After some time Lestan seemed to be finished. He kneeled next to the drawn circle and put chalk on the floor. Araman leaned forward, for sure being interested in that. Jarred passed the thief and stopped few steps before the prince. Rest turned to him as well. Asoke stood up and walked to Jarred.

"So, what is that?" Asoke asked Jarred.

"Hash, let him enchant." Jarred silenced him and Asoke started to hear a mumble from the prince.

Lestan was mumbling that way for few minutes and started to speak louder at the end. "...arx fatalis." Lestan finished and spoke two last words loud enough that Asoke would hear them.

Asoke recognized one of those words when Lestan used a protection spell from the sandstorm spell. So he thought it would be a spell that will protect everyone from the magic sand. The circle started to spark in blue color.

"Father, could you bring your sword here?" The prince called to the Karasian king.

King Araman stood up from the throne and walked to the circle. He unsheathed his sword.

"Put it to the circle." Lestan ordered.

Araman didn't hesitate to do what he was told and immediately the circle glowed with bright pure white light. After a moment light dimmed and stopped blinding everyone, but circle still glowed with white color.

"Now the palace is protected from the sands and sand monsters. Additionally it will affect all the traitors." Lestan pointed on the soldier that was burned before with Araman's sword.

The soldier looked weak and couldn't keep standing on his own feet. The two soldiers were holding him that he wouldn't fall.

"If light starts fading away, repeat that and the spell with be restored again. It should hold until Rohan will arrive." Lestan explained.

"Yes, I've got an answer from Rohan." Jarred said and took a small piece of paper from his bag and gave it to the prince.

Lestan read it and gave it back to Jarred. "Excellent, now-" He was interrupted by two soldiers that came back with food.

"Now we eat." Jarred said with a wide smile.

Lestan sighed and Araman spoke to him.

"Can we talk Lestan?" King asked.

"I'm not in the mood right now and there's really nothing to talk about. Everything is clear." Lestan answered and went to one of the room's corners, where he sat on the floor with his back turned to everyone.

"Please give him time, he needs to rest." Jarred said to the king.

Asoke walked to him, but stopped feeling a hand on his shoulder.

"You too Asoke," Jarred said.

Asoke sighed and went to another corner to seat on the floor. Jarred went to the soldiers and took some food. He walked to Asoke and gave him some; then he went to Lestan. He gave him half of his food and sat next to him. Kings and soldiers ate near the side entrance. Asoke could notice that the traitor soldier and the two that were holding him vanished. He ate his food looking at Lestan's back. The prince talked a little with his friend and then Jarred stood up and walked back to soldiers. He took a cup of water and brought it to Asoke.

"Drink," Jarred gave him the cup and sat next to him.

Asoke grabbed the cup and drank some water. He looked at prince who drank water from a bottle.

"So what's his deal?" Asoke asked bluntly.

Jarred raised an eyebrow and answered. "He's just tired from all this. He'll be fine after some rest."

"Yeah, hopefully," Asoke replied.

Jarred stood and came back to Lestan. He sat next to him and talked for a moment. He unpinned the sword from his bag that was lying on the floor and then took out a blue jacket from it. Lestan took off his shirt to put on his jacket. Asoke stared at some scars on his back until he covered it with his jacket. Then he stood up and put on his belt with the sword.

Lestan seemed to be ready and went to the throne. Both kings were there talking with each other. The rest of the soldiers waited where they were before. Jarred followed Lestan and Asoke decided to do the same. Lestan still didn't look so happy, but spoke to the kings anyway.

"We'll go after Irozo now, but we need where he took the hourglass. I think it would be somewhere very high." Lestan stated.

"So maybe that high tower on the other side of the city?" Asoke replied.

"Yes, that tower is his personal workshop." Serry answered.

"Then we'll go there, but first we need to learn how to drain sands back to the hourglass. Is there any other library where I can read about the sands of time?" Lestan asked.

"Yes, the main library is in the city centre just next to the central tower. It isn't that high like Irozo's one, but it's a highest tower in the middle of the city." Serry explained.

"Great, so it's our first goal. Jarred give your bow to Asoke." Lestan said.

"Wait. Are you really sure that you want him to go with you? Maybe I should come instead?" Jarred interrupted him.

"No. We both bonded ourselves with time artifacts. It would be too dangerous for anyone else to come. Besides he's a better archer than you Jarred." Lestan explained.

"If you say so," Jarred looked hurt by the statement.

"Your Majesty," Lestan turned to Serry, "in normal circumstances I would ask you for a pardon for this thief. I reclaimed the amulet he stole and he helped me greatly in the Derasian City. Nevertheless it's not a proper time for this. We need to hurry and stop Irozo before he release the rest of the sands." Lestan exclaimed.

"Yes, I'm sorry that I didn't believe you before Lestan and please call me uncle again. We could have an argument, but it doesn't mean we need to part in bad terms." Serry stated and Lestan nodded.

"Lestan, I wanted also to say that I'm sorry and I'm really proud of you. I really am,don't look at me like that." Araman said.

"Asoke," Jarred called him from behind and he turned around. "Come with me."

Jarred led Asoke to the other end of the chamber, so that the prince could talk with kings in private.

"Take this." Jarred handled him a bag with food and a bottle of water." Lestan is too proud to ask for anything, but please convince him to eat and sleep from time to time." Asoke hid them in his bag and then Jarred handled him his bow. "Take care of it; it's one of the finest bows in Karasia. Lestan gave it to me for my birthday." He looked away obviously sad by this.

"Don't worry, it will be safe with me and don't be sad. I don't think Lestan wants to be mean, he just wants me to be armed with the finest weapon." Asoke said.

"Yes, I guess so." He waved his hand to the Karasian soldier who brought few quivers with arrows.

"But how will I take all of this?" Asoke asked and felt a hand on his shoulder.

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

"Well, I have an idea," Lestan said taking a hand from Asoke's shoulder. "Take one quiver." Asoke took one and Lestan put his hand on it. "Incircumscriptibilis facultatem." He took his hand. "Now you can put as many arrows as you want in this single quiver."

Lestan turned away, leaving Asoke with his new toy to play. Jarred walked to him.

"Are you all right?" Jarred was worried.

"Yes, it's just too much." Lestan shook his head.

"Then maybe don't go and wait for Rohan." Jarred proposed.

"No, Rohan won't come in time and I don't really have a choice. We both with Asoke are cursed and we need to deal with it or we'll die." The prince explained.

"Yes, that's not the perfect situation Lestan, but if anyone can do it, it's you. Just take it easy." Jarred said.

Lestan wanted to answer when they both heard Asoke's excited voice.

"Wow, this is so awesome." Asoke shouted like a little kid.

Lestan smirked and shook his head.

"Do you like him?" Jarred asked.

"What do you mean?" Lestan asked surprised.

"You know what I mean." Jarred insisted.

"No Jarred, I don't like him that way and we don't have time for even thinking about it." He rolled his eyes.

"If you say so," Jarred replied.

Asoke went to them grinning. "Now is your turn to take the awesome sword."

"No, my father's sword is too heavy for me. How am I supposed to jump on roofs with it?" Lestan answered.

"Don't worry; his sword is only second to his father's. It's also magical and indestructible." Jarred explained.

"Okay, are we going now?" Asoke asked.

"Yes, but do you have any idea how we can get out of here?" The prince asked.

"Through the window," Asoke smirked.

The thief went to the window and opened it. Lestan came to him and leaned through the window.

"Yes, it will do." Lestan accepted.

"Good luck." Jarred said.

Lestan climbed the window and leaped to the edge on the other side. He slowly went farther and after a moment Asoke was after him. It was the time to begin their journey.