Athena's mother had tried to get the senator himself to perform the ceremony, but most every member of the government was at the king's tournament.

Mary and this particular senator had been friends since childhood. Even though he was from a royal bloodline, they had found each other irresistible, often running off together despite the laws that forbade it. They continued in secret until his parents found out and put a stop to their relationship.

Royals did not like to mix bloodlines with commoners, despite what the king had done seasons ago. Mary often wondered what her life would have been like with Ralton Brandor. But as she looked at Athena on the Peak of her union, she realized this was the life she was meant to have.

The ceremony was simple, and George's heart was filled with happiness. He would no longer use women for the items he sought to acquire. He would have to rely on his charisma to get what he wanted without the added bonus of s.e.xual favors. He would be loyal to Athena and give her, at least in his mind, the respect he felt she deserved. There was a child on the way, and he was not about to give this one a broken home.

The a.s.sistant kept the vows short, but sweet. The family applauded, and the after-party was held in Mary's barn. The atmosphere reminded George of some kind of hillbilly square dance, and everyone enjoyed the festivities. There was even a potluck that had been laid out on many of the tables that lined the back wall of the barn. All that was missing was a wedding cake-and a whole lot of cla.s.s. George told himself he would renew his vows with Athena once he had the moments to do it properly.

George took Athena by the hand and knelt on one knee. He handed Athena her new treasure box. "You can use this to hold the memories of our life."

He opened the lid. Inside was one of the flowers he had picked near the gazebo. Its petals were still glowing, despite being plucked from its bush.

" Oh, George, how did you manage to do this? It's beautiful."

"I'll tell you later. Do you like it?"

"I do. It's perfect."

George smiled as he listened to the ladies' comments nearby. They complimented Athena on how romantic her new mate was. George thought, It was easy to pick the flower. h.e.l.l, all I did was teleport next to it and pluck it before it realized I was there. I can't believe the d.a.m.n thing is still lit. What luck!

George took Athena for a walk just before midnight. Since the family was there, Maldwin sent his vision to them all. They saw how great it would be to live with George and Athena in the Barbarian Kingdom, and as they did, smiles appeared on their faces.

With the family occupied, the newlyweds went to the bridge that spanned the river just outside of town and dangled their legs over its side. Under torchlight, they tossed pebbles into the water.

George loved Athena's voice. He kept the conversation going as he held his wife close. Everything she said was important to him, and his love for her was selfless. They stayed there talking and laughing for most of the night.

When George decided Maldwin should be finished projecting his visions, they prepared to leave. After kissing Athena, he said, "I've got a surprise for you."

"Another one? What is it, honey?"

"I'm able to do something special that will allow me to see you more often as I travel. I need to show you what it is. I want you to understand how I can find my way home to you every night. But I want you to keep this surprise between us. Will you keep this secret for me?"

Athena looked puzzled. "I thought you said your travels would take you north?"

"I did."

"Then how do you expect to be with me if you're there, and I'm here?"

George pulled her closer. "I'll show you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone ... not even your mother. Will you do that for me?"

Athena was hesitant to agree, but she nodded and put her head on George's chest, her favorite place to be. "If it lets us be together, then I promise."

George smiled. "Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Trust me. Just close them."

Once she had complied, he closed his. When they reopened them, they were standing in his mother-in-law's guest home.

Athena shrieked and backed away from George. "What kind of sorcery is this? How can I be in my mother's home? Where's the bridge? Where's the water?"

George expected her reaction. "Babe, please sit, and I'll explain." He took her arm, guided her to the table and then pulled out a chair.

Athena's face twitch as the chair's legs screeched across the floor. "Are we really here? How's this possible?"

The mage pulled out another chair and took a seat. "I thought you'd be happy that I can come home at night. Once I get where I'm going, I'll be able to teleport back and forth until the moment arrives for you to be with me. Doesn't this make you happy?"

Athena started to cry. "Why didn't you tell me about this before we said our vows, George?"

George was taken aback. "Let me ask you this. If I had told you, or shown you before our union, would it have changed the fact I've always loved you and have been good to you since the first moment we met? Would it have stopped you from uniting with me?"

Athena looked into his eyes for a long series of moments before she answered. "George, I love you. I'd die if I couldn't be with you."

"Well, if you love me that much ... and your love is unconditional," he said, brushing his hand against her cheek, "then why are you so upset about something that will allow us to be together? I have the ability to do so much more than what I've just shown you, but it has nothing to do with how much we love each other. I'm sorry I've upset you. Will you forgive me?"

Athena melted at his plea and then stood. She motioned for him to stand, and they embraced. With her head on her favorite spot, she cried, "I'm happy that I'll be able to see you so often, but this scares me. Whatever it is that you can do, whatever these things are, it would be best if you showed me. I'm your wife, and I should know what I'm dealing with."

"Babe, you have nothing to be scared about. I'll always protect our family. Just know this ... when I leave here, I'll be going to set up a wonderful home for us. I won't let you or our baby down."

Athena whispered, "I'm glad I have you. I've never been this happy. I want to be with you. I want you to do whatever it takes to make sure we have a happy home. Just give our baby a good life, and I'll follow you anywhere."

George lifted his bride into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. He would enjoy the night and leave in the morning for Gessler. Since he no longer had Amar at his side, he did not have the authority to fly on the hippogriffs. There were 13 Peaks left before Kepler would be in Gessler, but it would only take him 7 Peaks to get there. He wanted to become familiar with the village and then teleport back to Lethwitch.

As they went to sleep, George dreamed of Abbie. The dream was sad, and his little girl kept screaming, "Daddy, save me!" He tried to run toward her, but was unable to. The dream was h.e.l.lish, but thanks to Lasidious, it was cut short as the Mischievous One asked to be allowed into his mind. George gave him access.

"George, we need to talk."

"You could've shown up a little earlier. The dream I was having was awful. Are you sure Abbie is okay, Lasidious?"

"Yes, George. Like I told you, her soul is in the Book of Immortality. I've given her many good thoughts. You don't need to worry about your daughter. She's fine."

"Then what do you want?"

"First, I think congratulations are in order. I see that you have a fine woman lying next to you."

"How do you know I'm lying next to Athena? Are you here?" George was starting to feel uncomfortable. "I'm dreaming, right?"

"Yes, George, you're dreaming. I know many things, and I keep track of my favorite subjects."

"Favorite, my a.s.s. And I'm not your subject. What do you want?"

Lasidious chuckled. "You'll always be the same old George. This visit is not about what you can do for me. It is more about what I can do for you. I have come to enlighten you on the extent of your power. You're about to become a force on Southern Grayham."

"Force, huh? I like the sound of that. Do I need to do anything?"

"All you need to do is lie there. I'll enlighten you with everything you need to know. When you wake, you'll be famished. I know your journey to Gessler begins in the morning, but it may take a while for you to recover and feel strong enough."

George agreed to let Lasidious do his thing. As the Mischievous One was p.r.o.ne to do, he drug the process out and made George beg for him to get to the point. Eventually, George's mind was filled with the details he needed to use the full extent of his power, and then the G.o.d left his dream.

George woke with an awful thirst. He asked Athena to prepare him a meal. He guzzled the pitcher of water in the guesthouse, and then stole the pitcher from the main house as well.

Athena was surprised at how much he ate. It took until Late Bailem the following Peak before George was able to get on the road. He said goodbye to his beautiful wife and made sure Maldwin understood he was leaving.

In parting, George had one last comment for the rat: "Everything is A-okay, man."

The Next Peak Just After Late Bailem Double D had made his way into the city of Brandor just after the height of the Peak, and it took until Late Bailem to reach the arena. As he approached, the number of guards walking the streets increased.

It had taken quite a while to get to where he now stood. As he looked up at the top of the arena, the crowd was cheering. Once the ma.s.sive torches lining its circ.u.mference were lit, the final fight of the evening would be announced.

The a.s.sa.s.sin knew the perfect moment to kill the General Absolute. He had learned from previous trips to this city that the general always fought the tournament's winner on the ninth Peak. He would take that opportunity to dispose of Justin, but until then, he would scout the castle for the best moment and place to slaughter the prince. He wanted to make a statement, and the king's son deserved to pa.s.s in front of as many beings as possible.

This a.s.sa.s.sination would not be an ordinary killing. This murder needed to be horrific, disgusting enough that every kingdom on the entirety of Grayham would talk about it forever. He wanted word to spread and for tales to be told about how s.a.d.i.s.tic the slaying of the prince was. This event needed to be legendary. This killing had to be his ultimate statement of artistry.

Double D was unable to find a place to stay. All the inns were booked for the tournament. To avoid further inquiries, since he wanted to speak to as few people as possible, he scouted the area until he found an old man who had left the tournament by himself. He watched from a distance, careful not to step into the light cast by the scattered torches throughout the city and followed the man to his home.

After ensuring the man was not going to be joined by other company, Double D opened his pack to retrieve his mask. After pulling it over his eyes, he vanished beneath a veil of magic and walked up the steps to the front door. He opened it, stepped quietly inside and carefully pushed the wooden door closed.

Double D could hear the man in his bedroom. The older gentleman was singing as he prepared to get into his bathing tub. The a.s.sa.s.sin ignored the man's jovial song and moved through the rest of the home, looking into five bedroom chambers that had not been opened for nearly a season.

Nothing was out of place, the beds were made, and a layer of dust was on the night stands that stood next to them. This was the home of an unwed man. Even the bathing room meant for the woman of the house had nothing in it. This sad, old man was perfect, and from the look of things, no one would be coming to visit any moment soon.

Double D's expression turned dark as the a.s.sa.s.sin waited for the old man to fall asleep before he made his move. Without a sound, he put his pack on the floor and shut the door to the room behind him. He walked toward the bed, stalking it like a cat, focused to ensure his breathing remained normal. He had done this so often that it was second nature.

He reached down and pulled the covers back to get a better look. He now had his target in sight. He reached forward with both hands, but he had to pull them back to stop himself from sneezing-a close call. Once again, he reached forward and concentrated on his target. During this series of moments, there would be no interruptions, and he would finish the job.

He s.n.a.t.c.hed and squeezed. There would be no struggle. His victim was not strong enough. Double D relaxed his grip on the pillow he had grabbed off the bed and then fluffed it up. He quietly crawled beneath the covers and drifted off to sleep with the old man sleeping in his own room three doors down. The a.s.sa.s.sin had much to do the following Peak and wanted to be up and gone before the old man woke up. He would hate to be a source of irritation because the old man deserved better.

Over the next six Peaks, Double D scouted the castle and settled on the perfect spot to a.s.sa.s.sinate the prince. He moved around the royal house with his mask on and remained invisible to everyone. His plan was perfect and required just the right set of circ.u.mstances to carry it out. But first, the general needed to be ended.

Gessler Village George arrived in Gessler with Kepler not due for another 6 Peaks. There was still plenty of sunlight. The mage asked around until he found the b.l.o.o.d.y Trough Inn. He figured out which window would be best for Kepler to enter and paid the owner of the inn to reserve that room before leaving to survey the area. The mage needed to find the perfect spot to teleport when returning to the village.

After a while, he stumbled across the entrance to a mine just east of the village. About 20 paces to the left of the opening was a tree that was tucked against the hillside. He walked over, looked around its base, and realized there was enough room between the hillside and the branches to teleport. To ensure the spot was perfect, he watched how many people came and went from inside the mine. There was little traffic.

Using his sword, George created a pocket within the limbs and cleared away the branches he felt would interfere. At the base, he smoothed the ground to make sure it was level. By the moment he finished, he was familiar enough with the area to avoid a mistake. Just to be sure, he stood inside his wooden coc.o.o.n to memorize every detail.

Once confident his surroundings were committed to memory, he walked to the other side of the village and took a practice run. Crossing his fingers and taking a deep breath, the mage closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was standing behind the tree, tucked in his branched alcove.

A smile crossed the mage's face. Satisfied with his success, the next stop was his mother-in-law's guesthouse. George closed his eyes and disappeared.

The General Absolute Prepares for Battle The City of Brandor Double D arrived at the arena early and hid beneath the stadium where the fighters prepared for battle. He was invisible and had worn his mask since leaving the old man's home. He hid in the wooden rafters above the staircase that ascended to the fighting surface. He was waiting for the moment when the trumpets would sound.

The a.s.sa.s.sin reached inside his pouch and produced a dart. He had laced its tip with his finest poison, Polasadis-a poison extracted from asp harpies found in the forest of Kyll, a dark forest on the world of Trollcom. He put the dart into a slender tube that was four hands long, lifted the weapon to his mouth and then waited.

The trumpets sounded. As expected, the general ascended the dark staircase. There were torches on the walls, but they cast just enough light to keep the men from stumbling.

As the general pa.s.sed beneath him, Double D blew into the tube as soon as he saw the nape of Justin's neck. The dart flew through the air, hit its target and delivered its wicked poison into the general's bloodstream. Justin reached back and swatted at the back of his neck and knocked the dart into the shadows.

"Are you alright, General?" one of his bodyguards questioned.

Justin held up his hand to see if there was blood, but the darkness of the pa.s.sageway prevented him from seeing it.

The a.s.sa.s.sin was apprehensive. He felt as if the general was going to investigate.

Instead, the general shrugged. "I'm fine. Let's get going."

With the p.r.i.c.k of the dart being pushed aside as a mild irritation, the murderer relaxed as Justin continued up to the arena. Double D's smile widened as the crowd erupted at the sight of their champion.

Justin Graywind absorbed the screams of the mob. He had been in this position on many occasions, and his nerves were chiseled from the hardest stone. He walked into the sunlight and took his spot where no other fighter had been allowed to stand. After lifting his sword in the direction of his opponent, Justin pulled it back in front of his face and bowed to honor his next victim.

The general watched as the king gave the signal for the battle to commence. He turned to face his new enemy.

The man began his a.s.sault and darted toward him. Justin met this advance with equal measure. The warriors' blades clashed. They spun in unison, as if their actions had been ch.o.r.eographed before their blades met again.

General Graywind backed away and nodded, acknowledging the skill his enemy displayed. He attacked again. A series of rapid, metal clashes followed from many angles before the general's foot made contact with the man's chest and sent him rolling.

Justin motioned for the man to stand, and smiled as the fans screamed with pleasure from the exchange. He circled for a bit, feeling his excitement growing. He lived for this atmosphere. It was his heartbeat. He circled and held his arms high, absorbing the chanting of his name, waiting for his enemy to engage.

As Justin turned to face his foe, his eyes began to dim. He tried to rub the cloudiness from them, but this did not have the effect he was after. What's wrong? he thought.

Through the fog, the general caught a glimpse of his enemy's attack. His instincts took over as he stepped to the side to deliver a crushing, left hand to the side of the man's face. The impact was enough to send his enemy to the ground, hurt and disoriented.

The general realized he did not have moments to waste. It would not be long before he would be unable to see, and now his chest was beginning to pound. Toying with his opponent was not wise while in this condition.

He moved over his opponent and thrust his sword into the back of the man's head. The point of his blade pa.s.sed through his skull, exited his foe's right eye and stuck into the wood of the arena floor beneath the sand. The mighty Graywind left his sword buried in his victim's skull as he reached up to clutch his chest.

Unaware of the poison coursing through the general's body, the crowd erupted with s.a.d.i.s.tic joy. Despite his weakened condition, Justin raised his hands to acknowledge the mob.

The general stumbled toward the center of the arena. His eyesight was almost gone, and now his breathing was extremely labored. Justin dropped his arms and stood motionless. He was frightened, the way a young boy is when he believes something is under his bed. The beast in the general's own chamber closet was emerging to steal him in the night.

The crowd continued to cheer, but Justin was not comforted by it. His body was cold as his heart slowly thumped against his ribs. He grabbed at his chest again and lifted his voice to shout for the king's healers, and then he collapsed to his knees.

The crowd instantly silenced.

The king rose to his feet. "Healers! Make haste!"

Justin's breathing was becoming shorter by the moment. Every breath he took was a gasp to fight for the air he needed to survive. His lungs were filling with blood, and the weight of his body was now too much to bear. He crumbled onto his side and rolled to his back. As he looked toward the sky, he could no longer see the brightness of the sun, and the only sound he could hear was the blood that bubbled in his lungs.

With the healers taking too long, Sam jumped from the king's box and ran to Justin's side. He stretched out Justin's legs to ensure the leader of the army was flat on his back and then put his ear to Justin's mouth. He could hear the blood gurgling, and Sam knew he had made a mistake by leaving the Soresym's essence in his chamber. There was no other medicine on this world that could save the general.

Sam turned toward the king's box and shouted for Shalee. The sorceress floated down to the sand and then ran to his side.

Sam pointed at Justin and said, "Teleport back to our room and grab the griffin's essence."

The sorceress vanished. Only a moment or two pa.s.sed before she reappeared and handed the pouch to Sam.

Sam pulled the cork and poured the urine into Justin's mouth, but it was too late. The general's muscles had shut down, his tongue was the size of a small apple, and with his jaw locked, he was no longer able to swallow.