Saer found himself inside a warm room as soon as he came out of his sleep. The bed on which he was in couldn’t be more comforting.

Near the fireplace was Fierlo, who turned his head back at Saer after hearing the bed creek. Fierlo didn’t glance back at him and instead watched the fire. Saer came down from the bed then headed towards the door.

It was locked. Fierlo waited till Saer gave up hope of unlocking the door and sat nearby him.

"You had forgotten the lie in the forest." Fierlo said in low voice.

"Is the same lie keeping us alive?" asked Saer.

"Wernh'An hasn’t arrived in the palace. Looks like Calajhan really found a way to tackle Wernh'An."

"Who knew the lie we had been taught to tell would become real?"

"In gap of centuries, everything thought impossible can turn true. Our ancestors must be proud of their guess."

"What do these people want from us?" Saer couldn’t hold the question.

"Some service, I think."

"What if our lives depend of the length of service?"

Fierlo stretched his hand towards fire.

Meanwhile Saer marched for his bed on the carpet and watched the stormy night from the window.

Glass panel was between him and the storm. After moving his concentration from the storm, he saw his own reflection on the glass as well as the fireplace. Dancing flames fancied him while it warmed Fierlo. Both were using the fire in different way despite of being in the same room till something lit the mutual sensation among them.

Reflection of blip of light Saer had seen on the glass turned itself into a human when Saer whirled his body back. Fierlo couldn’t comprehend what he was seeing.

Nortze Calajhan was in their room from out of nowhere.

"Calajhan!" words slid out of Fierlo's lips. Then a sword showed its length from the sheath.

Calajhan lifted his sword high in air. Somehow Fierlo understood when he had to stop being amused and stepped sideways.

The heavy sword hit the floor and its edge jammed where it had landed. By the time Calajhan unshackled his sword, Fierlo knocked him over a table.

"What are you doing?" Saer yelled at Calajhan while searching for anything around to use as a weapon.

To his misfortune, he neither found answer to it nor anything to use for defense. Calajhan and Fierlo were face to face against each other. Fierlo’s eyes fell in his sword. So did Calajhan’s.

Nortze ran towards Saer with his blood thirsty sword.

Saer tripped the old man down and while he was standing up, Fierlo hit him with a burning log which he had plucked out of the fireplace.

Fragments of burning wood flew inside the room with the impact. But Fierlo wasn’t done with one shot so Fierlo hit the old Calajhan the once more with more strength than he had used a while ago.

"Are you about to kill him?" Saer bellowed at him.

Calajhan poked his sword in air, almost penetrating Saer's gut.

Fierlo made an attempt to guard himself with the wood but it was no competition for a sword. Nor was Saer's attempt to tackle him from behind.

Calajhan moved aside and Saer went head first on Fierlo's abdomen.

Both of them were inches away from getting inside the fireplace. Fierlo’s hair caught fire. He killed the fire by patting on his melting hair. Saer also assisted him to do so.

Calajhan was still not done with them.

Looking at Calajhan coming towards them, Saer pulled the rug where he was standing. Nortze failed to keep himself balanced and fell on the floor. When his hand hit the floor, his hand bounced on surface and the sword flew away from his grip.

It clattered and hopped on the floor.

Saer leaped for the sword then grasped it before Calajhan's fingers could even touch its hilt. Calajhan's attempt to stand went in vain as Fierlo hit him on his head with another piece of wood.

"Why are you here?" Saer interrogated Nortze, "You know we are on your-"

Saer paused after seeing shadows of legs from the gap under the door.

"Why did you come here?" Fierlo was loud.

Some people are outside. Words echoed inside Saer's head.