Kerrin stood at the bay window, watching Ramas Vasha direct his men with a stern and unyielding hand. All of the council members, save for Caris Shamir, had spoken to their troops already. They had given any man who wished it, the opportunity to side with Delian...and not a single man or woman had...

"Excuse me Lord Scott, but will you be bedding here in the East Tower tonight?"

"Yes Raina, I will be here for the night...alone..."

"But my lordship, are you certain you don't want the guardsmen posted?"

"No Raina, not tonight...they have to much on their minds to bother with guarding a man as capable as myself.", he grinned at the beautiful young girl as she turned to go.

"Lord Scott..."

"Yes Raina?"

"I just wanted to say...well, to say thankyou...thankyou so very much for your courage and strength."

"You're welcome my little flower. Now go home to your family, and enjoy their company. Tell your mother and father I send my greetings and my love."

Raina Tomas turned to go. The beautiful, 17 year old daughter of Varian Tomas had been with Kerrin since the girl was born. She was like a daughter to him, and he like an uncle to her. He had promised Varian when she was young that if anything should ever happen to the leader of the Brotherhood of Kluya, he would care for Raina as if she was his own. She was indeed beautiful, a little over 5 feet in height, with golden, silk, hair, huge blue eyes, and the palest skin Kerrin had ever seen. It made the ancient warrior happy to know that she approved of his decision, because oddly enough, her opinion had always mattered to him. She was young, but sometimes she proved to indeed be wise beyond her years.

Night had begun to settle across the kingdom, the few oil lamps that still burned were being extinguished one by one...except the one high within the confined walls of Castle Baron. Delian's light burned well into the night, and if Kerrin looked hard enough he could make out two silhouettes speaking to one another under the moonlight. One was Delian, and the other...Caris Shamir.

~Morning assembly within the throneroom of castle Baron~

"Caris is nowhere to be found Kerrin.", whispered Ramas into his hear while Garon Revan, and Tira Kordas looked on.

"He can't have simply dissappeared. I saw him but last night, within the kings chambers."

The sensual, black-haired, enchantress of the Order of the Grey Wind turned to The Scottsman and purred in a low voice:

"The smell of treachery and evil is afoot my Lord Regent, our Vizier plots our undoing I fear."

Kerrin layed his hand on the pommel of the blade of Ojin nervously as he scanned the crowd for signs of the frail mage. The green and golden silken robes of his order, the evil and reviled Temple of Vargas were everywhere, yet their Highpriest was strangely absent.

The hall was tightly packed, peasants, and nobles from afar had gathered to recieve his Highness, Delian of Toroia, in his court of marble and jade. All about them hung the relics of wars long past...The Lance of White, the Crystal Sword of Cecil, The White Robes of his beloved friend Rosa. Yet it had been many years since this kingdom had known the ravages of war, would Delian truly be so foolish as to shatter the greatest peace Yvalice had ever known? Kerrin closed his eyes and prayed silently that his king would see the value of a reasonable discourse.

Delian of Toroia was undoubtedly the son of king Daeus. A large man, standing taller than Kerrin at almost 6 and a half feet tall, with menacing black eyes, and full beard, hair of grey-black, and a grim visage. He was most certainly a man to be both feared and respected. And he had ruled Baron with an iron fist for nearly 15 years. The illegitimate son of king Daeus, by the Baroness Vesha of Toroia, he had ascended the throne by blood right, and some said by murder and intrigue also. Kerrin had never known, Delian was appointed High Lord of Baron by the Council of Twelve Elders, who were the highest court in all Yvalice. Nevermind the fact that 7 of the nobles, who had shown quite a disliking of the young Prince, had been ruthlessly murdered two weeks before the council had convened. Many said that Delian was behind the mass-killing, but it was never proven, seven nobles who supported him were appointed to the vacant seats, and he was given the kingship.

Delian, sat on the throne of gilded, cherry-wood, gracefully...as befits a king. His plush, red, velvet, robe hanging loosely about his well-muscled body. His golden sceptre held firmly in his right hand as he took his seat to pass judgement on the trials of his subjects. There had been a queen once, Kira, but she had died along with her stillborn child some 13 years ago. Now Delian ruled alone...and he liked it that way. He was indeed a greedy man, and he had no plans to change his ways.

"Here ye, Here ye," began the steward, calling the court to order.

"Oh High Lord, Celestial King of Baron, Delian of Toroia, will now preside over this assemblage."

Two thumps of the stewards staff upon the hard marble floor and the gathering fell to silence.

Delian surveyed the group, his eyes lingering for a moment, here or there...until they fell upon the gathering of the High Council, and Kerrin in particular.

"Kerrin Scott, Lord Regent to my kingdom...I see but four of your group are here. Where are Lord's Shamir and Tomas?"

Kerrin, Garon, Ramas, and Tira immediately fell to one knee and lowered their heads.

"My lordship and king, I cannot say where Lord's Shamir nor Tomas are, as I have neither seen nor heard of them since the other morrow."

Delian rubbed his chin fervently.

"And in what context did you converse with the two Lord's as of yesterday my dear Scottsman?"

"With all due respect your highness, the words of the High Council are for their ears only."

"You would not speak when your king requests it? Demands it even?"

"My lord, I cannot speak of yesterday as it is decreed by law that only the presiding members of the High Council may know what is spoken behind the doors of the Crystal Tower."

"I see...and what if I told you that I already knew what was spoken of behind those closed doors...my loyal Regent...", said Delian sarcastically.

Kerrin and the other four gathered turned to each other with looks of knowing dread on their face. Obviously Shamir had, as expected, violated the laws of the ages and revealed the words of the High Council to Delian.

"My Lord...", said Kerrin rising slightly.

"STAY ON YOUR KNEES SCOTTSMAN!!!!! I should kill you and the other dogs of the High Council where you stand."

Those gathered began to whisper amongst themselves, this was truly odd. Never before had the king adressed his council in such a way.

Delian stood, his eyes blazing. IS IT NOT TRUE KERRIN SCOTT, RAMAS VASHA, GARON REVAN, AND TIRA KORDAS THAT YOU HAVE CONSPIRED AGAINST YOUR KING!!!!????"

"But Delian...", started Ramas.

"SILENCE!!!!", spittle flew a few feet onto the marble floor at the bottom of the dais as Delian continued his raging.

The king calmed a little as he walked towards Kerrin and the rest of the High Council. As he neared The Scottsman he placed his cupped hand under Kerrin's chin and raised his eyes toward him.

"You have brought about your own downfall Kerrin. My most trusted and loyal advisor...and you would plot to usurp my power and have me killed."

"Delian...I...would never."

"SILENCE I SAID!"

Delian turned swiftly to the assembly and began to rant.

"From the mouth of Caris Shamir has this warning come to me. Amongst Lord Shamir's own ranks did he hear of a plan to have me assassinated. This man...Kerrin Scott, Celestial Knight, Lord Regent, of YOUR kingdom persuaded a priest of the Temple of Vargas to renounce his oath and kill me even whilst I did set on my throne this very day!!! At this very hour!!!!!"

The members of the High Council turned to one another. What a strange twist of fate. Why would Caris have made up such lies? Why would he have gone to such extremes as to have one of his own brotherhood charged with such a thing?

Delian turned back to the High Council and grinned as the steward began to announce someones arrival.

"Announcing the arrival of his Lordship, Caris Shamir."

The tall, frail, mage stood in the doorway. His green robes, falling about him like a leper's skin, his ashen face curled into the most terrible of smiles.

"Oh great and mighty Delian. I come to you after capturing the traitor in our midst...even among my own brotherhood, seers of the great god Vargas, did I find this man."

"Bring him before me Caris..."

The assembled folk had grown dead silent, this was indeed one of the most amazing things they had ever seen. They all knew of course that Delian was evil, but to trust one as vile and of such ill-repute as Caris Shamir?

A tall, lanky man wearing the dark green robes of Vargas walked silently towards the throne. His head hung low...he looked as if he had been drugged and beaten.

The guards following him pushed him to his knees as he reached the edge of Delian's throne.

Delian spat in the young mans face even as he swayed on his knees.

"Tell me boy, was it you? Were you the one that sold your soul to that dog?"

"Yes...", spurted the poor young boy, so badly beaten as Kerrin could now see, that he could hardly speak.

Kerrin also noticed that as Delian ranted and raved in his madness, Caris had sent 5 of his brotherhood out of the throneroom...

"AND IS IT NOT TRUE THAT IT WAS THAT MAN THAT ASKED YOU TO DO IT???", said Delian pointing towards Kerrin.

"Yes...", said the young man once again as he collapsed at the foot of the dais, blood streaming from his eyes and nose, and mouth.

Delian once again turned toward the assembly.

"Now watch my subjects. See what awaits those who would oppose the divine rule of their king."

Delian drew his ancient, silver-pommeled, long-sword and in one swift stroke sent the head of the priest of Vargas rolling down the steps of the dais to the marble below.

Those gathered drew back in horror and still could not speak, save for the sounds of revulsion at their king who was so obviously mad with power he had become blind to reason.

"DELIAN!!!", yelled Kerrin.

"You are blind Delian! It is not us who plot to usurp your throne, but Caris himself. We would not have permitted you to make war against all of Yvalice, that much is true. But you are our king and we are loyal, we would never have connived such a thing!"

Delian turned swiftly on the Scottsman and lashed out with his blade, catching Kerrin across his left cheek, and leaving a long thin line of blood on Kerrin's face.

"Let that be a reminder to you Scottsman. You may be immortal, and you may not die, but you can be hurt...and if you provoke me any further, I will give to you a fate even worse than death. However, you and the rest of your council have served me many years, so I will grant you death if indeed your supposed immortality will allow it. Let us see how your immortality fairs when your head is severed from your neck...shall we?"

"You have sealed your fate Delian...", said Kerrin coldly.

Tira, Ramas, and Garon sat stone-faced...not believing the events which had just transpired.

"No Scottsman...you are the one who has sealed their fate...and that of your friends as well..."