The next morning May got up early and left for Sanctum to be there as soon as possible. And even though her issue was important, Oakley was busy enough with more urgent matters and May had to wait few hours. In the meantime she went to library across the street, there was something else she needed to check. Something she didn't even dare to tell anyone about.

When she finally got the chance to talk with Oakley, she described her the situation with the Fountains and showed her the crystals.

„Yes, we use crystals like these for our aethercannons, but not exactly as power souce," Oakley said thoughtfully. „And as you said, we use different colors, red, blue and green proved to be the most stable combination. These are... well, for destroying the Fountains they are enough, but I wouldn't put them into any weapon, it would fall apart in few days."

„The Lepharists didn't have any kind of weapon with them."

„I said I wouldn't put it into any, didn't I?" Oakley smirked. „Will you leave them here? I can analyze them properly and then I'll tell you everything you need to know to protect the Fountains."

„Ah, yes, sure. Thank you for your time, miss Oakley," May bowed and left the building.

„These were made by master technist, I didn't even know Lepharists have anyone like that," on her way out she heard Oakley's mumbling. „Could they steal it? Doesn't..."

As May walked though the streets of Sanctum, she realised the feeling of familiarity she was having when healing someone or when working with herbs, wasn't there. The city was completely strange, almost alien to her. All these high bridges, everblooming trees, white buildings, purple cobblestones seemed a bit out of reality and reminded her of cotton candy. Nice, but too sweet for her taste. She liked the city, but she preferred the Eltnen's desert.

Few hours after leaving Oakley she returned to the Golden Bough garrison. Chromatic and Syll were already impatiently waiting for her.

„Where have you been for so long?" Syll was next to her the moment she left the flight transporter.

„I... I had to wait, Oakley was very busy," she replied with apologetic smile.

„And? Did she found something out?" Chromatic asked doubtfully.

„She confirmed it's the technist's stuff and kept the crystals for analysis."

„As expected."

„Have you eaten anything, May?" Syll scrutinized her.

„Yes, well, breakfast?" the cleric realised it's been a long time since she last ate and she was hungry.

„Alright, let's hope there are some leftovers from lunch. Come," the ranger caught her arm and led her to the canteen tent.

„Syll, Chromatic, can I talk with you for a moment?" lady Yustiel intercepted them just in front of the tent. „May, take something to eat and then please look at the herbs glasshouse. Something appears to be amiss there."

„Yes, my lady."

After the quick late lunch May went to the glasshouse. Of course something looked wrong, with all her travels between the Fountains, scout camp and Sanctum no one had time to even water the herbs. The glasshouse wasn't big, but it was important. The potions and poultices made from the herbs were used by the Elyos in all Eltnen. When she finished her work, it was already evening. She was so tired that she crawled into her bed and immediately fell asleep.

~ x ~

She woke up late. It was strange, by this time Syll was usually there and urging her for breakfast. But no one came today. She couldn't even see her in the camp. When she asked, she was told that Syll and Chromatic were transfered to different places. No one knew why, but she assumed they were just needed there more than here. After she tended the herbs, she took a small package she brought from her travels the day before and headed to the scout's camp.

„You again?" the camp leader obviously wasn't happy with her presence.

„I'm sorry, sir Sandinas, it's the last time. I promise."

Sandinas grunted something unrecognizable and let her enter the tent prison. Inside she found not only the Asmodian there, but also two Elyos guards. One was holding her and the other just clasped the buckle of his belt. Both of them looked at her in shock. The sorceress barely noticed someone else's presence in the tent, her eyes were tightly shut and there were tear paths on her cheeks. She had even more bruises than before and the rags of her clothes were barely holding together. For a moment May stared at them in horror.

„What the hell you think you're doing here!" she yelled at the guards when she realized what most probably happened. „Do you even know the meaning of valuable prisoner?!"

„Hey, easy, it's just some Asmo..."

„Get out!" May didn't let them finish any sentence for their defence, for there was nothing that could justify their behavior. „Get out of here! Now! Both of you!"

The guards decided it's not worthy the effort to argue with some mad healer and with a defiant thought they can return anytime they left the tent. May knelt beside the prisoner, casting several healing and calming spells.

„They're gone," May whispered to her while holding her in her arms. „You will be alright, they won't hurt you anymore."

„Alia?" Shien opened her eyes and new tears appeared in them. „You came for me? You saved me... thank you..."

May bit her own lip and silently weaved her spells waiting for the Asmodian to calm down.

„I hope they will burn," Shien finally said. „I hope someone will burn them alive."

„I am sorry."

„For what? For healing me?" the sorceress asked angrily.

„No, I... They always tell us we are the good ones and everything bad is Asmodians' fault. But it seems we are no different. There is good and evil on both sides. I... I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier to stop them."

„These two were not the first ones to visit me like that," Shien spat.

„They... weren't?" May was terrified.

„When the first pair came shortly after you left the last time, I wanted to die. I still do. But now after you healed me, I want to take them down with me. They will all burn!"

May watched her and was unable to say anything. The silence was growing uneasy.

„Why are you here?" Shien asked after a while. „I somehow doubt it's a mere social visit."

„No, I... I came here to ask you where should I send this," she unwrapped the package she had with her and revealed a pink dimly glowing sphere.

„It's... It's the Elim's essence?" the sorceress breathed out in surprise. „You... you really got it? I... thank you, I didn't really expect it. Send it to Kistenian in Kurngalfberg."

„No," May refused.

„No? Why, but you just said..."

„I've changed my mind," the cleric clenched her fist. „After what I've seen, I can't just leave you here. I know they will come again the moment I'll be out of the camp."

Then she took a small knife and cut the aether blocking rope on Shien's wrists.

„Take this," she gave her the package with the essence. „You can teleport from here, right?"

„Why are you doing this?" Shien was confused. „If you really are not Alia, if you really are an Elyos, why are you helping me?"

„Because you don't deserve to be treated like this. No one does. You didn't come here with malicious intentions and what we did to you? If we continue behaving like this, there can be no peace between Asmodians and Elyos."

„Peace?"

„Yes. The only reason why we continue fighting among ourselves is that we did so for centuries. Don't you think it's time for this stupid war to end?"

„I will have to think about it a bit more."

„Then please, do so somewhere in Asmodae," May requested.

„Yep, you're right," Shien took the package, got up and slowly gathered aether to create a portal to some place safer for her.

It didn't take long before the only mage in the camp noticed something strange was happening in the tent. When the guards rushed in, May stood in front of them and shielded Shien so she could finish her spell. After few moments the sorceress disappeared and May let them arrest her.

~ x ~

She was bound, yelled at, questioned and then escorted to Golden Bough garrison, as Sandinas didn't have the authority to pass sentence on traitors. If he did, she would be executed on the spot. So she sat quietly in a dim tent and waited for Castor, the brigade general of the Golden Bough legion to punish her. After few hours of being alone the tent's flap opened and the general entered. And behind him was the Lady of Life. May knelt.

„You've freed an Asmodian prisoner and you hindered our guards from capturing her," Castor named the charges. „Do you deny that?"

„No. It's just as you say," she nodded.

„Tell me, May, why did you do that?" lady Yustiel asked. She looked very concerned with this matter.

„Does it really matter why, my lady? I've broken the law, I won't try to avoid punishment."

„Yes, it matters," the lady said seriously.

„I did it, because it was the right thing to do, my lady," May replied. „When I came there for the first time, she was bound to a pole and left on direct sunlight. Asmodian! Sun for them is like fire for us. They denied her food and water and beat her, she was barely conscious. I needed to ask her some questions, so they moved her to a tent and Sandinas promised me she'll be treated like a valuable prisoner for a week. But when I returned today, I found out they raped her! She did nothing wrong, hurt no one and they... Is this really way of the Elyos soldiers? To torture and rape helpless women?"

„Castor?" lady Yustiel looked at him.

„If that's true, they will be punished, my lady," he consented. „But freeing a prisoner is a serious crime. No matter how important you say she is, my lady, I can't let this unpunished."

„I am important?" the cleric widened her eyes in surprise.

„Yes, May. You should travel with me to the council the day after tomorrow, but your actions today made the things more complicated," the lady sighed. „Castor, until I say otherwise, she will stay here, without access to aether and only with enough food and water to survive. No one will talk with her. Is that acceptable punishment?"

„Usually no, my lady. But if you order me, I will obey."

„It is only temporary. I need to find something else, but execution is not an option."

„Yes, my lady."

„And you, May, think about your actions and try to figure out if you could do it better."

„Yes, my lady. As you wish."

~ x ~

The economy and military security of the Teminon landing was stable. Nezekan was discussing the current situation of the Elyos territory in Reshanta with the brigade general Michalis, when someone knocked on the door and entered the study without invitation.

„Greetings, general," Yustiel smiled apologetically. „I am sorry to intrude, but I need to discuss something very important with you, Nezekan."

„The council is in two days, come tomorrow evening, I'll be in Sanctum."

„I am afraid tomorrow evening might be too late."

„General, please leave us," the Lord of Justice ordered him.

„Yes, my lord," Michalis bowed and left the study.

„So, what's on your mind, Yustiel?" Nezekan asked. „What is so important that you traveled so far from Eltnen, especially when you look so bad?"

„Charming as ever, right?"

„You know what I mean. Are you ill? Or cursed?"

„So you noticed," Yustiel's smile became a bit sad. „That is why I am here. The truth is, I am losing my power bestowed upon me by Aion himself. The Lady of Life is dying."

„What? And you're telling me that just like this?!" Nezekan was shocked.

„I already have a plan how to set it right. But I need your support on the council. I know you will be angry, but at least let me finish the story before you start yelling at me."

„Alright, tell me."

„It began three months ago when Zikel came to Eltnen and asked me for help..."

She told him everything about that day, Zikel's feelings, transfer of the essence and how Alia became May. She told him about May's lost memories, her dreams and the incident with the Asmodian prisoner in recent days. In the end she told him about her intentions how to save the Lady of Life's power.

„No," Nezekan rejected that idea immediately after she finished. „There's no way I'll let you do that."

„There is no other option," she objected.

„There is, you said it yourself a moment ago."

„That is no option! You cannot ask me to do that!"

„You said you need my support," Nezekan frowned. „I'm sorry, but you won't get it."

„Nezekan, please. I made a mistake. I have to pay for it, no one else. Please, think about Elysea. This plan is key for peace with Asmodae."

„I know. That's why you did it in the first place, right? For the peace with Asmodae," he said bitterly. „But there can be no peace with them."

„I believe there can," she smiled. „It will not happen immediately, but Sarpan is a good start, don't you think?"

Nezekan remained silent. He felt a faint guilt when he remembered what happened during his first visit of Sarpan. The peace, yes. Yustiel wasn't the first person to suggest that.

„I have written letters," she gave him two envelopes. „One is for May, the other for... my sister."

„I still don't agree with this," he refused.

„But you know it is the right thing to do."

„She freed an Asmodian prisoner. What if she'll do something like that again?"

„She will not," Yustiel ensured him. „If she is guided properly. I have heard her reasons and I am certain she will be faithful to Elysea."

„Fine," he gritted his teeth. „But I have two conditions. First, you will let me to deal with those Lepharists in Eltnen. Second, I will be the one who escorts her to the council. I want to know who she is. And if I won't like it, I will execute her, no matter how much you want her alive."

„I agree with that."

~ x ~

The day and half in her solitary detention were slow. As they were ordered, no one talked to her and she didn't even try to ask them anything. She was thinking about the situation with the Asmodian over and over and still couldn't find any solution she would consider better. In every last one of them the sorceress ended either free or broken. She could either break the law or deliver a severe blow to her own conscience. When she was finishing her modest breakfast, someone entered the tent. It took her few moments to recognize him and then she knelt.

„Rise," lord Nezekan ordered her. „And tell me why did you free that Asmodian."

„I... I already told lady Yustiel, my lord," she got up.

„I know. But I want to hear it from you."

„They tortured her without any reason and they raped her. And I knew they would do it again and again. No one deserves what they've done to her. Not even Asmodian."

„There's more to it," it wasn't question. He was certain.

„She was a good person and didn't mean us any harm."

„And?"

„She..." May hesitated. „She claimed she knew me. My past..."

„And you believed her?"

„I... I don't know what should I believe," she admitted sadly. „I have no memories from my past. And no one knows me here, no one is looking for me... Like I didn't exist before lady Yustiel found me. But I am Elyos. I didn't do it to betray anyone. She was neither spy nor assassin, she possessed no danger for us. She said she's trying to restore life in a frozen city in Asmodae. That city exists, I've checked that. That's why I let her go."

„You are too naive. You will have to grow up very quickly."

„My lord?" she didn't understand why did he say that.

„This is Yustiel's wish. You're coming with me," he said and turned to the exit. „Guard!"

„Yes, my lord?" the soldier entered the tent.

„Remove the shackles, I'm taking her to Sanctum," he ordered.

„Yes, my lord," the guard obeyed without hesitation and in a moment May could sense the aether again.

„Now, give me your hand," lord Nezekan becked May and when she did, he took a small crystal or stone or whatever it was and teleported both of them to Sanctum, directly in front of the door to the council room. „Wait here until you're called," he ordered her and disappeared into the room.

She was left in the hall, alone, if not counting the two guards next to the door. But they didn't move, didn't talk. She was certain they won't react until she does something really stupid or someone gives them orders. The council room was soundproof and scryproof. Unless someone opens the door, she won't know what's going on there. Only her thoughts were keeping her company. And they made her worried and confused.

Why I am here? Why did lady Yustiel say I am so important? Where are my memories? Who am I? What happened three months ago?

After a while that seemed like infinite to her, the door opened.

„Come inside," lord Nezekan told her.

She entered the room and lost her breath for a moment. Everyone important was there. Sanctum's head priest Jucleas, high priest of Mirages Eremitia, Sanctum governor Fasimedes, commander of Miragent's Holy Templars Lavirintos, generals from Reshanta, Inggison and Sarpan – Michalis, Outremus, Veille and Killios. She knew all these names and finally she could put them together with their faces. And of course, the five Seraphim lords were also there. She knew already lord Nezekan and lady Yustiel and somehow she recognized also lord Vaizel. That meant the only remaining two were lord Kaisinel and lady Ariel. May knelt before the Lady of Light, the supreme leader of Elysea. She noticed everyone was startled and confused.

What happened here?

„Rise, May," lady Ariel said with a melodic voice. „Do you know why are you here today?"

„N no, my lady," May cast her gaze down to the floor.

„Lady Ariel, please, allow me to explain the situation to her," lady Yustiel smiled and stepped to the scared cleric. „I am sorry, May. I made a mistake and I will pay the price for it, but you will have to pay too. Three months ago, when I found you, the only way to save your life was to give you part of my essence. The only ones who can transfer the essence safely are the Elims. I should have taken you to them and let them assist, but I grew too self assured. Along with my essence I accidentally transfered part of the Power of Life. But unlike the essence, the Power will not restore over time. At this moment, we are basically halves of the Lady of Life."

„Then take it back, my lady. Let's go to the Elim and..."

„No," the lady shook her head. „This power is now bound to your life. And I cannot take your life. But the Lady of Life must be whole again. And that is why are you here today."

„No... my lady, you can't..." May babbled and stared at her in shock when she realised the full meaning of the Lady's words. „Please, my lady, take your power back."

„You know I cannot. You will be the new Lady of Life."

„No! Why? You are the Lady of Life, you are symbol for the people of Elysea. You are much more important than me! I... I have no memories, I have no past, I am no one!" May started to cry. „Please, my lady. I beg you. Take your power back!"

Someone put a hand on her shoulder.

„Denial won't help you," Lavirintos said with a deep, calm voice. „Lady Yustiel has decided and convinced even us. If you won't accept her decision, the seat of one Seraphim lord will become empty."

„But... I'm not worthy..." she sobbed.

„Then become worthy," he replied firmly. „And accept it with dignity."

„Become worthy?" she whispered. I've heard that before... somewhere...

Lavirintos nodded and stepped back.

„May, you are already worthy," lady Yustiel spoke and embraced her. „And you are mistaken, you are much more important than me," she whispered. „I am sorry for passing you this burden, but I am certain you will understand one day."

Lady Yustiel's body started to shine. Soon the light filled the entire room, it was so bright even the Elyos were blinded by it. When the shine disappeared, May sat heavily on the floor, clutching lady Yustiel's clothes, the only thing that was left behind. And she cried. It wasn't the hysteric cry as moments before, but silent sobs and tears of deep grief. Few of the gathered people cast their gazes aside.

„Why..." she whispered. „Why did you save me, my lady? I... I..." suddenly her eyes were filled with a boundless shock. „I remember... I remember everything..."

The moment Nezekan heard those words, he drew his sword and pointed its tip at May's throat. Everyone in the room gasped.

„Take an oath," he ordered her sternly. „Pledge your loyalty to Elysea. Swear an oath that you will protect the people and lands of Elysea and you will never cause them any harm. If you do, I will spare your life."

„There is no need to be this harsh, Nezekan," Ariel objected.

„Lady Ariel, please, believe me. There is."

„What should I say?" May asked.

„Whatever you want. But choose your words wisely."

She nodded and slowly got up.

„I, May, am giving my life to Elysea. I will... never betray Elyos and their allies. I will do everything in my power to protect and help everyone lady Yustiel cared for and I will never dishonor her memory."

After a moment of silence Nezekan sheathed his sword.

„I accept you as a Seraphim Lady of Life."