Balthazar woke up to the bright light of the sun in his eyes, his body was stiff from the attack yesterday and he was still tired but nonetheless he got up and dressed to go outside. Just as he was putting on his coat a shrilled scream came from the camp and Balthazar quickly raced out to see a solider withering painfully on the ground. The soldiers tried to help him but every time they tried to touch him they received a shock.

"What's going on?" General Beelnic yelled.

He then saw his soldier and his face went pale. Balthazar sensed that it was dark magic surging through the man's body and if it stayed in there any longer, it would eventually kill him and turn him to dust.

"Blake!" General Beelnic shouted, "Do something!"

Balthazar looked at the man and knew that he could do something, but it would consider him using his magic and revealing himself as a sorcerer. He watched helplessly as the man's eyes rolled in the back of his head and he jerked quicker this time.

"I'll be back!"

Balthazar took off while General Beelnic's commands to come back followed him. Balthazar went back to his tent and took out some herbs from his saddlebag and started to cut them up. He quickly boiled water and threw the leaves in which he charmed with magic. He didn't know if this would work, since he didn't know how powerful the dark magic inside the man was.

"Blake!" a voice called.

Balthazar knew that voice, it was Akuntimous. The young soldier rushed into the tent and his eyes were filled with fresh terror.

"Whatever you're doing sir, you must hurry!"

Balthazar cursed and threw in every herb he had which he knew was risky but if the magic was that powerful, he would need all the help he could get. Balthazar gave the heated herbed water another quick stir before pouring some into a tankard and rushing out after Akuntimous. In the middle of the circled soldiers the man was still withering but more violently and he was coughing up some blood that trickled down his cheek.

"Move!" Balthazar shouted, if the water cooled, the herbs will loose their power.

The soldiers moved quickly and Balthazar knelt against the man.

"Drink," Balthazar commanded.

The man tried to reach for the tankard but sudden cracks in his skin broke out and he grimaced in pain. Balthazar grabbed the man's hand and felt a volt of electricity rush through him but Balthazar forced some of the liquid into the man's mouth. He hoped that the herbs will go down the man's throat and his silent plea was answered when the colour slowly came back into the man's face and his jerking came to a slow stop. Balthazar looked up to see General Beelnic give a deep sigh and then nod in appreciation. Balthazar got up and shuffled out of the crowd of awed soldiers, the shock still sunned him and his whole body shook.

"He just touched him," a soldier whispered, "And held on."

Balthazar moved away from the crowd as much as he can until he was in his own tent with the flaps pulled and tied over. He had never felt that much power before except from Merlin. Balthazar remembered the power surging through the man when he touched him, he remembered the feeling and the sorcerer tried to push the feeling away but it kept coming back.

"Blake?" a voice called from behind the animal hide flaps.

"Who is it?" Balthazar asked, not really in the mood for talking.

"It is Akuntimous."

Balthazar got up and untied the bindings and let the young soldier in. His helmet was off so Balthazar was able to get a good look at the boy.

He had a mess of black hair that stuck out in all directions, sweat poured down his sharp featured face and he had cloudy grey eyes. His thin frame stuck out of his armour like spikes and his hand was wrapped tightly around his sword hilt, so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Can I help you?" Balthazar asked.

"Yes," Akuntimous said, "How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Heal him so quickly?"

Balthazar stopped and then a plan formed into his mind.

"That is what I do."

"I know…but it was just so quick, I have never seen anyone boil water that fast."

Balthazar realized where this kid was going and he had to be careful.

"I put the water on before I left to help the man."

"I was there."

Balthazar cursed and then said something else: "It was already hot so it didn't take much to heat up."

Akuntimous didn't look convinced but he didn't continue on the subkect.

"General Beelnic wants to see you."

Balthazar got up and followed the boy out of the tent.

Outside soldiers went quiet as soon as Balthazar stepped out. Every soldier was looking at Balthazar with a curious look and Balthazar leaned to Akuntimous.

"Why are they staring at me?" Balthazar asked.

"They wonder why you could have held onto the soldier and not them, also how fast you were with the herb water…and how you were able to cure him so quickly."

"Ah."

Balthazar noted to himself that he had to be much more careful. Akuntimous lead Balthazar into the largest tent and closed the tent flaps and tied them.

Inside Balthazar saw General Beelnic talking over a strategy with another soldier who was the same bear size as him with a spiked helmet on his head and a spear stuck in the ground beside him.

"Blake!" General Beelnic boomed, his voice carried throughout the tent so much that Balthazar was sure that the whole camp could hear him, "Good to see you lad!"

Akuntimous took his stand by another soldier and stood at attention.

"I wanted to talk to you about that soldier this morning."

"Is he alright?"

"Fine, he is just sleeping."

"Second time this week General," Akuntimous commented.

"Yes, and I am afraid that it will still go on."

"Move," Balthazar suggested.

"We tried," General Beelnic said, "Fifty times, it just seems that everywhere we go we are bombarded with these…curses."

Balthazar was ready to say something but General Beelnic interrupted him.

"I will allow you to be on your way today Blake," General Beelnic said, "Salem right? Yes I think so."

Balthazar nodded thanks.

"Akuntimous and Trevor will follow you."

Balthazar felt his throat clog and he knew that if these boys came, he will not be able to do magic. He didn't want them to come especially with the Gerinfintis Warriors chasing him he didn't want to put the boys in danger.

"It is a great offer General," Balthazar said slowly and respectively, "But I think it would be best to journey on my own thank you."

General Beelnic frowned, "You do not trust soldiers?"

"I trust them sir, but I do not need them."

Balthazar through General Beelnic was going to scoff him but instead the great General laughed. Balthazar didn't know what was so funny and even the soldiers in the tent gave slight chuckles.

"It is for Salem my dear doctor," General Beelnic boomed, "Salem is a petty town and it is not strongly guarded by strong soldiers."

All the soldiers in the tent pounded their breastplates and gave a sharp battle cry.

"Akuntimous and Trevor will travel with you to Salem and there they will take commands from Mr. Trevelenski and will communicate with this base as well."

Despite Balthazar's protests he remained quiet as he knew that it was safest.

During the afternoon, Trevor and Akuntimous were getting ready to leave, they filled their saddle bags with medical supplies, food, wine and water. Trevor slung a bow over his shoulder and strapped a quiver full of arrows to his saddle. Akuntimous took a spear and a strip of throwing knives and strapped that across his armour. Both carried knives sheathed to their sides and a long double-edged sword strapped across their backs. Balthazar only took the knives Roger had given him before he died and sheathed them onto his back.

"Ready to go?" Balthazar asked.

Both soldiers nodded and they headed off at full speed.