' eyes in challenge. His body felt possessed by some strange force. He knew at that moment that if any of them made a move towards Krina, he would attack them, whatever the consequences.

"Come then, noble Kavalirs." Krina smiled sardonically, roughly pushing Vali aside. "Come and arrest me."

"Krina!" Benno cried. "Stay your hand! It doesn't need to be this way! Listen to me…"

"Shut up, you old fool! Why should I listen to anything you have to say? Why did I let you convince me to come back here, when I knew in my heart that it wouldn't change anything? You promised me that things would change! And this is what I come back to, just as I foresaw! Let Moravia burn! I no longer care!"

"Krina!" Dragos cried. "Surrender! Don't make us do this!"

She grimly readied herself to attack. "I am sorry, my friend."

Dragos struggled with himself for a moment, and waved his sword in a commanding gesture. "Take her!"

The knights charged as one, and Krina ran at them with a wild cry. Benno shouted a spell as he pointed his sword at her. She stumbled and collapsed to the floor, her sword clattering away on the stones. The knights skidded to a halt in amazement.

"I put her to sleep," said the trow sharply, glaring at the knights. "And also just saved all your lives."

The knights regarded him darkly, as they sheathed their weapons.

"I'll carry her to the tower myself." Dragos moved forward.

With a howl of rage, Vali lunged, his spear stabbing into Dragos' side. It rebounded from the knight's mail shirt, and Dragos whirled, his sword ringing from its sheath. Vali watched the blade flash towards him, as if in slow motion.

Then nothing.