The hours in the golden prison in which Urian was confined were eternal. So the Marked Warrior had time to meditate on everything that had happened and everything that was going to happen.

Clearly, he was nervous; he had taken countless laps around his ostentatious room, leaned on his balcony to see the ocean and the guards watching from the windows, so many times that Urian felt he had seen it all.

Another thing that was clear to him was that no doubt the White Flame was involved in it; if not, why wasn't he arrested when he arrived in Zirar, the Capital of Dyndra?

Nothing made sense, and it would soon cease to make sense.

"Open the door." Carine was heard saying from the other side. "Open the door right now; that's an order! So do it, or tomorrow I'll tie you both up myself with an anchor!"

Urian knew it was his wife, only she possessed that character, more so in such troublesome situations.

The wooden and metal door to their alcove opened, and then Carine entered with Sallen and Pircen.

When the door closed behind them, the boy ran swiftly to his father, who bent down, and received him in his arms. The boy once again clung to his father as he used to do when he was gone for so long.

The child began to sob quietly, and Urian comforted him in his arms.

"Shhhh, daddy's here," he exclaimed, whispering before turning to his beloved. "How bad does it all look?"

Pircen looked at Carine, who still had a scowl on her face and a throat full of hatred.

"Not great," Pircen exclaimed, keeping his tone of voice low and careful. "A couple of letters came in on behalf of the King what..."

"That bastard is no one to order me what to do!" spat Carine. "This violates every statute we have! It outrages every noble house in this kingdom!"

"Carine, please..."

"Pircen, shut up!" exclaimed Carine, furious as she stormed toward the room's windows. Carine was in a rage.

Urian watched his wife, then Pircen. Finally, a nod from the Marked Warrior was enough for the Count to step aside, stand in the doorway, and allow him to approach her with his son.

Urian approached his wife, still holding their son in his arms. The child was crying silently, pretending that none of this was happening; in the eyes of humanity and the White Flame, Sallen was not even supposed to exist; he was an abomination, a monster before the union of a mortal and a Marked One. The Warrior remained silent, comforting his little son.

"I'm sorry for everything..."

Carine raised her hand and used her noble bearing against her husband to silence him.

"You owe me no apology. You don't owe anything to me or anyone in Marlisia. We all owe something to you, from the peasant on the edges of this place to the most pompous aristocrat..."

Urian kept silent and then put an arm around his beloved. She did the rest and attached in an embrace with her son and husband, which she wished would never end.

Carine wished to stay longer with her beloved, whom she had not seen in so long, and now, he must once again leave.

"We don't have time for this; you must leave."

"Where am I supposed to go?" asked Urian. "I can't cross the borders. If so, where will I go?"

"It won't be the borders, Urian," Pircen pointed out from the doorway, approaching them. The Marked Warrior knew Pircen well; he was a man he had been grateful to forever for helping them with the sham marriage he and Carine wore to please the court. Pircen, for his part, was helping them both because of his appreciation for Carine and satiating some expectations that he would not be able to fulfill if it wasn't before some kind of deal.

Urian watched Pircen in confusion, then looked at Carine, who was wiping away a couple of tears she couldn't control.

"The ship awaits," the Countess said.

During a moonless night, where silence ruled over the city and the main dock, a secret bustle was brewing in one of the ships belonging to the court of Marlisia. A colossal ship with three masts and a deck and below deck full of cannons was a jewel that Urian helped make. He even suggested the design of the mermaid at the bow, a beautiful creature carrying a sword in her hands, ready to face the ocean.

Getting there was easy; even though they were court members and were only following orders, the guards guarding their door were no match for the couple of punches Urian threw at them. After that, he slipped to a secret exit in the subway part of the tower where his room was. All that effort was to evade the diplomats who had arrived from the Capital on behalf of the King.

Outside the secret exit were Carine, Pircen, and Sallen, waiting for him in a carriage bound for the dock.

Simplicity was never something to his liking, and the sturdy armor he wore was not something he was used to, but it was what the soldiers on the ship wore on behalf of the county.

"It's unbelievable that I have to do this," cursed Urian, who was soon back to his old self. "After all, I've done..."

"Keep your cool, just as you're still keeping your head," replied Carine.

"Are you sure this will work?" asked Pircen worriedly. "He already attacked a couple of men, but we don't know if anyone..."

"It will work," Carine firmly insisted as she carried her son.

"Where the hell am I going?" asked Urian, alarmed.

"You'll cross the ocean," Carine said. She saw the look of alarm on the face of the person she swore to love and fidelity to. "There is no other choice; you will go to Feinsia; we land at Ainzenia."

"The Capital is closely connected with us," exclaimed Pircen. "You'll be all right there, I promise you."

"So I'll leave as a fugitive; I'll abandon my wife, son, and everything I once loved. I should go to Mordia to slice the--"

"Urian," Carine exclaimed firmly. The man shouldn't forget that their son was there.

The boy had remained crestfallen the entire trip; Urian adored his son and never shied away from denying his appreciation of him, even though to the court and the world, he was only the guardian of the next heir, not the father.

On the dock, the buildings facing the sea were silent; the only place where noise could be heard was from one of the taverns farthest from the ship, the only one that seemed to be brimming with merriment amid that silent, secretive darkness.

The sailors were loading things for the expedition in semi-darkness, and dozens of men and women were guarding the ship on behalf of the Countess. There, only loyalists were allowed to be, people who had sworn unconditional loyalty to Carine or had shared a battlefield with Urian.

Behind the carriage, Urian bade farewell to his son with a tight embrace, one that the younger boy did not wish to let go of. The boy had seen his father leave so many times; the thought that he would do so again soon brought him pain. For Urian, the feeling was just as painful, for not being able to even express his affection in public made it a huge agony.

"Take care of them both, please," Urian pleaded with Percin. Yet, even in his cold countenance, the Marked Warrior harbored some concern.

"I will, my friend," said Percin, extending his hand to the Warrior. Then, as if the deal were between equals, Urian shook his hand.

Finally, the Warrior said goodbye to his beloved. He needed no words, for none could describe that moment's pain. Then, in the darkness, behind the carriage, as if anonymity was the only thing that could be expected from both of them, they gave each other one last kiss.

The last of the night, the last for a long time.

Urian turned towards the ship, and after putting on his helmet, he headed towards the boat. The Captain was waiting for him and the rest of the sailors, loading the goods they would carry on their journey. Crossing the ocean was difficult, but the Marked Warrior was fearless and would accept the risk.

"Is it long to go?" asked Urian with a voice drowned out by the hull.

The Captain, a veteran Urian knew well, explained. "The voyage will be long, and we must carry things that show a valid reason for our expedition."

"Sallen!" Carine was heard shouting her son's name.

"Papa!" cried the boy in despair.

Urian tried not to turn around and remain stoic but soon felt the little boy cling to the black cloak hanging from his armor.

The silence became even more thunderous, and the child was soon taken in his mother's arms. However, the child clung as if his life depended on it to his father's armor as he threw a tantrum in desperation.

"Daddy! It hurts! It hurts!"

Pircen tried to take control of the situation, "My son, what happened..."

"Sallen! What's the matter with you?" asked Carine, alarmed as her heart pounded.

"There it is! that noise! It hurts! daddy!"

Urian opened his eyes and quickly turned to take him in his arms. The child then put both hands to his ears and began to cry.

It all happened so fast that a mere mortal would not have been able to cope with the situation.

Urian turned to where Pircen stood, who, in the blink of an eye, had been grabbed by his jet hair and leaned back. The edge of a blade was laid across his neck.

Quickly, the Marked Warrior delivered a fierce and swift punch to the one who took the dagger in hand. The impact was brutal; it seemed he had almost knocked his head off with one blow.

Chaos ensued; there were screams from Carine and Pircen and a disconsolate cry from Sallen.

Lights! Let's go!

The Captain gave the order, and the boat's lanterns lit up. The Marked Warrior then took his beloved and his son in his arms and placed them behind him.

In the darkness, a small army of the county's military members had amassed. From knights to archers to a couple of mages.

"Traitors!" shouted one of the knights. "They betray Rojaun!"

"Soldiers, halt!" exclaimed Pircen. "I order you to halt!"

An arrow flew from the darkness in Pircen's direction. The Marked Warrior rushed towards his friend and quickly stepped in front of the projectile, letting it slam into his arm. For a warrior such as Urian, an arrow shot was barely a painful pinch he could tolerate.

"To the ship, now!" shouted Urian to his friend.

"Weapons! Take your weapons!" shouted the Captain to his crew as the boatswain rang the bell as an alarm.

The situation has escalated until now. But, then, those loyal to the Countess and her champion would turn into traitors like them.

The soldiers advanced up the wooden pier, shaking the planks it was made of. Urian went against them and drew his sword, allowing Percin to take Carine and her son aboard. In front of the Marked Warrior, there were no more former comrades with whom he had shed his blood; if they preferred to see him as a demon again, he would be a demon.

With a swing of his sword, Urian stopped the first wave of warriors in a loud, crashing clash. The clash caused the rest to stop advancing, piling up on the planks. Several tried to fire their arrows from behind them but were soon hampered.

The sailors grabbed their weapons and, with bows and crossbows, began to shoot back. Urian would not fight this battle alone, giving him a window.

During the enemy's confusion, the Marked Warrior stomped hard and shattered the planks beneath him before retreating back towards the ship. The dock, made of logs and planks, weakened by the Marked Warrior, gave way and several men in heavy armor collapsed before the total weight of the mob.

"Inside! Now!" shouted Urian as he climbed aboard the ship and saw his wife and children still on deck. He grabbed his wife by the arm to lead her to the Captain's cabin.

"What's going on!" shouted Carine. "My men are fighting my men!"

"This is treason!" shouted Percin.

Sallen continued to sob as he clutched his ears. Urian removed his helmet and looked at his son. That was unmistakable. The boy felt the presence of a Marked One near them, who was not Urian.

The silent night soon brought screams and cries, horror and blood. Then, suddenly, thunder began to roll, and what was once a moonless sky was now a cloudy, windy, lightning-filled night.

During the confusion and chaos, the Warrior made out how the storm seemed to be orchestrated from the very tower where he was held captive, far away and over the hill, in The Garden.

"A Marked Mage," Urian exclaimed.

A fireball impacted against the bridge of the ship, near the helm.

"What are we going to do!" shouted Carine.

Urian then turned to his wife, his son, and his friend. The Marked Warrior watched Percin, wordlessly indicating to him what would happen. Percin looked at the Marked One and nodded with a steady gaze and no hesitation.

Percin opened the cabin door and stepped inside, taking Sallen with him.

"What are you-"

"Carine, my beloved," exclaimed Urian, taking his wife by both arms. "I love you, and I always will. I will do my best to see us again."

The look of confusion on her face soon changed to despair as Urian pushed her into the stateroom and closed the door.

"Urian!" shouted the Captain, "What do we do!"

Urian watched as a couple of sailors took hits from arrows, and another call landed on him like hot tar and sent him leaping into the sea.

"Prepare to set sail," exclaimed Urian without hesitation.

"But the countess-"

Urian interrupted the Captain and nodded. But then, the Captain knew what was about to happen.

"Take her to safe harbor."

His wife screamed and banged on the door incessantly, Urian stopped her with his hand, and soon it was the Captain who pressed his back against it.

"Prepare to set sail!" shouted the Captain to his men.

Then, Urian was stripping off his armor, tearing off his pieces and straps with his hands to gain more speed. The Warrior took from a fallen sailor his crossbow and quiver with bolts; from another, he took his saber.

The Marked Warrior made an incredible leap from the ship's deck to the dock where several soldiers had retreated.

Urian didn't hesitate, and when he saw that the sails were lowered and the anchor was raised, he knew that his fate was sealed. Thus, Urian lashed out at the true traitors until he reached a knight. The massacre was merciless, but in that way, the Warrior got a horse with which to ride to the castle, his old home, and go after the Marked Wizard who was causing all this.

Urian knew that castle like the back of his hand. Using again the same passageway he had used to leave, the Marked Warrior climbed up to the tower of his room. During his journey, he heard how the guard was on alert, looking for him or for Countess Carine.

Finally, he arrived at where his room and Carine's room were. With a kick, the hinges of the heavy dark wood and metal door exploded, and it fell to the floor. After that, the room was silent and dark.

Lightning illuminated what the bed his beloved was to share my engagement with Percin, as well as the painting she had with him was. Each flash of light illuminated a piece of the room that he was supposed to share with her, but because of his hatred for his lineage, it would never happen.

On the balcony, where various vibrantly colored plants and flowers adorned its columns, stood a Mage with his arms outstretched, who, sensing Urian's presence, lowered them. At that moment, the storm subsided, and the cloudy night became abruptly calm.

The Warrior did not hesitate; blinded by fury, his eyes began to bathe in a fiery, bluish glow. Then, in the blink of an eye, the Warrior reached the Marked Mage and tried to slice him with the two backs he held in his hands.

The mage was sliced by Urian, but it turned into a dense dark matter, a black cloud that pierced through Urian as if it were a net, dragged him back into the room, and at great speed, pushed him towards the wall where the Tablet of Royalty hung.

Urian hit the wall and rolled to the floor but quickly got to his feet. Proud and determined, he would not fall to a Wizard so easily.

The room was in complete darkness, and the only light there was the product of the glow of his eyes. However, his hearing became more sensitive, and he began to feel that entity moving around the room as if it was stalking him. He quickly dodged that cloud, rolling on the floor while throwing swords into the void.

"Show yourself for what you are, coward!" shouted Urian, seized by anger.

"This is my true form," a high-pitched voice was heard to say in a teasing tone. "Warriors get very angry when they can't sink their toys in the flesh," he said.

"We're not here to play; get him at once."

Urian heard those voices and then devised another plan. Quickly, he ran in the direction where the door leading to his room was to break down. The Warrior again blows off the hinges of a door and goes into his room, where the lighting is better.

There, the Warrior went to the displays of his weapons to get some better swords. Turning his back to the door, the Warrior felt he was not alone again. As he turned around, the chandeliers in the room lit up, filling the room with light. In that place stood the diplomats.

"What the sh--?"

The four diplomats smiled, and soon their features were distorted. A curtain of darkness washed over them, and as they retreated, all four wore the same black armor and masks that showed no facial features, along with their orifices where their eyes would be made of a black crystal.

Urian pointed his swords at them, ready to advance.

"Wow, I must have infuriated Tisvar to send me to his harem."

One of them burst out laughing with laughter drowned out by his mask before his voice boomed through the room.

"You've always been a tease, Urian."

"Don't ever use my name again in your mouth full of treachery and venom," he exclaimed with a tone of profound contempt.

"Aren't you finished?" a calm but intimidating voice was heard.

"We're on it, Axlind," replied one of the taller figures. "Though if you're in a hurry..."

From the light cast by the candles trickled a wax-white mass that quickly took the form of that last Martyr as it reached the center of the room.

"Greetings, Urian," exclaimed Axlind.

Urian, sick of hearing his name in the mouths of those people, rushed at the wizard with unmatched speed. Several candles went out, and the chandelier above them swayed violently before the man's charge. However, far from dodging it, Axlind let the Marked Warrior run him through with his weapons. In doing so, his entire arms pierced the chest of the Akajsi man, who grabbed him by his face by having Urian within arm's reach. There, that is when Urian's torment began.

The pain he suffered in his mind was unmatched by any wound his body had received so far. Axlind conjured that mental torture with his words that did nothing but bounce constantly inside Urian's skull. The man tried to resist, but the images of his wife, son, and everything he loved being torn apart and burned tormented him.

Axlind stopped as he heard Urian's blades fall to the ground, and after pushing him back, the Warrior's arms came out of Axlind's body.

"Belor, take him to the Countess's balcony."

"You mean Ex-Countess," joked that tall, cadaverously thin man. Nevertheless, the Martyr grabbed Urian by his scalp and dragged him across the floor to the next room.

Urian's mind was shattered, and when he came, he saw himself on the balcony. The Warrior held onto its edge.

"The Garden has always been a beautiful place," Axlind exclaimed. "I'll be able to add rooms to my demesne..."

Urian was startled at the sound, but when he tried to hit him, his body barely obeyed him.

Axlind grabbed him by his arm and then his head to bring him to his knees.

Then Axlind pointed to a stray light on the horizon. "There, Urian goes everything you love in this world."

The man, overcome with fear, watched that faint light lost in a black horizon.

"B-Stop it..." exclaimed Urian, gripped by fear and on the verge of tears.

"You must have thought something like this would happen when you delivered the heads to Cardinal Vandac. At that time, it seemed you could fool him as well as other nobles and clergy members..."

Urian tried to stand up again, but his legs felt weak.

"Don't go on, stop it...!"

Axlind held Urian by his hair and moved closer to his ear. "I don't like killing. I hate it, but I will do it in the name of Tisvar if necessary. Only he will give me the certainty that whether what I did was just or not..."

Axlind raised his hand, and a cloudy night slowly turned into a fierce storm on the horizon.

"One snap and a wave would carry the ship to the bottom of the--"

"I'll do anything!" cried Urian. "Kill me if it will make them live! Torture me for the rest of my life! I'll do anything! I surrender! I surrender!"

The four martyrs behind Axlind burst out laughing, for the proud man's state was somewhat ironic. A haughty and petulant Warrior was now on his knees, crying disconsolately and begging for mercy.

Axlind let go of Urian and let him fall to the ground. Urian clung to the edge of the balcony and, seeing how the storm had disappeared, rested his forehead on the edge and sobbed disconsolately before being dragged into the darkened room.

Unable to do anything to stop it, the pride that this Warrior once had and for a long time was like a fierce flame was now something as small as the light of a candle.