Dagonet shook his head. “Let me explain it to you in a way that you might understand. There are many types of people who become Gruhath. Most of them are poor souls down on their luck. They don’t have the ability to use Legantz the way it was meant to be used because in order to do so, a person has to be…” Dagonet searched for the correct words. “Nearly selfless. They have to love, but not intimately. They must bear children, but not be entirely attached to those children. They must consider the ultimate good above all else, even their own pursuits and happiness. This is what the Druhath teach us from a young age. People only become Gruhath when they seek power through easy means. These are the people who know the consequences, but are so sick at heart that they become Gruhath nonetheless. I cannot save these people, they are a poison to society, as they corrupt the innocent people around them into becoming Gruhath as well.”

Eldora listened carefully, and understood most of what he was saying. “But what if you tried to make a Gruhath into a Druhath?”

Dagonet shook his head. “That would be quite impossible. The way the sects see the world is diametrically opposed.”

"But people can always be convinced…" eldora said. 

Dagonet gave her a sincere smile. "You're quite sweet. But… trying to convince a Gruhath to become a Druhath would be like… trying to teach a deaf man to hear."

Eldora considered that. As an American, she believed that anyone could adapt to any culture, but she had to acknowledge that for some people, it was hard--even impossoble--just as it was nearly impossible to get someone to convert to a religion different from the one they grew up with.

She thought of Claudius, suffering with an unknown problem--disconnected from his religion and from nearly everyone--excluding her, and a few close friends. Would he have become Gruhath? 

"It's not impossible.." she said more to herself than him.

Dagonet raised an eyebrow. “I know you are new, but what you say could be considered blasphemous. Someone who has sold their soul to the Gruhath cannot redeem their soul. Let me tell you a story.”

Eldora rolled her eyes as she stuck her fingers in a soap jar and roughly massaged his scalp with it, bringing it to a lather. Her finger got tangled in one of his curls, causing him to yelp. She couldn’t help but smirk. 

Dagonet cleared his throat. “Anyway. There was a man I knew once as a young man.”

“Young man? Adrian, you’re only thirty.” Eldora said, dumping a bucket of water over his head.

Dagonet’s face went blank–nearly pale–and he said, “Who is Adrian and how do you know how old I am…?”

Eldora immediately cleared her throat and averted her gaze. “Adrian is just… he’s an old friend. You look like him, which is how I guessed your age.” 

“Don’t mention him again in my presence.” the king’s voice was without humor.

“V-very well…” Eldora murmured.

“Anyway. The man I knew was named Justin. He was a good man–an up and coming soldier–who wanted to be captain of my guard. He demonstrated knowledge between right and wrong again and again by giving appropriate sentences to those who were guilty, and had such a good sense of justice that he could tell when someone was guilty or innocent at a glance. But even he could be tempted by power… Justin had a weakness, and that weakness was that he was born and raised in poverty, and could only make end’s meet due to the wealth he enjoyed as a soldier. But being a soldier is hard work and long hours. He wanted and needed a shortcut, or so he thought.”