"Pray Paladine and Kiri-Jolith can use some good warriors at their side, because if they don't, old Sargas is going to have the last laugh in the afterlife."

Delbin returned to his hiding place with little more than two hours of darkness left.

"Well, I found them," he said to himself, speaking quietly but firmly in order to keep his thoughts organized the way he thought Kaz would in his position. "They're in a place under the circus, but it's not a very nice-looking place, and it's got rats in some places, which seems strange, since everything aboveground is so clean. They're locked up, and I would've gotten them out except some minotaurs in funny black-and-red robes who I heard worship Sargas, who is a peculiar god to worship since he's not very nice, came in and started looking for me. I had a good talk with Kaz and told him I'd be back because while I was there I got a great idea for a really big diversion that'll keep everyone there busy while they escape." He smiled in the dark, pleased with his personal rundown of events. Kaz would have been proud of him, Delbin was certain, even if the minotaur had declared he ought to leave the kingdom.

The kender set to work on his master plan. Everything was falling into place.

The high priest did not sleep as others slept. Sometimes he thought and plotted; other times he simply paced. Soon he could reveal the glorious truth to his children. Until then, however…

This dark morning, dark because there was at least an hour before sunrise, he had to visit his guest. She had grown unsettled of late, something which in turn unsettled the high priest. In the short time since she had become his guest, a decision not of her making, she had been, for the most part, quiet and frightened. The high priest preferred that. He encouraged those emotions, while at the same time being careful that she did not come to harm. Her good health was vital to everything. She had to be kept secured, but otherwise he made certain she did not hunger much or grow unduly ill.

Deep below the main part of the temple, in the special cells in which declared heretics were once placed, she awaited. The cleric walked unescorted past empty cells, turning corner after corner until at last he found the only one presently occupied.

Something scurried away from the door of the cell, a short, dumpy little figure whose presence disgusted him. "What are you doing there? Get away from that door!"

"Sorry, Great One! Sorry! Galump mean nothing!"

"Get away from here! Go back to your garbage! If I see you here again…" He let the threat trail off as the gully dwarf scurried away. If the little creature had not been trained to perform certain acts of spying for the priesthood, the high priest would have dealt with him there and then.

A slight clink from within the cell informed him that his guest was awake. Had she been talking to the foul little creature? The only other ones she saw were the guards that watched the corridors. But they were strictly forbidden to speak to her. No one was allowed to speak to her but him.

Moving to the door, he peered into darkness. "You are awake, my little one, so do not pretend otherwise."

From the darkness of the cell there came the sound of chains clanking. A moment later, the prisoner appeared out of the darkness.

In Solamnia, Ergoth, or any of the human lands, she would have seemed perfectly in place. Here in the empire, she was a striking contrast. Humans were not often seen or well-liked here, especially after years of domination by the warlords. Crynus had left a legacy of hatred.

"What do you want of me? Why can't I go home?"

She appeared young, perhaps fifteen, sixteen summers if he was a judge of human looks, but the cleric knew appearances could be very deceiving, and the girl was perhaps the greatest deceiver of all. Her innocent face, draped by long, silver hair that might have seemed more appropriate to an elf, belied what he and he alone knew to be the truth: there was power within her.

"This is your home, female. This will always be your home. Understand that now, and all other things will become much easier for you to accept." He indicated the cell. "You have a comfortable chamber. I have seen to that. The chains are required since you have yet to acknowledge that I am your master. My will is your will. When you truly accept that, then they may be removed."

"I want to go home!"

"What home is that? What life do you recall other than wandering by yourself, surviving by yourself, in the mountains and forests? Running from others who understand less than you yourself do. Surviving on what you were able to scrounge." Despite himself, the high priest grew angry. "Is that what you think your life was meant to be? Do you realize the danger you face, not having been trained in your abilities? You could be killed, either intentionally or accidentally. Do you know what that would mean?"

Her frightened yet still perplexed expression infuriated him. There was much he wanted to tell her, information he needed her to know in order to better understand. But to tell her this soon was to increase the potential of a deadly threat.

"I don't understand you at all," she insisted. "You keep talking as if I'm so very important to you. Of what importance can I be to you? I don't even know you."

"You are very intelligent, female, despite a lack of training. You have always known more, learned easier, than those around you. Look into yourself, then look into my eyes and see how closely we are linked. Look closely…"

She raised her hands, palms toward him. "No!"

Her hands glowed white.

The chains shimmered blue.

With a gasp, the young girl slipped to her knees, barely able to keep from falling to the floor. As her hands ceased glowing, the chains did the same.

"That is an object lesson. You must cease attempting to defy me. I do not like having to hurt you, but I will be obeyed. There is too much at stake here. I have worked too long for either you or a recalcitrant minotaur to disrupt things."

The girl did not answer him. The high priest frowned, deciding this was a waste of his precious time. The female had been in moods like this before. It was a sign of her childishness. Under his tutelage, such moods would soon become a thing of the past.

"Sleep now," he finally commanded. "Tomorrow we will talk again. Tomorrow we will begin new lessons."

As he turned and walked away, he heard her begin to cry. The sound encouraged him. She was at last beginning to break. Soon she would be his obedient servant… and her power, matched with his, would make his dream unstoppable.

Molus was not as enthusiastic as Kaz would have expected him to be. He soon found out why. Word of the cleric's command to make Kaz the first of the three prisoners to face death had reached the jailer, and the older minotaur was clearly put out by the new orders.

"No sense of timing and drama when it comes to the arena! We should lead off with your friend, who's been out there before and whose blood the spectators are ready to see, then schedule your father, who should make for a good warm-up. Then, and only then, should you go in, Kaziganthi! By Sargas! You should really be the last battle of the day! Word's gotten around, and there're plenty who recall or have heard of you. Heard some good bets as to how long you'll last… 'course it depends on who or what you face, doesn't it?"

"And would you happen to know?" asked Kaz. He would prefer to know whether he was going to face several gladiators or possibly a savage animator two. His attack would be timed accordingly.

"I do know, but it's going to be a surprise. The emperor's own orders. Doesn't want you too prepared, I'd guess. He remembers you well."