There was an uncertainty that clung to this men. Yet...they had saved my life.

Days had swam past...perhaps six. I wasn't entirely certain. I had lost count of this. Yet in this, none of the twin had spoken a word of what I must do to help them.

Before my wake, my meal would lay. I dared not move out the bed in my weariness. I was prisoner to my pain. Yet I felt obliged...motivated to help. They had helped me, it was only honorable now to recompense if it lay my power. Mostly because I wasn't a man to keep debt. I would pay it all!

Perhaps they sought me to recover fully. What words were truly that heavy to be banned from a healing man as myself?

I stretched hands. The sore feeling had been tremendously lowered. The broken ribs were nearly repaired. Not ultimately though...but at least I could move.

My legs stepped on the floor. I tested my weight with my skeletal framework. They would hold! I told myself. My breathing flowed well...almost perfectly, save the tiny pinch I still felt in my left rib. Still, it had been the best in several days.

I inhaled deeper. Then moved.

A step!  Two steps! The walk.

It felt good. I pushed faster...my legs kept up. I left the room. The cabin was silent...empty! Series of thought swirled through my mind, but I exiled them all then advanced for the main entrance. I pushed it. The rush of light was almost insane, but it came like a purifier. I felt whole. Light. Air. Nature.

The scenery was greeting. Green of the trees and grasses. Flowers of the land, swimming from pink to purple, red and blue. An ecstatic revival of happiness bore from this...this beauty.

The first man I saw damned my fantasies.

"You broke through...at last." The advancing man moved gently with grace, taking each step at a time with staff in hand. His calm soothing voice made me understand this one to be the Healer -- Kenan. But he seemed different than he was days ago. Shaven hair and cultured beards made him distinct now.

I took the first step down the stairs. The sharp pain came like a bolt. I retracted my step with a faint cry.

"One step at a time." Kenan cautioned haven observed.

But the piercing ache was intense, one I wasn't willing to subject myself to again.

"O ye of little fate!" His voice surged with peace. "According to your faith shall it be unto you," he smiled. "A step of faith." He urged with an open handed gesture.

The words were strange. Yet somehow I found myself motivated by them. I swallowed my fear...the strange assurance consuming the larger portion of the pains. A step. Two steps. The walk...and I was now.

I breathed fast. It would take a while to get used to this!

"Thank you for the encouragement."

"They weren't my words, and therefore not me to receive the honor."

"Who's are they?"

"God's."

"God? What god? Daimot or Seine?"

"No. I'm speaking of the one true God."

"No. There are many gods," I protested grimace.
"There is Ceres the god of the forest. Druda, the god of the Mountains. Sisa the god of the Waters. Liam, the god of Peace. Tian, the god of Love. And the many other lesser gods."

"Interesting." He smiled amusement. But I found

"There is only one true God."

"And what is his name?"

"O he has numerous names. His names are encapsuled in his manifestation to certain fellows. I have come to know him as Tiara. It means Healer in my native tongue. He saved me when I was a boy and then anointed my hands to heal others." He smiled calmly.

"Whatever would be his name to you would be a revelation of him to you."

"The Old gods have forsaken me. I have forsaken them too. But I know it is woe to a man to live life without the presiding of a supreme being. I will know this your God then." I paused briskly.
"How do I find him?"

"No you don't find him. He finds you."

"Nonsense." I laughed. "It took me and my brothers twelve days to the highest mountain of our lands, wherein we encountered a puma. And it was all to seize audience and favor from Agok, the god of might, and he empowered me in the end."

"Well it doesn't seem like you still have that empowerment." A new presence strode in.

I frowned, then looked to my side to see the speaker advancing. Crust! He deepened his strides, and in a quick move threw the piece to me. Seizing it I realised it was my Kris. But the man spared me just a moment of appraisal, and in a flash he was next to me.

His thrust was wild. I managed to sidestep, but cursed my luck immediately as I felt the pinch of pain. He pivoted quickly and dashed again. I wasted no time...the Kris flashed out and I set it in place against the blow. He drew back then pushed again. I repositioned, flogging away the strike.

His frown explained the ferocity of his next attempt. Two slash up and a side thrust. The move was tactical. I was slow. The last hit almost had its way...still I held it out. My assailant pressed at my defense. I held my ground strongly. He was marveled by my resilience. Suddenly...he dropped his hand from his blade, in a moment his left hand seized it. In that slim moment of repositioning, he had me, and I never saw it coming.

Blade pointed to throat, he roared with laughter.
"Indeed. A fighter indeed."

"Still you defeated him in less than three minutes." Kenan scoffed.

"I am still weary. Just need to knock out the rust from my technique and I would be back." I defended.

"Well I expected more from a 'demigod' as yourself." Kenan paced to me.

"I never said I was a god. I said I was empowered by the gods."

"It makes no difference to me," he retorted. "The gods blood ought to be flowing in your veins."

"What are you trying to bring out in all this?" I frowned.

"That your gods are weak!"

I might have had odd feelings with the gods. But this man had no right to speak of the ones on which the foundations of my life's believe rested.

Now I will punish his insolence!