Before dawn in Alexia's tent

You're in the most beautiful place you ever seen; a massive city above the clouds glittering in the sun, and music drifts gently on the breeze that blows through your platinum hair. A gentle cough breaks your trance-like state and turning around, you realize that you're in Olympus the city of the Gods. Memories of your first few days of life spent here as a babe flood your brain, the taste of ambrosia and the sweet sounds of lyre music just like this before Zeus your Grandfather sent you to Kalion to give you a life away from the squabbling of the Gods. Standing before you is the most beautiful, powerful, loving Athena - your mother.

"My heart swells with pride to see the man you've grown to become." Her praise fills you with a pleasure and longing you've never before felt and you see a single tear sparkle like a diamond from the corner of her serene eyes. Maybe, you marvel, a token of regret that she was not there while you grew up. "Your father and I have watched you grow into an honorable king, my son. At times, a bit reckless for one blessed with wisdom, but your father always reminds me that strong actions speak louder than good council. And your recklessness is ever for the good of others." You realize with a start that the pain from earlier is gone and you listen in rapt attention as Athena continues. "Even Zeus uses you as an example of how the gods should act." The sadness you feel at what must have been your **** is nothing compared to the joy of being reunited with your goddess mother and hearing her praise. She smiles gently.

"No my son, you are not dead. You have work to do." Athena's face turns to sadness and it shakes you to see her like that. "I brought you here not only to see you, Bruce." Her grief tears at you like a drake's talons, but you cannot bear to look away. "Something is wrong in Athenapolis." Athena confirms what you've suspected for years, "I've lost my connection to my High-Priestess and suspect she has been somehow corrupted." Perhaps Zeus was right to send you from this place. Could the idyllic setting cloud the eyes of the gods?

How else could your mother have failed to notice the evil that had taken over her own city and grown like a cancer for more than a dozen years? You mother's eyes look deep into yours and if anything, her sadness deepens.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you so, my son," her pain makes you want to weep, "anyway, you will be waking up soon so I'll give you this amulet to protect from the evils you'll likely face. Now wake up and when you can, go to your father's temple in my city he will be there with a gift." Slowly Olympus fades away, although her voice is still crystal clear. "Goodbye, my son. I love you."

Everything goes dark then you hear hushed voices coming from nearby.

"- passed out, so we need to keep this from spreading. If the United Armies think we're weak they might attack." A different voice, this one female, "Also we have to keep our own men from finding out or they might attack them in return thinking he was poisoned by the Lord-Marshal."

"Are you sure that he wasn't Alexia?" That is Barticus, his Ciosi accent is impossible to mistake, "they didn't really see eye to eye on the **** attempt or us being here." You other Oath-brother is quick to jump to Alexia's defence.

"Barticus, Alexia would have checked that first, you know how she cares for him." Why is it, you wonder with frustration, that everyone else seems to know how Alexia feels about you, but you didn't? "And besides, we were with them the entire time and he didn't get close enough, not unless he was poisoned somehow as he was riding Spook." The final voice belongs to Galeon, his deep baritone is as calming as his smile.

"Yes, I agree with Victor and Alexia on that. Bruce kept mumbling about his mother and the temple's corruption or something while I carried him. Does any of that make any sense?" None of the others had any insight, so Alexia ends the late night session.

"All right I'll ask him once he wakes up. For now, Galeon go make sure our warriors don't over-react, Victor go about the camp and see if you hear anything strange and Barticus you're the only one besides Bruce that can calm Spook down, could you go take care of him?"

"Poor beast must be worried about Bruce too." You hear shuffling as the foursome starts to break up. "Take care of him Alexia, make sure he gets enough rest; Bruce is always reckless caring about others never himself." You hear the rustling of the tent flap and footsteps going away.

"I know you're awake, so you can open your eyes and tell me what's going on?" You should have known better than to think you could fool your mistress of spies. Opening your eyes you see her dressed in a simple white tunic belted snugly around her slender waist holding the amulet Athena gave you in your dream.

"Alright, Alexia but its still a little hazy." You sit up slowly, becoming acutely aware of the tightness in your abdomen and an ache in your right shoulder. "I'll tell you what I know and what I must do, but first why am I in your bed?" The normally unflappable Alexia blushes fiercely and stammers out a half explanation.

"I thought," she stops and tries again, "Galeon was carrying you ... well I ... my tent was closest and we were trying to avoid attention." You smile at her not used to seeing this side of her, but she is impatient for some answers. "What happened, Bruce?" She shows you the amulet in her palm and where did this come from?"

Now it's your turn to search for the words, but with her by your side on the comfortable bed, then tell her everything that happened since you met with your brothers all the way up to the dream and what you plan to do next.