Lestan pressed his palms into the throbbing pained wound. He felt his hands being wet, soaked whole in blood.

"Consano," Lestan whispered.

Suddenly he fell on his knees feeling even greater pain stabbing his left eye. He couldn't hold a loud cry and stopped only when the pain returned to previous state.

"What's the matter, little brat, can't take a little pain?" Garsiva mocked him and the rest of soldiers laughed.

Despite being insulted again, Lestan was asking himself, what was the matter? He used a healing spell that supposed to ease his pain, but instead it made it hurt even more, not mentioning about the healing part. He could barely think and keep himself conscious, but he wasn't about to give up his life like this.

He took a deep breath and removed his right hand from his wound. Then he used sleeve from right arm to wipe out tears from his right eye. He was scared and angry at the same time and felt strong survival instinct. It wasn't the first time he felt that way, so he hoped to control it fully this time. Adrenaline rushed through his veins while he stood up and glared with kill intent at Garsiva. Admiral immediately hid his smirk and looked at the prince narrowly.

Lestan could feel awkward gaze of soldiers on him. He turned around and walked to the exit. A soldier stood in his way.

"Are you going somewhere?" Lestan recognized his voice. It was the same soldier who didn't believe in his fighting skills.

Lestan glanced at him and put his right hand on his shoulder. Soldier seemed to be surprised, but also disgusted, probably because of the blood. Nevertheless before he could react to this, Lestan bounced from the floor and jumped above him, flipping in the air. Now Lestan was behind him and Soldier probably in shock tried to turn to him. The prince was faster though and pushed him with a kick at other soldiers.

"Get him." Garsiva shouted.

Lestan quickly turned around and dashed out from the chamber. Adrenaline gave him strength to run very fast, faster than soldiers behind him. He knew it won't last long though, so he needed to hide. While running through a corridor, he turned right and stop before the nearest door. He pressed the handle to find out it was locked.

"Recludo," Lestan whispered and heard an unlocking sound.

Now pressing the handle had an expected effect of opening the door. He shook his left hand along the corridor to splash some of his blood on the floor. He quickly went inside and closed the door without making too much noise.

"Sero," Lestan whispered and heard a locking sound this time.

He heard someone's footsteps running to the corridor and held his breath. Someone presses the handle of the door and tried opened it, without luck.

"There, blood trail." Someone shouted and Lestan heard them running out.

Lestan sighed with relief; his plan to distract them with his plan was successful. He turned around and looked at the room he was in. He wasn't really interested with it, but looked for something useful. He noticed a basin with water and mirror. That was very useful in his situation, so he walked there. He cleaned his face and looked at the mirror. He could see an ugly scar on his face, even if still covered somehow with blood. He sighed and decided to try another healing spell.

"Percuro," he whispered.

He was prepared to feel another pain, but it was opposite this time. It seemed that bleeding stopped and pain was lowered. He washed face again and looked into the mirror. Scare was still there, but it looked much better. Scar was placed between his forehead and left chick. It went throw his left eyebrow, but eye itself seemed to be undamaged. He splashed his clothes as well and spoke another spell.

"Allavo," he whispered.

His clothes, hands and face were clean now. He looked at the mirror with relief that he could still see normally with his left eye. He was unable to tell that before, because of the blood that was on his eye. Unfortunately that what he was avoiding whole his life had happened; he had a scar on his face and magic couldn't fix that this time. Still looking at himself in the mirror he was thinking what to do next. He certainly knew that he wouldn't be able to do anything by himself. He needed help of someone, who had his back before.

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

Jarred was almost out of arrows and still few of assassins were fighting with kings and their guards. Suddenly someone approached him from behind and he immediately turned around to face them. One of them swung a blade at him, but Jarred blocked attack with his bow. Then the assassin kicked Jarred onto the floor and he groaned.

Assassins were about to swing him when suddenly they were attacked by two Azurian soldiers. Jarred quickly hopped on his feet and shot assassins with rest of his arrows. When all assassins were dead, two newcomer soldiers approached King Serry and kneeled to him.

"Your Majesty, Grand Vizier Irozo and Admiral Garsiva prepared a coup." One of the guards said.

"How do you know that?" Serry asked.

"We were in Admiral Garsiva's regiment." The second of the guards answered.

"Where is my son?" Araman asked.

"We were in the balcony chamber and Garsiva ordered us to attack him." First guard explained.

"And what happened?" Jarred asked.

First guard sighed. "He defeated some of soldiers, but then he spoke to us that we shouldn't listen to Garsiva and we didn't want to anymore, so the two of us ran away."

"I should execute you for treason." Serry stated.

"We only want to serve you and redeem ourselves." The second soldier stated.

"How can I trust you? Why should I believe you?" Serry demanded.

"After Prince Lestan spoke to us, we realized that honor is more important than promises of great power or fear of admiral." The second soldier explained.

"That's not-" Serry was interrupted by Jarred.

"Your Majesty, with all respect. That really sounds like Prince Lestan and besides that we don't really have a choice. Only two, three counting me Karasian and two Azurian left on our side. We should accept any help we can get." Jarred explained.

"That might be a good point; they did help us after all." Araman said.

"Very well, tell us what is happening here." Serry demanded.

"Garsiva locked the palace and took most of the guards out. He sent assassins to kill you both Your Majesties and Prince Lestan. Irozo wants to use power of sands of time on soldiers outside. They suppose to be unstoppable then." First soldier explained.

"What about my men?" Araman asked.

"Dead, we believe." First soldier answered.

"Do the remaining soldiers in the palace on their side?" Jarred asked.

"Hard to tell, some of them don't know about the coup, I'm sure of it. I doubt they would bother to even talk with men in medical wing." The second soldier explained.

"But wouldn't they be wounded?" Jarred questioned.

"Not at all, they're only mildly wounded or even fully recovered at this moment. The only exception could be that one soldier who was swallowed by the sand yesterday." Soldier explained.

"We should start there, Your Majesties." Jarred stated.

"Very well, you two lead the way." Serry ordered.

Two soldiers led the rest in direction of medical wing. Somewhere in the middle they've encounter a group of soldiers. Two leading soldiers took their swords out.

"What's wrong my friends?" One of the soldiers asked.

"You're in the coup." Soldier stated.

"What?" He asked shocked and then looked at the soldier next to him. "What have you done brother?"

The other soldier apparently didn't withstand the pressure and burst. "Okay, we agreed to coup, happy now?"

"You're not serious?"

"As you can see, it's not working and nothing is worth selling your own honor."

"All right, all right," Soldier replied.

"Don't want to interrupt, but we should move. If you give up on coup then come with us." Jarred said.

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

Asoke lied on an attempt of a bed and sighed loudly. He was totally screwed right now. Not only he stole an amulet and opened the magic hourglass, but the person he liked hated him. He won't ever forget that look on Lestan's face. He was sure that the prince hated him. Old Irozo probably won't do what he promised, just like Derasians. Why he was so unlucky lately? Why that damn god of luck wasn't on his side or even was against him? He groaned loudly and suddenly heard someone.

"Is that bed really that uncomfortable?" Lestan asked standing on the other side of bars.

"Lestan, what are you doing here?" Asoke was really shocked.

"I need your help, so I'll help you leave that cell." Lestan answered handing him his bag through the bars.

Asoke jumped immediately on his feet and grabbed it. He looked inside to find everything he posses; everything besides his weapons. He sighed and put the bag over his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Lestan asked.

"Did you see my weapons anywhere?" Asoke asked.

"Unfortunately I didn't. They must have hid them in armory, but I don't know where that is." Lestan answered.

"Me too," Asoke replied.

"So, come on." Lestan said and Asoke noticed that they were whispering.

Asoke took out his lock picks and picked the lock with it. He pushed the bars and suddenly reminded himself about something. He hid the lock picks and returned again to the imitation of bed. He took the small spell book and left the cell.

"What is it?" Lestan asked obviously curious.

"It's a spell book." Asoke answered excitedly and closed the cell.

Lestan rolled his eyes.

"You don't believe me?" Asoke asked hiding the book to his bag. "Umbra," he said and shoved his hands over himself.

"Should I suppose to see something now?" Lestan asked like he didn't believe him.

"You still see me?" Asoke was shocked. Why it didn't work now?

"Come on, we don't have time for your games." He said obviously sarcastically.

Asoke suddenly noticed that Lestan had a scar on left part of his face. "What happened to you?"

Lestan didn't have time to answer as the heard footsteps.

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

"Who's there?" Guard asked.

Then he looked at Lestan's right profile.

"Oh, it's you, Prince Lestan." Guard saluted. "What are you doing here?"

Lestan was confused, Asoke stood just next to him, but guard didn't look at him. He stared at the thief and noticed that he was half transparent, at least for him.

"Is there a problem, Your Highness?" Guard asked impatient.

Lestan was in luck, this guard didn't participate in the coup. But he still wasn't safe; if the guard would become suspicious, he'd alarm the rest of the guards and probability that they would turn against him would be high.

"Oh...I got lost, okay? It's embarrassing." Lestan explained covering his left profile in palm. Asoke smirked at him.

"Would you like maybe me to help you find the way out?" Guard asked cautiously.

"Only if you'd like to hurt my pride even further," Lestan said through clenched teeth.

"Oh, right; then carry on Your Highness. Have a nice walk through palace." Guard turned over and walked away.

"That was awesome." Asoke was impressed.

"Okay, it works, I'm impressed. Now come quickly before another guard will show up." Lestan said leading them out.

"Don't sweat; I can do that for whole day." Asoke exclaimed.

"But I can't. Look, I don't know which guards joined the coup." Lestan explained.

"What coup?" Asoke was beyond shock.

"Am I supposed to explain you the meaning of the word?" Lestan said sarcastically.

"No, of course not; I'm just wondering why they're doing that." Asoke's face showed his attempt to think.

"Maybe they're doing this for Sands of Time?" Lestan remarked.

"Oh, good point," Asoke sighed, "so what now?" Asoke asked.

"Now tell me, why did you open the Sands of Time?" Lestan asked after looking around if they were safe. "Did you do it for money and freedom or for the power?"

"Neither. Irozo said to tell me who I am." He sighed.

"What do you mean, who you are? You're a thief-" Lestan started.

"No, I mean, who were my parents, where I came from." Asoke explained.

"Oh." Lestan couldn't say anything more.

"But the worst part is that that I knew it was wrong and I still did it, even if I didn't really want to." Asoke sadden.

"He probably used a spell on you." Lestan remarked and sighed.

"But he didn't spoke any spell." Asoke said.

"He's a grand vizier; he can cast some spells without speaking them." Lestan explained.

"Oh, okay, that makes sense. So where now?" Asoke asked.

"We need to find the amulet and the dagger." Lestan answered. "Quaerere the amulet of time." He spoke the spell and a white light appeared leading them for the artifact.

"Oh, WOW." Asoke was impressed by the display.

After along run they reached a locked door. Asoke immediately unlocked them with his thievery skill and they entered the room. At the end of it were two boxes and the left one has a dim glow. Lestan rushed to the box and Asoke was behind him and stood on his right. They both opened the boxes and took their content. Lestan quickly put on the amulet and squeezed it.

"Jarred?" The prince said having a vision of his friend's actions.

Unfortunately it distracted him enough that he didn't notice how floor behind him shattered and part of the ceiling dropped on him pushing him through the hole.