Chapter 22: Fleeing Falena (Reprised)
Estrise, 338 Solar Year

Estrise, at last, it seemed like years since the young man had felt the touch of a cool ocean breeze against his face. The smell of the salty air caused a twinge of familiarity to run down his back as he made his way through the hustle and bustle of townsfolk going about their ordinary lives.

It had been sometime since he had laid his eyes upon such a rare sight as a clear blue sky back dropping against a tranquil azure sea. The flow of the tide was hypnotic moving in and out as he stood upon the coast his gaze fully fixed on the motion.

He didn't even notice a salty man, whose sway, speech, countenance, and all other mannerisms left little doubt that this man was an old seadog. "Da' Captin got'rr letter from da princess. Yarrr, and da captinn is as mad as a barnacle on hez back side cuz he haz to change hiz plans. Now hurrrie up and get your skinnie arse to da ship beforr da captin chanzes his minds me matey." exclaimed the old sailor.

"Oh. Yes, thank you. Please, lead the way." replied the young man. Turning his eyes from the shore and looking back toward the inland, he let out a deep sigh, and began following the old timer toward the ocean-going vessel.

The two made their way to the ship, where a man dressed in a white uniform with an orange overcoat awaited them. The old sailor introduced his superior officer to the young man, "This be Capt'n Diego." he said as he gestured toward the man in orange. The young man quickly made eye contact with this fellow.

His uniform was white like cotton and his orange coat was one that glimmered like the Sun. He stood tall and proud. He was a man who had a presence and knew how to use it. His hair was black as night as was his beard. His tanned face had a serious look and was covered with many scars. The captain didn't try to hide his wounds. For him, they were a badge of honor he wore proudly.

His demeanor was excellent for intimidating his foes and friends alike. His one hand was rested on the hilt of his sword and the other at his side. There was little doubt in the mind of the traveler that this man before him was a warrior as well as a sailor, one who had seen all the conflicts and hardships the sea could throw against a man.

Diego, likewise, stared down this young man who had just arrived on his ship. It was odd enough to receive a secret letter from a member of the royal family in the middle of the night from a Queen's Knight of all people, requesting immediate transport for this seemingly diplomatic official, but there was something different about this lad, he reasoned.

The way he walked, the way his arms moved, his whole body's demeanor left little doubt to the captain that the young man knew how to fend his own. The weapons that he wore around the waist of his ambassador-styled robes were for more than mere show.

Moreover, his face had such strange blue eyes, observed the captain; for this was what had caught his attention. Never before had he seen one so young with eyes so serious, so gentle, so experienced, and yet so sorrowful.

These eyes were not the eyes of a typical youth, but of a general or a great admiral. One who had been to hell and back. The youth was indeed an enigma to Diego, perhaps that's why his anger subsided when he met this man who he would be transporting on such a last minute's notice.

The captain was not the kind who went about taking orders as so much giving them. But Diego was a proud and patriotic man, and a request like this from the royal family; he took as a great honor. Also, the gift of 200,000 Potch along with a promise of another 200,000 upon returning certainly helped to convince the captain to take this presumably simple mission of taking this man to the Island Nations' Capital of Obel.

"This is my ship!" declared Diego in a deep, yet concise, voice, "I am letting you on MY ship for the sake of her Highness, Princess Olinda. But if you're going to stay on my ship until we get to Obel. Then, for your own sake you better be willing to work with the rest of my crew, understand?"

"I'll help with the vessel that is not a problem. All I ask is when I am not working, I be left alone in my room." retorted the youth. The captain was a bit shocked by the lack of any notable emotional response, such as fear, distain, or pride in the man's voice.

Normally, when the captain spoke, people jump, but this young man's attitude simply accepted his fate for whatever it was to be. "Very well then," smirked Diego, turning to some of his crew who were close by, "Take our guest to his quarters." "Aye, Aye, Captain, right away," said the crewmembers.

As the two crewmen and the youth began to make their way across the deck, Diego turned and said "I nearly forgot, what is your name, son?" Not turning around, but walking toward the downstairs, he replied "Lazlo." "Lazlo, eh!? Interesting, well then welcome aboard the Dawning." said the captain.

"Arrggg, Capt'n there be somethin fishy about that guy. I can feel it in me britches. He be trouble." whispered the old seadog. "I know Mr. Oaks. I know, but what can I do? The princess, herself, has asked and paid us to take him." "But, Capt'n there be all kindz of rumors blowing a bout, saying da royal family is in all kindz of maelstroms right now. And I diesn't wanna be walkin the plank for no ones, but ye Capt'n." pleaded Oakes,

"I have heard the rumors too and whether the boy is involved or not doesn't matter. Royal problems are just that ROYAL problems. So, let those land-lovers deal with them. We have our money and our mission; we'll take him to Obel. We will wait a while and come back, collect the rest of our treasure from the princess, and that will be that. Besides, he's different and certainly strange agreed, but there is something about him that is respectable. Now get to your post so we can set sail, Mr. Oakes." "Aye, Capt'n!" yelled the old seadog.

"Your Highness, I just received word from Estrise. They accepted your request and his ship set sail earlier this morning." reported the Queen's Knight. "Thank you, so much." the gentle, yet remorseful, voice replied. Rose more casually and personally asked, "Princess Olinda what will you do now, I mean if your mother finds out. She'll..." "She won't know. Not her. Not father. No one. Not, even, Cyrah. This will… This must be kept quiet, or else it could ruin everything. Maybe, even start a war." stressed Olinda.

"My job is to protect you as well as Falena from any threat, Milady. I swear I won't tell a soul. But, what about the young master Barows. Are you really going to marry him?" asked her bodyguard.

"You are a true friend, Rose. But yes, I must marry him and not because of that awful letter, but because it is my duty. It breaks my heart, but if there is one thing, I have learned because of all this is my wants must come second to the needs of Falena. And I am its princess." Olinda took Rose by both hands as the two began to weep together, "Come, let us pray for the Sun's divine protection upon us and Falena right now."

It had been nearly five days since he left Estrise aboard the Dawning. The twin sword master had kept mostly to himself. He only left his room for meals and when it was his turn to help out around the ship. Captain Diego was quite surprised that the young politician seemed pretty keen on his seamanship and knew his way around a ship of this size fairly well.

Lazlo had spent another restless night going over the events of the past few months in his head. Now that he was away from all the day-to-day chaos he could think about things more clearly and objectively. Having taken this step back allowed him to focus more and how now something just didn't seem right. He couldn't place his finger on it. He was missing something important, but what?

Dim rays of light were starting to pierce through the weak glass of his porthole window. Night was nearly over and the early glimmers of sunrise were starting to appear over the horizon. Before Lazlo could finish his next thought, he was jerked and thrown out of bed as the whole ship started shaking. Then, without warning a cannon ball came flying through his porthole, through the inside wall, and into the hallway beyond.

The sailors up in the crow's nest had been killed. A volley of arrows had been sent their way, before they could shout out warnings. Several cannonballs were launch moments later. The Dawning was under attack!

Diego came running up out of his cabin still dressed in his bedclothes, but he had managed to put on his orange overcoat and belt with his sword attached. He made haste to get to the bridge. He bellowed upon arriving, "What the hell is going on here? Are we being attacked? Where the hell is the lookout?" A few nearby sailors responded. One pointed out to the window to the crow's nest where it was clear by the body hanging half off the ledge that he was dead.

Another sailor called out, "Sir, the stern has been hit. We think they're pirates! They must have been following us from a distance all night. Last night was cloudy. There was no moon or star light! I guess they waited for dawn's early light to..."

"We're being boarded!" a voice called out from the deck of the ship. The men in the bridge looked to the captain. "What are you liver bellies waiting for? An invitation? (He drew out his sword) Let's show these dastardly pirates what happens when they attack this ship!" yelled Diego. The other men cheered, drew their swords, and headed for the door.

Oakes and a few others had already raced to the front of the battle. The old pirate wielded two rather sharp hatchets. The other crewmen of the Dawning had their weapons drawn as well and were currently engaged in battle with the first wave of pirates.

Back swinging his left hatchet across his chest, Oakes broke one of the pirate archer's bow into two pieces. Then, raising his right hatchet high in the air, he brought it down on the skull of the archer he had just disarmed as the man looked down to see his broken weapon. Now just like his bow, his head had been all but sliced in half.

"Take thatz! Yee filthy cowrdz!" laughed the old seadog. The other men had also met with similar success as the first wave of pirates was dead just as Diego and the bridge crew had arrived just in time to mop up the last few stragglers.

Not that it mattered, as more planks were being extended connecting the two ships as more and more pirates started to cross. Also, a very large pirate crossed as well. Diego quickly surmised based off how the other pirates stood around this tall and heavy man with dark skin as well as black eyes, hair, and beard that he must be their leader.

This giant of a man's weapon of choice seemed to be a long bastard sword. Both crews had regrouped and were now fully amassed on the rear deck of the Dawning. All was silent as they were staring each other down.

The captain's voice carried forth in great force, "Who are you? What do you think you're doing on MY ship?!" The dark behemoth stepped forward, "My name is Hassan. And it's rather simple, I'd say. We're pirates (he started looking around at his men) and were going to kill you, take this ship, and drink your rum! Right, boys?!" Hassan's words caused many of his own men to start shouting, hooting, and cheering.

Diego retorted, "Better idea! We kill you bottom feeders, destroy your ship, and I personally send you down to Davey Jones' locker myself. ATTACK!" Steel clashed upon steel. Screams and shouts could be heard echoing throughout the ship as Lazlo came too.

He grabbed the side of his head as it was throbbing from the sudden impact. He rose to his feet still a bit wobbly and dizzy. Reaching into a side pouch he pulled out some Mega-Medicine he had bought in Estrise before leaving port.

After eating it, he could feel its healing effects instantly. He was still a little sore, but the fogginess in his head was gone. He could hear the sounds of battle going on upstairs on the deck. Lazlo gazed out the large hole in the wall where his porthole had been. He could see the ship that had attacked them a few feet to his right. The ocean below him, Lazlo leaped to the pirate ship toward some ropes that had several knots tied in them that had been left hanging off the side, which were used for measuring speed and distance.

The bearer of the Rune of Punishment figured the battle was intense and coming up on them from behind where their flank was exposed seemed like the best idea at the moment. So, as he climbed his way up the side of the pirate ship he remained as silent as he could. He could see some pirates watching the fighting going on. Others were waiting their turn to cross the planks to the other side.

The Dawning's crew were holding their own, but Lazlo could see they were losing ground and starting to fall back. If he didn't turn the tide of battle soon, sheer numbers would over run the Falenan sailors.

Lazlo, not wasting another moment, raised his left hand and muttered the incantation for Double Edged Sword. Instantly, the symbol of the Rune of Punishment appeared in the sky above Lazlo as the pirates on the ship turned back around to see the Islander charging at them alone. Just as a high-pitched noise, like an unholy scream, rang out all around them.

Moreover, purple, green, and crimson beams of light started to shine and swirl around the fearless and unknown warrior, who had attacked them from behind. Then, the whole area around the pirates grew dark as a hazy fog that was both ominous and foreboding materialized around them.

As this cloud enveloped dozens of them, glowing red swords appeared magically around them and in them. These blades pierced them quickly in a loud popping sound and scream. Each sword quickly appeared and vanished in various pirates, they were either dead or dying within seconds. Those that managed to survive the magical attack where quickly brought to nothing as the island warrior slew his foes with great efficiency and speed.

Those who had been crossing the planks turned back to go after this unknown force that was slaughtering their comrades by the dozens with his blades both real and magical. With more pirates turning to engage him, the mysterious warrior casted Double Edged Sword a second time.

Once more, the same thunderous sounds of power went forth and the eerie cloud appeared again around many of them as the Rune's magical swords popped in and out of existence, and thus balanced out the fighting odds for Lazlo.

The former captain of the Dauntless quickly found himself in a sort of battle frenzy. One pirate tried to raise his flimsy sword to Lazlo by recklessly bringing his blade down in a cross-slash type move. The pirate's poor training was apparent as Lazlo saw the move coming with little detection. However, instead of trying to dodge or parry the blow, Lazlo merely raised his own sword to meet the other swinging sword's blow.

The weak and untampered steel of the pirate's blade was no match for Lazlo's unique hybrid weapon, which had been sharpened and tempered by the strongest hammer of the elvish blacksmiths. Moreover, his weapons were not just sharper, but more durable too. As Findis's father had combined the strong human steel with the enchanted metals of the Elves.

His hybrid sword shattered and broke the other pirate's flimsy sword as easily as a hot knife cuts through butter. Then taking his hilt with the other blade he smacked him in the head. The nearly unconscious brigand lost his balance as he fell off the side of the ship and into the ocean several meters below. Splash!

The next few assailants were, also, dealt with quickly by Lazlo. His plan had worked. He had caught them off guard by attacking their flank. He looked across to the Dawning. Its crew had stopped being pushed back and were now surging forward as the momentum had now shifted in their favor.

Hassan didn't miss this. He ordered his remaining pirates to hold the line as several started to retreat back across the planks to their own ship. Once more, Lazlo unleashed the Rune of Punishment's power only this time not at the pirates, but on the planks.

The wooden bridges were quickly enshrouded with an ominous dark green and crimson light before they caught fire and all the planks promptly fell into the water along with a few souls who couldn't get back to either ship in time before the magic set the wood ablaze.

Now it was Hassan and his remaining men who were trapped. Diego turned his gaze toward the enemy ship. Even amidst the fire and smoke he could make out the familiar form of his recent guest. It was that Islander: Lazlo! How he had got over there he didn't know, but he was grateful to the young man that he had.

At Diego's orders, the crew rushed the remaining pirates. Many jumped over the side of the ship rather than be gorged by the oncoming swords and spears. Hassan would have none of it. The giant would rather die on his feet then flee into the ocean like a coward. Just as Oakes and a few others were about to engage him in battle, Lazlo appeared swinging on a robe from the pirate ship onto the Dawning.

Lazlo had cut the lower end of a rope off that was used for securing a large sail to the front-most mass of the pirate ship. Swinging across the watery chasm to the other ship, Lazlo had aimed his swing perfectly. Both his legs came in full contact with the oversized pirate captain.

Hassan had spun around in time to see Lazlo, but he had no time to react. The effect was the man not only got the wind knocked out of him by Lazlo swinging full force into his chest, but he also went flying backwards about 10 feet. Had he been a smaller normal sized man he would have flown back even farther. He landed on several of his own remaining men. Resulting in most of them breaking bones or losing consciousness. The fight was over.

When he next awoke, Hassan and about a dozen of his ragged followers were in chains and secured in the bowels of the ship in the brig. They had a single grimy porthole with which to look out. Hassan could see the Dawning crew on his ship. Some were taking his supplies, weapons and other valuables.

While others were dumping barrels over onto the deck of his ship. He couldn't be sure from this distance, but it looked like his supplies of gun powder and lantern oil. Sure enough, he was right, because about 20 minutes later as the Dawning started to sail away, he saw flaming arrows fired at his ship. Within moments the whole vessel was set ablaze and now sinking down into the depths of the ocean.

Oakes and a few guards opened the door a few minutes later to the cell. "Da Capt'n be wanting to see your sorry e'xuse for warriors. You'll be acting proper or i'lz be cutting off your legs from yours arse, making you shorterz than me. Now stand up, you bilge rat!" barked Oakes as he kicked the large dark man who rose to his feet.

Hassan had to keep his head bent down as he was nearly 7 feet tall, but the brig cell was only about 6 feet high. Still bound in shackles and chains he walked slowly out of the room into the hall and up the stairs.

Moments later, the chained man stood before Captain Diego, Lazlo, as well as a few other officers, and some guards in the captain's office room. Diego was sitting at his desk. He opened a drawer, took out a pipe, which he lit, and started to smoke as he was now looking over Hassan properly. Taking a hit on his pipe he then purposely let out a puff of smoke into the pirate's face.

Next, he spoke in a stern voice, "The whore of a vessel, you called a ship, she is now residing in a watery grave, which is where you will soon be, if you don't answer my questions, friend." Hassan said nothing, but just stared down the man with a rebellious facial expression.

Pipe firmly clinched in his teeth, he asked, "Why did you really attack my ship? And don't say because your pirates." The colossal man remained silent. The orange and white uniformed officer spoke more firmly and repeated his question.

Hassan remained silent still, but also this time spit on the captain's desk. Still sitting in his chair, unresponsive himself, the captain carefully removed the pipe from his mouth and held it in his left hand. He turned his gaze to his first mate, "Mr. Oakes, if you would please."

"Aye-Aye Capt'n!" replied the man as he took out one of his hatchets and using the blunt end of the weapon, he struck the back of Hassan's knees. The buccaneer, immediately, lurched forward as his upper torso and head landed face down on the captain's sturdy and thick wooden desk. Because his hands were still bound behind him, they couldn't catch his fall. So, Hassan's face took the full weight of the impact.

Diego next used his face and hair to clean up the man's spit that was on the desk. After that was done, he gestured a few guards to stand the dark-skinned man back up to his feet. "Maybe, I wasn't specific enough before. Let's try this again," spoke the captain softly this time, yet now he emphasized certain key words, "Who hired YOU to attack US and WHY?"

A gruff deep voice replied, "I don't know his name. I never met him. He just got word to me through his henchmen. They gave me money and a job. What more do I need? I didn't ask for details or motives. He wanted people dead. I wanted gold. What else mattered?"

The sound of a coin clanging on the table echoed in the crowded room. "These gold coins we found on your ship; they were minted in Falena. They bear the Queen's likeness. Your patron, is he Falenan too?" asked the captain.

Hassan wanted to say something else, but glancing at Oakes, he rethought his words saying instead, "I don't know. Probably. The first time he hired us was to kill a few foreign infiltrators about a year ago. He said they were spying on the Queendom and he wanted them dead. So, I just always assumed he was Falenan."

"I see," concluded Diego, "that's all I needed to know for now. We have confiscated supplies from your ship and took some of its lumber to repair our own. You and your men shall remain in the brig until we reach Obel.

At that point, Sir Lazlo has assured me that they will take your sorry arses off my hands. You can rot in a Federation or a Falenan jail. It makes little difference to me." At this he placed his pipe back in his mouth and gestured with his hand the interrogation was over. The guards took the large man back to his cell.

Things were now making sense to Lazlo as these pirates must have been the ones who killed the Island Nation's spies that Flare sent all those months ago. They were the ones that had left the spies' ship adrift at sea after they had killed all the people onboard and taken their weapons apparently on the orders from what now seemed like a nobleman from Falena, who had plenty of gold and several insidious plans at work.

Who could it be? Maybe it was Alen's nephew? Or was it one of Razi's leftover plots? And there was still Godwin. Lazlo had no trust for this man since the moment he had first met him after returning from helping the Elves.

He had always rubbed Lazlo the wrong way, but he had never had any proof that Marcus was up to anything. So, as Flare had suggested in her letter, he had to keep his suspicions to himself. This would be just one more thing with which he would need to discuss with Flare upon his return to Obel.

After the final treaty and trade agreement had been signed by Queen Elemark and the remaining Island Nation Federation Diplomats a great celebration was being held in the Royal Palace in honor of this auspicious occasion. Architects and builders in the Queendom were already being summoned to Sol-Falena to begin designs on building a colony on the Island of Nirva. The most popular idea at the moment was for the port colony to have a giant lighthouse to help guide ships as they traveled back and forth between the two nations.

Moreover, to the delight and bemusement of many nobles and politicians attending the banquet, and to the pure shock of others, it was announced that Princess Olinda had accepted the marriage proposal of one Amoz Barows. The skinny tall man was rumored to have fainted when he received word from the princess that she had agreed to be his wife. That night most got drunk, whether from celebration or commiseration by all this sudden and surprising news.

The next morning, as the Queen had ordered days ago, Razi was now being led out of his private cell into the prison's courtyard. As he entered the outside for the first time in nearly a week, the bright sunlight blinded him. The boy was bruised, starved, and frail, but in spite of all that, he still walked in a certain brash demeanor as he approached the executioner's block.

The warden and several guards were present. As were the three Nagarea witnesses who had arrived earlier that morning. They claimed to be here in order to verify his death to their own country's government.

The Queen had agreed to this as a gesture of good will before his trial had started. Each of the 3 men were dressed in white and black robes and hoods that covered their whole bodies say for part of their faces. And while others had been in the Capital celebrating and drinking the night before, Graess had left the party early to come here overnight on behalf of the royal family and to make sure Razi didn't try anything devious.

Personally, he just wanted to watch this man die for all the crimes he had committed against all the people he cared about like his brother and the princess. Plus, there was another fact, he wanted to ask the boy before he died. Robert had wanted to go as well, but the Queen, herself, had ordered him to stay, but had refused to give a reason why.

The prison guards dropped the ex-priest to the ground. After kicking him around in the dirt a few times, Graess spoke up, "Enough, you've had your fun with the prisoner all week. Let's get this over with." "Yes, sir!" a few said in unison.

Just before they took Razi up the steps of the platform. Graess moved next to the boy and softly began to speak to him, "Sword styles are like sunsets. No two are exactly alike. And once you've seen a particularly impressive one, you never forget it. No matters, how well it may mask itself, even in a place like Lordlake." Razi smirked, "Figured it out, did you? Took you long enough. I thought you were supposed to be the smart one in your little group?"

The knight retorted, "You won't goad me into a confrontation here, Razi. You're going to be executed in mere moments. So, why don't you unburden yourself a little, and tell me why you were there that day." He replied cryptically, "I did then, as I do now. That is, serve the will of my lord."

Graess lifted his eyebrow curiously. But then the warden gestured toward the Queen's Knight, and Graess nodded his head in agreement. The warden ordered his men to put the prisoner in place for decapitation.

They led the prisoner onto the platform. Then, forced him to his knees and placed his head on a large stone that would serve as the chopping block. A large muscular man stepped forward. He wore a black hood over his face and wielded a large extremely sharp iron axe in his hands. The warden now spoke up, "Before you die, you may make one last statement." Razi thought for a moment and said simply, "A darkness is coming and it shall soon blot out your silly Sun, forever!"

Everyone seemed speechless for a moment at these foreboding words. Still Graess again gestured the warden, who in turn gave the order to the man with the axe. Lifting the weapon high in the air, he prepared the death blow.

However, before he could act a strong wind came out of nowhere and blew the weapon and the black-hooded man over in seconds. The one Nagarean with his hand raised finished casting his Wind Rune spell as the other two rushed forward.

Both instantly casted fire spells putting a sudden wall of flames between them and the Falenan warriors. Next, the two grabbed Razi and as the third met them and he threw a smoke bomb on the ground filling the whole area with a gray and thick mist.

Coughing and choking were all they could do until the smoke cleared and the flame magic wore off. Though it had only been a few seconds, it was enough time for the 4 to escape using what seemed like a ninja's disappearing technique, or so reasoned Graess.

The warden, immediately, gave the order to put the whole prison in lockdown. They began a search for the prisoner and his accomplices. Graess knew better though. They wouldn't find them. No, he knew he had to get back to the castle to warn the Queen and everyone else.

At that same time, however, many late-night hangovers were being rudely awaken throughout Falena. As riders came running through the town at full gallop ranting and raving about something impossible. Once the soldiers had made it to the palace, they were detained until Robert and Alen came out to check on all the noise by the sudden appearance of these frantic riders.

The ranking officer for the group spoke up when he saw Alen, "Your Majesty. Thank the Sun! We found you! Commander! We have urgent news! An army numbering in the thousands, nay tens-of-thousands has entered the Queendom from the southwest. We were stationed at Port Spinacks. We tried to slow them down and bottle neck them on the bridge. We launched fire balls and casted rune spells on them, but they just kept coming. We didn't understand why until we got a closer look that them. Sir... Commander... They… They were dead. I mean they were alive. I mean, they were undead... Zombies! They just kept coming. Our Captain of the Guards sent us to warn you that the port has fallen, Commander."

Alen was speechless. He believed the man. It was clear he was telling the truth, or at least the soldier thought he had seen them. Alen was a veteran on the battlefield and he knew that often men in a panic, see all kinds of imaginary things in war. Whether the undead were attacking his lands he was skeptical, but he did believe that there was some army invading his homeland. And that, he would not stand for.

The restless soldier continued, "Commander, the Dragon Horse Knights said they would try to slow them down. In addition, troops from Doraat were on their way after we told them both about the surprise attack, but I don't know if it will be enough. We need to get everyone! Every warrior and soldier in the whole Queendom! Now!"

Alen calmed them down once more. Robert looked at Alen skeptically as well about these foreign invaders' true nature, but he, likewise, believed that the threat was indeed real. Thus, Robert agreed to take all 3,000 troops currently on duty from the city and head off to Doraat to bolster their defenses and investigate this so-called undead army for himself.

After several more nights of restlessness since the attack on the Dawning, Lazlo was at last having a full night's sleep. Mostly from sheer exhaustion. However, while asleep in his bed, he began to have a very intense dream.

In this vision, cannonballs came firing through his bedroom walls once more. Lazlo tried dodging these attacks as best he could. Looking out the newly made holes he could see the cannons floating on the water and they kept firing at him. Soon however, the regular cannons morphed into rune cannons like the kind used in the Island Nation War of Unification.

Instead of using normal cannonballs, Rune Cannons fired balls of pure elemental magic at their foe. Thus, the damage they did was far greater than any metal ball could do. Fortunately, Lazlo had destroyed the creature that made all the runic ammo for the Rune Cannons.

So, eventually after the war the magical ammo ran out and most just went back to using regular cannons. However, here in his dream that didn't matter as several Rune Cannons were now taking shots at him too.

Lazlo tried summoning spells from his True Rune. Yet, every time he used the spells, he could feel them draining his life-force. Just as the cursed Rune had once done for real during that same war. In his dream, he at last failed to dodge and took a direct blow to the chest from one of the cannons. He was hurt and paralyzed. The next shot would surely kill him.

However, before the final blow could come, someone blocked it. Lazlo looked up. It was Kyril! He was an old friend and ally, who had helped him defeat those Rune Cannons in the past in real life and was doing it now in the dream.

This old friend was different than a normal man. He aged very slowly as he was half-human and half-otherworldly given his unique parentage. As one who also didn't age normally, Lazlo quickly develop a real kinship with him. Moreover, he was a great warrior and a trusted brother-in-arms. Kyril had always given off this strange aura, but from the moment they first met the Rune Bearer knew he could trust the man.

Kyril and Lazlo had managed to defeat the Rune Cannons. Then as suddenly as he appeared, the demi-human vanished. Lazlo was left alone in a black void. The darkness of this void now seemed to begin to move and swallow Lazlo whole. Suddenly, he awoke from his bed in a cold sweat. His hands were on his weapons and the Rune of Punishment was glowing faintly on his skin.

What an insane nightmare, he thought. It had seemed so real. Kyril, his friend, seemed so life-like as though Lazlo could sense his presence for real again. That's when it came flooding back to him. The realization of this strange power and where he had felt it before. That day he first met that Nagarean High Priest, Nyoka. He couldn't place that strange aura the old priest was giving off until now.

He had sensed something like it before, but he couldn't place it until now. That old priest gave off a similar otherworldly aura as Kyril had. Only his was slightly different and very sinister. Whereas Kyril's was unusual, but not evil or menacing.

Then, like a floodgate breaking as the waters of understanding gushed out, Lazlo realized something profound. All that had happened this year had been a plan. It wasn't Razi's plan. No, it had been Nyoka's scheming all along. The conspiracies of this otherworldly creature. Razi was just a puppet and the fall guy. That coming darkness that Leknaat warned him about. It was all Nyoka!

Fear suddenly shot up Lazlo's back as he leaped from his bed onto his feet. The other part of Leknaat's warning returned to his memory as well. She had also said that a silver-haired maiden would play a key role in this dark force's plan and that Lazlo had to stop him, or he would destroy her once he had fulfilled the dark purposes of his malevolent heart.

The ageless warrior realized now more than ever that both Olinda and the whole Queendom of Falena were in grave danger. Yet, he was already more than a week out to sea. Plus, if they turned around now it would still take just as long as before for them to reach Falena again. Even with the best wind at their back the whole time, they would still only shave a day or so off from that would-be return trip.

The warrior had a feeling in his gut by that point it would be too late. Still, he had to try though. He had to do something; his heart told him. He at least needed to go talk to Captain Diego before he lost all that he cared about, forever.