Dawn of Darkness Ch.21 Part 2

Chapter 21: The Prince of Astryn
Part 2

The group was barely within sight of their destination when Kiel sighed reluctantly and approached Bryan.

"Bryan, I must say, what you did back there was impressive.  But next time you run into anyone who attempts to mess with you, think about what you're getting yourself into before you start busting heads."

"Thank you, Kiel.  And don't worry," Bryan assured him.  "They don't call me the Emerald Sentinel for nothing.  It'll probably be a long time before I run into anyone who's a match for me."

Kiel did not seem satisfied and instead stepped in front of the lancer, blocking his path.  Bryan was forced to halt as he arched an eyebrow in puzzlement.

"Hey, what gives?"

"Bryan, I'm serious.  Listen to me when I say you don't want to get overconfident!"

"I'm not being overconfident.  I know my own skills and limits."

"Do you?  I really have a hard time believing that.  You may have good armor, skills, and weapons, but they will do you no good if you can't put them to proper use."

"What?!  Are you saying I misuse my weapons and abilities?!"

"Not at all.  I'm saying that not thinking a fight through before you get into one and merely assuming your strengths will prevail no matter what is dangerous.  And this is a lesson I learned the hard way."

"Exactly what do you mean?"

"He has a point, Bryan," Ranulf stepped in.  "Laguz are known to be rather reckless when it comes to battle.  They care little for details and even ignore tactics at times.  I actually knew one back in Tellius who didn't want to strategize at all.  And sometimes beorc can be the same way."

"What?!  Don't tell me you two don't think I give a damn about strategies!" Bryan protested.  "It was me who planned our defense during that fight on the ship!"

"True.  But in that case, we were in a full-fledged battle," Kiel pointed out.  "We weren't suddenly confronted by a couple of jerks who got on Faline's nerves."

"Right.  But I still don't know what you were talking about when you said you learned your lesson the hard way."  

Bryan folded his arms as he awaited an answer.

"Well then, I'll tell you," Kiel replied grimly.  "Rather, I'll show you, actually.  I'm sure all of you have noticed by now that my hair always covers my right eye.  Ever wonder why?"  

Before anyone could answer Kiel's question, he slid his hair aside from his face. What was revealed elicited several gasps and jaws dropping, but the red wolf quickly motioned for silence.  Kiel practically had no right eye at all.  Instead, the eyelid seemed to be permanently sealed shut and was marred with three slash marks with spanned from the top of his cheek to his forehead was in its place.  The skin of the eyelid was fairly wrinkled as well, giving the impression that the eye was askew, or even gone altogether.  No one spoke for at least a few seconds until Azura broke the silence, her eyes still wide open.

"Kiel!  Your eye...  Is it—?"

"It is indeed.  I have been blind in one eye for several years."

"And it happened in a situation that wasn't much different from yours, Bryan," Sara added, her tone as snippy as ever but with an uncommon trace of sadness.

"Exactly.  I was only trying to protect my sister from a pair of outlaws and I thought I could take both of them out myself," Kiel explained.  "So I attacked them.  It was a huge mistake.  They were wolf laguz like me and before I knew it, one of them had me by the neck and slashed my eye with the claws of his front paw."

Kiel went on to explain that even though only three out of the four claws on the paw that struck him had made contact with this flesh, his eye had literally been torn apart.  His attacker might as well have ripped the eyeball right out of its socket.  Blood was splattered all over Kiel's face within seconds as he forced himself back into his human form, and screamed louder than a wyvern's roar.  Sara had burst into tears, though she admitted to such with much reluctance, as Kiel kept his hands clasped over his eye and continued to bellow in pain.

"It was lucky for us that we had enough vulneraries handy," Sara continued.  "Of course, although it healed his injury by permanently closing his eyelid and turning the claw marks into scars, it was impossible to repair the eyeball."

"And my eye has been blind ever since," Kiel finished, letting his hair fall over his eye once again.

"I don't believe it..." Bryan murmured a few seconds later.  "But I think I see what you're saying now, Kiel.  If I get overconfident trying to protect those I love and care about, I could end up taking a serious injury too."

"Exactly.  But what happened to me afterwards was just as bad, if not worse."

"Huh?"

"Because of the way I looked from then on, I was ashamed to show my face to anyone.  Sara was the only one I could be around for a long time.  I was worried about how my fellow laguz would react if they found out, especially since we've only recently been accepted in Eraghoa.  I grew my hair so it would cover it up in both of my forms, but leave my left eye to help me see.  When I saw Bryan take out those two men, I knew he was tempting fate and that I needed to bring this up later."

"Kiel…" Azura uttered, too shocked to form a sentence.

"I want this to stay between us," Kiel went on, his tone brooking no argument.  "I'm still worried about what the others in Eraghoa will say if they find out about this.  And, well, I think it's no secret this thing is pretty darned ugly.  If you can't bear it, I…I understand."  With that, he turned around, sniffled, and allowed a tear to trickle down his cheek.

"Kiel…  No," Faline stepped in and walked around to face the saddened wolf laguz.  "I'm not afraid.  Anyone who is is stupid and ignorant.  Besides that, I think those scars look cool!  Though, it could do without the wrinkly skin."

"R-Really?"

"Yeah, I think so too!" Lily added and quickly approached the two.  "Those scars make you look even tougher than you already do!"

"Thanks, you guys.  This means a lot to me.  Still, I don't want anyone back in Eraghoa finding out about this.  The laguz don't welcome...cripples in the pack."

"Well, they're welcome to their decision, but we've already made ours," Azura affirmed.

"Yeah, and I'm sorry for not listening to you before.  I'll always bear this in mind," Bryan assured and then noticed the saddle on Lartz's wyvern was empty.  "Wait a minute, where's Lartz?"

"Oh, I-I'm right here…" Lartz's voice spoke up.  He poked his head out from behind the wing of his wyvern, making a less than convincing show of tightening the straps on the saddle.

"Just what on earth are you doing?" Skye inquired, raising one eyebrow and clearly not buying Lartz's clumsy deception.

"Yeah, you've been acting weird ever since we met you," Bryan added.

Lartz was silent for a long moment, his eyes straying away from the others' gazes, as if gravely uncertain whether or not to reply.  After a long moment, he sighed and spoke.

"I'm really sorry.  I suppose there's no use keeping this to myself any longer.  I'll tell you as we keep moving," Lartz decided.

"Go ahead," Azura encouraged with a smile.  "There's no need to be nervous."

"Okay," Lartz began as he remounted his wyvern and the group began moving again.  "I…I'm a little nervous around wolf laguz.  Not exactly scared, just nervous."

"But why?  I'm shaky enough around you as it is," Kiel admitted, eyeing Lartz's mount with obvious discomfort.  "I fear wyverns more than anything."

"Well, you see, I'm not what I seem to be.  I'm…a Branded."

With that, everyone fell silent as gasps escaped several mouths.  From what they knew, Branded were a very rare race, even in Altarais where the beorc and the laguz had long coexisted peacefully.  Azura was the first to speak up.

"A Branded?  If I recall right, aren't they beorc who have laguz ancestors somewhere in their bloodline?"

"Correct," Lartz confirmed.  "I'm descended from the wolf laguz.  I'd show you my brand, but it'd require me to take my chest plate off and I don't believe we have the time for that."

The dracoknight continued to explain how he always wished he had been born as a pure wolf laguz instead of a Meloran with a wolf's blood.  Ever since he was young, Lartz carried a bitter hatred in his heart for Melora and their actions and beliefs.  Many of them were cut from the same cloth as the Red Claw; violent sadists who reveled in the pain and suffering of their enemies.  They even used blood pacts, cursed documents that gradually killed the citizens of the nation who signed it if its terms were not followed, as Melora had gradually expanded to its current borders.  The Melorans also instigated the war between the beorc and laguz to fight many generations before through the same base trickery and proxy warfare they'd conducted using the Red Claw, despite that both sides eventually forging a peace.  And now the nation's current ruler, Queen Isis, sought to follow in the footsteps of her late husband and take over Altarais as was his wish.  Those who were fortunate would die by Meloran blades and those who were not would live condemned to slavery and bondage under the blood pacts.

"But what do my pendant and I have to do with all of this?" Azura wondered.

"That, I don't know.  I avoided the conflicts of the last war as best as I could, but I do know the death of Melora's previous king was what ended it," Lartz continued.  "I was actually happy after that but never thought Isis would start another one.  When I see a Meloran now, I can't help but get the urge to lash out at them.  I'd even murder my own family if given the chance.  My parents and sister were no better, they're just as cruel and twisted as nearly everyone else within those borders…"

Lartz formed an angry fist as he finished his story.  Azura and the others, despite the dracoknight's harsh sentiments, couldn't help but feel for him.  No one could choose who or what they were born as but living with it was often a harsh task.  Well, this explains his behavior back at the fort, Bryan thought to himself.  He must've wanted to make sure neither Kiel nor Sara were around.

"Well, just remember that not all Melorans are that bad," Azura pointed out.  "You're living proof, after all."

"True…" Lartz agreed.

"Ah, there's the fort!" Louise exclaimed moments later.  She pointed to a large fortified structure with many towers.  The group excitedly followed her to the gate and then to the keep's entrance.  Just as Bryan's soldiers had reported, several Royal Knights on horseback as well as a few infantry awaited them out front.  Marc and Leona quickly rode ahead to greet their comrades.

"General Leyon!  We're so sorry to have worried you!" Marc spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, helping Azura turned out to be more complicated than we thought," Leona added.  "In fact, we're still at it!"

"Hey, long time no see!  And, think on it no further. I would've done the same in your place.  I'm just glad to see you both safe and sound," Leyon replied with a smile.  "By the way, a pair of raven laguz from Perais wishes to speak with you, Marc, as well as Bryan.  They're waiting for you two inside."

"Ah, right.  I'll go see what they want."  Marc then motioned Bryan to follow him.  Seeing Janz again wasn't particularly appealing to Bryan, but he disappeared inside the fort with Marc regardless.  Leyon turned to Azura.

"Ah, you must be Azura.  I'm Leyon, the commander of the Talgrian Royal Knights.  Your reputation has traveled far, and some of what I've heard is quite extraordinary.  Meeting you in person is an honor I've been looking forward to for some time now."

It might've been Azura's imagination but she could've sworn she felt blood rushing to her cheeks.  And, though this also might be her eyes playing tricks on her, she thought she saw a hint of smugness in Leyon's expression.

"Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you.  We should leave here as soon as possible though.  Who knows what Melora or the Red Claw will do next."

"Agreed.  As soon as Bryan and Marc return, I will brief the troops on our planned route and we'll be heading on our way.  With our forces combined, I have no doubts that we'll be able to defeat Shigo and return to his majesty in Talgria before things get any worse."

"I hope so.  Lartz here revealed some important information to us, though.  I'll tell you about it later on, though I think it might best be kept private."

Leyon nodded approvingly, now curious about what Lartz knew himself.  His thoughts were interrupted minutes later, however, when Bryan and Marc emerged from the fort, followed by Janz and Lauren, the very same laguz they met after being lost at sea and washing up in Perais.  Quick introductions between people who hadn't met were made soon after.

"Our Queen, Lilah, decided Melora's actions on the mainland were too dangerous to ignore and sent us to join you," Janz explained to Azura.

"Plus, we might find out exactly what's happening to our brethren and where Melora is keeping them," Lauren added.

"What?!" Azura gasped, having not known this information.

"Yeah, my blood was boiling hotter than lava when I found out," Janz replied.

The two laguz explained that raven messengers on the mainland had been gradually disappearing for several days.  Just as Leyon had deduced from the ravens' absence from relaying Allied communications and his later discovery of the raven feathers in Fort Tehya, Queen Lilah grew certain that there was foul play involved.  When Janz and Lauren had arrived and learned of Leyon's findings, they agreed that Melora was holding the ravens hostage.   Azura figured that this explained why the raven in Castle Eraghoa lied to them about Ike's well-being and seemed near to panic the whole time.  His captors must have forced him to do so, likely on pain of death, especially considering what Lartz revealed about Melora's fondness for violent and sadistic practices against their enemies.

Aware that time was precious, Leyon quickly gathered the troops and made sure his briefing was quite succinct.

"I'm sure you all know about General Shigo's army crossing the border into Astryn," he began, hardly needing to wait for an answer.  "They may be attempting to attack Astryn, pass through to attack Talgria, or both.  Whatever the case, we're going to stop them.  A force of that size will likely stick to the Ystrad river valley, where it's wide and flat.  We'll likely have to take the same route for at least part of the journey but we'll be able to take a shortcut through the Caline Fallows."
            
Bryan's ears perked up at the name.  Wasn't that the name of the woman to whom his father gave the engraved necklace he'd found at the abandoned shop?  Before he could ponder further, Leyon continued.

"The Fallows are almost as flat as the Ystrad valley, but narrower and quite a bit uglier.  However, taking them will allow us to make up the time we lost and maybe even pull ahead of them.  We'll have outriders, cavaliers and our fliers, scouting ahead of the column to ensure we're not caught unawares.  Beyond that, usual rules: find the enemy and make them wish they stayed the bloody hell home!"  

Knowing a good exit line when they heard one, the combined force set out immediately.  Since Fort Tehya hadn't been far from the Astrynian border, the group crossed it quickly and without incident.  While they did so, Elincia helped Ike remove his splints as promised, though she told him he still couldn't have half the wagon's food despite his protestations that he was hungrier than a lion laguz fresh from a fortnight's fast. The chagrined and ever hungry Ike, however, still found his limbs to be rather stiff due to having not used them for so long and agreed to remain in the wagon until they returned to normal; and even then he managed to sweet talk Elincia into letting him have a huge joint of seasoned beef first.  

Despite this, he hoped he could be of some use in the upcoming battle.  Ike was not one to simply sit around while his friends risked their lives, after all. Besides, he was rather looking forward to seeing the looks on the Melorans' faces when they discovered he was still alive.  It was a sound tactic, Melora would never see it coming and, above all, nobody ruined Ike's meals and got away with it.

The Allied force crossed the Ystrad river valley with little difficulty.  There were signs of numerous camps that had been pitched and then broken, likely Shigo's force settling in for the night and carrying on the next day.  Gradually, the ashes from doused fires and gouges in the earth from tent stakes grew fresher and the troops knew that they were catching up fast. Leyon then diverted the column into the Caline Fallows as planned, sending Lartz, Faline, Marina, Marc, Leona, Ranulf, Kiel and Sara ahead to act as outriders; if any enemy was up ahead or approached the column from the flank, they were to return with warning at once.  As the column crossed the Fallows, again undisturbed by the enemy, Bryan again pondered what connection might exist between these Fallows and the woman who shared their name whom his father had evidently known.  The Fallows were grim and barren, the land sickened with blight and too many clashes between unknown adversaries while abandoned farms and ruined fields dotted the landscape, and they offered no insight to Bryan.  Still, if there was a connection between these Fallows and this mysterious Caline, he suspected that connection wasn't a pleasant one.

Only a short time had passed when the large group left the fallows and spotted another fort in the distance.  The outriders quickly scouted it from a safe distance and revealed that it was heavily guarded by Meloran forces.  At every wall and every corner stood soldiers and cavaliers, some garbed in similar armor to that of the Royal Knights and Bryan before he had become a Sentinel, which meant that they would not be easy foes to confront.  Heavy knights guarded the main gates and doors while archers and mages flanked the tops of the main ramps, ready to fire at any attackers.  Other units, such as healers and axe fighters, were scattered elsewhere.

"Blast!  We don't have the time to be fighting all these guys right now!" Bryan complained.  "I just want to defeat Shigo, rescue my father, get him to tell me what I want to know, and get to Aracion."

"You know, you're right.  If we could just get Shigo to—" Azura began.  However, a deep chuckling voice cut her off.

"Hehehe.  Look who finally decided to show up."

Everyone's attention was turned in the direction of the main gate.  Racing towards them from the threshold was a black horse garbed in similar armor and trappings to Leyon's.  Its rider was the very same man Leyon spotted near Fort Tehya.  Lartz quickly approached Bryan and leaned over in the saddle to get his attention.

"Bryan, that's him!"

"Lartz?" Shigo noticed.  "I had a feeling you'd defected. Well, what a disappointment you turned out to be."

"Let's see if you're still laughing when I chop you into kindling!" Lartz retorted.

Bryan was about to remind Lartz, none-too-gently, that no one was going to kill Shigo besides Bryan himself but Shigo cut him off.

"Pity.  I thought you the perfect specimen; ruthless, aggressive and merciless.  The way you torched that Meloran village, and practically depopulated it, was incredible.  My parents were among your victims, though not that I minded, they were weak, so I decided to make something of you.  I was hesitant since you killed my twin sister, she was the only one I ever trusted, but I thought the gamble was worth it.  Sadly, you disproved me."

"I don't give a damn!  Melora is hopelessly tainted by evil!  Every act I did to punish it was well deserved!"

"That was always the problem with you, no discipline.  Don't you remember the first thing I taught you?  'Don't fight a battle if you don't gain anything by winning.'  You think I'm pathetic?  You're the one who was torching villages because you couldn't accept your roots.  I should've given Selia her due vengeance long ago, but I can still kill you now."

"Not if I can help it!" Bryan intervened.  "I know you have my father and I want him back!  You wanted me alive, so here I am!  We'll settle this here and now, man-to-man!"

"Tempting.  But, I'd rather let my men have some fun first.  We'll see if you're a worthy opponent for me in the process.  And your father?  I presume you mean this man right here."

With that, Shigo snapped his fingers and within the next minute, a bound man in a gray cloak with dark grayish blue hair was brought to the parapet of the fort.  By straining his eyes, Bryan could make out enough of the man's face to recognize him.

"DAD!" Bryan hollered, his angry expression suddenly turning into a look of peril.  "Murdering my mother when I was a baby didn't satisfy you, Shigo?!  Let him go if you want to die easy!"

Hearing this even from such a distance, Owen's head suddenly shot up, eyes widened with disbelief that his son knew his mother's fate.

"So you found that much out, did you?" Shigo chuckled.  "Ha, like it will help you any."

"We don't have time to play games with you, Shigo!" Azura stepped in.  "You wanted to fight Bryan?  Let's get it over with!"

"Ah, you're that girl her majesty is so interested in, aren't you?" Shigo guessed.  "Maybe a second hostage will change your mind."

The general snapped his fingers once more.  This time, Lorelle was brought up to the parapet, also bound.

"NO!  MOTHER!" Azura gasped in fear.

"The Red Claw picked her up in Talgria for me after they turned Galden into a bonfire.  Hehe, I thought she might be of use."

"That does it!  Bryan, let's give them a world of pain!" Azura demanded.

"It would be my pleasure!" Bryan agreed, arming himself with his lance and shield.  Shigo snickered.

"See you later, oh noble one!"

With that, the general galloped away, leaving his men and the fort behind.  There's that title again, Bryan thought.  Wait…  Could this mean Shigo knows something I don't and that I actually am of noble birth?  Father has a lot of explaining to do once we get him out of there.

With that, the group charged towards the main gate, which remained open.  As much as he wanted to give chase and overtake Shigo, Bryan knew the safety of his father and Lorelle had to come first.  Plus, he knew tearing these soldiers apart would help prepare him for when the battle with Shigo finally came.  The stronger Bryan became, the better his chances against such a terror.  However, there were more important concerns on his mind at the moment than even that.  Both he and Azura feared as they began cleaving through the Melorans that Owen and Lorelle would be injured, or worse.  It was all too possible for a stray arrow or carelessly thrown spell to mistakenly hit them instead of the intended target.

The others reaching the same conclusion, they proceeded with caution.  Leyon advised Azura to be careful and allow him to take the hostages to safety since he could do so the most quickly and with the least danger.  But, the determined mercenary insisted that she knew what she was doing.  Azura did agree, however, that it was best for someone on a mount to transport Owen and Lorelle away from the fray and allowed the general to do so.  While the rest of the group held back the forces on the fort grounds, the Royal Knights charged up the main ramp followed by Bryan.  Leyon was leery about how they'd handle the heavy knights, even with him using Olegxing, but luckily, the first one to fall dropped a hammer.  After snickering with delight, Leyon literally smashed through the remainder with his new weapon fairly easily.  Hammers were excellent for penetrating such thick armor, as they could pound through it almost as easily as a blade could cut flesh.

Meanwhile, Kevin's mercenaries, Azura's group, and Louise split into two units and headed in opposite directions in order to circle the fort grounds while defending one another's backs at the same time.  Bryan's men remained stationed near the wagon, both to provide reinforcements as needed and to cut off possible escape routes for the Melorans.  Ike simply sat within the wagon itself and groaned.  Man…  Looks like there's no place for me in this once again, he thought to himself.  Gah, I hate being useless!  However, Ike soon discovered he had more to worry about than just his companions.  Minutes later, Leyon finally had both Lorelle and Owen clinging to his mount and headed for the main gate.  However, several enemy reinforcements gave chase.  Many of their comrades within the fort grounds had by then perished, allowing Bryan and the other Royal Knights to easily rush to Leyon's aid.  Bryan's men also joined the fray in an attempt to protect the wagon and the Clydesdales.  Leyon's pursuers were swiftly caught between Bryan's men and their own pursuers, and were cut to pieces.

Once the Melorans were vanquished, Lorelle and Owen practically toppled from Leyon's horse, though neither seemed seriously injured.  Azura and Bryan quickly rushed to their sides after watching Lorelle weakly stagger in Owen's direction, who then caught her in his arms.

"Mother!" Azura cried, coming to a skidding halt before her weakened foster mother.  "What's wrong?!"

"Oh…  Azura!  Just…a little tired and hungry," Lorelle gasped out in delight despite her pain.  "I suppose I should count myself lucky I'm still breathing.  Those brutes have ice running through their veins."

"She should go into the wagon with Ike," Bryan advised as he and the remainder of the large group exited the fort grounds.  The last of the enemy soldiers had finally been vanquished.  Lorelle willingly entered the wagon, though Ike and Azura very nearly had to carry her in, and Lorelle was more than relieved to have a real place to rest.

"Dad, are you alright?" Bryan inquired seconds later.

"Yes, though as Lorelle said, we were lucky to come away with our lives," Owen replied.  "But what are you doing here?  How did you know where to find me?  How did you find out Shigo—"

"I came to rescue you from these barbarians, of course," Bryan rather coldly replied.  "As for how I found Shigo and learned what he did, an ally of mine told me some of the story but not enough!  How could you leave me behind to constantly worry about you while this madman who apparently has something against our family was hunting you to finish the job?!"

"Bryan, I…"

"And then while the stress keeps piling up, I find out my mother was murdered when I was only an infant!" Bryan cut him off.  "I also found this hidden in the shop!"

With that, the Sentinel produced the jeweled necklace he and Ike had discovered in Narcoss.  Owen's eyes widened once more as a faint gasp escaped his lips.

"You found your mother's necklace too…"

"I did!  Why did she have to die?  How could any of this have happened?!"

"Bryan, I am very sorry," Owen replied remorsefully.  "I honestly regret everything I've put you through and wish I could take it all back.  But I loved your mother with all my heart and I would have never wished harm upon her.  All either of us wanted was for you to grow up happy and healthy.  When she died, I vowed to raise you in her honor."

"Well, isn't that something!" Bryan retorted, fighting back tears.  "Because my childhood was hell and you know it!  And you couldn't do a damn thing about it!"

"I taught you that you were within your rights to defend yourself, it was your choice not to listen," Owen replied with a hint on incredulity, but which quickly faded.  "I only wish I could've done more."

"I would hope so.  I will admit, I should have listened to you when you told me I needed to step up and defend myself, but that didn't change the fact that no one gave a damn about me except for you and later, Skye.  He was the only person who ever truly made me happy back then."

"And I was happy to see it.  It overjoyed me to know that my son finally found a friend.  Before that, I feared you would never know real friendship and love."

"So did I.  But now, I know them better than I could have ever imagined.  Not only do I have many friends, but I'm famous as well.  Heck, I even have a girlfriend and she loves me because I'm me!"

"And that makes me proud of you, Bryan.  Your mother would be just as proud."

"I figured as much.  But I need to know the truth.  Why did you hide so much from me?  Why couldn't you tell me about my mother?"

"Bryan, as much as I regret it, I had to.  I had no choice if I was to protect you.  You were too young to know or even understand the truth.  But now you must know if Shigo is to be stopped."

"Then tell me.  I'm all ears."

"Good.  Are you aware of the rumors about the lost Prince of Astryn?"

"Yeah, I've heard little bits here and there.  Sounds pretty far-fetched, if you ask me.  Queen Marion never had any children, after all."

"That's true, she didn't.  However, many believe Marion had a younger sister who did and Shigo has been seeking the child for years.  Your mother wasn't the first person he killed in his hunt and I doubt she was the last either."

"You mean he believes in this prince?  But what does that have to do with me or my mother?"

Owen was silent for a very long moment, as if he had so much he wanted to say that he could not guess where to begin. Finally, he heaved a long sigh and spoke five words which would alter Bryan's life, and mission, irrevocably.

"That prince, Bryan, is you."

"W-What?!" Bryan exclaimed, stumbling backwards and dropping his lance.  "But…how is that possible?!"

"Your mother…was Princess Caline herself.  And you are the son she left behind at the time of her death.  You are the true heir to Astryn's throne."