"Welcome young thief." The old man said. Asoke recognized the local Vizier. The man was very old; he was guessing that about 60 years old. He wore make-up though and some ornamentation that helped a little in his appearance. His clothes were strange too. He wore a long purple robe that looked more like a female skirt with all those ornamentations. All that didn't have any meaning to Asoke though, the man was disgusting to him either way. Vizier's voice wasn't any better.

"What do you want?" Asoke asked angry.

"Let me introduce myself first. I'm Irozo the Azurian Vizier and trusted adviser to King Serry." Vizier exclaimed.

"I know who you are. I asked what you want." Asoke retorted.

"Maybe you could give some introduction for courtesy?" Irozo said and Asoke groaned unpleased. "Not need Asoke the master thief of Azury." He smirked to see Asoke's surprised face. "Yes I know not only that, but I also know more about you than you ever did."

"What?" Asoke asked terrified.

"Yes, I know who your parents were and theirs as well. I can tell you if you just listen to me with more enthusiasm." He chuckled.

"So what do you want?" Asoke asked with shaken voice.

"It's easy, I'll let you out and you use this amulet and dagger to open the hourglass." Vizier stated.

"What? Wouldn't that be dangerous?" Asoke questioned.

"It won't. The sand inside contains a very strong magic not diseases." Irozo explained.

"So why can't you do it yourself?" Asoke questioned again.

"Because I'm too old for this," he said with a warm voice, "my weak body wouldn't stand that marvelous power, but you're young enough to not feel anything bad." He explained.

"I don't know." Asoke was wondering.

"Would you rather wait when Prince Lestan comes to release you? Are you sure he has intention to? And he doesn't know what I know." Vizier said with sympathy.

Asoke thought deeply about it. Lestan didn't want to help him, but this man did. The only thing he had to do was open the hourglass. What could go wrong?

"Okay, I'll do it." Asoke answered.

"Splendid. Take the amulet and dagger. Firstly you need to put the amulet in the circle and then stab with the dagger the place below it. You'll know when you'll see it." He handled items through bars. Along with them was a small book."This book could be useful to you too."

"But how would I-" Asoke stopped when he noticed a key along the items.

"Wait some time and then proceed. Some guards would just bluntly stop you and I don't have time to tell every one of them to let you pass, so try to not get caught before opening the hourglass." Vizier stated and Asoke nodded.

The Vizier left and some guard patrolled the hallway. Asoke put the dagger on his belt at his back and the amulet to the pocket. While holding the key he opened the book which apparently was about magic. A bookmark inside was placed on a page with a shadow spell. Asoke didn't know much about magic. He could tell if object was enhanced with magic to measure its price. He never used any magic though. He read quickly about the spell, because he thought it could be useful later.

After sometime Asoke didn't see anyone outside the cell and decided to let himself out then. He put the book away on the fake bed; he couldn't take it with him anyway. He carefully put the key into the lock and turned it until it was unlocked. It made a little noise, so he looked around and listened if someone wasn't coming. Then he pushed the bars and left the cell. He closed his former cell and silently rushed to the exit.

He was careful, leaning to the walls to avoid being spotted. For some time he didn't meet anyone, but suddenly he heard two guards approaching while talking loudly. He was in middle of a corridor with nothing to hide in. Then he remembered the spell he read.

"Umbra," He whispered and clung to the wall. The guards getting closer to him looked around like they were expecting to see something. Then they looked again at each other and continued talking while passing him. When they went farther, Asoke sighed. He thought that the spell worked. He was very proud of himself at the moment and grinned to himself.

He rushed to the throne room. He knew his way around from time when he stole the amulet. Couple of times guards would pass him, but every time he was able to hide behind a column. He entered the chamber from a side entrance and hid behind the column. King was sitting on the throne, but after a moment he stood and rushed to the main entrance to greet someone.

Asoke didn't think long about it and rushed quickly to the hourglass. He took out the amulet with his left hand and the dagger with his right. He put the amulet into around recess, it fitted perfectly.

"NO!" He heard Lestan's voice from the other side of a chamber.

Asoke was about to turn around, but suddenly the dagger moved by itself dragging his hand with it. The hourglass sucked the blade of the dagger. He didn't have control over this anymore and started to panic. The hourglass's bottom opened and sand started to spill from it.

Lestan suddenly kicked him hard and he fell hard on the floor. When Asoke looked at the prince he was terrified of the view. Lestan barely showed any emotions on his face, but at this moment it was completely different. Saying that he was angry was not enough to describe how he looked. Asoke for the first time was afraid of him.

Lestan quickly grabbed the dagger and struggled with it. It was obvious that he couldn't take it out. Then he grabbed the amulet with his left hand and the dagger loosened. The hourglass immediately closed and sands stopped to spill. He immediately tossed the dagger to the other end of the chamber. Then Lestan looked again on Asoke with disgusted and anger.

"Seize him immediately." Lestan shout demanding.

**********************************************************************

Lestan was more furious than ever. Even more, saying he was furious was an understatement. He glared at Asoke with anger and disgust. How did he get to the amulet and the dagger, but what more importantly, why did he do it?

"Seize him immediately." Lestan ordered loudly.

Two guards got to the thief and lifted him from the floor. Sand started acting weird, multiplying its magnitude and filling the space. Lestan looked at it terrified. The sand raised and moved in people's directions. It looked like sea waves attacking the shore.

"Stay back." Lestan shouted and guards dragging their prisoner started stepping back. They took their swords out and started to slash rising at them sand. Of course sands weren't phased by it forcing guards to step back faster.

Lestan started stepping back as well. He reached the little stairs before the throne and jumped over them to not trip. He was stepping back until reaching the center of the chamber. Kings were now next to him. Lestan looked at them and guards behind them. All of them were petrified from fear. This situation wasn't helping the prince to calm down. Everyone there instead of running away just stood looking at this terrifying scene without any grace. One of the guards panicked and jumped in front of his king. Sands devoured him immediately.

"Lumen tueor," Lestan shouted with shaking voice and reaching his palm in the sand's direction.

Light came from prince's palm and hit the sand. Sands reacted strangely, like a wild animal that realized that was no match for the opponent and moved to the window. It sprinkled itself through it outside and vanished without a trace. Soldier who was devoured by sand lied now on the floor unconscious.

Lestan started breathing heavily. He glared at guards that were holding Asoke. All three of them stared at him. When they spotted his look gaze on them, guards took their prisoner and dragged him through the side entrance.

"What in the hell was that?" Serry asked.

"What was that? Those were the sands of time. If they all had been released then we'd be dead now." Lestan yelled.

"All right, I'm glad it's over." Serry stated.

Lestan get even angrier, "Over, over? It's not over, but only the beginning."

"Well-"Serry started interrupted by the prince.

"How had that thief gotten a hold on those artifacts? They were supposed to be locked." Lestan demanded answers.

"How should I know? I'll order Irozo and Garsiva to investigate." Serry stated.

"Have those two to investigate? Don't you realize that those two are responsible for all of this?" Lestan shouted.

"I do not appreciate your tone, young Prince. You will have respect for me and my trusted." Serry said sternly.

Lestan gritted his teeth containing his rage. "As you wish, Your Majesty," he said sarcastically.

Both kings stared at him shocked.

"Lastan," His father reached to him.

"Now excuse me, I'm tired, Your Majesties," Lestan said throwing the amulet on the floor and left the chamber.